Upper extremity exoskeleton

Abstract

The application discloses an upper limb exoskeleton, which comprises a waist supporting unit, the waist supporting unit comprises a plurality of supporting modules arranged in a vertical direction, and two adjacent supporting modules are movably connected and matched, so that the waist supporting unit can provide waist support for a user in an upright state, the back muscles of the user are stretched in a bent-over state, and the movably connected and matched allow the two adjacent supporting modules to adjust the spacing and / or angle of each other, so that the length and curvature of the waist supporting unit in the vertical direction are changed to fit the bending and upright of the waist and back of the human body. The supporting module comprises a pair of supporting pieces which are left-right symmetrical in a horizontal direction, the supporting pieces are arranged to be slidable to adjust the spacing of the pair of supporting pieces, and an inclined part is fixedly arranged on the side of the supporting pieces which faces the waist and back of the human body, the inclined surface of the inclined part faces the human body, and the inclined part is used for converting the force of the human body against the inclined part when the human body is bent into a driving force for relatively sliding and opening the pair of supporting pieces, so that the back can be more fitted.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the field of assistive exoskeleton robot technology, and more particularly to an upper limb exoskeleton. Background Technology

[0002] An exoskeleton is a wearable mechanical device. Currently, exoskeletons are mainly used as medical assistive devices for sports rehabilitation and as assistive tools in industrial production or daily life to relieve muscle fatigue or reduce the burden of lifting heavy objects.

[0003] Most existing wearable upper limb exoskeletons use a fixed back structure to support the wearer's back, improve stability, and provide active assistance to relevant areas to reduce the burden on the wearer and relieve muscle fatigue. While upper limb exoskeletons can provide back support when the user is upright, conventional exoskeletons cannot fully conform to the lower back, which can actually increase the burden on the user when bending over. Summary of the Invention

[0004] The purpose of this invention is to provide an adjustable upper limb exoskeleton that mimics the human spine and fits the waist.

[0005] To achieve the above objectives, the present invention proposes an upper limb exoskeleton, including a lumbar support unit. The lumbar support unit comprises several support modules arranged vertically. Adjacent support modules are movably connected and engaged, and this movable connection and engagement allows the adjacent support modules to adjust their spacing and / or angle to achieve changes in the length and curvature of the lumbar support unit in the vertical direction, thereby conforming to the curvature and upright position of the human lower back.

[0006] The support module includes a pair of horizontally symmetrical support members. The support members are slidable to adjust the distance between the two support members. An inclined part is fixed on the side of the support member facing the lower back of the human body. The inclined surface of the inclined part faces the human body and is used to convert the force of the human body against the inclined part when bending over into a driving force that causes the two support members to slide open relative to each other.

[0007] The lumbar support unit is connected to the back wearing unit and the hip wearing unit at opposite ends in the vertical direction.

[0008] Preferably, the support module further includes a first connector disposed between a pair of two support members, the opposite sides of the first connector being slidably connected to the two support members respectively, the first connector extending at least a pair of two insert rods to its opposite sides, the support members having slots corresponding to the positions of the insert rods of the first connector, and the insert rods and slots being inserted into each other.

[0009] Preferably, it also includes an elastic element, the two ends of which act on the first connector and the support respectively, to provide elastic restoring force to the support when the support slides away from the first connector.

[0010] Preferably, it further includes a second connector, which is disposed between other adjacent support modules other than the support modules at the head and tail ends. The second connector includes a steering column and a fixed column, which are rotatably connected to the steering column. One support module is fixedly connected to the fixed column, and the other support module is slidably connected to the steering column.

[0011] Preferably, the fixed post has a mounting cavity with an opening facing the steering post, the steering post part extends into the fixed post, and the upper end of the mounting cavity has a C-shaped structure with a notch only in the direction facing the human body, so that the steering post can rotate and fall into the notch.

[0012] Preferably, the notch location is provided with an upwardly extending limiting block for limiting the steering angle of the steering column.

[0013] Preferably, the support module slidably connected to the steering column is provided with a lower insertion hole, into which the steering column is inserted. A mounting groove is radially formed on the side wall of the lower insertion hole. A slider and a spring are provided in the mounting groove. The two ends of the spring act on the slider and the mounting groove. A sliding groove is provided on the surface of the steering column. An inclined guide surface is provided on the insertion end of the slider and / or the steering column. During the insertion of the steering column, the slider is guided by the inclined guide surface to fall into the sliding groove and slide in connection with the sliding groove.

[0014] Preferably, the two ends of the groove are provided with sliding termination surfaces for abutting against the slider so that the steering column cannot slide out of the lower insertion hole.

[0015] Preferably, the lumbar support unit is connected to the back wear unit or the hip wear unit via a third connector. The third connector includes a fixing part fixedly connected to the lumbar support unit and a turning part slidably connected to the back wear unit or the hip wear unit. The turning part and the fixing part are rotatably connected. A stepped groove is provided on the back wear unit or the hip wear unit. An inclinedly opening spring is provided on the turning part. The turning part is inserted into the stepped groove so that the spring is first compressed and then opened to prevent it from being dislodged and restricted in the stepped groove. The stepped groove extends horizontally to allow the turning part to slide in the horizontal direction.

[0016] Preferably, the upper limb exoskeleton further includes an assist unit, which is used to retract the waist support unit in the extended state. One end of the assist unit is fixedly connected to the back wearing unit, and the other end away from the back wearing unit is connected to the hip wearing unit.

[0017] The beneficial effects of this invention are as follows:

[0018] This invention features an adjustable lumbar support unit. Several support modules arranged vertically, with adjacent modules movably connected, allow for vertical adjustment of the lumbar support unit's length. The lumbar support unit provides lumbar support to the user in an upright position. In a bent-over position, where the user's back muscles are stretched, the distance and / or angle between adjacent support modules adjusts to change the length and curvature of the lumbar support unit in the vertical direction, thus conforming to the curvature and upright position of the human back, resulting in a more comfortable fit.

[0019] The support module has a pair of symmetrical support members on the left and right sides in the horizontal direction. The two support members can slide relative to each other to adjust the distance between them. An inclined section is fixed on the side of the support member facing the user's lower back, with the inclined surface facing the user. This section converts the force exerted by the user bending over against the inclined section into a driving force that causes the two support members to slide open relative to each other. In use, when the user bends over, the two support members of the support module will adaptively slide against the user's waist, thus conforming to the back. Attached Figure Description

[0020] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of an upper limb exoskeleton according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention;

[0021] Figure 2 This is a partial exploded view (angle one) of the support module in a preferred embodiment of the present invention;

[0022] Figure 3 This is a partial exploded view (angle two) of the support module in a preferred embodiment of the present invention;

[0023] Figure 4 This is a cross-sectional view of the support module and the upper back plate in a preferred embodiment of the present invention;

[0024] Figure 5 This is a schematic diagram of the second connector in a preferred embodiment of the present invention;

[0025] Figure 6 This is a schematic diagram of the third connector in a preferred embodiment of the present invention;

[0026] Figure 7 This is a cross-sectional view of the third connector and the upper back plate in a preferred embodiment of the present invention;

[0027] Figure 8 This is a schematic diagram of the arm module in a preferred embodiment of the present invention;

[0028] Figure 9 This is a schematic diagram of a hip-wearing unit in a preferred embodiment of the present invention. Detailed Implementation

[0029] Embodiments of the present invention are described in detail below. Examples of these embodiments are illustrated in the accompanying drawings, wherein the same or similar reference numerals denote the same or similar elements or elements having the same or similar functions throughout. The embodiments described below with reference to the accompanying drawings are exemplary and intended to explain the present invention, and should not be construed as limiting the present invention. Where specific techniques or conditions are not specified in the embodiments, they shall be performed in accordance with the techniques or conditions described in the literature in the art or in accordance with the product manual.

[0030] The present invention will now be further described in conjunction with the accompanying drawings and specific embodiments.

[0031] See Figure 1-9 As shown, in a preferred embodiment of the present invention, an upper limb exoskeleton is proposed, comprising a back-wearing unit 1, a waist support unit 2, and a hip-wearing unit 3. The back-wearing unit 1, waist support unit 2, and hip-wearing unit 3 are connected sequentially from top to bottom in the vertical direction, corresponding to the back, waist, and hip of the human body, respectively. The upper limb exoskeleton in this embodiment can conform to the human back and provide support for the lower back during bending and straightening. The upper limb exoskeleton also includes an assist unit 4, which provides traction to the user's back when bending over, assisting the user in standing up and returning to an upright position.

[0032] The lumbar support unit 2 includes several support modules 21 connected vertically. In this embodiment, four support modules 21 are slidably connected in the vertical direction. In other embodiments, the number of support modules can be increased or decreased according to the user's body proportions. Adjacent support modules 21 are movably connected and can adjust their spacing and / or angle to each other, allowing them to move relatively far apart or relatively close together in the vertical direction. Furthermore, adjacent support modules 21 can be relatively deflected towards the direction of spinal curvature, enabling the lumbar support unit to conform to the curvature and upright position of the user's lower back.

[0033] The support module 21 includes a first connector 24 and a pair of support members 22 symmetrically arranged on opposite sides of the first connector 24 in the horizontal direction. The first connector 24 and the support members 22 are slidably connected, and the distance between the support members 22 and the first connector 24 can be adjusted slidably. Three pairs of insert rods 26 extend from the first connector 24 toward opposite sides of the support members 22. The support members 22 are provided with slots 25 corresponding to the positions of the insert rods 26. The insert rods 26 are inserted into the slots 25, allowing relative sliding between the first connector 24 and the support members 22.

[0034] Of course, the number of insertion rods 26 is not fixed, as long as it can achieve a relative movement of the pair of support members 22 relative to the first connecting member 24. In order to make the support module 21 fit the human body and be able to adaptively slide with the contraction or relaxation of the human waist muscles, in this embodiment, the side of the support member 22 facing the human waist and back is fixedly provided with an inclined part 23. The inclined surface 231 of the inclined part faces the human body and is used to convert the force of the human body against the inclined part 23 when bending over into a driving force to open the pair of support members 22 relative to each other. In order to fit the human body better, the inclined surface 231 of the inclined part 23 in this embodiment is an arc-shaped inclined surface. When the user bends over, the waist and back muscles will also stretch to both sides. At this time, the support module 21 will open to both sides with the stretched muscles, thereby achieving adaptive sliding, so that the waist support unit 2 can extend with the stretching of the back muscles and fit the curvature of the human back in the bent-over state.

[0035] When a user returns from a bent-over position to an upright position, the muscles in the lower back contract again. To ensure that the lumbar support unit conforms to the user's lower back during this process, an elastic element 29 is provided between the first connector 24 and the support member 22. The two ends of the elastic element 29 act on the first connector 24 and the support member 22 respectively, providing elastic restoring force to the support member 22 when it slides away from the first connector 24. When the user wants to return from a bent-over position to an upright position, the support member 22 will move closer to the first connector 24 as the muscles contract, providing some support to the lower back muscles and preventing muscle strain.

[0036] In this embodiment, elastic elements 29 are disposed on both sides of the first connector 24 facing the support 22. One end of the elastic element 29 is fixedly connected to the first connector 24, and the other end of the elastic element 29 away from the first connector is fixedly connected to the support 22. In other embodiments, the elastic element 29 can also be disposed at the bottom of the slot 25 and the top of the insertion rod 26, or hooks can be disposed on the first connector 24 and the support 22 respectively, and the two ends of the elastic element 29 can be hooked onto the hooks respectively, which can also realize that the support 22 in the second position can return, that is, the support 22 makes a stroke closer to the first connector 24. In this embodiment, a tension spring is used as the elastic element 29. In other embodiments, the tension spring can be replaced by an elastic rope or other device with elastic recovery as the elastic element 29.

[0037] The lumbar support unit 2, excluding the support modules 21 at both ends, connects the other support modules 21 via second connectors 5, allowing adjacent support modules 21 to slide relative to each other and deflect towards the direction of spinal curvature. Vertically, adjacent support modules 21 are connected by two second connectors 5. However, the number of second connectors 5 between adjacent support modules 21 is not limited to two; it can be set according to requirements, as long as it enables relative sliding and deflection towards the direction of spinal curvature between two adjacent support modules.

[0038] In this embodiment, the second connecting member 5 includes a steering column 51 and a fixed column 52, with the fixed column 52 and the steering column 51 connected by a rotatable pin. One end of the fixed column 52 has a mounting cavity with an opening facing the steering column 51. One end of the steering column 51 extends into the mounting cavity. The upper end of the mounting cavity has a C-shaped structure with a notch 53 only in the direction facing the human body, allowing the steering column to rotate and fall into the notch 53. The steering column is only allowed to rotate in the direction of the human spine's curvature. An upwardly extending limiting block 54 is provided at the notch 53 to limit the rotation angle of the steering column 51. In this embodiment, a design is used where the steering column 51 is partially inserted into the fixed column 52. In other embodiments, an exposed pin connection can also be used for the rotation of the steering column, but such a design results in an excessively large range of rotation for the steering column, which is not conducive to lumbar support in an upright position. In the assembled state, the top of the support module 21 is provided with an upper insertion hole 27, and the bottom of the support module 21 is provided with a lower insertion hole 28. The fixing post 52 is inserted into the upper insertion hole 27 of the support module 21, and the support module 21 connected to the top of the fixing post 52 is slidably connected to the bottom of another support module 21 through the steering post 51.

[0039] To better achieve the steering function, in this embodiment, the end of the steering column 51 that is rotatably connected to the fixed column 52 is hemispherical, which makes the rotation of the steering column smoother, and the shape of the mounting cavity is adapted to the steering column to ensure the stability of the rotation of the second connecting member.

[0040] Furthermore, to achieve relative sliding between the support modules 21, a groove 55 is provided on the surface of the steering column 51, and a slider 221 is provided in the lower insertion hole 28. The sidewall of the lower insertion hole 28 has a radially provided mounting groove 222 corresponding to the position of the slider 221. The slider 221 is connected to the mounting groove 222 via a compression spring. For ease of installation, the slider 221 and / or the insertion end of the steering column 51 are provided with an inclined guide surface. During the insertion of the steering column 51, guided by the inclined guide surface, the slider 221 is compressed into the mounting groove 222 until it falls into the groove 55 and slides into contact with it. The two ends of the groove 55 are provided with sliding termination surfaces 551, which abut against the slider 221 to prevent the steering column 51 from sliding out of the lower insertion hole 28. In other embodiments, a slider and a compression spring can be provided on the steering column, and a groove can be provided in the lower insertion hole, but this configuration would increase the volume of the second connecting member 5. To facilitate the installation of the slider 221 and the compression spring, in this embodiment, the support member 22 is divided into two halves on both sides of its sheet-like shape. These two halves are joined together to form the support member 22. During installation, the slider 221 and the compression spring can be inserted into one half first, and then the two halves can be joined and fixed together. The slider 221 and the compression spring can be fixed together by welding or bonding.

[0041] In the vertical direction, the upper end of the waist support unit 2 is connected to the back wearing unit 1 via a third connector 6. The back support unit 1 includes a back module, a shoulder module, and an arm module. The support module 21 at the upper end of the waist support unit 2 is connected to the back module. The back module includes an upper back plate 11, one end of which is connected to the support module 21 via the third connector 6. The third connector 6 is similar in structure to the second connector 5, including a fixing part 62 and a turning part 61. The difference is that the turning part 61 of the third connector 6 has two opposing, inclined, and open spring pieces 63 on the side wall away from the fixing part 62. The fixing part 62 of the third connector 6 is inserted and fixed into the upper insertion hole 27 of the support module 21, and the turning part 61 is inserted into the stepped groove 111 provided on the upper back plate 11. The turning part 61 can slide horizontally in the stepped groove 111 to realize relative sliding of the pair of support members 22 at the head end connected to the upper back plate 11. The upper backplate 11 has a stepped groove 111 at one end connected to the support module 21. During insertion of the turning part 61 of the third connector 6 into the stepped groove 111, the spring piece 63 is first compressed. When the turning part 61 is fully inserted into the stepped groove 111, the spring piece 63 opens and engages with the stepped groove 111. The stepped groove 111 extends horizontally to form a sliding groove that allows the turning part 61 to slide, enabling the support module 21, which is slidably connected to the upper backplate 11, to open. The stepped groove 111 and the spring piece 63 also provide anti-slip protection for the lumbar support unit 2. The same connection structure formed by the stepped groove 111 and the turning part 61 can also be used in the connection between the lumbar support unit 2 and the hip support unit 3.

[0042] The back panel 1 also includes adjustable members 12 detachably connected to both sides of the upper back panel 11. The width of the back panel 1 is adjusted by the depth of the adjustable members 12 inserted into the upper back panel 11 to accommodate users of different body types. The shoulder unit 13 includes a shoulder bracket rotatably connected to the adjustable members to allow for shoulder joint movement. A shoulder pad conforming to the shoulder is provided on the shoulder bracket. The shoulder pad is detachably fixed to the shoulder bracket. One of the shoulder pads has several positioning grooves, and the other has at least one positioning block. The number of positioning grooves is at least one more than the number of positioning blocks. The position of the shoulder pad is adjusted by engaging the positioning blocks with the positioning grooves at different positions. This allows for fine-tuning of the shoulder pad position to fit the shoulders of different users. In addition to using positioning grooves and positioning blocks to adjust the position of the shoulder pad, other adjustable locking methods such as damping assembly can also be used. In this embodiment, the shoulder pad is set to a "U" shape conforming to the shoulder. In other embodiments, other shapes can also be used, as long as they conform to the user's shoulder.

[0043] In this embodiment, the arm module is divided into an upper arm module 14 and a forearm module 15. One end of the upper arm module 14 is rotatably connected to the end of the shoulder module 13 away from the upper back plate 11, and the other end of the upper arm module 14 away from the shoulder module 13 is rotatably connected to the forearm module 15. In other embodiments, only the upper arm module 14 may be included, depending on the actual situation. Both the upper arm module 14 and the forearm module 15 include a pad 16 and two opposing extension pieces 17 connected to both sides of the pad 16. The extension pieces 17 and the pad 16 are damped and can be adjusted according to the user's arm circumference, making the arm module fit the user's arm better. In addition to using a damped assembly, other adjustable fixing devices can also be used, allowing the arm module to be adaptively adjusted according to the user's arm.

[0044] The waist extension plate 32 and the lower back plate 31 are fixedly and adjustable, and can be adjusted according to the user's body shape.

[0045] To assist the user in regaining an upright posture, an assistive unit 4 is incorporated into the upper limb exoskeleton. In this embodiment, the assistive unit includes a tensioning mechanism with one end fixed to the upper backplate 11 and the other end fixed to the lower backplate 31. Displacement and posture sensors are installed in the lower backplate 31 to detect the user's back movement. When the system detects that the user needs to return to an upright posture from a bent-over position, it drives the tensioning mechanism to retract, assisting the user in regaining an upright posture. The sensors used in this embodiment are existing technologies; any sensor capable of sensing displacement and posture can be applied to this embodiment.

[0046] Although embodiments of the present invention have been shown and described above, it is understood that the above embodiments are exemplary and should not be construed as limiting the present invention. Those skilled in the art can make changes, modifications, substitutions and variations to the above embodiments within the scope of the present invention without departing from the principles and spirit of the present invention.

Claims

1. An upper limb exoskeleton, characterized in that, The device includes a lumbar support unit comprising several support modules arranged vertically. Adjacent support modules are movably connected and engaged, allowing adjustment of their spacing and / or angle to accommodate variations in length and curvature in the vertical direction, thus conforming to the natural curves and upright posture of the human lower back. The support module includes a pair of horizontally symmetrical support members. The support members are slidable to adjust the distance between the two support members. An inclined portion is fixed on the side of the support member facing the human body's back. The inclined surface of the inclined portion faces the human body and is used to convert the force of the human body against the inclined portion when bending over into a driving force that causes the two support members to slide open relative to each other. The support module also includes a first connector between the two support members. The opposite sides of the first connector are slidably connected to the two support members respectively. At least one pair of two inserts extend from the first connector to its opposite sides. The support member has a slot corresponding to the position of the insert of the first connector. The insert and the slot are inserted into each other. An elastic element, with its two ends acting on the first connector and the support respectively, is used to provide an elastic restoring force to the support when it slides away from the first connector. The second connector is disposed between adjacent support modules other than the support modules at both ends. The second connector includes a steering column and a fixed column, which are rotatably connected to the steering column. One support module is fixedly connected to the fixed column, and the other support module is slidably connected to the steering column. The support module slidably connected to the steering column has a lower insertion hole, into which the steering column is inserted. A mounting groove is radially formed on the side wall of the lower insertion hole. A slider and a spring are provided in the mounting groove. The two ends of the spring act on the slider and the mounting groove. A sliding groove is provided on the surface of the steering column. The slider and / or the insertion end of the steering column has an inclined guide surface. During the insertion of the steering column, the slider is guided by the inclined guide surface to fall into the sliding groove and slide in the sliding groove. The waist support unit is connected to the back wearing unit and the hip wearing unit at opposite ends in the vertical direction, respectively.

2. The upper limb exoskeleton according to claim 1, characterized in that, The fixed post has a mounting cavity with an opening facing the steering post. The steering post extends into the fixed post. The upper end of the mounting cavity has a C-shaped structure with a notch only in the direction facing the human body. The steering post can rotate and fall into the notch.

3. The upper limb exoskeleton according to claim 2, characterized in that, The notch is provided with an upwardly extending limiting block, which is used to limit the steering angle of the steering column.

4. The upper limb exoskeleton according to claim 1, characterized in that, The two ends of the groove are provided with sliding termination surfaces, which are used to abut against the slider so that the steering column cannot slide out of the lower insertion hole.

5. The upper limb exoskeleton according to claim 1, characterized in that, The lumbar support unit is connected to the back wear unit or the hip wear unit via a third connector. The third connector includes a fixed part that is fixedly connected to the lumbar support unit and a slidable part that is slidably connected to the back wear unit or the hip wear unit. The slidable part and the fixed part are rotatably connected. The back wear unit or the hip wear unit is provided with a stepped groove. The slidable part is provided with an inclined and open spring piece. The slidable part is inserted into the stepped groove so that the spring piece is first compressed and then opened to prevent it from being dislodged and restricted in the stepped groove. The stepped groove extends horizontally to allow the slidable part to slide in the horizontal direction.

6. The upper limb exoskeleton according to claim 1, characterized in that, The upper limb exoskeleton also includes an assist unit, which is used to retract the waist support unit in the extended state. One end of the assist unit is fixedly connected to the back wearing unit, and the other end away from the back wearing unit is connected to the hip wearing unit.

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