JP7727938B2 - heel stimulator - Google Patents

Description

The present invention relates to a heel stimulation device that stimulates the heel by striking the heel.

Some athletes choose to train by cycling instead of running, fearing that they will build up excess muscle that is not necessary for their sport. However, recent research has shown that people who rarely run and exclusively train by cycling have lower bone mass than those who consistently run. The reason for this is that exclusively training by cycling prevents the bones from receiving the impact necessary to increase bone mass, leading to the production of large amounts of a substance called "sclerostin," which reduces the number of osteoblasts (cells that create bone). In order to prevent bone loss, it is said that regular exercise that stimulates the heels, such as running, is effective.

However, it is not necessarily easy to perform exercises that stimulate the heel on a daily basis. This is because, for the athletes mentioned above, running and other activities can lead to a decline in athletic ability, and there are no other exercises that can efficiently stimulate the heel. Furthermore, even for ordinary people who are not athletes, it is difficult to run on a daily basis for busy people or those with weak legs and hips. For those who cannot run on a daily basis, the only thing they can do to stimulate the heel is to hit their heel with a hammer or similar object. However, hitting the heel with a hammer or similar object is monotonous and can easily become a hassle.

Previously, footwear with protrusions for stimulating the soles of the feet (see, for example, Figure 1 of Patent Document 1) and devices housed in shoes with protrusions for stimulating the soles of the feet (see, for example, Figures 1 and 2 of Patent Document 2) have been proposed. It is believed that using these footwear and devices allows the soles of the feet to be stimulated during the everyday activity of "walking," thereby promoting health. However, these types of footwear and devices are intended to improve blood circulation by providing acupressure-like stimulation to the soles of the feet, and are not intended to inhibit bone loss. Therefore, there are doubts as to whether these types of footwear and devices can inhibit bone loss. Even with these footwear and devices, stimulating the soles of the feet requires exercise such as walking or running.

In light of these circumstances, the present applicant developed the heel stimulation device shown in Figure 2 of Patent Document 3. This heel stimulation device comprises a tabletop 11 on which the foot rests, a hammer 20 that strikes the heel through a striking hole 11a provided in the portion of the tabletop 11 on which the heel rests, and a hammer vibration mechanism 30 for moving the hammer 20 up and down. With this heel stimulation device, when the hammer vibration mechanism 30 is driven with the foot placed on the top side of the tabletop 11, the hammer 20 strikes the heel. Therefore, even when sitting in a chair or lying in bed, it is possible to provide the heel with a stimulation similar to that experienced while running, etc. However, this heel stimulation device had the problem of easily generating a loud noise when the striking force of the hammer 20 was increased.

Japanese Utility Model Application Publication No. 55-001859 Japanese Utility Model Application Laid-Open Publication No. 02-010838 Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2021-069668

The present invention was made to solve the above problems, and provides a heel stimulation device that can provide the same stimulation to the heel as when running, even without engaging in exercise such as running, and that does not produce loud noises even when the impact force of the hammer is strong.

The above issues are:
a housing whose upper surface serves as a footrest surface;
a hammer that strikes the heel from below through a striking hole provided in a portion of the foot rest surface of the housing where the heel is placed;
a hammer vibration mechanism provided in the housing for vibrating the hammer in the up and down direction;
A heel stimulation device comprising:
The hammer vibration mechanism is supported by a lifting member that is movable in the vertical direction,
This problem is solved by providing a heel stimulating device characterized in that the lifting member is attached to the housing via a damper member.

With the heel stimulation device of the present invention, when the hammer is vibrated while the foot is placed on the foot support surface, the hammer strikes the heel. Therefore, similar to the heel stimulation device of Patent Document 3, it is possible to provide the same stimulation to the heel as when running, even when sitting in a chair or lying in bed. Furthermore, because the heel stimulation device of the present invention is equipped with a damper member, the noise generated by the hammer vibration can be reduced. This allows the striking force of the hammer to be strengthened. Furthermore, if the hammer strikes the heel and digs deeply into it, the user may experience severe pain. However, with the heel stimulation device of the present invention, the damper member can absorb the impact of the hammer after striking the heel. This makes it less likely that the user will experience severe pain. Furthermore, the stimulation provided to the heel by the hammer can be made to be the same as the stimulation provided to the heel when running, etc. This effectively prevents bone loss.

In the heel stimulation device of the present invention, the hammer vibration mechanism is not particularly limited as long as it can vibrate the hammer in the up-and-down direction. However, it is preferable that it be composed of a rotary drive device that outputs rotational force and a motion direction conversion mechanism that converts the rotational motion generated by the rotary drive device into up-and-down motion. In this case, it is preferable to use an electric motor as the rotary drive mechanism. Furthermore, it is preferable to use a motion direction conversion mechanism that is composed of a rotating member that rotates together with the output shaft of the rotary drive device, and a connecting member that is interposed between the hammer and the rotating member, with one end journaled on the hammer and the other end journaled at a location offset from the center of rotation of the rotating member. This makes it possible to realize a hammer vibration mechanism with a simple mechanism. This makes it possible to reduce manufacturing costs while maintaining high operational reliability of the heel stimulation device.

Damper members typically use elastic materials such as spring material or rubber. For example, a damper member can be used that is erected upward from the inner bottom surface of the housing and is composed of an expandable member with its upper end attached to a lifting member, and an elastic member inserted into or outside the expandable member. This allows the damper member to be realized with a simple mechanism. This makes it possible to reduce manufacturing costs while ensuring high operational reliability of the heel stimulation device. Elastic members that exert elastic force using fluid pressure, such as gas springs, can also be used.

When using the above-mentioned elastic member in the heel stimulation device of the present invention, it is preferable to provide an elastic force adjustment means for adjusting the elastic force of the elastic member in the damper member. This is because the same stimulation may be felt strongly or weakly by different users of the heel stimulation device. For this reason, it is preferable to be able to adjust the stimulation provided by the hammer according to the preferences of the user of the heel stimulation device, and by adjusting the elastic force of the damper member, it is possible to adjust the stimulation applied to the heel by the hammer.

As described above, this invention not only allows for the same stimulation to be given to the heel as when running, even when not engaging in physical activity such as running, but also makes it possible to provide a heel stimulation device that does not produce loud noises even when the impact force of the hammer is strong.

1 is a partially cutaway perspective view showing a heel stimulation device according to a first embodiment. 1 is a partially cutaway perspective view showing an enlarged state of part A (FIG. 1) in the heel stimulation device of the first embodiment. FIG. 1 is a cross-sectional view of the area around the hammer and hammer vibration mechanism in the heel stimulation device of the first embodiment, cut along a plane perpendicular to the front-rear direction. FIG. 1A to 1C are diagrams illustrating the operation of the hammer and hammer vibration mechanism in the heel stimulation device of the first embodiment, and are cross-sectional views of the periphery of the hammer and hammer vibration mechanism in each state, cut along a plane perpendicular to the front-to-back direction. 10 is a cross-sectional view of the area around the hammer and hammer vibration mechanism in the heel stimulation device of the second embodiment, cut along a plane perpendicular to the front-to-rear direction. FIG.

A preferred embodiment of the heel stimulating device of the present invention will be described in more detail with reference to the drawings. The heel stimulating device of the present invention stimulates the heel by striking the heel. The heel stimulating device of the present invention will be described below using two embodiments (first and second embodiments) as examples, but the technical scope of the heel stimulating device of the present invention is not limited to these embodiments. The heel stimulating device of the present invention can be modified as appropriate as long as the purpose of the invention is not impaired.

1. Heel stimulation device of the first embodiment First, the heel stimulation device of the first embodiment will be described. Figure 1 is a partially cutaway perspective view showing the heel stimulation device of the first embodiment. Figure 2 is a partially cutaway perspective view showing an enlarged state of part A (Figure 1) in the heel stimulation device of the first embodiment. Figure 3 is a cross-sectional view of the area around the hammer 20 and hammer vibration mechanism 30 in the heel stimulation device of the first embodiment, cut along a plane perpendicular to the front-to-rear direction.

As shown in FIG. 1, the heel stimulation device of the first embodiment houses a hammer 20, a hammer vibration mechanism 30, an elevating member 50, and a damper member 40 inside a housing 10. This heel stimulation device is typically used while placed on a support surface such as the floor. When a user places their foot on the footrest surface (the upper surface of the top plate 11) of the housing 10 and vibrates the hammer 20, the hammer 20 strikes the user's heel. This makes it possible to provide the same stimulation to the heel as when running, even when not engaging in exercise such as running. For example, the heel can be stimulated even while sitting in a chair or lying in bed. Striking the heel with this heel stimulation device is expected to have the effect of suppressing bone loss.

The housing 10 is not particularly limited in its shape, as long as it can accommodate the hammer 20 and other components. In the heel stimulation device of the first embodiment, the housing 10 is composed of a top plate 11, multiple side plates 12 (four in the example of Figure 1), and a bottom plate 13. This housing 10 is installed on a floor or the like. The housing 10 may be placed directly on a floor or the like, but installing legs on its underside (the underside of the bottom plate 13) can increase installation stability.

The top plate 11 of the housing 10 is a portion on which the user of the heel stimulation device places their feet. The left and right feet are placed on the top surface of the top plate 11 with the side of arrow _A1 in Figure 1 facing the toes. A striking hole 11a is provided in the top plate 11 where the heel is placed. A hammer 20, which will be described later, strikes the user's heel from the inside of the housing 10 (the underside of the top plate 11) through this striking hole 11a. A pair of striking holes 11a are provided on the left and right, one for the hammer 20 that strikes the heel of the left foot and one for the hammer 20 that strikes the heel of the right foot.

In the example shown in Figure 1, the striking hole 11a is exposed to the outside, but a buffer sheet (not shown) can be attached to the top surface of the top plate 11 and the striking hole 11a can be covered with the buffer sheet. This not only improves the appearance of the heel stimulation device, but also prevents dust and other particles from entering the interior of the housing 10 through the striking hole 11a. In addition, by preventing the hammer 20 from directly striking the heel, it is possible to prevent pain in the heel. A rubber sheet or the like can be suitably used as the buffer sheet.

As shown in Figures 2 and 3, a hammer guide 11b is provided in the portion of the top plate 11 located below the impact hole 11a. This hammer guide 11b guides the hammer 20 so that it vibrates in the vertical direction. In the heel stimulation device of the first embodiment, the hammer guide 11b is provided in the shape of a sleeve that surrounds the impact hole 11a.

The hammers 20 are designed to strike the heels of the feet placed on the top plate 11 from below. A pair of hammers 20 are provided, one for the heel of the left foot and one for the heel of the right foot. Each hammer 20 has a relatively large mass. The shape of the hammers 20 is not particularly limited. However, if the hammers 20 have an angular shape, there is a risk that the user of the heel stimulation device will feel pain. For this reason, in the heel stimulation device of the first embodiment, each hammer 20 is formed in a rounded disk shape on the upper surface (the surface that strikes the heel). Examples of materials for the hammers 20 include metal, resin, rubber, and wood.

The hammer vibration mechanism 30 is for vibrating the hammer 20 in the vertical direction (the direction of arrow _A3 in FIG. 2 ) in the space below the top plate 11 (inside the housing 10). The hammer vibration mechanism 30 may be common to both the left and right feet, but in the heel stimulation device of the first embodiment, separate hammer vibration mechanisms 30 are provided for the left and right feet, as shown in FIG. 1 . This makes it possible to independently control the vibration of the hammer 20 for the left foot and the hammer 20 for the right foot. Each hammer vibration mechanism 30 is disposed near the lower side of the striking hole 11 a inside the housing 10.

The hammer vibration mechanism 30 is not particularly limited as long as it can vibrate the hammer 20 in the up-and-down direction. In the heel stimulation device of the first embodiment, as shown in Figure 2, the hammer vibration mechanism 30 is composed of a rotation drive device 31 and a motion conversion mechanism 32.

The rotary drive device 31 rotates its output shaft 31a around the center line _L1 (see arrow A2 in FIG _. 2). The rotary drive device 31 is usually an electric motor. A gear box (not shown) is usually provided between the rotary drive device 31 and the output shaft 31a. The gear box increases the torque around the center line _L1 .

The motion direction converting mechanism 32 converts the rotational motion (rotational motion of the output shaft 31a) generated by the rotary drive device 31 into vertical motion. This causes the hammer 20 to vibrate in the vertical direction (see arrow _A3 in Figure 2). The motion direction converting mechanism 32 can also employ a link mechanism or the like, but in the heel stimulation device of the first embodiment, as shown in Figure 2, it is composed of a rotating member 32a and a connecting member 32b.

The rotating member 32a is fixed integrally to the output shaft 31a of the rotation drive device 31. Therefore, when the output shaft 31a rotates around the center line _L1 , the rotating member 32a also rotates around the center line _L1 . In the heel stimulation device of the first embodiment, the rotating member 32a is formed in a disk shape and is attached to the output shaft 31a in a flange-like shape.

3, the connecting member 32b is interposed between the hammer 20 and the rotating member 32a and connects the hammer 20 and the rotating member 32a. One end (upper end) of the connecting member 32b is journaled to the connecting base 20a of the hammer 20 about an axis _L3 , and the other end (lower end) of the connecting member 32b is journaled to the rotating member 32a about an axis _L2 . The axis _L2 that journals the connecting member 32b is located at a position deviated from the center line _L1 of the rotating member 32a.

4A to 4D are diagrams illustrating the operation of the hammer 20 and hammer vibration mechanism 30 in the heel stimulation device of the first embodiment, and are cross-sectional views of the periphery of the hammer 20 and hammer vibration mechanism 30 in each state, taken along a plane perpendicular to the front-to-rear direction. When the rotary drive device 31 is rotationally driven to rotate the output shaft _31a and the rotating member 32a around the center line L1 in the direction of the arrow _A2 , the axis _L3 (the lower end of the connecting member 32b) also rotates around the center line _L1 in the direction of the arrow _A2 , as shown in FIGS.

As a result, in the section from Figure 4(a) through Figure 4(b) to Figure 4(c), the connecting member 32b is pulled downward by the rotating member 32a. As a result, the hammer 20 moves downward within the hammer guide 11b. Also, in the section from Figure 4(c) through Figure 4(d) to the section returning to the state of Figure 4(a), the connecting member 32b is pushed upward by the rotating member 32a. As a result, the hammer 20 moves upward within the hammer guide 11b. This cycle is repeated, causing the hammer 20 to repeatedly vibrate up and down.

When the hammer 20 is at the top dead center position (the position shown in Figure 4(a)), the upper surface of the hammer 20 protrudes above the striking hole 11a. This causes the hammer 20 to strike the heel of the user of the heel stimulation device. The frequency with which the heel is struck can be adjusted by changing the rotational speed of the rotary drive device 31. In the heel stimulation device of the first embodiment, the rotational speed of the rotary drive device 31 (the frequency with which the heel is struck) can be adjusted using a controller (not shown). The controller may be provided integrally with the housing 10 (Figure 1) or separately from the housing 10. If the controller is provided separately from the housing 10, the controller is connected via wire or wirelessly to control means (not shown) housed within the housing 10.

The hammer 20 and hammer vibration mechanism 30 described above allow for strong impacts on the heels of users of the heel stimulation device. This is expected to more effectively prevent bone loss. However, increasing the impact force of the hammer 20 or shortening the frequency with which the hammer 20 strikes the heel may result in loud noise. This may make the device difficult to use in environments where quietness is required, such as hospitals or rehabilitation facilities. In this regard, the heel stimulation device of the present invention uses the lifting member 50 and damper member 40 to prevent loud noise from being generated.

That is, rather than being fixed directly to the housing 10, as shown in Fig. ₂ , the hammer vibration mechanism 30 is fixed to an elevating member 50 that is provided in a state that allows it to move up and down within the housing 10 (see arrow A4 in the figure), and the elevating member 50 is attached to the housing 10 via a damper member 40. Not only is the reaction force when the hammer 20 strikes the heel transmitted to the hammer vibration mechanism 30, but the rotary drive device 31 itself also vibrates, so noise can be reduced by absorbing the reaction force of the hammer 20 and the vibration of the rotary drive device 31 with the damper member 40. Furthermore, by preventing the hammer 20 from digging too deeply into the heel when it strikes the heel, it is also possible to reduce pain felt by the user of the heel stimulation device.

In the heel stimulation device of the first embodiment, the lifting member 50 is formed in a plate shape, and the hammer vibration mechanism 30 is fixed to the upper surface of this lifting member 50. The damper member 40 extends upward from the inner bottom surface of the housing 10 (the upper surface of the bottom plate 13), and the lifting member 50 is attached to the upper end of the damper member 40. It is sufficient to provide at least one damper member 40 for each lifting member 50. When providing only one damper member 40 for each lifting member 50, it is preferable to provide the damper member 40 directly below the hammer 20, which receives the greatest reaction force from the hammer 20, or to provide the damper member 40 at the center of gravity of the lifting member 50 (the center of gravity including the weight of the hammer vibration mechanism 30). However, considering the need to support the lifting member 50 in a balanced manner with the damper member 40, it is preferable to provide the damper member 40 at multiple locations for each lifting member 50. In the first embodiment of the heel stimulation device, damper members 40 are provided at a total of four locations, at the four corners of the rectangular lifting member 50.

The damper members 40 are not particularly limited as long as they have the function of absorbing vibrations. In the heel stimulation device of the first embodiment, as shown in Figure 3, each damper member 40 is composed of an elastic member 41 and an elastic member 42.

The expandable member 41 is a columnar member that can expand and contract in the vertical direction. In the heel stimulation device of the first embodiment, the expandable member 41 is composed of a columnar member 41a and a tubular member 41b. The columnar member 41a is fixed to the inner bottom surface of the housing 10 (the upper surface of the bottom plate 13), and the tubular member 41b is fixed to the lower surface of the lifting member 50. The upper end side of the columnar member 41a is inserted into the tubular member 41b from the lower end side of the tubular member 41b. The tubular member 41b slides up and down relative to the columnar member 41a, allowing the expandable member 41 to expand and contract in the vertical direction.

On the other hand, the elastic member 42 provides resistance to the expansion and contraction movement of the expandable member 41. The elastic member 42 is interposed between the bottom plate 13 and the lifting member 50. The lower end of the elastic member 42 abuts against the bottom plate 13, and the upper end of the elastic member 42 abuts against the lifting member 50. The elastic force of this elastic member 42 absorbs vibrations transmitted from the hammer vibration mechanism 30 to the lifting member 50. In the heel stimulation device of the first embodiment, a coil spring is used as the elastic member 42. This coil spring is extrapolated to the expandable member 41. This makes it possible to realize the damper member 40 with a simple mechanism. As a result, the heel stimulation device can be made highly reliable in operation while keeping its manufacturing costs low.

In this way, the heel stimulation device of the first embodiment is capable of suppressing noise by absorbing vibrations generated by the hammer vibration mechanism 30 and the like using the lifting member 50 and the damper member 40. Therefore, the heel stimulation device can be used in facilities where silence is required, such as hospitals and rehabilitation facilities. Further noise countermeasures can also be implemented in the heel stimulation device of the first embodiment. For example, sound-absorbing material can be attached to the inner surface of the housing 10, or the legs of the housing 10 can be made of rubber.

2. Heel Stimulation Device of Second Embodiment Next, a heel stimulation device of a second embodiment will be described. The heel stimulation device of the second embodiment will be described focusing on the differences from the heel stimulation device of the first embodiment described above. For configurations of the heel stimulation device of the second embodiment that are not specifically mentioned, the same configuration as the heel stimulation device of the first embodiment can be adopted. Figure 5 is a cross-sectional view of the area around the hammer 20 and hammer vibration mechanism 30 in the heel stimulation device of the second embodiment, cut along a plane perpendicular to the front-to-rear direction.

As already mentioned, the elastic member 42 of the damper member 40 also has the function of preventing the hammer 20 from digging too deeply into the heel when it strikes the heel. In this regard, the heel stimulation device of the first embodiment described above was unable to adjust the elastic force of the elastic member 42 of the damper member 40, and therefore was unable to adjust the stimulation applied to the heel. In contrast, the heel stimulation device of the second embodiment is provided with an elastic force adjustment means, and by adjusting the elastic force of the elastic member 42, it is possible to adjust the stimulation applied to the heel.

Specifically, as shown in FIG. 5 , an adjustment member 60 is disposed between the bottom plate 13 and the lifting member 50, and the elastic force of the elastic member 42 can be adjusted by changing the vertical position of the adjustment member 60 with an operating device (not shown). The elastic member 42 is interposed between the adjustment member 60 and the lifting member 50. The lower end of the elastic member 42 abuts against the adjustment member 60, and the upper end of the elastic member 42 abuts against the lifting member 50. In the second embodiment of the heel stimulation device, the adjustment member 60 is formed in a plate shape. The adjustment member 60 has a vertical through-hole through which the expandable member 41 is inserted.

When the adjustment member 60 is moved upward, the elastic member 42 is compressed, increasing the elastic force of the elastic member 42. This increases the stimulation applied to the heel. Conversely, when the adjustment member 60 is moved downward, the elastic member 42 stretches, decreasing the elastic force of the elastic member 42. This decreases the stimulation applied to the heel.

In this way, the heel stimulation device of the second embodiment allows the stimulation applied to the heel to be adjusted according to the user's preference. It is also possible to control the level of noise generation. That is, if the elastic member 42 resonates with the hammer vibration mechanism 30, there is a risk of increased noise. However, the elastic force of the elastic member 42 can be adjusted to a range that does not cause such resonance.

REFERENCE SIGNS LIST 10 Housing 11 Top plate 11a Striking hole 11b Hammer guide 12 Side plate 13 Bottom plate 20 Hammer 20a Connecting base 30 Hammer vibration mechanism 31 Rotation drive device 31a Output shaft 32 Motion conversion mechanism 32a Rotating member 32b Connecting member 40 Damper member 41 Expandable member 41a Column-shaped member 41b Cylindrical member 42 Elastic member 50 Lifting member 60 Adjusting member (elastic force adjusting means)

Claims (6)

a housing whose upper surface serves as a footrest surface;
a hammer that strikes the heel from below through a striking hole provided in a portion of the foot rest surface of the housing where the heel is placed;
a hammer vibration mechanism provided in the housing for vibrating the hammer in the up and down direction;
A heel stimulation device comprising:
The hammer vibration mechanism is supported by a lifting member that is movable in the vertical direction,
A heel stimulation device characterized in that a lifting member is attached to a housing via a damper member.
The hammer vibration mechanism
a rotary drive device that outputs a rotational force;
a motion direction conversion mechanism that converts the rotational motion generated by the rotation drive device into vertical motion;
2. The heel stimulating device according to claim 1, comprising:
The motion direction conversion mechanism is
a rotating member that rotates together with the output shaft of the rotary drive device;
a connecting member interposed between the hammer and the rotating member, one end of which is pivotally supported by the hammer and the other end of which is pivotally supported at a position offset from the rotation center of the rotating member;
2. The heel stimulating device according to claim 1, comprising:
4. The heel stimulating device according to claim 2 or 3, wherein the rotary drive device is an electric motor.
The damper member
an expandable member that is erected upward from the inner bottom surface of the housing and has an upper end attached to the lifting member;
5. The heel stimulating device according to claim 1, which is constructed by an elastic member inserted into or outside the elastic member.
6. The heel stimulating device according to claim 5, further comprising elastic force adjusting means for adjusting the elastic force of the elastic member in the damper member.