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Title:
A HULA HOOP
Document Type and Number:
WIPO Patent Application WO/2003/002212
Kind Code:
A1
Abstract:
The present invention relates to a hula hoop for use in performing waist exercise. A hula hoop of the present invention comprises a belt portion which a user can wear around the user's waist, a hollow circular ring containing a ball having a predetermined weight therein, and a connection portion for connecting the belt portion to the circular ring. Preferably, a plurality of balls are used as the ball and at least one of the balls is a luminous ball. osses may be formed at a predetermined interval on a bottom surface of the interior of the circular ring so that the ball rolling in the circular ring can generate vibration. The hula hoop can be used even in a small space and allow the user to perform a circular motion of the user's waist with a predetermined rhythm and speed, thereby assisting in enhancing spince health.

Inventors:
KIM GI-JONG (KR)
CHO HONG-SIK (KR)
Application Number:
PCT/KR2001/001265
Publication Date:
January 09, 2003
Filing Date:
July 25, 2001
Export Citation:
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Assignee:
NOAH VENTURE GROUP CO LTD (KR)
TUINTECH CO LTD (KR)
KIM GI-JONG (KR)
CHO HONG-SIK (KR)
International Classes:
A63B19/00; A61H39/04; A63B21/06; (IPC1-7): A63B19/00
Foreign References:
KR830000578Y11983-04-20
JP2001079111A2001-03-27
KR920008434Y11992-11-30
Attorney, Agent or Firm:
Kim, Hahn-ul (Kiup-Bank Bldg. 102-1, Jungang-Don, Changwon-City Gyeongnam 641-030, KR)
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Claims:
CLAIMS
1. A hula hoop, comprising: a belt portion which a user can wear around the user's waist; a hollow circular ring containing a ball having a predetermined weight therein; and a connection portion for connecting the belt portion to the circular ring.
2. The hula hoop as claimed in claim 1, wherein a plurality of balls are used as the ball.
3. The hula hoop as claimed in claim 1, wherein bosses are formed at a predetermined interval on a bottom surface of the interior of the circular ring so that the ball rolling in the circular ring can generate vibration.
4. The hula hoop as claimed in claim 1, wherein the belt portion can be tied around the user's waist by means of a fastener including a pair of male and female members.
5. The hula hoop as claimed in claim 1, wherein a plurality of acupressure protrusions are formed on an inner surface of the belt portion.
6. The hula hoop as claimed in claim 1, wherein the circular ring is constructed by connecting a plurality of arc segments to one another.
7. The hula hoop as claimed in claim 6, wherein horizontally extending ridges having a predetermined height are formed at both ends of each of the arc segments, and adjacent arc segments are connected to each other by inserting the ridges of the adjacent arc segments into a horizontal groove of each of connection members.
8. The hula hoop as claimed in claim 1, wherein a luminous ball is further contained in the circular ring.
9. The hula hoop as claimed in claim 1, wherein the belt portion is constructed such that the length thereof can be adjusted.
Description:
A HULA HOOP Technical Field The present invention relates to a hula hoop, and more particularly, to a hula hoop which allows waist exercise even in a smaller space and simultaneously assists cartilages of the spine in being restored to their normal positions through relaxation of the spine.

Background Art A hula hoop generally takes the shape of a simple ring. When such a general hula hoop is used, a user merely moves his/her waist in a right and left or fore and aft direction, or along a circle. Thus, the hula hoop performs a constant rotational motion about the user's waist.

Further, such a conventional hula hoop can be used only when there is a space having a size corresponding to an area covering a diameter of the hula hoop from the user's waist. That is, the conventional hula hoop has a limitation on its use in that it cannot be used in a small space.

Recently, a hula hoop which has an acupressure effect on the user's waist by having a plurality of protrusions formed on an inner circumferential surface of the hula hoop has been placed on the market. However, this hula hoop still has a disadvantage in that it cannot also be used in a small space. Furthermore, it has also a limitation on its use in that other functions except the acupressure effect of the protrusions cannot be expected.

Moreover, when the user performs waist exercise with one of such conventional hula hoops, the hula hoop can be continuously rotated even though the user merely moves his/her waist with a relatively weak force or linearly in the right and left or fore and aft direction after the user has performed a motion for initially imparting inertia to the hula hoop itself. However, it is considered as not being substantially desirable in terms of waist exercise.

An object of the present invention is to provide a hula hoop constructed to allow waist exercise even in a smaller space.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a hula hoop constructed to allow waist exercise to be continuously performed with constant rhythm so that cartilages between vertebrae can be restored to their normal positions.

A further object of the present invention is to provide a hula hoop capable of having an acupressure effect on a user's waist when the user performs waist exercise with the hula hoop.

Disclosure of Invention A hula hoop for achieving the above objects of the present invention comprises a belt portion which a user can wear around the user's waist, a hollow circular ring containing a ball having a predetermined weight therein, and a connection portion for connecting the belt portion to the circular ring.

Preferably, a plurality of balls are used as the ball and at least one of the balls is a luminous ball.

Bosses may be formed at a predetermined interval on a bottom surface of the interior of the circular ring so that the ball rolling in the circular ring can generate vibration.

Further, the belt portion may be constructed to be tied around the user's waist by means of a fastener including a pair of male and female members.

A plurality of acupressure protrusions may be formed on an inner surface of the belt portion so that they have an acupressure effect on the user's belly, waist and back.

Moreover, the circular ring may be constructed by connecting a plurality of arc segments to one another.

Furthermore, in an embodiment of the present invention, horizontally extending ridges having a predetermined height are formed at both ends of each of the arc segments, and adjacent arc segments are connected to each other by inserting the ridges of the adjacent arc segments into a horizontal groove of each of connection members so that the circular ring can be formed as a whole.

Brief Description of Drawings FIG. 1 is an overall perspective view of a hula hoop according to the present

invention; and FIG 2 is an exploded perspective view showing a portion of a circular ring of the hula hoop according to the present invention.

Best Mode for Carrying out the Invention Hereinafter, the present invention will be described in connection with a preferred embodiment shown in the accompanying drawings.

FIG 1 entirely shows a perspective view of a hula hoop according to the present invention. As shown in the figure, the hula hoop according to the present invention comprises a belt portion 10, a circular ring 30 containing a plurality of balls 32 therein, and a connection portion 20 for connecting the belt portion 10 to the circular ring 30.

The belt portion 10 is a portion tied around a user's waist. The belt portion 10 is provided with a general fastener 12 comprised of a pair of male and female members which can be coupled to each other. Therefore, when the user wears the belt portion 10 around his/her waist and couples the male and females of the fastener 12 to each other, the hula hoop of the present invention can be secured on the waist.

The belt portion 10 is constructed such that its entire length can be adjusted according to the size of the user's waist. Since a structure for adjusting the length of the belt portion 10 is widely used in a general belt, a knapsack or the like, the detailed description thereof will be omitted.

Further, a plurality of acupressure protrusions 14 are formed on an inner surface of the belt portion 10. When the user wears the belt portion 10 around his/her waist, the acupressure protrusions 14 come into close contact with the user's waist to have an acupressure effect thereon.

Next, the circular ring 30 will be discussed. The circular ring 30 of the hula hoop of the present invention is formed to be hollow and to have a circular cross section. The plurality of balls 32 are contained in the circular ring 30 and can freely move along the entire interior of the circular ring 30. As to the ball 32, although a single ball may be used, it is preferred that the plurality of balls be used as will be described later. It is preferred that balls having predetermined weight be used as the balls 32 so that they can

perform circular motions with inertia as will be described later. For example, balls made of metal such as steel can be used.

Alternatively, a luminous ball 33 may be put in the circular ring 30. The luminous ball 33 allows the user to visually recognize that the ball rotates in the entire circular ring, for example, when the user performs the exercise at a dark place. It is apparent that the luminous ball 33 can be made to be seen even at the dark place by molding the ball out of luminous materials or by providing the interior of the ball with an electronic circuit, a light emitting diode and the like so that the diode can emit light due to predetermined impact.

In order to cause the balls 32,33 in the circular ring to be recognized from the outside in such a way, the circular ring 30 of the hula hoop according to the present invention is preferably molded out of at least semitransparent materials so as to recognize that the balls 32,33 rotate in the circular ring. It is also apparent that the circular ring may be made of transparent materials.

Further, the circular ring 30 and the belt portion 10 are connected to each other by the connection portion 20. The connection portion 20 is formed of sufficiently strong fabric materials and consists of a plurality of sections for connecting the belt portion 10 to the inner circumferential surface of the circular ring 30. Each section of the connection portion 20 includes a hook 22 caught by the belt portion 10, a hook 24 caught by one of connection members 38 of the circular ring 30, and a belt member 21 for connecting the hooks 22,24 to each other.

Next, the specific constitution of the circular ring 30 will be discussed in detail.

As described above, since the circular ring 30 is formed into a circular ring that is hollow throughout the ring, it is impossible to mold the circular ring 30 at a time.

Therefore, upon forming the circular ring 30, it can be completed by separately molding a plurality of arc segments 30a, 30b as shown in FIG. 2 and combining the arc segments into a circular form. At this time, the plurality of arc segments should be connected to one another so that the entire circular ring 30 is in an identical horizontal plane. Hereinafter, one embodiment in which the plurality of arc segments are connected to one another so that the entire circular ring 30 is in the identical horizontal plane will be

described.

The plurality of arc segments 30a, 30b constructing the circular ring 30 are molded separately from one another. For example, the number of the arc segments 30a, 30b is preferably the same as the belt members 21 of the belt portion 20. In the illustrated embodiment, the six arc segments and the six belt members 21 are employed.

Furthermore, in order to assemble the arc segments 30a, 30b to be in the identical horizontal state, horizontally extending ridges 34a, 34b are formed at the center of inner surfaces of opposite ends of the arc segments 30a, 30b, respectively. Thus, when the arc segments 30a, 30b are to be connected to one another, the horizontally molded ridges 34a, 34b are horizontally aligned with one another. Accordingly, the arc segments 30a, 30b are ready to be accurately connected to one another in the horizontal plane.

In the state where the ridges 34a, 34b are horizontally aligned with one another as such, horizontal grooves 38a of the connection members 38 are fitted around the respective aligned ridges 34a, 34b. Each of the connection members 38 has the horizontal groove 38a formed in a horizontal direction, i. e. on the straight, and is a member for connecting the arc segments 30a, 30b to each other.

When the horizontal groove 38a of the connection member 38 is engaged with both the adjacent ridges 34a, 34b, the arc segments 30a, 30b are in a state where they cannot be twisted any longer. When all the six arc segments are connected with one another in such a way, the entire circular ring 30 is placed in the completely identical horizontal plane.

In a state where the ridges 34a, 34b are engaged with the horizontal groove 38a as such, a predetermined adhesive is applied to between the respective arc segments 30a, 30b and between the arc segments 30a, 30b and the relevant connection members 38 so as to bond and firmly fix them together. Further, it is apparent that when the arc segments 30a, 30b and the connection members 38 are to be fixed, separate fastening screws may be used instead of the adhesive.

Therefore, the connection members 38 are disposed at portions where the respective arc segments 30a, 30b are bonded together. As described above, the hooks 24 are inserted into the connection members 38 so that the belt members 21 for connecting the

belt portion 10 and the connection members 38 can be caught by the connection members 38.

A plurality of bosses 39 are formed at a predetermined interval on a bottom surface of the hollow interior of the circular ring 30 of the hula hoop according to the present invention. The bosses 39 are portions with which the balls 32 contained in the circular ring 30 come into contact when the balls roll in the circular ring 30. When the balls 32 roll in the circular ring and thus come into contact with the bosses 39, predetermined vibration is generated in the circular ring 30. The vibration generated as such is transmitted from the circular ring 30 to the belt portion 10 via the connection portion 20.

Then, the vibration is transmitted to the acupressure protrusions 14 formed on the inner surface of the belt portion and finally to the user's waist via the acupressure protrusions 14.

Such vibration doubles the acupressure effect of the acupressure protrusions 14 on the user'body.

Next, a use state of the hula hoop according to the present invention constructed as such will be discussed.

When the user intends to use the hula hoop of the present invention, the user first wears the belt portion 10 around his/her waist. At this time, the members of the fastener 12 of the belt portion are completely coupled to each other so that the belt portion 10 is in close contact with the user's waist. The acupressure protrusions 14 protruding from the inner surface of the belt portion 10 can perform constant acupressure on the user's belly, waist and back.

If the user starts waist exercise along a circle with the hula hoop in the state where the user wears the belt portion around his/her waist in such a manner, the balls 32 contained in the circular ring 30 move along the interior of the circular ring 30. Herein, according to the present invention, although a single ball may be used as the ball 32, it is apparent that the plurality of balls can be employed as described above.

In case of the plurality of balls 32, it is most preferred that the waist exercise be performed so that all the balls 32 uniformly rotate in the circular ring in a state where the balls are in contact with one another. At this time, in order to perform the waist exercise so that the balls 32 roll in the state where they are in contact with one another, the user's

waist should be moved along a circle with a predetermined rhythm and speed.

That is, the plurality of balls 32 can rotate along the circular ring in the state where they are in contact with one another, only when the repeated circular motion of the waist is performed with the predetermined rhythm and speed.

The circular motion of the user's waist with the predetermined rhythm and speed in such a manner means substantial repetition of contraction and relaxation of the user's spine at a predetermined speed. Therefore, a side portion of the spine is relaxed so that cartilages which are connecting portions of the vertebrae enter spaces between the vertebrae. The repetition of such motions has a very advantageous effect on the waist.

It has been known that so-called hernia of an intervertebral disc results from escape of the cartilages between the vertebrae constituting the spine from their normal positions to both sides.

When the user performs the waist exercise with the predetermined rhythm and speed using the hula hoop of the present invention, the contract and relaxation of the spine is repeatedly performed. Thus, it can function to sufficiently assist the cartilages to be restored to their original positions.

Further, since at least one ball is the luminous ball 33, the performance of the waist exercise can be visually confirmed even at night, and at the same time, it can be expected to obtain visual pleasure from the rotating luminous ball.

When the circular motion of the waist using the hula hoop of the present invention is performed, the plurality of balls 32 roll on the bottom surface of the interior of the circular ring 30 and thus come into contact with the plurality of bosses 39. If the balls 32 come into contact with the bosses 39, the vibration is generated in the circular ring 30 due to the plurality of bosses 39 formed at the predetermined interval. The vibration generated as such is transmitted to the belt portion 10 via the connection portion 20 and finally to the user's belly, waist and back via the acupressure protrusions 14. Therefore, the vibration transmitted to the acupressure protrusions 14 doubles the acupressure effect on contact portions of the user'body therewith.

As described above, it can be understood that the basic technical spirit of the present invention is to cause the balls 32 in the circular ring to rotate in a state where the

circular ring itself does not rotate but is nearly stationary. Those skilled in the art can make various changes and modifications thereto within the technical spirit and the scope of the present invention. The present invention should be construed as being defined by the appended claims.

Industrial Applicability According to the present invention constructed as such, the following advantages can be expected.

It can be understood that in the hula hoop of the present invention, the circular ring does not rotate about the user's waist. Therefore, the hula hoop of the present invention has little limitation on the space required for use thereof as compared with the conventional hula hoop. Accordingly, there is an advantage in that the waist exercise can be sufficiently performed even a very small space.

Further, in the hula hoop of the present invention with the plurality of balls contained in the circular ring, the user's waist should be moved along the circle with the predetermined rhythm and speed in order to cause the balls to rotate in the state where they are in contact with one another. When such waist exercise is performed, the contraction and relaxation of the respective vertebrae of the spine are repeated. Thus, it can substantially perform an auxiliary function of sufficiently preventing and remedying the hernia of the intervertebral disc.

Moreover, according to the present invention, the acupressure protrusions have the acupressure effect on the contact portions of the user's body therewith. Such acupressure effect can be doubled owing to the vibration generated when the balls come into contact with the bosses.

Furthermore, according to the present invention, since at least one of the plurality of balls is the luminous ball, there is an advantage in that the ball can be visually recognized even at night.