Portable door mounted exercise apparatus

Abstract

A portable door mounted exercise apparatus includes a removable strap mount assembly for attachment to a door, and a cable/pulley assembly that includes handles for pulling the cable to stretch a resistance band that is affixed to the strap mount assembly. The lower portion of the resistance band is secured to the bottom of the strap at an anchor point via a carabiner or clip, so that when a user pulls on the handles, either downwardly or outwardly, for instance, the resistance band is stretched, thereby providing resistance for purposes of exercise. When not in use, the portable door mounted exercise apparatus may be removed from the door, disassembled, and the straps can be folded or rolled up for purposes of storage and/or transport.

Claims

1. A portable exercise apparatus for mounting on a door comprising: a front strap having a top portion and a bottom portion; a back strap having a top portion and a bottom portion, further including a first anchor point attached to said top portion of said back strap, and a second anchor point attached to a bottom portion of said back strap; said bottom portion of said back strap and said bottom portion of said front strap further including complementary attachment means so that said bottom portion of said back strap may be removably attached to said bottom portion of said front strap; a pulley operatively attached to said first anchor point; a cable member having a first end and a second end; a handle member removably attached to said first end of said cable member; a first resistance band removably and operatively attached to said second end of said cable member, and wherein said resistance band is also removably and operatively attached to said second anchor point; wherein said cable member feeds through said pulley so that said handle member hangs freely, and so that pulling said handle member downwardly or outwardly away from said pulley causes said resistance band to stretch.

2. The portable exercise apparatus set forth in claim 1, further including a stop member, wherein said stop member is operatively attached to said upper portion of said back strap so that said stop member prevents said front and back straps from rotating about said door when said exercise apparatus is in use.

3. The portable exercise apparatus set forth in claim 1, further including a second resistance band that may be used interchangeably, or along with, said first resistance band during use.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

(1) These and other features, aspects, and advantages of the present invention will become better understood with regard to the following description, appended claims, and accompanying drawings where:

(2) FIG. 1 is a perspective view of one embodiment of a portable door mounted exercise apparatus mounted on a door, wherein the exercise apparatus includes a front strap, back strap, a pulley and cable assembly, a handle, and resistance bands;

(3) FIG. 2 is a side view of one embodiment of a portable door mounted exercise apparatus in use by a user, showing a handle being pulled downwardly and engaging the resistance bands;

(4) FIG. 3 is a side view of one embodiment of a weight sled apparatus in accordance with one aspect of the present invention;

(5) FIG. 4 is a perspective view of the top portion of one embodiment of a portable door mounted exercise apparatus in accordance with one aspect of the present invention; and

(6) FIG. 5 is a perspective view of the bottom portion of one embodiment of a portable door mounted exercise apparatus in accordance with one aspect of the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

(7) Overview

(8) The present invention includes, in a first embodiment, a portable exercise apparatus for mounting on a door, as shown in FIGS. 1-5. Essentially, the portable door mounted exercise apparatus includes a removable strap mount assembly for attachment to a door, and a cable/pulley assembly that includes handles for pulling the cable to stretch a resistance band that is affixed to the strap mount assembly. The lower portion of the resistance band is secured to the bottom of the strap at an anchor point via a carabiner or clip, so that when a user pulls on the handles, either downwardly or outwardly, for instance, the resistance band is stretched, thereby providing resistance for purposes of exercise. When not in use, the apparatus may be removed from the door, disassembled, and the straps can be folded or rolled up for purposes of storage and/or transport.

(9) Strap Mount Assembly

(10) The strap mount mechanism includes a front strap 12 (such as nylon straps marketed under the trade name Cordura® by Invista North America, for instance), and a back strap 14. The front strap 12 is preferably wider than the back strap 14 in order to protect the door from damage caused by the moving components of the apparatus. The top portion of the front strap 12 and the top portion of the back strap 14 are secured together, preferably by stitching, although other attachment means may be used. The bottom portion of the back strap 14 includes an attachment means 16, preferably a section of hook and loop fastener, and the bottom portion of the front strap 12 includes a complementary side of the attachment means 18, such as the complementary side of a hook and loop fastener, so that the front and back straps may be removably connected to one another when the strap is looped around a door in a vertical orientation. Other attachment means may be used to attach the lower portions of the front and back straps together, including snaps, buttons, or the like. The back strap 14 includes a stop member 20, which is preferably a rolled and tacked portion of strap material, disposed on the strap mount assembly adjacent the slot between the door and door frame to prevent the portable exercise apparatus 10 from sliding out of place when the door is closed and the portable exercise apparatus 10 is in use. It should be understood that the stop member may be attached to the device in any suitable manner, so long as it prevents rotation of the straps about the door when pressure is applied to the handle members.

(11) The portable exercise apparatus 10 is preferably configured to include several anchor points 22 for attachment of various components. In a preferred embodiment, anchor points are formed by fabric from the back strap 14 being folded back on itself to form a loop. Anchor points 22 may include a first loop disposed on the top portion of the front strap 12 for attaching a pulley, and a second and third loop attached to the bottom portion of the back strap 14, as shown, for attachment to an elastic resistance band, either directly or via an intervening carabiner, clip, or the like. When the portable exercise apparatus 10 is mounted on a door and in use, the anchor points 22 are attached to the side of the portable exercise apparatus 10 facing the user, as shown in FIGS. 1 and 2.

(12) Cable/Pulley Assembly

(13) In one embodiment, a pulley 24 is removably attached to the top anchor point 22 disposed on the top portion of the front strap 12 by an attachment means 26, such as a carabiner, O-ring, D-ring, or the like, and a cable 28 runs through the pulley 24 so that the handle members hang freely at a first end of the cable, and so that the second end of the cable is operatively attached to a resistance band via a carabiner, clip, or the like. The free end of the cable 28 preferably includes one or more handles 30 removably attached thereto using a carabiner or other suitable attachment means 26. Various types of handles 30 may be used interchangeably, and can be used for different types of exercises.

(14) In a preferred embodiment, resistance bands 32 are removably attached to one of the anchor points 22 disposed on the bottom portion of the back strap 14 by a carabiner or other suitable attachment means 26. The resistance bands 32 can be removably attached to either of the lower anchor points 22 disposed on the bottom portion of the back strap 14 depending on the size of the door being used.

(15) In use, a user removably attaches the desired resistance band 32 to the second end of the cable 28, and to a carabiner or clip that is attached to one of the bottom anchor points. One resistance band 32 can be used, or multiple bands can be used at a time to accommodate various strength levels. Exercises may include tricep, back, bicep, and upper back exercises by pulling the handle 30 up, down, etc. Other types of exercises may be employed, as well.

(16) When the portable exercise apparatus 10 is not in use, the pulley 24, cable 28, attachment means 26, and resistance bands 32 can be removed from the door, and the front strap 12 and back strap 14 can be folded or rolled up for storage and transportation purposes. It is contemplated that the portable exercise apparatus 10 may be transported and/or stored in a duffel bag, sport bag, or the like.

(17) Although the present invention has been described in considerable detail with reference to certain preferred versions thereof, other versions are possible. Therefore, the spirit and scope of the appended claims should not be limited to the description of the preferred versions contained herein. All features disclosed in this specification may be replaced by alternative features serving the same, equivalent or similar purpose, unless expressly stated otherwise. Thus, unless expressly stated otherwise, each feature disclosed is one example only of a generic series of equivalent or similar features.