JP7433855B2 - support equipment - Google Patents

Description

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION An object of the present invention is to provide a supporter device that includes a band-shaped supporter that is wrapped around and protects a predetermined part of the body, and that allows training and massage to be performed while providing protection.

BACKGROUND ART Conventionally, it has been well known to protect injured or painful areas by wrapping a supporter made of a stretchable material around them. Wrapping a supporter has the effect of protecting against impact and ensuring that movable parts such as muscles, ligaments, tendons, and joints can move within appropriate ranges.

Furthermore, a beauty device that applies electrical muscle stimulation called EMS (Electrical Muscle Stimulation), which applies a current of a predetermined frequency to the body, is known. EMS can cause muscle contraction and movement by applying electrical stimulation to the skin at a frequency of several Hz to several kHz.

Patent Document 1 discloses a board case holder for storing a board on which a pulse generating means for generating a predetermined electric pulse is formed, and a board case for storing a battery for supplying power to the pulse generating means. An ankle support is disclosed that includes a battery case holder for storing a battery case, and an electrode pin for electrically stimulating the foot of the foot using an electric pulse from a pulse generating means.

This document describes an invention that electrically stimulates the pudendal nerve region such as the pelvic floor muscles and the acupuncture point of the foot, thereby stimulating the pelvic nerve and suppressing involuntary detrusor muscle contraction to maintain urine collection function. The purpose of the supporter is to house the pulse generating means, etc., and it does not have the function of protecting the body.

In addition, the massage tool with conductive silicone disclosed in Patent Document 2 provides a massage effect to the human body by employing a current controller and a conductive silicone sheet, and can be applied to each part of the body using an elastic band. A massage tool with conductive silicone is described in which a massage body and a current controller are fixed to a region to be massaged using an elastic band shown in the form of a belt.

In this document, it is described that the elastic band is adjusted and its corresponding joints fix the massage body and the current controller to the area to be massaged. Therefore, the elastic band according to this document also does not have the function of protecting the body as in Patent Document 1.

Patent No. 3527677 Registered utility model publication No. 3157090

As shown in the above-mentioned prior art, a configuration in which a belt-like member is used to bring an electrical stimulation device into contact with the skin surface has been known, but in both cases, the device protects a desired part of the body. It had no function and merely held equipment.

On the other hand, when a supporter is wrapped around the body to protect the body, there is a problem in that the muscles in the protected area become weak during use, which also causes a delay in recovery. The present invention was created in view of these problems, and an object of the present invention is to provide a supporter device that can perform muscle training by electrically stimulating the muscles of a region protected by the supporter.

In order to solve the above problems, the present invention provides the following support device.
That is, according to the first embodiment of the present invention, there is provided a support device comprising a belt-shaped supporter that is wrapped around a predetermined part of the body to protect it, and an electrical stimulation device that provides electrical muscle stimulation to the skin surface of the user. The electrical stimulation device is removably attached to the supporter, and a part of the supporter has a mounting part for the electrical stimulation device, and the electrical stimulation device is designed to perform muscle training by electrical muscle stimulation on the part protected by the supporter. It is characterized by being configured as follows.

According to the second embodiment of the present invention, the above-mentioned mounting portion may be provided on the body-side surface of the supporter, and the supporter may include a window portion that exposes the electrical stimulation device so as to be operable from the outside.

According to a third embodiment of the present invention, the electrical stimulation device described above may have a configuration including a control power source section in the center and flat plate sections on both wings extending on both sides of the control power source section and provided with a pair of electrodes. .

According to the fourth embodiment of the present invention, the flat plate portion may be formed of a flexible resin material.

According to the fifth embodiment of the present invention, the above-mentioned flat plate part and the above-mentioned mounting part may be configured to be removably attached to each other using a hook-and-loop fastener.

According to a sixth embodiment of the present invention, the above-mentioned supporter device is for the lower back, and the supporter includes a back rest part that comes into contact with the lower back part and has the above-mentioned attachment part, and a back rest part on both left and right sides of the back rest part. A left winding part and a right winding part are arranged in series and are wound from the dorsal side to the ventral side, and a left band part and a right band are extendable in the left and right sides with the left and right sides of the attachment part as base ends, respectively. The backrest portion may be fixed by fastening the left winding part and the right band part, and fastening the right winding part and the left band part.

According to a seventh embodiment of the present invention, the above-mentioned supporter device is for a knee, and the supporter includes a knee pad that abuts the knee region and has the above-mentioned mounting portion, and upper and lower ends of the knee pad. An upper band portion and a lower band portion extend from the left and right sides, a right inclined band portion extends diagonally to the upper right with the base end near the left end of the knee pad, and a right inclined band portion extends from the base near the right end of the knee pad. The knee pad is provided with a left inclined band portion extending diagonally upward to the left as an end, and the right inclined band portion and the left inclined band portion are respectively fastened to the upper band portion to fix the knee pad portion. You can.

According to the present invention, a supporter is wrapped around a predetermined part of the body to protect the body, and an electric stimulation device is provided to apply electrical muscle stimulation to the part protected by the supporter, thereby providing protection by the supporter and strengthening the muscles. Massage and training can be done at the same time.

In particular, since the supporter device is detachable, it is easy to select the supporter, charge the electric stimulation device, clean it, etc., and provide a highly practical supporter device.

The electrical stimulation device has a control power supply section in the center and a flat plate section on both sides of the control power supply section, so it can be fixed to the supporter on wide left and right sides, making it difficult for the device to shift, and providing electrical stimulation over a wide range. I can do it. At the same time, since the control power source is located in the center, a symmetrical and well-balanced support device is provided.

FIG. 1 is a diagram showing a side view of the lower back support device according to the present invention. FIG. 3 is a diagram showing the outer surface of the lower back support device according to the present invention. The front view of the electric stimulation device provided in the lower back support device. The bottom view of the electric stimulation device included in the lumbar support device. FIG. 1 is a diagram showing a side view of the knee support device according to the present invention. FIG. 2 is a diagram showing the outer surface of the knee support device according to the present invention. The front view of the electric stimulation device provided in the knee support device. The rear view of the electric stimulation device included in the knee support device. The bottom view of the electric stimulation device provided in the knee support device. Explanatory diagram of a state in which a knee support device is attached.

Embodiments of the present invention will be described below based on examples shown in the drawings. Note that the embodiments are not limited to the following.
The present invention is a support device consisting of a band-shaped supporter that is wrapped around a predetermined part of the body to protect it, and an electrical stimulation device that provides electrical muscle stimulation to the user's skin. In the following embodiments, waist and knee supports will be exemplified, but the invention may be applied to any part of the body.

The electrical stimulation device is removable from the supporter, and a part of the supporter has a mounting part for the electrical stimulation device, which is important in that it performs muscle training by electrical muscle stimulation on the area protected by the supporter. There are some characteristics.

(lower back support device)
FIG. 1 is a view showing the body side of the lower back support device (1) according to the present invention, and FIG. 2 is a view showing the outer side of the device (1), that is, the front side when worn.
This device (1) consists of a belt-shaped supporter (10) that is wrapped around the waist for protection, and an electrical stimulation device (20) that applies EMS.

The supporter (10) includes a back rest part (11) that contacts the lower back region and has a mounting part for the electrical stimulation device (20), and a back rest part (11) that is connected to the left and right sides of the back rest part (11) from the dorsal side to the ventral side. It has a left winding part (12) and a right winding part (13) for winding.
The left-hand winding part (12) consists of a stretchable part (120) and a non-stretchable end part (121), and similarly, the right-hand winding part (13) also has a stretchable part (130) and an end part. (131). Hook-and-loop fasteners (122) (132) are formed on the backs, that is, the outer surfaces of the end portions (121) (131), respectively.

The explanation will now turn to the outer surface (Fig. 2) of the supporter (10). A left band part (14) and a right band part (15) are provided, which extend in the left and right sides with the left and right sides of the back support part (11) as base ends, respectively.
The left band part (14) has both ends fixed above and below the base end, and includes inclined belts (141) (142) that constitute the two sides of a triangle in the figure, a connector (143), and a hook-and-loop fastener at the end. (145) and a left attachment belt (144).

Similarly, the right band portion (15) has both ends fixed above and below the base end, and includes inclined belts (151) and (152) that constitute two sides of a triangle in the figure, a connector (153), and an end portion. and a right attachment belt (154) equipped with a hook-and-loop fastener (155).
The left band part (14) and the right band part (15) are expandable and contractible. Although some of the belts in each band portion may be made expandable, all belts in this embodiment are configured to be expandable.

Then, with the waist support device (1) wrapped around the waist, fasten the hook-and-loop fastener (122) of the left winding part (12) and the hook-and-loop fastener (155) of the right wearing belt (154), and then The hook-and-loop fastener (132) of the winding portion (13) and the hook-and-loop fastener (145) of the left wearing belt (144) are fastened to fix the backrest portion (11) to the waist.

The configurations of the left band section (14) and the right band section (15) are not limited to the above embodiments. Instead of an inclined belt, one belt may extend from the base end, or two or more parallel belts may extend from the base end. It may be configured with a thick band having a maximum width similar to each band portion. Furthermore, in the present invention, a structure may be adopted in which the left and right sides of the supporter are fastened to each other with a hook-and-loop fastener or the like, without providing a band portion.

In this embodiment, the supporter (10) is provided with a plurality of windows that allow the electrical stimulation device (20) to be exposed from the outside so as to be operable.
First, a first window (110) is opened in the center of the back rest (11), and a second window (140) and a third window (150) are opened at both left and right ends of the back rest (11), respectively. ing. Through each window, the electric stimulation device (20) attached to the body can be operated even when the device (1) is worn.

The window parts are not limited to this configuration, and the position and number can be changed arbitrarily, such as only the first window part (110) or two, the second window part (140) and the third window part (150).
Further, the window may not be surrounded by the surroundings, but may be cut out from the edge of the supporter (10) so that the operation part is exposed.

As mentioned above, since the inclined belts (141) (142) (151) (152) are formed in a triangular shape, the second window part (140) and the third window part (150) located inside the triangle are It is easy to operate. By having two operation parts widely separated on the left and right sides, even if the buttons are difficult to see when worn, it is possible to operate them by groping, improving usability.

FIG. 3 is a front view of the electrical stimulation device (20) included in the lumbar support device, and FIG. 4 is a bottom view of the electrical stimulation device (20). Hereinafter, the configuration of the electrical stimulation device (20) will be explained with reference to FIG. 1 as well.
The electrical stimulation device (20) has a control power source section (21) in the center, and a left flat plate section (22) and a right flat plate section (23) on both wings, which are provided with a pair of electrodes extending on both sides of the control power source section (21). ).

A hook-and-loop fastener (24) is attached to the end of the left flat plate portion (22), and a hook-and-loop fastener (25) is attached to the end of the right flat plate portion (23). ) and hook-and-loop fasteners (111) and (112) provided on the body side of the back support part (11) are attached to each other, thereby attaching the electrical stimulation device (20) to the supporter (10).
Note that other parts may be fixed with hook-and-loop fasteners, or known mounting means such as snap buttons can be selected.

Each flat plate portion is preferably made of a flexible resin material, such as silicone. In other words, the flexible resin material allows the electrical stimulation device (20), which has a relatively small area, to maintain appropriate rigidity while flexibly adapting to the shape of the body using the soft cloth supporter (10). It provides the most balanced and comfortable feeling of use.

Particularly in the lumbar support device (1), the structure of this embodiment is very preferable.
An elongated control power supply unit (21) is arranged in the direction of the body height, and since this part needs to protect the inside, it does not flex vertically or horizontally, but it does not feel strange because it is along the spine. At the same time, the flat plates on both wings are flexible in a direction that follows the curves of the body, allowing the device to function as a supporter that firmly supports the lower back without feeling the pain of being hit by the equipment.

The operation of the electrical stimulation device (20) will be explained.
The control power supply section (21) is provided with a central operation section (210) that is exposed to the outside through the first window section (110) and can be operated, and includes a power button (211), a temperature adjustment button (212), etc. It is equipped with various buttons and display lamps that indicate the operating status.

Further, a left button (26) is arranged at the end of the left flat plate part (22), and a right button (27) is arranged at the end of the right flat plate part (23). The left button (26) is exposed to the outside through the second window (140), and the right button (27) is exposed to the outside through the third window (150). In this embodiment, the left button (26) is a minus button that lowers the EMS level, and the right button (27) is a plus button that increases the EMS level.

The electrical stimulation device (20) is equipped with a pair of electrode sections (220), (221), and (230) (231) on the left and right sides of the body, and a control power supply section (21) between each pair. The power for the EMS is supplied from the Since EMS is well known, a description thereof will be omitted, but an alternating current in the range of several Hz to several kHz is output from a battery built into the electrical stimulation device (20) and a control circuit, and is applied between the electrodes.

The number of electrodes is not limited to one pair on each side, but a plurality of pairs, such as two or three pairs, may be provided on each side, or there may be one pair on the left and one on the right.

The present invention does not simply apply EMS stimulation to the lower back, but has an important inventive element in that it is part of a support device.
That is, when a supporter is worn to protect the lower back due to lower back pain or the like, there is a problem in that the muscles in that area are no longer used, further accelerating deterioration. The present invention has a characteristic effect in that it is protected by a supporter and the muscles of the protected part can be trained by EMS.

As mentioned above, a low frequency or medium frequency current is applied from the relatively large electrode parts (220) (221) (230) (231) to areas such as the psoas major muscle, quadratus lumborum muscle, and iliac muscle around the waist. can be covered. At this time, by appropriately wearing the supporter (10), the electric stimulation device (20) is naturally positioned at an accurate position, and it is possible to train the muscles in the appropriate region without putting a strain on the body.

As in this embodiment, it is best to configure the various buttons so that they can be operated from the outside of the supporter device (1) through the window from the control power source, but the parts to be attached are difficult to reach. For example, in the case of the back side or the back side of the limbs, the operation part may be separately provided as a wired or wireless remote control.

In this embodiment, a heater (213) is further provided at the center of the back surface of the electrical stimulation device (20). The temperature is preferably about 40 degrees, but the temperature can be adjusted using the temperature adjustment button (212).
By increasing the skin temperature with the heater (213), metabolic efficiency can be improved and the effect of muscle training by EMS can be enhanced.
In addition, by pre-warming the muscles, it is possible to reduce the burden.

The operating time of the EMS is, for example, about 10 minutes, and the control power supply section (21) can be provided with a timer to end the operation in a predetermined time. In addition, since this device (1) may be worn for a long period of time, it can be automatically activated repeatedly for about 10 minutes, for example once every hour.

As is clear from the above, the electrical stimulation device (20) is removable from the supporter (10), and the supporter (10) can also be washed.
At the same time, the electric stimulation device (20) can have a built-in rechargeable battery as a battery, and can be easily removed and charged.

The configuration of the lumbar support device (1) as an embodiment of the present invention is as described above.
Next, an example of application to the knee will be described.

(knee support device)
FIG. 5 is a view showing the body side of the knee support device (3) according to the present invention, and FIG. 6 is a view showing the outer side of the device (3), that is, the front side when worn.
This device (3) consists of a belt-shaped supporter (30) that is wrapped around the knee to protect it, and an electrical stimulation device (40) that applies EMS.

The supporter (30) includes a knee rest part (31) that comes into contact with the knee part and has a mounting part for the electrical stimulation device (40), and an upper left band part that extends from the upper end of the knee rest part (31) to both left and right sides. (33), an upper right band part (34), a lower left band part (35) and a lower right band part (36) extending from the lower end to both left and right sides.

Furthermore, a right inclined band part (37) extends diagonally upward to the right with the base end near the left end of the knee rest part (31) as the base end (see FIG. 6), and a right inclined band part (37) that extends diagonally upward to the right (see FIG. A left inclined band portion (38) extending obliquely to the upper left side is provided on the outer surface.

After wrapping the knee pad (31) around the knee, attach a hook-and-loop fastener (340) provided at the end of the upper right band portion (34) on the side of the body, and a hook-and-loop fastener (340) provided on the outer side of the upper left band portion (33). (330). Further, the hook-and-loop fastener (360) provided at the end of the body side of the lower right band portion (36) and the hook-and-loop fastener (350) on the outer side of the lower left band portion (35) are fastened.

Furthermore, as shown in FIG. 10, the right inclined band part (37) and the left inclined band part (38) are fixed so as to cross each other. That is, the hook-and-loop fastener (370) provided at the end of the right inclined band portion (37) is fastened to the hook-and-loop fastener (341) formed on the outer surface of the upper right band portion (34). Similarly, the hook-and-loop fastener (380) provided at the end of the left-slanted band portion (38) is fastened to the hook-and-loop fastener (330) formed on the outer surface of the left-slanted band portion (33).

With such a configuration of each band, it is possible to provide a full-fledged support device, which has been difficult to achieve with conventional EMS belts or stick-on type EMS devices.
After fastening the upper left band (33) and the upper right band (34), and the lower left band (35) and the lower right band (36) with hook-and-loop fasteners, further tighten the right inclined band part (37) and the left inclined band part (38). The support is further strengthened by extending and criss-crossing the legs and squeezing them to lift the knees.

The configuration of each band is not limited to the above embodiment. Instead of the upper and lower belt parts, a wide band that covers the entire knee may be used. It may be fixed using only the inclined band portion. Furthermore, in the present invention, a structure may be adopted in which the left and right sides of the supporter are fastened to each other with a hook-and-loop fastener or the like, without providing a band portion.

In this embodiment, a window (320) is opened in the mounting part (32) located above the knee pad (31) to expose the electrical stimulation device (40) so as to be operable from the outside. Through the window (320), the electric stimulation device (40) attached to the body side can be operated even when the device (3) is worn on the knee.

FIG. 7 is a front view of the electrical stimulation device (40) included in the knee support device (3), FIG. 8 is a rear view thereof, and FIG. 9 is a bottom view thereof.
The electrical stimulation device (40) has a control power supply section (41) in the center, and a left flat plate section (42) and a right flat plate section (43) on both wings, which are provided with a pair of electrodes extending on both sides of the control power supply section (41). ).

In the knee support device (3), the electrical stimulation device (40) may not be fixed to the supporter (30) but may be held between the knee and the knee.
Alternatively, a configuration may be adopted in which hook-and-loop fasteners are provided on the outer surfaces of the left flat plate portion (42) and the right flat plate portion (43) and are bonded to the hook-and-loop fastener of the mounting portion (32).

The left flat plate part (42) and the right flat plate part (43) are preferably made of a flexible resin material, such as silicone. A soft cloth supporter (30) flexibly adapts to the complex shape around the knee while holding the small electric stimulation device (40) so that it appropriately hits the area on the knee with little movement.

Especially in the knee support device (3), the structure of this embodiment is very preferable.
An elongated control power supply section (41) is arranged in the direction of the body height, and since this section needs to protect the inside, it does not bend vertically or horizontally, but since it is along the femur, there is no discomfort. At the same time, the flat plates on both wings are flexible to follow the curves of the thighs, allowing the electrodes to firmly contact the skin without causing any pain.

The operation of the electrical stimulation device (40) will be explained.
The control power supply section (41) is provided with an operation section (410) that is exposed to the outside through the window section (320) and can be operated, and includes a power button (411) and EMS level adjustment buttons (412) (413). ) and display lamps to indicate the operating status.

The electrical stimulation device (40) is equipped with a pair of left and right electrode parts (420) (430) on the body side (back surface), and a control power supply part (41) is connected between the left and right electrode parts (420) (430). Supplies power for EMS. Similarly, in this embodiment, alternating current is applied between the electrodes by outputting from the battery built into the electrical stimulation device (40) and the control circuit.

It is important that the present invention not only provide EMS stimulation to the knee, but also be part of a support device.
As with the lower back, using a knee supporter has the problem of further accelerating deterioration by not using the muscles in that area. The present invention has a characteristic effect in that it is protected by a supporter and the muscles of the protected part can be trained by EMS.

A low frequency current is applied from the electrode parts (420) (430) to train muscles such as the quadriceps femoris above the knee. Traditionally, when trying to train the muscles around the knees, it's common to use high-load exercises such as sit-ups and climbing stairs, which can actually cause knee pain if not done properly.

When the supporter (30) of the supporter device (3) of the present invention is properly worn, the electrical stimulation device (40) is aligned and fits the quadriceps muscle.
In addition, the supporter (30) allows muscles that are no longer used to be trained without putting a strain on the body.

In this embodiment, a heater (414) is further provided at the center of the back surface of the electrical stimulation device (40). The temperature is preferably about 40 degrees, but the heater can be turned on and off and the temperature can be adjusted using the power button (411) and level adjustment buttons (412) (413).
By increasing the skin temperature using the heater (414), metabolic efficiency can be improved and the effect of muscle training by EMS can be enhanced.
In addition, by pre-warming the muscles, it is possible to reduce the burden.

As is clear from the above, the electrical stimulation device (40) is removable from the supporter (30), and the supporter (30) can also be washed.
At the same time, the electric stimulation device (40) can have a built-in rechargeable battery as a battery, and can be easily removed and charged.

1 Lower back support device
10 supporters
11 Backrest
12 Left winding section
13 Right winding part
14 Left band section
15 Right band section
20 Electrical stimulation device
21 Control power supply section
22 Left flat plate part
23 Right flat plate part
24 Hook and loop fastener
25 Hook and loop fastener
26 Left button
27 Right button
3 Knee support equipment
30 supporters
31 Knee pad
32 Mounting part
32 Mounting section
33 Upper left band section
33 Left inclined band section
34 Upper right band section
35 Lower left band section
36 Lower right band section
37 Right inclined band section
38 Left inclined band section
40 Electrical stimulation device
41 Control power supply section
42 Left flat plate part
43 Right flat plate part
110 First window
111, 112 Velcro fastener
120 Telescopic part
121 End part
122 Velcro fastener
130 Telescopic part
131 End part
132 Velcro fastener
140 Second window
141, 142 Inclined belt
143 Connectors
144 Left wearing belt
145 Velcro fastener
150 Third window
151, 152 Inclined belt
153 Connector
154 Right wearing belt
155 Velcro fastener
210 Central control unit
211 Power button
212 Temperature adjustment button
213 Heater
320 Window section
220, 221 Electrode section
330, 340, 341, 350, 360, 370, 380 hook and loop fastener
410 Operation unit
411 Power button
412, 413 Level adjustment button
414 Heater
420, 430 electrode part

Claims (4)

A belt-shaped supporter that wraps around a designated part of the body to protect it;
A support device comprising an electrical stimulation device that applies electrical muscle stimulation to the user's skin,
The electrical stimulation device is removably attached to the supporter, and a part of the supporter has a mounting portion for the electrical stimulation device,
In a configuration in which muscle training is performed by electrical muscle stimulation on a region protected by a supporter,
The electrical stimulation device includes:
Control power supply section in the center,
and a flat plate portion of both wings extending on both sides of the control power source portion and having a pair of electrodes,
The supporter is characterized in that the flat plate portion is formed of a flexible resin material and is provided with a hook-and-loop fastener near each electrode, and the hook-and-loop fastener and the hook-and-loop fastener of the mounting portion are configured to be detachable. utensils. The mounting portion is provided on a body side surface of the supporter, and
The supporter device according to claim 1, wherein the supporter includes a window portion that exposes the electrical stimulation device from the outside so as to be operable. The support device is for the lower back, and the supporter includes:
a back rest part that abuts the waist region and has the mounting part;
a left winding part and a right winding part that are connected to each other on both the left and right sides of the back support part and are wound from the dorsal side to the ventral side;
A left band portion and a right band portion are provided that are extendable and retractable in the left and right sides with the left and right sides of the mounting portion as base ends, respectively,
The supporter device according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the left winding part and the right band part are fastened together, and the right winding part and the left band part are fastened to fix the back rest part. The support device is for a knee, and the support device includes:
a knee pad that abuts the knee region and has the mounting portion;
an upper band portion and a lower band portion extending from the upper end and lower end of the knee pad to both left and right sides;
a right-slanting band portion extending obliquely to the upper right with the base end near the left end of the knee pad portion;
a left-sloping band portion extending obliquely to the upper left with the base end near the right end of the knee pad portion;
The support device according to claim 1 or 2 , wherein the right inclined band part and the left inclined band part are respectively fastened to the upper band part to fix the knee pad part.

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