Body movement support garment

Abstract

To provide a garment type body movement support device which is incorporated into innerwear and outerwear, thereby reducing the complexity of the wearing procedure and alleviating discomfort to the wearer when the body movement support device is activated.SOLUTION: A body movement support garment includes: innerwear with reinforcing sections; outerwear with assistive devices fixed thereto to assist body movements; a female side connector provided on either the reinforcing sections or the assistive devices; and a male side connector provided on the other of the reinforcing sections and the assistive devices. By disconnecting the male side connector and the female side connector, the innerwear and the outerwear can be separated, and by connecting the male side connector and the female side connector, the assistive device can be connected to the reinforcing section.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 20

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to clothing for assisting body movements.

Background Art

[0002] The following Patent Document 1 describes a wearable body movement assistance device using a McKibben type actuator. Cited Document 1 shows an example in which an actuator is disposed between the knee and the waist of the wearer. By supplying air to the actuator, the actuator is contracted to assist body movements such as bending and extending the knee.

Prior Art Document

Patent Document

[0003]

Patent Document 1

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0004] Conventional body movement assistance devices such as the above Patent Document 1 are premised on being worn from above the clothing. By winding a belt having a hook-and-loop fastener around the chest, waist, thigh, etc. from above the clothing, the actuator is fixed to the body. When transmitting the force generated by an auxiliary tool such as an actuator to the body, the chest, waist, thigh, etc. are strongly tightened by the belt from above the clothing, which may cause discomfort to the user.

[0005] Conventional body movement assistance devices have complicated wearing procedures such as winding a belt around the body, and it may take time to wear. Further, since the wearing procedure of the body movement assistance device is complicated, there is a problem that an error is likely to occur in the wearing procedure of the body movement assistance device. If the wearing procedure is incorrect, there is a problem that the function of the body movement assistance device cannot be fully exhibited.

[0006] An object of the present invention is to provide a clothing-type body movement support device that reduces the complexity of the wearing procedure and reduces the discomfort caused to the wearer when the body movement support device is activated by incorporating the body movement support device into innerwear and outerwear.

Means for Solving the Problems

[0007] A body movement support clothing having innerwear provided with a reinforcing part, outerwear fixed with an assistive device for assisting body movement, a female connector provided on either one of the reinforcing part and the assistive device, and a male connector provided on the other of the reinforcing part and the assistive device. By connecting the male connector and the female connector, the assistive device is connected to the reinforcing part, and by disconnecting the connection between the male connector and the female connector, the assistive device and the reinforcing part are separated, and the innerwear and the outerwear are separated. The above problems are solved by the body movement support clothing. In the body movement support clothing of the present invention, an assistive device for assisting body movement is provided on the outerwear. By overlapping the outerwear on the innerwear and connecting the male connector and the female connector, the assistive device can be easily connected to the reinforcing part. Thereby, the complexity during wearing is reduced. Since the assistive device is pre-fixed to the outerwear, the discomfort given to the wearer when the assistive device is activated is reduced.

[0008] In the body movement support clothing, the reinforcing part is preferably made of a fabric having a smaller elongation rate than the fabric constituting the innerwear. Thereby, when the assistive device is activated, the position of the assistive device is fixed so as not to shift greatly, and the force generated by the assistive device can be transmitted to the user's body.

[0009] In the body movement support clothing, the reinforcing part is preferably provided on the outside of the innerwear.

[0010] In the body movement assisting garment, it is preferable that the assisting device is provided inside the outerwear. With this configuration, since the assisting device is hidden inside the outerwear, the appearance of the body movement assisting garment is not impaired. Further, with this configuration, the discomfort given to the wearer when the assisting device is actuated is further reduced.

[0011] In the body movement assisting garment, it is preferable that the male connector has a convex portion and a flange portion disposed on the convex portion, and the female connector has a concave portion that receives the flange portion by sliding the flange portion and a retaining portion that contacts the flange portion. According to this configuration, by fitting the male connector to slide into the female connector, the male connector and the female connector can be fixed without requiring a strong pressing force.

[0012] In the body movement assisting garment, it is preferable that the male connector and the female connector are configured such that one of the male connector and the female connector is attracted to the other by magnetic force. By putting on the outerwear over the innerwear, the male connector and the female connector are attracted and connected by magnetic force, so that the approximate positions of the male connector and the female connector can be determined.

[0013] In the body movement assisting garment, the assisting device can include a band having an elastic force or an artificial muscle that expands and contracts by supplying a fluid.

[0014] In the body movement assisting garment, the reinforcing portion has a shape extending in the body width direction at the chest of the wearer, and female connectors or male connectors can be provided on the right side and the left side of the reinforcing portion.

[0015] In the body movement assisting garment, the reinforcing portion has a shape covering both side surfaces from the shins to the knees of the wearer, and female connectors or male connectors can be provided on both side surfaces of the knees.

[0016] In the clothing for supporting body movements, the auxiliary tool can be shaped to extend from the wearer's waist, pass through the shoulders, and reach the chest, and a male connector or a female connector can be provided on the chest.

[0017] In the clothing for supporting body movements, the auxiliary tool can be shaped to extend from the wearer's waist or hip, pass through the thighs, and reach both sides of the knees, and a male connector or a female connector can be provided on both side surfaces of the knees.

Advantages of the Invention

[0018] According to the present invention, by incorporating the body movement support device into innerwear and outerwear, it is possible to provide a clothing-type body movement support device that reduces the complexity of the wearing procedure and reduces the discomfort caused to the wearer when the body movement support device operates.

Brief Description of the Drawings

[0019]

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Embodiments for Carrying Out the Invention

[0020] Hereinafter, embodiments of a body movement assistance clothing of the present invention (hereinafter simply referred to as assistance clothing) will be described. The embodiments shown below are merely limited examples of the embodiments of the present invention, and the technical scope of the present invention is not limited to the illustrated embodiments.

[0021] Examples of the assistance clothing of the present invention are shown in FIGS. 1 to 26. The assistance clothing 1 of this embodiment includes an inner wear 11 provided with a reinforcing part 21, an outer wear 12 to which an auxiliary tool 6 for assisting body movement is fixed, a female connector 32 provided on either one of the reinforcing part 21 and the auxiliary tool 6, and a male connector 31 provided on the other of the reinforcing part 21 and the auxiliary tool 6.

[0022] An example of the inner wear 11 is shown in FIGS. 1 to 5. The inner wear 11 is worn inside the outer wear 12 described later. The reinforcing part 21 is provided on the outer side of the inner wear 11, that is, the surface (front surface) on the opposite side of the surface of the inner wear 11 where the fabric touches the skin.

[0023] In the assistance clothing 1 of this embodiment, as shown in FIGS. 1 to 5, the inner wear 11 is composed of an upper garment 111 and a lower garment 112, but it may also be in the form of a one-piece clothing where the upper and lower garments are integrated. The upper garment 111 and the lower garment 112 can be made of an appropriate fabric. In this embodiment, the upper garment 111 and the lower garment 112 are made of a stretchy fabric that easily fits the user's body. Examples of the stretchy fabric include a woven or knitted fabric made of a yarn containing polyurethane fibers. For example, a polyurethane yarn can be used for either the warp or weft, and the other of the warp and weft can be made of a yarn composed of other materials such as polyester or cotton. The elongation rate of the fabric constituting the inner wear determined by JIS L 1096 can be, for example, 50% or more. The upper limit value of the elongation rate is not particularly limited, but it can be, for example, 500% or less.

[0024] The reinforcing portion 21 provided in the innerwear 11 is made of a fabric having a smaller elongation rate than the fabric constituting the innerwear. Examples of the reinforcing portion include a thermoplastic resin sheet reinforced with a reinforcing fabric such as a mesh or woven fabric, synthetic leather, or natural leather. The reinforcing fabric or mesh can be made of a thread having poor elasticity, such as polyolefin, nylon, or polyester. Examples of the thermoplastic resin include polyvinyl chloride. The elongation rate of the reinforcing portion 21 determined according to JIS L 1096 can be, for example, 0 to 10%.

[0025] The reinforcing part 21 may be fixed directly onto the fabric 71 constituting the innerwear 11. Alternatively, as shown in FIG. 21, the reinforcing part 21 may be fixed onto a base fabric 72, and the reinforcing part 21 integrated with the base fabric 72 may be fixed to the fabric 71 of the innerwear 11. By using the base fabric 72, the reinforcing part 21 can be easily fixed at an appropriate position when the reinforcing part 21 is fixed to the innerwear 11. The reinforcing part 21, the base fabric 72, and the fabric 71 may be fixed by a known method such as sewing or bonding. The material constituting the base fabric 72 is not particularly limited, but for example, the base fabric 72 may be made of a sheet made of an elastic material such as polyurethane foam. By making the base fabric 72 out of an elastic material, the force input from the assisting tool 6 can be dispersed to prevent localized force from being applied to the wearer's body.

[0026] As shown in FIG. 1 and other figures, the chest of the upper garment 111 is provided with a reinforcing portion 211 extending in a direction intersecting the wearer's body length direction, i.e., in the body width direction. The reinforcing portion 211 is substantially strip-shaped with its width direction coinciding with the body length direction. The reinforcing portion 211 is separated into right and left sides of the wearer's chest, and the right reinforcing portion 211 and the left reinforcing portion 211 are fixed integrally to the fabric 71 of the innerwear 11 by a base cloth 72. The base cloth 72 is exposed between the right reinforcing portion 211 and the left reinforcing portion 211. The right reinforcing portion 211 and the left reinforcing portion 211 are each provided with one female connector 32, which will be described later. A mark 22 indicating the position of the opening of the recess 321 of the female connector 32 is provided on the reinforcing portion 21.

[0027] As shown in FIG. 3 and the like, at the shin portion of the lower garment 112, a reinforcing portion 212 is provided which has a shape covering both sides of the wearer's shin to the knees and has male connectors 32 disposed on both sides of the knees. More specifically, the reinforcing portion 212 has a shape covering the front of the wearer's shin and both sides of the knees, and does not cover the kneecap. The reinforcing portion 212 is integrally fixed to the fabric 71 of the innerwear 11 by a base fabric 72. The kneecap portion is covered by the base fabric 72, and the base fabric 72 is exposed at the kneecap portion. One female connector 32, which will be described later, is provided on each of the reinforcing portion 212 on the right side of the knee and the reinforcing portion 212 on the left side of the knee. As shown in FIG. 4, a mark 22 indicating the position of the opening of the recess 321 of the female connector 32 is provided on the reinforcing portion 212. Since the reinforcing portion 212 is provided so as to avoid the kneecap portion, the bending motion of the knee is not hindered by the reinforcing portion 212.

[0028] The mark indicating the position of the opening of the recess 321 of the female connector 32 may be configured to indicate the position of the opening of the female connector 32 by a combination of a color different from the color of the reinforcing portion 21 and an arbitrary figure. Thereby, the user can easily grasp the position of the opening of the female connector 32. In this embodiment, the mark is a triangle.

[0029] Examples of the outerwear 12 are shown in FIGS. 6 to 10. The outerwear 12 is worn over the innerwear 11. An auxiliary tool 6 is provided on the inner side of the outerwear 12, that is, on the surface where the fabric of the outerwear 12 contacts the innerwear 11. In this embodiment, as shown in FIGS. 6 to 10, the outerwear 12 is composed of an upper garment 121 and a lower garment 122, but may have a shape in which the upper garment and the lower garment are integrated. The upper garment 121 and the lower garment 122 can be made of an appropriate fabric. Note that the upper garment 121 is a front-opening jacket with a zipper.

[0030] In this embodiment, the top 121 and bottom 122 are made of a fabric that is superior to the innerwear in durability such as abrasion resistance, etc. The top 121 and bottom 122 can be made of, for example, polyester, nylon, polypropylene, cotton, or the like.

[0031] Examples of the assisting device 6 provided on the outerwear 12 to assist the movement of the body include a band 52 having elasticity, or a member including an artificial muscle 51 that expands and contracts when a fluid is supplied. In the case of this embodiment, the assisting device 6 is a combination of a band 52 having elasticity and an artificial muscle 51, as shown in Figs. 6 to 10. In Figs. 6 to 10, the outerwear 12 is shown by a dashed line, and the assisting device 6 arranged inside the outerwear 12 is shown in a see-through state. The artificial muscle may be operated by supplying a fluid such as air by a known method using a pump or the like.

[0032] The assisting device 6 assists in bending and straightening any part of the body, such as the waist, knee, elbow, or ankle, starting from a joint of the body. In the examples shown in Figs. 6 to 10, the artificial muscle 51 may be omitted. Also, instead of the band 52 having elasticity, for example, a band made of a woven or knitted fabric or sheet having little elasticity may be combined with the artificial muscle 51 and used as an assisting device. The stretch rate of the band 52 having elasticity determined according to JIS L 1096 can be, for example, 3 to 100%.

[0033] As the artificial muscle, for example, a McKinven artificial muscle can be used. As the elastic band, a band-shaped rubber cord can be used. The rubber cord includes not only those using elastic threads made of natural rubber, but also those using elastic threads made of elastomers such as polyurethane. Other elastic bands may be any bands that have elasticity suitable for supporting the movement of the muscles of the body.

[0034] The auxiliary device provided on the upper garment of the outerwear can be in a belt shape extending from the wearer's waist, passing through the shoulders, and reaching the chest. The auxiliary device 6 of the upper garment 121 shown in FIG. 6 is shaped to extend from the wearer's waist, pass through the shoulders and the sides of the waist, and reach the chest. In this case, the auxiliary device can be, for example, in a belt shape. More specifically, the auxiliary device 6 includes a first belt-shaped portion 41 that extends from the base end portion provided with the first connection portion 44 provided at the waist on the back of the wearer toward the left and right shoulders of the wearer and has a portion that contacts the back side of the wearer, a second belt-shaped portion 42 that extends from the base end portion provided with the first connection portion 44 toward the left and right sides of the waist of the wearer and has a portion that contacts the back side of the wearer, and a third belt-shaped portion 43 that has a portion that contacts the front side of the wearer, one end portion is continuous with the first belt-shaped portion 41, the other end portion is continuous with the second belt-shaped portion 42, and has a shape that bends at the chest portion of the wearer. The third belt-shaped portion may be shaped to curve at the chest portion of the wearer. The case of being continuous includes not only a configuration in which a single piece of fabric is continuous, but also, for example, a configuration in which two belt-shaped portions are made continuous by sewing or appropriate fixing tools. For example, as shown in FIG. 13, in order to fix the ends of the two belt-shaped portions, the male connector 31 or the female connector 32 can be used as a fixing tool.

[0035] As shown in FIG. 7 and the like, one end portion of the artificial muscle 51 is fixed to the base end side of the first belt-shaped portion 41. The artificial muscle 51 is detachably fixed to the auxiliary device 6 along the first belt-shaped portion 41 via the hook-and-loop fastener 522. A pad-shaped member 524 is provided at the base end portion of the first belt-shaped portion 41. The surface of the pad-shaped member 524 is provided with a hook-and-loop fastener for fixing the hook-and-loop fastener 522 provided at one end portion of the artificial muscle 51.

[0036] As shown in FIG. 6 and the like, on the bent portion of the third strip portion 43, that is, the portion where the assistive device 6 contacts the wearer's chest, a male connector 31 is provided so as to protrude toward the side contacting the innerwear 11. In the third strip portion 43, the portion from the bent portion to the connection with the second strip portion 42 is composed of a band having an elastic force. In the case of this embodiment, as shown in FIG. 7 and the like, the band 52 having an elastic force and the band 54 having a small elastic force are switched on the back of the wearer in the state of wearing clothes. The switching position can be changed. The portion from the bent portion to the connection with the first strip portion 41 is composed of a band 54 having a smaller elastic force than the band having the elastic force. By providing the band 54 having a small elastic force, the force of the artificial muscle 51 provided on the first strip portion 41 is efficiently transmitted to the body of the wearer. On the surface of the band 54 having a small elastic force, a hook-and-loop fastener for fixing the hook-and-loop fastener 522 provided at the other end of the artificial muscle 51 is provided, and the hook-and-loop fastener 522 of the artificial muscle 51 can be detachably fixed to the hook-and-loop fastener. The band 54 having a small elastic force can be composed of, for example, a fabric obtained by coating a woven fabric made of nylon or the like with polyurethane. The elongation rate of the band 54 having a small elastic force determined by JIS L 1096 can be, for example, 0 to 10%.

[0037] The upper garment 121 of the outerwear 12 and the upper body assistive device 6 are detachably fixed by inserting the strip portion constituting the assistive device 6 into a belt loop (not shown) provided inside the outerwear 12. In this case, the belt loop can be provided, for example, at the shoulder portion of the wearer. The assistive device 6 and the upper garment 121 may be fixed by an appropriate configuration other than the above, such as buttons and hook-and-loop fasteners. Further, a liner made of a mesh fabric or the like may be disposed between the outerwear 12 and the innerwear 11 so as to cover the assistive device 6. The user can wear the assistive device 6 and the upper garment 121 integrally by passing both arms through the loop formed by the first strip portion 41, the second strip portion 42, and the third strip portion 43.

[0038] As shown in FIG. 8 and the like, the auxiliary tool 6 provided on the lower garment 122 is shaped to extend from the wearer's buttocks, through the thighs, and to both sides of the knees. In this case, the auxiliary tool can be, for example, in a belt shape. More specifically, the auxiliary tool 6 provided on the lower garment 122 includes a first belt-shaped portion 81 that extends from the base end portion provided with the second connecting portion 83 toward the side surface portions inside the left and right knees of the wearer, and the base end portion of which contacts the back side of the wearer, and a second belt-shaped portion 82 that extends from the base end portion provided with the second connecting portion 83 toward the side surface portions outside the left and right knees of the wearer, and the base end portion of which contacts the back side of the wearer. In the case of this embodiment, the artificial muscle 51 is fixed along the first belt-shaped portion 81, and the artificial muscle 51 is fixed along the second belt-shaped portion 82. The base end portion of the auxiliary tool 6 can be provided at the waist or the buttocks. The case of the waist or the buttocks includes the case where the base end portion of the auxiliary tool is provided straddling the waist and the buttocks.

[0039] One end portion of the artificial muscle 51 is fixed to the base end portion of the first belt-shaped portion 81 via the hook-and-loop fastener 522, and the other end portion of the artificial muscle 51 is fixed to the tip end portion of the first belt-shaped portion 81 via the hook-and-loop fastener 522. One end portion of the artificial muscle 51 is fixed to the base end portion of the second belt-shaped portion 82 via the hook-and-loop fastener 522, and the other end portion of the artificial muscle 51 is fixed to the tip end portion of the second belt-shaped portion 82 via the hook-and-loop fastener 522. The base end portion of the first belt-shaped portion 81 and the base end portion of the second belt-shaped portion 82 are an integral member and are pad-shaped. The surface of the pad-shaped member 523 serves as a hook-and-loop fastener, and the hook-and-loop fastener 522 of the artificial muscle 51 is hooked on the hook-and-loop fastener. The pad-shaped member 523 can be fixed to the lower garment 122 of the outerwear 12 via the hook-and-loop fastener provided on the surface of the pad-shaped member 523.

[0040] The upper end of the lower body assist device 6 is detachably fixed by hooking the hook-and-loop fastener provided on the pad-shaped member 523 to the hook-and-loop fastener provided on the undergarment 122 of the outerwear 12. The lower end of the lower body assist device 6 passes a part of the male connector 31 or the female connector 32 provided at the ends of the first belt-like part 81 and the second belt-like part 82 through a through-hole provided in the knee part of the undergarment 122, and as shown in FIG. 24, by fastening the fixing tool 34 to a part of the male connector 31 or the female connector 32, it is detachably fixed to the undergarment 122 of the outerwear 12. Since the above-mentioned through-hole is provided in the transparent window 33 described later, as shown in FIG. 24, the male connector 31 or the female connector 32 is visible from the transparent window 33. By passing the legs through the undergarment 122, the assist device 6 and the undergarment 122 can be worn integrally. The fixing tool 34 shown in FIG. 24 is composed of a screw groove provided in a part of the male connector 31 or the female connector 32, that is, a female screw that engages with a male screw.

[0041] The ends of the first belt-like part 81 and the second belt-like part 82 where the male connector 31 or the female connector 32 is provided are made of the fabric that constitutes the above-mentioned band 54 with a small stretching force. When tension is applied, excessive dimensional changes are prevented from occurring at the ends of the first belt-like part 81 and the second belt-like part 82 where the male connector 31 or the female connector 32 is provided. The lower body assist device 6 is composed of a band 52 having a stretching force from the part connected to the pad-shaped member 323 to the part connected to the ends.

[0042] The male connector 31 is provided at the tip of the first belt-like part 81, that is, the part facing the inner side of the knee of the wearer, so that the convex part 311 protrudes on the side in contact with the innerwear 11. Also, the male connector 31 is provided at the tip of the second belt-like part 82, that is, the part facing the outer side of the knee of the wearer, so that the convex part 311 protrudes on the side in contact with the innerwear 11.

[0043] As shown in FIG. 20, the upper body assist device 6 and the lower body assist device 6 can be connected by connecting the first connection part 44 and the second connection part 83. By connecting the first connection part 44 and the second connection part 83, the first connection part 44 of the upper body assist device 6 is pulled toward the second connection part 83. The upper body assist device 6 is fixed to the undergarment 122 of the outerwear 12 by connecting the first connection part 44 and the second connection part 83. As the first connection part 44 and the second connection part 83, for example, a buckle can be used. The length of the buckle may be adjustable through a band.

[0044] The male connector 31 and the female connector 32 for fixing the reinforcement part 21 of the innerwear 11 and the assist device 6 of the outerwear 12 are preferably configured as follows. That is, as shown in FIGS. 11 to 13, the male connector 31 has a convex part 311 and a flange part 312 arranged on the convex part 311, and the female connector 32 has a concave part 321 that receives the flange part 312 by sliding the flange part 312 and a retaining part 322 that contacts the flange part 312. In the example of FIG. 13, the convex part 311 is cylindrical, and a circular flange part 312 that projects radially outward is provided at the tip of the convex part 311. Also, in the example of FIG. 13, the concave part 321 is a depression that is concave in the radial direction of the circular bulging part that constitutes the concave part 321. The retaining part 322 is arranged from the inner edge of the concave part 321 toward the center of the concave part 321. The retaining part 322 is a plate-like part that catches on the flange part 312 when the convex part 311 and the flange part 312 are accommodated in the concave part 321. The retaining part 322 is a projecting piece that projects inward from the inner edge part of the concave part 321.

[0045] Due to the action of the locking portion 322, even if the male connector 31 and the female connector 32 are separated in the axial direction orthogonal to the radial direction of the flange portion 312, the engagement relationship between the male connector 31 and the female connector 32 cannot be released. To release the engagement relationship between the male connector 31 and the female connector 32, it is necessary to slide the flange portion 312 of the male connector 31 in the direction opposite to the direction in which it was slid when the flange portion 312 of the male connector 31 was accommodated in the recess 321 of the female connector 32. When the assistive device 6 that assists the body movement operates, the orientation of the female connector 32 is set so that the force generated from the assistive device 6 does not act in the opposite direction. Specifically, for the chest, as shown in FIG. 14, the female connector 32 is provided so that the opening of the recess 321 of the female connector 32 faces obliquely downward toward the center of the wearer's body, that is, the extending direction of the spine. For the knee, as shown in FIG. 17, the female connector 32 is provided so that the opening of the recess 321 of the female connector 32 faces downward in the extending direction of the wearer's leg. In either case, the recess 321 is provided so that the recess faces in the opposite direction to the direction in which the tensile force of the assistive device 6 acts.

[0046] The male connector 31 and the female connector 32 are configured such that the male connector 31 provided on the outer wear 12 is attracted to the female connector 42 provided on the inner wear by magnetic force. Specifically, permanent magnets are embedded inside both the male connector 31 and the female connector 32. The male connector 31 and the female connector 32 may be configured such that one of the male connector 31 and the female connector 32 is attracted to the other by magnetic force. For example, a permanent magnet may be embedded in one of the male connector 31 and the female connector 32, and the other may be a ferromagnetic metal attracted to the permanent magnet. Also, instead of embedding a permanent magnet or a ferromagnetic metal, the male connector 31 and the female connector 32 may be formed of a permanent magnet or a ferromagnetic metal.

[0047] As described above, due to magnetic force, one of the male connector 31 and the female connector 32 is attracted to the other. When connecting the male connector 31 and the female connector 32, when the outer wear 12 is worn over the inner wear 11, when the male connector 31 and the female connector 32 are close to each other, they are coupled by magnetic force. After that, the user can easily connect the male connector 31 and the female connector 32 by sliding and fitting the flange portion 312 of the male connector 31 into the recessed portion of the female connector 32.

[0048] As shown in FIGS. 23 and 24, a transparent window 33 is provided in the undergarment 122 of the outer wear 12 at a position where the male connector 31 or the female connection portion 32 is provided. The transparent window 33 is formed by fixing a transparent synthetic resin film so as to close an opening provided in the fabric of the undergarment 122. The user can engage the male connector 31 and the female connector 32 while visually observing the positional relationship between the male connector 31 and the female connection portion 32 through the transparent window 33.

[0049] A method of wearing the support garment 1 will be described. First, wear the upper garment 111 and the lower garment 112 of the inner wear 11 so that the reinforcing portion 212 is on the outside. (1) Wear the outer wear 12 so that the auxiliary tool 6 is on the inside. (2) Engage the flange portion 312 of the male connector 31 provided on the third band portion 43 of the chest with the recessed portion 321 of the female connector 32 of the reinforcing portion 211 provided on the chest. (3) Engage the flange portion 312 of the male connector 31 provided on the auxiliary tool of the outer wear 12 with the recessed portion 321 of the female connector 32 provided on the reinforcing portion 212 of the knee. (4) Connect the first connection portion 44 of the upper garment 121 and the second connection portion 83 of the lower garment 122. Any of the above steps (1) to (4) may be performed in any order. When taking off the support garment 1, perform the steps in the reverse order of the above.

[0050] By connecting the male connector 31 and the female connector 32 as described above, the auxiliary tool 6 can be easily connected to the reinforcing part 21. Further, by disconnecting the connection between the male connector 31 and the female connector 32 as described above, the inner wear 11 and the outer wear 12 can be easily separated.

[0051] As shown in FIG. 26, taking the operation of lifting a chair while wearing the support garment 1 as an example, the usage method of the support garment 1 will be described. When lifting an object such as a chair, spread the legs, bend the knees, bend the waist to a forward-bending posture, and grasp the chair with both hands. When lifting the chair, perform an operation of extending the bent knees and the bent waist.

[0052] When bending the knees and the waist, bend the waist and the back so as to stretch the first belt-like part 41 and the second belt-like part 42 against the contraction force of the first belt-like part 41 and the second belt-like part 42 of the upper body auxiliary tool 6, and bend the knees so as to stretch the first belt-like part 81 and the second belt-like part 82 against the contraction force of the first belt-like part 81 and the second belt-like part 82 of the lower body auxiliary tool 6. When extending the knees and the waist, a tensile force that causes the stretched first belt-like part 41, the second belt-like part 42, the first belt-like part 81, and the second belt-like part 82 to contract acts. By this tensile force, the body movement of extending the knees and the waist when lifting an object is supported. Thereby, the auxiliary tool 6 can supplement the muscle strength of the user and reduce the load on the body movement of the user.

[0053] When using the artificial muscle 51, when performing the operation of extending the bent knees and the bent waist, supply fluid to the artificial muscle to contract the artificial muscle. At this time, the contraction force generated by the artificial muscle supports the operation of extending the knees and the waist when lifting an object.

[0054] The force of the auxiliary device 6 is transmitted to the inner wear 11 via the male connector 31 and the female connector 32. Since the male connector 31 or the female connector 32 is fixed on the reinforcing part 21, when the force of the auxiliary device 6 is input to the inner wear 11, the fabric of the inner wear 11 is not easily stretched. Thereby, when there is an input from the auxiliary device 6, the loss of the force of the auxiliary device 6 is reduced. The force generated by the auxiliary device 6 can be efficiently used to assist body movements.

[0055] The reinforcing part 211 provided on the chest holds the third belt-like part 43 provided on the front side of the wearer so as not to open left and right at the chest part when there is an input from the auxiliary device 6, and functions to prevent loss of the force generated by the auxiliary device 6. The reinforcing part 212 provided on the shin supports the force generated by the auxiliary device 6 on the front surface of the shin and holds the positions of the male connector 31 or the female connector provided on both side faces of the knee so as not to shift, and functions to prevent loss of the force generated by the auxiliary device 6.

[0056] In the support clothing 1, an auxiliary device is provided inside the outer wear. Compared with a configuration in which an artificial muscle is attached by winding a belt on the outer wear as in the prior art, when the auxiliary device operates, there is less discomfort such as the outer wear being pulled by the auxiliary device, being strongly tightened by the auxiliary device, or the position of the outer wear shifting with the operation of the auxiliary device.

[0057] In the support clothing 1, the inner wear and the outer wear are worn, and the reinforcing part of the inner wear and the auxiliary device of the outer wear are connected by the female connector and the male connector. Compared with the conventional wearable body movement support device, the complexity of the installation procedure is reduced.

[0058] In the above embodiment, the male connector 31 is provided on the outer wear and the female connector 32 is provided on the inner wear. The relationship between the male connector and the female connector may be interchanged, that is, the male connector 31 may be provided on the inner wear and the female connector 32 may be provided on the outer wear.

[0059] In the above-described embodiment, both the inner wear and the outer wear have long sleeves, but the lengths of the limbs can be appropriately changed.

Explanation of Signs

[0060] 1 Body movement support clothing 6 Auxiliary tool 52 Band 51 Artificial muscle 212 Reinforcement part 11 Inner wear 12 Outer wear 32 Female-side connector 311 Protrusion 312 Flange part 31 Male-side connector 321 Recess 322 Retaining part

Claims

1. An inner wear provided with a reinforcing part, an outer wear fixed with an assistive device for assisting body movements, a female connector provided on either one of the reinforcing part and the assistive device, a male connector provided on the other of the reinforcing part and the assistive device, and is a clothing for supporting body movements, by connecting the male connector and the female connector, the assistive device is connected to the reinforcing part, by releasing the connection between the male connector and the female connector, the assistive device and the reinforcing part are separated, and the inner wear and the outer wear are separated Clothing for supporting body movements.

2. The clothing for supporting body movements according to claim 1, wherein the reinforcing part is made of a fabric having a smaller elongation rate than the fabric constituting the inner wear.

3. The clothing for supporting body movements according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the reinforcing part is provided outside the inner wear.

4. The clothing for supporting body movements according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the assistive device is provided inside the outer wear.

5. The male connector has a convex part and a flange part arranged on the convex part, The female connector has a concave part that receives the flange part by sliding the flange part and a retaining part that contacts the flange part. The clothing for supporting body movements according to claim 1 or 2.

6. The male connector and the female connector are attracted to each other by magnetic force, and one of the male connector and the female connector is attracted to the other. The clothing for supporting body movements according to claim 1 or 2.

7. The clothing for supporting body movements according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the assistive device includes an elastic band or an artificial muscle that expands and contracts by supplying a fluid.

8. The clothing for supporting body movements according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the reinforcing part extends in the body width direction at the wearer's chest, and female connectors or male connectors are provided on the right and left sides of the reinforcing part.

9. The clothing for supporting body movements according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the reinforcing part covers both sides of the wearer's shins to knees, and female connectors or male connectors are provided on both sides of the knees.

10. The clothing for supporting body movements according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the assistive device has a shape extending from the wearer's waist, passing through the shoulders, and reaching the chest, and a male connector or a female connector is provided on the chest.

11. The auxiliary device has a shape that extends from the wearer's waist or hip, through the thigh, and to both sides of the knee, and a male connector or a female connector is provided on both side surfaces of the knee. The body movement assisting clothing according to claim 1 or 2.

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