Abstract: A massage chair is adapted to give a massage to a user using a massaging element attached to a massaging unit. The massage chair comprises a body-shape-information acquisition section for acquiring body-shape information of the user based on loads imposed on the massaging element from respective regions of the user, a shoulder-position detection section for detecting a shoulder position of the user based on the body-shape information, and a shoulder-position identification section. The shoulder-position identification section is operable to thrust the massaging element in a direction for a target protrusion distance at the detected shoulder position while measuring a load imposed on the massaging element. Then, the shoulder-position identification section is operable, based on the measured load, to determine whether the detected shoulder position is a true shoulder position.

Abstract: Exercise aiding apparatus includes a step 2 that a user puts a user's foot on, and a step drive means 5 that causes the step to perform movement including turning motion so that exercise is performed with respect to the foot put on the step. The apparatus includes a lock means 6 that fixes the step by engagement with the step except when the step drive means 5 drives the step. When the step is not driven, the step is fixed. The step is prevented from moving inadvertently at getting on and off, thereby ensuring safe getting on and off.

Abstract: A chair type massager includes a seat part on which a person to be treated sits on, a backrest part with a reclining mechanism to perform a raising/tilting operation, and right and left armrest parts in which the arms are inserted. The massager further includes air bags provided at the armrest parts, the air bags holding the arms placed in the armrest part by being swelled by air supplied from an air supply pump; a control part for controlling the raising/tilting operation of the backrest part and the air supply to the air bags; and a manipulation part for giving instructions to the control part. When controlling the reclining mechanism to tilt the backrest part in response to the instructions from the manipulation part to perform the arm stretch, the control part controls the air supply pump to supply air into the air bags intermittently.

Abstract: An exercise equipment comprises a movable portion 7 for supporting a user, a driving means for driving the movable portion 7. Further the exercise equipment comprises a stimulus means 87, detectors 86, 88, and a judgment means C2. The stimulus means 87 is configured to apply an informational stimulus to the user supported by the movable portion 7. The detectors 86, 88 detect a motion of the user supported by the movable portion. The judgment means C2 is configured to perform a judgment based on outputs from the stimulus means and the detector. Therefore, the exercise equipment can provide the user with both of effective passive and active exercises.

Abstract: A program selecting means 22 which selects an exercise program appropriate for a user on the basis of user information obtained by the user information obtaining means 21, a device control means 25 which causes a passive exercise device 1 to perform an operation on the basis of the selected exercise program, and a program varying means 23 which varies the selected exercise program in a prescribed range in accordance with an instruction of the user are comprised. A user can vary the exercise program being selected on the basis of the user information, in accordance with user's preference. Because this variation is permitted only within a prescribed range, such a variation that is to provide the user with excessive stress can be prevented.

Abstract: Exercise aiding apparatus includes a step 2 that a user puts a user's foot on, and a step drive means 5 that causes the step to perform movement including turning motion so that exercise is performed with respect to the foot put on the step. The apparatus includes a lock means 6 that fixes the step by engagement with the step except when the step drive means 5 drives the step. When the step is not driven, the step is fixed. The step is prevented from moving inadvertently at getting on and off, thereby ensuring safe getting on and off.

Abstract: A massage chair of the present invention includes an electric reclining mechanism for moving a backrest into different sloping positions, left and right holding mechanisms for respectively holding user's left and right forearms, and a controller for controlling operations of the mechanisms. The controller separately controls operations of the electric reclining mechanism and the left holding mechanism as well as operations of the electric reclining mechanism and the right holding mechanism. When controlling the former operations, the controller controls (A) allow the left holding mechanism to hold the left forearm, (B) allow the electric reclining mechanism to recline the backrest to any of the different sloping positions, (C) allow the electric reclining mechanism to raise the backrest to any of the different sloping positions, and (D) allow the left holding mechanism to release the left forearm. Similarly, the controller controls the latter operations.

Abstract: A massage chair including an electric reclining mechanism for moving a backrest into different sloping positions, a holding mechanism for holding at least one forearm of a user to fix to the base side, and a controller that controls operations of these mechanisms. The controller allows the holding mechanism to hold the at least one forearm and allows the electric reclining mechanism to move the backrest into at least one sloping position before moving the backrest into a final position. An inclination of the at least one sloping position from a sloping position of the different sloping positions when the at least one forearm is held by the holding mechanism is smaller than an inclination of the end position from a sloping position of the different sloping positions when the at least one forearm is held by the holding mechanism.

Abstract: A massage machine is provided, which can efficiently create a massage program to meet the user's preference by reflecting a change in massage parameter performed during an execution of the massage program on the next execution of the massage program. This massage machine comprises an input unit configured to input the change in massage parameter, first memory for temporarily storing the change in massage parameter input by the input unit in a desired massage stage during the execution of the massage program, second memory for storing the change in massage parameter provided from the first memory after the completion of the massage program, and a control unit configured to modify the desired massage stage according to the change in massage parameter stored in the second memory at the next execution of the massage program.

Abstract: A massage machine comprises a drive shaft rotatably driven in forward and reverse directions; a pair of inclined shafts mounted on both ends of the drive shaft so as to have an arbitrary inclination relative to an axial direction of the drive shaft; a pair of left and right massage ball units including massage balls and rotatably connected to outer peripheral surfaces of the pair of inclined shafts, respectively; and switching means for switching an axial rotation position of one inclined shaft of the pair of inclined shafts. The massage ball units each comprise a swing arm having one end rotatably connected to the outer peripheral surface of the inclined shaft; and a support arm connected to the other end of the swing arm and having mounted thereon multiple massage balls at a vertical distance from each other.

Abstract: In a chair massager, a stretching operation is performed with utilizing airbags which is expanded and shrunk, effectively. Airbags 3a, 3b, 4a, 4b, 5a and 5b which perform air-massage by expansion and shrinkage are disposed on a shoulder portion 3 and a lumbar portion 4 of a backrest 2, and a seat 5 of a main body 1 of the massager. Arm airbags 6a and 6b which perform air-massage by expansion and shrinkage are disposed on armrests 6 at both sides of the seat 5. In the stretching operation, for example, a shoulder airbag 3b on the shoulder portion 3 is expanded and shrunk in a state that an arm airbag 6a on one armrest 6 is expanded to hold an arm of the user 200. Thereby, the balance of a human body of the user 200 is broken down so that high stretch effect can be obtained.

Abstract: A massage machine includes a backrest having a support surface for sustaining a back of a user, the support surface having an opening, a massage member for making contact with the back of the user through the opening of the support surface to perform a massage and a drive unit for causing the massage member to perform the massage. In the massage machine, a first intensity adjustment unit is arranged for changing the position of the massage member to adjust the massage intensity of the massage member and a second intensity adjustment unit is arranged for changing the position of the support surface to adjust the massage intensity of the massage member. A control circuit controls the operation of the drive unit, the first intensity adjustment unit and the second intensity adjustment unit.

Abstract: A massaging device gives different massaging patterns to different parts of a user's body for enhanced and pleasant massaging effect. The device includes an applicator applying a massage force to the user, and at least two driving units for driving the applicator to make different reciprocating movements respectively in different directions from each other. The least two driving units is controlled to reciprocate the applicator for providing the massaging force in different massaging patterns. A sensor is provided to acknowledge the position of the applicator. A massage pattern selector is provided to select one of the massaging patterns depending upon the position of the applicator.

Abstract: A massager includes a main body provided with a treating element movable to a plurality of parts to be treated. A part selecting unit allows a user to select a desired one among parts to be treated. A control unit controls the treating element to move to the to-be-treated part selected by using the part selecting unit and to perform a massage operation which is pre-stored corresponding to the part to be treated.

Abstract: A massage chair of the invention includes an electric reclining mechanism for moving a backrest into different sloping positions, a holding mechanism for holding at least one forearm of a user to fix to the base side, and a controller that controls operations of these mechanisms. The controller controls to allow the holding mechanism to hold the at least one forearm and allow the electric reclining mechanism to move the backrest into at least one sloping position before moving the backrest into an end position. An inclination of the at least one sloping position from a sloping position of the different sloping positions when the at least one forearm is held by the holding mechanism is smaller than an inclination of the end position from a sloping position of the different sloping positions when the at least one forearm is held by the holding mechanism.

Abstract: A massage chair of the present invention includes an electric reclining mechanism for moving a backrest into different sloping positions, left and right holding mechanisms for respectively holding user's left and right forearms, and a controller for controlling operations of the mechanisms. The controller separately controls operations of the electric reclining mechanism and the left holding mechanism as well as operations of the electric reclining mechanism and the right holding mechanism. When controlling the former operations, the controller controls (A) allow the left holding mechanism to hold the left forearm, (B) allow the electric reclining mechanism to recline the backrest to any of the different sloping positions, (C) allow the electric reclining mechanism to raise the backrest to any of the different sloping positions, and (D) allow the left holding mechanism to release the left forearm. Similarly, the controller controls the latter operations.

Abstract: A massage chair of the present invention is adapted to give a massage to a user (M) using a massaging element (1) attached to a massaging unit (2). The massage chair comprises a body-shape-information acquisition section (3a) for acquiring body-shape information of the user (M) based on loads imposed on the massaging element (1) from respective regions of the user (M), a shoulder-position detection section (3b) for detecting a shoulder position of the user (M) based on the body-shape information, and a shoulder-position identification section (3c). The shoulder-position identification section (3c) is operable to thrust the massaging element (1) in a direction for a target protrusion distance at the detected shoulder position while measuring a load imposed on the massaging element (1). Then, the shoulder-position identification section (3c) is operable, based on the measured load, to determine whether the detected shoulder position is a true shoulder position.

Abstract: This massage machine is a chair type massage machine and comprises a body 1, and an input device 2 for inputting various instructions to the body 1. The body 1 has a massage unit 10 and a controller 11 for controlling the massage unit 10. The controller 11 comprises a MPU 100 and a memory 101, and is electrically connected to the input device 2 and the massage unit 10. The memory 101 comprises a EEPROM 101A, which is a nonvolatile memory and stores massage programs for controlling the massage unit 10 and other mechanisms (not shown), and a RAM 101B, which is a volatile memory and temporarily stores a change of a parameter of the massage program inputted from the input device 2 during the execution of the massage program. The change of the parameter stored in the RAM 101B is written into the EEPROM 101A upon completion of a massage course, and the EEPROM 101A stores the change of the parameter while making it correspond to the each user registered by the input device 2.

Abstract: A massage machine is provided, which can efficiently create a massage program to meet the user's preference by reflecting a change in massage parameter performed during an execution of the massage program on the next execution of the massage program. This massage machine comprises an input unit configured to input the change in massage parameter, first memory for temporarily storing the change in massage parameter input by the input unit in a desired massage stage during the execution of the massage program, second memory for storing the change in massage parameter provided from the first memory after the completion of the massage program, and a control unit configured to modify the desired massage stage according to the change in massage parameter stored in the second memory at the next execution of the massage program.

Abstract: In a massager having a pair of medical treating members, a distance between the medical treating in medical treatment such as tapping or backstretch, except massaging can be varied corresponding to rotation angle of a driving shaft. A distance detector comprises a rotation disc rotated with the rotation of the driving shaft and having at least two apertures formed along the same circle, and an optical detector for detecting edged of the apertures in circumferential direction of the rotation disc. At least three edges of the aperture are homologized to at least three stages of the distances between the medical treating members, so that the distances between the medical treating members can be adjusted by monitoring output signal of the optical detectors.