US20040176225A1

US20040176225A1 - Swinging exerciser having movable weight

Info

Publication number: US20040176225A1
Application number: US10/384,200
Authority: US
Inventors: Sherry Chen
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2003-03-07
Filing date: 2003-03-07
Publication date: 2004-09-09
Also published as: DE202004003085U1; US20060073952A1; GB0404770D0; GB2399034B; GB2399034A

Abstract

An exerciser includes a stem having one end for engaging onto a user, and a housing disposed on the other end and having a chamber to receive a weight. The weight may be caused to move against the inner peripheral surface of the housing, when the user swinging the exerciser. The movement of the weight against the inner peripheral surface of the housing may apply force against the abdominal portion of the user periodically, in order to massage the user. A handle may be attached to the stem. A counting device may be used to count the number of movements of the weight relative to the housing.

Description

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to an exerciser, and more particularly to a swinging exerciser for training waist portion of user, and massaging abdominal portion of user.

2. Description of the Prior Art

Various kinds of typical hula loops have been developed for training the waist portions of users, and for massaging the abdominal portions of the users. However, some people may not suitably operate the hula loops to swing and to massage their abdominal portions.

In addition, when the users have a pain in the back portion, the users may no longer use the hula loops to exercise their waist portions, because the hula loops may hurt their painful back portions.

The present invention has arisen to mitigate and/or obviate the afore-described disadvantages of the conventional hula loops or exercisers.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The primary objective of the present invention is to provide an exerciser for allowing users to easily train their waist portions, and to massage their abdominal portions.

In accordance with one aspect of the invention, there is provided an exerciser comprising a stem including a first end for engaging onto a user, and including a second end having a housing provided thereon, the housing including a chamber formed therein and defined by an inner peripheral surface, and a weight movably received in the chamber of the housing. The weight may be caused to move against the inner peripheral surface of the housing, when the user swinging the exerciser. The movement of the weight against the inner peripheral surface of the housing may apply force against the abdominal portion of the user periodically, in order to massage the user.

The stem includes a hollow passage formed therein and communicating with the chamber of the housing. The stem includes a neck portion provided thereon and disposed between the stem and the housing.

The stem includes a bar attached to the first end thereof the bar includes a curved surface formed therein to engage with the user. The bar includes a hollow passage formed therein, and communicating with the hollow passage of the stem

A handle may further be provided and attached to the stem, and may include a hollow passage formed therein, and communicating with the hollow passage of the stem, and/or communicating with the chamber of the housing. The handle includes at least one neck portion provided thereon and disposed between the handle and the housing.

The weight includes a core, and an outer covering provided on the core. The outer covering of the weight includes an outer peripheral portion having a plurality of cavities and projections formed thereon.

A counting device may further be provided for counting the number of movements of the weight relative to the housing. The counting device includes a processor unit, and a switch coupled to the processor unit and slightly extended into the chamber of the housing to engage with the weight when the weight moves across the switch. The counting means includes a display coupled to the processor unit, to display the number of movements of the weight across the switch.

Further objectives and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from a careful reading of the detailed description provided herein below, with appropriate reference to the accompanying drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of an exerciser in accordance with the present invention; [0015]
FIG. 2 is a cross sectional view taken along lines [0016] 2-2 of FIG. 1; and
FIG. 3 is a top plan schematic view illustrating the operation of the exerciser.[0017]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

Referring to the drawings, and initially to FIGS. 1 and 2, an exerciser in accordance with the present invention comprises a [0018] stem 10 including a bar 11 provided on one end thereof, for engaging onto the abdominal portion of a user 70 (FIG. 3), and a housing 14 provided on the other end thereof. For example, the bar 11 includes a curved recess or surface 19 formed therein for comfortably engaging onto the abdominal portion of the user 70.
One or more, such as two [0019] handgrips 12 are attached to the stem 10, and disposed on the opposite sides of the stem 10, and/or attached or secured between the stem 10 and the housing 14, for forming a substantially U-shaped handle 13. It is preferable that a reduced diameter portion or neck portion 17 is formed between the housing 14 and the respective the stem 10 and the handgrips 12 or the handle 13.
Each of the [0020] stem 10 and the handle 13 or the handgrips 12 includes a hollow interior or passage 15 formed therein and communicating with each other. The housing 14 is preferably spherical having a chamber 16, such as a circular or spherical chamber 16 formed therein and communicating with the passage 15 of the stem 10 and the handle 13 or the handgrips 12. The stem 10 and the handle 13 and the housing 14 may be formed by such as molding or blow molding processes.
A [0021] weight 20 is movably received in the chamber 16 of the housing 14, and includes a core 21 made of heavier materials, such as metal, and an outer covering 23 provided on the outer peripheral portion of the core 21 with such as molding or mold injection processes. It is preferable that the weight 20 includes one or more grooves or cavities 24 and/or projections 27 formed or provided on the outer peripheral portion of the outer cover 23, for generating vibrations when the weight 20 is moved against the inner peripheral surface 18 of the housing 14.
It is to be noted that the [0022] weight 20 may be formed and disposed within a mold cavity of a mold device (not shown) before blow molding the stem 10 and the housing 14. Alternatively, the stem 10 and the housing 14 and/or the handgrips 12 may include two halves first formed, and then dispose the weight 20 into the chamber 16 of the housing 14, and then secure or mold the two halves of the stem 10 and the housing 14 and/or the handgrips 12 together.
In operation, as shown in FIG. 3, the user may hold the exerciser by grasping the [0023] handgrips 12 or the handle 13, or by grasping the stem 10, and may then engage the one end or the bar 11 with his abdominal portion, the chest portion, or the other portions. The user may then swing his body, in order to move the weight 20 along or against the inner peripheral surface 18 of the housing 14, and to train his waist portion or abdominal portion.
When the [0024] weight 20 is moved or rotated against the inner peripheral surface 18 of the housing 14, the weight 20 may apply forces against the abdominal portion, the chest portion, or the other portions of the user periodically in order to massage the user. In addition, the engagement of the projections 27 of the weight 20 with the inner peripheral surface 18 of the housing 14 may generate vibrations in order to further massage the abdominal portion, the chest portion, or the other portions of the user.
As shown in FIG. 2, a [0025] circuit board 30 may further be disposed within the handgrips 12 or the housing 14 or the stem 10, and includes a processor device 3 1 attached thereto, one or more batteries 33 provided thereon and coupled to the processor device 31, and a probe or switch 34 attached thereon. The switch 34 includes a button 36 slightly extended into the chamber 16 of the housing 14, for engaging with the weight 20, and for counting the rotational movements of the weight 20 relative to the housing 14.
As shown in FIGS. 1 and 3, a [0026] display 37 may further be provided and disposed on the stem 10 or the handgrips 12 or the housing 14, and coupled to the processor device 31, for displaying time, and/or the counts or the number of the rotational movements of the weight 20 relative to the housing 14. The batteries 33 may be used to energize the processor device 31, the display 37, and/or the other electrical parts or elements (not shown).
Accordingly, the exerciser in accordance with the present invention may be used for allowing users to easily train their waist portions, and to massage their abdominal portions. [0027]
Although this invention has been described with a certain degree of particularity, it is to be understood that the present disclosure has been made by way of example only and that numerous changes in the detailed construction and the combination and arrangement of parts may be resorted to without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as hereinafter claimed. [0028]

Claims

I claim:

1. An exerciser comprising:

a stem including a first end for engaging onto a user, and including a second end having a housing provided thereon, said housing including a chamber formed therein and defined by an inner peripheral surface, and

a weight movably received in said chamber of said housing,

said weight being caused to move against said inner peripheral surface of said housing, when the user swinging, to massage the user.

2. The exerciser as claimed in claim 1, wherein said stem includes a hollow passage formed therein and communicating with said chamber of said housing.

3. The exerciser as claimed in claim 1, wherein said stem includes a neck portion provided thereon and disposed between said stem and said housing.

4. The exerciser as claimed in claim 1, wherein said stem includes a bar attached to said first end thereof, said bar includes a curved surface formed therein to engage with the user.

5. The exerciser as claimed in claim 4, wherein said bar includes a hollow passage formed therein, and said stem includes a hollow passage formed therein and communicating with said hollow passage of said bar.

6. The exerciser as claimed in claim 1 further comprising a handle attached to said stem.

7. The exerciser as claimed in claim 6, wherein said handle includes a hollow passage formed therein, and said stem includes a hollow passage formed therein and communicating with said hollow passage of said handle.

8. The exerciser as claimed in claim 6, wherein said handle includes at least one neck portion provided thereon and disposed between said handle and said housing.

9. The exerciser as claimed in claim 6, wherein said handle includes a hollow passage formed therein and communicating with said chamber of said housing.

10. The exerciser as claimed in claim 1, wherein said weight includes a core, and an outer covering provided on said core.

11. The exerciser as claimed in claim 10, wherein said outer covering of said weight includes an outer peripheral portion having a plurality of cavities and projections formed thereon.

12. The exerciser as claimed in claim 1 further comprising means for counting movement of said weight relative to said housing.

13. The exerciser as claimed in claim 12, wherein said counting means includes a processor unit, and a switch coupled to said processor unit and slightly extended into said chamber of said housing to engage with said weight when said weight moves across said switch.

14. The exerciser as claimed in claim 13, wherein said counting means includes a display coupled to said processor unit, to display a number of movements of said weight across said switch.