AU2004100759A4 - Training apparatus - Google Patents

Description

r

AUSTRALIA

Patents Act 1990 INNOVATION PATENT SPECIFICATION

APPLICANT:

INVENTION TITLE: Andrew Sakr TRAINING APPARATUS The invention is described in the following statement: 2 TRAINING APPARATUS Technical Field The present invention relates to training apparatus suitable for use in weight lifting and weight training.

Background Art Weight training and weight-lifting are widely practiced activities. The primary reason that participants engage in these activities is to increase the strength of their muscles. The weight bar on which the weights are placed is almost invariably roughened or knurled in order to provide adequate friction between the bar and the palms of the participant's hands, thus preventing slippage. This can cause excessive roughing and pain to the palms of the participant's hands, particularly where considerable weight is placed on the weight bar. Thus, gloves are often used to protect the hands during weight training and weight-lifting activities. This also helps to prevent the loss of grip due to an accumulation of sweat on the participant's hands.

The above discussion of background art is included to explain the context of the present invention. It is not to be taken as an admission that any of the documents or other material referred to was published, known or part of the common general knowledge in Australia at the priority date of any one of the claims of this specification.

Description of the Invention Throughout the description and claims of this specification, the word "comprise" and variations of that word, such as "comprising" and "comprises" are not intended to exclude other additives, steps or integers.

In a first aspect the present invention provides a training glove comprising: a glove member adapted to receive a hand; and a weight support means, wherein: the glove member comprises a wrist adjacent portion distal to finger and thumb stalls; the weight support means depends from the wrist adjacent portion, to form an at least partial wrist cuff; and the weight support means comprises an elongate member extending longitudinally from the at least partial wrist cuff and adapted to wrap interchangeably around the at least partial cuff to form a wrist support, or around a weight bar to assist with supporting the weight.

In a second aspect the present invention provides a weight support means comprising: an elongate member defining a longitudinal axis and having a first end and a second end; and a retaining loop defining an aperture, wherein: the retaining loop depends from the elongate member at or towards the first end and transverse to the longitudinal axis; and the second end of the elongate member is adapted to pass through the aperture of the retaining loop to form a cuff with the second end extending therefrom.

The second end may be wrapped around the cuff to form a wrist support.

Alternatively, the second end may be wrapped around a weight bar to assist with supporting the weight.

In one embodiment, the training glove of the invention further comprises an attaching loop depending from the wrist adjacent portion and wherein the elongate member of the weight support means defines a longitudinal axis and has a first end and a second end, and the weight support means comprises a retaining loop, wherein: the attaching loop defines an aperture and is adapted to receive the elongate member of the weight support means through its aperture; the retaining loop depends from the elongate member at or towards the first end and transverse to the longitudinal axis; and the second end of the elongate member is adapted to pass through the aperture of the retaining loop to form a cuff with the second end extending therefrom.

The second end may be wrapped around the cuff to form a wrist support.

Alternatively, the second end may be wrapped around a weight bar to assist with supporting the weight.

An advantage of this embodiment of the invention is that when the second end of the weight support means is threaded through the retaining loop the second end can be pulled tight to form a tight wrist cuff. Yet another advantage of this embodiment of the invention is that it allows the weight support means to be removably attached to the attaching loop.

In another embodiment the training glove comprises a weight support means comprising a first loop depending from the wrist adjacent portion to form an at least partial cuff and a second loop extending from the first loop to form an elongate member. In use the second loop may be extended around a weight bar and then passed back over the glove to provide further support.

The weight support means may include engaging means adapted to retain the elongate member in a stowed position around the at least partial wrist cuff and/or to attach the elongate member to a weight bar. It may comprise a plurality of reversably interengagable means applied to different parts of the elongate member.

Brief Description of the Accompanying Drawings Figure 1 shows a training glove of the invention wherein the weight support means comprises a first loop and a second loop defining an elongate member.

Figure 2 shows the training glove of Figure 1 with the elongate member stowed to form a wrist cuff.

Figure 3 shows the training glove of Figure 1 with the second loop passed back over the glove.

Figure 4 shows an alternative training glove of the invention.

Figure 5 shows a weight support of the invention.

Best and Other Methods of Carrying Out the Invention For assistance in arriving at a more complete appreciation of the present invention, examples of the training glove according to this invention are hereinafter described with reference to the accompanying drawings. The preceding description of the training glove of this invention may also be read with reference to those drawings. However, as the drawings only illustrate one particular embodiment of this invention, their particularity is not to be understood as superseding the generality of the preceding description.

Figure 1 shows a training glove 10 of the invention comprising glove member 11 adapted to receive a hand and weight support means 14. Glove member 11 comprises wrist adjacent portion 12 distal to finger and thumb stalls 23 and 22 respectively. Weight support means 14 depends from wrist adjacent portion 12, to form an at least partial wrist cuff 15. Weight support means 14 comprises elongate member 16 extending longitudinally from at least partial wrist cuff 15 and adapted to interchangeably wrap around at least partial wrist cuff 15 to form a wrist support, or around a weight bar to assist with supporting the weight. Glove member 11 comprises a palm side 20, and a back side 21, as well as thumb stall 22, four finger stalls 23, wrist adjacent portion 12 and weight support means 14. Wrist adjacent portion 12 and at least partial wrist cuff comprise an opening 19 for insertion of a wearer's hand into glove member 11.

Typically, each of finger stalls 23 and thumb stall 22 has an open end and a length such that the thumb and each finger of the wearer is exposed from the finger or thumb tip to a point between the knuckle and the first finger or thumb joint of the finger or thumb. However, glove member 11 may be configured so that some or all of stalls 22, 23 have a length extending anywhere from the knuckle to the finger or thumb tip.

Palm side 20 of glove member 11 may be comprised of leather or a synthetic material that is durable and can withstand heavy abrasion from knurled weight bars. Palm side 20 may also be padded in any suitable manner such as with foam rubber or the like glued or stitched into palm side 20 of glove member 11.

Weight support means 14 comprises a first loop 17 depending from wrist adjacent portion 12 to form at least partial cuff 15 and a second loop 18 extending from first loop 17 to form elongate member 16. In use second loop 18 may be extended around a weight bar and then passed back over glove member 11 to provide further support.

Figure 3 shows weight support means 14 comprising a first loop 17 and a second loop 18 in use. It shows second loop 18 extended and passed back 6 over glove member 11 so defining an aperture 60 parallel to the longitudinal axis. Aperture 60 is adapted to receive a weight bar. In use, second loop 18 can be extended around a weight bar and then passed back over glove member 11 to provide further support for the wearer lifting the weight.

Figure 4 shows an alternative training glove of the invention comprising glove member 31 adapted to receive a hand and weight support means 34. Glove member 31 comprises wrist adjacent portion 32 distal to finger and thumb stalls 43 and 42 respectively. Weight support means 34 depends from wrist adjacent portion 32, to form an at least partial wrist cuff Weight support means 34 comprises elongate member 36 extending longitudinally from at least partial wrist cuff 35 and adapted to wrap around at least partial cuff 35 to form a wrist support, or around a weight bar to assist with supporting the weight. Elongate member 36 defines a longitudinal axis 37 and has a first end 38 and a second end 39 and a retaining loop 44 defining an aperture 45. Retaining loop 44 depends from elongate member 36 at or towards first end 38 and transverse to longitudinal axis 37. Second end 39 of elongate member 36 is adapted to pass through aperture 45 of retaining loop 44 to form cuff 35 with second end 39 extending therefrom. In use second end 39 may be wrapped around cuff 35 to form a wrist support. Alternatively, second end 39 may be wrapped around a weight bar to assist with supporting the weight.

Training glove 30 of Figure 4 comprises an attaching loop 46 depending from the wrist adjacent portion 32 which defines an aperture 47. Attaching loop 46 is adapted to receive elongate member 36 of weight support means 34 through aperture 47. Weight support means 34 is removably attached to attaching loop 46.

Figure 5 shows a weight support means of the invention 50 comprising an elongate member 51 defining a longitudinal axis 52 having a first end 53 and a second end 54 and a retaining loop 55 defining an aperture 56. Retaining loop depends from elongate member 51 at or towards first end 53 and transverse to longitudinal axis 52. Second end 54 of elongate member 51 is adapted to pass through aperture 56 of retaining loop 55 to form a cuff with second end 54 extending from it. Second end 54 may be wrapped around the cuff to form a wrist support. Alternatively, second end 54 may be wrapped around a weight bar to assist with supporting the weight.

Weight support means 50 may be comprised of canvas or some other inextensible, flexible material. The material preferably has a high tensile strength so that it can support relatively heavy weights. It is also preferable that the material be durable so that it can withstand heavy abrasion from knurled weight bars.

Weight support means 50 may be provided as a separate training aid or in conjunction with a training glove. Where weight support means 50 is provided with a training glove, first end 53 of elongate member 51 depends from a wrist adjacent portion of the glove to form an at least partial wrist cuff.

Elongate member 51 may depend from the wrist adjacent portion in a variety of ways. For example, first end 53 of elongate member 51 may be permanently attached to the wrist adjacent portion. Permanent attachment may be by way of stitching or first end 53 being formed as an extension of the wrist adjacent portion. Alternatively means for releasably attaching the elongate member to the wrist adjacent portion may be provided. For example the weight support means may be attached to the glove by means of an attaching loop depending from the wrist adjacent portion.

Figure 1 shows weight support means 14 comprising engaging means 61 adapted to retain elongate member 18 in a stowed position around at least partial wrist cuff 15 and/or to attach elongate member 18 to a weight bar.

Engaging means 61 may comprise a plurality of reversably interengagable means applied to different parts of the elongate member. One engaging means 61 may be located on the outside surface of either the first end or the first loop of the elongate member 16. Another engaging means 61 may be located on the outside surface of either the second end or the second loop 18 of the elongate member. The engaging means 61 may be so located that when the elongate member 16 is wrapped around the at least partial wrist cuff 15, the engaging means 61 located on the outside surface of either the second end or the second loop 18 is brought into contact with another engaging means 61 located on the outside surface of either the first end or the first loop 17 of the elongate member 16. The two engaging means have an interengagable relationship so that once brought into contact, the two engaging means 61 become engaged thereby retaining the elongate member 16 in a stowed position 70 around the at least partial wrist cuff as shown in Figure 2. The elongate member 16 and the engaging means 61 may be forced out of engagement and thus released from a stowed position. It is preferred that the engaging means be made from complementary strips of hook and loop fasteners, such as Velcro® or the like.

Where the weight support means 14 comprises an elongate member 16 having a first end and a second end, the engaging means 61 may also be so located that when the elongate member 16 is wrapped around a weight bar, the engaging means 61 located on the outside surface of the second end is brought into contact with another engaging means 61 located on the outside surface of the first end of the elongate member 16 thereby attaching the elongate member 16 to the weight bar.

It will be appreciated that various alterations and/or additions in the particular construction and arrangement of parts previously described may be made without departing from the spirit or ambit of the present invention.

Claims (4)

1. A training glove comprising: a glove member adapted to receive a hand; and a weight support means, wherein: the glove member comprises a wrist adjacent portion distal to finger and thumb stalls; the weight support means depends from the wrist adjacent portion, to form an at least partial wrist cuff; and the weight support means comprises an elongate member extending longitudinally from the at least partial wrist cuff and adapted to wrap interchangeably around the at least partial cuff to form a wrist support, or around a weight bar to assist with supporting the weight.

2. A training glove according to claim 1, further comprising an attaching loop depending from the wrist adjacent portion and wherein the elongate member of the weight support means defines a longitudinal axis and has a first end and a second end, and the weight support means comprises a retaining loop, wherein: the attaching loop defines an aperture and is adapted to receive the elongate member of the weight support means through its aperture; the retaining loop depends from the elongate member at or towards the first end and transverse to the longitudinal axis; and the second end of the elongate member is adapted to pass through the aperture of the retaining loop to form a cuff with the second end extending therefrom.

3. A training glove according to claim 1 or claim 2, wherein the weight support means comprises a first loop depending from the wrist adjacent portion to form the at least partial cuff and a second loop extending from the first loop to form the elongate member, wherein the second loop is configured to be extended around a weight bar and then passed back over the glove to provide further support. r

4. A training glove according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the weight support means includes at least one engaging means adapted to interchangeably retain the elongate member in a stowed position around the at least partial wrist cuff and/or to attach the elongate member to a weight bar. A weight support means comprising: an elongate member defining a longitudinal axis and having a first end and a second end; and a retaining loop defining an aperture, wherein: the retaining loop depends from the elongate member at or towards the first end and transverse to the longitudinal axis; and the second end of the elongate member is adapted to pass through the aperture of the retaining loop to form a cuff with the second end extending therefrom. DATED: 9 September 2004 PHILLIPS ORMONDE FITZPATRICK Attorneys for: Andrew Sakr