Patent Grant
7247128
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an exercise assisting instrument and more specifically to an exercise assisting instrument that fits to use assisting knee-bending exercise of legs and knees or exercise of waist and arms.
2. Description of Related Art
In Japan, an aging ratio of population is rapidly increasing, and currently one person per six people is over 65 years old. Generally many of elder people have some kinds of illness, especially rate of elder people suffering from arthritis is high. Further, the more the age is advanced, the worse legs and knees or waist and arms are and become disabled in every day life gradually. And they stop exercising because of disability, and the state of the malfunction progresses forming a vicious circle. To solve the problem, a variety of exercise assisting instrument have been developed conventionally.
Japanese Patent Kokai No. 2000-70405 discloses one of exercise instrument for leg exercise (refer to Japanese Patent Kokai No. 1). The invention defined in Japanese Patent Kokai No. 1 is an exercise instrument that makes a user able to exercise legs as effectively as if the user does walking exercise without putting his/her weight on his/her legs and waist. The user lies on his/her back on a frame, the angle of which can be changed, hangs both legs on a leg-hanging-part slung by means of pulley(s), and moves legs hung on the leg-hanging-part up and down while his/her body is kept lied down, so he/she may exercise his/her legs without putting his/her weight on his/her legs.
Moreover, Japanese Patent Kokai No. Hei 10-5279 discloses an invention of a standing up assisting instrument (refer to Japanese Patent Kokai No. 2). The invention defined in Japanese Patent Kokai No. 2 is the invention of a standing up assisting instrument used in rehabilitation for a handicapped person who cannot stand up, and it helps a user stand up by oneself safely. The user fixes his/her lower body by buttocks supporting part and longitudinal ditch formed mat into which his/her knees are fit, and becomes able to stand upright by oneself, by supporting upper body by cylindrical mat on which arms lean. And, in this state, the user bends his/her knees, while he/she winds up traction line by backward traction device set on the standing up assisting instrument, and at the same time by up and down movement of the buttocks supporting part operating together with expansion and contraction of lifting and rotating arms connected to the traction line.
However, the exercise instrument of the invention defined in Patent Publication No. 1 does not function if the user cannot raise his/her legs by oneself so the users are limited to those who can raise their legs by themselves. Further, the user lies on his/her back and exercises only his/her legs so there exists a problem in which he/she may exercise only his/her legs and cannot exercise the whole body.
Moreover, in the invention defined in Patent Publication No. 2, the user set in designated position can do knee-bending exercise automatically by turning on an electric machine with the lifting and rotating arms and the electric machine. But, the user cannot exercise by his/her intention, so the user cannot have an intention of training by oneself and cannot have fun. Further, there are problems in which using electric machine causes a big noise and vibrations, and the user may have anxiety about having malfunction of the machine.
Therefore, the present invention solves the problems mentioned above, and aims to provide an exercise assisting instrument which a user may easily and safely do knee-bending exercise corresponding to his/her respective physical strength. To put it concretely, the invention aims to provide the exercise assisting instrument that may lighten burdens imposed on the user's legs, knees and so on while the user can do the knee-bending exercise repeatedly from any position corresponding to the user's respective physical strength. Furthermore, even at a time the user's physical strength goes to the limit and suddenly his/her knees and waist becomes unsteady and the user cannot help squatting down, to prevent bone-breaking accident, the present invention aims to provide the exercise assisting instrument having a chair which moves upward and downward always in a state coming into contact with his/her buttocks so that the user may sit down on the chair from any position while he/she does the knee-bending exercise. The user may sit down on the chair as he/she lean on it and may go down to the lowest point slowly and safely with aid of upward force affecting the chair. Further, the present invention aims to provide the exercise assisting instrument of simple structure and low production cost because no need of power source from outside.
To solve the problems mentioned above, the invention is an exercise assisting instrument for assisting knee-bending exercise being characterized in that, a lifting device always positions a chair for supporting a user's body near buttocks of the user, which moves upward and downward together with the knee-bending exercise, whereby the user doing the knee-bending exercise may sit at the chair any time, accordingly the user may do the knee-bending exercise safely.
To solve the problems mentioned above, the invention is the exercise assisting instrument being characterized in that, said lifting device raises the chair in conjunction with pulling movement of user's arms when a user stands up with pulling user's arms.
To solve the problems mentioned above, the invention is the exercise assisting instrument being characterized in that, said lifting device comprises a base; a pair of supporting columns formed on the base; a pair of lifting mechanisms having lifting arms connected to each other at first hinge points, one ends of lifting mechanisms being rotationally connected to said supporting columns and other ends thereof moving upward and downward along said supporting columns, and said one ends serving as second hinge points; a pair of lever arms having handle-parts at their ends for the user to grip, said lever arms being rotationally connected to the supporting columns at third hinge points, around which they swing upward and downward as seesaws; a stopper for abutting the chair to stop when the chair moves down and reaches to the lowest point; an upward movement assisting device for urging an assisting force in a direction that the other ends of the lifting mechanisms move upward; and, a connecting member for connecting the first hinge points of the lifting arms to control the movement of said paired lever arms, wherein said lifting device partially assists standing-up movement of the user and lightens a burden of the knee-bending exercise when the user stands up and pulls said handle-parts of the lever arms upward with gripping said handle-parts.
To solve the problems mentioned above, the invention is the exercise assisting instrument being characterized in that, said lever arms have length adjusting devices so the user may adjust the length thereof corresponding to user's body size.
To solve the problems mentioned above, the invention is the exercise assisting instrument being characterized in that said upward movement assisting device is made of an elastic member which is connected between said stopper and said connecting member.
To solve the problems mentioned above, the invention is the exercise assisting instrument being characterized in that, said lifting device comprises a base; a pair of supporting columns formed on the base; a pair of lifting mechanisms having lifting arms connected to each other at first hinge points, one ends of lifting mechanisms being rotationally connected to said supporting columns and other ends thereof moving upward and downward along said supporting columns, and said one ends serving as second hinge points; a pair of lever arms having handle-parts at their ends &r the user to grip; a connecting member for connecting the first hinge points of the paired lifting arms to control the movement of said paired lever arms; a lifting linkage having a linkage system for moving said moving ends of said lifting mechanisms upward and downward in conjunction with the movements of said lever arms; a lifting base fixed to said moving ends of said lifting mechanisms, said lifting base moving upward and downward together with the upward-downward movement of said moving ends and having support means for supporting said lever arms to move backward and forward; and, an upward movement assisting device for urging an assisting force in a direction that said moving ends of the lifting mechanism moves upward, wherein said lifting device partially assists standing-up movement of the user and lightens a burden of the knee-bending exercise when the user stands up and pulls said lever arms upward with gripping said handle-parts.
To solve the problems mentioned above, the invention is the exercise assisting instrument being characterized in that, said lever arms have length adjusting devices so that the user may adjust the length thereof corresponding to user's body size.
To solve the problems mentioned above, the invention is the exercise assisting instrument being characterized in that, said lifting device comprises a base; a pair of supporting columns formed on the base; a pair lifting mechanisms having lifting arms connected to each other at first hinge points, one ends of lifting mechanisms being rotationally connected to said supporting columns and other ends thereof moving upward and downward along said supporting columns, and said one ends serving as second hinge points; a pair of lever arms which move upward and downward in conjunction with the upward-downward movement of said moving ends; a connecting member for connecting the first hinge points of the paired lifting arms to control the movement of said paired lever arms; a pair of wire members, each having an end which is used as a pulling end part pulled by the user and an other end which is connected at the first hinge point of said lifting arms so that the moving ends of said lifting arms may be moved upward by pulling said pulling end parts; and, an upward movement assisting device for urging an assisting force in a direction that said lifting mechanism moves upward, wherein said lifting device partially assists standing-up movement of the user and lightens a burden of the knee-bending exercise when the user stands up and pulls said lever arms upward with gripping said handle-parts.
To solve the problems mentioned above, the invention is the exercise assisting instrument being characterized in that, said lifting rums have winding devices for winding said wire members at the first hinge points.
To solve the problems mentioned above, the invention is the exercise assisting instrument being characterized in that, said lever arms have an angle adjusting device so that the user may adjust the angle of said lever arms corresponding to user's body size.
To solve the problems mentioned above, the invention is the exercise assisting instrument being characterized in that, said upward movement assisting device is made of an elastic member, which is connected between an upper end of said supporting column and the first hinge point of said lifting arms.
To solve the problems mentioned above, the invention is the exercise assisting instrument being characterized in that, said chair moves upward and downward in conjunction with the upward-downward movement of the moving ends of said lifting arms, wherein said exercise assisting instrument further includes an upward movement stopper to stop said chair at a designated position of height.
To solve the problems mentioned above, the invention is the exercise assisting instrument being characterized in that, said chair has an adjusting device for moving the chair backward and forward so that the position of the chair may be adjusted to a suitable position to the user.
To solve the problems mentioned above, the invention is the exercise assisting instrument being characterized in that, said chair has a structure able to tilt forward so that the user may easily stand up when some part of the user's body touches said chair to tilt forward.
To solve the problems mentioned above, the invention is the exercise assisting instrument being characterized in that, said stopper is a column member established under said chair and supports said chair at the upper part of said column member when said chair moves downward.
To solve the problems mentioned above, the invention is the exercise assisting instrument being characterized in that, said exercise assisting instrument further includes, an assisting force adjusting device that may even the assisting forces of said upward movement assisting devices and also may adjust the force thereby the assisting force being adjusted according to the user's condition.
To solve the problems mentioned above, the invention is the exercise assisting instrument being characterized in that, said exercise assisting instrument further includes a counting a number of knee-bending exercises of the user.
To solve the problems mentioned above, the invention is the exercise assisting instrument being characterized in that, said base has slip stoppers to prevent slipping so that the user does not slip.
Below, embodiments of an exercise assisting instrument of the present invention are explained with reference to the drawings.
An exercise assisting instrument 1 of the present invention comprises a base 10, a pair of supporting columns 20, a pair of lifting mechanism 30, a pair of lever arms 40, a lifting member and a chair 50 as shown in
To the base 10, as shown in
The base 10 is metallic, and the center of the front part thereof is constricted.
The locking device 11, as shown in
Conversely, if the lever arms 40 are pulled up forward toward the user with a force greater than the pushing force of the spring 18, the connecting member 35 pushes up the locking ball 17, gets out of the cut part 16a of the locking device body 16 from the locked state, and unlocked.
The stopper 13 is a metallic bar material, and, as shown in
The slip stoppers 15 are made of rubber and cut ditch at the surface to make the slip resistance performance more effective. Each slip stopper 15 is positioned evenly on each projecting part 10a formed by the constricted part of the base 10 so that the position of the user's foot fits in, respectively. Or, the same effect may be achieved by forming ditch directly on the projecting part 10a, even though in the embodiment shown the ditch cut rubber at the surface is used.
The supporting columns 20 are metallic square pillars and each of them is positioned at each side of backward of the base 10, and, as shown in
The lifting mechanism 30 is metallic, and comprises a pair of lifting arms connected to each other at a hinge point 30a and provides a structure of three member linkage system as a whole; one end of the lifting mechanism is connected to the revolving hinge 20a at the base of the supporting column 20, the other end thereof moves upward or downward along the sliding ditch 20c formed inside the supporting columns 20.
Upward movement assisting device 33 is made of a spring member. One end thereof is fixed to an upper end supporting part 13c of the stopper 13 and the other end is fixed to the hinge point 30a of the lifting mechanism 30. Pulling force always acts on the hinge point 30a in a direction toward the stopper 13 (in a direction of Arrow C shown in
Each of the lever arms 40 comprises a handle pipe 41, an arm 43, a fixing device 45 and a grip 47, as shown in
The handle pipe 41 is metallic and is shaped to a bent letter-L-configuration. At one end of the handle pipe 41, the grip 47 is attached for the user to grip easily and, at the other end thereof, the arm 43 is connected to the handle pipe 41 by the fixing device 45. At the end of the arm 43 where the fixing device 45 is equipped, length of the handle pipe 41 may be changed according to the user's body size. Further, at the end of the handle pipes 41 where the fixing device 45 is equipped, graduation 41a is marked.
The arm 43 is metallic and is shaped to large-curve, and one end thereof is connected to the handle pipes 41 by the fixing device 45. And, as shown in
As shown in
The grip 47 is made of resin and is installed detachably at the end of the handle pipes 41. The grip 47 is exchangeable and the most suitable to the size and the gripping force of the user's hand may be chosen. Further, resin material and thickness may be exchangeable at the user's will, so not only leg-and-knee-bending exercise but also training of the grip may be expected.
A counter 49 is positioned at the end of the grips 47, and automatically counts a number of upward and downward movements of the lever arms 40. Accordingly, the user may easily confirm the number of knee-bending exercise by oneself. And, the counter 49 is removable so that the user may perform the knee-bending exercise for multipurpose efficiently by exchanging the counter with a counter having alarm function or calorie-calculating function.
Then, action of the exercise assisting instrument 1 explained above will be described. First, the user gets on the base 10, places his/her both feet on the slip stoppers 15, and confirms the position of the feet. After the user sits down on the chair 50 so as to fit his/her feet at the slip stoppers 15, the position of the chair 50 in back and front direction is adjusted. Next, the user grips the grips 47 at the ends of the lever arms 40. At that time, the user adjusts the length of the right-and-left-pair of handle pipes 41 and fixes them with the fixing device 45. Next, the user resets the number of the counter 49 to “0” before starting the knee-bending exercise.
Then, the user stands up and pulls the lever arms 40 up toward the user (in the direction A shown in
Contrary to the above, if the user pushes down the lever arms 40 from its uppermost position (in the direction B shown in
In usual knee-bending exercise, the chair 50 goes down to a position higher than an upper end of the stopper 13 and repeats lifting. Therefore, during usual use, the exercise assisting instrument 1 is not locked by the locking device 11 and the user may repeat knee-bending exercise smoothly.
In case that the user quits or discontinues knee-bending exercise, the user sits on the chair 50 and goes down to the lowest point. When the chair 50 reaches to the lowest point, the chair 50 hits the stopper 13 to stop and, at the same time, the lever arms 40 are locked by the locking device 11 and are stopped safely in a stable state.
Next, a second embodiment of the exercise assisting instrument according to the present invention will be described with referring to
The exercise assisting instrument 2 of the present invention comprises a base 110, a pair of supporting columns 120, a pair of lifting mechanisms 130, a pair of lever arms 140, a chair 150, a lifting linkage 160, and a lifting base 170 as shown in
To the base 110, as shown in
The base 110 is metallic and is made of a board member, the corners of which are chamfered so that the user may use it safely.
The stopper 113 is a metallic bar material, and, as shown in
The slip stoppers 115 is made of rubber and cut ditch at the surface to make the slip resistance performance more effective. Each slip stopper 115 is positioned to an area where the foot of the user roughly fits in. Or, the same effect may be achieved by forming irregularity directly on the base 110, even though in the present embodiment the ditch cut rubber at the surface is used.
The supporting columns 120 are metallic square pillars and each of them is positioned at the back in a lengthwise direction of the base 110, and as shown in
The lifting mechanism 130 is metallic, and comprises two lifting arms connected to each other at a hinge point; one end of the lifting mechanism 130 is connected to a revolving hinge 120a near the base of the supporting column 120, and the other end thereof acts as a moving end 132, which moves upward and downward along the sliding ditch 120b formed inside the supporting columns 120. The lifting mechanism 130 and the supporting columns 120 as a whole provides a structure of linkage system.
Each of the lever arms 140 comprises a L-shaped member 141, a sliding member 143, and a length adjusting device 145, as shown in
The L-shaped member 141 is metallic and, as shown in
The sliding member 143 is metallic. One end of the sliding member is a connecting part 143a connected to the L-shaped member 141 through the length adjusting device 145 and the other end thereof is movably supported by a pair of supporting parts 174 of the lifting base 170.
As shown in
The grip 147 is made of resin and is installed detachably at the end of the L-shaped members 141. The grip 147 is exchangeable and the most suitable to the size and the gripping force of the user's hand may be chosen. Further, resin material and thickness may be exchangeable at the user's will, so not only leg-and-knee-bending exercise but also training of the grip may be expected.
The lifting linkage 160 is metallic, and, as shown in
As shown in
The lifting base 170 comprises a pair of metallic L-shaped members 172 and the supporting parts 174. One end of the sliding member 143 of the lever arm 140 and the supporting parts 174, through which the former passes, compose a sliding system.
One end of the L-shaped member 172 fits into the sliding ditch 120b formed inside the supporting column 120 so that it moves upward and downward. The supporting parts 174 are established in outer sides 176 of the L-shaped members 172.
The chair 150 is positioned upon the paired L-shaped members 172. The angle of the chair 150 may be changed by means of spring 152 so that the chair 150 is positioned near the user's buttocks according to the user's movement.
As shown in
In this embodiment, the tension springs 184 are used, but other elastic material such as rubber may be used as long as it produces pulling tension to perform the same assisting effect as that of the present invention.
Tension adjusting part 182 is positioned at the center or its vicinity of the bridge member 122. At both sides of the tension adjusting part 182 the pulleys 183 are positioned. At the upper side of the bridge member 122, the adjusting handle 187, which is connected to the tension adjusting part 182, is positioned.
One end of the tension spring 184 is connected to the connecting member 135, which connects between the hinge points 131 of the paired lifting mechanisms 130, and the other end thereof is mechanically connected to the tension adjusting part 182 through the wire 185, which passes around the pulleys 183. When the adjusting handle 187 is turned, the wire 185 is pulled or loosened and the tension force of the tension springs 184 connected thereto may be adjusted.
Then, action of the exercise assisting instrument 2 explained above will be described with reference to
Contrary to the above, if the user squats with pushing the lever arms 140 down from its uppermost position in the direction B shown in
In case that knee-bending exercise is quitted or discontinued, the user sits on the chair 150 and goes down to the lowest point. When the chair 150 reaches to the lowest point, the chair 150 hits the stopper 113 to stop safely.
Next, a third embodiment of the exercise assisting instrument according to the present invention will be described with reference to
The exercise assisting instrument 3 of the present invention comprises a base 210, a pair of supporting columns 220, a pair of lifting mechanism 230, a pair of lever arms 240, a chair 250, and wires 260 as shown in
To the base 210, as shown in
The base 210 is metallic and is made of a board member, the corners of which are chamfered so that the user may use it safely.
The stopper 213 is a metallic bar material, and, as shown in
The slip stoppers 215 is made of rubber and cut ditch at the surface to make the slip resistance performance more effective. Each slip stopper 215 is positioned to an area where the foot of the user roughly fits in. Or, the same effect may be achieved by forming irregularity directly on the base 210, even though in the present embodiment the ditch cut rubber at the surface is used.
The supporting columns 220 are metallic square pillars and each of them is positioned at the back in a lengthwise direction of the base 210, and, as shown in
The wire guide device 290 comprises a pulley base 291 and a pulley 292. The wire 260 is guided around the pulley 292. The wire guide device 290 gives the wire 260 a tension so that the wire 260 can transfer the pulling force to the lifting mechanism 230 without being loosened when the user pulls grips 247.
The lifting mechanism 230 is metallic, and comprises two lifting arms connected to each other at a hinge point 231 to which one end of the wire 260 is connected. One end of the lifting mechanism 230 is connected to the revolving hinge 220a near the base of the supporting column 220, and the other end thereof acts as a moving end 232 which moves upward and downward along the sliding ditch 220b formed inside the supporting column 220. The lifting mechanism 230 and the supporting columns 220 as a whole provide a structure of three member linkage system.
Each of the lever arms 240, as shown in
The first arm member 242 is metallic, and comprises at one end a fixing part 244 having a pulley 246. The other end of the first arm member 242 is connected to the second arm member 243 through the angle adjusting device 248.
The second arm member 243 is metallic. And, one end of the second arm member 243 slides upward and downward along the ditch 220b formed inside the supporting column 220 and the other end thereof is connected to the first arm member 242 through the angle adjusting device 248.
The pulley part 246 and the fixing part 244, as shown in
The wire 260 is made of high tension metallic wire, and at one end is connected to the grip 247 for the user to grip and at the other end is wounded and fixed to winding device 236 of the hinge point 231.
As shown in
The chair 250 is positioned upon arm bodies 241 fixed inside the second arm members 243, and may change its angle by means of spring 252.
As shown in
The tension adjusting part 282 is positioned at the center or its vicinity of the bridge member 222. At both sides of the tension adjusting part 282 the pulleys 283 are positioned. At the upper side of the bridge member 222, the adjusting handle 287, which is connected to the tension adjusting part 282, is positioned.
One end of the tension spring 284 is connected to a connecting member 235, which connects between the hinge points 231 of the paired lifting mechanisms 230, and the other end thereof is mechanically connected to the tension adjusting part 282 through the wire 285, which passes around the pulleys 283. When the adjusting handle 287 is turned, the wire 285 is pulled or loosened and the tension force of the tension springs 284 connected thereto may be adjusted.
Then, action of the exercise assisting instrument 3 explained above will be described. First, before using the exercise assisting instrument 3, the user adjusts and fixes the position of the pulley part 246 in advance by changing the angle of the first arm member 242 relative to the second arm member 243 by means of the angle adjusting device 248, which is installed at the lever arm 240, so that it fits the user's body size and arm-length of the user. After the preparation is finished, the user gets on base 210, places his/her both feet on slip stoppers 215, and confirms the position of the feet. The user sits down on the chair 250 so as to fit his/her feet at the slip stoppers 215 and then the position of chair 250 in back and front direction is adjusted. Then, the user grips the grips 247 with sitting down on the chair 250, the user adjusts the length of the wire 260 corresponding to the length of the user's arm by winding it around the winding device 236 to set the length of the wire 260 a specific length. After the adjustments above are finished, the user stands up and pulls the grips 247 up toward the user (in the direction A shown in
Contrary to the above, if the user squats down with pushing the grips 247 out, the chair 250 goes downward and the user may also go down slowly with the assisting force of the upward movement assisting device 280 while his/her buttocks comes into contact with the chair 250.
In case that the knee-bending exercise is quitted or discontinued, the user sits on the chair 250 and goes down to the lowest point. When the chair 250 reaches to the lowest point, the chair 250 hits the stopper 213 to stop safely.
Finally, a fourth embodiment of the exercise assisting instrument according to the present invention will be described with reference to
The exercise assisting instrument 4 of the present invention comprises a base 310, a pair of supporting columns 320, a pair of lifting mechanisms 330, a pair of lever arms 340, a chair 350, a lifting linkage 360, and a lifting base 370 as shown in
To the base 310, as shown in
The base 310 is metallic and is made of a board material, the corners of which are chamfered so the user may use it safely.
The stopper 313 is a metallic bar material, and, as shown in
The slip stoppers 315 is made of rubber and cut ditch at the surface to make the slip resistance performance more effective. Each slip stopper 315 is positioned to an area where the foot of the user roughly fits in. Or, the same effect may be achieved by forming irregularity directly on the base 310, even though in the present embodiment the ditch cut rubber at the surface is used.
The supporting columns 320 are metallic square pillars and each of them is positioned at the back in a lengthwise direction of the base 310, and, as shown in
The lifting mechanism 330 is metallic, and comprises two lifting arms connected to each other at a hinge point 331. One end of the lifting mechanism 330 is connected to the revolving hinge 320a near the base of the supporting column 320, and the other end thereof acts as a moving end 332 which moves upward and downward along the sliding ditch 320b formed inside the supporting column 320. The lifting mechanism 330 and the supporting columns 320 as a whole provide a structure of linkage system.
Each of the lever arms 340 comprises a L-shaped member 341, a sliding member 343, a length adjusting device 345, an upward movement stopper 346, and a graduation 343b, as shown in
The L-shaped member 341 is metallic and comprises a grips 347 installed for the user to grip easily at one end and at the other end a connecting part 341a to connect with the sliding member 343 through the length adjusting device 345.
The sliding member 343 is metallic and one end is a connecting part 343a, with which the L-shaped member 341 is connected through the length adjusting device 345, and the other end is supported movably by a pair of supporting parts 374 of the lifting base 370.
As shown in
As shown in
The cylinder 346a is metallic and a hollow cylindrical member, and female screw 346b is formed at a bore formed thereon.
At one end of the handle 346c, a head 346d is provided for the user to grip, and at the other end a male screw 346e is formed.
The sliding member 343 of the lever arm 340 is inserted into the cylinder 346a, at which the graduation 343b is formed, and the fastening screw 346e formed at one end of the handle 346c is fastened into the female screw 346b formed at the cylinder 346a thereby the upward movement stopper 346 and the sliding member 343 being fixed.
Since the upward movement stopper 346 is provided, upward movement of the chair 350 beyond a predetermined limit may be stopped. Thus, when the user pulls the lever arms 340 with standing up, the upward movement stopper 346 abuts against one of the supporting parts 374 so that the chair 350 may be stopped. In other words, by adjusting a position of the upward movement stopper 346 with reference to the graduation 343b, the upper limit of the chair 350 may be set corresponding to the user's height etc.
In the present embodiment, the upward movement stopper 346 is provided on the lever arms 340, but as the second embodiment of the upward movement stopper, as shown in
The upward movement stopper 390 according to the second embodiment comprises a L-shaped metallic member 390a, a fixing nut 390b, an adjusting bar 390c, and a buffer rubber 390d. The buffer rubber 390d is detachably fixed at one end of the adjusting bar 390c. The adjusting bar 390c is adjusted its length at other end thereof and fixed by means of the L-shaped metallic member 390a and the fixing nut 390b corresponding to the height of the user.
Further, as shown in
The downward movement stopper 349 comprises a L-shaped metallic member 349a, a fixing nut 349b, an adjusting bar 349c, and a buffer rubber 349d. The buffer rubber 349d is detachably fixed at one end of the adjusting bar 349c. The adjusting bar 349c is adjusted its length at other end thereof and fixed by means of the L-shaped metallic member 349a and the fixing nut 349b corresponding to the height of the user's legs.
In the present embodiment, the stopper 313 is provided for limiting the lowermost position of the chair 350 so that the stopper 313 abuts the chair 350 to stop thereat when the user gets tired or is about to fall down. On the other hand, the downward movement stopper 349, used with the upward movement stopper 390, may set and limit a specified range of upward-downward movement according to the level of knee-bending-ability of the user. For example, by changing the positions of the upward movement stopper 390 and the downward movement stopper 349, a range of knee-bending may be widened. As a result of training with using the exercise assisting instrument according to the present invention, the user may gradually widen the range of knee-bending. Under such circumstances, the user may confirm such effect given by the present exercise assisting instrument when he/she records the positions set of the stoppers.
Moreover, in the present embodiment, the upward movement stopper 346 or 390 is used, but its' use is not limited to those described above, and it may be any forms in which the position of the chair is set near the user's buttocks when the user starts exercise.
The grip 347 is made of resin and is installed detachably at the end of the L-shaped members 341. The grip 347 is exchangeable and the most suitable to the size and the gripping force of the user's hand may be chosen. Further, resin material and thickness may be exchangeable at the user's will, so not only leg-and-knee-bending exercise but also training of the grip may be expected.
The lifting linkage 360 is metallic, and as shown in
As shown in
The lifting base 370 comprises a pair of metallic L-shaped members 372 and the supporting parts 374. The supporting parts 374, through which one end of the sliding member 343 of the lever arm 340 is inserted to slide, constitutes a sliding system.
One ends of the paired L-shaped members 372 are connected to the sliding ditches 320b established inside of the supporting columns 320, along which they move upward and downward. The paired supporting parts 374 are fixed to each of outer sides 376 of the paired L-shaped members 372.
The chair 350 is positioned upon the paired L-shaped members 372, and may change its angle by means of spring 352 so that it may position near the user's buttocks during the exercise.
As shown in
In this embodiment, the tension springs 384 are used, but other elastic material such as rubber may be used as long as it produces pulling tension to perform the same assisting effect as that of the present invention.
The tension adjusting part 382 is positioned at the center or its vicinity of the bridge member 322. At both sides of the tension adjusting part 382 the pulleys 383 are positioned. At the upper side of the bridge member 322, the adjusting handle 387, which is connected to the tension adjusting part 382, is positioned.
One end of the tension spring 384 is connected to the connecting member 335, which connects between the hinge points 331 of the paired lifting mechanisms 330, and the other end thereof is mechanically connected to the tension adjusting part 382 through the wire 385, which passes around the pulleys 383. When the adjusting handle 387 is turned, the wire 385 is pulled or loosened and the tension force of the tension springs 384 connected thereto may be adjusted.
Then, action of the exercise assisting instrument 4 explained above will be described with reference to
Contrary to the above, if the user squats with pushing the lever arms 340 down from its uppermost position in the direction B shown in
In case that knee-bending exercise is quitted or discontinued, the user sits on the chair 350 and goes down to the lowest point. When the chair 350 reaches to the lowest point, the chair 350 hits the stopper 313 to stop safely.
If the user leaves the chair 350, the chair 350 rises automatically by the assisting force of the upward movement assisting device 380 to the position set by the upward movement stopper 346. Therefore, when the same user comes back and uses the exercise assisting instrument 4 next time, he/she may sit down on the chair 350 at the position where he/she easily sits down and may start exercising comfortably.
According to the exercise assisting instrument of the present invention described above, in leg-and-knee-bending exercise or waist-and-arm exercise, a burden to the knee-bending exercise is lightened by the assisting force for extending his/her legs when standing up. Therefore, the user may easily do the knee-bending exercise corresponding to his/her physical strength.
Further, said exercise assisting instrument is equipped with the length adjusting mechanism for the lever arms and the position adjusting mechanism for the chair. Therefore, it may be adjusted to the user's body size in a range to a certain extent. Accordingly, the user may do the knee-bending exercise in the most suitable condition.
Furthermore, even at a time the user's physical strength goes to the limit and suddenly his/her knees and waist becomes unsteady and the user cannot help squatting down, to prevent bone-breaking accident, the chair moves upward and downward always in a state coming into contact with his/her buttocks so that the user may sit down on the chair from any position while he/she does the knee-bending exercise. The user may sit down on the chair as he/she lean on it and may go down to the lowest point slowly and safely with aid of upward force affecting the chair.
| Number | Date | Country | Kind |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2002-101197 | Apr 2002 | JP | national |
| Filing Document | Filing Date | Country | Kind | 371c Date |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| PCT/JP02/11574 | 11/6/2002 | WO | 00 | 9/27/2004 |
| Publishing Document | Publishing Date | Country | Kind |
|---|---|---|---|
| WO03/082410 | 10/9/2003 | WO | A |
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| Number | Date | Country |
|---|---|---|
| 4-15957 | Oct 1992 | JP |
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| 2000-070405 | Mar 2000 | JP |
| WO 8500006 | Jan 1985 | WO |
| Number | Date | Country | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 20050227826 A1 | Oct 2005 | US |
