JPH0426857B2 - - Google Patents

Description

[Detailed Description of the Invention] (a) Field of Industrial Application The present invention relates to a gymnastics device for performing gymnastics, and more specifically, to a massage recipient or trainee (hereinafter collectively referred to as the trainee). Various treatments and training can be performed by suspending the subject in the water in a natural position by applying multiple and specific water currents, and by controlling the direction and speed of the applied water currents. Related to water circulation type exercise equipment. This water circulation exercise device can be used for a variety of purposes, including muscle and motor function training for various exercises, rehabilitation, chiropractic care, and treatment of specific physical dysfunctions.

(B) Conventional technology It is well known that swimming and its applied movements (such as underwater walking) have very positive effects on body alignment and health management, and various training devices or treatment devices that utilize this effect have been developed. There is. 2. Description of the Related Art Some training devices perform swimming training by generating a unidirectional water flow in an aquarium, and having the subject swim on his or her own against this water flow. In addition, in treatment devices, buoyancy is applied by positioning the patient in a water tank, and the water flow or jet water flow is used to identify the patient while reducing the patient's own weight burden. There are some treatments that act on specific areas.

(c) Problems to be solved by the invention However, in order to utilize the physiology of the human body underwater to effectively recover the functions of body muscles, etc., it is necessary to float the subject in a relaxed state underwater. However, since the conventional devices mentioned above do not have a floating function, there is a problem that swimming and its applied movements cannot be fully utilized even though they use an aquarium. . For example, a conventional hanging device that suspends a patient in water using an assistive device restricts the movement of the human body, making it inconvenient for full-body manipulation. Furthermore, conventional apparatuses that use high-density liquids, such as saline, which float the subject's body in a high-density liquid, have had an adverse effect on subjects with skin allergies. Conventional devices therefore have problems that interfere with treatment or training. In addition, whole-body and comprehensive exercise is desirable for functional recovery or training of the body's muscles, but many of the conventional devices only provide the effect of local musculosurgery devices, and are therefore not suitable for training, rehabilitation, or chiropractic care. In any of these cases, the device was insufficient to achieve the level of recovery in treatment or level of reinforcement for training required by the subject.

This invention was made in consideration of the above circumstances, and its purpose is to enable effective treatment and training underwater by floating the subject in a relaxed and natural position. An object of the present invention is to provide a water circulation type exercise device.

(d) Means for Solving the Problems This invention consists of a generally rectangular water tank large enough for at least one subject to float in a supine or prone horizontal position, and a front frame inner wall of the tank. has a plurality of first water flow outlets on the inner wall of the aquarium rear frame, a plurality of first water flow suction ports on the inner wall of the rear frame of the aquarium, and a plurality of second water flow outlets on the inner wall of one of the horizontal frames of the aquarium. , an exercise tank having a plurality of second water flow suction parts on the inner wall of the other water tank horizontal frame and a plurality of third water flow outlets on substantially the entire bottom surface of the tank; a first communication path that communicates with a first water flow suction port outside the exercise tank; and a first communication path that is provided in the first communication path and that generates a water flow in the front and back direction in the exercise tank in an accelerated manner. 1
a second communication path that communicates the second water flow outlet and the second water flow suction port with the second water flow suction port outside the exercise tank; A second water flow generating means for accelerating a water flow in the left and right directions within the body tank and switching the direction of the water flow, and a third water flow outlet and a first water flow suction port are connected to the outside of the exercise tank. A water circulation type comprising a third communication path that communicates with the body, and a third water flow generating means that is provided in the third communication path and that generates an upward water flow in an accelerating manner within the exercise tank. It is a physical exercise device.

In this invention, a water stream does not mean a water stream obtained by discharging air such as compressed air, but a water stream having a pressure obtained by accelerating, adjusting and discharging water.

(E) Effect According to the present invention, when the third water flow generation means is activated, the water flow is discharged upward (upward flow) from the third water flow outlet, and the water flow is discharged upward (upward flow) from the third water flow outlet and hits the person being operated in the manipulation tank. It acts to float horizontally. This upward flow is mainly sucked into the first water flow suction port and used for circulation. When the first water flow generating means is activated, a water stream is discharged from the first water flow outlet (main stream) from the head of the subject toward the legs, and the body position of the subject is determined along the vertical axis. It acts to maintain this state. This main flow is mainly sucked into the first water flow suction port and used for circulation. When the second water flow generating means acts, the water flow is discharged sideways from the second water flow outlet (side flow).
Then, a horizontal water flow is applied to the subject. This side stream is mainly sucked in from the second water flow suction port and used for circulation. In this way, there is a main stream that is discharged from the front that determines the position of the subject and the flow velocity, a side stream that provides left-right conversion and strength/weakness for each part, and a side flow that provides strength/weakness and up/down transformation for each part. It is possible to create an upward flow, and also to combine each water flow to create a composite flow.
This allows the patient to be freely suspended in any desired position, making it possible to create a specific changing water flow in accordance with the patient's body position to be corrected and the purpose of treatment and training. can.

(f) Examples This description will be explained in detail based on the examples shown in the figures below. Note that the present invention is not limited thereby.

First, before explaining embodiments, the main points of the swimming effect performed using an aquarium or the like will be explained. Swimming is a full-body exercise, so there is less fatigue, and the 639
The muscles of the book are used more thoroughly and rhythmically than in any other sport. It helps relieve stress and gives you a moderate sense of fatigue, and the use of buoyancy makes it easier to maintain your body compared to land-based exercise. The present invention is configured to utilize these effects most effectively for the above purpose. Furthermore, the term "massage" used in this embodiment refers to appropriately manipulating the body by another person or by oneself for purposes such as training, rehabilitation, treatment, and body adjustment (manipulative treatment).

FIG. 1 is a configuration diagram showing the configuration of this invention,
Shows the water circulation path. In the figure, reference numeral 1 denotes a treatment tank with an open top, which consists of a roughly rectangular water tank large enough for one patient to float in a supine or prone horizontal position. The length in the vertical direction, which is the height direction, is approximately 2.7 m (vertical length in the aquarium), and the horizontal length, which is the direction perpendicular to the height direction, is approximately 2.4 m (horizontal length in the aquarium). It is formed at a depth of about 1.0 to 1.2 m (depth inside the aquarium).

This exercise tank 1 will be explained in detail based on the perspective view of FIG. As shown in Figure 3, the exercise tank 1
For example, a heat insulating material 1a made of hard urethane foam or the like is used as a core material, and a thermosetting resin board 1 such as FRP is used.
b is formed by covering it in the shape of a sandwich.

1c is a step stool for the stairs, and if necessary, it can be used as a training tank 1.
installed inside. Reference numeral 2 denotes a main stream spout which is provided on the inner wall of the front frame of the exercise tank 1 (on the head side of the subject in a horizontal position) and serves as a first water flow outlet consisting of a plurality of openings. The main flow outlet is disposed at a predetermined depth from the water surface of the exercise tank 1 over substantially the entire width of the exercise tank 1 . The predetermined depth is preferably a position where the main current can flow to include the body of the patient floating in the manipulation tank 1. Reference numeral 3 denotes a circulation suction port which is provided in the rear frame portion of the exercise tank 1 (on the leg side of the patient), facing the main flow spout 2, and serves as a first water flow suction port consisting of a plurality of openings. be. This circulation suction port 3 is provided over substantially the entire width of the exercise tank 1, and includes a right circulation suction port 3a and a left circulation suction port 3.
By being composed of (b) and (b), water flow can be sucked in independently. Further, the circulation suction port 3 is configured to suck in water stored by a partition plate 3c located below the water surface and provided on the rear frame portion, so that the water flow can be guided in a predetermined width. The main stream spout 2 and the circulation suction ports 3a and 3b are connected to each other by a first communication path, which will be described later, provided outside the water tank 1.

Reference numerals 4 and 5 refer to a side stream spout serving as a second water stream outlet having a plurality of openings, and a side stream serving as a second water stream suction port having a plurality of openings, which are respectively provided in the horizontal frame portion of the exercise tank 1. It is a suction port (only the side flow jet port 4 is shown in FIG. 3). The side stream spout 4 has at least three sets of spout ports, that is, the chest spout port 4
The side flow suction port 5 has the same number of sets of suction ports 5a, 5b, and 5c as the side flow jet ports 4. In addition, these side flow jet ports 4 and side flow suction ports 5 are
When the direction of the water flow is switched by a second water flow generation device, which will be described later, the side flow outlet 4 changes to the side flow suction port 5.
Additionally, the side flow suction port 5 functions as the side flow jet port 4. and a side flow spout 4 and a side flow suction port 5
are communicated with each other by a second communication path, which will be described later, provided outside the exercise tank 1.

Reference numeral 6 denotes upward flow spouts which are arranged approximately evenly on the bottom surface of the exercise tank 1 and are composed of a plurality of openings and serve as third water flow discharge ports. It communicates with the circulation suction ports 3a and 3b through a third communication path which will be described later.

A grip bar 7 for the patient to grasp during treatment or training is attached to the front frame near the main flow outlet 2, and a rear frame near the circulation suction ports 3a and 3b is attached to the rear frame for treatment or training. Alternatively, a grip bar 8 is attached for the subject to rest his or her feet on during training, as a grip when entering and exiting the exercise tank 1, and for safety. The grip rod 7 has a structure so that the subject can float in a fixed position without holding the grip rod 7.
An arm retaining device for holding the legs is provided, and each grip bar 8 is provided with a leg retaining device for holding the legs so that the subject can float in a fixed position without moving the legs. .

FIG. 6 is a perspective view showing the arm retaining device of FIGS. 4 and 5, and the arm retaining device of FIG. 4 is made of a material having flexibility so that the arm can be moved to a certain extent. FIG. 4a is a diagram showing the attached state of the arm retaining device, and FIG. 4b is a plan view of the arm retaining device before retaining the arm. In both figures, reference numeral 9 denotes a belt-shaped retainer made of a flexible and strong material such as leather, cloth, or plastic, and the grip bar 7 is attached with a button 9a after adjusting the distance between the grip bar 7 and the arm.
The arm is held by wrapping each end of the T-shape around the arm and overlapping the Velcro tape portions 9b. Further, the leg is held by fixing a retaining device of the same shape to the grip bar 8 in the same manner as described above. The arm retainer shown in FIG. 5 is constructed of a hard material that is relatively undeformable. FIG. 5a is for one hand, and FIG. 5b is for both hands. In both figures, 10 is a plate-shaped retainer made of buoyant hard plastic such as polypropylene.
It is attached to the grip bar 7 by locking the hook-shaped locking portion 10a to the grip bar 7. 10b and 10c are a holder part and a fixing belt that are provided at the end opposite to the locking part 10a and hold the arm so as to surround it. The holder part 10b is the fixing metal fitting 1
It is configured to rotate about 10° to 20° around 0d. Further, the leg portion is held by fixing a retaining device of the same shape to the grip bar 8 in the same manner as described above. Note that this retainer is used as necessary.

Next, returning to the configuration diagram in FIG. 1, the configuration will be further explained. In the same figure, 20 is a main flow generation device as a first water flow generation means, and is provided in a communication passage 21 that communicates the main flow jet port 2 and the circulation suction port 3.
A switching valve 22 extends from the circulation suction port 3 toward the main flow jetting port, and a communication path 21 branches from the switching valve 22.
The branch road 23 that connects again with the branch road 23 and this branch road 23
A circulating water cleaner 24 provided in the pipe, a pump 25 that generates an accelerated water flow, a header 26 that distributes the communication path 21 into a plurality of pipes, and a regulating valve 27 are provided. In addition, in order to control the water flow efficiently, it is desirable to provide an auxiliary suction port 3c below the circulation suction port 3. In this case, a switching valve 3d is provided in the communication path 21. Further, the main stream generator 20 is not limited to one system, but may be configured with multiple systems.

Reference numeral 30 denotes an upward flow generating device as a third water flow generating means, which is provided in a communication passage 31 that communicates the upward flow jet port 6 and the circulation suction port 3, and is provided in a communication passage 31 that communicates the upward flow jet port 6 with the circulation suction port 3. A pump 32 for generating an accelerated water flow, a mixing valve 33, a first header 34, a plurality of regulating valves 35, and a plurality of second headers 36 are provided toward the water flow. The second headers 36 are provided independently within a range that divides the bottom surface of the exercise tank 1 into approximately six parts. The number of upward flow spouts 6 that can generate an upward flow sufficient to make the subject float (in this example, there are 6 openings of 4 each, so the total number is
24 pieces). The mixing valve 33 is connected to an output line of a temperature control facility (not shown) for setting the water temperature in the exercise tank 1 to a predetermined temperature. It may be electrical or of some other type. Also,
When pouring water into the exercise tank 1, it is desirable to store water at a predetermined temperature in a preliminary water tank or the like in advance, and then pour water into the exercise tank 1 from the water tank and circulate it. Note that the upflow generating device 30 is not limited to one system, but may be configured with a plurality of systems.

FIG. 2 is a configuration diagram showing a side flow generation device as a second water flow generation means, and shows a water flow circulation system path, when the exercise tank 1 shown in FIG. 1 is viewed from the circulation suction port 3 side. It is a diagram. In the figure, a side flow generator 40
is provided in a communication path 41 that communicates the side flow jet port 4 and the side flow suction port 5, and is connected to a jet/suction header 42 from the side flow jet port 4 of this communication path 41 toward the side flow suction port 5. , a pair of switching valves 43 and 44 that switch the direction of the water flow flowing through the communication passage 41, a pump 45 that is interposed between the switching valves 43 and 44 and that generates the water flow in an accelerated manner, and a suction/spout header 46. It consists of Arrows a and b indicate that the direction of the water flow in the communication path 41 is reversed by the switching valves 43 and 44.

In FIG. 6, 50 is a controller that operates each pump, each regulating valve, etc. in the main flow generating device 20, the upflow generating device 30, and the side flow generating device 40, and manually controls the rotation speed of the pump and the regulating valve. It is configured so that the aperture can be adjusted. This controller 50 includes an operation section 51 and a control section 52.
and a storage unit 53, based on the detection result output from a temperature sensor (not shown) provided in the exercise tank 1 that detects the water temperature. The system is configured to control the water temperature and water level to predetermined values based on detection results output from a water level sensor (not shown) located in the water tank. In addition, this controller (Q)0 controls various conditions such as selection of operation of each water flow generation device, rotation speed of the pump of the selected water flow generation device (Q), throttling of the regulating valve, water temperature, etc., depending on the purpose of training or treatment. It is also possible to operate automatically by storing the information in advance.

Next, the operation of the present invention will be explained based on FIGS. 7 to 10.

First, in FIGS. 7a to 7c, alphabetical characters are added for convenience in order to explain the action of water flow. FIG. 7a shows a vertical cross-sectional view of the manipulation tank 1, and also shows the
Indicates a floating state. Figure 7b shows the training tank 1.
Fig. 7c shows a plan view of the exercise tank 1. In each figure, the water flow jetted from the right side spout of the main flow spout 2 is designated as A, the water flow jetted from the left side jet port is designated as B, the water flow sucked from the right side circulation suction port 3a is designated as C, and the water flow jetted from the left side circulation suction port is designated as A. The water flow sucked in from the mouth 3b is designated as D, the water flows ejected from the side flow outlets 4a, 4b, and 4c are respectively designated as E, F, and G, and the side flow suction ports 5a, 5
The water flow sucked from b and 5c is H, respectively.
I, J, and the water jets ejected from the left upward flow outlet 6 are K, L, M, and the left upward flow outlet 6.
Let O, P, and Q be the water streams ejected from.

Next, in Figure 8, the main streams A and B and the upward flow K~
An example of the exercise when Q is applied is shown below. In Fig. 8a, the buoyant force due to the upward flow K to Q is acting on the subject, and the subject floats easily by hanging his or her feet on the rear grip bar 8 or by holding him in place. Upper body training such as crawling and breaststroke, form improvement, and certain treatments can be performed.
In addition, Fig. 8b shows the same water flow setting as Fig. 8a, but by grasping the front grip bar 7 with both hands,
Alternatively, by retaining the body, training and correction of the lower body can be performed.

Next, in Fig. 9, the main streams A, B and the upstream K
An example of a manipulation in which any of side flows E to J is applied while applying Q to Q is shown. In Fig. 9a, the right side is set as the side flow spout and the left side is set as the side flow suction port, and the left side of the circulation suction ports C and D, that is, only D performs suction, thereby creating a composite flow. X flows to the left. By biasing the water flow and causing it to act repeatedly on the subject, it is possible, for example, to develop the muscles on the weak side that are causing an abnormality in the balance of the skeleton. That is, lower back pain and back pain are usually caused by abnormalities or imbalances in the muscles that maintain the skeleton rather than abnormalities in the skeleton. To correct abnormal body position and imbalance, it is preferable to perform appropriate repetitive muscle movements by oneself in a relaxed state rather than by using strong manual techniques or mechanical force. Therefore, appropriate repeated movements in a specific water flow as described above will relax the muscles on the overly tense side and at the same time develop the weaker or immature muscles, thereby normalizing the body position. can do. Furthermore, by utilizing this repetitive action and applying it to the athlete's body, it is possible to selectively train specific parts of the athlete. Figure 9b
This shows an example of a manipulation in which the side flow is made to act to create a more complicated flow. In the same figure, the side streams E and J are the jetting side streams, and the side streams H and G are switched to the suction side streams. As a result, main streams A and B
can be made into a meandering composite flow Y. By setting the side flow ejection and suction independently for E, H, F, I, G, and J in this way, the body position of the subject can be manipulated in a complicated manner, and therefore, Detailed and effective treatment or training can be provided.

Furthermore, in FIG. 10, an example of the exercise is shown in which the main streams A, B and the upward streams K to Q are mutually adjusted. Figure 10a shows the state of the water flow when the speeds of the main streams A, B and the ascending streams K to Q are kept constant, and the subject's body is horizontally moved by the composite stream Z ₁ . is maintained. Figure 10b shows a case where the upward flow is applied strongly on the front side of the manipulation tank 1 and weakly on the rear side of the manipulation tank 1, and the resultant flow Z ₂ causes the subject's body to float with its torso floating and both legs is held in a sinking position.
In addition, Figure 10C shows the case where the upward flow is weak on the front side of the manipulation tank 1 and strong on the rear side of the manipulation tank 1, and the combined flow Z ₃ causes the torso of the subject to sink and both legs to float. maintained in the state.

As described above, according to this embodiment, it is possible to suspend the subject using a controlled water flow, change the body position of the subject in a floating state, and continuously apply this water flow. This allows underwater training and various treatments to be carried out easily and effectively. In addition, the temperature in the aquarium can be set to an appropriate temperature to perform the exercises, allowing you to stabilize your autonomic nervous system by immersing yourself in the water at an appropriate temperature and slowly lying down while floating, creating a relaxing experience. effect can be obtained. Note that this device can also be used in conjunction with a high-density liquid such as saline for subjects who do not have skin allergies.

(G) Effects of the Invention According to this invention, the subject can be suspended in a relaxed state, and in this state, water currents can be applied to the subject from various directions and with different intensities. Therefore, it is possible to perform treatment such as correcting body position or training to improve muscle strength for a wide range of subjects, from patients with weak physical strength to athletes who are trying to increase their physical strength. The water flow in the aquarium can be adjusted in three directions, making it possible to create a specific water flow or a composite flow, making it possible to easily obtain the postures required for treatment or training without the use of special equipment, thus improving the human body. Partial treatment or training can be performed. The water temperature in the water tank can be set to an appropriate temperature, and a mental stabilizing effect can be obtained for the patient floating in the exercise tank.

[Brief explanation of drawings]

Fig. 1 is a front view showing the configuration of an embodiment of the present invention, Fig. 2 is a side view of Fig. 1, and Fig. 3 shows the external structure of the exercise tank of Fig. 1, including a partial cross section. A perspective view, FIGS. 4a and 4b are a front view and a plan view showing the state of use of a one-handed retainer used in an embodiment of the present invention, and a plan view of the same retainer, FIGS. 5a and 5 Figure b is a view corresponding to Figure 4a and Figure 4b showing another embodiment of the retaining device, Figure 6 is a block diagram showing the configuration of the controller of the present invention, and Figures 7a and 7b. and FIG. 7c are front views, side views, and plan views for explaining the action of water flow in the embodiment, FIGS. Figures a and 9b are plan views showing the first action and second action of the side flow in the embodiment, and Figures 10a, 10b, and 10c are in the embodiment. They are a cross-sectional view showing a first effect of the combined flow, a cross-sectional view showing the second effect of the combined flow, and a cross-sectional view showing the third effect of the combined flow. 1... Exercise tank, 2... First water outlet, 3...
...first water flow inlet, 4...second water flow outlet,
5... Second water flow inlet, 6... Third water flow outlet, 20... First water flow generating means, 21... First
communication path, 30... third water flow generating means, 31...
...Third communication path, 40...Second water flow generating means,
41...Second communication path.

Claims (1)

[Scope of Claims] Consisting of a generally rectangular water tank large enough for at least one subject to float in a supine or prone horizontal position, the water tank has a plurality of first water outlet ports on the inner wall of the front frame. It has a plurality of first water flow inlets on the inner wall of the aquarium rear frame, a plurality of second water flow outlets on the inner wall of one of the aquarium horizontal frames, and a plurality of second water flow outlets on the inner wall of the other aquarium horizontal frame. A manipulative tank having a plurality of second water flow suction parts and a plurality of third water flow discharge ports on substantially the entire bottom surface of the tank; a first communication path that communicates with the outside of the exercise tank; a first water flow generating means that is provided in the first communication path and that generates a water flow in the front and rear direction in an accelerating manner within the exercise tank; a second communication path that communicates the second water flow outlet and the second water flow suction port outside the exercise tank; a second water flow generation means that can accelerate the water flow and switch the direction of the water flow; and a third communication path that communicates the third water flow outlet and the first water flow suction port with the outside of the exercise tank. and a third water flow generating means provided in the third communication path and capable of generating an upward water flow in the exercise tank in an accelerating manner.