Apparatus for an abdominal exerciser device

Abstract

An apparatus for an abdominal exerciser device in the general shape of an adult human cervical spine which acts to fix the position of the neck and cervical spine during a stomach crunch exercise movement is presented. The abdominal exerciser device comprises three major components: the device spine, the cushion assemblies, and the hand straps. The device spine is a bar or tube curved to follow the adult human cervical and upper thoracic spine and provides attachment points for the cushion assemblies and straps. The cushion assemblies are contact points for the exerciser's head and upper back, while the straps allow the exerciser to keep contact with the exerciser device during the exercise movement with minimal force.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . An abdominal exerciser device for use by an exerciser to exercise the abdominal muscles in a crunch exercise movement, the device comprising:
 a device spine, having a convex curve and a concave curve;   a head cushion assembly, attached on a dorsal side at one end of the device spine;   a back cushion assembly, attached on a dorsal side at another end of the device spine; and   at least one strap, attached on a ventral side at both ends of the device spine,   wherein the head cushion assembly is a contact point for the exerciser's head, the back cushion assembly is a contact point for the exerciser's upper back, and the at least one strap enables the exerciser to maintain contact with the head cushion assembly and the back cushion assembly during the crunch exercise movement.   
     
     
         2 . The abdominal exerciser device of  claim 1 , wherein the convex curve mimics a natural arch of the exerciser's cervical spine at rest in a supine position. 
     
     
         3 . The abdominal exerciser device of  claim 1 , wherein the concave curve intercepts the convex curve to mimic the intersection of the exerciser's cervical spinal curve in a thoracic spine region. 
     
     
         4 . The abdominal exerciser device of  claim 1 , wherein the device spine further comprises:
 a material end, attached at one or another end of the device spine.   
     
     
         5 . The abdominal exerciser device of  claim 1 , wherein the head cushion assembly further comprises:
 a cushion, with a curved recess; and   a backer, attached to the cushion.   
     
     
         6 . The abdominal exerciser device of  claim 1 , wherein the back cushion assembly further comprises:
 a cushion, with an incline; and   a backer, attached to the cushion.   
     
     
         7 . The abdominal exerciser device of  claim 1 , wherein attachments of the head cushion assembly, the back cushion assembly and the at least one strap is via at least one fastener. 
     
     
         8 . The abdominal exerciser device of  claim 1 , wherein the at least one strap further comprises:
 a first and second equal material length, each one attached at a respective end of the device spine;   a third length, joined at one end in a juncture to the first and second equal material length and having a loop at another end.   
     
     
         9 . The abdominal exerciser device of  claim 1 , wherein during the crunch exercise movement when the exerciser changes a natural resting curve of the cervical spine through movement of the exerciser's head, the device moves from the original points of contact with the exerciser's body. 
     
     
         10 . An abdominal exerciser device to fix a proper position of an exerciser's neck during a crunch exercise movement, the device comprising:
 a solid bar modeled on a general curvature of a cervical and intercepting thoracic regions of a human spine;   a head cushion, for placement of an exerciser's head, attached at or near to a first end of the solid bar;   a back cushion, for placement of the exerciser's upper back, attached at or near to a second end of the solid bar; and   a first and second Y-shaped strap, each Y-shaped strap attached on the top of the Y-shape at each end of the solid bar,   wherein the exerciser grasps one Y-shaped strap at the bottom of the Y-shape in each hand and applies a minimal amount of force to maintain contact with the head cushion and back cushion during the crunch exercise movement.   
     
     
         11 . The abdominal exerciser device of  claim 10 , wherein the general curvature of the solid bar further comprises:
 two opposing curves, thereby a first curve being convex and a second curve being concave.   
     
     
         12 . The abdominal exerciser device of  claim 11 , wherein the convex curve mimics a natural arch of the exerciser's cervical spine. 
     
     
         13 . The abdominal exerciser device of  claim 11 , wherein the concave curve mimics the intersection of the exerciser's cervical spinal curve in a thoracic spine region. 
     
     
         14 . The abdominal exerciser device of  claim 10 , wherein the solid bar further comprises:
 a material end, attached at one or another end of the solid bar.   
     
     
         15 . The abdominal exerciser device of  claim 10 , wherein the head cushion further comprises:
 a curved recess; and   a backer, attached to the cushion.   
     
     
         16 . The abdominal exerciser device of  claim 10 , wherein the back cushion further comprises:
 an incline; and   a backer, attached to the cushion.   
     
     
         17 . The abdominal exerciser device of  claim 10 , wherein attachments of the head cushion, the back cushion, and the first and second Y-shaped straps are via at least one fastener. 
     
     
         18 . The abdominal exerciser device of  claim 10 , wherein the first and second Y-shaped straps each further comprise:
 a first and second equal material length;   a third length, joined at one end in a juncture to the first and second equal material length and having a loop at another end.   
     
     
         19 . The abdominal exerciser device of  claim 10 , wherein during the crunch exercise movement when the exerciser changes a natural resting curve of the cervical spine through movement of the exerciser's head, the device moves from the original points of contact with the exerciser's body.