Abstract:
A device to facilitate stretching before engaging in athletic activities, particularly golf, is disclosed. Two inverted U-shaped members are permanently affixed to the ground using mounting plates or any other potential means. One of the U-shaped members runs underneath the other in a transverse direction generally along the center of each member. The top surfaces of the U-shaped members are designed to provide three differing levels of height thereby allowing a variety of stretches to be performed by the user. An informational sign depicting a variety of stretches may be included. One or multiple users may use this device to help facilitate a variety of stretches to improve flexibility.

Description:
TECHNICAL FIELD 
   The invention relates to stretching, and more particularly to a device and method to facilitate stretching before engaging in athletic activities such as, for example, golf 
   BACKGROUND OF INVENTION 
   Sports are enjoyed by millions of people worldwide. Failure to stretch the leg, hip, and lower back muscles before playing sports, such as playing a round of golf, can lead to decrease in performance while playing a round. Muscle strain and injury may be an even greater danger caused by failing to stretch the muscles before playing. 
   Stretching devices have been well known in the art for many years. Many devices are intended to be taken and used at home or to be portable. In addition, many devices are intended to facilitate only one type of stretch instead of a number of different stretches. Most existing stretching devices are more suited for a younger athletic user, whereas many golfers may be elderly, or unfit or even handicapped. The stretching devices are usually intended to only be used by one user at a time. Moreover, even if a golfer remembers to stretch, few understand the proper stretching exercises to be performed before a round a golf. Therefore, a need exists for a stretching device that is easily accessible at a golf course, allowing one or more users with varying levels of athletic skill to understand the types of stretches necessary before playing a round of golf, and facilitating easy performance of those stretches. 
   The present invention fulfills this need. The invention may allow more than one user to use the device at the same time. The invention also may allow persons of varying athletic skill to use the device because a handrail is provided to assist the user in a proper stretch. An informational sign may also be included describing the proper stretches to be performed. The invention may be permanently installed at the golf course thereby providing easy access for all golfers. 
   SUMMARY OF INVENTION 
   The invention is set forth in the claims and only the claims. The following summary does not limit or define or add limitations to the claims. 
   A device may be used to facilitate stretching before engaging in athletic activities. The device may have two inverted U-shaped members affixed to the ground at the ends of each member. One U-shaped member may be affixed to the ground at its ends in a generally transverse orientation to the other U-shaped member. One U-shaped member may be between about 44 to 30 inches in height from the ground and between about 1 to 6 inches in width. An instructional sign may also be included with stretching instructions thereon. The device facilitates stretching. 

   
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       FIG. 1  is perspective view of merely one embodiment of the stretch device according to the present invention. 
       FIG. 2  is a top plan view of the embodiment of  FIG. 1  showing the orientation between the U-shaped members and the instructional sign. 
       FIG. 3  is an exploded view of the mounting plates used to affix the first U-shaped member to the ground, according to one embodiment of the present invention. 
       FIG. 4  is an exploded view of the mounting plate used to affix the pole and the informational sign to the ground, according to one embodiment of the present invention. 
       FIG. 5  is an exploded view of the mounting plates used to affix the second U-shaped member to the ground, according to one embodiment of the present invention. 
       FIG. 6  is a perspective view of a second embodiment of the stretch device according to the present invention. 
       FIG. 7  is a perspective view of a third embodiment of the stretch device according to the present invention. 
   

   DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
   For the purposes of promoting an understanding of the principles of the invention, reference will now be made to the embodiments illustrated and specific language will be used to describe the same. It will nevertheless be understood that no limitation of the scope of the invention is thereby intended, such alterations, modifications, and further applications of the principles of the invention being contemplated as would normally occur to one skilled in the art to which the invention relates. 
   In  FIG. 1 , the present invention is shown in one embodiment as a stretching device  10  with a first U-shaped member  11  and a second U-shaped member  24 . First U-shaped member  11  has a first end  12  and a second end  13  and a first mounting plate  14  and a second mounting plate  15 . Mounting plates  14  and  15  are designed to affix the first end  12  and second end  13  to the ground by the use of any appropriate fastener through clearance holes  16 . It is also envisioned that the first end  12  and the second end  13  can be affixed to the ground in any other manageable way to provide sturdy and solid affixation. The first U-shaped member is further made of a first horizontal section  18  and a second horizontal section  19  and a top surface  20 . First U-shaped member has a sloped section  17  sloping downwardly between first horizontal section  18  and second horizontal section  19 . 
   This arrangement places first horizontal section  18  at a greater height than the second horizontal section  19 . This is illustrated in  FIG. 1  as H 1  and H 2 . Second U-shaped member  24  is placed under the first U-shaped member  11  along the center of both U-shaped members  11  and  24  and positioned generally perpendicular to each other. Any transverse orientation, however, is envisioned at any angle (45°, 90° or otherwise). Second U-shaped member  24  has a first end  25  and a second end  26 . It also has a first mounting plate  27  and a second mounting plate  28 . Clearance holes  29  are used with any appropriate fastener to firmly affix second U-shaped member  24  to the ground. It is envisioned, however, that any other suitable means of affixation for second U-shaped member can be provided to permanently affix second U-shaped member to the ground. Second U-shaped member  24  also includes a first elongated member  30  and second elongated member  31 . First elongated member  30  and second elongated member  31  are integrated into second U-shaped member  24  via connection poles  34 . Elongated members  30  and  31  may be affixed to the connection poles  34  through any reasonable means such as welding, brazing, using fasteners, or any other means known to one skilled in the art that would provide permanent and affixed attachment. 
   Second U-shaped member  24  has a top surface  32  and first elongated member  30  and second elongated member  31  have top surfaces  33 . The cross sections of first U-shaped member  11 , second U-shaped member  24 , and elongated members  30  and  31  may be, but are not limited to, rounded, rectangular, hexagonal, irregular or any combination thereof. In addition, the members may have non-slip surfaces on the top of each member, completely around each member, or any mixture or combination thereof. 
   As depicted in  FIG. 1 , top surface  32  is usually of a height that allows it to fit underneath first U-shaped member  11 , although they may intersect. Height of top surface  32  is shown in  FIG. 1  to be designated as H 3 . H 3  must be less than H 2  in order to properly fit underneath first U-shaped member  11 . Moreover, first end  12  and second end  13  and first end  25  and second end  26  may be affixed to mounting plates through using welding, brazing or any other means of attachment providing permanent attachment. This configuration allows top surface  20 , top surface  32 , and top surface  33  to be positioned at three differing levels of height from the ground. Top surface  20  may be between about 44 to 30 inches in height from the ground, preferably between about 42 to 34 inches from the ground, and most preferably between 41 to 35.75 inches from the ground. However, other greater or lesser heights are possible. Top surface  32  may be between about 26 to 16 inches from the ground, preferably between about 18 to 24 inches from the ground, and most preferably between about 19 to 23 inches from the ground. Finally, top surface  33  may be between about 2 to 8 inches from the ground, preferably between about 2 to 6 inches from the ground, and most preferably between about 2 to 3½ inches from the ground. 
   In addition, stretching apparatus  10  may include an informational sign  35 . Informational sign has a mounting plate  36 , a pole  37  and a sign plate  38  affixed to pole  37 . Pole  37  may be affixed to mounting plate  36  by any reasonable means such as welding, brazing or any other method providing permanent affixation. Sign  35  is affixed to the ground by passing any type of fastener through clearance holes  39  to permanently affix sign  35  to the ground. Instructions on the types of stretches to be performed using stretching apparatus  10 , may be inscribed upon sign plate  38  in any fashion. The sign may include the logo or trademark of a sponsor or organization. Informational sign  35  is depicted in  FIG. 1  as positioned to the right of first U-shaped member  11 . Any reasonable location providing easy viewing by the user is envisioned. 
   Referring now to  FIG. 2 , the device as depicted in  FIG. 1  is shown from a top plan view. As  FIG. 2  clearly describes, the orientation between first U-shaped member  11  and second U-shaped member  24  is transverse. This positioning allows one U-shaped member to be used as handrail while performing stretches on the second U-shaped member. 
   Referring now to  FIG. 3 , an exploded view of the mounting plates used to affix the first U-shaped member  11  to the ground are shown. First mounting plate  14  has a length described as L 1  and a width as W 1 . In addition, first mounting plate  14  has a clearance hole  41  for U-shaped member  11 . The diameter of the clearance hole is depicted as D 1  in  FIG. 3 . 
   Referring now to  FIG. 4 , the mounting plate  36  for the pole member  37  to hold the instructional sign  35  is shown. The length of mounting plate  36  is shown as L 2  and the width is shown as W 2 . In addition, a clearance hole  42  for pole  37  is shown. The diameter of clearance hole  42  is depicted as D 2 . 
   Referring now to  FIG. 5 , an exploded view of an alternative mounting plate  45  to be used to affix the second U-shaped member  24  to the ground is disclosed. As seen from  FIG. 5 , the length of the alternative mounting plate  45  is depicted as L 3  and the width of the alternative mounting plate  45  is depicted as W 3 . Alternative mounting plate  45  includes a clearance hole  43  with a diameter depicted as D 3 . Alternative mounting plate  45  also includes a fixation area  44  providing space to affix an elongated member  30  or  31 . This alternate embodiment is depicted in  FIG. 7 . As shown in  FIG. 5 , the respective lengths of the alternative mounting plates  45  are longer than mounting plates  27  or  28 . Generally, L 3  is greater than L 1  is greater than L 2 . However, all of the mounting plates may have approximately the same width, although this is not critical. Thus, W 3  is ordinarily approximately equal to W 1  is approximately equally to W 2 . Moreover, the diameters of all of the clearance holes  41 ,  42 , and  43  are preferably sized to correspondingly hold U-shaped members  11  and  24  and pole  37  and are all approximately equal. Thus, D 1  may be approximately equal to D 2 , which may be approximately equal to D 3 . It is envisioned, however, that any combination of sizes for the mounting plates and clearance holes may be used. 
   Referring now to  FIG. 6 , a second embodiment of the invention is shown. First U-shaped member  46  has a first end  47  and a second end  48 . It also has a first mounting plate  49  and a second mounting plate  50 . Both mounting plates include clearance holes  51 . First U-shaped member has a horizontal section  52  having a top surface  53 . As is readily apparent from  FIG. 6 , the length of the horizontal section of U-shaped member  46  may be substantially shorter than the length of the corresponding horizontal section depicted in  FIG. 1 . In addition, the first U-shaped member  46  may differ from the U-shaped member  11  depicted in  FIG. 1  in the fact that there is ordinarily no downwardly sloping section along the middle. The second U-shaped member  55  runs transverse to first U-shaped member  46  generally along the middle of both first U-shaped member  46  and second U-shaped member  55 , although it could also run at any non-perpendicular angle, if so desired. The height of second U-shaped member  55  may be less than the height of first U-shaped member  46  to allow clearance between the respective members. 
   Second U-shaped member  55  has a first end  56  and a second end  57 . These ends are affixed to first mounting plate  58  and second mounting plate  59 . The affixation may be made of any reasonable means such as welding, brazing or any other method of permanent affixation. While mounting plates are disclosed in order to allow the affixation of U-shaped members  46  and  55  to the ground, it is envisioned that any reasonable means to affix the members permanently to ground can be utilized. Also affixed to first mounting plate  58  and second mounting plate  59 , is an elongated member  60 . Mounting plates  58  and  59  may be permanently affixed to the ground by the use of a fastening means through clearance holes  61 . Second U-shaped member  55  has a top surface  62 . Elongated member  60  also has a top surface  63 . Again, the positioning of top surface  53 , top surface  62 , and top surface  63  ordinarily provide at least three differing levels of height from the ground. The embodiment depicted in  FIG. 6  allows a smaller more compact stretching system to be easily located in a small area on a golf course. 
   Referring now to  FIG. 7 , a third embodiment of the invention is shown. This embodiment is identical to the embodiment disclosed in  FIG. 1  except for the method of attaching first elongated member  30  and second elongated member  31 . The alternative mounting plates  45  disclosed in  FIG. 5  provide a surface to integrate elongated member  30  and  31  into second U-shaped member  24 . Elongated members  30  and  31  may be affixed to the alternative mounting plates  45  through any reasonable means such as welding, brazing, using fasteners, or any other means known to one skilled in the art that would provide permanent and affixed attachment. 
   While the invention has been illustrated and described in detail in the drawings and foregoing description, the same is to be considered as illustrative and not restrictive in character, it being understood that only the preferred embodiment have been shown and described and that all changes and modifications that come within the spirit of the invention are desired to be protected. The articles “a”, “an”, “said” and “the” are not limited to a singular element, and include one or more such element.