Collapsible foam roller
View Patent ↗A collapsible foam roller device includes at least one telescoping roller section that has at least two rigid telescoping rings. Each ring has an inside surface, an outside surface, a flared leading edge and a flared trailing edge. The trailer edge of an outermost ring is adapted to grasp and hold the leading edge of an adjacent ring. A foam cover is applied to the outside surface of each ring. In one embodiment, the foam roller device comprises two of the roller sections, each roller section sharing a common innermost ring. In an alternate embodiment, the foam roller device comprises four of the roller sections. A first and second roller sections share a common innermost ring; the second and a third roller section share a common outermost ring; and the third and a fourth roller sections share a common innermost ring. Preferably the foam roller device further includes two endcaps.
1. A collapsible foam roller device, comprising:
at least one telescoping roller section comprising at least two rigid telescoping rings, each ring having an inside surface, an outside surface, a flared leading edge and a flared trailing edge, the trailing edge of an outermost ring adapted to grasp and hold the leading edge of an adjacent innermost ring;
a foam covering applied to the outside surface of each ring;
whereby each roller section can be moved from a collapsed position wherein each ring is substantially cover each adjacent innermost ring, to an expanded position wherein each ring is extended axially away from each adjacent innermost ring so that the trailing edge of each ring grasps and holds the leading edge of the next adjacent innermost ring.
2. The collapsible foam roller device of claim 1 having two of the roller sections, each roller section sharing a common innermost ring;
whereby in the collapsed position the two outermost rings abut to cover the remaining rings.
3. The collapsible foam roller device of claim 2 wherein the two outermost rings each include an endcap fixed within their leading edges.
4. The collapsible foam roller device of claim 3 wherein each endcap includes an outwardly-projecting handle.
5. The collapsible foam roller device of claim 2 having an outermost ring, an innermost ring, and four rings therebetween.
6. The collapsible foam roller device of claim 5 wherein each ring is substantially the same width, except for the innermost ring which is substantially twice the width of the other rings.
7. The collapsible foam roller device of claim 1 having four of the roller sections, a first and a second roller sections sharing a common innermost ring; the second and a third roller section sharing a common outermost ring, and the third and a fourth roller sections sharing a common innermost ring;
whereby in the collapsed position the four outermost rings each abut at least one of the other outmost rings to cover the remaining rings.
8. The collapsible foam roller device of claim 7 wherein the two outermost rings each include an endcap fixed within their leading edges.
9. The collapsible foam roller device of claim 7 wherein each endcap includes an outwardly-projecting handle.
10. The collapsible foam roller device of claim 7 having three outermost rings, two innermost rings, and two rings between each outermost ring and one of the innermost rings.
11. The collapsible foam roller device of claim 10 wherein each ring is substantially the same width, except for the innermost rings and a central outermost ring, which are substantially twice the width of the other rings.
12. The collapsible foam roller device of claim 1 wherein at least one innermost ring includes a plurality of strain cuts through the leading edge thereof to relieve strain experienced by the collapsible foam roller upon introduction thereto of a weighted load.
13. The collapsible foam roller device of claim 1 wherein the foam covering is applied to the outside surface of each ring with an adhesive.