HK1133379A - Passive motion-type exercise assistance device - Google Patents

Description

Passive exercise assisting device

Technical Field

The present invention relates to a passive exercise assisting device that is mainly used by a user standing upright and allows muscles of a leg to stretch based on passive exercise.

Background

Conventionally, there have been proposed various passive exercise assisting devices based on passive exercises in which a user exerts an external force on the body of the user to expand and contract a muscle group without spontaneously exerting a physical force, thereby obtaining an exercise effect. As such a passive exercise assisting device, a device configured to cause a muscle group associated with a joint to contract by flexion and extension of the joint and a device configured to cause the muscle group to contract by reflection of a nervous system by applying a stimulus to a body are known.

Further, there are various postures during use depending on muscle groups that require extension and contraction, and devices that simulate walking motions for devices that a user stands for use mainly for the purpose of prevention of knee osteoarthritis and walking training are described in japanese patent laid-open nos. 2003-290386 and 10-55131.

The training device described in japanese patent laid-open No. 2003-290386 has a pair of steps for supporting the left and right feet, respectively, and allows the user to perform a simulated skating motion as a motion in which the steps are combined with a linear reciprocating motion in the front, rear, left, and right directions. The operation of the apparatus described in patent document 1 is: the phase difference between the left and right steps in the forward and backward movement and the phase difference between the left and right steps in the leftward and rightward movement are set within the range of 0 to 360 degrees, 180 degrees immediately after the start of the movement, and thereafter the phase difference is changed and the time for the left and right feet to move in the same forward and backward direction is increased. Because each step is moved by the driving device, the user does not need to perform spontaneous or active movement, and only needs to put the feet on the steps to passively move along with the movement of the steps.

In the device described in japanese patent laid-open No. 2003-290386, the movement locus of the steps is set to be almost parallel so that the center of gravity position shifts back and forth and right and left at the same time, and the muscle group is expanded and contracted by changing the center of gravity position of the user back and forth and right and left by generating the reflex of the nervous system, thereby maintaining the balance.

Further, the walking exercise device described in japanese patent application laid-open No. 10-55131 is configured such that a pair of right and left walking boards are driven by a walking board horizontal driving device, and is a device for walking training and virtual reality exercise, and therefore, the orientation of the feet can be changed in addition to the positions of the feet in the front-rear direction, and the device can be rotated in the right-left direction, and the height position of the feet and the inclination angle of the soles of the feet can be changed.

As described above, the device disclosed in japanese patent application laid-open No. 2003-290386 is configured to exercise the rectus femoris and the muscles centered on the hind leg muscles by performing skating operation so as to alternate the position of the foot and the position of the center of gravity, and therefore, universal joints capable of freely changing the inclination angles of the steps are provided in order to expand and contract the muscle groups of the lower leg such as gastrocnemius muscle and soleus muscle. In other words, in order to generate venous circulation that expands and contracts with the lower leg portion, the inclination angle of the step must be changed without fixation, and a universal joint is required. In addition, since skating generally causes a large burden on the knee, although it is possible to exercise for preventing knee joint deformity, knee pain is generated, and thus it may not be used.

On the other hand, the device disclosed in JP-a-10-55131 is a device that can simulate walking motion, and can expand and contract the muscle group of the leg in the same manner as in walking, thereby promoting venous circulation. However, since the simulated walking motion causes a burden on the knees to the same extent as that in walking, the user may not be able to use the device for the purpose of causing pain in the knees.

Since it is desirable to promote the contraction of the muscle group of the lower leg portion in order to promote the venous circulation of the leg portion, it is desirable to provide an exercise assisting device capable of promoting the contraction of the muscle group of the lower leg portion without accompanying knee pain.

Disclosure of Invention

The present invention has been made in view of the above circumstances, and an object thereof is to provide a passive exercise assisting device that is configured to change the position of the foot with the passage of time, and that is capable of promoting the contraction and expansion of the muscle group of the lower leg portion while reducing the burden on the knee, and that promotes the venous circulation.

The passive exercise assisting device according to the present invention includes: a left foot support platform and a right foot support platform for respectively bearing the left foot and the right foot of a user; and a driving device which makes the left foot support platform and the right foot support platform move in a correlated way. The driving device is composed of: the left foot support table and the right foot support table are reciprocated so that the positions of the respective representative points in the left-right direction are changed with the change of the positions in the front-rear direction, and the left foot support table and the right foot support table are moved so that the left-right direction distance at the front end position and the left-right direction distance at the rear end position in the movement locus of the representative points are different from each other. According to this configuration, the foot position can be moved in the left-right direction while moving in the front-rear direction, and the left-right direction distances of the front end position and the rear end position are different in the movement locus of the left foot support table and the right foot support table. Therefore, the shearing force of the knee joint can be reduced as compared with the case where the foot position is moved in the frontal direction of the user by appropriately setting the moving direction of the foot. Further, the moving direction of the foot position intersects with the front of the user, and when the foot position is moved in this direction, the stretching of the muscle group of the lower leg portion can be promoted, and the venous circulation can be promoted more than when the foot is moved forward and backward. As a result, the swelling of the calf can be eliminated, and the blood flow in the distal part can be promoted to improve venous congestion.

In general, if the foot is moved only in the front-rear direction, the rectus femoris, the medial femoral muscle, the lateral femoral muscle, the biceps femoris, the tibialis anterior muscle, and the gastrocnemius muscle can be stimulated, and if the foot is moved only in the left-right direction, the external/adductor muscle can be stimulated. The device of the present invention can perform a combined motion in the anteroposterior direction and the lateral direction, and thus can perform a comprehensive stimulation by coordinating these muscle groups. By extending and contracting a plurality of muscle groups in this way, glucose uptake by muscles can be promoted, and the symptoms of type II diabetic patients can be improved. Further, muscles such as thumb muscles which cannot be sufficiently stretched only by forward, backward, leftward and rightward movements can be stimulated. In addition, the muscle group of the leg can be mainly contracted and contracted, and the hypertension user can expect to lower the blood pressure. In addition, by performing exercise with low load, it can be used for exercise therapy for users with heart disease. Further, by performing a light-load exercise in a motion manner close to a walking exercise, it is possible to stimulate a plurality of muscle groups and the effect of stimulating the cranial nerves is high, and if it is used for rehabilitation of a user suffering from brain dysfunction and a user after brain surgery, a high rehabilitation effect can be expected.

The driving device is preferably configured to: the left foot support table and the right foot support table are moved so that a distance in a left-right direction at a front end position in a movement locus of the representative point is larger than a distance in a left-right direction at a rear end position. In this case, since the trajectory of the foot movement of the user is V-shaped in the front direction, the shearing force applied to the knee joint can be reduced.

The driving device is preferably configured to: the left foot support table and the right foot support table are moved so that a distance in a left-right direction at a front end position in a movement locus of the representative point is smaller than a distance in a left-right direction at a rear end position. In this case, the foot movement locus of the user can be inverted V-shaped in the front direction, and the amount of expansion and contraction of the muscle group can be increased not only in the lower leg portion but also in the upper leg portion.

The drive device is configured to: in addition to any of the above configurations, the left foot support base and the right foot support base can be moved in opposite phases to each other in the front-rear direction so that the center of gravity position of the user is held at a fixed position in the front-rear direction. In this case, since the position of the center of gravity in the front-rear direction of the user can be held at a fixed position, acceleration does not act on the upper body of the user, and the balance of the upper body is not easily lost, and therefore, the user can use the device even if the balance function is deteriorated. Further, the left and right foot positions are alternately moved back and forth, and the front end positions and the rear end positions of the movement trajectories of the left foot support table and the right foot support table are different in distance in the left-right direction, so that the trunk can be twisted, and the viscera can be stimulated to increase the blood flow of the viscera.

In addition to any one of the above configurations, the driving device is further configured to: the device of the present invention can be realized by a simple mechanism by moving the left foot support base and the right foot support base in a single plane.

Further, the driving device is configured to: the movement locus of the left foot support table and the right foot support table is set on a straight line, so that the device of the invention can be realized by a simple mechanism.

The driving device may be configured to: the left foot support platform and the right foot support platform can rotate around a shaft in the foot width direction respectively. According to this configuration, if the angle of the foot joint is changed and set to the dorsiflexion angle, the achilles tendon can be extended. In addition, if dorsiflexion and plantarflexion are repeated, the calf muscle group can be contracted to promote venous circulation. Further, since the foot position is moved while dorsiflexion and plantarflexion are performed, the change in the angle of the foot joint is generated while the center of gravity is moved, and thus, it is possible to induce a larger muscle contraction by the change in the weight load acting on the sole of the foot.

Further, the driving device may be configured to: the left foot support platform and the right foot support platform can rotate around a shaft in the vertical direction respectively. Therefore, by appropriately selecting the angle of each support base about the axis, the shearing force of the knee joint can be reduced, and when the angle is changed in accordance with the position movement of the left foot support base and the right foot support base, the rotation of the femoral joint can be promoted, and the flexibility of the femoral joint can be improved.

Further, the driving device may be configured to: the left foot support table and the right foot support table are rotatable about an axis in the foot length direction, respectively. In this case, by appropriately selecting the angle of each support base about the axis, it is possible to easily cope with users of the O-leg and the X-leg, and when the angle is changed in accordance with the position movement of the left foot support base and the right foot support base, it is possible to strengthen the muscle group causing the O-leg and the X-leg, thereby performing the correction.

The invention proposes the following passive exercise assisting device, namely: by moving the foot in the front-rear direction, the rectus femoris, the medial femoral muscle, the lateral femoral muscle, the biceps femoris, the tibialis anterior muscle, and the gastrocnemius muscle are stimulated, and sugar uptake by the muscles is promoted, thereby improving the symptoms of type II diabetic patients. The drive device for this purpose can be configured such that: the left foot support table and the right foot support table are reciprocated so that the positions of the respective representative points in the front-rear direction are changed, and the left foot support table and the right foot support table are rotatable about one axis in the foot width direction, respectively. In this case, the left foot support table and the right foot support table are rotated about one axis in the foot width direction, respectively, to change the angle of the foot joint. If the angle of dorsiflexion is set, the achilles tendon can be extended, and if dorsiflexion and plantarflexion are repeated, the calf muscle group can be stretched and venous circulation can be promoted. Further, since the foot position is moved together with the dorsiflexion and plantarflexion, the angle change of the foot joint is caused together with the center of gravity movement, and thereby the weight load acting on the sole of the foot is changed, and further, a larger muscle contraction can be induced.

Further, the driving device may be configured to: the left foot support table and the right foot support table are reciprocated by changing the positions of the respective representative points in the front-rear direction, and the left foot support table and the right foot support table are rotatable about one axis in the up-down direction, respectively. In this case, by appropriately setting the pivoting angles of the left foot support table and the right foot support table, the shearing force applied to the knee joint can be reduced, and when the angles are changed in accordance with the positional movements of the left foot support table and the right foot support table, the rotation of the femoral joint can be promoted, and the flexibility of the femoral joint can be improved.

Further, the driving device may be configured to: the left foot support table and the right foot support table are moved so as to rotate about one axis in the foot length direction. In this case, by appropriately setting the angles of the left foot support table and the right foot support table about one axis in the foot length direction, it is possible to easily cope with users of the O-leg and the X-leg, and when the angles are changed in accordance with the positional movements of the left foot support table and the right foot support table, it is possible to strengthen the muscle groups causing the O-leg and the X-leg, thereby performing correction.

The present invention provides a passive exercise assisting device for stimulating the external/adductor muscles and the like and promoting sugar uptake of the muscles, thereby improving the symptoms of type II diabetic users. In this case, the driving device used in the apparatus is configured to: the left foot support table and the right foot support table are reciprocated so that the representative points thereof change the positions in the left-right direction, and the left foot support table and the right foot support table are rotatable about one axis in the foot width direction. According to this configuration, the angle of the foot joint can be changed, and if the angle is set to dorsiflexion, the achilles tendon can be extended, and if dorsiflexion and plantarflexion are repeated, the calf muscle group can be stretched to promote venous circulation. Further, since the foot position is moved together with the dorsiflexion and plantarflexion, the change in the angle of the foot joint is caused together with the movement of the center of gravity, and thus, a larger muscle contraction can be induced by the change in the weight load acting on the sole of the foot.

Further, the driving device is configured to: the left foot support table and the right foot support table are reciprocated by changing the position of the left and right direction at the respective representative points, and the left foot support table and the right foot support table are rotatable about one axis in the up-down direction, respectively. In this case, by appropriately setting the angles of the left foot support table and the right foot support table about one axis in the vertical direction, the shearing force applied to the knee joint can be reduced, and by changing the angles in accordance with the positional movements of the left foot support table and the right foot support table, the rotation of the femoral joint can be promoted, and the flexibility of the femoral joint can be improved.

Further, the driving device may be configured to: the left foot support table and the right foot support table are reciprocated so that the respective representative points are displaced in the left-right direction, and the left foot support table and the right foot support table are rotatable about one axis in the foot length direction. In this case, the angle of the left foot support table and the right foot support table about one axis in the foot length direction can be appropriately set, so that the correction can be easily performed in response to the user of the O-leg and the X-leg, and when the angle is changed in accordance with the position movement of the left foot support table and the right foot support table, the muscle group causing the O-leg and the X-leg can be strengthened.

Preferably, at least one of the foot-receiving surfaces of the left foot support base and the right foot support base used in the passive exercise assisting device of the present invention is configured to include: during operation of the drive device, the drive device is offset at a predetermined angle with respect to the horizontal plane. If the foot-supporting surface is displaced in the front-rear direction, the muscle group at a specific portion of the lower leg portion can be constantly tensed and the strengthening of the muscle group can be promoted. Further, if the surface on which the leg is placed is offset in the left-right direction, the muscle group for correcting the deformity can be enhanced by moving the leg in a state inclined so as to correct the deformity in the inside-outside direction of the leg such as the O-leg and the X-leg. In particular, it is preferable to use a stand on which the left foot support base, the right foot support base, and the driving device are mounted, and to realize the passive exercise assisting device of the present invention with a simple configuration by inclining an upper surface of the stand at a predetermined angle with respect to a horizontal plane. With this configuration, the foot is moved in the front-rear direction to stimulate the rectus femoris, the medial femoral muscle, the lateral femoral muscle, the biceps femoris, the tibialis anterior muscle, and the gastrocnemius muscle, thereby promoting glucose uptake in the muscles and improving the symptoms of type II diabetic patients.

Drawings

Fig. 1 is a schematic configuration diagram showing a passive exercise assisting device according to a first embodiment of the present invention.

Fig. 2 is a plan view of the apparatus with the upper plate removed.

Fig. 3 is an exploded perspective view of the device.

Fig. 4 is a main portion sectional view of the above-described device.

Fig. 5 is an enlarged view of a main portion of the above-described apparatus.

Fig. 6(a) and (b) are system diagrams showing a driving device used in the above-described apparatus.

Fig. 7 is a main portion sectional view of the above-described device.

Fig. 8 is an explanatory view of the operation of the above-described apparatus.

Fig. 9 is a diagram showing an example of the effect of the above-described device.

Fig. 10 is a diagram showing an example of the effect of the above-described device.

Fig. 11 is a diagram showing an example of the effect of the above-described device.

Fig. 12 is a diagram showing an example of the effect of the above-described device.

Fig. 13 is a diagram showing an example of the effect of the above-described device.

Fig. 14 is a diagram showing an example of the operation of the above-described apparatus.

Fig. 15 is a diagram showing an example of the effect of the above-described device.

Fig. 16(a) is a view showing an example of the operation of the device, and (b) is a view showing the axial position of the device.

Fig. 17(a) to (d) are cross-sectional views showing examples of the configuration of the positioning portion used in the above-described apparatus.

Fig. 18 is an explanatory view of the operation of the above-described apparatus.

Fig. 19 is an explanatory view of an operation of a configuration example of the above-described device.

Fig. 20 is a system diagram showing a driving device used in the passive exercise assisting device according to embodiment 3 of the present invention.

Fig. 21 is a perspective view of a main part of the driving device.

Fig. 22 is an explanatory view of the operation of the driving device.

Fig. 23 is a perspective view of a main part of a passive exercise assisting device according to embodiment 4 of the present invention.

Fig. 24 is an explanatory view of the operation of the above-described device.

Fig. 25 is an explanatory view showing an operation of the passive exercise assisting device according to embodiment 5 of the present invention.

Fig. 26 is an explanatory view showing an operation of the passive exercise assisting device according to embodiment 6 of the present invention.

Fig. 27 is a diagram showing another operation example of the apparatus of the present invention.

Fig. 28 is a diagram showing another operation example of the apparatus of the present invention.

Fig. 29 is a diagram showing still another operation example of the apparatus of the present invention.

FIG. 30 is a schematic configuration diagram showing another configuration example of the apparatus of the present invention.

Fig. 31 is a side view of a main part of a passive exercise assisting device according to embodiment 7 of the present invention.

Fig. 32 is a side view of a main part of another configuration example of the above-described device.

Fig. 33 is a diagram showing an example of the effect of the above-described device.

Detailed Description

(embodiment mode 1)

The basic configuration of the present invention will be described with reference to fig. 2 and 3. In the present embodiment, the structure used while being placed on a floor is exemplified, but the structure used while being buried under a floor may be adopted. The structure of fixing the position to a fixed position or the structure of moving the position may be appropriately selected. In the following description, the user can use the apparatus while sitting on the seat, but the user is originally intended to use the apparatus in a substantially standing state.

In the present embodiment, as shown in fig. 2 and 3, a bottom plate 1a for mounting on a floor is provided. Although the bottom plate 1a is illustrated as a rectangle, the outer peripheral shape of the bottom plate 1a is not particularly limited. Hereinafter, for simplicity of explanation, it is assumed that the upper surface of the floor panel 1a is parallel to the floor surface in a state where the floor panel 1a is placed on the floor. Therefore, the upper and lower parts in fig. 2 and 3 are the upper and lower parts in use.

An upper plate 1b is provided above the bottom plate 1a, and the bottom plate 1a and the upper plate 1b are joined to form a frame 1 as a stand. The frame 1 is formed in a rectangular shape, but if the frame has a space for housing therein, the frame 1 may have a cylindrical shape or a polygonal cylindrical shape. Hereinafter, for simplicity of explanation, it is assumed that the upper surface of the frame 1 (the upper surface of the upper plate 1 b) is parallel to the floor surface in a state where the frame 1 is placed on the floor. In a structure buried in a floor for use, a frame 1 may be configured such that a portion where the upper plate 1b is removed is a skeleton.

Disposed on the upper surface of the base plate 1a are: a left foot support platform 2a and a right foot support platform 2b for respectively bearing the left foot and the right foot of a user; a driving device 3 for moving the positions of the left foot support platform 2a and the right foot support platform 2 b. In the following description, the direction of arrow X in fig. 2 and 3 is referred to as the front. In the other figures, similarly, when the arrow X appears, the direction is also referred to as the front. That is, the front direction indicated by the arrow X almost coincides with the front direction of the user.

Two opening windows 11a and 11b through which the left foot support base 2a and the right foot support base 2b are exposed are provided in the upper plate 1b in the thickness direction. The openings of the opening windows 11a and 11b are rectangular. However, in each of the opening windows 11a and 11b, the center line in the longitudinal direction intersects with the front-rear direction of the frame 1, and the distance between the two center lines is larger on the front end side of the frame 1 than on the rear end side. The angle formed by the longitudinal direction of the opening windows 11a, 11b with respect to the front-rear direction of the base plate 1a is set as appropriate. The angle is set to a range of, for example, 5 to 15 degrees. The angle is an angle that is; the left opening window 11a is angled to turn left with the rear end as the center, and the right opening window 11b is angled to turn right with the rear end as the center.

The opening area of each opening window 11a is larger than the upper surface area of the left foot support base 2a, and the opening area of each opening window 11b is larger than the upper surface area of the right foot support base 2 b. That is, the left foot support base 2a and the right foot support base 2b are movable in the plane of the opening windows 11a and 11 b.

The longitudinal direction of the opening windows 11a, 11b is aligned with the longitudinal direction of the left foot support base 2a and the right foot support base 2b, and when the left foot support base 2a and the right foot support base 2b support the feet, the longitudinal center line of the feet is aligned substantially with the longitudinal direction of the left foot support base 2a and the right foot support base 2 b. As described above, when the angle formed by the longitudinal center lines of the opening windows 11a and 11b with respect to the front-rear direction of the bottom plate 1a is set to be in the range of 5 to 15 degrees, the feet can be placed on the left foot support base 2a and the right foot support base 2b in a state where the leg muscle groups are relaxed (relaxed state) in the standing position.

As shown in fig. 4, the slide groove 12 is opened on both sides in the width direction of the opening windows 11a and 11b so as to face the inside of the opening windows 11a and 11 b. The hem portion 22b formed on the footrest cover plate 22 is slidably inserted into the slide groove 12. The footrest cover 22 is a device constituting a footrest 21 for a user to support feet, and a left foot support table 2a and a right foot support table 2b, and has a main body 22a formed in a rectangular tubular shape, and a folded portion 22b is provided extending along one opening surface (upper surface) of the main body 22a and around the entire periphery of the main body 22 a. A mounting plate 22c is integrally formed at a lower portion inside the main body portion 22a of the footrest cover plate 22.

The main body portion 22a has a longitudinal dimension and a width dimension smaller than the opening windows 11a, 11b, and the hem portion 22b has a longitudinal dimension and a width dimension larger than the opening windows 11a, 11 b. Further, the distance between the bottom portions of the chutes 12 is larger than the distance between the front end edges of the hem portions 22 b. Therefore, the footrest cover 22 can move in the width direction within the range of the chute 12 and also can move in the length direction.

The footrest plate 21 is formed in a rectangular plate shape slightly smaller than the inner peripheral edge of the body portion 22a in the footrest cover plate 22, and is sized to carry the entire feet of the user. In addition, the upper surface of the footrest plate 21 is made of a material and shaped to increase the coefficient of friction. Cover plates 21a, 21b bent in the shape of コ are integrally provided on the periphery of the lower surface of the footrest 21. A pair of bearings 21c spaced apart in the width direction of the footrest plate 21 are provided integrally with the footrest plate 21 on the lower surface of the footrest plate 21, that is, at a portion surrounded by the cover plates 21a, 21 b.

A bearing plate 23 having a cross section コ which is open at the top is fixed to the upper surface of the mounting plate 22c provided on the footrest cover plate 22. The bearing 21c provided on the footrest plate 21 abuts against the outer side surface of each leg piece 23a of the bearing plate 23. Further, the leg pieces 23a of the bearing plate 23 and the shaft portions 24 of the bearings 21c are provided. Therefore, the shaft portion 24 is disposed along the width direction of the footrest plate 21, and the footrest plate 21 is rotatable about the shaft portion 24 so as to move up and down in the longitudinal direction with respect to the footrest plate 22. The cover plates 21a and 21b are provided to prevent a gap from being formed between the lower surface of the footrest plate 21 and the footrest plate 22 when the footrest plate 21 is rotated relative to the footrest plate 22.

A carriage 15 having a cross section コ with an open lower surface is attached to the lower surface of an attachment plate 22c provided on the footrest plate 22. Two wheels 16 are mounted on the outer side surfaces of the leg pieces 15a of the carriage 15. Two rails 17 are fixed to the upper surface of the base plate 1a, respectively, with respect to the left foot support base 2a and the right foot support base 2b, and the carriage 15 is placed on the rails 17 so that the wheels 16 rotate in rail grooves 17a provided on the upper surface of the rails 17. A wheel drop prevention plate 18 (see fig. 5) is fixed to the upper surface of the rail 17 to prevent the wheel 16 from dropping out of the rail groove 17 a.

The longitudinal direction of the rail 17 is different from the longitudinal direction of the opening windows 11a and 11b provided in the frame 1. As described above, the opening windows 11a and 11b intersect each other so that the longitudinal center line is larger on the front end side than on the rear end side of the frame 1, and the longitudinal direction of the rail 17 also intersects the front-rear direction of the frame 1 in the same manner.

However, the angle with respect to the front-rear direction of the frame 1 is larger than the opening windows 11a, 11b on the rail 17. For example, if the angle with respect to the front-rear direction of the frame 1 is set to 15 degrees in the longitudinal direction of the opening windows 11a, 11b, the longitudinal direction of the rail 17 is set to 45 degrees or the like. That is, by placing the feet on the left and right foot support tables 2a and 2b, aligning the foot center lines with the longitudinal direction of the opening windows 11a and 11b, and moving the left and right foot support tables 2a and 2b along the rails 17 in this state, the longitudinal direction of the rails 17 can be set in a direction in which the shear force applied to the knees is prevented from increasing even if the positions of the feet change.

With the above configuration, the left foot support base 2a and the right foot support base 2b are movable along the longitudinal direction of the rail 17. Since the longitudinal direction of the rail 17 intersects the longitudinal center line of the opening windows 11a and 11b, the footrest plate 21 and the footrest cover plate 22 move in the opening windows 11a and 11b in the direction intersecting the longitudinal direction.

In the present embodiment, examples of the desired operation include: the left foot support base 2a and the right foot support base 2b move along a moving path in which the front-rear direction and the left-right direction are combined, but the left foot support base 2a and the right foot support base 2b may move in the front-rear direction and the left-right direction as compared with the direction in which the rails 17 are arranged.

On the other hand, a drive device 3 capable of moving the positions of the left foot support base 2a and the right foot support base 2b relative to the frame 1 is accommodated in the accommodation space of the frame 1 formed between the bottom plate 1a and the upper plate 1 b. As shown in fig. 6, the driving device 3 includes: a motor 31 as a driving source that generates driving force; a system separating section 32 that is separated into two systems so as to transmit the rotational driving force of the motor 31 to the left foot support table 2a and the right foot support table 2b, respectively; and a reciprocating drive unit 33 for reciprocating the carriage 15 along the rail 17 by a driving force. In the present embodiment, the configuration is adopted in which the system separating portion 32 separates the driving force and transmits the separated driving force to the reciprocating driving portion 33 as shown in fig. 6(a), but the system separating portion 32 may separate the driving force of the reciprocating driving obtained by the reciprocating driving portion 33 into two systems as shown in fig. 6 (b).

The driving device 3 will be described more specifically. The system separation unit 32 includes: a worm 32a connected to an output shaft 31a of the motor 31; a pair of worm wheels 32b engaged with the worm 32 a. The worm 32a and the two worm wheels 32b are accommodated in a gear case 34 fixed to the base plate 1 a. The gear case 34 is constituted by: a gear case housing 34a having an opening on an upper surface; and a cover plate 34b covering the opening surface of the gear case 34 a. A pair of bearings 32c supporting both end portions of the worm 32a in the longitudinal direction are mounted between the gear case housing 34a and the cover plate 34 b.

According to this configuration, the rotational force of one motor 31 can be separated into two systems of rotational forces by the two worm gears 32b, and the rotational forces of the respective systems can be used as the driving forces of the left foot support table 2a and the right foot support table 2 b. The system disconnection unit 32 has a function of reducing the rotation speed of the motor 31 by using the worm 32a and the worm wheel 32 b.

The worm wheel 32b is inserted through a rotary shaft 35 held by the gear case housing 34a and the cover plate 34b, and the worm wheel 32b is coupled to the rotary shaft 35 such that the rotary shaft 35 rotates in accordance with the rotation of the worm wheel 32 b. At the upper end of the rotary shaft 35, a coupling portion 35a having a non-circular cross section (a rectangular cross section in the example of the drawing) is formed.

The motor 31 is mounted on a mount 34c provided on the gear case 34a and a mount plate 13a fixed to the base plate 1a, and is fixed to the base plate 1a by a cover plate 34b covering the gear case 34a and a pressure plate 13b coupled to the mount plate 13 a.

As shown in fig. 7, the reciprocation drive unit 33 includes: a crank plate 36 having one end coupled to a coupling portion 35a of the rotary shaft 35; a crank rod 38 coupled to the crank plate 36 via a crankshaft 37. One end of the crankshaft 37 is fixed to the crank plate 36, and the other end is held by a bearing 38a held by one end of a crank link 38. That is, one end of the crank link 38 is coupled to the crank plate 36 so as to be freely rotatable. The other end of the crank link 38 is coupled to the carriage 15 so as to be freely rotatable.

As can be seen from the above-described configuration, the crank link 38 functions as a conversion mechanism that converts the rotational force of the worm wheel 32b into the reciprocating motion of the carriage 15. Since the crank link 38 is provided on each worm wheel 32b and the cart 15 is provided separately in the left foot support base 2a and the right foot support base 2b, the crank link 38 functions as a conversion mechanism that converts the rotational force of the worm wheel 32b into the reciprocating motion of the left foot support base 2a and the right foot support base 2b, respectively.

As described above, since the carriage 15 is restricted in its moving path by the wheels 16 and the rail 17, the carriage 15 reciprocates along the longitudinal direction of the rail 17 as the worm wheel 32b rotates. That is, the rotation of the motor 31 is transmitted to the crank plate 36 via the worm 32a and the worm wheel 32b, and the carriage 15 reciprocates on a straight line along the rail 17 by the crank link 38 coupled to the crank plate 36. As a result, the footrest plates 22 coupled to the carriage 15 reciprocate along the rails 17. That is, the left foot support base 2a and the right foot support base 2b reciprocate along the longitudinal direction of the rail 17.

In the present embodiment, the driving force is divided into two systems by the worm 32a and the two worm wheels 32b, and each system is used as the driving force of the left foot support table 2a and the right foot support table 2b, respectively, so that the left foot support table 2a and the right foot support table 2b are driven in association with each other by the driving device 3. Here, since the positions where the worm wheels 32b mesh with the worm gears 32a are different by 180 degrees, the right foot support base 2b is located at the front end of the movement range when the left foot support base 2a is located at the rear end of the movement range. Since the rear end within the moving range of the left foot support table 2a is the right end within the moving range of the left foot support table 2a and the front end within the moving range of the right foot support table 2b is the right end within the moving range of the right foot support table 2b, the left foot support table 2a and the right foot support table 2b move in the same direction in terms of the left-right direction.

Further, according to the above configuration, the phase difference in the movement between the left foot support base 2a and the right foot support base 2b can be appropriately given according to the meshing position of the worm 32a and the worm wheel 32 b. When the user stands on the left foot support base 2a and the right foot support base 2b and uses them in a standing state, if a phase difference of 180 degrees is given as described in the present embodiment, the shift of the center of gravity in the front-rear direction of the user is reduced, and therefore, the user can use the device even if the balance function is lowered. Alternatively, if the phase difference is not present, the center of gravity of the user in the front-rear direction moves, and therefore, the movement of not only the leg muscle group but also the muscle group such as the waist and the back, which maintain the balance function, is facilitated.

Here, a frame coordinate system specific to the frame 1 is set, and a direction orthogonal to the upper surface of the frame 1 is set as the vertical direction. In a plane orthogonal to the vertical direction, in a state where the user carries the left and right feet on the left foot support base 2a and the right foot support base 2b, a direction almost coincident with the front of the user is set as the front in the frame coordinate system set on the frame 1. In a plane orthogonal to the vertical direction, a direction orthogonal to the front-rear direction, that is, a direction substantially coincident with the left and right of the user is referred to as a left-right direction.

As described above, since the upper surface of the footrest 21 (i.e., the upper surfaces of the left and right foot support tables 2a and 2 b) is made of a material and has a shape that can increase the coefficient of friction, when the left and right foot support tables 2a and 2b are moved relative to the frame 1, the positional displacement of the user's feet relative to the left and right foot support tables 2a and 2b can be prevented. As a structure for preventing the displacement of the foot position, a structure for fixing the foot to the left foot support base 2a and the right foot support base 2b may be adopted. For example, a structure for blocking the instep of a shoe such as a slipper, or a lace for blocking the instep and the heel of a sandal may be used, or a fastener for fixing the shoe may be used in the case of wearing the shoe.

If a configuration is adopted in which the positions of the legs supported by the left and right foot support tables 2a and 2b are fixed and the positions of the legs relative to the left and right foot support tables 2a and 2b are adjustable (that is, the front and rear positions of the members for fixing the positions of the legs relative to the left and right foot support tables 2a and 2b are adjustable), a difference can be made between the amount of movement of the legs from the stop position to the front end position and the amount of movement to the rear end position.

A support table coordinate system unique to each of the left foot support table 2a and the right foot support table 2b is set in the same manner as the frame 1. Therefore, in the support table coordinate system, two coordinate systems of the left leg system and the right leg system are set. In the support table coordinate system set in the left foot support table 2a and the right foot support table 2b, a direction orthogonal to the upper surface is a vertical direction, and a direction substantially coincident with a direction from the heel toward the toe in a plane orthogonal to the vertical direction is a forward direction. In a plane orthogonal to the vertical direction, a direction orthogonal to the front-rear direction, that is, a direction substantially coincident with the width direction of the foot is a left-right direction. In short, the longitudinal direction of the leg is the front-rear direction, and the width direction of the leg is the left-right direction.

Hereinafter, representative points are defined on the left foot support base 2a and the right foot support base 2b to describe the movement of the left foot support base 2a and the right foot support base 2 b. Since the inclination angles of the upper surfaces of the left and right foot support tables 2a and 2b with respect to the upper surface of the frame 1 are variable as described later, the representative point is a point whose position does not change even if the inclination angle with respect to the frame 1 changes. A plurality of representative points may be considered, and any one may be adopted, and may be set outside the left foot support table 2a and the right foot support table 2 b. By defining the representative points in this manner, the movement paths of the sliding movement of the left foot support table 2a and the right foot support table 2b can be described uniformly.

As is clear from the above configuration, the driving device 3 changes the front-rear direction position and the left-right direction position in the frame coordinate system set on the frame 1 with respect to the left foot support table 2a and the right foot support table 2 b. In the above-described configuration example, the left foot support table 2a and the right foot support table 2b are not moved individually, but the left foot support table 2a and the right foot support table 2b are moved in association with each other by a transmission mechanism (the system separating unit 32, the reciprocating drive unit 33) that transmits a driving force from the motor 31 that is a driving source to the left foot support table 2a and the right foot support table 2 b. By correlating the operations of the left foot support table 2a and the right foot support table 2b, the number of drive sources can be reduced although the degree of freedom regarding the movement pattern is reduced. On the other hand, when a plurality of drive sources are provided, the operations of the left foot support table 2a and the right foot support table 2b can be correlated by correlating the operations of the drive sources. The driving device 3 may be configured by combining both.

However, the inclination angles of the left foot support base 2a and the right foot support base 2b with respect to the upper surface of the frame 1 can be changed, and the driving device 3 is configured to be able to change the inclination angles in addition to the movement of the representative points of the left foot support base 2a and the right foot support base 2b in the front-rear direction and the left-right direction. In the support table coordinate systems set in the left foot support table 2a and the right foot support table 2b, respectively, the inclination angles of the left foot support table 2a and the right foot support table 2b with respect to the upper surface of the frame 1 can be changed around at least one of the front-rear direction axis and the left-right direction axis passing through the representative point. Further, although the inclination angle cannot be changed, the angle can be changed around the axis in the up-down direction.

If the inclination angle is adjusted around the axis in the front-rear direction in the support table coordinate system, the movable range of the ankle can be expanded because the achilles tendon is elongated at the time of dorsi flexion (dorsi flexion), and the outer anti-thumb can be adjusted by applying force to the toes at the time of plantarflexion (plantar flexion). If the inclination angle is changed with time about the axis in the front-rear direction, the calf muscle group including the gastrocnemius muscle and the soleus muscle can be extended and contracted. As these muscle groups flex, venous circulation in the legs may increase, thereby eliminating edema in the legs.

If the inclination angle is adjusted around the axis in the left-right direction in the support table coordinate system set in each of the left foot support table 2a and the right foot support table 2b, the user can use the leg in a state in which the leg is corrected when the user uses the leg with the so-called O-leg and X-leg. Further, if the angle is changed at any time around the vertical axis, flexibility of the hip joint can be improved because the hip joint rotates, or if the angle around the vertical axis is adjusted, the hip joint can be used at a position where the shearing force does not act on the knee joint.

Hereinafter, the operation mode of the left and right foot support tables 2a and 2b and the operation of the driving device 3 will be described with the front-back direction in the frame coordinate system as the X direction, the left-right direction as the Y direction, and the up-down direction as the Z direction. The front-rear direction, the left-right direction, and the up-down direction in the support table coordinate system set on the left foot support table 2a and the right foot support table 2b are x-direction, y-direction, and z-direction, respectively. Therefore, the upper surface of the frame 1 is a plane parallel to the XY plane, and the representative points of the left foot support table 2a and the right foot support table 2b move in the plane parallel to the XY plane. The left foot support table 2a and the right foot support table 2b are moved while keeping the Y direction of the support table coordinate system in the same direction as the Y direction of the frame coordinate system, and the left foot support table 2a and the right foot support table 2b may change the angle only with respect to the axis Ay (see fig. 8) around the Y direction in the support table coordinate system. That is, the left foot support table 2a and the right foot support table 2b rotate around the axis Ay.

When the device is used, the left and right feet are placed on the left foot support base 2a and the right foot support base 2b, respectively, at the initial positions where the left foot support base 2a and the right foot support base 2b are at the stop positions, and the device stands on the left foot support base 2a and the right foot support base 2b, and the operation of the driving device 3 is started. Regarding the switch for instructing the start of the operation of the driving device 3, if the manual switch is provided on the frame 1, the user must bend down during the operation, which is not convenient. For this purpose, it is desirable to provide a switch in a wireless remote controller using infrared rays or a wired remote controller connected to an electric wire drawn out from the frame 1. Further, a switch operated by a foot may be provided on one of the left foot support base 2a and the right foot support base 2b, or an automatic switch which can detect a person and start operation after a certain time may be provided on the left foot support base 2a and the right foot support base 2 b.

Further, since the user loses balance when the speed change increases at the start and stop of the operation of the driving device 3, it is desirable to gradually accelerate the driving device 3 at the start of the operation of the driving device 3 and gradually decelerate the driving device 3 at the stop of the driving device 3. Further, in the stop position, the left foot support base 2a and the right foot support base 2b are stopped in the horizontal position, or the left foot support base 2a and the right foot support base 2b are stopped in the positions where the angles around the axis Ay of the left foot support base 2a and the right foot support base 2b are symmetrical, whereby the left foot support base 2a and the right foot support base 2b can be moved up and down in a stable position where the body of the user is not inclined at the time of stopping.

In the above-described initial position, the left foot support table 2a and the right foot support table 2b are located at the same position in the front-rear direction. That is, in the initial position, representative points of the left foot support table 2a and the right foot support table 2b are arranged on the same straight line in the left-right direction. Therefore, in the initial position, when the user stands on the left and right foot support tables 2a and 2b, a straight line downward in the vertical direction from the center of gravity of the user passes through substantially the center between the left and right foot support tables 2a and 2 b. In fig. 1 and 8, the intersection point of the straight line extending downward from the center of gravity of the user in the vertical direction and the upper surface of the frame 1 is indicated by a point G.

The driving device 3 changes the positions of the left foot support base 2a and the right foot support base 2b in the front-rear direction, and also changes the position in the left-right direction according to the position change in the front-rear direction. The driving device 3 periodically operates the left foot support base 2a and the right foot support base 2b in the front-rear direction and the left-right direction within a set range. Here, the periodic operation means that the same position is periodically passed through.

In the present embodiment, as shown in fig. 1, the movement trajectories La and Lb of the representative points of the left foot support base 2a and the right foot support base 2b are respectively in an operation pattern of reciprocating on a straight line in a plane parallel to the XY plane. The movement locus La of the left foot support table 2a and the movement locus Lb of the right foot support table 2b are set to: the distance in the left-right direction at the front end position is greater than the distance in the left-right direction at the rear end position, and a V shape or an inverted V shape is formed. The movement trajectories La, Lb are set to: the front end position is located further forward than the initial position, and the rear end position is located further rearward than the initial position.

Further, the left foot support base 2a and the right foot support base 2b are moved in opposite phases to each other in the front-rear direction so that the position of the center of gravity of the user is held at a fixed position in the front-rear direction (X direction) of the frame coordinate system, that is, the position of the point G is not moved in the X direction. The backward-forward direction antiphase means that the right foot support table 2b is at the rear end position when the left foot support table 2a is at the front end position, and the right foot support table 2b is at the front end position when the left foot support table 2a is at the rear end position.

Since the movement trajectories La and Lb of the left and right foot support tables 2a and 2b are defined in a V-shape or an inverted-splay shape as described above and move in opposite phases to each other in the front-rear direction, the left and right foot support tables 2a and 2b also move in opposite phases to each other in the left-right direction. That is, when the left foot support base 2a moves leftward, the right foot support base 2b moves rightward, and when the left foot support base 2a moves rightward, the right foot support base 2b moves leftward.

Therefore, as shown in fig. 8, if the initial positions are g1 and d1, the front end positions are g2 and d2, and the rear end positions are g3 and d3 for the representative points of the left foot support table 2a and the right foot support table 2b, when the left foot support table 2a moves along the path of g1 → g2 → g1 → g3 → g1, the right foot support table 2b moves along the path of d1 → d3 → d1 → d2 → d 1.

As described above, since the left foot support table 2a and the right foot support table 2b are moved in opposite phases to each other so that the front end position is located forward of the initial position and the rear end position is located rearward of the initial position, and the center of gravity position of the user is held at a fixed position, the change in the foot position becomes a position change close to the walking exercise, and the muscle group can be expanded and contracted at least in the lower leg portion as in the walking exercise. Further, since the rear end position is located more rearward than the initial position and the foot position of the rear end position is located more rearward than the center of gravity of the user, the hip muscles can be pulled from the rear side of the thighs at the rear end position.

In general, in walking exercise, the foot position is moved mainly in the front-rear direction, but if the device of the present embodiment is used, since a combination of the front-rear direction and the left-right direction is obtained, muscles of the lower leg portion and the upper leg portion can be extended and contracted in coordination, and a plurality of muscles can be extended and contracted in association with each other, it is passive exercise and light in load, and it is possible to increase sugar intake of muscles, and thus it is expected that the effect of improving the symptoms of type 2 diabetes is obtained.

However, when the left foot support base 2a and the right foot support base 2b move only in the front-rear direction, only the reflex that extends and contracts the hip joint, the knee joint, and the foot joint occurs in the body of the user, and therefore only the stimulation mainly including the muscles of the lower limbs and the buttocks can be obtained. In contrast, in the present embodiment, since the movement in the lateral direction is increased in addition to the front-back direction, and the V-shaped or inverted-eight-shaped movement trajectories La and Lb are adopted and moved in opposite phases, the trunk of the user is twisted, and as a result, stimulation can be applied to the internal organs. Further, by combining the forward-backward direction and the leftward-rightward direction, stimulation can be applied to more muscles (adductor muscles, rectus femoris muscles, vastus medialis muscles, vastus lateralis muscles, biceps femoris muscles, semitendinosus muscles, semimembranosus muscles, etc.) than in the case of performing only one of the motions.

In order to twist the trunk of the user, the V-shaped or inverted-figure-eight movement trajectories La and Lb may be adopted instead of the V-shaped or inverted-figure-eight movement trajectories La and Lb. That is, the left and right foot support tables 2a and 2b may be moved such that the distance in the left-right direction at the front end position is smaller than the distance in the left-right direction at the rear end position in the movement trajectories La and Lb of the representative points of the left and right foot support tables 2a and 2 b. In this case, the left foot support table 2a and the right foot support table 2b are moved in opposite phases to each other in the front-rear direction and the left-right direction. This operation can also be expected to provide the same effects as those of the above configuration.

Fig. 9 shows the relationship between the muscle activity (the entire leg) and the shear force (in N) acting on the knee joint when the left foot support base 2a and the right foot support base 2b are moved in opposite phases to each other in the case of the V-shape and the inverted V-shape. In fig. 9, the crosses with the symbols ィ and ロ represent the average value in the case of the V-shape and the inverted V-shape, respectively. The range of the horizontal straight line represents the dispersion of the muscle activity, and the range of the vertical straight line represents the dispersion of the shear force. The V-shape and the inverted V-shape do not change much in the shear force acting on the knee joint, and the V-shape has a large muscle activity rate. Therefore, the V-shaped motion is preferable for strengthening physical strength.

Fig. 10 shows the relationship between the muscle activity and the shear force acting on the knee joint when the angle with respect to the front-rear direction is changed in the case of the operation in the V-shaped movement trajectories La and Lb. In terms of angle, the front-rear direction is set to 0 degree, and the left-right direction is set to 90 degrees. This angle represents a left turn angle for the left foot and a right turn angle for the right foot. In fig. 10, the crosses with the symbols ィ, ロ, ハ, ニ indicate 0 degrees, 30 degrees, 45 degrees, and 75 degrees, respectively. In this angle range, there is a tendency that: the shear force acting on the knee and the muscle activity do not make a large difference, but both increase slightly with increasing angle. Thus, if there is no knee pain, the angle can be increased, increasing muscle activity, while if knee pain occurs, the angle can be decreased. In the case of 90 degrees, the muscle activity rate is the same as in the case of 60 degrees, and the shear force acting on the knee joint is the same as in the case of 75 degrees. Fig. 10 is a view for evaluating the muscle activity of the entire leg, but it is understood that the muscle activity of each part changes when the angle is changed.

Fig. 11 shows the relationship between the muscle activity and the angle for a representative muscle in each part of the leg. This indicates that the angle is changed in five stages for each muscle, and 0 degrees (front-back direction), 15 degrees, 45 degrees, 60 degrees, and 90 degrees (left-right direction) are shown in order from the left for each muscle. As shown in fig. 11, in general, the larger the angle is, the higher the muscle activity rate is for the muscle group (for example, the femoral myofascial muscle) necessary for the hip and internal and external rotation. On the other hand, the muscle activity rate of the muscle group (gastrocnemius muscle, as an example) in the lower leg portion increases when the angle is about 45 degrees. In addition, muscle groups related to toes (for example, long flexors and extensors of toes) tend to have higher muscle activity when the angle is smaller.

However, when the left foot support base 2a and the right foot support base 2b are moved in phase and in opposite phase, the shearing force applied to the knee joint changes. Fig. 12 shows the relationship between the phase and the shear force when the V-shaped movement locus is adopted. In fig. 12, the left side is in phase, and the right side is in opposite phase. Comparing the two, it can be seen that the shear force is smaller in the opposite phase. Therefore, it is found that, when a V-shaped movement locus is adopted, it is preferable that the user who has a knee pain performs a reverse phase operation.

Fig. 13(a) and (b) show changes in muscle activity when the phase is changed in addition to the angle. Fig. 13(a) shows the muscle activity of the bending/stretching muscle group involving the anteroposterior movement, and fig. 13(b) shows the activity of the medial-lateral contracting muscle group involving the lateral movement. Three of the left half represent a case where the left foot support base 2a and the right foot support base 2b are moved in phase, three of the right half represent a case where the left foot support base 2a and the right foot support base 2b are moved in anti-phase, and these three represent 0 degrees, 90 degrees, and-45 degrees in order from the left. Here, the-45 degree means that the movement trajectories La and Lb are inverted V-shaped (splayed). As conditions, the muscle electricity amount was 1 when the movement distance (amplitude) was 3cm at 2Hz (both right and left feet reciprocated twice in one second), and the measurement was performed when the amplitude was 3cm at 1 Hz.

As can be seen from the results of fig. 13, when-45 degrees is selected regardless of the phase of the opposite or the same, the muscle activity rates of the flexion/extension muscle group and the internal and external contraction muscle groups can be further improved. In the case of the same phase, although the muscle activity rates of the inner and outer adductor groups are slightly worse than those of the case of selecting other angles, the difference is not noticeable, according to fig. 13. Therefore, it is found that if the inverted V-shaped movement trajectories La and Lb are adopted, the muscle activity of the entire leg portion is improved regardless of the in-phase or the anti-phase.

However, in the present embodiment, as described above, since the left foot support table 2a and the right foot support table 2b are rotatable about the axis Ay in the y direction passing through the representative point, the inclination angle in the front-rear direction can be changed. That is, since the footrest plates 21 provided on the left and right foot support tables 2a and 2b are rotatable about the shaft portions 24 with respect to the footrest cover plate 22, the height positions of the front and rear end portions of the footrest plates 21 can be changed, and by changing the height positions of the toes and the heels placed on the footrest plates 21, plantarflexion and dorsiflexion of the foot joints can be generated. In the inclination angle, if the state of the sole when it is horizontal is 0 degrees, the angle with respect to the horizontal when it is dorsiflexed is positive, and the angle with respect to the horizontal when it is plantarflexed is negative, the dorsiflex side and the plantarflex side can be changed in angle within the range of 20 degrees, respectively. In addition, the inclination angles can be set to five stages in units of 10 degrees in the front end position, the rear end position, and the initial position, respectively. That is, the angles at five stages of-20 degrees, -10 degrees, 0 degrees, 10 degrees, and 20 degrees can be set in the front end position, the rear end position, and the initial position, respectively. If the inclination angle is set for each of the three positions, the inclination angle at the intermediate position of the three positions can be automatically interpolated.

Fig. 14 shows an example of angle setting. Fig. 14(a) is an example in which the angle is-20 degrees at the front end position, 20 degrees at the rear end position, and 0 degrees at the initial position, and fig. 14(b) is an example in which the angle is 20 degrees at the front end position, 20 degrees at the rear end position, and 10 degrees at the initial position. In the operation example shown in fig. 14(a), since the change in the angle of the foot joint causes the muscle group used in walking to expand and contract, as in walking, passive walking exercise can be realized.

In particular, since the muscle group of the lower leg portion expands and contracts with flexion and extension of the foot joint, venous circulation is promoted, blood flow circulating from the distal end to the heart is increased, and the promotion of blood flow throughout the body can be achieved. Therefore, the effect of improving venous congestion can be expected for users who are likely to develop a so-called "economic disease group" constitution. Furthermore, the range of motion of the foot joint can be expanded by flexing and extending the foot joint. On the other hand, in the operation example shown in fig. 14(b), although the change in the angle of the foot joint is small, the achilles tendon can be extended, so that the foot joint can be made flexible, and the movable range of the foot joint can be increased. Further, if the inclination angle is changed so that the reaction force from the left foot support table 2a and the right foot support table 2b is aligned with the direction of the tibia, the shear force acting on the knee can be reduced, and even a user suffering from knee pain can use the knee pain without accompanying pain.

Fig. 15 shows changes in the discharge amount (integrated value) of the leg muscles based on the presence or absence of changes in the angles of the foot joints. The vertical axis of fig. 15 shows the muscle activity when the muscle discharge amount of each muscle in the stationary standing state is 1, and the left side shows the case where the muscle does not change with the angle of the foot joint and the right side shows the case where the muscle changes with the angle of the foot joint. When the left foot support table 2a and the right foot support table 2b are reciprocated at 1.6Hz (that is, the angle change of the foot joint is also 1.6Hz), the discharge amount of the muscles of the anterior tibialis, the lateral femoral muscle and the medial femoral muscle is 2 to 3 times that of the muscles not accompanied by the angle change of the foot joint when accompanied by the angle change of the foot joint. That is, the result of promoting the muscle activity of the entire leg portion can be obtained.

In contrast to fig. 14(a), if the inclination angle is changed such that the left and right foot support tables 2a and 2b are inclined backward as they approach the front end position and inclined forward as they approach the rear end position, as 20 degrees at the front end position and-20 degrees at the rear end position, the position of the center of gravity of the user is less likely to move in the front-rear direction, and even a user lacking in the balance function is likely to maintain balance.

In the above-described operation, the inclination angle of the support table coordinate system about the axis Ay is changed in the y direction as the frame coordinate system moves in the XY plane with respect to the left foot support table 2a and the right foot support table 2b, but the inclination angle may be adjusted and the adjusted angle may be maintained so that the inclination angle does not change even if the frame coordinate system moves in the XY plane. In this case, the driving device 3 may be provided with a mechanism for changing the tilt angle. If the inclination angle is fixed so as to extend the Achilles tendon, the flexibility of the gastrocnemius muscle and the soleus muscle can be improved.

When the driving device 3 for performing the above-described operation is configured to include two driving sources for moving the left foot support table 2a and the right foot support table 2b in the front-rear direction, two driving sources for moving in the left-right direction, and two driving sources for rotating about the axis Ay in the y direction, a control device configured by a computer can be used to control the interlocking relationship of the driving sources. Since the left foot support table 2a and the right foot support table 2b move in opposite phases with respect to the front-rear direction and the left-right direction, a configuration may be adopted in which one drive source is used for each of the front-rear direction and the left-right direction, and the transmission mechanism realizes an opposite phase relationship. In the case where only one of the V-shaped or inverted-figure-of-eight movement and the inverted-V-shaped or figure-of-eight movement can be realized among the above-described movements, since the interlocking relationship between the front-back direction and the left-right direction is specified, the interlocking relationship can be realized by the transmission mechanism using only one driving source.

In the case where the angles of the left and right foot support tables 2a and 2b are set symmetrically (in anti-phase) with respect to the change in the angle of the axis Ay in the y direction, one drive source may be used, or a drive source that moves forward, backward, leftward, and rightward may be used in common if the setting of the front end position, the rear end position, and the initial position is not necessary.

When the inclination angles of the left and right foot support tables 2a and 2b about the axis Ay in the y direction are changed, the rotation centers of the left and right foot support tables 2a and 2b may be set at appropriate positions outdoors. The position of the rotation center may be set at any position indicated by a circle in fig. 16, in addition to the center position in the front-rear direction (X direction) of the left foot support table 2a and the right foot support table 2 b.

If the rotation center is set at the center position in the front-rear direction, the force required to tilt against the load of the left and right foot support tables 2a and 2b becomes half as compared with the case of setting at the front end position and the rear end position. Therefore, in the case of configuring the transmission mechanism having the rotary output for providing the rotational force to the rotational center, if this configuration is adopted, a drive source having a small output can be adopted. On the other hand, in the case of configuring the transmission mechanism having the linear output that presses the position other than the rotation center with the rotation center as the fulcrum, since the output can be suppressed by the lever principle from the rotation center serving as the fulcrum to the pressing position where the distance is large, the rotation center can be provided at the front end position or the rear end position, and a drive source having a small output can be used.

If the rotation center is set outside the left foot support table 2a and the right foot support table 2b, the relationship of the change in the inclination angle with respect to the position on the XY plane becomes nonlinear, and therefore the rate of change in the angle change in the vicinity of the front end position and the vicinity of the rear end position can be made different from the rate of change in the angle change in the vicinity of the initial position. This movement makes it easy to maintain balance, or helps to make the rotation angle of the foot joint rhythmic and eliminate monotonicity.

Further, the rotation about the axis Ay in the y direction may be freely rotatable without applying a rotational force to the driving device 3. In the case of adopting such a configuration, if a mechanism for defining the rotation ranges of the left and right foot support tables 2a and 2b is provided and the rotation range is made adjustable, the operation of inclining backward at the front end position and inclining forward at the rear end position can be realized without using the driving device 3.

However, when not particularly indicated, the user sets the direction of the axis Ay in consideration of the fact that the user does not carry the feet on the center lines of the longitudinal directions of the open windows 11a and 11b and the feet are aligned with each other in the movement direction of the left and right foot support tables 2a and 2b (the longitudinal direction of the rail 17). However, since the user does not always have to support the feet in an appropriate direction, the positioning portions 26 for positioning the feet at predetermined positions are provided on the upper surfaces of the left and right foot support tables 2a and 2 b. Various configurations are conceivable as the positioning portion 26, but as a simple configuration, a mark is used at an appropriate position.

Two configurations may be adopted, namely: as shown in fig. 17(a), a recessed portion 26a as a positioning portion 26 is formed on the upper surfaces of the left foot support base 2a and the right foot support base 2 b; as shown in fig. 17(b), a protrusion 26b as the positioning portion 26 is formed on the upper surface of the left foot support base 2a and the right foot support base 2 b. The protruding portion 26b is preferably arranged at least corresponding to the front-rear position of the foot. If the massage device is also arranged at the position of the arch of the sole, the massage effect based on the stimulation of the arch of the sole can be expected. Since the configuration example shown in fig. 17(a) and (b) does not fix the feet to the left foot support base 2a and the right foot support base 2b, if the inclination angles of the left foot support base 2a and the right foot support base 2b are large, the positions of the feet may be displaced.

Therefore, as shown in fig. 17(c), the positioning portions 26 may be provided with anti-slip portions 26c formed of a material having a large frictional force (or a material having fine irregularities) such as rubber, on the left foot support base 2a and the right foot support base 2 b. The anti-slip portion 26c may be adhered to the upper surfaces of the left foot support base 2a and the right foot support base 2b, or may be embedded in the left foot support base 2a and the right foot support base 2 b. The nonslip portion 26c may be formed in a plate shape, or may be formed in combination with the shape of the foot. Further, if the anti-slip portion 26c is used in combination with the recess 21a shown in fig. 17(a) and the protrusion 26b shown in fig. 17(b), the positioning effect can be further improved.

Fig. 17(d) shows an example of a configuration in which a strap 26d wound around the instep is provided as the positioning portion 26. The strap 26d is provided with two front and rear pieces, and the foot is passed through the strap 26d, thereby fixing the position of the foot. However, a configuration may be adopted in which a buckle provided with a planar fastener is provided on the strap 26d to adjust the size of the foot.

The configurations shown in fig. 17 can be used in combination as appropriate, and for example, if the configurations of fig. 17(a), (c), and (d) are combined, the foot position can be reliably prevented from shifting. When the shoe is worn, the position of the foot can be fixed by using the same structure as that of a foot cover or a fastener attached to a bicycle pedal.

Further, if the position of the foot with respect to the left foot support base 2a and the right foot support base 2b is adjustable, the foot can be supported by adjusting the distance from the rotation center to the position of the foot, so that the foot can be easily balanced when used with the foot supported at a position close to the rotation center, and the exercise with a light load can be performed with less stretching of the muscle group.

An example of the structure in which the left foot support base 2a and the right foot support base 2b are rotated about the axis Ay in the y direction will be described below. That is, in order to interlock the rotation of the footrest plate 21 around the shaft portion 24 with the reciprocating motion along the rail 17, as shown in fig. 18, the guide surface 14 having the inclined surface 14a is formed at least partially on the bottom plate 1a along the movement path of the footrest plate 21, and the lower surface of the footrest plate 21 is provided with the dummy projection portion 25 abutting against the guide surface 14. In the illustrated example, the inclined surface 14a inclined at a predetermined angle to the upper surface of the bottom plate 1a is formed along the entire length of the guide surface 14, but the shape of the guide surface 14 is not particularly limited, and the inclined surface 14a may be partially included. The tip end portion of the dummy projection 25 may be made of a material and have a shape having a small friction coefficient with respect to the guide surface 14, but in the present embodiment, a roller 25a that rotates on the guide surface 14 is provided at the tip end portion of the dummy projection 25.

As described above, by providing the dummy projection 25 in contact with the guide surface 14, when the left foot support table 2a and the right foot support table 2b reciprocate in accordance with the rotation of the motor 31, the dummy projection 25 comes into contact with the inclined surface 14a provided on the guide surface 14, and at this time, the angle of the footrest plate 21 with respect to the bottom plate 1a changes due to the rotation of the footrest plate 21 about the shaft portion 24, and as a result, plantarflexion and dorsiflexion of the foot joint can occur.

In the above example, the guide surface 14 is provided on the bottom plate 1a and the dummy projection 25 is provided on the footrest plate 21, but the same operation can be performed even if the guide surface 14 is provided on the footrest plate 21 and the dummy projection 25 is provided on the bottom plate 1a as shown in fig. 19.

In the above configuration example, as the configuration of the system separation unit 32 in the drive device 3, the following configuration example is exemplified: the transmission between the output shaft 31a of the motor 31 and the rotary shaft 35 rotating together with the worm wheel 32b can be realized by using the worm 32a and the worm wheel 32b, and the transmission between the output shaft 31a of the motor 31 and the rotary shaft 35 can be realized by a belt. In this case, a pulley around which a belt is wound may be used instead of the worm wheel 32b, and the worm 32a may be omitted.

In the above configuration example, the output shaft 31a of the motor 31 is disposed along the upper surface of the base plate 1a, but in the case where the output shaft 31a is disposed so as to be orthogonal to the upper surface of the base plate 1a, the transmission of the rotational force and the separation of the system may be performed by a spur gear combination without using the combination of the worm 32a and the worm wheel 32 b. In this configuration, the spur gear may be replaced with a pulley, or a belt may be used to transmit the rotational force between the pulleys.

As the configuration of the reciprocating drive unit 33, instead of the crank plate 36 and the crank lever 38, a cam follower that follows the cam groove of the groove cam may be used instead of the crank lever 38 by transmitting the rotational force of the motor 31 to the groove cam and rotating the groove cam. In this configuration, if a grooved cam having a rotation axis parallel to the output shaft 31a of the motor 31 instead of the worm wheel 32b is used, the rotation force can be transmitted from the output shaft 31a to the grooved cam by the pinion.

In the case of a configuration in which only one slot cam is used and the rotational force of the output shaft 31a of the motor 31 is transmitted to the slot cam, two cam followers may be disposed in the cam groove of the slot cam, and the functions of the system decoupling unit 32 and the reciprocating drive unit 33 may be realized by the slot cam and the cam followers.

As is clear from the above configuration, when the driving device 3 starts operating, the left foot support table 2a and the right foot support table 2b change their positions in the front-rear direction, and the positions in the left-right direction also change with the change in the positions in the front-rear direction. Here, the left foot support table 2a and the right foot support table 2b reciprocate on a straight line along the rail 17, and the left foot support table 2a and the right foot support table 2b move in a direction different from the front-rear direction of the foot. For example, in a direction of 45 degrees with respect to the front-rear direction of the frame 1. The moving distance is set to 20mm or the like, for example.

Further, as described above, the footrest plates 21 rotate about the shaft portions 24 while the left and right foot support tables 2a and 2b reciprocate along the rails 17. When the footrest plate 21 moves forward, the dummy projection 25 rises on the inclined surface 14a of the guide surface 14, and thus the foot joint is dorsiflexed at the front end position of the left foot support table 2a and the right foot support table 2b, and the foot joint is plantarflexed at the rear end position of the left foot support table 2a and the right foot support table 2 b. The position of the shaft portion 24 is set near the heel of the foot, and the angles of plantarflexion and dorsiflexion are set to about 10 degrees with respect to the reference plane with respect to the upper surface of the bottom plate 1 a.

The relationship between the anteroposterior positions of the left and right foot support tables 2a and 2b and the degree of plantarflexion and dorsiflexion may be reversed in the above example, and the angles of plantarflexion and dorsiflexion with respect to the reference plane may be different. These actions can be easily realized by appropriately setting the shape of the guide surface 14.

As described above, when one of the left and right foot support tables 2a and 2b is located at the front end position, the other is located at the rear end position, and when one is moved leftward, the other is moved rightward, whereby the trunk can be twisted to stimulate the internal organs of the user.

For this reason, a structure may be adopted in which the armrest is provided and the upper body is fixed by pulling the armrest during use. The armrest may be provided integrally with the frame 1 or may be provided on the peripheral device side at the location where the device is used. If the armrest is provided, the body of the user can be fixed by the armrest, and therefore, the armrest can be easily used by a user with poor balance function. The device is basically used in a standing state, but may be used in a sitting posture with a seat provided in a case where standing is difficult for rehabilitation purposes or the like.

Embodiment mode 2

In embodiment 1, the left foot support base 2a and the right foot support base 2b are moved in opposite phases to each other in the front-rear direction so as not to move the position of the center of gravity of the user forward or backward, but when the position of the center of gravity of the user moves forward or backward, the reflex nerve system acts so as not to topple forward or backward, and thus muscle groups (such as latissimus dorsi, psoas major, iliocoris) for not toppling the body are stimulated.

The present embodiment achieves this effect, and is configured as follows: the left foot support table 2a and the right foot support table 2b are moved not in opposite phases in the front-rear direction but in an appropriate phase difference other than 180 degrees. The phase difference may be 0 degrees, and in this case, the left foot support table 2a and the right foot support table 2b move back and forth simultaneously. When the phase difference is not 180 degrees, the muscle group for preventing the body from falling is stimulated because acceleration occurs at the front end position and the rear end position and the center of gravity position moves forward and backward. Further, since the inclination angle changes with the movement of the left foot support base 2a and the right foot support base 2b, it becomes more difficult to maintain the position of the center of gravity, and the muscle group in which the body does not fall down can be strengthened. Other configurations and operations are the same as those of embodiment 1.

Embodiment 3

In embodiment 1, the dummy projection 25 is projected from the lower surface of the footrest plate 21, and the angle between the left foot support table 2a and the right foot support table 2b changes around the axis Ay in the y direction by moving the dummy projection 25 on the guide surface 14 provided on the bottom plate 1a, but in this embodiment, as shown in fig. 20, there are provided: a first driving unit 33a that slides the representative points of the left and right foot support tables 2a and 2b along the upper surface of the base plate 1a after the driving force is separated by the system separating unit 32; and a second driving unit 33b that changes the angle between the left foot support base 2a and the right foot support base 2b about the axis Ay in the y direction. The first driving unit 33a and the second driving unit 33b have the configuration shown in fig. 21. Here, although a transmission path for transmitting the driving force from the worm wheel 32b to the first driving portion 33a and the second driving portion 33b is omitted, the driving force may be transmitted by using a known transmission element such as a gear or a belt.

However, since the second driving unit 33b changes the angles of the left foot support base 2a and the right foot support base 2b to change the angle of the foot joint, the angles of the left foot support base 2a and the right foot support base 2b are changed in a plane (hereinafter referred to as "rotation plane") orthogonal to the extension line of the rotation center of the foot joint.

In the configuration example shown in fig. 21, the angles of the upper surfaces of the left foot support table 2a and the right foot support table 2b are changed so that the toe locus when the left foot support table 2a and the right foot support table 2b move forward and backward becomes a downward convex shape. In the illustrated example, the angles of the left foot support table 2a and the right foot support table 2b are changed such that the heel is located below the toe at the front end position in the movement path of the left foot support table 2a and the right foot support table 2b, and the toe is located below the heel at the rear end position.

The first driving portion 33a has: an eccentric rotor 45 for transmitting a rotational force from the system disconnection part 32, and a crank rod 46 for coupling the eccentric rotor 45 to one end by a crank pin 46 a. The other end of the crank lever 46 is coupled to the gear case 40 via a crank shaft 46b so as to be freely rotatable. The gear box 40 is restricted to a straight line along the moving path in the length direction of the rack 41 as shown in fig. 21. Therefore, when the eccentric rotary body 45 rotates, the distance from the rotation center 45a of the eccentric rotary body 45 to the other end portion of the crank lever 46 changes, and the gear box 40 moves on a straight line along the longitudinal direction of the rack 41.

The gear box 40 supports two spur gears 42, 43 having different numbers of teeth that mesh with each other, and the spur gear 42 having the smaller number of teeth meshes with the rack 41. Therefore, as described above, when the gear box 40 slides relative to the rack 41 in accordance with the rotation of the eccentric rotary body 45, the spur gear 42 engaged with the rack 41 rotates, and the rotational force is transmitted to the spur gear 43. While the eccentric rotary body 45 makes one rotation, the spur gear 42 reciprocates on the rack 41, and the spur gear 43 reciprocally rotates within ± 30 degrees with respect to the horizontal plane in accordance with the reciprocal rotation of the spur gear 42.

The spur gear 43 is coupled to the left foot support table 2a or the right foot support table 2b, and the angle of the upper surface of the left foot support table 2a or the right foot support table 2b is changed in accordance with the reciprocating rotation of the spur gear 43. Further, since the gear box 40 moves in a straight line along the rack 41, the left foot support 2a or the right foot support 2b also moves in a straight line along the rack 41. That is, the longitudinal direction of the rack 41 is the sliding movement direction of the left foot support 2a or the right foot support 2 b.

As is clear from the above description, the gear box 40 and the rack 41 constitute a part of the first driving portion 33a, and the rack 41 and the spur gears 42 and 43 constitute the second driving portion 33 b. That is, in the present embodiment, the driving force of the first driving unit 33a is transmitted to the second driving unit 33b, and the driving force of the first driving unit 33a and the driving force of the second driving unit 33b are transmitted from the second driving unit 33b to the left foot support table 2a or the right foot support table 2 b.

In the illustrated configuration, the following configuration is adopted: an arc-shaped guide hole 40a is formed in the gear case 40, a connecting shaft 43a coupled to the spur gear 43 and inserted into the guide hole 40a, and a rotating shaft 43b of the spur gear 43 are coupled to the rocking plate 44, and the rocking plate 44 is coupled to the left foot support base 2a or the right foot support base 2 b. That is, the pivot shaft 43b serves as a shaft portion for pivoting the left foot support base 2a or the right foot support base 2 b.

As is clear from the above configuration, the pivot shaft 43b is located above the upper surface of the left foot support base 2a or the right foot support base 2 b. Specifically, when the foot is placed at the position defined by the positioning portion 26, the pivot shaft 43b is provided at a position where the extension line of the pivot shaft 43b passes through the foot joint. Since the size of the foot varies from person to person, the positioning portion 26 is configured to be usable regardless of the size of the foot, such as the anti-slip portion 26c and the fastener, or configured to be selectable in a plurality of stages according to the size of the foot. The distance to the upper surface of the left foot support base 2a or the right foot support base 2b and the rotation axis 43b may be an average value obtained from an imaginary foot size of the user. Further, the following configuration may be adopted: size adjustment plates having different thicknesses and being detachably attached to the upper surfaces of the left foot support table 2a or the right foot support table 2b are superposed on each other, or the mounting positions of the swing plates 44 on the connecting shaft 43a and the rotating shaft 43b are adjustable.

The operation of the configuration shown in fig. 21 is substantially as shown in fig. 22. As described above, the operation of fig. 22 is an example, and the angle formed by the upper surfaces of the left foot support table 2a and the right foot support table 2b with respect to the horizontal plane can be set as appropriate. That is, the operation example shown in fig. 22 shows an example in which: as shown in fig. 22(b), when the crank pin 46a is located at an arbitrary position above and below the rotation center 45a of the eccentric rotary body 45, the upper surface of the left foot support base 2a or the right foot support base 2b becomes horizontal.

In fig. 22, if the right side is the front side, as shown in fig. 22(a), when the crank pin 46a is positioned in front of the rotation center 45a of the eccentric rotary body 45, the connecting shaft 43a is positioned further in front than the rotating shaft 43b, and as a result, the front end portion of the left foot support table 2a or the right foot support table 2b is positioned further above than the rear end portion. I.e. the heel is located further down than the toes. On the other hand, as shown in fig. 22(c), when the crank pin 46a is located further rearward with respect to the rotation center 45a of the eccentric rotary body 45, the connecting shaft 43a is located further rearward than the rotating shaft 43b, and the rear end portion of the left foot support stand 2a or the right foot support stand 2b is located further upward than the front end portion. I.e. the toes are located further down than the heel.

According to the above-described operation, by moving the position of the foot, the stretching of the muscle group of the leg of the user can be promoted, and by changing the angle of the foot joint, the muscle group of the lower leg can be stimulated. That is, since the muscle groups of the thigh and the lower leg can be stimulated in a coordinated manner by simulating the movement during walking, the simulation can be used for walking training during rehabilitation. Further, since the position of the foot is only slid and the thigh does not need to be lifted, the foot can be used even for a user suffering from knee joint pain or a user whose thigh muscle group has a low physical strength and is difficult to balance. Further, by contracting the muscle group of the leg, the muscle group around the joint of the foot can be mobilized, thereby preventing a decrease in the movable area of the joint, and the increase in venous circulation can be promoted by the contraction and expansion of the gastrocnemius muscle.

In the above-described operation, when the left foot support table 2a and the right foot support table 2b are positioned at the front end of the range of movement during the sliding movement, the toe is positioned above the heel, and when the left foot support table 2a and the right foot support table 2b are positioned at the rear end during the sliding movement, the heel is positioned above the toe, and therefore the movement approaches the natural movement during walking, which contributes to the walking training, but the change in the angle around the rotation axis 43b may be reversed. That is, when the left foot support table 2a and the right foot support table 2b are located at the front end of the movement range of the sliding movement, the heel may be located above the toe, and when they are located at the rear end of the sliding movement, the toe may be located above the heel. In the former action, the angle change of the foot joint is small, and in the latter action, the angle change of the foot joint is large, and therefore, the training for expanding the movable region of the joint can be facilitated. In particular, at the rear end of the sliding movement, the foot joint dorsiflexes, and thus the effect of elongating the achilles tendon can be enhanced.

However, in the above-described configuration example, since the position of the rotation shaft 43b is set so that the extension line of the shaft portion, which is the rotation center of the left foot support table 2a or the right foot support table 2b, passes through the foot joint of the user, even if the left foot support table 2a and the right foot support table 2b rotate about the rotation shaft 43b, the foot joint hardly moves in the up-down direction, and the load that moves in the up-down direction hardly acts on the foot joint. That is, the burden on the foot joints is small, and the center of gravity shift is reduced for the user, and the balance is easily maintained. Here, when the extension line of the pivot shaft 43b passes through the foot joint, the pivot shaft 43b must be positioned above the upper surfaces of the left and right foot support tables 2a and 2b, and therefore the vertical dimension of the bottom plate 1a will be increased accordingly.

In order to reduce the vertical dimension of the bottom plate 1a, the shaft portion is preferably disposed below the left foot support base 2a and the right foot support base 2 b. For example, if the left foot support base 2a and the right foot support base 2b are configured such that the shaft portion is disposed below the foot joint, the shaft portion is rotated by the second driving portion 33b, and the second driving portion 33b is slid by the first driving portion 33a, the vertical dimension of the bottom plate 1a can be reduced.

With this configuration, although the foot joint is displaced in the vertical direction in accordance with the sliding movement of the left foot support table 2a and the right foot support table 2b, the distance between the shaft and the foot joint can be minimized under the constraint that the shaft is disposed below the left foot support table 2a and the right foot support table 2b because the shaft is located directly below the foot joint, and the amount of displacement in the vertical direction of the foot joint can be reduced. The first driving unit 33a and the second driving unit 33b may be combined to simplify the configuration. For example, the following configuration may be adopted: the left foot support base 2a and the right foot support base 2b are slidably moved by the first drive unit 33a, and a rotating shaft as a shaft portion is provided on the left foot support base 2a and the right foot support base 2b, and a guide for changing the angle of the left foot support base 2a and the right foot support base 2b around the shaft portion is provided and used for the second drive unit 33b (the guide may be configured similarly to the relationship between the guide groove and the guide bar in the configuration of embodiment 2 described later).

In addition, when the shaft portions are provided on the left foot support base 2a and the right foot support base 2b, if the shaft portions are provided not at a position directly below the foot joints but at a position separated from the position directly below the foot joints, vertical displacement of the foot joints can be increased, and the shaft portions can be used for training of the balance function.

In the above configuration example, the direction in which the representative points of the left foot support base 2a and the right foot support base 2b move is orthogonal to the direction in which the shaft portion, that is, the rotating shaft 43b extends, but if both directions form an angle other than a right angle, a cross-axis worm gear and a bevel gear may be used instead of the spur gears 42 and 43.

Further, the first driving portion 33a and the second driving portion 33b may be adjusted to any angle by using a hook joint. In the case of using the hook type joint, the angle formed by the sliding direction of the representative point of the left foot support base 2a or the right foot support base 2b with respect to the front-rear direction of the bottom plate 1a can be adjusted for each member by constituting a member composed of the left foot support base 2a and the first and second driving portions 33a and 33b and a member composed of the right foot support base 2b and the first and second driving portions 33a and 33 b.

For example, if the rear end portions of the respective members are coupled to the base plate 1a by pins so as to be rotatable in a horizontal plane, and a plurality of pin holes are provided in the base plate 1a at a predetermined distance from the rotation center of the members, and a stopper pin provided in the members is inserted into any one of the pin holes, the sliding direction of the left foot support table 2a and the right foot support table 2b can be selected from a plurality of directions. In this configuration, since the movement locus of the left and right foot support tables 2a and 2b is linear and the angle formed by the straight line connecting the front end position and the rear end position of the movement locus with respect to the front-rear direction is adjustable, the movement direction setting unit is constituted by each member, the shaft pin, the stopper pin, and the pin hole.

Here, since the first drive portion 33a and the second drive portion 33b are coupled by the hook joint, the angle formed by the rotation plane orthogonal to the rotation axis 43b serving as the shaft portion with respect to the front-rear direction of the base plate 1a is maintained within the range of 5 to 15 degrees, and the direction of the sliding movement of the left foot support table 2a and the right foot support table 2b can be changed within a wider angle range. For example, the direction of the sliding movement of the left foot support base 2a and the right foot support base 2b may be set within a range of 5 to 45 degrees with respect to the front-rear direction of the base plate 1a (the angle is a left turn angle for the left foot support base 2a, and a right turn angle for the right foot support base 2 b).

In the above operation, the cycle of the first driving unit 33a and the cycle of the second driving unit 33b are identical, but a configuration in which the cycles of the first driving unit 33a and the second driving unit 33b are different may be employed. If the periods of the two are different, an unnatural motion different from the normal walking motion is formed, and therefore, training of special motion can be performed. Other configurations and operations are the same as those of embodiment 1.

Embodiment 4

The basic configuration of the present embodiment is the same as embodiment 3, but the configuration of the first driving unit 33a and the second driving unit 33b is different from embodiment 3. That is, as shown in fig. 23, the second driving unit 33b is configured such that the left foot support base 2a and the right foot support base 2b have a pair of side plates 27 protruding from lower portions on both left and right sides, respectively, and two guide rods 29 fixed to predetermined positions of the bottom plate 1a are inserted into cam grooves 28 penetrating through the side plates 27 on both left and right sides. The first driving unit 33a is configured similarly to embodiment 3, and has a configuration in which: one end of the crank lever 46 is coupled to an eccentric rotating body 45 that transmits a rotational force from the system separating portion 32, and the other end is coupled to the left foot support base 2a or the right foot support base 2b via a crank shaft 46 b.

The cam groove 28 is formed in a V shape in a side view such that both end portions are located lower than the central portion. Further, the two guide rods 29 are provided to support the load acting on the left foot support table 2a and the right foot support table 2 b.

In this configuration, as shown in fig. 24, when the left foot support table 2a and the right foot support table 2b are slid by the first driving portion 33a, the cam groove 28 moves along the guide rod 29, and the center portion of the cam groove 28 is located above both end portions, so that the angles of the upper surfaces of the left foot support table 2a and the right foot support table 2b change, and when the left foot support table 2a or the right foot support table 2b moves to the front end position, the toe is located below the heel, and when the left foot support table 2a or the right foot support table 2b moves to the rear end position, the heel is located below the toe.

In the above configuration, the angle change of the upper surfaces of the left and right foot support tables 2a and 2b can be arbitrarily set according to the shape of the cam groove 28, and the relationship between the position at which the left and right foot support tables 2a and 2b slide and the amount of displacement in the vertical direction of the foot joint can be appropriately adjusted according to the shape of the cam groove 28. Further, the predetermined rotation around the shaft portion when the angle of the upper surfaces of the left foot support table 2a and the right foot support table 2b is changed is not necessary, and the degree of freedom of the angle change pattern of the foot joint can be increased accordingly.

Further, if the shape of the cam groove 28 is a V shape with its upper and lower sides reversed instead of the inverted V shape, the toe can be positioned above the heel at the front end position in the movement range when the left and right foot support tables 2a and 2b slide, and the heel can be positioned above the toe at the rear end position. That is, in the configuration example shown in fig. 23, the relationship between the foot front-rear position and the foot joint angle is different from that in the walking state, but the same relationship as that in the walking state can be obtained by changing the shape of the cam groove 28. Further, each guide bar 29 is provided with a separate cam groove 28, and each cam groove 28 may be formed substantially in parallel.

In the illustrated example, the cam groove 28 is formed in a hole shape through which the guide rod 29 is inserted, but the side plate 27 may be a simple cam surface without a lower portion of the cam groove 28. When this structure is adopted, the dimension in the vertical direction can be reduced, and the bottom plate 1a can be made thin.

In the present embodiment, the configuration of the second driving portion 33b is different from that of embodiment 3, but the other configurations are the same as those of embodiment 3, and therefore, the description thereof is omitted.

Embodiment 5

In embodiment 1, the left foot support base 2a and the right foot support base 2b are rotatable about the axis Ay in the y direction, but may be rotatable about the axis Ax in the x direction, as shown in fig. 25, for example.

In the illustrated example, the inclination angle is set to: as shown in fig. 25(a), the front end position is tilted inward, and as shown in fig. 25(b), the front end position is horizontal, and as shown in fig. 25(c), the rear end position is tilted outward. In this way, since the inward tilting and the outward tilting are repeated while the left foot support base 2a and the right foot support base 2b move forward, backward, leftward and rightward, an acceleration of tilting acts on the upper body of the user. Since the reflex is generated to overcome the acceleration and prevent the body from falling, the muscles of the leg side portion are stimulated, and the muscle group for correcting the O-shaped leg and the X-shaped leg can be strengthened.

If the inclination angles of the left foot support base 2a and the right foot support base 2b are set at the front end position, the rear end position, and the initial position as in embodiment 1, the driving device 3 continuously changes the angles as the positions in the XY plane move.

The center of rotation about the axis Ax in the x direction may be set at the center positions of the left foot support base 2a and the right foot support base 2b in the y direction in the support base coordinate system, or may be set at appropriate positions inside and outside the left foot support base 2a and the right foot support base 2 b. The effect corresponding to the rotational center position is the same as that corresponding to the rotational center position around the axis Ay in the y direction in embodiment 1. Further, if the positions of the support legs on the left and right foot support tables 2a and 2b are adjusted in the y direction of the support table coordinate system, the amount of movement of the center of gravity in the left-right direction or the magnitude of the load can be changed according to the positions of the support legs.

In the illustrated example, the inclination angle changes as the positions of the left foot support base 2a and the right foot support base 2b move in the XY plane of the frame coordinate system, but the inclination angle may be adjusted according to the degrees of the O-leg and the X-leg, and may be used at a constant inclination angle regardless of the movement of the left foot support base 2a and the right foot support base 2 b. Other configurations and operations are the same as those of embodiment 1.

Embodiment 6

In embodiment 1, the left foot support base 2a and the right foot support base 2b are rotatable about an axis Ay in the y direction of the support base coordinate system, but fig. 26 shows an example in which they are rotatable about an axis Az in the z direction. In the above examples, the left foot support base 2a and the right foot support base 2b do not rotate about the axis Az in the z direction, and therefore the frame coordinate system and the support base coordinate system are aligned in the directions of the respective coordinate axes, but if they rotate about the axis Az in the z direction of the support base coordinate system, the X direction and the Y direction of the frame coordinate system and the X direction and the Y direction of the support base coordinate system are aligned.

Similarly to the case of rotation about the axis Ay in the x-direction or the y-direction, the case of rotation about the axis Az in the z-direction also includes the following cases: a case where the rotation angles of the left foot support base 2a and the right foot support base 2b are changed in accordance with the movement of the positions in the XY plane in the frame coordinate system; and the rotation angle is fixed regardless of the position shift.

In the illustrated example, when the rotation angle is changed, the angle between the X direction of the frame coordinate system and the X direction of the support table coordinate system becomes the largest at the rear end position of the movement trajectories La and Lb of the left and right foot support tables 2a and 2b, and the angle becomes the smallest at the front end position.

As described above, if the rotation angle of the rotation about the axis Az in the z direction of the support table coordinate system is changed in accordance with the position movement of the representative point in the XY plane of the frame coordinate system in the left and right foot support tables 2a and 2b, the hip joint rotates when viewed from the left and right legs, and the muscle group around the hip joint expands and contracts, and as a result, the flexibility of the hip joint can be improved. Further, the twist of the trunk can be increased as viewed from the entire user's body, and the irritation to the internal organs can be increased as compared with the case where the trunk is not rotated about the axis Az in the z direction.

In the above-described operation example, the left foot support base 2a and the right foot support base 2b are rotated about the axis Az of the support base coordinate system z direction in accordance with the position movement in the frame coordinate system XY plane, but if the rotation angle of the rotation about the axis Az of the z direction can be adjusted at a position where no shearing force acts on the knee joint and the adjusted rotation angle is maintained regardless of the movement position of the XY plane, even a user suffering from knee pain can use the knee pain without pain. Other configuration examples and operations are the same as those in embodiment 1.

In the above configuration example, it is assumed that: the left foot support table 2a and the right foot support table 2b pass through the same path during the forward movement and the backward movement while traveling straight, but may be configured so that the movement trajectories La and Lb are appropriately curved instead of traveling straight. The shape of the curve may be any suitable shape such as a curved line or a broken line other than a conic curve (circle, ellipse, parabola, hyperbola). Further, the paths may be made different between when moving forward and when moving backward. For example, the movement trajectories La and Lb may be elliptical. In either case, since the left-right width at the front end position and the left-right width at the rear end position in the movement trajectories La and Lb are different from each other, the shape formed by the straight line connecting the front end position and the rear end position of the left foot support table 2a and the straight line connecting the front end position and the rear end position of the right foot support table 2b is V-shaped or inverted V-shaped.

Hereinafter, an example of the movement trajectory La is described. In the movement trajectory La described below, the numbers indicated by circles in the drawing indicate the movement sequence. For example, fig. 27 shows 4 examples in which the movement locus La of a part of an arc or an elliptical arc is combined with the left foot support base 2 a. Fig. 27(a) shows a movement locus La of the front end position to the rear end position by two front and rear consecutive semicircles expanding outward. Fig. 27(b) shows a moving trajectory La of two semi-circles expanding inward in front and rear in series, contrary to fig. 27 (a). Fig. 27(c) shows a movement trajectory La of the front end position to the rear end position by the front-rear continuous one semicircle expanding inward and one semicircle expanding outward. Fig. 27(d) shows a movement trajectory La of a semi-circle expanding outward and a semi-circle expanding inward continuously in front and rear, contrary to fig. 27 (c). The figure illustrates a shape in which two semicircles are continuous, but may also be a shape in which a semiellipse is continuous.

The same movement trajectory La may be used for the movement from the rear end position to the front end position, or another movement trajectory La may be used. For example, any one of the movement trajectories La shown in fig. 27 may be used in the movement from the front end position to the rear end position, and the movement trajectory La may be linearly moved in the movement from the rear end position to the front end position.

Two examples shown in fig. 28 are 8-shaped movement trajectories La, and fig. 28(a) shows: the front end position is moved to the rear end position by the movement locus La of the front and rear consecutive outwardly-expanding semicircle and the inwardly-expanding semicircle, and the rear end position is moved to the front end position by the movement locus La of the front and rear consecutive outwardly-expanding semicircle and the inwardly-expanding semicircle. That is, the movement locus La in fig. 27(d) is adopted for the front end position to the rear end position, and the movement locus La opposite to the movement locus La in fig. 27(c) is adopted for the rear end position to the front end position.

Fig. 28(b) is opposite to that shown in fig. 28(a), and employs a movement locus La of fig. 27(c) for a position from the front end position to the rear end position, and employs a movement locus La opposite to the movement locus La of fig. 27(d) for a position from the rear end position to the front end position.

The 4-example shown in fig. 29 is a ∞ shaped movement locus La, and two kinds of movement loci La1 on the outer side and La2 on the inner side, which are elliptical shapes, are included as the movement locus La reciprocating in the front-rear direction. Here, the lateral movement trajectory La1 means a trajectory extending outward of the foot from the rear end position to the front end position, and the medial movement trajectory La2 means a trajectory extending inward of the foot from the rear end position to the front end position. The movement trajectories La1 and La2 are paths different between the forward movement and the backward movement. Of the movement trajectories La1 and La2, the trajectory that passes through the inside when moving relatively backward during forward movement is referred to as the inner circle, and the trajectory that passes through the outside when moving relatively backward during forward movement is referred to as the outer circle.

Fig. 29(a) shows that the outward and inward movement trajectories La1 and La2 are the movement trajectories La of the inner ring, and fig. 29(b) shows that the outward and inward movement trajectories La1 and La2 are the movement trajectories La of the outer ring. In fig. 29(c), the outer side movement locus La1 is an outer circle, the inner side movement locus La2 is an inner circle, in fig. 29(d), the outer side movement locus La1 is an inner circle, and the outer side movement locus La2 is an outer circle.

The movement trajectory La is shown as an example, but other paths may be used. The movement trajectory La described above also includes a trajectory that cannot be matched only by the shape of the rail 17, but can be realized by combining mechanical elements such as a cam and a clutch having an appropriate shape.

In the above example, the case where the left foot support base 2a and the right foot support base 2b are moved in the opposite phase and the case where the left foot support base 2a and the right foot support base 2b are moved out of the opposite phase are exemplified, but an operation of moving only one of the left foot support base 2a and the right foot support base 2b in a state where the other is stopped and an operation of alternately performing the operations in the left and right directions are also possible. In the above embodiments, it is assumed that the movement trajectories La and Lb of the left foot support base 2a and the right foot support base 2b have the same shape, but the left foot support base 2a and the right foot support base 2b may have different movement trajectories La and Lb, or may be operated to appropriately switch between the different movement trajectories La and Lb on the left and right.

In the above configuration example, the configuration in which the angles of the axis Ax around the X direction, the axis Ay around the Y direction, and the axis Az around the z direction are variable is shown, but these configurations are also applicable to the case where the left foot support base 2a and the right foot support base 2b are moved in the front-rear direction (X direction) or the left-right direction (Y direction), and even if the left foot support base 2a and the right foot support base 2b are not movable relative to the frame 1, they may be used alone. That is, the operation of changing the angles around the axes Ax, Ay, Az can be applied to the case where the movement trajectories La, Lb of the left and right foot support tables 2a, 2b do not have a V-shape or an inverted V-shape. Therefore, the operation of moving the representative point positions of the left foot support table 2a and the right foot support table 2b relative to the frame 1 and the operation of changing the angles around the axes Ax, Ay, Az may be controlled separately.

In this case, as a mechanism for moving the left foot support base 2a and the right foot support base 2b, the following configuration can be adopted: as shown in fig. 30, the threaded rod 51 is coupled to the left foot support base 2a and the right foot support base 2b by a rod-shaped screw (e.g., threaded rod) 51 and a pinion (e.g., worm) 52 engaged with the screw 51, and the worm 52 is rotated by the driving force of the motor 31.

In this configuration, since it is necessary to switch the rotation direction of the motor 31 when changing the direction in which the left and right foot support tables 2a and 2b move, position sensors 53a and 53b (two sensors are provided on the left and right foot support tables 2a and 2b to detect the front and rear end positions) for detecting the movement positions of the left and right foot support tables 2a and 2b are provided in advance, and the rotation direction of the motor 31 is switched by the outputs of the position sensors 53a and 53b (the control unit for controlling the motor 31 by the outputs of the position sensors 53a and 53b is omitted in the figure). As the position sensors 53a and 53b, a noncontact sensor or a photoelectric sensor can be used.

Since the left foot support table 2a and the right foot support table 2b are driven by one motor 31, when the phase relationship is in phase or in opposite phase, one is at the front end position, and the other is at the front end position (in phase) or the rear end position (in opposite phase). Therefore, the position sensor may be provided only on one of the left foot support base 2a and the right foot support base 2 b. In this configuration, instead of the position sensor, a rotary encoder that detects the rotation speed of the motor 31 or a configuration that detects the rotation speed of the motor 31 by monitoring a change in load current of the motor 31 may be employed.

When the movement trajectories La, Lb of the points represented by the left foot support base 2a and the right foot support base 2b are in the front-rear direction or the left-right direction, the direction of the rail 17 can be changed if the rail 17 is used, and the direction of the threaded rod 51 can be changed if the threaded rod 51 is used. If the engagement position of the threaded rod 51 and the worm 52 is changed, the phase relationship between the left foot support table 2a and the right foot support table 2b can be appropriately set.

(embodiment 7)

In the following embodiments, the operation of changing the angles around the axes Ax and Ay will be described. Hereinafter, the operation of moving the left foot support base 2a and the right foot support base 2b will not be described separately unless otherwise necessary.

In each of the above embodiments, the angle change about the axes Ax, Ay is set symmetrically with 0 degrees (horizontal) as the center position, but the center position may be shifted from the horizontal plane. For example, if the center position is shifted by 10 degrees about the axis Ay with respect to the horizontal plane (i.e., shifted to the dorsiflexion side), the effect of the achilles tendon elongation is increased if the maximum angle in dorsiflexion is 30 degrees and the maximum angle in plantarflexion is-10 degrees. In this way, the case where the center position of the angular change about the axes Ax and Ay is shifted from the horizontal plane is referred to as an offset, and the angle shifted from the horizontal plane is referred to as an offset angle.

In the case of the configuration of embodiment 1 shown in fig. 18, when the offset is applied, the shape of the guide surface 14 may be changed or the positional relationship between the bearing 21c and the dummy projection 25c may be changed. In the configuration of embodiment 3 shown in fig. 21, the mounting position of the eccentric rotary body 45 of the crank lever 46 provided in the second driving portion 33b may be changed, or the meshing position of the spur gears 42 and 43 may be changed. In the configuration of embodiment 4 shown in fig. 23, the shape of the cam groove 28 formed in the side plate 27 may be changed, or the positional relationship of the guide bar 29 with respect to the cam groove 28 may be changed.

Although any of the above-described configurations can be adopted to adjust the offset angle, in the configuration using the cam groove 28 and the guide lever 29, the offset angle can be adjusted by merely changing the position of the guide lever 29, and thus adjustment of the offset angle by the user becomes possible. Further, although the motor 31 can perform forward and reverse rotation, and the timing of switching the rotation direction can be controlled, a bias can be applied. However, in this case, the moving ranges of the left foot support base 2a and the right foot support base 2b also change. As described above, the upper surfaces of the left foot support base 2a and the right foot support base 2b may be inclined at a predetermined angle with respect to the horizontal plane, and the left foot support base 2a and the right foot support base 2b may be biased when they are moved.

As a method of applying the offset, a configuration of inclining the frame 1 and a configuration of inclining at least one of the left foot support base 2a and the right foot support base 2b may be adopted. In the configuration in which the frame 1 is inclined, since the offset cannot be applied to both the left foot support base 2a and the right foot support base 2b, the angle is adjusted not about the axis Ay in the Y direction of the support base coordinate system but about the axis in the X direction of the frame coordinate system or about the axis in the Y direction. When the inclination is applied around the axis in the X direction, the trunk of the user is inclined in the left-right direction, and thus the load is shifted to the left leg or the right leg, and the muscle group of one leg can be intensively strengthened.

In order to incline the frame 1, a lifting mechanism such as a crane may be added to the rear end of the frame 1, and the height position of the rear end of the frame 1 may be changed by the rotational force of a motor. The elevating mechanism may be configured to be elevated by an expansion bracket or a pantograph or configured to advance and retreat the threaded rod. The elevating mechanism is driven by a driving source such as a motor. Alternatively, a plurality of legs (screw-embedded legs) placed on the floor may be provided on the lower surface of the frame 1, and the length of each leg may be adjusted by adjusting the screwing amount of the screw, thereby inclining the upper surface of the frame 1 with respect to the floor.

The left foot support base 2a and the right foot support base 2b may be biased by changing the height position of each part of the sole of the foot by using an air bag type lifting mechanism that compresses and expands by air pressure, a lifting mechanism that uses magnetic attraction and repulsion force, or the like, in addition to a lifting mechanism such as a crane. Further, two dummy projections 25 are formed on the left foot support base 2a and the right foot support base 2b, respectively, and the dummy projections 25 are brought into contact with the guide surfaces 14 having different shapes, respectively, thereby biasing the x-direction axis Ax. Alternatively, a detachable auxiliary plate may be added to the upper surface of at least one of the left foot support base 2a and the right foot support base 2b to apply the bias. That is, if the upper surface of the auxiliary plate is inclined at an appropriate angle with respect to the lower surface, the angle becomes an offset angle.

As a configuration that can be expected to have the same effect as in the case of applying the bias, the following configuration can be adopted: as shown in fig. 31, at least one of the left foot support base 2a and the right foot support base 2b is formed in advance by a plurality of divided support bases 2c, and a part of the divided support bases 2c is lifted and lowered. In this configuration, the load acting on each of the divided support bases 2c from the sole is changed, for example, by providing the divided support bases 2c in the front and rear directions in advance and positioning the divided support base 2c at the rear slightly below the divided support base 2c at the front, the state of dorsiflexion is substantially achieved, and the same effect as that when the offset is applied to the dorsiflexion side can be expected.

In the structure in which the divided support base 2c is provided, as shown in fig. 32, two support columns 54 may be erected in the front and rear of the portion adjacent to the divided support base 2c, one end portion of each support column 54 in the front and rear of the divided support base 2c may be hinged to the upper end portion of each support column 54, and the other end portion of each divided support base 2c may be lifted and lowered by a lifting mechanism. The elevating mechanism may be configured to be elevated by an expansion bracket or a pantograph or configured to advance and retreat a threaded rod (the threaded rod 55 is used in the illustrated example). The elevating mechanism is driven by a driving source such as a motor (a worm (not shown) engaged with the screw rod 55 is rotated to advance and retract the screw rod 55 in the vertical direction).

When the left foot support base 2a and the right foot support base 2b are biased, the offset angles of the left foot support base 2a and the right foot support base 2b may be different from each other. Therefore, even a user having a diseased leg on one of the right and left sides can exercise the other leg.

The results of comparing the muscle activity and the shear force acting on the knee joint between the case (ィ) in which the 2.5 degree offset was applied to the dorsiflexion side and the case (ロ) in which no offset was applied are shown in fig. 33. Fig. 33 shows: the rotation of the axis Ay in the y direction is performed by setting the rotation center at the position of the foot joint, rotating the foot joint from the center position at rotation angles of 2 degrees, 6 degrees and 10 degrees, and reciprocating the left foot support table 2a and the right foot support table 2b in the directions of 45 degrees and-45 degrees (i.e., using the moving locus of the V-shape and the inverted V-shape) in the X direction at 1.6 Hz. The amplitude of movement of the left foot support table 2a and the right foot support table 2b was 20 mm. The shear force of the knee joint does not change greatly between the two and the muscle activity when the bias is applied is high.

The operations of the above embodiments may be appropriately selected or combined. The upper surface of the frame 1 is a flat surface, but may be a curved surface. That is, the left foot support base 2a and the right foot support base 2b may be configured to move along the curved surface of the upper surface of the frame 1. Further, if the guide surface 14 is not in a shape in which the inclination angle changes monotonously, but in a shape in which the left foot support table 2a and the right foot support table 2b repeatedly rise and fall a plurality of times while moving in the same direction between the rear end position and the front end position, it is possible to increase the number of repetitions of dorsiflexion and plantarflexion and to improve the stimulation to the muscle group of the lower leg portion.

In the above embodiments, the sliding movement of the left foot support table 2a and the right foot support table 2b and the change in the angle of the upper surface are performed simultaneously by using one motor 31, but instead of providing the system separating unit 32, the left foot support table 2a and the right foot support table 2b may be moved by using two motors. Further, not only the left foot support base 2a and the right foot support base 2b may be moved, but also the first driving unit 33a and the second driving unit 33b may be operated by using separate motors. In the case of such a configuration, a control circuit for driving the motors in association with each other is required. Further, the motor may be not only a rotary motor but also a linear motor.

Claims (21)

1. A passive exercise assisting device, characterized in that:

comprises a left foot support platform and a right foot support platform for respectively bearing the left foot and the right foot of a user, and a driving device for respectively moving the left foot support platform and the right foot support platform in a correlation manner,

the driving device is configured to reciprocate the left foot support table and the right foot support table so that the positions of the respective representative points in the left-right direction are changed as the positions in the front-rear direction are changed, and to move the left foot support table and the right foot support table so that the left-right direction distance at the front end position and the left-right direction distance at the rear end position in the movement locus of the representative points are different from each other.

2. The passive exercise assisting device according to claim 1, wherein: the driving device is configured to move the left foot support table and the right foot support table so that a distance in a left-right direction at a front end position in a movement locus of the representative point is larger than a distance in a left-right direction at a rear end position.

3. The passive exercise assisting device according to claim 1, wherein: the drive device is configured to move the left foot support table and the right foot support table so that a distance in a left-right direction at a front end position in a movement locus of the representative point is smaller than a distance in a left-right direction at a rear end position.

4. A passive exercise assisting device according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein: the driving device is configured to move the left foot support platform and the right foot support platform in a reverse phase with each other in the front-rear direction so that the center of gravity position of the user is maintained at a fixed position in the front-rear direction.

5. A passive exercise assisting device according to any one of claims 1-4, wherein: the driving device is configured to move the left foot support platform and the right foot support platform in a plane.

6. A passive exercise assisting device according to any one of claims 1-5, wherein: the driving device is configured to set the movement locus of the left foot support platform and the right foot support platform on a straight line.

7. A passive exercise assisting device according to any one of claims 1-6, wherein: the driving device is configured to rotate the left foot support platform and the right foot support platform around one axis in the foot width direction.

8. A passive exercise assisting device according to any one of claims 1-7, wherein: the driving device is configured to rotate the left foot support platform and the right foot support platform respectively around one vertical axis.

9. A passive exercise assisting device according to any one of claims 1 to 8, wherein: the driving device is configured to rotate the left foot support platform and the right foot support platform around one axis in the foot length direction.

10. A passive exercise assisting device, characterized in that:

comprises a left foot support platform and a right foot support platform for respectively bearing the left foot and the right foot of a user, and a driving device for respectively moving the left foot support platform and the right foot support platform in a correlation manner,

the driving device is configured to reciprocate the left foot support table and the right foot support table so that the respective representative points change the positions in the front-rear direction, and to rotate the left foot support table and the right foot support table about one axis in the foot width direction, respectively.

11. A passive exercise assisting device, characterized in that:

comprises a left foot support platform and a right foot support platform for respectively bearing the left foot and the right foot of a user, and a driving device for respectively moving the left foot support platform and the right foot support platform in a correlation manner,

the driving device is configured to reciprocate the left foot support table and the right foot support table so that the respective representative points change the positions in the front-rear direction, and to rotate the left foot support table and the right foot support table about one vertical axis, respectively.

12. A passive exercise assisting device, characterized in that:

comprises a left foot support platform and a right foot support platform for respectively bearing the left foot and the right foot of a user, and a driving device for respectively moving the left foot support platform and the right foot support platform in a correlation manner,

the driving device is configured to reciprocate the left foot support table and the right foot support table so that the respective representative points change the positions in the front-rear direction, and to rotate the left foot support table and the right foot support table about one axis in the foot length direction, respectively.

13. A passive exercise assisting device, characterized in that:

comprises a left foot support platform and a right foot support platform for respectively bearing the left foot and the right foot of a user, and a driving device for respectively moving the left foot support platform and the right foot support platform in a correlation manner,

the driving device is configured to reciprocate the left foot support table and the right foot support table so that the respective representative points change the positions in the left-right direction, and to rotate the left foot support table and the right foot support table about one axis in the foot width direction, respectively.

14. A passive exercise assisting device, characterized in that:

comprises a left foot support platform and a right foot support platform for respectively bearing the left foot and the right foot of a user, and a driving device for respectively moving the left foot support platform and the right foot support platform in a correlation manner,

the driving device is configured to reciprocate the left foot support table and the right foot support table so that the respective representative points change the positions in the left-right direction, and to rotate the left foot support table and the right foot support table about one vertical axis, respectively.

15. A passive exercise assisting device, characterized in that:

comprises a left foot support platform and a right foot support platform for respectively bearing the left foot and the right foot of a user, and a driving device for respectively moving the left foot support platform and the right foot support platform in a correlation manner,

the driving device is configured to reciprocate the left foot support table and the right foot support table so that the respective representative points change the positions in the left-right direction, and to rotate the left foot support table and the right foot support table about one axis in the foot length direction, respectively.

16. A passive exercise assisting device according to any one of claims 1-15 and comprising: the surface of at least one of the left foot support base and the right foot support base on which the foot is supported is configured to be offset at a predetermined angle with respect to a horizontal plane during operation of the drive device.

17. A passive exercise assisting device according to any one of claims 1-16, wherein: the drive device includes a stand on which the left foot support table, the right foot support table, and the drive device are mounted, and an upper surface of the stand is inclined at a predetermined angle with respect to a horizontal plane.

18. A passive exercise assisting device, characterized in that:

comprises a left foot support platform and a right foot support platform for respectively bearing the left foot and the right foot of a user, and a driving device for respectively moving the left foot support platform and the right foot support platform in a correlation manner,

the driving device is configured to reciprocate the left foot support table and the right foot support table so that the respective representative points change the positions in the front-rear direction, and the surface of at least one of the left foot support table and the right foot support table on which the foot is supported is offset at a predetermined angle from the horizontal plane during the operation of the driving device.

19. A passive exercise assisting device, characterized in that:

comprises a left foot support platform and a right foot support platform for respectively bearing the left foot and the right foot of a user, a driving device for respectively moving the left foot support platform and the right foot support platform in a correlation manner, and a stand provided with the left foot support platform, the right foot support platform and the driving device,

the driving device is configured to reciprocate the left foot support table and the right foot support table so that the respective representative points change the positions in the front-rear direction, and the upper surface of the stand is inclined at a predetermined angle with respect to the horizontal plane.

20. A passive exercise assisting device, characterized in that:

comprises a left foot support platform and a right foot support platform for respectively bearing the left foot and the right foot of a user, and a driving device for respectively moving the left foot support platform and the right foot support platform in a correlation manner,

the driving device is configured to reciprocate the left foot support table and the right foot support table so that the respective representative points change the positions in the left-right direction, and the surface of at least one of the left foot support table and the right foot support table on which the foot is supported is offset at a predetermined angle from the horizontal plane during the operation of the driving device.

21. A passive exercise assisting device, characterized in that:

comprises a left foot support platform and a right foot support platform for respectively bearing the left foot and the right foot of a user, a driving device for respectively moving the left foot support platform and the right foot support platform in a correlation manner, and a stand provided with the left foot support platform, the right foot support platform and the driving device,

the driving device is configured to reciprocate the left foot support table and the right foot support table so that the respective representative points change the positions in the left-right direction, and the upper surface of the stand is inclined at a predetermined angle with respect to the horizontal plane.