A multi-muscle coordinated driven ankle-foot exoskeleton robot

Abstract

This invention relates to the field of rehabilitation robot technology, specifically to a multi-muscle collaboratively driven ankle-foot exoskeleton robot. It includes a knee joint module, an ankle joint rehabilitation module, and a footrest rehabilitation module. The ankle joint rehabilitation module includes a pneumatic muscle assembly and sheet-like muscles. One end of the pneumatic muscle assembly is slidably connected to the ankle joint rehabilitation module, and the other end is connected to the footrest rehabilitation module. The sheet-like muscles are mounted on the footrest rehabilitation module. The knee joint module includes a pair of thigh support rods, a pair of calf support rods, and a knee joint pivot module for connecting the thigh and calf support rod pairs. The thigh support rod pairs can rotate around the calf support rod pairs within a limited angle range via the knee joint pivot module. The pneumatic muscles achieve lightweight design and good flexibility, while also enabling multiple flexible drive directions. It can provide targeted rehabilitation for ankle dorsiflexion function in patients with foot drop, exhibiting good flexibility, safety, wearability, and rehabilitation effects.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the field of rehabilitation robot technology, specifically to an ankle-foot exoskeleton robot driven by multiple muscles. Background Technology

[0002] According to the 2020 China Population Report, China's aging population is growing at an unprecedented speed and scale, entering a deeply aging society in 2022 and a super-aged society around 2033. With the arrival of an aging society, the number of patients with various motor disorders such as stroke, hemiplegia, and limb disabilities is increasing. World Health Organization surveys show that China has the highest stroke incidence rate in the world. Due to damage to brain and nervous system function, approximately 80% of stroke / hemiplegia patients experience limb dysfunction, the most common being walking impairment. The primary rehabilitation goal for 85% of stroke patients is to restore their walking ability. Restoring and improving motor function, especially lower limb motor function and walking ability, is the most urgent requirement for stroke patients. With appropriate rehabilitation training, more than 70% of hemiplegic patients can regain walking ability. Traditional walking-assisted rehabilitation involves physicians providing one-on-one or multiple-to-one manual training to patients, with physicians developing treatment plans based on their subjective clinical experience. The shortcomings are high labor intensity, low efficiency, and a lack of complex force control and real-time feedback in rehabilitation training. Based on the principles of "repetition, focus, and task orientation," the robot can help patients simulate normal physiological gait patterns for walking training, thereby improving hemiplegic gait.

[0003] Current exoskeleton robots mostly use motor drives, which suffer from problems such as discomfort, ill-fitting design, and bulkiness. Furthermore, patients have limited range of motion when wearing them, and without the robot's actuation, they struggle to move independently. Additionally, rigid exoskeletons are prone to mechanical misalignment and incoordination with human joint movements, potentially hindering rather than assisting the patient. In terms of rehabilitation robot design, most current robots have fixed configurations, making disassembly and replacement of parts difficult, and they cannot simultaneously meet the rehabilitation needs of different patients. Hemiplegic patients often experience insufficient ankle dorsiflexion accompanied by foot inversion, reducing the contact area of ​​the foot and affecting gait stability. Therefore, active assistance is needed in the sole of the foot to specifically improve ankle dorsiflexion function, but traditional actuators are difficult to achieve in this way.

[0004] Patents CN112677138 and CN211485528 ​​both design a flexible ankle exoskeleton, but this mechanism is passive and cannot effectively provide active rehabilitation for patients. Patents CN211705220 and CN112518715 both design an ankle-assisting exoskeleton, but they only consider dorsiflexion and plantarflexion movements of the ankle joint, failing to fully cover the range of ankle training movements. Patent CN113183176 designs a motor-driven two-degree-of-freedom ankle exoskeleton, but its mechanism lacks flexibility and is prone to causing secondary injuries. Patents CN108938338 and CN207044201 both design a three-degree-of-freedom ankle exoskeleton, but the mechanism configuration is fixed, making it difficult to adapt to different patient body sizes and resulting in insufficient fit to the patient's body. Both patents CN110215648 and CN111805511 take into account the coordination characteristics of human gait movements and thus coordinate the control of exoskeleton robots, but they do not specifically improve ankle dorsiflexion function for patients with foot drop who have limited ankle dorsiflexion.

[0005] In summary, traditional rigid motor-driven robots struggle to ensure compliant and safe rehabilitation for patients, potentially causing secondary injuries. Current ankle-foot exoskeleton robots suffer from bulkiness and insufficient range of motion, making them ill-suited for passive training in the early stages of rehabilitation and active walking assistance in the later stages. Furthermore, their fixed configuration and limited adjustability fail to meet the rehabilitation needs of patients with varying body parameters. While pneumatic muscles can overcome these shortcomings, their ability to provide only tension increases the complexity of the design, requiring the integration of other devices to alter the direction of flexible drive. Moreover, traditional pneumatic muscles cannot form a support structure from the sole of the foot, hindering targeted rehabilitation of ankle dorsiflexion in patients with foot drop. Summary of the Invention

[0006] The purpose of this invention is to address the shortcomings of existing technologies by providing a multi-muscle collaboratively driven ankle-foot exoskeleton robot. Through pneumatic muscles, it achieves lightness and good flexibility, while also enabling multiple flexible driving directions. It can provide targeted rehabilitation for ankle dorsiflexion function in patients with foot drop, and has good flexibility, safety, wearability, and rehabilitation effect.

[0007] This invention discloses a multi-muscle collaboratively driven ankle-foot exoskeleton robot, comprising a knee joint module, an ankle joint rehabilitation module, and a foot support rehabilitation module. The knee joint module is detachably mounted on the upper part of the ankle joint rehabilitation module, and the foot support rehabilitation module is detachably mounted on the lower part of the ankle joint rehabilitation module. The ankle joint rehabilitation module includes a pneumatic muscle assembly and sheet-like muscles. One end of the pneumatic muscle assembly is slidably connected to the ankle joint rehabilitation module, and the other end is connected to the foot support rehabilitation module. The sheet-like muscles are disposed on the foot support rehabilitation module at positions corresponding to the sole of the foot. The knee joint module includes a pair of thigh support rods, a pair of calf support rods, and a knee joint pivot module for connecting the pair of thigh support rods and the pair of calf support rods. The pair of thigh support rods can rotate around the pair of calf support rods within a limited angle range via the knee joint pivot module.

[0008] Preferably, the knee joint pivot module includes a grooved joint turntable, a fixed joint turntable, a knee joint positioning pin, and a knee joint pivot. The upper part of the grooved joint turntable is fixedly connected to the lower part of the thigh support rod pair, and the lower part of the fixed joint turntable is fixedly connected to the upper part of the calf support rod pair. The grooved joint turntable and the fixed joint turntable are connected by an axially penetrating knee joint pivot. The grooved joint turntable is provided with a limiting groove, and the fixed joint turntable is provided with a positioning pin through hole. The knee joint positioning pin passes through the positioning pin through hole and slides in cooperation with the limiting groove.

[0009] Preferably, the arc length of the limiting groove corresponds to an angle of 100 to 110°.

[0010] Preferably, the knee joint module further includes an arc-shaped knee brace, which is positioned on the front of the thigh.

[0011] Preferably, the ankle joint rehabilitation module includes a front arc-shaped leg brace, a first rear arc-shaped leg brace located above, a second rear arc-shaped leg brace located below, a front slider assembly, a rear slider assembly, and a pneumatic muscle assembly. Both the first and second rear arc-shaped leg braces include an arc-shaped portion and a rod-shaped support portion. The rod-shaped support portion of the first rear arc-shaped leg brace is fixedly connected to the rod-shaped support portion of the second rear arc-shaped leg brace. The front arc-shaped leg brace is fixedly connected to the front side of the first rear arc-shaped leg brace. A calf-fixing space is formed between the leg guards. The front slider assembly is slidably disposed on the front arc-shaped leg guard, and the rear slider assembly is slidably disposed on the first rear arc-shaped leg guard. The pneumatic muscle assembly includes a front pneumatic muscle and a rear pneumatic muscle. The upper part of the front pneumatic muscle is fixedly connected to the front slider assembly, and the lower part is connected to the front end of the foot support rehabilitation module through a front pneumatic muscle flexible cable. The upper part of the rear pneumatic muscle is fixedly connected to the rear slider assembly, and the lower part is connected to the rear end of the foot support rehabilitation module through a rear pneumatic muscle flexible cable.

[0012] Preferably, the front slider assembly is slidably engaged with the arc-shaped portion of the front arc-shaped leg guard and is locked in place by the front slider locking bolt; the rear slider assembly is slidably engaged with the arc-shaped portion of the first rear arc-shaped leg guard and is locked in place by the rear slider locking bolt.

[0013] Preferably, the ankle joint rehabilitation module further includes a gear adjustment module, which includes a gear adjustment nut, a deep groove bearing, a gearbox, a gear, a rack, and a rack fixing block. The deep groove bearing and the gear are both embedded in the gearbox and are axially connected through the gear adjustment nut. The rack is meshed with the gear, and the rack is fixed to the front arc-shaped leg guard through the rack fixing block. The front arc-shaped leg guard can be horizontally displaced under the drive of the gear.

[0014] Preferably, the foot support rehabilitation module includes a foot support, a front ankle connector, a front tension bar, a rear tension bar, and a hollow angle sensor. The front of the foot support has an arched support, on which the front tension bar is fixedly connected. The rear tension bar is fixedly connected to the foot of the foot support. The front and rear tension bars are respectively fixedly connected to the front and rear pneumatic muscle cables. The bottom of the front ankle connector is fixedly connected to the middle of the foot support, and the top is fixedly connected to the bottom of the ankle rehabilitation module. The hollow angle sensor is disposed on the ankle connector.

[0015] When assisting in the eversion direction of the ankle joint, the front slider assembly is moved to the leftmost side of the front arc-shaped leg guard, the front tension bar is fixed to the leftmost side of the arched support, the rear slider assembly is moved to the leftmost side of the first rear arc-shaped leg guard, and the rear tension bar is fixed to the leftmost side of the heel of the footrest.

[0016] When assisting in the inversion direction of the ankle joint, the front slider assembly is moved to the far right of the front arc-shaped leg guard, the front tension bar is fixed to the far right of the arched support, the rear slider assembly is moved to the far right of the first rear arc-shaped leg guard, and the rear tension bar is fixed to the far right of the heel of the footrest.

[0017] Preferably, the foot support rehabilitation module includes a foot support, a rear ankle connector, a front tension bar, a rear tension bar, and a hollow angle sensor. The front of the foot support has an arched support, on which the front tension bar is fixedly connected. The rear tension bar is fixedly connected to the foot of the foot support. The front and rear tension bars are respectively fixedly connected to the front and rear pneumatic muscle cables. The bottom of the rear ankle connector is fixedly connected to the rear of the foot support, and the top is fixedly connected to the bottom of the ankle rehabilitation module. The hollow angle sensor is disposed on the ankle connector.

[0018] When dorsiflexion / plantarflexion assistance is required, the front slider assembly moves to the middle of the front arc-shaped leg guard, and the rear slider assembly moves to the middle of the first rear arc-shaped leg guard.

[0019] When assisting in ankle adduction, the front slider assembly moves to the far left of the front curved leg guard, while the front tension bar is fixed to the far right of the arched support.

[0020] When assisting in ankle abduction, the front slider assembly moves to the far right of the front arc-shaped leg guard, and the front tension bar is fixed to the far left of the arched support.

[0021] Preferably, when assisting in dorsiflexion, the sheet-like muscle is positioned on the foot support rehabilitation module at a location corresponding to the forefoot; when assisting in plantar flexion, the sheet-like muscle is positioned on the foot support rehabilitation module at a location corresponding to the heel.

[0022] The beneficial effects of this invention are as follows: the knee joint module has a limiting function to ensure the safety of the rehabilitation process; the ankle joint rehabilitation module can achieve pneumatic artificial muscle components to provide driving force in different positions through the movement of sliders, and can adapt to different patients' calf sizes through a gear adjustment device to fit the human body; the foot support rehabilitation module conforms to ergonomics and can achieve assisted rehabilitation in different degrees of freedom by replacing different ankle connectors and tension bars; the module adopts a hollow structure to make the entire structure lightweight and breathable. This multi-muscle synergistic control method combines pneumatic muscles and sheet muscles to achieve synergistic control of the two types of muscles. At the main peak of dorsiflexion and plantarflexion, pneumatic muscles provide the main assistance, while sheet muscles provide auxiliary assistance. While helping foot drop patients with normal rehabilitation training, it forms a plantar support structure to specifically improve ankle dorsiflexion function. Using only two pneumatic artificial muscles as actuators, the combined use of sliders and flexible cables realizes individual and compound assisted walking functions of the knee and ankle joints, and achieves targeted assistance for foot drop patients through the synergistic control of the two types of muscles. Attached Figure Description

[0023] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of the present invention;

[0024] Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram of the connection structure between the knee joint module and the ankle joint rehabilitation module of the present invention;

[0025] Figure 3 This is a schematic diagram of the knee joint module structure of the present invention;

[0026] Figure 4 This is an exploded structural diagram of the knee joint pivot module of the present invention;

[0027] Figure 5 This is a schematic diagram of the ankle joint rehabilitation module of the present invention;

[0028] Figure 6 This is an exploded structural diagram of the gear adjustment module of the present invention;

[0029] Figure 7 This is a schematic diagram of the front slider assembly of the present invention;

[0030] Figure 8 This is a schematic diagram of the inversion / outversion foot brace rehabilitation module of the present invention;

[0031] Figure 9 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of the dorsiflexion / plantarflexion, adduction / abduction foot support rehabilitation module of the present invention;

[0032] Figure 10 This is a schematic diagram of the uninflated sheet muscle structure of the present invention;

[0033] Figure 11 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of the sheet muscle of the present invention after inflation;

[0034] Figure 12 This is a schematic diagram showing the arrangement of the sheet-like muscles of the present invention under different assisted states;

[0035] Figure 13 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of the pressure insole of the present invention;

[0036] Figure 14 This is a flowchart of the multi-muscle collaborative control algorithm of the present invention;

[0037] Figure 15 This is a graph showing the plantar pressure results of the multi-muscle collaborative control algorithm of this invention;

[0038] Figure 16 This is a graph showing the Gaussian peak fitting results in the multi-muscle collaborative control algorithm of this invention;

[0039] Figure 17 A diagram comparing the trajectory contributed by ordinary muscles with the actual trajectory;

[0040] Figure 18 A diagram comparing the trajectory contributed by sheet muscles with the actual trajectory;

[0041] Figure 19 A schematic diagram of the overall trajectory in the actual trajectory tracking results of the combined pneumatic and muscle drive.

[0042] Figure 20 A schematic diagram of the oscillating phase trajectory in the actual trajectory tracking results of the combined pneumatic and muscle drive.

[0043] Figure 21 A schematic diagram of the trajectory of a normal muscle during the support phase in the actual trajectory tracking results of the combined pneumatic and muscle drive.

[0044] Figure 22 A schematic diagram of the sheet muscle trajectory during the support phase in the actual trajectory tracking results of the combined pneumatic and muscle drive.

[0045] In the picture:

[0046] 100. Knee joint module; 110. Arc-shaped knee brace; 120. Thigh support rod pair; 121. Left thigh support rod; 122. Right thigh support rod; 130. Knee joint pivot module; 1301. Left joint turntable with groove; 1302. Right joint turntable with groove; 1303. Left fixed joint turntable; 1304. Right fixed joint turntable; 1305. Left positioning pin; 1306. Right positioning pin; 1307. Left knee joint pivot; 1308. Right knee joint pivot; 140. Lower leg support rod pair; 141. Left lower leg support rod; 142. Right lower leg support rod.

[0047] 200. Ankle joint rehabilitation module; 210. Front-mounted arc-shaped leg brace; 220. First rear-mounted arc-shaped leg brace; 230. Second rear-mounted arc-shaped leg brace; 240. Gear adjustment module; 2401. Gear adjusting nut; 2402. Deep groove bearing; 2403. Gearbox; 2404. Gear; 2405. Rack; 2406. Rack fixing block; 250. Front-mounted slider assembly; 251. Front-mounted slider assembly head; 252. 260. Bottom of front slider assembly; 261. Head of rear slider assembly; 262. Bottom of rear slider assembly; 270. Pneumatic muscle assembly; 271. Front pneumatic muscle; 272. Front pneumatic muscle cable; 273. Rear pneumatic muscle; 274. Rear pneumatic muscle cable; 280. Ankle joint pivot; 281. Left ankle joint pivot; 282. Right ankle joint pivot; 290. Sheet-like muscle.

[0048] 300. Foot support rehabilitation module; 310. Foot support; 320. Ankle connector; 321. Left front ankle connector; 322. Right front ankle connector; 323. Left rear ankle connector; 324. Right rear ankle connector; 330. Pull bar; 331. Front pull bar; 332. Rear pull bar; 340. Hollow angle sensor. Detailed Implementation

[0049] To make the technical problems, technical solutions, and beneficial effects to be solved by this application clearer, the following detailed description is provided in conjunction with the accompanying drawings and embodiments. It should be understood that the specific embodiments described herein are merely illustrative and are not intended to limit the scope of this application.

[0050] It should be noted that when a component is referred to as being "fixed to" or "set on" another component, it can be directly on or indirectly on that other component. When a component is referred to as being "connected to" another component, it can be directly connected to or indirectly connected to that other component.

[0051] It should be understood that the terms "length", "width", "upper", "lower", "front", "rear", "left", "right", "vertical", "horizontal", "top", "bottom", "inner", "outer", etc., indicate the orientation or positional relationship based on the orientation or positional relationship shown in the accompanying drawings. They are only for the convenience of describing this application and simplifying the description, and do not indicate or imply that the device or element referred to must have a specific orientation, or be constructed and operated in a specific orientation. Therefore, they should not be construed as limitations on this application.

[0052] Furthermore, the terms "first" and "second" are used for descriptive purposes only and should not be construed as indicating or implying relative importance or implicitly specifying the number of technical features indicated. Thus, a feature defined as "first" or "second" may explicitly or implicitly include one or more of that feature. In the description of this application, "multiple" means two or more, unless otherwise explicitly specified.

[0053] References to "one embodiment" or "some embodiments" in this specification mean that one or more embodiments of this application include a specific feature, structure, or characteristic described in connection with that embodiment. Therefore, the phrases "in one embodiment," "in some embodiments," "in other embodiments," "in still other embodiments," etc., appearing in different parts of this specification do not necessarily refer to the same embodiment, but rather mean "one or more, but not all, embodiments," unless otherwise specifically emphasized. The terms "comprising," "including," "having," and variations thereof mean "including but not limited to," unless otherwise specifically emphasized. "A plurality" means "two or more."

[0054] Example 1

[0055] Figure 1 A schematic diagram of a multi-muscle collaboratively driven ankle-foot exoskeleton robot according to a preferred embodiment of this application is shown. For ease of explanation, only the parts relevant to this embodiment are shown, and are described in detail below:

[0056] like Figure 1 , 2 As shown, a multi-muscle collaboratively driven ankle-foot exoskeleton robot includes a knee joint module 100, an ankle joint rehabilitation module 200, and a foot support rehabilitation module 300. The knee joint module 100 is detachably mounted on the upper part of the ankle joint rehabilitation module 200 to help patients train their knees. The foot support rehabilitation module 300 is detachably mounted on the lower part of the ankle joint rehabilitation module 200 to help patients train their ankles with different degrees of freedom. The ankle joint rehabilitation module 200 includes a pneumatic muscle assembly 270 and a sheet muscle 290. One end of the pneumatic muscle assembly 270 is slidably connected to the ankle joint rehabilitation module 200, and the other end is connected to the foot support rehabilitation module 300. The sheet muscle 290 is disposed on the foot support rehabilitation module 300 at a position corresponding to the sole of the foot. The knee joint module 100 includes a thigh support rod pair 120, a calf support rod pair 140, and a knee joint pivot module 130 for connecting the thigh support rod pair 120 and the calf support rod pair 140. The thigh support rod pair 120 can rotate around the calf support rod pair 140 within a limited angle range through the knee joint pivot module 130.

[0057] This robot features a modular and reconfigurable design, dividing the exoskeleton into a knee joint module, an ankle rehabilitation module, and a foot support rehabilitation module. These modules are detachably connected, increasing the device's practicality and applicability. Pneumatic muscles are a novel type of pneumatic component, characterized by their lightweight, safety, and high flexibility. The overall structure employs a hollow design, making the exoskeleton fit the body comfortably and lightweight. Two ordinary pneumatic muscles (pneumatic muscle assembly 270) are positioned on the slide rail to provide primary auxiliary force, while sheet muscles 290 are positioned on the bottom of the forefoot to provide secondary auxiliary torque. Precise and timely control of the ordinary and sheet muscles provides the patient with assisted movement to follow a predetermined trajectory during walking, and provides compliant and adjustable joint auxiliary torque at different pace stages, effectively assisting the patient's ankle dorsiflexion. When the lower leg support rod and the grooved joint turntable are fixed, the knee joint module and the ankle joint rehabilitation module become a whole, and the rehabilitation robot can perform knee and ankle joint rehabilitation training for patients at the same time. When the lower leg support rod and the grooved joint turntable are separated, the rehabilitation robot is disassembled into separate knee joint modules and ankle joint rehabilitation modules. At this time, the robot can reduce its weight and perform ankle joint rehabilitation training for different patients.

[0058] like Figure 3 As shown, the knee joint module 100 includes an arc-shaped knee brace 110, a thigh support rod pair 120, a knee joint pivot module 130, and a lower leg support rod pair 140. The arc-shaped knee brace 110 is installed at one end of the thigh support rod pair 120, which includes a left thigh support rod 121 and a right thigh support rod 122. The other end of the thigh support rod pair 120 is connected to the knee joint pivot module 130. One end of the lower leg support rod pair 140 is fixed in a groove in the knee joint pivot module 130, and includes a left lower leg support rod 141 and a right lower leg support rod 142. In actual use, the arc-shaped knee brace 110 conforms well to the human body, and the thigh support rod pair 120 and the lower leg support rod pair 140 effectively support the human body.

[0059] The knee joint pivot module 130 includes a grooved joint turntable, a fixed joint turntable, a knee joint positioning pin, and a knee joint pivot. The upper part of the grooved joint turntable is fixedly connected to the lower part of the thigh support rod pair 120, and the lower part of the fixed joint turntable is fixedly connected to the upper part of the lower leg support rod pair 140. The grooved joint turntable and the fixed joint turntable are connected by an axially penetrating knee joint pivot. The grooved joint turntable has a limiting groove, and the fixed joint turntable has a positioning pin through hole. The knee joint positioning pin passes through the positioning pin through hole and slides in cooperation with the limiting groove. An angle safety limiting device is provided in the knee joint module to help patients achieve knee flexion and extension movements within a safe range.

[0060] like Figure 4As shown, the knee joint pivot module 130 includes a left 1301 with a grooved joint pivot, a right 1302 with a grooved joint pivot, a left 1303 with a fixed joint pivot, a right 1304 with a fixed joint pivot, a left 1305 with a positioning pin, a right 1306 with a positioning pin, a left 1307 knee joint pivot, and a right 1308 knee joint pivot. The left 1301 with a grooved joint pivot is connected to one end of the left thigh support rod 121. The left 1305 with a positioning pin is fixed in the groove of the left 1301 with a grooved joint pivot. The left 1303 with a fixed joint pivot is fixed to one end of the left calf support rod 141. The left 1307 knee joint pivot passes through the center of the left 1301 with a grooved joint pivot and the left 1303 with a fixed joint pivot, thereby allowing the left 1301 with a grooved joint pivot and the left 1303 with a fixed joint pivot to rotate around the left 1307 knee joint pivot. The installation process of the parts on the right side is similar to that of the parts on the left side. In actual use, the left 1301 of the grooved joint turntable has a built-in 105° groove, which is the same as the normal range of motion of the human knee joint. It conforms to ergonomics and can play a good role in limiting movement and providing safety protection.

[0061] like Figure 5As shown, the ankle joint rehabilitation module 200 includes a front arc-shaped leg brace 210, a first rear arc-shaped leg brace 220, a second rear arc-shaped leg brace 230, a gear adjustment module 240, a front slider assembly 250, a rear slider assembly 260, a pneumatic muscle assembly 270, and an ankle joint pivot 280. The front slider assembly 250 is slidably engaged with the arc-shaped portion of the front arc-shaped leg brace 210 and is locked in place by a front slider locking bolt; the rear slider assembly 260 is slidably engaged with the arc-shaped portion of the first rear arc-shaped leg brace 220 and is locked in place by a rear slider locking bolt. The gear adjustment module 240 is fixed inside the round hole on the left side of the first rear arc-shaped leg brace 220. The gear adjustment module 240 rotates the gear adjustment nut 2401, which drives the gear 2404 to rotate, thereby driving the rack 2405 to move horizontally. The rack 2405 and the front arc-shaped leg brace 210 are fixed together by the rack fixing block 2406. By adjusting the gear adjustment module 240, the front arc-shaped leg brace 210 can be moved back and forth to adapt to different patients' calf circumference sizes. The first rear arc-shaped leg brace 220 and the second rear arc-shaped leg brace 230 are fixed on one side. The ankle joint pivot 280 is fixed inside the round hole at the bottom of the second rear arc-shaped leg brace 230 to form a pivot. The ankle joint pivot 280 includes a left ankle joint pivot 281 and a right ankle joint pivot 282. The upper part of the anterior pneumatic muscle 271 is fixedly connected to the anterior slider assembly 250, and the lower part is connected to the front end of the foot support rehabilitation module 300 via the anterior pneumatic muscle flexible cable 272. The upper part of the posterior pneumatic muscle 273 is fixedly connected to the posterior slider assembly 260, and the lower part is connected to the rear end of the foot support rehabilitation module 300 via the posterior pneumatic muscle flexible cable 274. By moving the anterior slider assembly 250, the positions of the anterior pneumatic muscles 271 and posterior pneumatic muscle flexible cables 272 are moved, thereby providing auxiliary force at different angles of dorsiflexion. By moving the posterior slider assembly 260, the positions of the posterior pneumatic muscles 273 and posterior pneumatic muscle flexible cables 274 are moved, thereby providing auxiliary force at different angles of plantar flexion. By using only two pneumatic muscles, the slider movement device allows for the provision of auxiliary force in different positions by moving the slider assembly. By changing the corresponding ankle connectors and resistance bars, the degree of freedom of training can be adjusted, providing patients with comprehensive rehabilitation training. By using the coordinated control of two pneumatic muscles, dorsiflexion of the forearm can be achieved in a targeted manner, effectively assisting in the ankle joint rehabilitation of patients with foot drop.

[0062] like Figure 6As shown, the gear adjustment module 240 includes a gear adjustment nut 2401, a deep groove bearing 2402, a gearbox 2403, a gear 2404, a rack 2405, and a rack fixing block 2406. The gearbox 2403 has a hollow cylinder inside. The deep groove bearing 2402 and the gear 2404 are both embedded in the gearbox 2403 and are axially connected through the gear adjustment nut 2401. The rack 2405 meshes with the gear 2404, and the rack 2405 is fixedly connected to the front arc-shaped leg brace 210 through the rack fixing block 2406. In actual use, rotating the gear adjustment nut 2401 drives the deep groove bearing 2402 and the gear 2404 to rotate. The meshing of the gear 2404 and the rack 2405 causes the rack 2405 to move horizontally, allowing the front arc-shaped leg brace 210 to adapt to different patients' lower leg sizes. The length of the leg bar and the calf circumference are adjustable, so it can accommodate different patient body sizes.

[0063] When the lower leg support rod 140 and the first rear arc-shaped leg guard 220 are fixed with hexagonal bolts, the knee joint module 100 and the ankle joint rehabilitation module 200 become a whole. The ankle-foot robot can perform knee and ankle joint rehabilitation training for patients at the same time, and the two joints move independently. When the lower leg support rod 140 and the first rear arc-shaped leg guard 220 are separated with hexagonal bolts, the ankle-foot robot is disassembled into separate knee joint module 100 and ankle joint rehabilitation module 200. At this time, the robot can be lightweight and used to perform ankle joint rehabilitation training for different patients.

[0064] like Figure 7 As shown, the front slider assembly 250 includes a front slider assembly head 251 and a front slider assembly bottom 252. The front slider assembly head 251 has a downward protrusion, and the front slider assembly bottom 252 has an upward protrusion. Thus, after the front slider assembly head 251 and the front slider assembly bottom 252 are combined, an arc-shaped groove that conforms to the arc shape of the front arc-shaped leg guard 210 can be formed inside the protrusion. The front slider assembly head 251 has an outwardly extending fixing part with a round hole for fixing the upper part of the front pneumatic muscle 271.

[0065] The foot support rehabilitation module includes a foot support 310, an ankle connector 320, a tension bar 330, and a hollow angle sensor 340. The front tension bar 331 is fixed to the arch of the forefoot of the foot support 310. The arch of the forefoot of the foot support 310 has five holes at different positions. By replacing the front tension bar 331 with different holes, the front pneumatic muscle cable 272 can be stretched in different directions. The rear tension bar 332 is fixed to the arch of the heel of the foot support 310, enabling the rear pneumatic muscle cable 274 to be stretched in the plantar flexion direction. The hollow angle sensor 340 is fixed to the ankle connector for measuring angle signals.

[0066] This invention provides two embodiments of foot support rehabilitation modules, which are used to assist in inversion / outversion, and dorsiflexion / plantarflexion and adduction / abduction, respectively.

[0067] Example 2

[0068] like Figure 8 As shown, the foot support rehabilitation module 300 for assisting in inversion / outversion includes a foot support 310, a front ankle connector, a front tension bar 331, a rear tension bar 332, and a hollow angle sensor 340. The front part of the foot support 310 is provided with an arched support part, and the front tension bar 331 is fixedly connected to the arched support part. The rear tension bar 332 is fixedly connected to the rear of the foot support 310. The front tension bar 331 and the rear tension bar 332 are fixedly connected to the front pneumatic muscle cable 272 and the rear pneumatic muscle cable 274, respectively. The bottom of the front ankle connector is fixedly connected to the middle of the foot support 310, and the top is fixedly connected to the bottom of the ankle joint rehabilitation module 200. The hollow angle sensor 340 is disposed on the front ankle connector.

[0069] When assisting in the eversion direction of the ankle joint, the front slider assembly 250 is moved to the leftmost side of the front arc-shaped leg guard 210, the front tension bar 331 is fixed to the leftmost side of the arched support, the rear slider assembly 260 is moved to the leftmost side of the first rear arc-shaped leg guard 220, and the rear tension bar 332 is fixed to the leftmost side of the heel of the footrest 310.

[0070] When assisting in the inversion direction of the ankle joint, the front slider assembly 250 is moved to the rightmost side of the front arc-shaped leg brace 210, the front tension bar 331 is fixed to the rightmost side of the arched support, the rear slider assembly 260 is moved to the rightmost side of the first rear arc-shaped leg brace 220, and the rear tension bar 332 is fixed to the rightmost side of the heel of the footrest 310.

[0071] Example 3

[0072] like Figure 9 As shown, the foot support rehabilitation module 300 for assisting in dorsiflexion / plantarflexion and adduction / abduction includes a foot support 310, a rear ankle connector, a front tension bar 331, a rear tension bar 332, and a hollow angle sensor 340. The foot support 310 has an arched support at the front, and the front tension bar 331 is fixedly connected to the arched support. The rear tension bar 332 is fixedly connected to the rear of the foot support 310. The front tension bar 331 and the rear tension bar 332 are fixedly connected to the front pneumatic muscle cable 272 and the rear pneumatic muscle cable 274, respectively. The bottom of the rear ankle connector is fixedly connected to the rear of the foot support 310, and the top is fixedly connected to the bottom of the ankle joint rehabilitation module 200. The hollow angle sensor 340 is disposed on the rear ankle connector.

[0073] When dorsiflexion / plantarflexion assistance is required, the front slider assembly 250 moves to the middle of the front arc-shaped leg guard 210, and the rear slider assembly 260 moves to the middle of the first rear arc-shaped leg guard 220.

[0074] When assisting in the ankle adduction direction, the front slider assembly 250 moves to the leftmost side of the front curved leg guard 210, and the front tension bar 331 is fixed to the rightmost side of the arched support.

[0075] When assisting in the abduction direction of the ankle joint, the front slider assembly 250 moves to the far right of the front arc-shaped leg guard 210, and the front tension bar 331 is fixed to the far left of the arched support.

[0076] When the ankle connector 320 and the second rear arc-shaped leg brace 230 are fixed by hexagonal socket screws, the ankle joint rehabilitation module 200 and the foot support rehabilitation module 300 become a whole. The ankle-foot robot can perform ankle joint rehabilitation training for patients. The two joints move independently. By changing different ankle connectors, the robot can perform ankle joint rehabilitation training for different patients in different degrees of freedom.

[0077] like Figures 10-12 As shown, when assisting dorsiflexion, the sheet muscle 290 is positioned on the foot support rehabilitation module 300 at the location corresponding to the forefoot; when assisting plantar flexion, the sheet muscle 290 is positioned on the foot support rehabilitation module 300 at the location corresponding to the heel. Positioning the sheet muscle at the bottom of the forefoot in the arch of the foot, since the sheet muscle is a thin cuboid before inflation, its impact on the subject is negligible. After the sheet muscle inflates, it can generate a driving force from the sole of the foot, specifically assisting the patient in achieving dorsiflexion.

[0078] like Figure 13 As shown, the pressure on the soles of the subjects' feet was mainly distributed in the forefoot and heel, with the pressure change in the forefoot being greater than that in the heel. Therefore, five pressure resistors were installed in the forefoot and three pressure resistors were installed in the heel to create pressure insoles for auxiliary use.

[0079] like Figures 14-16 As shown, the patient's plantar pressure tactile force is collected by a pressure insole fixed to the sole of the foot. Fuzzy membership functions and fuzzy rules are used to determine the gait stage. A linear inverted pendulum model and dynamic motion primitive algorithm are used to plan the lower limb rehabilitation trajectory online during the support and swing phases. Finally, a Gaussian peak fitting algorithm is used to plan the desired trajectories of pneumatic and sheet muscles. The specific process is as follows:

[0080] The plantar pressure tactile force of the patient is fuzzified using a fuzzy membership function, and the gait stage of the human body is determined by the corresponding fuzzy rules. The fuzzy membership function is as follows:

[0081]

[0082] Sensor s (FSR) = 1 - Sensor 2 (FSR)

[0083] Where f0 is preferably 40N, and λ is preferably 1. The fuzzy rule is:

[0084]

[0085] HC represents heel grounding, FC represents sole grounding, TC represents toe grounding, and SW represents swing period.

[0086] During the support phase, the trajectory of the supporting legs is planned using a linear inverted pendulum model to achieve the exoskeleton's center of gravity balance. During the swing phase, a dynamic motion primitive algorithm is used. Adaptive generation of gait trajectories, where y, Let g be the angle, angular velocity, and angular acceleration of the trajectory, g be the target state, and α be the angle, angular velocity, and angular acceleration. y ,β y The constant is obtained by normalizing and superimposing using the Gaussian function. Key gait features were extracted from multiple teaching data, including Ψ i (t) is the Gaussian function, ω i The weights are the values ​​corresponding to each basis function, where N is the number of basis functions.

[0087] The desired trajectories of pneumatic and sheet muscles are planned using a Gaussian peak fitting algorithm. For each pair of adjacent Gaussian peaks after decomposition, the Gaussian peak with the larger peak value is assigned to the desired trajectory of the pneumatic muscle, and the Gaussian peak with the smaller peak value is assigned to the desired trajectory of the sheet muscle. The assigned Gaussian peaks are then summed and fitted to obtain the final desired trajectory. The specific steps are as follows:

[0088] Step 1: Model the Gaussian peak fitting function. The model function is as follows:

[0089]

[0090] Step 2: Fit the desired trajectory according to the principle of minimizing the sum of squared errors. The fitting error is as follows:

[0091] Right now

[0092] Step 3: Set the center coordinates of the initial iteration cell, the iteration step size, and the required number of Gaussian peaks, and calculate the results.

[0093]

[0094] Step 4: If S(A) i B i C i +ΔA i B i C i )≥S(A i B i C i If A, then i B i C i =A i B i C i +ΔA i B i C i Increase the iteration step size and proceed to step three.

[0095] Step 5: If S(A) i B i C i +ΔA i B i C i )<S(A i B i C i If ), then calculate S(A) i B i C i Is it the case that minimizes the sum of squared errors, i.e. ξ represents the desired error. If the condition is met, the iteration process ends; otherwise, A... i B i C i =A i B i C i +ΔA i B i C i Decrease the iteration step size and proceed to step three.

[0096] Step Six: Determine the peak value of each pair of adjacent Gaussian peaks after decomposition, i.e.:

[0097] max(A1,A2),max(A3,A4),...,max(A 2k A 2k+1 (k = 0, 1, 2, 3, 4, ..., n / 2)

[0098] The larger Gaussian peak is assigned to the desired trajectory of the pneumatic muscle, and the smaller Gaussian peak is assigned to the desired trajectory of the sheet muscle. The assigned Gaussian peaks are summed and fitted to obtain the final desired trajectories of the pneumatic and sheet muscles, i.e.:

[0099]

[0100]

[0101] In the above formula, y1 is the desired trajectory of the pneumatic muscle, and y2 is the desired trajectory of the sheet muscle.

[0102] like Figure 17 , 18 The image shows a comparison between the two muscle contribution trajectories and the actual trajectory. Ordinary muscles and sheet muscles together constitute the actual trajectory of the ankle-foot exoskeleton, and the number of peaks in the ordinary muscle trajectory is basically consistent with the number of Gaussian peaks in the actual ankle-foot exoskeleton trajectory. The ordinary muscle contribution trajectory is the main contributor to the actual ankle-foot exoskeleton trajectory, while the sheet muscle contribution trajectory serves as a supplement.

[0103] refer to Figures 19-22 The figure shows the trajectory tracking of the combined pneumatic and muscle drive, displaying the overall ankle joint movement trajectory during the S1 phase, the trajectory of ordinary muscle contribution during the swing phase, the trajectory of ordinary muscle contribution during the stance phase, and the trajectory of sheet muscle contribution during the stance phase. As can be seen from the figure, the overall ankle joint movement trajectory conforms to actual rehabilitation needs. During the stance phase, the angle of ordinary muscle contribution is greater than that of sheet muscle contribution, but the error of sheet muscle contribution is smaller and smoother than that of ordinary muscle contribution.

[0104] It should be understood that the specific order or hierarchy of steps in the disclosed process is an example of an exemplary method. Based on design preferences, it should be understood that the specific order or hierarchy of steps in the process may be rearranged without departing from the scope of this disclosure. The appended method claims provide elements of various steps in an exemplary order and are not intended to limit the scope to the specific order or hierarchy described.

[0105] In the above detailed description, various features are combined together in a single embodiment to simplify this disclosure. This approach to disclosure should not be construed as reflecting an intention that embodiments of the claimed subject matter require more features than are explicitly stated in each claim. Rather, as reflected in the appended claims, the invention is presented with fewer features than all of the features of the single disclosed embodiment. Therefore, the appended claims are hereby explicitly incorporated into the detailed description, wherein each claim stands alone as a preferred embodiment of the invention.

[0106] The disclosed embodiments have been described above to enable any person skilled in the art to implement or use the present invention. Various modifications to these embodiments will be apparent to those skilled in the art, and the general principles defined herein can be applied to other embodiments without departing from the spirit and scope of this disclosure. Therefore, this disclosure is not limited to the embodiments given herein, but is consistent with the broadest scope of the principles and novel features disclosed in this application.

[0107] The foregoing description includes examples of one or more embodiments. It is certainly impossible to describe all possible combinations of components or methods in order to describe the above embodiments, but those skilled in the art will recognize that further combinations and arrangements of the various embodiments are possible. Therefore, the embodiments described herein are intended to cover all such changes, modifications, and variations that fall within the scope of the appended claims. Furthermore, the term "comprising" as used in the specification or claims is interpreted in a manner similar to the term "including," as it is used as a conjunction in the claims. Additionally, the use of any term "or" in the specification of the claims is intended to mean "non-exclusive or."

[0108] The above-described embodiments are only used to illustrate the technical solutions of this application, and are not intended to limit them. Although this application has been described in detail with reference to the foregoing embodiments, those skilled in the art should understand that modifications can still be made to the technical solutions described in the foregoing embodiments, or equivalent substitutions can be made to some of the technical features. Such modifications or substitutions do not cause the essence of the corresponding technical solutions to deviate from the spirit and scope of the technical solutions of the embodiments of this application, and should all be included within the protection scope of this application.

Claims

1. A multi-muscle coordinated driven ankle-foot exoskeleton robot, characterized in that: The system includes a knee joint module (100), an ankle joint rehabilitation module (200), and a foot support rehabilitation module (300). The knee joint module (100) is detachably mounted on the upper part of the ankle joint rehabilitation module (200), and the foot support rehabilitation module (300) is detachably mounted on the lower part of the ankle joint rehabilitation module (200). The ankle joint rehabilitation module (200) includes a pneumatic muscle assembly (270) and sheet muscles (290). One end of the pneumatic muscle assembly (270) is slidably connected to the ankle joint rehabilitation module (200), and the other end is connected to the... The foot support rehabilitation module (300) is connected, and the sheet muscle (290) is set on the foot support rehabilitation module (300) at the position corresponding to the sole of the foot. The knee joint module (100) includes a thigh support rod pair (120), a calf support rod pair (140) and a knee joint pivot module (130) for connecting the thigh support rod pair (120) and the calf support rod pair (140). The thigh support rod pair (120) can rotate around the calf support rod pair (140) within a limited angle range through the knee joint pivot module (130). The ankle joint rehabilitation module (200) includes a front arc-shaped leg brace (210), a first rear arc-shaped leg brace (220) located above, a second rear arc-shaped leg brace (230) located below, a front slider assembly (250), a rear slider assembly (260), and a pneumatic muscle assembly (270). Both the first rear arc-shaped leg brace (220) and the second rear arc-shaped leg brace (230) include an arc-shaped portion and a rod-shaped support portion. The rod-shaped support portion of the first rear arc-shaped leg brace (220) is fixedly connected to the rod-shaped support portion of the second rear arc-shaped leg brace (230). The front arc-shaped leg brace (210) is fixedly connected to the front side of the first rear arc-shaped leg brace (220). The front arc-shaped leg brace (210) and the first rear arc-shaped leg brace (220) are... A space is formed between the legs to fix the lower leg. The front slider assembly (250) is slidably disposed on the front arc-shaped leg guard (210), and the rear slider assembly (260) is slidably disposed on the first rear arc-shaped leg guard (220). The pneumatic muscle assembly (270) includes a front pneumatic muscle (271) and a rear pneumatic muscle (273). The upper part of the front pneumatic muscle (271) is fixedly connected to the front slider assembly (250), and the lower part is connected to the front end of the foot support rehabilitation module (300) through the front pneumatic muscle flexible cable (272). The upper part of the rear pneumatic muscle (273) is fixedly connected to the rear slider assembly (260), and the lower part is connected to the rear end of the foot support rehabilitation module (300) through the rear pneumatic muscle flexible cable (274).

2. The ankle-foot exoskeleton robot with multi-muscle coordinated drive according to claim 1, characterized in that: The knee joint pivot module (130) includes a grooved joint turntable, a fixed joint turntable, a knee joint positioning pin, and a knee joint pivot. The upper part of the grooved joint turntable is fixedly connected to the lower part of the thigh support rod pair (120), and the lower part of the fixed joint turntable is fixedly connected to the upper part of the calf support rod pair (140). The grooved joint turntable and the fixed joint turntable are connected by an axially penetrating knee joint pivot. The grooved joint turntable is provided with a limiting groove, and the fixed joint turntable is provided with a positioning pin through hole. The knee joint positioning pin passes through the positioning pin through hole and slides in cooperation with the limiting groove.

3. The ankle-foot exoskeleton robot with multi-muscle coordinated drive according to claim 2, characterized in that: The arc length of the limiting slide corresponds to an angle of 100~110°.

4. The ankle-foot exoskeleton robot with multi-muscle coordinated drive according to claim 1, characterized in that: The knee joint module (100) also includes an arc-shaped knee brace (110) located on the front of the thigh.

5. The ankle-foot exoskeleton robot with multi-muscle coordinated drive according to claim 1, characterized in that: The front slider assembly (250) is slidably engaged with the arc-shaped portion of the front arc-shaped leg guard (210) and is locked and fixed by the front slider locking bolt; the rear slider assembly (260) is slidably engaged with the arc-shaped portion of the first rear arc-shaped leg guard (220) and is locked and fixed by the rear slider locking bolt.

6. The ankle-foot exoskeleton robot with multi-muscle coordinated drive according to claim 1, characterized in that: The ankle joint rehabilitation module (200) also includes a gear adjustment module (240), which includes a gear adjustment nut (2401), a deep groove bearing (2402), a gearbox (2403), a gear (2404), a rack (2405), and a rack fixing block (2406). The deep groove bearing (2402) and the gear (2404) are both embedded in the gearbox (2403) and are axially connected through the gear adjustment nut (2401). The rack (2405) and the gear (2404) are meshed with each other. The rack (2405) and the front arc-shaped leg guard (210) are fixedly connected through the rack fixing block (2406). The front arc-shaped leg guard (210) can be horizontally displaced under the drive of the gear (2404).

7. The ankle-foot exoskeleton robot with multi-muscle coordinated drive according to claim 1, characterized in that: The foot support rehabilitation module (300) includes a foot support (310), a front ankle connector, a front tension bar (331), a rear tension bar (332), and a hollow angle sensor (340). The front part of the foot support (310) is provided with an arched support part, and the front tension bar (331) is fixedly connected to the arched support part. The rear tension bar (332) is fixedly connected to the back of the foot support (310). The front tension bar (331) and the rear tension bar (332) are fixedly connected to the front pneumatic muscle cable (272) and the rear pneumatic muscle cable (274), respectively. The bottom of the front ankle connector is fixedly connected to the middle of the foot support (310), and the top is fixedly connected to the bottom of the ankle joint rehabilitation module (200). The hollow angle sensor (340) is set on the front ankle connector. When assisting in the eversion direction of the ankle joint, the front slider assembly (250) is moved to the leftmost side of the front arc-shaped leg guard (210), the front tension bar (331) is fixed to the leftmost side of the arched support, the rear slider assembly (260) is moved to the leftmost side of the first rear arc-shaped leg guard (220), and the rear tension bar (332) is fixed to the leftmost side of the heel of the footrest (310); When assisting in the inversion direction of the ankle joint, the front slider assembly (250) is moved to the rightmost side of the front arc-shaped leg guard (210), the front tension bar (331) is fixed to the rightmost side of the arch support, the rear slider assembly (260) is moved to the rightmost side of the first rear arc-shaped leg guard (220), and the rear tension bar (332) is fixed to the rightmost side of the heel of the footrest (310).

8. The ankle-foot exoskeleton robot with multi-muscle coordinated drive according to claim 1, characterized in that: The foot support rehabilitation module (300) includes a foot support (310), a rear ankle connector, a front tension bar (331), a rear tension bar (332), and a hollow angle sensor (340). The foot support (310) has an arched support at the front, and the front tension bar (331) is fixedly connected to the arched support. The rear tension bar (332) is fixedly connected to the back of the foot support (310). The front tension bar (331) and the rear tension bar (332) are fixedly connected to the front pneumatic muscle cable (272) and the rear pneumatic muscle cable (274), respectively. The bottom of the rear ankle connector is fixedly connected to the rear of the foot support (310), and the top is fixedly connected to the bottom of the ankle joint rehabilitation module (200). The hollow angle sensor (340) is set on the rear ankle connector. When dorsiflexion / plantarflexion assistance is required, the front slider assembly (250) moves to the middle of the front arc-shaped leg guard (210), and the rear slider assembly (260) moves to the middle of the first rear arc-shaped leg guard (220); When assisting in the adduction direction of the ankle joint, the front slider assembly (250) moves to the leftmost side of the front curved leg guard (210), and the front tension bar (331) is fixed to the rightmost side of the arched support. When assisting in the abduction direction of the ankle joint, the front slider assembly (250) moves to the rightmost side of the front arc-shaped leg guard (210), and the front tension bar (331) is fixed to the leftmost side of the arch support.

9. The ankle-foot exoskeleton robot with multi-muscle coordinated drive according to claim 1, characterized in that: When assisting in dorsiflexion, the sheet-like muscle (290) is positioned on the foot support rehabilitation module (300) at the position corresponding to the forefoot. When assisting in plantarflexion, the sheet-like muscle (290) is positioned on the foot support rehabilitation module (300) at the position corresponding to the heel.

Images