PUNCHING BAG RETENTION APPARATUS

Abstract

In one aspect the invention provides a punching bag retention apparatus which includes a bag engagement structure, and a user engagement structure. This retention apparatus also includes a tether defining a bag end and a user end, the bag end of the tether being arranged to connect to the bag engagement structure, and the user end of the tether being arranged to connect to the user engagement structure.

Claims

1.-25. (canceled)

26. A punching bag retention apparatus which includes a bag engagement structure, and a user engagement structure, and a tether defining a bag end and a user end, the bag end of the tether being arranged to connect to the bag engagement structure, and the user end of the tether being arranged to connect to the user engagement structure, wherein the bag engagement structure incorporates a tether interface component configured to allow the tether to be connected to and disconnected from the bag engagement element, the tether interface component being formed by a combination of a guide and carriage assembly deployed along at least a portion of the exterior surface of the bag engagement structure where the carriage is free to move along the length of the guide and will experience friction based braking forces as it moves.

27. A punching bag retention apparatus as claimed in claim 26 wherein the guide is formed as a track on the surface of a bag engagement structure.

28. A punching bag retention apparatus as claimed in claim 26 wherein the carriage assembly is formed from a component adapted to run along the guide, the carriage assembly providing a mounting point for a connector deployed at the bag end of the tether.

29. A punching bag retention apparatus as claimed in claim 26 wherein the tether is formed from a single length of woven fabric which includes at least one buckle or connector.

30. A punching bag retention apparatus as claimed in claim 26 wherein at least part of a tether is formed by material with a limited degree of elasticity.

31. A punching bag retention apparatus as claimed in claim 30 wherein at least a portion of the tether is formed from a woven elastic material with a polyester component.

32. A punching bag retention apparatus as claimed in claim 26 wherein the tether is formed with a construction which allows its length to be adjusted from approximately 25 to 30 cm long, to approximately 1.5 m long.

33. A punching bag retention apparatus as claimed in claim 26 wherein the tether is formed from a plurality of lengths of material connected together where one or more of these lengths is capable of being doubled over itself to reduce the overall length of the tether.

34. A punching bag retention apparatus as claimed in claim 26 wherein at least one sensor is connected to or associated with the tether, said sensor or sensors being configured to measure the force experienced by the tether when a punching bag is struck by a user.

35. A punching bag retention apparatus as claimed in claim 34 wherein said sensor or sensors is configured to be interrogated by a remote processing device.

36. A punching bag retention apparatus as claimed in claim 26 wherein either or both ends of the tether includes a releasable connector which enables the tether to be connected and disconnected from the bag engagement structure and/or user engagement structure.

37. A punching bag retention apparatus as claimed in claim 26 wherein the bag engagement structure and/or user engagement structure incorporates a releasable connector which allows for connection to the tether.

38. A punching bag retention apparatus as claimed in claim 36 wherein said releasable connector is formed by a lobster clip mounted by way of a pivoting or rotating swivel.

39. A punching bag retention apparatus as claimed in claim 37 wherein said releasable connector is formed by a lobster clip mounted by way of a pivoting or rotating swivel.

40. A punching bag retention apparatus as claimed in claim 26 wherein a user engagement structure is formed as a belt configured to be worn around the waist or hips of the user.

41. A punching bag retention apparatus as claimed in claim 40 wherein the belt form user engagement structure includes a flexible snap lock fastener capable of being opened and closed by a user wearing boxing gloves.

42. A punching bag retention apparatus as claimed in claim 40 wherein the belt form user engagement structure is flared to the rear in contact with a user's lower back, and strengthen to the front where connected to the tether.

43. A punching bag retention apparatus as claimed in claim 26 wherein a bag engagement structure is formed by a removable and adjustable bag engagement belt.

44. A punching bag retention apparatus as claimed in claim 43 wherein a bag engagement belt is formed from two or more lengths of flexible material joined together at variable positions along their length to fix the circumference of the belt.

45. A punching bag retention apparatus as claimed in claim 43 wherein a bag engagement belt is formed from a single length of material and a belt clip configured to control circumference of the belt.

46. A punching bag retention apparatus as claimed in claim 43 wherein the bag engagement belt is formed from a loop of elastic material configured to be stretched around a desired portion of a punching bag.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0047] Additional and further aspects of the present invention will be apparent to the reader from the following description of embodiments, given in by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings in which:

[0048] FIG. 1 shows a user engagement structure formed as a belt in a preferred embodiment, and

[0049] FIG. 2 shows a tether provided by the invention in the embodiment illustrated with respect to FIG. 1, and

[0050] FIG. 3 shows a bag engagement structure formed as a bag engagement belt in the embodiment illustrated with respect to FIGS. 1 and 2, and

[0051] FIG. 4 shows a plan view of the tether and bag engagement structure of FIGS. 2 and 3 when engaged with a punching bag,

[0052] FIGS. 5a, 5b and 5c show a user engagement belt, tether and bag engagement belt as configured in accordance with a further embodiment of the invention,

[0053] FIGS. 6a and 6b show two different forms of carriages capable of being used with the bag engagement structure of FIG. 3, or of FIG. 5c, and

[0054] FIG. 7a shows a perspective view of a releasable clip capable being used with the tethers shown with respect to FIGS. 2 and 5b, and

[0055] FIGS. 7b and 7c show the releasable clip of FIG. 7a in a closed and open configuration respectively.

[0056] Further aspects of the invention will become apparent from the following description of the invention which is given by way of example only of particular embodiments.

BEST MODES FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION

[0057] FIGS. 1 through 4 show the provision of a punching bag retention apparatus as provided in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the invention. This apparatus consists of the user engagement structure shown in FIG. 1 connected to the tether shown in FIG. 2 which is in turn connected to the bag engagement structure shown in FIG. 3.

[0058] In the embodiment illustrated with respect to FIG. 1 the punching bag retention apparatus incorporates a user engagement structure formed as a belt 1. This belt is arranged to be worn around the waist or hips of a user and includes a buckle 2 and eyelets 3 to adjust the circumference of the belt on the user. Also included is a sleeve 4 to retain excess belt material once tightened around a user, in addition to a D-ring 5 to facilitate a connection with the tether of FIG. 2.

[0059] As can be seen from FIG. 1 a single D-ring 5 is provided in conjunction with the user engagement belt. Those skilled in the art should appreciate that in other embodiments a pair of D-rings may be disposed on either side of the belt buckle to allow for variation the connection point of the tether to a user and to accommodate different user stances.

[0060] In the embodiment shown the front or buckle ends of the belt 1 are formed from a strong inelastic material such as nylon or leather. These materials help in transferring forces applied by the tether to the front of the belt. The rear region 6 the belt is formed with the addition of some elastic material allowing for a comfortable fit around the hips and back of the wearer and a degree of give against the users back once a force is applied through the D-ring 5.

[0061] FIG. 2 shows the tether 7 which is to be connected to the D-ring 5. The tether 7 has a two-part form to allow for adjustments of the effective length of the tether. The first part 7a is formed from an inelastic length of flexible material and the second part 7b is formed from a mildly elastic material connected by buckle 8 at a selected point to the first part 7a. The buckle 8 allows the elastic part of the tether to be folded onto itself and retained in place by a clamp 9 to set the effective length of the tether.

[0062] The tether 7 defines a bag end 10 at the terminal end of the first inelastic part 7a and a user end 11 at the terminal end of the second elastic part 7b. Mounted at each end is a releasable clip 12a, 12b which allows the tether to be engaged and disengaged from the punching bag and user as required.

[0063] FIG. 3 shows a bag engagement structure formed as a bag engagement belt 13 in the embodiment illustrated with respect to FIGS. 1 and 2. This bag engagement belt 13 can have its effective length or circumference adjusted through the use of a buckle 14 to engage with punching bags of varying diameters. The bag engagement belt 13 also includes a sleeve 15 which can be used to gather and retain excess belt material when the belt 13 is engaged with a relatively small bag.

[0064] In the embodiment shown the bag engagement belt 13 includes a tether interface component formed from a combination of a guide rope 16 and carriage 17. Mounted through the carriage is a D-ring 18 which facilitates a connection being made to a releasable clip of the tether 7.

[0065] The enlarged view of this component illustrated in FIG. 3 shows how the guide rope 16 runs through a central cavity of the carriage 16, allowing the carriage to traverse the length of the guide rope while still connected to the tether by way of the D-ring 18.

[0066] This characteristic of the guide and carriage is illustrated by the plan view of FIG. 4. FIG. 4 shows how a user strike made to either side of the punching bag 19 will result in the carriage moving towards the point of impact with friction applied by the guide rope slowing its progress and absorbing some of the kinetic energy of the strike. This movable connection point of the tether to the bag reduces some of the turning forces induced on the bag by a side strike and hence the motion induced into the bag. As can also be seen by FIG. 4 the guide allows the carriage to travel long approximately one half of the perimeter of the bag, giving a user a 180 strike angle range. In addition to the above this arrangement of the carriage and the guide allows the user to move around the bag without applying a turning force to the bagas would occur with the tether fixed to a single point on the surface of the bag.

[0067] FIGS. 5a, 5b and 5c show a user engagement belt, tether and bag engagement belt as configured in accordance with a further embodiment of the invention.

[0068] In the embodiment shown the user engagement belt, tether and bag engagement belt have many similar features to the embodiment illustrated with respect to FIGS. 1 through 3. However, in this embodiment the user engagement belt now incorporates a pair of snap lock clips 102 which can be opened and closed by user wearing boxing gloves. The user engagement belt also includes a tri-ring 105 to locate the end of a releasable connector 112 provided with the tether of FIG. 5b.

[0069] In the embodiment shown the tether again includes a two-part form with section 107a being formed from an elastic material, and the opposite section 107b being formed from a substantially inelastic material. The bag engagement belt of FIG. 5c incorporates a pair of snap lock clips 114 which can be opened and closed by user wearing boxing gloves. One of these clips is located adjacent to a section of elastic material 120 which allows the bag engagement belt to be stretched snugly over a bag and secured in place by the snap lock clips 114. FIG. 5c also illustrates the use of a length of flat guide webbing over which a carriage incorporating a tri-ring 118 can slide.

[0070] FIGS. 6a and 6b show two different forms of carriages capable of being used with the bag engagement structure of FIG. 3, or of FIG. 5c. Both carriages are orientated to illustrate guide through passages 121 provided with a horizontal orientation. In the embodiment shown with respect to FIG. 6a this through passage is arranged to receive the cylindrical diameter of a guide rope, whereas with FIG. 6b this through passage receives a flat and wide guide formed from webbing material. Both forms of guides also include additional ring connector through passages 122 illustrated with a vertical orientation. These ring connector through passages 122 are used to receive a portion of a D-ring or tri-ring which is to engage with a connector at the end of a tether.

[0071] FIG. 7a shows a perspective view of a releasable clip capable being used with the tethers shown with respect to FIGS. 2 and 5b, while FIGS. 7b and 7c show the releasable clip of FIG. 7a in a closed and open configuration.

[0072] As can be seen from FIGS. 7a-7c this releasable clip includes a pivoting jaw 123 configured to pivot downwards to open the clip. A large finger contact pad 124 is provided for a user to push the clip open, preferably when wearing boxing gloves.

[0073] It is to be understood that the present invention is not limited to the embodiments described herein and further and additional embodiments within the spirit and scope of the invention will be apparent to the skilled reader from the examples illustrated with reference to the drawings. In particular, the invention may reside in any combination of features described herein, or may reside in alternative embodiments or combinations of these features with known equivalents to given features. Modifications and variations of the example embodiments of the invention discussed above will be apparent to those skilled in the art and may be made without departure of the scope of the invention.

[0074] In the preceding description and the following claims the word comprise or equivalent variations thereof is used in an inclusive sense to specify the presence of the stated feature or features. This term does not preclude the presence or addition of further features in various embodiments.

[0075] It is to be understood that the present invention is not limited to the embodiments described herein and further and additional embodiments within the spirit and scope of the invention will be apparent to the skilled reader from the examples illustrated with reference to the drawings. In particular, the invention may reside in any combination of features described herein, or may reside in alternative embodiments or combinations of these features with known equivalents to given features. Modifications and variations of the example embodiments of the invention discussed above will be apparent to those skilled in the art and may be made without departure of the scope of the invention as defined in the appended claims.