Seated leg press

Abstract

To simply realize a device configuration for changing a load in a seated leg press at a low cost.SOLUTION: A seated leg press comprises: a frame extending in a front-rear direction; a slide rail mounted in a rear-end region of the frame and extending in the front-rear direction in the rear-end region; a seat portion slidably held along the slide rail; a footrest which is provided in a front-end region of the frame and on which the feet of a user seated on the seat portion are placed; and a forward-tilt mechanism which tilts the slide rail forward within a predetermined angular range by displacing a position of the slide rail between a lower position and an upper position where the heights on the rear end side of the slide rail are different from each other.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 2

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a seated leg press for performing lower limb exercises. [Background technology]

[0002] Seated leg presses, which allow a person to perform leg-stretching exercises while seated, have been known as exercise machines for strengthening the muscles in the lower limbs. This type of seated leg press is typically configured to allow for the load associated with the leg-stretching exercise to be varied by selectively attaching and detaching multiple weights as loads (see Patent Document 1) or by including an actuator capable of generating any torque as load (see Patent Document 2). [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2014-171492 [Patent Document 2] Patent No. 5055506 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] However, the above configuration has the problem that it requires many weights and the space required to install them, as well as expensive actuators and control devices to control them, making the device configuration for changing the load large and complex, and prone to becoming expensive.

[0005] The present invention has been made to solve these problems, and its purpose is to make it possible to realize a simple and low-cost device configuration for changing the load on a seated leg press. [Means for solving the problem]

[0006] The first aspect for solving the above problem is a seated leg press comprising a frame extending forward and backward, a slide rail attached to a rear end region of the frame and extending forward and backward within the rear end region, a seating section held slidably along the slide rail, a footrest attached to a front end region of the frame and on which the feet of a user seated on the seating section can be placed, and a forward tilting mechanism that tilts the slide rail forward within a predetermined angle range by displacing the position of the slide rail between a lower position and an upper position having different heights on the rear end side.

[0007] In this aspect of the seated leg press, the slide rail can be tilted forward within a predetermined angle range by displacing the slide rail between a lower position and an upper position. Here, the greater the inclination angle of the slide rail, the greater the upward slope when sliding the seat backward, and therefore the greater the load associated with the sliding, i.e., the exercise of extending the lower leg with the toes resting on the footrest.

[0008] As described above, the seated leg press can be implemented with a simple and low-cost device configuration because the load associated with exercise can be changed simply by changing the position of the slide rail. For example, it does not require many weights or the space required to install them, nor does it require actuators or controllers to control them.

[0009] Furthermore, the seated leg press in this aspect has a structure in which the load is changed by tilting the slide rail forward, so the amount of load change can be adjusted according to the user's weight, and the load can be finely adjusted according to the tilt angle. This makes it possible to provide effective exercise opportunities for users whose walking ability has decreased due to aging or illness by finely adjusting the load without increasing the load too much.

[0010] The above aspect may be modified as in the second aspect described below: The second aspect includes a biasing means for biasing the seating portion toward the front of the slide rail.

[0011] In this aspect of the seated leg press, the load is based on the load applied by biasing the seat portion with the biasing means, and the load can be further changed by tilting the slide rail forward.

[0012] Furthermore, each of the above aspects may be modified as in the third aspect described below: In the third aspect, the forward tilting mechanism is attached to an upper part of the frame and supports the slide rail from below.

[0013] In this aspect of the seated leg press, the forward tilt mechanism allows the position of the slide rail to be displaced while the slide rail is supported from below.

[0014] This aspect may be modified as in the fourth aspect described below. In the fourth aspect, the forward tilting mechanism includes a mechanism body extending in the front-rear direction above the frame, a front link which is a link that directly or indirectly connects the frame and the mechanism body in front of a rear end region of the frame, and each of the connection points is attached so as to be swingable about a swing shaft that extends left and right as a rotation center, and a rear link which is a link that directly or indirectly connects the frame and the mechanism body behind the rear end region of the frame, and each of the connection points is attached so as to be swingable about a swing shaft that extends left and right as a rotation center. a distance between the swing axes of the rear links is longer than a distance between the swing axes of the front links, the mechanism body, the front links, and the rear links form a four-bar link mechanism together with a rear end region of the frame, and by swinging the front links and the rear links from rear to front, the slide rail is displaced from the lower position to the upper position, while by swinging them from front to rear, the slide rail is displaced from the upper position to the lower position.

[0015] In this aspect of the seated leg press, the position of the slide rail can be displaced by a four-bar link mechanism with a forward tilt mechanism.

[0016] The above situation may be as follows: In the fifth situation, the slide rail is tilted forward by a predetermined reference tilt angle at the lower position.

[0017] In this state of the seated leg press, the load can be changed by further tilting the slide rail forward, based on the load caused by the slide rail being tilted forward by the standard tilt angle. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0018] [Figure 1] FIG. 1 is a front and top perspective view of a seated leg press according to one embodiment of the present disclosure; [Figure 2] FIG. 1 is a side view of a seated leg press according to one embodiment of the present disclosure; [Figure 3] 1 is a side view of a main portion of a seated leg press according to an embodiment of the present disclosure; [Figure 4] FIG. 1 is a side view (lower position) illustrating an exercise using a seated leg press according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. [Figure 5] FIG. 1 is a side view (upper position) illustrating an exercise using a seated leg press according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0019] Hereinafter, an embodiment of the present disclosure will be described with reference to the drawings. (1) Overall structure

[0020] As shown in Figures 1 and 2, the seated leg press 1 comprises a frame 10 extending forward and backward, a slide rail 20 attached to the rear end of the frame 10, a seat 30 held slidably along the slide rail 20, a biasing means 40 that biases the seat 30 toward the front of the slide rail 20, a footrest 50 attached to the front end of the frame 10, a forward tilting mechanism 60 that tilts the slide rail 20 forward, and an adjustment mechanism 70 that adjusts the forward and backward positions of each element (slide rail 20, seat 30, biasing means 40, and forward tilting mechanism 60) arranged at the rear end of the frame 10.

[0021] The frame 10 includes a front-rear frame 11 extending in the front-rear direction, and a pair of left-right frames 13 extending in the left-right direction from the front and rear ends of the front-rear frame 11. In this embodiment, two casters 15 with locking mechanisms are arranged at intervals on each frame.

[0022] The slide rail 20 is a member that extends forward and backward within the rear end region 17 of the frame 10, and both ends thereof are supported by a support frame 21 that extends upward from the forward tilt mechanism 60. In this embodiment, a pair of slide rails 20 is provided with a gap between them on the left and right.

[0023] The slide rail 20 is attached in a state inclined forward by a predetermined reference inclination angle θL (θL=10° in this embodiment) relative to the upper surface of the forward tilting mechanism 60 (see FIG. 3).

[0024] The seating section 30 includes a displacement body 31 held slidably along the slide rails 20, a seat 33 fixed to the upper part of the displacement body 31, and a backrest 35 extending upward from the seat surface of the seat 33. In this embodiment, the displacement body 31 is held so as to be slidable along both of the pair of slide rails 20.

[0025] The biasing means 40 connects the rear side of the seat 33 in the seating portion 30 with the front side of the slide rail 20 (specifically, the support frame 21), thereby biasing the seating portion 30 toward the front of the slide rail 20. In this embodiment, a spring cylinder is used as the biasing means 40.

[0026] The footrest 50 comprises a plate-like body 51 on which the feet (specifically the toes) of a user seated on the seating section 30 are placed, and a support 53 that extends upward from the front end region 19 of the frame 10 and supports the plate-like body 51.

[0027] As shown in FIG. 3, the forward tilting mechanism 60 tilts the slide rail 20 forward within a predetermined angle range by displacing the position of the slide rail 20 between a lower position (FIG. 3(a)) and an upper position (FIG. 3(b)) where the rear end side has different heights. In this embodiment, the forward tilting mechanism 60 is configured to be able to tilt the slide rail 20 forward between a lower position where the slide rail 20 is tilted forward by a reference tilt angle θL with respect to the horizontal plane, and an upper position where the slide rail 20 is tilted forward by an tilt angle θU (in this embodiment, θU = 18.3°).

[0028] The forward tilt mechanism 60 is attached above the rear end region 17 of the frame 10, and supports the slide rail 20 (and the support frame 21) from below.

[0029] The forward leaning mechanism 60 of this embodiment includes a mechanism body 61 extending forward and backward above the rear end region 17, a front link 63 disposed in front of the rear end region 17, and a rear link 65 disposed behind the rear end region 17, and the mechanism body 61, front link 63, and rear link 65, together with the rear end region 17, form a four-bar link mechanism. In this embodiment, the components that form the four-bar link mechanism are provided at positions spaced apart on the left and right.

[0030] Of these, the front link 63 is a link that connects the frame 10 and the mechanism body 61 in front of the rear end region 17 of the frame 10. This front link 63 is attached so that the connection points between the frame 10 and the mechanism body 61 can swing around swing shafts 631, 636 that extend laterally. Note that in this embodiment, the front link 63 is indirectly attached to the frame 10 by connecting to the upper part of the adjustment mechanism 70 attached to the frame 10.

[0031] The rear link 65 is a link that connects the frame 10 and the mechanism body 61 behind the rear end region 17 of the frame 10. The rear link 65 is attached so that the connection points between the frame 10 and the mechanism body 61 can swing about swing shafts 651, 656 that extend laterally. In this embodiment, the rear link 65 is indirectly attached to the frame 10 by connecting to the upper part of the adjustment mechanism 70 that is attached to the frame 10.

[0032] In these front link 63 and rear link 65, the distance between the swing axes (631-636, 651-656) is longer in the rear link 65 than in the front link 63. As a result, as shown in Figure 3, the forward tilting mechanism 60 displaces the slide rail 20 from a lower position to an upper position by swinging the front link 63 and the rear link 65 from rear to front (Figure 3(a) → (b); see the arrow in the figure), while displacing the slide rail 20 from an upper position to a lower position by swinging them from front to rear (Figure 3(b) → (a)).

[0033] The adjustment mechanism 70 is fixed to the upper part of the rear end region 17 of the frame 10 via a support body 71, and supports the forward tilt mechanism 60 from below, adjusting the position of each element (slide rail 20, seating portion 30 and biasing means 40) arranged in the rear end region 17 along the fore-and-aft direction.

[0034] In this embodiment, the adjustment mechanism 70 includes a mechanical element (not shown) consisting of a rack gear fixed to the frame 10 and a pinion gear rotatably fixed to the forward tilt mechanism 60, and is configured to be able to adjust the position of each element along the fore-and-aft direction by rotating this pinion gear.

[0035] (2) Variations Although the embodiments of the present disclosure have been described above, the present disclosure is not limited to the above embodiments, and various modifications are possible without departing from the spirit of the invention.

[0036] For example, in the above embodiment, the seated leg press 1 is configured to generate a load associated with the biasing force of the biasing means 40. However, the seated leg press 1 may not be provided with the biasing means 40, and may be configured so that the load can be changed only by tilting the slide rail 20 forward.

[0037] In the above embodiment, the slide rail 20 is tilted forward by the reference tilt angle θL when in the lower position. However, the seated leg press 1 may be configured such that the slide rail 20 is horizontal when in the lower position, rather than tilted forward.

[0038] In the above embodiment, the forward tilt mechanism 60 is configured to be able to displace the slide rail 20 between the lower position and the upper position by the elements of the four-bar link mechanism. However, it goes without saying that the forward tilt mechanism 60 can be configured in a manner other than the four-bar link mechanism.

[0039] In the above embodiment, the forward tilting mechanism 60 is configured to be able to tilt the slide rail 20 forward within a tilt angle range of 10° (θL) to 18.3° (θU). However, the angle range in which the forward tilting mechanism 60 tilts the slide rail 20 forward is not limited to this, and may be selected from a range of forward tilt angles equal to or greater than 0° and less than 90° depending on the application.

[0040] In the above embodiment, the front link 63 and the rear link 65 are indirectly connected to the frame 10 via the adjustment mechanism 70. However, the front link 63 and the rear link 65 may be connected to another member fixed to the frame 10, or may be directly connected to the frame 10.

[0041] (3) Effects In the seated leg press 1 of the above embodiment, the slide rail 20 can be displaced between a lower position and an upper position, allowing the slide rail 20 to be tilted forward within a predetermined angle range together with the seat 30. Here, the upward gradient when sliding the seat 30 backward is greater when the slide rail 20 is in the upper position (see FIG. 5) than when it is in the lower position (see FIG. 4), and as a result, the load associated with the sliding (see the arrow in FIG. 5(b)), i.e., the exercise of extending the lower leg 100 with the toe resting on the footrest 50, also increases.

[0042] As described above, the seated leg press 1 of the above embodiment can be realized with a simple device configuration at low cost because the load associated with exercise can be changed simply by changing the position of the slide rail 20. For example, there is no need for many weights or the space required to install them, nor is there a need for actuators or controllers to control them.

[0043] Furthermore, in the seated leg press 1 of the above embodiment, the load is changed by tilting the slide rail 20 forward, so the amount of change in the load can be adjusted according to the user's weight, and the load can be finely adjusted according to the tilt angle. This makes it possible to provide effective exercise opportunities for users whose walking ability has declined due to aging or illness by finely adjusting the load without increasing the load too much.

[0044] Furthermore, the seated leg press 1 of the above embodiment can change the load by tilting the slide rail 20 forward, based on the load caused by biasing the seat portion 30 with the biasing means 40 .

[0045] Furthermore, in the seated leg press 1 of the above embodiment, the forward tilt mechanism 60 can displace the position of the slide rail 20 while supporting the slide rail 20 from below.

[0046] Furthermore, in the seated leg press 1 of the above embodiment, the position of the slide rail 20 can be displaced by the four-bar link mechanism formed by the forward tilt mechanism 60.

[0047] Furthermore, the seated leg press 1 of the above embodiment can change the load by further tilting the slide rail 20 forward, based on the load caused by the slide rail 20 being tilted at the reference tilt angle θL. [Explanation of symbols]

[0048] 1...Seated leg press, 10...Frame, 11...Front and rear frames, 13...Left and right frames, 15...Caster, 17...Rear end region, 19...Front end region, 20...Slide rail, 21...Support frame, 30...Seating portion, 31...Displacement body, 33...Seat, 35...Backrest, 40...Using means, 50...Footrest portion, 51...Plate-shaped body, 53...Support body, 60...Forward tilt mechanism, 61...Mechanism body, 63...Front link, 65...Rear link, 70...Adjustment mechanism, 71...Support body, 100...Lower limbs, 631...Swing axis, 636...Swing axis, 651...Swing axis, 656...Swing axis.

Claims

1. A frame extending forward and backward, a slide rail attached to a rear end region of the frame and extending forward and backward within the rear end region; a seat portion slidably held along the slide rail; a foot rest attached to a front end region of the frame, on which the feet of a user seated on the seating portion are placed; a forward tilting mechanism that tilts the slide rail forward within a predetermined angle range by displacing the position of the slide rail between a lower position and an upper position where the rear end side of the slide rail has different heights. Seated leg press.

2. and a biasing means for biasing the seating portion toward the front of the slide rail.

10. The seated leg press of claim 1.

3. The forward tilting mechanism is attached to an upper portion of the frame and supports the slide rail from below.

10. The seated leg press of claim 1.

4. The forward tilt mechanism is a mechanism body extending forward and backward above the frame; a front link that directly or indirectly connects the frame and the mechanism body in front of a rear end region of the frame, and that is attached so that each of the connection points can swing around a swing shaft extending left and right as a center of rotation; a rear link that directly or indirectly connects the frame and the mechanism body behind a rear end region of the frame, and each of the connection points is attached to be swingable around a swing shaft extending left and right as a rotation center, the distance between the swing shafts in the rear links is longer than the distance between the swing shafts in the front links; the mechanism body, the front link, and the rear link form a four-bar link mechanism together with a rear end region of the frame, The front link and the rear link are pivoted from rear to front to displace the slide rail from the lower position to the upper position, while the front link and the rear link are pivoted from front to rear to displace the slide rail from the upper position to the lower position.

4. The seated leg press of claim 3.

5. The slide rail is inclined forward by a predetermined reference inclination angle at the lower position.

5. The seated leg press according to any one of claims 1 to 4.

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