Abstract:
A stretching machine includes a bench having at least one base members. A cam is coupled to the base member or one of the base members, if there is more than one. A stretching arm is coupled to the cam at one end and has an extremity attachment device at its other end. An actuator is coupled to at least one of the base members and is coupled to the cam. The actuator enables movement of the cam and the movement of the cam enables movement of the stretching arm. There is a control mechanism for controlling the actuator.

Description:
RELATED APPLICATIONS 
   This application is a continuation-in-part of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 11/203,705, filed 15 Aug. 2005, now U.S. Pat. No. 7,476,182 entitled “Horizontal Hamstring Stretcher”, the entire disclosure of which is herein incorporated by reference. 

   TECHNICAL FIELD 
   This disclosure relates to stretching machines, and more particularly to an improved hamstring and shoulder stretcher. 
   BACKGROUND 
   Stretching one&#39;s muscles before and after physical activity has long been recommended by doctors and other health professionals as being important for preventing injury and improving flexibility. While many exercise and weight lifting machines exist on the market today, there are not many stretching machines available that can aid a user in safely stretching some of the harder to stretch muscle groups, such as hamstrings and shoulder muscles. There exists a need for a stretching machine that will aid a user in stretching with a low risk of injury. 
   SUMMARY 
   In a first embodiment, a stretching machine includes a bench having at least one base member. A cam is coupled to the base member or one of the base members, if there is more than one. A stretching arm has a first end that is coupled to the cam. The stretching arm has a second end, which has an extremity attachment device. An actuator is coupled to the base member and the cam, such that the actuator enables movement of the cam, which enables movement of the stretching arm. The functioning of the actuator is controlled by a control mechanism. 
   One or more of the following features may be included. In some embodiments, the stretching machine also includes a stretching arm support member. The stretching arm support member may be a piston in certain embodiments. In some embodiments, the stretching arm support member may be pivotally attached to the bench. 
   In certain embodiments, the extremity attachment device is adjustably coupled to the second end of the stretching arm. The extremity attachment device may be a u-shaped harness, a hook and loop fastener, a circular harness or a similar attachment device. 
   In some embodiments, the stretching arm is pivotally coupled to the cam. In some embodiments, the cam is pivotally coupled to the base member or one of the base members, if there is more than one. In certain embodiments, the actuator includes a motor. In some embodiments, the actuator is a pneumatic piston. 
   In certain embodiments, the control mechanism is electronically hard wired and controls the operation of the actuator. In some embodiments, the operation of the actuator is controlled by a wireless control device. 
   In some embodiments, the stretching machine includes a strap for securing a non-stretching leg or arm of a user to the bench. The strap may include a hook and loop-type fastener to tighten and hold the strap in place. 
   The details of one or more embodiments are set forth in the accompanying drawings and the description below. Other features and advantages will become apparent from the description, the drawings and the claims. 

   
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       FIG. 1  is a perspective view of an embodiment of the present stretching machine. 
       FIG. 2  is a perspective view of the stretching machine of  FIG. 1 , with the stretching arm in the extended position. 
   

   DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF EXEMPLARY EMBODIMENTS 
   Referring to  FIG. 1 , an embodiment of a stretching machine  10  is shown. The stretching machine  10  may include a bench  12  for a user to lie or sit on. The bench  12  may be supported by one or more supports or base members, such as the two depicted base members  14 ,  15 . The stretching machine  10  may also include a cam  16  that may be coupled to and supported by at least one base member  14 . The cam  16  may be coupled to a stretching arm  18  at a first end  20 . A second end  24  of the stretching arm  18  may include an extremity attachment device  22 , which may be configured to secure an extremity  23 , such as an arm, an elbow, a wrist, a foot, an ankle or a calf/lower leg, to the stretching arm  18 . The stretching machine  10  may further include an actuator  26  that may be disposed between, and may be coupled to, the at least one base member  14  and the cam  16 . Operation of the actuator  26  may control the movement of the cam  16 , which may in turn control the movement of the stretching arm  18 . A control mechanism  28  may control the operation of the actuator  26  so that a user  29  may control the movement of the stretching arm  18 . 
   The stretching machine  10  may also include a stretching arm support member  30 . The stretching arm support member  30  may provide support to the second end  24  of the stretching arm  18 . The stretching arm support member  30  may, at least in part, maintain the stretching arm  18  in an elevated position and may prevent the stretching arm from moving laterally. In this manner, the stretching arm support member  30  may allow the stretching arm  18  to move in response to the operation of the actuator  26 , and may allow the stretching arm  18  to move in an essentially horizontal plane when the stretching machine  10  is in the depicted orientation. In one embodiment the stretching arm support member  30  may be a piston. Furthermore, the stretching arm support member  30  may be pivotally coupled to the bench  12  such that it may move back and forth with the movement of the stretching arm  18 . 
   The extremity attachment device  22  may be adjustably coupled to the second end  24  of the stretching arm  18 . That is, the adjustable coupling of the extremity attachment device  22  relative to the second end  24  of the stretching arm  18  may enable positioning of the extremity attachment device  22  along the stretching arm to accommodate the height and orientation of a user&#39;s  29  leg. The extremity attachment device  22  may include a variety of different structures or configurations. For example, the extremity attachment device  22  may include a unshaped harness, a hook and loop fastener, a circular harness, a foot rest, a foot harness, an arm rest, a wrist harness, or similar structures, which may be configured to secure at least a portion of a user&#39;s  29  extremity  23  to the stretching arm  18 . 
   Referring also to  FIG. 2 , the first end  20  of the stretching arm  18  may be pivotally coupled to the cam  16 . The pivotal coupling may enable the stretching arm  18  to extend away from the cam  16  as the actuator  26  moves the cam  16  downward. Similarly, the cam  16  may be pivotally coupled to at least one base member  14  such that the cam  16  may have a generally semi-circular range of motion for moving the stretching arm  18  between an extended position and back to an at-rest position. 
   The actuator may include a driving device, such as an electric motor  32 . In other embodiments, the actuator  26  may include a pneumatic piston or a similar device suitable for moving the cam  16  and stretching arm  18 . The control mechanism  28  may electronically control the operation of the actuator  26 , e.g., by transmitting commands from a user  29  to the driving device  32 . The control mechanism  32  may be coupled to the actuator, e.g., via a hardwired connection, or may be a remote control  34 , e.g., utilizing an radio or infrared communication channel, for remotely or wirelessly controlling the operation of the actuator  26 . 
   The stretching machine  10  may also include a strap  36  that may aid in keeping the user&#39;s  29  body flat on the bench  12 , or otherwise held in position relative to the bench. For example, the strap  36  may allow the user&#39;s non-stretching leg, torso, or waist, to be secured to the bench  12 . Maintaining the user  29  in position relative to the bench  12  may allow better stretching, e.g., of the hamstring muscles in the stretching leg. The strap  36  may include securement features, e.g., hook and loop-type fastener or friction buckles, for ease of use. 
   A user  29  desiring to stretch his hamstring muscles using the stretching machine  10  may begin with the stretching arm  18  in the at-rest position, as shown in  FIG. 1 . After securing or resting his or her lower leg or ankle to the extremity attachment device  22 , the user  29  may lie flat and facing upward on the bench  12 . The user  29  may also secure his non-stretching leg to the bench  12  using the strap  36 . The control mechanism  28  or  34  may be used to operate the actuator  26 , which may in turn move the cam  16  downward, thereby moving the stretching arm  18  into an extended position, as shown in  FIG. 2 . The rate of operation of the actuator  26 , and thereby the cam  16  and stretching arm  18 , may be controlled to provide safe operation, e.g., by relatively slowly moving the stretching arm  18  from the at-rest position toward the extended position. As the cam  16  moves the stretching arm  18  into the extended position, the user  29  may feel tension in his hamstring muscle. The user  29  may then decide when to stop the extending of the stretching arm  18  depending on his level of comfort. The stretching arm  18  may be held in the extended position or returned to the at rest position according to the user&#39;s  29  control through the control mechanism  28 ,  34 . 
   In a related manner, a user  29  desiring to stretch his shoulder muscles with the stretching machine  10  may begin with the stretching arm in the at rest position, as shown in  FIG. 1 . After securing or resting his or her arm or elbow to the extremity attachment device  22 , the user  29  may sit on the bench  12  at an angle to the stretching arm  18 . The control mechanism  28  or  34  may be used to operate the actuator  26 , moving the cam  16  downward, thereby moving the stretching arm  18  slowly into an extended position, as shown in  FIG. 2 . As the cam  16  moves the stretching arm  18  into the extended position, the user  29  may feel tension in his upper arm and shoulder. The user  29  may decide when to stop the movement of the stretching arm  18  depending on his level of comfort. The user  29  may hold the stretching arm  18  in the extended position or return the stretching arm  18  to the at rest position using the control mechanism  28 , or  34 . 
   A number of implementations have been described. Never the less, it will be understood that various modifications may be made. Accordingly, other implementations are within the scope of the following claims.