HITCH TRAINER

Abstract

There is provided a hitch trainer. The hitch trainer may include a base member that can be removably connected to a trailer hitch or wall mounted receptacle, and a top member with an integrated pull-up bar. The vertical length of the shaft of the hitch trainer may be extended by the insertion of one or more mid-members. Pairs of band pegs may be attached to either side of each of the base, top and mid-members, allowing the hitch trainer to anchor exercise bands for use in resistance training. The integrated pull-up bar may be used for body weight exercises such as pull-ups or dips. As the top, base, and mid-members are slidably attached to one another, they can be unattached such that the entire hitch trainer can be stored in a compact manner.

Claims

1. A hitch trainer for a hitch, comprising: a base member configured to be received by a receiver of the hitch, said base member comprising: an elongated arm member having first and second ends, said first end configured for reception into said receiver; and a shaft base member connected to and extending away from said second end of said elongated arm; and a top member configured to slidably engage with the said shaft base member, said top member comprising a shaft top member and an integrated pull-up bar.

2. The hitch trainer of claim 1, further comprising a mid-member configured to slidably engage between said shaft base member and said shaft top member.

3. The hitch trainer of claim 1, further comprising a band peg affixed to said base member.

4. The hitch trainer of claim 2, further comprising a band peg affixed to said mid-member.

5. The hitch trainer of claim 1, further comprising a band peg affixed to said top member.

6. The hitch trainer of claim 1, wherein said shaft base member extends away from said elongated arm at an interior angle of 96°.

Description

DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0014] Reference is now made to the accompanying drawings, in which:

[0015] The preferred embodiment of the invention will be described by reference to the drawings thereof in which:

[0016] FIG. 1 is a side view of a hitch trainer assembled in a manner that utilizes both mid-members connected between a base member and a top member;

[0017] FIG. 2. is a front view of the hitch trainer assembled in a manner that utilizes both mid-members connected between the base member and the top member;

[0018] FIG. 3. is a side view of the hitch trainer with a zoomed in view of a band peg to display a peg member and a retention member;

[0019] FIG. 4. is an exploded side view of the hitch trainer demonstrating how the mid members are slidably attached to each other as well as the top member and the base member by a shaft member;

[0020] FIG. 5 is a side view of the base member demonstrating an elongate arm, the shaft member, and a band peg;

[0021] FIG. 6 is a side view of the hitch trainer wherein the top member is connected directly to the base member;

[0022] FIG. 7 is a side view of the hitch trainer wherein the top member is connected to the base member by one mid-member;

[0023] FIG. 8 is a top view of an integrated pullup bar that comprises part of the top member;

[0024] FIG. 9 is a front view of the integrated pullup bar that comprises part of the top member; and

[0025] FIG. 10 is a side view of the integrated pullup bar that comprises part of the top member.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0026] Referring to FIGS. 1, 2, 3, 4 and 6, a hitch trainer 2 includes a top member 4 and a base member 6. The length of the hitch trainer 2 can be increased by slidably attaching one or more two mid-members 8 between the base member 6 and top member 4. All of the components of the hitch trainer 2 are slidably attached to one another along each member's shaft member 11, 12, 13. The hitch trainer 2 is attached to a trailer hitch of a car (not shown) or a receptacle mounted to a wall (not shown) by an elongate arm 14 of the base member 6.

[0027] Referring to FIGS. 1, 2, 3, 4, 6, and 7, the top member 4 includes of a top shaft member 13 and an integrated pull-up bar 16. The top member 4 is slidably attached by the top shaft member 13 to one of either the mid-members 8 or the base member 6.

[0028] Referring to FIG. 5, the base member 6 includes an elongated arm 14 for attachment to a receptacle or trailer hitch at one end and attached to the opposite end of the elongated arm 14 is a base shaft member 11. The base member 6 also has a pair of band pegs 10 attached to either side of the base shaft member 13.

[0029] Referring to FIG. 1, 2, 3, or 4, the mid-members 8 include a shaft member 12 with two pairs of band pegs 10 situated on either side of the shaft member 12 and spaced apart vertically along the shaft member 12. One end of the shaft member 12 is narrower than the remainder of the shaft member to allow the shaft members 12 to slidably attach both mid-members 8 together, and to slidably attach the top shaft member 13 to the shaft member 12 of one of the mid-members 8.

[0030] Referring to FIG. 1,2,3, or 4, six pairs of band pegs 10 are spaced along the vertical length of the hitch trainer 2, each pair of band pegs being affixed to a shaft member 12, top shaft member 13, or base shaft member 11. Each band peg 10 is comprised of a peg member 26 and retention member 24.

[0031] FIGS. 8-10 generally show a handle bar.

[0032] Referring to FIGS. 8, 9, and 10, the integrated pull-up bar 16 includes a pull-up bar frame 22, the side facing handle 18 and the forward-facing handle 20.

Operation

[0033] The base member 6 is attached to a receptacle on a wall or the trailer hitch of a car (not shown) by the elongated arm 14. One of either the mid-members 8 or the top member 4 is then slidably attached to the base shaft member 11 of the base member 4. Depending on the users desired angle of use for exercise bands, or desire of use for dips or pull-ups, the user will slidably attach a combination of mid-members 8 and the top member 4 to the base member 6 to achieve the desired result.

[0034] Once the hitch trainer 2 is assembled in a manner that achieves the users desired result, an exercise band (not shown) can be secured around a band peg 10 such that the band is looped around the band peg 10 or the shaft members 11, 12, 13. The user can then pull the exercise band such that tension forms in the exercise band. The retention member 24 prevents the exercise band from sliding off the end of the peg member 26 not attached to the shaft member 12, base shaft member 11, or top shaft member 13, thus ensuring that tension in the band is not suddenly released.

[0035] Depending on the height of the individual, the top member 4 may be slidably attached with the base member 6 to allow the individual to use the integrated pull-up bar 16 as a dip bar, wherein the individual can grip the forward-facing handles 20 and suspend their body vertically within the u-shaped pull-up bar frame 22. In bracing the elbows so that the biceps muscles of the individual are lengthened, and the triceps muscles are flexed, the individual can then lower the body by slowly relaxing the triceps muscle and raise the body by flexing the triceps muscle. If additional vertical length is required for the individual to complete such an exercise, a mid-member 8 can be slidably attached to the base shaft member 11 of the base member 6 prior to the top-member 4 being slidably attached to the shaft member 12 of the mid-member 8.

[0036] Depending on the height of the individual, one of the mid-members 8 may be slidably attached to the base shaft member 11 of the base member 6. The top member 4 is then slidably attached to the shaft member 12 of the mid-member 8 to allow the individual to use the integrated pull-up bar 16 as a pull-up bar. The individual can grip the side-facing handles 18 or front-facing handles 20 and suspend their body from the integrated pull-up bar 16, such that the biceps are relaxed and the triceps are contracted. The individual can then move the body up and down in the vertical plane by contracting the biceps muscles and anterior head of the deltoid muscle to move the body up and relaxing the bicep muscle and anterior head of the deltoid muscle to move the body down. Should the individual require increased space between the ground and the integrated pull-up bar 16, a second mid-member 8 can be slidably attached between the first mid-member 8 and top member 4. The hitch trainer 2 can be used for a wide range of body weight exercises beyond pull ups and dips, The primary muscle groups used for a pull up is the Latissimus dorsi, the rhomboids, teres major and minor, and spinal erectus.

[0037] When the individual is finished using the hitch trainer 2, the top member 4, mid-members 8, and base member 6 can be slidably unattached by pulling the base shaft member 11, shaft members 12, and top shaft member 13 apart from one another. The base-member 6 can be unattached from the receptacle or trailer hitch by disconnecting the elongate arm 14 from either the receptacle or trailer hitch. The top member 4, mid-members 8, and base member 6 can now be stored as a compact unit.

[0038] While embodiments of the invention have been described and illustrated, such embodiments should be considered illustrative of the invention only. The invention may include variants not described or illustrated herein in detail. Thus, the embodiments described and illustrated herein should not be considered to limit the invention as construed in accordance with the accompanying claims.