Exercise assisting apparatus

Abstract

An exercise assisting apparatus ( 1 ) comprises: a seat ( 13 ) on which buttocks of a user ( 2 ) is sit; a stationary support base ( 12 ) for supporting the seat ( 13 ); a burden regulator ( 14 ) provided between the support base ( 12 ) and the seat ( 13 ), and for regulating a ratio of self weight of the user which is supported by the seat ( 13 ) so that a load due to the self weight of the user acting on leg portion of the user; and a driving mechanism ( 16 ) for driving the burden regulator ( 14 ) so that the ratio of self weight of the user supported by the seat varies as time passes. The burden regulator ( 14 ) couples the support base ( 12 ) and the seat ( 13 ) in a manner so that a portion of the seat ( 13 ) to which the buttocks of the user is sit is tilted between a first state where the portion becomes horizontal and a second state where the portion is slanted downward toward the foot side in a plane including one of femoral regions and the buttocks of the user. Thus, a space necessary for using the exercise assisting apparatus ( 1 ) can be narrowed, and strength of a material of the support base ( 12 ) can be lowered.

1 . An exercise assisting apparatus comprising:
 a seat on which buttocks of a user is sit;   a stationary support base for supporting the seat;   a burden regulator provided between the support base and the seat, and for regulating a ratio of self weight of the user which is supported by the seat so that a load due to the self weight of the user acting on leg portion of the user; and   a driving mechanism for driving the burden regulator so that the ratio of self weight of the user supported by the seat varies as time passes;   the burden regulator coupling the support base and the seat in a manner so that a portion of the seat to which the buttocks of the user is sit is tilted between a first state where the portion becomes horizontal and a second state where the portion is slanted downward toward the foot side in a plane including one of femoral regions and the buttocks of the user.   
     
     
         2 . The exercise assisting apparatus in accordance with  claim 1 , wherein
 an upper body supporting member, which restricts a range of a position of upper body of the user by restricting a part of the upper body of the user who sits his or her buttocks on the seat, is further provided; and   the range of the position of the upper body is variable in conjunction with the driving mechanism.   
     
     
         3 . The exercise assisting apparatus in accordance with  claim 2 , wherein
 the upper body supporting member has a portion which contacts a front face of the upper body of the user who sits the buttocks on the seat.   
     
     
         4 . The exercise assisting apparatus in accordance with  claim 1 , wherein
 at least one of an area that the seat contacts with the user and a position of the seat in a horizontal plane is variable.   
     
     
         5 . The exercise assisting apparatus in accordance with  claim 1 , wherein
 steps, on which the user puts his or her foots in a state that the buttocks of the user is sit on the seat, are further provided, and each step has a plurality of partial steps respectively contacting a plurality of portions of a sole and independently moving so as to vary a contacting area between the step and the sole, and a driving source for moving the partial steps.   
     
     
         6 . The exercise assisting apparatus in accordance with  claim 1 , wherein
 a handrail, which is held by the user in a state that the buttocks of the user sit on the seat, is further provided.   
     
     
         7 . The exercise assisting apparatus in accordance with  claim 1 , wherein
 the seat further comprises a main seat portion to which the buttocks of the user is sit, and an auxiliary seat portion obliquely extended downward from the main seat portion.   
     
     
         8 . The exercise assisting apparatus in accordance with  claim 7 , wherein
 a front portion of the auxiliary seat portion is formed to be two-forked so that femoral regions of the user are posited thereon.   
     
     
         9 . The exercise assisting apparatus in accordance with  claim 7 , wherein
 an angle of the auxiliary seat portion with respect to the main seat portion is variable.   
     
     
         10 . The exercise assisting apparatus in accordance with  claim 4 , wherein
 the seat is slidable in an anteroposterior direction with respect to the support base.   
     
     
         11 . The exercise assisting apparatus in accordance with  claim 4 , wherein
 a main seat portion of the seat is divided into two parts of a front portion and a rear portion, and the front portion and the rear portion are coupled with an extension and contraction mechanism so as to vary the area of the main seat portion.   
     
     
         12 . The exercise assisting apparatus in accordance with  claim 2 , wherein
 the upper body supporting member is a form of backrest, which contacts waist back of the user who sits buttocks on the seat, and coupled with the seat.   
     
     
         13 . The exercise assisting apparatus in accordance with  claim 12 , wherein
 the seat and the upper body support member are coupled through a second driving mechanism which is controlled to adjust an angle of the upper body support member with respect to the seat in conjunction with the tilt of the seat with the driving mechanism.   
     
     
         14 . The exercise assisting apparatus in accordance with  claim 3 , wherein
 the portion of the upper body supporting member which contacts a front face of the upper body of the user is an arrester having a single arm, an end of which is rotatably borne on the seat, and a supporting bar, which is connected to the other end of the arm and contacts to abdomen of the user.   
     
     
         15 . The exercise assisting apparatus in accordance with  claim 3 , wherein
 the portion of the upper body supporting member which contacts a front face of the upper body of the user is a seat belt.   
     
     
         16 . The exercise assisting apparatus in accordance with  claim 3 , wherein
 the portion of the upper body supporting member which contacts a front face of the upper body of the user is an arrester having Tee-shape provided at a center portion of a front end of the seat.   
     
     
         17 . The exercise assisting apparatus in accordance with  claim 5 , wherein
 each of the partial steps is constituted so that at least one of elevation, location in the anteroposterior direction, location in the widthwise direction and tilt angle with respect to a pedestal is variable.   
     
     
         18 . The exercise assisting apparatus in accordance with  claim 5 , wherein
 a load sensor is provided on each of the partial steps, and locations of the partial steps are regulated by feedback control so as to approach loads detected with the load sensors to target values.   
     
     
         19 . The exercise assisting apparatus in accordance with  claim 6 , wherein
 the handrail has a Tee-shape comprised of a pole brace sticking up on a pedestal, and a gripper provided at a top end of the pole brace that the user holds.   
     
     
         20 . The exercise assisting apparatus in accordance with  claim 6 , wherein
 a pair of handrails is integrally provided in vicinities of both sides on a front end of the seat in a widthwise direction.