Distributed multi-module exoskeleton drive joint

Abstract

The application belongs to the technical field of exoskeletons, and particularly relates to a distributed multi-module exoskeleton driving joint, wherein the joint comprises a first joint assembly and a second joint assembly, the second joint assembly comprises a joint driving wheel, the joint driving wheel is connected with the first joint assembly through a coaxially arranged joint shaft, a driving assembly is arranged in the middle region of the first skeleton, the driving assembly comprises a plurality of motor assemblies and a driving wheel, the diameter of the driving wheel is smaller than that of the joint driving wheel, and the driving assembly is connected with the joint driving wheel through a transmission belt assembly. In the application, the driving assembly is arranged on the first skeleton, power is transmitted through the synchronous belt assembly, the driving mechanism is separated from the joint mechanism, the volume of the joint can be reduced, the space of the first skeleton can be reasonably utilized, the gravity of the driving mechanism is evenly dispersed, and the joint driving wheel can be driven to rotate by using several motor assemblies with small torque.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to exoskeleton technology, specifically a distributed multi-module exoskeleton driven joint. Background Technology

[0002] Exoskeletons are used to assist walking or training. Existing exoskeletons place their joint drive mechanisms at the joints, which firstly leads to joint enlargement. Secondly, the modules at the joints weigh approximately one kilogram, causing the weight at the joints to be greater than that of other parts, resulting in uneven weight distribution and hindering balance. Furthermore, directly mounting the drive modules at the joints, due to the exoskeleton's length, shifts the center of gravity away from the previous joint; for example, the knee joint module is farther from the hip joint, placing greater demands on the torque of the hip joint module. Additionally, in existing exoskeletons, the joint-drive modules are fixedly installed, meaning each exoskeleton must have a specific set of modules to meet its specific movement needs. These modules cannot be easily disassembled and reused on an exoskeleton with a different function. Therefore, each purchased exoskeleton comes with a set of modules, significantly increasing costs and preventing the full utilization of the modules' potential. Summary of the Invention

[0003] The purpose of this invention is to provide a distributed multi-module exoskeleton drive joint, which uses multiple low-power motor components to form a drive component and uses a transmission belt to drive the joint component, thereby separating the drive component from the joint component, reducing the volume of the joint component, and also distributing the weight of the entire exoskeleton device.

[0004] To achieve the above objectives, the present invention provides the following technical solution: a distributed multi-module exoskeleton drive joint, including a first bone and a second bone, the ends of which are movably connected by a joint assembly, allowing the second bone to deflect relative to the first bone under the constraint of the joint. The joint assembly includes a first joint assembly and a second joint assembly, wherein the first joint assembly is connected to the end of the first bone, and the second joint assembly is connected to the end of the second bone; the second joint assembly includes a joint drive wheel with meshing teeth on its outer periphery, and is connected to the first joint assembly via a joint shaft coaxially arranged with the joint drive wheel; the exoskeleton drive joint also includes a drive assembly, which is installed in the middle region of the first bone, including several motor assemblies and drive wheels driven one-to-one by each motor assembly, wherein the diameter of the drive wheels is smaller than the diameter of the joint drive wheels; the drive assembly also includes a transmission belt assembly, the upper part of which meshes with each drive wheel, and the lower part which wraps around and meshes with the joint drive wheels.

[0005] In the above technical solution, the drive component for driving the deflection of the second bone is mounted on the first bone, and the deflection power for the second bone is provided by a synchronous belt drive. This separates the drive mechanism from the joint mechanism, which not only reduces the size of the joint assembly but also makes better use of the space in the first bone. Furthermore, it distributes the weight of the drive mechanism relatively evenly. The drive component used in this solution includes several drive wheels, which are connected to the joint drive wheels in the joint assembly via a transmission belt assembly. Since the diameter of the drive wheels is smaller than the diameter of the joint drive wheels, a motor assembly with a smaller torque can be used to drive the joint drive wheels to rotate.

[0006] As a preferred embodiment, the drive assembly further includes a cage assembly, which is attached to the first skeleton and has several drive wheel cages. Each drive wheel cage includes two laterally symmetrically arranged extension arms, with coaxial mounting holes at the ends of the two extension arms. The drive wheels are located between the two extension arms and mounted in the mounting holes via coaxial axles. The cage assembly is a single unit, with all drive wheels mounted on it. This reduces the number of components and provides a larger mounting area, thus enhancing the structural stability of the entire drive assembly. Furthermore, the integrated design of the cage assembly facilitates assembly and disassembly.

[0007] As a preferred embodiment, the drive wheel retainers are arranged in a straight line from top to bottom, and the transmission belt assembly passes over the uppermost drive wheel from above, engaging with both sides of all drive wheels simultaneously. The retainer assembly also includes several guide wheel retainers, distributed between two adjacent drive wheel retainers, each having two laterally symmetrical guide wheels parallel to the drive wheels. The upper part of the transmission belt assembly passes between the two guide wheels, its back contacting the guide wheels, and the guide wheels press the transmission belt assembly in contact with them towards each other, making the part of the transmission belt assembly engaging with the drive wheel arc-shaped. The longitudinally arranged drive wheel retainers can effectively utilize the space along the length of the first skeleton, allowing the weight of the drive assembly to be fully distributed along the first skeleton without excessively increasing the size of the first skeleton. In addition, with the drive wheels arranged longitudinally, both sides of the drive wheels can engage with the transmission belt assembly, and under the guidance of the guide wheel retainers, the transmission belt assembly and the drive wheel have a larger engagement length, thereby ensuring stable power transmission.

[0008] As a preferred embodiment, the exoskeleton device includes several motor holders for mounting motor assemblies. All motor assemblies in the drive assembly are installed in their corresponding motor holders and connected to the drive wheels via a detachable structure. All motor assemblies operate independently and synchronously, and each motor assembly can be disassembled and its mounting position interchanged. In this embodiment, all motor assemblies rotate synchronously to drive the transmission belt assembly. Disassembling a single motor assembly changes the driving force without affecting the normal operation of the entire drive assembly. Therefore, the number of motor assemblies can be selected based on the user's mobility, the intended use of the exoskeleton device, and the weight of the body part using the exoskeleton, thus providing appropriate driving force. Furthermore, motor assemblies can be interchanged among all exoskeletons of the same type, allowing a limited number of motor assemblies to be used in multiple exoskeleton devices for different body parts to meet diverse usage needs.

[0009] As a preferred embodiment, the motor retainer includes two symmetrically arranged side extension arms, which are symmetrically arranged and laterally and vertically connected to an extension arm of the drive wheel retainer. Guide grooves are symmetrically arranged on adjacent sides of the side extension arms. Guide strips that mate with the guide grooves are symmetrically arranged on both sides of the motor assembly. After the guide strips are inserted into the guide grooves, the motor assembly connects to the drive wheel. The exoskeleton device also includes a limiting component, which stably mounts the motor assembly in the motor retainer. By using the side extension arms as the motor retainer and fixing them to the extension arms, all motor retainers become a single unit, eliminating the need for independent fixing of the motor retainers and simplifying the disassembly and assembly process of the drive assembly. Furthermore, the guide strips on both sides of the motor assembly allow for quick and accurate installation of the motor assembly by inserting the guide strips into the guide grooves inside the side extension arms.

[0010] As a preferred embodiment, electrode contact I is provided on the guide bar, serving as an external electrical connection component for the motor assembly. Correspondingly, electrode contact II is provided within the guide groove, and the power supply cable is connected to electrode contact II. After the motor assembly is installed, electrode contact I contacts electrode contact II. In this embodiment, the motor assembly has no additional connecting wires. After the motor assembly is inserted into the motor cage, electrode contact I on the guide bar directly contacts electrode contact II within the guide groove, thereby supplying power to the motor assembly. Furthermore, during disassembly, the motor assembly can be directly pulled out, thus enabling rapid assembly and disassembly of the motor assembly.

[0011] As a preferred embodiment, the first skeleton has a hollow mounting cavity, in which the drive assembly is located, and the retainer assembly is fixedly connected to the inner wall of the first skeleton. A motor mounting hole, corresponding to each motor assembly, is provided through the side wall of the first skeleton, allowing for the installation and removal of the motor assembly. The limiting assembly includes a retaining ring disposed on the outer wall of the first skeleton and located around the motor mounting hole, and an end cap that engages with the retaining ring. The two are joined together by a threaded or snap-fit ​​structure, with the end cap contacting the end of the motor assembly after the end cap is closed. The drive assembly installed inside the first skeleton can operate safely under the protection of the first skeleton. The user can install and remove the motor assembly through the motor mounting hole on the side wall of the first skeleton. Since the drive assembly is located in the mounting cavity, misoperation during installation and removal will not cause malfunction of the entire drive assembly. Furthermore, the external end cap limits the motor assembly, facilitating installation and removal. Additionally, the end cap can seal the motor mounting hole when the motor assembly is not installed.

[0012] As a preferred solution, a spring pointing towards the entrance of the guide groove is provided in the guide groove. When the end cover and the fixing ring are fully fitted and installed, the spring is compressed by the motor assembly. When it is necessary to disassemble the motor assembly, the spring will pop the motor assembly outward to the protruding motor mounting hole after the end cover is opened, so that the disassembly of the motor assembly can be completed quickly.

[0013] As a preferred embodiment, the first joint assembly includes an upper first connector, the middle of which is provided with a connecting hole for communicating with the mounting cavity, the two sides of the first connector extending downward vertically to form outer joint discs, and two coaxial joint bearings provided in the middle of the outer joint discs; the joint drive wheel is disposed in the inner joint mounting position between the two outer joint discs, and the two ends of the joint shaft are inserted into the corresponding joint bearings.

[0014] As a preferred embodiment, the two ends of the joint drive wheel extend circumferentially to form inner joint discs, and the lower part of the inner joint discs extends downward to form a second connector. The entire second joint assembly is connected to the second bone via the second connector. The joint also includes an isolation cover located at the inner joint mounting position. The upper part of the isolation cover has two fixed ends, which are connected to the first joint assembly. Its lower part passes under the joint drive wheel and is located between the two inner joint discs, so that the lower part of the transmission belt is located within the space enclosed by the isolation cover, the inner joint discs, and the joint drive wheel. Since the isolation cover is mounted on the first joint assembly, it remains stationary when the second bone rotates, and the internal transmission belt assembly and joint drive wheel are always exposed, thus preventing foreign objects from affecting the normal rotation of the joint. Attached Figure Description

[0015] The accompanying drawings, which are included to provide a further understanding of this application and form part of this application, illustrate exemplary embodiments and are used to explain this application, but do not constitute an undue limitation of this application. In the drawings:

[0016] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the outer surface structure of the distributed multi-module exoskeleton driven joint provided by an embodiment of the present invention;

[0017] Figure 2 for Figure 1 The diagram shows a distributed multi-module exoskeleton driven joint on the human side.

[0018] Figure 3 for Figure 1 A schematic diagram of the split structure of the first joint component of the joint assembly shown in the figure;

[0019] Figure 4 for Figure 1 A schematic diagram of the structure of the second joint assembly shown in the diagram;

[0020] Figure 5 for Figure 4 The diagram shows the disassembled structure of the second joint assembly.

[0021] Figure 6 This is a schematic diagram of the connection structure between the drive component and the joint component in this embodiment;

[0022] Figure 7 This is a schematic diagram of the planar structure where the transmission belt meshes with the joint drive wheel;

[0023] Figure 8 for Figure 6 A schematic diagram of the upper part of the drive component;

[0024] Figure 9 for Figure 8 A schematic diagram of the back structure of the structure shown;

[0025] Figure 10 for Figure 8 Schematic diagram of the structure of the drive wheel cage and the motor cage;

[0026] Figure 11 This is a schematic diagram of the electrical connection structure of the motor cage;

[0027] Figure 12 for Figure 8 Schematic diagram of the drive wheel structure;

[0028] Figure 13 for Figure 8 Schematic diagram of the structure of the motor assembly;

[0029] Figure 14A schematic diagram of the planar structure of the motor mounting holes on the first skeleton;

[0030] Figure 15 This is a schematic diagram showing the state of a single motor assembly during disassembly or installation.

[0031] Figure 16 This is a schematic diagram of a planar structure in which the drive component is installed within the first skeleton.

[0032] In the figure, 1 is the first bone, 2 is the second bone, 3 is the joint assembly, 4 is the end cap, 5 is the strap fixing seat, 6 is the first connector, 7 is the outer joint disc, 8 is the connecting hole, 9 is the inner joint mounting position, 10 is the joint bearing, 11 is the end cap groove, 12 is the end cap, 13 is the bolt hole, 14 is the fixing bolt, 15 is the joint drive wheel, 16 is the inner joint disc, 17 is the second connector, 18 is the joint shaft, 19 is the limiting protrusion ring, 20 is the mounting shaft hole, 21 is the positioning groove, 23 is the end keyway, 24 is the middle positioning key, 25 is the drive assembly, 26 is the transmission belt, 27 is the isolation cover, 28 is the belt cavity, 29 is the retainer assembly, 30 is the drive wheel retainer, and 30 is the guide. Wheel retainer 31, drive wheel 32, motor assembly 33, cable 34, motor mounting hole 35, slot 36, retaining ring 37, snap hole 41, fixed end 271, extension arm 301, mounting shaft hole 302, drive wheel mounting position 303, side extension arm 304, guide groove 305, spring 306, electrode contact II 307, motor assembly mounting position 308, guide wheel 311, wheel rim 321, wheel axle 322, plug hole 323, motor 331, plug connector 332, fixing ear 333, tailstock 334, guide strip 335, electrode contact I 336, tap line 341. Detailed Implementation

[0033] The following will describe in detail the implementation of this application with reference to the accompanying drawings and embodiments, so that the implementation process of how this application uses technical means to solve technical problems and achieve technical effects can be fully understood and implemented accordingly.

[0034] Figure 1 and Figure 2 In one embodiment of the present invention, a distributed multi-module exoskeleton driven joint is provided. The exoskeleton device includes a hollow first bone 1 and a hollow second bone 2, with strap fixing seats 5 provided on the sides of the first bone 1 and the second bone 2. The lower end of the first bone 1 and the upper end of the second bone 2 are movably connected via a joint assembly 3, allowing the second bone 2 to deflect relative to the first bone 1 under the constraint of the joint assembly 3. A drive assembly 25 for controlling the rotation of the joint assembly 3 is provided inside the first bone 1. That is, the distributed multi-module exoskeleton driven joint provided in this embodiment separates the drive assembly 25 from the joint and embeds it within the first bone 1.

[0035] The aforementioned joint assembly 3 includes a first joint assembly and a second joint assembly, wherein the first joint assembly is connected to the lower end of the first bone 1, and the second joint assembly is connected to the upper end of the second bone 2. Specifically, as shown... Figure 3 As shown, the first joint assembly includes an upper first connector 6, which connects to the first bone 1. A connecting hole 8 is provided in the middle of the first connector 6, communicating with the internal space of the first bone 1. The two sides of the first connector 6 extend vertically downwards to form two symmetrical outer joint discs 7. Two coaxial joint bearings 10 are installed in the middle of the outer joint discs 7, as shown in the figure. An inner joint mounting position 9 for installing the second joint assembly is formed between the two outer joint discs 7. Furthermore, an end cap groove 11 coaxial with the joint bearings 10 is provided on the outer side of the outer joint discs 7. Bolt holes 13 are provided at the bottom of the end cap groove 11. After the end cap 12 is installed in the end cap groove 11 using bolts, the joint bearings 10 are stably installed inside the outer joint discs 7.

[0036] like Figure 4 As shown, the second joint assembly used in this embodiment includes a joint drive wheel 15 with meshing teeth on its circumference. Both ends of the joint drive wheel 15 extend circumferentially and form an inner joint disc 16 with a diameter not greater than the diameter of the outer joint disc 7. Figure 5 As shown, the lower part of the inner joint disc 16 extends downward to form a rectangular second connector 17. The second connector 17 can fit against the inner wall of the second bone 2 and be inserted into the interior of the second bone, and the two are fixed together by bolts. In practical use, the lower parts of the two second connectors 17 can be connected together by a transverse reinforcement structure, thereby improving the structural strength of the second joint assembly. Figure 5 In the joint drive wheel 15, a mounting shaft hole 20 is provided in the middle, and a positioning groove 21 is provided on the side of the mounting shaft hole 20. A central positioning key 24 that cooperates with the positioning groove 21 is provided in the middle of the joint shaft 18, and end keyways 23 that cooperate with the joint bearings 10 are provided at both ends. After the joint shaft 18 is installed into the mounting shaft hole 20, the central positioning key 24 cooperates with the positioning groove 21, thereby ensuring that the joint drive wheel 15 and the joint shaft 18 rotate synchronously. The joint drive wheel 15 is located in the inner joint mounting position 9 and is connected to the joint bearings 10 on both sides through the joint shaft 18, thereby meeting the movement requirements of the second bone 2 to swing freely around the joint shaft 18.

[0037] like Figure 6 As shown, the drive assembly 25 provided in this embodiment is longitudinally arranged inside the first bone 1, and it is connected to the lower joint drive wheel 15 via a transmission belt 26, as follows. Figure 7 As shown, the lower part of the drive belt 26 passes under the joint drive wheel 15. To avoid exposing the internal structure of the joint assembly 3, an isolation cover 27 is added to the joint assembly 3 in this embodiment. Figure 7In the design, the lower part of the isolation cover 27 is arc-shaped, and the upper part has two fixed ends 271, one on the left and one on the right. The entire isolation cover 27 is mounted on the first connector 6 through the fixed ends 271. The lower part of the isolation cover 27 houses the joint drive wheel 15, and together with the joint drive wheel 15 and the inner joint disc 16, it forms a belt cavity 28 for protecting the transmission belt 26. In addition, to ensure the installation stability of the isolation cover 27, an annular limiting protrusion 19 is provided on the inner side of the inner joint disc 16, and the edge of the isolation cover 27 presses against the limiting protrusion 19. As shown above, since the isolation cover 27 is mounted on the first joint assembly, the isolation cover 27 remains stationary when the second bone 2 rotates, and the internal transmission belt assembly and joint drive wheel 15 are always exposed, thus preventing foreign objects from affecting the normal rotation of the joint.

[0038] The drive assembly 25 used in this embodiment includes a longitudinally arranged retainer assembly 29 and five drive wheels 32 mounted in a straight line from top to bottom. Each drive wheel 32 is driven by a motor assembly 33. The transmission belt 26 passes around the uppermost drive wheel 32 and engages with both sides of all drive wheels 32. The transmission ratio between the drive wheels 32 and the joint drive wheels 15 used in this embodiment is 5:1. Therefore, control of the second skeleton 2 can be achieved by using multiple low-torque motor assemblies 33. Figure 8 and Figure 9 As shown, the retainer assembly 29 uses drive wheel retainers 30 and guide wheel retainers 31, which extend to one side at intervals from top to bottom. The drive wheel 32 is mounted on the drive wheel retainer 30, while the guide wheel retainer 31 is used to reduce the distance between the two drive belts 26, thereby creating an arc-shaped contact between the drive belt 26 and the drive wheel 32. Specifically, the retainer assembly 29 is mounted against the inner wall of the first skeleton 1 and is fixed by several sets of bolts from top to bottom. This design reduces the number of parts, and the entire retainer assembly has a large mounting area, which is more conducive to ensuring the structural stability of the entire drive assembly. Furthermore, the overall design of the retainer assembly 29 facilitates disassembly and assembly. Figure 10 As shown, each drive wheel retainer 30 includes two laterally symmetrically arranged extension arms 301. The ends of the two extension arms 301 are provided with coaxial mounting shaft holes 302. The drive wheel 32 is located between the two extension arms 301 and is mounted in the mounting shaft holes 302 via a coaxially arranged wheel axle 322. Regarding the drive wheel 32, as... Figure 12 As shown, the two ends of the drive wheel 32 are coaxially fixed with a rim 321 of a larger diameter than the drive wheel 32, and the position of the transmission belt is restricted by the rim 32. The axle 322 coaxially arranged with the drive wheel 32 cooperates with the mounting shaft hole 302, and an internal hexagonal socket 323 is provided at the end of the axle 322 near the motor assembly 33.

[0039] The motor assembly 33 in this embodiment allows for quick assembly and disassembly. Specifically, the cage assembly 29 includes a built-in motor cage, such as... Figure 10 and Figure 11 As shown, the motor cage includes two laterally symmetrically arranged side extension arms 304. The two side extension arms 304 are symmetrically arranged and laterally and vertically connected to an extension arm 301 of the drive wheel cage 30. Guide grooves 305 are symmetrically arranged on adjacent sides of the side extension arms 304. Figure 10 As can be seen, two electrode contacts II307 are provided on the side wall of the guide groove 305 on the right side. Figure 11 It can be seen that a cable 34 extending along the cage assembly 20 is provided on one side of the cage assembly 29, and a tap line 341 is connected to each set of electrode contacts II 307 at the extension of the cable 34; in addition, a spring 306 is provided in the guide groove 305 pointing to the entrance of the guide groove 305.

[0040] Based on the above-described motor cage structure, the motor assembly 33 used in this embodiment is as follows: Figure 13 As shown, the motor assembly 33 includes a motor 331, on which a hexagonal connector 332 mates with a connector hole 323 is mounted, thus the motor assembly 33 and the drive wheel 32 are detachably connected; the motor assembly 33 also includes a tailstock 334 located at the tail of the motor 331, with a fixing lug 333 on the circumference of the motor 331, and the motor 331 is mounted to the tailstock 334 by bolts passing through the fixing lug 333. Additionally, in Figure 13 In the motor 331, guide bars 335 are symmetrically arranged on the left and right sides, and an electrode contact I336 connected to the terminal of the motor 331 is provided on the guide bar 335 on the right side. After the guide bar 335 is correctly installed into the guide groove 305, the electrode contact I336 contacts the electrode contact II307. Therefore, there is no need to connect the power cord separately during the disassembly and assembly of the motor assembly 33, achieving the purpose of plug and play. Since each motor component is independently controlled, adding or removing motor components 33 will only change the power output of the drive component 25 without affecting its normal operation. Furthermore, all motor components 33 are identical in specifications, allowing different exoskeletons to share a single set of motor components. For example, a leg exoskeleton for leg rehabilitation requires six motor components 33, while an upper limb exoskeleton for upper limb rehabilitation requires three. Therefore, users can purchase only the leg and upper limb exoskeleton skeleton parts, and then purchase six motor components 33. When using only the leg exoskeleton, all six motor components 33 can be installed; when using only the upper limb exoskeleton, three motor components 33 can be removed and installed. Alternatively, the leg exoskeleton can be used for upper limb rehabilitation, in which case appropriate power can be obtained by removing some motor components 33.

[0041] To facilitate the aforementioned switching process, this embodiment provides a motor mounting hole 35 through the side wall of the first skeleton 1, directly opposite each motor assembly 33. This allows for direct installation and removal of the motor assembly 33 via the motor mounting hole 35. Specifically, as shown... Figure 14 and Figure 15 As shown, the center of the motor mounting hole 35 is directly opposite the wheel axle 322, and a slot 36 is provided on the circumference of the motor mounting hole 35 to avoid the fixing lug 333. A retaining ring 37 with external threads is provided on the outer circumference of the motor mounting hole 35, and an end cap 4 is provided to thread with the retaining ring 37. The front of the end cap 4 has two through holes 41 for engaging disassembly tools. After the motor assembly 33 is installed into the motor mounting hole 35, the tailstock 334 is located in the retaining ring 37. After the end cap 4 is tightened, the end cap 4 touches the tailstock 334, thereby achieving stable installation of the motor assembly 33. At this time, the state of the motor assembly 33 is as follows. Figure 16 As shown, the external state of the entire exoskeleton device is as follows: Figure 1 As shown; after the end cover 4 is removed, the spring 306 pops the motor assembly 33 outward to extend out of the motor mounting hole 35. Therefore, this embodiment can realize the quick assembly and disassembly of the motor assembly 33.

[0042] The specification and claims use certain terms to refer to specific components. Those skilled in the art will understand that hardware manufacturers may use different names to refer to the same component. This specification and claims do not distinguish components based on differences in name, but rather on differences in function. The term "comprising" throughout the specification and claims is an open-ended term and should be interpreted as "comprising but not limited to." "Approximately" means that within an acceptable margin of error, those skilled in the art can solve the technical problem and substantially achieve the technical effect within a certain margin of error.

[0043] It should be noted that the terms "comprising," "including," or any other variations thereof are intended to cover non-exclusive inclusion, such that a product or system comprising a list of elements includes not only those elements but also other elements not expressly listed, or elements inherent to such a product or system. Without further limitation, an element defined by the phrase "comprising one..." does not exclude the presence of other identical elements in the product or system that includes said element.

[0044] The foregoing description illustrates and describes several preferred embodiments of the present invention. However, as previously stated, it should be understood that the present invention is not limited to the forms disclosed herein and should not be construed as excluding other embodiments. It can be used in various other combinations, modifications, and environments, and can be altered within the scope of the inventive concept described herein through the foregoing teachings or techniques or knowledge in related fields. Any modifications and variations made by those skilled in the art that do not depart from the spirit and scope of the present invention should be within the protection scope of the appended claims.

Claims

1. A distributed multi-module exoskeleton driven joint, comprising a first bone and a second bone, the ends of which are movably connected by a joint assembly, enabling the second bone to deflect relative to the first bone under the constraint of the joint assembly, characterized in that: The joint assembly includes a first joint assembly and a second joint assembly, wherein the first joint assembly is connected to the end of the first bone and the second joint assembly is connected to the end of the second bone; the second joint assembly includes a joint drive wheel with meshing teeth on its outer periphery, and is connected to the first joint assembly via a joint shaft coaxially arranged with the joint drive wheel; the exoskeleton drive joint also includes a drive assembly, which is installed in the middle region of the first bone, including several motor assemblies and drive wheels driven by each motor assembly in a corresponding manner, and the diameter of the drive wheels is smaller than the diameter of the joint drive wheels; the drive assembly also includes a transmission belt assembly, the upper part of which meshes with each drive wheel, and the lower part which passes around and meshes with the joint drive wheel; the drive assembly also includes a retainer assembly, which is attached to the first bone and has several drive wheels for holding. The drive wheel retainer includes two symmetrically arranged extension arms, with coaxial mounting holes at the ends of the extension arms. The drive wheel is located between the two extension arms and is mounted in the mounting holes via a coaxial axle. The drive wheel retainers are arranged in a straight line from top to bottom, and the transmission belt assembly passes over the uppermost drive wheel from above, engaging with both sides of the drive wheel simultaneously. The retainer assembly also includes several guide wheel retainers, which are distributed between two adjacent drive wheel retainers and have two symmetrically arranged guide wheels parallel to the drive wheel. The upper part of the transmission belt assembly passes between the two guide wheels, and its back side contacts the guide wheels. The guide wheels press the transmission belt assembly in contact with them towards each other, so that the part of the transmission belt assembly engaging with the drive wheel is arc-shaped.

2. The distributed multi-module exoskeleton driven joint as described in claim 1, characterized in that: The exoskeleton drive joint includes several motor cages for mounting motor assemblies. All motor assemblies in the drive assembly are mounted in their respective motor cages and connected to the drive wheels via a detachable structure. All motor assemblies operate independently and remain synchronized, and each motor assembly can be disassembled and its mounting position interchanged.

3. The distributed multi-module exoskeleton driven joint as described in claim 2, characterized in that: The motor retainer includes two symmetrically arranged side extension arms, which are symmetrically arranged and laterally and vertically connected to one extension arm of the drive wheel retainer. The adjacent sides of the side extension arms are symmetrically arranged with guide grooves. The motor assembly has guide strips symmetrically arranged on both sides that cooperate with the guide grooves. After the guide strips are inserted into the guide grooves, the motor assembly is connected to the drive wheel. The exoskeleton drive joint also includes a limiting component, which can stably install the motor assembly in the motor retainer.

4. The distributed multi-module exoskeleton driven joint as described in claim 3, characterized in that: Electrode contact I is provided on the guide bar. Electrode contact I serves as an external electrical connection component for the motor assembly. Correspondingly, electrode contact II is provided in the guide groove. The power supply cable is connected to electrode contact II. After the motor assembly is installed, electrode contact I contacts electrode contact II.

5. The distributed multi-module exoskeleton driven joint as described in claim 3, characterized in that: The first bone has a hollow mounting cavity, the drive assembly is located in the mounting cavity, and the retainer assembly is fixedly connected to the inner wall of the first bone; a motor mounting hole is provided through the side wall of the first bone, which is directly opposite to each motor assembly, and the motor assembly can be installed and removed through the motor mounting hole; the limiting assembly includes a fixing ring disposed on the outer wall of the first bone and located on the outer periphery of the motor mounting hole, and an end cap that cooperates with the fixing ring. The two are closed together by a threaded structure or a snap-fit ​​structure, and the top of the end cap contacts the end of the motor assembly after the end cap is closed.

6. The distributed multi-module exoskeleton driven joint as described in claim 3, characterized in that: A spring is installed in the guide groove, pointing towards the entrance of the guide groove. When the end cover and the fixing ring are fully fitted and installed, the spring is compressed by the motor assembly. In the absence of end cover compression, the spring can pop the motor assembly out of the motor mounting hole.

7. The distributed multi-module exoskeleton driven joint as described in claim 5, characterized in that: The first joint assembly includes an upper first connector, the middle of which is provided with a connecting hole for communicating with the mounting cavity, the two sides of the first connector extending downward vertically to form outer joint discs, and two coaxial joint bearings provided in the middle of the outer joint discs; the joint drive wheel is disposed in the inner joint mounting position between the two outer joint discs, and the two ends of the joint shaft are inserted into the corresponding joint bearings.

8. The distributed multi-module exoskeleton driven joint as described in claim 7, characterized in that: The two ends of the joint drive wheel extend circumferentially to form an inner joint disc. The lower part of the inner joint disc extends downward to form a second connector. The entire second joint assembly is connected to the second bone through the second connector. The joint also includes an isolation cover located at the inner joint mounting position. The upper part of the isolation cover has two fixed ends, which are connected to the first joint assembly. Its lower part passes under the joint drive wheel and is located between the two inner joint discs, so that the lower part of the transmission belt is located within the space enclosed by the isolation cover, the inner joint discs, and the joint drive wheel.

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