Abdominal Exercise Ball Tether Assembly for Twist-Free Resistance
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing exercise equipment fails to effectively train and enhance the strength of internal obliques, external obliques, transverse abdominus, and rectus abdominus muscles, which are crucial for core stabilization and overall health benefits.
Innovation Solution
A handheld exercise device with a tether assembly that connects to a resistance assembly, allowing users to perform torso rotations while maintaining stability and balance, focusing the resistance force on abdominal muscles without gripping, using a tether assembly with flexible segments and couplers to ensure proper alignment and prevent twisting.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Stability of the object's composition
If the person grips the exercise device firmly to maintain stability, then stability is improved, but the exercise effectiveness is reduced because gripping engages arm muscles instead of abdominal muscles
Solution Approach 1:
The tether assembly serves as an intermediary mechanism between the resistance assembly and the exercise device. It transmits resistance forces through the gap rather than requiring direct gripping, allowing abdominal muscles to work without arm muscle engagement while maintaining device stability through the tether's force transmission.
2Force
If the tether assembly is rigid to maintain force alignment, then force focus is improved, but comfort is reduced due to twisting motions
Solution Approach 1:
The tether assembly incorporates flexible segments that can bend and rotate, allowing the device to move freely without twisting. This flexibility maintains force alignment with the resistance assembly while eliminating uncomfortable twisting motions during exercise movements.
3Ease of operation
If the gap is made larger to allow easier hand insertion, then ease of operation is improved, but device stability is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The tether assembly is designed with specific dimensional parameters for the gap size and tether segment length. These parameters are optimized to provide sufficient gap width for easy hand insertion while maintaining the structural integrity and stability of the exercise device during use.
Data Source
AI summary
The invention provides an exercise device used by a person to perform abdominal exercises, where the device comprises a weighted ball designed such that the user U can “single-hand drive” the ball through both the concentric portion and eccentric portion of the exercise movement without experiencing unwanted twisting motion of the ball while it is being held during performance of the abdominal exercises. A tether assembly includes a first tether segment and a second tether segment, both being affixed to an outer surface of the ball by a top connector assembly and a bottom connector assembly to define a first and second gaps. The top and bottom connectors are arranged 180 degrees apart and reside along a connector axis that extends through the center of the ball. A first coupler extends from the first tether segment and a second coupler extends from the first and second tether segments, respectively, for operable connection to the resistance assembly.