Exercise assisting device

Abstract

A housing 1 is provided with a left foot support 2 a and a right foot support 2 b respectively for mounting user's left foot and right foot. The left foot support 2 a and the right foot support 2 b are respectively driven to move along a rail which defines a travel path. The housing 1 is provided with a motor 31 having an output shaft 31 a which generates a rotary motion which is distributed into two routes by a worm gear 32 a and two worm wheels 32 b. Rotary motions of each of the worm wheels 32 b are respectively transmitted to the left foot support 2 a and the right foot support 2 b by a crank rod 38, thereby the rotary motions of each of the worm wheels 32 b act as driving forces which respectively reciprocate the left foot support 2 a and the right foot support 2 b. Accordingly, this configuration makes it possible to provide an exercise assisting device being configured to stimulate leg muscles by only one driving force for generation of the driving forces.

1 . An exercise assisting device comprising:
 a left foot support and a right foot support respectively configured to bear a user's left foot and right foot;   a guide configured to restrict travel paths respectively of said left foot support and said right foot support,   a drive unit configured to move said left and right foot supports in a mutually linked manner, and   a frame mounting said left foot support, said right foot support, said guide, and said drive unit,   wherein   said drive unit comprises a drive source of generating a driving force,   a router configured to provide two routes for distributing said driving force respectively to said left foot support and said right foot support, and   a reciprocator configured to reciprocate said left and right foot supports in at least one of a forward/rearward direction and a lateral direction by said driving force.   
   
   
       2 . An exercise assisting device as set forth in  claim 1 , wherein
 said drive source is a rotary motor,   said router includes a first gear fixed to an output shaft of said rotary motor, and a pair of second gears meshing with said first gear, and   said reciprocator includes a translation mechanism of translating rotary motions of the second gears into reciprocatory motion of said left and right foot supports, respectively.   
   
   
       3 . An exercise assisting device as set forth in  claim 2 , wherein
 said first gear is a worm gear,   said second gear is a worm wheel meshing with said worm gear,   said translation mechanism includes a crank rod for translation of rotary motion of said worm wheels to the reciprocatory motions of said left and right foot supports/   
   
   
       4 . An exercise assisting device as set forth in  claim 1 , wherein
 said router is configured to give a phase difference between the movements of said left and right foot supports.   
   
   
       5 . An exercise assisting device as set forth in  claim 1 , further including:
 an inclination provider configured to vary a top surface angle of each of said left and right foot supports with respect to a reference plane in an interlocked manner with the reciprocatory movement thereof,   said inclination provider comprises a guide face formed on one of said foot support and said frame to have at least an inclination surface inclined with respect to the direction of the movement of said left and right foot supports, and a follower projection formed on the other of said foot support and said frame to come into sliding contact with said guide face while said left and right foot supports are driven to move.   
   
   
       6 . An exercise assisting device as set forth in  claim 5 , wherein
 said inclination provider includes an axle on a side of one of said foot support and said frame, and a bearing on a side of the other of said foot support and said frame for supporting said axle, said axle defining a pivot axis around which each of said left and right foot supports swings in response to the top surface thereof being inclined along said inclination surface.   
   
   
       7 . An exercise assisting device as set forth in  claim 5 , wherein
 said follower projection is provided at its top with a roller which comes into a rolling contact with said guide face.   
   
   
       8 . An exercise assisting device as set forth in  claim 2 , wherein
 said router is configured to give a phase difference between the movements of said left and right foot supports.   
   
   
       9 . An exercise assisting device as set forth in  claim 3 , wherein
 said router is configured to give a phase difference between the movements of said left and right foot supports.   
   
   
       10 . An exercise assisting device as set forth in  claim 2 , further including:
 an inclination provider configured to vary a top surface angle of each of said left and right foot supports with respect to a reference plane in an interlocked manner with the reciprocatory movement thereof,   said inclination provider comprises a guide face formed on one of said foot support and said frame to have at least an inclination surface inclined with respect to the direction of the movement of said left and right foot supports, and a follower projection formed on the other of said foot support and said frame to come into sliding contact with said guide face while said left and right foot supports are driven to move.   
   
   
       11 . An exercise assisting device as set forth in  claim 3 , further including:
 an inclination provider configured to vary a top surface angle of each of said left and right foot supports with respect to a reference plane in an interlocked manner with the reciprocatory movement thereof,   said inclination provider comprises a guide face formed on one of said foot support and said frame to have at least an inclination surface inclined with respect to the direction of the movement of said left and right foot supports, and a follower projection formed on the other of said foot support and said frame to come into sliding contact with said guide face while said left and right foot supports are driven to move.   
   
   
       12 . An exercise assisting device as set forth in  claim 10 , wherein
 said inclination provider includes an axle on a side of one of said foot support and said frame, and a bearing on a side of the other of said foot support and said frame for supporting said axle, said axle defining a pivot axis around which each of said left and right foot supports swings in response to the top surface thereof being inclined along said inclination surface.   
   
   
       13 . An exercise assisting device as set forth in  claim 11 , wherein
 said inclination provider includes an axle on a side of one of said foot support and said frame, and a bearing on a side of the other of said foot support and said frame for supporting said axle, said axle defining a pivot axis around which each of said left and right foot supports swings in response to the top surface thereof being inclined along said inclination surface.   
   
   
       14 . An exercise assisting device as set forth in  claim 10 , wherein
 said follower projection is provided at its top with a roller which comes into a rolling contact with said guide face.   
   
   
       15 . An exercise assisting device as set forth in  claim 11 , wherein
 said follower projection is provided at its top with a roller which comes into a rolling contact with said guide face.