Abdominal Exercise Mat with Detachable Handholds
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing abdominal exercise methods require assistance, are often performed on unsanitary and uncomfortable surfaces, leading to germ transmission and potential injuries such as chronic back pain due to improper technique and surface conditions.
Innovation Solution
A personal abdominal exercise equipment featuring a mat with a braided cord lower layer, cushioned head and foot sections, detachable hand and footholds, and a carrying case with disinfectant supplies to ensure hygiene and proper exercise technique.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Device complexity
If abdominal exercises are performed on the floor, then the exercise can be performed with simple equipment, but the floor surface is unsanitary and causes discomfort
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a mat as an intermediary device between the user and the floor. The mat provides a clean, comfortable surface while maintaining the simplicity of floor-based exercises. It acts as a mediator that eliminates direct contact with unsanitary floors while preserving the exercise's accessibility.
Solution Approach 2:
The mat is designed as an inexpensive, easily replaceable item that can be discarded or cleaned frequently. This allows users to have personal mats that remain hygienic without requiring complex cleaning infrastructure, solving the sanitation problem while keeping the solution simple and affordable.
2Device complexity
If abdominal exercises are performed on the floor, then the equipment requirement is minimal, but the exercise surface is uncomfortable and harmful to the tail bone and spine
Solution Approach 1:
The mat provides pre-positioned cushioning at critical areas such as the head, shoulders, and tail bone regions. This beforehand cushioning protects users from floor hardness and prevents injuries before they occur during exercise, while maintaining the simplicity of the overall equipment requirement.
Solution Approach 2:
The mat incorporates varying densities and firmness levels in different zones - softer areas under the head and tail bone for comfort and support, and firmer areas in the middle for proper spinal alignment. This local differentiation addresses specific comfort and injury prevention needs without requiring complex overall equipment.
3Object-affected harmful factors
If mats are used to lessen discomfort, then comfort is improved, but the mats do not promote proper exercise technique and do not reduce discomfort sufficiently
Solution Approach 1:
The mat features strategically placed firmness variations and raised edges that physically guide proper body positioning. The head and foot sections have different firmness to encourage correct alignment, while the middle section provides support that prevents sagging, thereby promoting proper technique while maintaining comfort.
Solution Approach 2:
The mat's structural design provides tactile feedback to users about their positioning. When users are in correct position, they experience optimal support and comfort; when mispositioned, they feel instability or discomfort, guiding them to self-correct their technique without requiring external instruction.
4Ease of operation
If handholds and footholds are added to the mat, then proper exercise technique is promoted, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The handholds and footholds are integrated directly into the mat structure rather than being separate attachments. The handholds are embedded in the head section and footholds in the foot section, creating a unified device that promotes proper technique without requiring multiple separate components or complex assembly.
Solution Approach 2:
The handholds and footholds are made from simple, inexpensive materials that are permanently molded into the mat during manufacturing. This integration approach keeps production costs low and eliminates the need for separate replaceable parts, maintaining simplicity while enhancing functionality.
Data Source
AI summary
Improved exercise techniques in a more sanitary environment are achieved by providing a personal exercise mat that lays flat when used, can be easily cleaned between uses, and is easily stored and transported. The mat is adapted to be detachably coupled to handholds and footholds that are employed when the mat is in use and stored separately from the mat in a single carrying case with the mat.