Abstract:
A neck exercise device comprising a lightweight folding semi-rigid frame across which a wide elastomer band is interlaced to provide variable resistance during exercise and tension force for cervical traction. The device can be placed on a supportive surface and used in lying, sitting and standing by positioning the head on the elastomer band to perform multiple neck exercises in a variety of directions. The frame folds flat for portability.

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
       [0001]    This application claims benefit of U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 62/098167 filed on Dec. 30, 2014. 
     
    
     FIELD 
       [0002]    The present invention relates to a neck exercise device. 
       BACKGROUND 
       [0003]    Neck pain and cervicogenic headache are common complaints. Studies have routinely found weakness and muscle imbalance in the deep cervical flexor and extensor musculature associated with neck pain. Subjects with chronic neck pain have a reduced ability to maintain upright posture. Increased sitting and particularly computer use is associated with postural change, in particular forward head posture and the loss of the natural curve of the cervical spine. The occurrence in office workers is particularly high. Increased smartphone and tablet use are associated with the same postural change in standing. The force exerted on the cervical spine and the weight that the musculature has to hold, increases dramatically with every degree that the head is held forward of neutral posture. Studies associate this forward head posture with neck pain and degenerative change. 
         [0004]    Exercise has proved to have positive therapeutic effects on neck pain, posture and cervicogenic headache, particularly in chronic cases. Motor relearning programs for the deep cervical musculature have shown positive benefits for neck pain in clinical trials. Exercise equipment for such programs is known in prior art, but is either complex, causing poor exercise compliance, heavy, causing a lack of portability, cannot be used in functional positions or fail to take into account subjects suffering pain or injury. Such prior art devices lack the advantages of the present invention. 
         [0005]    Passive folding head supports, such as U.S. Pat. No. 1,209,679, are portable, but do not allow through range exercise. Head supports that allow exercise, such as U.S. Pat. No. 5,713,816, do not enable variable resistance. Rigid head supports on flexible frames, such as U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,497,217 and 7,041,033, allow some variable resistance, but are limited in their range of motion, do not provide resistance to the neck movements of rotation and lateral flexion, and cannot be used in the functional positions of sitting and standing. Weighted headbands, such as U.S. Pat. No. 4,195,833, can be used in functional positions, but have limitations in progressing exercise resistance and their weight may cause or exacerbate head and neck pain. Headbands attached to doorways, such as U.S. Pat. No. 1,517,147, and head pads attached to walls, such as U.S. Pat. No. 5,135,445, are limited in portability and positions in which they can be used. Large stationary machines, that use weights, springs and pulleys attached to head frames, can be used in either sitting, such as U.S. Pat. No. 7,468,019, or standing, such as U.S. Pat. No. 8,876,665, but not both, and lack portability. Some devices attach the head to another part of the body, such as U.S. Pat. No. 5,509,869, or to the neck, such as U.S. Pat. No. 4,789,154, onto both, such as U.S. Pat. No. 6,179,747. These devices are limited in their positions of use, repeatability of the exercise and are limited by the condition of the attached body part. 
         [0006]    The present invention provides a lightweight folding neck exercise device comprising a semi-rigid frame across which a wide elastomer band is interlaced to provide variable resistance during exercise. The device can be used in lying, sitting and standing to address muscle weakness, neck pain, postural change and cervicogenic headache. The device can be used to exercise the neck in multiple directions and in multiple functional positions. The device can also be used to provide gentle cervical traction. The cervical spine can be palpated during exercise to provide self-monitoring and biofeedback. The frame folds flat for portability. 
       SUMMARY 
       [0007]    The present invention comprises a semi-rigid substantially U-shaped frame that folds into itself and a wide band of elastomer spanning the top of the frame. The elastomer is interlaced around the top of the frame and back onto itself to fix it firmly into position during use, but allow easy increase or decrease of tension in the elastomer by pulling or relaxing the interlacing. It also allows easy dismantling of the device for transport. 
         [0008]    The broad base allows the present invention to be used on hard or soft surfaces. Importantly, the large open centre of the base allows increased range of motion during use. A user can lie down, placing the occipit onto the centre of the elastomer, and relax onto the band imparting tension on the elastomer. Friction between the elastomer and the occipit provides a gentle traction force on the cervical spine for therapeutic effect. The cervical musculature can be used to push the occipit further into the elastomer. The elastomer stretches and provides resistance to the muscles to exercise them. The present invention allows isotonic and isometric exercise through large ranges of movement in the anatomical actions of cervical extension, retraction, protraction, flexion, rotation, lateral flexion and upper cervical flexion. The present invention can be placed on a wall behind the occipit for the user to exercise in both sitting and standing. 
     
    
     
       DRAWINGS 
         [0009]      FIG. 1 . is a perspective view of of an exemplary neck exercise device. 
           [0010]      FIG. 2 . is a frontal view of an exemplary exercise device. 
           [0011]      FIG. 3 . is a side view of an exemplary neck exercise device. 
           [0012]      FIG. 4 . is a perspective view of one corner of an exemplary neck exercise device. 
           [0013]      FIG. 5 . is a perspective view of one end of an exemplary neck exercise device. 
           [0014]      FIG. 6 . is an aerial view of the folded frame of an exemplary neck exercise device. 
           [0015]      FIG. 7 . is an aerial view of the unfolded frame of an exemplary neck exercise device. 
           [0016]      FIG. 8 . is a frontal view of the frame of an exemplary neck exercise device. 
           [0017]      FIG. 9 . is a side view of a user exercising in an exemplary neck exercise device. 
       
    
    
     DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENTS 
       [0018]    The present invention is a rigid base from which two semi-rigid arms are pivotally attached to unfold from the device and fix firmly at an angle to the base forming a U-shape. The arms have a narrow void at their free ends through which a wide elastomer band is interlaced to span the top of the frame. The ends of the elastomer interlace through the void and back onto themselves such that friction between the ends of the elastomer band holds them firmly in place. Pulling on the ends of the elastomer band makes the band tighter and relaxing the interlacing of the band makes the band looser. Different interlacing methods of the elastomer band through the narrow voids, allow the elastomer to be more or less firmly fixed to the frame. 
         [0019]      FIG. 1 . shows an exemplary embodiment of the present invention made of thick wire welded together to form a frame and then plastic-coated. The base is substantially square with two substantially identical inverted U-shaped arms at either end pivotally attached to the cross members by a bent hook configuration. The top ends of each arm have been bent to an angle substantially parallel to the base when the arms are in a fully unfolded position, and a cross member welded to top of the arm to create a narrow void. A wide elastomer band is interlaced first through one void and then the other to both hold the folding frame into the U-shape shown in  FIG. 1 . and provide a suitable variable resistance medium with which to exercise. 
         [0020]      FIG. 2 . shows the side member (A) of the base with ends folded to form short curved legs (B) on which the frame will sit firmly on both hard and soft horizontal surfaces, such as floors and beds, and vertical surfaces, such as walls and doors. The short legs (B) allow the side arms to fold under the base for compact storage and portability. Four substantially identical cross members are welded between the two substantially identical side members to form a substantially square base. Cross members (C) are welded to the superior surface of the side members (A) and provide a rigid or semi-rigid limiting stop to the pivoting action of the side arms (K) when unfolded from the base. Cross members (D) are welded to the inferior surface of side members (A) and provide a rigid or semi-rigid anchor to the pivoting action of the side arms (K) by a bent hook configuration (E). An absence of material in the centre of the base (M) creates a large void to allow the user increased freedom of movement and greater range of movement within which to exercise the head and neck. 
         [0021]    Two substantially identical side arms (K) are shown in a substantially inverted U-shape in  FIG. 3 . of an exemplary neck exercise device. Thick wire is bent to shape with bent hook configuration ends (E) pivotally attached to cross member (D) in  FIG. 4 . This rudimentary hinge mechanism provides a strong, but lightweight and inexpensive folding method integral to the compact design of the present invention. The side arms (K) are of a length shorter than the side members (A) to allow them to fold neatly into the base as in  FIG. 6 . The top (F) of the side arms (K) are bent to an angle substantially parallel to the side members (A) and cross members (C and D), when in the fully unfolded position for the frame as in  FIG. 8 . and  FIG. 5 . of the present invention. A cross member (H) has been welded level with side arm (K) and adjacent to cross member (G) which is a continuation of the wire bent to form the side arm (K). The welding of cross member (H) to each side of side arm (K), provides further strength and rigidity to the exemplary neck exercise device. The narrow void (I) between cross members (H and G) can be seen clearly in  FIG. 8 . 
         [0022]    The narrow void (I) provides a suitable aperture through which to interlace the wide elastomer band integral to the present invention. The width of the band reciprocates the length of the void (I) to provide a stable surface on which to exercise. To complete the exemplary neck exercise device, the elastomer band is threaded through the void (I) of one side arm (K), typically around cross member (G), before spanning the frame and being interlaced around the opposing cross member (G) and over the opposing cross member (H) as indicated by arrows in  FIG. 5 . By angling the top (F) of side arm (K) substantially parallel to the base of the frame, the interlacing of the elastomer allows enough friction on itself to hold the elastomer firmly in place to exercise, but easily tensioned to increase resistance during exercise. This completes the assembly of the exemplary neck exercise device into the upstanding supporting position shown in  FIGS. 1-3 . Loosening of the interlacing to decrease resistance is similarly easy as is removal of the elastomer for folding side arms (K) into the base for transport in the collapsed storage position in  FIG. 6 . 
         [0023]    A method of use of the exemplary neck exercise device is illustrated in  FIG. 9 . The user places the device on the floor and lies with occipit centred in the elastomer band of the present invention. By drawing the body longitudinally away from the device, friction between the elastomer and the occipit provides gentle traction to the cervical spine for therapeutic effect. A further method of use of the device in this position is to draw the occipit vertically towards the floor against the resistance of the elastomer in a movement commonly called cervical retraction. A user can thus strengthen the cervical musculature that resists the aforementioned problem of forward head posture. In another method, a user can hold the head in the retracted position and further turn the head or tilt the head from side to side against the resistance of the elastomer. The user may perform the same exercises using increasing number, resistance and sustained holds to improve cervical strength further, and perform these exercise in standing and sitting positions with the device against wall or door to improve functionality of the exercise. 
         [0024]    Numerous other materials could equally be found suitable for production of the frame including, but not limited to metal, plastic, timber or a composite material, either moulded, folded or cut from a sheet of material. Various materials imbue the frame with either rigid or semi-rigid qualities. The size of the frame and angle of the arms can be varied to allow for 
         [0000]    different sized occipits and body parts. A bent hook configuration has been used for the hinge-type pivot in afore described embodiment of the present invention, but other embodiments may use hinging mechanisms of different types to allow the frame to fold either in the same or opposite directions. A hinge mechanism may be foregone completely in an embodiment of the device that does not require folding for portability or otherwise. To those skilled in the art, a non-folding embodiment of the frame of the device may take myriad forms. 
         [0025]    The elastomer band is made of latex, but could also be made of other non-latex elastomer materials or composites thereof. Non-latex elastomer materials are particularly suitable for users with latex allergies. The thickness of the elastomer and width of the elastomer can be varied. This allows the user to increase or decrease the resistance of the neck exercise independently of tension, and to allow for different sized heads and other body parts. The device has been designed to exercise the head and neck, but may be used to exercise body parts other than the head and neck. 
         [0026]    The description of the preferred embodiment of the present invention is presented for the purposes of illustration and it is to be understood that many other possible modifications and variations can be made without departing from the spirit or scope of the present invention. Presented uses of the present invention are not intended to be exhaustive or to limit the use of the present invention to the perceived forms disclosed. Further applications of the principles of the invention as illustrated therein, various embodiments and various modifications as are suited to the particular use contemplated, would normally occur to those skilled in the art. Descriptions of well-known components may have been omitted so as to not necessarily obscure the preferred embodiment of the present invention.