Finger movement tool

Abstract

To provide a finger movement tool having variety even though a structure is simple.SOLUTION: A finger movement tool forms a substantially dish shape, has elasticity, has a size of palm size that can be gripped with other fingers than a thumb facing the thumb, enables bending movement with all fingers or the thumb and each finger, and can be used by being carried at the time of walking. By tapping Arabic numbers provided in a substantially-dish-shaped surface part with a finger, addition, subtraction, multiplication and division by the mental arithmetic method can be performed, and this has an effect of brain training and body training.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a finger exercise tool. [Background technology]

[0002] In recent years, dietary improvement, sleep therapy, and physical exercise have been proposed as preventive therapies for age-related cognitive decline. One of these is hand exercise.

[0003] The hands are said to be the second brain, and it is often said that ancient wisdom tells us that if we frequently exercise our fingers in our daily lives, we will avoid dementia. There is also a story that dementia can be improved if elderly people actively exercise their fingers.

[0004] The advantage of having a tool for finger exercise is that it allows for a variety of finger movements and allows for continuous use. One such assistive device is the assistive device described in Patent Document 1. As shown in Figure 1, the assistive device in Patent Document 1 uses a coil spring that is compressed by pinching it between the thumb and other fingers. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0005] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2014-117326 [Non-patent literature]

[0006] [Non-Patent Document 1] "Hands and the Brain" by Kubota Kyo, Kinokuniya Bookstore, December 30, 2010, pp. 242-247 [Non-patent document 2] Yoshiya Hasegawa, "Stimulating your thumb instantly rejuvenates your brain," Sunmark Publishing, December 7, 2015, pp. 24-48 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0007] The assisting tool in Patent Document 1 has the drawback of being difficult to use with all or multiple fingers, and the work only requires compressing the fingers together. [Means for solving the problem]

[0008] The object of the present invention is to provide a finger exercise tool that has a simple structure yet is versatile.

[0009] The finger exercise tool 1 of the present invention can be held by the other fingers f2 to f5 opposite the thumb f1 of the right hand as shown in Figure 1, and has a roughly dish-like shape that bends in the same direction when held by any of the fingers opposite the thumb f1 to perform a bending movement. This structure makes it difficult for the tool to bend in the opposite direction during bending movements or to fall off the hand H1. It also features an elastic body that restores its original shape when released.

[0010] The present invention allows work to be done with either the right hand, the left hand, or both hands, and also allows complex bending movements to be performed separately with both hands. For example, the right hand can be positioned with the middle finger f3 and ring finger f4 facing the thumb f1 shown in Figure 2(b), and the left hand can be positioned with the index finger and little finger facing the thumb, allowing bending movements of both hands simultaneously or separately.

[0011] The finger exercise tool 1 has a circular recess 2 in the center of the roughly dish-shaped surface, where the tip of the thumb or index finger can be placed, and a circular protrusion 3 smaller than the recess 2 in the center of the recess 2. A recess 4 is provided in the center of the roughly dish-shaped back surface, where the tip of the middle finger can be placed.

[0012] The finger exercise tool 1 is also characterized in that Arabic numerals 0 to 9 are arranged in an aligned or non-aligned manner around the upper periphery of the substantially dish-shaped surface portion. [Effects of the Invention]

[0013] The finger exercise tool 1 of the present invention has the following effects. (1) The approximately dish-shaped outer surface e can be grasped at any point with the finger pads of the fingers opposite the thumb of the right hand, left hand, or both hands, and bending movements can be performed using the four fingers opposite the thumb and each finger. (2) The thumb can be opposed to any other finger to perform flexion movements, so for example, the thumb, index finger, and little finger can be opposed to each other, or the thumb, middle finger, and ring finger can be opposed to each other to perform flexion movements. Flexion movements are also possible when the thumb is opposed to any other finger. (3) The dish-shaped surface has a recess in the center for the tip of the thumb, and the dish-shaped back surface has a recess in the center for the tip of the middle finger, which allows for centering and fine finger movements (delicate movements of rotating the tool left and right). (4) When one end of the approximately dish-shaped outer periphery e is placed at the ball of the thumb d, and the other four fingers are placed with the pads of the fingers facing the ball of the thumb against the approximately dish-shaped outer periphery e, a comfortable space is created between the approximately dish-shaped back surface and the palm, allowing for smooth flexion movements. (5) By placing Arabic numerals 0 to 9 around the top of the roughly dish-shaped surface, addition, subtraction, multiplication and division can be performed mentally by tapping with your fingers. (6) The tool has a simple structure and is palm-sized, so it can be kept close at hand and used without any preparation. For example, the tool's versatility allows it to be used for bending exercises while watching TV or talking, or for mental calculations that require concentration. It is also expandable, allowing it to be carried while walking or taking a stroll to exercise your fingers in sync with your pace.

[0014] FIG. 1 is an explanatory diagram showing an example of use of the finger exercise tool of the present invention. FIG. 2. From FIG. 1, (a) shows bending with all fingers, and (b) shows bending with three fingers. FIG. 3. Another example of the present invention, a diagram showing fine finger work (dexterous movement), where (a) shows before the movement and (b) shows after the movement (left rotation of the finger exercise tool using the fingers). FIG. 4. Another example of the present invention, a diagram showing bending movement with four fingers (excluding the thumb), where (a) shows before bending and (b) shows after bending. FIG. 5. Another example of the present invention, where (a) shows the state where the thumb is tapping the numbers, and (b) shows the state where the central recess is tapping. FIG. 6. Another example of the present invention, a diagram showing the tapping operation performed with one hand in FIG. 5 performed with both hands. FIG. 7. A diagram showing the tapping operation with the thumb in FIG. 6 performed with the index finger. FIG. 8. Plan view of the finger exercise tool. (a) shows the numbers in an aligned arrangement, and (b) shows them in an unaligned arrangement. FIG. 9. Enlarged cross-sectional view of xx' in FIG. 8(a). 10 is a front view of the finger exercise tool. FIG. 11 is a bottom view of the finger exercise tool. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION [Example]

[0015] One embodiment of the finger exercise tool 1 of the present invention is shown in FIG. 1. When the finger pads of the thumb f1 and the opposing four fingers f2 to f5 of the right or left hand are placed against the outer surface e of the finger exercise tool 1 and the fingers are bent, the state shown in FIG. 2(a) is achieved. Repeated bending and releasing can exercise the fingers. Also, as shown in FIG. 2(b), the thumb f1 and the opposing middle finger f3 and ring finger f4 can be bent and released together, or bending exercises can be performed using the thumb f1 and any one of the fingers f2 to f5. Furthermore, as an example of a task using both hands, one hand H1 can be placed with the thumb f1, f3, and f4 facing each other, and the other hand H2 can be placed with the thumb f1, f2, and f5 facing each other, and the task can be performed simultaneously or separately. [Example] One embodiment of the finger exercise tool 1 is shown in Figure 3. The present invention allows for fine finger movements (dexterous movements of rotating the tool left and right). Figure 3 shows the tool rotating left. In Figure 3(a), the tip of the thumb is placed in the recess 2 located in the center of the approximately dish-shaped surface, the tip of the middle finger is placed in the recess 4 located in the center of the approximately dish-shaped back surface, and the index finger, ring finger, and little finger are placed on the back of the approximately dish-shaped back surface 5. The index finger makes a pushing motion, and the ring finger and little finger make a pulling motion, with the thumb and middle finger playing the central role and allowing for smooth rotation. Figure 3(b) shows a diagram showing rotation to the left. For right rotation, the index finger, ring finger, and little finger move in the opposite direction. [Example] One embodiment of the finger exercise tool 1 is shown in Figure 4. This invention can be carried on both hands and used as an aid for walking or strolling. Figure 4(a) shows the finger exercise tool held in both hands. The four fingers (f2-f5) are placed with their pads against the outer surface e of the finger exercise tool, and the opposing outer surface e is placed against the thenar eminence d, creating a space between the roughly dish-shaped underside and the palm large enough for the thumb to fit. This space allows the roughly dish-shaped bending surface to comfortably contact the palmar surface when the tool is bent, allowing the tool to be smoothly released. After release, the tool returns to the same state as Figure 4(a) before bending. The bending movement during walking or strolling involves bending the arm when it is pulled back and releasing it when it is extended forward. Because the number of bending movements during walking or strolling is proportional to the number of steps taken, finger exercises are the most efficient bending movement. Furthermore, swinging the arms back and forth correctly helps establish a proper walking style for walking or strolling. Also, when the arms are brought back, they bend, which stimulates the arm muscles, which has the added benefit of pushing the body forward. [Example] One embodiment of the finger exercise tool 1 is shown in Figure 5. The present invention features Arabic numerals 0 through 9 arranged in an aligned or misaligned arrangement around the top periphery of a roughly dish-shaped surface. As shown in Figure 5, the finger exercise tool is held in one hand H1, allowing users to perform mental arithmetic by tapping with the thumb f1. The thumb rest 2 substitutes for arithmetic operations such as addition, subtraction, multiplication, and division, and the = sign. Answers can be given by tapping with the thumb or by speaking aloud. Also, as shown in Figure 6, the finger exercise tool 1 is held in one hand H2, and the thumb f1 of the other hand H1 allows users to perform the same arithmetic operations as in Figure 5. Figure 7 shows how the thumb f1 can be replaced with the index finger f2 for arithmetic operations. Furthermore, the central protrusion 3 stimulates the brain by playing the thumb and index finger pads together when users are stumped for an answer.

[0016] Traditionally, hand exercises have generally been conducted in groups under the guidance of specialists at events organized by dementia prevention associations or elderly care facilities, but individual home exercises have not yet become widespread. Furthermore, calculation problems, known as brain training, are typically conducted by purchasing workbooks or downloading materials from the internet. This tool can be kept close at hand, requires no preparation, and is versatile enough to be used as a hand exercise and calculation aid or for walks and other activities. This wide range of options allows users to continue using it without getting bored. [Explanation of symbols]

[0017] 1. Finger exercise tool 2. Thumb and index finger recess 3. Thumb and index finger stimulation convexities 4 Middle finger recess 5. Roughly dish-shaped back surface Arabic numeral A e. Finger exercise tool outer surface f finger H hand

Claims

1. This finger exercise tool can be held between the thumb and the opposing fingers of one or both hands, and is characterized by forming a substantially dish-like shape that bends in the same direction when held between the thumb and the opposing fingers, and is provided with an elastic body that restores its original shape when released.

2. The finger exercise tool according to claim 1, A finger exercise tool characterized by having a recess in the center of a substantially dish-shaped surface portion for receiving the tip of the thumb and a protrusion in the center thereof.

3. The finger exercise tool according to claims 1 to 2 A finger exercise tool characterized by having a recess in the center of the approximately dish-shaped back surface where the tip of the middle finger can be placed.

4. The finger exercise tool according to any one of claims 1 to 3 A finger exercise tool having an aligned or non-aligned arrangement of Arabic numerals 0 to 9 around the upper periphery of a generally dish-shaped surface portion.

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