EP1602395B1

EP1602395B1 - Stretching machine

Info

Publication number: EP1602395B1
Application number: EP04425410A
Authority: EP
Inventors: Giorgio Parise
Original assignee: Fassi Fitness Srl
Current assignee: Fassi Fitness Srl
Priority date: 2004-06-03
Filing date: 2004-06-03
Publication date: 2007-01-10
Anticipated expiration: 2024-06-03
Also published as: DE602004004247D1; DE602004004247T2; EP1602395A1; ES2279332T3

Description

The present invention relates to a stretching machine.
It is known that a correct stretching of all muscles prior to physical activity is essential to reduce the risk of muscular damage, but stretching is also fundamental in remedying incorrect positions, rigidities, muscular pain and fatigue.
In these cases, in fact, the physical activity is not a remedy, on the contrary in certain cases it can be harmful since it is carried out by a body that already has problems, hidden by often unconscious compensation mechanisms, which may be enhanced by the physical activity. Therefore it is necessary to detect as precisely as possible any possible problem in order to be able to carry out a correct stretching that helps eliminating such problems without having the compensation mechanisms interfere.
Known stretching machines, however, do not allow to perform such a detection, neither to check the user's progress over time.
A stretching machine including a bench and an upright pivoted on a support base and carrying an adjustable footrest, whereby an angular position of the upright is visually indicated, is known from US-A-5 122 106.
Therefore the object of the present invention is to provide a stretching machine that overcomes the above-mentioned limits. This object is achieved by means of a machine provided with various graduated and adjustable members according to the characteristics disclosed in claim 1.
A first great advantage of the present machine is that of allowing the initial detection of the user's problems by leaving the machine's adjustments free so that it is the user's spontaneous position that defines the position of the various adjustable members of the machine.
A second essential advantage is given by the presence of various graduated and adjustable members that allow to adjust the machine to any user and to any specific type of activity, as well as to detect with precision the progress achieved over time.
Still another important advantage of the present machine stems from the possibility of autonomous use by the user, which therefore does not require the assistance by an operator, and allows the self-calibration of the load and the interruption of the movement at any time if a pain arises.
Finally, a great advantage of this machine comes from the fact that it allows to exercise the muscular "chains", i.e. the sequences of muscles connected through the joints to which they are attached (e.g. rear static postural chain), thus preventing the body from compensating the loads among different muscles. Furthermore, it is possible to involve more chains simultaneously like in other machines for physical activity.
Further advantages and characteristics of the stretching machine according to the present invention will be clear to those skilled in the art from the following detailed description of an embodiment thereof, with reference to the annexed drawings wherein:

Fig.1 is a diagrammatic perspective view of the above-mentioned machine; and
Fig.2 is a side view of the machine of fig.1.

Referring to said figures, there is seen that a stretching machine according to the present invention includes a support base B on which there are pivoted a pair of vertical parallel uprights V, held by graduated adjustment pistons P pivoted between uprights V and base B, and a bench R located adjacent to uprights V and also pivoted on base B.
More specifically, bench R is L-shaped with a short seat and a long backrest inclined at about 20° with respect to the ground, and it is pivoted on base B at two supports C and D. These supports are aligned along an axis X, perpendicular to the rotation axes of uprights V and pistons P, around which bench R can rotate to compensate for possible asymmetries of the user (with graduated adjustment marks at support C). Moreover, handles H are provided on the sides of the seat of bench R for the user to grasp them in order to remain well adherent to the seat.
A slide S slides on the top half of each upright V, on the side facing bench R, along a graduated guide G that is used to precisely adjust its position prior to locking. Said slide S carries a footrest F arranged perpendicularly to upright V, its position being adjustable in the transverse direction, by sliding a locking pin A along a graduated slot T, as well as in rotation around said pin A. As a consequence, footrests F have a transverse adjustment range sufficient to allow the user to take a position with joined feet or spread apart feet even in the absence of a transverse adjustment of uprights V.
The main adjustments of the machine are therefore obtained by changing the length of pistons P, that defines the inclination of uprights V, the position of slides S along guides G, and the position of footrests F along slot T and around pin A.
By leaving these adjustments free it is possible to achieve an initial detection of the user's problems merely by letting his natural posture define the position of the various adjustable members.
It should be noted that pistons P define the angle of uprights V at rest, in that beyond a certain load applied by the user on footrests F, pistons P allow a certain movement of uprights V in order to prevent overloads of the user (i.e. they are a yielding constraint).
There are also provided, yet not illustrated for the sake of simplicity of the drawings, a pair of cables each of which connects a slide S to a mobile handle by passing through an eyelet E located at the end of base B, on the side of bench R. In this way the user can grasp said mobile handles with his hands and put in tension his upper limbs through the push of his legs on footrests F, each handle being adjustably connected by the cable to the slide S on the same side of the body.
Further improvements, not illustrated, which can be made to the above-described machine are the addition of a further degree of adjustment of footrests F and a remote control for pistons P.
In the first case it may be provided that footrests F are pivoted on slides S also around a rotation axis parallel to the rotation axis of uprights V, whereby their inclination with respect to bench R is not defined only by the inclination of uprights V.
In the second case it may be provided that pistons P are adjusted by means of an electric, pneumatic or hydraulic device provided with a (wireless or by wire) remote control, so that the user can precisely change the inclination of uprights V while remaining on bench R.
It is clear that the above-described and illustrated embodiment of the stretching machine according to the invention is just an example susceptible of various modifications within the scope of the claims.

Claims

Stretching machine including a support base (B) on which there are pivoted a pair of vertical parallel uprights (V), held by graduated adjustment members pivoted between said uprights (V) and said base (B), an L-shaped inclined bench (R) located adjacent to the uprights (V) and pivoted on the base (B) around a rotation axis perpendicular to the rotation axis of the uprights (V), as well as a pair of slides (S) that slide on the uprights (V) along graduated guides (G), on the side facing said bench (R), each of said slides (S) carrying a footrest (F) whose position can be adjusted in the transverse direction by sliding a locking pin (A) along a slot (T), as well as in rotation around said locking pin (A).
Stretching machine according to claim 1, characterized in that it further includes a pair of cables each of which adjustably connects one of the slides (S) to a mobile handle by passing through an eyelet (E) located at the end of the base (B) on the side of the bench (R).
Stretching machine according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the adjustment members for the uprights (V) are pistons (P) suitable to provide a yielding constraint.
Stretching machine according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that a backrest of the bench (R) is inclined at about 20° with respect to the ground.
Stretching machine according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that graduated adjustment marks are provided at at least one of the pivot points (C, D) of the bench (R).
Stretching machine according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that handles (H) are provided on the sides of a seat of the bench (R).
Stretching machine according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the footrests (F) are pivoted on the slides (S) around a rotation axis parallel to the rotation axis of the uprights (V).
Stretching machine according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the adjustment members for the uprights (V) are adjustable by means of a remote control.