US3265389A

US3265389A - Hand exerciser

Info

Publication number: US3265389A
Application number: US292354A
Authority: US
Inventors: Edward H Carlson
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1963-07-02
Filing date: 1963-07-02
Publication date: 1966-08-09
Anticipated expiration: 1983-08-09

Description

1966 5. H. CARL'SON V 3,265,389

HAND EXERC I S ER Filed July 2, 1963 INVENTOR. EDWARD H. OARLSON United States Patent 3,265,339 HAND EXERCISER Edward H. Carlson, R0. Box 9084, Memphis, Tenn. Filed July 2, 1963, Ser. No. 292,354 2 Claims. (Cl. 27268) This invention relates generally to exercising devices and particularly to hand exercising devices which are made of resilient material.

This invention is particularly useful for those players who participate in such sports as tennis, archery, baseball, golf, bowling, and other sports wherein a strong, steady grip or sure muscle control is desired. In addition, the present invention has a definite therapeutic value and is particularly useful in restoring muscular action to injured muscles.

The principal object of the present invention is to provide a. molded rubber hand exerciser adapted to be repetitiously squeezed in the hand to condition or develop the muscles of the hand and forearm.

A further object is to provide an exerciser that is versatile and that provides means for performing a greater number of exercises than was heretofore possible with devices of this general type.

A further object is to provide a device that is particularly useful for conditioning and renovating muscles when recovering from injuries.

A further object is to provide such a device that can be used as a tranquilizer, as by squeezing the device to relieve tension.

A further object is to provide a lightweight exerciser that is of one-piece construction and has no separate parts that have to be adjusted or that will break down.

A further object is to provide a device that will give a natural complete or full grip that engages fingers, thumb and palm.

A further object is to provide a hand exerciser of novel shape and characteristics which enable it to be manipulatively held in various positions in the hand for exercising the various parts of same.

A further object is to provide a hand exerciser having different portions of unlike compressibility, thereby causing somewhat sequential compressive actions of the device as it is squeezed, with the objective results being that the exerciser is easily kept in a certain position in the hand as it is repetitiously manipulated.

A further object is to provide a simple and durable exerciser of relatively flat shape and one of such compact form as to be handily carried in the pocket or kept in a convenient place.

A further object is generally to improve the design and construction of hand exercising devices.

The means by which the foregoing and other objects of the present invention are accomplished and the manner of their accomplishment will be readily understood from the following specification upon reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is a view illustrating the exercising device of the present invention as in use, with the device disposed transversely in the hand of the user.

FIG. 2 is an illustrative view similar to FIG. 1, with the device disposed lengthwise in the hand of the user.

FIG. 3 is a front elevational View of a face of either of the oppositely disposed principal faces of the preferred embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view taken as on the line IVIV of FIG. 3.

FIG. 5 is a longitudinal sectional view taken as on the line VV of FIG. 3.

FIG. 6 is a front elevational view of a principal face of the alternate embodiment of the present invention.

Patented August 9, 1966 FIG. 7 is a cross-sectional view taken as on the line VIIVII of FIG. 6.

Referring now to the drawings in which the various parts are indicated by numerals, the preferred embodiment 11 of the present invention, as seen in FIGS. 1-5, comprises a one-piece body 13 molded of rubber or the like. The construction material is preferably of closed cell foam rubber, although other materials from any of the synthetic rubber-like compositions may be suitably used. The material, however, should exhibit a marked degree of resiliency and should be of such durable material that will retain its original shape after prolonged use.

The shape of exercising device 11 is substantially rectangular and symmetrical when viewed along any of its three major planes or axes, as best seen in FIGS. 3, 4 and 5. Body 13 comprises two oppositely disposed faces 15 defining the length and width of the device, two oppositely disposed sides 17 disposed laterally of faces 15, and two ends 19. The overall size of the exerciser is such that it can be comfortably held in the palm of the hand, and the length should be commensurate with the width across the palm. It should be thick enough to adequately engage the fingertips when held as shown in FIG. 1, and this thickness should be sufficient to prevent the device from buckling in the middle when used as illustrated in this figure. It has been found that relative proportions of approximately 5, 3 and 1 for the length, width and thickness measurements, respectively, are suitable proportions.

Preferred embodiment 11 comprises a primary portion 21 and two secondary portions 23. Primary portion 21 is disposed lengthwise in the center of body 13 and is substantially square in cross-section, as best seen in FIG. 4. The thickness of primary portion 21 is substantially equal to the overall thickness of body 13. The oppositely disposed end surfaces 25 of primary portion 21 are preferably molded concave to provide finger gripping places. Thus, it will be seen that the overall general shape of the exerciser 11, as seen in FIG. 3, is convex along the opposite sides thereof and concave at the opposite ends thereof.

The two secondary portions 23 of body 13 are integrally formed with and are oppositely disposed from primary portion 21. Each of secondary portions 23, in the preferred form 11 of the device, includes a bridgestructure 29 integrally joined with primary portion 21.. Bridge structure 29 is substantially of the same thickness as is body 13 and is integrally connected at the opposite end portions 31 to primary portion 21. Each of secondary portions 23 also includes a web 35 interposedly connecting primary portion 21 and each of secondary portions 23. Web 35 of each of secondary portions 23 is centrally disposed relative to the thickness of body 13 and defines equally proportioned openareas or recesses 37 in opposite faces 15 of the device. Recesses 37 are thus arranged in oppositely disposed pairs along opposite sides of primary portion 21.

In using the hand exerciser of the present invention, two general positions in the hand are suggested. In a first position, as shown in FIG. 1, the device is held transversely with one of the oppositely disposed secondary portions 23 engaging the palm and the other secondary portion 23 engaging the fingertips for finger exercise. The thumb may be placed along the recessed end surfaces 25 of the device and exercised simultaneously with the fingers. The initial effort required to compress the secondary portions is considerably less than that required to compress the primary portion because of the diiference in the cross-sectional width of these respective portions. Thus, as the device is squeezed in the hand, as shown in FIG. 1, the oppositely disposed secondary portions compress first, and then with further squeezing action the relatively solid or primary portion is compressed. This sequential compressive action of the exerciser is particularly desirable for it is readily seen that the user need not completely relax his grip on the device but may hold it in his hand under slight pressure and slight compression of the secondary portions and may thereby retain the device in a proper position in the hand.

A variation in the above-described exercise may be had by holding the device transversely in the palm of the hand with the fingers and thumb enclosing the device with a full grip. Repetitiously squeezing the device as it is thus held exercises other muscles of the hand and fingers than those exercised when the device is used as previously described, and is particularly useful for strengthening the muscles and tendons of the forearm.

Another position for holding the device is shown in FIG. 2. It will seen in this figure that the exerciser is held lengthwise in the hand between any finger and the thumb. The exerciser, held and manipulated as shown in FIG. 2, stretches the muscles more than when used in the first-described position and serves as an effective means for exercising the fingers individually.

' An alternate embodiment 39 of the present invention is shown in FIGS. 6 and 7. Embodiment 39 is similar to the preferred embodiment 11, with the principal difference being in the elongated open areas or apertures 41 of this embodiment which are provided in place of the recesses 37 and webs 35 of preferred embodiment 11. Bridge structure 43 of alternate embodiment 39 correspond to bridge structure 29 of the preferred embodiment 11. Alternate embodiment 3-9 is likewise divided into a primary portion 45 and oppositely disposed secondary portion 47.

Alternate embodiment 39 functions in a manner similar to that of preferred embodiment 11. However, the secondary portions of the embodiment 39 offer less resistance to the inward squeezing forces than embodiment 11, and embodiment 39 exhibits a more pronounced sequential compressive action.

From the foregoing, the advantageous features of the device of the present invention may be seen. The sequential compressibility of the exerciser is particularly useful in keeping it in a proper position in the hand as it is used. Moreover, the exerciser is versatile in that it can "be used in several positions in the hand. The exerciser is simply constructed, compact, and durable, and provides a very effective means for strengthening the hands and forearms of a user and is particularly useful for those who participate in the many sports wherein the hands are used extensively.

Although the present invention has been described in some detail by way of illustration and example for purposes of clarity or understanding, it is to be understood that it is not to be so limited since changes and modifications may be made therein which are within the full intended scope of this invention as hereinafter claimed:

I claim:

1. A hand exercising device comprising a one-piece body of material having uniform structure and resiliency;

said body having a proportional overall length, width and thickness to the order of 5, 3 and 1, respectively, with said length being commensurate with the width across the palm of the userfa primary portion extending lengthwise and disposed medially in said body, said primary portion being of solid construction and substantially square in cross-section, two secondary portions of said body integrally joined with and oppositely disposed from said primary portion, each of said secondary portions being in the form of a bridge structure and integrally connected at the opposite ends thereof to said primary portion, each of said secondary portions being in collateral relationship with said primary portion and integrally joined therewith by a web medially disposed relative to the thickness of said body, said web of each of said secondary portions defining equally proportional open areas on opposite sides of each said web, said primary and secondary portions being of different compressibility whereupon when said body is squeezed in the hand of the user said exercising device exhibits a sequentially resistant resilient action.

2. A hand exercising device comprising a substantially thin, fiat, elongate, one-piece body formed of material having uniform structure and resiliency and including a medially disposed longitudinally extending primary portion and a pair'of elongated secondary portions arranged respectively collaterally along directly opposite sides of said primary portion, each secondary portion including substantially arc-shaped bridge structure includingopposite end portions, said bridge structure of each secondary portion being integrally secured respectively at said opposite end portions to said primary portion and defining an elongate open area extending lengthwise in said body and disposed substantially between said primary portion and said bridge structure of each secondary portion, each said secondary portion including a web portion extending lengthwise in said body and with said web portion being medially disposed relative to the thickness of said body and disposed respectively between said primary portion and each bridge structure, said web portion of each said secondary portion substantially defining equally proportional elongate recesses extending respectively lengthwise in said body and disposed on opposite sides of each web portion.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 784,367 3/1905 Williams 272-68 3,129,939 4/1964 Stock 272-68 FOREIGN PATENTS 937,658 3/1948 France. 128,196 2/ 1920 Great Britain. 731,235 6/1955 Great Britain.

RICHARD C. PINKHAM, Primary Examiner. F. BARRY SHAY, Examiner.

L. I. BOVASSO, Assistant Examiner.

Claims

2. A HAND EXERCISING DEVICE COMPRISING A SUBSTANTIALLY THIN, FLAT, ELONGATE, ONE-PIECE BODY FORMED OF MATERIAL HAVING UNIFORM STRUCTURE AND RESILIENCY AND INCLUDING A MEDIALLY DISPOSED LONGITUDINALLY EXTENDING PRIMARY PORTION AND A PAIR OF ELONGATED SECONDARY PORTIONS ARRANGED RESPECTIVELY COLLATERALLY ALONG DIRECTLY OPPOSITE SIDES OF SAID PRIMARY PORTION, EACH SECONDARY PORTION INCLUDING SUBSTANTIALLY ARC-SHAPED BRIDGE STRUCTUE INCLUDING OPPOSITE END PORTIONS, SAID BRIDGE STRUCTURE OF EACH SECONDARY PORTION BEING INTEGRALLY SECURED RESPECTIVELY AT SAID OPPOSITE END PORTIONS TO SAID PRIMARY PORTION AND DEFINING AN ELONGATE OPEN AREA EXTENDING LENGTHWISE IN SAID BODY AND DISPOSED SUBSTANTIALLY BETWEEN SAID PRIMARY PORTION AND SAID BRIDGE STRUCTURE OF EACH SECONDARY PORTION, EACH SAID SECONDARY PORTION INCLUDING A WEB PORTION EXTENDING LENGTHWISE IN SAID BODY AND WITH SAID WEB PORTION BEING MEDIALLY DISPOSED RELATIVE TO THE THICKNESS OF SAID BODY AND DISPOSED RESPECTIVELY BETWEEN SAID PRIMARY PORTION AND EACH BRIDGE STRUCTURE, SAID WEB PORTION OF EACH SAID SECONDARY PORTION SUBSTANTIALLY DEFINING EQUALLY PROPORTIONAL ELONGATE RECESSES EXTENDING RESPECTIVELY LENGTHWISE IN SAID BODY AND DISPOSED ON OPPOSITE SIDES OF EACH WEB PORTION.