Exercise assisting device

Abstract

A housing 1 is provided with a left foot support 2 a and the right foot support 2 b each of which is provided for bearing the user's foot thereon. A drive unit 3 is configured to vary an upper surface angle of each of the left foot support 2 a and the right foot support relative to horizontal plane. Each of the left foot support 2 a and the right foot support 2 b is driven to move within a swing range. When one of the left foot support 2 a and the right foot support 2 b has its front end being located at an upper end of the swing range, the other of the left foot support 2 a and the right foot support 2 b has its front end being located at a lower end of the swing range. Both of a left ankle joint and a right ankle joint are alternately dorsiflexed and plantarflexed. Consequently, it is possible to obtain an exercise assisting device being configured to bend and stretch lower legs to stimulate lower leg muscles.

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 drive unit configured to displace at least one of said left and right foot supports; and   a frame mounting said left and right foot supports and said drive unit,   wherein   each of said left and right foot supports is arranged to prescribe a foot position on which the foot is placed on,   said drive unit includes a swing drive configured to vary an angle of a top surface angle of at least one of said left and right foot supports relative to said frame for varying an ankle joint angle.   
   
   
       2 . 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 drive unit configured to displace at least one of said left and right foot supports; and   a frame mounting said left and right foot supports and said frame,   wherein   each of said left and right foot supports is arranged to prescribe a foot position on which the foot is placed on,   said drive unit includes a slide drive configured to slide at least one of said left and right foot supports along a movement plane defined on the side of said frame, and a swing drive configured to vary a top surface angle of at least one of said left and right foot supports relative to a top plane of said frame for varying an ankle joint angle.   
   
   
       3 . An exercise assisting device as set forth in  claim 1 , wherein
 said swing drive is configured to swing at least one of said left and right foot supports about a predetermined axle for varying the top surface angle relative to a top plane of said frame, said axle being positioned to have its axis extending through the ankle joint.   
   
   
       4 . An exercise assisting device as set forth in  claim 1 , wherein
 said swing drive is configured to swing at least one of said left and right foot supports about a predetermined axle for varying the top surface angle relative to a top plane of said frame, said axle being positioned immediately below the ankle joint.   
   
   
       5 . An exercise assisting device as set forth in  claim 1 , wherein
 said swing drive is configured to swing at least one of said left and right foot supports about a predetermined axle for varying the top surface angle relative to a top plane of said frame, said axle being positioned below the foot bottom and offset forward or rearward relative to the ankle joint.   
   
   
       6 . An exercise assisting device as set forth in  claim 1 , wherein
 said swing drive is configured to swing at least one of said left and right foot supports about a predetermined axle for varying the top surface angle relative to a top plane of said frame, and vary a vertical position of said axle in accordance with the varying top surface angle.   
   
   
       7 . An exercise assisting device as set forth in  claim 1 , wherein
 said foot position is prescribed to put a toe of the user's left foot on the left side away from its heel for the left foot support, and put a toe of the user's right foot on the right side away from its heel for the right foot support,   said swing drive is configured to vary the top surface angle of each of said left and right foot supports relative to the top plane of said frame in a movable direction about the ankle joint of the user's foot held in said prescribed position.   
   
   
       8 . An exercise assisting device as set forth in  claim 1 , wherein
 each of said left and right foot supports is provided with positioning means prompting the placement of the user's foot on the prescribed position.   
   
   
       9 . An exercise assisting device as set forth in  claim 1 , wherein
 said slide drive is configured to reciprocate the left and right foot supports in a forward/rearward direction respectively along individual travel paths, while varying a lateral distance between said left and right foot supports with regard to representative points of the left and right foot supports, said lateral distance between forward ends of said travel paths differing from the lateral distance between rearward ends of said travel paths.   
   
   
       10 . An exercise assisting device as set forth in  claim 9 , wherein
 said slide drive includes a moving direction determiner configured to adjust an angle of the travel path relative to the forward/rearward direction, said travel path extending linearly and being defined by a line connecting the forward end and the rearward end of the representative points.   
   
   
       11 . An exercise assisting device as set forth in  claim 1 , wherein
 said slide drive is configured to move said left and right foot supports in an opposite phase relation along the forward/rearward, direction so as to keep a center of gravity of the user at a constant position in the forward/rearward direction.   
   
   
       12 . An exercise assisting device as set forth in  claim 2 , wherein
 said swing drive is configured to swing at least one of said left and right foot supports about a predetermined axle for varying the top surface angle relative to a top plane of said frame, said axle being positioned to have its axis extending through the ankle joint.   
   
   
       13 . An exercise assisting device as set forth in  claim 2 , wherein
 said swing drive is configured to swing at least one of said left and right foot supports about a predetermined axle for varying the top surface angle relative to a top plane of said frame, said axle being positioned immediately below the ankle joint.   
   
   
       14 . An exercise assisting device as set forth in  claim 2 , wherein
 said swing drive is configured to swing at least one of said left and right foot supports about a predetermined axle for varying the top surface angle relative to a top plane of said frame, said axle being positioned below the foot bottom and offset forward or rearward relative to the ankle joint.   
   
   
       15 . An exercise assisting device as set forth in  claim 2 , wherein
 said swing drive is configured to swing at least one of said left and right foot supports about a predetermined axle for varying the top surface angle relative to a top plane of said frame, and vary a vertical position of said axle in accordance with the varying top surface angle.   
   
   
       16 . An exercise assisting device as set forth in  claim 2 , wherein
 said foot position is prescribed to put a toe of the user's left foot on the left side away from its heel for the left foot support, and put a toe of the user's right foot on the right side away from its heel for the right foot support,   said swing drive is configured to vary the top surface angle of each of said left and right foot supports relative to the top plane of said frame in a movable direction about the ankle joint of the user's foot held in said prescribed position.   
   
   
       17 . An exercise assisting device as set forth in  claim 2 , wherein
 each of said left and right foot supports is provided with positioning means prompting the placement of the user's foot on the prescribed position.   
   
   
       18 . An exercise assisting device as set forth in  claim 2 , wherein
 said slide drive is configured to reciprocate the left and right foot supports in a forward/rearward direction respectively along individual travel paths, while varying a lateral distance between said left and right foot supports with regard to representative points of the left and right foot supports, said lateral distance between forward ends of said travel paths differing from the lateral distance between rearward ends of said travel paths.   
   
   
       19 . An exercise assisting device as set forth in  claim 18 , wherein
 said slide drive includes a moving direction determiner configured to adjust an angle of the travel path relative to the forward/rearward direction, said travel path extending linearly and being defined by a line connecting the forward end and the rearward end of the representative points.   
   
   
       20 . An exercise assisting device as set forth in  claim 2 , wherein
 said slide drive is configured to move said left and right foot supports in an opposite phase relation along the forward/rearward direction so as to keep a center of gravity of the user at a constant position in the forward/rearward direction.