Body Mounted Muscular Brace

Abstract

A portable, easily body-mounted, light-weight hinged brace to build muscle groups by adding adjustable resistance at the joint

Description

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS[0001]NoneFEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH[0002]NoneSEQUENCE LISTING OR PROGRAM[0003]NoneBACKGROUND—FIELDMotivation:[0004]With the proliferation of exercise equipment and workout facilities, including home equipment, and the shortening of leisure time for typical Americans, it became evident that it would be convenient and popular to have easy inexpensive personal workout equipment that could be implemented and used even while at work.Object:[0005]It is an object of the present embodiment to provide an easy to use and effective method of body building, which is adjustable, affordable, light weight, portable, safe, effective, expedient, and unobtrusive.Design:[0006]Based on the isometric principles of muscle building using resistance to muscular movement, similar to principles used in water (pool) exercise routines, the idea was to impede the normal movement of muscles, so that normal daily movement would build and tone muscles.[0007]The embodiment ...

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

[0005]It is an object of the present embodiment to provide an easy to use and effective method of body building, which is adjustable, affordable, light weight, portable, safe, effective, expedient, and unobtrusive.Design:

[0008]The preferred embodiment would fit flush to the body as a molded partial exoskeleton frame, which would be attractive and may have certain aesthetic design elements to appeal to the target market group, such as artwork, or body sculpting form. It would be easy to wear and remove without damage or alteration to clothing and could be stored and adjusted easily. The exoskeleton may also offer some side benefit as armor.

[0009]Since the elbow has a limited range of motion, it is the simplest application. Therefore, it was used to build the prototype. The bicep / tricep area is also a focal point of body building and beauty, increasing the potential for public acceptance.

[0012]Friction resistance is inexpensive and therefore affordable to implement and manufacture, yet offers a reasonably adjustable method of changing the resistance for individual use. The prototype is adjustable at the hinge by screwing down wing-nuts on the hinge, to resist motion.

[0016]The devise has additional desirability because it focuses on several physical problem areas increasing in our ever sedentary population. One is the adipose tissue surrounding the triceps muscle. Because of the long term low resistance (versus short period, low repetition, high load), the device has a quick effect of toning the muscle groups. This, in turn, has the additional benefit of fighting osteoporoses. The preliminary response to the devise is very positive.

[0018]Those skilled in the art will readily recognize that the present embodiment can be applied with various modifications, such as but not limited to, various shapes, sizes, materials, including fabric, leather or metal, various colors, fasteners or elements for receiving fasteners, ground surface anchoring methods and components, etc. Uses include exercise systems for any part of the body, even to compensate for a no-gravity environment, without departing from the spirit and scope of the present embodiment. The use also extends beyond exercise into health applications, such as rehabilitation, or use to inhibit spastic or uncontrolled movement, such as in the case of some neurological disorders or diseases. Thus several advantages of one or more aspects of the embodiment are to fulfill a perceived need in light weight, low cost, safe, effective, and expedient means for exercising a group of muscles and building bone mass. This concept, as stated earlier includes other muscle groups and other applications.

Problems solved by technology

The use of free weights excludes other activities, and typically completely monopolizes the hands.

They are not adjustable, without removing or adding additional weights.

They cannot be transported easily.

Exercise machines are not portable, and work only specifically targeted muscular areas, although they are typically adjustable.

Machines typically need your full attention, monopolize the hands, are not easily affordable

Neither of these common methods of exercise offers the versatility of the proposed embodiment.

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