Patent Pending Introduction

A Provisional Patent Application was filed on May 1, 2017 to establish a first-to-file date.  The Utility Patent Application (non-provisional) was filed on April 26, 2018.

Without revealing the exact language of the patent application, here is the introduction intended to provide you with a basic understanding of why the S4 Trainer can be considered sufficiently unique and worthy of a patent application.

BACKGROUND

This relates to resistance exercise apparatuses which allow users to replicate specific range-of-motion (ROM) movements associated with a given water sport or physical therapy program. These apparatuses provide resistance within the ROM so as to improve the health, longevity, and performance of muscle groups and joints exerted during given water sports, specifically surfing and swimming, or which are being rehabilitated during physical therapy programs.

With reference to the sport of surfing: riding a wave demands well-developed muscles and equilibrium to maneuver the surfboard and maintain balance. However, the most strenuous activity required by surfing is not standing on the board.

With reference to the sport of swimming and related sports such as water polo: constant exertion of upper body muscles and joints is required at all times while engaged in common swimming strokes, namely freestyle, butterfly, and back strokes.

With reference to physical therapy: both surfers and swimmers are constantly at risk for upper body muscle and joint injuries due to a variety of causes, including lack-of-use followed by over-exertion, challenging surfing conditions or aggressive swimming training regimens, insufficient warm-up and rest intervals, and poor nutrition. Since both surfers and swimmers are constantly using upper body muscles and joints that must be fairly developed in terms of strength and flexibility, some of the most common injuries associated with both sports often require physical therapy rehabilitation of upper body muscles and joints.

An effective resistance exercise apparatus to train for paddling a surfboard, training upper body swimming strokes, or for use in physical therapy to recover from upper body injuries suffered these and related water sports, would therefore necessarily fulfill two important requirements:

• ROM accommodations would be practically identical to the ROM experienced when paddling a surfboard, exerting upper body muscles and joints while swimming, or during physical therapy to rehabilitate upper body injuries associated with these sports; and

As when paddling a surfboard, swimming, or engaged in physical therapy programs, levels of resistance would be controlled instantaneously and simultaneously without interrupting the arm and hand motions.