GB2458190A

GB2458190A - Rocking exercise device

Info

Publication number: GB2458190A
Application number: GB0804742A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Jennifer Thorpe; Deborah Riseborough; Barker Brettell Llp
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2008-03-14
Filing date: 2008-03-14
Publication date: 2009-09-16
Also published as: GB0804742D0

Abstract

An exercise device 1 comprises a seat member 10 and a curved bowl member 20 extending below the seat member 10. In use a user can sit on the seat member 10 and move the lower torso relative to the upper torso whilst rocking the seat member 10 about the curvature of the bowl member 20. The bowl member 20 is generally hemispherical in shape and has a variable radius of curvature. The seat member 10 is a generally circular dish, part of which 20A is cutaway to define the front of the seat member. The exercise device 1 is designed to exercise muscles between the upper and lower torso, and to massage the buttocks to help reduce the build up of cellulite using the body weight of the user.

Description

1 2458190 Title: Novel Exercise Device The present invention relates to a novel exercise device.

According to the present invention there is provided a novel exercise device comprising a textures member and a curved bowl member extending-below the / textured seat member, in use a user can sit on the textured seat member and move the lower torso relative to the upper torso whilst rocking the seat member about the curvature of the bowl member.

Preferably the bowl member is generally hemispherical in shape. The bowl member has a variable radius of curvature. Preferably radius of curvature of the surface of the bowl member reduces towards the periphery of the bowl.

Preferably the seat member is a generally circular dish. Preferably part of the dish is cut-away to define the front of the seat member. Preferably the front of the seat member is lower than the back of the seat member. Preferably the bowl member is cut-away adjacent the front of the cut-away seat member.

Preferably at least one stop is provided on the surface of the bowl member to limit the amount the seat can rock about the curvature of the bowl member. Preferably the stop is in the form of an elongate ridge on the surface of the bowl around at least a portion of the bowl between the centre of the bowl and the periphery of the bowl. Preferably the stop is substantially C-shaped.

Preferably the ends of the C-shaped ridge are below the sides of the front of the seat member, whereby no stop is present to limit rocking the seat member forwards.

Preferably the stop has a radius edge to engage the ground. Preferably the radius edge decreases in curvature as it extends away from the front of the seat member.

Preferably the periphery of the seat member extends beyond the periphery of the bowl member. Preferably a groove is provided on the underside of the periphery of the seat member to act as a handle to carry the device.

Preferably the seat member includes a cushioned andlor non-slip area to engage the buttocks of a user.

Preferably projections are provided over parts of the surface of the seat member to abut against the buttocks and legs of user. The projections may be formed of resilient material such as rubber or synthetic rubber.

Preferably the exercise is formed as a unitary moulding. Alternatively the seat member and bowl member may each be formed as a unitary moulding, and then joined together.

An embodiment of the invention will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings in which: Figure 1 shows a front perspective view of a device, Figure 2 shows a plan view from above, Figure 3 shows a plan view from below, Figure 4 shows a side cross-section view, and Figure 5 shows a front cross-section view.

Referring to the drawings there is shown a novel exercise device 1.

Device I has a seat member 10 and a curved bowl member 20 extending below the seat member.

Seat member 10 is a generally circular concave dish. Part of the dish is cut-away to define the front lOA of the seat. The back of the dish lOB is higher than the front IOA of the seat member.

Seat member 10 includes a cushioned and/or non-slip area II to engage the buttocks of a user.

An array of projections 12 are provided over parts of the surface of the seat member to abut against the buttocks and legs of the user. The projections 12 may be formed of resilient material such a rubber or synthetic rubber.

Bowl member 20 is generally hemispherical in shape, but with a variable radius of curvature.

The radius of curvature of the surface of the bowl member 20 reduces towards the periphery of the howl (see Figure 4). The front of the bowl member 20A is cut away adjacent the cut-way front IOA of the seat member 10 (see Figure 5).

The periphery of the seat member 10 extends beyond the periphery of the bowl member 20. A C-shaped groove 13 is provided on the underside of the periphery of the seat member to act as a handle to carry the device. The C-shaped groove extends from one side of the cut-away front IOA around the periphery of the seat member to the other side of the cut-away front lOA.

In use, a user can sit on the seat member and move the lower torso relative to the upper torso whilst rocking the seat member about the curvature of the bowl member.

A stop 21 is provided on the surface of the bowl member to limit the amount the seat can rock about the curvature of the bowl member. Stop 21 is in the form of a C-shaped elongate ridge on the surface of the bowl around a portion of the bowl between the centre of the bowl and the periphery of the bowl. The ends of the C-shaped ridge are below the sides of the front I OA of the seat member, whereby no stop is present to limit rocking the seat member forwards.

Stop 21 has a radiused edge to engage the ground. The radiused edge decreases in curvature as it extends away from the front of the seat member (see Figures 4 and 5).

The exercise device is designed to exercise muscles between the upper and lower torso especially, as well as massage the buttocks and underside of the legs on the projections 12. The massaging effect of the projections may also help to reduce build up of cellulite. Hand held cellulite massagers are known, but the device of the invention is unique in that it uses the body weight of the user to compress cellulite.

The exercise device I may be formed as a unitary moulding, e.g. by injection, rotary or blow moulding. Alternatively the seat member 10 and bowl member 20 may each be formed as a unitary moulding, and then joined together.

The invention may take a form different to that specifically described above. For example the radius of curvature of the various parts may be different. The stop 21 could be omitted or could take a different form, e.g. a plurality of projections could be provided in the surface of the bowl member to act as stops. The cushioned and/or non-slip area 11 could be of a different shape. The shape and array of projections 12 could be different, or the projections could be omitted.

The device of the invention may be or any desired colour/s and may support printed information such as advertising messages.

Further modifications will be apparent to those skilled in the art without departing from the scope of the present invention.

Claims

CLAIMSII. An exercise device comprising a seat member and a curved bowl member extending below the seat member, arranged such that in use a user can sit on the seat member and move the lower torso relative to the upper torso whilst rocking the seat member about the curvature of the bowl member.
2. The device of claim I wherein the seat member is textured.
3. The device of claim I or claim 2 wherein the bowl member is generally hemispherical in shape.
4. The device of claim I or claim 2 wherein the bowl member has a variable radius of curvature.
5. The device of claim 4 wherein the radius of curvature of the bowl member reduces towards the periphery of the bowl. *S.. * S * S. *

**
6. The device of any one of the preceding claims wherein the seat *S. * member is a generally circular dish.
7. The device of any one of the preceding claims wherein part of the dish is cut-away to define the front of the seat member.*. *S.. *
8. The device of claim 7 wherein the bowl member is Cut away adjacent the front of the cut-away seat member.
9. The device of any one of the preceding claims wherein the front of the seat member is lower than the back of the seat member.
10. The device of any one of the preceding claims wherein at least one stop is provided on the surface of the bowl member to limit the amount the seat can rock about the curvature of the bowl member.
11. The device of claim 10 wherein the stop is in the form of an elongate ridge on the surface of the bowl around at least a portion of the bowl between the centre of the bowl and the periphery of the bowl.
12. The device of claim 11 wherein the stop is substantially C-shaped.
13. The device of claim 12 wherein the ends of the C-shaped ridge are below the sides of the front of the seat member, whereby no stop is present to limit rocking the seat member forwards.
14. The device of claim 13 wherein the stop has a radiused edge to engage the ground.
15. The device of claim 14 wherein the radiused edge decreases in : curvature as it extends away from the front of the seat member. *I..I S...
16. The device of any one of the preceding claims wherein the * periphery of the seat member extends beyond the periphery of the bowl member.I I.I
17. The device of claim 16 wherein a groove is provided on the underside of the periphery of the seat member to act as a handle to carry the device.
18. The device of any one of the preceding claims wherein the seat member includes a cushioned and/or non-slip area to engage the buttocks of a user.
19. The device of any one of the preceding claims wherein projections are provided over parts of the surface of the seat member to abut against the buttocks and legs of the user.
20. The device of claim 19 wherein the projections may be formed of resilient material such as rubber or synthetic rubber.
21. The device of any one of the preceding claims wherein the exercise is formed as a unitary moulding.
22. The device of any one of claims I. to 20 wherein the seat member and bowl member are each formed as a unitary moulding, and then joined together.
23. An exercise device substantially as described herein or as shown in the accompanying drawings. *S.. * * * *. ** I. S **** *5 * * * *s*S *S S *I *.SI