Training device and training system

Abstract

To provide a training device permitting efficient training in accordance with practical movements of sports.SOLUTION: A training device 1 includes: a cable 4 delivered with movements of a user; a reel 5 for winding the cable 4; a rotary encoder 8 for detecting a rotational state of the reel 5; a magnetic viscous fluid device 9 for imparting a brake force to the reel 5; and a control unit 10 for calculating a stroke quantity of the cable 4 based on an output value of the rotary encoder 8. The control unit 10 changes the size of a training load in the process of movements by controlling the brake force based on the stroke quantity.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a training device and a training system. [Background technology]

[0002] When strengthening muscles or carrying out rehabilitation, training equipment that utilizes weights is often used. Such training equipment for weight training is generally designed to perform a predetermined movement that applies a load intensively to a specific muscle or part of the body as a target for muscle training, and the size of the load can be adjusted by changing the weight of the weight.

[0003] On the other hand, training equipment capable of adjusting the magnitude of the load without using weights is also known. For example, the muscle training equipment disclosed in Patent Documents 1 and 2 is configured so that the trainee rotates a handle-shaped operating part, and electromagnetic rotational resistance is applied to resist the operation. More specifically, these conventional techniques place a rotating body that rotates in conjunction with the trainee's rotation of the handle in an electrorheological fluid or a magnetorheological fluid, and adjust the load received by the user by controlling the magnitude of the electricity or magnetism applied to the viscous fluid to control the viscous resistance to the rotation. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0004] [Patent Document 1] JP 2002-126122 A [Patent Document 2] Patent No. 4956808 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0005] However, the above-mentioned training equipment applies load to simple movements that focus on the muscles and body parts to be trained, so the load is not necessarily suitable for practical sports movements, and there is a risk that efficient training cannot be performed. In addition, with conventional training equipment, the movement form is limited by the structure of the equipment, so training that links the muscles of the entire body cannot be performed, and it is particularly unsuitable for training aimed at improving the performance of professional athletes.

[0006] The present invention has been made in consideration of the above circumstances, and its purpose is to provide a training device and a training system that enable efficient training in line with practical sports movements. [Means for solving the problem]

[0007] <First aspect of the present invention> A first aspect of the present invention is a training device comprising a cable that is reeled out in response to a user's movement, a measuring means that measures the stroke amount of the cable, a magnetorheological fluid device that applies a braking force to the cable, and a control unit that calculates the stroke amount of the cable based on an output value of the measuring means, wherein the control unit changes the magnitude of the training load during the course of the movement by controlling the braking force based on the stroke amount.

[0008] The training device according to the first aspect of the present invention is capable of changing the magnitude of the load during the training movement by calculating the stroke amount of the cable accompanying the training movement and changing the braking force for the payout of the cable according to the stroke amount. In this case, the user's movements in three-dimensional space are not restricted by the structure of the device, and the training load is received during actual movements that involve, for example, coordination of the muscles of the entire body, so that training can be efficiently performed in line with practical movements in sports.

[0009] <Second aspect of the present invention> A second aspect of the present invention is a training device according to the first aspect of the present invention described above, wherein the measuring means includes a reel that winds up the cable and a rotary encoder that detects the rotational state of the reel, and the reel, the rotary encoder, and the magnetorheological fluid device have a common axis of rotation.

[0010] According to the training device of the second aspect of the present invention, the main rotating mechanisms can be arranged close together in a straight line, making the entire device compact. In addition, loss in torque transmission between components is reduced, improving the accuracy of stroke amount detection and the braking force of the magnetorheological fluid device.

[0011] <Third aspect of the present invention> A third aspect of the present invention is a training device according to the first or second aspect of the present invention described above, which is provided with a cable angle detection unit that detects a cable angle at which the cable is reeled out, and the control unit controls the braking force in relation to the stroke amount and the cable angle.

[0012] According to the training device of the third aspect of the present invention, in addition to the cable stroke amount, the cable angle at which the cable extends can be detected, so that the state of the user's movements at each moment can be recognized more accurately, and the magnitude of the training load can be changed not only with respect to the stroke amount but also with respect to the cable angle.

[0013] <Fourth aspect of the present invention> A fourth aspect of the present invention is a training system in which a plurality of training devices according to the first or second aspect of the present invention described above are arranged at a distance from each other, and the plurality of training devices cooperate to control the direction of the training load.

[0014] According to the training system of the fourth aspect of the present invention, a training load can be generated by the resultant vector of the loads applied at each instant to the cables of multiple training devices, so that not only the magnitude but also the direction of the training load can be changed during the training movement, enabling training that is more suitable for practical movements to be performed.

[0015] <Fifth aspect of the present invention> A fifth aspect of the present invention is a training system comprising a training device according to the first or second aspect of the present invention described above, and a displacement device that displaces a position of the training device, wherein the control unit adjusts the position of the training device according to the physique of the user and the type of movement.

[0016] According to the training system of the fifth aspect of the present invention, by inputting information on the physique of the user of the training device and information on the type of movement, it is possible to automatically move and position the training device in accordance with this information, for example, before training.

[0017] <Sixth aspect of the present invention> A sixth aspect of the present invention is a training system according to the fifth aspect of the present invention described above, comprising an imaging device that images the user, and the control unit measures the physique of the user based on information from the imaging device.

[0018] According to the training system of the sixth aspect of the present invention, since the imaging device can read the physique information of the user, the training device can be automatically moved to an appropriate position based on the physique information.

[0019] <Seventh aspect of the present invention> A seventh aspect of the present invention is a training system according to the fifth aspect of the present invention described above, further comprising an imaging device for imaging the user, and the control unit changes the position of the training device during the course of the movement based on information from the imaging device.

[0020] According to the training system of the seventh aspect of the present invention, the process of the training movement can be read by an imaging device, and the training device can be moved to match the user's movement form, which changes from moment to moment. This makes it possible to change the direction of the load according to the trajectory of the movement, thereby generating a training load that is more suitable for practical movements. Effect of the Invention

[0021] According to the present invention, it is possible to provide a training device and a training system that enable efficient training in accordance with practical movements in sports. [Brief description of the drawings]

[0022] [Figure 1] FIG. 1 is a conceptual diagram showing an example of how the training device according to the first embodiment is used. [Diagram 2] FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram showing the internal structure of the training device. [Diagram 3] FIG. 4 is a waveform diagram showing a load curve corresponding to a series of operations. [Figure 4] FIG. 11 is an external perspective view of a training device according to a second embodiment. [Diagram 5] FIG. 13 is an image diagram showing an example of use of the training system according to the third embodiment. [Figure 6] FIG. 13 is a configuration diagram of a training system according to a fourth embodiment. [Figure 7] FIG. 13 is an image diagram showing another example of use of the training device. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0023] Hereinafter, the embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings. Note that the present invention is not limited to the contents described below, and can be modified as desired without departing from the gist of the present invention. In addition, the drawings used in the description of the embodiments are all schematic representations of components, and may be partially emphasized, enlarged, reduced, or omitted to facilitate understanding, and may not accurately represent the scale, shape, etc. of the components.

[0024] First Embodiment 1 is an image diagram showing an example of use of the training device 1 according to the first embodiment. The training device 1 is a device that can perform training by generating practical loads that match the movements in various sports. In this embodiment, the training device 1 will be described through an example of use in baseball batting practice.

[0025] The training device 1 is configured so that a cable 4 is let out from an opening 3 provided on the front of a housing 2, and the tip of the cable 4 is connected to a position near the core of a bat B. As will be described in detail later, the training device 1 applies resistance to the force pulling the cable 4 according to the stroke amount of the cable 4 let out in conjunction with the user's batting motion, thereby varying the training load during the swing of the bat B. The cable 4 may also be connected to the user's wrist.

[0026] In this embodiment, the training device 1 is fixed to a predetermined position on the support P, but the fixing position may be changed to suit the movement or user, and may be fixed to a wall, ceiling, or floor depending on the usage mode.

[0027] 2 is a schematic diagram showing the internal structure of the training device 1. Inside the housing 2, a reel 5, a rotating shaft 6, a spiral spring 7, a rotary encoder 8, a magnetorheological fluid device 9, and a control unit 10 are mainly provided.

[0028] Reel 5 is a cylindrical member for winding up cable 4. Rotating shaft 6 is fixed to the axis of reel 5. Power spring 7 is made of a strip-shaped metal wound around rotating shaft 6, and has an inner end fixed to rotating shaft 6 and an outer end fixed, for example, to the inner wall surface of housing 2, thereby biasing reel 5 to wind up the unwound cable 4.

[0029] The rotary encoder 8 is fixed to the housing 2 and detects the rotational state of the reel 5 via the rotating shaft 6. Here, the rotational state is, for example, time-series information of the rotation angle, and is used to calculate the stroke amount and the payout speed when the cable 4 is paid out. That is, in this embodiment, the reel 5 that winds up the cable 4 and the rotary encoder 8 that detects the rotational state of the reel 5 constitute a "measurement means" that measures the stroke amount of the cable 4.

[0030] The magnetorheological fluid device 9 is a known MRF device (Magneto-Rheological Fluid) that exerts viscous resistance on an input rotational force by controlling the magnitude of the applied magnetism. In this embodiment, the magnetorheological fluid device 9 applies a braking force to the rotation of the reel 5 via the rotating shaft 6, thereby applying a load to the payout of the cable 4. When no force is acting to pay out the cable 4, the braking force is released, and the cable 4 is wound onto the reel 5 by the biasing force of the spiral spring 7.

[0031] The control unit 10 is composed of, for example, a known microcomputer control circuit, and calculates the length of the cable 4 to be paid out, i.e., the stroke amount, based on the output value of the rotary encoder 8. The control unit 10 also stores a load curve (see FIG. 3) that indicates the relationship between the stroke amount of the cable 4 and the braking force of the magnetorheological fluid device 9, and causes the magnetorheological fluid device 9 to generate a braking force in accordance with the load curve (described later) in response to the stroke amount that changes with operation.

[0032] Fig. 3 is a waveform diagram showing a load curve corresponding to a series of movements. More specifically, the upper diagram of Fig. 3 shows the change in form of the batting movement exemplified in this embodiment, and shows how the stroke amount of the cable 4 changes in response to the change in form. The lower diagram of Fig. 3 is a load curve showing the change in the load W [kg] of the braking force generated by the magnetorheological fluid device 9 with respect to the stroke amount [mm] corresponding to the form at each moment. For reference, the target waveform and the actual waveform of the speed at which the cable 4 is paid out with respect to the stroke amount are also shown here.

[0033] The load curve is set in advance according to the movement as a time change of the training load received by the user. In the case of a batting movement as in this embodiment, the load is low at the beginning of the swing of the bat B, and the waveform is set so that the load reaches the maximum load Wmax at the timing of the impact shown in (5) in the figure. More specifically, here, the waveform is set so that the maximum load Wmax=16 [kg] at the timing when the stroke amount=150 [mm], for example.

[0034] Furthermore, the load curve is set based on theoretical values ​​for each training movement through prior measurements, and characteristics such as the magnitude of the maximum load Wmax at the impact point and the peak position can be adjusted by changing the waveform of the load curve depending on parameters such as the expected ball speed and type of ball.

[0035] Here, the load curve may be stored in the control unit 10 as a plurality of variations of waveforms with different characteristics, or may be received from an external source as load curve data as appropriate. The user may select and adjust the load curve so as to change the magnitude of the training load in accordance with the course of his or her own movement, thereby performing efficient training suited to the purpose, such as improving the swing speed immediately before impact.

[0036] As described above, the training device 1 in this embodiment can change the magnitude of the training load during the course of a movement by controlling the braking force of the magnetorheological fluid device 9 based on the stroke amount of the cable 4. Therefore, the training device 1 can efficiently perform training in line with practical movements in sports.

[0037] Furthermore, inside the housing 2, the training device 1 has the reel 5, rotary encoder 8, and magnetorheological fluid device 9 arranged closely on a straight line so that they share a common rotation axis 6. This not only allows the training device 1 to be made compact as a whole, but also reduces loss in torque transmission between the components, improving the accuracy of stroke amount detection and the braking force of the magnetorheological fluid device 9.

[0038] <Second embodiment> Next, a second embodiment of the present invention will be described. A training device 11 according to the second embodiment differs from the first embodiment in the portion where the cable 4 is reeled out in the training device 1 of the first embodiment described above. Hereinafter, the portions different from the first embodiment will be described, and the components common to the first embodiment will be denoted by the same reference numerals and detailed description will be omitted.

[0039] 4 is an external perspective view of a training device 11 according to the second embodiment. The training device 11 has a housing 2 and an internal structure that are substantially the same as those of the training device 1 of the first embodiment, and includes a cable angle detector 20 on the front side of the housing 2 for detecting a cable angle θ at which the cable 4 is reeled out.

[0040] More specifically, in this embodiment, the cable angle detection unit 20 is a mechanism for detecting the angle of the cable 4 extending in the vertical direction, and includes a pair of support portions 21, a rotating portion 22, a protruding portion 23, and an angle sensor 24.

[0041] The pair of support parts 21 have one end fixed to the front surface of the housing 2, and the other end extending so as to serve as a horizontal rotation axis for the rotating part 22. The rotating part 22 has a through hole formed therein through which the cable 4 extending from the opening 3 of the housing 2 is inserted, and is rotatably connected to the pair of support parts 21. The protrusion 23 is not an essential component of the cable angle detection unit 20, but is a member for making it easier for the rotational displacement of the rotating part 22 to follow the extension direction of the cable 4. The angle sensor 24 can be, for example, a sensor similar to the rotary encoder 8 described above, and detects the rotation angle between the support part 21 and the rotating part 22.

[0042] In this way, when the extending direction of the cable 4 reeled out from the opening 3 changes in accordance with the user's movement, the cable angle detection section 20 can detect the cable angle θ (-90°<θ<90°) by having the angle sensor 24 detect the rotation angle of the rotating section 22 that rotates following the extending direction. The cable angle θ is constantly transmitted from the angle sensor 24 to the control unit 10 while the training device 11 is in operation.

[0043] This allows the control unit 10 to detect the cable angle θ in the vertical direction in addition to the stroke amount of the cable 4. Therefore, the control unit 10 can more accurately recognize the state of the user's motion at each moment, and can change the magnitude of the training load by controlling the braking force of the magnetorheological fluid device 9 with respect to the stroke amount and the cable angle θ.

[0044] The configuration of the cable angle detection unit 20 is merely an example, and other configurations having similar functions can be adopted. In this embodiment, the cable angle detection unit 20 is configured to detect the vertical cable angle θ, but similar configurations may be combined to detect the horizontal cable angle φ as well. In this case, the training device 11 acquires the cable angle θ and the cable angle φ in addition to the stroke amount, thereby being able to identify the position of the tip of the cable 4 in three-dimensional space, and therefore it is possible to control the training load in more detail in accordance with the trajectory of the movement.

[0045] <Third embodiment> Next, a third embodiment of the present invention will be described. The training system 12 according to the third embodiment differs from the first embodiment in that a plurality of training devices 1 according to the first embodiment are used in conjunction with each other. Below, only the parts that differ from the first embodiment will be described, and the components that are common to the first embodiment will be denoted by the same reference numerals and detailed descriptions thereof will be omitted.

[0046] 5 is an image diagram showing an example of use of the training system 12 according to the third embodiment. The training system 12 includes a first training device 12a and a second training device 12b, both of which are made up of the training device 1 of the first embodiment, and are arranged apart from each other. In this embodiment, the ends of the cables 4 of the first training device 12a and the second training device 12b are connected to positions near the core of the bat B.

[0047] The force required for batting motion changes from moment to moment as shown by the dashed arrow on the swing trajectory of the bat B. For this reason, the training load suitable for more practical motion also changes direction along the swing trajectory.

[0048] Therefore, in the training system 12 of this embodiment, the load curves of the first training device 12a and the second training device 12b are set to different waveforms as indicated by Wa and Wb, respectively, and the two devices work together to change the direction of the training load. More specifically, Wa and Wb are set so that the resultant vector of the loads applied to the cables 4 of the first training device 12a and the second training device 12b at each moment becomes the training load. The movement trajectory is calculated based on the difference in stroke amount between the first training device 12a and the second training device 12b.

[0049] As a result, according to the training system 12 of the third embodiment, the magnitude of the load relative to the stroke amount of the cable 4 is coordinated between the first training device 12a and the second training device 12b in accordance with the trajectory of the movement, thereby making it possible to generate a training load that is more suitable for practical movements.

[0050] The first training device 12a and the second training device 12b are appropriately positioned according to the training motion and its trajectory. The first training device 12a and the second training device 12b may generate a complex training load by connecting the ends of the cables 4 to different positions on the bat B.

[0051] <Fourth embodiment> Next, a fourth embodiment of the present invention will be described. The training system 13 according to the fourth embodiment differs from the first embodiment in that the training device 1 of the first embodiment is provided with a moving mechanism and the like. Hereinafter, the parts different from the first embodiment will be described, and the components common to the first embodiment will be denoted by the same reference numerals and detailed description will be omitted.

[0052] 6 is a configuration diagram of a training system 13 according to a fourth embodiment. The training system 13 includes a displacement device 30 capable of moving the training device 1 of the first embodiment in the horizontal and vertical directions. More specifically, the displacement device 30 includes a pair of vertical bars 31, a horizontal bar 32, a pair of vertical movement units 33, and a horizontal movement unit 34.

[0053] The pair of vertical bars 31 are two rod-shaped members fixed to, for example, a floor surface and arranged horizontally spaced apart from each other. The horizontal bar 32 is a rod-shaped member extending horizontally and spanning the pair of vertical bars 31. The pair of vertical movement units 33 are fixed to both ends of the horizontal bar 32, respectively, and constitute a so-called rack-and-pinion mechanism between the pair of vertical bars 31 and the pair of vertical bars 31 by a built-in motor (not shown), and raise and lower the horizontal bar 32 along the pair of vertical bars 31. The horizontal movement unit 34 is fixed to the housing 2 of the training device 1, and constitutes a so-called rack-and-pinion mechanism between the horizontal bar 32 and the pair of vertical bars 31 by a built-in motor (not shown), and moves the training device 1 in the horizontal direction.

[0054] Here, the built-in motors built into the pair of vertical movement units 33 and horizontal movement unit 34 are controlled by the control unit 10 of the training device 1. Therefore, the control unit 10 can freely move the training device 1 in the horizontal and vertical directions.

[0055] The control unit 10 can adjust the position of the training device 1 according to, for example, the physique and type of movement of the user by controlling the displacement device 30 as described above. More specifically, the control unit 10 can move and position the training device 1 according to the information before training by inputting physique information such as the user's height and weight, and information on the type of movement such as batting or pitching, via a wired or wireless communication means (not shown) or a separately provided input device.

[0056] In the training system 13 of this embodiment, a camera C may be provided as an imaging device for imaging the user, for example, on the vertical bar 31. This allows the control unit 10 to read physique information of the user photographed by the camera C and automatically move the training apparatus 1 to a position suited to the user's physique.

[0057] Furthermore, in the training system 13 of this embodiment, the control unit 10 may move the training device 1 to match the user's form, which changes from moment to moment, while reading the process of the training movement with the camera C. This allows the training system 13 to change the direction of the load according to the trajectory of the movement as in the above-mentioned third embodiment (FIG. 5), and to generate a training load that is more suitable for practical movements.

[0058] The displacement device 30 is not limited to the configuration of this embodiment, and various modifications are possible, for example, the horizontal bar 32 may be curved rather than linear. The displacement device 30 may be configured to be displaceable in only one of the horizontal and vertical directions depending on the specifications.

[0059] Although the description of the embodiments is finished above, the present invention is not limited to the above-mentioned embodiments. For example, in the above-mentioned embodiments, the form used for batting motion in baseball is exemplified, but by appropriately setting the installation position and load curve of the training device, it can be used for different sports and motions such as pitching in baseball, swinging in tennis or golf, rowing an oar in boating, and attacking in volleyball as shown in FIG. 7. For example, in the case of rowing in boating, a cable 4 is connected from the part of the oar that the user grips to the tip of the fulcrum, and resistance is applied to the rowing motion. It can also be applied to a training device for rehabilitation.

[0060] In addition, in each of the above embodiments, the reel 5 and rotary encoder 8 are used as a measuring means for measuring the stroke amount of the cable 4, but other methods may be used as long as the stroke amount of the cable 4 associated with the user's movement can be calculated. For example, by providing a wireless communication master unit in the housing 2 of the training device 1 and a wireless communication slave unit at the tip of the cable 4, the stroke amount of the cable 4 may be calculated using changes in the radio wave intensity and signal propagation time between the master unit and slave unit.

[0061] Furthermore, in the housing 2 of the training device 1, the rotation state of the reel 5 may be detected using a camera instead of the rotary encoder 8. In this case, for example, a disk with markings at equal intervals in a circle is provided on the rotation axis 6 of the reel 5, and the stroke amount of the cable 4 can be detected based on the interval and number of rotations at which the markings are read when photographed by the camera. [Explanation of symbols]

[0062] 1 Training Equipment 2. Chassis 3 Opening 4 Cable 5 Reels 6 Rotation Axis 7. Mainspring 8 Rotary Encoders 9. Magnetorheological Fluid Device 10. Control Unit B Bat P-post

Claims

1. A cable that is unwound in response to the user's movements; A measuring means for measuring the stroke amount of the cable; a magnetorheological fluid device for applying a braking force to the cable; a control unit that calculates a stroke amount of the cable based on an output value of the measuring means, The control unit controls the braking force based on the stroke amount, thereby varying the magnitude of the training load during the movement.

2. the measuring means includes a reel that winds up the cable, and a rotary encoder that detects a rotation state of the reel, 2. The training device of claim 1, wherein the reel, the rotary encoder, and the magnetorheological fluid device have a common axis of rotation.

3. a cable angle detection unit that detects a cable angle at which the cable is paid out; The training device according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the control unit controls the braking force with respect to the stroke amount and the cable angle.

4. A plurality of training devices according to claim 1 or 2 are arranged at intervals from each other, A training system in which a plurality of the training devices cooperate to control a direction of the training load.

5. A training device according to claim 1 or 2; A displacement device that displaces the position of the training device, A training system, wherein the control unit adjusts a position of the training device according to the user's physique and the type of movement.

6. an imaging device for imaging the user; The training system according to claim 5 , wherein the control unit measures the physique of the user based on information from the imaging device.

7. an imaging device for imaging the user; The training system of claim 5 , wherein the control unit varies a position of the training device during the course of the movement based on information from the imaging device.

Images