A kind of passive and active combined lower limb exoskeleton robot mechanism

Abstract

This invention discloses a combined active and passive lower limb exoskeleton robot mechanism, employing a combination of active and passive methods to provide passive gravity compensation and active motion assistance for the wearer's lower limb movements. First, a gravity balancing mechanism based on tension springs, single linkages, and ropes is designed. Adjustable tension springs and ropes fixed to the frame provide corresponding torques to the hip and knee joints of the lower limb exoskeleton, balancing the torques generated by the weight of the lower limbs and the exoskeleton, thus achieving passive gravity balance. Next, an active assistance mechanism based on a motor is designed. A motor-driven platform located at the back of the waist drives a reel, which in turn drives the ropes to transmit active auxiliary torques to the hip and knee joint exoskeleton. Finally, a lightweight and compact modular hip and knee joint is designed to integrate the active and passive torques transmitted by the ropes and output them to the wearer's lower limbs, completing the gravity compensation and motion assistance for the wearer.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention belongs to the field of exoskeletons, specifically relating to a lower limb exoskeleton robot mechanism that combines active and passive movement, which can be applied to assist movement in patients with lower limb weakness. Background Technology

[0002] Stroke is the leading cause of death and disability among adults in my country, characterized by high incidence, high mortality, and high disability rates. Stroke patients often experience sequelae after surgery or medication, leading to lower limb motor dysfunction, specifically manifested as abnormal muscle tone, decreased muscle strength, limited lower limb joint movement, and reduced neurological control. This impacts patients' daily lives and increases their psychological burden. In recent years, with the rapid development of exoskeleton technology, more and more exoskeletons have been invented for patient support and rehabilitation, and wearable exoskeletons specifically designed for lower limb motor impairments are constantly emerging.

[0003] However, at present, most lower limb exoskeleton robots are purely rigid structures with multiple actuators directly installed at the joints, which greatly increases the motion inertia of the affected limb. This results in the exoskeleton robots being heavy and cumbersome to wear. The design often uses joint fixed-axis rotation mechanisms, which have problems such as drive redundancy, low lightweighting, and low human-machine structure and motion matching.

[0004] Based on the above analysis, developing a lower limb exoskeleton robot for the field of stroke rehabilitation that can provide auxiliary support and gravity compensation for the wearer's lower limb movement, relieve the wearer's lower limb muscle load, and meet the characteristics of being lightweight and compliant, is of great significance for improving the daily life of patients with lower limb motor dysfunction in the later stages of stroke. Summary of the Invention

[0005] In order to overcome the problems of excessive weight, redundant drive, and low human-machine structure and motion matching of current lower limb exoskeletons, this invention combines the features of exoskeletons that provide auxiliary support for the human lower limbs and gravity balance mechanisms. Through a special design of rope drive, it provides a wearable lower limb exoskeleton that combines active and passive drive.

[0006] The present invention relates to a lower limb exoskeleton robot mechanism that combines active and passive modes, comprising an exoskeleton body mechanism that is strapped to the waist and back of a human body, and a lower limb exoskeleton mechanism that is strapped to the legs of a human body.

[0007] The exoskeleton body structure includes a backplate, a gravity balancing device, and a motor drive platform. The gravity balancing device consists of four sets of guide rail slider modules horizontally mounted on the backplate. The sliders of the four guide rail slider modules are connected to gravity balancing ropes via tension springs. These gravity balancing ropes are connected to protrusions designed on the outer edge of the reel in the electric drive platform, thereby transmitting the preload of the tension springs in the gravity balancing device to the reel.

[0008] The motor-driven platform includes a back brace, a waist frame, a wire wheel drive mechanism, and a wire guide mechanism. The waist frame is mounted on the back plate, and the waist frame has connecting arms for the lower limb exoskeleton mechanism on both sides. At the same time, wire guide mechanisms are installed above and below the connecting arms for the lower limb exoskeleton mechanism on both sides. The wire guide mechanism consists of two wire wheels with longitudinally arranged axes.

[0009] The aforementioned backplate and waist frame have four through holes at corresponding transverse positions, forming mounting channels for the thread pulley drive mechanisms. From left to right, the thread pulley drive mechanisms are: left hip drive mechanism, left knee drive mechanism, right hip drive mechanism, and right knee drive mechanism. All four thread pulley drive mechanisms have identical structures, each featuring a thread pulley driven by a motor module. The thread pulleys are mounted in the through holes on the waist frame via bearings, and their outer surface winding grooves are located outside the mounting channels for the thread pulley drive mechanisms.

[0010] The back brace is set parallel to the back panel and fixed to the waist frame; the back brace has holes for the straps to pass through.

[0011] The lower limb exoskeleton mechanism consists of a hip joint module, a thigh exoskeleton, a knee joint module, a lower leg exoskeleton, and an ankle joint module.

[0012] The hip joint module includes a knee joint pivot wheel, a hip joint drive wheel, an upper thigh connector, a lumbar connector, and elastic elements, all mounted on the stepped axle of the hip joint. The knee joint pivot wheel is a double-groove reel mounted via bearings; the hip joint drive wheel is a single-groove reel fixedly mounted; the thigh connector is mounted via bearings; the lumbar connector is mounted via bearings; and the elastic elements are fixedly mounted, with both ends of the elastic elements fixed to the upper thigh connector. The stepped axle of the hip joint module described above is mounted via bearings to a connecting arm on the side of the lumbar frame; simultaneously, the lumbar connector is fixedly connected to the connecting arm.

[0013] The thigh exoskeleton includes a thigh link on the hip joint side, a thigh link on the knee joint side, and a thigh binding mechanism.

[0014] The thigh link on the hip joint side is slidably connected to the thigh link on the knee joint side, making the length of the thigh exoskeleton adjustable; the top of the thigh link on the hip joint side is fixed to the upper thigh connector in the hip joint module.

[0015] The thigh binding mechanism is an arc-shaped plate structure located on the outside of the thigh link on the knee joint side, with openings for the binding strap to pass through; the outer arc surface of the thigh binding mechanism is fixed to the thigh link on the knee joint side.

[0016] The knee joint module includes a thigh end connector, a lower leg upper connector, a knee joint elastic element, and a knee joint drive wheel, all of which are fitted onto the knee joint stepped axle. The lower leg upper connector is mounted via a bushing; the thigh end connector is mounted via a bearing; the knee joint drive wheel is a single-groove threaded wheel and is fixedly mounted; the knee joint elastic element is fixedly mounted; and both ends of the elastic element are fixed to the lower leg upper connector. In the above-described knee joint module, the thigh end connector is connected and fixed to the lower end of the thigh link on the knee joint side of the thigh exoskeleton.

[0017] The lower leg exoskeleton consists of a lower leg link on the knee joint side, a lower leg link on the ankle joint side, and a lower leg binding mechanism. The top of the lower leg link on the knee joint side is fixedly connected to the upper end connector of the lower leg. The lower part of the lower leg link on the knee joint side is slidably connected to the lower leg link on the ankle joint side, so that the length of the lower leg exoskeleton is adjustable.

[0018] The lower leg binding mechanism is an arc-shaped plate structure located on the outside of the lower leg connecting rod on the knee joint side, with openings for the binding strap to pass through; the outer arc surface of the lower leg binding mechanism is fixed to the lower leg connecting rod on the knee joint side.

[0019] The ankle joint module consists of an ankle joint link, springs, and a foot support plate. The top of the ankle joint link is hinged to the bottom of the lower leg link on the ankle joint side; the bottom of the ankle joint link is connected to the bottom of the lower leg link on both sides via springs. The bottom of the ankle joint link is fixed to one side of the foot support plate. A binding plate is designed at the rear end of the foot support plate, with holes for binding straps to pass through.

[0020] The two lower limb exoskeleton mechanisms described above are driven by two sets of drive ropes; each set of drive ropes consists of two hip joint drive ropes, two knee joint pivot ropes, and two knee joint drive ropes. One set of drive ropes is the left lower limb drive rope, which connects to the left hip drive mechanism, the left knee drive mechanism, and the left lower limb exoskeleton mechanism within the pulley drive mechanism.

[0021] Two hip joint drive ropes are wound in opposite directions around the reel in the hip drive mechanism, with their ends connected to the pins in the circumferential U-shaped groove of the reel in the left hip drive mechanism. Furthermore, the two hip joint ropes pass horizontally around the outermost of the two guide bearings on the left connecting arm of the waist frame, and then reach the hip joint drive wheel in the hip joint module. They are then wound in opposite directions around the hip joint drive wheel in the hip joint module, with their other ends connected to the pins in the circumferential U-shaped groove of the hip joint drive wheel.

[0022] Two knee joint drive ropes are wound in opposite directions around the reel in the left knee drive mechanism, and their ends are connected to the pins in the circumferential U-shaped groove of the reel in the left knee drive mechanism. Further, the two knee joint ropes pass horizontally around the inner wire bearing of the two wire bearings above and below the left connecting arm of the waist frame, and then reach the knee joint drive wheel in the knee joint module. They are then wound in opposite directions around the U-shaped groove inside the rotating wheel in the knee joint of the hip joint module, and their ends are connected to the pins in the U-shaped groove.

[0023] Two knee joint transfer ropes are wrapped in opposite directions around the U-shaped groove on the outside of the knee joint transfer wheel in the hip joint module and connected to the pin inside the U-shaped groove; the two knee joint transfer ropes are further wrapped in opposite directions around the knee joint drive wheel, and the other end is fixed to the pin inside the U-shaped groove on the inside of the knee joint transfer wheel.

[0024] The other set of drive ropes is the right lower limb drive rope, which is connected to the right hip drive mechanism, right knee drive mechanism and right lower limb exoskeleton mechanism in the pulley drive mechanism, and the connection method is the same as described above.

[0025] The wearing and working method of the active and passive combined lower limb exoskeleton robot mechanism of this invention is as follows:

[0026] A. Wearing method

[0027] The entire device is positioned directly behind the back of the body and on the outside of the lower limbs, making it easy for the wearer to put on and providing auxiliary support for the wearer's lower limbs;

[0028] The gravity balance device and motor drive platform are placed directly behind the back of the human body; the waist and back binding back plate is fixed to the waist of the rigid vest worn by the human body by bolts, and the two shoulder straps of the rigid vest pass through the strip holes at the ends of the vertical plates of the waist and back binding back plate and cross over the shoulders of the human body to fix them, thus completing the waist and back binding.

[0029] The hip joint module, thigh exoskeleton, knee joint module, calf exoskeleton, and ankle joint module are all located on the outer side of the lower limb. The back of the thigh is placed inside the thigh binding mechanism. Then, at the front of the thigh, Velcro straps with barbs at both ends are passed through the strip holes on both sides of the thigh binding mechanism. The barbs at both ends of the Velcro are then attached to the round hairs in the middle of the Velcro, completing the thigh fitting. The back of the calf is placed inside the calf binding mechanism. Then, at the front of the calf, Velcro straps with barbs at both ends are passed through the strip holes on both sides of the calf binding mechanism. The barbs at both ends of the Velcro are then attached to the round hairs in the middle of the Velcro, completing the calf fitting. The foot is placed on the foot support plate. Velcro straps with barbs at both ends are passed through the openings in the binding plate. The barbs at both ends of the Velcro are then attached to the round hairs in the middle of the Velcro, completing the foot fitting.

[0030] B. Working Methods

[0031] Passive working mode: The gravity balancing mechanism uses the torque provided by the tension spring to balance the torque generated by the weight of the lower limbs and lower limb exoskeleton during walking, relieving muscle fatigue in the lower limbs during exercise. During operation, the force generated by the tension spring is first transmitted to the reel through the gravity balancing rope, and then to the corresponding joint drive wheel of the lower limb exoskeleton through the drive rope connected to the reel, providing passive assistance to the lower limbs and thus compensating for the gravity of the hip and knee joint flexion and extension movements. Depending on the weight of the lower limbs, the position of the slider can be adjusted by rotating the ball screw, changing the distance between the slider and the fixed point of the gravity balancing rope on the drive reel, adjusting the extension length of the tension spring, and ultimately changing the torque output by the gravity balancing rope to the reel.

[0032] In addition to the above passive work mode, an active work mode is added:

[0033] Based on feedback signals such as the movement angle and torque of the hip and knee joints in the lower limbs, the motor module outputs corresponding auxiliary torque to the drive wheel, which is transmitted to the corresponding hip and knee joint drive wheel in the lower limb exoskeleton through the drive rope, thereby driving the human lower limbs and completing the active assistance of the flexion and extension movements of the hip and knee joints in the human lower limbs.

[0034] The advantages of this invention are:

[0035] (1) The lower limb exoskeleton robot mechanism of the present invention combines active and passive modes and is designed with two modes: passive gravity compensation and active torque assistance. It can be used to assist alone in passive mode or to assist in a combination of active and passive modes, which can meet the needs of stroke patients with different conditions.

[0036] (2) The active and passive combined lower limb exoskeleton robot mechanism of the present invention uses ropes for driving, so that the driving platform is placed on the waist and back. Compared with the traditional exoskeleton where the actuator is located at the lower limb joint, the weight of the lower limb exoskeleton is reduced, which reduces the motion inertia of the lower limb when the patient wears the exoskeleton.

[0037] (3) The active and passive combined lower limb exoskeleton robot mechanism of the present invention is equipped with an adjustment device to adjust the length of the thigh and calf exoskeleton according to the wearer with different lower limb lengths, so as to accommodate more wearers;

[0038] (4) The active and passive combined lower limb exoskeleton robot mechanism of the present invention adopts modular joints, making the device compact and lightweight, and improving the comfort of the wearer. Attached Figure Description

[0039] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the overall structure of the lower limb exoskeleton robot mechanism that combines active and passive operation according to the present invention.

[0040] Figure 2This is a schematic diagram of the gravity balance device structure of the lower limb exoskeleton robot mechanism that combines active and passive operation according to the present invention.

[0041] Figure 3 This is an exploded view of the motor drive platform structure of the lower limb exoskeleton robot mechanism that combines active and passive operation according to the present invention.

[0042] Figure 4 This is a schematic diagram showing the connection relationship between the gravity balance device and the motor drive platform in the active and passive combined lower limb exoskeleton robot mechanism of the present invention.

[0043] Figure 5 This is a schematic diagram of the hip joint module of the lower limb exoskeleton robot mechanism that combines active and passive operation according to the present invention.

[0044] Figure 6 This is an axial cross-sectional view of the hip joint module of the lower limb exoskeleton robot mechanism of the present invention, which combines active and passive operation.

[0045] Figure 7 This is a schematic diagram of the motion limiting method of the hip joint module in the active and passive combined lower limb exoskeleton robot mechanism of the present invention.

[0046] Figure 8 This is a schematic diagram of the thigh exoskeleton structure in the active-passive combined lower limb exoskeleton robot mechanism of the present invention.

[0047] Figure 9 This is a schematic diagram of the knee joint module structure in the active and passive combined lower limb exoskeleton robot mechanism of the present invention.

[0048] Figure 10 This is an axial cross-sectional view of the knee joint module in the active-passive combined lower limb exoskeleton robot mechanism of the present invention.

[0049] Figure 11 This is a schematic diagram of the lower leg exoskeleton and ankle joint module of the lower limb exoskeleton robot mechanism that combines active and passive operation according to the present invention.

[0050] Figure 12 This is a schematic diagram of the connection method of the drive ropes for the hip and ankle joints in the active and passive combined lower limb exoskeleton robot mechanism of the present invention.

[0051] Figure 13 This is a schematic diagram of the knee joint rotation rope connection method in the active and passive combined lower limb exoskeleton robot mechanism of the present invention.

[0052] In the picture:

[0053] 1-Exoskeleton body structure 101-Back plate 102-Gravity balance device

[0054] 103-Motor drive platform; 102a-Slide rail; 102b-Slider

[0055] 101a-Drive mounting hole

[0056] 102c - Ball screw; 102d - Two ball nuts; 102e - Fixing block

[0057] 102f - Angular contact bearing; 102g - Tension spring; 102h - U-shaped slider

[0058] 102i - Gravity balance rope; 102j - Conductor slider; 102k - Pin

[0059] 102l-Wire hole; 102m-Wire bearing A; 103a-Back bracing backplate; 103b-Waist frame; 103c-Wire wheel drive mechanism; 103d-Wire bearing B

[0060] 103e-Supporting platform; 103a1-Horizontal plate; 103a2-Vertical plate

[0061] 103a3 - Through hole; 103b1 - Base plate; 103b2 - L-shaped connecting arm

[0062] 103b3 - Thread wheel mounting hole; 103b4 - Lower limb connection hole; 103b5 - Limiting platform

[0063] 103b6 - Annular positioning groove; 103c1 - Motor body; 103c2 - Reducer

[0064] 103c3 - Motor frame; 103c4 - Coupling; 103c5 - Thread reel

[0065] 103c6-Connecting Protrusion

[0066] 2-Hip joint module 201-Knee joint pivot wheel 202-Hip joint drive wheel

[0067] 203-Hip joint elastic element; 204-Hip joint stepped shaft; 205-H-type upper thigh connector.

[0068] 206-Waist connection plate; 207-Hip joint encoder mounting plate A; 208-Hip joint encoder mounting plate B; 209-Waist connection bearing

[0069] 3-Thigh exoskeleton 301-Hip joint side thigh link 302-Knee joint side thigh link

[0070] 303-Thigh binding mechanism; 304-Thigh distance adjustment and fixing block; 305-Rope retraction device

[0071] 4-Knee Joint Module 401-H-type Thigh End Connector 402-H-type Lower Leg Upper End Connector

[0072] 403 - Knee joint elastic element; 404 - Knee joint drive wheel; 405 - Knee joint stepped shaft

[0073] 406-Knee Joint Encoder Mounting Plate A 407-Knee Joint Encoder Mounting Plate B

[0074] 5-Lower leg exoskeleton 501-Knee joint side lower leg link 502-Ankle joint side lower leg link

[0075] 503-Lower leg binding mechanism; 502a-U-shaped connector

[0076] 6-Ankle joint module 601-Ankle joint link 602-Spring

[0077] 603 - Heel strap plate; 604 - Heel plate; 605 - Sole plate

[0078] 601a-U-type connector Detailed Implementation

[0079] The present invention will now be described in further detail with reference to the accompanying drawings and embodiments.

[0080] This invention relates to a lower limb exoskeleton robot mechanism that combines active and passive operation. It includes an exoskeleton body mechanism 1 and lower limb exoskeleton mechanisms corresponding to the lower limbs of the human body, mounted on the left and right sides of the exoskeleton body 1. Both lower limb exoskeleton mechanisms consist of a hip joint module 2, a thigh exoskeleton 3, a knee joint module 4, a lower leg exoskeleton 5, and an ankle joint module 6. Figure 1 As shown.

[0081] The exoskeleton body mechanism 1 includes a back plate 101, a gravity balancing device 102, and a motor drive platform 103.

[0082] The gravity balancing device 102 consists of four identical guide rail slider modules. These four modules are arranged parallel and equidistantly on the front side of the back plate 101, with the sliders sliding along the vertical direction of the back plate 101. Each guide rail slider module includes a guide rail slider mechanism, a ball screw mechanism, and a tension spring adjustment mechanism, such as... Figure 2 As shown.

[0083] The guide rail slider mechanism consists of a slide rail 102a and two sliders 102b. The slide rail 102a has countersunk holes at equal intervals, which are fixed to the back plate 101 with screws. The two sliders 102b are slidably connected to the slide rail 102a. The surfaces of the two sliders 102b are designed with threaded holes, which connect with the slide rail 102a to form a sliding pair.

[0084] The ball screw mechanism consists of a ball screw 102c, two ball nuts 102d, and a fixed block 102e. The two ball nuts 102d are threaded into the ball screw 102c and are fixed to two sliders 102b respectively. The top end of the ball screw 102c is connected to the fixed block 102e via an angular contact bearing 102f to form a rotating pair; the bottom end of the ball screw 102c is connected to the waist frame 3 via the angular contact bearing 102f.

[0085] The tension spring adjustment mechanism includes a tension spring 102g, a U-shaped slider 102h, a gravity balance rope 102i, and a wire slider 102j. The U-shaped slider 102h has left and right side plates parallel to the ball screw 102c, and its bottom is bolted to a ball nut 102d located on one side of the fixing block 102e. Holes are also drilled at corresponding positions on the left and right side plates to fix the two ends of the insertion pins 102k. The wire slider 102j has a side plate perpendicular to the ball screw 102c, with a wire hole 102l on this side plate. Two wire bearings A102m are arranged side-by-side on the top surface of the wire slider 102j. The two wire bearings A102m have wire grooves circumferentially, and their axes are perpendicular to the top surface of the wire slider 102j. The circumferential sidewalls of the two wire bearings A102m are in contact with each other, and the wire grooves on the two wire bearings A102m are opposite each other, forming a wire channel. The tension spring 102g is placed between the U-shaped slider 102h and the wire slider 102j, and is hung on the pin 102k via the hook at the upper end of the tension spring 102g. The end of the gravity balance rope 102i is tied to the hook at the lower end of the tension spring 102g, and then passes through the wire channel between the wire hole 102l and the two wire bearings A102m along the spring axis before being connected to the electric drive platform 103.

[0086] In the aforementioned gravity balancing device 102, the slide rail 102a and the fixing block 102e are fixed to the back plate 101 by bolts, thereby fixing the gravity balancing device 2 to the front side of the platform back plate 101; by rotating the upper end of the ball screw 102c to adjust the position of the U-shaped slider 102h, the tension length of the tension spring 102g is adjusted, thereby realizing the adjustment of the preload of the tension spring 102g.

[0087] The motor-driven platform 103 comprises a back brace 103a, a waist frame 103b, a wire pulley drive mechanism 103c, and a wire guide mechanism 103d. Figure 3 As shown.

[0088] The waist frame 103b is a U-shaped frame consisting of a base plate 103b1 and two L-shaped connecting arms 103b2 on both sides. The base plate 103b1 is fixed to the front of the back plate. Four equally spaced thread wheel mounting holes 103b3 are designed horizontally on the base plate 103b1; and four annular positioning grooves 103b6 are designed horizontally on the top surface of the base plate 103b1; at the same time, four drive mounting holes 101a of the same size corresponding to the thread wheel mounting holes 103b3 are opened on the back plate 101. When the base plate 103b1 and the back plate 101 are installed, the ball screws 102c of the four guide rail slider modules mentioned above are respectively inserted into the four positioning grooves 103b6 on the base plate 103b1, and the bottom ends are connected by angular contact bearings to form a rotating pair.

[0089] One end of each of the two connecting arms 103b2 on the waist frame 103b is connected to the base plate 103b1, and the other end faces the front of the base plate 103b1. Lower limb connection holes 103b4 are provided at corresponding positions on the ends of the connecting arms 103b2 for connecting the lower limb exoskeleton mechanisms on both sides. Simultaneously, a guide cable mechanism is designed and installed at the bend of the connecting arms 103b2 on both sides to guide the ropes. There are four guide cable mechanisms in total, installed above and below the bend of the connecting arms 103b2 on both sides of the back plate. These are two laterally arranged guide cable bearings B103d, mounted on the support platform 103e at the bend via a rotating shaft, with the axis aligned vertically along the back plate 101. The two guide cable bearings B103d have rope winding grooves designed circumferentially.

[0090] The back bracing plate 103a is a T-shaped plate composed of a horizontal plate 103a1 and a vertical plate 103a2, and is set parallel to the back plate 101. The horizontal plate 103a1 overlaps with the equally spaced limiting platforms 103b5 on the base plate 103b1 of the waist frame 103b, and the two are fixed together with screws. Thus, the drive mounting hole 101a provides an entry point for drive installation, and the design of the limiting platforms 103b5 on the waist frame 103b ensures a certain distance between the back bracing plate 103a and the back plate 101, meeting the axial installation requirements of the pulley drive mechanism 103c.

[0091] The longitudinal plate 103a2 of the lumbar and back binding back panel 103a is designed with a hexagonal structure at its end, with strip-shaped holes along the four circumferentially spaced sides for the back binding strap to pass through. Simultaneously, fixing holes are provided at the intersection of the transverse and longitudinal plates of the lumbar and back binding back panel 103a, through which the lumbar bandage is horizontally positioned and secured to the lumbar and back binding back panel 103a with bolts. Thus, by binding the lumbar bandage and back binding strap to the lower back, the lumbar and back binding back panel 103a conforms to the lower back of the body.

[0092] There are four spool drive mechanisms 103c, including a left hip drive mechanism, a left knee drive mechanism, a right hip drive mechanism, and a right knee drive mechanism, arranged from left to right, respectively driving the left hip joint, left knee joint, right hip joint, and right knee joint of the human lower limbs. The four spool drive mechanisms 103c have identical structures, each including a motor module, a coupling 103c4, and a spool 103c5. Each motor module consists of a motor body 103c1, a reducer 103c2, and a motor frame 103c3. The reducer 103c2 is installed inside the motor frame, and the motor body 103c1 is fixed to the rear side of the motor frame. The output shaft is coaxially connected to the reducer 103c2. The output end of the reducer 103c2 is coaxially connected to the spool 103c5 via the coupling.

[0093] like Figure 4 As shown, the four spool drive mechanisms 103c of the above structure are respectively installed in four drive mounting channels. Among them, the motor frame 103c3 of the four motor modules is fixedly installed on the rear side of the back plate 101 by bolts at equal intervals, so that the axis of the motor body 103c1 is perpendicular to the back plate 101. At the same time, the spool 103c5 is installed in the spool mounting hole 103b3 on the waist frame 103b through a deep groove ball bearing, and its outer surface is located outside the spool mounting hole 103b3. At the same time, a connecting protrusion 103c6 is designed on the outer edge of the surface. The front end of the gravity balance rope 102i in the four gravity balance devices 102 is respectively sleeved on the connecting protrusion 103c6 of the spool 103c5 in the four spool drive mechanisms 103c. This allows the preload of the tension springs 102g in the four gravity balancing devices 102 to be transmitted to the four reels 103c5; and satisfies the condition that when the connecting protrusion 103c6 is located at the bottom of the reel 103c5, the rope travels along the radius of the reel 103c5.

[0094] The aforementioned back brace 103a has four through holes 103a3 evenly spaced on the horizontal plate 103a1. The positions of the four through holes 103a3 correspond to the four drive mounting holes 101a on the back plate 101. The rotation of the inner thread pulley 103c5 can be seen through the through holes 103a3, which also reduces the weight of the back plate.

[0095] like Figure 5 , Figure 6 As shown, in the lower limb exoskeleton mechanism, the hip joint module 2 consists of a knee joint central rotating wheel 201, a hip joint drive wheel 202, a knee joint elastic element 203, a hip joint stepped shaft 204, an H-shaped upper thigh connector 205, a waist connecting plate 206, and two encoder mounting plates, as shown. Figure 4 As shown.

[0096] The knee joint pivot wheel 201 is a double-groove reel with two arc-shaped limiting grooves on its outer circumferential surface. Bolts are installed in these grooves to connect ropes. The hip joint drive wheel 202 is a single-groove reel with one arc-shaped limiting groove on its circumferential surface. Bolts are installed in these grooves to connect ropes. The knee joint pivot wheel 201 is coaxially mounted on the hip joint stepped shaft 204, and the two are connected by a deep groove ball bearing to form a rotating pair. The hip joint drive wheel 202 is coaxially mounted on the hip joint stepped shaft 204 and is circumferentially positioned with the hip joint stepped shaft 204 by a key connection, allowing it to drive the hip joint stepped shaft 204 to rotate. The knee joint pivot wheel 201 and the hip joint drive wheel 202 are located between opposite sides of the H-shaped upper thigh connector 205. The opposite ends of the H-shaped upper thigh connector 205 are connected to the hip joint stepped shaft 204 by bearings to form a rotating pair, and the other independent end is used to connect to the thigh exoskeleton. The front end of the waist connecting plate 206 is sleeved on the hip joint stepped shaft 204 via a bearing, and is located between the hip joint drive wheel 202 and the upper end connector of the h-shaped thigh; the end of the waist connecting plate 206 is used to connect the waist frame 103b.

[0097] The hip joint elastic element 203 is a planar torsion spring with a connecting hole in the center. The center also has two elastic branches at opposite positions, each rotating around the center to form a spiral structure. The outermost part of this elastic element structure has two ends, which are positioned opposite each other. (See: Invention Patent Application No. CN202110710593.0). The central hole of the hip joint elastic element 203 is fixedly connected to the end of the hip joint stepped shaft 204, located on one side of the knee joint rotating wheel 201. Both ends of the elastic element 203 are connected and fixed to the side wall of the H-shaped upper thigh connector 205 and the hip joint encoder bracket plate A207 located on the outside of the elastic element 203 via bolts. The hip joint elastic element 203 transmits the torque of the hip joint stepped shaft 204 to the H-shaped upper thigh connector 205, thereby driving the movement of the thigh exoskeleton 3. Simultaneously, a limiting pin is installed on the waist connecting plate 206. This limiting pin is inserted into an arc-shaped groove designed circumferentially on the side wall of the hip joint drive wheel 202. Through the cooperation of the two, the movement angle of the thigh exoskeleton 3 is limited. Figure 7 As shown.

[0098] The aforementioned hip joint encoder mounting plate A207 has an encoder mounting slot, in which an encoder, a magnetic encoder, is installed to measure the deformation angle of the hip joint elastic element 203. The hip joint encoder mounting plate B208 is an L-shaped plate, with one end fixed to the waist connecting plate 206, and the other end designed with an encoder mounting slot. An encoder, a magnetic encoder, is installed in the slot to measure the rotation angle of the hip joint stepped shaft 204.

[0099] The hip joint module of the above structure is installed at the ends of the connecting arms 103b2 on both sides of the lumbar frame 103b. The lower limb connecting holes 103b4 at the ends of the connecting arms 103b2 are fitted onto the hip joint stepped shaft 204, located between the knee joint rotating wheel 201 and the hip joint drive wheel 202, and are connected to the hip joint stepped shaft 204 through the lumbar connecting bearing 209 to form a rotating pair. At the same time, the end of the lumbar connecting plate 206 is fixed to the outer side of the connecting arm 103b2 by screws.

[0100] like Figure 8 As shown, the thigh exoskeleton 3 includes a thigh link 301 on the hip joint side, a thigh link 302 on the knee joint side, a thigh binding mechanism 303, a thigh distance adjustment and fixing block 304, and a rope gathering device 305.

[0101] The upper end of the hip joint-side thigh link 301 is bolted to the independent end of the h-shaped upper thigh connector 205 in the hip joint module 2. The lower end is stacked with the knee joint-side thigh link 302 and placed inside the U-shaped thigh adjustment fixing block 304, which restricts the lateral position of both. At the same time, there are two opposing screw holes designed longitudinally on the thigh adjustment fixing block 304 and the knee joint thigh link 302. The opposing screw holes are fixed by bolts, and the bolts also pass through the longitudinally designed strip hole on the upper edge of the hip joint thigh link 301. Thus, the longitudinal position of the hip joint thigh link 301 can be adjusted through the strip hole. When the appropriate position is reached, the hip joint thigh link 301 is pressed and fixed by tightening the bolts, thus completing the length adjustment of the thigh exoskeleton 3.

[0102] The thigh binding mechanism 303 is an arc-shaped plate structure located on the outside of the thigh link 302 on the knee joint side. An opening is made at the opposite straight edge for the binding strap to pass through, and the strap is used to bind the thigh. A connector is designed on the outer arc surface of the thigh binding mechanism 303 near the straight edge. This connector is fitted onto the thigh link 302 on the knee joint side and fixed to the thigh link 302 by bolts.

[0103] A rope gathering device 505 is fixedly installed on the inner middle of the hip joint side thigh link 301 and the knee joint side thigh link 302. The device consists of two reels, which are mounted on the base through a rotating shaft. The two reels are positioned left and right, and their axes are perpendicular to the hip joint side thigh link 301 and the knee joint side thigh link 302. At the same time, the reels on the hip joint side thigh link 301 and the knee joint side thigh link 302 are positioned up and down.

[0104] like Figure 9 , Figure 10As shown, the knee joint module 4 includes an H-shaped thigh end connector 401, an H-shaped lower leg upper end connector 402, a knee joint elastic element 403, a knee joint drive wheel 404, a knee joint stepped shaft 405, and a knee joint encoder mounting plate.

[0105] The upper end connector 402 of the H-shaped calf is connected to the knee joint stepped shaft 405 at both ends via shaft sleeves to form a rotating pair. The lower end connector 401 of the H-shaped thigh is located inside the upper end connector 402 of the H-shaped calf, and its two ends are connected to the knee joint stepped shaft 405 at both ends via bearing sleeves to form a rotating pair. The knee joint drive wheel 404 is a single-groove wheel, located inside the lower end connector 401 of the H-shaped thigh, and is connected and fixed to the knee joint stepped shaft 405 by a key, which can drive the knee joint stepped shaft 405 to rotate.

[0106] The knee joint elastic element 403 has the same structure as the hip joint elastic element 203 and is fixedly installed on one end of the knee joint stepped shaft 405. A knee joint encoder mounting plate A406 is installed on the outside of the knee joint elastic element 403, and the knee joint encoder mounting plate is fixedly connected to both ends of the knee joint elastic element 403 and the upper end connector of the H-shaped lower leg 402. The knee joint elastic element 403 transmits the torque of the knee joint stepped shaft 405 to the upper end connector of the H-shaped lower leg 402, thereby driving the movement of the lower leg exoskeleton 5. At the same time, similar to the hip joint module 2, a limiting pin is installed on the upper end connector of the H-shaped lower leg 402. This limiting pin is inserted into the arc-shaped groove designed circumferentially on the side wall of the knee joint drive wheel 404. Through the cooperation of the two, the movement angle of the lower leg exoskeleton 5 is limited.

[0107] The aforementioned knee joint encoder mounting plate A406 has an encoder mounting slot, in which an encoder, a magnetic encoder, is installed to measure the deformation angle of the knee joint elastic element 403. The knee joint encoder mounting plate B407 is an L-shaped plate, one end of which is fixed to the h-shaped lower leg upper end connector 402, and the other end has an encoder mounting slot in which an encoder, a magnetic encoder, is installed to measure the rotation angle of the knee joint stepped shaft 405.

[0108] In the knee joint module 4 of the above structure, one independent end of the H-shaped thigh end connector 401 is connected and fixed to the lower end of the knee joint side thigh link 302 in the thigh exoskeleton 5 by bolts. One independent end of the H-shaped lower leg upper end connector 402 is connected to the lower leg exoskeleton 5.

[0109] like Figure 11 As shown, the lower leg exoskeleton 5 consists of a lower leg link 501 on the knee joint side, a lower leg link 502 on the ankle joint side, and a lower leg binding mechanism 503.

[0110] The top of the knee-side lower leg connecting rod 501 is connected and fixed to the upper end connector 402 of the H-shaped lower leg by bolts. The lower part of the knee-side lower leg connecting rod 501 is inserted into the rectangular hole designed along the length of the connecting rod in the upper part of the ankle-side lower leg connecting rod 502. After the quick-release bolt 504 passes through the opening designed in the inner side of the upper part of the ankle-side lower leg connecting rod 502, it further passes through the longitudinally designed strip hole in the knee-side lower leg connecting rod 501 and is threadedly connected to the screw hole opened in the upper part of the ankle-side lower leg connecting rod 502. Thus, by tightening the quick-release bolt 504, the knee-side lower leg connecting rod 501 and the ankle-side lower leg connecting rod 502 are pressed and fixed. After loosening the quick-release bolt 504, the longitudinal position of the knee-side lower leg connecting rod 501 can be adjusted along the strip hole, thereby adjusting the overlap length between the knee-side lower leg connecting rod 501 and the ankle-side lower leg connecting rod 502, realizing the length adjustment of the lower leg exoskeleton 5.

[0111] The calf binding mechanism 503 is an arc-shaped plate structure located on the outside of the calf connecting rod 501 on the knee joint side. An opening is made at the opposite straight edge to connect to a binding strap, which is then used to bind the calf to the user's lower leg. A connector is designed on the outer arc surface of the calf binding mechanism 503 near the straight edge. This connector is fitted onto the calf connecting rod 501 on the knee joint side and fixed to it with bolts.

[0112] like Figure 11 As shown, the ankle joint module 6 consists of an ankle joint link 601, a spring 602, a heel strap 603, a heel plate 604, and a sole plate 605.

[0113] The ankle joint link 601 has its top end positioned within a U-shaped connector 502a at the bottom of the ankle joint side lower leg link 502, forming a rotating pair with the ankle joint shaft and the two sides of the U-shaped connector. A U-shaped connecting seat 601a is designed at the bottom of the ankle joint link 601, with pins fixedly installed on both sides of the U-shaped connecting seat 601a and the side wall of the ankle joint link 601. Two springs 602 have one end respectively fitted onto the pins on both sides of the ankle joint link 601, and the other end respectively fitted onto the pins fixedly installed in the slots at both ends of the U-shaped connector 502a.

[0114] The heel strap 603, heel plate 604, and sole plate 605 together form the foot support. The rear side of the sole plate 605 is bonded to the front side of the heel plate 604, forming a single sole plate for supporting the foot. The heel strap 603 is an arc-shaped plate, perpendicular to the sole plate, with its bottom end bonded to the rear edge of the heel plate 604, used to limit the position of the heel. The heel strap 603 has strip-shaped holes on both sides, where straps are fixed to secure the heel plate 604 to the ankle. The sole plate 605, heel plate 604, and heel strap 603 are made of different materials according to the wear and tear and intensity experienced during walking at their contact points with the foot; the sole plate 605 is made of rubber, the heel plate 604 is made of carbon fiber, and the heel strap 603 is made of resin. The heel plate 604 has a connecting plate extending inward on its inner side. The U-shaped connecting seat 601a at the bottom of the ankle joint connecting rod 601 is fixed to the connecting plate with bolts, so that the calf binding mechanism 503 is located directly above the heel binding plate 603.

[0115] The two lower limb exoskeleton mechanisms described above are driven by two sets of drive ropes. Each set of drive ropes consists of two hip joint drive ropes, two knee joint pivot ropes, and two knee joint drive ropes. One set of drive ropes is for the left lower limb, connected to the left hip drive mechanism, left knee drive mechanism, and left lower limb exoskeleton mechanism in the pulley drive mechanism 103c; the other set of drive ropes is for the right lower limb, connected to the right hip drive mechanism, right knee drive mechanism, and right lower limb exoskeleton mechanism in the pulley drive mechanism 103c. The connection method of the two sets of drive ropes is the same; the following explanation uses the connection method of the left drive rope as an example:

[0116] like Figure 12 , 13 As shown, two hip joint drive ropes are wound in opposite directions around the reel 103c5 in the left hip drive mechanism, and their ends are connected to the pins in the circumferential U-shaped groove of the reel 103c5 in the left hip drive mechanism; further, the two hip joint ropes pass horizontally around the outermost of the two guide bearings B103d at the left bend of the back plate connecting arm 103b2, and then horizontally forward to the hip joint drive wheel 202 in the hip joint module 2, and are wound in opposite directions around the hip joint drive wheel 202 in the hip joint module 2, and their other ends are connected to the pins in the circumferential U-shaped groove of the hip joint drive wheel 202.

[0117] Two knee joint drive ropes are wound in opposite directions around the reel 103c5 in the left knee drive mechanism, with their ends connected to pins in the circumferential U-shaped grooves of the reel 103c5. Further, the two knee joint ropes horizontally pass over the inner guide bearing B103d of the two guide bearings B103d located above and below the left bend of the backplate connecting arm 103b2, and then horizontally forward to the knee joint drive wheel 404 in the knee joint module 4. They then wind in opposite directions around the U-shaped groove inside the knee joint pivot 201 in the hip joint module 2, with their ends connected to pins in the U-shaped groove. To ensure that the ropes enter each winding reel horizontally during the winding process, the dimensions of the reel 103c5 in the left hip drive mechanism and the left knee drive mechanism, as well as the vertical position of the two guide bearings B103d above and below the left bend of the backplate connecting arm 103b2, can be rationally designed.

[0118] Two knee joint transfer ropes are wound in opposite directions around the U-shaped groove on the outside of the knee joint transfer wheel 201 in the hip joint module 2, and connected to the pin inside the U-shaped groove. Then, the two knee joint transfer ropes pass between the two reels in the rope gathering device 505 on the hip joint side thigh link 301 and the knee joint side thigh link 302 in the thigh exoskeleton 3, and pass parallel to the reels on the same side of the rope gathering device 505 on the hip joint side thigh link 301 and the knee joint side thigh link 302, and reach the knee joint drive wheel 404 in the knee joint module 4, where they are further wound around the knee joint drive wheel 404. The other end is fixed to the pin inside the U-shaped groove on the inside of the knee joint transfer wheel 201.

[0119] The wearing and working method of the active and passive combined lower limb exoskeleton robot mechanism of this invention is as follows:

[0120] A. Wearing method

[0121] The active and passive combined lower limb exoskeleton robot mechanism of this invention is positioned directly behind the back of the human body and on the outside of the lower limbs, making it easy for the wearer to put on and providing auxiliary support for the wearer's lower limbs.

[0122] The gravity balancing device 102 and the motor drive platform 103 are positioned directly behind the back of the human body. The waist and back binding back plate 103a is fixed to the waist of the rigid vest worn by the human body by bolts. The two shoulder straps of the rigid vest pass through the strip holes at the ends of the vertical plates of the waist and back binding back plate 103a and cross over the shoulders of the human body to be fixed, thus completing the wearing of the waist and back binding back plate.

[0123] The hip joint module 2, thigh exoskeleton 3, knee joint module 4, lower leg exoskeleton 5, and ankle joint module 6 are all located on the outer side of the lower limb. The posterior thigh is placed inside the thigh binding mechanism 303. Then, at the front of the thigh, a Velcro strap with barbs at both ends is passed through the strip holes on both sides of the thigh binding mechanism 5, and the barbs at both ends of the Velcro are attached to the central rounded section of the Velcro, completing the thigh fitting. The posterior lower leg is placed inside the lower leg binding mechanism 503. Then, at the front of the lower leg, a Velcro strap with barbs at both ends is passed through the strip holes on both sides of the lower leg binding mechanism 503, and the barbs at both ends of the Velcro are attached to the central rounded section of the Velcro, completing the lower leg fitting. The foot is placed on a base plate composed of a heel binding plate 603, a heel plate 604, and a sole plate 605. Then, at the front of the ankle, a Velcro strap with barbs at both ends is passed through the strip holes on both sides of the heel binding plate 603, and the barbs at both ends of the Velcro are attached to the central rounded section of the Velcro, completing the foot fitting.

[0124] The wearer can adjust the length of the thigh exoskeleton 3 and the calf exoskeleton 5 according to physiological characteristics such as lower limb length, so that the lower limb exoskeleton robot mechanism can adapt to the needs of different people.

[0125] B. Working Methods

[0126] The active-passive combined lower limb exoskeleton robot mechanism of this invention can be divided into two modes: providing passive gravity compensation for the human lower limbs and active torque assistance. It assists in the flexion and extension of the hip and knee joints in the human lower limbs. Therefore, the drive part of the entire mechanism mainly includes two parts: a gravity balancing mechanism 102 and a motor drive platform 103. The gravity balancing mechanism 102 uses the torque provided by the tension spring 102 to balance the torque generated by the gravity of the lower limbs and the lower limb exoskeleton during walking, alleviating muscle fatigue in the lower limbs during movement. During operation, the force generated by the tension spring 102g is first transmitted to the reel 103c5 through the gravity balancing rope 102i, and then transmitted to the corresponding joint drive wheels of the lower limb exoskeleton through the drive rope connected to the reel 103c5, providing passive assistance to the human lower limbs and thus completing gravity compensation for the flexion and extension movements of the hip and knee joints in the human lower limbs. Based on the difference in weight of the human lower limbs, the position of the U-shaped slider 102h can be adjusted by rotating the ball screw 102c, changing the distance between the U-shaped slider 102h and the fixed point of the gravity balance rope 102i on the drive spool, adjusting the tension length of the tension spring 102g, and finally changing the torque output by the gravity balance rope 102i to the spool 103c5. The torque provided to the human lower limbs in this process is provided by the tension spring 102g.

[0127] Active assistance involves the motor module outputting corresponding auxiliary torque to the drive pulley 103c5 based on feedback signals such as the movement angle and torque of the hip and knee joints in the lower limbs. This torque is then transmitted to the corresponding hip and knee joint drive wheels in the lower limb exoskeleton via drive ropes, thereby driving the lower limbs and actively assisting in the flexion and extension movements of the hip and knee joints. This exoskeleton mechanism can have the motor module removed or the motor enabled, operating independently in a purely passive gravity compensation mode. In this mode, the gravity balance mechanism 2 provides passive assistance to the lower limbs, thus alleviating muscle fatigue. Alternatively, an active working mode can be added to the passive mode, simultaneously providing both active and passive assistance to the corresponding lower limbs for movement assistance.

Claims

1. A combined active and passive lower limb exoskeleton robot mechanism, comprising an exoskeleton body mechanism strapped to the waist and back of a human body, and a lower limb exoskeleton mechanism strapped to the legs of a human body; characterized in that: The exoskeleton body structure includes a back plate, a gravity balancing device, and a motor drive platform; The gravity balancing device consists of four sets of guide rail slider modules mounted horizontally on the back plate. The sliders of the four sets of guide rail slider modules are connected to gravity balancing ropes by tension springs. The gravity balancing ropes are connected to the protrusions designed on the outer edge of the pulley in the electric drive platform, thereby transmitting the preload of the tension springs in the gravity balancing device to the pulley. The motor-driven platform includes a back brace, a waist frame, a wire wheel drive mechanism, and a wire guide mechanism. The waist frame is mounted on the back plate, and the waist frame has connecting arms for the lower limb exoskeleton mechanism on both sides. At the same time, wire guide mechanisms are installed above and below the connecting arms for the lower limb exoskeleton mechanism on both sides. The wire guide mechanism consists of two wire wheels with longitudinally arranged axes. Four through holes are opened at corresponding horizontal positions on the back plate and waist frame, forming mounting channels for the spool drive mechanism. The spool drive mechanism, from left to right, consists of a left hip drive mechanism, a left knee drive mechanism, a right hip drive mechanism, and a right knee drive mechanism. The four spool drive mechanisms have the same structure and have spools that are driven to rotate by a motor module. The spools are mounted in the through holes on the waist frame through bearings, and the winding grooves on their outer surfaces are located outside the mounting channels for the spool drive mechanism. The back brace is set parallel to the back panel and fixed to the waist frame; the back brace has holes for the straps to pass through. The lower limb exoskeleton mechanism consists of a hip joint module, a thigh exoskeleton, a knee joint module, a lower leg exoskeleton, and an ankle joint module; The hip joint module includes a knee joint pivot wheel, a hip joint drive wheel, an upper thigh connector, a lumbar connector, and an elastic element, all of which are mounted on the stepped shaft of the hip joint. The knee joint pivot wheel is a double-groove roller mounted via bearings; the hip joint drive wheel is a single-groove roller fixedly mounted; the thigh connector is mounted via bearings; the lumbar connector is mounted via bearings; the elastic element is fixedly mounted, with both ends of the elastic element fixed to the upper thigh connector; the stepped shaft of the hip joint module with the above structure is mounted on a connecting arm on the side of the lumbar frame via bearings; the lumbar connector is also fixedly connected to the connecting arm. The thigh exoskeleton includes a hip joint-side thigh link, a knee joint-side thigh link, and a thigh binding mechanism. The hip joint-side thigh link and the knee joint-side thigh link are slidably connected, allowing the length of the thigh exoskeleton to be adjusted. The top of the hip joint-side thigh link is fixed to the upper thigh connector in the hip joint module. The thigh binding mechanism is an arc-shaped plate structure located outside the knee joint-side thigh link, with openings for binding straps to pass through. The outer arc surface of the thigh binding mechanism is fixed to the knee joint-side thigh link. The knee joint module includes a thigh end connector, a lower leg upper connector, a knee joint elastic element, and a knee joint drive wheel, all of which are fitted onto the knee joint stepped shaft. The lower leg upper connector is installed via a bushing; the thigh end connector is installed via a bearing; the knee joint drive wheel is a single-groove threaded wheel and is fixedly installed; the knee joint elastic element is fixedly installed; and both ends of the elastic element are fixed to the lower leg upper connector. In the above-described knee joint module, the thigh end connector is connected and fixed to the lower end of the thigh link on the knee joint side in the thigh exoskeleton. The lower leg exoskeleton consists of a lower leg link on the knee joint side, a lower leg link on the ankle joint side, and a lower leg binding mechanism. The top of the lower leg link on the knee joint side is fixedly connected to the upper end connector of the lower leg. The lower part of the lower leg link on the knee joint side is slidably connected to the lower leg link on the ankle joint side, allowing the length of the lower leg exoskeleton to be adjusted. The lower leg binding mechanism is an arc-shaped plate structure located on the outside of the lower leg link on the knee joint side, with openings for the binding straps to pass through. The outer arc surface of the lower leg binding mechanism is fixed to the lower leg link on the knee joint side. The ankle joint module consists of an ankle joint link, springs, and a foot support plate. The top of the ankle joint link is hinged to the bottom of the ankle joint side lower leg link. The bottom of the ankle joint link is connected to the bottom of the ankle joint side lower leg link via springs on both sides. The bottom of the ankle joint link is fixed to one side of the foot support plate. The rear end of the foot support plate is designed with a binding plate with holes for binding straps to pass through. The two sets of lower limb exoskeleton mechanisms described above are driven by two sets of drive ropes; each set of drive ropes consists of two hip joint drive ropes, two knee joint pivot ropes and two knee joint drive ropes; among them, one set of drive ropes is the left lower limb drive rope, which is connected to the left hip drive mechanism, the left knee drive mechanism and the left lower limb exoskeleton mechanism in the wheel drive mechanism. Two hip joint drive ropes are wound in opposite directions around the reel in the hip drive mechanism, and their ends are connected to the pins in the circumferential U-shaped groove of the reel in the left hip drive mechanism. Furthermore, the two hip joint ropes pass horizontally around the outermost of the two guide bearings of the upper and lower connecting arm on the left side of the waist frame, and then reach the hip joint drive wheel in the hip joint module in the horizontal forward direction. They are wound in opposite directions around the hip joint drive wheel in the hip joint module, and their other ends are connected to the pins in the circumferential U-shaped groove of the hip joint drive wheel. Two knee joint drive ropes are wound in opposite directions around the reel in the left knee drive mechanism, and their ends are connected to the pins in the circumferential U-shaped groove of the reel in the left knee drive mechanism; further, the two knee joint ropes pass horizontally around the inner wire bearings of the two wire bearings above and below the left connecting arm of the waist frame, and then reach the knee joint drive wheel in the knee joint module in the horizontal forward direction, and are wound in opposite directions around the U-shaped groove inside the rotating wheel in the knee joint in the hip joint module, and their ends are connected to the pins in the U-shaped groove; Two knee joint transfer ropes are wrapped in opposite directions around the U-shaped groove on the outside of the knee joint transfer wheel in the hip joint module and connected to the pin inside the U-shaped groove; further, the two knee joint transfer ropes are wrapped in opposite directions around the knee joint drive wheel and the other end is fixed to the pin inside the U-shaped groove on the inside of the knee joint transfer wheel. The other set of drive ropes is the right lower limb drive rope, which is connected to the right hip drive mechanism, right knee drive mechanism and right lower limb exoskeleton mechanism in the pulley drive mechanism, and the connection method is the same as described above.

2. The active-passive combined lower limb exoskeleton robot mechanism as described in claim 1, characterized in that: The guide rail slider module is also designed with a wire bearing seat, on which two wire bearings are installed side by side; the two wire bearings have wire grooves in the circumferential direction, and the circumferential sidewalls of the two wire bearings are in contact with each other, so that the wire grooves on the two wire bearings are opposite to each other, forming a wire channel, through which the gravity balance rope passes.

3. The active-passive combined lower limb exoskeleton robot mechanism as described in claim 1, characterized in that: When the protrusion on the spool in the spool drive mechanism is located at the bottom of the spool, the gravity balance rope travels along the radius of the spool.

4. The active-passive combined lower limb exoskeleton robot mechanism as described in claim 1, characterized in that: The back brace is supported by a protrusion designed on the waist frame; holes are made on the back brace corresponding to the spool in the spool drive mechanism to observe the rotation of the spool.

5. The active-passive combined lower limb exoskeleton robot mechanism as described in claim 1, characterized in that: In the hip joint module, a limiting pin is installed on the waist connecting plate. The limiting pin is inserted into an arc-shaped groove designed circumferentially on the side wall of the hip joint drive wheel. The two work together to limit the movement angle of the thigh exoskeleton. At the same time, in the knee joint module, a limiting pin is installed on the upper end connector of the lower leg. The limiting pin is inserted into an arc-shaped groove designed circumferentially on the side wall of the knee joint drive wheel. The two work together to limit the movement angle of the lower leg exoskeleton.

6. The active-passive combined lower limb exoskeleton robot mechanism as described in claim 1, characterized in that: Two magnetic encoders are installed on the hip joint module. The two encoders measure the deformation angle of the elastic element in the hip joint module and the rotation angle of the hip joint stepped shaft, respectively. At the same time, two magnetic encoders are installed on the knee joint module. The two encoders measure the deformation angle of the elastic element in the knee joint module and the rotation angle of the knee joint stepped shaft, respectively.

7. The active-passive combined lower limb exoskeleton robot mechanism as described in claim 1, characterized in that: The aforementioned hip joint-side thigh link and knee joint-side thigh link also have a rope gathering device installed in the middle of their inner sides. This device consists of two horizontally arranged reels, with their left and right positions corresponding and their vertical positions corresponding on the hip joint-side thigh link and knee joint-side thigh link. The two knee joint transfer ropes pass between the two reels in the two rope gathering devices and pass parallel to the reels on the same side of the rope gathering devices on the hip joint-side thigh link and knee joint-side thigh link, respectively, before reaching the knee joint drive wheel in the knee joint module.

8. The active-passive combined lower limb exoskeleton robot mechanism as described in claim 1, characterized in that: The foot support plate consists of a heel strap, a heel plate, and a sole plate. The rear side of the sole plate is bonded to the front side of the heel plate to form a single sole plate for supporting the foot. The heel strap is an arc-shaped plate, perpendicular to the sole plate, and its bottom end is bonded to the rear edge of the heel plate to limit the position of the heel. The heel strap has strip holes on both sides, and straps are fixed at the holes to bind the heel plate to the ankle. The sole plate is made of rubber, the heel plate is made of carbon fiber, and the heel strap is made of resin.

9. The active-passive combined lower limb exoskeleton robot mechanism as described in claim 1, characterized in that: The wearing and working methods are as follows: A. Wearing method The entire device is positioned directly behind the back of the body and on the outside of the lower limbs, making it easy for the wearer to put on and providing auxiliary support for the wearer's lower limbs; The gravity balancing device and motor drive platform are positioned directly behind the back of the wearer; the lumbar and back binding back panel is bolted to the waist of a rigid vest worn by the wearer, and the two shoulder straps of the rigid vest pass through the ends of the vertical plates of the lumbar and back binding back panel. The strip-shaped opening is then secured across the shoulders of the body to complete the wearing of the waist and back. The hip joint module, thigh exoskeleton, knee joint module, calf exoskeleton, and ankle joint module are all located on the outer side of the lower limb. The back of the thigh is placed inside the thigh binding mechanism. Then, at the front of the thigh, a Velcro strap with barbs at both ends is passed through the strip holes on both sides of the thigh binding mechanism. The barbs at both ends of the Velcro are then attached to the round hairs in the middle of the Velcro to complete the thigh fitting. The back of the calf is placed inside the calf binding mechanism. Then, at the front of the calf, a Velcro strap with barbs at both ends is passed through the strip holes on both sides of the calf binding mechanism. The barbs at both ends of the Velcro are then attached to the round hairs in the middle of the Velcro to complete the calf fitting. The foot is placed on the foot support plate. A Velcro strap with barbs at both ends is passed through the opening of the binding plate. The barbs at both ends of the Velcro are then attached to the round hairs in the middle of the Velcro to complete the foot fitting. B. Working Methods Passive working mode: The gravity balancing mechanism uses the torque provided by the tension spring to balance the torque generated by the weight of the lower limbs and lower limb exoskeleton during walking, relieving muscle fatigue in the lower limbs during exercise. During operation, the force generated by the tension spring is first transmitted to the reel through the gravity balancing rope, and then to the corresponding joint drive wheel of the lower limb exoskeleton through the drive rope connected to the reel, providing passive assistance to the lower limbs and thus compensating for the gravity of the hip and knee joint flexion and extension movements. Depending on the weight of the lower limbs, the position of the slider can be adjusted by rotating the ball screw, changing the distance between the slider and the fixed point of the gravity balancing rope on the drive reel, adjusting the extension length of the tension spring, and ultimately changing the torque output by the gravity balancing rope to the reel. In addition to the above passive work mode, an active work mode is added: Based on feedback signals such as the movement angle and torque of the hip and knee joints in the lower limbs, the motor module outputs corresponding auxiliary torque to the drive wheel, which is transmitted to the corresponding hip and knee joint drive wheel in the lower limb exoskeleton through the drive rope, thereby driving the human lower limbs and completing the active assistance of the flexion and extension movements of the hip and knee joints in the human lower limbs.

Images