Patent Publication Number: US-6210348-B1

Title: Power operated stretching apparatus

Description:
This is a division of application Ser. No. 09/044,362, filed Mar. 19, 1998, now abandoned. 
    
    
     BACKGROUND 
     Exercise equipment has been designed for developing and maintaining physical fitness through a variety of exercises. Such equipment includes weight lifting machines, rowing machines, stair climbing machines, treadmills and the like. Such machines, and most exercise regimens are designed to improve the cardiovascular condition of the persons undertaking such exercise and to provide muscle building and muscle toning. Fitness centers and home exercise equipment for accomplishing these purposes are in widespread use. 
     Although muscle building and muscle conditioning are important in developing and maintaining physical fitness, another part of the physical fitness story is developing body flexibility. Simply stated, a flexible body works better. Good posture, decreased stress, relief of muscular and joint pain, substantially improved physical and athletic ability and an enhanced sense of well being all come with improved flexibility. Inflexibility, particularly in the lower back and hamstrings, causes low back and hamstring pain and injury. A large percentage of the adult population in the United States suffers from lower back pain; and improving back flexibility can reduce or eliminate this type of pain. Although the benefits of such flexibility are important and obvious, achieving flexibility has not been a simple task. 
     Inactivity and certain exercises, such as bicycle riding and running, cause the hamstring muscles to shorten. Contracting the hamstring muscles causes the pelvis to become unstable. This in turn tends to throw the spine out of alignment, constricting and pinching nerves, including the sciatica, which can cause moderate to severe pain from the lower back though the upper leg. It has been found that stretching before and after exercise reduces or eliminates the risk of injury from fitness workouts or athletic performance. 
     To properly stretch, the targeted muscles must be in a relaxed or passive state. Solo stretching the hamstring and muscle groups creates an inherent conflict of self-generated stretching force interfering with the passive state muscles. While dynamic or ballistic stretching is an option, it is less effective, and invites injury. Partner or trainer assisted stretching also presents problems. Most obviously, another person is required each time the stretching exercise sequence is undertaken. Beyond this, however, it is difficult, even with a trainer, to produce consistent stretching tension. 
     An exercising device for stretching the user&#39;s back and hamstring muscles without requiring a partner or trainer is disclosed in the U.S. Pat. No. 5,108,090 to Reed . This patent is directed to a power stretching device where the user is seated with the legs extended. A leg-immobilizing unit is provided; and an adjustable extension portion is attached pivotally to a reciprocating telescoping unit. The telescoping unit has handgrips at its upper end for engagement by the hands of the person using the device. A motor controls the reciprocal movement of the telescoping unit to cause it to move toward and away from the person using the device. Thus, as the hand grips move away from the user toward the pivot, the user is pulled forward in a bending position to effect the desired stretching of the back and leg muscles. Although the device of the Reed patent is effective for providing back stretching exercise, the mechanical parts are somewhat cumbersome and complex; and the overall device is relatively large. 
     Additional patents have been obtained for exercise devices for power-driven exercises. For example, a device for manipulating the legs and arms of users is disclosed in the U.S. Pat. No. 4,478,213 to Redding. The U.S. Pat. No. 5,071,117 to Mautner is directed to an electric bicycle where the movements of the person using the device are effected by the powered operation of the electric bicycle. Other devices using motor driven levers, pulleys and the like have been designed for exercising various muscles of the user. Most of these devices are relatively cumbersome, complex and expensive. 
     It is desirable to provide an improved power operated stretching device which overcomes he disadvantages of the prior art devices and which is small, compact and easy to use. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     It is an object of this invention to provide an improved exercise device. 
     It is another object of this invention to provide an improved power operated exercise device. 
     It is an additional object of this invention to provide an improved compact, easy-to-use, power operated exercise device. 
     It is a further object of this invention to provide an improved power operated device for stretching the lower back and hamstring muscle groups. 
     In accordance with a preferred embodiment of the invention, an exercise device operates to stretch the spine/neck and leg muscles of a user. The device includes a handle which is designed to be grasped by the hands of a user. A footrest is provided; and a flexible cable is fixed at one end to either the handle or the foot rest member. The flexible cable is attached at the other end to a rotatable reel on the other one of the handle or foot rest member. A mechanism is coupled to the reel for rotating the reel to wind the cable while the handle is grasped by the user. Thus, as the user is seated on the floor or other surface, with his or her feet resting on the footrest member, the winding of the cable onto the reel while the handle is grasped causes the user to be pulled toward his or her feet, effecting the desired stretching. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a preferred embodiment of the invention; 
     FIG. 2 is a partially cut-away top view of the embodiment shown in FIG. 1; 
     FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view taken along the line  3 — 3  of FIG. 2; 
     FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view taken along the line  4 — 4  of FIG. 1; 
     FIG. 5 is a perspective view of another embodiment of the invention; 
     FIG. 6 is a cross-sectional view taken along the line  6 — 6  of FIG. 5; 
     FIGS. 7A,  7 B, and  7 C illustrate different positions of operation of the embodiment shown in FIGS. 1 through 4; 
     FIG. 8 is a top partially cut-away, exploded view of another embodiment of the invention; 
     FIG. 9 illustrates a variation of a portion of the embodiments of the invention shown in FIGS. 1 and 5; 
     FIG. 10 is a cross-sectional detail taken along the line  10 — 10  of FIG. 9; 
     FIG. 11 is a cross-sectional view taken along the line  11 — 11  of FIG. 9; 
     FIG. 12 is a cross section taken along the line  12 — 12  of FIG. 9; 
     FIG. 13 is a cross section taken along the line  13 — 13  of FIG. 10; 
     FIG. 14 is a top view of a portion of the embodiment shown in FIG. 9 showing different operating positions thereof; 
     FIG. 15 is a perspective view of a foot rest potion which may be used in place of the footrest shown in FIG. 7C; 
     FIG. 16 is a detail of a portion of the device shown in FIG. 15; 
     FIG. 17 is a rear perspective detail of the portion shown in FIG. 15; 
     FIG. 18 is a cross-sectional view taken along the line  18 — 18  of FIG. 17; 
     FIG. 19 is an exploded detail of a portion of the device shown in FIG. 15; and 
     FIG. 20 is a top view of a user using the device of FIGS.  1  and  15 . 
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     Reference now should be made to the drawings, in which the same reference numbers are used throughout the different figures to designate the same components. FIGS. 1 through 4 are directed to a first preferred embodiment of the invention. FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a combination hand grip and power unit  20  used in a power operated stretching exercise apparatus. The unit  20  comprises a two-part housing having a forward housing portion  21  and a rear combination housing and handle portion  22 . These two housing portions are separated by an elongated opening  24 , which is shown most clearly in FIGS. 1 and 2. 
     As shown most clearly in FIGS. 2 and 3, the forward housing portion  21  includes a direct current electric drive motor  32  operating through a reducing gear train  34  to rotate a shaft  36 , which is journaled on bearings on opposite sides of a slotted opening  25  in the front of the housing portion  21 . The shaft  36  has a central portion which is defined on both sides by a pair of circular flanges  38  to form a take-up reel for a flexible cable, illustrated in FIGS. 1,  2  and  3  as a flat elongated strap  40  made of nylon or other suitable material. In place of the flat strap  40 , a cable of circular cross section also made of suitable high strength material, such as nylon or the like, may be used. The rear portion of the device  20  comprising the handle  22  is hollow and contains batteries  42  for operating the direct current motor  32 . An on/off switch  26  is located in the center of the handle  22 , facing the opening  24 , as shown most clearly in FIGS. 1,  2  and  3 . On the opposite side of the opening  24 , a forward/reverse switch  30  is provided, along with a brake switch  28  on the forward housing portion  26 . 
     Whenever the on/off switch  26  is depressed to effect a circuit connection between the battery  42  and the direct current motor  32  through a conventional circuit (not shown), the motor  32  is operated to rotate in the direction selected by the forward/reverse switch  30  in a conventional manner. The electrical circuit for interconnecting the batteries  42  and the motor  32  through the switches  26  and  30  may be of any suitable standard type for controlling the operation of the motor  32 . 
     When the motor  32  is operated, the reel  38  is rotated to wind (or unwind) the tape  40  at a relatively slow rate on the take-up reel comprised of the shaft  36  and the flanges  38 . The actual rate at which the tape  40  is wound on the reel  38  typically is pre-established and is a fixed rate of rotation of the shaft  36 , based upon the manufacturing parameters built into the system. The motor  32 , however, typically rotates at a significantly higher rotational speed than the speed of rotation of the shaft  36 , since the shaft  36  is driven through the speed-reducing gear train  34 . The gear train  34  is selected to provide a relatively high torque on the shaft  36  (typically on the order of 70 pounds to 100 pounds); so that the device is capable of pulling a fairly significant amount of weight without stalling the motor  32 . 
     Reference now should be made to FIGS. 7A,  7 B and  7 C for the manner in which the unit shown in FIGS. 1 through 4 is operated. In order to stretch or exercise the back muscles and leg or hamstring muscles, a person  72  typically is seated on the floor in the position shown in FIG.  7 A. The hand grip device  20  is held in both hands, as shown in FIG. 7A; and the strap  40  extends to a fixed point on the left-hand end, as illustrated in FIGS. 7A through 7C, of a foot rest box or other suitable foot rest device  70 . As shown in FIGS. 7A through 7C, the feet of the user  72  are placed firmly against the edge of the foot rest box  70 . 
     Once the user is in the position shown in FIG. 7A, the switch  26  is turned on to rotate the take-up reel  36 / 38  by the operation of the motor  32  in the manner described previously. This causes the effective length of the strap  40 , between the unit  20  and the fixed point at which it is connected on the foot rest  70 , steadily to be reduced. For effecting a stretching to increase flexibility of back muscles, neck muscles and the hamstring muscles of the leg, the user  72  relaxes in the position shown in FIG.  7 A and holds onto the handle portion  22  of the device  20 , as described. As the take-up reel winds up the strap  40  the user is pulled progressively into the positions shown in FIGS. 7B and 7C for a user who has a very flexible back and leg muscles. The ultimate position is shown in FIG.  7 C. At any time, however, the user can stop the operation of the device and terminate the stretching position whenever the maximum stretch for that particular user  72  is reached. For example, the device may be turned off by releasing the switch  26  once the user reaches the position shown in FIG. 7B, or some other position intermediate the positions shown between FIGS. 7B and 7C. All the user  72  needs to do is sit down, grasp the handle  22 , and engage the power switch  26 . If the user  72  desires to have a power return to the initial sitting position, the reverse switch  30  on the device  20  is operated to the opposite position from the one used to wind up the tape  40 . The tape  40  then is unwound at the same speed it was wound up. Thus, the user can gently lean back against the pull on the handle  30  and return back to the position shown in FIG.  7 A. The operational direction of the motor then again may be reversed, causing the positions shown sequentially in FIGS. 7A through 7C to be reached. 
     It should be noted that the device provides its most effective muscle stretching conditioning with users who are relaxed and who allow the power take up of the tape  40 , under the operation of the motor  32 , to accomplish all of the “work”. It has been found that a very few 30 second or 60 second stretches on the same day can improve the stretching reach of most persons by 8″ or more, the average shortfall for most persons to touching their toes. 
     FIGS. 5 and 6 are directed to an alternative embodiment of the invention, which operates in the same manner as the one shown in FIGS. 1 through 4. In the device of FIGS. 5 and 6, however, the housing for the motor and batteries is an elongated one, in which the batteries are located at one end of a hand grip/housing device  50  and the motor is located at the other end. In the device shown in FIG. 5, the tape  40  extends through a slot  67  in the front of a center section  52  of the device. An on/off switch  68  is located on one side of a hand grip portion  54 ; and a motor reversing switch or a braking switch  69  is located on the front side of another hand grip portion  56 . Caps  57  and  59  are provided on the ends of the hand grip portions  54  and  56 , respectively, to permit access to the interior of the device. 
     The portion  56  houses a direct current motor  60  and a gear box  62  driven by the motor, with a shaft  64  extending from the gear box to and across the center of the section  52  to a bearing set opposite the hand grip portion  54 . The hand grip portion  54  in turn contains batteries  58 , which are connected through a suitable conventional circuit (not shown) to the motor  60  through the on/off switch  68  and the reversing switch  69  in a conventional manner. A pair of flanges  66  on opposite sides of the center slot  67  and mounted on the shaft  64  form a take-up reel for the cable or tape  40 , operating in the same manner as the take-up reel  36 / 38  of the embodiment shown in FIGS. 1 through 4. The device of FIGS. 5 and 6 operates in the same manner as the device of FIGS. 1 through 4 and can be used in place of the device  20  shown in FIGS. 7A through 7C to operate in exactly the same manner as described above in conjunction with the embodiment of FIGS. 1 through 4. 
     FIG. 8 illustrates an alternate to the embodiments shown in FIGS. 1 through 6. In the embodiment of FIG. 8, a simple fixed handle  96 , with a strap connecting loop  98  attached to it, has a fixed end of the take-up cable or tape  40  attached to it. No motors and no batteries are provided in the handle  96  of the embodiment shown in FIG.  8 . In the FIG. 8 embodiment, however, the foot rest  70  is provided with an electric motor  80  and a gear reducing set  82  for rotating a shaft  84 , to which a pair of spaced flanges  86  are attached to form a take-up reel for the opposite end of the flexible cable or flexible tape  40 . An on/off switch  88  is located on one side of a foot rest  94 ; and a forward/reversing switch  90  is located adjacent another part of a foot rest  92  affixed to the front side (the right-hand side as viewed in FIGS. 7A to  7 C) of the foot rest device. Power for the motor  80  may be obtained from batteries in the same manner as the power for the devices of FIGS. 1 through 6 is obtained, or, since the foot rest portion  70  typically is located in a fixed relative position within whatever room the device is used in, power may be obtained from the conventional household circuitry for operating the motor  80 . The device of FIG. 8, however, operates to effect the stretching exercise illustrated in conjunction with FIGS. 7A to  7 C in the same manner as the devices of the embodiments of FIGS. 1 through 4 and FIGS. 5 through 6. 
     FIGS. 9 to  14  illustrates a variation of a foot rest portion of the device which may be used in conjunction with either of the two embodiments shown in FIGS. 1 through 4, or FIGS. 5 and 6. Instead of a fixed foot rest  70  of the type described above in conjunction with FIGS. 7A through 7C, the device of FIGS. 9 to  14  has a base portion  100  to which one end of each of a pair of elongated lever arms  102  and  106  is pivotally connected. The arms  102  and  106  are spaced apart at varying distances by a movable bar  108 , which extends between them and which is movable in a channel or slot on the facing inner sides of each of the bars  102  and  104 . The opposite ends (the right-hand ends shown in FIG. 9) of the lever arms  102  and  104  each have a pair of leg-engaging or thigh-engaging members  110  and  112  which are designed to fit on the insides of the left-hand and right-hand legs, respectively, of a user such as the user  72  when the user is seated on the floor. 
     The bar  108  is attached at its midpoint to a cable  106 , which passes over a pulley  114  located in the base portion  100 . The opposite end of the cable passing over the pulley  114  then is attached to the end of the flexible tape  40 , as illustrated in FIG.  9 . The tape  40  then extends into the housing portion  21  of the embodiment shown in FIGS. 1 through 4 or the center housing portion  52  of the embodiment shown in FIGS. 5 and 6 to operate in conjunction with the motors of those hand grip portions to effect the previously described relative shortening and extending of the effective cable length  40  between the connection to the cable  106  and the hand grip devices held by the user  72 . 
     The device of FIG. 9 provides a dynamic tensioning in the power stretching inasmuch as simultaneous movement of the center bar  108  in the direction of the arrow “B” shown in FIG. 9, along with the shortening of the strap  40  when the take-up reel is being rotated to wind up the cable  40 , takes place. When this occurs, the members  110  and  111  are moved farther apart as the bar  108  moves closer to the base portion  100 , as illustrated most clearly in the dotted line representation in FIG.  14 . 
     FIG. 11 also shows the range of rotation of the pivoted ends of the lever arms  102  and  104  in the base portion  100  to effect the outward and inward movement of the arms  102 . This applies a spreading force to the legs of the user  72 , simultaneously with the forward bending pull effected as the user continues to hold onto the hand grip of either the device  20  or the device  50 , described previously. In all other respects, the operation of the hand grip portions of the devices  20  and  50  is the same as described previously for those devices connected to a fixed point in a foot rest device. 
     FIGS. 10 and 13 illustrate the manner in which the bar  108  is supported in and moves in the slots or channels formed in the lever arms  102  and  104 . Each end of the bar  108  is pivotally connected to an elongated carrier portion  116 , which carries a pair of upper wheels  120 A and  120 B and a pair of lower wheels  122 A and  122 B for movement in an elongated channel located in the lever arms  102  and  104 . The cross section of the channel is illustrated most clearly in FIG. 10; and the overall configuration from a top view is shown in FIG.  13 . 
     FIG. 15 illustrates a variation of the box-like foot rest  70 , which was shown in FIGS. 7A through 7C. The foot rest shown in FIG. 15 includes a pair of foot rest portions  126  and  128 , with straps  130  and  132  for extending over the right and left feet, respectively, of a user to hold the user&#39;s feet in place against the portions  126  and  128 . The foot rest portions  126  and  128  are carried on the ends of elongated arms  124  and  125 , respectively. The opposite ends of the arms  124  and  125  are pivotally connected together at an interleaved junction  120 , as shown most clearly in FIG. 16. A clamping bolt/nut apparatus  122  then is used to firmly hold the legs  124  and  125  against rotation when the bolt/nut  122  is tightened; but when the nut  122  is loosened, the legs may be pivoted toward one another or away from one another to obtain the most comfortable position for a user. A typical position, for example, is shown in FIG.  20 . 
     FIGS. 17,  18  and  19  illustrate additional details of the device of FIG.  15 . As shown in FIG. 17, a captive bolt  136  located in a cutout  138  on the arm  125  is used to adjust the pivotal angle of the foot rest  128  by means of a slot  144  formed in the rear side of the foot-holding portion  132 . Angular adjustment of the device foot rest  128  is effected by means of this apparatus. A corresponding identical apparatus is provided for the foot rest  126  located on the end of the arm  124 . FIG. 18 illustrates in greater detail the adjustment range and the pivotal variations which can be effected by means of the bolt  136  operating in the slot  134  of the device. 
     FIG. 19 illustrates part of the structural configuration of the ends of the arms  124  and  125  which fit together to align a common set of holes  124 A and  125 A with one another to permit passage of the bolt and nut combination  122 , which secures them together as shown in FIG.  16 . 
     When the device of FIGS. 15 through 19 is used, the end of the strap  40  opposite the end which is permanently attached by way of the extensions  40 A and  40 B is connected to the take-up reel  36 / 38  of the device  20  or the take-up reel  64 / 66  of the device  50 . This permits operation by a person  72 , as illustrated in FIG. 20, and in the same manner described above in conjunction with FIGS. 7A through 7C. 
     The foregoing descriptions of the various embodiments of the invention all include a stretching device in which stretching takes place between the handle  20 / 50  or  96  and some type of foot rest, with one end of the cable being attached to the handle and the other end of the cable being attached to the foot rest. In the embodiments shown in FIGS. 1 through 4 and  5  and  6 , the tape cable is wound onto a reel located in the handle. In the embodiment of FIG. 8, the tape or cable is fixed at one end to the handle and is wound up at the other end on a reel located in the foot rest. In all of these embodiments, however, shortening of the cable is effected between the foot rest and the handle. 
     It also is possible to use the device shown in FIGS. 1 through 4 and  5  and  6  in a manner in which the end of the tape or cable  40  which is not wound up or released from the take-up reel in the handle is attached to some fixed point other than a foot rest. For example the opposite or free end of the tape  40  may be attached to a fixed point, such as a door knob or other suitable secure attachment point which may be located at a distance greater than the distance of the type illustrated in FIGS. 7A through 7C as part of a foot rest. With such a configuration, the user then operates the handle to cause the tape or cable  40  to be wound up in the same manner described above for the operation of the device of FIGS. 1 through 4 or FIGS. 5 and 6. The user may sit on the floor and use the cable to drag his or her body across the floor, while the user holds on to the gripping portions of the handles of the devices shown in FIGS. 1 through 4 and FIGS. 5 and 6. 
     Alternatively, the user may lie down on the floor, and, either lying on his or her stomach or his or her back, operate the device to drag his or her body across the floor under the pull of the tape or cable  40  to effect a stretching of the body under the pull of the cable. Similarly, the device could be provided with a chin strap or a head strap carried by the handle of either of the embodiments of FIGS. 1 through 4, or  5  and  6 , to effect a floor drag of the type described above, either while the person is lying on his or her stomach or on his or her back, to effect a stretching of the neck muscles along with other muscles of the body. The operation of the take-up reel in either of the embodiments of FIGS. 1 through 4 or  5  and  6  is the same as the operation previously described in conjunction with the foot rest embodiments which have been discussed in detail above. 
     It should be noted that the device which is described above in conjunction with the various embodiments is compact and portable. The power portions, particularly of the embodiments shown in FIGS. 1 through 4 and in FIGS. 5 and 6, are relatively small and easily may be fitted into a briefcase or large purse. Consequently, the device can easily be moved from one location to another. It should also be noted that the various embodiments of the stretching device which have been described above and which are shown in the drawings are passive devices. In fact, for most effective use, the user relaxes to obtain maximum benefits of the stretching of the back and leg muscles which are primarily affected by use of the device. 
     It should be noted that while the various embodiments which have been described are primarily directed to stretching muscles and the back of the user when the user is in a relaxed state, the device also may be used for toning abductor and lumbar extensor muscles by actively pulling or resisting at certain points in the stretch movement, as the cable or tape  40  is wound and unwound on the take-up reels of the various embodiments. 
     By improving the body flexibility of persons using the devices of the various embodiments for short periods at regular intervals, the stretching of the back restores pelvic alignment and spinal integrity, which improves poor posture. In addition, the tendency of the back to curve or rotate from the cumulative effects of gravity and asymmetrical muscle tone is reduced. Stretching is believed also to improve circulation by relaxing muscles which become constricted and inhibit vascular blood flow. It also is well known that effective breathing is enhanced by improving posture and stretching and through the relaxing of constricted muscles which inhibit effective breathing. Finally, as is well known by professional athletes, body flexibility is one of the most effective ways to reduce injuries from exercise, athletic performance or even everyday movements like bending and turning. 
     The foregoing description of the preferred embodiments of the invention is to be considered as illustrative and not as limiting. Various improvements and modifications will occur to those skilled in the art for performing substantially the same function, in substantially the same way, to achieve substantially the same result without departing from the true scope of the invention as defined in the appended claims.