AN EXERCISING STRETCHING AND BACKREST APPARATUS
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to exercising stretching and backrest apparatus whereby a user back and full body is allowed to conform to a specified curved shape for exercising and stretching purpose as well as relaxation purpose when the apparatus is in an upright sitting posture.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION The need to exercise and stretch the back muscles is well known in the medical arts. Chiropractic devices for exercising and stretching the back muscles are well known. Such devices typically comprise tables having movable portions, which may be tensioned to provide resistance to the patient's movements such that therapeutic results are achieved when the patient straightens and flexes his back. Such exercise and stretching is necessary both as a beneficial activity for healthy individuals as well as therapy for those with diseased or injured muscles.
In the background of the invention, various types of back rests and/or back exercising apparatus have been designed in order to provide mechanisms which bend the body or support a person's back. For example, Taltre in U.S. Pat. No. 4,927,139 describes a body-exercising bench, which consists of two semi- circulars, or half round steel supports, standing upright and spaced apart, with their ends resting upon the ground level. Connecting the two round supports at opposite ends are cross bars near the ground, one cross bar providing a foot support for mounting the back rest and the opposite cross bar providing one portion of a rectangular shaped opening adapted to receive a person's head. Covering the upper portion of the arc forming the arch is a plurality of flat wood slats bolted between each of the half round steel supports. Near the top of the arched backrest is a pair of nearly vertical pull up supports for the person's ease in using the device. A mat covers the wood slats, the mat having a rectangular head opening conforming to the opening in the structure. The therapeutic backrest provides a constant curving arch for the person's back, neck and pelvis area, completely lifting the person off the floor. The example given in the drawings of the '139' patent suggests that the device is used by a person lying on the back as illustrated on Fig. 5. It is noted that the party is completely off the floor and neither his head nor his feet touch the floor. A person 11 has his head
residing in the opening formed in the pad. The opening is so sized as not to permit the head to fall through, but in fact is narrow enough to provide comfortable side holding of the patient's head in order that the spine which connects the head with the remainder of the body, still maintains the same continuous curve of the semi-circular curve or arc of the device.
Similarly, the U.S. Pat. No. 5,100,131 issued to Fong, illustrates a similar exercising apparatus. The back muscle stretching and exercising apparatus comprised generally of a stationary seat, a backrest movably attached to the seat, and a resistance means, such as a hydraulic or pneumatic spring, interconnecting the seat and backrest to define the force required to move the backrest relative to the seat. The rest unstressed position of the resistance means is with the backrest in a vertical position. A pair of forward foot supports is attached to the forward legs and a pair of rear foot supports is attached to the rear legs. A seat belt is attached to the seat such that a user may be secured thereto.
Prior art devices are typically rather complicated and expensive apparatus limited for exercising use only. Thus, the prior art devices cannot be easily installed for example in the living room at home as they are not usable for normal sitting or resting purpose. As such, although the prior art has recognized the need for back muscle exercising and stretching devices, the proposed solutions have to date been ineffective in providing a satisfactory combination of exercising apparatus and resting purpose.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention specifically addresses and alleviates the above-mentioned deficiencies associated in the prior art. More particularly, the present invention is a back muscle exercising and stretching apparatus comprising a frame member defining a semi circular back stretching support and a backrest support upon which a user may sit. The backrest is movably attached to the back stretching support. The backrest support is moveable along a sliding member connected to the frame member to a subtracted position underneath.
The user may either sit in a normal sitting posture or lie down, either on the back or stomach and bend either forward or backward over the semi circular backrest
support. The apparatus may be placed in an upwardly curved convex table-like orientation such that the user may lie face up, or for that reason face down thereon, causing the muscles mainly in the back of the person exercising, to stretch.
An optional headrest increases comfort when the apparatus is used as a seat. A seat belt is provided to help isolate the lower back muscles during exercising by preventing the use of the leg muscles. The seat belt may also be used to prevent older and infirm patients from accidentally slipping off of the apparatus.
Further, a pull-up supports or handles are installed for allowing the user to easily adjust when he is lying on the bench, or for pulling to an upright or sitting position.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
Figure 1 is a side view of the apparatus of the present invention with the backrest disposed in the upright position;
Figure 2 is a side view of the apparatus of the present invention with the backrest disposed in a subtracted position;
Figure 3 is a front view of the apparatus of the present invention with the backrest disposed in the upright position;
Figure 4 is a side view of the apparatus of the present invention showing a person laying on his back on the back stretching support;
Figure 5 is a perspective view of the apparatus of the present invention showing a person laying on his back on the back stretching support;
Figure 6 is a side view of the head support of the backrest support;
Figure 7 is a perspective and exploded view of the apparatus, showing the details elements and their connections/interrelations.
Figures 8 - 10 show a person in various exercising postures using the apparatus as an exercising stretching apparatus.
Figure 11 show a person sitting in a relaxed normal resting position in the apparatus as the backrest support is in an upright position.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODDIMENT
The exercising stretching and backrest apparatus of the present invention is illustrated in Figure 1 - 11 which describe a presently preferred embodiment of the invention. Referring now to Figure 1 - 3, the apparatus is comprised generally of a first frame member (1) defining a semi circular arc and back stretching support (2). A second frame member (3) defining a backrest support (4), which is moveably attached to the first frame member (1). A sliding member (5) on the first member form a passage for the backrest support (4) and in particular the second frame member (3) to be slided there along, so that the backrest support (4) can be placed underneath the apparatus. An optional head pad or neck support (6, 7) may be adjustable attached to the backrest support via hinges (8) or similar attachments. A position adjusting means may be utilized to lock the head pad in its horizontal position and a similar adjustment means may be used to lock the head pad in its vertical position. A pair of handles (9) is arranged on each side for the user to more easily arrange its position on the apparatus.
The back stretching support (2) is preferably attached to a frame member (1) being a tubular frame and the backrest support (4) is preferably attached to a frame or profile (3). One or more cross bar (not shown) connect the frame members (1).
In figure 4 and 5 a side and perspective view of the apparatus is shown with a person (21) laying thereon on his back on the stretching support (2) resting and stretching his back musculature. The backrest support (4) is slided along the sliding member (5) underneath the stretching support (2) and the first frame (1). The curve of the back stretching support (4) follows at least partly the natural curve of the spine in the lumbar area.
Figure 6 shows the head pad (6) attached to the upper end of the second frame (3) supporting the backrest support (4) via moveable hinges (8) allowing the head pads to be bend approximately 90° backwards.
Referring now to Figure 7, a perspective exploded view of the apparatus is shown. The supporting structure for the back rest comprises primarily two slightly more than half round or semi-circular steel or other metal supports 1 standing upright with their ends resting on the ground, the supports having at each end a rubber or plastic floor taps 13 adopted to provide a cushioning barrier between the end of the steel supports 1 and the floor, and also to render non skid qualities to the back rest. On the right hand side of back stretching support 2 is horizontal cross bar 14 which serves a tri-fold function, that of holding and supporting the half round steel supports 1, providing a rest for the person's lower feet area when using the invention, and serving as a first step for a person just mounting or getting on the device. Cross bar 14 may be covered with a rubber or leather covering or padding as desired to present a soft surface for the person's feet.
At the opposite end or left hand side of back rest (2) is another cross bar, namely crossbar 15. This cross bar also serves one of the same purposes as cross bar 14, namely that of supporting and stabilizing the half round steel supports 1.
Attached to the top upper rounded surface of both half round supports 1, is a plurality of thin flat wood or metal slats or plates 16, reaching from side to side and attached to the half round steel supports 1. Protruding upright from the half round steel supports near the top of their arc is a pair of pull up supports or handles 9.
In the preferred embodiment, with the orientation shown in Figures 1 - 3, it is anticipated that the person will lie on therapeutic backrest such that his feet in the area of the ankles rest on one end and his head rests on the other end of the stretching support (2). By such means, pull up supports or handles 9 are situated in the area between his waist and his knees.
Figures 8 - 10 show some examples of a person using the apparatus as an exercising back stretching device. Figure 11 shows a person in a normal sitting or resting posture laying or leaning his back towards the backrest support.
Although the construction of the exercising stretching and backrest apparatus of the present invention is illustrated as having the resilient pads of the back stretching support 2 and the backrest support 4 attached to tubular metal frameworks 1 and 3, respectively, those skilled in the art will recognize that various other constructions, i.e. wood, molded plastic, composite epoxies, are likewise suitable.
Having thus described the structure of the exercising stretching and backrest apparatus of the present invention, it may be beneficial to describe the operation thereof. Referring now to Figures 1 - 2, 4 - 5 and 8 - 11, the backrest support (4) may be disconnected, moved from the upright back support position to an inactive position where the backrest support is arranged underneath the back stretching support (2). Thereby it is possible to change almost instantly the use the apparatus from resting purpose as a seat to exercising apparatus as illustrated in particular in fig 8 - 10.
It is understood that the exemplary exercising stretching and backrest apparatus of the present invention described herein and shown in the drawings represents only a presently preferred embodiment of the invention. Indeed, various modifications and additions may be made to such embodiment without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. For example, the substantially flat, rectangular configurations of the back stretching support and backrest support as depicted and described may be varied such that they conform more closely to the contours of the human body. Indeed, the pads need not be substantially rectangular in shape as depicted, but rather may be of various shapes and configurations, as those skilled in the art will recognize. Additionally, the backrest need not be pivotally attached to the seat, nor must it be in a generally arc-like form. Those skilled in the art will recognize that various attachment means and movements are suitable. Thus, these and other modifications and additions may be obvious to those skilled in the art and may be implemented to adapt therein.
The detailed description set forth above in connection with the appended drawings is intended as a description of the presently preferred embodiment of the invention, and is not intended to represent the only form in which the present invention may be constructed or utilized. The description sets forth the functions
and sequence of steps for constructing and operating the invention in connection with the illustrated embodiment. It is to be understood, however, that the same or equivalent functions and sequences may be accomplished by different embodiments that are also intended to be encompassed within the spirit and scope of the invention.