EP0999880B1

EP0999880B1 - Exercising implement for performing muscular stretching exercises and respiration exercises

Info

Publication number: EP0999880B1
Application number: EP98937766A
Authority: EP
Inventors: Daniele Raggi
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1997-08-01
Filing date: 1998-07-29
Publication date: 2003-04-23
Anticipated expiration: 2018-07-29
Also published as: DE69813824T2; IT1293809B1; ATE238084T1; ES2198737T3; AU8645898A; WO1999006120A1; ITMI971866A1; EP0999880A1; DE69813824D1

Abstract

The present invention relates to an improved exercises implement for performing muscular stretching exercises and respiration exercises, of the type comprising a bench provided with coupling rods and floor resting bars, including a back and a bottom portion, provided for defining a seating region and a support for a user legs. The back and bottom portion are pivoted, at their adjoining sides, to said floor bearing bars, in order to controllably turn about a horizontal rotary axis, to change the opening angle of the back with respect to the bottom portion as well as to change the slanting of the back and bottom portion with respect to the floor. The implement comprises moreover safety means, each including a spring and a control lever, for preventing the back and bottom portion from turning about said rotary axis, and including sliding rods which can be gripped by the user in order to perform stretching exercises on the muscles pertaining to the rear muscular chain.

Description

Technical Field

The present invention relates to an exercising implement for performing muscular stretching exercises and respiration or breathing exercises.

Background Art

As is known, an excessively sedentary life, or a lackness of a regular physical activity, frequently generates a withdrawal of the muscular mass which, in the time, can cause a premature wearing of the articular cartilage susceptible to cause in turn an inflammatory process leading to arthrosis with consequent pains and a reduction or locking of the mobility properties.

In order to prevent the effects of a too tensioned and short musculature, it is therefore necessary to regularly perform specific gymnic exercises, possibly in palestras, under a direct control of specialized personnel.

Such a physical activity, even if moderate, but of constant nature, represents, on the other hand, a comparatively great engagement for a lot of persons who, considering the actual living rates, consider such an activity as heavily hard.

In a previous Patent Application in the name of the same Applicant, an exercising implement is disclosed, which is specifically designed for meeting the requirements of an even and proper physical activity, said prior implement allowing to perform, even at home, muscular stretching exercises, as well as respiration or breathing exercises, in order to progressively improve the physical condition, resiliency and flexibility of the musculature/articulations or joints of a person, allowing the exercising person to recover proper physical conditions.

The prior implement comprises a bench including floor resting means and a back and a bottom portion, defining a seating region and a leg supporting region for a user. The back and bottom portion of the bench can turn about a horizontal rotary axis. The rotary driving of the back and bottom portion about said rotary axis can be adjusted and locked by suitable locking means which can be controllably switched on and off, in order to change the opening angle of the back with respect to the bottom portion and to also change the slanting of the back and bottom portion with respect to the floor.

While that prior implement has been found very advantageous, since it can be easily used and allows to perform, even at home, a lot of physical exercises and can be made at a comparatively low cost, it can anyhow further perfected and improved.

In particular, an improved exercising implement, allowing to perform a very broad range of gymnic exercises, both of an active type and a passive stretching type would be required.

Moreover, there is the need of providing locking means for locking against rotation the implement back and bottom portion, thereby allowing said elements of the exercising bench to be safely locked and arranged at angled positions, while preventing one or both elements from dangerously falling as the exercising bench is used.

In this connection is actually known that, likewise the accidents occurring in conventional tilting seats, an unproperly locked back and/or leg support would be susceptible to cause an accidental fall of the user, with a consequent risk of serious damages to the user limbs or hand fingers, if these body portions would remain entrapped between the implement back or leg support and the exercising bench supporting means.

The document US-4 749 190 discloses an exercising implement substantially according to the preamble of Claim 1.

Disclosure of the Invention

Accordingly, the aim of the present invention is to overcome the above mentioned drawbacks, by providing an exercising implement which is very safe in operation.

Within the scope of the above mentioned aim, a main object of the present invention is to provide such an exercising implement, allowing to perform a very broad range of gymnic exercises, both of an active type and a passive stretching type.

Another object of the present invention is to provide such an exercising implement which can be made at a low cost.

According to one aspect of the present invention, the above mentioned aim and objects, as well as yet other objects, which will become more apparent hereinafter, are achieved by an exercising implement for performing muscular stretching and respiration exercises, according to the characterized portion of claim 1.

Brief Description of the Drawings

Further characteristics and advantages of the present invention will become more apparent hereinafter from the following detailed disclosure, even by way of an illustrative but not limitative example, with reference to the accompanying drawings, where:

Figure 1 is a schematic perspective view illustrating the exercising implement according to the invention in one of its possible use conditions;

Figure 2 illustrates, according to a different perspective angular orientation, the exercising implement according to the invention, in one of its possible use conditions;

Figure 3 is a bottom perspective view illustrating the exercising implement according to the invention, in another of its possible use conditions;

Figure 4 is a side perspective view illustrating the back of the exercising implement according to the invention, said back being provided with adjustable means for allowing stretching exercises of the muscles pertaining to the rear muscular chain to be performed;

Figure 5 is a further side perspective view illustrating a middle portion of the exercising implement according to the invention;

Figure 6 is a further perspective view illustrating the safety locking means for preventing the bottom portion of the exercising implement according to the invention from turning; and

Figure 7 is a partially cross-sectioned side view illustrating the construction of the safety locking means according to the invention.

Ways of carrying out the Invention

In the following disclosure, reference will be made to a preferred embodiment of the invention, which is illustrated, by way of a not limitative example of possible variations of the invention, coming within the scope of the accompanying claims.

With reference to the number references of the above mentioned figures, the exercising implement according to the present invention, which has been generally indicated by the reference number 1, substantially comprises an exercising bench, including floor resting means 2, and a bench back 3, said back 3 defining a resting or bearing surface for a user back.

A bottom portion 4 defining a seat region as well as a leg supporting supporting region is moreover provided.

The back 3 and bottom portion 4 can merely comprise panel elements, possibly covered, on the side thereof to be contacted by the user, with a slide padding layer.

Moreover, it would be possible to also use, in cooperation with the bench back 3, a pair of cushions, of half-moon configuration, for aiding a proper bending of the user back at the lumbar and cervical region thereof. These cushions will be preferably made of a not-toxic foamed material, and covered by a PVC cover.

As shown, the back 3 and bottom portion 4 are pivoted, at their adjoining sides, to said floor resting means 2, about a horizontal rotary axis 5.

The subject exercising implement comprises moreover safety locking means 50, for preventing the back 3 and bottom portion 4 from turning about said rotary axis 5.

Said safety locking means 50, which will be disclosed in a more detailed manner hereinafter, can be controllably actuated or disactuated in order to allow to change, depending on requirements, the opening angle of the back 3, with respect to the bottom portion 4 as well as the slanting of the back 3 and bottom portion 4 with respect to the floor.

With further reference to the drawings, it is possible to easily note that the floor resting means 2 comprise a first pair of bars 28 and 28', parallel to one another, provided for resting on the floor, under the back 3, said bars being coupled, at their outer longitudinal ends, by a cross member 7.

The floor resting means 2 comprise furthermore a second pair of bars 8 and 8', parallel to one another, provided for bearing on the floor under the bottom portion 4, said latter bars being coupled, at their longitudinal ends, by a related cross-member 9.

The first pair of bars 28, 28' and second pair of bars 8, 8' are pivoted about the same pivoting or rotary axis 5. Moreover, on the top surface of said bars are provided a plurality of holes 53 for engaging therein the safety locking means 50.

The bottom portion 4 is supported by a first pair of rods 25 and 25', pivoted to the bars 8 and 8', and a second pair of rods 26 and 26', pivoted to the rods 25 and 25' and including the safety locking means 50 sliding along said bars 8 and 8'.

The back 3, in turn, is supported by a pair of rods 22 and 22', in turn including safety locking means 50 adapted to slide along the bars 28 and 28'.

Along the back 3 guides 33 and 33' are arranged, and inside said guides a pair of rods 40 and 40', provided with bent end portions are adapted to slide, said rods 40 and 40' being disclosed in a more detailed manner hereinafter. The rods 40 and 40' can further turn about their longitudinal turning axis.

Figure 7 is a cross-sectional view illustrating the construction of the safety locking means according to the invention, each of which comprises a box-like body, coupled to its respective coupling rod and sliding on one of said

bars

28, 28', 8 and 8'. The box-like body holds therein a spring 55 provided for rotatively driving, about a pivot pin 57, a peg 54 engaging in one of the holes 53 provided on the surface of the respective bar.

The peg 54 can be manually disengaged from the hole 53 by means of a lever 52. In order to facilitate this disengagement operation, the safety locking means 50 are connected, in pairs, by

crossmembers

30 and 31 which can be manually operated in order to drive the mentioned lever 52.

The exercising implement according to the invention operates as follows.

Upon having put the

bars

28, 28' and 8, 8' on the floor, the back 3 and bottom portion 4 are rotatively driven about the rotary axis 5 for a set rotary angle, thereby providing a desired amplitude opening angle of the back 3 with respect to the bottom portion 4.

The back 3 and bottom portion 4 are held at their desired or set positions by causing the safety locking means 50, respectively coupled to the rods 26, 26' and the rods 22, 22', to engage in the holes 53 provided on

said bars

28, 28', 8 and 8'.

Thus, the provision of the safety locking means 50 will prevent the back 3 or bottom portion 4 from being lowered, while preventing said elements from falling away with a consequent possibility of seriously injuring the user.

With the implement in this position, the user can bring its back against the bench back 3, by seating on the bottom portion 4 and bringing on the top of said portion his/her legs and feet.

In this position, the spine muscles and leg rear muscle will be properly stretched.

Moreover, in this position, the user can perform a series of gymnic exercises, such as, for example, small front-rear movements of his/her head, in order to increase the tension on the cervical muscles, or bend the feet toward the front side of the legs or the rear side thereof, in order to stretch the rear or front muscles of the legs.

The user can also perform other types of gymnic exercises, in order to stretch or tension other muscles, in particular by using the rods 40 and 40' which will be gripped on their curved portions operating as handles, and which can be turned about their longitudinal axis in order to provide a suitable gripping for the user.

Then, the user can extend his/her arms upwardly, while displacing the rods 40 and 40' inside their respective guides 33 and 33'.

This exercise will provide an efficient stretching and elongation of the arms, shoulders and of the overall lumbar and back region, according to an overall working principle operating for stretching the rear muscular chain.

The exercising implement according to the present invention can moreover comprise an auxiliary read-out panel to be applied to its back in order to allow the user reading matter during the passive stretching, relaxing or depressurizing operations on his/her bottom limbs.

If the user desires to change the opening angle of the back 3, with respect to the bottom portion 4, i.e. to change the muscular tension amount, then the user must merely slightly raise the back 3 or bottom portion 4 and then raise the

respective cross-member

30 or 31, connecting the mentioned safety locking means 50, in order to allow the back 3 or bottom portion 4 to turn again.

Like operations must be performed as the exercising implement is to be closed, at the end of the exercises, in order to fold it to be arranged within a reduced space.

Moreover, the subject exercising implement can also comprise a flexible material band, so applied as to encompass the implement at the middle portion thereof, upon having folded the implement. Said flexible band will comprise snap closing means, and may be used in order to hold the implement in a closed position, or also as a handle in order to easily grip and transport the implement.

In this connection it should be pointed out that the possibility of folding the subject implement, directly deriving from its specifically designed construction, will allow to simply apply the disclosed gripping and transporting system.

From the above disclosure and the observation of the figures of the accompanying drawings, it should be apparent that the invention fully achieves the intended aim and objects.

Claims

An exercising implement (1) for performing muscular stretching and respiration exercises, of the type comprising a bench including coupling rods (25, 25'; 26, 26') and floor resting bars (28, 28'; 8, 8'), said bench having a back (3) and a bottom (4) portion, defining a seating region and a support for the legs of a user, said back (3) and bottom (4) portion being pivoted, at adjoining sides thereof, to said floor resting bars (28, 28'; 8, 8')in order to controllably turn about a horizontal rotary axis (5), so as to change the opening angle of said back (3) with respect to said bottom (4) portion and change the slanting of the back and bottom portion with respect to said floor, safety locking means (50), which can be controllably actuated and disactuated, for preventing said back (3) and bottom (4)portion from turning about said rotary axis (5), as well as adjustable means allowing said exercising implement to be operated to perform stretching exercises on the muscles pertaining to the rear muscular chain of said user, characterized in that said safety locking means (50)comprise, for each said rod (25, 25'; 26, 26') coupling said back and floor resting bars, a box-like body, coupled to its respective coupling rod (25, 25'; 26, 26'), said box-like body holding therein a spring (55) provided for rotatively driving a peg (54) for snap engaging in holes (53) formed on the surface of said floor resting bars (28, 28'; 8, 8').
An exercising implement according to Claim 1, characterized in that said safety locking means (50) comprise, for each said rod coupling said bottom portion and floor resting bars, a box-like body, coupled to its respective rod and adapted to slide along the floor resting bar supporting said coupling rod, and holding therein a spring (55) provided for rotatively driving about a pin (57) a peg (58) for snap engaging said peg (54) in holes (53) provided on the surface of said floor resting bars (28, 28'; 8, 8').
An exercising implement according to Claims 1 and 2, characterized in that, for each said box-like body, a manually operated lever (52) for disengaging said peg (54) from its corresponding engagement hole (53) is provided.
An exercising implement according to Claim 3, characterized in that said exercising implement comprises moreover a manually operated cross-member (30, 31) coupling said levers (52) pertaining to the box-like bodies of the coupling rods (26, 26'; 22, 22') for coupling said back portion (3) and corresponding floor resting bars (28, 28'; 8, 8').
An exercising implement according to Claim 3, characterized in that said exercising implement comprises moreover a manually operated cross-member (30, 31) coupling said levers (52) pertaining to the box-like bodies of said rods coupling said bottom portion (4) and corresponding floor resting bars.
An exercising implement according to one or more of the preceding claims, characterized in that said adjustable means for allowing muscular chain stretching exercises comprise a pair of sliding rods (40, 40') sliding along longitudinal sliding guides (33, 33') formed at the long sides of said back portion (3), said sliding rods (40, 40') including curved end portions.
An exercising implement according to Claim 6, characterized in that said sliding rods (40, 40') can also turn about a longitudinal turning axis thereof.