sandbag

Abstract

A sandbag includes a body (1) of elongated shape provided with a closable input opening and at least one pair of grips (3) being arranged at least on one side of the body (1), symmetrically on both sides of the transverse axis (O2). Each grip (3) includes an elongated resilient element (4) attached with both its ends to the body (1). In addition, each grip (3) includes an elongated non-deformable hollow handle (5) being provided with a sidewise open central cavity (6). The elongated element (4) extends through the central cavity (6) of the handle (5) so that the handle (5) is rotatable with respect to the elongated element (4). Some grips (3) may be directed substantially orthogonally to the transverse axis (O2) or in parallel. The sandbag may be provided with shoulder straps (7). They may contain two mutually detachable parts, where at least one part of each shoulder strap (7) has length (1) being at least double length (d) of the body (1).

Description

Field of the invention

[0001] The present invention relates to the field of exercising equipment, in particular to the field of weights having user-controlled variable weight.Background of the invention

[0002] A sandbag is exercising equipment that belongs among user-controlled weights with variable weight. A sandbag body has a closable input opening that defines inner volume of the body together with body walls. The inner volume is designed for filling with a weight through the input opening, and the user can configure the weight of the sandbag by filling the inner volume to different levels. Depending on the structure of the sandbag body, the weigh may consist, for example, from an inert material (sand, gravel) or water.

[0003] When doing an exercise, grips arranged on the sandbag surface may be used to hold the sandbag in different ways. Different holding may serve to training different muscle groups of the body and therefore, the exercising equipment is highly variable.

[0004] A sandbag is disclosed, for example, in US 10981030, US 10149997 or CN 205360503. In particular, a common disadvantage of the sandbags known in the art is inappropriate location of the grips. This negatively impacts the range of potential exercises, or comfort and safety during doing the exercise.Summary of the invention

[0005] The present invention discloses a structure of a sandbag. The sandbag (known also as exercise bag or weight bag) is exercise equipment used to improve strength, stamina, and stability. The sandbag may be filled with a weight (usually sand or other loose material) and therefore, the weight is not distributed in a stable way which makes handling more difficult and activates not only muscles but the middle of torso as well. A main advantage of the present sandbag is the continuously varying weight spectrum that forces a person doing the exercise to coordinate and keep balance, which activates deep stabilization muscles.

[0006] The present sandbag may be provided with various grips that allow a wide range of exercises to do, including pulls, squats, shifts, passes, or push exercises. Since the sandbag does not have a solid structure such as a kettlebell or barbell, it activates the muscles in a different way, requiring greater effort to stabilize it. The exercising with the sandbag improves explosiveness, endurance, and resistance to injury, which is especially appreciated by athletes.

[0007] Thanks to its easy portability and the option to adjust the weight by adding or removing the weights, the sandbag is suitable for both home and outdoor workouts. It may be used for activating the muscles almost everywhere, which makes it universal equipment. The equipment is popular not only among fitness enthusiasts but also in training of military corps and athletes who need to improve their physical fitness and endurance.

[0008] The present sandbag includes a body of elongated shape. The longest body dimension is defined as a body length. The longitudinal axis of the body extends through the body in the lengthwise direction of the body. The transverse axis extends through the body in the crosswise direction of the body. The transverse axis is arranged orthogonally to the longitudinal axis. The body is provided with a closable input opening of the inner volume. To avoid spilling the particulate weight out (sand in particular) through the closed closure, it is desirable when the closure is doubled; a zipper inner closure (plastic in particular), inner loop-and-hook (Velcro) closure. Alternatively, the particulate weight (sand) may be stored in a removable closable bags that are either inserted into or removed from the inner volume according to user's need. It is preferable to divide the inner volume by multiple baffles into a system of inner pockets to fix the bags. This option is particularly suitable for home workouts where handling directly with sand would be inconvenient because of dusting and polluting a room from the sand. Since it is possible to work with the weights in the form of bags having various weights, adding or removing of the weights according to current needs of the user is simplified.

[0009] In addition, the sandbag includes at least one pair of the grips being arranged at least on one side of the body, symmetrically on both sides of the transverse axis. Each grip includes an elongated resilient element attached with both its ends to the body. The elongated resilient element may be, for example, a rope or a textile band. In addition, each grip includes an elongated non-deformable hollow handle being provided with a sidewise open central cavity. In fact, it is a tube-shaped portion which may have its outer surface either shaped and / or textured for a better grip. Said elongated element extends through the central cavity of the handle so that the latter is rotatable with respect to the elongated element.

[0010] In one embodiment the sandbag may be provided with at least one, favourably three pairs of the grips arranged symmetrically on both sides of the transverse axis of the body. In this case, the central cavity axis of the handle is directed substantially in parallel with the transverse axis. The grips having such direction are arranged on one side of the body. The grips of one pair have a distance from the transverse axis different from the grips of the other two pairs directed in this way. Favourably, this arrangement is applicable for training of arms by so-called hammer grip where a palm is directed with a thumb facing upward. The option to catch the grip pairs located in various distances provides a wider range of muscle exercises.

[0011] In another embodiment, the sandbag may be provided with one or two pairs of grips arranged symmetrically on both sides of the transverse axis of the body. In this case, the axis of the handle central cavity is directed substantially orthogonally to the transverse axis. The grips of one pair directed in this way have a distance different from the transverse axis than the grips of the other pair directed in this way. Said arrangement is favourably applicable to training of the arms with an underhand or overhand grip, where the thumbs point away from or toward each other. The option to catch the grip pairs located in various distances provides a wider range of muscle exercises.

[0012] In another embodiment, the sandbag may include a combination of the described grips. Hence, the sandbag may include five grip pairs arranged symmetrically on both sides of the transverse axis. The axis of the handle central cavity of three grip pairs is directed substantially in parallel with the transverse axis, and the grips oriented in this way are arranged on one side of the body. The axis of the handle central cavity of two grip pairs is directed substantially orthogonally to the transverse axis, and the grips are favourably arranged on the other side of the body. Both sides of the body provided with the grips may then have a common edge.

[0013] In a favourable embodiment the sandbag may include one pair of shoulder straps. Each shoulder strap is attached to the body with both its ends so that the longitudinal axis is directed substantially orthogonally to the transverse axis. The shoulder straps are in particular applicable for transport of the sandbag. Thanks to the design described above, the sandbag may be used as a backpack for carrying equipment or clothing before it is filled with the weights.

[0014] Each shoulder strap may contain two detachable parts. At least one part of each shoulder strap has a length equal to at least double length of the body. That part may be provided with a grip lug on its free end. The shoulder strap having such a length may be used for further exercises as an auxiliary grip. It is particularly useful for hanging the sandbag on a bar or tree branch, for pulling the sandbag across a surface, etc. The sandbag may be used as a pull-down pulley with weights or a weight sled.

[0015] In addition, at least one part of each shoulder strap may contain a storage room. The storage room may be used for storing of excessive length of that part of the shoulder strap having the length equal to at least double length of the body. In particular, the storage room finds its use for transport of the sandbag.

[0016] In another favourable embodiment, the inner surface of at least a part of the body wall may be provided with a flexible damping layer for damping impacts. Favourably, it may be that side of the body being opposite to the side provided with the grips with the handle central cavity directed substantially in parallel with the transverse axis. In particular, the damping layer finds its use when the sandbag is hung up and used as equipment for combat sports, for example, as a punching bag. At the same time the damping layer serves as a protection when putting the filled in sandbag on a sensitive (for example, wooden) floor. Arranging of the damping layer on the inner surface of the body wall is important to avoid damage of the same when pulling the sandbag on a surface.

[0017] The sandbag may be provided with electronic components such as gyroscope, acceleration sensor, pressure sensor etc., which may be paired, for example, with a Bluetooth (or other wireless one) module. Thus, the sandbag may establish connection with a mobile phone or a tablet where workout parameters may be monitored in an application.

[0018] Despite an effort to design a sandbag having right-angled walls and mutually orthogonal, or parallel axes, it is not possible to achieve a precisely geometric, rectangular, and dimensionally stable structure over time due to the flexibility and softness of the materials used. The terms "substantially parallel" and "substantially orthogonal" as used in this specification refer to though precise parallelism and orthogonality are not achievable; they are understood as such in this context. In precise numerical terms, "substantially" means a deviation from the given parameter of max. +-20°.Explanation of drawings

[0019] One exemplary embodiment of the present invention is described with reference to the drawings, in which: Fig. 1 - illustrates a schematic view of the front side of the sandbag provided with three pairs of grips arranged on the sandbag side, being distal from user's back, with the handle central cavity axis directed substantially in parallel with the transverse axis, and with two pairs of grips with the handle central cavity axis directed substantially orthogonally to the transverse axis; Fig. 2 - illustrates a schematic view of the rear side of the sandbag according to Fig. 1, being provided with shoulder straps, and adjacent to the user's back; Fig. 3 - illustrates a schematic side view of the sandbag in supine position according to Fig. 1; Fig. 4 - illustrates a schematic side view of the sandbag in supine position according to Fig. 1 from the side provided with two pairs of grips with the handle central cavity axis directed substantially orthogonally to the transverse axis; Fig. 5 - illustrates a schematic view of the back side of the sandbag with three pairs of the grips arranged on the sandbag side, being distal from user's back, with the handle central cavity axis directed substantially in parallel with the transverse axis, and with two pairs of grips with the handle central cavity axis directed substantially orthogonally to the transverse axis, being provided with detachable shoulder straps, where one part of each shoulder strap has a length being at least double of the body length; Fig. 6 - illustrates a schematic view of the front side of the sandbag according to Fig. 5 with indication of body length and width dimensions of the detached shoulder straps. Exemplary embodiment of the inventionExample 1

[0020] A sandbag includes a body l having elongated shape and provided with a closable input opening of the inner volume. The longest dimension of the body 1 is the length d, and a longitudinal axis O1 crosses the body 1 in the direction of the length d. A transverse axis O2 extends the body 1 in the width direction s and is arranged orthogonally to the longitudinal axis Ol.

[0021] Further, the sandbag includes five grip 3 pairs arranged on the body 1 symmetrically on both sides of the transverse axis O2. Each grip 3 includes an elongated flexible element 4 attached with both its ends to the body 1 and a non-deformable elongated hollow handle 5 provided with a sidewise open central cavity 6. Said elongated element 4 extends through the central cavity 6 of the handle 5 so that the handle 5 is rotatable with respect to the elongated element 4.

[0022] The central cavity 6 axis of the handle 5 of the three grip 3 pairs is directed substantially in parallel with the transverse axis O2. The grips 3 having such direction are arranged on one side of the body 1. The grips 3 of one pair directed in this way have a distance from the transverse axis 02 different from the grips 3 of the other two pairs.

[0023] The central cavity 6 axis of the handle 5 of the two grip 3 pairs is directed substantially orthogonally to the transverse axis O2. The grips 3 of one pair directed in this way have a distance from the transverse axis O2 different from the grips 3 of the other pair directed in this way.

[0024] The sandbag further includes one pair of the shoulder straps 7 attached by both their ends to the body 1 so that their longitudinal axis is directed substantially orthogonally to the transverse axis 02.

[0025] The inner surface of the wall arranged on the back side of the body 1 being opposite to the front side provided with the grips 3 with the central cavity 6 axis of the handle 5 directed substantially in parallel with the transverse axis O2 is provided with a damping layer for damping impacts.Example 2

[0026] This Example 2 differs from Example 1 in that each shoulder strap 7 contains two mutually detachable parts where one part of each shoulder strap 7 has a length 1 being double of the length d of the body 1. A part of each shoulder strap 7 contains (not shown) storage room (a pocket) to store the remaining lengths of that part of the shoulder strap 7 having length l being more than d double length d of the body l.List of reference numerals

[0027] 1 - body 3 - grip 4 - elongated element 5 - handle 6 - central cavity of handle 7 - shoulder strap O1 - longitudinal axis O2 - transverse axis l - shoulder strap length d - body length s - body width

Claims

1. A sandbag including a body (1) having elongated shape and provided with a closable input opening of the inner volume, where the longest body (1) dimension is length (d), longitudinal axis (O1) extends through the body (1) in the length (d) direction and transverse axis (O2) extends through the body (1) in the width (s) direction and arranged orthogonally to the longitudinal axis (O1), characterized in that it further includes at least one pair of grips (3) being arranged at least on one side of the body (1), symmetrically on both sides of the transverse axis (O2), each grip (3) includes a flexible elongated element (4) attached with both its ends to the body (1) and a non-deformable hollow elongated handle (5) provided with a sidewise open central cavity (6), wherein the elongated element (4) extends through the central cavity (6) of the handle (5) so that the handle (5) is rotatable with respect to the elongated element (4).

2. The sandbag according to claim 1, characterized in that it includes one grip (3) pair or two up to three grip (3) pairs arranged on one side of the body (1) so that the grips (3) of one pair have a distance from the transverse axis (O2) different from the grips (3) of other two pairs, and the central cavity (6) axis of the handle (5) is directed substantially in parallel with the transverse axis (O2).

3. The sandbag according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that it includes one grip (3) pair or two grip (3) pairs arranged so that the grips (3) of one pair have a distance from the transverse axis (O2) different from the grips (3) of other pair, and the central cavity (6) axis of the handle (5) is directed substantially orthogonally to the transverse axis (O2).

4. The sandbag according to any of the claims 1 to 3, characterized in that it further includes one pair of the shoulder straps (7) attached by both their ends to the body (1) so that their longitudinal axis is directed substantially orthogonally to the transverse axis (O2).

5. The sandbag according to claim 4, characterized in that each shoulder strap (7) contains two mutually detachable parts, where at least one part of each shoulder strap (7) has length (1) being at least double length (d) of the body (1).

6. The sandbag according to claim 5, characterized in that at least one part of each shoulder strap (7) contains a storage room to store the remaining length of the part of the shoulder strap (7) having length (1) being at least double length (d) of the body (1).

7. The sandbag according to any of the claims 1 to 6, characterized in that the inner surface of at least a part of the body (1) wall arranged on the body (1) side being opposite to the side provided with the grips (3) is provided with a flexible damping layer for damping impacts.

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