CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

[0001] This application claims priority to U.S. Non-Provisional Application No. 17/136,689 filed December 29, 2020, and to U.S. Provisional Application No 62/954,629 filed December 29, 2019, which are incorporated by reference in their entirety.

FIELD OF THE DISCLOSURE

[0002] This disclosure relates generally to the field of containers and exercise equipment and more particularly for a hollow massage roller and container, which is quick and easy to open and has a carrying apparatus that does not impede with self-myofascial release.

BACKGROUND

[0003] Exercise is an important part of a healthy lifestyle and there are a variety of exercise and exercise equipment. One of the more popular pieces of equipment is an exercise mat, which includes yoga mats, sticky mates, and Pilates mats. This piece of equipment tends to be personally owned for hygiene and personal taste reasons and transported to the place of exercise. Another popular piece of exercise equipment is the self-myofascial release tool, more specifically the massage roller or foam roller. The massage roller is used to release muscle tightness or trigger points. Often the two pieces of equipment will be used at or around the same time as a person is exercising. [0004] Currently there are a variety of massage rollers, however they lack a quick and easy closure, a carrying strap system that does not impede the use of the massage roller, and a separate compartment for other items. Thus, there is a need for a hollow massage roller that is a container, which has a quick and easy to use closing mechanism, and a carrying system that does not impede the self-myofascial release process.

SUMMARY

[0005] The disclosure herein relates to a container comprising: a hollow component closed at an end and open at a second end, the hollow component configured to receive an exercise mat wherein self-myofascial release material is attached or affixed to the outside of the hollow component, further comprising a lid component attached to the second end of the hollow component, a latch component attached to the lid component wherein a button component attached to the second end of the hollow component is configured to release the latch component, a hollow space in the lid component with a closure component, wherein the hollow space is accessible by unfastening a threaded engagement between the closure component and the lid component, wherein the hollow space is accessible by unfastening a snap fit engagement between the closure component and the lid component, further comprising a circular attachment point attached to the lid component wherein the circular attachment point is used to attach other items to the container, a strap that does not impede the use of the self-myofascial release material, wherein the strap is positionable inside of an indent in the self-myofascial release material, wherein the strap is retractable such that when retracted is positioned inside of the indent.

[0006] The present disclosure is also directed to a combination container and roller comprising: a hollow component closed at an end and open at another end, the hollow component configured to receive an exercise mat wherein self-myofascial release material is attached or affixed to the outside of the hollow component, a lid component attached to the open end of the hollow component, a latch component attached to the lid component wherein a button component attached to the open end of the hollow component is configured to release the latch component, and a hollow space in the lid component with a closure component, wherein the hollow space is accessible by unfastening the closure component from the lid component, further comprising a strap which is retractable such that when retracted is positioned inside of an indent in the self- myofascial release material and a circular attachment point attached to the lid component wherein circular attachment point is used to attach other items to the container.

DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0007] Embodiments of the present disclosure are described in detail below with reference to the following drawings. These and other features, aspects, and advantages of the present disclosure will become better understood with regard to the following description, appended claims, and accompanying drawings. The drawings described herein are for illustrative purposes only of selected embodiments and not all possible implementations and are not intended to limit the scope of the present disclosure.

[0008] FIG. 1 is a perspective view of an exemplary massage roller exercise mat container according to various aspects of the present disclosure.

[0009] FIG. 2 is another perspective view of an exemplary massage roller exercise mat container of Fig. 1. [00010] FIG. 3 is a view of the lid of an exemplary massage roller exercise mat container of Fig. 1.

[00011] FIG. 4 is an exploded view of the components of an exemplary massage roller exercise mat container of FIG. 1.

[00012] FIG. 5 is another perspective view of an exemplary massage roller exercise mat container.

[00013] FIG. 6 is another embodiment of massage roller exercise mat container according to various aspects of the present disclosure.

[00014] FIG. 7 illustrates the hollow space of the lid that may be accessible to store items.

[00015] FIG. 8 is another perspective view of an exemplary massage roller exercise mat container with a D-ring.

Detailed Description

[00016] In the Summary above and in this Detailed Description, and the claims below, and in the accompanying drawings, reference is made to particular features (including method steps) of the invention. It is to be understood that the disclosure of the invention in this specification includes all possible combinations of such particular features. For example, where a particular feature is disclosed in the context of a particular aspect or embodiment of the invention, or a particular claim, that feature can also be used, to the extent possible, in combination with and/or in the context of other particular aspects and embodiments of the invention, and in the invention generally. [00017] The term “comprises,” and grammatical equivalents thereof are used herein to mean that other components, ingredients, steps, among others, are optionally present. For example, an article “comprising” (or “which comprises”) components A, B, and C can consist of (i.e., contain only) components A, B, and C, or can contain not only components A, B, and C but also contain one or more other components.

[00018] Where reference is made herein to a method comprising two or more defined steps, the defined steps can be carried out in any order or simultaneously (except where the context excludes that possibility), and the method can include one or more other steps which are carried out before any of the defined steps, between two of the defined steps, or after all the defined steps (except where the context excludes that possibility).

[00019] The term “at least” followed by a number is used herein to denote the start of a range beginning with that number (which may be a range having an upper limit or no upper limit, depending on the variable being defined). For example, “at least 1” means 1 or more than 1. The term “at most” followed by a number (which may be a range having 1 or 0 as its lower limit, or a range having no lower limit, depending upon the variable being defined). For example, “at most 4” means 4 or less than 4, and “at most 40%” means 40% or less than 40%. When, in this specification, a range is given as “(a first number) to (a second number)” or “(a first number) - (a second number),” this means a range whose limit is the second number. For example, 25 to 100 mm means a range whose lower limit is 25 mm and upper limit is 100 mm.

[00020] Certain terminology and derivations thereof may be used in the following description for convenience in reference only and will not be limiting. For example, words such as “upward,” “downward,” “left,” and “right” would refer to directions in the drawings to which reference is made unless otherwise stated. Similarly, words such as “inward” and “outward” would refer to directions toward and away from, respectively, the geometric center of a device or area and designated parts thereof. References in the singular tense include the plural, and vice versa, unless otherwise noted.

[00021] The present disclosure recognizes the unsolved need for a container that is also a massage roller, which has a quick and easy to use closure, and a carrying system that does not impede the self-myofascial release process. The invention is, in one embodiment, a massage roller that is a container with a hinged lid, opened by the press of a button or activator, with straps that are under tension for use in carrying the container.

[00022] With reference now to FIG. 1, one exemplary embodiment of a container and massage roller 100, according to the present invention is generally designated. FIG. 1 is a perspective view of container and massage roller 100. The massage roller and container may include a hollow component, closed at one end and open at the other, such as hollow component 103. The hollow component 103 may be made out of plastic, vinyl, PVC, or any other material that would be obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art.

[00023] Affixed or attached around hollow component 103 may be material suitable for self-myofascial release 102, including foam, plastic, rubber, or any other material used by those of ordinary skill in the art to allow self-myofascial release. In other embodiments there may be no self-myofascial release material 102. The self-myofascial release material 102 may have any number of designs including one or more ridges 117 for gripping or varied thicknesses for use in self-myofascial release. The self-myofascial release material 102 may have any number of air vents to allow the passage for hot yoga or other activities. Self-myofascial release 102 and hollow component 103 may have a generally hourglass shape including an upper section and a lower section that are connected by a waistline but also may be any other suitable shape, such as a cylinder, depending on the needs of the user.

[00024] A lid component may be attached to the open end of hollow component 103, such as lid component 105. In one embodiment, lid component 105 is a hinged lid with a bottom surface 108 which can be opened with a button 104 on a receiving portion 119 connected to self- myofascial release material 102 by a connecting component 116 as illustrated in FIG. 4. As illustrated in FIG. 3, the lid component 105 may have a latch 110, which may be released via press of button 104. Lid component 105 may include one or more ridges 120 for gripping or varied thicknesses. In one embodiment, lid component 105 has one or more threads whereby the one or more threads allows lid component 105 to engage with a threaded component of hollow component 103 to stack upon the other and mechanically lock with each other. In this embodiment, lid component 105 may have a silicon overmold to assist with gripping lid component 105 to remove lid component 105 from hollow component 103. As illustrated in FIG. 6, lid components 105 may be attached to hollow component 103 at both ends of self-myofascial release material 102. In some embodiments lid component 105 may instead be connected to a pressure ball or massage roller ball 171 at one end.

[00025] In one embodiment, a strap 106 may be attached to hollow component 103 at both the open and closed ends of hollow component 103 wherein strap 106 may be under tension. Strap 106, when not in use, may be retracted and held under tension within an indent 118 positioned inside of the self-myofascial release material. Strap 106 may be detachable and used as a stretching device. Strap may also be any other type of strap suitable for carrying container and massage roller 100. As illustrated in FIG. 2, an additional strap 107 may be attached to the open and closed ends of hollow component 103 and it may be under tension. Inside lid component 105 there may be a hollow space 109 to contain other items. The hollow space may be accessed by a closure 125, which may be a threaded closure or closed by other methods known to one of ordinary skill in the art. In this embodiment, closure 125 may have a silicon overmold to assist with gripping closure 125 to remove closure 125 from lid component 105 to access hollow space 109.

[00026] With reference to FIG. 7, hollow space 109 in the lid component may be accessed by closure 125, using a ninety degree turn closure, a threaded closure, a snap fit closure, or any other closures that would be obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art. The latch component 110 can also be a simple latch that opens without the need or use of a button 104, as well as any other latches that would be obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art.

[00027] With reference now to FIG. 5, one exemplary embodiment of the container includes additional means for attaching items to the container. A horizontal strap 111 (horizontal when container and massage roller 100 is being used as a roller), may be wrapped around or attached to self-myofascial release material 102. Alternatively, as discussed horizontal strap 111 may be attached to hollow component 103 and imbedded into self-myofascial release material 102 in an indent 118, recess, or cavity, such that horizontal strap 111 does not protrude from self- myofascial release material 102. Horizontal strap 111 may be utilized to attach other items to the outside of container 100. A circular attachment point 160 may be attached to lid component 105. Circular or D-shaped attachment point 160, as illustrated in FIG. 8 may also be used to attach other items, such as carabineers, as well as allow container 100 to be hung or clipped to other objects for transport or storage. D-shaped attachment point 160 may also be integrated into the shape of lid component 105.

[00028] The corresponding structures, materials, acts, and equivalents of all means or step plus function elements in the claims below are intended to include any structure, material, or act for performing the function in combination with other claimed elements as specifically claimed. The description of the present invention has been presented for purposes of illustration and description but is not intended to be exhaustive or limited to the invention in the form disclosed. Many modifications and variations will be apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art without departing from the scope and spirit of the invention. The embodiments were chosen and described in order to best explain the principles of the invention and the practical application, and to enable others of ordinary skill in the art to understand the invention for various embodiments with various modifications as are suited to the particular use contemplated. The present invention according to one or more embodiments described in the present description may be practiced with modification and alteration within the spirit and scope of the appended claims. Thus, the description is to be regarded as illustrative instead of restrictive of the present invention.