Abstract: In a wheel for use in an omni-directional vehicle, gravel and other foreign matters are prevented from being trapped between free rollers forming the wheel, and traveling vibrations and noises are minimized at the same time. The wheel includes an annular member and a plurality of free rollers each rotatably supported by the annular member around a corresponding tangential line of the annular member, and a gap member is placed between each adjacent pair of the free rollers to fill a gap defined between the free rollers.

Abstract: In a walking assistance device for providing a walking assistance force to a femoral part of a user, the walking assistance force generated by a power generator is effectively transmitted to the femoral part of the user while avoiding the user from experiencing any undue pressure or discomfort. The walking assistance device comprises a rigid femoral support frame (30L, 30R) having a base end (31) connected to an output end of an electric motor unit (14L, 14R) and a free end (32) extending from the base end to a position opposite to a front part of the femoral part of the user, and a flexible belt (50L, 50R) attached to the free end of the femoral support frame to be releasably worn around a circumference of the femoral part of the user at a height corresponding to the free end of the femoral support frame.

Abstract: [Task] Provided is a vehicle that can make tight turns without significantly changing an attitude of a rider, and is highly convenient in narrow places. [Solution] A omni-directional one-wheeled vehicle comprises a vehicle body (7) and a secondary wheel (35) configured to contact a ground surface at a point displaced from a contact point of a driven road wheel (2).

Abstract: Provided is an omni-directional drive device that does not complicate the arrangement for a power source for a drive source such as an electric motor, and achieves a high durability and an ease of maintenance. A drive force in a first direction is produced by a movement of a first moveable member (10) itself, and a drive force in a second direction is produced by the rotation of first free rollers (14) retained by the first moveable member, the rotation of the first free rollers (14) being caused by engagement with second free rollers (15) that are retained by a second moveable member (11) and rotative actuation of the second moveable member (11). Electric motors serving as drive sources may be mounted on base members (4 and 5).

Abstract: In a walking assistance device configured to apply a walking assistance force to a femoral part of a user, a walking assistance force provided by a power generator mounted on a pelvic support assembly is transmitted to a femoral part of the user via a femoral support assembly. The femoral support assembly includes a swing arm (60, 62) having a base end connected to an output end of the power generator and a free end opposing a front part of the femoral part of the user, a femoral support member (68, 70) pivotally connected to the free end of the swing arm and having a support surface engaging the front part of the femoral part of the user, and a femoral belt (73, 74) passed around the femoral part of the user and having two ends attached to corresponding lateral ends of the femoral support member. Thereby, the femoral support member is enabled to accommodate changes and/or variations in the contour of the femoral part of the user.

Abstract: In a walking assistance device (10) including a main frame (22) supporting a power generator (26, 28) and worn on a pelvic part of a user, the main frame is provided with an opening (23) in a middle part thereof, and an electronic unit (25) is received in the opening. As the electronic unit is placed in the middle part of the main frame which is relatively free from deformation, the electronic unit is protected from deformation or stress that could impair the reliability of the electronic unit. To achieve both an easy access to the electronic unit, and an attractive appearance, the opening may be provided with a lid (24) that selectively closes the opening from a side adjacent to the user, and the lid may be formed as a back support member for supporting a back part of the user. As the lid serves the dual purposes, the weight and cost of the device can be minimized.

Abstract: A drive unit includes a main wheel having an annular member, and a plurality of driven rollers that are rotatably attached to the annular member, a plurality of first drive rollers and a plurality of second drive rollers, which are provided with the annular member between them and arranged such that they make contact with the outer peripheral faces of the driven rollers, a first holder and a second holder, which are arranged with the annular shaft between them and respectively hold the plurality of first drive rollers and the plurality of second drive rollers while allowing them to rotate, and a first drive unit and a second drive unit that rotationally drive the first holder and the second holder respectively; grooves are formed in the outer peripheral faces of the driven rollers at an angle to the circumferential direction thereof.

Abstract: An inverted pendulum type moving body moving over a floor surface in a self standing manner, the inverted pendulum type moving body comprising: an information acquisition unit obtaining a state information indicating a current state of an another moving body; and a movement control unit controlling a movement of a self moving body, based on the state information, so that a state of the self moving body with respect to the current state of the another moving body satisfies a predetermined condition established so that the self moving body and the another moving body moves in alignment.

Abstract: A walking assistance device comprises a pelvic frame (10) extending from a lower back to each lateral side of a user, and a belly belt (20) for securing the pelvic frame in position. A power generator (30) is attached to each lateral side of the pelvic frame. A power transmitting arm (40) can be attached to an output member (33) of the power generator simply by hooking an upper part of a base end (41) of the power transmitting arm onto an upper groove (38) of the output member, and pushing a latch member or a slider (46) provided in a lower part of the base end onto a lower groove (39) of the output member. Therefore, the user wearing the pelvic frame (10) can easily attach the power transmitting arm (40) to the output end of the power generator (30) by using a single hand with ease and without requiring a help from a caretaker.

Abstract: In order to provide a walking assistance device that can avoid hampering the motion of the muscles of the user and will not move out of place inadvertently when worn by the user, principal engagement points of a support member for securely mounting an assisting force generator, which is disposed on a side of at least one joint of a lower limb to provide an assisting force to a movement of the lower limb, are provided at portions where a relatively small amount of movement of skin occurs when a trunk or joint is moved. In this way, the support member can be fastened firmly to the portions where an amount of movement of the skin is small and therefore it is possible to reduce the uncomfortable pressure caused during motion while preventing the support member from inadvertently moving out of place.

Abstract: In order to provide a walking assistance device capable of favorably providing an assisting force for maintaining the upright posture while reducing the sense of pressure when worn by the user, a hip support member (1) of the walking assisting device, which comprises an assisting force generator (hip joint actuator 10) disposed at least on a side of a hip joint to provide an assisting force to a movement of a lower limb, is provided with: a back support (4) equipped with pads (18, 19, 20) for respectively abutting an intermediate portion between right and left erector spinae muscles, lateral outer sides of the spinae muscles and right and left iliac crests; and a belt (5) connected to the back support for tightening a lower part of the rectus abdominis muscle. In this way, a supporting force can be provided to the lumbar vertebrae to steadily keep the upright posture while reducing a resistance to a bending movement of the waist caused by the support member.

Abstract: A femoral support member (30) comprises a stiff frame (31) made of an elongated rectangular plate member curved so as to extend along an outer side and front of a femoral part of a wearer and a flexible belt (32) extending along a rear of the femoral part. The femoral support member allows a walking assistance force to be transmitted to the femoral part of the wearer in a favorable manner. Also, the pressure and stress on the wearer are minimized, and a favorable fit can be achieved.

Abstract: In a frictional drive vehicle, a load acting on the vehicle such as the weight of a rider is converted into a force that urges two frictionally engaging parts (3L, 3R, 25) toward each other. Thereby, the contact pressure between the two frictionally engaging parts is maintained at an optimum level under all conditions. A weight of a rider may be transmitted to a drive member that frictionally engages a main wheel via a four-link parallel link mechanism (40, 50).

Abstract: The omni-directional drive device comprises a main wheel (2) comprising an endless annular member rotatable around a center of cross section perpendicular to a corresponding tangential line, electric motors (5R and 5L) for producing rotative forces around the rotation axis of the main wheel (2) and around the center of cross section perpendicular to a corresponding tangential line of the main wheel (2) and an arrangement (rotary members (4R and 4L) fitted with free rollers (3R and 3L)) for converting the rotational forces of the electric motors (5R and 5L) to the rotational forces around the rotation center of the main wheel (2) and around the center (C) of cross section perpendicular to a corresponding tangential line of the main wheel (2).

Abstract: [Task] Provided is an omni-directional drive device that does not complicate the arrangement for a power source for a drive source such as an electric motor, and achieves a high durability and an ease of maintenance. [Solution] A drive force in a first direction is produced by a movement of a first moveable member (10) itself, and a drive force in a second direction is produced by the rotation of first free rollers (14) retained by the first moveable member, the rotation of the first free rollers (14) being caused by engagement with second free rollers (15) that are retained by a second moveable member (11) and rotative actuation of the second moveable member (11). Electric motors serving as drive sources may be mounted on base members (4 and 5).

Abstract: Provided is an inverted pendulum mobile vehicle such as a single-passenger coaxial two-wheel vehicle which is capable of turning with a small turning radius without causing discomfort to a rider or a vehicle occupant or causing a cargo or the like on the vehicle from shifting or falling off from the vehicle. The vehicle comprises a wheel supporting frame (12), a body frame (12) supported by the wheel supporting frame so as to be rotatable around a vertical axial line and carry a rider and or a cargo and a body coupler (52, 78, 70) that couples the body frame relative to the wheel supporting frame in a prescribed dynamic positional relationship.

Abstract: A spark plug for an internal combustion engine is provided which includes a metal shell, a porcelain insulator, a center electrode, a main ground electrode, and auxiliary ground electrodes. Each of the auxiliary ground electrodes has an end face facing the insulator to define an auxiliary spark gap. The end face includes an increasing-radial distance surface which is located at a distance from a longitudinal center line of the spark plug in a radial direction thereof which increases as approaching to the metal shell. The insulator nose has a wall thickness T meeting a relation of 0.3 mm?T?0.7 mm. This avoids a great local increase in electrical field strength on the auxiliary ground electrode to minimize excessive discharge within the auxiliary spark gap to enhance carbon fouling resistance and durability of the spark plug.

Abstract: There is provided a walking assistance device equipped with an assisting force generator disposed on a side of each of a hip joint and a knee joint, comprising: a hip support member (1) having an attachment means (hip drive source mount 9) capable of repeatedly attaching and detaching a hip joint assisting force generator (hip joint actuator 10); a lower leg support member (2) having an attachment means (knee drive source mount 27) capable of repeatedly attaching and detaching a knee joint assisting force generator (knee joint actuator 26); and a drive unit (3) formed by integrally joining the hip joint assisting force generator and the knee joint assisting force generator via a link bar (25), wherein after the hip support member and the lower leg support member are fitted on a user's body, the assisting force generators of the drive unit are connected to the corresponding attachment means.

Abstract: A spark plug for an internal combustion engine is provided which includes a metal shell, a porcelain insulator, a center electrode, a main ground electrode, and auxiliary ground electrodes. Each of the auxiliary ground electrodes has an inner side surface facing the center electrode through the porcelain insulator to define an auxiliary spark gap between itself and a nose of the porcelain insulator so as to occupy a minimum distance between the porcelain insulator and the auxiliary ground electrode. This avoids a great local increase in electrical field strength on the auxiliary ground electrode to minimize excessive discharge within the auxiliary spark gap to enhance carbon fouling resistance and durability of the spark plug.