A sturdy portable massage roller that collapses flat. The roller includes an outer contact skin formed of a plurality of longitudinal stiffeners connected by longitudinally-extending hinge points, the contact skin defining an inner cavity. A collapsible support structure within the contact skin inne
A sturdy portable massage roller that collapses flat. The roller includes an outer contact skin formed of a plurality of longitudinal stiffeners connected by longitudinally-extending hinge points, the contact skin defining an inner cavity. A collapsible support structure within the contact skin inner cavity is sized to contact and radially support the longitudinal stiffeners in the expanded shape of the contact skin, and is adapted to collapse so that the massage roller converts between a generally cylindrical expanded shape and a collapsed, flattened shape. The support structure may include a series of rigid discs that either pivot or are folded in half to convert the massage roller between its expanded and flat configurations.
대표청구항▼
1. A portable fitness roller comprising: an outer contact skin having an outer compressible surface configured for use as a fitness roller, wherein the outer contact skin includes a series of rigid axial stiffeners running parallel to a central roller axis and extending a length of the outer contact
1. A portable fitness roller comprising: an outer contact skin having an outer compressible surface configured for use as a fitness roller, wherein the outer contact skin includes a series of rigid axial stiffeners running parallel to a central roller axis and extending a length of the outer contact skin, adjacent axial stiffeners being joined together via joints parallel to the central roller axis so that the axial stiffeners and outer contact skin can be formed into a tubular expanded shape defining a cylindrical volume and the axial stiffeners may be released from the tubular expanded shape so as to convert to a collapsed shape, the fitness roller in the expanded shape having sufficient strength to support the weight of a person rolling thereon without collapse; anda plurality of stiffening elements disposed within the outer contact skin so as to contact and radially support the outer contact skin in the tubular expanded shape and that are movable relative to each other to permit the outer contact skin to assume the collapsed shape by manually displacing two of the plurality of stiffening elements located at each longitudinal end of the support structure. 2. The fitness roller of claim 1, wherein the axial stiffeners can pivot with respect to each other to convert the axial stiffeners from the tubular expanded shape to the collapsed shape. 3. The fitness roller of claim 2, wherein the joints are flexible and formed by longitudinally-extending living hinges in a foam connecting sheet joining the axial stiffeners. 4. The fitness roller of claim 1, wherein the outer compressible surface comprises a series of uniformly-spaced foam bumps. 5. The fitness roller of claim 1, wherein the outer compressible surface is formed by foam pieces adhered on the outside of the axial stiffeners. 6. The fitness roller of claim 1, wherein the stiffening elements are movable to convert the outer contact skin from the collapsed shape to the tubular expanded shape by manually pulling the two stiffening elements located at each longitudinal end of the support structure. 7. A portable fitness roller, comprising: an outer contact skin having an outer compressible surface suitable for use as a fitness roller, the outer contact skin adapted to convert between a tubular first configuration defining a cylindrical volume and a longitudinal axis and a second configuration in which the cylindrical volume is substantially reduced; anda support structure located within the outer contact skin that radially supports the outer contact skin in the tubular first configuration and the fitness roller in the first configuration having sufficient strength to support the weight of a person rolling thereon without collapse, the support structure adapted to convert the outer contact skin between the first and second configurations, the support structure comprised of a plurality of stiffening elements disposed within the outer contact skin that radially support the outer contact skin in the first configuration and that are movable relative to each other to permit the outer contact skin to assume the second configuration, the stiffening elements being movable by manually pushing two of the plurality of stiffening elements located at each longitudinal end of the support structure toward each other. 8. The fitness roller of claim 7, wherein the stiffening elements comprises axial stiffeners running parallel to the longitudinal axis and extending a length of the outer contact skin, and wherein adjacent axial stiffeners are joined together via joints parallel to the longitudinal axis such that the axial stiffeners can pivot with respect to each other, and wherein the joints are flexible and formed by longitudinally-extending living hinges in a foam connecting sheet joining the axial stiffeners. 9. The fitness roller of claim 8, wherein the outer surface is formed by foam pieces adhered on the outside of the axial stiffeners. 10. The fitness roller of claim 7, wherein the support structure further includes axial stiffeners running parallel to the longitudinal axis and extending a length of the outer contact skin, wherein the stiffening elements comprise a plurality of rigid elements disposed within the cylindrical volume, the rigid elements being sized to contact and radially support the axial stiffeners when the contact skin is in the first configuration, the rigid elements being movable between a first orientation radially supporting the axial stiffeners and a second orientation that permits the axial stiffeners to collapse together so that the second configuration of the contact skin is substantially flat. 11. The fitness roller of claim 10, wherein the rigid elements comprise rigid discs extending generally perpendicular to the longitudinal axis in their first orientations. 12. The fitness roller of claim 7, wherein the stiffening elements comprise flat disks. 13. The fitness roller of claim 12, wherein the stiffening elements are movable to convert the outer contact skin from the second configuration to the first configuration by manually pulling on cords that extend through the two stiffening elements located at each longitudinal end of the support structure. 14. A portable fitness roller, comprising: an outer contact skin having an outer compressible surface configured for use as a fitness roller in a tubular expanded first configuration that defines a cylindrical volume and a central roller axis; anda support structure located within the outer contact skin that radially supports the outer contact skin in the first configuration and the fitness roller having sufficient strength to support the weight of a person rolling thereon without collapse, the support structure adapted to convert the outer contact skin between the first configuration and a second collapsed configuration wherein the cylindrical volume is substantially reduced, the support structure comprised of a plurality of stiffening elements disposed within the outer contact skin so as to contact and radially support the outer contact skin in the first configuration and that are movable relative to each other to permit the outer contact skin to assume the second collapsed configuration,wherein the stiffening elements are movable to convert the outer contact skin from the second configuration to the first configuration by manually pulling two of the plurality of stiffening elements located at each longitudinal end of the support structure. 15. The fitness roller of claim 14, wherein the support structure further includes axial stiffeners running parallel to the central roller axis and extending a length of the outer contact skin, wherein the stiffening elements comprise a plurality of rigid elements disposed within the cylindrical volume, the rigid elements being sized to contact and radially support the axial stiffeners when the outer contact skin is in the first configuration, the rigid elements being movable between a first orientation radially supporting the axial stiffeners and a second orientation that permits the outer contact skin to convert to the second configuration. 16. The fitness roller of claim 14, wherein the stiffening elements comprise rigid discs extending generally perpendicular to the central roller axis. 17. The fitness roller of claim 14, wherein the stiffening elements move to permit the outer contact skin to convert to the second configuration by manually pushing two stiffening elements located at each longitudinal end of the support structure toward each other. 18. The fitness roller of claim 14, wherein the stiffening elements each comprises a disc having cutouts formed by an outer ring and a stiffening spar that extends through a center of the disc which can be manually pulled.
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이 특허에 인용된 특허 (25)
O\Sullivan Dennis C. (774 Mays Blvd. ; #10 Incline Village NV 89451), Body support having hingedly connected semi-cylindrical cushions.
Weykamp Robert E. (Plum Boro PA) Scherf Thomas W. (Bethel Township ; Armstrong County PA), Internal articulated mandrel for the stretch forming of elongated hollow metal sections.
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