EXERCISE PLATFORM SYSTEM

This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application No. 62/099,110, filed on Dec. 31, 2014, which is incorporated by reference herein in its entirety.

BACKGROUND

Strength and balance training can be instrumental to better performance for amateur and professional athletes, gym users, and those who want to improve their overall level of fitness. Pre-existing exercise equipment solutions have various failings, however, such as lack of flexibility, lack of precision, and a failure to simultaneously engage multiple related muscle groups, such as those in the upper legs, lower legs, and feet, for example.

Pre-existing exercise platforms, such as square stools, may not be capable of being effectively stacked to differing heights to provide different levels of difficulty and challenge. One pre-existing piece of gym equipment is a box-like platform that may be stepped on by a user. Stacking such a platform may be inadvisable or even dangerous, however, as their construction could cause platforms of this type to shift or topple while loaded with weight. Attempting to stack such platforms may also put a user at greater risk of injury in the case of a misstep, as there would be a sheer vertical drop from one platform to the one beneath it. Additionally, such box-like platforms may lack the notion of targeted placement, with little or no emphasis placed on any particular area of the platform.

SUMMARY

An exercise platform system is described in which multiple different exercise platforms may be stacked at different heights. The platforms may have successively smaller top surface areas as they ascend in height when stacked, allowing different exercises of challenge and difficulty to be performed by users with different skill levels. A trained professional athlete might utilize the stacked platforms at their full height (e.g., with three or four platforms stacked on one another), while a novice might utilize some lesser number of platforms at a lower height. Various body weight exercises may be performed on the platforms, such as jumping, stepping, pushups, etc. Exercises may also be performed with additional weights (e.g., free weights, belts, medicine balls, etc.). The platforms also have features, in various embodiments, that help prevent shifting, rotating, or toppling of the platforms, which may provide for more effective training and/or mitigate the risk of injury. A set of multiple platforms (e.g., four different stacks of platforms) may also be used to set up different exercises, such as jumping from the top surface of one stack to another.

Further, unlike previous platform products, the present system has a support basis that challengers a user to exhibit a higher degree of control and accuracy on placement of movement. Even the widest and largest one of a group of exercise platforms has two marked circles (an outer circle and a more compact inner circle), in one embodiment, that act as target guides for a user placing their hand or foot, for example. While a user can safely perform an exercise by placing a part of their body (hand, ball of foot, heel, elbow, palm, etc.) inside the outer circle, the inner circle may serve as a visual stimulus to inspire the user to achieve better placement and accuracy. Likewise, other platforms may have a narrower surface area and/or a greater height, promoting an emphasis on control and precision that is not present in prior systems such as a box platform. The varying levels of difficulty corresponding to particular placement targets (e.g., varying narrower and/or taller targets) may bring about an accountability to the user as to how they move their body and allow them to achieve a higher degree of performance.

Using multiple different exercise platforms as described below further allows a user to exercise their body on both the vertical and horizontal planes. Different exercises may be performed, for example, by using four different platforms (or stacks of platforms) to support different body parts or appendages while flexing or stressing particular muscle groups (e.g., a user may move a group of muscles in a lateral direction or vertical direction relative to the ground, or some combination thereof).

Jumping based exercises are also particularly enhanced, in some embodiments, by the use of multiple sets of exercise platforms. A user may place 12 different exercise platforms in a line, for example, and jump from each to another in succession. The succession of jumps may cycle from large landing areas to narrow landing areas, or be interspersed in some other order.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a diagram showing one embodiment of a plurality of exercise platforms.

FIG. 2 is a diagram showing a cross section of one embodiment of exercise platforms.

FIGS. 3A-3D are diagrams showing different views of exercise platforms, in various embodiments.

FIG. 4 shows a detailed view of one embodiment of an exercise platform.

FIG. 5A shows a top-down view of one embodiment of an exercise platform.

FIG. 5B shows another view of one embodiment of exercise platforms.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

It is to be understood the present disclosure is not limited to particular devices or methods, which may, of course, vary. It is also to be understood that the terminology used herein is for the purpose of describing particular embodiments, and is not intended to be limiting except as otherwise indicated. As used herein, the singular forms “a”, “an”, and “the” include singular and plural referents unless the content clearly dictates otherwise. Furthermore, the word “may” is used throughout this application in a permissive sense (i.e., having the potential to, being able to), not in a mandatory sense (i.e., must). The term “include,” and derivations thereof, mean “including, but not limited to.”

This disclosure includes references to “one embodiment” or “an embodiment.” The appearances of the phrases “in one embodiment” or “in an embodiment” do not necessarily refer to the same embodiment. Particular features, structures, or characteristics may be combined in any suitable manner consistent with this disclosure.

This disclosure may use phrase such as “based on.” As used herein, this term is used to describe one or more factors that affect a determination. This term does not foreclose additional factors that may affect a determination. That is, a determination may be solely based on those factors or based only in part on those factors. Consider the phrase “determine A based on B.” This phrase connotes that B is a factor that affects the determination of A, but does not foreclose the determination of A from also being based on C. In other instances, A may be determined based solely on B.

Various devices, units, or other components may be described or claimed as “configured to” perform a task or tasks. In such contexts, these terms are used to connote structure by indicating that the devices/units/components include structure that performs the task or tasks during operation. Reciting that a device/unit/component is “configured to” perform one or more tasks is expressly intended not to invoke 35 U.S.C. §112(f), for that device/unit/component.

Turning to FIG. 1, a diagram 100 is shown of one embodiment of a plurality of exercise platforms. In this figure, the exercise platforms include a first platform 110, second platform 120, and third platform 130. The exercise platforms may be stacked on top of each other as in the configuration shown, as well as in other configurations. Platforms 110 and 120 may be stacked independently without platform 130, for example, or platforms 120 and 130 may be stacked without platform 110). Each of the exercise platforms may also be used by itself without being stacked on any other platform (e.g., a platform may be placed by itself on the ground or another surface). Note that in some embodiments, the exercise platforms of FIG. 1 may have a greater number of platforms (e.g., four or more) or a fewer number of platforms (e.g., two).

As shown in FIG. 1, exercise platform 130 includes a top surface 131. This top surface is approximately five inches in diameter in one embodiment, while in other embodiments, is greater or smaller in diameter (e.g., three inches, four inches, six inches, ten inches, etc., although top surface 131 is not limited in size to only these numbers). Top surfaces 111 and 121 for exercise platforms 110 and 120 are not shown in FIG. 1, but these top surfaces are larger than top surface 131 for exercise platform 130 in various embodiments (due to the structure of the exercise platforms, each one may be successively larger in size). See FIG. 2 for additional details.

In some embodiments, each top surface of the exercise platforms is at least 15% or 20% smaller in area as the next largest platform. Thus, when the platforms are stacked and are ascending in height, each top surface may be 20% smaller than the next largest top surface for the platform beneath the present platform. In other embodiments however, each top surface of the platforms may be another size relative to one another (e.g., top surfaces are 10% successively smaller, 30% successively smaller, 45% successively smaller, or some other value). Similar remarks apply to the size of the base of the exercise platforms (they may vary in size from one another).

The exercise platforms may also be disproportionate in sizes from one another, in some cases. Thus, in some embodiments, the platforms have different ratios for their top surface areas (as well as bases). The top surface of platform 130 may be 50% smaller than the top surface of platform 120, for example, while the top surface of platform 120 may be 25% smaller than the top surface of platform 110. Exercise platforms 110, 120, and 130 are not limited to these examples, however. (Note that platforms that are relatively disproportionately sized to one another could have different exterior angles/slopes when stacked.)

Turning to FIG. 2, a diagram 200 is shown of a cross section of one embodiment of exercise platforms 110, 120, and 130. In this diagram, exercise platforms 110 and 120 each respectively include a top surface 111 and 121. (Note that exercise platform 130 also includes a top surface 131—not depicted here, but see FIG. 1. Additionally, note that while not necessarily depicted, exercise platform 130 further includes one or more corresponding structures for any of the structures described relative to platforms 110 and 120, in various embodiments, though not all such structures are shown in FIG. 2. In some other embodiments, one or more additional platforms may also be constructed with similar corresponding structures to those of platforms 110, 120, and/or 130—thus, a fourth platform, fifth platform, etc., could be similarly constructed.)

Each of the exercise platforms shown in FIG. 2 also includes a base. In one embodiment, the base for exercise platform 110 includes a bottom surface 116. Bases for exercise platforms 120 and 130 likewise respectively include bottom surfaces 126 and 136 in the embodiment of FIG. 2. As shown, bottom surfaces 116, 126, and 136 are parallel to top surfaces 111, 121, and 131. (Note that the term “parallel,” as used herein, does not connote that two objects must be exactly, mathematically parallel to one another. Instead, the term parallel should be interpreted according to the usual definition(s) it would have to one of skill in the art. Similar remarks apply to other terms used herein that may have a mathematical connotation, such as “perpendicular”.)

Bases for exercise platforms 110, 120, and 130 may likewise respectively include various elements such as angular sidewalls 112, 122 and 132. Note that when exercise platforms 110, 120, and 130 are stacked, all or a portion of angular sidewalls 112, 122, and 132 may form a constant angle (i.e., a plane), though in other embodiments angular sidewalls 112, 122, and/or 132 may be at varying degrees of steepness. In one embodiment, the respective bases for exercise platforms 110, 120, and 130 include all elements depicted for those platforms other than top surfaces 111, 121, and 131.

Bases for exercise platforms 110, 120, and 130 may be made out of a molded plastic material. In one embodiment, the bases are made out of acrylonitrile butadiene styrene (ABS) plastic, for example. Various plastics and/or other materials may also be used for the bases or any other structural components of exercise platforms 110, 120, and/or 130 in different embodiments, however, (i.e., rubbers, metals, woods, and/or plastics other than ABS may be used). In one embodiment, molded ABS plastic is used to integrally form angular sidewalls 112, 122, and 132 with at least a portion of top surfaces 111, 121, and 131 respectively. Further, note that exercise platforms 110, 120, and 130 may be said to be primarily composed of a particular material (e.g., molded plastic) when that material comprises 50% or greater of the exercise platform's volume, for example.

The material(s) used for exercise platforms 110, 120, and 130 are strong enough to support at least 1,000 pounds of weight on their top surfaces in various embodiments. This level of material strength may allow a user to place all or a portion of his body weight on the exercise platforms while also carrying or supporting a large amount of additional weight (e.g., free weights). In such embodiments, top surfaces 111, 121, and 131 of exercise platforms 110, 120, and 130 may support 1,000 pounds when either used by themselves, or when stacked in various combinations. A greater or lesser amount of weight may be tolerated in different embodiments. (Note that in one embodiment, the term “support at least 1,000” pounds indicates that 1,000 pounds may be repeatedly applied without inducing structural failure. Similar remarks apply to other weight limits for other embodiments.)

As shown in FIG. 2, exercise platform 110 includes a lip situated below its top surface 111. This lip includes a flat area 113 that is parallel to top surface 111, and a sidewall 114 that is perpendicular to top surface 111. The lip of exercise platform 110 is configured to allow the base of exercise platform 120 to be stacked vertically on top of the lip for platform 110. (Note that in one embodiment the lip for platform 110 includes only flat area 113 and sidewall 114, while in other embodiments, the lip for platform 110 could include additional components.)

In one embodiment, the lip of exercise platform 110 includes one or more protrusions configured to engage the base of exercise platform 120. Such protrusions may increase friction between the exercise platforms and provide a tighter fit. By increasing friction between exercise platforms, for example, rotation or toppling of the exercise platforms can be hindered. Rotation or toppling of the exercise platforms can also be hindered using other mechanisms as well. The protrusions included on the lip of exercise platform 110 and other such mechanisms, while not shown in detail for FIG. 2, are discussed further below relative to FIG. 5A.

As shown, exercise platform 120 also has a lip similar to the lip for platform 110. The lip for exercise platform 120 includes flat area 123 and sidewall 124 (similar to flat area 113 and sidewall 114). Note that in the embodiment of FIG. 2, however, exercise platform 130 does not have such a lip, as it is the smallest (top-most) platform and is not configured to have another platform stacked on top of it. In some embodiments, a top-most exercise platform could have such a lip if desired, however.

Bases for exercise platforms 110 and 120 may also respectively include structural grids 115 and 125. These grids may include a cross-hatch (or other) pattern of additional material to provide support for a corresponding top surface, for example. In one embodiment, the bases for exercise platforms 110 and 120 also each include a hollow inner portion 117 and 127, respectively. These hollow inner portions may reduce weight of the exercise platforms, as well as provide for more convenient stacking. (Other exercise platforms, such as 130, may similarly also have a hollow inner portion and a structural grid.) Hollow inner portions 117 and 127 may vary in size (and could even be omitted entirely in some cases, causing materially in-filled exercise platforms).

Bottom surfaces 116, 126, and 136 include a gripping surface that is configured to provide enhanced friction in the embodiment of FIG. 2. (The level of friction may be said to be “enhanced” relative to ABS plastic or another material of construction used for the bases of the exercise platforms.) These gripping surfaces may be polyurethane, rubber, and/or another material in various embodiments (and in one embodiment, is a urethane rubber).

Bottom surfaces 126 and 136, for example, include a gripping surface configured to engage a lip of an exercise platform that is immediately below that bottom surface. In some instances, the gripping surface may be contiguous, e.g., a single strip of polyurethane and/or urethane rubber that is applied to and encircles most or all of an exercise platform's base. In other instances, the gripping surface may be a plurality of different segments (e.g., multiple strips of polyurethane, multiple rubber pads, etc.). A gripping surface also does not need to be adhered to flanges 118, 128, and 138 as shown. For example, a vertical groove formed inside the material of flanges 118, 128, and 138 could have a gripping surface material glued inside the groove. In other words, gripping surfaces may be attached to exercise platforms 110, 120, and 130 by various mechanisms.

Flanges 118, 128, and 138 are respectively attached to (or integrally formed with a portion of) angular sidewalls 112, 122, and 132 in the embodiment shown. These flanges may be slightly offset from the angular sidewalls, as seen in FIG. 2, so that when a urethane rubber or other gripping surface is applied to the topside of the flange, the surface may be flush with the corresponding sidewall. However, in various embodiments, sidewall 112 and flange 118 are formed from the same piece of material (e.g., ABS plastic), while sidewalls 122 and 132 may likewise be formed from the same material, respectively, as flanges 128 and 138. Although in some embodiments, the flanges could be separately attached.

Turning now to FIG. 3A, a diagram is shown of several different views of exercise platforms. Exercise platforms 110, 120, and 130 may have varying heights and sizes. As seen in FIG. 3, base diameters for exercise platforms 110, 120, and 130 are 20 inches, 15 inches, and 10 inches, respectively. The height of each of those exercise platforms (from bottom to top surface) is five inches in the embodiment of FIG. 3. Top surface diameters for exercise platforms 110, 120, and 130 may be 18 inches, 13 inches, and 5 inches respectively in the embodiment shown, but may have different surface areas in other embodiments.

Height, size, and shape for exercise platforms 110, 120, and 130 may also vary. As shown, each of the exercise platforms is circular, but in other embodiments, may be polygonal or oval. Height for each of the platforms may also vary (e.g., all platforms may be 3, 4, 6, 7, or any other number of inches tall from top surface to bottom surface, and may also have individually differing heights). Again, the exercise platforms are not limited to these examples (or to any specific examples listed herein).

When fully stacked, exercise platforms 110, 120, and 130 are 13 inches tall in the embodiment of FIG. 3. (Each of platforms 110 and 120 have lips with a sidewall that results in a loss of about an inch of height when another platform is stacked on top of them, in this embodiment). Lip sidewall heights may also vary, however (e.g., half an inch, two inches, or other values). Platforms 110 and 120, in one embodiment, may also have differing lip sidewall heights.

The top-down views of the exercise platforms presented in FIG. 3A show how visual elements on exercise platforms 110, 120, and 130 indicate different target areas on the platforms. The different inner areas defined by high-contrast and low-contrast portions of the top surface areas for these platforms may allow a user to focus on particular placement of feet, hands, or other body parts in performing particular exercises. (Thus, note generally that some parts of the top surfaces areas for platforms 110, 120, and 130 may visually contrast with one another to denote particular target zones.)

Turning to FIGS. 3B, 3C, and 3D, different views of exercise platforms 110, 120, and 130 are shown. In these views, the exercise platforms are stacked upon each other. Additional features such as detail markings and cutout holds are also visible, as will be discussed below.

Turning to FIG. 4, a detailed view of one embodiment of exercise platform 110 is shown. In this embodiment, exercise platform 110 includes surfaces 205, 225, and 230, and detail markings 210. As shown, surface 205 comprises a contiguous strip adhered to the bottom of angular sidewall 112. Bottom surface 116 is a portion of the same material as surface 205 in this embodiment, and may comprise a material with a higher coefficient of friction than the material of angular sidewall 112. Bottom surface 116 may have the same friction properties as the rest of surface 205 in one embodiment, but may have enhanced friction properties in other embodiments (e.g., bottom surface 116 may have a different finish than the rest of surface 205, may be scored or roughed up, have protruding plastic or rubber dimples or footing, etc.)

Surfaces 225 and 230, along with inner surface portion 235, may comprise a top surface for exercise platform 110. Surfaces 225 and/or 230 may be inserts that can be adhered or otherwise affixed to the base and/or top surface of exercise platform 110, and are made of the same material as surface 205 in some embodiments. In one particular embodiment, surfaces 205, 225, and 230 are polyurethane, and provide enhanced traction in various embodiments. Inner surface portion 235, in the embodiment shown, includes textured grooves to provide better traction control. These may be textured rubber grooves, or indents in a molded plastic or other material. Any or all portion of the top surface of exercise platforms 110, 120, or 130 may therefore have mechanisms to enhance friction and/or provide anti-slip properties.

In various embodiments, glow in the dark materials (paint, plastics, adhesives, etc.) may be used for surfaces 205, 225, and/or 230, as well as detail markings 210. These materials may help illuminate different parts of exercise platform 110 to allow the platform to be better used in low light conditions, for example. Note that detail markings 210 may include one or more different patches or spots in various embodiments, and may appear in multiple locations on exercise platform 110 (e.g., in four different locations 90 degrees apart). Detail markings 210 may also help orient a user for particular directional exercises, or provide a target/guide for the user during exercise. Angular sidewall 112 may have one or more recesses into which detail markings 210 may be placed such that detail markings 210 are flush with the sidewall. Any or all portion of the top surface of exercise platforms 110, 120, or 130 may therefore have mechanisms to enhance its visual appearance.

In some embodiments, lighting and/or markings may also be provided via one or more LEDs, rope lights, bulbs, or other means of illumination. Thus, one or more LEDs or other illumination means might be included on detail markings 210, surfaces 205, 225, 230, 235, angular sidewall 112, or any other portion of exercise platform 110, for example. Such lights may be hooked up to an electronic controller in some instances, which can be programmed to cause one or more particular sequences of lights to occur (e.g., for particular exercise routines and/or to provide timing cues to a user). The electronic controller may be mounted in an interior space of exercise platform 110, and can be powered by a battery (e.g., also mounted in the interior space) or via a cord connected to a wall outlet, as can the lights. In one further embodiment, the electronic controller can interface wirelessly with one or more external devices such as tablet computers, smart phones, or laptop computers. These devices may be used to program and/or operate the electronic controller and lights (e.g., turning them off and on, initiating particular programs, etc.) Accordingly, glow in the dark materials and/or lights such as described above may comprise means for illuminating at least a portion of an exercise platform.

In the embodiment of FIG. 4, a beveled edge 215 may be attached to sidewall 114. This beveled edge may be joined with another beveled edge 220 (part of surface 225) to allow a better fit with a hollow interior portion of a vertically stacked exercise platform (e.g., exercise platform 120). Note that any and all of the various details described above relative to exercise platform 110 may be present in other exercise platforms (e.g., 120, 130) in various embodiments, although in one embodiment a top-most exercise platform such as 130 may not have beveled edges 215 and 220. Further, and more generally, any and all structures or details described relative to any of exercise platforms 110, 120, or 130 are applicable to other ones of those exercise platforms (or additional exercise platforms) in various embodiments. Accordingly, beveled edge 220 may be made of the same material as and/or integrally formed with surface 225 in one embodiment (e.g. urethane rubber).

Turning to FIG. 5A, a top-down view of one embodiment of exercise platform 120 is shown. In this embodiment, a plurality of protrusions 290 are attached to the sidewall 124 of the lip of platform 120.

Protrusions 290 may bulge outward from sidewall 124 to ensure a tighter fit between exercise platform 120 and the base of exercise platform 130. Thus, in one embodiment, protrusions 290 may push more tightly against a urethane rubber or other gripping surface to reduce freedom of movement between platform 120 and the base of exercise platform 130. Reducing such freedom of movement may prevent rotation or toppling of the exercise platforms, which can be advantageous to users. Thus, in one embodiment, protrusions 290 are a means for mounting the base of exercise platform 130 vertically on top of exercise platform 120.

In other embodiments, different means for mounting the base of exercise platform 130 vertically on top of exercise platform 120 may also be used (or for mounting any exercise platform on another). For example, rather than bulging outward from sidewall 124, protrusions 290 may be affixed to (or integrally formed with) an interior surface of exercise platform 130 (such as the interior part of bottom surface 136). In this instance, the protrusions would bulge in toward the center of the stacked exercise platforms (e.g. toward sidewall 124), rather than outward from the center. In yet other embodiments, the means for mounting the base of an exercise platform vertically on top of another exercise platform may comprise snaps, hooks, straps, magnets, locks, pins, or other suitable structures that are embedded in and/or located on one or more exercise platforms.

Turning to FIG. 5B, another view of one embodiment of exercise platforms 110, 120, and 130 is shown. In this embodiment, one or more cutouts 270 are present within exercise platforms 120 and 130. These cutouts (or “mouse holes”) are hollow spaces that may be used to help separate platforms 120 and 130 from a lower platform to which they are mounted—for example, a user may stick his or her finger in a cutout 270 to lift a platform upwards. Thus, cutouts 270 are a means for disengaging the different means for mounting described relative to FIG. 5A, in one embodiment. In other instances, other means for disengaging may also be used (e.g., to disengage snaps, hooks, magnetic devices, locks, pins, or other structures).

Note that assembled (stacked) exercise platforms 110, 120, and 130 may also be used as part of a system in which multiple different stacks of exercise platforms are present. In one embodiment, multiple separate exercise platform stacks (e.g., four stacks) may be used together for particular exercises and strength and/or balance training. In such embodiments, the separate stacks and respective exercise platforms may be identical in dimensions, but may also differ (e.g., two relatively smaller or shorter sets of exercise platforms and two relatively larger or taller sets of exercise platforms could be used).

This specification further contemplates various methods for assembling or manufacturing any of the various exercise platforms or portions thereof described above. These methods may include using injection or other molding processes to form a molded plastic, attaching urethane surfaces to the molded plastic, adding detail markings, and/or adding glow in the dark materials or lighting to an exercise platform. Such methods of manufacturing will be understood by those with skill in the art in view of the details provided above.

Although specific embodiments have been described above, these embodiments are not intended to limit the scope of the present disclosure, even where only a single embodiment is described with respect to a particular feature. Examples of features provided in the disclosure are intended to be illustrative rather than restrictive unless stated otherwise. The above description is intended to cover such alternatives, modifications, and equivalents as would be apparent to a person skilled in the art having the benefit of this disclosure, including embodiments that combine features disclosed herein in arrangements not explicitly mentioned.

The scope of the present disclosure includes any feature or combination of features disclosed herein (either explicitly or implicitly), or any generalization thereof, whether or not it mitigates any or all of the problems addressed herein. Various advantages of the present disclosure have been described herein, but embodiments may provide some, all, or none of such advantages, or may provide other advantages.