Flexible Walking Assist Exoskeleton

Abstract

The present application provides a flexible walking assist exoskeleton, which includes a power device, a knee joint booster, an ankle joint booster, a second pulling structure, and a boost switching device. The knee joint booster is used to provide assistance for the extension movement of the user's knee joint. The knee joint booster includes a thigh wearing member, a calf wearing member, and a first pulling structure for pulling the calf wearing member to move relative to the thigh wearing member. The second pulling structure is used to drive the ankle joint booster. The boost switching device includes a support plate, a moving support seat slidably arranged on the support plate, and an electrostatic adsorption component for locking the moving support seat on the support plate. The flexible walking assist exoskeleton provided by the present application can control the position movement state of the moving support seat on the support plate through the electrostatic adsorption component of the boost switching device by setting the boost switching device, overcoming the deficiency that the flexible-driven exoskeleton can only provide assistance for specific joints, and can effectively assist the user in a complex environment with variable terrain.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This application belongs to the technical field of wearable exoskeletons, and more specifically, relates to a flexible walking assist exoskeleton. Background Art

[0002] A wearable exoskeleton is a new type of wearable robot that integrates gait analysis, mechatronics, biomechanics, and many other fields, and can be widely applied in military, medical, and elderly care fields. Most wearable exoskeletons are rigid drive exoskeletons driven by hydraulics, and there is usually poor coordination between the rigid drive exoskeleton and the flexible human body. Therefore, wearable exoskeletons gradually adopt a flexible drive exoskeleton design to apply assistance to the human body without affecting the kinematics of the natural state of the human body, so that the lower limbs of the human body maintain a natural gait when walking.

[0003] However, the current exoskeletons with flexible drives usually apply assistance to the human body by driving a flexible output cable through a driving device, and can only provide specific joint assistance to the user's ankle joint, hip joint, or knee joint. On complex terrains, the assistance provided is limited. Summary of the Invention

[0004] The purpose of the embodiments of this application is to provide a flexible walking assist exoskeleton to solve the technical problem in the prior art that the exoskeleton with flexible drive can only provide specific joint assistance.

[0005] To achieve the above purpose, the technical solution adopted in this application is: to provide a flexible walking assist exoskeleton, including:

[0006] A power device;

[0007] A knee joint booster for providing assistance to the extension movement of the user's knee joint, the knee joint booster including a thigh wearing member, a calf wearing member, and a first pulling structure for pulling the calf wearing member and the thigh wearing member to move relative to each other;

[0008] An ankle joint booster for providing assistance to the plantar flexion movement of the user's ankle joint;

[0009] A second pulling structure for driving the ankle joint booster; and

[0010] An assistance switching device, including a support plate, a moving support seat slidably arranged on the support plate, and an electrostatic adsorption component for locking the moving support seat on the support plate;

[0011] The electrostatic adsorption component is arranged on the support plate, the support plate is fixed on the calf wearing member, the first pulling structure is respectively connected to the moving support seat and the output end of the power device, and the second pulling structure is respectively connected to the moving support seat and the ankle joint booster.

[0012] Optionally, the electrostatic adsorption assembly includes a first electrostatic adsorption plate, a second electrostatic adsorption plate electrostatically adsorbed and cooperated with the first electrostatic adsorption plate, and a controller for controlling the magnitude of the electrostatic adsorption force between the first electrostatic adsorption plate and the second electrostatic adsorption plate. The first electrostatic adsorption plate is connected to the support plate, and the second electrostatic adsorption plate is connected to the moving support.

[0013] Optionally, the electrostatic adsorption assembly further includes two support blocks, each of the support blocks being fixed on the support plate, and the first electrostatic adsorption plate being fixedly connected to each of the support blocks.

[0014] Optionally, a gap for the first electrostatic adsorption plate to pass through is formed on the second electrostatic adsorption plate.

[0015] Optionally, the second electrostatic adsorption plate includes two plate bodies arranged in parallel and at intervals, and a gap for the first electrostatic adsorption plate to pass through is formed between the two plate bodies.

[0016] Optionally, the electrostatic adsorption assembly further includes a clamping plate for respectively adjusting the pressing force between each of the plate bodies and the first electrostatic adsorption plate, and a fastener for fixing the two clamping plates. One side of each of the plate bodies away from the first electrostatic adsorption plate is supported on the corresponding clamping plate, and each of the clamping plates is connected to the moving support.

[0017] Optionally, the boosting switching device further includes an elastic element connecting the moving support and the support plate.

[0018] Optionally, the wearing assembly further includes a waist wearing member for fixing the power device to the user's waist.

[0019] Optionally, the first pulling structure includes a first boosting wire rope and a first rope sleeve for guiding the stretching of the first boosting wire rope. The top end of the first rope sleeve is fixed on the power device, the bottom end of the first rope sleeve is fixed on the thigh wearing member, one end of the first boosting wire rope is connected to the moving support, and the other end of the first boosting wire rope is connected to the output end of the power device.

[0020] Optionally, the ankle joint booster includes a sole fixing sleeve, two rotating support arms respectively arranged on opposite sides of the sole fixing sleeve, a leg fixing sleeve for a user's calf to wear, and two leg support arms respectively arranged on opposite sides of the leg fixing sleeve. The bottom ends of the two leg support arms are respectively rotatably connected to the top ends of the two rotating support arms through pivot shafts; the second pulling structure includes a second power cord for pulling the sole fixing sleeve and the leg fixing sleeve to move relative to each other and a second cord sleeve for guiding the stretching of the second power cord. The top end of the second cord sleeve is fixed on the support plate, the bottom end of the second cord sleeve is fixed on the leg fixing sleeve, one end of the second power cord is connected to the moving support, and the other end of the second power cord is connected to the sole fixing sleeve.

[0021] One or more of the above technical solutions in the embodiments of the present application have at least one of the following technical effects:

[0022] The beneficial effects of the flexible walking exoskeleton provided by the present application are as follows: Compared with the prior art, in the flexible walking exoskeleton of the present application, by providing a boost switching device, when the electrostatic adsorption component is not powered on and in a non-adsorption state, the moving support can slide freely on the support plate, and the power device can drive the first pulling structure to drive the second pulling structure, and then drive the ankle joint booster through the second pulling structure, so as to provide auxiliary boost for the plantar flexion movement of the ankle joint when the user steps on the ground. When the electrostatic adsorption component is powered on and in an adsorption state, the moving support can be locked on the support plate through the electrostatic adsorption component, and the power device can drive the first pulling structure to pull the calf wearing part and the thigh wearing part to move relative to each other, so as to provide boost for the extension movement of the user's knee joint and assist the user to walk up and down slopes or steps. In this way, multi-joint switching boost for the user's knee joint and ankle joint can be realized, and then the flexible walking exoskeleton can effectively assist the user on complex terrains. Description of the Drawings

[0023] In order to more clearly illustrate the technical solutions in the embodiments of the present application, the following will briefly introduce the drawings required for use in the embodiments or the description of the prior art. Obviously, the following drawings are only some embodiments of the present application. For those of ordinary skill in the art, other drawings can be obtained based on these drawings without creative efforts.

[0024] Figure 1 It is a three-dimensional structural schematic diagram of the flexible walking exoskeleton provided by the embodiment of the present application;

[0025] Figure 2 For Figure 1 the partial enlarged structural schematic diagram in;

[0026] Figure 3Schematic perspective structure diagram of the assistance switching device provided by the embodiment of the present application;

[0027] Figure 4 is Figure 3 partial enlarged structure diagram in;

[0028] Figure 5 Exploded decomposition structure diagram of the assistance switching device provided by the embodiment of the present application;

[0029] Figure 6 Schematic structure diagram of the electrostatic adsorption component provided by the embodiment of the present application;

[0030] Figure 7 Schematic structure diagram of the decomposition of the first electrostatic adsorption plate and the second electrostatic adsorption plate provided by the embodiment of the present application;

[0031] Figure 8 is Figure 7 partial enlarged structure diagram in;

[0032] Figure 9 Exploded decomposition structure diagram of the electrostatic adsorption component provided by the embodiment of the present application;

[0033] Figure 10 is Figure 1 partial enlarged structure diagram in.

[0034] Among them, each reference numeral in the figure:

[0035] 1 - Power device; 11 - Driving motor; 12 - Box body;

[0036] 2 - Knee joint booster; 21 - Thigh wearing piece; 22 - Calf wearing piece; 23 - First pulling structure; 231 - First assistance wire rope; 232 - First rope sleeve; 24 - First wire fixing seat;

[0037] 3 - Ankle joint booster; 31 - Sole fixing sleeve; 32 - Rotating support arm; 33 - Leg fixing sleeve; 34 - Leg support arm; 35 - Second wire fixing seat; 36 - Wire fixing device;

[0038] 4 - Second pulling structure; 41 - Second assistance wire rope; 42 - Second rope sleeve;

[0039] 5 - Assistance switching device; 51 - Support plate; 52 - Moving support; 53 - Electrostatic adsorption component; 531 - First electrostatic adsorption plate; 532 - Second electrostatic adsorption plate; 533 - Support block; 534 - Gap; 535 - Splint; 536 - Fastener; 537 - Cushion plate; 54 - Guide rail; 55 - Slide block;

[0040] 6 - Elastic element; 7 - Waist wearing piece; 8 - Force transmission strap. Detailed implementation manners

[0041] In order to make the technical problems, technical solutions and beneficial effects to be solved by this application more clear and understandable, the following further details this application in combination with the accompanying drawings and embodiments. It should be understood that the specific embodiments described herein are only used to explain this application and are not used to limit this application.

[0042] It should be noted that when an element is referred to as "connected to" or "disposed on" another element, it can be directly on the other element or indirectly on the other element. When an element is referred to as "connected to" another element, it can be directly connected to the other element or indirectly connected to the other element.

[0043] In addition, the terms "first" and "second" are only used for descriptive purposes and cannot be understood as indicating or implying relative importance or implicitly specifying the quantity of the indicated technical features. Thus, the features defined with "first" and "second" may explicitly or implicitly include one or more of such features. In the description of this application, "a plurality" means two or more, unless otherwise specifically defined. "Several" means one or more, unless otherwise specifically defined.

[0044] In the description of this application, it should be noted that unless otherwise clearly specified and limited, the terms "installed", "connected", and "connected" should be understood in a broad sense. For example, it can be a fixed connection, a detachable connection, or an integral connection; it can be a mechanical connection or an electrical connection; it can be directly connected or indirectly connected through an intermediate medium, and it can be the communication inside two elements or the interaction relationship between two elements. For those of ordinary skill in the art, the specific meanings of the above terms in this application can be understood according to specific circumstances.

[0045] It should be understood that the orientation or positional relationship indicated by the terms "length", "width", "upper", "lower", "front", "rear", "left", "right", "vertical", "horizontal", "top", "bottom", "inner", "outer", etc. is based on the orientation or positional relationship shown in the accompanying drawings. It is only for the convenience of describing this application and simplifying the description, rather than indicating or implying that the device or element referred to must have a specific orientation, be constructed and operated in a specific orientation, and therefore cannot be understood as a limitation to this application.

[0046] Please refer to Figure 1 、 Figure 2 and Figure 4, the flexible walking exoskeleton provided by the embodiments of the present application will be described. The flexible walking exoskeleton provided by the embodiments of the present application includes a power device 1, a knee joint booster 2, an ankle joint booster 3, a second pulling structure 4, and a boosting switching device 5. The knee joint booster 2 is used to provide assistance for the extension movement of the user's knee joint. The knee joint booster 2 includes a thigh wearing member 21, a calf wearing member 22, and a first pulling structure 23 for pulling the calf wearing member 22 to move relative to the thigh wearing member 21. The ankle joint booster 3 is used to provide assistance for the plantar flexion movement of the user's ankle joint, and the second pulling structure 4 is used to drive the ankle joint booster 3. The boosting switching device 5 includes a support plate 51, a moving support 52 slidably disposed on the support plate 51, and an electrostatic adsorption assembly 53 for locking the moving support 52 to the support plate 51. The electrostatic adsorption assembly 53 is disposed on the support plate 51, and the support plate 51 is fixed to the calf wearing member 22. The first pulling structure 23 is respectively connected to the moving support 52 and the output end of the power device 1, and the second pulling structure 4 is respectively connected to the moving support 52 and the ankle joint booster 3.

[0047] Due to the setting of the boosting switching device 5, the flexible walking exoskeleton provided by the present application has two boosting modes: the knee joint boosting mode and the ankle joint boosting mode. When the user is walking on flat ground, the flexible walking exoskeleton is in the ankle joint boosting mode. The controller controls the electrostatic adsorption assembly 53 to be non-powered and in a non-adsorbing state. The moving support 52 can slide freely on the support plate 51. The power device 1 can drive the first pulling structure 23 to drive the second pulling structure 4, and then drive the ankle joint booster 3 through the second pulling structure 4, so as to provide auxiliary assistance for the plantar flexion movement of the ankle joint when the user steps on the ground. When the user is walking on an uphill or downhill or up and down steps, the controller controls the electrostatic adsorption assembly 53 to be powered on. The electrostatic adsorption assembly 53 is in an adsorbing state under the action of high voltage electricity, and the moving support 52 can be locked to the support plate 51 through the electrostatic adsorption assembly 53. The power device 1 can drive the first pulling structure 23 to pull the calf wearing member 22 to move relative to the thigh wearing member 21, so as to provide assistance for the extension movement of the user's knee joint and assist the user to walk on an uphill or downhill or up and down steps.

[0048] When the user wears and uses it, when walking on flat ground, the flexible walking exoskeleton is switched to the ankle joint assistance mode through the assistance switching device 5, and force can be provided to the ankle joint when the user steps on the ground, assisting the user to maintain a normal gait when walking on flat ground. When walking on slopes or steps, the flexible walking exoskeleton is first switched to the knee joint assistance mode through the assistance switching device 5 to assist the knee joint in lifting the center of gravity of the human body, and then switched to the ankle joint assistance mode to assist the ankle joint in completing the pushing action to move the center of gravity of the human body forward, completing the walking on slopes or steps. Therefore, the flexible walking exoskeleton provided by the present application is designed with flexible and lightweight materials, has a simple and compact structure, is lightweight and reliable, and has high wearing comfort; it uses the electrostatic adsorption principle to quickly realize the assistance switching of multiple joints, provides assistance to the knee and ankle joints during the walking process of the human body, can well match the physiological movement characteristics of the lower limb joints during the normal walking process of the human body, reduces the energy consumed by the wearer during walking, improves the walking ability of the user, and especially can assist people with weak walking ability and some elderly people to carry out rehabilitation training and other activities.

[0049] Compared with the prior art, for the flexible walking exoskeleton provided by the present application, when the electrostatic adsorption component 53 is not energized and in a non-adsorption state, the moving support 52 can freely slide on the support plate 51, and the power device 1 can drive the first pulling structure 23 to drive the second pulling structure 4, and then drive the ankle joint booster 3 through the second pulling structure 4, so as to provide auxiliary assistance to the plantar flexion movement of the ankle joint when the user steps on the ground. When the electrostatic adsorption component 53 is energized and in an adsorption state, the moving support 52 can be locked on the support plate 51 through the electrostatic adsorption component 53, and the power device 1 can drive the first pulling structure 23 to pull the calf wearing part 22 and the thigh wearing part 21 to move relatively, so as to provide assistance to the extension movement of the user's knee joint and assist the user to walk on slopes or steps. In this way, the assistance switching of multiple joints of the user's knee joint and ankle joint can be realized through the assistance switching device 5, overcoming the deficiency that the flexible-driven exoskeleton can only perform specific joint assistance, and further enabling the flexible walking exoskeleton to effectively assist the user on complex terrains.

[0050] The first pulling structure 23 in the present application is preferably a Bowden cable with a stretching function, and the Bowden cable includes a Bowden wire core and a Bowden wire shell. Its specific structure is well known to those skilled in the art and will not be described in detail here. Of course, the first pulling structure 23 can also be a first assisting cord 231 and a support member supporting the first assisting cord 231. The first assisting cord 231 is supported on the human body by the support member to avoid the first assisting cord 231 from exerting a tight compression effect on the human body during the stretching process, causing discomfort to the human body. Specifically, the first assisting cord 231 can be a steel wire rope, a Kevlar rope or a carbon fiber rope, but is not limited to a steel wire rope, a Kevlar rope or a carbon fiber rope. The support member can be a support block 533 or a support plate 51 having a wire hole for the first assisting cord 231 to pass through, etc., which can be selected according to actual needs and is not limited here.

[0051] Similarly, the second pulling structure 4 in the present application is preferably a Bowden cable with a stretching function, and the Bowden cable includes a Bowden wire core and a Bowden wire shell. Its specific structure is well known to those skilled in the art and will not be described in detail here. Of course, the second pulling structure 4 can also be a second assist cord 41 and a support member supporting the second assist cord 41. The second assist cord 41 is supported on the lower limbs of the human body by the support member to avoid the second assist cord 41 from exerting a tight compression effect on the lower limbs of the human body during the stretching process, causing discomfort to the human body. Specifically, the second assist cord 41 can be a steel wire rope, a Kevlar rope, or a carbon fiber rope, but is not limited to a steel wire rope, a Kevlar rope, or a carbon fiber rope. The support member can be a support block 533 or a support plate 51 having a wire hole for the second assist cord 41 to pass through. The specific selection can be based on actual needs and is not limited here.

[0052] In another embodiment of the present application, please refer to Figure 6 , Figure 7 and Figure 9 The electrostatic adsorption component 53 includes a first electrostatic adsorption plate 531, a second electrostatic adsorption plate 532 that cooperates with the first electrostatic adsorption plate 531 for electrostatic adsorption, and a controller (not shown in the figure) that controls the electrostatic adsorption force between the first electrostatic adsorption plate 531 and the second electrostatic adsorption plate 532. The first electrostatic adsorption plate 531 is connected to the support plate 51, and the second electrostatic adsorption plate 532 is connected to the movable support 52.

[0053] In this embodiment, the first electrostatic adsorption plate 531 provided on the support plate 51 and the second electrostatic adsorption plate 532 provided on the mobile support 52 generate static friction force after being energized, so as to quickly lock the mobile support 52 on the support plate 51, so as to realize that the power-assisting switching device 5 quickly switches the power-assisting of the user's knee joint and the user's ankle joint, and the electrostatic adsorption component 53 has a fast response speed and a good locking effect. In addition, the first electrostatic adsorption plate 531 and the second electrostatic adsorption plate 532 after being energized can form vibration damping in the moving direction of the mobile support 52 due to the static friction force generated, reduce the vibration amplitude generated by the reciprocating motion of the mobile support 52 driven by the second power-assisting cord 41, buffer the impact force of the power-assisting switching device 5 on the human calf, and enhance the power-assisting effect of the ankle joint to a certain extent.

[0054] In another embodiment, the first electrostatic adsorption plate 531 can also be replaced by the first electrostatic adsorption plate (or the first electrostatic adsorption film), and the second electrostatic adsorption plate 532 can also be replaced by the second electrostatic adsorption plate or the second electrostatic adsorption film. In order to further improve the electrostatic adsorption performance between the first electrostatic adsorption plate (or the first electrostatic adsorption film) and the second electrostatic adsorption plate (or the second electrostatic adsorption film), and to have a sufficiently large static friction force and sufficient endurance strength, the first electrostatic adsorption plate (or the first electrostatic adsorption film) is formed by stacking at least two layers of electrostatic adsorption films, and the second electrostatic adsorption plate (or the second electrostatic adsorption film) is formed by stacking at least two layers of electrostatic adsorption films. Among them, the electrostatic adsorption film uses an electrostatic adsorption film with good electrostatic adsorption performance.

[0055] In addition, the first electrostatic adsorption sheet (or the first electrostatic adsorption film) and the first electrostatic adsorption sheet (or the first electrostatic adsorption film) can set the number of layers of electrostatic adsorption films according to needs, that is, the first electrostatic adsorption sheet (or the first electrostatic adsorption film) can include two or more layers of electrostatic adsorption films, the second electrostatic adsorption sheet (or the second electrostatic adsorption film) can include two or more layers of electrostatic adsorption films, and the multiple layers of the first electrostatic adsorption sheet (or the first electrostatic adsorption film) and the multiple layers of the second electrostatic adsorption sheet (or the second electrostatic adsorption film) are cross-linked and overlapped with each other, which is conducive to increasing static friction.

[0056] In another embodiment of the present application, please refer to Figure 2 , Figure 5 and Figure 6 The length direction of the first electrostatic adsorption plate 531 and the length direction of the second electrostatic adsorption plate 532 are arranged perpendicular to each other.

[0057] In this embodiment, the first electrostatic adsorption plate 531 is a rectangular electrostatic adsorption film or sheet, and the second electrostatic adsorption plate 532 is also a rectangular electrostatic adsorption film or sheet. The length direction of the first electrostatic adsorption plate 531 extends in the vertical direction, and the length direction of the second electrostatic adsorption plate 532 extends in the horizontal direction, and the length direction of the first electrostatic adsorption plate 531 is perpendicular to the length direction of the second electrostatic adsorption plate 532, so that the second electrostatic adsorption plate 532 is vertically and crosswise arranged with the first electrostatic adsorption plate 531, that is, the second electrostatic adsorption plate 532 and the first electrostatic adsorption plate 531 are stacked in a cross shape. This can not only increase the moving stroke of the moving support when the electrostatic adsorption assembly 53 is in a non-energized state, but also make good use of the electrostatic adsorption force generated after the first electrostatic adsorption plate 531 and the second electrostatic adsorption plate 532 are energized. It can prevent the moving support 52 and the support plate 51 from sliding relative to each other, and can stably lock the moving support 52 on the support plate 51. Moreover, the adsorption force generated after the two mutually crossed second electrostatic adsorption plates 532 and the first electrostatic adsorption plate 531 are energized is very large, which is beneficial to increasing the static friction force, and the size of the static friction force can be changed by changing the input voltage, so as to dynamically adjust the locking force of the electrostatic adsorption assembly 53 on the moving support 52.

[0058] In another embodiment of the present application, please refer to Figure 3 , Figure 5 and Figure 9 , the electrostatic adsorption assembly 53 further includes two support blocks 533, each support block 533 is fixed on the support plate 51, and the first electrostatic adsorption plate 531 is fixedly connected to each support block 533.

[0059] In this embodiment, by providing two support blocks 533, the two support blocks 533 are fixed on the support plate 51, and the first electrostatic adsorption plate 531 is fixedly connected to the two support blocks 533 and the support plate 51 respectively, which is beneficial to enhancing the connection stability between the first electrostatic adsorption plate 531 and the support plate 51, and at the same time ensuring that the first electrostatic adsorption plate 531 and the second electrostatic adsorption plate 532 have a large contact area and maintain good contact, which can increase the electrostatic adsorption force generated after the first electrostatic adsorption plate 531 and the second electrostatic adsorption plate 532 are energized, and further improve the locking stability of the electrostatic adsorption assembly 53 on the moving support 52.

[0060] In another embodiment of the present application, please refer to Figure 5 , Figure 6 and Figure 7 , a gap 534 is formed on the second electrostatic adsorption plate 532 for the first electrostatic adsorption plate 531 to pass through.

[0061] In this embodiment, a gap 534 is formed in the second electrostatic adsorption plate 532 for the first electrostatic adsorption plate 531 to pass through, so that the part of the first electrostatic adsorption plate 531 located in the gap 534 of the second electrostatic adsorption plate 532 can maintain contact with the second electrostatic adsorption plate 532 on both sides, further increasing the contact area between the first electrostatic adsorption plate 531 and the second electrostatic adsorption plate 532, and enabling good contact between both sides of the first electrostatic adsorption plate 531 and the second electrostatic adsorption plate 532, thereby increasing the electrostatic adsorption force generated after the first electrostatic adsorption plate 531 and the second electrostatic adsorption plate 532 are electrified, and enhancing the locking stability of the electrostatic adsorption assembly 53 to the moving support 52.

[0062] In another embodiment of the present application, please refer to Figure 7 、 Figure 8 and Figure 9 , the second electrostatic adsorption plate 532 includes two plate bodies arranged in parallel and at intervals, and a gap 534 for the first electrostatic adsorption plate 531 to pass through is formed between the two plate bodies.

[0063] In this embodiment, the second electrostatic adsorption plate 532 includes two plate bodies arranged in parallel and at intervals and a cushion plate 537 supporting between the two plate bodies, so that a gap 534 capable of accommodating the first electrostatic adsorption plate 531 is formed between the two plate bodies, which can ensure that the second electrostatic adsorption plate 532 can move smoothly and stably relative to the first electrostatic adsorption plate 531 along the length direction of the first electrostatic adsorption plate 531 when the electrostatic adsorption assembly 53 is not electrified, and further ensure the stable reliability of the movement of the moving support 52 along the support plate 51, which is beneficial to enhancing the effect of ankle joint assistance.

[0064] In another embodiment of the present application, please refer to Figure 6 、 Figure 8 and Figure 9 , the electrostatic adsorption assembly 53 further includes a clamping plate 535 for respectively adjusting the pressing force between each plate body and the first electrostatic adsorption plate 531 and a fastener 536 for fixing the two clamping plates 535. One side of each plate body away from the first electrostatic adsorption plate 531 is supported on the corresponding clamping plate 535, and each clamping plate 535 is connected to the moving support 52.

[0065] In this embodiment, by providing a clamping plate 535 for respectively adjusting the pressing force between each plate body and the first electrostatic adsorption plate 531, good contact is formed between the corresponding plate surfaces of each plate body and the first electrostatic adsorption plate 531, increasing the electrostatic adsorption force generated after the first electrostatic adsorption plate 531 and the second electrostatic adsorption plate 532 are electrified, and further improving the locking stability of the electrostatic adsorption assembly 53 to the moving support 52. Moreover, due to the provision of the clamping plate 535, the firmness of each plate body is enhanced, and the stable reliability of the operation of the electrostatic adsorption assembly 53 is improved. Specifically, the fastener 536 is a commonly used fastener such as a bolt, stud or screw.

[0066] In another embodiment of the present application, please refer to Figure 2 , Figure 3 and Figure 4 as well. The assist switching device 5 further includes an elastic element 6 connecting the support plate 51 and the moving support 52.

[0067] In this embodiment, by providing the elastic element 6 to connect the moving support 52 and the support plate 51, when the electrostatic adsorption assembly 53 is in a non-adsorption state, the electrostatic adsorption assembly 53 can be quickly reset, the moving support 52 can be quickly and accurately locked on the support plate 51, and the knee joint assist effect can be enhanced to a certain extent. Moreover, through the damping force of the elastic element 6, the vibration amplitude generated by the second assist wire rope 41 driving the moving support 52 to reciprocate is reduced, the impact force of the assist switching device 5 on the human calf is buffered, and the ankle joint assist effect is enhanced to a certain extent.

[0068] Preferably, the elastic element 6 is a elastic rope or elastic band with a relatively large stiffness coefficient. Among them, two annular elastic ropes or elastic bands are respectively used to connect the support plate 51 and the moving support 52, so that a stable connection can be achieved between the support plate 51 and the moving support 52, enabling the electrostatic adsorption assembly 53 to be quickly reset when the electrostatic adsorption assembly 53 is in a non-adsorption state, and also playing a good damping and buffering role. Of course, the elastic element 6 can also be a spring or other elastic objects made of elastic materials, which is specifically selected according to actual needs and is not uniquely limited herein.

[0069] The flexible walking exoskeleton as claimed in claim 1, wherein the first pulling structure 23 includes a first assist wire rope 231 and a first rope sleeve 232 guiding the stretching of the first assist wire rope 231. The top end of the first rope sleeve 232 is fixed on the power device 1, the bottom end of the first rope sleeve 232 is fixed on the thigh wearing part 21, one end of the first assist wire rope 231 is connected to the moving support 52, and the other end of the first assist wire rope 231 is connected to the output end of the power device 1.

[0070] In this embodiment, by providing the first rope sleeve 232 guiding the stretching of the first assist wire rope 231, on the one hand, the stability of the stretching of the first assist wire rope 231 is enhanced, enabling the first assist wire rope 231 to better pull the calf wearing part 22 and the thigh wearing part 21 to move relatively, generating a moment rotating around the knee joint at the user's knee joint to provide assistance for the extension movement of the user's knee joint. On the other hand, when the first assist wire rope 231 pulls the calf wearing part 22 and the thigh wearing part 21 to move relatively, the strong compression force on the muscles caused by tightening the human body is reduced, and the comfort of the user wearing and using is enhanced.

[0071] In another embodiment of the present application, please refer to Figure 1, the wearable component further includes a waist-wearing member 7 for fixing the power device 1 to the user's waist, so as to conveniently bind the power device 1 that provides tensile power to the first assisting wire rope 231 and the second assisting wire rope 41 to the user's waist, reduce the weight of the flexible walking exoskeleton worn by the user's lower limbs, and enable the user to walk with a normal and natural gait.

[0072] In another embodiment of the present application, please refer to Figure 1 together. The knee joint booster further includes a first wire fixing seat 24 fixed on the thigh-wearing member 21, and the first wire fixing seat 24 is provided with a first through hole for the first assisting wire rope 231 to pass through.

[0073] In this embodiment, a first wire fixing seat 24 is arranged on the calf-wearing member 22. Guided by the first through hole on the first wire fixing seat 24, the first assisting wire rope 231 can stably pull the calf-wearing member 22 to move towards the thigh-wearing member 21, which can avoid the compression of the first assisting wire rope 231 on the user's thigh and prevent the interference of the thigh-wearing member 21 on the stretching of the first assisting wire rope 231. Thus, it is ensured that the first assisting wire rope 231 can stably pull the calf-wearing member 22 to move towards the thigh-wearing member 21, enabling the natural movement of the human knee joint and improving the stability and assisting effect of the knee joint assistance.

[0074] In another embodiment of the present application, please refer to Figure 1 together. The flexible walking exoskeleton further includes a force transmission strap 8 connected to the first wire fixing seat 24, and one end of the force transmission strap 8 away from the first wire fixing seat 24 is connected to the waist-wearing member 7.

[0075] In this embodiment, during use, the force transmission strap 8 starts from the upper part of the user's knee joint, bypasses both sides of the thigh in two strands, and is fixed under the buttocks, so that the force acting on the thigh-wearing member 21 is decomposed to the waist-wearing member 7, and then acts on the human pelvis through the waist-wearing member 7, thereby reducing the acting force of the thigh-wearing member 21 on the user's thigh, enhancing the comfort of the user's leg wearing, greatly reducing the influence of the flexible walking exoskeleton on the normal free movement of the human leg, and thus not destroying the natural biomechanical characteristics of human walking.

[0076] Preferably, the force transmission strap 8 is connected to the waist-wearing member 7 through a D-ring.

[0077] In another embodiment of the present application, please refer to Figure 1, the power device 1 further includes a drive motor 11, a box body 12 for accommodating the drive motor 11, and a battery (not shown in the figure) for supplying power to the drive motor 11. The drive motor 11 is placed in the box body 12, and the box body 12 is fixed to the user's waist through the waist wearable member 7. And, the waistband is an elastic strap, and the box body 12 and the battery are symmetrically distributed on the front and rear sides (or left and right sides) of the waist through the elastic strap, which is convenient for wearing and disassembling, and at the same time is conducive to the uniform distribution of the overall weight of the power device 1 and the human load, thereby effectively reducing the adverse effects and discomfort brought by the portable power device 1 to the normal walking of the human body, so that it can better maintain a natural and efficient gait for walking. And a winding wheel (not shown in the figure) is connected to the output shaft of the drive motor 11, and one end of the first assist wire rope 231 away from the moving support 52 is fixed to the winding wheel, so as to drive the winding wheel to wind the first assist wire rope 231 through the drive motor 11. Of course, the drive motor 11 can also be replaced by a drive mechanism such as a pneumatic motor, a pneumatic drive mechanism or a hydraulic drive mechanism to realize the driving function of the power device 1 to drive the first assist wire rope 231, which can be specifically selected according to actual needs and is not uniquely limited here.

[0078] In order to enable the wearing components of the flexible walking exoskeleton to achieve quick wearing and removal during wearing, and at the same time improve the comfort during wearing while achieving the best assist effect, the thigh wearable member 21, the calf wearable member 22 and the waist wearable member 7 are all wearable straps that are easy to tie to the human body. Preferably, the two ends of the wearable strap are connected by a hook and loop fastener (magic tape) to facilitate quick wearing and adjustment.

[0079] Preferably, the waist wearable member 7 is a waistband, and the waistband is made of a flexible strap to minimize the influence of the wearing components on the normal movement of the human body when assisting the knee joint, and improve the assist effect and the comfort of wearing and using. The waist wearable member 7 is fixed to the waist through a hook and loop fastener structure such as a magic tape to meet the wearing needs of different users.

[0080] Preferably, the thigh wearable member 21 is made of a flexible strap to minimize the influence of the wearing components on the normal movement of the human body when assisting the knee joint, and improve the assist effect and the comfort of wearing and using. And a reinforcing rib is provided on the thigh wearable member 21, and the reinforcing rib is a nylon webbing with an "inverted V" shape and a "-" shape structure sewn on the flexible strap (thigh wearable member 21) to enhance the stiffness of the flexible strap and the force decomposition effect. Among them, the thigh wearable member 21 is fixed to the user's thigh through a hook and loop fastener structure such as a magic tape to meet the wearing needs of different users.

[0081] Preferably, the calf wearable member 22 is made of a flexible strap, so as to minimize the influence of the wearable assembly on the normal movement of the human body when assisting the knee joint, and improve the assisting effect and the comfort of wearing and using. And reinforcing ribs are arranged on the calf wearable member 22, and flexible cushion blocks where the reinforcing ribs are connected with the flexible strap.

[0082] In another embodiment of the present application, please refer to Figure 10 , the ankle joint booster 3 includes a sole fixing sleeve 31, two rotating support arms 32 respectively arranged on opposite sides of the sole fixing sleeve 31, a leg fixing sleeve 33 for the user's calf to wear, and two leg support arms 34 respectively arranged on opposite sides of the leg fixing sleeve 33. The bottom ends of the two leg support arms 34 are respectively rotatably connected to the top ends of the two rotating support arms 32 through pivot shafts; the second pulling structure 4 includes a second assisting wire rope 41 for pulling the sole fixing sleeve 31 and the leg fixing sleeve 33 to move relatively and a second rope sleeve 42 for guiding the stretching of the second assisting wire rope 41. The top end of the second rope sleeve 42 is fixed on the support plate 51, the bottom end of the second rope sleeve 42 is fixed on the leg fixing sleeve 33, one end of the second assisting wire rope 41 is connected to the moving support 52, and the other end of the second assisting wire rope 41 is connected to the sole fixing sleeve 31.

[0083] In this embodiment, a second wire fixing seat 35 is arranged on the leg fixing sleeve 33 of the ankle joint booster 3, and a second through hole for the second assisting wire rope 41 to pass through is arranged on the second wire fixing seat 35. The sole fixing sleeve 31 and the leg fixing sleeve 33 are respectively bound to the user's sole and calf by straps. A wire fixing device 36 for fixedly connecting the second assisting wire rope 41 is arranged on the sole fixing sleeve 31, and the setting position of the wire fixing device 36 corresponds to the position of the second through hole on the second wire fixing seat 35, so as to improve the transmission efficiency and transmission accuracy of the second assisting wire rope 41, and can stably and efficiently assist the user's foot ankle joint. In addition, the top end of the first rope sleeve 232 is fixed on the power device 1, the bottom end of the first rope sleeve 232 is fixed on the support block 533 close to the thigh wearable member 21, and a first wire guiding hole for the first assisting wire rope 231 to pass through is arranged on the support block 533; the bottom end of the second rope sleeve 42 is fixed on the support block 533 close to the ankle wearable member, and a second wire guiding hole for the second assisting wire rope 41 to pass through is arranged on the support block 533.

[0084] In this embodiment, by providing a first rope sleeve 232 that guides the stretching of the first assisting wire rope 231, on the one hand, the stability of the stretching of the first assisting wire rope 231 is enhanced, enabling the first assisting wire rope 231 to better pull the ankle wearing member and the calf wearing member 22 to move relatively, generating a moment that rotates around the ankle joint at the user's ankle joint to provide assistance for the plantar flexion movement of the user's ankle joint. On the other hand, during the process of the first assisting wire rope 231 pulling the ankle wearing member and the calf wearing member 22 to move relatively, the pressure on the human calf is reduced, enhancing the comfort of the user.

[0085] In another embodiment of the present application, please refer to Figure 5 , the assisting force switching device 5 further includes a guide rail 54 that guides the movement of the moving support 52 and a slider 55 slidably mounted on the guide rail 54. The guide rail 54 is fixed to the support plate 51, and the moving support 52 is connected to the slider 55.

[0086] In this embodiment, the moving support 52 moves on the support plate 51 under the guidance of a linear sliding mechanism in which the slider 55 and the guide rail 54 are slidably engaged, having high stability and being beneficial to improving the effect of ankle joint assistance. Specifically, the linear sliding mechanism includes two guide rails 54 extending in the vertical direction respectively and sliders 55 slidably engaged with the two guide rails 54 respectively. The two guide rails 54 are arranged side by side and spaced apart on the support plate 51, and the two sliders 55 are respectively fixedly connected to the moving support 52. Of course, the number of the guide rails 54 can also be 3, 4, and the number is not limited herein. Similarly, multiple sliders 55 can also be provided on each guide rail 54 to improve the stability. More specifically, a guide groove is provided inside the guide rail 54, and dovetail blocks, triangular blocks, or rectangular blocks that cooperate with the guide groove are provided on both sides of the slider 55.

[0087] The above are only the preferred embodiments of the present application and are not intended to limit the present application. Any modifications, equivalent replacements, and improvements made within the spirit and principle of the present application shall be included within the protection scope of the present application.

Claims

1. A flexible walking assistive exoskeleton, characterized in that, Comprising: A power device; A knee joint booster for providing assistance to the extension movement of the user's knee joint. The knee joint booster includes a thigh wearing member, a calf wearing member, and a first pulling structure for pulling the calf wearing member to move relative to the thigh wearing member; An ankle joint booster for providing assistance to the plantar flexion movement of the user's ankle joint; A second pulling structure for driving the ankle joint booster; And A power assistance switching device, including a support plate, a moving support seat slidably disposed on the support plate, and an electrostatic adsorption assembly. When the electrostatic adsorption assembly is not powered on and in a non-adsorption state, the moving support seat slides freely on the support plate. When the electrostatic adsorption assembly is powered on and in an adsorption state, the electrostatic adsorption assembly locks the moving support seat on the support plate; The electrostatic adsorption assembly is disposed on the support plate, the support plate is fixed to the calf wearing member, the first pulling structure is respectively connected to the moving support seat and the output end of the power device, and the second pulling structure is respectively connected to the moving support seat and the ankle joint booster; The first pulling structure includes a first power assistance wire rope and a first rope sleeve for guiding the stretching of the first power assistance wire rope. The top end of the first rope sleeve is fixed to the power device, the bottom end of the first rope sleeve is fixed to the thigh wearing member, one end of the first power assistance wire rope is connected to the moving support seat, and the other end of the first power assistance wire rope is connected to the output end of the power device; The knee joint booster further includes a first wire fixing seat fixed to the thigh wearing member, and the first wire fixing seat is provided with a first through hole for the first power assistance wire rope to pass through.

2. The flexible walking-assisting exoskeleton according to claim 1, wherein, The electrostatic adsorption assembly includes a first electrostatic adsorption plate, a second electrostatic adsorption plate electrostatically adsorbed and cooperated with the first electrostatic adsorption plate, and a controller for controlling the magnitude of the electrostatic adsorption force between the first electrostatic adsorption plate and the second electrostatic adsorption plate. The first electrostatic adsorption plate is connected to the support plate, and the second electrostatic adsorption plate is connected to the moving support seat.

3. The flexible walking assistive exoskeleton according to claim 2, wherein, The electrostatic adsorption assembly further includes two support blocks, and each support block is fixed to the support plate. The first electrostatic adsorption plate is fixedly connected to each support block.

4. The flexible walking-assist exoskeleton according to claim 2, wherein, A gap for the first electrostatic adsorption plate to pass through is formed on the second electrostatic adsorption plate.

5. The flexible walking-assisting exoskeleton according to claim 2, wherein The second electrostatic adsorption plate includes two parallel and spaced-apart plate bodies, and a gap for the first electrostatic adsorption plate to pass through is formed between the two plate bodies.

6. The flexible walking assistive exoskeleton according to claim 5, wherein The electrostatic adsorption assembly further includes a clamping plate for respectively adjusting the pressing force between each plate body and the first electrostatic adsorption plate, and a fastening member for fixing the two clamping plates. One side of each plate body away from the first electrostatic adsorption plate is supported on the corresponding clamping plate, and each clamping plate is connected to the moving support seat.

7. The flexible walking assistive exoskeleton according to claim 1, characterized in that The power assistance switching device further includes an elastic element connecting the moving support seat and the support plate.

8. The flexible walking assistive exoskeleton according to claim 1, wherein The flexible walking exoskeleton further includes a waist wearing member for fixing the power device to the user's waist.

9. The flexible walking-assisting exoskeleton according to any one of claims 1 to 8, characterized in that The ankle booster includes a sole fixing sleeve, two rotating support arms respectively arranged on opposite sides of the sole fixing sleeve, a leg fixing sleeve for the user's calf to wear, and two leg support arms respectively arranged on opposite sides of the leg fixing sleeve. The bottom ends of the two leg support arms are respectively rotatably connected to the top ends of the two rotating support arms through pivot shafts; the second pulling structure includes a second power assist wire rope for pulling the sole fixing sleeve and the leg fixing sleeve to move relative to each other, and a second rope sleeve for guiding the stretching of the second power assist wire rope. The top end of the second rope sleeve is fixed on the support plate, the bottom end of the second rope sleeve is fixed on the leg fixing sleeve, one end of the second power assist wire rope is connected to the moving support, and the other end of the second power assist wire rope is connected to the sole fixing sleeve.

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