STRETCHING DEVICE

• US 20130123069A1
• Filed: 08/03/2011
• Published: 05/16/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 08/03/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Stuart John Andrews
• Original Assignee: Stuart John Andrews
• Inventors: Andrews, Stuart John
• Granted Patent: US 9,295,877 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 482/4
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2024/0093 the load of the exercise apparatus being controlled by performance parameters, e.g. distance or speed
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2071/065 Visualisation of specific exercise parameters
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 21/00072 by changing the length of a lever
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 21/00181 comprising additional means assisting the user to overcome part of the resisting force, i.e. assisted-active exercising
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 21/0087 of the piston-cylinder type using hydraulic piston-cylinder type force resistors A63B21/0083
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 21/156 the position of the pulleys being variable, e.g. for different exercises
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 21/158 Hydraulic transmissions hydraulic force resistors A63B21/008
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 21/22 Resisting devices with rotary bodies A63B21/0608 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 21/4035 for operation by hand
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 23/04 for lower limbs training appliances for special sports A63B69/00; for the purpose of producing mechanical power F03G5/00
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 23/1254 Rotation about an axis parallel to the longitudinal axis of the body, e.g. butterfly-type exercises
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 24/00 Electric or electronic controls for exercising apparatus of preceding groups; Controlling or monitoring of exercises, sportive games, training or athletic performances
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 71/0619 Displays, user interfaces and indicating devices, specially adapted for sport equipment, e.g. display mounted on treadmills

Abstract

A user-actuated stretching device (10) activates an alarm and/or a controller (48) in response to a stretch velocity condition or stretch load condition being detected. Exemplary stretch velocity conditions may be a detected drop in stretch velocity and/or a detected excessive stretch velocity. The alarm may be visual, audible or tactile. The controller preferably takes the form of a solenoid (48) which can lock a hydraulic damper (46) in response to a stretching velocity condition being detected. The device optimises stretching and reduces the risk of over-stretching and injury.

Claims

1. A stretching device comprising:

an alarm which is operative in response to a predetermined stretch-velocity condition being detected by a stretch-velocity detector, and/or

a selectively-operable, stretch-velocity controller which is operative in response to a predetermined stretch-velocity condition being detected by a stretch-velocity detector; and

/or

an alarm which is operative in response to a predetermined stretch-load condition being detected by a stretch-load detector, and/or

a selectively-operable, stretch-velocity controller which is operative in response to a predetermined stretch-load condition being detected by a stretch-load detector.

2. A stretching device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the stretching device further comprises:

a stretch-velocity detector, and/or

a stretch-load detector.

3. A stretching device as claimed in claim 2, wherein the stretch-velocity detector comprises a stretch-position detector and a sampling clock.

4. A stretching device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the predetermined stretch-velocity condition is a detected stretch-velocity dropping by a predetermined amount relative to a previously detected stretch-velocity.

5. A stretching device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the predetermined stretch-velocity condition is a detected stretch-velocity exceeding a predetermined maximum stretch-velocity.

6. A stretching device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the stretching device is a user-actuated stretching device.

7. A stretching device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the selectively-operable stretch-velocity controller is a brake or a lock.

8. A stretching device as claimed in claim 7, wherein the selectively-operable stretch-velocity controller is a mono-directional brake or lock.

9. A stretching device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the stretching device further comprises a damper.

10. A stretching device as claimed in claim 9, wherein the damper is a mono-directional damper.

11. A stretching device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the stretching device further comprises a damper, wherein a selectively-operable lock is operatively associated with the damper, and wherein the selectively-operable lock functions as said selectively-operable, stretch-velocity controller.

12. A stretching device as claimed in claim 11, wherein the damper is a mono-directional damper and wherein the selectively-operable lock is a mono-directional lock.

13. A stretching device as claimed in claim 2, wherein the stretch-load detector comprises a load cell and a sampling clock.

14. A stretching device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the predetermined stretch-load condition is a detected stretch-load increasing by a predetermined amount relative to a previously detected stretch-load.

15. A safety module suitable for use with the stretching device of any preceding claim, the safety module comprising:

an alarm which is operative in response to a predetermined stretch-velocity condition being detected by a stretch-velocity detector, and/or

a selectively-operable, stretch-velocity controller which is operative in response to a predetermined stretch-velocity condition being detected by a stretch-velocity detector, and/or

an alarm which is operative in response to a predetermined stretch-load condition being detected by a stretch-load detector, and/or

a selectively-operable, stretch-velocity controller which is operative in response to a predetermined stretch-load condition being detected by a stretch-load detector.

16. A method of stretching, the method comprising:

operating an alarm in response to a predetermined stretch-velocity condition being detected by a stretch-velocity detector, and/or

operating a selectively-operable, stretch-velocity controller in response to a predetermined stretch-velocity condition being detected by a stretch-velocity detector, and/or

operating an alarm in response to a predetermined stretch-load condition being detected by a stretch-load detector, and/or

operating a selectively-operable, stretch-velocity controller in response to a predetermined stretch-load condition being detected by a stretch-load detector.