Patent Publication Number: US-11638672-B2

Title: Head-up spinal decompression device

Description:
FIELD OF INVENTION 
     This invention relates to exercise and physical therapy devices for decompressing a user&#39;s spine. This invention relates particularly to an apparatus that enables a user to take advantage of gravity to decompress the spine while being suspended with his head up. 
     BACKGROUND 
     Many people experience discomfort or pain around the neck, upper back, and lower back. Treatments range from surgery and medication, to spinal manipulation and physical therapy. A conventional type of physical therapy used to relieve back pain and discomfort is spinal decompression using inversion therapy. Inversion therapy involves hanging upside down on an inversion table or by gravity boots, so that the direction of the force of the body pulling down on the spine is reversed from normal standing, taking pressure off the nerve roots and disks in the spine and increasing the space between vertebrae. Unfortunately, the head-down position is risky for anyone with high blood pressure, heart disease or glaucoma because the user&#39;s heartbeat slows and blood pressure increases when inverted for more than a couple of minutes—and the pressure within the eyeballs jumps dramatically. In addition, it is difficult for a user to change the amount of decompression while using an inversion table or gravity boots. 
     It would be desirable to provide spinal decompression in a head-up position and enable the user to control the amount of tension placed on his spine during treatment. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     This invention is a spinal decompression device from which a user suspends himself with his head up, taking advantage of gravity to stretch his spine and relieve tension in his back. The device has two crosspieces, connected at their middle portions at a pivot point to form an X. Each crosspiece has an arm near the top and a foot at the bottom, all extending horizontally and perpendicularly to the crosspieces. The height of the arms and their distance apart from each other are adjustable to fit each user so that the user may control the amount of his body weight suspended between the arms during treatment, while resting some or all of his body weight on his feet that touch the ground. The device is collapsible around the pivot point to a smaller size for easier storage. A safety strap may be connected between the lower portions of each cross piece to prevent accidental collapse of the device. Wheels may be attached to the feet to make the device easier to move. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG.  1    illustrates a front view of the invention. 
         FIG.  2    illustrates a front view of a user using the invention. 
         FIG.  3    illustrates a side view of the invention. 
         FIG.  4    illustrates a front view of the invention collapsed at the pivot point so that the arm pads are adjacent to each other. 
         FIG.  5    is a partial view of the device illustrating the connection of the first and second crosspieces. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
     At its simplest, this spinal decompression device  10  has two crosspieces  11  and  20  that are connected at or near their middles at a pivot point to form an X. The crosspieces are essentially mirror images of each other. See  FIGS.  1  and  3   . The first and second crosspieces each have a top portion  12  and  21 , respectively, from which an arm  13  and  22 , respectively, extends. The arms  13 ,  22  are horizontal to the ground. The first and second crosspieces each also have a bottom portion  16  and  25 , respectively, from which a horizontal foot  17  and  26 , respectively, extends. The feet  17 ,  26  are horizontal to the ground. The device  10  stands on the feet and a user  9  suspends himself between the arms  13 ,  22  with his head up, taking advantage of gravity to stretch his spine and relieve tension in his back. See  FIG.  2   . 
     The device is configurable so that the user can suspend his weight by situating the arms in his armpits and hanging from the arms, as well as by friction of his torso against the arms. For comfort, preferably each of the arms  13 ,  22  is covered by an arm pad  14 ,  23 . The height of the arms  13 ,  22  above the ground h and the distance between them, referred to herein as the arm width w, is customized to each user. When adjusted appropriately, the user&#39;s feet can touch the ground when his legs are straight or slightly flexed, so that the user controls the amount of tension and thus decompression on his spine by controlling how much of his weight is suspended between the arms. See  FIG.  2   . 
     The device  10  provides numerous adjustment points at which the components can be moved relative to each other to change the length or angle of the pieces relative to one another. Typically the portions slide in and out of each other. Once at the desired position, the relative positions of the portions are secured so that the length of the crosspiece stays constant during use. Various mechanisms such as buckles or latches maybe used to secure the portions in place, but preferably a removable pin  32  is inserted into holes that pass through both portions. 
     The first crosspiece  11  has three portions, a top  12 , a middle  15 , and a bottom  16 . The top  12  has a vertical leg  41  and a diagonal leg  42 . The middle  15  has a diagonal leg  50  and a vertical leg  49 . The top&#39;s diagonal leg  42  is connected to the middle&#39;s diagonal leg  50  and the portions cooperate so that the crosspiece  11  can be extended or made shorter by moving the top&#39;s diagonal leg  42  relative to the middle&#39;s diagonal leg  50 . This has the effect of increasing or decreasing the height of the first crosspiece&#39;s arm  13  from the ground and increasing or decreasing the width. The portions are secured in place relative to each other at the desired position. 
     The first crosspiece&#39;s bottom  16  has a vertical leg  57  and a horizontal foot  17 . The bottom&#39;s vertical leg  57  is connected to the middle&#39;s vertical leg  49  and the portions cooperate so that the first crosspiece  11  can be extended or made shorter by moving the bottom&#39;s vertical leg  57  relative to the middle&#39;s vertical leg  49 . This has the effect of increasing or decreasing the height of the arm  13  from the ground. The portions are secured in place relative to each other at the desired position. 
     The second crosspiece  20  has three portions, a top  21 , a middle  24 , and a bottom  26 . The top  21  has a vertical leg  45  and a diagonal leg  46 . The middle  24  has a diagonal leg  54  and a vertical leg  53 . The top&#39;s diagonal leg  46  is connected to the middle&#39;s diagonal leg  54  and the portions cooperate so that the crosspiece  20  can be extended or made shorter by moving the top&#39;s diagonal leg  46  relative to the middle&#39;s diagonal leg  54 . This has the effect of increasing or decreasing the height of the second crosspiece&#39;s arm  22  from the ground and increasing or decreasing the width. The portions are secured in place relative to each other at the desired position. 
     The second crosspiece&#39;s bottom  25  has a vertical leg  60  and a horizontal foot  26 . The bottom&#39;s vertical leg  60  is connected to the middle&#39;s vertical leg  53  and the portions cooperate so that the second crosspiece  20  can be extended or made shorter by moving the bottom&#39;s vertical leg  60  relative to the middle&#39;s vertical leg  53 . This has the effect of increasing or decreasing the height of the second crosspiece&#39;s arm  22  from the ground. The portions are secured in place relative to each other at the desired position. 
     The first crosspiece  11  and second crosspiece  20  are connected to each other at their middle portions  15 ,  24 . To prevent the device  10  from being top-heavy and unstable, typically the first and second crosspieces are connected at a point that is above the physical center of each crosspiece so that the portion of the device  10  above the pivot point is shorter and therefore lighter than the portion of the device  10  below the pivot point. In one embodiment, the crosspieces  11 ,  22  are permanently fixed to each other, such as by weld  67  or bolt  68 . In the preferred embodiment, the crosspieces  11 ,  22  are rotatably connected to each other at a pivot point  31 , which permits the width to be adjusted by moving the crosspieces toward and away from each other. The crosspieces can be placed on top of each other like scissors, but instead one crosspiece is preferably inserted into the other as shown in  FIG.  5   . This has the advantage of keeping the arms, feet, and crosspieces at the same depth. The crosspieces  11 ,  22  are secured in place relative to each other at the desired position. Connection at a pivot point  31  also enables the crosspieces  11 ,  22  to be collapsed toward each other, reducing the size of the device for easier storage. See  FIG.  4   . 
     For the fixed or rotatable versions, a width-retention mechanism  30  may be used to ensure the crosspieces stay the desired width apart. In one embodiment, the width-retention mechanism  30  is a strap secured at each end with carabiners  37  to the crosspieces. The strap may be made of a flexible material such as woven nylon or polyester, but may also be of a more rigid material such as metal or other material. 
     For added convenience, wheels may be attached to the device to make it easier to move. In one embodiment wheels  33  are attached to the feet  17 ,  26  by casters. See  FIGS.  1  and  3   . 
     The crosspieces are made of a rigid material of sufficient girth to support a human of several hundred pounds. Typically hollow steel tubing of circular or square cross section is used, but in some cases, plastic or even solid materials will suffice. Gussets may be welded at stress points, such as under the arms  13 ,  22  or near the pivot point, to strengthen the device.  FIG.  1    shows gussets  34  on the middle  24  of the second crosspiece and  FIG.  3    shows gussets supporting the arm and foot. 
     While there has been illustrated and described what is at present considered to be the preferred embodiment of the present invention, it will be understood by those skilled in the art that various changes and modifications may be made and equivalents may be substituted for elements thereof without departing from the true scope of the invention. Therefore, it is intended that this invention not be limited to the particular embodiment disclosed, but that the invention will include all embodiments falling within the scope of the appended claims.