JP2017000647A - Exercise unit and exercise chair and retractable exercise chair using this exercise unit - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide an exercise unit for training inner muscles (especially, musculus psoas major) forming a body trunk and more specifically, maintaining muscle strength of elderly people (especially, maintaining muscle strength used in walking).SOLUTION: An exercise unit comprises: a support member having a reverse L shape, a reverse C shape, a T shape, a square shape, a reverse triangular shape, or a shape combining these shapes; a pair of swing arm members pivotally supported on the support member and provided in a vertically swingable manner around a fulcrum; and loading means provided so as to connect the support member and the swing arm members at positions different from the pivotally supported positions. The swing arm member comprises a protective material for hooking or fixing a foot to a front end part. The loading means generates a downward load when an upward force is applied to the swing arm members.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

The present invention relates to an exercise unit for training a so-called inner muscle (particularly the large psoas muscle) that forms the trunk. More specifically, the present invention mainly relates to an exercise unit for maintaining the muscle strength of the elderly (particularly, maintaining the muscle strength used during walking).
The present invention also relates to an exercise unit that can be easily used as an exercise chair or a storage type exercise chair by attaching the exercise unit to the lower surface of a seat plate of a normal chair used in a dining table or a living room.
Furthermore, the present invention relates to an exercise chair and a retractable exercise chair using the exercise unit.

  Various exercise devices have been developed in the past, and various devices for training the lower limbs (foot, leg) have been developed. Here, a leg press, a leg curl, a leg extension, etc. are common as instruments for training the lower limbs. For example, Patent Document 1 discloses a stretch chair that can perform two of the exercises. (FIG. 2 of Patent Document 1 is a leg press, and FIG. 3 of Patent Document 1 is a leg extension).

  However, exercise with these instruments puts a heavy load on the quadriceps, biceps, great gluteus, midgastric, semi-tendon-like, semi-membranous, abdominal muscles, etc. It is. Therefore, although [0001] of Patent Document 1 describes that the elderly are targeted, it still has a problem that it is difficult for elderly people to use. There is also a problem that the structure of the instrument becomes complicated.

On the other hand, as humans become older, walking ability (walking posture, speed, stride) and standing up movements decrease, so it is important for elderly people to maintain muscle strength used for walking and standing up. Become.
The psoas muscle is a muscle used for walking and standing up. This psoas major muscle is a part of the intestinal psoas muscle, and is mainly used for raising the thigh. It is also a muscle for flexing the hip joint, supporting the spine and pelvis, and lifting the buttocks. If the muscle strength of the psoas muscles declines, the posture of the dorsum and lower abdomen will come out, resulting in constipation (digestion), swelling, etc., and further back pain and slight steps. There will be negative effects such as getting stuck or falling.
Therefore, for the elderly, it is important to train muscles such as the quadriceps and greater gluteal muscles with instruments such as leg presses, leg curls, and leg extensions, but it is also important to train the psoas muscles. It comes. Training these muscles is also important for people who need rehabilitation due to illness or disability.

Here, as a method of training the psoas muscle, the exercise of raising and lowering the thigh is a basic exercise, and as an instrument for performing such an exercise, there are instruments such as reglaise and knee raise.
However, all of these devices are heavily loaded and require strong muscular strength for exercise itself, which makes it difficult for elderly people to implement.
On the other hand, as a method for the elderly to train the psoas muscle, exercises in which the thigh is raised and lowered while standing or the leg (knee) is raised and lowered while sitting on a chair are widely known. In any of these exercises, when the thighs or legs are pulled up, the psoas major muscles are loaded, so that the exercise effect is improved. However, since the load is small, the exercise effect cannot be increased unless the number of raising and lowering is increased. Therefore, it is difficult for the elderly to exercise, and as a result, the habit of exercising does not take root, and there is a problem that the exercise is stopped on the way.

  Accordingly, various devices have been developed for the purpose of maintaining and improving the muscular strength of the elderly as described above (see Patent Documents 2 to 5).

JP 2003-126293 A JP 60-212180 A JP 2006-288784 A JP 2006-34696 A JP 2008-110149 A

  However, the exercise chairs described in Patent Documents 2 and 3 are all devices that put a load on the muscles when stepping on the feet. In other words, it is an instrument that performs an exercise that exerts a load on the quadriceps, etc. (exercise close to a leg press), and is an instrument that has a low exercise effect for the psoas major. In addition, the exercise chair described in Patent Document 3 is an instrument that focuses on massage (acupressure) rather than exercise.

Next, the exercise chairs described in Patent Documents 4 and 5 have a structure in which a load is applied when the legs are raised, so that the exercise chair can be used to exercise the psoas muscle.
However, the exercise chairs described in Patent Documents 4 and 5 have a complicated structure and a large scale. In addition, there is only a use as an exercise device from the beginning, and there is no technical idea that a normal chair can be used as an exercise device. Moreover, there is no technical idea of storing the exercise unit and using it as a normal chair when not exercising.

As a result of intensive studies, the inventor of the present application has come to develop an exercise unit that can exercise around the psoas major while having a simple structure. And it was confirmed that this exercise unit can maintain the muscular strength of the elderly (especially, the muscular strength used during walking).
In addition, since the exercise unit has a simple structure, it can be easily attached to the underside of the chair's seat, and it can be easily used as an exercise chair by attaching it to a chair used in a dining table or living room. Can do it.
Furthermore, by providing a slide mechanism in such an exercise unit, the exercise unit can be stored on the lower surface of the seat plate of the chair, and when not exercising, the exercise unit can be stored and used as a normal chair. .

The present invention has been made in view of the above-described conventional problems, and an object of the present invention is to provide an exercise unit for training a so-called inner muscle (particularly the psoas major muscle) that forms the trunk. Specifically, the purpose is mainly to provide an exercise unit for maintaining the muscular strength of the elderly (especially maintaining the muscular strength used during walking).
The purpose of the exercise unit is to provide an exercise unit that can be easily used as an exercise chair or a retractable exercise chair by attaching the exercise unit to the lower surface of the seat plate of a chair used in a dining table or living room. It is.
It is another object of the present invention to provide an exercise chair and a retractable exercise chair using the exercise unit.

  In order to achieve the above object, an exercise unit according to claim 1 of the present invention has an inverted L shape, an inverted C shape, a T shape, a square shape, an inverted triangle shape, or a combination of these shapes. A support member having a pivot, and a pair of swing arm members pivotally supported by the support member and swingable in the vertical direction around the pivot point, and the support member and the swing arm member are connected at a position different from the pivot position. The swing arm member is provided with a protective member for hooking a foot on the front end portion or fixing the foot, and the load means has an upward force acting on the swing arm member. It is characterized in that it sometimes causes a downward load.

  In the exercise unit according to claim 2 of the present invention, the load means includes a shaft provided on the support member and the swing arm member, two U-shaped members, a core material, and a spring, The U-shaped members are pivotally supported on the shafts provided on the members and the swing arm members so as to rotate about the respective shafts. Of the U-shaped members, the core material is provided on one U-shaped member. While connecting, the other U-shaped member is provided with a through-hole to allow the core material to pass therethrough, and a spring is provided between one U-shaped member and the other U-shaped member and the core material. It is characterized by being provided around the.

  The exercise unit according to claim 3 of the present invention is characterized in that the load means is one in which a spring, a gas spring, a shock absorber, or a drive cylinder is connected to the support member and the swing arm member.

  The exercise unit according to claim 4 of the present invention is such that the load means is connected to a position below the pivot position in the support member and a position behind the pivot position in the swing arm member. It is characterized by that.

  The exercise unit according to claim 5 of the present invention is characterized in that the support member is provided with a stopper member for preventing the swing arm member from swinging downward from a predetermined position.

  The exercise unit according to claim 6 of the present invention is characterized in that a slide mechanism that slides in the horizontal direction is provided on an upper portion of the support member.

  An exercise chair according to a seventh aspect of the present invention is characterized in that the exercise unit according to any one of the first to fifth aspects is provided on a lower surface of a seat plate of the chair.

  A retractable exercise chair according to an eighth aspect of the present invention is characterized in that the exercise unit according to the sixth aspect is provided on a lower surface of a seat plate of the chair.

  According to the exercise unit and the exercise chair according to the present invention, by providing the support member, the pair of swing arm members, and the load means for connecting the support member and the swing arm member, the psoas muscle can be formed with a simple structure. It is possible to realize an exercise unit that can perform exercises centered on muscle maintenance (especially for elderly people). Further, by attaching such an exercise unit to the lower surface of a seat plate of a chair used in a dining table or a living room, a normal chair can be easily made into an exercise chair.

  According to the exercise unit according to claims 2 to 4 of the present invention, while adopting a specific structure for the load means or installing the load means so as to have a specific positional relationship, while making a simpler structure, Said effect can be expressed.

  According to the exercise unit of the fifth aspect of the present invention, the swinging of the swing arm member can be more accurately controlled by providing the stopper member on the support member.

  According to the exercise unit according to claim 6 of the present invention, the swing arm member can be slid according to the user's physique (position of the foot) by providing the slide mechanism on the upper part of the support member, and as a result, The protective material can be set at an optimum position with respect to the user's foot.

  According to the retractable exercise chair according to claim 8 of the present invention, by installing the exercise unit according to claim 6 on the lower surface of the seat plate of the chair, the chair in use can be easily made into a retractable exercise chair. Can do. That is, when not exercising, the exercise unit can be stored and used as a normal chair.

It is a schematic diagram which shows an example of the exercise unit and exercise chair which concern on this invention. It is the expansion schematic diagram which showed the principal part among the exercise units of FIG. It is a schematic diagram which shows the load means of the exercise unit of FIG. It is a schematic diagram which shows the operating state of the load means of the exercise unit of FIG. It is a schematic diagram which shows the slide mechanism of the exercise chair of FIG. It is a schematic diagram which shows the use condition of the exercise chair of FIG.

Embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. The embodiment described below is merely an example embodying the present invention, and does not limit the technical scope of the present invention.
FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram showing an example of an exercise unit and an exercise chair according to the present invention, FIG. 2 is an enlarged schematic diagram showing the main part of the exercise unit in FIG. 1, and FIG. 3 is an exercise in FIG. FIG. 4 is a schematic diagram showing an operating state of the load means of the exercise unit of FIG. 1, and FIG. 5 is a schematic diagram showing a slide mechanism of the exercise chair of FIG.

(Basic configuration)
First, the structure of the exercise unit according to the present invention will be described with reference to FIG.
As shown in FIG. 1, an exercise unit 1 according to the present invention includes a support member 2, a pair of swing arm members 3, and load means 4 as main components.

  Next, each component requirement will be described.

(Support member)
The support member 2 is a member that supports the swing arm member 3 and the load means 4, and serves as a so-called “spine” of the exercise unit 1 according to the present invention. The shape of the support member 2 is not particularly limited as long as it can support the swing arm member 3 and the load means 4, and is not limited to an inverted C shape as shown in FIG. Various shapes such as a T shape, a square shape, and an inverted triangle shape can be employed.

(Swing arm member)
The swing arm member 3 is swung up and down by the user (leg) and is composed of a pair of rod-shaped members.
The swing arm member 3 is installed by being pivotally supported on the support member 2 by the main shaft 5. Here, there is no particular limitation as to which position of the rod-like swing arm member 3 is pivotally supported by the support member 2 (“pivot position”), but the exercise unit 1 according to the present invention will be described later. In addition, since the front end 6 of the swing arm member 3 is swung up and down by the user's (leg), the rod-shaped swing arm member 3 so as to allow a larger swing range (movable range). It is preferable to pivotally support the support member 2 at a position behind the center. Further, regarding the “pivot support position”, the swing arm members 3 of the pair of swing arm members 3 can be pivotally supported on the support member 2 at different positions, but the pair of swing arm members 3 are the same. Since the exercise effect of the user is improved when the user moves (the left and right legs of the user perform the same movement), the same “pivot position” (in FIG. 1 to 4, the pivot position). It is preferable to pivot at 7).
The swing arm member 3 is provided with a protective material 8 for hooking a user's foot or fixing the foot to the front end portion 6. The protective material 8 in FIG. 1 is a cylindrical cushion that hooks the user's foot, but is not particularly limited as long as it can hook the user's foot or fix the foot. Alternatively, a configuration in which the foot is placed on a plate-like member and the instep is fixed with a belt or the like may be employed.

(Loading means)
The load means 4 is for connecting the support member 2 and the swing arm member 3 and generates a load when the user swings the swing arm member 3 up and down.
Here, regarding the installation position of the load means 4, it is necessary to connect the support member 2 and the swing arm member 3 at a position different from the pivot position 7. By connecting the support member 2 and the swing arm member 3 at such a position, a load can be applied to the swing arm member 3 when the swing arm member 3 swings up and down. That is, when the swing arm member 3 swings up and down, the pivot position 7 is a fulcrum, the front end portion 6 (protective material 8) of the swing arm member 3 is a force point, and the connecting portion between the swing arm member 3 and the load means 4 9 becomes an action point, and as a result, the swinging motion of the swing arm member 3 by the user's (leg) acts on the load means 4 (the connecting portion 9) which becomes the action point, thereby exercising.

  In addition, as a specific installation form (position) of the load means 4, for example, as shown in FIGS. 1 to 4, the support member 2 and the load means 4 are coupled at a position below the pivot position 7 and swing. The form which connects the arm member 3 and the load means 4 in the back position rather than the pivot position 7 is mentioned. Further, the support member 2 and the load means 4 are connected at a position above the pivot support position 7, and the swing arm member 3 and the load means 4 are connected at a position behind the pivot support position 7 ( There can also be mentioned an installation configuration in which the positional relationship is exactly opposite to the configuration shown in FIGS.

The load means 4 is not particularly limited as long as it generates a load, and various means having a function of generating a load by being deformed, such as a spring, a gas spring, a shock absorber, and a drive cylinder, are adopted. can do. For example, the load means can be configured by connecting a spring or the like to the support member and the swing arm member. Among them, the load means may be configured such that the spring is pivotally supported by the support member and the swing arm member, respectively, and the spring and the like are connected to expand and contract while rotating about the axis. preferable.
Among such load means, the shafts 10a and 10b and the two shafts 10a and 10b as shown in FIGS. 1 to 4 (particularly FIG. 3) are provided in view of the simple structure and easy adjustment of the load. It is preferable to adopt a U-shaped member 11a, 11b, a core material 12, and a spring 13 as main components. More specifically, it is preferable to employ one having the following structure.
1) Two U-shaped members 11a and 11b are pivotally supported on a shaft 10a provided on the support member 2 so that the U-shaped member 11a rotates about the shaft 10a. 11b has a structure that pivotally supports the shaft 10b provided on the convex fixing jig 14 connected to the swing arm member 3 so as to rotate about the shaft 10b.
2) The core material 12 is connected to the U-shaped member 11a, and the U-shaped member 11b is provided with a through hole 15 so as to penetrate the core material 12 through the through hole 15.
3) The spring 13 is provided between the two U-shaped members 11a and 11b and around the core member 12. Although not shown, a washer may be provided at a portion where the U-shaped members 11a and 11b and the spring 13 are in contact to suppress the spring 13 from being displaced.
With the above structure, the core member 12 penetrates the U-shaped member 11b as shown in FIG. 4B when the swing arm member 3 swings upward while having a simple structure. As a result, the spring 13 contracts.

(Stopper member)
Further, with respect to the exercise unit 1 according to the present invention, the swing arm member 3 slid upward by the user is returned downward by the load means 4 (the contracted spring 13 is about to extend) than the original position. A stopper member 16 can also be provided to prevent it from swinging downward. The exercise unit 1 shown in FIGS. 1 to 4 has a structure in which a shock absorbing rubber material 17 is provided below the stopper member 16.
Further, the installation position of the stopper member 16 is not particularly limited. However, as shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the swing arm member 3 has a simple structure and easy adjustment. It is preferable to install it on the support member 2 on the opposite side of the load means 4 with respect to.

(Exercise chair)
The exercise unit 1 according to the present invention can be attached to the lower surface 20 of a seat plate 19 of a chair 18 used in a living room or the like as shown in FIG.
Therefore, the exercise unit 1 according to the present invention can be any chair that can secure a height that can swing the swing arm member 3 between the seat plate 19 and the floor surface. By attaching to the chair, the chair in use can be easily changed to the exercise chair 21.

(Slide mechanism)
In the exercise unit 1 according to the present invention, a slide mechanism 22 can be provided above the support member 2. FIG. 5 is a schematic view showing a slide mechanism of the exercise chair of FIG. As an outline, the structure is such that the upper part of the support member 2 is sandwiched between two rectangular members 23a and 23b. Specifically, the structure is as follows.
1) Rail members 24a and 24b are respectively provided on the surfaces of the two rectangular members 23a and 23b that are in contact with the support member 2, and slide members 25a that slide in the rail members 24a and 24b are provided on the surfaces of the support member 2 that are in contact with the rectangular members. 25b is provided.
2) The slide members 25a and 25b are inserted into the rail members 24a and 24b of the rectangular members 23a and 23b so that the upper portion of the support member 2 is sandwiched between the rectangular members 23a and 23b.
With the structure as described above, the exercise unit 1 according to the present invention can not only make the chair in use an exercise chair easily, but also when the exercise unit does not exercise by providing the slide mechanism 22. 1 can be stored and used as a normal chair.
Further, the swing arm member can be slid in accordance with the user's physique (foot position), and as a result, the protective material can be set at an optimal position with respect to the user's foot.

  Further, in the slide mechanism 22 shown in FIG. 5, the slide members 25a and 25b are prevented from colliding with both ends of the rail members 24a and 24b when the slide members 25a and 25b are moved vigorously. In order to temporarily fix 25a and 25b at both ends of the rail members 24a and 24b, shock absorbers 26a and 26b (rubber materials in FIG. 5) are provided at both ends of the rail members 24a and 24b and the slide members 25a and 25b. , Which also functions as a bushing material).

  In FIG. 5, the slide mechanism employs a structure having two rectangular members 23a and 23b, rail members 24a and 24b, and slide members 25a and 25b as main components. However, the slide mechanism of the present invention is not limited thereto. Instead of this, various slide mechanisms can be employed.

  Next, the operation and action of the exercise unit 1 (exercise chair 21) configured as described above will be described. FIG. 6 is a schematic diagram showing a use state of the exercise chair of FIG.

  First, the user 27 sits on the exercise chair 21 and hangs both feet on the protective material 8.

  Next, as shown in FIG. 6, the left protective member 8 (the front end portion 6 of the left swing arm member 3) is swung upward by raising the left foot. Then, as shown in FIG. 2B, the connecting portion 9 between the swing arm member 3 and the load means 4 swings downward with the pivot position 7 as a fulcrum, so that the spring 13 of the load means 4 contracts. Will do.

  As a result, a force to return the spring 13 (a force to extend) is generated, and a downward load is generated on the protective member 8 (the front end portion 6 of the swing arm member 3). . As a result, the user's left lower limb (especially the psoas muscle, which is a muscle used during walking) is trained.

  Next, after lowering the left foot, the right protective member 8 (the front end portion 6 of the right swing arm member 3) is swung upward by raising the right foot. Then, the same operation as described above is performed by the right swing arm member 3 and the load means 4, and as a result, the user's right lower limb (especially, the psoas muscle which is a muscle used during walking) is trained. It will be done. By repeating these operations, exercise of the user's lower limbs (especially the psoas muscle which is a muscle used during walking) is performed. It is also possible to perform such exercises in a comfortable posture while sitting on a chair.

  Here, since the load means 4 has the core material 12, as shown in FIGS. 2B and 4B, even when the spring 13 contracts, the core material 12 performs the contracting operation of the spring 13. By serving as a guide, the spring 13 can be properly contracted without meandering. That is, an appropriate load can be generated in the load means 4. Furthermore, since the U-shaped member 11b of the load means 4 is provided with a through hole 15, as shown in FIG. 4B, when the spring 13 contracts, the core material 12 is made into the through hole 15. The core member 12 can be penetrated (the core member 12 is allowed to escape through the through hole 15). Therefore, the spring 13 can be appropriately contracted without causing the spring 13 to meander significantly (appropriate load can be generated). ).

  Further, the exercise unit (exercise chair) according to the present invention may be any chair as long as it can secure a height capable of swinging the swing arm member 3 between the seat plate 19 and the floor surface. By attaching to the lower surface of the seat plate, the chair in use can be easily made into an exercise chair.

  Next, the operation and action of the retractable exercise chair according to the present invention will be described.

As shown in FIGS. 1 (a) and 5 (a), the retractable exercise chair 28 according to the present invention slides the slide members 25a and 25b of the slide mechanism 22 forward when in use. (Protective material 8) is pulled out forward and used as exercise chair 21 by temporarily fixing it using cushioning material 26a, 26b (bushing material).
After the exercise, as shown in FIGS. 1B and 5B, the exercise unit 1 (protective member 8) is moved under the seat plate 19 by sliding the slide members 25a and 25b backward. It can be used as a normal chair 18 by being stored in the box.
Therefore, the retractable exercise chair according to the present invention can be used as a normal chair by storing the exercise unit not only when the exercise chair is not used, but also when the exercise chair is not used. Become.
Further, the swing arm member can be slid in accordance with the user's physique (foot position), and as a result, the protective material can be set at an optimum position with respect to the user's foot.

  The exercise unit of the present invention, and an exercise chair and a retractable exercise chair using the exercise unit can be used as those for training a so-called inner muscle (particularly the large psoas muscle) that forms the trunk.

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Exercise unit 2 Support member 3 Swing arm member 4 Loading means 5 Main shaft 6 Front end part 7 Pivoting position 8 Protective material 9 Connection part 10a Shaft 10b Shaft 11a U-shaped member 11b U-shaped member 12 Core material 13 Spring 14 Fixing jig 15 Through hole 16 Stopper member 17 Rubber member 18 Chair 19 Seat plate 20 Lower surface 21 of the seat plate Exercise chair 22 Slide mechanism 23a Rectangular member 23b Rectangular member 24a Rail member 24b Rail member 25a Slide member 25b Slide member 26a Buffer Material 26b Buffer material 27 User 28 Retractable exercise chair

Claims (8)

A support member having an inverted L shape, an inverted C shape, a T shape, a square shape, an inverted triangle shape, or a combination of these shapes;
A pair of swing arm members pivotally supported by the support member and swingable in the vertical direction around the pivot point;
Load means provided to connect the support member and the swing arm member at a position different from the pivot position;
The swing arm member is
It has a protective material for hooking or fixing the foot to the front end,
The load means is
An exercise unit, wherein a downward load is generated when an upward force is applied to the swing arm member.
The load means is
Shafts provided on the support member and the swing arm member;
Two U-shaped members;
A core material,
With a spring,
The U-shaped members are pivotally supported on the shafts provided on the support member and the swing arm member so as to rotate around the shafts, respectively.
Among the U-shaped members, a core material is connected to one U-shaped member and a through hole is provided in the other U-shaped member so as to penetrate the core material,
And springs
2. The exercise unit according to claim 1, wherein the exercise unit is provided between the one U-shaped member and the other U-shaped member and around the core member.
The load means is
In the support member and the swing arm member,
2. The exercise unit according to claim 1, wherein any one of a spring, a gas spring, a shock absorber, and a drive cylinder is connected.
The load means is
4. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the support member is provided so as to be connected to a position below the pivot position of the support member and a position behind the pivot position of the swing arm member. The exercise unit according to any one of the above.
The stopper member for preventing the said swing arm member from rock | fluctuating below a predetermined position in the said support member was provided, The Claim 1 characterized by the above-mentioned. Exercise unit.

The exercise unit according to any one of claims 1 to 5, wherein a slide mechanism that slides in a horizontal direction is provided on an upper portion of the support member.
An exercise chair comprising the exercise unit according to any one of claims 1 to 5 provided on a lower surface of a seat plate of the chair.
A storage type exercise chair, wherein the exercise unit according to claim 6 is provided on a lower surface of a seat plate of the chair.