1. An exercise system, comprising:
a pair of step-up apparatuses wearable on feet of a user, wherein each step-up apparatus is configurable between an expanded configuration and a compressed configuration to simulate a selected motion when the user wearing the pair of step-up apparatuses travels by foot, wherein each of the step-up apparatuses is configured to begin collapsing after the user transfers a substantial portion of the user’s weight to the step-up apparatus and expands upon removal of the substantial portion of the user’s weight without providing any appreciable propelling force, and wherein each step-up apparatus includes a sole assembly having an actuating mechanism operable to move the sole assembly from a collapsed configuration to an expanded configuration, wherein the actuating mechanism has
a first state of operation to provide a first rate of collapse, and
a second state of operation to provide a second rate of collapse.
2. The exercise system of claim 1, wherein the first rate of collapse is at least twice the second rate of collapse for an applied load. An exercise device, comprising:
a self-expanding sole assembly movable between an expanded configuration and a compressed configuration, the sole assembly comprising:
a lower sole;
an upper sole movable with respect to the lower sole; and
an expansion mechanism that generates a resistive force as the upper sole spaced apart from the lower sole moves towards the lower sole so as to move the sole assembly from the expanded configuration towards the compressed configuration, the expansion mechanism is configured to generate a restoring force that is less than the resistive force and the restoring force is sufficient move the sole assembly from the compressed configuration towards the expanded configuration.
4. The exercise device of claim 3, wherein the step-up apparatus collapses when a user transfers a substantial portion of the users weight to the step-up apparatus and expands upon removal of the substantial portion of the user’s weight without providing any significant propelling force.
5. The exercise device of claim 3, wherein the resistive force is a dampening force generated in response to a user pressing on the sole assembly.
6. The exercise device of claim 3, wherein the sole assembly is configured to be in the expanded configuration when the lower sole is held above a support surface and moves from the expanded configuration towards the compressed configuration when the user stands on the sole assembly.
7. The exercise device of claim 3, wherein the sole assembly in the expanded configuration defines a raised position and in the compressed configuration defines a lowered position.
8. The exercise device of claim 7, wherein a distance between the raised position and the lowered position is greater than or equal to about 3 inches.
9. The exercise device of claim 3, wherein the expansion mechanism includes an adjustable energy absorber operable to provide the resistive force.
10. The exercise device of claim 3, further comprising a foot retainer coupled to the sole assembly, the foot retainer configurable between a foot receiving configuration and a foot retaining configuration.
11. The exercise device of claim 3, wherein the expansion mechanism is physically coupled to the upper sole and the lower sole and is configurable to allow the sole assembly to move from the expanded configuration to the compressed configuration when the user is supported by the sole assembly and to move from the compressed configuration to the expanded configuration when the sole assembly is unloaded.
12. The exercise device of claim 3, wherein the expansion mechanism has a delay device to delay collapsing of the sole assembly as the user initially steps onto the sole assembly.
13. The exercise device of claim 3, wherein the expansion mechanism includes an expandable piston assembly having an upper end and a lower end, the upper end is rotatably coupled to the upper sole, and the lower end is rotatably coupled to the lower sole.
14. The exercise device of claim 3, further comprising a controller configured to adjust a resistive force provided by the expansion mechanism when a user applies a force to the sole assembly.
15. The exercise device of claim 14, wherein the controller has memory configured to store at least one program.
16. An exercise device, comprising:
a self-expanding sole assembly configurable between an expanded configuration and a collapsed configuration, the sole assembly generates a resistive force as the sole assembly in the expanded configuration moves towards the collapsed configuration and generates an expansion force to move from the collapsed configuration towards the expanded configuration, and the expansion force is substantially less than the resistive force.
17. The exercise device of claim 16, wherein the sole assembly is configured to self-expand as a user’s foot carrying the exercise device moves away from a support surface upon which the sole assembly in the collapsed configuration rests.
18. The exercise device of claim 16, further comprising an actuating mechanism that biases the self-expanding sole assembly towards the expanded configuration.
The claims below are in addition to those above.
All refrences to claim(s) which appear below refer to the numbering after this setence.
1. An orientation device for orienting tubular preforms delivered in bulk by feed means, wherein it comprises:
two continuous endless conveyors positioned side by side and each respectively having two strands which run substantially parallel to one another and which are separated from one another horizontally by a distance greater than the longest transverse dimension of the preforms, the preform feed means being situated above these two endless conveyors and near one of their ends, these two conveyors being driven by drive means in opposite directions to one another so as to cause those of the preforms which arrive crosswise on the endless conveyors to pivot and drop, oriented longitudinally, into the space between the two endless conveyors, and
an endless collecting belt for collecting the preforms running under the aforementioned two endless conveyors and parallel thereto to collect the preforms and move them along, lying down longitudinally aligned one after the other.
2. The orientation device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the endless belt has a speed appreciably higher than that of the two endless conveyors.
3. The orientation device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the two endless conveyors are driven in opposite directions at appreciably equal speeds.
4. The orientation device as claimed in claim 1, wherein each endless conveyor is arranged vertically and in that the aforementioned parallel strands are the respective top strands of the two conveyors.
5. The orientation device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the two endless conveyors are endless belts or conveyor belts.
6. The orientation device as claimed in claim 5, wherein the respective top strands of the two endless conveyors are inclined transversely toward one another.
7. The orientation device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the two endless conveyors are externally bordered by respective casings able to prevent the preforms from falling off the device.
8. The orientation device as claimed in claim 1, wherein at least one of the two endless conveyors is supported in such a way that it can move transversely so that the separation between the two endless conveyors can be adjusted according to the transverse dimension of the preforms.
9. The orientation device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the endless collecting belt consists of several successive endless belts having increasing respective speeds so as to increase the spacing between the successive preforms so as to make it easier for them to be toppled over by a downstream system without interfering with one another.
10. The orientation device as claimed in claim 9, wherein the transition between the first and second endless belts is located between the two endless conveyors.