Exercise roller
View Patent ↗The present invention provides an improved exercise roller apparatus having a cylindrical body with at least one unobstructed inner compartment and wrapped in a foam sleeve. The hollow compartment(s) may hold variable amounts of weights in a fixed position such that the weights do not shift while the roller is in use and the roller rolls steadily on a smooth surface. The foam sleeve provides the cushion necessary to comfortably roll the body over the roller during therapeutic roller use or roller-aided exercises. Handgrips are provided on the body to transform the roller into a versatile weight-lifting apparatus.
1. An exercise roller apparatus comprising:
an adjustable weighting component comprising a dumbbell or donut weights that provide a total weight of 2.5 to 55 pounds to the apparatus;
a rigid cylindrical body defining an unobstructed chamber configured and dimensioned to receive the one or more dumbbells or donut weights therein;
a foam material surrounding at least a portion of the cylindrical body; and
a first end cap removably connected to one end of the cylindrical body;
wherein the first end cap houses a first donut weight and includes a rigid cylindrical support rod removably attached thereto, the support rod, when attached to the end cap, extending into the chamber from the end cap, with the support rod configured and dimensioned for supporting additional donut weights of the adjustable weighted component in the chamber.
2. The exercise roller apparatus according to claim 1 , further comprising a second end cap on the other end of the cylindrical body, wherein the second end cap houses a second donut weight and includes a rigid cylindrical support rod removably attached thereto, the support rod, when attached to the end cap, extending into the chamber from the end cap, with the support rod configured and dimensioned for supporting additional donut weights in the chamber so that the adjustable weighting component provides additional weight of at least 5 pounds to the apparatus wherein the additional donut weights amount to the total weight of the adjustable weighting component.
3. The exercise roller apparatus according to claim 2 , wherein the first and second end caps each have the respective first and second donut weights affixed thereto, and one or more donut weights includes a selectable plurality of donut weights, each of which includes one or more magnets on an outer surface thereof so that the donut weights are magnetically attracted to each other to hold the weights against the end cap, with the donut weights provided on the support rod of the first end cap, the support rod of the second end cap or on both support rods.
4. The exercise roller apparatus according to claim 3 , wherein the body is made of plastic material and has an assembled length of 10 to 50 inches and a diameter of 5 to 10 inches with each of the support rods configured to support from 2.5 to 25 pounds of donut weights, each of the donut weights weighing 2.5 pounds.
5. The exercise roller apparatus according to claim 2 further comprising a central partition that divides the chamber into first and second unobstructed chambers with each end of the body including one of the first or second removable end caps that house the respective first and second donut weights and the support rods, respectively, extending into the chamber from the respective end caps, wherein an entire outer surface of the cylindrical body includes a foam material.
6. The exercise roller apparatus of claim 2 , wherein one or both of the end caps are threadedly engaged with the end of the cylindrical body, and wherein, when the support rod is removed from one or both end caps, the adjustable weighting component includes one or two dumbbells in the chamber.
7. The exercise roller apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the first end cap includes two spaced catches and the cylindrical body includes two correspondingly spaced recesses each with a draw latch for removable connection of the first end cap to the cylindrical body by engagement of the latches and catches, wherein the entire outer surface of the cylindrical body except for the recesses includes foam material.
8. The exercise roller apparatus according to claim 1 further comprising at least one handgrip assembly affixed to the cylindrical body such that the entire weight of the apparatus may be supported by a user gripping the handgrip assembly, wherein the handgrip assembly is movable between a collapsed position adjacent the cylindrical body and an extended position for grasping and holding of the apparatus, and wherein the entire outer surface of the cylindrical body except for the handgrip assembly includes foam material.
9. A kit for transporting and assembling the exercise roller apparatus of claim 1 comprising:
the rigid cylindrical body and foam material sleeve;
the at least one removable end cap having the first donut weight affixed thereto and the rigid cylindrical support rod; and
the adjustable weighting component includes either (a) the dumbbell or (b) between one and ten removable donut weights, each donut weight weighing 2.5 pounds.
10. An exercise roller apparatus comprising:
an adjustable weighting component comprising two or more dumbbells and two donut weights that provide additional weight so that the apparatus has a total weight of about 5 to 55 pounds;
a rigid cylindrical body having a central partition with the body defining first and second unobstructed chambers to receive the dumbbells therein;
a first end cap removably connected to one end of the cylindrical body, having one of the two donut weights of the adjustable weighting component affixed thereto;
a second end cap removably connected to the other end of the cylindrical body, having the other donut weight of the adjustable weighting component affixed thereto; and
two handgrip assemblies affixed to the cylindrical body in a linearly aligned and spaced arrangement such that the entire weight of the apparatus may be supported by a user gripping the handgrip assemblies, wherein each handgrip assembly is movable between a collapsed position adjacent the cylindrical body and an extended position for grasping and holding of the apparatus;
wherein the entire outer surface of the cylindrical body except for the handgrip assembly includes foam material; and
wherein the exercise roller apparatus has an assembled length of 10 to 50 inches and a diameter of 5 to 10 inches.
11. The exercise roller apparatus according to claim 10 , wherein each end cap includes two spaced catches and the cylindrical body includes four correspondingly spaced recesses, two for each end cap, each recess including a draw latch for removable connection of the end caps to the cylindrical body by engagement of the latches and catches, wherein the foam material on the entire outer surface of the cylindrical body does not cover the recesses.
12. The exercise roller apparatus of claim 10 , wherein each end cap is threadedly engaged with the end of the cylindrical body, and wherein the adjustable weighting component includes two dumbbells, one in each chamber with the end cap assisting in holding the dumbbell in place in the respective chamber.
13. The exercise roller apparatus of claim 10 , wherein each chamber includes an equal part of the weighting component and wherein each end cap has an outer cylindrical surface that includes foam material.
14. A kit for transporting and assembling the exercise roller apparatus of claim 10 comprising:
the rigid cylindrical body and foam material sleeve;
the first and second removable end caps having the first and second donut weight, respectively, affixed thereto; and
one or more dumbbells.
15. An exercise roller apparatus comprising:
an adjustable weighting component comprising a dumbbell or donut weights that provide a total additional weight of 2.5 to 55 pounds to the apparatus;
a rigid cylindrical body defining an unobstructed chamber configured and dimensioned to receive the one or more dumbbells or donut weights therein;
a foam material surrounding at least a portion of the cylindrical body; and
a first end cap removably connected to one end of the cylindrical body;
wherein the first end cap houses a first donut weight and includes a rigid cylindrical support rod that is removably attached thereto;
wherein the support rod, when attached to the end cap, is configured and dimensioned to extend into the chamber from the end cap to support additional donut weights in the chamber in order to provide a desired weight for the adjustable weighting component; and
wherein the rigid cylindrical body, when the support rod is removed from the end cap, is configured to receive the dumbbell therein with the donut weight in the end cap assisting in holding the dumbbell in place in the chamber in order to provide a different desired weight for the adjustable weighting component.
16. The exercise roller apparatus according to claim 15 , further comprising a second removable end cap on the other end of the cylindrical body, wherein the second end cap houses a second donut weight and includes a rigid cylindrical support rod that is removably attached thereto;
wherein the support rod, when attached to the end cap, is configured and dimensioned to extend into the chamber from the end cap to support additional donut weights in the chamber in order to provide a desired weight for the adjustable weighting component; and
wherein the rigid cylindrical body, when the support rod is removed from the end cap, is configured to receive a second dumbbell therein with the donut in the end cap assisting in holding the dumbbell in place in the chamber in order to provide a different desired weight for the adjustable weighting component.
17. The exercise roller apparatus according to claim 16 further comprising a central partition that divides the chamber into first and second unobstructed chambers, wherein each of the first and second end caps are threadedly engaged with the ends of the cylindrical body and wherein the entire outer surface of the cylindrical body includes foam material.
18. The exercise roller apparatus according to claim 16 , wherein each of the first and second end caps includes two spaced catches and the cylindrical body includes four correspondingly spaced recesses, two for each of the respective end caps, each of the recesses including a draw latch for removable connection of the end caps to the cylindrical body by engagement of the latches and catches, wherein the foam material on the entire outer surface of the cylindrical body does not cover the recesses.
19. The exercise roller apparatus according to claim 16 further comprising at least one handgrip assembly affixed to the cylindrical body such that the entire weight of the apparatus may be supported by a user gripping the handgrip assembly, wherein the handgrip assembly is movable between a collapsed position adjacent the cylindrical body and an extended position for grasping and holding of the apparatus, and wherein the entire outer surface of the cylindrical body except for the handgrip assembly includes foam material.
20. A kit for transporting and assembling the exercise roller apparatus of claim 15 comprising:
the rigid cylindrical body and foam material sleeve;
the first removable end cap having the first donut weight affixed thereto and the rigid cylindrical support rod; and
either (a) one or more dumbbells or (b) between one and ten removable donut weights, each donut weight weighing 2.5 pounds.