Athletic stretching device

• US 6,705,974 B1
• Filed: 03/01/2002
• Issued: 03/16/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 03/01/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Mario Tardif
• Original Assignee: Mario J. Tardif
• Inventors: Tardif, Mario J.
• Primary Examiner(s): Lucchesi, Nicholas D.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Amerson, L
• Application Number:
  US10/086,314
• Time in Patent Office: 746 Days
• Field of Search: 482/37, 482/39, 482/40, 482/43, 482/148, 482/907, 482/908, 482/49
• US Class Current: 482/39
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2023/006 for stretching exercises
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 21/068 using user's body weight
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 21/1636 for anchoring on the horizontal part of a door frame
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 482/907 Stretching

Abstract

A stretching device for stretching and strengthening the muscles of the lower back and legs of the user. The stretching device generally includes an attachment bracket, pull cord and pulley. The attachment bracket attaches to the top of a door frame and the pull cord and pulley are attached to the attachment bracket. The pull cord engages the pulley so that a sling is formed on one side of the pulley. A user inserts their leg into the sling and raises and lowers the sling causing muscles in the legs and back to stretch. Several stretching routines are possible which isolate and target certain muscle groups.

Claims

1. A stretching device comprising:

a u-shaped attachment bracket having opposing ends, said attachment bracket having door frame attachment means for attaching to a doorframe;

a pull cord having opposing first and second ends, said first end having pull cord attachment means, said first end attached to said u-shaped attachment bracket by said pull cord attachment means;

a means for sliding adapted to receive said pull cord, said means for sliding attached to said u-shaped attachment bracket, said pull cord engaged with said means for sliding so that said pull cord forms a sling on one side of said means for sliding, said sling correspondingly raised and lowered by pulling or releasing said second end of said pull cord.

2. The stretching device of claim 1 wherein said means for sliding is a pulley.

3. The stretching device of claim 2 wherein said door frame attachment means are flat diametrically opposed fingers, said fingers formed integral with said attachment bracket, the plane created by said fingers perpendicular with the plane created by said u-shaped bracket.

4. The stretching device of claim 3 wherein said pull cord attachment means is a loop formed by the first end of said pull cord folded and attached to itself, said loop linked to said u-shaped attachment bracket.

5. The stretching device of claim 4 wherein said pulley is attached to said u-shaped attachment bracket by said loop.

6. The stretching device of claim 5 wherein said sling is padded by a padded sling support, said sling support including an inner tube which allows said pull cord to slide within and an outer padding.

7. The stretching device of claim 6 wherein said pull cord is formed by nylon rope.

8. The stretching device of claim 7 wherein said u-shaped attachment bracket is formed by electrical PVC pipe.

9. A stretching device comprising:

a u-shaped attachment bracket having flat diametrically opposed fingers at the opposing ends of said bracket, said fingers formed integral with said attachment bracket, the plane created by said fingers perpendicular with the plane created by said u-shaped bracket;

a pull cord having opposing first and second ends, said first end folded and attached to itself forming a loop linked to said u-shaped attachment bracket;

a pulley adapted to receive said pull cord, said pulley attached to said u-shaped attachment bracket by said loop, said pull cord engaged with said pulley so that said pull cord forms a sling on one side of said pulley, said sling correspondingly raised and lowered by pulling or releasing said second end of said pull cord.