A wearable rope-driven upper limb power assist device

Abstract

The present invention discloses a wearable rope-driven upper limb power-assisting device, which belongs to the technical field of upper limb power-assisting exoskeleton devices, and comprises a wearing unit, a driving unit and a control unit arranged on the wearing unit; the wearing unit comprises a binding mechanism bound to the human body and a shoulder wearing mechanism for assisting in fixing the binding mechanism; the driving unit comprises a rope reeling mechanism and a guide mechanism arranged on the binding mechanism, the rope on the rope reeling mechanism extends to the front of the shoulder through the guide mechanism, and the end of the rope is connected to a weight connecting hook; the rope reeling mechanism is electrically connected to the control unit; the device is worn on the human body through the binding mechanism and the shoulder wearing mechanism, and adopts a rope-driven flexible transmission method to hook and lift heavy objects. It not only has a simple structure and light weight, saves human physical strength, and is simple to operate, does not affect the normal range of human activities, but can also adaptively compensate for the incoordination of the left and right arms during exercise, thereby improving the compatibility of the human body and the power-assisting device.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to the technical field of upper limb power-assisting exoskeleton devices, and in particular to a wearable rope-driven upper limb power-assisting device. Background Art

[0002] With the rapid advancement of society, the logistics industry has grown rapidly, playing a crucial role in both military and civilian sectors. This is particularly true for the transport of military supplies, which are crucial for the lives and operations of border defenders. Ensuring timely delivery of supplies to border areas is crucial for national security. However, because the transport of military supplies often requires passage through harsh environments such as remote mountainous areas or along national borders, often inaccessible by road, manual transport is often the only option. However, walking in mountainous areas is extremely physically demanding, making manual transport not only inefficient but also highly dangerous. Similarly, in the civilian logistics industry, prolonged heavy lifting and loading and unloading can easily cause damage to the waist. Furthermore, when the loads are large, individual workers often find themselves unable to complete the loading and unloading tasks alone. Therefore, an upper-limb-assisted exoskeleton robot specifically designed to assist manual material handling has been proposed. This exoskeleton improves transport efficiency, enhances human endurance, ensures safety, and facilitates the handling of large items. For example, the exoskeleton robot in the invention patent with the patent number "201810909521.7" and the name "Upper Limb Assisted Exoskeleton Robot" includes a back mechanism worn on the upper limbs, with driving mechanisms connected on both sides of the back mechanism, and arms of a forward-extending parallel structure connected to the driving mechanism. Control handles and weight hooks are installed at the ends of the arms. When a person holds the control handle and moves it, the control unit on the back mechanism will recognize the control handle movement signal, thereby transmitting the signal to the driving mechanism and driving the mechanical arm to lower and lift, and the weight hook will lift and lower the weight.

[0003] However, the current upper limb assisted exoskeleton structures all adopt rigid structures. Rigid structures themselves have problems of complex structure and heavy weight during design. Although they solve the problem of human body carrying objects, the heavy exoskeleton structure will also consume human endurance during long-term walking. Moreover, when the rigid structure is worn on the human body, it will limit the normal range of human body movement during exercise, causing many inconveniences to movement. The rigid structure cannot fit the human body well and is not comfortable enough. Moreover, rigid exoskeletons are often driven by multiple motors, which are difficult to control. Multiple sensors are used to measure human body intentions during the control process. There are many sensor lines and motor lines, and the layout of the lines also has many difficulties. Summary of the Invention

[0004] The purpose of the present invention is to solve the above technical problems and provide a wearable rope-driven upper limb power assist device, which is driven by a flexible suspension rope. It is not only simple in structure and light in weight, but also easy to operate and will not affect the normal range of human activities.

[0005] To achieve the above-mentioned object, the present invention provides the following solution: The present invention provides a wearable rope-driven upper limb power-assisting device, comprising a wearable unit and a drive unit and a control unit provided on the wearable unit;

[0006] The wearing unit includes a binding mechanism for binding on the human body and a shoulder wearing mechanism for assisting in fixing the binding mechanism;

[0007] The driving unit includes a rope reeling mechanism and a guide mechanism arranged on the binding mechanism. The rope on the rope reeling mechanism extends to the front of the shoulder through the guide mechanism, and the end of the rope is connected to a weight connecting hook; the rope reeling mechanism is electrically connected to the control unit.

[0008] Preferably, the binding mechanism includes a backboard and a waist belt connected below the backboard, and the backboard is fixed to the back of the human body through the waist belt and the shoulder wearing mechanism.

[0009] Preferably, a hard connecting plate is fixedly connected to the outer side of the belt close to the waist, and a rigid rod adjustment plate with a bolt shaft hole is provided on the hard connecting plate. One end of the rigid rod is inserted into the rigid adjustment plate, and the other end is fixedly connected to the back plate. The rigid rod is provided with a plurality of adjustment holes extending along the axial direction of the rigid rod, and the rigid rod and the rigid rod adjustment plate are fixed by the bolt shaft hole, the adjustment hole and the adjustment bolt shaft.

[0010] Preferably, the ends of the waist belt are provided with Velcro strips that adhere to each other.

[0011] Preferably, the shoulder wearing mechanism includes a shoulder strap, one end of which is rotatably connected to the back plate, and the other end is fixedly connected to the inner side of the waist belt close to the waist.

[0012] Preferably, the shoulder strap is provided with a backpack buckle for adjusting the length of the shoulder strap.

[0013] Preferably, the rope winding mechanism includes a drum for winding the rope, the drum is driven by a drive motor fixedly connected to the back plate, the drive motor and the drum are connected by a coupling, and the end of the coupling is fixedly connected to the back plate through a bearing.

[0014] Preferably, the guide mechanism comprises a flexible conduit extending from the back plate to the shoulder strap, the flexible conduit being fixed to the back plate and the shoulder strap via a conduit fixing frame, and the sling passing through the flexible conduit and extending to the front of the shoulder strap.

[0015] Preferably, the control unit includes a control panel electrically connected to the rope reeling mechanism, the control panel is fixedly connected to the back panel via an insulating plate, and a battery for powering the rope reeling mechanism and the control panel is provided on the back panel.

[0016] Preferably, a tension sensor is connected between the end of the lifting rope and the weight connecting hook; an inertial measurement sensor is provided on the back panel, and both the tension sensor and the inertial measurement sensor are electrically connected to the control panel.

[0017] Compared with the prior art, the present invention has achieved the following technical effects:

[0018] 1. This rope-driven upper limb assist device is worn on the upper body of the human body through the binding mechanism in the wearable unit and the shoulder wearing mechanism. The object is then hooked to the weight connection hook in the drive unit. When the inertial measurement sensor detects the person rising, the control unit controls the rope reeling mechanism to tighten the rope and lift the object. The hands only play the role of ensuring the stability of the object and changing its direction. Placing the rope on the shoulder can greatly save transmission space. At the same time, it does not interfere with the movement of the human upper limb and does not affect the normal range of motion of the human body. This rope-driven upper limb assist device realizes transmission and assistance through the flexible rope in the drive mechanism. The flexible transmission method has a certain degree of tolerance. Normally, when the human body is carrying normally, the upper limb movements are almost synchronized. However, when the upper limbs are out of sync to a certain extent, the rope's inherent flexibility can adaptively compensate for the uncoordinated movement of the left and right arms during exercise, thereby improving the integration of the body and the assist device and maintaining the stability of the weight. The flexible transmission method does not require excessive rigid structure, is simple in structure, easy to operate, and is light in weight, avoiding excessive consumption of human endurance.

[0019] 2. This rope-driven upper limb power assist device adopts a combination of rigidity and flexibility. The backboard provides good rigid support for the drive unit and the control unit. The backboard is fixed to the human back through flexible structures such as a waist belt and a shoulder strap. The waist belt and the shoulder strap can fit the human body well. On the one hand, it ensures that the device fits stably on the human body and improves the comfort of wearing. On the other hand, the flexible structure will not limit the normal range of movement of the human body during exercise, ensuring the flexibility of the human body's own limbs.

[0020] 3. One end of the shoulder strap is connected to the backboard, and the other end is fixedly connected to the inner side of the waist belt close to the waist, forming a backpack-like wearing method, which is more wearable and provides better support through the shoulders, making the upper limb power assist device more stable when working.

[0021] 4. The driving unit in this rope-driven upper limb power-assist device realizes all the actions of the entire rope winding mechanism, winding the rope, and carrying heavy objects through only one motor. It not only has a simple structure and uncomplicated control method, but also has higher system reliability and greatly improved operating efficiency. Moreover, a single motor greatly reduces the total mass of the system, reduces the consumption of human physical strength, and ensures long-distance carrying of the human body.

[0022] 5. When carrying heavy objects, the tension sensors on the slings and the inertial measurement sensors on the backplate capture changes in the tension on the slings and the body's movements and posture, and transmit the data to the control panel. The control panel integrates this information, identifies and determines whether the body is squatting or standing up during the lift, and controls the reeling mechanism to complete the corresponding release and retraction actions, thereby changing the speed and direction of the drive motor to provide a constant or adaptive force to the weight, meeting the requirements of different loads and adapting to changes in lifting movements and speeds. As the person moves forward, only the arms are needed to help change the direction of the weight's movement and control its stability. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0023] In order to more clearly illustrate the embodiments of the present invention or the technical solutions in the prior art, the following briefly introduces the drawings required for use in the embodiments. Obviously, the drawings described below are only some embodiments of the present invention. For ordinary technicians in this field, other drawings can be obtained based on these drawings without paying any creative work.

[0024] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of the wearable rope-driven upper limb power assist device;

[0025] Figure 2 Schematic diagram of the structure of the wearable unit;

[0026] Figure 3 Schematic diagram of the structure of the drive unit;

[0027] Figure 4 A schematic diagram of the structure of the control unit.

[0028] Explanation of the accompanying drawings: 1. Wearable unit; 2. Drive unit; 3. Control unit; 101. Back plate; 102. Strap; 103. Waist belt; 104. Hard connecting plate; 105. Rigid rod adjustment plate; 106. Rigid rod; 107. Sleeve; 108. Fixing sleeve; 109. Rigid rod fixing frame; 201. Drive motor; 202. Motor flange; 203. Motor bracket; 204. Coupling; 205. Reel; 206. Lifting rope; 207. Flexible conduit; 208. Conduit fixing frame; 209. Weight connecting hook; 301. Control panel; 302. Insulating plate; 303. Battery; 304. Tension sensor; 305. Battery bracket; 306. Battery fixing frame; 307. Insulating plate bracket. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0029] The following will clearly and completely describe the technical solutions in the embodiments of the present invention in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. Obviously, the described embodiments are only part of the embodiments of the present invention, not all of the embodiments. Based on the embodiments of the present invention, all other embodiments obtained by ordinary technicians in this field without making creative efforts are within the scope of protection of the present invention.

[0030] This embodiment provides a wearable rope-driven upper limb power assist device, such as Figures 1 to 4As shown, it includes a wearable unit 1, a drive unit 2 and a control unit 3, wherein the drive unit 2 and the control unit 3 are both arranged on the wearable unit 1, and the drive unit 2 and the control unit 3 are tied to the human body through the wearable unit 1. Under the control of the control unit 3, the drive unit 2 realizes the power-assisting function. Specifically, the wearable unit 1 includes a binding mechanism and a shoulder wearing mechanism, and the power-assisting device is bound to the human body through the binding mechanism, and then worn on the shoulder through the shoulder wearing mechanism. Under the joint fixation of the binding mechanism and the wearing mechanism, the entire rope-driven upper limb power-assisting device is fixed on the human body. The drive unit 2 includes a rope reeling mechanism and a guide mechanism, and the rope reeling mechanism and the guide mechanism are both arranged on the binding mechanism. The rope 206 on the rope reeling mechanism extends to the front of the shoulder through the guide mechanism, and a weight connecting hook 209 is connected to the end of the rope 206. The rope reeling mechanism is electrically connected to the control unit 3. When the weight is hooked onto the weight connecting hook 209, the inertial measurement sensor detects the posture of the human body rising up, and the control unit 3 controls the rope winding mechanism to wind up the rope 206, lifts the weight, and uses both hands to assist the weight in moving to the designated position. During the transportation process, the control unit 3 constantly adjusts the contraction of the rope 206 to adjust the pulling force applied to the weight to adapt to various transportation conditions. This rope-driven upper limb power-assisting device is driven by a flexible rope 206, and the power-assisting method is a flexible driving method of rope pulling, which realizes flexible power transmission and eliminates the driving method of rigid components such as mechanical arms in the prior art, without affecting the normal range of motion of the human upper limbs. It also greatly reduces the overall weight of the device, avoids the consumption of human endurance, and meets the needs of long-distance transportation in mountainous areas. Due to the flexible characteristics of the rope 206 itself, it can adaptively compensate for the uncoordinated movement of the left and right arms during exercise, thereby improving the compatibility of the body and the power-assisting device.

[0031] In this embodiment, Figures 1 to 4 As shown, the binding mechanism includes a hard back plate 101 with a certain strength and a waist belt 103 connected to the bottom of the back plate 101. When wearing the power-assisting device, the back plate 101 is carried on the back, the shoulder wearing mechanism is worn on the shoulders, and the waist belt 103 is tied to the waist of the human body, thereby achieving the fixation of the power-assisting device. The rigid back plate 101 provides rigid support for the drive unit 2 and the control unit 3, and provides a force support point for the sling winding mechanism. The shoulder wearing mechanism and the flexible waist belt 103 transmit the force to the human body, providing support for the power-assisting device as a whole through the human body. The overall mass of the system is greatly reduced by combining rigidity and flexibility, while also improving the tightness of the wear and the wearing comfort. Improving comfort actually reduces the consumption of human endurance to meet the needs of long-term carrying work.

[0032] Furthermore, to adapt the upper limb assist device to people of various heights, in this embodiment, a rigid connecting plate 104 is fixedly connected to the outer side of the waist belt 103, close to the waist. A rigid rod adjustment plate 105 is fixedly connected to the middle of the rigid connecting plate 104, and a bolt axis hole is provided in the rigid rod adjustment plate 105. A rigid rod fixing frame 109 is fixedly connected to the bottom of the back plate 101. The back plate 101 and the waist belt 103 are then connected by a rigid rod 106. Specifically, one end of the rigid rod 106 is fixed to the rigid rod fixing frame 109, and the other end is inserted into the rigid rod adjustment plate 105. The rigid rod 106 is provided with a plurality of adjustment holes along its axis. By changing the different adjustment holes on the rigid rod 106 corresponding to the bolt axis holes, the relative length of the rigid rod 106 can be changed. The bolt axis is then inserted into the bolt axis hole and the adjustment hole for fixing, thereby achieving height adjustment of the back plate 101.

[0033] In this embodiment, the rigid rod 106 is a carbon fiber rod or an aluminum rod. The function of the rigid rod 106 is to transmit force. The thickness of the rigid rod 106 affects the magnitude of the bearing force. Therefore, during design, the diameter of the rigid rod 106 can be appropriately increased.

[0034] Furthermore, in this embodiment, the ends of the waist belt 103 are provided with mutually adhesive Velcro. The tightness of the waist belt 103 can be adjusted by the fitting length of the Velcro to adapt to people of different fat and thin degrees and improve the comfort of the human body.

[0035] In this embodiment, Figures 1 to 4 As shown, the shoulder wearing mechanism includes a shoulder strap 102. Through holes are provided at the two protruding ends of a back plate 101. A fixing sleeve 108 is inserted through the through holes in the back plate 101, and the end of the fixing sleeve 108 is fixedly connected to the back of the back plate 101. A through hole is also punched at one end of the shoulder strap 102. After aligning the through hole in the shoulder strap 102 with the through hole in the back plate 101, the shoulder strap 102 is slipped over the fixing sleeve 108 and secured with a sleeve 107. The shoulder strap 102 is pressed against the front of the back plate 101 and can be rotated around the fixing sleeve 108, thereby changing its angle. The other end of the shoulder strap 102 is fixedly connected to the inner side of the waist belt 103, which is close to the waist, forming a schoolbag-style shoulder strap. This wearing method is more wearable and fits more tightly, improving the stability of the overall structure. It also makes it easier for the human body to provide support for the entire upper limb power assist device, ensuring a more stable working state. The shoulder wearing mechanism adopts the method of the shoulder strap 102, which further reduces the overall weight of the upper limb power assist device. At the same time, the flexible shoulder strap 102 can also fit the human body better to ensure comfort.

[0036] Furthermore, in this embodiment, the length of the shoulder strap 102 is adjustable, and an adjustment method similar to that of a backpack buckle is adopted. By adjusting the length of the shoulder strap 102 , the shoulder strap 102 can be adapted to people of different body shapes, ensuring stable wearing while also ensuring human comfort.

[0037] In this embodiment, Figures 1 to 4 As shown, the rope reeling mechanism includes a drive motor 201, a coupling 204, and a reel 205. Two symmetrically arranged motor brackets 203 are provided on the back of the back plate 101. The drive motor 201 is fixed between the two motor brackets 203 through a motor flange 202. The output shaft of the drive motor 201 is connected to the coupling 204. The coupling 204 can rotate with the output shaft of the drive motor 201. At the same time, a keyway is provided on the coupling 204 to drive the reel 205 to rotate. The end of the coupling 204 is connected to a bearing, which is fixed on the back of the back plate 101. The reel 205 is provided with two wire grooves for winding the rope 206. By changing the rotation direction of the shaft of the drive motor 201, the reel 205 will change its rotation direction as the shaft direction changes, thereby realizing the gathering and release of the rope 206, thereby changing the pulling force of the drive motor 201 on the weight, realizing the lifting and lowering of the weight and the continuous assistance to the weight. During the heavy object handling process, a single drive motor 201 transmits force throughout the entire process. Compared to power-assist devices controlled by multiple motors, this system has a simpler structure and more stable force transmission, thus reducing control difficulty and improving the overall reliability and stability of the system. Furthermore, the single-motor approach significantly reduces the weight of the device, reduces the physical effort required, and improves handling efficiency.

[0038] Furthermore, in this embodiment, the guide mechanism includes a flexible conduit 207. A conduit fixing bracket 208 is provided on the motor bracket 203, the back plate 101, and the shoulder strap 102. The flexible conduit 207 extends from a position near the reel 205 toward the shoulder strap 102 through the conduit fixing bracket 208, and extends to the front of the shoulder strap 102. After the sling 206 extends from the reel 205, it passes through the flexible conduit 207 and then extends from the end of the flexible conduit 207. A weight connecting hook 209 is connected to the end of the flexible conduit 207, and the sling 206 can move within the flexible conduit 207. The flexible conduit 207 is connected to the shoulder, which can provide a good support point for the sling 206 through the shoulder and increase the torque to easily lift the heavy object. At the same time, it saves transmission space, does not interfere with the movement of the upper limbs of the human body, and does not affect the normal range of motion of the human body.

[0039] Furthermore, in this embodiment, the suspension rope 206 can be made of nylon rope, which can withstand high tension. Of course, other ropes with high toughness and high tension resistance, such as steel wire rope, can also be used. The flexible conduit 207 can be made of a plastic conduit, such as a brake cable conduit or a Bowden cable conduit. The flexible conduit 207 should be as narrow as possible, maintaining a large curvature to effectively reduce friction.

[0040] In this embodiment, Figures 1 to 4 As shown, the control unit 3 includes a control panel 301. An insulating plate bracket 307 is provided on the back of the back panel 101, to which an insulating plate 302 is fixedly connected. The control panel 301 is mounted on the insulating plate 302 and electrically connected to the drive motor 201 in the rope reeling mechanism to control the reeling speed and direction of the rope reeling mechanism. Also located on the back of the back panel 101 are two symmetrical batteries 303, which can be lithium batteries. The batteries 303 are secured to the back panel 101 via a battery mount 306 and a battery bracket 305. The batteries 303 provide power to the rope reeling mechanism and the control panel 301.

[0041] Furthermore, a tension sensor 304 is connected between the end of the sling 206 and the weight connection hook 209; an inertial measurement sensor is provided on the back panel 101, and both the tension sensor 304 and the inertial measurement sensor are electrically connected to the control panel 301. The inertial measurement sensor can monitor human posture data, and the tension sensor 304 can monitor changes in tension in real time and input the monitoring data to the control panel 301 in real time to control the drive unit 2. When a person is carrying a heavy object, the inertial measurement sensor captures and predicts motion, identifies and determines the human body's posture, and transmits this data to the control panel 301. Combined with the tension measured by the tension sensor 304, the action (rotation direction and speed) of the drive motor 201 is changed. The drive motor 201 provides a constant or adaptive torque between the weight and the body to meet different weight requirements. The human arm only needs to control the direction of the weight, significantly reducing the difficulty of coordinated control and improving the overall reliability and stability of the system.

[0042] The present invention uses specific examples to illustrate the principles and implementation methods of the present invention. The above examples are only intended to help understand the method and core concept of the present invention. At the same time, those skilled in the art will find that the specific implementation methods and application scopes may vary based on the concept of the present invention. In summary, the contents of this specification should not be construed as limiting the present invention.

Claims

1. A wearable rope-driven upper limb power assist device, characterized in that: It includes a wearable unit, a driving unit and a control unit provided on the wearable unit; The wearing unit includes a binding mechanism for binding on the human body and a shoulder wearing mechanism for assisting in fixing the binding mechanism; The driving unit includes a rope reeling mechanism and a guide mechanism provided on the binding mechanism, wherein the rope on the rope reeling mechanism extends to the front of the shoulder through the guide mechanism, and the end of the rope is connected to a weight connection hook; the rope reeling mechanism is electrically connected to the control unit; The binding mechanism includes a backboard and a waist belt connected below the backboard, and the backboard is fixed to the back of the human body through the waist belt and the shoulder wearing mechanism; The shoulder wearing mechanism includes a shoulder strap, one end of which is rotatably connected to the back plate, and the other end is fixedly connected to the inner side of the waist belt close to the waist; The guide mechanism includes a flexible conduit extending from the back plate to the shoulder strap. The flexible conduit is fixed to the back plate and the shoulder strap via a conduit fixing bracket. The sling passes through the flexible conduit and extends to the front of the shoulder strap.

2. A wearable rope-driven upper limb power assist device according to claim 1, characterized in that: A hard connecting plate is fixedly connected to the outer side of the belt close to the waist, and a rigid rod adjustment plate with a bolt shaft hole is provided on the hard connecting plate. One end of the rigid rod is inserted into the rigid adjustment plate, and the other end is fixedly connected to the back plate. The rigid rod is provided with a plurality of adjustment holes extending along the axis direction of the rigid rod, and the rigid rod and the rigid rod adjustment plate are fixed by the bolt shaft hole, the adjustment hole and the adjustment bolt shaft.

3. A wearable rope-driven upper limb power assist device according to claim 1, characterized in that: The ends of the waist belt are provided with Velcro strips that are bonded to each other.

4. A wearable rope-driven upper limb power assist device according to claim 1, characterized in that: The shoulder strap is provided with a backpack buckle for adjusting the length of the shoulder strap.

5. A wearable rope-driven upper limb power assist device according to claim 1, characterized in that: The rope winding mechanism includes a drum for winding the rope, and the drum is driven by a driving motor fixedly connected to the back plate. The driving motor and the drum are connected by a coupling, and the end of the coupling is fixedly connected to the back plate through a bearing.

6. A wearable rope-driven upper limb power assist device according to claim 1, characterized in that: The control unit includes a control panel electrically connected to the rope reeling mechanism. The control panel is fixedly connected to the back plate via an insulating plate. A battery for supplying power to the rope reeling mechanism and the control panel is provided on the back plate.

7. A wearable rope-driven upper limb power assist device according to claim 6, characterized in that: A tension sensor is connected between the end of the lifting rope and the weight connecting hook; an inertial measurement sensor is provided on the back plate, and both the tension sensor and the inertial measurement sensor are electrically connected to the control panel.

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