Stretch exercise system
10688334 ยท 2020-06-23
Inventors
Cpc classification
A63B23/03525
HUMAN NECESSITIES
A61H2201/1261
HUMAN NECESSITIES
A63B23/03575
HUMAN NECESSITIES
A63B21/0442
HUMAN NECESSITIES
A63B21/00185
HUMAN NECESSITIES
International classification
A63B21/00
HUMAN NECESSITIES
A63B23/035
HUMAN NECESSITIES
A63B23/00
HUMAN NECESSITIES
A61H1/02
HUMAN NECESSITIES
Abstract
A stretch exercise system includes a waist harness, an upper limb extension unit having a right and a left upper limb elastic straps which are set symmetrically on the waist harness, a wrist loop, a lower limb extension unit having a right and a left lower limb elastic strap units which are set symmetrically on the waist harness, two Achilles tendon retro-stretch angle units connecting with the right and the left lower limb elastic strap units respectively, and two sole fastening units set thereon respectively to hold feet of a user. When the system is operated, a static balance is reached with a force applied on the upper limb extension unit and a force applied on the Achilles tendon retro-stretch angle units by the user.
Claims
1. A stretch exercise system, comprising: a waist harness having a ventral portion and a dorsal portion; an upper limb extension unit having a right upper limb elastic strap and a left upper limb elastic strap symmetrically configured at the dorsal portion, wherein each of the upper limb elastic straps has a wrist loop; a lower limb extension unit having a right lower limb elastic strap unit configured at the ventral portion, and having a left lower limb elastic strap unit configured at the ventral portion; two Achilles tendon retro-stretch angle units each having at least a bottom surface and a sole contact surface, wherein the bottom surface and the sole contact surface are not parallel to each other to form a diverging end and a converging end respectively, the right lower limb elastic strap unit connects with the diverging end of one of the two Achilles tendon retro-stretch angle units, and the left lower limb elastic strap unit connects with the diverging end of the other of the two Achilles tendon retro-stretch angle units; and two sole fastening units respectively configured on the Achilles tendon retro-stretch angle units to hold feet of a user on the sole contact surfaces and align toes of the feet of the user with the diverging ends respectively, whereby a static balance is reached by the user with an upper push force applied on the upper limb extension unit and a lower push force applied on the Achilles tendon retro-stretch angle units.
2. The stretch exercise system as claimed in claim 1, further comprising an ankle fastening unit configured for securing one of the feet of the user on one of the sole contact surfaces and aligning a tip of a toe of one of the feet of the user with one of the diverging ends.
3. The stretch exercise system as claimed in claim 1, further comprising a connect unit for connecting the wrist loops.
4. The stretch exercise system as claimed in claim 1, further comprising a mandible harness unit configured for pulling a head of the user and aligning a neck and a spine of the user, wherein the mandible harness unit connects the right upper limb elastic strap and the left upper limb elastic strap.
5. The stretch exercise system as claimed in claim 1, further comprising a support unit configured on each Achilles tendon retro-stretch angle unit for upholding the respective bottom surface to maintain a constant angle relative to a floor.
6. The stretch exercise system as claimed in claim 1, further comprising an additional support configured on the converging end wherein the additional support is parallel to a floor to prevent the respective Achilles tendon retro-stretch angle unit from rollover.
7. The stretch exercise system as claimed in claim 1, further comprising a counterweight block configured on the diverging end to provide a downward force.
8. The stretch exercise system as claimed in claim 1, further comprising a wedge part having at least a contact surface and a non-contact surface, wherein the contact surface and the non-contact surface are not parallel to each other to form a wedge diverging end and a wedge converging end, and the wedge part is capable of being attached to the sole contact surface with the contact surface in a direction such that the wedge diverging end is aligned with the diverging end and the wedge converging end is aligned with the converging end.
9. The stretch exercise system as claimed in claim 1, further comprising a threaded rod engaging through the bottom surface and supported by the sole contact surface, whereby an angle between the bottom surface and the sole contact surface is capable of being adjusted by screwing the threaded rod in and out of the bottom surface.
10. The stretch exercise system as claimed in claim 1, further comprising a movable anchoring unit configured for holding a wrist of the user, whereby the movable anchoring unit is capable of being tied with a fixture configured to counter a contraction resulting from the upper limb extension unit.
11. The stretch exercise system as claimed in claim 1, further comprising a movable anchoring unit configured for holding a wrist of user and connecting the respective Achilles tendon retro-stretch angle unit, whereby the movable anchoring unit spans around a fixture and is configured to counter contractions resulting from the upper limb extension unit, the lower limb extension unit and the movable anchoring unit.
12. The stretch exercise system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the right lower limb elastic strap unit at least includes a first right extension unit connecting with the diverging end and a second right extension unit connecting with the respective Achilles tendon retro-stretch angle unit, whereby a pushing force is capable of being absorbed by the first right extension unit and the second right extension unit to prevent the respective Achilles tendon retro-stretch angle unit from flipping.
13. A stretch exercise system, comprising: a waist harness having a ventral portion and a dorsal portion; an upper limb extension unit having at least one upper limb elastic strap connecting a wrist loop and the dorsal portion; a lower limb extension unit having at least one lower limb elastic strap unit configured at the ventral portion and corresponding to the at least one upper limb elastic strap; an Achilles tendon retro-stretch angle unit having at least a bottom surface and a sole contact surface, wherein the bottom surface and the sole contact surface are not parallel to each other to form a diverging end and a converging end, and the at least one lower limb elastic strap unit at least connects the diverging end; and a sole fastening unit configured on the Achilles tendon retro-stretch angle unit for holding one foot of a user.
Description
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
(1) The present invention will be more clearly understood through the following descriptions with reference to the drawings:
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DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
(12) Please refer to
(13) When the VELCRO or button structure are adopted, a safety fastener strap 011 is set additionally to prevent the VELCRO or button structure from abrupt snap due to the load of the VELCRO or button structure. The safety fastener strap 011 is configured onto the waist harness 010 in perpendicular direction and the fastener strap 011 is pressed upon the VELCRO or button structure in the same direction.
(14) After the waist harness 010 encloses around the waist of the user, the appearance of the waist harness 010 can be divided into a ventral portion and a dorsal portion. The upper limb extension unit 040a (and 040b) of the major elements is configured at the dorsal portion and the lower limb extension unit 030a (and 030b, 031a, 031b) is configured at the ventral portion. In the aspect of static balance, the configuration has the advantage. Because the upper limb extension unit 040a (and 040b) and the lower limb extension unit 030a (and 030b, 031a, 031b) are attached to the waist harness 010, the contractions coming from the upper limb extension unit 040a (and 040b) and the lower limb extension unit 030a (and 030b, 031a, 031b) can reconcile each other. Therefore, the load upon the waist harness 010 is minimized when waist harness 010 is fastened around the waist of the user.
(15) On the other hand, structurally, the lower limb extension unit 030a (and 030b 031a 031b) would be located at the ventral side (ie. the front) of the user to get the effect of stretching the Achille tendons and the muscles at the rear of the legs. If the upper limb extension unit 040a (and 040b) was also located at the ventral side of the user, it would make user's spinal column bend forward. Such design would not only lift the risk of sports injuries and increase the workload upon the back muscles of the user, but also result in the organs in the abdominal cavity compressed and the shoulders protracted. For these reasons, the upper limb extension unit 040a (and 040b) is configured at the ventral side of the user.
(16) Furthermore, the above mentioned configuration also have the benefit of stretching the spinal cord and restoring the spinal column. In the life style of modern society, the thoracic and lumbar of most people are kept in the state of long term flexion, but the cervical vertebrae are kept in the state of looking up or pitching up (ie. forward head posture). These postures make spinal column forced improperly over a long period of time. This results in gradual dislocation of each vertebra, and finally the nerves branch out from the spinal cord as the vertebrae crush. The above mentioned configuration promotes the user to stand up straight and stretch in a way reverse from the habitual incorrect posture. As a benefit, the above mentioned configuration realigns the neck, thoracic, lumbar and cervical vertebrae to the correct relative position to restore the spinal column.
(17) The upper limb extension unit can be divided into a left upper limb elastic strap 040a and a wrist loop 041a, which are corresponding to the left hand of the user, and a right upper limb elastic strap 040b and a wrist loop 041b, which are corresponding to the right hand of the user. To increase the stability when the user operates the present invention, a connection can be set between the wrist loop 041a and the wrist loop 041b. The implementation of the connection can be as shown
(18) In the above mentioned embodiment, a mandible harness unit 042 can be applied to the present invention additionally. The mandible harness unit 042 is connected with the left upper limb elastic strap 040a and the right upper limb elastic strap 040b, and encloses a circle around mandible and occipital bone of the user. When the user exerts his/her hands upward against the left upper limb elastic strap 040a and the right upper limb elastic strap 040b, the mandible harness unit 042 is driven to move upward so as to stretch the sternocleidomastoid and upper trapezius around the user's neck and reset the displacement of the cervical vertebrae.
(19) The size variation of the harness unit 042 for different users is considered and accommodated accordingly. The connection among the mandible harness unit 042, the left upper limb elastic strap 040a and the right upper limb elastic strap 040b has to be implemented adjustably. For example, it can be performed by VELCRO, automatic belt buckle structure, toothed clip buckle structure and so on. In conclusion, the mandible harness unit is located right under the jaw bone, and is applied to align the neck spine of the user's with the up-pulling force created jointly by the right upper limb elastic strap and the left upper limb elastic strap.
(20) After wearing the waist harness 010, the user raises both of his hands until the arms are fully straightened and the upper arms are placed right next the ears. Then the user puts his hands through the wrist loop 041a and the wrist loop 041b, and moves his hands above the head. At this point, the user may start to breathe freely and enjoy effortless relaxation. The way to exert forces focuses on the stretch of the latissimus dorsi of the user.
(21) The end posture of any stretch or relax movements has to be kept for a while to be optimized. Considering that the user's muscle strength might not be adequate to sustain the end posture for a long time, and the defense mechanism of human instinct due to the user's habitual poor posture, the stretch exercise may be facilitated by a device which would migrate all the efforts that the user has to exert toward an anchor fixed at the opposite direction. Therefore, the present invention additionally provides a movable anchoring unit to hold the user's hands, after the user lay his wrists upon the wrist loops, to assist the user staying in the end posture effortlessly. The movable anchoring unit transforms this whole body stretch to be an automatic, effortless exercise.
(22) One of the embodiments for the movable anchoring unit is a strap and a fastening structure attached at the middle of the strap, such as a loop or a clasp. The strap can be tied up to a fixed construction or object. When the strap is tied, let the loop or the clasp be set at the location where the user can reach under the end posture. When the stretch goes to the end posture, the user can rest his hands on the loop or the clasp. Therefore, the end posture of the stretch can be supported by the loop or the clasp, and a state of automatic stretch can be realized.
(23) Most voluntary muscles of the human body are paired and antagonistic to each other, and therefore when certain muscle is stretching, there must be one corresponding muscle which is contracting and in the exerting state. The traction provided by the movable anchoring unit can substitute the corresponding muscle, and therefore the user is allowed to have a complete relaxing experience.
(24) The fastening structure of the movable anchoring unit also can be implemented with an alternative approach, such as a loop structure. The above mentioned effect also can be achieved by the means that the user holds or puts the wrist into the loop structure, which is secured at the opposite direction, when the stretch goes to the end posture.
(25) In the first embodiment of the present invention, the lower limb extension unit 030a (or 030b, 031a, 031b) essentially includes a right lower limb elastic strap unit 031a (or 031b) and a left lower limb elastic strap unit 030a (or 030b), and they are connected to the Achilles tendon retro-stretch angle units 020 correspondingly. The optimized configuration of the first embodiment is described in detail as follows. If the tolerance to the balance for the lower limb muscle group, such as all the muscles of the left leg, has to be increased when the user is exerting forces, the left lower limb elastic strap unit 030a (or 030b) can be implemented with two elastic objects, a first left extension unit 030a and a second left extension unit 030b. Because they are arranged in parallel or cross to each other, the balance can be achieved. In that way, the foot of the user is prevented from inversion (supination) or eversion (pronation). By the same reason, the right lower limb elastic strap unit 031a (or 031b) can be implemented with two elastic objects, a first right extension unit 031a and a second right extension unit 031b. The state of end posture for the first embodiment is shown as
(26) Referring to
(27) Referring to
(28) Referring to
(29) In summary, the integral approach to use the present invention is described as follows. The user wears the waist harness 010 on the waist, keeps the knees in the flexed position, and ties the Achilles tendon retro-stretch angle units 020 and the feet together with the sole fastening units 021. After that, the user lies down on a surface, and holds the two wrist loops 041a (and 041b) with both hands respectively, or hangs the two wrist loops 041a (and 041b) on both wrists respectively. Next, the user extends both legs and holds both hands over the user's head, and finally reaches the state as shown in
(30) There is no organs to generate pressure to facilitate the liquid flow within the lymphatic system and vein pipeline in human body. The present invention can help the user to fully stretch his/her limbs and make the lymphatic system and vein pipeline, which are frequently compressed, get diastolic to achieve the goal of promoting the circulation.
(31) Further, the movable anchoring unit can functionally replace the exerting muscles to make the user extend his/her muscles comfortably. The upper body already fully extends in the end posture, and therefore the exerting muscles are allowed to be relaxed and spinal column and scapulas are not under pressure anymore. Accordingly, the present invention also can achieve the effect of cervical the spinal/lumber traction, and can improve the habits of poor posture and promote the reset about the spinal column. Accordingly, the present invention can stretch the muscles without actions of the antagonistic muscles thereof. The goal of pure stretch can be achieved. Either the office workers or the athletic, people use the muscles in the ventral side more often. However, keeping muscles in the high tension state is not conductive to sleep. The effect of pure stretch brought by the present invention can relieve tension and relax user's body, and therefore the sleeping quality will get better.
(32) Referring to
(33) Referring to
(34) According to
(35) Referring to
(36) Compared with
(37) Referring to the disassembling Achilles tendon retro-stretch angle unit 910, the wedge part 911 essentially includes a contact surface 911b and a non-contact surface 911a, which are not parallel to each other, so that the wedge part 911 forms a wedge converging end 911c and a wedge diverging end 911d. The wedge part 911 and the Achilles tendon retro-stretch angle unit 910 can connect with each other by the connection between the contact surface 911b and the sole contact surface 020a, wherein the wedge diverging end 911d corresponds to the diverging end 020d, and the wedge converging end 911c corresponds to the converging end 020c. Therefore, the user can optionally increase the number of the wedge part 911 to increase the angle that the foot forward flexes toward the ventral side.
(38) In the abovementioned embodiment, the connection between the contact surface 911b and the sole contact surface 020a can be implemented with a tenon 912 and a mortise 913, so that the wedge part 911 and the Achilles tendon retro-stretch angle unit 020 compose the assembling Achilles tendon retro-stretch angle unit 920. However, the means to attach the wedge part 911 and the Achilles tendon retro-stretch angle unit 020 are not limited to the tenon and the mortise. Any means for assembling can be applied to this condition.
(39) Referring to
(40) Referring to
(41) In this embodiment, the lower limb extension unit is allowed to connect with the base plate 941 or the sole contact plate 943, and the sole fastening unit 021 can be configured on the sole contact plate 943. During the operation, the base plate 941 is placed on the floor stably, the foot of the user steps on the surface of the sole contact plate 943 without the support pole 944, and the user exerts his/her muscles as the abovementioned approach to operate. The difference from the abovementioned embodiments is that the Achilles tendon retro-stretch angle unit 940 can be set separately for the right and left feet, or alternatively it can be made in a wider shape for both feet to step on at the same time.
(42) No matter what kind of implementations for the Achilles tendon retro-stretch angle unit is, to prevent the feet of the user from slipping out of the sole contact surface of the Achilles tendon retro-stretch angle unit due to further exertion, an ankle fastening unit is configured on each of the Achilles tendon retro-stretch angle units in the present invention. The ankle fastening unit is set at converging end of the Achilles tendon retro-stretch angle unit or at the position on the sole contact plate 943 near the base plate hinge 942, where is close to the ankle of the user, and therefore the Achilles tendon retro-stretch angle unit and the foot of the user are engaged more firmly when the ankle fastening unit and sole fastening unit collaborate together.
(43) The ankle fastening unit is implemented with the elastic fabrics strap with VELCRO. The elastic fabrics strap repeatedly ties the Achilles tendon retro-stretch angle unit and the ankle of the user together, and therefore the tight contact between the Achilles tendon retro-stretch angle unit and the ankle of the user is made. However, the ankle fastening unit still can be implemented with other approaches, such as buckle or clasp.
(44) Furthermore, to collaborate with different Achilles tendon retro-stretch angle units, the abovementioned movable anchoring unit can be implemented in another approach. In this approach, the movable anchoring unit includes a long strap wherein a fastening structure, such as a hook or a loop unit, is configured at one end of the long strap and a connector is configured at the other end of the long strap. When operating under this approach, user has to use the present invention with the collaboration of one bed or other platform structure that allows the user to lie down on it. The connector connects the Achilles tendon retro-stretch angle unit, the long strap spans over the bottom side of the bed, and the fastening structure is placed at the position that the wrist loop locates when the end posture is reached. Alternatively, user can stretch to the end posture, and then hangs the wrist loop 041a (or the wrist loop 041b) on the hook or puts the wrist of the user into the loop unit (or holds the loop unit) to keep the end posture of the stretch. In conclusion, the purpose of the movable anchoring unit is for the user to lay his wrists upon it, so as to counter balance, or cancel, all the force that the user has to exert for pulling up the upper limb extension unit. It can be regarded as the movable anchoring unit is fixed or spans around a fixture to counter, or balance, the force created by the upper limb extension unit, and the lower limb extension unit. Under this condition, the user may just lay in this position, and does not have to exert any force while enjoying the benefit of whole body relaxation.
(45) To provide further protection, different cushions can be adopted to prevent the user from sports injuries. Referring to
(46) Overall, there are 31 pairs of nerves distributing along vertebrae and extending out from intervertebral foramina. They control the muscles and organs within human body and directly affect the actions of limbs and the operations of organs. If these nerves are compressed, in the mild condition, individual will feel the pain, but in the severe condition, individual will loss the control and awareness to limbs. Even in the vertebral subluxation condition without abovementioned syndromes, due to the displacement of the most important framework to human body, individual will slightly change the way of working to the other limbs and joints unconsciously in response to the displacement. The change in response to the displacement will easily cause the joint to be abraded abnormally. The present invention stretch the Achilles tendon, shoulder, and spinal column of the user in the way reverse to habitual postures by the force from the user self to reach the effect to relax overall muscles. Furthermore, the present invention promotes the restoration of spinal column. The user may stretch a wide range of his body while using this present invention, and he may realize the effectiveness within a very short time. The effect of full relaxation could be promptly achieved while operating this invention for quite a short time, such as half an hour.
(47) The invention need not be limited to the disclosed embodiments and the wording/terms, and it is intended to cover various modifications and similar arrangements included within the spirit of the present invention and the scope of the appended claims.