Exercise assisting apparatus

Abstract

This invention produces an exercise assisting apparatus which is configured to vary user's weight which acts on the user's leg and the user's buttocks at a great ratio. The exercise assisting apparatus comprises a base, a pair of foot supports, and a pair of guides. A pair of the foot supports is configured to bear the user's left foot and the user's right foot respectively. Each guide comprises a guide rail for guiding each the foot support. Each the guide rail allows each the foot support to move along the front-back direction. Each the guide rail is configured to swing about one of a front-back axis, a lateral axis, and a vertical axis. The front-back axis extends along the front back direction of the base. The lateral axis extends along a lateral direction of the base. The vertical axis extends along a vertical direction.

1 . An exercise assisting apparatus comprising:
 a base;   a pair of foot supports being provided on said base and shaped to bear user's left foot and right foot respectively, and   a pair of guides being provided on said base to define individual travel paths along which said foot supports are guided respectively;   wherein   each said guide extends in a front-back direction such that each said guide allows each said foot support to move in the front-back direction, and   said guide being configured to allow each said foot support to rotate about one of a back and forth axis extending along the back and forth direction, a lateral axis extending along a lateral direction, and a vertical axis extending along a vertical direction, while said foot support is guided to move along the travel path.   
     
     
         2 . The exercise assisting apparatus as set forth in  claim 1 , wherein
 said foot supports are composed of a left foot support and a right foot support,   said travel path of said guide for said left foot support being configured to move said left foot support leftward as said left foot support moves forward,   said travel path of said guide for said right foot support being configured to move said right foot support rightward as said right foot support moves forward,   said exercise assisting apparatus further comprising a drive means,   said drive means being configured to move said right foot support along an oblique direction extending leftward and backward along the travel path for the right foot support as said left foot support is caused to move leftward and forward along the travel path for the left foot support, and   said drive means being configured to move said right foot support along an oblique direction extending rightward and forward along the travel path for the left foot support as said left foot support is caused to move rightward and backward along the travel path for the right foot support.   
     
     
         3 . The exercise assisting apparatus as set forth in  claim 1 , wherein each said foot support is provided at its front half of a bottom surface with a front protrusion and at its rear half of the bottom surface with a rear protrusion,
 each said front protrusion being provided at its lower end with a front crossbar, each said rear protrusion being provided at its lower end with a rear cross bar, each said guide has a front guide rail and a rear guide rail,   each said front guide rail being shaped to receive said front crossbar and is shaped to guide the front crossbar,   each said rear guide rail being shaped to receive said rear crossbar and is shaped to guide the rear crossbar,   each said front guide rail being inclined toward an oblique direction which extends forward and downward, whereby the crossbar moves downward as said crossbar moves forward, each said rear guide rail being parallel to a horizontal plane, whereby a vertical position of the rear guide rail has a level which is equal to a level of a vertical position of the rear end of the front guide rail.   
     
     
         4 . The exercise assisting apparatus as set forth in  claim 2 , wherein each said foot support is provided at its front half of a bottom surface with a front protrusion and at its rear half of the bottom surface with a rear protrusion,
 each said front protrusion being provided at its lower end with a front crossbar, each said rear protrusion being provided at its lower end with a rear cross bar, each said guide has a front guide rail and a rear guide rail,   each said front guide rail being shaped to receive said front crossbar and is shaped to guide the front crossbar,   each said rear guide rail being shaped to receive said rear crossbar and is shaped to guide the rear crossbar,   each said front guide rail being inclined toward an oblique direction which extends forward and downward, whereby the crossbar moves downward as said crossbar moves forward, each said rear guide rail being parallel to a horizontal plane, whereby a vertical position of the rear guide rail has a level which is equal to a level of a vertical position of the rear end of the front guide rail.   
     
     
         5 . The exercise assisting apparatus as set forth in  claim 1 , wherein each said foot support is provided at its front half of a bottom surface with a front protrusion and at its rear half of the bottom surface with a rear protrusion,
 each said front protrusion being provided at its lower end with a front crossbar, each said rear protrusion being provided at its lower end with a rear cross bar, each said guide has a front guide rail and a rear guide rail,   each said front guide rail being shaped to receive said front crossbar and is shaped to guide the front crossbar,   each said rear guide rail being shaped to receive said rear crossbar and is shaped to guide the rear crossbar,   each said front guide rail extending toward a first direction in a lateral direction as the front guide rail extends forward,   each said rear guide rail extending toward a second direction in a lateral direction as the rear guide rail extends forward, said second direction being opposite to the first direction.   
     
     
         6 . The exercise assisting apparatus as set forth in  claim 2 , wherein each said foot support is provided at its front half of a bottom surface with a front protrusion and at its rear half of the bottom surface with a rear protrusion,
 each said front protrusion being provided at its lower end with a front crossbar, each said rear protrusion being provided at its lower end with a rear cross bar, each said guide has a front guide rail and a rear guide rail,   each said front guide rail being shaped to receive said front crossbar and is shaped to guide the front crossbar,   each said rear guide rail being shaped to receive said rear crossbar and is shaped to guide the rear crossbar,   each said front guide rail extending toward a first direction in a lateral direction as the front guide rail extends forward,   each said rear guide rail extending toward a second direction in a lateral direction as the rear guide rail extends forward,   said second direction being opposite to the first direction.