U.S. patent application number 11/707591 was filed with the patent office on 2007-11-01 for training apparatus.
This patent application is currently assigned to Konami Sports & Life Co., Ltd.. Invention is credited to Toru Higuchi, Keiichi Matsubara, Kojiro Minami, Hisashi Mori, Masatoshi Mukai, Setsu Muraki, Yasuhiro Noguchi, Daisuke Shijo, Atsushi Yamazaki.
Application Number | 20070254787 11/707591 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 38649026 |
Filed Date | 2007-11-01 |
United States Patent
Application |
20070254787 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Matsubara; Keiichi ; et
al. |
November 1, 2007 |
Training apparatus
Abstract
A training apparatus comprises a seat 32 mounted on an apparatus
body, a training mechanism disposed in front of the seat 32 and
provided with a mechanism adapted to exercise legs of a user, a
load-applying unit adapted to apply a braking force to a movement
of the training mechanism in an electrically adjustable manner, and
a tilt adjustment unit adapted to tiltingly move a front end of the
seat in a vertical direction. The training apparatus of the present
invention allows a user, even an elderly person or a person who
requires assistance to readily sit on the seat without an unnatural
or forced physical posture.
Inventors: |
Matsubara; Keiichi;
(Kakogawa-shi, JP) ; Mori; Hisashi; (Kobe-shi,
JP) ; Higuchi; Toru; (Kobe-shi, JP) ; Noguchi;
Yasuhiro; (Kobe-shi, JP) ; Muraki; Setsu;
(Akashi-shi, JP) ; Mukai; Masatoshi; (Akashi-shi,
JP) ; Shijo; Daisuke; (Akashi-shi, JP) ;
Minami; Kojiro; (Kobe-shi, JP) ; Yamazaki;
Atsushi; (Kobe-shi, JP) |
Correspondence
Address: |
JORDAN AND HAMBURG LLP
122 EAST 42ND STREET, SUITE 4000
NEW YORK
NY
10168
US
|
Assignee: |
Konami Sports & Life Co.,
Ltd.
Shinagawa-ku
JP
|
Family ID: |
38649026 |
Appl. No.: |
11/707591 |
Filed: |
February 15, 2007 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
482/139 ;
482/92 |
Current CPC
Class: |
A63B 2225/09 20130101;
A63B 2208/0233 20130101; A63B 21/0058 20130101; A63B 23/0494
20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
482/139 ;
482/92 |
International
Class: |
A63B 21/00 20060101
A63B021/00 |
Foreign Application Data
Date |
Code |
Application Number |
Apr 27, 2006 |
JP |
2006-124419 |
Claims
1. A training apparatus comprising: a seat mounted on an apparatus
body; a training mechanism disposed in front of said seat and
provided with a mechanism adapted to exercise legs of a user; a
load-applying unit adapted to apply a braking force to a movement
of said training mechanism in an electrically adjustable manner;
and a tilt adjustment unit for tilting said seat so as to move a
front end of said seat in a vertical direction.
2. The training apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said
training mechanism including: a pair of roller pads each adapted to
be disposed in a horizontal posture so as to hold the user's legs
therebetween; and a posture shifting mechanism adapted to allow
said pair of roller pads to be shifted between a first posture for
holding the user's legs therebetween and a second posture for
releasing said leg holding state.
3. The training apparatus according to claim 2, wherein said
posture shifting mechanism being provided at an end of a front one
of said roller pads and said posture shifting mechanism sets said
pair of roller pads in parallel relation to each other and in front
& rear relation with respect to the user in top view in said
first posture and sets said front roller pad of said roller pads in
standing state in said second posture.
4. The training apparatus according to claim 3, further comprising:
a lock mechanism for locking said front roller pad in said second
posture; and a manual operation unit for releasing the locked state
of said front roller pad by said lock mechanism, said manual
operation unit being arranged at a position where the user can
manually operate it while sitting on said seat.
5. The training apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising:
an arm for supporting said pair of roller pads, said arm being
swingably supported by a shaft which extends in a lateral direction
of said apparatus body; and an intermediate member interposed
between said arm and said pair of roller pads for adjusting the
position thereof along said arm.
6. The training apparatus according to claim 2, further comprising
a detection unit which detects the posture of said pair of roller
pads whether it is in said first posture or not, wherein said tilt
adjustment unit is operable, when said detection unit detects the
posture of said pair of roller pads being in said first posture, to
prohibit said tilt movement of said seat.
7. The training apparatus according to claim 6, wherein said pair
of roller pads are disposed in front and rear relation with respect
to the user in top view; and said detection unit detects a posture
of a front one of said pair of roller pads.
8. The training apparatus according to claim 4, further comprising
an input device which accepts a control input for said apparatus
body by the user, wherein said tilt adjustment unit is operable to
tilt said seat only during an input operation period of said input
device.
9. A training apparatus comprising: a seat mounted on an apparatus
body; a training mechanism disposed in front of said seat and
provided with a mechanism adapted to exercise legs of a user; said
training mechanism including: a pair of roller pads, each adapted
to be disposed in a horizontal posture so as to hold the user's
legs therebetween; said roller pads including a front roller pad
and a second roller pad; and a posture switching mechanism for
switching a posture of a front roller pad between a first posture
where said front roller pad and said second roller pad both extend
horizontally for enabling holding of the user's legs therebetween
and a second posture where said front roller pad having been swung
upward and said second roller pad maintaining the horizontal
posture for releasing the holding state of the user's legs
therebetween; a load-applying means for applying a braking force to
a movement of said training mechanism in an electrically adjustable
manner; and a tilt adjustment means for tilting said seat so as to
move a front end of said seat in a vertical direction.
10. The training apparatus according to claim 9, further comprising
a swingable arm for holding said roller pairs thereto via a support
plate mounted on the swingable arm; and wherein said front roller
pad having one longitudinal end rotatably supported around a front
support shaft horizontally extending from the support plate in said
first posture thereof and said one end of the front roller pad
being so connected to said support plate such that said front
roller pad is pivotable around a coupling pin extending in a
direction orthogonal to that of said front support shaft.
Description
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0001] 1. Field of the Invention
[0002] The present invention relates to a training apparatus for
training leg muscles of a user in a sitting posture through bending
and stretching exercises about legs to be performed while resisting
a load imposed therefrom.
[0003] 2. Description of the Related Art
[0004] Heretofore, there has been known a training apparatus
(multi-exercise machine) as disclosed in Japanese Utility Model
Publication No. 07-17325 ("Patent Publication 1"). This training
apparatus comprising a seat mounted on a given frame in an
angularly adjustable manner with respect to a horizontal plane, a
V-shaped arm mounted to the frame at a position adjacent to a front
edge of the seat in a swingable manner about an anchor end thereof,
a pair of roller pads (foot-holding pad members) fixed to
respective distal ends of the V-shaped arm to extend horizontally
in parallel relation to each other, and a weight detachably
attached, particularly, to a frontward one the roller pads.
[0005] In use of the above training apparatus as a leg extension
apparatus (apparatus adapted to impose a load on legs of a user
during stretching of the legs), a user who sits on the seat
adjusted at a given angle bends and stretches the legs while
inserting the legs between the pair of roller pads. During the
stretching of the legs, a load of the roller pad with the weight
can be imposed on the legs so as to train leg muscles of the
user.
[0006] The training apparatus can also be used as a leg curl
apparatus (apparatus adapted to impose a load on legs of a user
during bending, i.e., curling-up, of the legs). In this case, a
user who lies prone (lies on the stomach) on the seat set in a
horizontal position in its entirety including a backrest curls and
uncurls the legs while inserting the legs between the pair of
roller pads. During the curling-up of the legs, a load of the
roller pad with the weight can be imposed on the legs so as to
train leg muscles of the user.
[0007] Japanese Utility Model Publication No. 07-45241 ("Patent
Publication 2") discloses a leg-muscle training apparatus
comprising a downwardly-extending arm adapted to be swingably moved
about a support point to set its initial posture, a pad-angle
control plate attached at a distal end of the arm in a swingable
manner about a pivot, and a roller pad mounted to the pad-angle
control plate. The pad-angle control plate is formed with a
plurality of perforated holes along a circle having a center at an
axis of the pivot, and the arm is formed with a through-hole at a
position corresponding to the perforated holes. An initial angular
position of the roller pad about the pivot can be set by inserting
a pin into the through-hole and a selected one of the perforated
holes.
[0008] In the training apparatus disclosed in the Patent
Publication 2, the initial posture of the arm and the initial
angular position of the roller pad about the pivot can be variously
changed so as to freely adjust an initial height position of the
roller pad depending on user's gender, body height, physical
conditions, etc., to provide enhanced versatility to the training
apparatus.
[0009] In the leg-muscle training apparatuses disclosed in the
Patent Publications 1 and 2, a seat is fixed in a tilted position
from the beginning. Thus, a user who intends to sit on the seat is
obliged to move his/her hip to a higher position to get thereon.
This is inconvenient for users, particularly, elderly persons or
persons who require assistance. Moreover, each of the training
apparatuses employs a detachable weight serving as a means to apply
a load to the roller pad. Thus, the weight has to be replaced with
a lighter or heavier weight, or added another weight or partly
removed the weight, every time a user adjusts the load of the
roller pad depending on physical conditions, etc. This operation is
time-consuming to cause difficulty in quickly responding to user's
request.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0010] In view of the above problems, it is an object of the
present invention to provide a training apparatus capable of
allowing a user, even an elderly person or a person who requires
assistance to readily sit on a seat, and adjusting a load to be
applied to a roller pad, in a significantly easy manner, so as to
quickly offer leg-muscle training in a desired state.
[0011] In order to achieve the above object, according to the
present invention, it is provided a training apparatus which
comprises a seat mounted on an apparatus body, a training mechanism
disposed in front of the seat and provided with a mechanism adapted
to exercise legs of a user, a load-applying unit adapted to apply a
braking force to a movement of the training mechanism in an
electrically adjustable manner, and a tilt adjustment unit adapted
to tiltingly move a front end of the seat in a vertical
direction.
[0012] The above training apparatus of the present invention is
equipped with the tilt adjustment unit adapted to tiltingly move
the front end of the seat in a vertical direction, so that, when a
user gets on the training apparatus, the seat can be set in a
horizontal position to allow the user to readily sit thereon. Thus,
the need for sitting on a seat while moving the user's hip upwardly
as in the sitting movement required for the conventional
apparatuses can be eliminated, and the user can readily sit on the
seat as if sits on a usual chair. This is significantly helpful for
users, particularly for elderly persons or persons who require
assistance. After the user sits on the seat, the front end of the
seat can be tiltingly moved upwardly to a position allowing for
training.
[0013] Further, in the above training apparatus, the load-applying
unit is adapted to apply a braking force (i.e., load) to a movement
of the training mechanism in an electrically adjustable manner.
This makes it possible to electrically control the load so as to
adjust the load readily and quickly.
[0014] Thus, the conventional problems that a load cannot be
adjusted without replacing a weight with another one or
adding/removing a weight, and this time-consuming operation causes
difficulty in quickly responding to user's request, can be solved
to provide significantly enhanced usability and versatility to the
training apparatus.
[0015] The above training apparatus designed to apply a load in an
electrically adjustable manner can be used as both a so-called leg
extension apparatus intended to impose a load on legs (shins) of a
user downwardly when the user moves the shins upwardly (i.e.,
stretches the legs), and a so-called leg curl apparatus intended to
impose a load on legs (shins) of a user upwardly when a user moves
the shins downwardly (bends the legs). Thus, these different types
of trainings can be readily performed using the single training
apparatus.
[0016] In the training apparatus of the present invention, the
training mechanism with the mechanism adapted to exercise legs of a
user includes a training apparatus which has not only a function of
exercising legs of a user actively by the user's own power, but
also a function of exercising legs of a user passively according to
a driving action of given drive means without exercising the user's
legs by the user's own power.
[0017] These and other objects, features, and advantages of the
present invention will become apparent upon reading the following
detailed description along with the accompanied drawings.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0018] FIG. 1 is a partially cut-out exploded perspective view
showing a training apparatus according to one embodiment of the
present invention.
[0019] FIG. 2 is an assembly perspective view showing the training
apparatus in FIG. 1, viewed from the right side thereof, wherein
outer panels are removed.
[0020] FIG. 3 is an assembly perspective view showing the training
apparatus in FIG. 1, viewed from the left side thereof, wherein the
outer panels are removed.
[0021] FIG. 4 is an assembly perspective view showing the training
apparatus in FIG. 1, wherein the outer panels are attached, and a
pair of roller pads are set at a home position.
[0022] FIG. 5 is an assembly perspective view showing the training
apparatus in FIG. 1, wherein the outer panels are attached, and the
pair of roller pads are set at an initial position.
[0023] FIGS. 6A and 6B are explanatory partially cut-out
perspective views showing a lock mechanism for a front roller pad,
wherein FIG. 6A is an exploded perspective view, and FIG. 6B is an
assembly perspective view.
[0024] FIGS. 7A to 7C are side views showing a positional
relationship between a seat and the roller pads after completion of
training, wherein FIGS. 7A, 7B and 7C show a state just after
completion of training, an intermediate state of the training and a
state after a seat bottom is returned to a horizontal position,
respectively.
DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS OF THE INVENTION
[0025] FIG. 1 is a partially cut-out exploded perspective view
showing a training apparatus 10 according to one embodiment of the
present invention. In FIG. 1, each component facilitate is
illustrated in a simplified manner by omitting the detail thereof
to facilitate understanding of the invention. FIGS. 2 and 3 are
assembly perspective views showing the training apparatus 10 in
FIG. 1, wherein outer panels are removed, and FIG. 2 and FIG. 3 are
a right side view and a left side view, respectively.
[0026] FIGS. 4 and 5 are assembly perspective views showing the
training apparatus 10 in FIG. 1, wherein the outer panels are
attached. FIG. 4 shows a pair of roller pads set at a home
position, and a front roller pad which is raised, i.e. in a
standing posture. FIG. 5 shows a pair of roller pads are set at an
initial position, and the front roller pad is set in a first
posture.
[0027] As to the X and Y directions in FIGS. 1 to 5, the X-X
direction will be referred to as "rightward/leftward direction or
lateral direction", and the Y-Y direction will be referred to as
"frontward/rearward direction". Particularly, the -X direction, +X
direction, -Y direction and +Y direction will be referred to as
"leftward", "rightward", "frontward" and "rearward",
respectively.
[0028] As shown in FIG. 1, the training apparatus 10 has a base
(apparatus body) 20 as a support member, and the base 20 mounting
thereon a seat unit 30 adapted to allow a user to sit thereon, a
roller pad unit (training mechanism) 40 adapted to train muscles of
legs of the user who sits on the seat unit 30, a load-applying unit
50 adapted to generate a load and apply the load to the roller pad
unit 40, an input/output unit 60 adapted to allowing information
about training to be input and output therefrom, and a control unit
70 adapted to control an operation of the training unit 10 based on
the input information from the input/output unit 60 and a detection
signals from a sensor installed in each portion.
[0029] The seat unit 30, the roller pad unit 40, the load-applying
unit 50, the input/output unit 60 and the control unit 70 are
mounted on the base 20 to form a core structure as shown in FIGS. 2
and 3, and then an outer panel formed of a seat metal conforming an
outer shape of the core structure is attached to the core structure
to prepare the training apparatus 10 as shown in FIGS. 4 and 5.
[0030] The base 20 comprises a first base 21 having a rectangular
shape in top plan view, and a second base 22 disposed on either one
of right and left sides (in this embodiment, left side) of the
first base 21 and formed in a rectangular shape in top plan view. A
rear half of the second base 22 is superimposed on a left region of
a top surface of the first base 21, and fixed thereto. As shown in
FIG. 2, the base 20 is formed in an L shape in top plan view.
[0031] The first base 21 has a flat plate shape, and has a pair of
right and left seat mounting frames 211 fixed onto an approximately
right half of the top surface thereof and formed in a reverse U
shape.
[0032] The second base 22 includes a flat-plate base 221 formed in
rectangular shape in top plan view to which has a rear edge to be
in contact with a left region of a front edge of the first base 21,
a vertically-long frame 222 which has a longitudinally-long
rectangular parallelepiped-shaped and extends upwardly from a front
edge of the flat base 221, and a horizontal-long frame 223 having a
longitudinally-long rectangular parallelepiped-shaped which has a
height dimension approximately one-half of the vertically-long
frame 222 and extends rearwardly from a rear surface of the
vertically-long frame 222.
[0033] The vertically-long frame 222 comprises a plate member fixed
a front end of the top surface of the flat-plate base 221 to extend
upwardly, and two support columns formed of a so-called angle bar
having a sectionally L shape and to extend from each of right and
left rear corners the flat-plate base 221, and a top plate
extending to bridge between respective top ends of the plate member
and the two support columns. The horizontally-long frame 223 is
fixed onto the left region of the top surface of the first base 21
to form the base 20.
[0034] The seat unit 30 comprises a seat support 31, a seat 32, and
an electric linear actuator (tilt adjustment unit) 33 adapted to
appropriately change an angle of the seat 32 with respect to a
horizontal plane, through the seat support 31.
[0035] The seat support 31 includes a support body 311 having a
reverse U shape in front view and extending in a frontward/rearward
direction, a backrest support column 312 extending upward from a
slightly rearward position relative to a longitudinally-central
region of a top surface of the support body 311, and a tube member
313 adapted to adjust a frontward/rearward position of the seat 32
which is mounted on a top of the backrest support column 312 in a
frontwardly/rearwardly movable manner. A positioning handle 314 is
screwed into an upper portion of the backrest support column 312.
The backrest support column 312 has an upper end provided with a
tube portion 312a which allows the tube member 313 to penetrate
therethrough in the frontward/rearward direction in a sliding
manner. The tube member 313 is fit into the rectangular
tubular-shaped tube portion 312a in a frontwardly/rearwardly
slidable manner.
[0036] The tube member 313 is formed with a plurality of catch
holes 315 arranged in the frontward/rearward direction at positions
each corresponding to the positioning handle 314. After positioning
the tube member 313, the positioning handle 314 is rotated to fit a
tip of the positioning handle 314 into one of the catch holes 315
so as to fix the tube member 313 to the backrest support column
312. The positioning handle 312 may be simply designed to be
inserted into each of the catch hole 315.
[0037] A support shaft 316 is fixed to a bottom surface of the
support body 311 in such a manner as that one end of support shaft
316 laterally extends across the support body 311. Further, two
bearings 212 are mounted on a top surface of the pair of seat
mounting frames 211, in laterally opposed relation to each other.
The other end of the support shaft 316 is supported by the
respective bearing 212 to allow the seat support 31 to be rotated
about the support shaft 316 and angularly adjusted.
[0038] A first detection-target plate 34 is fixed to the right end
of the support shaft 316, and an angle sensor 23 is fixed to the
right seat mounting frame 211 at a position corresponding to the
first detection-target plate 34. The angle sensor 23 is adapted to
detect an angle of the support body 311 with respect to the
horizontal plane, based on a level of alignment (overlapping)
between the first detection-target plate 34 and the angle sensor
23.
[0039] A left handrail 35 having a reverse U shape is fixed to a
front region of a right edge of the support body 311. An inclined
support column 361 having an upper portion inclined frontwardly is
fixed to a front region of a right edge of the first base 21, and a
right handrail 36 is fixed to the upper portion of the inclined
support column 361. The right handrail 36 has a front portion
formed in an arc shape. A user can grip the arc-shaped portion of
the right handrail 36 and readily sit on the seat 32.
[0040] The seat 32 includes a seat bottom 321 for allowing a user
to sit thereon, and a seatback 322 for allowing the user after
sitting on the seat bottom 321 to lean the back thereagainst. The
seat bottom 321 is fixed to the support body 311 at a position on a
frontward side relative to the backrest support column 312, by
screws.
[0041] The seatback 322 has a rectangular tubular-shaped protrusion
323 protruding rearward from a central region of a rear surface
thereof. The protrusion 323 is dimensionally designed to be fitted
into the tube member 313 of the seat support 31. The protrusion 323
is fitted into the tube member 313 from a frontward side of he tube
member 313, and fixed thereto to allow the seatback 322 to the seat
support 31.
[0042] Thus, a user can move the tube member 313 in the
frontward/rearward direction in conformity to his/her body size to
positionally change the seatback 322 in the frontward/rearward
direction. In this embodiment, while the position of the seatback
322 can be changed in the frontward/rearward direction, the seat
bottom 321 is fixed in the frontward/rearward direction.
Alternatively, the seat bottom 321 and the seatback 322 may be
integrated together to allow the seat bottom 321 to be moved
frontwardly and rearwardly in conjunction with the seatback
322.
[0043] The electric linear actuator 33 is provided as a means to
adjust an angle of the seat bottom 321 fixed to the support body
311 of the seat support 31, with respect to the horizontal
direction, and installed between the pair of seat mounting frames
211. The electric linear actuator 33 comprises a cylinder 331
mounted on the first base 21, and a piston rod 332 slidably
inserted into the cylinder 331 in such a manner that an upper
portion of the piston rod 332 protrudes outside.
[0044] The cylinder 331 is provided with a servomotor (not shown),
and a spiral rod (not shown) housed in the cylinder 331 to extend
in an axial direction of the cylinder 331 and adapted to be rotated
about its axis according to a rotational driving action of the
servo motor. The piston rod 332 is threadingly engaged with the
spiral rod within the cylinder 331. Thus, when the spiral is
axially rotated according to the driving action of the servomotor,
the piston rod 332 will be moved forwardly and backwardly relative
to the cylinder 331.
[0045] A bracket 317 is fixed to the bottom surface of the support
body 311 at position corresponding to a distal end of the piston
rod 332, and the distal end of the piston rod 332 is coupled to the
bracket 317 through a pin in a relatively rotatable manner. Thus,
in response to the forward and backward movements of the piston rod
332 relatively to the cylinder 331, the support body 311 is
swingably moved about the support shaft 316, so as to change the
angle of the seat bottom 321 with respect to the horizontal
plane.
[0046] In this embodiment, the seat bottom 321 is arranged such
that, in a state after the seat bottom 321 is set in a tilted
posture for allowing a user to perform training, a front edge of
the seat bottom 321 is located in opposed relation to an
after-mentioned pivot shaft 413 which is a swing center of
after-mentioned roller pads 43. The reason is to align the swing
center of the roller pads 43 with a position of joints of the user
during bending and stretching exercises about the legs after
sitting on the seat 32. This allows the user to smoothly perform
the bending and stretching exercises about the legs.
[0047] As shown in FIG. 5, the roller pad unit 40 is provided as a
means to train muscles of legs of a user after sitting on the seat
32, through bending and stretching exercises about the legs to be
performed while interposing ends of the legs thereinto. The roller
pad unit 40 comprises an arm 41 adapted to be swingingly moved
about a support point located at an appropriate position
(after-mentioned pivot shaft 413) in an upper end thereof, a
roller-pad support plate 42 fixed to a right surface of the arm 41
to extend in the frontward/rearward direction, and a pair of roller
pads 43 supported by the roller-pad support plate 42 in such a
manner as to protrude rightwardly from respective opposite ends of
a right surface of the roller-pad support plate 42 in parallel
relation to each other.
[0048] The arm 41 includes a rectangular columnar-shaped arm body
411, a rectangular tubular-shaped arm member (intermediate member)
412 fitted on the arm body 411 in a slidable manner. A pivot shaft
413 is fixed to an upper end of the arm body 411 in such a manner
as to be disposed to protrude leftwardly therefrom and rotated
about its axis together with the arm body 411. This pivot axis 413
is concentrically connected to an after-mentioned load transfer
shaft 571 in such a manner as to be rotated about it axis together
with the load transfer shaft 571.
[0049] An adjustment knob 414 is attached to a rear surface of an
upper portion of the arm member 412 to protrude rearwardly from the
rear surface. This adjustment knob 414 is designed such that a
distal end thereof is inserted into the arm member 412 by a biasing
force of bias means (not shown) and fitted into either one of a
plurality of catch holes which are formed in a rear surface of the
arm body 411 and aligned in a vertical direction, i.e., a
longitudinal direction of the arm body 411, so that the arm member
412 is positioned relative to the arm body 411. In an operation of
changing the position of the arm member 412 relative to the arm
body 411, the adjustment knob 412 may be operated after pulling the
arm body 411 outwardly against the biasing force of the bias means
to release the lock between the distal end of the adjustment knob
412 and one of the catch holes. In this manner, the position of the
arm member 412 relative to the arm body 411 can be changed.
[0050] The roller-pad support plate 42 is provided as a means to
support the pair of roller pads 43 (a front roller pad 43a and a
rear roller pad 43b), and a central portion of the roller-pad
support plate 42 is fixed to the arm member 412 in such a manner
that a rear end of the roller-pad support plate 42 becomes slightly
higher than that of a front end of the roller-pad support plate 42
when the arm 41 extends downwardly from the after-mentioned load
transfer shaft 571.
[0051] The roller-pad support plate 42 has a pair of roller-pad
support shafts 44 (a front support shaft 44a and a rear support
shaft 44b), and the roller pads 43 are supported by the respective
roller-pad support shafts 44 in an axially rotatable manner.
[0052] Each of the roller pads 43 comprises a cylindrical member
431 made of a rigid material, such as metal or hard synthetic
resin, and rotatably fitted on the roller-pad support shaft 44, and
a roller pad body 432 made of a soft material, such as soft
synthetic resin or expandable synthetic resin, and concentrically
fitted on the cylindrical member 431 in an integrally rotatable
manner. In an assembling process, after the roller pad 43 is fitted
on the roller-pad support shaft 44, a retaining member 433 is
attached to a distal end of the roller-pad support shaft 44 to
prevent the roller pad 43 from coming away from the roller-pad
support shaft 44.
[0053] In this embodiment, among the pair of roller pads 43, the
front roller pad 43a is designed to be changed in posture between a
horizontal posture (first posture) S1 in which the front roller pad
43a extends rightwardly and horizontally from the roller-pad
support plate 42, as shown in FIG. 5, and a standing posture
(second posture) S2 in which an anchor end of the front support
shaft 44a is folded to allow the front roller pad 43a to stand
upwardly, and, after being set in either one of the horizontal and
standing postures, locked in the set posture by a lock mechanism
45.
[0054] FIGS. 6A and 6B are explanatory partially cut-out
perspective views showing the lock mechanism 45 for the front
roller pad 43a, wherein FIG. 6A is an exploded perspective view,
and FIG. 6B is an assembly perspective view. As to the X and Y
directions in FIGS. 6A and 6B, the X-X direction will be referred
to as "rightward/leftward direction or lateral direction (-X:
leftward, +X: rightward)", and the Y-Y direction will be referred
to as "frontward/rearward direction (-Y: frontward, +Y: rearward)",
as with FIG. 1.
[0055] As shown in FIGS. 6A and 6B, the front support shaft 44a
supporting the front roller pad 43a comprises a columnar-shaped
columnar bracket 441 which protrudes from the roller-pad support
plate 42 and has a two-forked distal end, and a support shaft body
442 coupled to the columnar bracket 441.
[0056] The columnar bracket 441 has a vertically-penetrating slit
443 formed by cutting the distal end thereof from a distal end
surface in a leftward direction thereof, and the support shaft body
442 has a left end provided with a leftwardly-protruding tongue 444
fittable in the slit 443.
[0057] The tongue 444 is formed with a coupling through-hole 444a
at an appropriate position located on an axis of the support shaft
body 442, and the columnar bracket 441 is formed with a coupling
through-hole 441a across the slit 443 at a position corresponding
to the coupling through-hole 444a.
[0058] In the assembling process, after the tongue 444 is fitted in
the slit 443, a coupling pin 445 is inserted into the coupling
through-holes 441a, 444a to couple the support shaft body 442 to
the columnar bracket 441 in a swingable manner about the coupling
pin 445. As shown FIG. 6A, the front roller pad 43a can be manually
operated in a swinging manner about the coupling pin 445 to change
a posture of the support shaft body 442 (i.e., the front roller pad
43a) between the horizontal posture S1 in which the support shaft
body 442 extends rightwardly from the coupling pin 445, and the
standing posture S2 in which the support shaft body 442 stands
upwardly from the coupling pin 445.
[0059] As shown in FIG. 6A, the tongue 444 has a sector-shaped
portion 444b with a lower edge protruding downward when the front
roller pad 43a is set in the horizontal posture S1. This
sector-shaped portion 444b is formed in an arc shape having a
curvature center set at a hole center of the coupling through-hole
444a. The sector-shaped portion 444b is formed with a first catch
hole 444c in a right side (in FIG. 6A) region hereof, and a second
catch hole 444d in a left right side (in FIG. 6A) thereof.
[0060] An angle .alpha. between a linear line connecting the hole
center of the coupling through-hole 444a and the first catch hole
444c, and a linear line connecting the hole center of the coupling
through-hole 444a and the second catch hole 444d is set at about 90
degrees.
[0061] A bracket 442 is fixed to a right surface of the roller-pad
support plate 42 at a position on a slightly frontward side
relative to and below the columnar bracket 441 to protrude
rightwardly by a given distance. A guide tube member 423 is fixed
to a right end of the bracket 442, and an after-mentioned lock pin
454 is inserted into the guide tube member 423 in a
frontwardly/rearwardly movable manner. This guide tube member 423
is arranged to be located on the side of a rear surface of the
tongue 444 in opposed relation to the first and second catch holes
444c, 444d.
[0062] In this embodiment, a posture shifting mechanism (as set
forth in the appended claims) for allowing the front roller pad 43a
to be shifted between the horizontal posture S1 and the standing
posture S2 comprises the slit 443 formed in the columnar bracket
441, the tongue 444 of the support shaft body 442 fitted in the
slit 443, and the coupling pin 445 inserted into the tongue 444
fitted in the slit 443, and the columnar bracket 441.
[0063] The lock mechanism 45 comprises a protruding shaft 451
mounted in a center hole 421 formed in a central portion of the
roller-pad support plate 42, to protrude rightwardly from the
center hole 421, a manual operation lever 452 fitted on the
protruding shaft 451 in a swingable manner about the protruding
shaft 451, a rectangular-shaped lock plate 453 fixed to a front end
of a protruding rod 453a protruding frontwardly from an outer
peripheral surface of a cylindrical anchor end 452a of the manual
operation lever 452, to extends downwardly, and formed with an lock
hole 453b extending vertically, and an lock pin 454 adapted to be
fitted into the first or second catch hole (444c, 444d) according
to a swing movement of the lock plate 453 about the protruding
shaft 451.
[0064] The lock plate 453 is arranged such that, in a state after
the manual operation lever 452 is attached to the roller-pad
support plate 42, the lock hole 453b thereof is located in opposed
relation to a rear end surface of the guide tube member 423, as
shown in FIG. 6A. The lock hole 453b is formed to have a width
dimension slightly greater than a diameter of the lock pin 454 so
as to allow the lock pin 454 to penetrate therethrough.
[0065] The lock pin 454 has a pin body 454a slidably penetrating
through the guide tube member 423, a flange 454b fixedly fitted on
the pin body 454a at a position on a slightly frontward side
relative to a rear end of the pin body 454a, and a nut 454c screwed
on an external thread formed in a rear end of the pin body 454a. As
shown in FIG. 6B, in the assembling process, a front portion of the
lock pin 454 on a frontward side relative to the flange 454b is
inserted through the guide tube member 432, and a rear portion of
the lock pin 454 on a rearward side relative to the flange 454b is
inserted through the lock hole 453b of the lock plate 453. Then,
the nut 454 is screwed on the rear end of the pin body 454a. In
this manner, the lock pin 454 is attached to the guide tube member
432 and the lock plate 453 in a latch state.
[0066] The lock pin 454 has a length set in such a manner as to be
moved to protrude from a front end of the guide tube member 423 and
penetrate through the first or second catch hole (444c, 444d) when
the manual operation lever 454 is tilted rearwardly, as indicated
by the sold line in FIG. 6B, and to be moved rearwardly through the
lock plate 453 and disengaged from the first or second catch hole
(444c, 444d) when the manual operation lever 454 is manually moved
frontwardly, as indicated by the two-dot chain line in FIG. 6B.
[0067] In a state after the lock pin 454 is fitted in the first
catch hole 444c, as shown in FIG. 6B, the front roller pad 43a is
locked in the horizontal posture S1. Further, in a state after the
lock pin 454 is fitted in the second catch hole 444d, the front
roller pad 43a is locked in the standing posture S2. In either
case, when the manual operation lever 454 is moved to a
rearwardly-tilted position, the front roller pad 43a is set in a
locked state.
[0068] In an operation of changing the posture in the locked state,
the manual operation lever 452 may be manually moved frontwardly,
i.e., swingingly moved counterclockwise about the protruding shaft
451. Specifically, through this operation, the lock plate 453 is
swingingly moved counterclockwise about the protruding shaft 451 to
rearwardly pull the nut 454c at the rear end of the pin body 454a
having the rear portion penetrating through the lock hole 453b of
the pin plate 453, and thereby the lock pin 454 is moved
rearwardly.
[0069] Due to the rearward movement of the lock pin 454, the front
end of the pin body 454a is disengaged from the first or second
catch hole (444c, 444d) (in the state indicated by the solid line
in FIG. 6A, first catch hole 444c) to release the locked state of
the front roller pad 43a. In this unlocked state, the front roller
pad 43a is manually moved in a swinging manner about the coupling
pin 445 to change the posture of the front roller pad 43a.
[0070] After changing the posture, the manual operation lever 454
in a frontward position may be manually moved toward the original
position. Thus, the lock plate 454 is swingably moved clockwise
about the protruding shaft 451 to frontwardly push the flange 421
of the pin body 454a penetrating the lock hole 453b of the lock
plate 454, so that the front end of the pin body 454a is fitted
into the first or second catch hole (444c, 444d) to lock the
posture (horizontal posture S1 or standing posture S2) of the front
roller pad 43a.
[0071] Although not illustrated in FIGS. 6A and 6B, a bias member
may be provided at an appropriate position of the roller-pad
support plate 42 to bias the manual operation lever 452 clockwise
about the protruding shaft 451. In this case, a user swingingly
moves the manual operation lever 452 counterclockwise to release
the locked state of the front roller pad 43a. Then, when the user
slightly moves the front roller pad 43a in a swinging manner about
the coupling pin 445, and releases the hand from the manual
operation lever 452, the front end of the lock pin 454 is slidingly
moved relative to the rear surface of the sector-shaped portion
444b by a biasing force of the bias member, according to the swing
operation of the front roller pad 43a.
[0072] Then, when the user swingingly moves the front roller pad
43a about 90 degree to allow the front end of the lock pin 454 to
reach at a position opposed to the first or second catch hole
(444c, 444d), the lock pin 454 is automatically fitted into the
first or second catch hole (444c, 444d) by the biasing force of the
bias member. Thus, without operating the manual operation lever
452, the front roller pad 43a can be locked in the changed
posture.
[0073] In the above lock mechanism 45, when a user gets on the seat
32 or gets off the seat 32, the manual operation lever 452 is
operated to release the lock state of the front roller pad 43a in
the horizontal posture S1, and the front roller pad 43a is set in
the standing posture S2 as shown in FIG. 4 to create an
obstacle-free space in front of the seat 32. Thus, the user can
readily get on/off the seat.
[0074] The manual operation lever 452 is arranged at a position
where a user can operate the manual operation lever 452 by one of
his/her hands while sitting on the seat 32. Thus, without
assistance from another person after completion of training, the
user can operate the manual operation lever 452 to release the lock
state of the front roller pad 43a by himself/herself. Then, after
changing the front roller pad 43a from the horizontal posture S1 to
the standing posture S2, the user can readily get off the seat.
[0075] Further, after setting the front roller pad 43a in the
standing posture S2 and getting on the seat 32, a user can change
the front roller pad 43a from the standing posture S2 to the
horizontal posture S1 by himself/herself. Through this operation,
the ends of the legs of the user are held between the front roller
pad 43a and the rear roller pad 43b, as shown in FIG. 5. This
operation is convenient as compared with the burdensome operation
of inserting the ends of the legs into between the pair of roller
pads 43 after sitting on the seat 32.
[0076] A roller-pad-position detecting sensor 46 (equivalent to the
detection unit in the appended claims) is attached to the right
surface of the roller-pad support plate 42 at a position above the
columnar bracket 441. A function of the roller-pad-position
detecting sensor 46 will be described below. The control unit 70 is
operable to inhibit the tilt movement of the seat 32 in response to
a detection signal from the roller-pad-position detecting sensor
46. Specifically, when the roller-pad-position detecting sensor 46
detects that the roller pads 43 hold legs of a user therebetween,
the control unit 70 operates to inhibit the tilt movement of the
seat 32. The reason for this control is that, if the seat 32 is
tiltingly moved when the roller pads 43 hold the user's legs
therebetween, only the seat 32 will be moved under the condition
that a constant contact position between the user's legs and the
roller pads 43 is substantially fixed, and thereby excessive load
is likely to impose on the user's legs. For example, if only a
front end of the seat 32 (more specifically, the front end of the
seat bottom 321 of the seat 32; the following description will be
made using the term "front end of the seat") is tiltingly moved
upwardly when the seat is still set in a horizontal position before
start of training and the user's legs are held between the roller
pads, an undesirable force will act on the user's legs in such a
manner as to stretch the legs while fixing a part of the legs.
Further, if only the front end of the seat 32 is moved downwardly
when the user's legs are still held between the roller pads 43 just
after completion of training, an undesirable force will also act in
the reverse direction on the user's legs in such a manner as to
compress the legs while holding the legs between the roller pads
43. In this respect, the roller-pad-position detecting sensor 46
pre-detects a possibility that the roller pads 43 hold the user's
legs therebetween to control the tilt movement of the seat so as to
avoid occurrence of the above undesirable situations. In this
embodiment, the seat 32 is not tilted when there is a possibility
that the front roller pad 43a is in the horizontal posture S1,
i.e., the user's legs are held between the pair of roller pads 43,
but the tilt movement of the seat 32 is allowed only when the front
roller pad 43a is in the standing posture S2, i.e., the roller pads
43 are in an opened state), and an angle adjustment switch in an
input device 63 is operated.
[0077] In the above embodiment, the electric linear actuator 33 is
designed to inhibit the tilt movement of the seat 32 when it is
detected that the roller pads 43 hold legs of a user therebetween.
Alternatively, as another embodiment, the roller-pad-position
detecting sensor 46 may be designed to detect that the roller pads
43 do not hold legs of a user therebetween (i.e., at least one of
the roller pads is moved to moved to create an open space
therebetween, and the roller-pad-position detecting sensor 46 may
be designed to permit the tilt movement of the seat 32 in response
to a detection signal from such a roller-pad-position detecting
sensor 46.
[0078] The roller-pad-position detecting sensor 46 may be a limit
switch designed to be mechanically pressed by the support shaft
body 442 of the front support shaft 44a when the front roller pad
43a is set in the standing posture S2, or may be a so-called
optical sensor using a photo coupler (optically-coupled device)
designed such that a light path therein is blocked by the support
shaft body 442 of the front support shaft 44a when the front roller
pad 43a is set in the standing posture S2. The installation
position of the sensor is not limited to the position in the above
embodiment, but any other suitable position allowing for
determining whether the roller pads 43 are in a closed state
capable of holding legs of a user or at positions away from each
other or in an opened state.
[0079] Returning to FIG. 1, the load-applying unit 50 is provided
as a means to apply a load to a swing movement of the roller pads
43 in conjunction with bending and stretching exercises about legs
of a user, and mounted on the second base 22.
[0080] The load-applying unit 50 comprises a servomotor (electrical
load generation means) 51 disposed below the horizontally-long
frame 223 (actually, installed on the left region of the first base
21 in a state after the second base 22 is combined with the first
base 21), a 1st sprocket 52 concentrically supported and integrally
rotated by a drive shaft of the servomotor 51, a two-forked lower
bracket 53 fixed on a region of the plat-plate base 221 adjacent to
the vertically-long frame 222, a 2nd sprocket 54 concentrically
supported in an integrally rotatable manner by a bridge shaft 531
installed between fork portions of the lower bracket 53, a 1st
chain 55 wound around the 2nd sprocket 54 and the 1st sprocket 52
in a tensioned manner, a 3rd sprocket 56 concentrically supported
in an integrally rotatable manner by the bridge shaft 531, a
two-forked upper bracket 57 mounted on a top portion of
vertically-long frame 222, a 4th sprocket concentrically supported
in an integrally rotatable manner by a load transfer shaft 571
which is installed between fork portions of the upper bracket 57 to
extend laterally, and a 2nd chain 59 wounded around the 4th
sprocket 58 and the 3rd sprocket 56 in a tensioned manner.
[0081] Each of the 1st and 2nd chains 55, 59 is maintained in a
tensioned manner by a tension sprocket (not shown).
[0082] The load transfer shaft 571 has a mounting hole 572
concentrically perforated in a right edge surface. In the
assembling process, the pivot shaft 413 protruding from the arm
body 411 of the roller pad unit 40 is fitted into the mounting hole
572, and then a pin (not shown) is inserted into the load transfer
shaft 571 and the pivot shaft 413. In this manner, a swing movement
of the roller pads 43 can be transferred to the load transfer shaft
571 through the pivot shaft 413.
[0083] The control unit 70 is operable, when a user who sits on the
seat 32 stretches the legs to swingingly move the roller pads 43
clockwise about the pivot shaft 413, to control the servomotor 51
so as to apply a given load acting in a direction opposite to a
direction of the swing movement. Then, the control unit 70 is
operable, when the user returns the stretched legs to the original
bent position to swingingly move the roller pads 43
counterclockwise about the pivot shaft 413, to controllably cut off
a power supply to the servomotor 51 so as to allow the roller pads
43 to be swingingly moved counterclockwise in a so-called no-load
state.
[0084] As shown in FIG. 3, in order to allow the control unit 70 to
control the servomotor 51 in the above manner, a second
detection-target plate 573 is fixed to a left edge surface of the
load transfer shaft 571 and integrally rotated by the load transfer
shaft 571, and a direction sensor 24 disposed in opposed relation
to the second detection-target plate 573 at an appropriate position
of the vertically-long frame 222 to detect a swing direction of the
second detection-target plate 573 (i.e., a direction of the swing
movement of the roller pads 43 about the pivot shaft 43).
[0085] The input/output unit 60 is provided as a means to input
various types of information about training, and output status of
the training. In this embodiment, the input/output unit 60 is
composed of an externally box-shaped input unit 63 which is mounted
on a rotary table (not shown) disposed at a top of a support leg 61
attached within the upper bracket 56 from above, and adapted to be
turned about a vertical axis.
[0086] The support leg 61 is formed in two-forked shape, and
two-forked portions are fixed onto the top plate of the
vertically-long frame 222 while bestriding the load transfer plate
571.
[0087] The input unit 63 includes a display 631 provided on a
surface of a box-shaped casing facing the seat 32 and composed of
an LCD (liquid crystal display), and a plurality of input keys
provided on the same surface as that of the display to allow a user
to input personal information, a type of intended training. The
entered personal information is indicated on the display 631 for
confirmation.
[0088] After start of training, an actual training time, an actual
number of bending/stretching of legs and other will be indicated on
the display 631 to allow the user to recognize the status of
current training point by point.
[0089] The rotary table 62 can be turned about the vertical axis to
allow the display 631 of the input unit 63 mounted on the rotary
table 62, to be oriented in a direction providing adequate
visibility to the user.
[0090] In this embodiment, the input unit 63 is provided with an
angle adjustment switch 632 (input device) 632 adapted to adjust an
angle of the seat bottom 321. The user can manually move this angle
adjustment switch 632 in a first direction from its neutral
position. Only during a period where this manual operation is
actually performed, the piston rod 332 of the electric linear
actuator 33 is moved forward to gradually increase the angle of the
seat bottom 321 with respect to the horizontal plane, up to a
predetermined angle. The user can also manually move the angle
adjustment switch 632 in a second direction to gradually reduce the
angle of the seat bottom 321 to its original angle. The angle
adjustment switch 632 is designed to be automatically returned to
the initial neutral position when the user releases the angle
adjustment switch 632 from his/her hand after the angle of the seat
bottom 321 has reached the predetermined angle or has returned to
the original angle.
[0091] As above, the angle of the seat 32 is changed only during a
duration of the input operation to the angle adjustment switch 632.
Thus, a user after sitting on the seat 32 can freely adjust the
angle, while feeling the angle which is being changing stepwise and
a state of the legs, by the moment, and interrupting the input
operation to appropriately rest the legs. For example, in a
training apparatus designed such that a tilt angle of a seat is
automatically changed to a predetermined value after an input
device is manually operated only once, excessive load is likely to
be undesirably imposed on the user's legs. This embodiment can
prevent occurrence of such an undesirable situation.
[0092] In this embodiment, an upper limit of the tilt angle of the
seat 32 is set at a constant value without relation to users.
[0093] The control unit 70 is provided as a means to control an
initial position of the roller pads 43 for an intended type of
training, a load based on the servomotor 51 and the inclination
angle of the seat bottom 321 based on the electric linear actuator
33. According to a given program stored in a storage section, the
control unit 70 is operable, based on the aforementioned input
information about the user input from the input unit 63, and with
reference to detection signals from the angle sensor 23 and the
direction sensor 24, to send control signals to the electric linear
actuator 33 and the servomotor 51 so as to set a tilt angle of the
seat bottom 321, a initial angle of the arm 41 and a level of load
(breaking force) to be applied to the roller pads 43.
[0094] For this purpose, the control unit 70 has a storage device
which stores input information about a user, such as gender, age
and body height, and a table of an initial position (initial height
position of the roller pads 43 and a load value to be applied to
the roller pads 43, with respect to each angle of the seat bottom
321 which will be set by a user. The control unit 70 is operable,
based on input information from the input unit 63 by a specific
user, and with reference to the table, to set an initial position
and a load value of the roller pads 43 for the specific user.
[0095] A process for use of the above training apparatus according
to this embodiment will be described below. As shown in FIG. 14, in
an initial state, the training apparatus is typically arranged such
that the seat 32 is set in the horizontal position, and the front
roller pad 43a in the pair of roller pads 43 is set in the standing
posture S2. A user can sit on the seat 32 under these conditions.
In a case where the front roller pad 43a is set in the horizontal
posture S1, the user may operate the manual operation lever 452 to
release the locked (latched) state of the roller pad 43a, and lift
the roller pad 43a to the standing posture S2 by hands. As seen in
FIG. 4, in this state, the seat 32 is not set in a tilted position
for training, and the roller pad 43a is located at a
non-obstructive position for sitting. Thus, the user can readily
sit on the seat 32 as if sitting on a usual chair.
[0096] Then, the user after sitting on the seat operates the angle
adjustment switch 632 of the input unit 63. During this operation,
the front roller pad 43a is still set in the standing posture S2.
The reason is that, if the seat 32 is tilted when the legs are held
between the roller pads, excessive load is likely to be imposed on
the legs, as mentioned above. The posture of the front roller pad
43a is detected by the roller-pad-position detecting sensor 46, and
the tilt movement of the seat 32 will be inhibited if the front
roller pad 43a is in the horizontal posture S1 (if there is a
possibility that the user's legs are held between the roller
pads).
[0097] Then, after the seat 32 is tilted at a predetermined angle
(upper limit angle), the user operates the manual operation lever
452 to release the locked state of the front roller pad 43a, and
moves the front roller pad 43a downward by the left hand. Through
this operation, the user's legs are held between the pair of roller
pads 43. In this embodiment, the operation of holding the user's
legs is performed based on the operation of opening/closing only
one of the roller pads. This makes it possible to avoid an
unnatural or forced physical posture, for example, due to a
movement for inserting the legs into between a pair of stationary
roller pads. The above state is shown in FIG. 2.
[0098] The user starts training in this state. After completion of
the training, the user will perform the above steps in reverse
order. Specifically, the user operates the manual operation lever
452 to release the locked state of the front roller pad 43a set in
the horizontal posture S1, and moves the front roller pad 43a to
the standing posture S2. Actually, the user lifts the front roller
pad 43a upwardly by the hand. After the front roller pad 43a is set
in the standing posture S2, the close contact relationship between
the legs and the pair of roller pads is released, and the seat 32
is allowed to be tiltingly moved. Then, the user operates the angle
adjustment switch of the input unit 63 to move the front end of the
seat 32 downwardly toward the horizontal position. After the seat
32 is returned to the original horizontal position, the user gets
off the seat 32, and the training is terminated.
[0099] FIGS. 7A to 7C show a positional relationship between the
seat 32 and the roller pads 43 after completion of training,
specifically, show that an operation in this embodiment is
performed without interference between the front end of the seat 32
and the roller pads 43. FIGS. 7A, 7B and 7C are side views showing
a state just after completion of training, an intermediate state of
the training and a state after the seat bottom 321 is returned to
the horizontal position, respectively. As to the Y directions in
FIGS. 7A to 7C, the Y-Y direction will be referred to as
"frontward/rearward direction (-Y: frontward, +Y: rearward)", as
with FIG. 1.
[0100] As shown in FIG. 7A, at a time just after completion of
training, the front end of the seat is upwardly-tilted. Further,
the arm 41 supporting the roller pads 43 extends vertically
downwardly from the pivot shaft 413, as illustrated in FIG. 7A.
Thus, after completion of the training, a user will return the seat
32 to the horizontal position so as to get off the seat 32.
However, if the seat 32 is moved downwardly under the condition
that the arm 41 extends vertically downwardly as illustrated in
FIG. 7A, the front end of the seat 32 is likely to interfere with
the roller pads 43 depending on the positions of the roller pads
43. Specifically, as mentioned above, the rectangular
tubular-shaped arm member 412 is designed to be positionally
changed relative to the arm body 411. Thus, if the user moves the
arm member 412 along the arm body 411 to set the arm member 412,
i.e., the roller pads 43, at a relatively high position in
conformity to his/her body size, the interference is likely to
occur. In this embodiment, as shown in FIG. 7B, before the
operation of returning the seat 32 to the horizontal position, the
arm 41 is swingingly moved frontwardly by a given angle. This swing
angle is pre-set at a value which allows the roller pads 43 to
avoid the interference with the downwardly-moving seat 32 even if
the arm member 412 is set at the highest position relative to the
arm body 411. Further, as shown in FIG. 7B, before the operation of
moving the seat 32 downwardly, the user lifts the front one 43a of
the roller pads 43 to make the legs free. Thus, the
roller-pad-position detecting sensor 46 detects that the roller
pads do not hold the user's legs therebetween, i.e., the roller
pads are in the opened state, to release the inhibition of the
downward movement of the seat 32. Then, the user operates to move
the seat 32 downwardly to the horizontal position, as shown in FIG.
7C. Then, the user gets off the seat 32, and the training is
terminated.
[0101] Then, after confirming that the arm 41 is changed to an
inclined position, the user operates the angle adjustment switch
632 (see FIG. 1) to return the seat bottom 321 to the horizontal
position, as shown in FIG. 7C. After the seat bottom 321 has
returned to the horizontal position, the user gets off the seat
32.
[0102] As mentioned above in detail, the leg training apparatus 10
according to this embodiment is equipped with the mechanism for
tilting the front end of the seat 32 upwardly and downwardly. Thus,
the seat can be set in the horizontal position before a user gets
in the training apparatus, to allow the user to readily sit on the
seat as if sitting on a usual chair, without the need for sitting
on a seat while moving the user's hip upwardly as in the sitting
movement required for the conventional apparatuses. This is
significantly helpful for users, particularly for elderly persons
or persons who require assistance.
[0103] In addition, among the pair of roller pads for holding the
user's legs therebetween, the front roller pad can be lifted from
the horizontal posture S1 to the standing posture S2. Thus, a
desired leg hold state can be achieved simply by placing the legs
on the rear roller pad, and then moving the front roller pad
downwardly to cover the legs from above. For example, in a training
apparatus having a pair of stationary roller pads, a user is
obliged to insert the legs into a lateral opening of a gap between
the roller pads and move the legs laterally in a sliding manner up
to a desired position. This is extremely inconvenient. The above
training apparatus can solve such a problem. That is, this training
apparatus is intended to provide enhanced usability, particularly,
for elderly persons and persons who require assistance, and the
features thereof have a significantly valuable advantage of
allowing a user to be free from an unnatural or forced physical
posture or movement during the use of the apparatus.
[0104] The present invention is not limited to the above
embodiment. For example, the following modifications may be made
therein.
[0105] (1) In the above embodiment, the upper limit of the tilt
angle of the seat bottom 321 is set at a constant value without
relation to users. Alternatively, the input unit 63 may be designed
to accept an input, such as a level of load for training and/or
body height, from each user, and the control unit 70 may be
designed to determine the upper limit of the tilt angle at a value
optimal to each user, based on the input information.
[0106] (2) In the above embodiment, the front roller pad 43a is set
at a standing posture S2 which corresponds to the second posture as
set forth in the appended claims. The second posture of the present
invention is not limited to the standing posture 52, but may be any
other suitable posture capable of creating a space in front of the
seat 32 to allow a user to readily get on/off the seat. For
example, the front roller pad may be swingingly moved horizontally
in a frontward direction, or may be swingingly moved vertically in
a downward direction if feasible in design.
[0107] (3) In the above embodiment, the training apparatus is
designed to apply a load to a movement of legs of a user so as to
exercise the user's legs. Instead of such exercise to be performed
against a load, the training apparatus may includes a mode in which
the user's legs are fully passively moved by the apparatus. That
is, some users are not in conditions capable of performing normal
training, due to injury or the like. Further, some users have the
need for maintaining or recovering a motor function as
rehabilitation training, or the need for increasing a movable range
of legs which become less flexible due to aging. In these cases,
the training apparatus may have a mode in which the apparatus
automatically performs a reciprocating motion, and a user simply
bending and stretching legs while relying on the reciprocating
motion.
[0108] In sum, a training apparatus which comprises a seat mounted
on an apparatus body, a training mechanism disposed in front of the
seat and provided with a mechanism adapted to exercise legs of a
user, a load-applying unit adapted to apply a braking force to a
movement of the training mechanism in an electrically adjustable
manner, and a tilt adjustment unit adapted to tiltingly move a
front end of the seat in a vertical direction.
[0109] The above training apparatus of the present invention is
equipped with the tilt adjustment unit adapted to tiltingly move
the front end of the seat in a vertical direction, so that, when a
user gets on the training apparatus, the seat can be set in a
horizontal position to allow the user to readily sit thereon. Thus,
the need for sitting on a seat while moving the user's hip upwardly
as in the sitting movement required for the conventional
apparatuses can be eliminated, and the user can readily sit on the
seat as if sits on a usual chair. This is significantly helpful for
users, particularly for elderly persons or persons who require
assistance. After the user sits on the seat, the front end of the
seat can be tiltingly moved upwardly to a position allowing for
training.
[0110] Further, in the above training apparatus, the load-applying
unit is adapted to apply a braking force (i.e., load) to a movement
of the training mechanism in an electrically adjustable manner.
This makes it possible to electrically control the load so as to
adjust the load readily and quickly.
[0111] Thus, the conventional problems that a load cannot be
adjusted without replacing a weight with another one or
adding/removing a weight, and this time-consuming operation causes
difficulty in quickly responding to user's request, can be solved
to provide significantly enhanced usability and versatility to the
training apparatus.
[0112] The above training apparatus designed to apply a load in an
electrically adjustable manner can be used as both a so-called leg
extension apparatus intended to impose a load on legs (shins) of a
user downwardly when the user moves the shins upwardly (i.e.,
stretches the legs), and a so-called leg curl apparatus intended to
impose a load on legs (shins) of a user upwardly when a user moves
the shins downwardly (bends the legs). Thus, these different types
of trainings can be readily performed using the single training
apparatus.
[0113] In the training apparatus of the present invention, the
training mechanism with the mechanism adapted to exercise legs of a
user includes a training apparatus which has not only a function of
exercising legs of a user actively by the user's own power, but
also a function of exercising legs of a user passively according to
a driving action of given drive means without exercising the user's
legs by the user's own power.
[0114] In the second aspect of the present invention, the training
mechanism may include a pair of roller pads adapted to be disposed
in a horizontal posture so as to hold the user's legs therebetween,
and a posture shifting mechanism adapted to allow the pair of
roller pads to be shifted between a first posture for holding the
user's legs therebetween and a second posture for releasing the leg
holding state.
[0115] In this training apparatus, the user after stetting on the
seat and facing frontwardly inserts the legs (shins) between the
pair of roller pads. Thus, during both stretching and bending,
either one of the pair of roller pads will come into contact with
the shins to prevent the shins from disengaging from the roller
pads. When the roller pads are used as the leg extension apparatus
(intended to impose a load on the user's legs (shins) during
stretching of the legs), one of the roller pads serves as a
load-applying contact portion. Otherwise, when the roller pads is
used as the leg curl apparatus intended to impose a load on the
user's legs (shins) during bending of the legs), the other roller
pad serves as the load-applying contact portion.
[0116] Thus, irrespective of whether the roller pads are used as
the leg extension apparatus or the leg curl apparatus, the user can
perform training while sitting on the seat and facing frontwardly,
without the need for changing a posture from a sitting posture
(sitting on the seat) to a prone posture (lying on the stomach)
depending on the types of trainings, as in the conventional
apparatuses. This makes it possible to provide significantly
enhanced usability to the training apparatus.
[0117] Further, at least one of the pair of roller pads is
associated with the posture shifting mechanism adapted to allow the
pair of roller pads to be shifted between the first posture for
holding the user's legs therebetween and the second posture for
releasing the leg holding state. Specifically, after a first one of
the roller pads is set in the second posture, the user places the
legs (shins) on the other, second, roller pad at a position
suitable for holding the shins between the pair of roller pads, and
then returns the first roller pad from the second posture to the
first posture. In this manner, the shins can be readily held
between the pair of roller pads.
[0118] In the third aspect of the present invention, said posture
shifting mechanism being provided at an end of a front one of said
roller pads and said posture shifting mechanism sets said pair of
roller pads in parallel relation to each other and in front &
rear relation with respect to the user in top view in said first
posture and sets said front roller pad of said roller pads in
standing posture in said second posture.
[0119] In this training apparatus, if the pair of roller pads is in
the first posture for holding the user's legs (shins), the user can
move the front roller pad from the horizontal posture to the
standing posture. Then, the user places the shins on the rear
roller pad, and can simply move the front roller pad to cover the
thins from above so as to achieve a state in which the legs (shins)
are held between the pair of roller pads (i.e., leg holding state).
For example, in a training apparatus having a pair of stationary
roller pads, a user is obliged to insert the shins into a lateral
opening of a gap between the roller pads and move the shins
laterally in a sliding manner up to a desired position. This is
extremely inconvenient. The above training apparatus can solve such
a problem. That is, the training apparatus is intended to provide
enhanced usability, particularly, for elderly persons and persons
who require assistance, and the features thereof have a
significantly valuable advantage of allowing a user to be free from
an unnatural or forced physical posture or movement during the use
of the apparatus.
[0120] In the fourth aspect of the present invention, the training
apparatus may further comprise a lock mechanism adapted to lock the
front roller pad in the second posture, and a manual operation unit
adapted to release the locked state of the front roller pad by the
lock mechanism. The manual operation unit is arranged at a position
where the user can manually operate the manual operation unit while
sitting on the seat.
[0121] In this training apparatus, the front roller pad after being
set in the second posture is locked by the lock mechanism. More
preferably, the front roller pad is locked in both the first and
second postures. In this case, during training, the front roller
pad can be used for the bending and stretching exercises about the
user's legs, while being maintained in the first posture without
occurrence of a problem that the front roller pad is moved toward
the second posture. Further, when the user gets on/off the seat,
the front roller pad set in the second posture can be locked by the
lock mechanism to maintain the standing posture thereof. Thus, the
need for a burdensome operation of putting the user's hand on the
front roller to prevent falling thereof can be eliminated to
facilitate user's movements for getting on/off the seat.
[0122] Furthermore, the manual operation unit is arranged at a
position where the user can manually operate the manual operation
unit while sitting on the seat. Thus, the user after sitting on the
seat can conveniently operate the manual operation unit
himself/herself without assistance from another person, so as to
lock and unlock the front roller pad in a current one of the first
and second posture.
[0123] In the fifth aspect of the invention, the training apparatus
may further comprise an arm supporting the pair of roller pads
while being swingably supported by a shaft which extends in a
lateral direction of the apparatus body, and an intermediate member
interposed between the arm and the pair of roller pads and adapted
to be positionally adjusted in a longitudinal direction of the
arm.
[0124] In this training apparatus, when the user after sitting on
the seat bends and stretches the legs while interposing the shins
between the roller pads, the arm is swingingly moved about the
shaft extending the lateral direction of the apparatus body so as
to apply a load to the user's shins based on the swing movement to
exercise the legs. Further, the intermediate member is interposed
between the arm and the pair of roller pads and adapted to be
positionally adjusted in the longitudinal direction of the arm.
Thus, an effective length of the arm can be set using the
intermediate member depending on the gender, body size and others
of the user, so that the training based on the bending and
stretching exercises about the user's legs using the roller pads
can be adequately performed in conformity to the gender, body size
and others of the user.
[0125] In the sixth aspect, the training apparatus may further
comprise a detection unit which detects the posture of said pair of
roller pads whether it is in said first posture or in said second
posture, wherein said tilt adjustment unit is operable, when said
detection unit detects the posture of said pair of roller pads
being in said first posture, to prohibit said tilt movement of said
seat.
[0126] In this training apparatus, when the detection unit detects
the fact that the pair of roller pads are in the first posture,
i.e., when the roller pads hold the user's legs (shins)
therebetween, the tilt movement of the seat is controllably
inhibited. The reason for this control is that, if the seat is
tiltingly moved when the roller pads hold the user's shins
therebetween, only the seat will be moved under the condition that
a contact position between the user's shins and the roller pads is
substantially fixed, and thereby excessive load is likely to impose
on the user's legs. For example, if only the seat is tiltingly
moved upwardly when the seat is still set in a horizontal position
before start of training and the user's shins are held between the
roller pads, an undesirable force will act on the user's legs in
such a manner as to stretch the legs while fixing a part of the
legs. Further, if only the seat is moved downwardly when the user's
shins are still held between the roller pads just after completion
of training, an undesirable force will also act in the reverse
direction on the user's legs in such a manner as to compress the
user's legs while holding the user's legs between the roller pads.
In this respect, according to this training apparatus, the
detection unit pre-detects a possibility that the roller pads hold
the user's shins therebetween to control the tilt movement of the
seat so as to avoid occurrence of the above undesirable situations.
This makes it possible to prevent the problem that excessive load
is imposed on the user's legs.
[0127] The detection unit may be detect at least one of a fact that
a specific one of the pair of roller pads is in the first posture
and a fact that the specific roller pad is in the second posture.
In this case, the number of components can be reduced as compared
with the training apparatus having two detection units for
detecting respective postures of the roller pads.
[0128] The above description has been made based on one embodiment
where the tilt movement of the seat is inhibited in response to
detecting that the roller pads hold the user's shins therebetween.
It is understood that the training apparatus set forth in the sixth
aspect also includes another embodiment where the tilt movement of
the seat is allowed only when it is detected that the roller pads
do not hold the user's shins therebetween (i.e., at least one of
the pair of roller pads is located at an opened position).
[0129] In the seventh aspect, the pair of roller pads are disposed
in front to rear relation with respect to the user in top view, and
the detection unit is operable to detect a posture of a front one
of the pair of roller pads.
[0130] In this training apparatus, the detection unit detects
whether the front roller pad is set in the first posture
(horizontal posture) or in the second posture (standing posture).
This means that the front roller pad is designed to be changeable
in posture. This training apparatus having the front roller pad
designed to be changeable in posture allows the user to readily get
on/off the seat, and can facilitate holding the legs between the
pair of roller pads, as compared with the training apparatus having
the rear roller pad designed to be changeable in posture,
[0131] In the eighth aspect, the training apparatus set forth above
may further comprise an input device adapted to accept a control
input for the apparatus body by the user, wherein the tilt
adjustment unit is operable to tiltingly move the seat only during
a duration of the input operation to the input device.
[0132] In this training apparatus, a tilt angle of the seat is
changed only during a duration of the input operation to the input
device (i.e., only during a period where the input operation to the
input device is continuously performed. Specifically, the user
after sitting on the seat can freely adjust the angle, while
feeling the angle which is being changing stepwise and a state of
the legs, by the moment, and interrupting the input operation to
appropriately rest the legs. For example, in a training apparatus
designed such that a tilt angle of a seat is automatically changed
to a predetermined value after an input device is manually operated
only once, excessive load is likely to be undesirably imposed on
the user's legs. The above training apparatus can prevent
occurrence of such an undesirable situation.
[0133] This application is based on Japanese patent application
serial No. 2006-124419, filed in Japan Patent Office on Apr. 27,
2006, the contents of which are hereby incorporated by
reference.
[0134] Although the present invention has been fully described by
way of example with reference to the accompanied drawings, it is to
be understood that various changes and modifications will be
apparent to those skilled in the art. Therefore, unless otherwise
such changes and modifications depart from the scope of the present
invention hereinafter defined, they should be construed as being
included therein.
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