Weighted Ball Tether Assembly to Prevent Twist During Core Rotation
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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 connected 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 a 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:
A tether assembly with a gap acts as an intermediary between the user's hands and the exercise device. The tether prevents direct gripping while still allowing the user to hold the device stable through the gap, thereby engaging abdominal muscles rather than arm muscles.
Solution Approach 2:
The tether assembly uses a flexible band or film structure that can be inserted through the gap. This flexible element allows the user to stabilize the device without rigid gripping, maintaining exercise effectiveness while ensuring device stability.
2Ease of operation
If the tether assembly is made flexible to allow natural movement, then ease of operation is improved, but alignment control deteriorates leading to twisting motions
Solution Approach 1:
The tether assembly incorporates flexible segments that can dynamically adapt to the user's movement while maintaining proper force alignment. The flexibility allows natural movement freedom, while the segmented structure prevents unwanted twisting motions.
Solution Approach 2:
The tether assembly is divided into multiple segments including flexible portions and coupler portions. This segmentation allows the tether to flex and adapt to movement while maintaining proper alignment and preventing twisting forces.
3Adaptability or versatility
If the gap in the tether assembly is made larger to accommodate different hand sizes, then adaptability is improved, but device control worsens due to reduced leverage
Solution Approach 1:
The tether assembly is designed with a gap size that universally accommodates different hand sizes while maintaining effective device control. The tether's structural design ensures that leverage is preserved regardless of the user's hand dimensions.
Solution Approach 2:
The tether assembly parameters such as gap size, width, and structural configuration are optimized to balance adaptability for different users with maintaining sufficient leverage for effective device control.
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.