Exercise devices – Miscellaneous
Reexamination Certificate
2000-01-31
2001-04-24
Brown, Michael A. (Department: 3764)
Exercise devices
Miscellaneous
C128S842000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06220997
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The invention relates to exercise equipment protective coverings. More particularly, the invention relates to items for selectively covering exercise equipment prior to and during use, to prevent contact by the user with bodily fluids from others which may be present on the surfaces of the exercise equipment.
In crowded gyms, one user might begin to use a piece of exercise equipment a mere few minutes or even seconds after a previous user completed use thereof. With such a short time interval between users, a great possibility exists for disease transmission. A large variety of pathogens are present within bodily fluids. Since exercise often involves the secretion of sweat, expectoration of respiratory fluids through the mouth, and causes mucous to loosen and run from nasal passages, this mix of bodily fluids often ends up on the exercise equipment and can carry and transmit pathogens to an unsuspecting subsequent user.
In addition to the real possibility of disease transmission, most people simply find it unpleasant to sit, lay, or grasp exercise equipment which is coated in sweat from another person. For these reasons, many gyms at least attempt to require that each person wipe down the equipment after they user it.
While these units may be suitable for the particular purpose employed, or for general use, they would not be as suitable for the purposes of the present invention as disclosed hereafter.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
It is an object of the invention to produce a protective system which prevents transmission of diseases between people who use the same piece of exercise equipment.
It is another object of the invention to produce protective devices which install on gym equipment, to prevent direct contact between the user and the machine.
It is a further object of the invention to produce protective devices which are suited for covering and protecting different types of exercise equipment. Accordingly, separate protective devices are available to protect hand grips, hand rails, and seats of commonly used exercise equipment.
It is a still further object of the invention to produce a protective device which is absorbent, so as to absorb sweat from the user, and provide a dry, comfortable, and soft feel.
The invention is an exercise equipment prophylactic covering system, for use in preventing bodily contact with exercise equipment, and thereby preventing contact with bodily fluids from previous users of said exercise equipment. The system includes a seat cover, a single open ended tubular cover, a double open ended tubular cover, and a bicycle handle bar cover. The seat cover is preferably used on any type of seat, said cover attaching over the top of the seat back. The double open ended tubular cover is preferably used on any bar which does not have an open end or forms a continuous part of an exercise machine, such as the handle bars on step machines and the like. The single open ended tubular cover is preferably used on any equipment which provides an open ended handgrip, such as a pull down bar, dumbbells, barbells, and the like. The bicycle handle bar cover is designed to completely cover the handle bars of an exercise bicyle, and is best suited for a so-called “spinning bicyle”.
To the accomplishment of the above and related objects the invention may be embodied in the form illustrated in the accompanying drawings. Attention is called to the fact, however, that the drawings are illustrative only. Variations are contemplated as being part of the invention, limited only by the scope of the claims.
REFERENCES:
patent: 5294127 (1994-03-01), Keelan
patent: 5417635 (1995-05-01), Sell
patent: 5803539 (1998-09-01), Dewar
patent: 5866925 (1998-09-01), Hanley
patent: 5957528 (1999-09-01), Campbell
patent: 6079779 (2000-06-01), Tanaka
Brown Michael A.
Goldstein & Canino
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