Exercise Assisting Device with Pivoting Table and Hold Body
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional exercise assisting devices, such as treadmills and bicycle ergometers, fail to replicate the natural motion of running or walking effectively, leading to inadequate engagement of the trunk and large muscle groups, resulting in lower aerobic exercise effects.
Innovation Solution
An exercise assisting device with a table shape body that pivots upward and downward, and a hold body that pivots forward and backward, allowing users to move their gravity center forward while maintaining a relaxed posture, thereby mimicking real running or walking motions and engaging the trunk and leg muscles more effectively.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If a treadmill is used for exercise, then the user can perform running or walking exercises indoors, but the user's motion becomes unnatural (jumping obliquely forward and upward) and only terminal parts like calves are engaged
Solution Approach 1:
The device employs a moving belt that dynamically adjusts its motion characteristics to replicate natural running and walking trajectories. The belt moves horizontally forward and backward while allowing vertical displacement, creating a dynamic surface that adapts to the user's gravitational center movement rather than forcing the user to adapt to a fixed inclined plane.
Solution Approach 2:
The device creates a simplified copy of natural outdoor running/walking motion by using a horizontal moving belt that reproduces the essential trajectory characteristics without the complexity of terrain variations. The belt's horizontal movement combined with gravitational center displacement copies the natural motion pattern that occurs during outdoor exercise.
2Ease of operation
If an axle moving type bicycle ergometer is used, then the pedal movement can be controlled, but the exercise trajectory becomes unnatural (circular rotational movement) and trunk engagement is insufficient
Solution Approach 1:
The device transforms the static, controlled pedal motion of traditional ergometers into dynamic, free-motion stepping on a moving belt. The belt's horizontal movement combined with the user's natural gravitational center displacement creates a dynamic exercise trajectory that replicates outdoor running/walking without the constrained circular motion of fixed pedals.
Solution Approach 2:
The device extracts the essential functional element of natural motion (gravitational center displacement during running/walking) and removes the constraining elements of traditional ergometers (fixed rotational axes, circular trajectories). By eliminating the fixed pedal rotation mechanism and replacing it with a free-moving belt system, the device allows natural trunk and leg muscle engagement without artificial motion constraints.
3Productivity
If conventional exercise devices focus on terminal parts movement, then large muscle groups in the trunk region are not sufficiently engaged, but increasing terminal part movement does not improve aerobic exercise effects
Solution Approach 1:
The moving belt creates a dynamic exercise environment where the user's gravitational center naturally displaces forward and backward during each stepping cycle. This dynamic motion pattern engages the trunk and large muscle groups throughout the entire body rather than isolating terminal parts, thereby improving aerobic exercise effectiveness through full-body involvement.
Solution Approach 2:
The device allows the user's own body weight and natural motion patterns to drive the exercise mechanism. As the user steps on the moving belt and displaces their gravitational center, their own weight provides the driving force for belt movement, eliminating the need for external resistance mechanisms and enabling natural full-body muscle engagement.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The device enables users to perform trunk-centered actions with enhanced aerobic exercise effects by closely mimicking real running and walking motions, improving muscle engagement and balance, while reducing excessive contraction of peripheral muscles.
Implementation Method 1
a link body 5 which converts the upward and downward swinging of the table shape body 2 into the forward and backward swinging of the hold body 4
Implementation Method 2
the table shape body 2 is pivotally supported to swing freely upward and downward relative to the main body 3; the hold body 4 is pivotally supported to swing freely forward and backward relative to the main body 3
Data Source
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AI summary
[PROBLEM] It becomes possible to make a user does an extremely close motio n to a real motion of running, walking and so on, and makes the user a trunk-cen tered action with the gravity center movement by moving a table shape body and a hold body relative to a main body and regulating a forward inclination of the user, when the user whose a trunk is held moves the gravity center forward. [SOLUTION] An exercise assisting device includes a table shape body 2 which a user S steps on, a main body 3 which supports the table shape body 2 from below and a hold body 4 which is arranged on the main body 3. And the hold body 4 holds a trunk T of user S who steps on the table shape body 2 and whose the gravity center G is positioned forward than a step position F of the user S. The exercise assisting device regulates a forward inclination of the user S while moving relatively the table shape body 2 and/or the hold body 4 relative to the main body 3.