A knee joint injury protection exoskeleton device based on gait regularity intermittent support

Abstract

The application discloses a knee joint injury protection exoskeleton device based on gait rule intermittent support, which supports the impact on the knee joint on the exoskeleton in parallel with the outside of the knee joint and transmits the impact to the lower leg, reduces the internal force of the knee joint and plays a role in preventing and treating chronic knee joint diseases. The knee joint injury protection exoskeleton device based on gait rule intermittent support adopts a parallel force distribution mode to reduce the impact on the knee joint during the support period, reduce the internal force acting on the knee joint and reduce the damage to the knee joint. An intermittent mechanism is adopted to form a force transmission chain during the support period and to disengage the force transmission chain during the swing period. In this way, the swing period does not affect the human body movement, the force transmission reduces the internal force of the knee joint during the support period and the function of protecting the knee joint is realized. The force transmission chain is disengaged during the swing period, and no force acts on the knee joint. In this way, the swing period does not affect the normal movement of the human body.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the field of exoskeleton technology, and in particular to an exoskeleton device for knee joint injury protection based on gait pattern intermittent support. Background Technology

[0002] As the primary joint bearing the impact of bodily movement, the knee joint has the highest incidence of diseases among all joints in the human body. Besides acute knee joint diseases such as ligament injuries, patellar fractures, and meniscus injuries, the incidence of chronic knee joint diseases, such as knee osteoarthritis and knee bursitis, is also gradually increasing. According to surveys, the incidence of knee osteoarthritis in my country is 8.3%, with an incidence rate of 80% among people over 65 years of age. Chronic knee joint diseases cause swelling and pain in the knee joint during activity, and symptoms worsen with excessive exercise and in cold, damp weather, severely impacting patients' normal lives.

[0003] The onset of chronic knee joint disease is related to prolonged and excessive stress on the knee joint. Using external devices to reduce the stress on the knee joint can not only play an important role in preventing chronic knee joint disease, but also play a role in rehabilitation during surgery and drug treatment. Summary of the Invention

[0004] The purpose of this invention is to provide a knee joint injury protection exoskeleton device based on gait pattern intermittent support. This device distributes the impact on the knee joint to the lower leg via an exoskeleton connected in parallel to the lateral side of the knee joint, reducing internal forces within the knee joint and thus preventing chronic knee joint diseases. According to the laws of human movement, the knee joint only experiences impact from the body's own weight during the support phase, and not during the swing phase. Therefore, to achieve the requirement that the exoskeleton provides protection during the support phase while not affecting human movement during the swing phase, this invention proposes an intermittent mechanism that provides support based on gait patterns. This invention achieves this through the following technical solution:

[0005] This invention provides a knee joint injury protection exoskeleton device based on gait pattern intermittent support, comprising, from top to bottom:

[0006] A thigh binding mechanism is used to connect the invention to the human thigh, ensuring that the invention can function stably and reliably.

[0007] The knee joint injury protection device is installed on the thigh binding mechanism and connected in parallel to the outside of the knee joint. It plays a role in transmitting impact, thereby reducing the force on the knee joint and protecting it.

[0008] The calf binding mechanism is used to connect the invention to the human calf, ensuring that the invention can function stably and reliably.

[0009] As a further technical solution, the knee joint injury protection device includes a thigh connecting plate, a load-bearing spring, a locking hook, a middle slider, a lower slider, a crank, a cam, a lower leg connecting plate, a connecting rod, a locking hook release rod, a locking spring, and a slider and a slide rail. The thigh connecting plate 3-1, the middle slider 3-4, and the lower slider 3-5 are connected to the slider 3-12 by bolts. The slider 3-12 is fixed to the outer shell of the knee joint injury protection device via the slide rail 3-13. The outer diameter of the load-bearing spring 3-2 is inserted into a hole on the lower side of the thigh connecting plate 3-1, and its inner diameter is installed on the boss of the middle slider 3-4. The load-bearing spring 3-2 is fixed between the thigh connecting plate 3-1 and the middle slider 3-4, and is compressed by the thigh connecting plate 3-1 and the middle slider 3-4. The crank 3-6 and the cam 3-7 are fixed to the lower leg connecting plate 3-8 by a shaft connection, and the lower leg connecting plate 3-8 can drive the crank 3-6 and the cam 3-7 to rotate around the shaft. The two ends of the connecting rod 3-9 are connected to the lower slider 3-5 and the crank 3-6 by pins respectively. The locking hook 3-3 is connected to the outer shell of the knee joint injury protection device by a shoulder bolt, which ensures that the locking hook 3-3 can rotate. The outer shell of the knee joint injury protection device has a guide hole, through which the locking hook release rod 3-10 is slidably installed on the outer shell of the knee joint injury protection device. The locking hook 3-3 has a locking spring 3-11. The cooperation between the locking hook release rod 3-10 and the locking hook 3-3 ensures that the locking hook release rod 3-10 has only one degree of freedom in vertical movement. The locking hook release rod 3-10 is in contact with the surface of the cam 3-7, and the extension and retraction of the locking hook release rod 3-10 is controlled by the stroke of the cam 3-7. The thigh connecting plate 3-1 is connected to the thigh binding 1 by a buckle, and the lower leg connecting plate 3-8 is connected to the lower leg binding 3 by a buckle, forming a complete set of knee joint injury protection exoskeleton device based on gait pattern intermittent support.

[0010] The thigh connecting plate can move up and down via a slider, but it remains stationary once the garment is worn because the thigh binding mechanism is fixed. Similar to the thigh connecting plate, the middle and lower sliders are also connected to a slide rail and can move up and down. The calf connecting plate is connected to the calf binding mechanism. During walking, the calf swings, causing the connecting plate to swing, which in turn rotates the cam and crank. The connecting rod drives the lower slider upwards, pushing the middle slider upwards to compress the load-bearing spring, forming a load-bearing chain to distribute the force on the knee joint and protect it.

[0011] To provide support based on gait patterns, the lower and middle sliders move upwards to their highest points when the lower leg swings backward approximately 30° during the support phase. At this highest point, the middle slider is locked in place by a locking hook and will not move downwards with the continued swing of the lower leg. This ensures that the force generated by the load-bearing spring during the swing phase does not act on the knee. When the lower leg reaches its maximum swing angle of approximately 60 degrees during the swing phase, the cam rotates, causing the locking hook release lever to move upwards. The upper end of the release lever acts on the locking hook, opening it and releasing the middle slider. In the next support phase, the middle slider resumes its original function, and this cycle repeats.

[0012] The present invention also provides a method for operating a knee joint injury protection exoskeleton device based on gait pattern intermittent support, comprising the following steps:

[0013] Step 1: Securely fasten a knee injury protection exoskeleton device based on gait pattern intermittent support to the lower limbs of a person using a thigh binding mechanism and a calf binding mechanism, ensuring that the rotation center of the cam in the knee injury protection device is aligned with the human knee joint.

[0014] Step 2: During the support phase, the lower leg swings backward 30 degrees. At this time, the crank drives the connecting rod to push the lower slider upward, pushing the middle slider to the highest point of movement. The locking hook then fixes the middle slider.

[0015] Step 3: During the swing phase, from the beginning to the end, the lower leg swings backward 60 degrees. At this time, the cam rotates, pushing the locking hook release lever to its highest point and releasing the locking hook. The slider then returns to the original state of Step 1. This process repeats.

[0016] Compared with the prior art, the knee joint injury protection exoskeleton device based on gait pattern intermittent support of the present invention reduces the impact on the knee joint during the support period by using parallel force component method, reduces the internal force acting on the knee joint, and reduces the damage to the knee joint.

[0017] To adapt to the gait patterns of the human body, an intermittent mechanism is used to complete the force transmission chain during the support phase and disengage it during the swing phase. This achieves the function of not affecting human movement during the swing phase and reducing internal forces in the knee joint during the support phase to protect the knee joint.

[0018] In summary, the knee injury protection exoskeleton based on gait pattern intermittent support forms a parallel force chain on the lateral side of the knee joint during the support phase. This distributes the internal force originally acting on the knee joint from the upper limb to the lateral force chain and the knee joint, thus reducing the internal force on the knee joint and protecting it. During the swing phase, the force chain disengages, preventing force from acting on the knee joint. Therefore, it does not affect normal human movement during the swing phase. Attached Figure Description

[0019] The accompanying drawings, which form part of this specification, are used to provide a further understanding of the invention. The illustrative embodiments of the invention and their descriptions are used to explain the invention and do not constitute a limitation thereof. It should also be understood that these drawings are for simplicity and clarity and are not necessarily drawn to scale. The invention will now be described and explained with additional features and details using the drawings, wherein:

[0020] Figure 1 This is an overall view of the device in an embodiment of the present invention;

[0021] Figure 2 This is a knee joint injury protection device in the embodiment of the invention;

[0022] Figure 3 The knee joint injury protection device (without the protective outer shell) is shown in the embodiment of the invention.

[0023] Figure 4 This is a schematic diagram of the slider structure in the embodiment of the invention;

[0024] Figure 5 This is a schematic diagram of the knee joint cam and crank assembly in an embodiment of the invention;

[0025] Figure 6 The diagrams above illustrate the overall motion of the device according to different gait states in the embodiments of the invention; a is a schematic diagram of the initial state; b is a schematic diagram of the state at the end of the support phase; c is a schematic diagram of the state at the end of the swing phase.

[0026] In the diagram: 1. Thigh binding mechanism; 2. Knee joint injury protection device; 3. Knee joint injury protection device (excluding the protective outer shell): 3-1. Thigh connecting plate; 3-2. Load-bearing spring; 3-3. Locking hook; 3-4. Middle slider; 3-5. Lower slider; 3-6. Crank; 3-7. Cam; 3-8. Lower leg connecting plate; 3-9. Connecting rod; 3-10. Locking hook release rod; 3-11. Locking spring; 3-12. Slider; 3-13. Slide rail. Detailed Implementation

[0027] The technical solutions of the present invention will be clearly and completely described below with reference to the accompanying drawings in the embodiments of the present invention.

[0028] Example 1

[0029] like Figure 1 As shown, this embodiment provides a knee joint injury protection exoskeleton device based on gait pattern intermittent support, including:

[0030] The thigh binding mechanism 1, as the part connected to the human thigh, ensures the reliability and stability of the overall mechanism function.

[0031] The knee joint injury protection device 2, as the core part of the whole device, includes an intermittent mechanism that realizes different functions during the swing phase and the support phase, and a crank-slider mechanism that ensures the formation of the force transmission chain.

[0032] The lower leg binding mechanism 3, as the part connected to the human lower leg, ensures the reliability and stability of the overall mechanism function.

[0033] The initial state and motion state are shown in the figure. Figure 6 As shown in Figure 'a', this is the state of the device on the leg at the beginning of the support phase. At this time, the load-bearing spring 3-2 is in its original state and is not compressed, therefore the load-bearing spring 3-2 does not have the function of transmitting force. At this time, the middle slider 3-4 is in contact with the lower slider 3-5.

[0034] Figure 6 In the process of gait cycle, from the start of the support phase to its end, the state of the invention gradually changes from the initial state (schematic diagram a) to the state at the end of the support phase (schematic diagram b). During this process, crank 3-7 rotates clockwise around the center of rotation, driving connecting rod 3-10 to move. Lower slider 3-5 gradually moves upward, pushing middle slider 3-4 to compress the load-bearing spring 3-2 upward. During the support process, the thigh binding mechanism 1, thigh connecting plate 3-1, load-bearing spring 3-2, middle slider 3-4, lower slider 3-5, connecting rod 3-10, crank 3-6, lower leg connecting plate 3-8, and connecting rod 3-9 form a force transmission chain, which works in parallel with the human thigh-knee-lower leg force transmission chain to share the impact of the upper limb on the knee joint during the support phase, thereby reducing the internal force of the knee joint and protecting it. At the same time, when the middle slider 3-4 reaches its highest point, it engages with locking hook 3-3 and locks at the highest point.

[0035] Figure 6 During the swing phase, from the end of the support phase to the end of the swing phase, the motion state of the invention gradually changes from state b at the end of the swing phase to state c at the end of the swing phase. Throughout this process, the locking hook 3-3 remains locked, the middle slider 3-4 remains at its highest point, and the lower slider 3-5 never contacts the middle slider 3-4. Therefore, the force transmission chain formed during the support phase is broken, and normal human movement is not affected during the swing phase. When the lower leg reaches its maximum bending angle of 60° during the swing phase, the cam 3-7 reaches its maximum angle, and the locking hook release rod 3-10 reaches its highest point, acting on the locking hook 3-3 to open it. The middle slider 3-4 moves downward under the action of the load-bearing spring 3-2 and contacts the lower slider 3-4. The swing phase then begins again, and this process repeats.

[0036] Although the present invention has been disclosed above with reference to preferred embodiments, it is not intended to limit the present invention. Any person skilled in the art can make possible changes and modifications to the technical solutions of the present invention by utilizing the methods and techniques disclosed above without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention. Therefore, any simple modifications, equivalent changes and alterations made to the above embodiments based on the technical essence of the present invention without departing from the content of the technical solutions of the present invention shall fall within the protection scope of the technical solutions of the present invention.

Claims

1. A knee joint injury protection exoskeleton device based on gait pattern intermittent support, characterized in that, include: Thigh binding mechanism, used to connect to the thigh of the human body; A knee injury protection device is installed on the thigh binding mechanism and connected in parallel to the outside of the knee joint; Lower leg binding mechanism, used to connect to the lower leg of the human body; The knee joint injury protection device includes a thigh connecting plate, a load-bearing spring, a locking hook, a middle slider, a lower slider, a crank, a cam, a lower leg connecting plate, a connecting rod, a locking hook release rod, a locking spring, a slider, and a slide rail. The thigh connecting plate, the middle slider, and the lower slider are connected to the slider via bolts. The slider is fixed to the outer shell of the knee joint injury protection device via the slide rail. The outer diameter of the load-bearing spring is inserted into a hole on the lower side of the thigh connecting plate, and the inner diameter is installed on the boss of the middle slider. The load-bearing spring is fixed between the thigh connecting plate and the middle slider and is compressed by the thigh connecting plate and the middle slider. The crank and the cam are fixed to the lower leg connecting plate via a shaft connection, and the lower leg connecting plate can drive the crank and the cam to rotate around the shaft. The two ends of the connecting rod are respectively connected to the lower slider and the crank with pins. The locking hook is connected to the outer shell of the knee joint injury protection device via a shoulder bolt, and the shoulder bolt ensures that the locking hook can rotate. The outer shell of the joint injury protection device has guide holes. The locking hook release rod is slidably installed on the outer shell of the knee joint injury protection device through the guide holes. The locking hook contains a locking spring. The cooperation between the locking hook release rod and the locking hook ensures that the locking hook release rod has only one degree of freedom of vertical movement. The locking hook release rod contacts the surface of the cam, and the extension and retraction of the locking hook release rod is controlled by the rotation of the cam. The thigh connecting plate is tied to the thigh by a buckle, and the calf connecting plate is tied to the calf by a buckle. During the support phase, the calf swings backward 30 degrees. At this time, the crank drives the connecting rod to push the lower slider upward, pushing the middle slider to the highest point of movement, and the locking hook fixes the middle slider. During the swing phase, the calf swings backward 60 degrees. At this time, the cam rotates and pushes the locking hook release rod to the highest point, pushing open the locking hook. The middle slider is released and returns to its original state.

2. The knee joint injury protection exoskeleton device based on gait pattern intermittent support as described in claim 1, characterized in that, The entire exoskeleton device is connected in parallel with the force transmission chain of the human lower limb, from the thigh to the knee to the calf. By increasing the force transmission path, it distributes the original force on the knee joint and reduces the internal force of the knee joint, thus protecting the knee joint.

3. The knee joint injury protection exoskeleton device based on gait pattern intermittent support as described in claim 1, characterized in that, During the support phase, when the knee joint bears the load, it distributes the internal force of the knee joint to protect it; during the swing phase, it ensures that it does not put a burden on the knee joint and does not affect the normal movement of the human body.

4. The knee joint injury protection exoskeleton device based on gait pattern intermittent support as described in claim 1, characterized in that, Based on the knee joint angle according to the human gait pattern, the crank-slider mechanism is combined with the cam mechanism.

5. A knee joint injury protection exoskeleton device based on gait pattern intermittent support as described in any one of claims 1-4, characterized in that, Includes the following steps: Step 1: Securely fasten a knee joint injury protection exoskeleton device based on gait pattern intermittent support to the lower limbs of a person through thigh binding mechanism and calf binding mechanism, ensuring that the rotation center of the cam in the knee joint injury protection device is aligned with the human knee joint. Step 2: During the support phase, the lower leg swings backward 30 degrees. At this time, the crank drives the connecting rod to push the lower slider upward, pushing the middle slider to the highest point of movement. The locking hook then fixes the middle slider. Step 3: During the swing phase, the lower leg swings backward 60 degrees. At this time, the cam rotates and pushes the locking hook release lever to the highest point to release the locking hook; the slider is released and returns to the original state of Step 1.

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