JP2020110377A - Exercise apparatus - Google Patents

Abstract

To provide comparatively inexpensively an exercise apparatus having a compact structure and high storability, capable of performing individually or simultaneously plantar flexion motion and jiggling exercise of toes and an ankle.SOLUTION: A foot pad for bending toes is provided in advance on an initial reference position, and therefore a movable area of toes is restricted, and a step stroke of plantar flexion motion is reduced, to thereby achieve simplification and compaction of a structure. Further, in jiggling exercise, strength is heightened by supporting on two spots, a step rotation axis and a jiggling part 14 linked to an eccentric cam.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an exercise machine, and more particularly to an exercise machine capable of performing a plantar dorsiflexion motion and a jiggling motion of an ankle with one unit.

It is well known that plantar dorsiflexion of the ankles and toes promotes blood flow and lymphatic metabolism in the lower limbs as well as strengthening muscle strength. There are also research reports that vibration due to jiggling (poor shaking) is effective in promoting bone regeneration and recovering the function of hip joint disorders.

There are some exercise devices that can passively perform bottom dorsiflexion exercises or jiggling of ankles and toes in patent documents. In Patent Document 1, a motor, a cam, and a crank mechanism are used to bend the ankle to the bottom dorsiflexion, but there is a problem in that the angle of the bottom dorsiflexion is constant and the flexibility of the ankle, which varies greatly among individuals, cannot be accommodated. Further, in Patent Document 2, the bottom dorsiflexion of the ankle is performed by using an air bag and a crank mechanism by a motor together, but the angle of the bottom dorsiflexion is limited and the structure is complicated, and durability and manufacturing cost are high. There is a problem that is high. The air bag of Patent Document 3 is used to bend the toes to the dorsiflexion, but the exercise effect is only the toes and does not correspond to the plantar dorsiflexion of the ankle, and the effect of promoting blood flow in the lower limbs is obtained. Has the problem of being limited. Patent Document 4 that enables the motion effect of not only the ankle but also the lower limbs including the knee and hip joints has a problem that the mechanism is complicated and the cost is high, and a large space is required and the storage is poor. is there. In Patent Document 5, the heel is fixed with an air bag to perform a jiggling motion, but the plantar dorsiflexion motion of the ankle is not taken into consideration, and the massage of the sole of the foot is performed in parallel, and the exercise effect of the lower limbs is limited. There is a problem that is. In any case, it is not possible to perform both the toes, ankle plantar dorsiflexion and jiggling individually or in parallel.

Only the one disclosed in Patent Document 6 can be found within the range of investigation in which both the toes and plantar dorsiflexion of the ankle and the jiggling can be performed individually or in parallel. However, this exercise equipment is structurally complicated and costly, and since the stroke angle of the bottom dorsiflexion of the ankle is large, the height is required accordingly and the storability is not preferable.

In addition, the structure for supporting the members on which the left and right feet are placed is supported only by the single central rotating shaft of the hollow structure, and there is a problem in the stability and durability of the gear when an extreme load is applied to the front, rear, left, or right. In addition, there is a problem that a high torque motor is required to firmly bend the ankle and the manufacturing cost becomes high.

Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2007-236881 Patent No. 4816795 JP-A-2007-260178 JP-A-2007-260176 JP, 2017-140116, A Patent No. 6080332

It is an object of the present invention to provide an exercise apparatus having a compact structure, high storability, and capable of performing a plantar dorsiflexion motion and a jiggling motion of the toes/ankles individually or simultaneously at a relatively low cost.

In order to achieve the above-mentioned object, the invention of the present application bends the step base on which the foot is placed at the initial reference position by about 5 to 20 degrees, tilts the toe side upward to bend the ankle, and bends the toe. By providing a foot pad, limiting the range of motion of the ankle and reducing the stroke of the bottom dorsiflexion, the structure is simplified and made compact. Further, it is characterized in that the strength and the stability are enhanced by supporting it at a plurality of places of the jig ring base connected to the rotary shaft of the step base and the eccentric cam.

According to the present invention described above, the bottom dorsiflexion motion of the toes/ankles can be passively performed, and in addition, jigging can be performed individually or in parallel. Since it has a simple and compact structure, it can be manufactured at a relatively low cost, and many people can easily promote muscle strengthening of the lower limbs and promote blood flow.

It is the whole perspective view of the embodiment of the invention in this application. It is a figure explaining the shape of the foot pad 1 on which a foot is put. It is a figure for explaining the parts connected to the rotating shaft 6. It is a figure explaining the mechanism of the airbag 4. It is a figure for explanation of jiggling. It is a figure showing a situation of rotation of jig ring base 4. It is a figure which is performing the plantar dorsiflexion motion of the ankle using the airbag 7. It is the figure which looked at the exercise equipment which concerns on embodiment of this invention from the bottom surface. It is the figure which rotated the stand 17 and inclined and fixed the main body. It is a figure which leans a main body and is sitting on the floor and using it. It is a figure in which the main body is tilted and laid on its back for use. It is the figure which is performing the massage of a lower limb. This is an example of deployment where the main body of this project is placed on the sole of the foot massager. This is a deployment example where the main body of this project is placed on the sole of the massage chair.

Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings. The invention of the present application is not limited to the configurations of the embodiments described below, but includes all concrete forms that achieve the object of the invention of the present application and within the scope of the claims.

The exercise equipment according to the embodiment of the present invention is an electric exercise equipment used at home or the like, and FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a main body. It has a compact shape that can be used as a footrest when exercise is not performed. 1 to 12, the left side is the front (toe side) and the right side is the rear (heel side).

FIG. 2 is a diagram illustrating the shape of the foot pad 1 on which the foot is placed. The foot pad 1 is largely bulged forward (toe side) in order to bend the toes. In addition, the rear (the heel side) is slightly inclined to bend the ankle. The material on the toe side of the foot pad 1 is preferably an elastic body having a degree of repulsion. On the other hand, an elastic body having a low resilience is preferable for the portion where the heel contacts. The reason for this is that the front side of the foot is wide on the toe side and touches the foot pad 1 on the wide side, but the heel side makes strong contact in a narrow area when plantar flexion occurs, so it is in contact with the foot pad 1 on the heel when used for long periods Because it can be painful. The range of motion of the ankle is generally 40 to 50 degrees for plantar flexion and 20 to 30 degrees for dorsiflexion in the standing position, although there are individual differences. However, when the toes are dorsiflexed, the range of motion of the ankle is limited to less than half. This is because the bones of the toes and the calcaneus are connected by the plantar aponeurosis, and by flexing the toes, the plantar tendon curtain is pulled, so that the range of motion of the plantar dorsiflexion of the ankle is limited. Such a foot structure is called a windlas structure. As a result, the play range of the ankle (the range in which it hardly affects the muscle) is reduced, so that the drive range of the step base 2 is significantly reduced, the body is made compact, and the muscles of the lower limbs are efficiently stimulated in a short time. It becomes possible. Further, the step base 2 is inclined at the toe side upward by about 5 to 20 degrees at the reference position (initial state). This is to limit the range of motion of the dorsiflexion by making the ankle dorsiflexed in advance.

FIG. 3 is a diagram showing only one of the step base 2, the step cover 3, the jig ring base 4, and the main body base 5 which are disassembled in the vertical direction for easy understanding. These four parts are arranged in a nested manner with respect to the rotary shaft 6. The step cover 3 prevents the fingers from being caught when the step base 2 is rotated. An airbag 7 installed between the step base 2 and the jiggling base 4 is used to rotate each step base 2 to perform dorsiflexion of the ankle. As shown in FIG. 4, each airbag 7 is controlled by an electronic control valve 9 that controls intake and exhaust of air supplied from an air motor 8. The amount of air supplied is controlled electronically by the operation panel or the remote controller 19. Alternatively, an electronically controllable motor and gear, an eccentric cam, an actuator, a solenoid, or the like may be used. In addition, in FIG. 1 and FIG. 4, it is composed of a total of four step bases 2 and a total of four step covers 3 which are symmetrically divided into two in the front and rear, but a total in which the left and right are connected and divided into two in the front and rear. It may be composed of two step bases 2 and a total of two step covers 3. The rotary shaft 6 may not be bilaterally symmetrical and may be penetrated by a single shaft, or a plurality of rotary shafts may be arranged. When the left and right are connected, the number of parts is reduced, but the plantar dorsiflexion of the left and right feet is a synchronized movement and cannot be performed independently. Further, in order to individually move the dorsiflexion of the toes and the dorsiflexion of the bottom of the ankles, the step base may be divided into three parts, and the step bases may be individually moved by the above method.

FIG. 5 is a diagram for explaining the jiggling unit. The rotational movement transmitted from the jigling motor 10 to the jigling shaft 12 via the belt drive 11 converts the jigging parts 14 into vertical movement by the eccentric cam 13. The jig ring part 14 is connected to the jig ring base 4 through a jig ring slit 15 having an elliptical hole. The jiggling base 4 is fixed to the rotating shaft 6 described above, and at this time, the jiggling part 14 has an elliptical motion locus. The role of the jig ring slit 15 is to absorb the left and right blurring. The jig ring base 4 rotates about a rotation shaft 6. This movement is transmitted to the step base 2 on the rear side (heel side) as it is. This allows the bottom dorsiflexion motion and the jiggling motion of the ankle to be performed individually or simultaneously. The speed of the jiggling is adjusted by the operation panel or the remote controller 19 by electronically controlling the rotation speed of the jiggling motor 10. As another method, it is possible to use an electronically controllable motor, a gear, an eccentric cam, an actuator, a solenoid, or the like. Further, as a simple method, there is a method of using a vibration motor used in a general massager or the like. However, since the vibration motor is a minute vibration, the effect of promoting blood flow and the irritation to bone due to the original milking action of jiggling are weakened.

FIG. 6 is a view showing how the rotating motion of the eccentric cam 13 rotates the jig ring base 4 every 90 degrees. 6A is 0 degrees (the bottom dead center of the jiggling base 4), FIG. 6B is 90 degrees, FIG. 6C is 180 degrees (the top dead center of the jiggling base 4), and FIG. It is a figure at the time of degree. The left and right eccentric cams 13 may have the same angle or different angles.

FIG. 7 is a diagram in which the air supplied from the air motor 8 is electronically controlled by the electronic control valve 9 to adjust the air supply amount and the exhaust air of the airbag 7 to perform the ankle bottom dorsiflexion motion. For the sake of clarity, the parts other than the foot pad 1 and the airbag 7 are semitransparent. For the ankle plantar dorsiflexion of this project, the center of the divided step base 2 is the axis of rotation, and from the reference position (initial state), only the dorsiflexion is clockwise in the toes and the counterclockwise basal flexion in the heel side. It is a structure that only performs. It is efficient because it can perform plantar dorsiflexion independently, and also has the effect of stimulating muscles with a small range of motion. This is because in the case of a step base which is not divided, for example, when the ankle is flexed, the heel side moves clockwise and the force applied to the foot escapes. On the other hand, in the case of plantar flexion, the toe side is lowered counterclockwise and the force applied to the foot also escapes. In order to avoid these, it has a structure that allows individual dorsiflexion. FIG. 7A is a diagram of a state (initial state) in which the air of all airbags 7 is released. FIG. 7-2 is a view in which the airbag 7 on the heel side is inflated to bend the ankle. Since the toes are previously dorsiflexed with the footpad 1, even in this degree of plantar flexion (about 15 to 30 degrees), the muscles of the lower limbs can be stimulated. FIG. 7-3 is a diagram in which the airbag 7 on the toe side is inflated to bend the ankles and toes. Since the step base 2 has already dorsiflexed (about 5 to 20 degrees) in the initial state, it is possible to sufficiently stimulate the muscle even at this degree (about 10 to 20 degrees). FIG. 7-4 is a diagram in which both the heel side and toe side airbags 7 are inflated to perform dorsiflexion of the ankle at the same time. FIG. 7-4 stimulates the most knee muscle group. Since the feet are not fixed, it is safe to lift the feet a little if the stimulation is too strong. If you want to stimulate more strongly, you can put your weight on the footpad 1 like pushing it in. By adjusting the amount of air supplied from the air motor 8 by electronic control, the amount of bottom dorsiflexion can be adjusted according to the flexibility of the ankle of the user.

FIG. 8 is a view of the exercise equipment according to the embodiment of the present invention as viewed from below. A base cushion 16 is fixed to the bottom surface of the main body. As a material, a material which is elastic so as not to damage the floor and which is not slippery is preferable.

FIG. 9 is a diagram in which the toe side of the main body is inclined upward by rotating the stand 17. Even when it is slanted, the side cushion 18 similar to the base cushion 16 is arranged on the side surface of the main body so that it can be used stably. As a result, as shown in FIG. 10, it becomes possible to sit and use the floor. To stabilize the body with the hands, not only the lower limbs but also the upper limb muscles can be stimulated. Further, as shown in FIG. 11, it can also be used in a state of lying on its back. The operation of the main body can be operated by the detachable remote controller 19 (see FIG. 1), which is convenient when used in such a posture.

FIG. 12 is a diagram in which a calf is placed on the foot pad 1 of the main body to massage the lower limbs. It is effective for improving swelling of the lower limbs because the feet are placed above the heart with fine vibrations.

FIG. 13 shows an example of development in which the main body of this project is arranged on the sole of a foot massager that can massage to the lower knee. In addition, FIG. 14 is a development example in which the main body of this project is arranged on the sole of a massage chair that can massage the lower limbs. Both massage the lower limbs while allowing massage. The illustrated shape is an example and includes all specific forms within the scope described in the claims.

1 Foot Pad 2 Step Base 3 Step Cover 4 Jig Ring Base 5 Main Body Base 6 Rotating Shaft 7 Airbag 8 Air Motor 9 Electronic Control Valve 10 Jigling Motor 11 Belt Drive 12 Jigling Shaft 13 Eccentric Cam 14 Jigling Parts 15 Jigling Slit 16 Base cushion 17 Stand 18 Side cushion 19 Remote control

Claims (8)

An exercise equipment that can perform bottom dorsiflexion exercises and jiggling exercises of the toes and ankles individually or simultaneously, and a main body that is installed on the floor surface,
A step base divided before and after the user puts his foot on the upper part of the main body,
The step base comprises a jig ring base installed below the rear side of the step base, which includes a drive device for independently rotating the step bases as fulcrums.
A drive unit for moving the jig ring base up and down,
Exercise equipment characterized by the above. The exercise equipment according to claim 1, wherein a portion of the step base or a foot pad arranged on the step base with which the toes abut is raised. The exercise device according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the reference position of the step base is arranged such that the rear side is inclined downward by about 5 to 20 degrees with respect to the bottom surface of the main body. The exercise apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein an air bag and an air motor are used to individually rotate the step base. The exercise equipment according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein a vertical movement speed of the jig ring base can be adjusted by an operation panel or a remote controller. The rotation angle of each of the step bases can be adjusted with an operation panel or a remote controller.
The exercise equipment according to any one of claims 1 to 5, wherein. The main body has a structure in which the front side of the main body from the floor surface can be used by inclining upward by about 20 to 60 degrees.
The exercise equipment according to any one of claims 1 to 6, which is characterized by things. The exercise apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 7, wherein the main body has a structure in which a foot massager capable of massaging the lower limbs and a foot sole of a massage chair are arranged.