Passive-assisted lower extremity exoskeleton walking device and method based on load-carrying driving

Abstract

This invention discloses a passive assistive lower limb exoskeleton walking device and method based on a carrying load, comprising: an exoskeleton back support mechanism including a back plate, slide rail, back frame, waist plate, two side support tubes, and connecting rods; an exoskeleton hip joint mechanism including a guide tube, a first spring end, a second spring end, a spring, a roller connector, a roller, and a cam; an exoskeleton thigh mechanism including a first exoskeleton thigh rod, a second thigh rod, and thigh straps; an exoskeleton knee joint mechanism including a shaped rotating component, a knee joint rotation component, and a knee joint lower leg rod; an exoskeleton lower leg mechanism including an exoskeleton lower leg rod and lower leg straps; and an exoskeleton shoe cover mechanism. This invention combines the functions of a carrying exoskeleton and an assistive exoskeleton, utilizing the energy from the up-and-down fluctuations of the backpack load relative to the body's center of gravity during walking to convert it into energy to assist the thighs in walking, while reducing the energy consumed by the body during the impact of the backpack load, thus improving energy utilization efficiency.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to a passively assisted lower limb exoskeleton based on portable load-driven design, belonging to the field of passive lower limb exoskeletons. Background Technology

[0002] Human walking is not as simple and rigid as robotic walking. During walking, the body's muscles are constantly adjusting the movement of the skeleton to adapt to changes in the body's center of gravity. In the gait cycle, the body moves forward. From an energy demand perspective, the trajectory of the body's center of gravity in the sagittal plane should remain horizontal to reduce the impact of body weight on walking. However, in nature, only wheels whose center of gravity coincides with the axle can achieve this.

[0003] As bipedal beings, humans experience a noticeable vertical displacement of their center of gravity with each step in the sagittal plane. The center of gravity reaches its lowest point when the legs are wide apart and the body weight begins to shift from one foot to the other; it rises to its highest point when the supporting leg is nearly perpendicular to the ground. This vertical displacement is typically 4-5 cm, resulting in the body raising and lowering the center of gravity with each step. This inherent characteristic of human walking extends to carrying heavy objects, where the weight moves in tandem with the body's center of gravity. During prolonged walking, this up-and-down swaying of the weight on the back significantly depletes the body's metabolic energy, increasing fatigue. While the body's inherent center of gravity movement cannot be altered, the movement of the weight carried can be mitigated or eliminated through mechanisms, and even the energy fluctuations can be utilized to aid in walking. Summary of the Invention

[0004] This invention provides a passively assisted lower limb exoskeleton based on a portable load. The assist mechanism in the lower limb exoskeleton uses the compression of a cam pair and a spring to store and transfer the energy of the backpack load fluctuating up and down when the human walks, and converts it into the energy of the thigh swinging forward when the human walks, thus realizing energy interaction between the load and the human body.

[0005] This invention provides a passively assisted lower limb exoskeleton based on portable load drive, including a back plate, slide rail, back frame, waist plate, waist support, back plate fixing strip, hip joint energy storage device, first thigh bar, second thigh bar, thigh strap, knee joint bearing, first calf bar, second calf bar, calf strap, and foot plate; the hip joint energy storage device is located between the back frame and the first thigh bar.

[0006] The back panel and the waist panel are connected by the back panel fixing strip; the back frame and the back panel are connected by the slide rail; the back frame and the hip joint energy storage device are connected by the connecting rod; the side of the back frame is rotatably connected to the connecting rod by screws; the other end of the connecting rod is connected to the hip joint energy storage device by screws; the hip joint energy storage device is connected to the first thigh bar by screws; the first thigh bar is connected to the second calf bar by bolts and nuts; to accommodate different height differences, the relative distance between the first thigh bar and the second thigh bar can be adjusted by bolts and nuts; the thigh strap is fixedly connected to the second thigh bar; the second thigh bar and the first calf bar are connected by the knee joint axis. The system includes the following connections: the outer side of the knee joint bearing is connected to the second thigh rod via screws; the inner side of the knee joint bearing is connected to the first calf rod via screws; the second thigh rod and the first calf rod can rotate through the knee joint bearing to allow for normal flexion and extension movements of the human knee joint; the first calf rod and the second calf rod are connected via bolts and nuts; to accommodate differences in height among different individuals, the relative distance between the first calf rod and the second calf rod can be adjusted using bolts and nuts; the calf strap is fixedly connected to the second calf rod; the second calf rod is connected to the foot plate via bolts; the second calf rod and the foot plate can rotate relative to each other to allow for normal flexion and extension movements of the human ankle joint.

[0007] The hip joint energy storage device includes a conduit, a connecting rod spring end, a spring, a spring fixing end, a roller connector, a roller, and a cam. The conduit is connected to the lumbar support via a metal tube. The cam is fixedly connected to the first thigh rod. The connecting rod spring end is connected to the connecting rod via screws. The connecting rod can rotate around the center of the connecting rod spring end. The connecting rod spring end can slide inside the conduit. The spring contacts the connecting rod spring end inside the conduit. The other end of the spring is fitted onto the boss of the spring fixing end for positioning. The spring fixing end is fitted onto one end of the roller connector. The center of the roller is fixed to the other end of the roller connector, and the roller can rotate around the fixing end. The roller contacts the cam.

[0008] The back frame and the back plate can slide up and down. When sliding up and down, the back frame can compress the spring stored in the guide tube through the connecting rod. The spring applies pressure to the roller through the roller connector. The roller squeezes the cam, which provides a boosting effect.

[0009] The conduit is fitted with springs at the bottom of the back frame. When compressed by heavy objects such as backpacks, the springs act as dampers, reducing the vertical fluctuation of the back frame and lessening the impact of the backpack load on the human body, thereby reducing the body's energy consumption.

[0010] The first thigh bar, the second thigh bar, the first calf bar, the second calf bar, and the foot plate are connected in series and parallel to the outside of the person's legs. When a heavy load is placed on the back frame, the weight of the load is transferred from the back frame to the foot plate, and then the foot plate transfers the load to the ground, reducing the pressure on the body caused by the backpack load.

[0011] The beneficial effects of this invention are:

[0012] Based on the characteristic that the center of gravity of a backpack shifts vertically relative to the human body when the human body is carrying a backpack load, this invention designs a passive assistive lower limb exoskeleton driven by the carrying load. During human movement, through energy storage elements such as springs and cam mechanisms that convert linear motion into rotational motion, the fluctuation of the backpack load relative to the human body's center of gravity is reduced, thus reducing human energy consumption and converting some energy into energy that helps the thighs swing forward during walking, thereby improving energy utilization. Attached Figure Description

[0013] The accompanying drawings, which form part of this application, are used to provide a further understanding of this application. The illustrative embodiments of this application and their descriptions are used to explain this application and do not constitute a limitation thereof.

[0014] Figure 1 This is an exemplary embodiment of the wearable device of the present invention;

[0015] Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram of the overall structure of the present invention;

[0016] Figure 3 This is a schematic diagram of the back structure of the present invention;

[0017] Figure 4 This is a schematic diagram of the waist support mechanism of the exoskeleton of the present invention;

[0018] Figure 5 This is a schematic diagram of the exoskeleton hip joint mechanism of the present invention;

[0019] Figure 6 This is a schematic diagram of the exoskeleton thigh mechanism of the present invention;

[0020] Figure 7 This is a schematic diagram of the exoskeleton knee joint mechanism of the present invention;

[0021] Figure 8 This is a schematic diagram of the exoskeleton lower leg mechanism of the present invention;

[0022] Figure 9 This is a schematic diagram of the exoskeleton shoe cover mechanism of the present invention;

[0023] Figure 10This is a schematic diagram illustrating the load-driven assist principle of the exoskeleton of the present invention.

[0024] Figure 11 This is a schematic diagram of the load-bearing force transmission of the exoskeleton of the present invention. Detailed Implementation

[0025] This invention provides a passive assistive lower limb exoskeleton based on portable load-driven design, the structure of which is described in detail below.

[0026] like Figure 1 As shown, the passive lower limb exoskeleton device includes an exoskeleton back support mechanism 1, an exoskeleton waist support mechanism 2, an exoskeleton hip joint mechanism 3, an exoskeleton thigh mechanism 4, an exoskeleton knee joint structure 5, an exoskeleton lower leg mechanism 6, and an exoskeleton shoe cover mechanism 7.

[0027] The exoskeleton back support mechanism 1 includes a back plate 101. The entire back support mechanism is based on the back plate, and the shoulder strap is fixed to the front side of the back plate to facilitate the human body to carry the exoskeleton mechanism and load. The fixed end of the slide rail 102 is fixed to the rear side of the back plate, and the movable end of the slide rail is connected to the exoskeleton waist support mechanism.

[0028] The exoskeleton lumbar support mechanism 2 includes a lumbar plate 201. The entire lumbar support mechanism is based on the lumbar plate and connected to the exoskeleton hip joint mechanism through two side support tubes 204. The back frame 202 is connected to the moving end of the slide rail 103, allowing the back frame to slide relative to the back plate and transfer the weight carried by the human body to the lower limb exoskeleton. The entire lumbar support mechanism mainly serves to connect the human waist to the exoskeleton and bear the weight under load. The connecting rod 203 is fixed to both sides of the back frame and can rotate relative to the back frame. The other end of the connecting rod is connected to the exoskeleton hip joint mechanism.

[0029] The exoskeleton hip joint mechanism 3 includes a conduit 301, in which the spring end 1302, the spring 306, the spring end 2303, the roller connector 304, and the roller 305 are all built into the conduit. The cam 307 is located at the end of the conduit and can rotate around the conduit, aligning with the human hip joint to facilitate normal human movement. The spring end 1 is connected to the connecting rod, and the spring is placed between the spring end 1 and the spring end 2. The roller connector connects the spring end 2 to the roller, and the roller is connected to the exoskeleton thigh mechanism. The spring is an energy storage element. When the spring end 1 is pushed by the connecting rod, it compresses the spring to store energy and transfers the stored energy to the roller. The roller compresses the cam to form a force that helps the human thigh swing forward, assisting the human in walking.

[0030] The exoskeleton thigh mechanism 4, the exoskeleton thigh rod 401 is fixed to the cam in the exoskeleton hip joint mechanism, and the thigh strap 402 is fixed at a suitable position on the thigh rod. The exoskeleton thigh rod is strapped to the human body by adjusting the length of the straps, and the comfort of the strap is ensured.

[0031] The exoskeleton knee joint mechanism 5 has an upper end of the irregular rotating component 501 connected to the exoskeleton thigh rod. Both the exoskeleton thigh rod and the irregular rotating component have connecting grooves, which allows the length of the exoskeleton thigh mechanism to be adjusted to accommodate people of different heights. At the same time, it can also ensure that the rotation center of the exoskeleton knee joint mechanism coincides with the rotation center of the human knee joint. The irregular rotating component cooperates with the knee joint rotation component 502 and rotates with the exoskeleton thigh rod. The knee joint lower leg rod 503 is connected to the knee joint rotation component and can rotate around the knee joint rotation center.

[0032] The exoskeleton lower leg mechanism 6 has an exoskeleton lower leg rod 601 whose upper end is connected to the aforementioned knee joint lower leg rod. Both the exoskeleton lower leg rod and the knee joint lower leg rod have connecting grooves, allowing the length of the entire exoskeleton lower leg mechanism to be adjusted to accommodate people with different lower leg lengths. The lower leg strap 602 is fixed to the exoskeleton lower leg rod and secured to the lower leg of the human body via straps. Furthermore, considering that the side of the lower leg and the ankle joint are not in a straight line, the exoskeleton lower leg rod has a certain tilt angle, which helps the exoskeleton to better cooperate with the human body.

[0033] The exoskeleton shoe cover mechanism 7 has an upper shoe cover assembly 701 connected to the exoskeleton lower leg rod. The upper shoe cover assembly has guide grooves and ankle joint strap grooves on both sides. When wearing the exoskeleton, the upper shoe cover assembly is fixed to the heel and moves with the foot.

[0034] When a backpack or other heavy load is placed on the back frame 202 of the exoskeleton waist support mechanism 2, the back frame 202 slides on the slide rail 102. As the back frame 202 slides, it drives the upper end of the connecting rod 203 to move downwards. The lower end of the connecting rod 203 moves towards the cam 307 due to the limiting effect of the guide tube 301. The lower end of the connecting rod 203 is connected to the spring end 1302. Under the action of the connecting rod 203, the spring end 1302 slides along the inside of the guide tube and compresses its corresponding spring 306. After being pressed by the spring 306, the spring end 2303 pushes the roller 305 to compress the cam 307, causing the cam 307 to rotate, thus achieving a power assist effect. Figure 10 As shown.

Claims

1. A passive assistive lower limb exoskeleton walking device based on portable load-driven propulsion, characterized in that, It includes a backplate, slide rail, back frame, waist plate, lumbar support, backplate fixing strip, hip joint energy storage device, first thigh bar, second thigh bar, thigh strap, knee joint bearing, first calf bar, second calf bar, calf strap, and foot plate; the hip joint energy storage device is located between the back frame and the first thigh bar; The back panel and the waist panel are connected by the back panel fixing strip; the back frame and the back panel are connected by the slide rail; the back frame and the hip joint energy storage device are connected by a connecting rod; the side of the back frame is rotatably connected to one end of the connecting rod by screws; the other end of the connecting rod is connected to the hip joint energy storage device by screws; the hip joint energy storage device is connected to the first thigh bar by screws; the first thigh bar is connected to the second calf bar by bolts and nuts; the relative distance between the first thigh bar and the second thigh bar is adjusted by bolts and nuts to accommodate different body heights; the thigh strap is fixedly connected to the second thigh bar; the second thigh bar and the first calf bar are connected by the... The system includes a knee joint bearing connection; the outer side of the knee joint bearing is connected to the second thigh rod via screws; the inner side of the knee joint bearing is connected to the first calf rod via screws; the second thigh rod and the first calf rod rotate via the knee joint bearing to satisfy the flexion and extension movements of the human knee joint; the first calf rod and the second calf rod are connected via bolts and nuts; the relative distance between the first calf rod and the second calf rod is adjusted via bolts and nuts to accommodate different height differences in different individuals; the calf strap is fixedly connected to the second calf rod; the second calf rod is connected to the foot plate via bolts; the second calf rod and the foot plate rotate relative to each other to satisfy the normal flexion and extension movements of the human ankle joint; The hip joint energy storage device includes a conduit, a connecting rod spring end, a spring, a spring fixing end, a roller connector, a roller, and a cam. The conduit is connected to the lumbar support via a metal tube. The cam is fixedly connected to the first thigh rod. The connecting rod spring end is connected to the connecting rod via screws. The connecting rod rotates around the center of the connecting rod spring end. The connecting rod spring end slides within the conduit. The spring contacts the connecting rod spring end within the conduit. The other end of the spring is fitted onto a protrusion on the spring fixing end for positioning. The spring fixing end is fitted onto one end of the roller connector. The center of the roller is fixed to the other end of the roller connector, and the roller can rotate around the fixing end. The roller contacts the cam. The first thigh bar rotates around the hip joint rotation mechanism without restricting the flexion and extension of the thigh; the exoskeleton hip joint mechanism is aligned with the human hip joint and can rotate with the movement of the human body, serving to connect the waist and leg mechanisms of the exoskeleton. Both the first thigh rod and the irregular rotating component have connecting slots, which enable the length of the exoskeleton thigh mechanism to be adjustable, adapting to people of different heights to wear the exoskeleton, while also ensuring that the rotation center of the exoskeleton knee joint mechanism coincides with the rotation center of the human knee joint. The second thigh bar and the knee joint lower leg bar each have connecting grooves, allowing the length of the entire exoskeleton lower leg mechanism to be adjusted to accommodate people with different lower leg lengths; the second thigh bar has an inclined angle, which helps the exoskeleton to fit the human body.

2. The passive assistive lower limb exoskeleton walking device based on portable load drive according to claim 1, characterized in that: The back frame and the back plate can slide up and down. When sliding up and down, the back frame compresses the spring in the guide tube to store energy through the connecting rod. The spring applies pressure to the roller through the roller connector. The roller squeezes the cam to provide a boosting effect.

3. The passive assistive lower limb exoskeleton walking device based on portable load drive according to claim 2, characterized in that: The conduit is fitted with springs at the bottom of the back frame. When compressed by heavy objects, the springs act as dampers, reducing the vertical fluctuation of the back frame and lessening the impact of the backpack load on the human body and reducing energy consumption.

4. The passive assistive lower limb exoskeleton walking device based on portable load drive according to claim 1, characterized in that: The first thigh bar, the second thigh bar, the first calf bar, the second calf bar, and the foot plate are connected in series and in parallel to the outside of the person's legs. When a heavy load is placed on the back frame, the weight of the load is transferred from the back frame to the foot plate, and the foot plate transfers the load to the ground, reducing the pressure of the backpack load on the human body.

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