Passive energy storage foot mechanism for power assisting exoskeletons for lower limbs

Abstract

The invention discloses a passive energy storage foot mechanism for power assisting exoskeletons for lower limbs.The passive energy storage foot mechanism comprises an ankle joint unit, a foot side face plate, a foot sole unit, a binding unit and passive spring energy storage units.The ankle joint unit is connected with the foot sole unit by the foot side face plate; the foot sole unit is of a separation type flexible bending structure and comprises a rigid heel, a rigid front sole, a bottom plate spring, inner-side plate springs, outer-side plate springs, fixing mechanisms, a deformable adhesion plate and a rubber cushion; the passive spring energy storage units include a dorsal flexion passive spring energy storage unit and a plantar flexion passive spring energy storage unit and are connected with the ankle joint unit by a spring support unit, the foot side face plate is used as a fixing base for the passive spring energy storage units, and dorsal flexion and plantar flexion energy storage effects can be respectively realized during movement.The passive energy storage foot mechanism has the advantages that foot structures of human bodies and the weights and inertia effects of the human bodies and the exoskeletons are sufficiently utilized, accordingly, energy can be passively stored by ankle joints in walking procedures, ground pedaling actions of toes can be carried out in the walking procedures, states can be automatically restored in the walking procedures, a wearer can wear the passive energy storage foot mechanism comfortably, and the passive energy storage foot mechanism is high in practicality and low in energy consumption.

Description

technical field [0001] The invention relates to a passive energy storage foot mechanism used for assisting lower limbs in an exoskeleton, and belongs to the field of robot applications. Background technique [0002] An exoskeleton robot is a wearable mechanical system that realizes the functions of assisting, walking and rehabilitation through the coordinated movement of the wearer and the exoskeleton. Whether the lower extremity exoskeleton robot is to assist, walk, or assist medical rehabilitation training functions, the foot mechanism must have a certain auxiliary support function and human-like degrees of freedom. [0003] According to the principle of kinematics, the human ankle joint can realize three-degree-of-freedom movement, that is, dorsiflexion / plantarflexion, abduction / adduction and external rotation / internal rotation around the joint; according to the functional characteristics of the ankle joint sports tendon, the human ankle joint Sports mainly rely on ligam...

AI Technical Summary

Problems solved by technology

[0004] Some foot mechanisms of lower limb power-assisted exoskeletons are composed of rigid plates that can support the wearer's entire foot combined with mechanical ankle joints with 1, 2 or 3 degrees of freedom. In order to avoid the danger of uncontrollable degrees of freedom, each mechanical ankle joint The degree of freedom is usually driven by motors, hydraulic cylinders, etc. This type of foot mechanism has poor flexibility, difficult control, high requirements on the control system, and relatively high cost; The upper part is supported by elastic material, or the front and rear soles adopt a separate structure, and the rotating pair connects the elastic front and rear soles, which mainly meets the movement needs of the metatarsophalangeal joints during human walking. Many, poor practicability, and weakened support and assist functions for the wearer when the toes push the ground; there are also some new foot mechanisms that arrange a pair of springs in front and back of the ankle joint to reduce the force on the wearer's ankle joint in the sagittal plane, but the spring The fixed end is always fixed on the foot base, the performance of the tension spring or compression spring is not clear during the movement, and there is two-way spring resistance, the assist effect is not optimal

[0005] People with athletic ability and weight-bearing needs need a lower limb power-assisted exoskeleton that can reduce the weight-bearing rate and its own weight on the ankle joint, that is, an exoskeleton that can provide support for the wearer's ankle joint during the leg support phase, and in the whole In the gait cycle, the passively stored energy is used to assist in walking behavior, which has low dependence on the control system and sensors and low energy consumption. This type of exoskeleton is a new type of semi-passive exoskeleton, and the existing exoskeleton foot mechanisms cannot meet this need

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