AU599584B2 - An apparatus for exercising the hand - Google Patents

Description

PCT

3 5 WORLD INTELLECTUAL y 84'RT International Bureau INTERNATIONAL APPLICATION PUBLISHED UNDER THE PATENT COOPERATION. TREATY (PCT) (51) International Patent Classification 4 (11) International Publication Number: WO 86/ 04509 A63B 5/20, 69/00 Al (43) International Publication Date: 14 August 1986 (14.08.86) (21) International Application Number: PCT/KR86/00005 Published With international search report.

(22) International Filing Date: 31 January 1986 (31.01.86) (31) Priority Application Numbers: 1985/1038 U 1985/11945 U (32) Priority Dates: 1 February 1985 (01.02.85) ar1 r" df 18 September 1985 (18.09.85) i is cOr .ect or (33) Priority Country: KR 1printing (71)(72) Applicant and Inventor: CHO, Myung, Ho [KR/ KR]; 205 153, Cheongryang 2-dong, Dongdaemoonku, Seoul 131 "2 5 SEP 1986 (81) Designated States: AT (European patent), AU, BE (Eu- AUSTRALIAN ropean patent), BR, CH (European patent), DE (European patent), FR (European patent), GB (European 2 6 UG 1986 patent), IT (European patent), JP (Utility model), LU (European patent), NL (European patent), SE (Euro- PATENT OFFICE pean patent).

(54) Title: A HANDLET OF A SKpptING POPE HAVING A HAND-GRIP STRUCTURE il .4or e>6d.s\syg 4ke 2 koa^k 7 37 (57) Abstract An exercising apparatus used as a handle of skipping rope and/or a hand-grip, wherein two handle-members are connected at one end by a spring means which also functions to bias the two handle members apart, or connected at one end by a hinge structure and biased apart by a helical coil spring retained in the longitudinally extending grooves, and the two handle members are closed or diverged away by displacing the position of a retaining means. And an electronic counting device is provided to the exercising apparatus to count the gripping times and skipping times using a single electric counter. And said electronic counting device is also provided to a handle for a skipping rope or a hand-grip to count the exercising times. And a thumb-grip structure is provided to the handle (or handle meniber) of a skipping rope with/or a hand-grip structure to be engaged by the user's thumb.

M 1 7 1 "AN APPARATUS FOR EXERCISING THE HAND" Present invention relates to an exercising apparatus which can be used as a handle of a skipping rope set and/or a hand-grip.

BACKGROUND ART The mechanical counters used in a conventional handgrip or a skipping rope handle are not convenient nor useful because they produce clicking noises when used, and moreover, the mechanical parts of which are easily out of order when used for a long time. And further, a counter used in a hand-grip counts only the gripping times and a counter used in a skipping rops set also only counts the skipping times respectively. In other words, there is no device that counts the gripping times and skipping times together using only one counter.

And, according to medical study, in an individual's hand there are twenty muscles that act upon all the fingers. Of these twenty muscles, nine muscles (Flexor pollicis longus, Abductor pollicis longus, Extensor pollicis brevis, Extensor pollicis longus, Abductor Spollicis brevis, Flexor pollicis brevis, Opponens pollicis, Abductor pollicis, and Palmar interossei) move the thumb and the remaining eleven muscles move the four fingers excluding the thumb. These eleven muscles are Flexor digitorum superficialis, Flexor digitorum profundus, Extensor digitorum, Extensor digiti minimi, "'.Extensor indicis, Lumbricals, Palmar interossei, Dorsal interossei, Flexor digiti minimi brevis, Abductor digiti minimi brevis, and Opponens digiti minimi.

Therefore, when using a conventional hand-grip, such as the one in Figure 18A, one handle of the hand-grip is positioned on the palm and the other handle is 35 grasped by the four fingers excluding the thumb as shown in Figure 18A. Under these conditions, if it is desired to i,gjnspe.001.ky53575.cla.1 WO 86/04509 PCT/KR86/00005 -2develop the hand muscles, one squeezes the two handles (Q) toward each other by drawing the four fingers excluding the thumb inwardly in the dirction of arrow P of Figure 18A..

However, in this position the muscles exercised are only just the eleven muscles that act upon the four fingers excluding the thumb, because the fingers that apply the force of muscles to draw the two handles toward one another are only four fingers excluding the lo thumb.

Accordingly, with a conventional hand-grip, the nine muscles that act upon the thumb could not be exercised nor developed sufficiently in any case.

In the same way, in case of a conventional one-part skipping rope handle,one grasps the handle such as the one in Figure 18B, by drawing the four fingers exclud- .ig the thumb inwardly in the direction of arrow P of Figure 18B. Accordingly, with a conventional skipping rope handle, one grasps the handle uncomfortably and soon 2o feels fatigued.

And, in case, of my prior British Patent Application Number 8304166, west Germany Pat. Appln. No'. P 33o4973.4etc., a thumb-grip structure is provided to one of the handle members to overcome above said defects of a conventional hand-grip or a conventional skipping rope handle.

But in case of my prior applications, as the thumb-grip is fixed to any one side of the first handle member it is impossible to grip one thumb-grip structure with right and left thumb alternatively. In other words, th.e user must 3o use two hand-grip structures for both hands. Consequently, the hand-grip structures (especially the spring members) must be constructed'in both handles of a skipping rope.

Therefore, the production cost and selling price are inevitably.high. Further, it is very inconvenient and troublesome for the users that they have to use two handgrip structures.

With these points in mind, it is the objects of the present invention to provide an improved exercising h -3apparatus used as a handle of a skipping rope and/or a hand-grip.

DISCLOSURE OF INVENTION According to the present invention there is provided a hand grip comprising: a first handle member having a first end part, a gripping part and a second end part; a second handle member having a first end part, a gripping part and second end part; said first and second handle members being hingedly connected at their first end parts; means for biasing said first and second handle members away from each other about their hinged connection; and a rotatable thumb grip mounted on either the first or second handle member and being adapted for rotation between first and second stable positions, whereby the hand grip may be used alternatively in either the left or 20 right hand of the user.

The invention also provides a skipping rope handle comprising: a first handle member having a first end part, a gripping portion and a second end part; a second handle member having a first end part, a gripping portion and a second end part; I said first and second handle members being hingedly connected at their first end parts; means for biasing said first and second handle members away from each other about their hinged connection; support means mounted relative to said second end part of said second handle member for attaching a jump 35 rope; retaining means for retaining said handle members together against said biasing means, whereby said biased gi~gnspe.001,ky53575.cla.3 .~w~r 3a handle members are retained together to form said skipping rope handle; and further including a rotatable thumb grip mounted on either the first or second handle member and being adapted for rotation between first and second stable positions, whereby the skipping rope handle may be used alternatively in either the left or right hand of the user.

It is a preferred object of the present invention to provide an exercising apparatus which can be used as a handle of a skipping rope and/or as a hand-grip with an electronic counting device which can overcome the defects of conventional mechanical counters and/or can count the gripping times and skipping times respectively using only one electronic counter.

A further preferred object of the present invention I is to provide above said exercising apparatus with 20 longitudinally extending grooves which are formed in the m o facing surfaces of the handle members to receive a spring.

C

*o *e m' *e oo e m C* 900515. gjnspe.001,ky53575.ca 4 i

-I

WO 86/04509 PCT/KR86/0(005 BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS Referring more specifically to the drawings, the present invention will be described in detail hereinafter.

Figure 1 is a perspective and exploded view of the first embodiment of the present invention in which a rotatable thumb-grip and an electronic counting device are provided to the handle members.

Figure 2 is a side view of the handle of Figure 1, with the handle members being closed on one another.

Figures 3A,3B,3C, and 3D are fragmentary and perspective views of the first handle member with a rotatable thumb-grip. Figure 3D is a bottom view of Figure 3B.

Figure 4 is a perspective and exploded view of the second embodiment of the present invention.

Figure 5 is a side view of Figure 4, with the handle members being closed on ore another, partly in section.

Figure 6 is a side view of Figure 4,with the handle members being diverged away from each other, partly in section.

2o Figures 7A and 7B are sectional views of the lines L -L'and M-M' in Figure 5, respectively.

Figures 8 and 9 are perspective views of the third and fourth embodiment of the present invention, which are comprised of most of the elements in Figures land 4 excluding the supporting means only to be used as a handgrip.

Figures 1oA and loB are perspective views of the hand-grip of Figure 8 being engaged by the left and right hand respectively.

Figure 11A is a perspective view of the fifth embodiment of the present invention, in which a conventional bar-shaped skipping rope handle is provided with an electronic counter and a fixed thumb-grip.

Figure 11B is a perspective view of the sixth embodiment of the present invention, in which a conventional bar-shaped skipping rope handle is provided with an electronic counter.

Figures 12A, 12B,12C, 12D,and 12E are fragmentary WO 86/04509 PCT/KR86/00005 and persDective views of the second handle member 1 showing the positions of contact-points, switching points, and the retaining means.

Figures 13A, 13B, and 13C are perspective and ex- Sploded views of the end nart of the second handle member and supporting means, which show the positions of contact-points and contact-strips.

Figure 14 is a block diagram of a circuit employed in the present invention.

Figure 15 is a circuit diagram of a counting system to count the skipping times and gripping times alternatively.

SFigure 16 is a circuit diagram of a counting system for a hand-grip.

figure 17 is a circuit diagram or a counting system for a skipping rope handle.

Figures 18A and 18B ar6 perspective views of a conventional hand-grip and a conventional skipping rope handle.

2o In case of using present invention as a handle of a skipping rope, the drawings show handles intended mostly for the left hand, it being understood that that for the right hand, if desired, can be made similar. And like numerals refer to like parts throughout. And all the elements or members are made of such known materials as wood plastic, iron, and any other known materials.

BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION Referring first to Figures 1 and 2, the handle A is formed in two handles members (or the first handle member 1'and the second handle member 1) which are connected together atthe first end parts of the two handle members by a coil spring 13A which acts to bias the two handle membe= apart, and also can be used fbr exercising the user's grip.

More specifically, the first handle member 1' is tapered to a point, from the first end part 24 attached to the string 13A, and the second handle member 1 is shaped in a complementary manner, so that, when the two handle members are closed, they form together a cylindrical struc-..

WO 86/04509PCKR86/ ,PCT KR86/06005 -6ture that is almost the same shape and size of a conventional skipping rope handle. And finger receiving grooves 61, 62, 63,64 are formed on the round back of the second handle member 1 for the fingers excluding the thumb to rest stably as shown in Figures 1 and 2. Tne little finger,ring finger, middle finger,and fore finger rest in the respective finger receiving grooves 61, 62,63,and 64. These finger receiving grooves are also formed in the other embodiments of the present invention such as shown in Figures 1o 4,8,9,and 11A.

If desired, the two handle members can be held in closed position as shown in Figure 2 by a retaining means, in the form of a ring 5-which can slide axially in a concavity 4 in the second end part 27 of the second handle member 1. When righthand-most position as shown in Figure 1, the ring 5 is free of the first handle member which is free to move away from the second handle member;-1. If it is moved to the lefthand-most position as shown in Figure 2, the ring 5 overlies a cut-out portion 2 of the first 2o handle member 1' and retains the latter to form a cylindrical handle.

For connecting a skipping rope 16 to the handle, a supporting means comprised of a supporter 8 with a protrusion 7 and a ring-member 9 is used. The supporter 8 united with a protrusion 7 having in its stem a connecting hole 6 is located in a recess 1o of a ring-mei~ber 9, with the protrusion 7 passing through a central aperture 11 in the ring-member 9; the ring-member 9 is then screwed to the end of the second handle member 1 through the holes 3o 37by bolts 36 as shown in 2igures 1,2, and 4. The supporter 8 is retained by the ring-member 9 but can be readily rotated to that member relatively.

The skipping rope 16, then, can be connected to the second handle member 1 by means cf a link 15 secured in the connecting hole 6 of the protrusion 7. This link 15 together with the rope 16 can also be detachable from the handle if the user wants to use this apparatus as a hand-grip only.

WO 86/04509 PCT/KR86/0605 -7- Referring now to counting device, the shaft of the second handle member 1 is provided with a well-known electronic counter 4o, reset button 42, and a power source 41, as shown in Figures 1 and 4.

The counter 40 is comprised of various well-known elements such as a buffer-amplifier, a voltage-to-frequency converter, an electronic digital counter, and a digital display unit. Figure 14 shows the block diagram of the circuit using these elements. A battery or any other 1o known electric power source can be used as the power source. And the power source is to be housed in the shaft of the second handle member 1 with a well-known sliding or hinged tr'ap door to close the power source compartment, The numeral 41 denotes the power source altogether with the trap door and power source compartment. But it is expressed "the power source 41" in this description for' convenience. 4.1 And electrical leads extend from the power source 41, *through inside of the second handle member 1, to numerous 2o electrical contacts. On the inner surface of the -first handle member a contact-strip 44 is attached thereon and is projected out slightly higher than the surface level of the inner surface to contact with the contactpoints 43 and 43' when the two handle members 1 and are closed. The location of the contact-strip 44 is shown in Figure 3D. Namely it is located somewhere in between the hole 38 and the end of the first handle member 1'.

And, on the inner surface of the second handle member 1, contact-points 43 and 43"' are installed, as shown in 3o Figures 1 and 4, to be exactly contacted with the contactstrip 44. On the concavity 4 made for the ring 5 to slide axially, contact-points 45, 46 and switching-strips 47, 48 are installed as shown in Figures 12A to 12E. Figure 12A shows the concavity 4 with the contact-points 45 and 46.

In this draing, the ring 5 is not drawn for convenience.

In Figure 12B, the switching-strips 47 and 48 are installed near to the contact-points 45 and 46 in such a manner that said points 45, 46 and said strips 47, 48 are in a superimposing relationship respectively.

WO 86/04509 PCT/KR86/00005 -8- Namely, without any external pressures, the switchingstrips 47 and 48 are so attached as to be not normally contacted with the contact-points 45 and 46. And in this drawing, the ring 5 is also not drawn for convenience.

Figure 12C shows the concavity 4 with ring 5, all the contact-points and switching-strips being attached. In this drawing, the ring 5 is positioned on the middle of the concavity 4, so that no switching-strip is contacted with the contact-point. In Figure 12D, the ring 5 being moved to the lefthand-most position overlies the cut-out portion 2 of the first handle member 1'forming a skipping rope handle as shown in Figures 2 and 5. In this case, the switching-strip 47 is pressed by the ring 5, and at the same time, contacts the contact-point.45. And in turn, in Figure 12E, the ring 5 being moved to the righthand-most position overlies and presses the switching-strip 48. And in this case, the switching-strip 48 contacts the contactpoint 46.

SAnd as shown in Figures 13A, 13B, and 130,on the inner 2o surface of the ring-member 9 are installed contact-strips and 5o'. And contact-points 51 and 51' are installed at the end side of the second handle member to contact said contact-strips 5o and 5o' when the ring-mewber 9 is attached to the second handle member 1. And a contactstrip 49 is installed on the supporter 8 slightly higher than the surface level of the supporter 8 in order to be contacted with these contact-strips 5o and The circuit will now be described with reference to the Figure 15. A first electrical lead 54 from the counter 4o extends and is connected to the contact-points 45 and 46.

A fourth electrical lead 55 from the switching-strip 47 extends to the contact-point 51 contacting the contactstrip 50. And the electrical lead 57 from the contactpoint 51' contacting the contact-strip 5o' extends to a second electrical lead 59 which is cohnected to the counter 4o. And a third electrical lead 56 from the switching-.

strip 48 extends to the contact-point 43, and the electrical lead 58 from the 'ontact-point 43' is also connected to the second electrical lead 59 which extends to WO 86/04509 PCT/KR86/00G05 -9the counter 40. Further, the fifth and sixth electrical leads 53,53' from the power source 41 are connected to the counter 4o. Numerals 44 and 49 denote the contact-strips.

And numeral 42 denotes the reset button.

All these contact-points, contact-strips, and switching-strips are attached to the handle members and-other elements by means of bolts or adhesives, and are also connected to the electrical leads by soldering, welding, or any other known methods. In addition, all of the elements 1o used in counting system are so made and installed as to be insulated perfectly.

The counting processes are as follows. At first, if desired to use the present invention as a skipping rope handle, the user moves the ring 5 to the lefthand-most position and retains the first handle member 1' in position as shown in Figures 2 and 5. At this moment, the ring naturally overlies and presses the switching-strip 47 to contact the contact-point 45. Thus, the current flows from the power source 41, through the counter 4o'and 2o the leads 54,55,to the contact-strip 5o. And it also flows from the power source 41, through the counter 4o and the leads 59,57,to the contact-strip 5o' (see Figure Under these conditions, the user tarns the skipping rope connected to the supporter 8.

Every time the supporter 8 rotates, the contact-strip 49 contacts the contact-strips 50, 5o" and produce pulse signals. These signals are transmitted, through the electrical leads, to the counter and display the skipping times.

3o And in turn, if desired to use present invention as a hand-grip, the user moves the ring 5 to the righthand-most position to diverge away the closed two handle members 1 and 1I from each other. At this time, the switching-etrip 47 is separated froni the contact-point 45 and the ring overlies and presses the switching-strip 48 to contact the contact-point 46. Thus, the current flows from the power source 41, through the counter 40 and the electrical leads 54,56, to the contact-point 43. And it also flows from the WO 86/04509 PCT/KR86/00005 power source 41, through the counter 40 and the electrical leads 59,58, to the contact-point 43' (see Figure Under these conditions, everytime the two handle members are closed, the contact-strip 44 contacts the contactpoints 43, 43' and produces pulse signals. These signals are transmitted, through the electrical leads, to the counter 4. and display the gripping times.

As hitherto explained, by displacing the position of the ring the user can count the skipping times and gripping times alternatively with a single counter.

Figures 1 and 4 also show another feature of the present invention in which a rotatable thumb-grip is provided to a handle member. Namely, a rotatable thumbgrip 3o is connected to the first handle member 1' by means of a protrusion 31 which is projected upwardly from the flat portion 34 of the rotatable thumb-grip 3o. The prdtrusion 31 is fitted into a slot 38 which is positioned adjacent to the second end part 25 of the first handle member 1' as shown in Figure 3A. And, a pin 33 is passing 2o through an opening 32 located in the stem of the protrusion 31 as shown in Figure 3B. This pin 33 retains the protrusion 31 in position and prevents the whole rotatable thumbgrip 3o to be slipped out from the slot 38 of the first handle member Accordingly, the rotatable thumb-grip 30 can be rotated from right side of the first handle member 1' as shown in Figure 3B to the left side as shown in Figure 3C and vice versa. Namely, when the rotatable thumb-grip 3o is positioned at the right side of the first handle member the user engages hig/her left thumb on 3o the rotatable thumb-grip 30 as shown in Figure 1oA. And in turn, being pushed to rotate to the left side, the rotatable thumb-grip 30 is positioned at the left side of the first handle member Thus, the user engages his/ her right thumb on the rotatable thumb-grip 3o as shown in 'b Figure loB. (the Figures 1oA and loB are drawn to show the hand-grip only. These are quoted here only to show the positions of t.e thumb for convenience). Accordingly, the user can develop all the muscles of both thumbs with

::I

WO'86/04509 WO'86 9 PCT/KR86/00005 -11this hand-grip structure A as shown in Figure 1(or the hang-grip structure B oi Figure 4).

And further, as the flat portion 34 oi the .rotatable thumb-grip 3o is positioned beneath the first handle temher 1' the flat portion 34 projects out as thickly as its thickness from the surface level of the first handle mem- I ber 1' as shown in Figure 3D. Accordingly, a means 35 is formed in the inner surface of the second handle member 1 as shown in Figures 1 and 4 for the flat portion 34 to be 1o received when the two handle members 1 and1l" are closed as shown in Figures 2 and As:described earlier, with a conventional hand-grip, the nine muscles that act upon the thumb could not be exercised nor developed sufficiently in any case. And with a conventional skipping rope handle, one grasps the handle uncomfortab g and soon feels fatigued.

But in present invention, as a user engages his/her thumb on the thumb-grip 30 and pushes the thumb to the direction of arrow T and draws the remaining fingers ex- 2o cluding the thumb to the direction of arrow P of Figure 1oA. All the muscles can be developed evenly and effectively when performing a hand-grip exercise, and further, one can grasp the handle more stably and comfortably when turning the skipping rope.

And in case of my prior applications, as the thumbgrip is fixed to any one side of the first handle member the hand-grip structure with a fixed thumb-grip must be constructed in both handles of a skipping rope for the user's both hands. But if the hand-grip structure has 3o the rotatable thumb-grip 30, one hand-grip structure is sufficient for the user to develop all the muscles of both hands. Thus, one handle of a skipping rope can be the one in Figure 1(or Figure 4) with rotatable thumb-grip, and the other handle can have the shape of a simple bar with a fixed thumb-grip such as the one in Figure 11A.. Consequently, as one handle of a skipping rope set does not need ;o have the structure of a hand-grip(especially the spring element), the production cost and selling price can WO 86/04509 PCT/KR86/00005 -12-, be reduced greatly. Further, when using present invention as a hand-grip only, one hand-grip having a rotatable thumb-grip is sufficient for the user to develop all the muscles of both hands. Accordingly, the user does not need to use two hand-grips having a fixed thumb-grip.

The Figures 4,5, and 6 show the second embodiment of the present invention. In this embodiment, the spring 13A in Figure 1 is substituted iy a hinge structure which plays the role of connecting the two handle members 1 and lo The first end part 26 of the second handle member 1 is formed with a tongue 2o, the part being arcuately cut away on either side. The corresponding first end part 24 of the first handle member 1' has two outwardly Shaped, downwardly directed, ribs 18 which define between them a slot S, which is complementary to the tongue 2o, thus forming a tongue and groove joint. A pivot pin 21 atta- 4ches the two handle members 1 and 1 together. the pin 21 passing through holes 19 in the tongue 20 and ribs 18.

When the two handle members are so-attached together, the ribs 18 are retained in the arcuate cut away parts of the second handle member 1.

A helical compression spring 13B is loc'ated between the two handle members 1 and 1" as shown in Figures and 6. And further, in the facing surfaces of the two handle members 1'and 1, the longitudinally extending first and second recessed portions 23A and 22A are carved out respectively for the spring 13B to be retained and laid down as s.hown in Figure 5. And a cavity 23A' is made deep in one of the side walls of the first recessed portion 23A 3o of the first handle member 1'for the upper end 13C of the spring 13B to be rotatably secured. The position of the cavity 23A' is shown in Figure 7A which is a sectional view of the line L-L" in Figure 5. And a "shaped stria 22B is formed deep in one of the side walls of the second recessed portion 22A fzr the lower end 13D of the spring 13B to be inserted and slidably retained. This stria 22B is also shown in Figures 7A and 7B which is a sectional view of the line M-M" in Figure 5. And at the WO,86/04509 PCT/KR86/00005 -13righthand-most part of the second recessed portion 22A, a means 22A' is formed to receive the whole lower part of the spring 13B when the spring 13B stands upwardly as shown in Figure 6.

If desired to use present invention as a handle of a skipping rope, under such position as the two handle members 1' and 1 being diverged away from each other as-shown in Figure 6, the user draws the first handle member 1" a little more upwardly. Accordingly, the lower end 13D of the spring 13B together with the whole lower part. of the spring 13B is also drawn upwardly to the right-angled point of the stria 22B. At this time, the user pushes the whole lower part of the spring 13B to the direction of arrow R as shown in Figure 6, and closes the two handle members 1' and 1 to each other. Thus, the spring 13B is slidden to the direction of arrow R and laid down in the first and second recessed portions 23Aand 22A. After closing the two handle members 1' and 1, the user moves the ring 5 to the lefthand-most position to form a cylindrical skipping rope handle as shown in Figure And, if desired to use the present invention as a handgrip, the user moves the ring 5 to the righthand-most position and makes the two handle members 1'and 1 diverged away from each other. At this time, as the upper end 13C of the spring 13B is rotatably secured to the cavity 23A' and the lower end 13D of the spring is slidably retained in the stria 22B, the whole lower part of the spring 13B moves to the direction of the arrow F as shown in Figure 6.

And, after the lower end 13D together with the whole lower part of the spring 13B moves to the right-angled point of the stria 22B, then, the lower end 13D moves downwardly to the deep end 22B' of the stria 22B. At this moment, the whole lower part of the spring 13B is also positioned in the means 22A'. Consequently, as the upper end 13C of the spring 13B is rotatably retained in the cavity 23A'and the whole lower part of the spring 13B is retained in the means 22A', the spring 13B can't be removed out of the handle members 1'and 1 nor slipped into the first and second recessed WO 86/04509 86/04509 PCT/KR86/00005 -14portion 23A and 22A of itself unless it is intentionally drawn upwardly and pushed into said recessed portions 23A and 22A by the user.

Then, using this hand-grip structure B, the user can exercise and develop his/her grip. And further, as the spring 13B can be laid down in the recessed portions 23A and 22A, the two handle members 1" and and retaining means 5 are not affected by the elasticity of the spring 13B. Accordingly, the user can grip this handle B more firmly and stably when does rope jumping, and also carrys it as a simple bar with ease and convenience when using it only as a hand-grip by removing out the skipping rope 16 and link The third and fourth embodiment of the present invention are shown in Figures 8 and 9. As described earlier, present invention can be used as a hand-grip by removing, outlthe link 15 together with the rope:.16 from the supporting means connected to the second handle member 1. But, on occasion calls, some users may-want to use the present 4 20 invention only as a hand-grip provided with a rotatable thumb-grip and/or an electronic counting device without making and attaching any supporting means(8,9), and rope(16) from the outset.

4 This requirement can be easily met by removing out the 25 ring member 9 having the contact-strips 50, 50' and supporter 8 having the contact-strip 49 from the second handle member 1 in Figure 1 or Figure 4 and connecting the circuit as shown in Figure 16. Namely, the electrical lead 54 from the counter 40 directly extends to contactpoint 43. And the electrical lead 58 from the contactpoint 43' also extends directly to the counter 40. And the electrical leads 53, 53' from the power source 41 are connected to the counter 40. Therefore, in these embodiments, the contact-points 45,46 and switching-strips 47, 48 are not installed on the concavity 4. When the user closes the two handle members, the contact-strip 44 contacts the contact-point 43 and 43' and produces pulse signals. These signals are transmitted to the counter and display the gripping times. And when the user wants to 'WO86/04509 PCT/KR86/00005 carry this hand-grip as a cylindrical simple bar by closing the two handle members with the ring 5, the contactstrip 44 also contacts the contact-points 43 and 43'. But, in this case, the current can be broken by the reset button 42. Of course, if the user does not want any counting device, these counting elements may not be installed.

The other parts are all the same as those in the prior embodim:ent of Figure 1 or Figure 4. And, the rotatable thuinb-grip 30 can also be rotated from the right side of the first handle member 1' to the left side and /ice versa. Accordingly, with this hand-grip C of Figure 8 (or hand-grip D of Figure the user can engage his/ her left and right thumb alternatively as shown in Figures.

and 10B, and develop all the muscles of both hands.

And further, as the normal shape of a conventional handgrip is that of a diverged twig, it is very inconvenient and troublesome to carry along. But in the present invention, by displacing the position of the ring 5, the handgrip C(or D) .can be so closed to form a cylindrical simple bar as shown in Figures 8 and 9 that they can be carried, along with ease and convenience.

As described earlier, if desired to use the present invention as a handle of a skipping rope, the user closesthe two handle members 1 and makes a cylindrical skipping rope handle. Namely, one handle of a skipping rope can be the one in Figure 1(or Figure 4) with rotatable thumb-grip 30, and the other handle of a skipping rope can I have the shape and size of one-part bar having a fixed thumb-grip such as the one in Figure 11A. This thumb-grip 3 is fixed to any one side of the body H of the handle E as shown in Figure 11A, adapted to be engaged by the users thumb, thus enabling the user to grip the handle E more tightly and stably. In this embodiment of Figure 11A, the counting device may not be installed.

Further, on occasion calls, some user may want to use the present invention only as a handle of a skipping rope provided with an electronic counting device and a fixed thumb-grip, or some users may want a handle of a skipping rope with only an electronic counting device.

WO 86/04509 PCT/KR86/00005 -16- These requirements can also be easily met by substituting a one-part bar shaped handle for such members of prior embodiments as two handle members with retaining means and spring means, and connecting the circuit as shown in Figure 17. Namely, the fifth embodiment of the present invention is shown in Figure 11A in which a skipping rope handle E is provided with an electronic count ing device and a fixed thumb-grip 3 which is projected on the right side of the body H of the handle to be engaged by the left hand. For right hand, the fixed thumbgrip 3 is projected on the left side of the other handle (not shown). Figure 11B shows the sixth embodiment of the present-invention in which a handle F of a skipping rope is provided with an electronic counting device.

The counting elements and counting circuits employed in the handle E of figure 11A and the handle F of Figure, 11B are transferred from or the same as some of those in the prior embodiments. Namely, inside of the handle are mounted a power source 41, a reset button 42, and an electronic counter 40. The contact-strip 49 on the supporter 8 and the contact-strips 50,50' on the inner surface of the ring-member 9 are also the same as those in the prior embodiments such as shown in Figures 13A,13B,and 130. The circuit diagram is shown in Figure 17. The electrical lead 54 from the electronic counter 40 extends, through inside of the handle, via the contact-point 51, to the contact-strip 50. And the electrical lead 57 from the contact-point 51' contacting the contact-strip 50' extends to the counter 40. And the electrical leads 53, 53' from the power source 41 are connected to the electronic counter 40. Numeral 42 denotes the reset button. When the user rotates the skipping rope connected to the supporter 8, the contact-strip 49 contacts the contact-strips 50 and and produces pulse signals. These signals are transmitted to the counter 40 and display skipping times.

The handle described hitherto enables one device to be used both as a handle for a skipping rope set and as a hand-grip. And the rotatable thumb-grip(or the fixed thumb-grip) connected to a handle member enables the user WO '86/04509 PCT/KR86/00005 -17to develop all the muscles of the thumb and/or to grip the handles more firmly and effectively. And further, the electronic counting device enables the user to count the skipping times and gripping times with a single electronic counter, and further, it improves many defects of a conventional counter used in a conventional skipping rope handle or in a conventional hang-grip.

I 4

Claims (7)

1. A hand grip comprising: skippinc a first handle member having a first end part, a ful gripping part and a second end part; either 1 a second handle member having a first end part, a adapted gripping part and second end part; positior said first and second handle members being hingedly alternal connected at their first end parts; user. means for biasing said first and second handle members away from each other about their hinged

4. A connection; and handle I a rotatable thumb grip mounted on either the first further or second handle member and being adapted for rotation said hai between first and second stablr positions, whereby the providir hand grip may be used alternatively in either the left or right hand of the user.

5. A comprisi I 2. A hand grip according to claim 1 further comprising the jum counting means for counting the number of times the first Sand second handle members are hingedly compressed

6. A Stogether against said biasing means. with re 3. A skipping rope handle comprising:

7. A a first handle member having a first end part, a describe gripping portion and a second end part; but exc] a second handle member having a first end part, a gripping portion and a second end part; DATED th said first and second handle members being hingedly t'd MYUNG HC connected at their first end parts; By His I means for biasing said first and second handle i DAVIES members away from each other about their hinged connection; 7 A i* g support means mounted relative to said second end see part of said second handle member for attaching a jump Srope;rtining ans or retann sad a d retaining means for retaining said handle members A I gjnspe.001,ky53575.cla,18 900515,gjnspe. 001,ky5 i 19 together against said biasing means, whereby said biased handle members are retained together to form said skipping rope handle; and further including a rotatable thumb grip mounted on either the first or second handle member and being adapted for rotation between first and second stable positions, whereby the skipping rope handle may be used alternatively in either the left or right hand of the user. 4. A skipping rope handle according to claim 3 said handle being a simple bar shape for more convenient use further comprising; a fixed thumb grip projecting from said handle for engaging an individual's thumb and providing more stable and effective grip. A skipping rope handle according to claim 4 further comprising means for counting the number of rotations of the jump rope. 6. A hand grip substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawings. 7. A skipping rope handle substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawings, but excluding Figure 18A. DATED this 15th day of May 1990 MYUNG HO CHO By His Patent Attorneys DAVIES COLLISON q 9

9. 9. 9 9. 9 *c 9. S 9 *b9 9 9999 4 9. 9 9 *99 9 9 o olmloo A!

900515.g9jnspe.O1,ky53575. ca 19