that may be hooked on the toes

The subject of this utility model is a flexible toe-stretching device that may be hooked on the toes, which is suitable for stretching and strengthening the muscles of the toes, of the feet and of the lower legs, as well as for the wide- ranging static restoration of the bone structure of the feet and the arches of the feet. The flexible toe-stretching device that may be hooked on the toes consists of rings that may be hooked on the toes, and an intermediate element that is connected to the rings directly or through a strap each. The intermediate element may have a handle, or it may have a grip that is connected to it through a rope of adjustable length. The device contains one or more flexible elements: the rings, the straps, the rope or even several of these elements may be flexible.

As a result of the appearance of technical inventions, and as a result of the changing of the lifestyles due to this, everyday movement of people decreased significantly. Accordingly, the body posture disorders have appeared - as e.g. the deformation of the feet, the knee, hip, back and other problems -, overweight, and the weakened musculature. From static aspect, the base of the structure of the human body is represented by the body parts that are in contact with the earth. When standing, the weight of the human body is carried by the soles. Due to body posture defects, the vector of the weight of the body has moved forward compared to the heels. The inappropriate weight distribution causes the over-loading of the ankles, which causes problem for the entire body by the flattening of the arches of the feet, and the lowering of the shin.

The cause of this problem may be solved by restoring the original position of the shin and the harmonised training of the muscles that hold and move the bones of the lower legs and the arches.

There are several different partial solutions for training and stretching the above mentioned muscles, and for the treatment of the feet problems that are connected to these muscles.

As passive solutions (disregarding the training of the muscles) they recommend using flat feet pads, orthopaedic shoes, and in the case of nodes they recommend mechanisms that separate the toes, as well as distance keeping silicone elements, and socks.

One may decide to select feet exercises, bare foot walking for training the muscles, but this is a device free solution. In these cases people train with the aid of the weight of their own bodies, meaning that they are unable to vary the load. In the case of muscle weakness, the principle of gradual load increasing cannot be applied.

Document of publication number KR20110001761 introduces a device that has a strap of adjustable length, which strap may be hooked on the toe and another strap that may be fixed around the ankle. On the strap that may be fixed around the ankle there are five hooking rings located next to each other. One end of the strap of adjustable length may be fixed to one of the toes, while the other end of it may be fixed to one of the rings. This device is suitable to stretching the muscles that force the toe downwards, however, it does not allow the training of the toe stretching muscles in the course of movement, moreover at any one time only one toe may be stretched with its aid.

Document of publication number US20070191193 presents a device that was designed for stretching the fascia network, the muscles and the other connected formulations of the feet. With this device, with the aid of two ropes of adjustable lengths, which ropes are connected to a manual grip, they apply manual pulling power separately to the sole pad and to the toes with the aid of“stirrups”. This device is already suitable for training the muscles that bend the feet and the toes, however, in standing position lifting under the sole pad makes it more difficult to restore a fallen arch, this apparatus was not designed for this purpose. This device has also the following disadvantages: it does not allow the separate movement and training of the toes one-by-one, and the pulling power cannot be adjusted by toes. The rigid structure of the device does also restrict the free movement of the articulations of the toes.

The task to be solved with the utility model is outlined below.

Our purpose with the utility model is to create a device for the stretching and strengthening of the muscles of the toes, of the sole, of the feet and of the lower leg, with the aid of which the toes may be trained in their entire movement range with selectable flexible counter-force. Therefore, we considered it to be practical to include in the device a flexible element or flexible elements.

It was also our target to design a flexible toe stretching device that may be hooked on the toes corresponding to the utility model in a way that allows the restoring of the springing function of the arches of the feet, the correction of the static impacts that is due to the weight of the body and which reaches the feet along an improper vector, and the preparation of the foundations for the proper body posture. However, in order to develop the transverse arch, it is needed to provide isometric training for the specific toes as well, while the other toes implement isotonic, dynamic movements. For example, in the case of one of the training methods the two extreme toes are statically pressed to the ground, and simultaneously with this the middle three toes implement dynamic movements against different opposite forces.

Accordingly the flexible toe stretching device that may be hooked on the toes has to be designed in such a way that to one intermediate element there have to be five rings that may be hooked on the toes, connected, in an exchangeable manner, and from among the serially connected elements of the flexible toe stretching device that may be hooked to the toes, corresponding to the utility model, there should be at least one flexible element in the chain for each toe. This is needed for being able to set the loads on the toes customised to the person using the device.

In order to fulfil our purpose of allowing training with certain variants of the flexible toe stretching device that may be hooked on the toes corresponding to the utility model without manual counter-forces, the device has to be designed in such a way that it should be possible to pull the specific toes with a flexible force compared to a fixed point. It is the most practical to implement this by laying on supports the intermediate elements connected to the rings hooked on the toes.

In order to fulfil our purpose of allowing training with other variants of the flexible toe stretching device that may be hooked on the toes corresponding to the utility model against manual counter- forces, these variants have to be designed in such a way that the intermediate element connected to the rings have to have a handle.

In order to fulfil our purpose of allowing training with some variants of the flexible toe stretching device that may be hooked on the toes corresponding to the utility model against manual counter-forces independently of body height, these variants have to be designed in such a manner that a grip should be connected with at least one rope of adjustable length to the intermediate element connected to the rings.

In order to fulfil our purpose of allowing training with some variants of the flexible toe stretching device that may be hooked on the toes corresponding to the utility model the toes symmetrically without stooping, against manual forces, it is necessary to fix the rope of adjustable length to the middle point of the side of the intermediate element that is opposite the fixing points of the rings.

In order to fulfil our purpose of allowing training with some variants of the flexible toe stretching device that may be hooked on the toes corresponding to the utility model the toes asymmetrically without stooping, against manual forces, it is needed to fix the rope of adjustable length to the two ends of the side of the intermediate element that is located on the opposite side of the fixing points of the rings.

The longer the intermediate element and the shorter the rings, the device will separate the more intensively the toes from each other, which is the one of the purposes of training in certain cases (e.g. feet with nodes). In order to achieve this, it is practical if the rings are connected directly to the intermediate element. We may make the distance of the rings adjustable also by establishing several connection points on the intermediate element, and in this case, it may be selected individually to which distance we will connect the rings compared to each other.

When the practicing person is already able to separate his/her toes from each other by his/her own muscles, it is practical to ensure a more even pulling force, for which purpose the flexible toe stretching device that may be hooked to the toes corresponding to the utility model has to be designed in such a manner that the rings should be connected to the intermediate element through a strap each. Therefore, the subject of the utility model is a flexible toe-stretching device that may be hooked to the toes for the stretching and strengthening of the muscles of the toes, of the sole, of the feet and the lower legs. The flexible toe-stretching device that may be hooked to the toes is a kinematic chain that consists of at least two serially connected units, in the case of which at least one of these serially connected units is flexible. The first serial unit of the kinematic chain consists of five rings located next to each other, which may be hooked on the toes. There is one intermediate element in the kinematic chain. The intermediate element has a part that is designed for connecting the rings, where next to each other there are at least five connection points. The rings are connected to the connection points of the intermediate element in an exchangeable manner and one-by-one (separately).

In the following, we will introduce some advantageous implementation versions of the flexible toe-stretching device that may be hooked to the toes, corresponding to the utility model.

In the case of the first advantageous embodiment of the flexible toestretching device that may be hooked on the toes, corresponding to the utility model the rings are flexible, and they are connected to the intermediate element with a binding that may be released without any tools, which intermediate element has supporting surfaces that are resting on supports. In this embodiment, it is advantageous if the intermediate element is a bar, the two ends of which rest on supports, and the flexible rings are looped onto its middle part.

In the case of second advantageous embodiment of the flexible toestretching device that may be hooked on the toes, corresponding to the utility model, the intermediate element has a handle.

In the case of third advantageous embodiment of the flexible toe-stretching device that may be hooked on the toes, corresponding to the utility model, the intermediate element is connected to a grip through at least one rope of adjustable length.

In the case of fourth advantageous embodiment of the flexible toe stretching device that may be hooked on the toes, corresponding to the utility model, is a sub-case of embodiment three, where one rope of adjustable length connects the middle of the intermediate element - located opposite the fixing points of the rings - with the grip.

In the case of fifth advantageous embodiment of the flexible toe stretching device that may be hooked on the toes, corresponding to the utility model, is a specific subcase of embodiment three, in the case of which one rope of adjustable length connects each of the two ends of the side of the intermediate element that is located opposite the fixing points of the rings with the two ends of the grip.

In the case of sixth, seventh, eighth, ninth second advantageous embodiments of the flexible toe stretching device that may be hooked on the toes, corresponding to the utility model, are subcases respectively of embodiments two, three, four and five, in the case of which the rings are connected to the intermediate element directly, with a binding that may be released without any tools.

In the case of tenth, eleventh, twelfth and thirteenth advantageous embodiments of the flexible toe stretching device that may be hooked on the toes, corresponding to the utility model, are respectively those sub -embodiments of embodiments two, three, four and five, where the rings are connected through a strap each with a binding that may be released without any tools, in an advantageous manner - e.g. with snap fit, Velcro, press stud - to the intermediate element.

We introduce some advantageous embodiments of the utility model with the aid of four diagrams below, where • Diagram 1 presents one possible implementation of the first advantageous embodiment of the flexible toe stretching device that may be hooked on the toes, corresponding to the utility model,

• Diagram 2 presents one possible implementation of the tenth advantageous embodiment of the flexible toe stretching device that may be hooked on the toes, corresponding to the utility model,

• Diagram 3 presents one possible implementation of the thirteenth advantageous embodiment of the flexible toe stretching device that may be hooked on the toes, corresponding to the utility model,

• Diagram 4 presents one possible implementation of the twelfth advantageous embodiment of the flexible toe-stretching device that may be hooked on the toes, corresponding to the utility model.

As it can be seen on Diagram 1 , the first advantageous embodiment of the flexible toe stretching device that may be hooked on the toes, corresponding to the utility model may be implemented in such a manner that the intermediate element (2) is a bar, the two ends of which rest on supports (3) and the flexible rings (1) - e.g. rubber rings - are looped on its middle part.

Diagram 2 presents one possible implementation of the tenth advantageous embodiment of the flexible toe-stretching device that may be hooked on the toes, corresponding to the utility model, in a simplified presentation. In this embodiment, the intermediate element (2) is a quadrangular frame, which has three straight and one arched side, where the arched side serves as the handle (6). The rings (1) are connected to the side of the intermediate element that is opposite the handle (6) with the aid of straps (4). In this embodiment either each of the straps (4), or the rings (1), or both the straps (4) and the rings (1) may be flexible.

As it can be seen on Diagram 3, in the case of one possible implementation of the thirteenth advantageous embodiment of the flexible toe stretching device that may be hooked on the toes, corresponding to the utility model, there is a rope of adjustable length (5) that connects the two ends of the side of the intermediate element (2) that is opposite the fixing points of the rings (1) with the two ends of the grip (7). In this embodiment, the kinematic chain is started with the rings (1), then it goes through the straps (4), the intermediate element (2) and the two ropes of adjustable length (5) up to the grip (7).

As it can be seen on Diagram 4, in the case of one possible implementation of the twelfth advantageous embodiment of the flexible toe stretching device that may be hooked on the toes, corresponding to the utility model, there is a rope of adjustable length (5) connecting that side of the intermediate element (2), which is located opposite the fixing points of the rings (1) with the grip (7). The rings (1) are made of rubber strips bent into a circle, and they are tightened on the ends of the straps (4). The straps (4) are connected to the intermediate element (2) with the aid of snap fits.

In those embodiments of the flexible toe stretching device that may be hooked on the toes, corresponding to the utility model, in the case of which the rings (1) are connected to the intermediate element (2) with the aid of bindings that may be released without any tools through one strap (4) each, the connection may be between the straps (4) and the intermediate element (2) snap fit, press stud, Velcro connections or loop connections formed at the end of the straps (4).

In the case of the different embodiments of the flexible toe-stretching device that may be hooked on the toes, corresponding to the utility model, the rope of adjustable length (5) may be connected to the intermediate element (2) at one or at two points. flexible toe-stretching device that may be hooked on the toes, corresponding to the utility model as a serial kinematic chain may consist of the following

1) rings (1) and an intermediate element (2) (with supporting surfaces or a

handle (6)), where a) the rings (1) are flexible;

2) rings (1), an intermediate element (2), a rope of adjustable length (5) and a grip (7), where there are several options for ensuring flexibility:

a) the rings (1) are flexible,

b) the rope of adjustable length (5) is flexible,

c) the rings (1) and the rope of adjustable length (5) are also flexible;

3) rings (1), straps (4), an intermediate element (2) having a handle (6), in the case of which there are several options for implementing flexibility:

a) the rings (1) are flexible,

b) the straps (4) are flexible,

c) both the rings (1) and the straps (4) are flexible;

4) rings (1), straps (4), an intermediate element (2), a rope of adjustable length (5) and a grip (7), where there are several options of implementing

flexibility:

a) the rings (1) are flexible,

b) the straps (4) are flexible,

c) the rope of adjustable length (5) is flexible,

d) the rings (1) and the straps (4) are flexible,

e) the rings (1) and the rope of adjustable length (5) are flexible,

f) the straps (4) and the rope of adjustable length (5) are flexible,

g) the rings (1), the straps (4) and the rope of adjustable length (5) are flexible.

As it can be seen from the above, there are relatively many ways for implementing the flexible toe stretching device that may be hooked on the toes, corresponding to the utility model.

In the following we mention some specific examples.

• a flexible toe-stretching device that may be hooked on the toes that consists of rings (1), straps (4), an intermediate element (2), a rope of adjustable length (5) and a grip (7), in the case of which only the straps (4) are flexible, the rings (1) are connected through a strap (4) each to the intermediate element (2), the connection of the straps (4) to the intermediate element (2) is a snap fit, and the rope of adjustable length (5) is connected to the intermediate element (2) at one point, it consists of the rope and the rope length adjusting unit, and it passes through the hole of the grip (7).

^• a flexible toe stretching device that may be hooked on the toes that consists of rings (1), straps (4), an intermediate element (2), a rope of adjustable length (5) and a grip (7), in the case of only the rings (1) are flexible, the rings (1) are connected to the intermediate element (2) through straps (4) each, the connection of the straps (4) to the intermediate element (2) is solved with a loop that is closed with a Velcro that is located at the ends of the straps (4), and the rope of adjustable length (5) is connected to the intermediate element (2) at two points, it consists of the rope and the rope length adjusting unit, and it passes through the hole of the grip (7).

• a flexible toe stretching device that may be hooked on the toes that consists of rings (1), straps (4), an intermediate element (2) only the rings are flexible, the intermediate element (2) has a handle (6), the rings (1) are connected to the intermediate element (2) through straps (4) each, the connection of the straps (4) to the intermediate element (2) is solved with a loop made at the end of the straps closing with the aid of a press stud.

• a flexible toe stretching device that may be hooked on the toes that consists of rings (1), an intermediate element (2), a rope of adjustable length (5) and a grip (7), in the case of which the rope of adjustable length (5) consists of the rope and the rope length adjusting unit, only the rope is flexible, and the rope is connected to the intermediate element (2) at one point, the rings (1) are directly connected to the intermediate element, and the rope passes through the hole of the grip (7).

• a flexible toe stretching device that may be hooked on the toes that consists of rings (1), and the intermediate element (2), in the case of which the intermediate element (2) is a bar, the two ends of which rest of supports (3), and the flexible rings (1) are looped onto the middle part of it.

The flexible toe stretching device that may be hooked on the toes that corresponds to the utility model consisting of an intermediate element (2), from rings (1) that are connected to the intermediate element (2) either directly or through straps (4) one-by-one, moreover either a rope of adjustable length (5) and a grip (7) or a handle (6) made on the intermediate element (2) has to be used as follows. When standing the grip (7) has to be kept in our hand and we have to place the rings (1) on the toes. By lifting the grip (7) the rings (1) are tensioned (in the case of an arrangement that contains straps (4) as well, the straps are also tensioned), this facilitates the lifting and moving apart the toes. Subsequently using the muscle force of the foot, we pull back the toes to the ground against the flexible force, by this we train the muscles that move the toes downwards in the movement range needed.

The flexible toe stretching device that may be hooked on the toes that corresponds to the utility model consisting of rings (1) and an intermediate element (2) that rests of supports (3) have to be used as follows. The rings (1) have to be placed on the toes, then the intermediate element (2) have to be placed on the supports (3), and by pressing down our sole pad we have to tension the rings (1). Subsequently using the muscle force of the foot, we have to press down our toes to the ground against the flexible force, and then we have to release our toes upwards. With this, we train the muscles that move the toes downwards in the movement range needed.

It is advantageous to use the flexible toe stretching device that may be hooked on the toes that corresponds to the utility model, because a) When standing, the lifting of the toes lifts the shin as well, and it plays a significant role in creating the longitudinal arch (which eliminates the reason of the ankle prolapse). It also contributes to the elongation of the sole formations. b) Pulling the lifted toes downwards against a flexible counter-force stabilises the proper position of the ankle into the horizontal position and it also trains the muscles that form the traverse arches. c) The flexible toe-stretching device that may be hooked on the toes that corresponds to the utility model provides an opportunity for moving separately any of the five toes vertically and horizontally both statically and dynamically. d) Those variants of the flexible toe stretching device that may be hooked on the toes according to the utility model in the case of which not only the rope of adjustable length (5) is flexible, but the strength of the flexible structural elements may be changed even by toes provides an opportunity for preparing a personalised training schedule.

This way the most frequent posture problems of the feet and the ankles connected to the arches may be preventable and treatable with toe training carried out in this movement range.

The technical advantages of the flexible toe stretching device that may be hooked on the toes that corresponds to the utility model include the following

• with the aid of exchangeable rubber straps (4) it is possible to set the load that corresponds to the physical fitness, even by each toe.

• the straps (4) ensure that the load will be close to permanent over the entire movement range of the toes.

• with the aid of the rope of adjustable length (5) the flexible toe stretching device that may be hooked on the toes may be used by people of different heights in standing position.

• the flexible arrangement of the rings (1) ensures complete freedom of movement of the articulations between the toes and the toe phalanges it does not restrict the flexibility of the sole, therefore the musculature that bends the sole may be trained.

List of reference symbols- rings

- intermediate element

- supports

- straps

- rope of adjustable length

- handle intermediate element

- grip