Towel stretching assembly for stretching exercises

• US 9,737,744 B2
• Filed: 12/18/2014
• Issued: 08/22/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 12/18/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: John David Claude Austin
• Original Assignee: John David Claude Austin
• Inventors: Austin, John David Claude
• Primary Examiner(s): LEE, JOSHUA S
• Application Number:
  US14/576,058
• Publication Number:
  US 20160175636A1
• Time in Patent Office: 978 Days
• Field of Search: 482 44, 482 47- 49, 482 79, 482 91- 92, 482121-122, 482124, 482125-131, 482133-135, 482138-139, 482148, 482906-907, 482910
• CPC Class Codes: A61H 1/0237 for the lower limbs
• CPC Class Codes: A61H 1/0274 for the upper limbs
• CPC Class Codes: A61H 2201/1261 combined with active exercising of the patient
• CPC Class Codes: A61H 2201/1635 Hand or arm, e.g. handle hand-held, A61H2201/0153; fore-arm support, A61H2003/006
• CPC Class Codes: A61H 2201/164 Feet or leg, e.g. pedal
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2023/006 for stretching exercises
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 21/0004 Exercising devices moving as a whole during exercise bar bells or dumb bells A63B21/072; on wheels A63B22/20
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 21/00185 using resistance provided by the user, e.g. exercising one body part against a resistance provided by another body part A63B21/068 takes precedence; isometric exercise A63B21/0023
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 21/0023 for isometric exercising, i.e. substantial force variation without substantial muscle motion
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 21/0552 Elastic ropes or bands
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 21/4001 Arrangements for attaching the exercising apparatus to the user's body, e.g. belts, shoes or gloves specially adapted therefor weights worn on the user's body A63B21/065; exoskeletons in general B25J9/0006, for aiding patients or disabled persons to walk about A61H3/00
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 21/4005 to the shoulder
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 21/4007 to the chest region, e.g. to the back chest
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 21/4013 to the ankle
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 21/4015 to the foot
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 21/4019 to the hand
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 21/4023 the user operating the resistance directly, without additional interface A63B21/072 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 21/4034 for operation by feet
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 21/4035 for operation by hand
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 21/4037 Exercise mats for personal use, with or without hand-grips or foot-grips, e.g. for Yoga or supine floor exercises mats for absorbing shocks A63B6/00
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 21/4043 : Free movement, i.e. the only restriction coming from the resistance A63B21/00043, A63B21/072 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2208/0209 : on a single foot
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2208/0228 : Sitting on the buttocks
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2208/0247 : with legs in a kneeled 90/90 position
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2208/0252 : supine
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 23/0205 : Abdomen
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 23/03541 : Moving independently from each other A63B22/00 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 23/0355 : A single apparatus used for either upper or lower limbs, i.e. with a set of support elements driven either by the upper or the lower limb or limbs
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 23/03575 : Apparatus used for exercising upper and lower limbs simultaneously
• 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 23/0494 : primarily by articulating the knee joints A63B23/0405, A63B23/0476 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 23/12 : for upper limbs or related muscles, e.g. chest, upper back or shoulder muscles bench press exercises A63B21/078; for teaching music G09B15/06

Abstract

There is accordingly provided a flexible sheet assembly for stretching exercises. The assembly has a longitudinal axis. The assembly includes an elongate flexible sheet having a pair of spaced-apart longitudinally extending sides. The sheet has a pair of spaced-apart ends that extend between the sides. The sheet has a first longitudinal portion extending from a first one of the ends towards a second one of the ends. The sheet has a second longitudinal portion extending from the second one of the ends towards the first one of the ends. At least a first one of the longitudinal portions of the sheet has an aperture extending therethrough. Portions of the first one of the longitudinal portions of the sheet adjacent to the aperture are curved.

Claims

1. A flexible sheet assembly for stretching exercises, the assembly having a longitudinal axis and comprising:

an elongate flexible sheet having a pair of spaced-apart longitudinally extending sides, a pair of spaced-apart ends that extend between said sides, a first longitudinal portion extending from a first one of the ends towards a second one of the ends, a first aperture extending through said first longitudinal portion of the sheet, portions of said first longitudinal portion of the sheet adjacent to the first aperture being curved, a second longitudinal portion extending from the second one of the ends towards the first one of the ends of the sheet, and a second aperture extending through said second longitudinal portion of the sheet; and

a plurality of laterally-extending strips connecting to the second longitudinal portion of the sheet, the strips extending across the second aperture of the sheet with a plurality of spaced-apart, laterally-extending slits between said strips, the slits extending through the second longitudinal portion of the sheet;

wherein a stretching exercise can be performed by exerting a pulling force on the second longitudinal portion in a direction of the longitudinal axis thereof.

2. The assembly as claimed in claim 1 wherein the first aperture is shaped to receive a first limb of a user and adjacent ones of the strips are configured to engage with a second limb of the user.

3. The assembly as claimed in claim 1 further comprising a reinforcement strip that extends around the first aperture, the reinforcement strip being stronger than said first longitudinal portion of the sheet.

4. The assembly as claimed in claim 1 further comprising a resilient member coupled to and extending between the first longitudinal portion of the sheet and the second longitudinal portion of the sheet.

5. The assembly as claimed in claim 4, wherein the assembly further comprises a pair of peripheral annular members, each of said annular members extending around a respective one of the apertures, the resilient member coupling to and extending between the annular members.

6. The assembly as claimed in claim 1 wherein the elongate sheet comprises a rectangular towel, the towel having longitudinal peripheral portions and lateral peripheral portions extending between the longitudinal peripheral portions, and the towel being longitudinally folded in two, with its longitudinal peripheral portions connected together and its lateral peripheral portions connected together.

7. The assembly as claimed in claim 1 wherein the elongate sheet comprises fleece fabric.

8. The assembly as claimed in claim 1 wherein the first aperture is oval-shaped.

9. The assembly as claimed in claim 1 wherein the second aperture is rectangular in shape.

10. The assembly as claimed in claim 1, the assembly having an interior and further comprising a pair of elastic-fabric bands coupled to and extending between the first longitudinal portion of the sheet and the second longitudinal portion of the sheet, the bands being positioned within the interior of the assembly, the bands enabling one of the longitudinal portions to be pulled outwards relative to the other of the longitudinal portions of the sheet.

11. An elongate sheet assembly for stretching exercises, the assembly having a longitudinal axis and comprising:

an elongate flexible sheet having a pair of spaced-apart longitudinally extending sides, a pair of spaced-apart ends that extend between said sides, a first longitudinal portion extending from a first one of the ends towards a second one of the ends, and a second longitudinal portion extending from the second one of the ends towards the first one of the ends, each of the longitudinal portions having a plurality of longitudinally spaced-apart apertures extending therethrough, respective portions of the sheet adjacent to said respective apertures being curved, and wherein outer ones of the apertures are adjacent to respective ones of the ends of the sheet, are interposed between the sides of the sheet, align with the longitudinal axis of the assembly and are larger in diameter relative to inner ones of the apertures; and

a plurality of laterally-extending strips connecting to the second longitudinal portion of the sheet, the strips extending across one of the apertures of the second longitudinal portion with a plurality of spaced-apart, laterally-extending slits between said strips, the slits extending through the second longitudinal portion of the sheet;

wherein a stretching exercise can be performed by exerting a pulling force on the second longitudinal portion in a direction of the longitudinal axis thereof.

12. The assembly as claimed in claim 11 wherein said inner ones of the apertures extend through respective ones of the longitudinal portions of the sheet, and are adjacent to each other.

13. The assembly as claimed in claim 12 wherein said inner ones of the apertures are adjacent to a first one of the sides of the sheet and are offset from the longitudinal axis of the assembly and wherein intermediate ones of the apertures extend through respective ones of the longitudinal portions of the sheet, are adjacent to a second one of the sides of the sheet and are offset from the longitudinal axis of the assembly.

14. The assembly as claimed in claim 11 wherein, inner ones of the plurality of laterally-extending strips with slits interposed therebetween being adjacent to each other, being adjacent to a first one of the sides of the sheet and being axially offset from the longitudinal axis of the assembly, and outer ones of the plurality of laterally-extending strips with slits interposed therebetween being interposed between said inner and outer ones of the apertures of the respective ones of the longitudinal portions of the sheet, being adjacent to a second of the sides of the sheet and being axially offset from the longitudinal axis of the assembly.

15. The assembly as claimed in claim 11 wherein the apertures are oval-shaped.

16. A method of stretching one'"'"'s limbs using an elongate stretching towel, the towel having an aperture extending through a first portion thereof, having a second portion spaced-apart from the first portion and having a longitudinal axis, the method comprising:

positioning a leg of a user at least partially through the aperture of the first portion of the towel and causing portions adjacent to the aperture of the first portion of the towel to extend around a thigh of said leg;

stretching said leg in a desired manner by exerting a pulling force on the second portion of the towel in a direction of the longitudinal axis thereof; and

lying on top at least part of the second portion of the towel once said leg is stretching in the desired manner.

17. The method as claimed in claim 16, the towel having a plurality of laterally-extending strips extending across the aperture, and the method further comprising:

selectively deepening the stretching of said one of the limbs by selectively engaging with ones of the strips that are progressively closer to the second portion of the towel.

18. A method of stretching using an elongate stretching towel, the towel having an aperture extending through a first portion thereof, having a second portion spaced-apart from the first portion, having an aperture extending through the second portion thereof, and having a longitudinal axis, the method comprising:

positioning a leg of a user at least partially through the aperture of the first portion of the towel and causing portions adjacent to the aperture of the first portion of the towel to extend around a thigh of said leg;

stretching said leg in a desired manner by exerting a pulling force on the second portion of the towel in a direction of the longitudinal axis thereof; and

causing portions adjacent to the aperture of the second portion of the towel to extend around the user'"'"'s shoulder.

19. A method of stretching using an elongate stretching towel, the towel having an aperture extending through a first portion thereof, including a plurality of laterally-extending strips extending across the aperture of the first portion thereof, having a second portion spaced-apart from the first portion thereof, having an aperture extending through the second portion thereof, and having a longitudinal axis, the method comprising:

positioning a leg of a user at least partially through the aperture of the first portion of the towel by extending a foot of said leg through the aperture of the first portion of the towel and between adjacent ones of the strips;

causing portions adjacent to the aperture of the second portion of the towel to extend around the user'"'"'s shoulder; and

stretching said leg connected to the strips in a desired manner by straightening said leg outwards and thus exerting a pulling force on the second portion of the towel in a direction of the longitudinal axis thereof.