Patent Publication Number: US-5833590-A

Title: Backbone stretching exerciser

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention to provide an exercising machines, and more specifically to a backbone stretching exerciser designed for stretching the backbone and exercising the muscles of the back. 
     When sitting on a chair for a certain length of time, one may feel uncomfortable and have to leave from the seat, permitting the backbone to be relaxed or gently exercised. Further, a variety of exercising machines are well known for exercising different parts of the body. However, there is no any exercising machine particularly designed for stretching the backbone. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     It is one object of the present invention to provide a backbone stretching exerciser which is particularly designed for stretching the backbone. It is another object of the present invention to provide a backbone stretching exerciser which simultaneously massages the user&#39;s back when it is operated. It is still another object of the present invention to provide a backbone stretching exerciser which is equipped with chest developer for exercising the muscles of the chest and the hands. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     FIG. 1 is an elevational view of a backbone stretching exerciser according to one embodiment of the present invention; 
     FIG. 2 is a side view of the backbone stretching exerciser shown in FIG. 1; 
     FIG. 3 is a schematic drawing of the present invention, showing the backbone stretching exerciser operated; 
     FIG. 4 is similar to FIG. 3 but showing the guide rollers respectively supported on an upright support, the back frame unit directly supported on the guide rollers; 
     FIG. 5 is an applied view of the present invention, showing the user&#39;s backbone stretched and released; 
     FIG. 6 is a side view of another alternate form of the present invention, showing the swinging bars oscillated; 
     FIG. 7 is an elevational view of a part of the embodiment shown in FIG. 6, showing the swinging bars pivoted to the horizontal extension bar; 
     FIG. 8 is a side view of still another alternate form of the present invention, showing the elastic bands mounted on the front pulleys and the rear pulleys; 
     FIG. 9 is an applied view of the embodiment shown in FIG. 8; and 
     FIG. 10 is an applied view of still another alternate form of the present invention, showing the leg harnesses fastened to the user&#39;s legs. 
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
     Referring to FIGS. from 1 to 3, a backbone stretching exerciser in accordance with the present invention is generally comprised of a base frame unit 1, a seat frame unit 2, a back frame unit 3, and a hydraulic cylinder 4. 
     The base frame unit 1 comprises a front stand 11, a rear stand 12, a horizontal top frame 13 supported on the front stand 11 and the rear stand 12, a pair of guide rollers 14 bilaterally mounted on the horizontal top frame 13 at the top adjacent the rear stand 12, a pair of lugs 15 bilaterally raised from the horizontal top frame 13 at the top adjacent the front stand 11, a substantially T-shaped leg extension bar 16 connected to the front stand 11, and a cushion 17 mounted on the horizontal top frame 13. The seat frame unit 2 holds a flexible seat 22, having its front end namely the fixed end A pivoted to the lugs 15 by pivot pins 21. The back frame unit 3 has a bottom end pivoted to two opposite sides of a rear end namely the free end B of the seat frame unit 2 by pivot pins 23, two substantially arched guide tubes 31 bilaterally disposed at its back side and respectively supported on the guide rollers 14 of the base frame unit 1, a plurality of cylindrical massaging wheels 32 transversely disposed in parallel and adapted for massaging the user&#39;s back, and two handles 33 bilaterally fastened to its top end remote from the seat frame unit 2. The connecting area between the arched guide tubes 31 and the guide rollers 14 form a slip joint C. The hydraulic cylinder 4 has a fixed end fixedly connected to the front stand 11 of the base frame unit 1, and a movable end (the piston) connected to the seat frame unit 2. 
     Referring to FIGS. from 2 and 3 again, when the backbone stretching exerciser is operated, the back frame unit 3 is alternatively turned up and down. When the back frame unit 3 is turned backwardly downwards, the free end B of the seat frame unit 2 is lifted to a higher place above the elevation of the guide rollers 14, therefore the user&#39;s backbone is bent backwards and stretched. On the contrary, when the back frame unit 3 is turned upwardly forwards, the free end B of the seat frame unit 2 is lowered to a lower plate below the elevation of the guide rollers 14 and supported on the cushion 17, and the user&#39;s back is supported on the supporting area W within the back frame unit 3 and massaged by the massaging wheels 32. 
     FIG. 4 shows an alternate form of the present invention, in which the guide rollers 14 are supported on an upright support 141 at the top side of the base frame unit 1, and the back frame unit 3 is directly supported on the guide rollers 14. This alternate form eliminates the arched guide tubes 31 from the back frame unit 3. 
     Referring to FIG. 5 and FIG. 1 again, when the user sits on the flexible seat 22 with the legs hung on the leg extension bar 16 and the hands secured to the handles 33, the hands are moved downwardly forwards to turn the back frame unit 3 forwards and the body is bent forwards, then the body is relaxed, permitting the upper body to be bent backwards to stretch the backbone. When the back frame unit 3 is alternatively turned up and down, the back bone of the user is alternatively stretched and released, and at the same time the massaging wheels 32 massage the back of the user to stimulate the circulation of the blood. 
     FIGS. 6 and 7 show another alternate form of the present invention, in which a horizontal extension bar 18 is connected to the front side of the horizontal top frame 13 to hold two swinging bars 19, each swinging bar 19 having a top end pivoted to the horizontal extension bar 18 and a bottom end mounted with a foot plate 191. 
     FIGS. 8 and 9 shows still another alternate form of the present invention, in which the two elastic bands 5 are provided having a respective fixed end fixedly connected to a transverse bar 111 of the front stand 11 of the base frame unit 1, and a respective free end moved over a respective rear pulley 51 at the rear stand 12 and then turned forwards and moved over a respective front pulley 52 at the front stand 11 and then fixedly mounted with a swivel hook 53; two pull handles 54 are respectively coupled to the swivel hooks 53 of the elastic bands 5 for pulling with the hands. Alternatively, two leg harnesses 55 may be fastened to the swivel hooks 53 of the elastic bands 5 instead of the pull handles 54, so that the elastic bands 5 can be pulled with the legs (see FIG. 10). 
     It is to be understood that the drawings are designed for purposes of illustration only, and are not intended as a definition of the limits and scope of the invention disclosed.