Pedal exercise equipment

Abstract

To achieve supination and pronation of an ankle joint when doing lower limb exercise.SOLUTION: A foot-operated exercise device 1 as a lower limb exercise device is a lower limb exercise device for doing lower limb exercise using a pair of pedal units 6. Each of the pedal units 6 includes a step part 20 on which a corresponding foot part F is put, a base part 21, and a joint part 22 provided between the step part 20 and the base part 21 for connecting the step part 20 and the base part 21 so that the step part 20 can make pitch turning, roll turning, and yaw turning with respect to the base part 21.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 2

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a lower limb exercise device and a pedal unit. [Background technology]

[0002] Patent Document 1 discloses a stepping exercise device that enables plantar flexion / dorsiflexion and inversion / eversion of the ankle joint.

[0003] Patent Document 2 discloses an ankle exercise device that enables plantar flexion / dorsiflexion and internal / external rotation of the ankle joint. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0004] [Patent Document 1] Special Publication No. 2006-526456 [Patent Document 2] JP 2004-261256 A Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0005] Incidentally, when walking, the ankle joints (the talocrural joint and the subtalar joint) alternate between supination and pronation.

[0006] Here, ankle supination is a complex movement consisting of plantarflexion in the sagittal plane, internal rotation in the transverse plane, and inversion in the frontal plane, while ankle pronation is a complex movement consisting of dorsiflexion in the sagittal plane, external rotation in the transverse plane, and eversion in the frontal plane.

[0007] The configurations disclosed in the above-mentioned Patent Documents 1 and 2 cannot realize the above-mentioned supination and pronation during lower limb movement.

[0008] Therefore, an object of the present disclosure is to provide a technology that enables supination and pronation of the ankle joint during lower limb movement. [Means for solving the problem]

[0009] According to a first aspect of the present disclosure, there is provided a lower limb exercise device for performing lower limb exercise using a pair of pedal units, each pedal unit including a step portion on which a corresponding foot is placed, a base portion, and a joint portion provided between the step portion and the base portion and connecting the step portion and the base portion so that the step portion can pitch rotate, roll rotate, and yaw rotate with respect to the base portion. With the above configuration, supination and pronation of the ankle joint can be achieved during lower limb exercise. The joint portion of each pedal unit may include a roll joint portion for roll rotation, a pitch joint portion for pitch rotation, and a yaw joint portion for yaw rotation. The joint portion of each pedal unit may include, from the step portion toward the base portion, the roll joint portion, the pitch joint portion, and the yaw joint portion, in this order. According to a second aspect of the present disclosure, there is provided a pedal unit that is attachable to and detachable from a binding pedal, the pedal unit including: a step portion on which a corresponding foot is placed; a base portion having a cleat that snaps into engagement with the binding pedal; and a joint portion disposed between the step portion and the base portion, connecting the step portion and the base portion so that the step portion can roll and yaw relative to the base portion. Effect of the Invention

[0010] According to the present disclosure, supination and pronation of the ankle joint during lower limb movement is achieved. [Brief description of the drawings]

[0011] [Figure 1] FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a pedaling exercise device (first embodiment). [Diagram 2] FIG. 1 is a side view of a pedaling exercise device (first embodiment). [Diagram 3] FIG. 1 is a plan view of a pedaling exercise device (first embodiment). [Figure 4] FIG. 1 is an enlarged side view of a pedaling exercise machine (modification); [Diagram 5] FIG. 11 is a side view of the pedal unit snap-fitted to the binding pedal (second embodiment); DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0012] To overcome the lack of daily exercise due to deskwork, it is typically preferable to install a pedaling exercise machine under the desk. That is, if you use the pedaling exercise machine to pedal while sitting while working at your desk, you can overcome the lack of daily exercise without having to take the time to exercise. However, existing pedaling exercise machines cannot achieve supination and pronation of the ankle joint during lower limb exercise, so they cannot be expected to improve the flexibility of the ankle joint.

[0013] Flexibility of the ankle joint is essential for forming the arch of the foot. The arch of the foot is mainly intended to absorb the impact from the ground during walking and reduce the burden on the knee. Flexibility of the ankle joint is also considered to be advantageous for stable walking on uneven ground. For these reasons, it is desirable to realize supination and pronation at the ankle joint when performing pedaling exercise using a pedaling exercise machine. Furthermore, if supination and pronation at the ankle joint can be realized, an upward kinetic chain will be generated between the lower limbs and the pelvis, and the exercise of the trunk muscles represented by the rectus abdominis, transverse abdominis, and erector spinae will also be realized at the same time.

[0014] Hereinafter, in the first and second embodiments of the present disclosure, a technique for realizing supination and pronation at the ankle joint during lower limb movement will be described.

[0015] (First embodiment) Hereinafter, a first embodiment of the present disclosure will be described with reference to FIGS.

[0016] 1 to 3 show a pedaling exercise device 1 as a specific example of a lower limb exercise device used for exercising the lower limbs. The pedaling exercise device 1 is a device for performing pedaling exercise in a seated position, and may be in the form of a chair such as a bicycle, an aero bike (registered trademark), or a recumbent bike. In addition to the pedaling exercise device 1, a stepping exercise device may also be used as a lower limb exercise device for exercising the lower limbs.

[0017] As shown in FIGS. 1 to 3, the pedaling exercise device 1 includes a device body 2, a shaft 3, a pair of cranks 4, a pair of slide guide units 5, and a pair of pedal units 6.

[0018] 3, the shaft 3 extends in a direction perpendicular to the sagittal plane of the user, and is rotatably supported by the device body 2. The device body 2 is equipped with a servo motor with an electromagnetic brake (not shown), which rotates the shaft 3 at a predetermined speed and applies a load to the rotation of the shaft 3. A pair of cranks 4 extend from both ends of the shaft 3 in a direction perpendicular to the longitudinal direction of the shaft 3 in opposite directions to each other.

[0019] As shown in FIG. 2, each slide guide unit 5 includes a guide base 10 and a guide body 11.

[0020] A tip 4a of the corresponding crank 4 is connected to a front end 10a of the guide base 10 so as to be capable of pitch rotation. A wheel 12 capable of pitch rotation is provided to a rear end 10b of the guide base 10. The wheel 12 typically rolls on the floor on which the foot-pedaling exercise device 1 is placed.

[0021] The guide body 11 extends along the longitudinal direction of the guide base 10. The guide body 11 includes a rail support plate 13 provided on the guide base 10, and a rail 14 formed on the rail support plate 13.

[0022] With the above configuration, the slide guide unit 5 reciprocates back and forth with the rotation of the shaft 3. When the slide guide unit 5 moves forward, the front end 10a of the guide base 10 passes above the shaft 3. On the other hand, when the slide guide unit 5 moves backward, the front end 10a of the guide base 10 passes below the shaft 3.

[0023] Continuing to refer to FIG. 2, the pedal unit 6 is composed of a step portion 20, a base portion 21, and a joint portion 22.

[0024] The step portion 20 is a portion on which the user U places his / her feet F.

[0025] The base portion 21 is supported by the device body 2. The base portion 21 is connected to the rail 14 so as to be slidable relative to the rail 14. Therefore, the base portion 21 is supported by the device body 2 via the slide guide unit 5, the crank 4, and the shaft 3. However, there may be a configuration in which the slide guide unit 5 is omitted and the base portion 21 is directly supported by the crank 4.

[0026] The joint unit 22 connects the step unit 20 and the base unit 21 so that the step unit 20 can pitch rotate, roll rotate, and yaw rotate with respect to the base unit 21. Specifically, the joint unit 22 includes a yaw rotation unit 30 connected to the base unit 21 so as to be yaw rotatable with respect to the base unit 21, and a pitch rotation unit 31 connected to the yaw rotation unit 30 so as to be pitch rotatable with respect to the yaw rotation unit 30. The step unit 20 is connected to the pitch rotation unit 31 so as to be roll rotatable with respect to the pitch rotation unit 31.

[0027] The yaw axis 30X of the yaw rotation unit 30 during yaw rotation is parallel to the plate thickness direction of the rail support plate 13 in a side view of the foot-pedaling exercise device 1 as shown in FIG. 2. The pitch axis 31X of the pitch rotation unit 31 during pitch rotation is perpendicular to the yaw axis 30X. The roll axis 20X of the step unit 20 during roll rotation is perpendicular to the pitch axis 31X. Therefore, it can be said that the step unit 20 has three degrees of freedom with respect to the base unit 21. The yaw axis 30X and the roll axis 20X are located in the same plane. The roll axis 20X extends parallel to the foot length direction.

[0028] In this embodiment, the step portion 20 and the pitch rotation portion 31 constitute a roll joint portion 40 for the step portion 20 to roll rotate relative to the base portion 21. The pitch rotation portion 31 and the yaw rotation portion 30 constitute a pitch joint portion 41 for the step portion 20 to pitch rotate relative to the base portion 21. The yaw rotation portion 30 and the base portion 21 constitute a yaw joint portion 42 for the step portion 20 to yaw rotate relative to the base portion 21. The pedal unit 6 includes, from the step portion 20 toward the base portion 21, the roll joint portion 40, the pitch joint portion 41, and the yaw joint portion 42, in this order.

[0029] The step portion 20 is disposed behind the pitch axis 31X. The step portion 20 is fixed to an outsole 51 of a shoe 50 worn by the user U by screwing. Specifically, the step portion 20 is screwed to a portion of the outsole 51 that faces the rear foot portion of the foot F of the user U. This allows the midfoot portion of the foot F of the user U to face the pitch axis 31X.

[0030] With the above configuration, when the user U kicks forward with his right leg, the shaft 3 rotates so that the front end 10a of the guide base 10 corresponding to the right leg passes above the shaft 3. At this time, supination occurs at the ankle joint of the right leg. That is, plantar flexion, internal rotation, and inversion occur at the ankle joint of the right leg. Meanwhile, the left leg is pulled back backward. At this time, pronation occurs at the ankle joint of the left leg. That is, dorsiflexion, external rotation, and eversion occur at the ankle joint of the left leg.

[0031] Next, when the user U kicks out forward with his / her left leg, the shaft 3 rotates so that the front end 10a of the guide base 10 corresponding to the left leg passes above the shaft 3. At this time, supination occurs at the ankle joint of the left leg. That is, plantar flexion, internal rotation, and eversion occur at the ankle joint of the left leg. Meanwhile, the right leg is pulled back backward. At this time, pronation occurs at the ankle joint of the right leg. That is, dorsiflexion, external rotation, and eversion occur at the ankle joint of the right leg.

[0032] In this way, when the user U alternately kicks forward with his right and left legs using the pedaling exercise device 1, supination and pronation alternate at the ankle joint of the right leg, and pronation and supination alternate at the ankle joint of the left leg. The movement of the ankle joint at this time faithfully reproduces the movement of the ankle joint during walking, and as a result, a training effect of increasing the flexibility of the ankle joint can be expected.

[0033] The first embodiment has been described above, and the above embodiment has the following features.

[0034] The foot pedaling exercise device 1 as a lower limb exercise device is a lower limb exercise device that performs lower limb exercise using a pair of pedal units 6. Each pedal unit 6 includes a step portion 20 on which a corresponding foot F is placed, a base portion 21, and a joint portion 22 that is provided between the step portion 20 and the base portion 21 and connects the step portion 20 to the base portion 21 so that the step portion 20 can pitch rotate, roll rotate, and yaw rotate with respect to the base portion 21. With the above configuration, it is possible to realize supination and pronation of the ankle joint during lower limb exercise.

[0035] Furthermore, the joint portion 22 of each pedal unit 6 includes a roll joint portion 40 for roll rotation, a pitch joint portion 41 for pitch rotation, and a yaw joint portion 42 for yaw rotation. The joint portion 22 of each pedal unit 6 includes, in this order from the step portion 20 toward the base portion 21, the roll joint portion 40, the pitch joint portion 41, and the yaw joint portion 42. With the above configuration, the joint portion 22 can be realized with a simple configuration.

[0036] However, the joint portion 22 may be, for example, a ball joint. That is, the step portion 20 and the base portion 21 may be connected to each other via a ball joint serving as a joint portion.

[0037] The first embodiment can be modified, for example, as follows.

[0038] That is, as shown in FIG. 4, a binding 60 may be provided on the step portion 20, and a cleat 61 that can be snapped into the binding 60 may be provided on the outsole 51 of the shoe 50, so that the shoe 50 can be easily attached and detached to the step portion 20.

[0039] As an example, SPD (SHIMANO PEDALING DYNAMICS, registered trademark) can be used for the binding 60 and the cleats 61. That is, the binding 60 includes a toe-side hook 62, a heel-side hook 63, and a coil spring 64 that presses the heel-side hook 63 toward the toe-side hook 62. An engagement guide surface 63a is formed at the tip of the heel-side hook 63. The cleat 61 includes a support portion 65 extending downward from the outsole 51, a front cleat 66 extending forward from the support portion 65, and a rear cleat 67 extending rearward from the support portion 65. With the above configuration, when the heel is stepped on with the front cleat 66 hooked on the toe-side hook 62, the rear cleat 67 slides along the fitting guide surface 63a of the heel-side hook 63, causing the heel-side hook 63 to move backward, and when the rear cleat 67 overcomes the fitting guide surface 63a, the heel-side hook 63 moves forward due to the spring restoring force of the coil spring 64, and as a result, the rear cleat 67 is captured by the heel-side hook 63. This causes the cleat 61 to snap into the binding 60.

[0040] Second embodiment Next, a second embodiment of the present disclosure will be described with reference to Fig. 5. Fig. 5 shows a side view of a pedal unit 101 snap-fitted to a binding pedal 100.

[0041] The binding pedal 100 is a pedal having a binding 102 that is typically compatible with SPD (SHIMANO PEDALING DYNAMICS, registered trademark). The structure of the binding 102 is the same as the structure of the binding 60 shown in FIG. 4, so a description thereof will be omitted.

[0042] The pedal unit 101 includes a step portion 103, a base portion 104, and a joint portion 105. The step portion 103 is a portion on which the corresponding foot F is placed. The base portion 104 has a cleat 106 that snap-fits with the binding 102. The structure of the cleat 106 is the same as the structure of the cleat 61 shown in Figure 4, so a description thereof will be omitted.

[0043] The joint portion 105 is provided between the step portion 103 and the base portion 104, and connects the step portion 103 and the base portion 104 so that the step portion 103 can roll and yaw relative to the base portion 104.

[0044] Specifically, the joint portion 105 is configured to be capable of yaw rotation with respect to the base portion 104. The step portion 103 is connected to the joint portion 105 to be capable of roll rotation with respect to the joint portion 105.

[0045] The yaw rotation axis 105X of the joint portion 105 is perpendicular to the pitch rotation axis 100X of the binding pedal 100. The roll rotation axis 103X of the step portion 103 is perpendicular to the yaw rotation axis 105X. Therefore, it can be said that the step portion 103 has three degrees of freedom with the pitch rotation axis 100X, yaw rotation axis 105X, and roll rotation axis 103X.

[0046] According to this embodiment, it is possible to realize pronation and supination of the ankle joint simply by replacing the pedals of an existing lower limb exercise device with the binding pedal 100 and snapping the pedal unit 101 into the binding 102 of the binding pedal 100. Therefore, it is possible to reduce the introduction cost for realizing pronation and supination of the ankle joint.

[0047] The second embodiment has been described above, and has the following features.

[0048] That is, the pedal unit 101 detachable from the binding pedal 100 includes a step portion 103 on which the corresponding foot F is placed, a base portion 104 having a cleat 106 that snaps into the binding pedal 100, and a joint portion 105 that is provided between the step portion 103 and the base portion 104 and connects the step portion 103 and the base portion 104 so that the step portion 103 can roll and yaw relative to the base portion 104. With the above configuration, the binding pedal 100 itself is inherently pitch-rotatable, so that supination and pronation of the ankle joint during lower limb movement can be achieved. [Explanation of symbols]

[0049] 1. Pedal exercise equipment 2. Device body 3 Shaft 4. Crank 4a tip 5 Slide guide unit 6 Pedal unit 10 Guide Base 10a front end 10b rear end 11 Guide body 12 wheels 13 Rail support plate 14 Rail 20 Step section 20X Roll Axis 21 Base 22 Joint 30 Yaw rotation section 30X Yaw Axis 31 Pitch turning section 31X Pitch axis 40 Roll joint part 41 Pitch joint 42 Yaw joint 50 Shoes 51 Outsole 60 Binding 61 Cleat 62 Toe Hook 63 Heel Hook 63a Mating guide surface 64 Coil spring 65 Support part 66 Front cleat 67 Rear cleat 100 binding pedals 100X Pitch Swivel Axis 101 Pedal unit 102 Binding 103 Step section 103X Roll pivot axis 104 Base 105 Joint 105X Yaw Rotation Axis 106 Cleats

Claims

[Claim 1] A pedaling exercise device for performing pedaling exercise in a seated position, The device body, A shaft rotatably supported by the device body; a pair of cranks extending in opposite directions from both ends of the shaft in a direction perpendicular to the longitudinal direction of the shaft; Each slide guide unit includes a pair of slide guide units including a guide base to which a front end of a corresponding crank is connected so as to be capable of pitch rotation, and a rail extending along the longitudinal direction of the guide base and provided on the guide base; A pair of pedal units; Including, the pair of slide guide units are configured to reciprocate back and forth in accordance with rotation of the shaft, and when the slide guide units move forward, a front end of the guide base passes above the shaft, and when the slide guide units move rearward, the front end of the guide base passes below the shaft; Each pedal unit is A step portion on which the corresponding foot portion is placed; a base portion connected to a corresponding rail; a joint portion provided between the step portion and the base portion, the joint portion connecting the step portion and the base portion such that the step portion can pitch rotate, roll rotate, and yaw rotate with respect to the base portion; Including, The joint portion of each pedal unit includes a roll joint portion for roll rotation, a pitch joint portion for pitch rotation, and a yaw joint portion for yaw rotation, the joint portion of each pedal unit includes, in this order from the step portion to the base portion, the roll joint portion, the pitch joint portion, and the yaw joint portion; The step portion is configured to be screwed to a portion of an outsole of a shoe worn by a user, the portion facing a rear foot portion of the user's foot, When the user alternately kicks forward with the right and left legs using the pedaling exercise device, supination and pronation alternate at the ankle joint of the right leg, and pronation and supination alternate at the ankle joint of the left leg. Foot pedaling equipment.

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