A curved foot support device for lower limb weight-bearing exoskeleton

Abstract

The present invention belongs to the technical field related to wearable devices, and discloses an arc-shaped foot support device for a lower limb weight-bearing exoskeleton, the device comprising: a support rod, the upper end of which is connected to a weight-bearing device; an arc-shaped foot assembly, the arc-shaped foot assembly comprising a vertical plate and a base plate, the base plate being arc-shaped, the vertical plate being arranged on the mid-perpendicular line of the arc of the base plate, one end of the arc-shaped foot assembly being fixedly connected to the lower end of the support rod; a foot connection assembly, the foot connection assembly comprising a fixedly connected foot fixing member and a connecting member, the connecting member comprising a guide member, the support rod cooperates with the guide member to slide up and down along the guide member, and the foot fixing member is used to be fixed to the foot. The present application can provide effective support for lower limb weight-bearing during heel-landing and toe-off, and the arc-shaped contact surface increases the contact area, making it possible to use on soft ground.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention belongs to the technical field related to wearable devices, and more specifically, relates to an arc-shaped foot support device for a lower limb weight-bearing exoskeleton. Background Art

[0002] Load distribution is of great significance for people's labor. Many scientific research institutions have also conducted research on wearable lower limb exoskeletons. At present, the main structures of lower limb exoskeletons are divided into backpack exoskeletons, joint exoskeletons and leg exoskeletons. Among them, backpack exoskeletons imitate the principle of a shoulder pole to offset the dynamic load of the load to achieve the effect of reducing the load. Joint exoskeletons directly assist the joints through power components such as motors to reduce joint power and thus reduce the load consumption of the human body. Leg exoskeletons can transfer the load to the ground, so both the dynamic load and the static load of the load can be reduced. However, the existing device structure is relatively complex, inconvenient to wear, and most of the output is limited. It is not suitable for soft terrain such as sand and soil. Summary of the Invention

[0003] In response to the above-mentioned defects or improvement needs of the prior art, the present invention provides a curved foot support device for a lower limb weight-bearing exoskeleton, which can provide effective support for the lower limb weight-bearing during heel landing and toe lift-off, and the curved contact surface increases the contact area, making it possible to use it on soft ground.

[0004] To achieve the above-mentioned purpose, according to one aspect of the present invention, there is provided an arc-shaped foot support device for a lower limb weight-bearing exoskeleton, the device comprising: a support rod 1, the upper end of the support rod 1 being connected to the weight; an arc-shaped foot assembly 2, the arc-shaped foot assembly 2 comprising a vertical plate and a base plate, the base plate being arc-shaped, the vertical plate being arranged on the mid-vertical line of the arc of the base plate, one end of the arc-shaped foot assembly 2 being fixedly connected to the lower end of the support rod 1; a foot connecting assembly 3, the foot connecting assembly 3 comprising a fixedly connected foot fixing member and a connecting member, the connecting member comprising a guide member 31, the support rod 1 cooperates with the guide member 31 to slide up and down along the guide member 31, and the foot fixing member is used to be fixed to the foot.

[0005] Preferably, the vertical plate is an arc-shaped plate 21, the bottom of the arc-shaped plate 21 is arc-shaped, and the bottom plate includes a first arc-shaped extension unit 22 and a second arc-shaped extension unit 23, wherein the curvature of the first arc-shaped extension unit 22 and the second arc-shaped extension unit 23 is consistent with the curvature of the arc-shaped plate 21, and the cross-section of the first arc-shaped extension unit 22 and the second arc-shaped extension unit 23 is L-shaped, and the vertical surface of the L-shape is fixedly connected to the arc-shaped plate 21.

[0006] Preferably, the arc plate 21 is arc-shaped.

[0007] Preferably, the bottom of the arc-shaped plate 21 is provided with anti-slip protrusions.

[0008] Preferably, the connecting member further includes a guide bearing 36 , the guide bearing 36 is mounted on the guide member 31 , and the support rod 1 is cooperatively connected to the guide bearing 36 .

[0009] Preferably, the foot fixing member includes a rear foot connector 34, a front foot connector 35, a flexible strap 37, a heel stopper 38, a bearing mounting bolt 32 and a heel connector 33, wherein the bearing mounting bolt 32 and the heel connector 33 are used to be fixed to the connector, and the rear foot connector 34 and the front foot connector 35 are both U-shaped and connected at the opening, wherein the rear foot connector 34 is arranged horizontally and the front foot connector 35 is arranged vertically, and the flexible strap 37 is connected to the rear foot connector 34 and / or the front foot connector 35.

[0010] Preferably, the connecting piece is prepared by 3D printing technology.

[0011] In general, compared with the prior art, the above technical solution conceived by the present invention provides a curved foot support device for a lower limb weight-bearing exoskeleton with the following advantages:

[0012] 1. The device of the present application is provided with an arc-shaped foot assembly, which can disperse the weight away from the axis of the human foot, greatly reducing the weight of the human foot. The arc-shaped bottom plate ensures the entire support range from the heel touching the ground to the toes leaving the ground. The exoskeleton can effectively contact the ground with the corresponding parts of the arc-shaped foot to support the load, and extend forward synchronously with the human foot. At the same time, the left and right foot extensions in the arc-shaped foot assembly are used to increase the contact area between the arc-shaped foot and the ground, so as to reduce the support pressure, provide stronger support performance, and provide greater friction, so that the exoskeleton has a certain lateral support, avoiding the situation where the exoskeleton tilts and cannot effectively support due to the left and right fluctuations of the center of mass of the person walking.

[0013] 2. The arc plate and offset distance can be designed based on kinematic data so that when a person wears the support device of the present application and walks under load, the exoskeleton can effectively and closely contact the ground with the corresponding part of the arc foot during the entire support interval from the heel touching the ground to the toes leaving the ground.

[0014] 3. The base plate of the present application includes a first arc-shaped extension unit and a second arc-shaped extension unit, and the extension size thereof can be changed according to characteristics such as the load mass and the type of walking surface, so as to achieve walking on different surfaces under different loads. The exoskeleton only needs to replace two components to maintain reliable support. Replacing the first arc-shaped extension unit and the second arc-shaped extension unit with different contact areas significantly increases the scope of application.

[0015] 4. The curved foot assembly is positioned rearward relative to the foot link assembly, corresponding to the rearward placement of the load relative to the human body during weighted walking. This allows the swing angle of the line connecting the exoskeleton's contact point with the ground and the load to approximate the angle of the line connecting the exoskeleton's center of support to the human body. This brings the exoskeleton's kinematic parameters closer to those of the modeled human body, reducing the relative motion and interaction forces between the human body and the load. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0016] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of wearing a curved foot support device for a lower limb weight-bearing exoskeleton;

[0017] Figure 2 is an exploded view of the arc-shaped foot assembly according to an embodiment of the present application;

[0018] Figure 3 This is an exploded view of the structure of the foot connection assembly according to an embodiment of the present application;

[0019] Figure 4 This is a schematic diagram of a foot wearing an arc-shaped foot support device according to an embodiment of the present application when the heel touches the ground;

[0020] Figure 5 This is a schematic diagram of the embodiment of the present application when the toes of the foot are off the ground while wearing the arc-shaped foot support device.

[0021] Throughout the drawings, the same reference numerals are used to denote the same elements or structures, wherein:

[0022] 1-Support rod;

[0023] 2-Curved Foot Assembly:

[0024] 21-arc plate; 22-first arc extension unit; 23-second arc extension unit;

[0025] 3-Foot connection components:

[0026] 31-guide member; 32-bearing mounting bolt; 33-heel connector; 34-rear foot connector; 35-front foot connector; 36-guide bearing; 37-flexible strap; 38-heel stopper;

[0027] 4- Human feet. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0028] In order to make the objectives, technical solutions and advantages of the present invention more clearly understood, the present invention is further described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings and embodiments. It should be understood that the specific embodiments described herein are merely for the purpose of explaining the present invention and are not intended to limit the present invention. In addition, the technical features involved in the various embodiments of the present invention described below may be combined with each other as long as they do not conflict with each other.

[0029] The present invention provides an arc-shaped foot support device for a lower limb weight-bearing exoskeleton, such as Figure 1 As shown, the device includes a support rod 1, an arc-shaped foot component 2 and a foot connection component 3.

[0030] The upper end of the support rod 1 is connected to the load. The support rod 1 is a rigid structure that effectively transfers load to the arc-shaped foot assembly. The support rod 1 and the foot connection assembly 3 form a sliding pair, which provides guidance and restraint for the support rod 1. Driven by the foot, the entire device swings synchronously with the leg, and the foot can slide freely axially relative to the support rod 1.

[0031] Specifically, the upper end of the support rod 1 is connected to the intermediate connector, which is connected to the weight. The intermediate connector can be an existing leg-type exoskeleton or an articulated exoskeleton and is not restricted by active or passive drive, so that the device can swing synchronously when the lower limb swings.

[0032] The arc-shaped foot assembly 2 includes a vertical plate and a bottom plate, the bottom plate is arc-shaped, the vertical plate is arranged on the mid-vertical line of the arc of the bottom plate, and one end of the arc-shaped foot assembly 2 is fixedly connected to the lower end of the support rod 1.

[0033] In a preferred embodiment, Figure 2 As shown, the vertical plate is an arc-shaped plate 21, the bottom of the arc-shaped plate 21 is arc-shaped, and the bottom plate includes a first arc-shaped extension unit 22 and a second arc-shaped extension unit 23, wherein the curvature of the first arc-shaped extension unit 22 and the second arc-shaped extension unit 23 is consistent with the curvature of the arc-shaped plate 21, and the cross-section of the first arc-shaped extension unit 22 and the second arc-shaped extension unit 23 is L-shaped, and the vertical surface of the L-shape is fixedly connected to the arc-shaped plate 21.

[0034] In a further preferred embodiment, a protrusion is provided on the bottom of the arc-shaped plate 21 to increase the roughness of the arc-shaped plate 21 and prevent slipping.

[0035] The radius, arc length, and offset distance between the center of the arc plate 21 and the support rod 1 can be determined based on human walking simulation.

[0036] The curvature of the curved plate 21 can make the heel of the foot land on the ground (e.g. Figure 4 As shown), the rear of the arc area of ​​the arc foot component lands simultaneously; when the toes push off (as shown Figure 5 The front of the curved foot assembly's arc lifts off the ground simultaneously. The remaining parameters are also based on human walking design parameters, ensuring that throughout the entire support range, the acceleration experienced by the curved foot assembly's ground contact load is comparable to that of the human center of mass. Therefore, the forward extension of the curved foot assembly and the extension of the foot's pressure center are synchronized throughout the support range.

[0037] The first arc extension unit 22 and the second arc extension unit 23 together form the contact surface of the arc foot assembly, ensuring a large contact area with the ground. This also ensures a certain degree of lateral support for the exoskeleton, preventing tilt and slipping caused by lateral forces. For outdoor use, the dimensions of the two extension units can be adjusted based on factors such as road surface hardness and load weight to achieve optimal walking performance and low contact surface pressure.

[0038] In a preferred embodiment, two mounting holes are provided on the arc-shaped plate 21. While its upper portion contacts the upper surface of the groove at the bottom of the support rod 1, its two mounting holes are concentric with the two mounting holes slotted in the support rod 1 and are connected by two bolts to ensure the reliability of the connection.

[0039] like Figure 3 As shown, the foot connection assembly 3 includes a fixedly connected foot fixing member and a connecting member, the connecting member includes a guide member 31, the support rod 1 cooperates with the guide member 31 to slide up and down along the guide member 31, and the foot fixing member is used to be fixed to the foot.

[0040] Further preferably, the connecting member further includes a guide bearing 36, which is mounted on the guide member 31, and the support rod 1 and the guide bearing 36 are cooperatively connected to form a sliding pair, and the guide bearing 36 can slide freely in the axial direction of the support rod 1.

[0041] Further preferably, the foot fixing member includes a rear foot connector 34, a front foot connector 35, a flexible strap 37, a heel stop 38, a bearing mounting bolt 32, and a heel connector 33. The bearing mounting bolt 32 and the heel connector 33 are used to be fixed to the connector. The rear foot connector 34 and the front foot connector 35 are both U-shaped and connected at the opening. The rear foot connector 34 is arranged horizontally, and the front foot connector 35 is arranged vertically. The flexible strap 37 connects the rear foot connector 34 and / or the front foot connector 35. The heel connector 33 is connected to the foot guide 31 via a hinge to ensure free rotation of the foot. The foot guide 31 is fixed to the rear foot connector 34 via two bolts.

[0042] Further preferably, the upper rectangular frame of the front foot connector 35 is equipped with a flexible strap 37 to limit the upper part of the human foot. The two inner side surfaces of the front foot connector 35 fit the sides of the human foot 4 to ensure left-right positioning. The lower part of the front foot connector 35 has a base plate to initially limit the position of the human arch. The curved surface of the foot guide 31 and the heel stop 38 fit the heel of the human foot 4 to limit the front-back and up-down freedom. These limits ensure that the foot and the foot connector can fit precisely and reliably, move synchronously, and ensure safe wearing and reliable operation.

[0043] It will be easily understood by those skilled in the art that the above description is merely a preferred embodiment of the present invention and is not intended to limit the present invention. Any modifications, equivalent substitutions, and improvements made within the spirit and principles of the present invention should be included in the scope of protection of the present invention.

Claims

1. A curved foot support device for a lower limb weight-bearing exoskeleton, characterized in that: The device comprises: A support rod (1), the upper end of the support rod (1) being connected to a weight; An arc-shaped foot assembly (2), the arc-shaped foot assembly (2) comprising a vertical plate and a bottom plate, the bottom plate being arc-shaped, the vertical plate being arranged on the mid-perpendicular line of the arc of the bottom plate, one end of the arc-shaped foot assembly (2) being fixedly connected to the lower end of the support rod (1); A foot connection assembly (3), the foot connection assembly (3) comprising a fixedly connected foot fixing member and a connecting member, the connecting member comprising a guide member (31), the support rod (1) cooperating with the guide member (31) to slide up and down along the guide member (31), the foot fixing member being used to be fixed to the foot; The vertical plate is an arc-shaped plate (21), the bottom of the arc-shaped plate (21) is arc-shaped, and the bottom plate includes a first arc-shaped extension unit (22) and a second arc-shaped extension unit (23), wherein the curvature of the first arc-shaped extension unit (22) and the second arc-shaped extension unit (23) is consistent with the curvature of the arc-shaped plate (21), and the cross-section of the first arc-shaped extension unit (22) and the second arc-shaped extension unit (23) is L-shaped, and the vertical surface of the L-shaped is fixedly connected to the arc-shaped plate (21).

2. The device according to claim 1, characterized in that The arc plate (21) is in an arc shape.

3. The device according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that The bottom of the arc-shaped plate (21) is provided with an anti-slip protrusion.

4. The device according to claim 1, characterized in that The connecting member further comprises a guide bearing (36), the guide bearing (36) being mounted on the guide member (31), and the support rod (1) being cooperatively connected to the guide bearing (36).

5. The device according to claim 1, characterized in that The foot fixing member comprises a rear foot connecting member (34), a front foot connecting member (35), a flexible strap (37), a heel stopper (38), a bearing mounting bolt (32) and a heel connecting member (33), wherein the bearing mounting bolt (32) and the heel connecting member (33) are used to be fixed with the connecting members, and the rear foot connecting member (34) and the front foot connecting member (35) are both U-shaped and connected at the opening, wherein the rear foot connecting member (34) is arranged horizontally and the front foot connecting member (35) is arranged vertically, and the flexible strap (37) is connected to the rear foot connecting member (34) and / or the front foot connecting member (35).

6. The device according to claim 1, characterized in that The connecting piece is prepared by 3D printing technology.

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