Denso Corporation

Shinshu University

Tokyo Women's Medical University

Yosuke Hara

Jun Okamoto

Tetsuya Goto

Kazuhiro Hongo

Satoru Nakamura

Hideki Okuda

Minoru Takahashi

In an operation-mode indicating system, a first light emitting device is located within a peripheral visual field of an operator and is controllably connected to a controller. The peripheral visual field is defined around a center visual field of the operator while the operator is looking at a predetermined site. A body support apparatus is capable of performing an operation to the predetermined site. The controller controls the first light emitting device to emit first light in a first operation mode of the body support apparatus and second light in a second operation mode of the body support apparatus. The first light and the second light are visually distinguishable from each other.

Operation-mode indicating system for body support apparatus, and body support apparatus

In an arm support apparatus, an weight attachment is provided for at least one specified link in links of a support member supporting a mount to be movable based on rotation of at least one of the links around a corresponding at least one of the joints. The at least one specified link is associated with at least one specified degree of freedom. The weight attachment is configured such that one or more weight members are attachable thereto. When the one or more weight members are attached to the weight attachment, the weight attachment is configured to substantially balance in weight with the mount on which the part of the arm is mounted while applying supporting force to the part of the arm mounted on the mount.

Arm support apparatus

In arm support apparatus, a longitudinal mount has opposing first and second ends. An elbow locator is provided on the first end of the mount. The elbow locator locates an operator's elbow when the operator's forearm is mounted on the mount. A rotary joint of a multijoint arm has a rotary axis having a vertical component. The mount is rotatably joined to the rotary joint. While the forearm is mounted on the mount so that the elbow of the operator's arm is located by the elbow locator, the rotary axis is located with a distance with respect to the elbow to enable both the first and second ends of the mount to swing about the rotary axis. The distance is set to be equal to or longer than 50 mm.

An apparatus includes a brace being mounted on a person's body part and having a hard fitting surface. The apparatus also includes a load device, a support, a securing member, a brake, a switch device, and a soft film. The load device has a hard receiving surface receiving the fitting surface of the brace. The support movably supports the load device. The securing member secures the fitting surface to the receiving surface and enables the load device to move and follow movement of the person's body part and the brace against resistance applied from the support. The brake limits movement of the load device. The switch device switches operation modes of the apparatus, at least, between a free mode and a limiting mode. The soft film is arranged between the receiving and fitting surfaces for smooth movement of the person's body part on the load device in the limiting mode.

Growing community of inventors

Matsumoto, Japan

Yosuke Hara