A new modular rigid-flexible hip joint system

Abstract

The present invention discloses a novel modular rigid-flexible hip joint system, wherein a quick-release unit is used to realize the rapid disassembly and assembly of the hip joint system and an external exoskeleton system, one end of the flexible adjustment unit is connected to the quick-release unit, and the other end is connected to the rotation unit, for fitting with the hip joint and adapting to the movement of the hip joint; the flexible adjustment unit is connected to the leg unit via the rotation unit, wherein the rotation unit is used to realize the connection with the leg unit and provide the directional restoring force of the hip joint; the leg unit is used to connect with the thigh. This solution realizes the rapid adjustment of the exoskeleton leg through positioning and locking through a simple structural design, increases the high reliability of the adjustment, enhances the load transmission capacity of the hip joint, reduces the local concentration of the load on the upper limbs, realizes the decoupling of the hip joint's degrees of freedom, enhances the adaptability to the human body's movement, does not interfere with the human body's movement, and improves the wearing comfort.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention belongs to the field of exoskeletons, and in particular relates to a novel modular rigid-flexible hip joint system. Background Art

[0002] The main problems with the hip joint of the exoskeleton at this stage are as follows:

[0003] During human movement, the exoskeleton's hip joint can restrict movement. For example, patent CN118456392A discloses a lasso-driven exoskeleton hip joint with a parallel gravity compensation mechanism. However, during abduction / adduction, the hip joint's center of rotation is not aligned with the exoskeleton's hip joint's center of rotation. This causes the exoskeleton to press against the body, restricting movement and causing discomfort. Furthermore, sideways bending is restricted because the exoskeleton's hip joint remains fixed in position relative to the body and its overall length does not change. Summary of the Invention

[0004] In view of the above problems, the purpose of the present invention is to provide a new modular rigid-flexible hip joint system.

[0005] The specific technical solutions for achieving the purpose of the present invention are as follows:

[0006] A new modular rigid-flexible hip joint system, including a quick-release unit, a flexible adjustment unit, a rotation unit, and a leg unit;

[0007] The quick-release unit is used to realize the rapid disassembly and assembly of the hip joint system and the external exoskeleton system. One end of the flexible adjustment unit is connected to the quick-release unit, and the other end is connected to the rotation unit, so as to fit the hip joint and adapt to the movement of the hip joint.

[0008] The flexibility adjustment unit is connected to the leg unit via a rotation unit, wherein the rotation unit is used to realize the connection with the leg unit and provide a restoring force of the hip joint;

[0009] The leg unit is used to be connected to the thigh part.

[0010] Furthermore, the quick release unit includes a quick release rod, a quick release seat, a press buckle and a spring;

[0011] One side of the quick release rod is fixed to the quick release seat, a press buckle is provided between the quick release rod and the quick release seat, and a spring is provided between the press buckle and the quick release seat;

[0012] A protrusion is provided at the contact position between the quick release lever and the pressure buckle. When the quick release lever is pressed, the protrusion drives the pressure buckle to compress the spring to form a locking force; when the quick release lever is released, the spring provides a restoring force to achieve quick disassembly and assembly.

[0013] Furthermore, the flexibility adjustment unit includes a limiting sleeve and an elastic body;

[0014] One end of the elastic body is connected to the quick-release unit, and the other end is connected to the rotating unit. The elastic body is made of a flexible material;

[0015] A plurality of limiting sleeves are provided on the elastic body to achieve the limiting of the elastic body.

[0016] Furthermore, the rotating unit includes a rotating seat, an adjusting bar, a rotating shaft seat, a torsion spring, and a bushing;

[0017] One end of the rotating seat is connected to the flexible adjustment unit, and the other end thereof is connected to the adjustment bar via the rotating shaft seat;

[0018] A torsion spring is provided between the rotating shaft seat and the rotating seat for providing a restoring force;

[0019] A bushing is provided between the rotating shaft seat and the rotating seat.

[0020] Furthermore, the leg unit includes a leg protector, a snap rod, a pressing cam, a pressing gasket, a limit pin, a copper sleeve and a return torsion spring;

[0021] The leg protector is connected to the other end of the adjustment strip;

[0022] A compression cam is provided on one side of the leg protector, and a compression gasket is provided between the compression cam and the leg protector;

[0023] A snap button rod is further provided on the other side of the leg protector, and the snap button rod is connected to the leg protector through a limit pin;

[0024] A copper sleeve is provided in the button rod, and a reset torsion spring is provided on the copper sleeve, and the reset torsion spring is used to provide a restoring force for the limit pin;

[0025] The limit pin extends into the leg protector and is inserted into a plurality of positioning holes provided on the side of the adjustment bar. When the button rod is pressed, the limit pin is lifted. When the button rod is released, the limit pin returns to its original position under the action of the reset torsion spring.

[0026] Furthermore, the leg protector is provided with a leg protector groove, a leg protector limiting hole and an adjustment hole;

[0027] The compression gasket is arranged in the groove of the leg protector;

[0028] The leg protector limiting hole is arranged inside the leg protector;

[0029] The adjustment hole is arranged on the top of the leg protector and cooperates with the adjustment bar to realize the limit adjustment of the leg protector.

[0030] Furthermore, the leg unit includes a leg protector, a snap rod, a pressing cam, a pressing gasket, a limit pin, a copper sleeve and a return torsion spring;

[0031] The leg protector is connected to the other end of the adjustment strip;

[0032] A compression cam is provided on one side of the leg protector, and a compression gasket is provided between the compression cam and the leg protector;

[0033] A snap button rod is further provided on the other side of the leg protector, and the snap button rod is connected to the leg protector through a limit pin;

[0034] A copper sleeve is provided in the button rod, and a reset torsion spring is provided on the copper sleeve, and the reset torsion spring is used to provide a restoring force for the limit pin;

[0035] The limit pin extends into the leg protector, and a groove is provided on the limit pin. The groove and multiple protrusions provided on the side of the adjustment bar cooperate to realize the positioning adjustment of the leg protector. When the button rod is pressed, the limit pin is lifted. When the button rod is released, the limit pin returns to its original position under the action of the reset torsion spring.

[0036] Furthermore, the compression gasket is made of elastic material, and the compression of the compression gasket is achieved by the cam shape of the compression cam surface to achieve the locking of the adjustment strip. When the compression cam is released, the compression gasket returns to its original position under the action of its own elastic deformation force, thereby loosening the adjustment strip.

[0037] Furthermore, the leg protector and the pressing cam are connected via a pin shaft, a self-locking hole is provided on the pressing cam, and a pin shaft for connecting the pressing cam and the quick-release seat is provided through the self-locking hole;

[0038] When the clamping cam is pressed to a certain position, the clamping cam is pushed laterally so that the pin shaft enters a locking state, thereby locking the clamping cam.

[0039] Compared with the prior art, the present invention has the following beneficial effects:

[0040] (1) The hip joint system of the present invention is provided with an elastic body, which does not shrink when under pressure but stretches when under tension. This characteristic enables the rigid-flexible hip joint to adapt to the movement of the human body by changing its length during actual wear, further releasing the degree of freedom and not restricting the human body's degree of freedom during use, thereby greatly improving the wearing comfort. At the same time, through the cooperation of the quick-release seat, the limit sleeve and the swivel seat, the degree of freedom of the hip joint is limited to a reasonable range, thereby improving its own rigidity and enhancing the efficiency of force transmission;

[0041] (2) The present invention can realize rapid assembly and disassembly with a specific interface through a quick-release rod, a quick-release seat, a press buckle, and a spring. It can be quickly assembled when in use and quickly disassembled and stored when not in use, thereby realizing rapid assembly and disassembly of the hip joint and increasing portability.

[0042] (3) The leg unit of the present invention can quickly adjust the leg to a suitable length according to the height of the person by pressing the snap rod, ensuring wearing comfort; when the leg is under load, the clamping mechanism presses the adjustment bar, and the position of the limit pin and the positioning hole of the adjustment rod is relatively stable, ensuring the stability of the force transmission efficiency and avoiding damage to parts;

[0043] (4) The present invention decomposes leg adjustment into two steps, positioning and pressing, and implements a simple structural design to achieve high reliability and force transmission stability when the human body is wearing the exoskeleton.

[0044] The present invention will be further described below with reference to specific embodiments. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0045] Figure 1 Schematic diagram of the hip joint structure in the prior art.

[0046] Figure 2 Schematic diagram of the new modular rigid-flexible hip joint system structure of this solution.

[0047] Figure 3 Schematic diagram of the leg protector structure of this scheme.

[0048] Figure 4 Schematic diagram of the adjustment bar of this scheme.

[0049] Figure 5 This is a schematic diagram of the compacting cam structure of this scheme. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0050] Example

[0051] In order to clearly describe the technical solution and the effects achieved by the present invention, the technical solution of the present invention is clearly explained below in combination with the drawings and specific embodiments of the present invention, so that technical personnel in this field can implement the invention without performing creative work. The structure shown in the drawings is not the entire actual structure but only a part of the actual structure. It should be noted that all other embodiments made by ordinary technical personnel in this field on the basis of the embodiments of the present invention without performing creative work should fall within the scope of protection of the present invention.

[0052] The following examples are merely intended to better illustrate the present invention, but the present invention is not limited to the examples set forth herein. Therefore, those skilled in the art may make non-essential modifications to the embodiments based on the above disclosure and apply them to other examples, which remain within the scope of the present invention. Furthermore, any experimental procedures in the following examples that do not specify specific conditions should be performed according to conventional or manufacturer-recommended conditions. Unless otherwise specified, expressions in the text are used solely for differentiation and have no other meaning.

[0053] Combine Figure 2 , a new modular rigid-flexible hip joint system, including a quick-release unit, a flexible adjustment unit, a rotation unit and a leg unit;

[0054] The quick-release unit is used to realize the rapid disassembly and assembly of the hip joint system and the external exoskeleton system. One end of the flexible adjustment unit is connected to the quick-release unit, and the other end is connected to the rotation unit, so as to fit the hip joint and adapt to the movement of the hip joint.

[0055] The flexibility adjustment unit is connected to the leg unit via a rotation unit, wherein the rotation unit is used to realize the connection with the leg unit and provide a restoring force of the hip joint;

[0056] The leg unit is used to be connected to the thigh part.

[0057] The quick release unit includes a quick release rod 1, a quick release seat 2, a press buckle 9 and a spring 10;

[0058] One side of the quick release lever 1 is fixed to the quick release seat 2, a buckle 9 is provided between the quick release lever 1 and the quick release seat 2, and a spring 10 is provided between the buckle 9 and the quick release seat 2;

[0059] A protrusion is provided at the contact point between the quick-release lever 1 and the buckle 9. When the quick-release lever 1 is tightened, the protrusion drives the buckle 9 to compress the spring 10, creating a locking force that connects the quick-release lever to the external exoskeleton mechanism. Generally, the hip joint module is connected to the waist module. When the quick-release lever 1 is released, the spring 10 provides a restoring force, enabling rapid assembly and disassembly. This locking mechanism allows for convenient and reliable connection to a variety of external mechanisms.

[0060] The flexibility adjustment unit includes a limiting sleeve 3 and an elastic body 14;

[0061] One end of the elastic body 14 is connected to the quick release unit, and the other end is connected to the rotating unit. The elastic body 14 is made of a flexible material;

[0062] A plurality of limiting sleeves 3 are provided on the elastic body 14 to achieve the limitation of the elastic body 14. Due to the stretchable property of the elastic body 14, it is ensured that the hip joint of the human body can stretch to adapt to the movement of the human body when the hip joint of the human body bends sideways, and can adapt to the deformation of the human body when the hip joint of the human body is abducted, without restricting the movement of the human body. The limiting sleeve 3 is designed with a specific angle, and the limiting angle between the two limiting sleeves 3 is about 3°, and the limiting angle of the limiting sleeve 3 and the rotating seat 4 as a whole is 10°. The limiting sleeve 3 has teeth inside and can be screwed into the elastic body 14. Cooperating with the rotating unit can ensure that the deformation of the elastic body 14 is within an appropriate range without affecting the degree of freedom of the human hip joint.

[0063] Generally, in practice, the elastic body can be made of elastic materials such as springs or elastic rods.

[0064] The rotating unit includes a rotating seat 4, an adjusting bar 5, a rotating shaft seat 11, a torsion spring 12, and a bushing 13;

[0065] One end of the rotating seat 4 is connected to the flexible adjustment unit, and the other end thereof is connected to the adjustment bar 5 through the rotating shaft seat 11;

[0066] A torsion spring 12 is provided between the rotating shaft seat 11 and the rotating seat 4 to provide a restoring force;

[0067] A bushing 13 is provided between the rotating shaft seat 11 and the rotating seat 4 to reduce friction and avoid damage to parts;

[0068] The leg unit includes a leg protector 6, a snap rod 7, a pressing cam 8, a pressing gasket 15, a limit pin 16, a copper sleeve 17 and a return torsion spring 18;

[0069] The leg protector 6 is connected to the other end of the adjustment bar 5;

[0070] A compression cam 8 is provided on one side of the leg protector 6, and a compression gasket 15 is provided between the compression cam 8 and the leg protector 6;

[0071] A snap rod 7 is further provided on the other side of the leg protector 6, and the snap rod 7 is connected to the leg protector 6 via a limit pin 16;

[0072] A copper sleeve 17 is provided in the button rod 7, and a return torsion spring 18 is provided on the copper sleeve 17. The return torsion spring 18 is used to provide a restoring force for the limit pin 16;

[0073] The limit pin 16 extends into the leg protector 6 and is inserted into the multiple positioning holes 501 set on the side of the adjustment bar 5. When the button rod 7 is pressed, the limit pin 16 is lifted. When the button rod 7 is released, the limit pin 16 returns to its original position under the action of the return torsion spring 18.

[0074] like Figure 2As shown, the leg protector 6 is provided with a leg protector groove 601, a leg protector limiting hole 602 and an adjustment hole 603;

[0075] The compression gasket 15 is arranged in the leg protector groove 601;

[0076] The leg protector limiting hole 602 is provided inside the leg protector 6;

[0077] The adjustment hole 603 is provided at the top of the leg protector 6 and cooperates with the adjustment bar 5 to achieve position limit adjustment of the leg protector 6 .

[0078] The return torsion spring 18 is mounted on the copper sleeve 17 and then mounted in the snap rod 7 via a knurled pin; a mounting hole is provided on one side of the positioning pin 16, which is mounted on the front section of the snap rod 7 via a cylindrical pin. The snap rod 7 is mounted as a whole on the leg brace 6. The positioning pin 16 can be inserted into the positioning hole 501 of the adjustment bar through the hole 602;

[0079] When the button rod 7 is pressed, the positioning pin 16 will move upward and disengage from the positioning hole of the adjustment bar. At this time, the adjustment bar can move to the appropriate gear position. The button rod is released, and under the action of the reset torsion spring 18, the positioning pin 16 will return to its original position, that is, enter the positioning hole 501 of the adjustment bar 5 to achieve restriction, so that the adjustment bar remains in a fixed position.

[0080] When in use, the pressing cam 8 can be loosened, the button rod 7 can be pressed, and the adjustment bar 5 can be inserted into the adjustment hole 603 of the leg protector 6. When the adjustment is made to a specified position, the button rod 7 can be loosened, and the limit pin 16 can be inserted into the positioning hole 501 of the adjustment rod under the restoring action of the reset torsion spring 18. Figure 3 As shown;

[0081] The rotating pressing cam 8 presses the adjusting bar 5 through the pressing gasket 15 under the action of the surface cam, ensuring that the adjusting rod 8 does not move up and down and hit the limit pin 16 when under load, thereby enhancing the force transmission stability and preventing parts from being damaged;

[0082] In addition, in some embodiments, the leg unit includes a leg protector 6, a snap rod 7, a pressing cam 8, a pressing gasket 15, a limit pin 16, a copper sleeve 17 and a return torsion spring 18;

[0083] The leg protector 6 is connected to the other end of the adjustment bar 5;

[0084] A compression cam 8 is provided on one side of the leg protector 6, and a compression gasket 15 is provided between the compression cam 8 and the leg protector 6;

[0085] A snap rod 7 is further provided on the other side of the leg protector 6, and the snap rod 7 is connected to the leg protector 6 via a limit pin 16;

[0086] A copper sleeve 17 is provided in the button rod 7, and a return torsion spring 18 is provided on the copper sleeve 17. The return torsion spring 18 is used to provide a restoring force for the limit pin 16;

[0087] The limit pin 16 extends into the leg protector 6, and a groove is provided on the limit pin 16. The groove and the multiple protrusions provided on the side of the adjustment bar 5 cooperate to realize the positioning adjustment of the leg protector 6. When the button rod 7 is pressed, the limit pin 16 is lifted. When the button rod 7 is released, the limit pin 16 returns to its original position under the action of the reset torsion spring 18.

[0088] In addition, in some embodiments, the compression gasket 15 is made of elastic material, and the compression of the compression gasket 15 is achieved by the cam shape on the surface of the compression cam 8 to achieve the locking of the adjustment bar 5. When the compression cam 8 is released, the compression gasket 15 returns to its original position under the action of its own elastic deformation force, thereby releasing the adjustment bar 5.

[0089] like Figure 4 As shown, the leg protector 6 and the pressing cam 8 are connected by a pin shaft, and a "type 1 hole" self-locking hole 801 is provided on the pressing cam 8, and a pin shaft for connecting the pressing cam 8 and the quick release seat 304 is provided through the self-locking hole 3011;

[0090] When the pressing cam 8 is pressed to a certain position, the pressing cam 8 is pushed laterally so that the pin shaft enters a locking state, thereby locking the pressing cam 8.

[0091] This solution uses a simple structural design to achieve rapid adjustment of the exoskeleton legs through positioning and locking, increasing the reliability of adjustment, enhancing the load transmission capacity of the hip joint, reducing the local concentration of load on the upper limb, achieving decoupling of the hip joint's degrees of freedom, and enhancing the adaptability to human motion. This allows the exoskeleton to move without interfering with human motion, improving wearer comfort.

[0092] This solution can enhance the stability and efficiency of the exoskeleton's leg force transmission structure when the human body is in constant motion, thereby ensuring the force transmission performance of the exoskeleton system.

[0093] The above-described embodiments merely represent several implementation methods of the present application. While the descriptions are relatively specific and detailed, they should not be construed as limiting the scope of the present invention. It should be noted that a person skilled in the art could make various modifications and improvements without departing from the spirit of the present application, all of which fall within the scope of protection of the present application. Therefore, the scope of protection of the present patent application shall be determined by the appended claims.

Claims

1. A modular rigid-flexible hip joint system, characterized in that: It includes a quick-release unit, a flexible adjustment unit, a rotation unit and a leg unit; The quick-release unit is used to realize the rapid disassembly and assembly of the hip joint system and the external exoskeleton system. One end of the flexible adjustment unit is connected to the quick-release unit, and the other end is connected to the rotation unit, so as to fit the hip joint and adapt to the movement of the hip joint. The flexibility adjustment unit is connected to the leg unit via a rotation unit, wherein the rotation unit is used to realize the connection with the leg unit and provide a restoring force of the hip joint; The leg unit is used to connect with the thigh; The rotating unit comprises a rotating seat (4), an adjusting bar (5), a rotating shaft seat (11), a torsion spring (12), and a bushing (13); One end of the rotating seat (4) is connected to the flexible adjustment unit, and the other end thereof is connected to the adjustment bar (5) via the rotating shaft seat (11); A torsion spring is provided between the rotating shaft seat (11) and the rotating seat (4) to provide a restoring force; A bushing (13) is provided between the rotating shaft seat (11) and the rotating seat (4).

2. The modular rigid-flexible hip joint system according to claim 1, characterized in that: The quick-release unit comprises a quick-release rod (1), a quick-release seat (2), a press buckle (9) and a spring (10); One side of the quick-release rod (1) is fixed to the quick-release seat (2), a pressing buckle (9) is provided between the quick-release rod (1) and the quick-release seat (2), and a spring (10) is provided between the pressing buckle (9) and the quick-release seat (2); A protrusion is provided at the contact position between the quick-release lever (1) and the pressing buckle (9); when the quick-release lever (1) is pressed, the protrusion drives the pressing buckle (9) to press the spring (10), thereby forming a locking force; when the quick-release lever (1) is released, the spring (10) provides a restoring force, thereby achieving quick disassembly and assembly.

3. The modular rigid-flexible hip joint system according to claim 1, characterized in that: The flexibility adjustment unit comprises a limiting sleeve (3) and an elastic body (14); One end of the elastic body (14) is connected to the quick-release unit, and the other end is connected to the rotation unit. The elastic body (14) is made of a flexible material. A plurality of limiting sleeves (3) are provided on the elastic body (14) to achieve the limiting of the elastic body (14).

4. The modular rigid-flexible hip joint system according to claim 1, characterized in that: The leg unit comprises a leg protector (6), a snap rod (7), a pressing cam (8), a pressing gasket (15), a limit pin (16), a copper sleeve (17) and a return torsion spring (18); The leg protector (6) is connected to the other end of the adjustment bar (5); A pressing cam (8) is provided on one side of the leg protector (6), and a pressing gasket (15) is provided between the pressing cam (8) and the leg protector (6); A snap button rod (7) is further provided on the other side of the leg protector (6), and the snap button rod (7) is connected to the leg protector (6) via a limit pin (16); A copper sleeve (17) is provided in the button rod (7), and a reset torsion spring (18) is provided on the copper sleeve (17), and the reset torsion spring (18) is used to provide a restoring force for the limit pin (16); The limit pin (16) extends into the leg protector (6) and is inserted into a plurality of positioning holes (501) provided on the side of the adjustment bar (5). When the button rod (7) is pressed, the limit pin (16) is lifted. When the button rod (7) is released, the limit pin (16) returns to its original position under the action of the return torsion spring (18).

5. The modular rigid-flexible hip joint system according to claim 4, characterized in that: The leg protector (6) is provided with a leg protector groove (601), a leg protector limiting hole (602) and an adjustment hole (603); The compression gasket (15) is arranged in the leg protector groove (601); The leg protector limiting hole (602) is arranged inside the leg protector (6); The adjustment hole (603) is provided at the top of the leg protector (6) and cooperates with the adjustment bar (5) to achieve position limiting adjustment of the leg protector (6).

6. The modular rigid-flexible hip joint system according to claim 1, characterized in that: The leg unit comprises a leg protector (6), a snap rod (7), a pressing cam (8), a pressing gasket (15), a limit pin (16), a copper sleeve (17) and a return torsion spring (18); The leg protector (6) is connected to the other end of the adjustment bar (5); A pressing cam (8) is provided on one side of the leg protector (6), and a pressing gasket (15) is provided between the pressing cam (8) and the leg protector (6); A snap button rod (7) is further provided on the other side of the leg protector (6), and the snap button rod (7) is connected to the leg protector (6) via a limit pin (16); A copper sleeve (17) is provided in the button rod (7), and a reset torsion spring (18) is provided on the copper sleeve (17), and the reset torsion spring (18) is used to provide a restoring force for the limit pin (16); The limit pin (16) extends into the leg protector (6), and a groove is provided on the limit pin (16). The groove cooperates with a plurality of protrusions provided on the side of the adjustment strip (5) to realize the positioning adjustment of the leg protector (6). When the button rod (7) is pressed, the limit pin (16) is lifted, and when the button rod (7) is released, the limit pin (16) returns to its original position under the action of the return torsion spring (18).

7. The modular rigid-flexible hip joint system according to claim 4, characterized in that: The compression gasket (15) is made of elastic material, and the compression of the compression gasket (15) is achieved by the cam shape on the surface of the compression cam (8), so as to achieve the locking of the adjustment strip (5). When the compression cam (8) is released, the compression gasket (15) returns to its original position under the action of its own elastic deformation force, thereby releasing the adjustment strip (5).

8. The modular rigid-flexible hip joint system according to claim 4, characterized in that: The leg protector (6) and the pressing cam (8) are connected via a pin shaft, a self-locking hole (801) is provided on the pressing cam (8), and a pin shaft for connecting the pressing cam (8) and the quick-release seat (304) is provided through the self-locking hole (3011); When the clamping cam (8) is pressed to a certain position, the clamping cam (8) is pushed laterally so that the pin shaft enters a locking state, thereby locking the clamping cam (8).

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