A quasi-passive multi-posture auxiliary support exoskeleton

Abstract

The present invention is a quasi-passive multi-posture auxiliary support exoskeleton, comprising an upper body support part and left and right legs, each leg comprising an ankle joint support part, a calf support part and a thigh support part; the ankle joint support part comprises a plantar plate, a calf main shaft support, a slider shaft, a slider shaft support, a slider, a connecting rod and a calf lower main shaft; the calf support part comprises a calf upper main shaft, an L-shaped fixing frame and an electric cylinder; the upper body support part comprises a stepless adjustment mechanism and an upper body support structure, the stepless adjustment mechanism realizes the locking of the upper body support structure by a mechanical method of contact between a friction plate and a cylindrical shell, saving electric energy while realizing stepless adjustment of the upper body support structure; by arranging a slider and an electric cylinder, the exoskeleton can realize support for multiple postures from sitting to half-squatting support, half-squatting support to standing, standing to half-squatting support, and half-squatting support to sitting, and at the same time, the sliding stroke of the slider meets the swing angle of the calf during the human body's small-step walking process.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention belongs to the technical field of exoskeletons, and in particular relates to a quasi-passive multi-posture auxiliary support exoskeleton. Background Art

[0002] Occupational musculoskeletal disorders (OMDs) refer to musculoskeletal injuries sustained by workers during their occupational activities due to various causes. As common work-related disorders, OMDs occur across various industries, significantly impacting workers' work efficiency, physical and mental health, and quality of life. For example, surgeons must maintain a standing posture with their lower body and upper body leaning forward, while simultaneously flexing their spine and waist. Maintaining this posture for extended periods can cause damage to the spinal and lumbar joints in the upper limbs, as well as the hip, knee, and ankle joints in the lower limbs, potentially shortening the surgeon's career. Furthermore, in the manufacturing industry, many tasks require repetitive manual operations, such as cement laying, frame cutting, parts handling, surface grinding, and floor work. A common characteristic of these tasks is the need for workers to squat repeatedly or for extended periods. Long-term workers in these jobs are susceptible to damage to their thigh muscles and knee joints, increasing their risk of musculoskeletal disorders, low back pain, and arthritis. Support exoskeletons can provide support during work, mitigating the damage caused by maintaining the same posture for extended periods.

[0003] While existing exoskeletons with auxiliary support functions can meet basic usage needs, they are primarily developed for the lower limbs and cannot provide support for both upper and lower limbs simultaneously. The support stability is also poor, requiring the user to exert their own strength to maintain balance, which fails to achieve true effort-saving effects and cannot provide support in multiple postures.

[0004] In summary, the present invention designs a quasi-passive multi-posture auxiliary support exoskeleton, which can achieve auxiliary support in multiple postures, from sitting to half-squatting, half-squatting to standing, standing to half-squatting, and from half-squatting to sitting. While wearing the exoskeleton, the human body can also walk in small steps. Summary of the Invention

[0005] In view of the shortcomings of the existing technology, the technical problem to be solved by the present invention is to propose a quasi-passive multi-posture auxiliary support exoskeleton.

[0006] The technical solution adopted by the present invention to solve the technical problem is as follows:

[0007] A quasi-passive multi-posture auxiliary support exoskeleton comprises an upper body support portion and left and right legs, each leg comprising an ankle support portion, a calf support portion, and a thigh support portion; wherein the ankle support portion comprises a foot plate, a calf spindle support, a slider shaft, a slider shaft support, a slider, a connecting rod, and a calf lower spindle; and the calf support portion comprises an upper calf spindle, an L-shaped fixing frame, and an electric cylinder.

[0008] The calf main shaft support is installed in the middle of the sole plate, and the lower end of the calf lower main shaft is rotatably connected to the calf main shaft support; the two ends of the slider shaft are respectively installed on the rear part of the sole plate through the slider shaft support, and the slider is slidably installed on the slider shaft; one end of the connecting rod is rotatably connected to the rear side of the calf lower main shaft, and the other end is rotatably connected to the slider; the lower end of the calf upper main shaft is connected to the calf lower main shaft; the upper end of the L-shaped fixing frame is connected to the middle part of the calf upper main shaft, the cylinder body of the electric cylinder is rotatably connected to the lower end of the L-shaped fixing frame, and the end of the push rod of the electric cylinder is rotatably connected to the middle part of the thigh rod of the thigh support part;

[0009] The upper body support part includes a stepless adjustment mechanism and an upper body support structure, and the upper end of the thigh rod of the thigh support part is provided with a stepless adjustment mechanism to achieve stepless adjustment of the upper body support structure;

[0010] The stepless adjustment mechanism includes a three-jaw chuck, a disc motor, a first brake disc, a second brake disc, a friction plate, a brake disc base plate, a tension spring, a cylindrical shell, a core shaft and a swing rod; the cylindrical shell is connected to the lower end of the swing rod, and the brake disc base plate is embedded in the cylindrical shell, and the cylindrical shell can rotate relative to the brake disc base plate; one end of the core shaft passes through the thigh rod of the thigh support part and is fixedly connected to the brake disc base plate; one end of the three-jaw chuck is embedded in the cylindrical shell, and the disc motor is fixed in the three-jaw chuck, and the first brake disc is mounted on the output shaft of the disc motor, and arc-shaped through grooves are respectively opened on both sides of the first brake disc, one end of the arc-shaped through groove is close to the center of the first brake disc, and the other end is away from the center of the first brake disc; the two second brake discs are symmetrically mounted on both sides of the brake disc base plate, Under the action of the first brake disc, the second brake disc can rotate around its own center; a guide post is provided at one end of the second brake disc, and the guide post of each second brake disc respectively cooperates with the corresponding arc-shaped through groove on the first brake disc, and the guide post can slide back and forth in their respective arc-shaped through grooves, and the rotation of the second brake disc is realized by the sliding of the guide post; the other end of the second brake disc is fixedly connected to one end of each tension spring, and the other ends of the two tension springs are fixedly connected to the brake disc bottom plate, and the tension springs are always in a stretched state; the outer wall of each second brake disc is covered with a friction plate, and under the action of the second brake disc, the friction plate can contact or disengage with the inner wall of the cylindrical shell. When in contact with the inner wall, the swing arm is locked; when disengaged from the inner wall, the swing arm is unlocked.

[0011] Furthermore, the thigh support part includes a thigh rod, a connecting block and a thigh support plate; the connecting block is connected to the thigh rod, the thigh support plate is installed on one side of the connecting block, and the human thigh is placed on the thigh support plate; an extension part is provided on the outer side of the middle part of the thigh rod, and the push rod of the electric cylinder is rotatably connected to the extension part; the calf upper main shaft, the L-shaped fixing frame, the electric cylinder, the extension part of the thigh rod, and the part of the thigh rod located between the extension part and the connection point of the calf upper main shaft constitute an offset swing guide rod mechanism.

[0012] Furthermore, the upper body support structure includes an upper crossbeam, longitudinal straps and transverse straps; the two ends of the upper crossbeam are respectively connected to the upper ends of the swing rods of the two stepless adjustment mechanisms, each swing rod is provided with a transverse strap, and the two ends of the transverse strap are connected to the two longitudinal straps; the user's arms pass through the longitudinal straps and wear the upper body support structure on the body.

[0013] Furthermore, the ankle joint support part also includes an adjusting stud; one end of the adjusting stud is inserted into the front end of the slider, and when the slider slides to the front stop point, the other end of the adjusting stud contacts the slider shaft support located at the front end of the slider shaft to limit the slider; the depth of the adjusting stud inserted into the slider is adjustable, which is used to adjust the forward support angle of the exoskeleton calf. The greater the insertion depth of the adjusting stud, the greater the forward support angle of the exoskeleton calf, and vice versa; the user adjusts the insertion depth of the adjusting stud according to the different half-squat support amplitudes required under different working conditions.

[0014] Furthermore, in the process of the human body supporting from a sitting position to a half-squatting position or from a standing position to a half-squatting position, the human body's lower leg bends forward, and the slider slides toward the front end of the slider shaft under the action of the connecting rod. When the slider contacts the slider shaft support located at the front end of the slider shaft, it reaches the front stop point. At this time, the exoskeleton lower leg supports the human body's lower leg, realizing the human body's half-squatting position support; in the process of the human body supporting from a half-squatting position to a standing position or from a half-squatting position to a sitting position, the human body's lower leg bends backward, and the slider slides toward the rear end of the slider shaft; when the human body is standing, the slider does not contact both slider shaft supports and is located between the front stop point and the rear stop point; when the human body is sitting, the slider contacts the slider shaft support located at the rear end of the slider shaft, and the position At the rear end point, the exoskeleton provides sitting support for the human body; when the human body wears the exoskeleton and walks with small steps, at the end of the double support phase of the gait cycle, the human foot gradually leaves the ground, the calf bends forward, and the slider slides toward the front end of the slider shaft, and then enters the swing phase. The angle between the human foot and the calf gradually increases, and the main axis under the calf rotates to make the slider slide toward the rear end of the slider shaft. In the middle of the swing phase, the slider reaches the rear end point. At this time, the human toes face the ground, and the swing range of the main axis under the calf is limited by the sliding of the slider; the exoskeleton can achieve support for multiple postures from sitting to half-squatting support, half-squatting support to standing, standing to half-squatting support, and half-squatting support to sitting.

[0015] Furthermore, the friction plate and the inner wall of the cylindrical shell are both made of materials with a high friction coefficient.

[0016] Compared with the prior art, the present invention has the following beneficial effects:

[0017] 1. The present invention can provide support for the user at any inclination angle when leaning forward in a half-squatting position, and can realize auxiliary support for various postures, from sitting to half-squatting, from half-squatting to standing, from standing to half-squatting, and from half-squatting to sitting. By arranging a sliding mechanism in which a slider cooperates with a slider shaft at the ankle joint, the calf can be limited at the front and rear stop points without using electronic control and without increasing the difficulty of control; at the same time, the sliding stroke of the slider meets the swing angle of the calf during small-step walking, ensuring that small-step walking is possible when the human body wears the exoskeleton.

[0018] 2. The calf spindle, L-shaped fixing frame, electric cylinder, the extension of the thigh rod, and the part of the thigh rod located between the extension and the connection point of the calf spindle constitute an offset swing guide rod mechanism to avoid dead points in the rod group mechanism during movement; the offset electric cylinder can increase the force arm and reduce the force that the electric cylinder needs to bear, thereby making the exoskeleton suitable for people with heavier weight. By using an offset electric cylinder, locking at any angle can be achieved.

[0019] 3. The stepless adjustment mechanism at the hip joint allows for rotation from 0 to 360 degrees, allowing the swing arm to rotate relative to the body, providing the desired forward tilt support for the upper body. To facilitate walking and movement, the exoskeleton is powered by an external power supply. However, the capacity of the external power supply is limited, and power conservation is a concern. Therefore, the stepless adjustment mechanism relies entirely on the mechanical structure to lock the cylindrical shell, and the disc motor only performs the unlocking function. When the cylindrical shell automatically locks, the disc motor is disconnected and does not operate or consume power. This allows for extended periods of continuous support, avoiding the possibility of the motor-controlled friction plate locking with the shell, resulting in a short battery life and an inability to support for long periods. It also prevents direct work accidents caused by a sudden battery failure. Furthermore, since no battery power is consumed during support, more power is available for the motor-controlled unlocking, enabling longer-distance walking. Because the friction plate uses a material with a high coefficient of friction, a small amount of pressure will produce a large static friction. Therefore, the tension spring does not need a large pulling force to complete the locking. A small-sized, low-power disc motor can be used to make the tension spring have a small displacement, thereby unlocking the friction plate and the cylindrical shell. This avoids the problem of the motor being directly connected to the swing arm and locking it, which would cause the motor to be too large and the load power to be unusable. The use of a mechanical structure for locking and the motor only for unlocking can also ensure the durability and reliability of the mechanism. The motor performance will not decline after multiple locking supports. At the same time, it also solves the problem of the intelligentization of the stepless adjustment mechanism. By matching it with an angle sensor, the human body can achieve autonomous control to complete sitting and walking movements, adjust the support posture, and determine whether self-locking support is needed.

[0020] 4. Because the joints of the human upper body are too complex during movement, the lumbar spine has three degrees of freedom and the spine has six degrees of freedom. In order to fully fit the human body and ensure the support effect, the present invention fastens the longitudinal straps to the swing rod of the stepless adjustment mechanism, and at the same time, the transverse straps are bent and fixed to the longitudinal straps at the side of the human body using 3M glue. In this way, by applying a design similar to that of a schoolbag strap to the upper body support part, full support for the human upper body is achieved, while also ensuring the comfort of the upper body support.

[0021] 5. The use of angle sensors at the human knee joint, pressure sensors at the slider shaft support, and plantar pressure sensors at the connection between the exoskeleton base and the human foot can ensure that the electric cylinder actively follows the human body's movement when the human body needs to sit, stand, or walk. At the same time, it can provide real-time dynamic adjustment assistance for walking movements. By inputting the human-computer interaction force into the fuzzy control, the optimized stiffness coefficient and damping size are selected and derived through the algorithm. These two values ​​are imported into the admittance control to control the electric cylinder to achieve real-time dynamic adjustment of the target deviation displacement and speed, thereby achieving the goal of changing the motion trajectory pre-input through experiments for older surgeons during walking, dynamically adjusting the predetermined trajectory to reduce the displacement peak and the speed of reaching the changed displacement peak, so that the gait can better fit the human body's movement, provide appropriate assistance, and achieve human-computer integration.

[0022] 6. The application scenarios of the present invention have been greatly enriched compared with existing support exoskeletons. It can be used in situations where doctors perform surgery, workers work in factories, especially automobile factories, and other situations where they need to maintain a certain posture for a long time. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0023] Figure 1 It is a schematic diagram of the overall structure of the present invention;

[0024] Figure 2 It is a structural schematic diagram of the left leg of the present invention;

[0025] Figure 3 It is a schematic structural diagram of the ankle joint supporting part of the present invention;

[0026] Figure 4 This is a schematic diagram of the connection between the L-shaped fixing frame of the present invention, the main shaft on the calf, and the electric rod;

[0027] Figure 5 A schematic structural diagram of the thigh support portion of the invention;

[0028] Figure 6 A schematic diagram of the biased swing guide rod mechanism of the present invention;

[0029] Figure 7 It is a structural schematic diagram of the stepless adjustment mechanism of the present invention;

[0030] Figure 8 Schematic diagram of the connection between the first brake disc and the second brake disc of the present invention;

[0031] Figure 9 is a schematic diagram of the upper body support structure of the present invention;

[0032] In the figure: 1. Ankle support part; 2. Calf support part; 3. Thigh support part; 4. Upper body support part;

[0033] 101. Foot plate; 102. Lower leg spindle support; 103. Slider shaft; 104. Slider shaft support; 105. Slider; 106. Connecting rod; 107. Lower leg spindle; 108. Adjusting stud; 109. Foot strap; 201. Upper leg spindle; 202. L-shaped fixing bracket; 203. Electric cylinder; 204. Lower leg support rod; 205. Bushing; 301. Thigh rod; 302. Connecting block; 303. Thigh support plate; 401. Three-jaw chuck; 402. Disc motor; 403. First brake disc; 404. Second brake disc; 405. Friction plate; 406. Brake disc base plate; 407. Extension spring; 408. Cylindrical shell; 409. Mandrel; 410. Swing lever;

[0034] 301-1, extension portion; 301-2, connecting seat; 403-1, arc-shaped through groove; 404-1, guide column; 411, upper crossbeam; 412, longitudinal binding strap; 413, transverse binding strap. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0035] The technical solution of the present invention is described in detail below in conjunction with specific implementation methods and drawings, which is not intended to limit the scope of protection of this application.

[0036] The present invention is a quasi-passive multi-posture auxiliary support exoskeleton (abbreviated as exoskeleton, see Figures 1 to 9 ), including an upper body support portion 4 and left and right legs, the left and right legs are symmetrically mounted on both sides of the upper body support portion 4; the left and right legs have the same structure, both including an ankle support portion 1, a calf support portion 2 and a thigh support portion 3;

[0037] The ankle support part 1 includes a sole plate 101, a calf spindle support 102, a slider shaft 103, a slider shaft support 104, a slider 105, a connecting rod 106 and a calf lower spindle 107; the calf support part 2 includes a calf upper spindle 201, an L-shaped fixing frame 202 and an electric cylinder 203;

[0038] The calf main shaft support 102 is installed in the middle of the sole plate 101, and the lower end of the calf lower main shaft 107 is rotatably connected to the calf main shaft support 102 through a pin; the two ends of the slider shaft 103 are respectively installed at the rear of the sole plate 101 through the slider shaft support 104, and the slider 105 is slidably installed on the slider shaft 103; one end of the connecting rod 106 is rotatably connected to the rear side of the calf lower main shaft 107 through a pin, and the other end is rotatably connected to the slider 105 through a pin; the lower end of the calf upper main shaft 201 is inserted into the calf lower main shaft 107, and the depth of the calf upper main shaft 201 inserted in the calf lower main shaft 107 can be adjusted to adapt to users of different heights; the calf upper main shaft 20 1 is a hollow structure to reduce the weight of the calf and ensure wearing comfort; the upper end of the L-shaped fixing frame 202 is fixedly connected to the middle part of the main shaft 201 on the calf, and the cylinder body of the electric cylinder 203 is rotatably connected to the lower end of the L-shaped fixing frame 202 through a pin shaft. The end of the push rod of the electric cylinder 203 is rotatably connected to the middle part of the thigh rod 301 of the thigh supporting part 3, and the rotation between the thigh rod 301 and the main shaft 201 on the calf is realized through the electric cylinder 203; a shaft sleeve 205 is installed on the pin shaft connecting the cylinder body of the electric cylinder 203 and the L-shaped fixing frame 202. By ensuring the thickness of the shaft sleeve 205, the push rod of the electric cylinder 203 is ensured not to tilt, thereby avoiding affecting the thrust direction of the electric cylinder 203.

[0039] The design of the slider 105, on the one hand, provides space for the human calf to move from a sitting position to a half-squatting position, from a half-squatting position to a standing position, from a standing position to a half-squatting position, and from a half-squatting position to a sitting position. On the other hand, the sliding stroke of the slider 105 can achieve a small swing of the human leg, allowing the human body to walk with small steps while wearing the exoskeleton. Specifically, when the human body moves from a sitting position to a half-squatting position or from a standing position to a half-squatting position, the human calf bends forward, and the human calf drives the lower calf main shaft 107 to rotate around the calf main shaft support 102. The lower calf main shaft 107 drives the connecting rod 106 to move. Under the action of the connecting rod 106, the slider 105 slides toward the front end of the slider shaft 103. When the slider 105 contacts the slider shaft support 104 located at the front end of the slider shaft 103, it reaches the front dead center. At this time, the exoskeleton calf supports the human calf, achieving half-squatting support. When the human body supports itself from a half-squatting position to a standing position or from a half-squatting position to a sitting position, the human calf bends backward, and the human calf drives the lower calf main shaft 107 to rotate around the calf main shaft support 102, and the lower calf main shaft 107 drives the connecting rod 106 to move, and the slider 105 slides toward the rear end of the slider shaft 103 under the action of the connecting rod 106; when the human body is standing, the slider 105 does not contact the two slider shaft supports 104 and is located between the front end point and the rear end point; when the human body is sitting, the slider 105 contacts the slider shaft support 104 located at the rear end of the slider shaft 103 and is located at the rear end point, and the exoskeleton provides sitting support for the human body. When a person wears the exoskeleton and walks, at the end of the double support phase of the gait cycle, the human foot gradually leaves the ground, the calf bends forward, and the slider 105 slides toward the front end of the slider shaft 103, and then enters the swing phase. The angle between the human foot and the calf gradually increases, and the lower main shaft 107 of the calf rotates to make the slider 105 slide toward the rear end of the slider shaft 103. In the middle of the swing phase, the slider 105 reaches the rear stop point. At this time, the human toes are facing the ground. Therefore, the swing range of the lower main shaft 107 of the calf is limited by the sliding of the slider 105 to meet the swing of the human leg during small-step walking. In this way, the ankle joint support part 1 and the calf support part 2 can realize support and switching from sitting to half-squatting support, half-squatting support to standing, standing to half-squatting support, half-squatting support to sitting, and small-step walking.

[0040] The ankle joint support part 1 also includes an adjusting stud 108 and a foot strap 109; one end of the adjusting stud 108 is inserted into the front end of the slider 105, and the other end can contact the slider shaft support 104 located at the front end of the slider shaft 103; when the slider 105 slides to the front stop point, the other end of the adjusting stud 108 contacts the slider shaft support 104 located at the front end of the slider shaft 103, limiting the slider 105; the depth of the adjusting stud 108 inserted into the slider 105 is adjustable, which is used to adjust the forward tilt support angle of the exoskeleton calf. The greater the insertion depth of the adjusting stud 108, the greater the forward tilt support angle of the exoskeleton calf, and vice versa; the user can adjust the insertion depth of the adjusting stud 108 according to the different half-squat support amplitudes required under different working conditions.

[0041] The calf supporting part 2 also includes a semicircular calf supporting rod 204, one end of which is connected to the upper part of the calf main shaft 201, and the other end is provided with a calf strap; when the human calf bends forward, the front side of the human calf contacts the calf supporting rod 204, and the calf supporting rod 204 can provide supporting force for the human calf.

[0042] The thigh supporting part 3 includes a thigh rod 301, a connecting block 302 and a thigh supporting plate 303; the connecting block 302 is fixedly connected to the thigh rod 301, the thigh supporting plate 303 is installed on one side of the connecting block 302, and the human thigh is placed on the thigh supporting plate 303; a plurality of connecting holes are provided on the thigh rod 301, so that the connection position of the connecting block 302 and the thigh rod 301 can be adjusted according to the height of the user to ensure wearing comfort; the thigh supporting plate 303 is arc-shaped, which adapts to the curvature of the back of the human thigh. An extension portion 301-1 is provided on the outer side of the middle part of the thigh rod 301, and the push rod of the electric cylinder 203 is rotatably connected to the extension portion 301-1. The offset setting of the electric cylinder 203 is realized by the L-shaped fixing frame 202 and the extension portion 301-1 of the thigh rod; the calf upper main shaft 201, the L-shaped fixing frame 202, the electric cylinder 203, the extension portion 301-1 of the thigh rod 301, and the part of the thigh rod 301 located between the extension portion 301-1 and the connection point of the calf upper main shaft 202 constitute an offset swing guide rod mechanism to avoid the occurrence of dead points in the rod group mechanism during movement. Figure 6 This is a schematic diagram of the mechanism of the offset swing guide rod. The main shaft 201 on the calf and the L-shaped fixing frame 201 constitute the DG and GE rods, the thigh rod 301 and the extension part 301-1 constitute the DH and HF rods, and the electric cylinder 203 constitutes the FE rod. By optimizing the dimensions of the four rods DG, GE, DH, and HF, the transmission performance of the swing guide rod mechanism and the load-bearing capacity of the dynamic platform (thigh rod 301) can be optimized. While the exoskeleton thigh rod achieves efficient transmission, it can also ensure the optimal load-bearing capacity of the thigh, making the exoskeleton suitable for people with heavier weight.

[0043] The upper body support portion 4 includes a stepless adjustment mechanism and an upper body support structure; the upper ends of the thigh rods 301 of the left and right legs are respectively provided with stepless adjustment mechanisms, and the lock of the upper body support structure is released by the stepless adjustment mechanism. After the lock is released, the upper body of the human body acts on the upper body support structure, pushing the upper body support structure to achieve any angle of rotation, thereby achieving stepless adjustment of the upper body support structure;

[0044] The stepless adjustment mechanism includes a three-jaw chuck 401, a disc motor 402, a first brake disc 403, a second brake disc 404, a friction plate 405, a brake disc base plate 406, a tension spring 407, a cylindrical shell 408, a core shaft 409 and a swing rod 410; the cylindrical shell 408 is fixedly connected to the lower end of the swing rod 410, the brake disc base plate 406 is embedded in the groove of the cylindrical shell 408, and the cylindrical shell 408 can rotate relative to the brake disc base plate 406; one end of the core shaft 409 passes through the connecting seat 301-2 on the thigh rod 301 and is connected to the brake disc base plate 406 by a key; one end of the three-jaw chuck 401 is embedded in the cylindrical shell 408 406, and is fixedly connected to the cylindrical shell 408 in the radial direction by screws; the disc motor 402 is fixed in the three-jaw chuck 401, and the first brake disc 403 is fixed on the output shaft of the disc motor 402. An arc-shaped through groove 403-1 is respectively opened on both sides of the first brake disc 403, and one end of the arc-shaped through groove 403-1 is close to the center of the first brake disc 403, and the other end is away from the center of the first brake disc 403; the two second brake discs 404 are symmetrically mounted on both sides of the brake disc base plate 406 by pins, and the pins are located at the center of the second brake disc 404. Under the action of the first brake disc 403, each second brake disc 404 can rotate around its own center The second brake disc 404 is a quarter-circular ring structure, and one end of each second brake disc 404 is fixed with a guide post 404-1. The guide post 404-1 of each second brake disc 404 cooperates with the corresponding arc-shaped through groove 403-1 on the first brake disc 403, and each guide post 404-1 can slide back and forth in its own arc-shaped through groove 403-1. The rotation of the second brake disc 404 is achieved by the sliding of the guide post 404-1; the other end of the second brake disc 404 is fixedly connected to one end of the corresponding tension spring 407, and the other ends of the two tension springs 407 are fixedly connected to the brake disc bottom plate 406. The tension spring 40 7 is always in a stretched state; the outer side wall of each second brake disc 404 is covered with a friction plate 405. Under the action of the second brake disc 404, the friction plate 405 can contact or disengage with the inner wall of the cylindrical shell 408. When the friction plate 405 contacts the inner wall of the cylindrical shell 408, the cylindrical shell 408 cannot rotate relative to the brake disc base plate 406, thereby locking the cylindrical shell 408 and further locking the swing arm 410; when the friction plate 405 does not contact the inner wall of the cylindrical shell 408, the cylindrical shell 408 is unlocked and can rotate relative to the brake disc base plate 406, so that the swing arm 410 can rotate arbitrarily.

[0045] like Figure 9As shown, the upper body support structure includes an upper crossbeam 411, longitudinal straps 412 and transverse straps 413; the two ends of the upper crossbeam 411 are respectively fixedly connected to the upper ends of the swing rods 410 of the two stepless adjustment mechanisms, and each swing rod 410 is provided with a transverse strap 413, and the two ends of the transverse strap 413 are connected to the two longitudinal straps 412; the user's arms pass through the longitudinal straps 412, and the upper body support structure is worn on the user like a backpack, and the transverse straps 413 provide forward support for the user.

[0046] The friction plate 405 and the inner wall of the cylindrical shell 408 are both made of a high-friction-coefficient polymer ternary composite material. The polymer ternary composite material uses a polymer compound as a binder, inorganic or organic fibers as a reinforcing part, and fillers as a friction performance regulator or compounding agent. When a small pressure is applied, a large static friction force can be generated, thereby achieving the locking of the cylindrical shell 408.

[0047] The working principle and workflow of the present invention are:

[0048] The exoskeleton of the present invention is worn on a person, and angle sensors are installed at the knee and hip joints of the exoskeleton to detect the angles of the knee and hip joints during active movement of the human body. The controller determines the current posture or movement state of the human body through the changes in the angles of the knee and hip joints, and then drives the electric cylinder 203 to achieve follow-up movement. Taking the human body's movement from a sitting position to a half-squatting position, from a standing position to a half-squatting position, and from a half-squatting position to a sitting position as an example, the movement of the exoskeleton's left leg is explained. In the process from a sitting position to a half-squatting position, the human calf bends forward, and the human calf drives the lower calf main shaft 107 to rotate counterclockwise around the calf main shaft support 102. The lower calf main shaft 107 drives the connecting rod 106 to move, causing the slider 105 to slide toward the front end of the slider shaft 103. When the slider 105 contacts the slider shaft support 104 located at the front end of the slider shaft 103, it reaches the front dead point. At this time, the exoskeleton calf supports the human calf. During this process, the push rod of the electric cylinder 203 gradually extends, causing the thigh rod 301 to rotate counterclockwise around the calf upper main shaft 201, assisting the human body to move to a half-squatting position. When the human body stands upright, the slider 105 does not contact the two slider shaft supports 104 and is located between the front stop point and the rear stop point; when the human body supports itself from a standing position to a half-squatting position, the human calf bends forward, and the human calf drives the lower calf main shaft 107 to rotate counterclockwise around the calf main shaft support 102, and the lower calf main shaft 107 drives the connecting rod 106 to move, causing the slider 105 to slide toward the front end of the slider shaft 103. When the slider 105 contacts the slider shaft support 104 located at the front end of the slider shaft 103, it reaches the front stop point. At the same time, the push rod of the electric cylinder 203 gradually shortens, causing the thigh rod 301 to rotate clockwise around the calf upper main shaft 201, causing the human body to switch from a standing position to a half-squatting position. When a person moves from a semi-squatting position to a sitting position, their lower leg bends backward, driving the lower leg spindle 107 to rotate clockwise around the lower leg spindle support 102. This in turn drives the connecting rod 106, causing the slider 105 to slide toward the rear end of the slider shaft 103. When the slider 105 contacts the slider shaft support 104 located at the rear end of the slider shaft 103, it reaches the rear stop point. During this process, the push rod of the electric cylinder 203 gradually shortens, causing the thigh rod 301 to continue rotating clockwise around the upper leg spindle 201, shifting the person from a semi-squatting position to a sitting position. When the angle sensor detects a very small change in angle, it determines that the person needs support and locks the electric rod 203. When sitting, since the person cannot remain still, a pressure sensor is installed at the slider shaft support 104 located at the rear end of the slider shaft. The pressure change detected by the pressure sensor controls the electric cylinder 203 to achieve locking.

[0049] For the upper body support part 4, the cylindrical shell 408 is locked as the initial state of the stepless adjustment mechanism. At this time, the disc motor 402 is disconnected and enabled. The guide column 404-1 of the second brake disc 404 is located at the end of the arc-shaped through groove 403-1 away from the center of the first brake disc 403. The tension spring 407 has a minimum tension amount and is in a tensioned state. Under the tension of the tension spring 407, the second brake disc 404 is at the maximum rotation angle position, and the friction plate 405 and the inner of the cylindrical shell 408 are in a tensioned state. The cylindrical shell 408 is in contact with the wall, and due to the friction force, the cylindrical shell 408 cannot rotate relative to the brake disc base plate 406; when the angle sensor at the hip joint detects that the hip joint angle has changed, the controller feeds back to the disc motor 402, the disc motor 402 is turned on, and the disc motor 402 drives the first brake disc 403 to rotate, so that the guide post 404-1 of the second brake disc 404 slides in the arc groove 403-1 toward the end of the arc groove 403-1 close to the center of the first brake disc 403, so that the second brake disc The movable disc 404 rotates, and when the guide post 404-1 of the second brake disc 404 slides to the end of the arc-shaped slot 403-1 close to the center of the first brake disc 403, the tension spring 407 is further stretched, the friction plate 405 is out of contact with the inner wall of the cylindrical shell 408, and the cylindrical shell 408 is unlocked. The human body pushes the swing rod 410 to rotate to a suitable position through the back, realizing the adjustment of the upper body support structure and providing support for the current posture; when the hip joint angle no longer changes, it is considered that the human body needs support The controller controls the disc motor 402 to be disconnected and enabled. After the disc motor 402 is disconnected and enabled, it is equivalent to a free rotating pair, which can rotate arbitrarily under the action of external force. Therefore, the second brake disc 404 is reset under the action of the tension spring 407, so that the friction plate 405 contacts the inner wall of the cylindrical shell 408, thereby locking the cylindrical shell 408 and fixing the swing arm 410 at the current position; the swing arm 410 can be rotated arbitrarily and locked at any position through the stepless adjustment mechanism to provide support for the upper body of the human body.

[0050] Any matters not described in the present invention are applicable to the prior art.

Claims

1. A quasi-passive multi-posture auxiliary support exoskeleton, comprising an upper body support portion and left and right legs, each leg comprising an ankle support portion, a calf support portion, and a thigh support portion; characterized in that: in, The ankle joint support part includes the sole plate, the calf main shaft support, the slider shaft, the slider shaft support, the slider, the connecting rod and the calf lower main shaft; the calf support part includes the calf upper main shaft, the L-shaped fixing frame and the electric cylinder; The calf main shaft support is installed in the middle of the sole plate, and the lower end of the calf lower main shaft is rotatably connected to the calf main shaft support; the two ends of the slider shaft are respectively installed on the rear part of the sole plate through the slider shaft support, and the slider is slidably installed on the slider shaft; one end of the connecting rod is rotatably connected to the rear side of the calf lower main shaft, and the other end is rotatably connected to the slider; the lower end of the calf upper main shaft is connected to the calf lower main shaft; the upper end of the L-shaped fixing frame is connected to the middle part of the calf upper main shaft, the cylinder body of the electric cylinder is rotatably connected to the lower end of the L-shaped fixing frame, and the end of the push rod of the electric cylinder is rotatably connected to the middle part of the thigh rod of the thigh support part; The upper body support part includes a stepless adjustment mechanism and an upper body support structure, and the upper end of the thigh rod of the thigh support part is provided with a stepless adjustment mechanism to achieve stepless adjustment of the upper body support structure; The stepless adjustment mechanism includes a three-jaw chuck, a disc motor, a first brake disc, a second brake disc, a friction plate, a brake disc base plate, a tension spring, a cylindrical shell, a core shaft and a swing rod; the cylindrical shell is connected to the lower end of the swing rod, and the brake disc base plate is embedded in the cylindrical shell, and the cylindrical shell can rotate relative to the brake disc base plate; one end of the core shaft passes through the thigh rod of the thigh support part and is fixedly connected to the brake disc base plate; one end of the three-jaw chuck is embedded in the cylindrical shell, and the disc motor is fixed in the three-jaw chuck, and the first brake disc is mounted on the output shaft of the disc motor, and arc-shaped through grooves are respectively opened on both sides of the first brake disc, one end of the arc-shaped through groove is close to the center of the first brake disc, and the other end is away from the center of the first brake disc; the two second brake discs are symmetrically mounted on both sides of the brake disc base plate, Under the action of the first brake disc, the second brake disc can rotate around its own center; a guide post is provided at one end of the second brake disc, and the guide post of each second brake disc respectively cooperates with the corresponding arc-shaped through groove on the first brake disc, and the guide post can slide back and forth in the respective arc-shaped through groove, and the rotation of the second brake disc is realized by the sliding of the guide post; the other end of the second brake disc is fixedly connected to one end of the respective tension spring, and the other ends of the two tension springs are fixedly connected to the brake disc bottom plate, and the tension springs are always in a stretched state; the outer wall of each second brake disc is covered with a friction plate, and under the action of the second brake disc, the friction plate can contact or disengage with the inner wall of the cylindrical shell, and when in contact with the inner wall, the swing lever is locked; when disengaged from the inner wall, the swing lever is unlocked; The thigh support portion includes a thigh rod, a connecting block, and a thigh support plate; the connecting block is connected to the thigh rod, the thigh support plate is installed on one side of the connecting block, and the human thigh is placed on the thigh support plate; an extension portion is provided on the outer side of the middle portion of the thigh rod, and the push rod of the electric cylinder is rotatably connected to the extension portion; the calf upper main shaft, the L-shaped fixing frame, the electric cylinder, the extension portion of the thigh rod, and the portion of the thigh rod located between the extension portion and the connection point of the calf upper main shaft constitute an offset swing guide rod mechanism; The upper body support structure includes an upper crossbeam, longitudinal straps and transverse straps; the two ends of the upper crossbeam are respectively connected to the upper ends of the swing rods of the two stepless adjustment mechanisms, each swing rod is provided with a transverse strap, and the two ends of the transverse strap are connected to the two longitudinal straps; the user's arms pass through the longitudinal straps to wear the upper body support structure on the body.

2. The quasi-passive multi-posture auxiliary support exoskeleton according to claim 1, characterized in that: The ankle joint support portion further includes an adjustment stud; one end of the adjustment stud is inserted into the front end of the slider; when the slider slides to the front stop point, the other end of the adjustment stud contacts the slider shaft support located at the front end of the slider shaft, limiting the slider; the depth of the adjustment stud inserted into the slider is adjustable, and is used to adjust the forward tilt support angle of the exoskeleton calf. The greater the insertion depth of the adjustment stud, the greater the forward tilt support angle of the exoskeleton calf, and vice versa. The user adjusts the insertion depth of the stud according to the different half-squatting support ranges required under different working conditions.

3. The quasi-passive multi-posture auxiliary support exoskeleton according to claim 1, characterized in that: When the human body supports from a sitting position to a half-squatting position or from a standing position to a half-squatting position, the human body's lower leg bends forward, and the slider slides toward the front end of the slider shaft under the action of the connecting rod. When the slider contacts the slider shaft support located at the front end of the slider shaft, it reaches the front stop point. At this time, the exoskeleton lower leg supports the human body's lower leg, realizing the half-squatting position support of the human body; when the human body supports from a half-squatting position to a standing position or from a half-squatting position to a sitting position, the human body's lower leg bends backward, and the slider slides toward the rear end of the slider shaft; when the human body is standing, the slider does not contact the two slider shaft supports and is located between the front stop point and the rear stop point; when the human body is sitting, the slider contacts the slider shaft support located at the rear end of the slider shaft and is located at the rear The exoskeleton provides sitting support for the human body; when the human body wears the exoskeleton and walks with small steps, at the end of the double support phase of the gait cycle, the human foot gradually leaves the ground, the calf bends forward, and the slider slides toward the front end of the slider shaft, and then enters the swing phase. The angle between the human foot and the calf gradually increases, and the rotation of the lower main axis of the calf causes the slider to slide toward the rear end of the slider shaft. In the middle of the swing phase, the slider reaches the rear end point, at which time the human toes face the ground, and the swing range of the lower main axis of the calf is limited by the sliding of the slider; the exoskeleton can achieve support for multiple postures from sitting to half-squatting support, half-squatting support to standing, standing to half-squatting support, and half-squatting support to sitting.

4. The quasi-passive multi-posture auxiliary support exoskeleton according to claim 1, characterized in that: The friction plate and the inner wall of the cylindrical shell are both made of materials with high friction coefficient.

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