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 can change the size of a 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 weight training equipment is generally designed to perform predetermined movements that apply a concentrated load to specific muscles or body parts as targets for muscle training, and the magnitude of the load can be adjusted by adjusting the weight of the weights.

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

[0004] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2002-126122 [Patent Document 2] Patent No. 4956808 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0005] However, because the training equipment described above applies loads to simple movements that focus on the muscles or body parts being trained, it is not necessarily suitable for practical sports movements, and there is a risk that training will not be efficient. Furthermore, with conventional training equipment, the movement form is restricted by the structure of the equipment, making it impossible to train muscles that coordinate the entire body, and therefore it is not suitable for training aimed at improving the performance of professional athletes in particular.

[0006] The present invention has been made in light 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 accordance with the user's movement, a measuring means for measuring 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 the output value of the measuring means, wherein the control unit controls the braking force based on the stroke amount, thereby changing the magnitude of the load during the movement.

[0008] The training device according to the first aspect of the present invention calculates the stroke of the cable associated with the training movement and varies the braking force applied to the payout of the cable according to the stroke, thereby varying the magnitude of the load during the training movement. 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 applied during actual movements that involve, for example, coordinating the muscles of the entire body, allowing for efficient training that is in line with practical sports movements.

[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, 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 rotation axis.

[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, further comprising a cable angle detection unit that detects the 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 cable 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 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 to the cables of multiple training devices at each instant, so that not only the magnitude but also the direction of the training load can be changed during the training movement, allowing for training that is more suitable for practical movements.

[0015] <Fifth aspect of the present invention> A fifth aspect of the present invention is a training system comprising the training device of the first or second aspect of the present invention described above and a displacement device that displaces the position of the training device, wherein the control unit adjusts the position of the training device depending on 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 about the physique and type of movement of the user of the training device, 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, which is provided with 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, the imaging device can read the user's physique information, and 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, further comprising an imaging device that images the user, and the control unit changes the position of the training device during 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 to match the trajectory of the movement, and to generate a training load that is more suitable for practical movements. [Effects 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 sports movements. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0022] [Figure 1] FIG. 1 is an image diagram showing an example of use of the training device according to the first embodiment. [Figure 2] FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram showing the internal structure of the training device. [Figure 3] FIG. 10 is a waveform diagram showing a load curve corresponding to a series of operations. [Figure 4] FIG. 10 is a perspective view of the appearance of a training device according to a second embodiment. [Figure 5] FIG. 10 is an image diagram showing an example of use of the training system according to the third embodiment. [Figure 6] FIG. 10 is a configuration diagram of a training system according to a fourth embodiment. [Figure 7] FIG. 10 is an image diagram showing another example of use of the training device. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0023] Hereinafter, 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 implemented with any modifications within the scope of the gist of the present invention. Furthermore, all drawings used to explain the embodiments are schematic illustrations 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 FIG. 1 is an image diagram showing an example of how to use a 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 its use when practicing baseball batting.

[0025] The training device 1 is configured so that a cable 4 is unwound 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 below, the training device 1 applies resistance to the force pulling the cable 4 in accordance with the stroke of the cable 4 unwound in accordance 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 fixed position may be changed to suit the movement or user, and may be fixed to a wall, ceiling, or floor depending on the usage pattern.

[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 of metal wound around rotating shaft 6, and has its inner end fixed to rotating shaft 6 and its outer end fixed to, for example, 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 rotation 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 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 "measuring means" that measures the stroke amount of the cable 4.

[0030] The magnetorheological fluid device 9 is a known MRF (Magneto-Rheological Fluid) device that applies viscous resistance to 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 applied 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 shows 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 changes in form during the batting movement exemplified in this embodiment, and illustrates how the stroke amount of the cable 4 changes in response to the changes in form. The lower diagram of Fig. 3 is a load curve showing the changes in the load W [kg] of the braking force generated by the magnetorheological fluid device 9 versus the stroke amount [mm] corresponding to the form at each instant. For reference, the target waveform and the measured waveform of the speed at which the cable 4 is reeled out versus the stroke amount are also shown here.

[0033] The load curve is set in advance to match 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 a maximum Wmax at the timing of impact shown by (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] 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] The load curves can be stored in the control unit 10 as waveforms with multiple variations of different characteristics, or can be received externally as load curve data as needed. By selecting and adjusting the load curve so as to vary the magnitude of the training load in accordance with the user's own movement process, the user can perform efficient training suited to their purpose, such as improving 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 that is in line with practical sports movements.

[0037] Furthermore, inside the housing 2 of the training device 1, the reel 5, rotary encoder 8, and magnetorheological fluid device 9 are arranged close to each other in a straight line so that they share a common rotation axis 6. This not only allows the training device 1 to be made compact overall, 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 apparatus 11 according to the second embodiment differs from the first embodiment in the portion where the cable 4 is reeled out in the training apparatus 1 of the first embodiment described above. Below, only the portions that differ from the first embodiment will be described, and components that are common to the first embodiment will be assigned the same reference numerals and detailed descriptions will be omitted.

[0039] 4 is a perspective view of the exterior of a training apparatus 11 according to the second embodiment. The training apparatus 11 has a housing 2 and an internal structure that are substantially the same as those of the training apparatus 1 of the first embodiment, and is provided with a cable angle detector 20 on the front surface of the housing 2 for detecting the 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 parts 21, a rotating part 22, a protruding part 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 that makes 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 parts 21 and the rotating part 22.

[0042] In this way, when the extension direction of cable 4 unwound from opening 3 changes in accordance with the user's movements, cable angle detection section 20 can detect cable angle θ (−90°<θ<90°) by having angle sensor 24 detect the rotation angle of rotating section 22, which rotates to follow the extension direction. The cable angle θ is constantly transmitted from angle sensor 24 to control unit 10 while training apparatus 11 is in operation.

[0043] This allows the control unit 10 to detect the vertical cable angle θ 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 movement at each moment, and can change the magnitude of the training load by controlling the braking force of the magnetorheological fluid device 9 in relation to the stroke amount and the cable angle θ.

[0044] Note that the configuration of the cable angle detection unit 20 is merely an example, and other configurations having similar functions can be used. Furthermore, in this embodiment, the cable angle detection unit 20 is configured to be able to detect the vertical cable angle θ, but by combining similar configurations, it may also be possible to detect the horizontal cable angle φ. In this case, the training apparatus 11 can identify the position of the tip of the cable 4 in three-dimensional space by acquiring the cable angle θ and the cable angle φ in addition to the stroke amount, thereby enabling more precise control of the training load in accordance with the movement trajectory.

[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 differences from the first embodiment will be described, and components that are common to the first embodiment will be assigned 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 according to 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 the batting motion changes from moment to moment, as indicated by the dashed arrow, on the swing trajectory of bat B, shown by the dashed line. For this reason, the training load that is more suitable for practical movements 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, by coordinating the magnitude of the load relative to the stroke amount of the cable 4 between the first training device 12a and the second training device 12b in accordance with the trajectory of the movement, it is 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 movements and their trajectories. 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 it includes a movement mechanism and the like in the training device 1 of the first embodiment. Below, only the parts that differ from the first embodiment will be described, and components that are common to the first embodiment will be assigned the same reference numerals and detailed descriptions will be omitted.

[0052] 6 is a configuration diagram of a training system 13 according to the fourth embodiment. The training system 13 includes a displacement device 30 that can move the training apparatus 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, the 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 driven by a built-in motor (not shown), thereby raising and lowering 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 apparatus 1, and constitutes a so-called rack-and-pinion mechanism between the pair of horizontal bars 32 and driven by a built-in motor (not shown), thereby moving the training apparatus 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] By controlling the displacement device 30 as described above, the control unit 10 can adjust the position of the training device 1 according to, for example, the user's physique and the type of movement. More specifically, the control unit 10 receives input of 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, and can move and position the training device 1 according to this information before training.

[0056] Furthermore, in the training system 13 of this embodiment, a camera C may be provided as an imaging device for capturing an image of the user, for example, on the vertical bar 31. This allows the control unit 10 to read the physique information of the user captured by the camera C and automatically move the training apparatus 1 to a position that suits the physique of the user.

[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 capturing the progress of the training movement with the camera C. This allows the training system 13 to change the direction of the load to match the trajectory of the movement, as in the third embodiment (FIG. 5) described above, and generate a training load that is more suited to practical movements.

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

[0059] Although the description of the embodiments has been completed, the present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiments. For example, while the above-described embodiments illustrate a form used for batting in baseball, by appropriately setting the installation position and load curve of the training device, it can also be used for different sports and movements, such as pitching in baseball, swinging in tennis or golf, rowing in rowing, and attacking in volleyball as shown in FIG. 7. For example, in the case of rowing in rowing, a cable 4 is connected from the part of the oar that the user grips to the end of the fulcrum, providing resistance to the rowing operation. The present invention can also be applied to training devices for rehabilitation.

[0060] Furthermore, in the above embodiments, the reel 5 and rotary encoder 8 are used as measurement means for measuring the stroke amount of the cable 4, but other methods may be used as long as they are capable of calculating the stroke amount of the cable 4 associated with the user's movements. 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 strength and signal propagation time between the master unit and the 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 may be attached to the rotation axis 6 of the reel 5, and the stroke amount of the cable 4 can be detected from 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. Case 3 Opening 4 Cables 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 changing the magnitude of the 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 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