DESCRIPTION

Field of application

The present invention relates to a gym tool. In particular, the present invention relates to a tool for performing physical exercise, useful for refining or for practising various fitness, sporting or recreational activities, including Pilates, dancing, step aerobics, athletics and aerobic activities in general.

Even more particularly, the invention relates to a tool of the aforementioned type, in particular suitable for use in a gym or in a domestic environment, which occupies a significantly smaller amount of space owing to its structural characteristics and the possibility of allowing one or more persons to exercise at the same time.

Prior art

Various physical exercising apparatus for use in a gym or at home are known, including for example Pilates machines formed by a support frame and a carriage movable above the frame, allowing exercises to be performed using elastic elements or other tools situated between a head section of the frame and the carriage itself. Such an apparatus is particularly popular because it allows the fundamental exercises of this discipline to be performed more effectively, helping the user to stretch and exercise correctly their muscles by means of fluid and guided movements.

However, it is likewise known that Pilates machines are relatively bulky, since they occupy substantially the surface area of a small bed, but may be even longer, and also extend heightwise, especially in the region of a fixed head section, which extends upwards from the bed and to which the elastic elements can be fixed, but also at the base of the bed, where normally a horizontal bar is mounted, said bar providing a grip or support for carrying out the exercises. The horizontal bar is normally reclinable, but remains mounted on the base of the bed even when the machine is not used.

These drawbacks associated with the dimensions of the machine are particularly problematic not only in a domestic environment, especially in homes where it is not possible to provide a separate room or part of a room for the machine, but also in fitness activity gyms, which, while they have more available space, must normally be able to accommodate a large number of these machines, i.e. one for each person which has enrolled in a Pilates course, in the case where a group activity is envisaged.

The drawbacks mentioned above by way of example in connection with Pilates machines also arise with physical exercise apparatus of another kind, for example step machines, which consist of a footboard which a person mounts and dismounts in keeping with the instructions and the rhythm decided by an instructor. In this case also, each participant in the course mounts and dismounts a separate step machine, which however can be used by only one person at a time, has a limited stability and does not provide the possibility of using supports which the person may hold onto.

Further limitations of the known apparatus consist of the lack of versatility, i.e. the impossibility of being able to use effectively a machine designed for one type of physical exercise, for example the step machine footboard, in order to perform another type of physical exercise, for example Pilates, or vice versa.

Finally, there exists a further need which is that of being able to cater for certain physical exercises, such as dancing, for which an effective training apparatus is not available at present, especially because of the fact that, in such activities, the movement of the body of one dancer in a dancing pair represents an important reference point, for example in terms of equilibrium, for the body of the other dancer.

The technical problem forming the basis of the present invention is therefore that of devising a gym tool which is able to overcome all the abovementioned drawbacks which are hitherto associated with the known apparatus for use in a gym or at home.

Summary of the invention

The proposed solution forming the basis of the present invention is that of combining all the tools necessary for performing one or more physical exercise activities inside a single parallelepiped body which is preferably transportable in the manner of a suitcase or trolley and which also acts as base or footboard for performing the exercises.

For example, the parallelepiped body has a thickness of between 10 and 30 cm and may be stowed away behind a cupboard, in a bedroom or in a store room of a house; similarly, several parallelepiped bodies may be stacked on their bases or alongside each other in a corner of the gym. When needed for exercise, the parallelepiped body or bodies is /are positioned in a room and used as a base; one or more tools are extracted from the body and are mounted on it so that the exercise may be performed, as will become clear from the description provided below. In particular, a cover for the parallelepiped body also acts as sliding footboard.

On the basis of the proposed solution described above, the aforementioned technical problem is solved by a gym tool comprising:

- a base intended to rest stably on the ground, and at least one tubular element removably mounted on the base and forming a gripping point for performing the physical exercise, the tool being characterized in that the base forms a compartment for concealingly housing said at least one tubular element and comprises a cover slidable on the base for accessing the contents of the compartment.

Preferably, as will become clear from the description below, the sliding movement of the cover serves to allow a number of steps of the physical exercise to be performed and, even more preferably, the cover is removable to facilitate the operations of extracting the tubular element or other equipment stowed inside the compartment.

The compartment comprises two guides and the cover is slidable along the guides between a first position, substantially corresponding to closing of the compartment, and a second position where it extends by a predefined amount from the base.

The cover forms a footboard for performing a physical activity, comprising a first series of exercises which can be carried out with the cover fixed to the base and a second series of exercises which can be carried out with the cover moving slidably on the guides. In particular, in order to order to perform the first series of activities, the cover is closed by means of a safety device on the base which may be opened to allow the second series of physical activities to be performed.

The compartment concealingly contains a plurality of elastic means, preferably springs which can be associated, singly and by means of their respective ends, with a hook in the compartment. An oppositely situated end of the springs is fixed underneath the cover. The second series of exercises can be performed with a sliding resistance of the footboard which is proportional to the number of elastic means operationally engaged with the hook(s) inside the compartment. Preferably, springs are provided and the exercise with the sliding footboard may be performed without springs or by engaging one to five springs.

The tool comprises a hatch for accessing the compartment, said hatch being movable between a first position where it is coplanar with the cover during closing of the compartment and a second position where it is angularly spaced from the cover so as to provide access to the hooks in the compartment and allow one or more elastic means to be mounted or removed without removing the cover. Advantageously, the elastic means are lined with sound-damping material, preferably sleeves adhering to the springs.

The cover has an L-shaped cross-section and has a larger surface forming the footboard and parallel to the ground and a smaller surface, perpendicular to the ground, the larger surface is associated with sliders or wheels travelling on the guides inside the compartment and the smaller surface is associated with sliders or wheels travelling on the ground. The base is further provided with a device for locking the cover in the second position where it extends by a predefined amount from the box, this preventing accidental disengagement of the cover.

The guides comprise a first travel surface for the sliders of the cover and stabilizing wheels with axis of rotation perpendicular to the surface of the cover, said stabilizing wheels making contact with the opposite side edges of the cover so as to prevent lateral jerking of the cover during the sliding movement on the guides.

As already mentioned, the base is a substantially parallelepiped body and has rounded corners. A larger side of the base is provided with wheels or ball rollers, preferably articulated ball rollers, for rolling transportation, in the manner of a trolley, and an opposite larger side is provided with at least one handle, preferably two handles, even more preferably handles able to be retracted inside the compartment, for lifting the tool from the ground or pulling it by means of rolling on the ball rollers.

A plurality of tubular elements and a plurality of engaging means for fastening together the tubular elements, preferably straight pins, and two-way and three-way elbow pieces, are concealingly housed inside the compartment and firmly retained inside it by respective quick-fit engaging means fixed to a bottom surface of the base and/or underneath the cover.

According to an embodiment of the invention, at least two of the tubular elements are removably fixed to at least two corners of the base situated on a same side of the base. These tubular elements, hereinbelow, are also indicated by the term "posts" in order to simplify description.

The posts are mounted on a same side of the base, preferably by means of a quick-engaging connection, are perpendicular to the base and may be joined together at their ends at a predetermined height from the base by means of a tubular element, also called crossbar, having a length substantially corresponding to a length of the side.

The compartment also comprises tubular elements (posts) of varying length able to be joined together by a tubular element (crossbar) at a different height from the base, for carrying out different types of physical exercises.

The posts are extendable, i.e. two or more posts may be fastened together by means of a pin.

According to one embodiment of the present invention, a three-way elbow piece joins a first tubular element (post) at a first corner of the base with two other tubular elements (posts) which are parallel thereto and situated at two corners with sides adjacent to these two corners and to the first corner of the base, by means of two tubular elements (crossbars). The crossbars are parallel to said two adjacent sides of the base. The tool also comprises a shoulder rest ( 14) which can be removably mounted on the base so as to provide a support for exercises in the supine position. The shoulder rest is adjustable in different positions on the base and, preferably, may be inclined relative to the base, leaving free a central part of the base in the fixing position, for the head.

The cover is preferably associated with a plate rotatable on an axis perpendicular to the base and designed to allow twisting exercises, for example with the feet stationary on the plate and the trunk of the body being twisted on the legs. The plate may be locked by means of a safety device accessible via the compartment or released to allow rotation. Alternatively, the rotatable plate may be removed from a seat in the footboard and replaced with a fixed plate mounted in the seat.

Several exercises may be performed using the tool according to the present invention.

For example, in the case of Pilates, the footboard may be fixed to the base; the user may lie down in a supine position, raise the legs upwards and rest the feet on a crossbar at a predefined height from the base. From this position, the user may repeatedly raise and lower the pelvis upwards and downwards, while keeping the shoulders resting on the shoulder rest.

At the end of this exercise, in order to exercise making use of the stressing force of the springs, one or more springs may be attached by accessing the compartment via the hatch, releasing the footboard lock and fitting the shoulder rest on the footboard. The user, resuming the supine position and with the aid of the crossbar, may perform stretching exercises, extending the footboard from the base and then allowing it to retract by means of the recall force of the springs.

With the tool thus configured, it is possible to perform a physical activity of another discipline, for example step aerobics. In fact the base has a step height which is commonly used and the user may mount and dismount the base at a set rhythm and speed under the guidance of an instructor.

Advantageously, the crossbar may be used as a gripping means also during the step exercise, resulting in greater exercising safety, in particular for elderly persons or persons with disabilities. Moreover, two or more sides of the base may be used simultaneously by several persons, in order to perform an activity simultaneously.

This simultaneous activity is particularly effective in other disciplines which may be carried out with the tool according to the present invention, such as dancing. For example, all the sides of the base may be associated with respective crossbars and two or more dancers may move around the base, one behind the other, with a cross step or other stepping movement requested by the instructor and also with crossing of the arms performed by gripping the crossbars in sequence. Advantageously, such exercises, not only optimize the space, since several persons are occupied on each tool, but also increase the exercising efficiency since less expert persons are able to follow naturally the rhythm and movements performed in the immediate vicinity by their companions on the same tool.

Similarly, still in connection with dancing, the crossbars may be used as gripping bars, with the advantage that one user is situated opposite another user on the same tool or on another tool, and not alongside, as in the case of the wall bars which are normally used. This latter feature of simultaneous use of the tool by several persons also represents an important factor helping promote social relations between the users.

Further characteristic features and advantages of the tool according to the present invention will become clear from an example of embodiment thereof provided with reference to the attached drawings, solely by way of a non-limiting example.

Brief description of the drawings

Figure 1 is a perspective view of a gym tool according to the present invention.

Figure 2 is a perspective view of a base of the tool according to Figure 1 forming a compartment for containing a plurality of tools.

Figure 3 is a perspective view, from below, of a cover of the base according to Figure 2, which also forms a sliding footboard of the tool.

Figure 4 is an exploded view of the tool according to Figure 1. Figure 5 is a view, from above, of the base of the tool according to Figure 1.

Figures 6a and 6b are side views of the base according to Figure 2.

Figures 7a and 7b are further side views of the base according to Figure

2.

Figure 8 is a view, from above, of the cover according to Figure 3. Figures 9a and b are, respectively, a side view and a cross-sectioned side view of the cover according to Figure 3.

Figures 10 and 1 1 are, respectively, a front view and a cross-sectioned front view of the cover according to Figures 4a and 4b.

Figures 12 and 13 are two different side views of the tool according to Figure 1.

Detailed description

With reference to the attached drawings, a tool according to the present invention is indicated by the reference number 1 , in particular a tool which can be used for multi-discipline exercising at home or in a gym. Figure 1 is a perspective view of the tool 1 during use thereof where a plurality of tubular elements 3, 33, 35 are fixed to a base 2.

The base 2 defines a compartment which can be accessed via a cover 5 and which may be used to store inside it the tubular elements 3, 33, 35, at the end of the exercise, together with other tools which may be used, such as the shoulder rest 14, so that substantially every projecting element is removed from the base and a closed or box-like parallelepiped body is obtained, as shown in Figure 6a and 6b. The depth of the box is, for example, between 10 and 30 cm, the length between 100 and 200, and the width between 50 and 100 cm, preferably 20 x 120 x 80 cm.

One or two handles 2e, which are preferably retractable, are provided on one side of the base 2 and wheels 2c are provided on the opposite side, as can be seen for example in Figures 6a and 6b, and allow easy transportation of the tool on one side. All the corners 2a, 2a3, 2a4, also called angular portions of the base 2, are rounded, thus avoiding projections or sharp edges which are dangerous for the user.

The corners 2a, 2a3, 2a4 are provided with a seat for inserting a tubular element, called post, preferably by means of a quick-engaging connection, as can also be seen in Figure 2. A post 34 (Fig. 1) is extendable upwards by means of another post 3a and a pin 60 which joins together the two posts 3, 34.

Preferably, the posts and pins 60 have the same diameter. However, a portion of the post or the pin 60, preferably of the pin 60, has a smaller diameter and can be inserted inside the post. In one embodiment of the invention, the portion with a smaller cross-section of the pin 60 is associated with an element 61 , 62 for engagement with the post and the post is provided with a hole for receiving the engaging element of the pin.

The engaging element 61 , 62 is preferably associated with elastic means which, during compression, allow retraction of the engaging element 61 , 62 inside the tubular element 60 formed by the pin and the insertion and extraction of the pin into/ from the post and, during extension, allow engagement of the pin with the post by means of engagement inside the hole in the post.

Parallel posts 3, 33 mounted on different corners 2a, 2a3 of the base may be joined together by crossbars 35 using a two-way or three-way elbow piece l 2c. Also the post, the crossbar and the two-way or three- way elbow pieces are engaged by an element 63, 64 radially retracting inside the post and inside the pin during the assembly and disassembly operations.

Figure 1 shows one of several possible configurations of the tool 1 where each corner of the base has, associated with it, a respective post and each post is extended upwards by means of a pin and another post, with four crossbars which connect the free ends of the upper posts.

Obviously it is quite possible for the tool to be configured with a greater or smaller number of posts, for example with a single post in one corner of the base 1 or with two posts in two adjacent corners of the base and optionally with a crossbar between them.

All the posts and the pins may be removed from the base 2 and may be stored inside the compartment 4 of the base, as shown in Figure 2. In Figure 2 the cover 5 is not visible since it has been removed. Engaging means 13 for fixing the posts and the pins 60 are mounted on the bottom of the base 2.

Preferably the engaging means are fork members arranged upside down with their head fixed to the base 2, preferably force-fitted inside a hole in the bottom of the base, as can be seen in the exploded view of Figure 4. The arms of the fork members are directed upwards and preferably have a semi-circular cross-section with a diameter substantially the same as the diameter of the posts and the pins.

Once the posts, the pins and where necessary also the two-way or three-way elbow pieces have been engaged with the engaging means 13, the cover 5 may be mounted on the base 2, so as to close in a concealable manner the entire tool (posts, pins, shoulder supports, etc.) which is no longer needed for exercising. The cover 5 is visible in Figure 3 in a perspective view from below, clearly showing the bottom of the cover which is situated opposite the surface designed to form the footboard of the tool 1.

A plurality of elastic means 7, for example springs, are fixed to the bottom 120 of the cover. The springs 7 have one end 7b which is fixed in a non-removable manner to the bottom 120, for example by means of a flange 121 with a U-shaped cross-section, having a first side 122 fixed to the cover 5 and a second side 123 fixed to the springs 7. One end 71 of the springs is free, at least during use of the apparatus and, preferably, a clamp 124 is mounted at a predefined distance from the flange 121 , in order to retain the springs 7 operationally on the bottom 120 of the cover 5.

The ends 71 are intended to be fixed to the base 2 in an increasing number depending on the degree of difficulty of the exercise to be performed by means of sliding of the cover 5 relative to the base. The springs 7 are lined with sound-damping sleeves 8. Mounting of the ends 71 of the springs 7 on the base or removal thereof is performed without removing or displacing the cover from the base. In particular, a portion of the compartment defined by the base is accessible also when the cover 5 is closed, via a hatch 9 (Fig. 1) situated on the short side 2e of the base and provided with a shaped recess 91 for opening it, preferably by means of pivoting. A device for locking the sliding movement of the cover 5 can be operated inside the portion of the compartment accessible via the cover. Moreover, elastic means are fitted or removed via the hatch 9.

The sliding movement of the cover 5 (footboard) relative to the base 2 is preferably performed by means of two (front) wheels 10, intended to move along respective guides 6 on the sides of the base, and two (rear) wheels 1 1 , intended to move along the floor. In this embodiment, the rear wheels 1 1 operate along a plane (floor) which is lower than the plane of the guides 6 and increase the stability of the tool during use.

The front wheels 10 are supported by a bracket 126 mounted directly on the bottom of the cover; the rear wheels 1 1 are supported by another bracket 127 which may be mounted on the bottom of the cover or along a side 5b thereof which also acts as a lateral closing element for the base. The lateral closing element has a surface area smaller than that of the footboard and forms a smaller surface of the cover. It is also quite possible for sliders to be used instead of wheels and the description below is applicable to both embodiments. The guides 6 comprise a first travel surface 6a for the sliders of the cover 5 and stabilizing wheels 6b with axis of rotation perpendicular to the surface of the cover 5; the stabilizing wheels make contact with the opposite side edges 5d of the cover 5 so as to prevent lateral jerking of the cover during the sliding movement.

Below the main characteristic features of the tool 1 are summarized. The tool comprises the base 2, at least one tubular element 3 removably mounted on the base 2, the compartment 4 for concealingly storing the tubular element 3, and the cover 5 sliding on the base 2. The compartment 4 has two guides 6 along which the cover 5 slides, so as to prevent or allow access to the compartment 4, in respective closed and open positions. The cover 5 also has a footboard 5 which may be used fixed on the base or slidably relative thereto.

The compartment 4 contains springs 7 which can be associated, independently of each other and via their ends 7a, with a hook 88 inside the compartment 4; the opposite end 7b of the springs is fixed underneath the cover 5 and is irremovable. The hatch 9 of the compartment 4 provides access to the hooks 88 inside the compartment and allows one or more elastic means 7 to be attached or removed without removing the cover 5.

The cover 5 has a larger surface 5a forming the footboard and a smaller surface 5b, perpendicular to the ground; the larger surface 5a is associated with sliders or wheels 10 travelling on the guides 6 inside the compartment 4 and the smaller surface 5b is associated with sliders or wheels 1 1 travelling on the ground.

The guides 6 form a first travel surface 6a for the sliders (or wheels) of the cover 5 and comprises stabilizing wheels 6b with axis of rotation perpendicular to the surface of the cover 5, said stabilizing wheels making contact with the side edges 5d of the cover 5.

The footboard may be associated with a shoulder rest 14 in order to carry out exercises in a supine position. The shoulder rest is adjustable, being able to be mounted in different engaging points on the footboard and, preferably, may be inclined relative thereto, leaving free a central portion 2g, for the head.

The cover 5 may also have a plate rotatable on a vertical axis perpendicular to the base 2. In this case a safety device is provided for locking/unlocking the plate relative to the axis of rotation.

In another embodiment, the rotatable plate may be removed from the cover and replaced by a fixed plate.