A knee joint load reduction device

Abstract

The present invention belongs to the field of exercise assistance devices, and particularly relates to a knee joint load reduction device, comprising: a thigh fixing part for attaching to the thigh; a calf fixing part rotatably cooperating with the thigh fixing part for attaching to the calf; a load reduction device including: a knee joint braking device and / or a knee joint boosting device; the knee joint braking device is disposed between the thigh fixing part and the calf fixing part and is assembled to be capable of restricting the relative rotation between the thigh fixing part and the calf fixing part; the knee joint boosting device is disposed between the thigh fixing part and the calf fixing part and is assembled to provide assistance for the relative rotation between the thigh fixing part and the calf fixing part; a sole fluid driving device configured to be capable of driving the load reduction device to act. The present invention does not require a power source, has a simple structure, and can complete the boosting effect on the knee joint through the change of its own center of gravity, and can be actively controlled to a large extent.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention belongs to the field of exercise assistance devices, and particularly relates to a knee joint load reduction device. Background Art

[0002] In daily life, sitting-standing transfer and walking are the most common movements and are also the prerequisites for carrying out other various activities. For the lower limb muscle strength and vestibular control ability, there will be a significant decline; when completing the standing-up movement, the angle changes of the knee joint and hip joint are relatively small, the forward inclination amplitude of the upper body in the initial stage of the standing-up movement is relatively small, and at the end of the standing-up stage, the lower limbs cannot be fully extended. Due to the characteristics of the joint angle change, the burden on the knee joint is increased. There are also certain requirements for lower limb strength when completing the process of standing to sitting. In addition, during walking, climbing stairs, etc., the lower limbs are weak and there will be a phenomenon of bending, thus causing falls. At present, for the above problems, some use exoskeleton robots to solve them, but due to the complex structure and large equipment volume of exoskeleton robots, they are generally applicable to people who have lost the ability to move their lower limbs; some use springs, etc. to reduce the burden on the knee joint, but during the leg flexion process, it will increase the force of knee joint bending. In addition, during the sitting-down process, the force of knee joint bending will be continuously increased, and after completion, the energy stored in the spring needs to be released; using spring assistance, the role of the spring is only related to the posture of the knee joint, which may have an adverse impact on gait; in addition, at present, most of the knee joint assistance uses the form of motor assistance to help the knee joint provide assistance according to a predetermined trajectory, and provide assistance with the same movement trend to the knee joint during the movement of the knee joint, so as to play the role of knee joint assistance. In terms of control, some devices control the movement of one leg by the movement of the other leg, and the movement of the other leg needs to be predicted. Summary of the Invention

[0003] In view of the above-mentioned disadvantages of the prior art, the purpose of the present invention is to provide a knee joint load reduction device, which can provide support force when the user stands or bends the knees to avoid the knee joint from bending.

[0004] To achieve the above object and other related objects, the present invention provides a knee joint load reduction device, including: a thigh fixing part for attaching to the thigh; a calf fixing part rotatably cooperating with the thigh fixing part for attaching to the calf; a load reduction device including: a knee joint braking device and / or a knee joint assisting device; the knee joint braking device is arranged between the thigh fixing part and the calf fixing part and is assembled to be able to limit the relative rotation between the thigh fixing part and the calf fixing part; the knee joint assisting device is arranged between the thigh fixing part and the calf fixing part and is assembled to provide assistance for the relative rotation between the thigh fixing part and the calf fixing part; a sole fluid driving device is arranged to be able to drive the load reduction device to act.

[0005] According to an embodiment of the present invention, the knee joint braking device includes: a braking member acting on the rotational connection between the thigh fixing part and the calf fixing part to limit the relative rotation between the thigh fixing part and the calf fixing part; a first fluid actuator connected to the braking member for converting pressure energy into energy for driving the braking member to limit the relative rotation between the thigh fixing part and the calf fixing part; and a first air pipe having one end connected to the first fluid actuator and the other end connected to the sole fluid driving device.

[0006] According to an embodiment of the present invention, the knee joint boosting device includes: a connecting rod having one end rotatably provided on the thigh fixing part or the calf fixing part; a second fluid actuator hinged to the other end of the connecting rod for converting pressure energy into work energy for driving the connecting rod to push the thigh fixing part or the calf fixing part to rotate relatively; and a second pipeline having one end connected to the second fluid actuator and the other end connected to the sole fluid driving device.

[0007] According to an embodiment of the present invention, the knee joint boosting device further includes: a limiting member fixedly provided on the calf fixing part; a third fluid actuator disposed between the thigh fixing part and the calf fixing part, the third fluid actuator moving along the limiting member, and the third fluid actuator being configured to convert pressure energy into work energy for pushing the calf fixing part to rotate relative to the thigh fixing part; a fixing member being configured to cooperate with the third fluid actuator to enable the calf fixing part to rotate relative to the thigh fixing part; and a third pipeline having one end connected to the third fluid actuator and the other end connected to the sole fluid driving device.

[0008] According to an embodiment of the present invention, a chute is provided on the thigh fixing part, and a limiting pin cooperating with the chute is provided on the connecting rod.

[0009] According to an embodiment of the present invention, straps are provided on both the thigh fixing part and the calf fixing part.

[0010] According to an embodiment of the present invention, the thigh fixing part includes a thigh mounting member and a thigh binding member; the thigh mounting member is connected to the thigh binding member through a flexible member or a ball joint; the calf fixing part includes a calf mounting member and a calf binding member; and the calf mounting member is connected to the calf binding member through a flexible member or a ball joint.

[0011] According to an embodiment of the present invention, the sole fluid driving device is provided on the sole of the same leg as the knee joint load-reducing device.

[0012] A method of using a knee joint load reduction device configured as a knee joint braking device, characterized by comprising: installing a thigh fixing part on the thigh, installing a calf fixing part on the calf, and arranging a sole fluid driving device at the sole; when one side of the sole is stressed, the sole fluid driving device drives the knee joint braking device, and the knee joint braking device restricts the rotation of the thigh fixing part relative to the calf fixing part, restricting the rotation of the knee joint, and finally making the knee joint in a straight or approximately straight state; at this time, the knee joint on the stressed side of the sole cannot rotate, and the knee joint on the non-stressed side of the sole can rotate freely; when both soles are stressed, the resistance of the knee joint braking device to the rotation of the thigh fixing part relative to the calf fixing part decreases, and at this time, both knee joints can rotate.

[0013] A method of using a knee joint load reduction device configured as a knee joint assisting device, characterized by comprising: a method of using a knee joint load reduction device configured as a knee joint assisting device, characterized by comprising: installing a thigh fixing part on the thigh, installing a calf fixing part on the calf, and arranging a sole fluid driving device at the sole; when one side of the sole is stressed, the sole fluid driving device drives the knee joint assisting device, and the knee joint assisting device pushes the thigh fixing part to rotate relative to the calf fixing part, making the knee joint tend to be in a straight state; at this time, the knee joint on the stressed side of the sole receives a power that makes it tend to be straight, and the knee joint on the non-stressed side of the sole can rotate freely; when both soles are stressed and in a normal standing posture, the power provided by the knee joint assisting device to make the thigh fixing part rotate relative to the calf fixing part and tend to be straight decreases, and at this time, both knee joints can rotate.

[0014] The technical effect of the present invention is that when the plantar fluid driving device, the knee joint braking device and / or the knee joint assisting device are used in combination, when the user is walking and the center of gravity shifts to one leg, that leg serves as the supporting leg, and the pressure on the plantar fluid driving device continuously increases. The knee joint assisting device acts on the knee joint, making the lower limb tend to be in a vertical state and giving a certain assisting effect to the knee joint; when the plantar pressure weakens and the acting force on the knee joint weakens until it disappears, the knee joint can move freely; during the process of changing from a standing state to a sitting state, the plantar fluid driving device compresses, driving the knee joint braking device and the knee joint assisting device to give a certain inhibitory effect on the bending of the user's knee joint; it increases the stability during the movement process. During the movement process from a sitting state to a standing state, it can give a certain assisting effect to the user's lower limb, reduce the joint moment at the knee joint, and help the user complete standing. In addition, the knee joint braking device and / or the knee joint assisting device are driven by the plantar fluid driving device arranged on the same side of the sole, without the need to predict the movement of the other leg, which is safe and reliable and has simple control. At the same time, the present invention does not require a power source input, has a simple structure, and completes the assisting effect on the knee joint through its own center of gravity change, and the user can actively control to a large extent. The action mechanisms of the plantar fluid driving and the spring are different. Its action is directly related to the situation of the plantar bearing pressure. It can play a better role when the leg is in the stance phase and has less restriction on the swinging leg. Under certain circumstances, it can better meet the needs of the knee joint. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0015] Figure 1 is a perspective view of a specific embodiment of the knee joint load-reducing device provided by the present invention;

[0016] Figure 2 is another perspective view of a specific embodiment of the knee joint load-reducing device provided by the present invention;

[0017] Figure 3 is a plan view of a specific embodiment of the knee joint load-reducing device provided by the present invention;

[0018] Figure 4 is a perspective view of another specific embodiment of the knee joint load-reducing device provided by the present invention;

[0019] Figure 5 is a perspective view of a specific embodiment of the load-reducing device of the knee joint load-reducing device provided by the present invention;

[0020] Figure 6 is a perspective view of still another specific embodiment of the knee joint load-reducing device provided by the present invention;

[0021] Figure 7 is a plan view of a specific embodiment of the knee joint assisting device of the knee joint load-reducing device provided by the present invention. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE EMBODIMENTS

[0022] The following specific examples illustrate the implementation manners of the present invention. Those skilled in the art can easily understand other advantages and effects of the present invention from the content disclosed in this specification. The present invention can also be implemented or applied through other different specific implementation manners. Various details in this specification can also be modified or changed based on different viewpoints and applications without departing from the spirit of the present invention. It should be noted that, without conflict, the following embodiments and the features in the embodiments can be combined with each other.

[0023] It should be noted that the diagrams provided in the following embodiments only illustrate the basic concept of the present invention in a schematic manner. Therefore, only the components related to the present invention are shown in the diagrams, rather than being drawn according to the number, shape, and size of the components in actual implementation. The types, quantities, and ratios of the components in actual implementation can be arbitrarily changed, and the component layout type may also be more complex.

[0024] Please refer to Figure 1-7 As shown, this embodiment also provides a knee joint load reduction device adapted to the above control method, including: a thigh fixing part 10 for fixing on the human thigh; a calf fixing part 20 rotatably and cooperatively connected to the thigh fixing part 10 for fixing on the human calf; a load reduction device 30 is provided between the thigh fixing part 10 and the calf fixing part 20 to provide assistance to the knee joint; wherein, the rotation axis of the thigh fixing part 10 and the calf fixing part 20 coincides with or is close to the rotation axis of the knee joint. The load reduction device 30 includes a knee joint braking device 31 and / or a knee joint assisting device 32. The knee joint braking device 31 is disposed at the rotation center of the thigh fixing part 10 and the calf fixing part 20 and is assembled to be able to limit the relative rotation of the thigh fixing part 10 and the calf fixing part 20; the knee joint assisting device 32 is disposed at the rotation center of the thigh fixing part 10 and the calf fixing part 20 and is assembled to provide assistance to the relative rotation of the thigh fixing part 10 and the calf fixing part 20. A sole fluid driving device 40 is configured to be able to drive the knee joint braking device 31 and the knee joint assisting device 32 to act.

[0025] Wherein, the knee joint braking device 31 includes: a braking member 311 acting on the rotation connection of the thigh fixing part 10 and the calf fixing part 20 to limit the relative rotation of the thigh fixing part 10 and the calf fixing part 20; a first fluid actuator 312 fixedly connected to the braking member 311 for converting pressure energy into energy for driving the braking member 311 to limit the relative rotation of the thigh fixing part 10 and the calf fixing part 20; a first air pipe 313, one end of which is connected to the first fluid actuator 312 and the other end is connected to the sole fluid driving device 40.

[0026] Among them, the knee joint assistance device 32 includes: a connecting rod 321, one end of which is rotatably arranged on the thigh fixing part 10 or the calf fixing part 20; a second fluid actuator 322, hinged to the other end of the connecting rod 321, and used to convert the work of pressure energy into the energy for driving the connecting rod 321 to push the thigh fixing part 10 or the calf fixing part 20 to rotate relatively; a second pipeline 323, one end of which is connected to the second fluid actuator 322, and the other end of which is connected to the sole fluid driving device 40.

[0027] Among them, the knee joint assistance device 32 further includes: a limiting member 321′, arranged in an arc structure and fixedly arranged on the calf fixing part 20 parallel to the rotation direction of the calf fixing part 20 relative to the thigh fixing part 10; a third fluid actuator 322′, arranged between the thigh fixing part 10 and the calf fixing part 20, the third fluid actuator 322′ moves along the track of the limiting member 321′, and the third fluid actuator 322′ is assembled to be able to convert the work of pressure energy into the energy for pushing the calf fixing part to rotate relative to the thigh fixing part; a fixing member 323′, arranged as a rotating rod, fixedly connected to the third fluid actuator 322′, one end of the rotating rod is fixedly arranged on the thigh fixing part 10, and the other end is rotatably arranged at the rotation center of the calf fixing part 20 and the thigh fixing part 10. When the third fluid actuator 322′ relatively pushes the rotating rod along the track of the limiting member 321′, since the limiting member 321′ is fixed on the calf fixing part 20, the calf fixing part 20 rotates relative to the thigh fixing part 10; a third pipeline 324′, one end of which is connected to the third fluid actuator 322′, and the other end of which is connected to the sole fluid driving device 40; a limiting pin 325′ is arranged on the limiting member 321′ to limit the movement range of the third fluid actuator 322′.

[0028] In a specific embodiment, the knee joint load reduction device 30 is a knee joint braking device 31 or a knee joint assistance device 32, the sole fluid driving device 40 is correspondingly arranged as a whole sole fluid driving part, and the sole fluid driving part is connected to the first fluid actuator or the second fluid actuator. When a single leg supports, the first fluid actuator 312 or the second fluid actuator 322 on the side of the supporting leg is driven by the sole airbag to drive it to limit / push the thigh fixing part 10 to rotate relative to the calf fixing part 20; when both legs support, the compression force of the sole airbag will decrease, and the limiting force / pushing force of the first fluid actuator 312 or the second fluid actuator 322 on the rotation of the thigh fixing part 10 relative to the calf fixing part 20 decreases. The simplified knee joint load reduction device can give the user the effect of assisting in walking and reducing the load.

[0029] In a specific embodiment, the knee joint load-reducing device 30 includes a knee joint braking device 31 and a knee joint boosting device 32. The sole fluid driving device is correspondingly configured as a forefoot fluid driving part 41 and a hindfoot fluid driving part 42. The forefoot fluid driving part 41 is connected to the knee joint boosting device 32; the hindfoot fluid driving part 42 is connected to the knee joint braking device 31. By driving the first fluid actuator 312 through the hindfoot fluid driving part 42, it is driven to push the braking member 311 to limit the rotation of the thigh fixing part 10 relative to the calf fixing part 20, giving a resistance to rotation. When the user stands up and sits down, the center of gravity of the human body focuses on the hindfoot, which can play a certain inhibitory role in the bending of the knee joint, reduce the knee joint moment, increase the stability from standing to sitting, and avoid suddenly sitting down due to the knee giving way, thus causing injury and reducing the occurrence of accidents during the process. By driving the second fluid actuator 322 through the forefoot fluid driving part 41, it is driven to push the connecting rod 321 to further push the thigh fixing part 10 or the calf fixing part 20, giving a driving force to rotation. When the user sits down and stands up, the center of gravity of the human body focuses on the forefoot, which can push the knee joint to straighten, reduce the knee joint moment, and thus help the user complete the action from sitting to standing.

[0030] Meanwhile, when the user supports with both legs, the compression forces of the forefoot fluid driving part and the hindfoot fluid driving part will decrease, and the limiting force / driving force of the first fluid actuator 312 and the second fluid actuator 322 on the rotation of the thigh fixing part 10 relative to the calf fixing part 20 decreases. At this time, the knee joint can bend.

[0031] In a specific embodiment, the sole fluid driving device is set according to the weight of the user. When set to support with one leg, it can drive the knee joint load-reducing device to act. When supporting with both legs, the acting force of the knee joint load-reducing device decreases without affecting the rotation of the knee joint.

[0032] In a specific embodiment, a chute is provided on the thigh fixing part 10, and a limit pin is provided on the connecting rod 321 that cooperates with the chute to limit the range of movement of the connecting rod 321 in the length direction, thereby adjusting the angle of rotation of the connecting rod 321 to push the thigh fixing part 10 relative to the calf fixing part 20, and avoiding excessive rotation amplitude caused by accidental conditions, which may cause injury to the user.

[0033] In a specific embodiment, both the thigh fixing part 10 and the calf fixing part 20 are provided with hole grooves for the straps to pass through, and the straps are inserted through the hole grooves. The user can fix the device on the leg through the straps. At the same time, the thigh fixing part and the calf fixing part are also wrapped with a flexible skin-friendly material, such as latex or silica gel, to avoid an abnormal contact feeling on the user's body. The sole airbag is also provided with a friction-resistant material isolation to increase the service life of the device and avoid frictional damage to the airbag.

[0034] Among them, the calf fixing part includes a calf mounting part and a calf binding part; the calf mounting part is connected to the calf binding part through a flexible part or a ball joint; the thigh fixing part includes a thigh mounting part and a thigh binding part; the thigh mounting part is connected to the thigh binding part through a flexible part or a ball joint.

[0035] Embodiment 2

[0036] This embodiment also provides a usage method of the knee joint load-reducing device including any one of the above, and the ipsilateral load-reducing device is driven by the sole fluid driving device according to the change of the center of gravity position of the human body during walking and standing, so as to achieve the effect of reducing the load on the ipsilateral knee joint, as follows:

[0037] A usage method of a knee joint load-reducing device in which a load-reducing device is set as a knee joint braking device includes: installing the thigh fixing part on the outer side of the thigh, installing the calf fixing part on the outer side of the calf, and setting the sole fluid driving device at the sole; when one side of the sole is stressed, the sole fluid driving device drives the knee joint braking device, and the knee joint braking device restricts the relative rotation of the thigh fixing part with respect to the calf fixing part, so that the knee joint maintains a certain posture; at this time, the knee joint on the stressed side of the sole cannot rotate, and the knee joint on the non-stressed side of the sole can rotate freely; when both sides of the sole are stressed, the resistance of the knee joint braking device to the relative rotation of the thigh fixing part with respect to the calf fixing part decreases, and at this time, both knee joints can rotate.

[0038] In a specific embodiment, the sole fluid driving device drives the knee joint braking device according to the change of the human body weight position. When the center of gravity of the human body transfers to a single foot, the pressure of the ipsilateral sole fluid driving device reaches the threshold value, drives the knee joint braking device, and restricts the movement of the knee joint. When the center of gravity position of the human body transfers to the other foot, the pressure received by the sole fluid driving device on the restricted side of the knee joint gradually decreases, the driving force on the knee joint braking device on the restricted side gradually decreases, and the restrictive effect on the knee joint gradually weakens until the knee joint on this side resumes free movement.

[0039] A method of using a knee joint load-reducing device configured as a knee joint assisting device, comprising: mounting a thigh fixing part on the thigh, mounting a calf fixing part on the calf, and arranging a sole fluid driving device at the sole; when one side of the sole is stressed, the sole fluid driving device drives the knee joint assisting device, and the knee joint assisting device pushes the thigh fixing part to rotate relative to the calf fixing part, so that the knee joint tends to be in a straightened state; at this time, the knee joint on the stressed side of the sole receives a power to make it tend to be straightened, and the knee joint on the non-stressed side of the sole can rotate freely; when both soles are stressed and in a normal standing posture, the power provided by the knee joint assisting device to make the thigh fixing part rotate relative to the calf fixing part and tend to be straightened decreases, and at this time, both knee joints can rotate.

[0040] In a specific embodiment, the sole fluid driving device drives the knee joint assisting device according to the change of the human body weight position. When the human body center of gravity shifts to a single foot, the pressure of the ipsilateral sole fluid driving device gradually increases, driving the knee joint assisting device, so that the knee joint tends to be in a straightened state. During the process of the human body center of gravity shifting to the other foot, the pressure received by the sole fluid driving device of the knee joint assisting and straightening side gradually decreases, the driving force on the knee joint assisting device on this side gradually decreases, and the straightening effect on the knee joint gradually weakens until the knee joint on this side resumes free movement.

[0041] A method of using a knee joint load-reducing device including a knee joint braking device and a knee joint assisting device, comprising: mounting a thigh fixing part on the thigh, mounting a calf fixing part on the calf, and arranging a sole fluid driving device at the sole; when the front sole is stressed, the sole fluid driving device drives the knee joint assisting device to provide assistance for straightening the knee joint; when the rear sole is stressed, the sole fluid driving device drives the knee joint braking device to provide assistance for maintaining the state of the knee joint; when both the front sole and the rear sole are stressed and it is a single-leg support, the sole fluid driving device drives the knee joint assisting device and the knee joint braking device to act simultaneously, and the knee joint movement is restricted and tends to be in a straightened state. When it is a double-leg support, the acting forces of the knee joint assisting device and the knee joint braking device decrease, and the knee joint can bend; when neither the front sole nor the rear sole is stressed, the knee joint can rotate freely.

[0042] In a specific embodiment, the plantar fluid driving device is divided into a forefoot region and a hindfoot region; according to the gait walking process: in the early stance phase, the heel touches the ground at this time, and the center of gravity of the human body transfers to the heel position. The pressure on the hindfoot region gradually increases, and the braking effect of the knee joint braking device also gradually increases, restricting the knee joint posture; in the initial and middle stance phases, the heel touching the ground gradually transitions to the whole foot touching the ground at this time, and the center of gravity of the human body transfers to the whole foot. At this time, the pressure on the hindfoot region gradually decreases, and the braking effect of the knee joint braking device weakens. At this time, the pressure on the forefoot region gradually increases, and the assisting effect of the knee joint assisting device increases, driving the knee joint to tend to a straight state; when the center of gravity of the human body completely transfers to a single whole foot, the knee joint assisting device and the knee joint braking device act simultaneously, driving the supporting side to tend to a straight state; in the late stance phase, at this time, the center of gravity of the human body transfers to the other foot. At this time, the heel of the supporting side leaves the ground and the heel touches the ground. At this time, the pressure on the forefoot region gradually increases, making the knee joint tend to or remain in a straight state.

[0043] In summary, the technical effect of the present invention is that when the plantar fluid driving device, the knee joint braking device and / or the knee joint assisting device are used in combination, when the user is walking and the center of gravity transfers to one leg, this leg serves as the supporting leg, and the pressure on the plantar fluid driving device continuously increases. The knee joint assisting device acts on the knee joint, making the lower limb tend to be in a vertical state and giving a certain assisting effect to the knee joint; when the plantar pressure weakens, the acting force on the knee joint weakens until it disappears, and the knee joint can move freely; in the process of changing from the standing state to the sitting state, the plantar fluid driving device compresses, driving the knee joint braking device and the knee joint assisting device to give a certain inhibitory effect on the bending of the user's knee joint; increasing the stability during the movement process, and in the movement process from the sitting state to the standing state, a certain assisting effect can be given to the user's lower limb, reducing the joint moment at the knee joint and helping the user to complete standing. In addition, the knee joint braking device and / or the knee joint assisting device are driven by the plantar fluid driving device arranged on the same side of the sole, without the need to predict the movement of the other leg, which is safe and reliable and has simple control. At the same time, the present invention does not require a power source input, has a simple structure, and completes the assisting effect on the knee joint through its own center of gravity change. The user can actively control to a large extent. The action mechanism of the plantar fluid driving and the spring is different, and its action is directly related to the plantar pressure-bearing situation. It can play a better role when the leg is in the support phase and has less restriction on the swinging leg. Under certain circumstances, it can better meet the needs of the knee joint.

[0044] The above embodiments are only illustrative of the principles and effects of the present invention, and are not intended to limit the present invention. Any person familiar with this technology can modify or change the above embodiments without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention. Therefore, all equivalent modifications or changes made by those with ordinary knowledge in the technical field without departing from the spirit and technical ideas disclosed by the present invention should still be covered by the claims of the present invention.

[0045] In the description herein, numerous specific details are provided, such as examples of components and / or methods, to provide a complete understanding of embodiments of the present invention. However, those skilled in the art will recognize that embodiments of the present invention may be practiced without one or more of the specific details or with other devices, systems, components, methods, parts, materials, elements, etc. In other instances, well-known structures, materials, or operations are not specifically shown or described in detail to avoid obscuring aspects of embodiments of the present invention.

[0046] Throughout the specification, reference to "an embodiment", "embodiment" or "specific embodiment" means that a particular feature, structure, or characteristic described in connection with the embodiment is included in at least one embodiment of the present invention and not necessarily in all embodiments. Thus, appearances of the phrases "in an embodiment", "in embodiments" or "in a specific embodiment" in various places throughout the specification are not necessarily referring to the same embodiment. Additionally, the particular features, structures, or characteristics of any specific embodiment of the present invention may be combined in any suitable manner with one or more other embodiments. It should be understood that other variations and modifications of the embodiments of the invention described and shown herein may be made in accordance with the teachings herein and will be considered part of the spirit and scope of the present invention.

[0047] It should also be understood that one or more of the elements shown in the drawings may also be implemented in a more separated or more integrated manner, or even removed in some cases because they are inoperable or provided because they may be useful for a particular application.

[0048] In addition, unless otherwise explicitly specified, any marked arrows in the drawings should be considered merely exemplary and not limiting. Further, unless otherwise indicated, the term "or" as used herein generally intends to mean "and / or". Where the term is anticipated to be unclear due to the ability to provide separation or combination, the combination of components or steps will also be considered to be specified.

[0049] As used in the description herein and throughout the claims below, unless otherwise indicated, "a", "an", and "the" include plural references. Also, as used in the description herein and throughout the claims below, unless otherwise indicated, the meaning of "in" includes "in" and "on".

[0050] The foregoing description of the embodiments shown in the present invention (including that set forth in the Abstract of the Disclosure) is not intended to be exhaustive or to limit the invention to the precise forms disclosed herein. While specific embodiments of the invention and examples of the invention have been described herein for illustrative purposes only, various equivalent modifications will be apparent to and can be made by those skilled in the art within the spirit and scope of the invention. As noted, these modifications can be made to the invention in accordance with the foregoing description of the embodiments of the invention and these modifications will be within the spirit and scope of the invention.

[0051] The systems and methods have been described generally herein to facilitate an understanding of the details of the invention. In addition, various specific details have been given to provide a general understanding of embodiments of the invention. However, one of ordinary skill in the relevant art will recognize that the embodiments of the invention can be practiced without one or more of the specific details, or with other devices, systems, components, methods, materials, parts, etc. In other instances, well-known structures, materials, and / or operations have not been shown or described in detail to avoid obscuring aspects of the embodiments of the invention.

[0052] Accordingly, while the invention has been described herein with reference to its specific embodiments, modifications, various changes and substitutions are also covered within the foregoing disclosure, and it should be understood that in some instances, some features of the invention may be employed without a corresponding use of other features without departing from the scope and spirit of the claimed invention. Accordingly, many modifications may be made to adapt a particular situation or material to the essential scope and spirit of the invention. The invention is not intended to be limited to the specific terms and / or the specific embodiments disclosed as the best mode contemplated for carrying out the invention, but the invention will include any and all embodiments and equivalents falling within the scope of the appended claims. Accordingly, the scope of the invention will be determined only by the appended claims.

Claims

1. A knee joint load reduction device, characterized in that, Comprising: A thigh fixing part for attaching to the thigh; A calf fixing part rotatably cooperating with the thigh fixing part for attaching to the calf; A load-reducing device including: a knee joint braking device and / or a knee joint boosting device; The knee joint braking device is arranged between the thigh fixing part and the calf fixing part and is assembled to be capable of restricting the relative rotation between the thigh fixing part and the calf fixing part; The knee joint boosting device is arranged between the thigh fixing part and the calf fixing part and is assembled to provide assistance for the relative rotation between the thigh fixing part and the calf fixing part; A sole fluid driving device configured to be capable of driving the load-reducing device to act.

2. The knee joint load reduction device according to claim 1, characterized in that The knee joint braking device includes: A braking member acting on the rotational connection between the thigh fixing part and the calf fixing part to restrict the relative rotation between the thigh fixing part and the calf fixing part; A first fluid actuator connected to the braking member for converting pressure energy into energy for driving the braking member to restrict the relative rotation between the thigh fixing part and the calf fixing part; A first pipeline, one end of which is connected to the first fluid actuator and the other end of which is connected to the sole fluid driving device.

3. The knee joint load reduction device according to claim 1, wherein, The knee joint boosting device includes: A connecting rod, one end of which is rotatably arranged on the thigh fixing part or the calf fixing part; A second fluid actuator hinged to the other end of the connecting rod for converting the work done by pressure energy into energy for driving the connecting rod to push the thigh fixing part or the calf fixing part to rotate relatively; A second pipeline, one end of which is connected to the second fluid actuator and the other end of which is connected to the sole fluid driving device.

4. The knee joint load reduction device according to claim 1, wherein, The knee joint boosting device further includes: A limiting member fixedly arranged on the calf fixing part; A third fluid actuator arranged between the thigh fixing part and the calf fixing part, the third fluid actuator moving along the limiting member, and the third fluid actuator being assembled to be capable of converting the work done by pressure energy into energy for pushing the calf fixing part to rotate relative to the thigh fixing part; A fixing member assembled to cooperate with the third fluid actuator to enable the calf fixing part to rotate relative to the thigh fixing part; A third pipeline, one end of which is connected to the third fluid actuator and the other end of which is connected to the sole fluid driving device.

5. The knee joint load reduction device according to claim 3, wherein, A chute is provided on the thigh fixing part, and a limiting pin cooperating with the chute is provided on the connecting rod.

6. The knee joint load reduction device according to claim 1, wherein, Straps are provided on both the thigh fixing part and the calf fixing part.

7. The knee joint load reduction device according to claim 1, wherein The thigh fixing part includes a thigh mounting member and a thigh binding member; the thigh mounting member is connected to the thigh binding member through a flexible member or a ball joint; the calf fixing part includes a calf mounting member and a calf binding member; the calf mounting member is connected to the calf binding member through a flexible member or a ball joint.

8. The knee joint load reduction device according to claim 1, characterized in that According to the knee joint load-reducing device of claim 1, characterized in that the sole fluid driving device is arranged on the sole of the same leg as the knee joint load-reducing device.

9. A method of using a knee joint load reduction device, which is set as a knee joint braking device, is characterized in that, Comprising: Mount the thigh fixing part on the thigh, mount the calf fixing part on the calf, and set the plantar fluid driving device at the plantar; when one side of the sole is stressed, the plantar fluid driving device drives the knee joint braking device, and the knee joint braking device restricts the rotation of the thigh fixing part relative to the calf fixing part, restricting the movement of the knee joint. At this time, the knee joint on the stressed side of the sole is restricted in movement, and the knee joint on the non-stressed side of the sole can rotate freely; when both soles are stressed and in a normal standing posture, the resistance of the knee joint braking device to the rotation of the thigh fixing part relative to the calf fixing part decreases or the knee joint braking device has no resistance to the rotation of the thigh fixing part relative to the calf fixing part. At this time, both knee joints can rotate.

10. A method of using a knee joint load reduction device that is set as a knee joint assistance device, characterized in that, Comprising: Mount the thigh fixing part on the thigh, mount the calf fixing part on the calf, and set the plantar fluid driving device at the plantar; when one side of the sole is stressed, the plantar fluid driving device drives the knee joint assisting device, and the knee joint assisting device pushes the thigh fixing part to rotate relative to the calf fixing part, making the knee joint tend to be in a straightened state; at this time, the knee joint on the stressed side of the sole receives the power to tend to be straightened, and the knee joint on the non-stressed side of the sole can rotate freely; when both soles are stressed and in a normal standing posture, the power provided by the knee joint assisting device to the rotation of the thigh fixing part relative to the calf fixing part to tend to be straightened decreases. At this time, both knee joints can rotate.

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