Exercise board

Abstract

A system including a board having plurality of generally flat panels rotatably coupled together. The board is movable between an extended position wherein the panels are generally co-planar and together form a generally continuous board surface, and a collapsed position wherein the panels are arranged parallel to each other but are not co-planar. At least one of the panels includes a plurality of openings, wherein each opening is configured to removably receive a handle therein.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A system comprising:
 a board including a plurality of generally flat panels rotatably coupled together, wherein the board is movable between an extended position wherein the panels are generally co-planar and together form a generally continuous board surface, and a collapsed position wherein the panels are arranged parallel to each other but are not co-planar, wherein each of the panels comprise a plurality of openings;   a flexible mat having a second plurality of openings, each of the second plurality of openings being substantially co-linear with each of the plurality of openings when the board is in the extended position; and,   at least one handle having a retaining mechanism adapted to rotatably engage at least one opening of one of the plurality of openings of the panels, the at least one handle having a tubular body extending from the retaining mechanism, wherein the at least one handle is operatively arranged to be inserted within one opening of the second plurality of openings and the retaining mechanism is operatively arranged to removably engage one opening of one of the plurality of openings of the panels, thereby positioning the openings in a substantially colinear manner with the flexible mat on top of the continuous board surface when the board is in an expanded position, wherein the at least one handle is operatively arranged to maintain the collapsed position of the board when inserted one of the plurality of openings of each of the plurality of openings of each of the panels.   
     
     
         2 . The system recited in  claim 1 , wherein the tubular body of the at least one handle is cylindrical. 
     
     
         3 . The system recited in  claim 1 , wherein the tubular body of the at least one handle has a U-shaped configuration. 
     
     
         4 . The system recited in  claim 1  further comprising:
 a pair of opening extensions within each of the plurality of openings of the board; and, 
 wherein the retaining mechanism comprises a pair of retaining tabs extending radially outward from the retaining mechanism, 
 wherein the at least one handle may be inserted into or removed from each of the plurality of openings when the pair of retaining tabs are substantially aligned within the pair of opening extensions. 
 
     
     
         5 . The system recited in  claim 1 , wherein each of the plurality of openings of each of the plurality of generally flat panels are collinearly arranged when the board is in the collapsed position. 
     
     
         6 . The system recited in  claim 1  further comprising at least one carrying strap arranged to removable engage a first end of the board and a second end of the board. 
     
     
         7 . The system recited in  claim 6 , wherein the first end is arranged on a first end panel of the plurality of generally flat panels and the second end is arranged on a second end panel of the plurality of generally flat panels, the first end including one or more attachment tabs arranged thereon and the second end including one or more attachment tabs thereon, wherein the at least one carry strap is arranged to removably engage one or more of the one or more attachment tabs of the first end panel or the one or more attachment tabs of the second end panel. 
     
     
         8 . The system recited in  claim 1 , wherein:
 each of the plurality of openings of each of the plurality of generally flat panels have a first internal perimeter; and,   each of the second plurality of openings of the flexible mat having a second internal perimeter, wherein the second internal perimeter is greater than the first internal perimeter.   
     
     
         9 . The system recited in  claim 1 , wherein the plurality of generally flat panels comprises six panels. 
     
     
         10 . The system recited in  claim 1  further comprising a second handle, the second handle having a retaining mechanism and a tubular body extending from the retaining mechanism, wherein the second handle is operatively arranged to be inserted within another opening of the second plurality of openings and the retaining mechanism of the second handle is operatively arranged to removably engage another opening of one of the plurality of openings of the panels, thereby positioning the openings in a substantially colinear manner with the flexible mat on top of the continuous board surface when the board is in an expanded position, wherein the second handle is operatively arranged to maintain the collapsed position of the board when inserted one of the plurality of openings of each of the plurality of openings of each of the panels. 
     
     
         11 . The system recited in  claim 1  further comprising at least one plug having:
 a retaining mechanism adapted to rotatably engage at least one opening of one of the plurality of openings of the panels; and, 
 a dome portion extending from the retaining mechanism, the dome portion having a greater diameter than each opening of the second plurality of openings of the flexible mat, wherein the at least one plug is adapted to be removably engaged to one opening of one plurality of openings of one of the panels and one opening of the second plurality of openings, thereby removably securing the flexible mat on top of the continuous board surface when the board is in an expanded position. 
 
     
     
         12 . The system recited in  claim 1 , wherein the at least one handle may include at least one of:
 a spherical portion extending from the retaining mechanism instead of the tubular body; and,   a spherical portion extending from the tubular body.   
     
     
         13 . The system recited in  claim 1 , wherein the tubular body of the at least one handle may be configured as one or more of:
 an L-shape; or,   a T-shape.   
     
     
         14 . A system comprising:
 a board including a plurality of identical panels rotatably coupled together, wherein the board is movable between an extended position wherein the panels are generally co-planar and together form a generally continuous board surface, and a collapsed position wherein the panels are arranged parallel to each other but are not co-planar, wherein each of the panels comprise a plurality of openings, the plurality of openings of each panel of the plurality of panels are substantially aligned when the board is in the collapsed position and form a plurality of passageways, each of the plurality of openings having a female retaining mechanism therein; and,   at least one handle having a male retaining mechanism and a tubular body extending from the retaining mechanism, the at least one handle include a flange arranged opposite the male retaining mechanism, the male retaining mechanism arranged to removably secure within one of the female locking mechanisms, wherein the at least one handle is arranged to be removably inserted into one of the plurality of passageways when the board is in the collapsed position and rotatably locked therein via the male retaining mechanism and the female locking mechanism of one of the plurality of passageways, thereby maintaining the collapsed position by sandwiching the plurality of panels substantially between the male retaining mechanism and the flange.   
     
     
         15 . The system recited in  claim 14  further comprising a flexible mat having a second plurality of openings therein, the at least one handle is operatively arranged to be inserted within one opening of the second plurality of openings and the male retaining mechanism is operatively arranged to removably engage the female retaining mechanism of one of the openings of one of the plurality of openings of the panels, thereby positioning the openings in a substantially colinear manner with the flexible mat on top of the continuous board surface when the board is in an expanded position. 
     
     
         16 . The system recited in  claim 14 , wherein:
 the female retaining mechanism having a pair of opening extensions; and,   the male retaining mechanism having a pair of retaining tabs extending radially outward therefrom, wherein the at least one handle may be inserted into or removed from each of the plurality of openings when the pair of retaining tabs are substantially aligned within the pair of opening extensions.   
     
     
         17 . The system recited in  claim 15  further comprising at least one plug having:
 a second male retaining mechanism adapted to rotatably engage one female retaining mechanism; and, 
 a dome portion extending from the second male retaining mechanism, the dome portion having a greater diameter than each opening of the second plurality of openings of the flexible mat, wherein the at least one plug is adapted to be removably engaged to one opening of one plurality of openings of one of the panels and one opening of the second plurality of openings, thereby removably securing the flexible mat on top of the continuous board surface when the board is in an expanded position. 
 
     
     
         18 . The system recited in  claim 14 , wherein the plurality of generally flat panels comprises six panels.