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: An exercise assisting device comprises foot supports having foot support surfaces respectively, a seat, a seat height adjusting unit, and a seat driving unit. The foot support is provided for bearing foot of a user. The seat is shaped to have a contact surface for supporting buttocks of the user when the user places the feet onto the foot support surfaces. The seat height adjusting unit is configured to move the seat toward a vertical direction and also toward a front-back direction in order to position the seat at a standard position which is located at a standard height from the foot support surface in the vertical direction. Consequently, a knee of the user has a predetermined angle. The seat driving unit is configured to swing the seat about the standard position so as to vary weight of the user which acts on legs of the user. The exercise assisting device further comprises a load regulating means.

Abstract: This invention has an object to provide a passive exercise apparatus which is driven to help user to stretch and contract various muscles of his/her feet by a driving force generated at a driving unit while not lowering positive effects in his/her exercise. This passive exercise apparatus in the present invention comprises a left foot support 2a, a right foot support 2b, a driving unit 3, and a motion pattern modifying means 6. The left foot support and the right foot support are provided to support user's left foot and right foot respectively. The driving unit is configured to give a reciprocatory motion along a predetermined path to each of the left foot support and the right foot support according to a predetermined motion pattern defined by frequency, phase, and amplitude of the reciprocatory motion. The motion pattern modifying means is configured to modify at least one of the frequency, the phase, and the amplitude.

Abstract: A simulator obtains muscle activities and joint contact forces by a computer simulation according to an operating condition for moving a support base of a passive exercise machine. A condition limiting unit finds intermediate conditions corresponding to desirable muscle activities and joint contact forces from muscle activities and joint contact forces obtained with the simulator according to different operating conditions. A motion simulator moves the support base according to the intermediate conditions. A myoelectric measurement device measures myoelectric potential of a subject supported by the support base. An evaluation device selects an operating condition corresponding to a larger muscle activity quantity from measurement results of muscle activity to define it as an operating condition of the passive exercise machine.

Abstract: An exercise assisting device comprising a left step and a right step for bearing user's feet, respectively, a step driving means configured to provide a reciprocating slide motion of reciprocating and sliding the steps forward-rearward and leftward-rightward, the step driving means configured to vary a height of a front end of each the steps relative to a height of a rear end of each the steps in synchronization with the reciprocating slide motion, the step driving means configured to provide the reciprocating slide motion to each the step such that the steps travel along paths, respectively, the paths extend in non-parallel relation with each other such that the paths are laterally spaced by a distance which is different from one end to the other end of the path which gives a reciprocating slide stroke of the steps.

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: In exercise aiding apparatus 1, a footrest 2 on which a person's foot is put can be depressed. The apparatus comprises a stroke adjustment means 3 for varying a stroke L of the footrest 2. The stroke is a stroke depressed in response to the person's depressing movement. The depressed stroke of the footrest can be adjusted in response to user's physical strength or fancy.

Abstract: An exercise assisting device comprises steps, a step driving means, and a movable range variation means. The steps are provided for bearing the user's feet, respectively. The step driving means is configured to move the steps so as to provide the exercise to the feet on the steps. The movable range variation means is configured to expand a movable range of the steps according to weight applied to the steps, whereby an additional movable range is added to the movable range, said movable range is determined by the step driving means. The movable range variation means is configured to generate resistive force when the steps are located in the additional movable range. The movable range variation means is configured to apply the resistive force to the steps such that the resistive force cancels the weight applied to the steps.

Abstract: An auxiliary exercise equipment can prevent a user from having a fall due to loss of a balance, and can be operated to start and stop a passive exercise and to change types of the passive exercise immediately. The auxiliary exercise equipment comprises left and right steps, a passive exercise generating means, and a handle bar. A user's left and right feet are rested on the left and right steps, respectively. The passive exercise generating means comprises a step rotary driving unit which is configured to change a vertical position relation between front and rear ends of each of the left and right steps while being slid and reciprocated. The handle bar prevents the user from having a fall. The handle bar is provided with a switch for starting, stopping, or changing a passive exercise.

Abstract: An exercise aiding apparatus has: a step (2) on which user's foot can be placed; a step driving means (5) for causing the step (2) to move, and causing thereby the foot placed on the step to exercise; and a motion allowable zone modifying means for expanding a motion allowable range of the steps (2) established by the step driving means in accordance with a load acting on the step (2). The motion allowable range of the step (2) is expanded when the user intentionally increases the load acting on the step (2).

Abstract: Passive exercise equipment used in a standing position includes a left foot base and a right foot base on which left and right feet of a user in a standing position can be rested, respectively, and the left foot base and the right foot base moves on at least one plane surface through a drive unit. The left foot base, the right foot base and the drive unit are mounted on a housing. A range in which distance in a right and left direction between right and left ankle joints is smaller or larger than distance between right and left hip joints is included in moving ranges of the left foot base and the right foot base.

Abstract: An auxiliary exercise equipment comprises a footrest for supporting a foot of a user. The footrest is configured so that a part of the footrest relatively retreats from a remaining part of the footrest and thereby is made apart from the foot while the remaining part of the footrest supports the foot.

Abstract: A passive exercise assisting device comprises a left foot support, a right foot support, and a driving unit. The left foot support and the right foot support are configured to bear a left foot and a right foot of a user respectively. The driving unit is configured to move the left foot support and the right foot support so as to give motions to the left foot support and the right foot support in relation with each other. The driving unit comprises at least one of a horizontal motion applying mechanism and a rotation motion applying mechanism. The horizontal motion applying mechanism is configured move the left foot support and the right foot support laterally to the left foot support and the right foot support. The rotation motion applying mechanism is configured rotate the left foot support and the right foot support about horizontal axes to the left foot support and the right foot support.

Abstract: An exercise assisting device comprises foot supports having foot support surfaces respectively, a seat, a seat height adjusting unit, and a seat driving unit. The foot support is provided for bearing foot of a user. The seat is shaped to have a contact surface for supporting buttocks of the user when the user places the feet onto the foot support surfaces. The seat height adjusting unit is configured to move the seat toward a vertical direction and also toward a front-back direction in order to position the seat at a standard position which is located at a standard height from the foot support surface in the vertical direction. Consequently, a knee of the user has a predetermined angle. The seat driving unit is configured to swing the seat about the standard position so as to vary weight of the user which acts on legs of the user. The exercise assisting device further comprises a load regulating means.

Abstract: The exercise assisting device includes a support unit (1) configured to bear a user's body and a drive device (2). The support unit (1) includes a pair of foot supports (4) having a bearing member (40) configured to bear the user's left foot and right foot respectively. The drive device (2) is configured to drive the support unit (1) to move the user's body so as to vary a load applied to user's lower limb. The exercise assisting device further includes a tilting device (A). The tilting device (A) includes a load detection unit (5), a tilting mechanism unit (6), and a control unit (8). The load detection unit (5) includes two load sensors (50) provided to an outer portion (40a) and an inner portion (40b) of the bearing member (40) respectively. The tilting mechanism unit (6) is configured to tilt the bearing member (40) inward or outward with regard to the user's foot.

Abstract: In a signal processor 18, a calculation unit 181 calculates a center point of a load applied to a left-footrest on the basis of partial loads detected by left foot load sensors 160 and 161, and calculates a center point of a load applied to a right-footrest on the basis of partial loads detected by right foot load sensors 170 and 171. A judgment unit 183 measures a deviation between each of the center points calculated by the calculation unit 181 and the center point indicated by ideal characteristic curve stored in a storage unit 182. The judgment unit 183 determines a normal exercise when the both deviations are less than a predetermined threshold (5% of a distance from an original point to the center point indicated by the ideal characteristic curve). The judgment unit 183 determines an abnormal exercise when at least one of the deviations is not less than the predetermined threshold. A control unit 180 counts the number of times the deviation is not less than the predetermined threshold.

Abstract: To provide an exercise assisting apparatus that is capable of stimulating user's feet by means of an external physical approach and effortlessly and effectively training the muscles to balance and stay on the feet. The exercise assisting apparatus of the present invention, therefore, has a foot-support 2 configured to support a user's feet; and a plurality of airbags 5 disposed respectively on areas on an upper surface of the foot-support 2, which come into contact with soles of the user's feet, each of the airbags being configured to have its top vertically movable, wherein the airbags 5 are arranged to move in cooperation with each other.

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.

Abstract: This aims to provide passive exercise equipment capable of securing constant sense of use so as to avoid variation in depressing feel against sole-surmounted parts irrespective of body type difference among users. The equipment has a seat 2 for resting a user M on the buttocks, right and left footstools 3 for resting the right and left soles of user M sitting on seat 2 on, and a seat driver 5 for changing the position of seat 2 position to change load balance added to seat 2 and footstools 3 by user M, thereby changing the user's own weight acting on the legs. Each footstool 3 includes a sole-surmounted part 4 which a sole is placed on and meanwhile can be moved up and down, an elastic device 6 for biasing sole-surmounted part 4 upward; and a bias adjuster 7 for adjusting an elastic coefficient of elastic device 6.

Abstract: A DC backup power supply system having a battery a charge-discharge circuit for charging and discharging a power between the battery and a DC line and a control circuit for controlling the charge-discharge circuit, wherein the battery has a number of battery cells and cylindrical portions of the battery cells are laid on an approximately horizontal plane.