Ambulatory exercise machine and ambulatory exercise system

• US 6,162,151 A
• Filed: 09/29/1997
• Issued: 12/19/2000
• Est. Priority Date: 09/30/1996
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.
• Inventors: Horie, Tohru, Sakai, Akihiko, Tani, Tomoyuki, Hattori, Shizuko, Fujimoto, Tsutomu, Iizuka, Seizi, Nagata, Takao, Koseki, Atsushi
• Primary Examiner(s): Richman, Glenn E.
• Application Number:
  US08/940,010
• Time in Patent Office: 1,177 Days
• Field of Search: 482/51, 482/54, 482/52, 482/66, 482/68, 482/69-74, 434/247, 434/255
• US Class Current: 482/54
• CPC Class Codes: A61H 3/008 using suspension devices for supporting the body in an upright walking or standing position, e.g. harnesses
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2022/0094 for active rehabilitation, e.g. slow motion devices
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2071/0081 Stopping the operation of the apparatus
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2071/0644 with display speed of moving landscape controlled by the user's performance
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 21/00178 for active exercising, the apparatus being also usable for passive exercising
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 21/00181 comprising additional means assisting the user to overcome part of the resisting force, i.e. assisted-active exercising
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 21/0058 using motors
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 21/4009 to the waist
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 21/4019 to the hand
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 22/0023 the inclination of the main axis of the movement path being adjustable, e.g. the inclination of an endless band
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 22/0235 driven by a motor
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 22/0292 separate for each leg, e.g. dual deck
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2220/16 Angular positions
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2220/24 Angular displacement
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2220/34 Angular speed
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2220/801 Contact switches
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2220/806 Video cameras
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2220/807 Photo cameras
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2225/09 Adjustable dimensions
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 23/03508 For a single arm or leg, A63B21/0726 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 23/0464 : Walk exercisers without moving parts with movable endless bands A63B22/02
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 24/0003 : Analysing the course of a movement or motion sequences during an exercise or trainings sequence, e.g. swing for golf or tennis
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 69/0064 : Attachments on the trainee preventing falling
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 71/0009 : for handicapped persons
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 71/0622 : Visual, audio or audio-visual systems for entertaining, instructing or motivating the user

Abstract

An ambulatory exercise machine which can easily carry out suitable ambulatory exercise in accordance with a condition of a trainee. A walking path surface is provided for the trainee and a drive drives the walking path surface. An assist arrangement is provided which includes support arms supporting the waist part of the trainee in front and at sides of the trainee and which enables a space between left and right arms to be adjusted. The assist arrangement includes a drive which drives the support arms. Further, the support arms enable attachment of a belt for holding the trainee so that the trainee is movable within a desired range.

Claims

1. An ambulatory exercise machine comprising walking path surface means and assist means provided in front of the walking path surface means, for assisting a trainee standing on the walking path surface means,

wherein the walking path surface means includes a walking path surface for the trainee and drive means for driving the walking path surface,

wherein the assist means includes support arms supporting a waist part of the trainee in front and at sides of the trainee, the assist means enabling a space between left and right arms to be adjusted and further including drive means for driving the support arms, and

wherein the support arms enable attachment of a belt for holding the trainee so that the trainee is movable within a desired range.

2. An ambulatory exercise machine comprising walking path surface means and assist means provided in front of the walking path surface means, for assisting a trainee standing on the walking path surface means,

wherein the walking path surface means includes a walking path surface for the trainee and drive means for driving the walking path surface,

wherein the assist means includes support arms supporting a waist part of the trainee in front and at sides of the trainee and enabling the space between left and right arms to be adjusted, the assist means further including drive means for driving the support arms, the support arms having a longitudinal depth of less than 155 mm and enabling attachment of a belt to the rear end part thereof.

3. An ambulatory exercise machine comprising walking path surface means and assist means provided in front of the walking path surface means, for assisting a trainee standing on the walking path surface means,

wherein the walking path surface means includes a walking path surface for the trainee, and drive means for driving the walking path surface, and

wherein the assist means includes support arms supporting a waist part of the trainee in front and at sides of the trainee and enabling a space between left and right arms to be adjusted, the circuit means further including drive means for driving the support arms, the support arms including left and right arms having a thickness of less than 40 mm, the support arm enabling attachment of a belt for holding the trainee so that the trainee is movable in a desired range.

4. An ambulatory exercise machine comprising walking path surface means and assist means provided in front of the walking path surface means, for assisting a trainee standing on the walking path surface means,

wherein the walking path surface means includes a walking path surface for the trainee and drive means for driving the walking path surface, and

wherein the assist means includes support arms supporting a waist part of the trainee in front and rear of the trainee and enabling the space between left and right arms to be adjusted, the circuit means further including drive means for driving the support arms, the support arms being drivable in a vertical range of 600 to 1,200 mm measured from the walking path surface and in a longitudinal range of ±

110 mm, the support arms enabling attachment of a belt for holding the trainee so that the trainee is movable in a desired range.

5. An ambulatory exercise machine comprising walking path surface means and assist means provided in front of the walking path surface means, for assisting a trainee standing on the walking path surface means,

wherein the walking path surface means includes a walking path surface for the trainee and drive means for driving the walking path surface, and

wherein the assist means includes support arms supporting a waist part of the trainee in front and at sides of the trainee and enabling a space between left and right arms to be adjusted, the support arms incorporating a position adjusting switch, a drive device of the support arms being in a position adjusting mode when the position adjusting switch is turned on, and the turn-on of the position adjusting switch not being effective during ambulatory exercise, the support arms enabling attachment of a belt for holding the trainee so that the trainee is movable in a desired range.

6. An ambulatory exercise machine comprising walking path surface means, assist means provided in front of the walking path surface means, for assisting a trainee standing on the walking path surface means, and synthetic control means for controlling the walking path surface means and the assist means,

wherein the walking path surface means includes a walking path surface for the trainee and drive means for driving the walking path surface,

wherein the assist means includes support arms supporting a waist part of the trainee in front and at sides of the trainee and enabling a space between left and right arms to be adjusted, the assist means further including drive means for driving the support arms, and

wherein the synthetic control means is connected to data processing means, the synthetic control means enabling receipt of data relating to exercise for the trainee from the data processing means in order to control the drive means for the support arms and the walking path surface, the support arms enabling receipt of a belt for holding the trainee so that the trainee is movable in a desired range.

7. An ambulatory exercise machine comprising walking path surface means and assist means provided in front of the walking path surface means, for assisting a trainee standing on the walking path surface means,

wherein the walking path surface means includes a walking path surface for the trainee and drive means for driving the walking path surface,

wherein the assist means includes support arms supporting a waist part of the trainee in front and at sides of the trainee and enabling a space between left and right arms to be adjusted, the support arms enabling attachment of a belt for holding the trainee so that the trainee is movable in a desired range, the walking path surface means and the assist means being separately fixed together.

8. An ambulatory exercise machine comprising walking path surface means and assist means provided in front of the walking path surface means, for assisting a trainee standing on the walking path surface means,

wherein the walking path surface means includes a looped belt serving as a walking path surface for the trainee and drive means for driving the looped belt, and

wherein the assist means includes support arms supporting a waist part of the trainee in front and at sides of the trainee and enabling a space between left and right arms to be adjusted, the looped belt being driven in one of a mode in which the looped belt is driven at a constant speed and a mode in which the looped belt is driven in accordance with a walking speed of the trainee, the constant speed being limited to 3 km/h at the maximum.

9. An ambulatory exercise machine comprising walking path surface means and assist means provided in front of the walking path surface means, for assisting a trainee standing on the walking path surface means,

wherein the assist means includes support arms supporting a waist part of the trainee in front and at sides of the trainee and enabling the space between left and right arms to be adjusted, the assist means further including drive means for driving the support arms, and

wherein the walking path surface means includes a looped belt serving as a walking path surface for the trainee, drive means for driving the looped belt, and detecting means for detecting the trainee approaching a front end part or rear end part of the looped belt, the drive means for the looped belt incorporating a first stop mode for stopping the looped belt or a second stop mode for stopping the looped belt for a time which is longer than that in the first stop mode, the looped belt being stopped in the second mode when the detecting means detects the trainee.

10. An ambulatory exercise machine comprising walking path surface means and assist means provided in front of the walking path surface means, for assisting a trainee standing on the walking path surface means,

wherein the assist means includes support arms supporting a waist part of the trainee in front and at sides of the trainee and enabling a space between left and right arms to be adjusted, the assist means further including drive means for driving the support arms and detecting means for detecting the trainee, and

wherein the walking path surface means includes a looped belt serving as a walking path surface for the trainee and drive means for driving the looped belt, the drive means for the looped belt incorporating a first stop mode for stopping the looped belt or a second stop mode for stopping the looped belt for a time which is longer than that in the first stop mode, the looped belt being stopped in the second mode when the detecting means does not detect the trainee.

11. An ambulatory exercise machine comprising walking path surface means having left and right walking surfaces, and control means for controlling running of the left and right walking path surfaces, independent from each other,

wherein the control means incorporates means for continuously controlling one of the left and right walking path surfaces at one constant position.

12. An ambulatory exercise machine comprising walking path surface means having left and right walking surfaces, and control means for controlling running of the left and right walking path surfaces, independent from each other,

wherein the control means incorporates means for fixing one of the left and right walking path surfaces, respectively, independent from each other.

13. An ambulatory exercise machine comprising walking path surface means having left and right walking surfaces, and control means for controlling running of the walking path surfaces, independent from each other,

wherein the control means incorporates means for holding one of the left and right walking path surfaces while controlling only the other one of the left and right walking path surfaces so as to run.

14. An ambulatory exercise machine comprising walking path surface means having left and right walking surfaces, and control means for controlling running of the left and right walking path surfaces, independent from each other, wherein the control means incorporates a first control means detecting a condition of the left and right walking path surfaces, for controlling the left and right walking path surfaces, independent from each other, a second control means for fixing one of the left and right walking path surfaces and for controlling the other one of the left and right walking path surfaces, and means for selecting one of the first and second control means.

15. An ambulatory exercise machine comprising walking path surface means having left and right walking surfaces, and control means for controlling running of the left and right walking path surfaces, independent from each other, wherein the control means incorporates a plurality of control modes, and means for selecting one of the plurality of the control modes, for the left and right walking surfaces, independent from each other.

16. An ambulatory exercise system including an ambulatory exercise machine comprising walking path surface means and assist means provided in front of the walking path surface means, for assisting a trainee standing on the walking path surface means, the ambulatory exercise system comprising:

(1) means for extracting biological data from a trainee during exercise,

(2) first image pick-up means for picking up an image from the trainee,

(3) first display means for representing data to the trainee,

(4) second image pick-up means located, distant from the ambulatory exercise machine,

(5) second display means located, distant from the ambulatory exercise machine,

(6) means for transmitting the biological data to a person at the second display means side,

(7) means for transmitting data from the second image pick-up means to the first display means, and transmitting data from the first image pick-up means to the second display means,

(8) means for intercommunicating between the trainee and the person at the second display means,

(9) instructor side manipulating means for allowing an instructor to manipulate the ambulatory exercise machine, and

(10) interrupting means for preferentially displaying data from the first image pick-up means, on the second display means.

17. An ambulatory exercise machine including walking path surface means;

said walking path surface means comprising a looped belt defining a walking path surface for a trainee, a drive means for driving said looped belt, and control means for controlling driving of said looped belt;

wherein said control means controls driving of said looped belt so that said looped belt is driven in a mode in which said looped belt is driven at a constant speed which is limited to 3 km/hour at maximum, or in a mode in which said looped belt is driven at a speed in accordance with a walking speed of said trainee.

18. An ambulatory exercise machine including walking path surface means;

said walking path surface means comprising a looped belt having a leading end part and a training end part and defining a walking path surface for a trainee, a drive means for driving said looped belt, means for detecting a trainee who approaches said leading end part or said trailing end part, and control means for controlling driving of said drive means;

wherein said control means controls said drive means so as to effect a first mode in which said looped belt is stopped, a second stop mode in which said looped belt is stopped for a time which is longer than that by which said looped belt is stopped in the first stop mode, and when said detecting means detects the trainee, said looped belt is stopped in said second mode.

19. An ambulatory exercise machine including walking path surface means, and assist means for assisting a trainee standing on said walking path surface means, and provided in front of the trainee;

said assist means comprising support arms for supporting a waist of said trainee in front of and at left and right sides of the trainee, including left and right arms which can be adjusted so as to change a space therebetween, means for driving said support arms, and means for detecting the trainee;

said walking path surface means comprising a looped belt defining a walking path surface for the trainee, and a drive means for driving said looped belt, means for detecting a trainee who approaches said leading end part or said trailing end part, and control means for controlling driving of said drive means;

wherein said control means controls said drive means so as to effect a first mode in which said looped belt is stopped, a second stop mode in which said looped belt is stopped for a time which is longer than that by which said looped belt is stopped in the first stop mode, and when said detecting means detects the trainee, said looped belt is stopped in said second mode.