Abstract:
Disclosed is a device to aid in spreading a person&#39;s legs to increase the flexibility of the groin and thigh muscles. The device employs a bar having a central curved segment that engages the lower back region. Each end of the bar has a pulley through which a cord extends with a handgrip and a stirrup at opposite ends of the cord. The user sits on the floor and places their feet through the respective stirrups, and pulls on the handgrips which pull the feet to spread the legs.

Description:
PRIORITY INFORMATION 
   This application claims the priority benefit under 35 U.S.C. § 119(e) of Provisional Application No. 60/393,062 filed Jul. 1, 2002. 

   FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
   This invention relates generally to an exercise device as an aid in the stretching and strengthening of the groin and thigh muscles. While the device allows for everyday use, it is specifically targeted toward the development of an athlete&#39;s legs. 
   BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
   Stretching of the muscles has been found to be an important part of one&#39;s physical health. In particular, athletic performance is closely tied to one&#39;s flexibility. Flexibility of the muscles prevents injuries such as pulled and strained muscles. At the same time, increased flexibility allows for improved performance such as longer strides during running and increased height during kicking movements. Typically dancers, athletes and martial artists require the aid of partners to help stretch the leg muscles. These individuals and others that exert themselves physically rely on the stability of their muscles for improved performance. Increased flexibility aids in athletic performance and improves overall cardiovascular health. 
   There exists a need for a device to aid in the flexibility of the lower torso muscles, particularly the groin and thigh muscles. 
   SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
   Briefly stated the invention provides a device that allows a person to sit on the floor and stretch the leg muscles primarily through the pulling of handgrips connected by cords to ends of a bar. The bar has a center segment, preferably curved, that engages and supports the user&#39;s back. The user&#39;s feet are placed into a pair of footgrips or stirrups connected to the opposite ends of the cords. By pulling on the handgrips, the user produces a force that spreads the legs. Another embodiment provides pivots or pulleys with locks on the ends of the bar to allow the cords to be locked in a desired position. Such a locking mechanism allows the legs to remain in the stretched position without the user having to exert arm strength in holding the cords in the stretched position. The cords are unlocked by pushing the handgrips forward and away from the user&#39;s body. 

   
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       FIG. 1  depicts an overhead view of one embodiment of the invention in its operational state. 
       FIG. 2  depicts a plan view showing a preferred dimensional analysis of a curved bar shown in  FIG. 1 . 
       FIG. 3  is a schematic view of one end of the bar of  FIG. 1  showing a footgrip and ring arrangement as well as the cord in the unlocked position. 
       FIG. 4  shows a detailed view of one bar end of one embodiment. 
       FIG. 5  shows an embodiment of the curved bar with a hinged design. 
   

   DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
     FIG. 1  depicts an embodiment of a leg-stretching device in its operational state. A person desiring to increase the flexibility of their groin and lower leg muscles sits on a floor or other stable and preferably flat surface. In this embodiment the bar  1  is composed of three segments or curved portions, but any number of curved segments could be used, as well as straight or curved segments alone or in combination. As such, the bar includes two similarly curved end segments  3  and an oppositely curved center segment  2  aligned against the person&#39;s lower back. 
   The bar  1  is preferably composed of inflexible materials such as aluminum, steel, or various other materials capable of withstanding strong pressures exerted from the exercise. The bar  1  may be constructed by shaping a solid or hollow cylinder to a curved shape conforming to various dimensions. Preferably, the three curved segments have the same radius of curvature. 
   Another embodiment may be constructed using separate pieces for each segment of the bar  1  as opposed to one continuous piece. The segments of the bar  1  may be welded or otherwise fastened together to form one bar  1 . Alternatively the segments may be attached through hinge-like structures  51  as shown in  FIG. 5 . A preferred location for the hinges  51  is the tangential connection  6  between the curved segments. The tangential connection  6  is the location where the curvature of the curved segment  2  transitions to the oppositely curved end segments  3 . On  FIG. 1 , this location is exemplified approximately by the point where the support  4  terminates near the ends of the center segment. The hinges  51  allow the segments of the bar  1  to be folded in a compact structure to allow for ease of transport and storage. 
   Preferably a padded support  4  is located against the portion of the bar  1  that rests against the person&#39;s back. The support  4  can be composed of conventional foam materials. The support  4  may also extend to the end segments  3  of the bar  1 . Further, there may exist a plurality of supports  4  aligned over each other or separated from each other along the length of the bar  1 . Likewise, a combination of such configurations may exist. The bar  1  illustrated is hollow, and barcaps  5  cover the open ends of the bar. To create softer and safer edges, the barcaps  5  may be composed of plastic or other soft and durable materials. 
   Referring again to  FIG. 1 , a pair of pivots  7  is shown, one on each end of the bar. The pivot  7  is intended to cover a structure that captures a cord  9  while permitting the cord  9  to be moved endwise through the pivot  7 . The pivots  7  may be constructed within the bar  1  itself or preferably attached to the outside of the bar  1 . The pivots  7  may be attached through the use of suitable fasteners such as rivets, screws, bolts or other similar pieces. Similarly, the pivots  7  may be attached through the used of chemical fasteners such as glue, cement, putty and other such chemicals. Preferably the pivots  7  include rotatable mounted pulleys  8  that allow the cord  9  to be easily moved. While a pulley  8  is preferred, a stationary pivot  7  such as a ring or hook could also be employed. The pivot  7  could also be located within the bar  1 . For example, two holes in the bar  1  may be located adjacent each other with the holes serving as a stationary pivot  7 . Similarly, a pulley  8  may be located partially or entirely within the bar  1  rather than being mounted to a bracket  17  on the exterior of the bar  1  as shown. 
   Cords  9  may be composed of different materials or a combination of different materials, such as ropes, chains, thread, wire, and synthetic and natural materials. The cords  9  may be surrounded with a plastic covering to protect the cords  9  from wear and tear through prolonged use of the device. The cord  9  may be constructed of various lengths to adjust for taller and shorter users. In a preferred embodiment, the cord  9  measures thirty-four inches from the handlegrip  12  end to the stirrup  10  end. 
   Attached to one end of the cord  9  is a footgrip or stirrup  10 . As shown in  FIG. 3 , the cord  9  may be directly attached to the stirrup  10 , or, as shown in  FIG. 4 , to an intermediate connector  11  in the form of a swivel hook which connects the cord  9  to the stirrup  10 . Such a connector  11  allows for different rotational configurations for the stirrup  10 . In other embodiments, alternative stirrup  10  shapes may be used to provide specific forces to the foot to allow the legs to be spread in different directions. Such different shapes would allow the user to adjust the point of strain along the groin and leg muscles. 
   Attached to opposite ends of the cords are handgrips  12 . Generally the handgrips  12  are composed of cylindrical units that are easily held by a user&#39;s hands. The handgrips  12  may be composed of plastic, wood, foam, or other conventional materials. Similarly, the handgrips  12  may be covered with a padded material to protect the user&#39;s hands from irritation. As shown with the stirrups  10 , the handgrips  12  may also be attached to the cord  9  through an intermediate connector  11  such as a swivel hook. The handgrips  12  may be composed of hollow or solid materials. In one embodiment, as shown in  FIG. 4 , the ends of the handgrips  12  are covered with caps  13  having an aperture through which the cord  9  may extend.  FIG. 3  shows an embodiment lacking such caps  13 . 
   The pivots  7  may contain cord  9  locking mechanisms  14 . One embodiment of the locking mechanisms  14  is seen in a cutaway view in  FIG. 3 . The lock  14  serves to hold the cord  9  in a substantially fixed position. The locks  14  are particularly useful for holding the legs apart during operation in an extended position. Use of the locks  14  allows the user to stretch the legs while leaving the hands free from having to work to hold the handgrips  12  in an extended position. The locks  14  are preferably composed of grooves  15  located along the interior of the pivot  7 . As shown in  FIG. 4 , one embodiment shows the locks  14  in alignment with the pulley  8  such that the cord  9  is gripped by pulling of the cords  9  towards the bar  1 . The cords  9  may thereafter be unlocked by pushing the cords  9  away from the bar  1  as in  FIG. 3 . In one embodiment, the locks  14  may operate in a single direction. Such a configuration would allow the user to tighten the locks  14  without first having to unlock them. Such an embodiment would allow the user to pull further on the cords  9  and increasing the stretch without having to physically remove the cords  9  from the locks  14 . In such an embodiment, the locks  14  would keep the legs in a stretched position. In a preferred embodiment, the locks  14  are composed of narrowing channels that hold the cords  9  snug in between their ends. 
   In use of the device a user normally sits on a floor or other flat surface with the center segment adjacent the user&#39;s back, as shown. The user&#39;s feet are placed within the stirrups  10  and the user&#39;s hands grasp the handgrips  12 . The legs are spread by pulling the handgrips  12  towards each other. As shown in  FIG. 1 , pulling the handgrips  12  causes the user&#39;s legs to extend in an outward direction. The arrows  16  show the movement of the cord  9  when the handgrips  12  are pulled together to extend the legs. The cords  9  allow for varying extensions for beginning and more experienced users. In one embodiment the cords  9  may be pulled towards the body and placed in a locked position. The locks  14  keep the legs in an extended position while allowing the hands to relax and release the handgrips  12 . The cords  9  may thereafter be unlocked by pushing the handgrips  12  away from the pivots  7  and the user&#39;s body. The user may then relax the legs or thereafter reapply the tension to the cords  9  to repeat the exercise. 
     FIG. 2  represents a preferred dimensional analysis of one embodiment of the bar  1 . The height  21  of the bar  1  is defined as the approximate measurement from a reference line  28  tangential to the center segment  2  and parallel to a line  22  which is a tangent to the oppositely curved outer segments  3 . Preferably, the height  21  of the bar  1  is approximately five inches. The horizontal distance  23  is the measurement from one end of the bar  1  to the other end, and is preferably about 60 inches. The circumferential length  24  is defined as the distance measured along the curvature of a segment of the bar  1 . The segments of the bar  1  may be divided by their tangential connections  6  for purposes of measurement. The tangential connection  6  as shown in  FIGS. 1 and 2  is defined as the point where two oppositely curved segments meet and form a straight line. The preferred circumferential lengths  24  of the end segments  3  are approximately twenty-two and a half inches each. The preferred circumferential length  24  of the center segment  2  is approximately eighteen inches. 
   The curved bar segments preferably have a constant radius of curvature  25 . All or only some of the segments of the bar  1  may have the same radius of curvature  25 . The segments in  FIG. 2  all have the same radial curvature  25 , preferably approximately nineteen inches. 
   The above description is intended for purposes of illustration. Different embodiments of the invention may be carried out in other ways without departing from the spirit or scope of the invention. Modifications and variations falling within the spirit or scope of the invention will be apparent to those of skill in the art.