Exercise devices – User manipulated force resisting apparatus – component... – Utilizing weight resistance
Reexamination Certificate
1999-04-20
2004-02-17
Donnelly, Jerome W. (Department: 3764)
Exercise devices
User manipulated force resisting apparatus, component...
Utilizing weight resistance
C482S124000, C002S108000, C002S094000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06692413
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of Invention
This invention relates to a garment, particularly to a jacket that can be worn during ordinary activities to obtain the benefits of resistance training when engaging in weight bearing activities.
2. State of the Art
One of the fastest growing segments of the population is over the age of 55. The increase in longevity is associated with an increase in physical problems, including those associated with the bones, muscles and joints. As people age, their bones begin to deteriorate by losing their volume, which can result in osteoporosis. Osteoporosis is a disease characterized by low bone mineral density and diminished bone quality that leads to enhanced bone fragility with increased risks of fracture. With osteoporosis bones become more fragile and are more likely to break. If this disease is not prevented or if it is left untreated, it can progress until a bone breaks. Breaks in the bone, known as fractures, typically occur in the hips, spine, and wrists. Fractures of the hip and spine generally require hospitalization and surgery. These fractures can impair one's ability to walk in an unassisted fashion and can lead to disability or even death. A spinal or fracture of the vertebrae can also cause other problems including the loss of height, back pain and deformity. Osteoporosis, low bone mineral density and the dangers associated with them affect millions of people.
Exercise, specifically, resistance training with weight bearing activity is important to the health and well being of the human body. Resistance training while engaging in weight-baring activity helps to relieve and reduce the ailments associated with aging, low bone mineral density, and osteoporosis.
Among those who need to exercise are those with low bone mineral density, those at risk for or suffering from osteoporosis and the elderly, especially women, who may have a high risk of developing osteoporosis with subsequent dangers of immobility and fractures in the wrists, spine, hips and knees. However, many who are elderly are unable to exercise due to poor muscle tone, muscle wasting, decreased bone mass, and other physical problems associated with the bones, muscles and joints. This lack of exercise further increases the risk of injury to muscles, bones and joints. The poor muscle tone also leads to poor posture and balance problems. The balance problems can, in turn, lead to accidental falls, slips, tripping, and the like, which further increases the risk of injury.
Additionally, many of those most in need of exercise are reluctant, unwilling or unable to wear conventional exercise clothing or exercise in a conventional way at a health club or athletic facility due to the lack of time, lack of desire, lack of skill, ability or knowledge of exercise. However, these populations will go for a walk and will engage in routine daily activities such as housework, gardening, shopping, dog walking, and mall walking.
There is a need for a garment, which promotes resistance training while engaging in weight-bearing activities, without going to a health club, without engaging in traditional vigorous exercise routines and without the need for wearing traditional exercise clothing, but by simply donning a jacket and going for a walk or engaging in routine daily activities.
One way of promoting resistance training while engaging in weight-bearing activity is to gear an article of clothing, a jacket, which fits comfortably like a regular jacket would fit on the body of a user that provides benefits while walking or engaging in routine and daily activities, but does not look like exercise apparel or exercise equipment.
Resistance training while engaging in weight-bearing activity is encouraged by wearing a jacket with weight inserted into weight-bearing pockets while walking, while performing routine activities such as housework, shopping, gardening or during other types of more strenuous activities such as hiking or race-walking. The jacket adds resistance in the form of weight to weight-bearing activities such as walking or routine daily activity. Resistance training added to weight-bearing activities can decrease or stop the loss of bone volume density associated with osteoporosis, increase muscle coordination, increase muscle mass and improve balance. Wearing this jacket while walking or while performing routine daily activities can reduce the amount of bone and muscle loss seen in people as they age, it can foster an increase in muscle growth and it can strengthen and tone muscles in all areas of the body, which would normally decrease in mass and strength with increasing age.
The jacket is designed to look like a regular jacket, so that no one would know it has a purpose other than comfort, aesthetics and warmth.
Resistance training while engaging in weight-bearing activity is encouraged by wearing a jacket with weight inserted into weight-bearing pockets whose novelty is in the angle and placement of the weight-bearing pockets. The jacket, referred to as the Un Exercise Jacket, will be referred to as jacket.
The jacket is not designed to be used while running, during strenuous athletic exercise or training.
DESCRIPTION OF PRIOR ART
Different types of exercise garments have been developed in the past, each of which has been developed or designed for a specific purpose. There have been exercise garments which have been designed for sports and fitness training, designed to increase an athletes physical strength and physical abilities, designed for exercise enthusiasts, and designed to improve physical appearance.
Unlike traditional exercise garments designed to carry heavy weight loads that are geared toward younger populations, exercise enthusiasts, athletes and those training for athletic competitions, the jacket is designed for populations who are middle aged, elderly, at risk for or suffering from osteoporosis or low bone mineral density, who are in poor shape, who do not, will not or physically cannot engage in traditional exercise and could not physiologically use a garment designed with heavy weight loads.
Traditional exercise garments are designed to assist athletes who are in top physical condition and can physically withstand stress placed on varied areas of the body through the use of heavy weight loads and placement of weight loads on various parts of the body in order to improve strength, stamina and physical abilities during fitness and sports training. Unlike traditional exercise garments designed for athletes and those in top physical shape whose bodies can withstand various stresses from the garment in order to improve strength training, populations consisting of the middle aged, elderly, those at risk for or suffering from osteoporosis or low bone mineral density, and those who are in poor shape, could not physiologically withstand using a garment designed for an athlete because it would be detrimental, could put too much stress on the neck, shoulders and lower spine and could cause damage and injury to these structures and these populations could not physiologically use a garment designed with heavy weight loads.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,384,369 (Prince) discloses an exercise suit, which includes both a jacket and pants with pockets designed for the athlete. The pockets carry bags containing a liquid that are vertically placed on the apparatus.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,010,596 (Brown et al.) discloses a garment formed with shorts designed for improving an athlete's physical condition in sporting activities. The apparatus has pockets on both the torso and the lower extremities, which accept weights in a vertical placement.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,602,387 (Zakrzewski) discloses a weight vest, which is lined and is designed to carry weight upwards of 50 pounds. This apparatus is designed for athletes involved in sports and fitness training to increase strength and the physical abilities. The weights are placed in columns.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,361,412 (Perry) discloses a vest apparatus with a plurality of pockets to accept and hold items to sustain the user during emergency situ
Greenberg Amie S.
Greenberg Barbara L.
Greenberg Jack L.
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