Patent ID: 8105215

Claim:
A pull cord assembly for body stretching exercise, comprising: an elastic cord member having an elastic cord body which extends along a lengthwise axis to terminate at first and second anchored ends, and which has an outer layer that surrounds the lengthwise axis and that has upper and lower halves opposite to each other relative to the lengthwise axis, said elastic cord body being stretchable along the lengthwise axis between a non-stretched state, where said elastic cord body has a normal length, and a stretched state, where said elastic cord body has an extended length; and a strand-like protective member having a strand-like body which extends lengthwise to terminate at a first coupled end that is secured with said first anchored end to form a secured first end pair, and a second coupled end that is secured with said second anchored end to form a secured second end pair, said strand-like body having a plurality of first segments which are respectively displaced from one another along a lengthwise length of said strand-like body, and a plurality of second segments which are displaced from one another along the lengthwise length, each of said first segments being alternately disposed with a respective one of said second segments, said strand-like body being configured to be twined around said elastic cord body along the lengthwise axis such that said first and second segments are respectively disposed on said upper and lower halves, such that said first segments are displaced from one another along the lengthwise axis, and such that said second segments are displaced from one another along the lengthwise axis, said strand-like body being further disposed in abutting engagement with said elastic cord body along the lengthwise length thereof when said elastic cord body is in the non-stretched state such that, when said elastic cord is subjected to a stretching force, said first and second segments are pulled and straightened along the lengthwise axis, thereby bringing said first and second segments to tightly abut against said upper and lower halves, respectively; wherein said strand-like body is made from an elastic material, and has a normal strand length when said elastic cord body is in the non-stretched state, the normal strand length being smaller than the normal length of said elastic cord body.