Patent Publication Number: US-6699163-B2

Title: Stretching center

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     1. Field of the Invention 
     The present invention relates to a bench to facilitate stretching exercises for golfers. More particularly, the present invention relates to a bench available to golfers on a golf course for stretching muscles in the legs and lower torso. 
     2. Background 
     Golf is a sport that can be played by persons of various ages and levels of physical fitness. In golf, the upper body and torso muscles are engaged less extensively than in other sports. Between intervals wherein a golfer may swing a club with which to strike a golf ball on its intended path, exertion may tighten muscles in the lower back, hamstrings, quadriceps, calves and gluteus. Such exercise may derive from walking distances, ascending and descending hills, negotiating hazards, and bending over a golf-tee. Muscle tightening may even occur from mounting, riding and dismounting a golf-cart. 
     Stiffness from lower body muscle tightening may lead to discomfort, fatigue, reduced flexibility for swinging the club, and possibly lead to injury. In order to prevent such consequences, the muscles of the lower body should be stretched throughout the entire round of golf. While devices for strengthening the upper torso and arms have been marketed for a considerable period of time, these devices may lack the means for proper stretching of lower body muscles and further be inaccessible during a game of golf. 
     Accordingly, there exists a need for an efficient, simple and inexpensive method for providing lower body muscle stretching on a golf course. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     A stretching center for use on the golf course provides a wall with a ledge at its top end, a reclined plane at its front side, and a curb platform, each capable of supporting a human body. The wall has an obverse side against which the reclined plane, in the form of a bench, for example, is disposed for use by the golfer for stretching in a reclined position. The curb platform is provided, for example, against the reverse side of the wall, for use in stretching the calf muscles. The wall also has a top ridge having one or more levels for use in stretching the quadriceps and hamstrings. The stretcher may include a handle at the rear of the wall to aid the golfer in maintaining balance during the calf, quadriceps and hamstring stretches. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     The accompanying drawings, which are incorporated into and constitute a part of the specification, illustrate one or more embodiments of the present invention and, together with the detailed description, serve to explain the principles and implementations of the invention. 
     In the drawings: 
     FIG. 1 is an isometric front-view illustration of a golf stretching center in accordance with a presently preferred embodiment of the invention. 
     FIG. 2 is an isometric side-view illustration of a stretching center in accordance with the preferred embodiment. 
     FIG. 3 is an isometric rear-view illustration of the stretching center. 
     FIG. 4 is an isometric front-view illustration of the stretching center while used for stretching gluteus in accordance with the invention. 
     FIG. 5 is an isometric front-view illustration of a stretching center while used for stretching the lower back in accordance with the invention. 
     FIG. 6 is an isometric side-view illustration of the stretcher bench in use for stretching the calves in accordance the invention. 
     FIG. 7 is an isometric side-view illustration of a stretching center in use for stretching quadriceps in accordance with the invention. 
     FIG. 8 is an isometric side-view illustration of a stretching center in use for stretching hamstrings in accordance with the invention. 
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
     Embodiments of the present invention are described herein in the context of a stretching center particularly adapted for golfers while on a golf course. Those of ordinary skill in the art will realize that the following description of the invention is illustrative only and not in any way limiting. Other embodiments of the invention will readily suggest themselves to such skilled persons having the benefit of this disclosure. Reference will now be made in detail to implementations of the present invention as illustrated in the accompanying drawings. The same reference indicators will be used throughout the drawings and the following detailed description to refer to the same or like parts. 
     In the interest of clarity, not all of the routine figures of the implementations described herein are shown and described. It will, of course, be appreciated that in the development of any such actual implementation, numerous implementation-specific decisions must be made in order to achieve the developer&#39;s specific goals, such as compliance with application- and business-related constraints, and that these specific goals will vary from one implementation to another and from one developer to another. Moreover, it will be appreciated that such a development effort might be complex and time-consuming, but would nevertheless be a routine undertaking of engineering for those of ordinary skill in the art having the benefit of this disclosure. 
     A stretching center in accordance with a presently preferred embodiment of the present invention includes a wall having top ridge, particularly in a form having one or more, preferably six, horizontally extending levels, most preferably two identical sets of three differing height levels on opposite sides of a centrally located top-most horizontally-extending ridge. A bench-like member with a reclined plane abutting an obverse (front) surface of the wall, is supported so that the reclined plane is set at a suitable height, as by a pair of stilts supporting the front edge of the bench. A curb platform is provided on a reverse (rear) surface of the wall. A handle is provided centrally on the back of the wall below the uppermost ridge, to aid a user to balance himself or herself when stretching at the rear of the wall. Optionally, also for balance, posts or rails may extend vertically from opposite ends of the wall, and the one centrally located handle may be replaced by handles on the posts extending for example, four inches, towards the rear. The posts or rails or handles may be provided in addition to or in place of the centrally located handle of the preferred embodiment. Another option is to replace the top-most horizontal ridge by an arc-shaped ridge to provide a balancing means for users of different height. 
     The stretching center may be weighted to inhibit unauthorized relocation or composed from a heavy but inexpensive and durable metal (e.g., steel). Alternatively, the stretcher bench may be constructed of corrosion-resistant low-density high-strength-to-weight materials (e.g., aluminum, graphite) to facilitate authorized relocation to facilitate scheduled lawn maintenance. Yet alternatively, the stretcher bench may be constructed from inexpensive commercially available construction materials (e.g., wood, plastic) that can be used for fabrication by carpentry. 
     An illustration in FIG. 1 shows a front-view of the stretcher bench. A reclined plane  100  may be disposed forward of a wall  110 . The reclined plane  100  may preferably be cushioned with a hydrophobic (i.e., water-resistant) elastomeric cover. The wall  110  may include a top ridge  120  with multiple levels, preferably three levels  130   a ,  130   b ,  130   c  having differing heights on opposites sides of a central uppermost ridge  130   d . The different levels preferably differ in elevation above the ground, for example by 5 inches, to accommodate golfers of varying heights wherein each level is used for both stretching quadriceps and stretching hamstrings. Alternatively, for some users, lower level  130   a  or intermediate level  130   b  may be used for stretching quadriceps, while intermediate level  130   b  or upper level  130   c  may be used for stretching hamstrings. Referring also to FIG. 3, the handle  135 , preferably formed of brass, is provided centered on the rear surface  210  of the wall  110 , below upper level  130   d , as a balancing handhold. In alternative embodiments, as noted above, the posts, or rails, with or without handles, would preferably be provided at opposite ends of the wall  110  in place of or in addition to the handle  135 , or the uppermost level  130   d  may be arch-shaped to provide the same handhold function. Tastefully arranged sign  140 A, whether textual, graphical or both, may be displayed on the obverse surface  150  of the wall  110  for instructing passing golfers on the proper use of the golf stretching center. This or a similar sign  140 B on the rear surface  210  may serve as a reminder to golfers to respite for a moment of stretching, or for public service announcements and/or commercial advertising. 
     An illustration in FIG. 2 shows a side-view of the stretching center. A curb platform  160  having a ledge  170  may be disposed along the bottom of the rear surface  210  of the wall  110 . The reclined plane  100  may be raised from the ground at its front corners by a pair of stilts  180 . 
     In the preferred embodiment, the dimensions may be as follows: the stilts  180  from ground to bottom of reclined plane  100  are about 18 inches tall; the length and width of reclined plane  100  are about 60 inches and 32 inches, respectively. The length of the wall  110  corresponding to the length of the reclined plane  100 ; the heights on ridge  120  of the levels  130   a ,  130   b  and  130   c  are respectively about at 20 inches, 25 inches and 30 inches above the ground, the lengths of levels  130   a ,  130   b  and  130   c  are each about 5 inches; the thickness of the wall along the ridge  120  is about 6 inches; the height of uppermost level  130   d  is about 45 inches and the height of the curb platform  160  is about 4 inches. 
     Proper techniques for performing stretching exercises with the aid of the stretching center are now described with reference to FIGS. 4-8. The reclined plane  100  is shown in FIGS. 4 and 5 being used for stretching the gluteus and the lower back. FIG. 4 illustrates a man in supine position with his back on the reclined plane  100 , his right side against the obverse surface  150  of wall  110 , and his left ankle positioned forward of and against the right knee. The left glutens stretch as the right leg pulls towards the chest. The leg positions may then be switched. FIG. 5 illustrates a man in supine position on the reclined plane  100  with his left side against the obverse surface  150 , but with both knees pulled towards the chest, thereby stretching the lower back muscles. 
     The curb platform  160  is shown in FIG. 6 being used for stretching the calves. A person stands facing the reverse surface  210  of the wall  110 , with the balls of the feet supporting the body&#39;s cantilevered weight on the curb platform  160  and the heels suspended beyond the ledge  170 . The resulting deflection of the heels downward as the person maintains balance while supporting his or her weight on the balls produces tension in the calves, enabling a stretch of these muscles. 
     The wall  110  is shown in FIG. 7 being used for stretching the quadriceps. A person stands on his or her left leg facing away from the reverse surface  210  of the wall  110  and the right foot arch supported by the upper level  130   c  of top ridge  120 . The right quadricep muscles stretch as the left knee bends forward. Following a stretch in this position, the legs may be switched. 
     The wall  110  is shown in FIG. 8 being used for stretching the hamstrings. A person stands on his or her right foot on the ground behind the person&#39;s center of gravity, while facing towards the reverse surface  210  of the wall  110 . Supporting the left ankle on an upper level  130   c  of top ridge  120 , the person may alternately stand erect or arch the back to bend forward, grabbing the left ankle. These postures impose tension in the left hamstrings, thereby causing them to stretch. Following this position, the legs may be switched. 
     While the structure and proper use of preferred embodiment has been shown and described, and further embodiments have also been described, applications of this invention, it would be apparent to those skilled in the art having the benefit of this disclosure that many more modifications not described or illustrated herein, are possible without departing from the inventive concepts disclosed herein. The invention, therefore, is not to be restricted except in the spirit of the appended claims.