Muscle exercise device

Abstract

A portable muscle exercise device with no moving parts that may be used from a sitting, standing, reclined, supine, and/or prone position is described and disclosed. In some exemplary embodiments, the device may comprise a resilient member. The member may comprise an upper exterior surface and a lower exterior surface disposed opposite. The member may have a five pointed star shape. The resilient property may be derived from one or more of a material of construction of the member and/or a gas filled interior volume. The member may be configured to be engaged by a first location on the user's body. The member may be configured to be engaged by the second, different, location on the user's body. When the user may exert a compression force by squeezing the first location towards the second location, the user's muscles between the first location and the second location may be exercised.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A muscle exercising device, comprising:
 a member; wherein the member comprises an upper exterior surface and a lower exterior surface disposed opposite of the upper exterior surface;   wherein the member comprises a resilient property; wherein the resilient property is derived from one or more of a material of construction of the member and/or a gas exerting pressure upon interior surfaces of the upper exterior surface and the lower exterior surface;   wherein the member is configured to be engaged by a first location on a user's body; and wherein the member is also configured to be engaged by a second, different, location on the user's body;   wherein when the user exerts a compression force by squeezing the first location towards the second location, the user's muscles between the first location and the second location are exercised as the resilient property resists the compression force.   
     
     
         2 . The muscle exercising device according to  claim 1 , wherein the member is a single article of manufacture. 
     
     
         3 . The muscle exercising device according to  claim 2 , wherein the single article of manufacture is manufactured using an injection molding process, wherein the upper exterior surface and the lower exterior surface are joined to each other along a single continuous seam. 
     
     
         4 . The muscle exercising device according to  claim 1 , wherein the member has a structure with a polygon shape when the member is viewed from a top or a bottom view and wherein the structure has a variable thickness disposed between the upper exterior surface and the lower exterior surface. 
     
     
         5 . The muscle exercising device according to  claim 4 , wherein each corner or each point of the polygon shape is a prong. 
     
     
         6 . The muscle exercising device according to  claim 5 , wherein each prong is radially oriented from a radial center of the muscle exercising device. 
     
     
         7 . The muscle exercising device according to  claim 6 , wherein any two prongs located closer to each other than to other prongs are a pair of adjacent prongs; wherein each pair of adjacent prongs is separated by a side indenture of the muscle exercising device; wherein each side indenture is concave with respect to the radial center, such a perimeter of the muscle exercising device alternates from prong to side indenture. 
     
     
         8 . The muscle exercising device according to  claim 5 , wherein each prong is configured to be gripped by a hand of the user. 
     
     
         9 . The muscle exercising device according to  claim 4 , wherein the polygon shape is selected from the group consisting of: a triangle, a three pointed star, a square, a rectangle, a trapezoid, a diamond, a four pointed star, a pentagon, a five pointed star, a hexagon, a six pointed star, and a seven pointed star. 
     
     
         10 . The muscle exercising device according to  claim 1 , wherein the member is a solid such that a volume defined by exterior surfaces of the member is substantially occupied by the material of construction of the member such that there is no hollow interior disposed between the upper exterior surface and the lower exterior surface. 
     
     
         11 . The muscle exercising device according to  claim 1 , wherein the upper exterior surface comprises an upper interior surface integral and disposed opposite of the upper exterior surface; wherein the lower exterior surface comprises a lower interior surface integral and disposed opposite of the lower exterior surface; wherein the upper interior surface and the lower interior surface bound an interior volume. 
     
     
         12 . The muscle exercising device according to  claim 11 , wherein the internal volume is configured to hold a gas, wherein the internal volume is filled with the gas such that the gas exerts a pressure upon the upper interior surface and the lower interior surface; wherein the gas pressure contributes to the resilient property of the member. 
     
     
         13 . The muscle exercising device according to  claim 12 , wherein the member comprises at least one valve; wherein the at least one valve comprises at least one gas flow channel, wherein the at least one gas flow channel is configured to permit passage of the gas; wherein the at least one valve is configured to permit filling the internal volume with the gas; wherein the at least one valve is located in the upper exterior surface such that the at least one gas flow channel runs from the upper exterior surface to the upper interior surface; or wherein the at least one valve is located in the lower exterior surface such that the at least one gas flow channel runs from the lower exterior surface to the lower interior surface. 
     
     
         14 . The muscle exercising device according to  claim 12 , wherein the gas is air. 
     
     
         15 . The muscle exercising device according to  claim 1 , wherein the material of construction is one or more of the group consisting of: a flexible material, an injection moldable material, an elastomeric material, a thermoformed plastic, a thermoformed foam, and/or a thermoformed elastomer. 
     
     
         16 . The muscle exercising device according to  claim 1 , wherein the material of construction is one or more of the group consisting of: polyvinyl chloride, polyurethane foam, ethylene vinyl acetate foam, rubber, silicone, neoprene, woven materials, non-woven materials, and/or mesh materials. 
     
     
         17 . The muscle exercising device according to  claim 1 , wherein the upper exterior surface comprises a textured surface, wherein the textured surface is configured to be engaged by the user; or wherein the lower exterior surface comprises the textured surface. 
     
     
         18 . The muscle exercising device according to  claim 1 , wherein the upper exterior surface comprises a first region for displaying a first graphic, wherein the first graphic is viewable by the user; or wherein the lower exterior surface comprises a second region for displaying a second graphic, wherein the second graphic is viewable by the user. 
     
     
         19 . A muscle exercising device, comprising:
 a five pronged star shaped member; wherein the five pronged star shaped member comprises an upper exterior surface and a lower exterior surface disposed opposite of the upper exterior surface; wherein the five pronged star shaped member comprises five separate prongs radially oriented from each other, such that each prong directly opposes a side indenture of the five pronged star shaped member, and each pair of adjacent prongs are separated from each other by one side indenture;   wherein the five pronged star shaped member comprises a resilient property; wherein the resilient property is derived from one or more of a material of construction of the five pronged star shaped member and/or a gas exerting pressure upon interior surfaces of the upper exterior surface and the lower exterior surface;   wherein the five pronged star shaped member is configured to be engaged by a first location on a user's body; and wherein the five pronged star shaped member is also configured to be engaged by a second, different, location on the user's body;   wherein when the user exerts a compression force by squeezing the first location towards the second location, the user's muscles between the first location and the second location are exercised as the resilient property resists the compression force.   
     
     
         20 . A method for manufacturing a muscle exercising device, comprising a step of injection molding an upper exterior surface and a lower exterior surface disposed opposite of the upper exterior surface such that the upper exterior surface and the lower exterior surface are joined to each other along a single continuous seam; wherein the upper exterior surface and the lower exterior surface joined together form a member;
 wherein the member comprises a resilient property; wherein the resilient property is derived from one or more of a material of construction of the member and/or a gas exerting pressure upon interior surfaces of the upper exterior surface and the lower exterior surface;   wherein the member is configured to be engaged by a first location on a user's body; and wherein the member is also configured to be engaged by a second, different, location on the user's body;   wherein when the user exerts a compression force by squeezing the first location towards the second location, the user's muscles between the first location and the second location are exercised as the resilient property resists the compression force.