EXERCISE ASSISTING APPARATUS

TECHNICAL FIELD

The present invention relates to an exercise assisting apparatus for assisting an exercise of a user's body by means of an external physical approach.

BACKGROUND ART

An exercise apparatus that enables an easy outdoor exercise has conventionally been provided. For example, Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. 2004-261256 and Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. 2004-267724 respectively disclose exercise assisting apparatuses. Each of the exercise assisting apparatus has a footrest for supporting a user's foot and a drive unit for swinging the footrest.

Elderly people are desired to train their muscles to balance and stay on their feet in order not to fall. However, the above conventional exercise assisting apparatuses merely allow simple bending and stretching exercises for feet to improve blood circulation, and therefore need improvement in terms of effortlessly and effectively training the muscles to balance and stay on feet.

DISCLOSURE OF THE INVENTION

The present invention was contrived in view of the problems mentioned above, and has an object to provide an exercise assisting apparatus that is capable of stimulating user's feet by means of an external physical approach and effortlessly and effectively training the muscles to balance and stay on the feet.

In order to achieve the abovementioned object, the present invention is configured as an exercise assisting apparatus having: a foot-support 2 configured to support a user's feet; and a plurality of actuators disposed respectively on areas on an upper surface of the foot-support 2, which come into contact with soles of the user's feet, each of the actuators being configured to have its top vertically movable, wherein the actuators are arranged to move in cooperation with each other. According to this exercise assisting apparatus, even an elderly person who finds it too difficult to do an acute exercise can stand on these actuator and keep a standing posture, to stimulate the muscle groups of both feet and effortlessly and effectively train the muscles for staying on his/her feet while keeping the balance of the standing posture.

It is preferred that the actuators be arranged in a plane within each of the areas so as to cover the entire sole of each of the user's feet. In this manner, the actuators can affect the entire sole of each food.

It is preferred that the actuators be arranged to cover the soles of at least user's toes. In this manner, the user can not only dorsiflex at least the user's feet, but also bend and stretch the user's toes. It is also preferred that the actuators be arranged to cover the soles of at least the arches of the user's feet. In this case, at least the user's feet can be bent into arches. It is also preferred that the actuators be arranged to cover the soles of at least the toes and heels of the user's feet. In this case, the user can dorsiflex or plantarflex their feet.

Furthermore, it is preferred that the actuators be arranged to have their tops which produce varying concavo-convex patterns. In this manner, the concavo-convex patters can be switched alternately to apply a variety of stimuli to the user.

It is preferred that the actuator be in the form of an airbag 5. This allows for an application of a soft pressure to the soles and compact storage of the airbag when not expanded, so that it does not get in the way.

Moreover, it is preferred that the foot-support 2 have a left footrest 2a and a right footrest 2b for receiving user's left and right feet, respectively, and that a drive unit 3 is provided to move the left footrest 2a and the right footrest 2b. This allows for a combination of the abovementioned assisted exercise in which the muscle groups of both feet are stimulated and the muscles to stay on the user's feet are effortlessly and effectively trained, while the user keeps the balance on the actuators, with another assisted exercise in which a variety of muscle groups of user's legs are stimulated by forcibly moving the left and right feet along a predetermined track.

In order to achieve the abovementioned object, the present invention may be configured as an exercise assisting apparatus having: a left footrest 2a for supporting a user's left foot; a right footrest 2b for supporting a user's right foot; a drive unit 3 configured to move the left footrest 2a and the right footrest 2b; and an elastic member disposed on an upper surface of each of the left and right footrests 2a and 2b to cover the soles of the user's feet.

According to this exercise assisting apparatus, a variety of muscle groups of user's legs can be stimulated by forcibly moving the left and right feet along a predetermined track. Further, the balance of the user can be broken by a reaction force generated by the elastic member during an exercise. Therefore, even an elderly person who finds it too difficult to do an acute exercise can stand on this elastic member and keep a standing posture, to stimulate the muscle groups of both feet and effortlessly and effectively train the muscles for staying on his/her feet while keeping the balance of the standing posture.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a plan view showing one example of an exercise assisting apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 2A is a side view showing an operation of the exercise assisting apparatus, FIG. 2B is a side view showing an operation of the exercise assisting apparatus, and FIG. 2C is also a side view showing an operation of the exercise assisting apparatus;

FIG. 3 is an exploded perspective view of an essential part in another example of the exercise assisting apparatus according to the embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 4 is a plan view of an essential part in the above exercise assisting apparatus;

FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view of an essential part of the back of the exercise assisting apparatus;

FIG. 6 is a cross-sectional view of an essential part of the exercise assisting apparatus;

FIG. 7A is a function explanatory diagram of a drive unit of the exercise assisting apparatus, and 7B is also a function explanatory diagram of a drive unit of the exercise assisting apparatus;

FIG. 8 is a substantial cross-sectional view showing the right-hand side of the exercise assisting apparatus;

FIG. 9 is a perspective view of an essential part of the exercise assisting apparatus;

FIG. 10A is an operation explanatory diagram in essential parts of the exercise assisting apparatus and 10B is also an operation explanatory diagram in essential parts of the exercise assisting apparatus;

FIG. 11A is an operation explanatory diagram in essential parts of another configuration of the, exercise assisting apparatus and 11B is an operation explanatory diagram in essential parts of another configuration of the exercise assisting apparatus; and

FIG. 12 is an explanatory diagram showing the position of a foot when the exercise assisting apparatus is in use.

BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION

The present invention is described hereinafter based on an embodiment shown in the accompanying drawings. FIGS. 1 and 2 show one example of an exercise assisting apparatus according to the embodiment of the present invention. The exercise assisting apparatus of this embodiment is an upright exercise assisting apparatus that supports both feet of a user while the user remains in a standing posture. This exercise assisting apparatus is provided with a foot-support 2 configured to support a user's feet, a plurality of airbags 5 disposed respectively on areas on an upper surface of the foot-support 2 which come into contact with soles of the user's feet, and ventilation pumping devices (not shown) for expanding and contracting these airbags 5.

An upper surface of the foot-support 2 has a flat surface having a sufficient width, for allowing the user to place the user's feet thereon and stably keep the user's standing posture. In the foot-support 2, the place for putting the left and right feet thereon is marked with a foot pattern. The plurality of airbags 5 are arranged in a plane so as to cover substantially the entirety of this marked section.

The plurality of airbags 5 are arranging longitudinally and laterally in a matrix form. The airbags 5 include toes airbags 5a for five toes, a pair of front foot airbags 5b, two pairs of middle foot airbags 5c, and a pair of rear foot airbags 5d. The toes airbags 5a are disposed laterally to come into contact with the user's toes. The front foot airbags 5b is disposed laterally to come into contact with the user's front sole. The middle foot airbags 5c are disposed longitudinally and laterally to come into contact with the user's arch. The rear foot airbags 5d are disposed laterally to come into contact with the user's heel.

These airbags 5 configure actuators, each of which has its top come into contact with each of the user's soles and vertically movable. In other words, each of the toes airbags 5a is the actuator that is capable of properly setting the vertical position of its top that comes into contact with each of the five toes. Each of the front foot airbags 5b is the actuator that is capable of properly setting the vertical position of its top that comes into contact with the front sole. Each of the middle foot airbags 5c is the actuator that is capable of properly setting the vertical position of its top that comes into contact with the arch. Each of the rear foot airbags 5d is the actuator that is capable of properly setting the vertical position of its top that comes into contact with the heel.

Note that other configurations may be adopted as these actuators. In one example of the other configurations, a protruding member that freely slides vertically is disposed to come into contact with a predetermined part of each sole, so as to be driven to move vertically. In such a configuration using this protruding member, it is preferred to use the actuator that vertically slides the protruding member by using a motor and gear, especially in the section applied with the user's weight.

These airbags 5 are controlled to operate coordinately by the ventilation of the pumping devices. Each airbag 5 is driven to change the height of its top such that a plurality of airbags 5 can form a plurality of freely changeable concavo-convex patterns. The user place the soles of his/her feet on the varying concavo-convex patterns and keep his/her standing posture, to stimulate the muscle groups of both feet and effortlessly and effectively train the muscles for staying on his/her feet while keeping the balance of his/her standing posture.

When the concavo-convex patterns are set such that the airbags 5 on the front side expand larger (e.g., such that the heights of the vertical positions of the tops of the toes airbags 5a, the front foot airbags 5b, the middle foot airbags 5c, and the rear foot airbags 5d decrease in this order), each foot of the user having his/her sole placed on the concavo-convex patterns is dorsiflexed (see FIG. 2A). Furthermore, when the concavo-convex patterns are set such that the airbags 5 on the rear side expand larger (e.g., such that the heights of the vertical positions of the tops of the toes airbags 5a, the front foot airbags 5b, the middle foot airbags 5c, and the rear foot airbags 5d increase in this order), each foot of the user having his/her sole placed on the concavo-convex patterns is plantarflexed (see FIG. 2B).

When the middle foot airbags 5c that are located in the central part in the longitudinal direction expand and cause the tops thereof to protrude upward significantly, each foot of the user having his/her sole placed on the concavo-convex patterns is bent into an arch (see FIG. 2C).

Because the plurality of the toes airbags 5a, the front foot airbags 5b, the middle foot airbags 5c and the rear foot airbags 5d are disposed in pairs on right and left sides, an internal or external inclination can be added [to the foot] when applying a difference between the vertical positions of the top pairs. For example, in the airbags 5a, 5b, 5c and 5d for placing the left foot, when the vertical positions of the tops on the left-hand side are set to be lower than those of the tops on the right-hand side, the external inclination can be added to the left foot. When the vertical positions of the tops on the right-hand side are set to be lower than those on the tops of the left-hand side, the internal inclination can be added to the left foot.

In the airbags 5a, 5b, 5c and 5d for placing the right foot, when the vertical positions of the tops on the right-hand side are set to be lower than those of the tops on the left-hand side, the external inclination can be added to the right foot. When the vertical positions of the tops on the left-hand side are set to be lower than those of the tops on the right-hand side, the internal inclination can be added to the right foot.

Various combinations can be created and appropriately set for these concavo-convex patterns. While the user places his/her feet on the concavo-convex patterns and hold his/her standing posture, the pumping devices automatically expand and contract the airbags 5 and switch the concavo-convex patterns alternately. Therefore, even an elderly person who finds it too difficult to do an acute exercise can stimulate the muscle groups of both feet and effortlessly and effectively train the muscles for staying on his/her feet while keeping the balance of the standing posture.

It is not necessary to provide the airbags 5 with all of the illustrated examples. The airbags 5 needs to be provided with at least the toes airbags 5a for coming into contact with the toes. All of the toes airbags can be configured to expand so as to dorsiflex user's foot. Instead, each of the toes airbags can be configured to individually expand to plantarflex each toe. Moreover, the airbags 5 may be provided with at least the middle foot airbags 5c to come into contact with the arch. The middle foot airbags 5c are configured to expand for allowing the foot to be bent into arch-shape.

In addition, the airbags 5 may be provided with at least the toes airbags 5a and the rear foot airbags 5d respectively to come into contact with user's toes and heel. In this configuration, it is possible to expand not only the toes airbags 5a to dorsiflex the foot, but also the rear foot airbags 5d to plantarflex the foot.

FIGS. 3 to 12 show another example of the exercise assisting apparatus according to the embodiment of the present invention. Note that the detailed description on the configurations same as those of the examples mentioned above are omitted, and only the characteristic configurations that are different than those examples are described hereinafter in detail.

In the exercise assisting apparatus of this embodiment, the foot-support 2 for supporting a foot of the user is formed using a left footrest 2a and right footrest 2b for supporting the user's left and right feet. Treads 21 of the left footrest 2a and the right footrest 2b, which are described hereinafter, have the airbags 5a, 5b, 5c and 5d arranged therein. In the drawings other than FIGS. 3 and 9, the illustration of the airbags 5a, 5b, 5c and 5d is omitted.

The exercise assisting apparatus of this embodiment has a drive unit 3 for reciprocating the left footrest 2a and the right footrest 2b, wherein the left footrest 2a and the right footrest 2b are provided to operate in coordination with the expansion and contraction of the airbags 5a, 5b, 5c and 5d. This allows for a combination of the assisted exercise described in the example in which the muscle groups are stimulated, while the user holds the balance of his/her standing posture on the concavo-convex patterns formed by the airbags 5a, 5b, 5c and 5d, with another assisted exercise in which a variety of muscle groups of the user's legs are stimulated by forcibly reciprocating the left and right feet along a predetermined track. The left footrest 2a, the right footrest 2b, and the drive unit 3 for reciprocating the left footrest 2a and the right footrest 2b are described hereinafter in detail.

In this embodiment, a base plate 1a is provided as a mount to be placed on a floor, as shown in FIGS. 3 and 4. Although the illustrated base plate 1a is in the shape of a rectangular parallelpiped, the external shape of the base plate 1a is not particularly limited. In order to simplify the following description, an upper surface of the base plate 1a is in parallel with the floor surface when the base plate 1a is placed on the floor. Therefore, the vertical position shown in FIGS. 3 and 4 is the vertical position obtained when the exercise assisting apparatus is in use.

An upper plate 1b is arranged on the base plate 1a, and a housing 1 is formed by connecting the base plate 1a and the upper plate 1b together. The left footrest 2a and the right footrest 2b for supporting the left and right feet of the user, and the drive unit 3 for moving the positions of the left footrest 2a and the right footrest 2b are arranged on the base plate 1a. Note that the direction of the arrow X shown in each of FIGS. 3 and 4 indicates the front direction. The arrow X in the other drawings also indicates the front direction.

Two open windows 11a, 11b that respectively expose therethrough the left footrest 2a and the right footrest 2b are provided in the form of through-holes in a thickness direction. Each of the open windows 11a, 11b is opened in the shape of a rectangle. However, in the open windows 11a, 11b, the centerlines along the longer direction are inclined toward the longitudinal direction of the housing 1, and the distance between the centerlines is made greater on the front end side of the housing 1 than on the rear end side.

As shown in FIG. 5, slide grooves 12 are opened on both sides in the width direction of each of the open windows 11a, 11b, such as to face the inside of each open window 11a, 11b. A flange part 22a formed in a tread cover 22 is inserted slidably into each slide groove 12. The tread cover 22 configures the left footrest 2a and the right footrest 2b along with the tread 21 for placing the sole, and has a main body 22a formed into a rectangular cylinder. The flange part 22b extends over the entire periphery of the main body 22a along an open surface (upper surface) on one side of the main body 22a. An attachment plate 22c is integrally formed at a lower part inside the main body 22a of the tread cover 22.

The main body 22a is formed such that its longer direction and width direction are smaller than the open windows 11a, 11b. The flange part 22b is formed such that its longer direction and width direction are larger than the open windows 11a, 11b. In addition, the distance between each slide groove 12 and the bottom is made greater than the distance between the flange part 22b and a tip end. Therefore, the tread cover 22 can be moved within the range of the slide groove 12 in the width direction and the longer direction.

Each of the treads 21 is formed into a rectangular plate that is slightly smaller than an inner periphery of the main body 22a of the tread cover 22. The tread 21 is also formed into size that is large enough for the user to place his/her entire foot. Inverted C-shaped folded cover members 21a, 21b are integrally provided in a lower surface peripheral part of the tread 21. A pair of bearings 21c that is separated in the width direction of the tread 21 is provided integrally with the tread 21 in a section surrounded by the cover members 21a, 21b on the lower surface of the tread 21.

A bearing plate 23 having a substantially inverted C-shaped cross section that is opened upward is fixed to an upper surface of the attachment plate 22c provided in the tread cover 22. The bearing 21 c provided in the tread 21 abuts against an outside surface of each leg piece 23a of the bearing plate 23. Also, an axial part 24 that passes through both leg pieces 23a of the bearing plate 23 and the both bearings 21c is provided. Thus, the axial part 24 is disposed along the width direction of the tread 21, and the tread 21 is made turnable around the axial part 24 such that the front and rear thereof in the longer direction move vertically with respect to the tread cover 22. The abovementioned cover members 21a, 21b are provided in order to prevent a gap from being formed between the lower surface of the tread 21 and the tread cover 22 when the tread 21 turns with respect to the tread cover 22.

A carriage 41 having a substantially inverted C-shaped cross section with an opened lower surface is attached to a lower surface of the attachment plate 22c provided in the tread cover 22. Two wheels 42 are attached to an outside surface of each leg piece 41a of the carriage 41. Two rails 43 are fixed to each of the left footrest 2a and the right footrest 2b in the upper surface of the base plate 1a, and the carriage 41 is placed on the rails 43 such that the wheels 42 roll in rail grooves 43a provided on upper surfaces of the rails 43. A derailing prevention plate 44 for preventing the wheel 42 from falling off the rail groove 43a is provided on the upper surface of each rail 43 (see FIG. 6).

Incidentally, the longer direction of each rail 43 is different than the longer directions of the open windows 11a, 11b provided in the housing 1. As described above, in the open windows 11a, 11b, the inclination of each of the centerlines along the longer direction is greater on the front end side of the housing 1 than on the rear end side. The longer direction of each rail 43 also is inclined in the same manner in the longitudinal direction of the housing 1.

Each rail 43 is set to have a longitudinal direction which deviates from that of the housing 1 greater than each of the open windows 11a, 11b. For example, when each of the open windows 11a, 11b has a longitudinal direction deviating at 30 degrees from that of the housing 1, the rail 43 is set to have a longitudinal direction deviating at 45 degrees from that of the housing 1. In other words, the longer direction of the rail 43 is set in a direction in which no shear force acts on the knees even when the positions of the legs are changed by moving the left footrest 2a and the right footrest 2b along the rail 43, while the legs are placed on the left footrest 2a and the right footrest 2b the centerlines of the legs are conformed with the longer direction of the open windows 11a, 11b. Note that the present embodiment illustrates an example in which the left footrest 2a and the right footrest 2b desirably are moved on moving paths that combine the longitudinal direction with the horizontal direction. However, the left footrest 2a and the right footrest 2b can be moved in the longitudinal direction or the horizontal direction, depending on the direction of arranging the rails 43.

According to the configuration mentioned above, the left footrest 2a and the right footrest 2b can reciprocate along the longer direction of each rail 43. Because the longer direction of each rail 43 is inclined with respect to the centerlines of the open windows 11a, 11b in the longer direction, the tread 21 and the tread cover 22 move in a direction intersecting with the longitudinal direction within the open windows 11a, 11b. In other words, the carriage 41, the wheels 42, the rails 43, and the derailing prevention plate 44 function as guiding parts 4 that restrain the moving paths of the left footrest 2a and the right footrest 2b.

The drive unit 3 for moving the left footrest 2a and the right footrest 2b has, as shown in FIG. 7, a drive source 31 generating a drive power, a system separation part 32 for separating the drive power into two systems so as to transmit the drive power to both the left footrest 2a and the right footrest 2b, and a reciprocation drive part 33 for reciprocating the carriage 41 along each rail 43 by using the drive power. The present embodiment adopts a configuration shown in FIG. 7A in which the drive power is separated by the system separation part 32 and the separated drive powers are transmitted to the reciprocation drive part 33. However, as shown in FIG. 7B, the drive power for reciprocation drive that is obtained by the reciprocation drive part 33 can be separated into two systems by the system separation part 32.

The drive unit 3 is further described specifically. A rotary motor (to be simply referred to as “motor” hereinafter, which is applied with a reference numeral 31) is employed as the drive source 31, and the system separation part 32 is coupled to an output axis 31a of the motor 31.

The system separation part 32 has a worm (first gear) 32a coupled to the output axis 31a of the motor 31, and a pair of worm wheels (second gears) 32b meshed with the worm 32a. The worm 32a and the two worm wheels 32b are stored in a gearbox 34 fixed to the base plate 1a. The gearbox 34 includes a gear case 34a having an opening on its upper surface, and a lid plate 34b placed to cover the open surface of the gear case 34a. A pair of bearings 32c for bearing both end parts of the worm 32a in its longitudinal direction is attached between the gear case 34a and the lid plate 34b.

A rotation shaft 35 held by the gear case 34a and the lid plate 34b is inserted into each of the worm wheels 32b, and the worm wheel 32b and the rotation shaft 35 are connected with each other so that the rotation shaft 35 rotates together with the worm wheel 32b. In an upper end part of the rotation shaft 35, a connection part 35a having a non-circular cross section (a rectangular shape in the drawings) is formed.

The motor 31 is placed on an opening receiving part 34c provided in the gear case 34a and an opening receiving plate 13a fixed to the base plate 1a, and is fixed to the base plate 1a by the lid plate 34b placed to cover the gear case 34a and a holding plate 13b connected to the opening receiving plate 13a.

As shown in FIG. 8, the reciprocation drive part 33 has a crank plate 36 one end part of which is connected to the connecting part 35a of the rotation shaft 35, and a crank rod 38 that is connected to the crank plate 36 by a crankshaft 37. One end part of the crankshaft 37 is fixed to the crank plate 36, and the other end part of the crankshaft 37 is held by a bearing 38a that is held by one end part of the crank rod 38. In other words, the one end part of the crank rod 38 is connected to the crank plate 36 so as to be turnable. The other end part of the crank rod 38 is connected to the carriage 41 using an axial member 38b. The other end part of the crank rod 38 is connected to the carriage 41 so as to be turnable.

As is clear from the configuration described above, the crank rod 38 functions as a conversion mechanism for converting the torques of the worm wheels 32b to reciprocation of the carriage 41. The crank rod 38 is provided in each of the worm wheels 32b, and the carriage 41 is provided in each of the left footrest 2a and the right footrest 2b. Therefore, the crank rod 38 functions as the conversion mechanism for converting the torques of the worm wheels 32b to the reciprocation of each of the left footrest 2a and the right footrest 2b.

As described above, because the moving path is restrained by the wheels 42 and the rails 43, the carriage 41 reciprocates along the longer direction of the rails 43 as the worm wheels 32b rotate. That is, the rotation of the motor 31 is transmitted to the crank plate 36 via the worm 32a and the worm wheels 32b. Then, the carriage 41 reciprocates in straight line along each rail 43 by means of the crank rod 38 connected to the crank plate 36. As a result, the tread cover 22 connected to the carriage 41 reciprocates along the rails 43, such that each of the left footrest 2a and the right footrest 2b reciprocates in the longitudinal direction of each rail 43.

In the present embodiment, the left footrest 2a and the right footrest 2b are driven in cooperation with each other by the drive unit 3, because the drive power is separated into two systems by the worm 32a and the worm wheels 32b and used as the drive powers of the left footrest 2a and the right footrest 2b according to the systems. Herein, the position where each of the worm wheels 32b meshes with the worm 32a is changed by 180 degrees, and therefore when the left footrest 2a is positioned at a rear end of its moving range, the right footrest 2b is positioned at a front end of its moving range. The rear end of the moving range of the left footrest 2a corresponds to a right end of the moving range of the left footrest 2a. The front end of the moving range of the right footrest 2b corresponds to a right end of the moving range of the right footrest 2b. Therefore, the left footrest 2a and the right footrest 2b move in the same horizontal direction.

As is clear from the configuration described above, the phase difference in movement between the left footrest 2a and the right footrest 2b can be provided appropriately in accordance with the position where the worm 32a meshes with the worm wheels 32b. When using the exercise assisting apparatus in a standing position by standing on the left footrest 2a and the right footrest 2b, a phase difference of 180 degrees can be provided as in the present embodiment, so that a user with a low balancing capability can use the exercise assisting apparatus because less longitudinal movement of the center of gravity of the user is required. Instead, when the phase difference is not provided, the center of gravity of the user needs to be moved in the longitudinal direction. Consequently, the exercise assisting apparatus can be helpful for not only the exercises for the muscle groups of the legs but also the exercises for the muscle groups of the lower back.

Because the treads 21 provided in the left footrest 2a and the right footrest 2b can turn around the axial part 24 in relation to the tread covers 22, the height of the front end part of each tread 21 and the height of the rear end part of the same can be made different from each other, as shown in FIG. 9. In other words, by making the height of each tiptoe of a foot placed on the tread 21 different from the height of the heel, the ankle joint can be dorsiflexed and plantarflexed.

Herein, in order to associate the turning of the tread 21 around the axial part 24 with the reciprocation along the rails 43, a guide surface 14 that has at least partially an inclined surface 14a is formed along the moving path of the tread 21 in the base plate 1a, as shown in FIG. 10. Also, a copy protruding part 25 abutting against the guide surface 14 is provided on the lower surface of the tread 21. In the illustrated example, the inclined surface 14 that is inclined at a fixed angle to the upper surface of the base plate 1a is formed over the entire length of the guide surface 14, but the shape of the guide surface 14 is not particularly limited, and it is only necessary for a part of the guide surface 14 to have the inclined surface 14a. The material and shape for a tip end of the copy protruding part 25 may be selected in order to reduce its coefficient of friction with the guide surface 14, and a roller 25a that rolls on the guide surface 14 is provided at the tip end of the copy protruding part 25 in the present embodiment.

As described above, because the copy protruding part 25 abutting against the guide surface 14 is provided, the angle of the tread 21 with respect to the base plate 1a is changed as the tread 21 turns around the axial part 24, when the left footrest 2a and the right footrest 2b reciprocate as the motor 31 rotates and consequently when the copy protruding part 25 abuts against the inclined surface 14a provided on the guide surface 14. As a result, the ankle. joint can be dorsiflexed and plantarflexed.

Note in the exampled described above, that the base plate 1a is provided with the guide surface 14 and that the tread 21 is provided with the copy protruding part 25. However, as shown in FIG. 11, the same operation can be achieved by providing the tread 21 with the guide surface 14 and the base plate 1a with the copy protruding part 25.

In the configuration example described above, the system separation part 32 of the drive unit 3 is configured such that the worm 32a and the worm wheels 32b are used for accomplishing the transmission of the torques between orthogonal angles of the output axis 31a of the motor 31 and the rotation axis 35 that rotates along with the worm wheels 32b, and for reducing the speed. However, a belt may be adopted to accomplish the transmission of the torques between the orthogonal angles between the output axis 31a of the motor 31 and the rotation axis 35. In this case, the worm 32a can be eliminated by using a pulley that is wrapped by the belt, in place of the worm wheels 32b.

Furthermore, in the configuration example described above, the output axis 31a of the motor 31 is disposed along the upper surface of the base plate 1a, but when the output axis 31a is disposed so as to be perpendicular to the upper surface of the base plate 1a, the transmission of the torques and the separation of the system can be achieved, not by the combination of the worm 32a and the worm wheels 32b, but by a combination of spur gears. In this configuration, the spur gears may be replaced with pulleys, and the torques can be transmitted between the pulleys by using the belt.

Incidentally, when using the apparatus by standing up on it, the left and right feet are placed on the left footrest 2a and the right footrest 2b when the left footrest 2a and the right footrest 2b are stopped at the initial positions thereof, and the operation of the drive unit 3 is started. As shown in FIG. 12, a longer direction Dx of the left footrest 2a and the right footrest 2b is disposed at, for example, approximately 9 degrees with respect to the longitudinal direction (the direction of the arrow X), so that when standing on the left footrest 2a and the right footrest 2b, the user can stand up naturally without twisting the user's legs.

In the initial positions, the left footrest 2a and the right footrest 2b are in the same position in terms of the longitudinal direction. In other words, in the initial positions, the left footrest 2a and the right footrest 2b lie in one straight line in the horizontal direction. Therefore, once the user stands on the left footrest 2a and the right footrest 2b in the initial positions thereof, a straight line that is drawn downward vertically from the center of gravity of the user passes through substantially the middle between the left footrest 2a and the right footrest 2b.

As is clear from the configuration described above, when the operation of the drive unit 3 is started, the positions of the left footrest 2a and the position of the right footrest 2b are changed in the longitudinal direction, and consequently the positions of the same in the horizontal direction are changed due to the longitudinal change in the positions. The left footrest 2a and the right footrest 2b reciprocate on the straight lines along the rails 43. The left footrest 2a and the right footrest 2b move in a direction different than the longitudinal direction of the feet. For example, each of the left footrest 2a and the right footrest 2b is formed to move in a direction deviating at 45 degrees in relation to the longitudinal direction of the housing 1. This moving distance is set at, for example, 20 mm.

As described above, at the same time when the left footrest 2a and the right footrest 2b reciprocate along the rails 43, the tread 21 turns around the axial part 24. When the tread 21 moves forward, the copy protruding part 25 climbs the inclined surface 14a of the guide surface 14, and, as a result, the ankle joint is dorsiflexed at front end positions of the left footrest 2a and the right footrest 2b, and the ankle joint is plantarflexed at rear end positions of the left footrest 2a and the right footrest 2b. The position of the axial part 24 is set in the vicinity of the sole of the heel, and plantarflexion and dorsiflexion angles are set at approximately 10 degrees with respect to the upper surface of the base plate 1a serving as a reference surface.

The relationship of the longitudinal positions of the left footrest 2a and the right footrest 2b to plantarflexion and dorsiflexion can be inverted from the relationship described in the abovementioned example. In addition, the plantarflexion and dorsiflexion angles with respect to the reference surface may be changed. Such operations can be realized easily by appropriately setting the shape of the guide surface 14.

As described above, the exercise assisting apparatus of this embodiment allows for a combination of the assisted exercise described in the example in which the muscle groups are stimulated, while the user holds the balance of his/her standing posture on the concavo-convex patterns formed by the airbags 5a, 5b, 5c and 5d, with another assisted exercise in which a variety of muscle groups of the user's legs are stimulated by forcibly reciprocating the left and right feet along a predetermined track by using the drive unit 3.

There are various combinations as the combination of these assisted exercises. In other words, an assisted exercise in which the standing posture is held and the muscle groups of both feet are stimulated while causing the feet to dorsiflex, plantarflex, bend into arches, incline internally, and incline externally by using the airbags 5a, 5b, 5c and 5d, and another assisted exercise in which the muscle groups of both feet are stimulated by the reciprocation of the left footrest 2a and the right footrest 2b, as well as buckling and dorsiflexing motions, can be combined in a various ways.

In a case where the left footrest 2a and the right footrest 2b are caused to reciprocate so that the user's feet are dorsiflexed at the front end positions and plantarflexed at the rear end positions by the drive unit 3 while the user's feet are kept in the dorsiflexed states by the concavo-convex patterns formed by the airbags 5a, 5b, 5c and 5d, the plantarflexed states in the rear end positions can be offset by the dorsiflexed states caused by the concavo-convex patterns so that the feet are positioned substantially horizontally, and the feet can be dorsiflexed significantly in the front end positions. On the other hand, in a case where the left footrest 2a and the right footrest 2b are caused to reciprocate by the drive unit 3 while keeping the buckled states of the user's feet by means of the concave-convex patterns, the dorsiflexed states in the front end positions can be offset by the buckled states caused by the concavo-convex patterns so that the feet are positioned substantially horizontally, and the feet can be buckled significantly in the rear end positions. Alternately switching the assisted exercises in this manner can be accomplished easily by the ventilation of the airbags 5a, 5b, 5c and 5d.

In the exercise assisting apparatus of the other example described above, the airbags 5a, 5b, 5c and 5d may not expand or contract. In other words, in the configuration mentioned above, the airbags 5a, 5b, 5c and 5d serve as the actuators which drives their tops vertically, and each of the airbags 5a, 5b, 5c and 5d is provided to actively apply an external force to each of the soles of the user. On the other hand, instead of causing the airbags 5a, 5b, 5c and 5d to feed or discharge air, each of the airbags 5a, 5b, 5c and 5d may passively apply an external force (reaction force) to each of the soles of the user as the sole pushes the airbags.

In this case as well, the reaction force applied passively by each of the airbags 5a, 5b, 5c and 5d during an exercise can break the balance of the user in various ways. For this reason, even an elderly person who finds it too difficult to do an acute exercise can stand on the airbags 5 and keep a standing posture, to stimulate the muscle groups of both feet and effortlessly and effectively train the muscles for staying on his/her feet while keeping the balance [of the standing posture]. As with the airbags 5a, 5b, 5c and 5d shown in the diagram, it is not necessary to provide the airbag 5 in plurality, and therefore only one airbag may be provided in a section that comes into contact with each sole.

Because the external force (reaction force) is applied passively to the user, as described above, an elastic member other than the abovementioned airbag 5 may be disposed in the same way. As the elastic member to be disposed here, any elastic member is applicable as long as it deforms elastically by the pressure of each of the soles of the user and thus applies a reaction force. For example, an elastic member made of a sponge or other bubble material (foam material) is suitably used.

Note that the embodiment of the present invention is merely an example, and it goes without saying that the present invention can be replayed, modified and changed in various ways within the scope of the technical idea of the present invention.

EXERCISE ASSISTING APPARATUS

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