Ankle joint assistance exoskeleton system and method for preventing ankle sprains

Abstract

The application discloses an ankle joint anti-tipping power-assisted exoskeleton system and an ankle joint anti-tipping method. The ankle joint anti-tipping power-assisted exoskeleton system comprises a rope driving assembly, an auxiliary shoe assembly and an ankle joint anti-tipping assembly. The rope driving assembly comprises a driving assembly and a driving rope assembly. The driving assembly has a driving end, and one end of the driving rope assembly is connected with the driving end. The auxiliary shoe assembly is provided with a plurality of connecting points. Each connecting point is connected with the driving rope assembly. One end of the ankle joint anti-tipping assembly is connected with the driving rope assembly, and the other end is connected with the auxiliary shoe assembly. An angular velocity detection device is installed on the auxiliary shoe assembly. The angular velocity detection device is used for detecting the angular velocity of the coronal plane of the human ankle joint. The application designs an ankle joint anti-tipping power-assisted exoskeleton system which does not limit the movement of each degree of freedom of the ankle joint and can prevent the ankle joint from tipping when losing stability, so as to provide a reverse supporting force which hinders the further movement of the wearer's foot in the coronal plane of the ankle joint when the angular velocity of the coronal plane of the human ankle joint exceeds a preset speed.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This application relates to the field of exoskeleton assistance technology, and in particular to an ankle joint assistive exoskeleton system and method for preventing ankle sprains. Background Technology

[0002] Based on portability and structural form (coronal plane degrees of freedom), current ankle rehabilitation exoskeletons can be divided into three types: platform-based, non-portable, multi-degree-of-freedom exoskeletons; portable, prohibiting ankle inversion / eversion; and portable, passively inverting / eversion. Platform-based ankle rehabilitation exoskeletons can provide active rehabilitation training for the ankle joint with three degrees of freedom: plantar flexion / dorsiflexion, inversion / eversion, and internal / external rotation. However, their non-portability limits their application in the field of ankle rehabilitation. Portable ankle exoskeletons mainly focus on rehabilitating and assisting plantar flexion / dorsiflexion, i.e., movements in the sagittal plane. For coronal plane movements, users with unstable ankles can use a structure that prohibits inversion / eversion. However, this structure restricts the ankle joint's degrees of freedom, easily causing discomfort and stress concentration. Users with sufficient ankle stability can set a passive degree of freedom in the inversion / eversion direction. However, due to the presence of this passive degree of freedom, the exoskeleton cannot protect the ankle joint when there is a tendency to sprain it. There is currently no ankle rehabilitation exoskeleton robot on the market designed for patients with foot drop that can maintain the stability of the ankle joint during high-speed rotation to prevent ankle sprains.

[0003] Therefore, it is desirable to have a technical solution to overcome or at least mitigate one of the aforementioned defects of the prior art.

[0004] Application content

[0005] The purpose of this application is to provide an ankle sprain assist exoskeleton system to overcome or at least mitigate one of the aforementioned defects of the prior art.

[0006] To achieve the above objectives, this application provides an ankle sprain assistive exoskeleton system, the ankle sprain assistive exoskeleton system comprising:

[0007] A rope-driven assembly, comprising a drive assembly and a drive rope assembly, wherein the drive assembly has a drive end and one end of the drive rope assembly is connected to the drive end;

[0008] An auxiliary shoe assembly, wherein the auxiliary shoe assembly is provided with at least two connection points, each connection point being connected to the drive rope assembly;

[0009] An ankle sprain prevention component, one end of which is connected to the drive rope component and the other end of which is connected to the auxiliary shoe component;

[0010] An angular velocity detection device is mounted on the auxiliary shoe assembly and is used to detect the coronal angular velocity of the human ankle joint; wherein...

[0011] The auxiliary shoe assembly is used to provide support for the user's feet;

[0012] The drive component is used to drive the drive rope component to move, thereby causing the drive rope component to drive the auxiliary shoe component to move, so that the auxiliary shoe component provides assistance to the user's foot;

[0013] The anti-spine twisting component is used to provide a reverse support force to prevent the user's foot from moving further in the coronal plane of the ankle joint when the angular velocity detection device detects that the angular velocity of the human ankle joint coronal plane exceeds a preset speed.

[0014] Optionally, the ankle sprain assist exoskeleton system further includes a lumbar component, the drive component being mounted on the lumbar component;

[0015] The waist assembly includes:

[0016] A back assembly for connection to the human body.

[0017] Optionally, the back assembly includes:

[0018] A backplate, wherein the drive assembly is mounted on the backplate, and the drive rope assembly is at least partially mounted on the backplate;

[0019] Nylon straps are used to connect the back panel.

[0020] Optionally, the driving component includes:

[0021] A power supply assembly, which is mounted on the back panel;

[0022] A motor assembly, which is mounted on the back plate;

[0023] A winding wheel is mounted on the motor assembly and can drive the winding wheel to rotate when the output end of the motor assembly rotates.

[0024] Optionally, the drive rope assembly includes:

[0025] Bowden inner core, one end of which is wound on the winding wheel, and the other end of which is divided into a first driving harness and a second driving harness. The first driving harness is connected to a first position of the auxiliary shoe assembly, and the second driving harness is connected to a second position of the auxiliary shoe assembly. The first position is close to the user's forefoot, and the second position is close to the user's ankle joint.

[0026] A first tension sensor is disposed on the driving first wiring harness;

[0027] The second tension sensor is disposed on the second drive harness.

[0028] Optionally, the anti-slip ankle assembly includes:

[0029] The calf guard plate is provided with a first wire sleeve and a second wire sleeve. The first driving wire harness passes through the first wire sleeve and is connected to a first position of the auxiliary shoe assembly. The second driving wire harness passes through the second wire sleeve and is connected to a second position of the auxiliary shoe assembly.

[0030] A first magnetorheological damper, one end of which is hinged to the lower leg guard plate and the other end of which is hinged to the auxiliary shoe assembly;

[0031] A second magnetorheological damper, one end of which is hinged to the calf guard plate, and the other end of which is hinged to the auxiliary shoe assembly; wherein...

[0032] The first magnetorheological damper and the second magnetorheological damper are used to provide a reverse support force to prevent the user's foot from moving further in the coronal plane of the ankle joint when the angular velocity detection device detects that the angular velocity of the human ankle joint coronal plane exceeds a preset velocity.

[0033] Optionally, the angular velocity detection device is a gyroscope sensor, and the gyroscope sensor is mounted on the auxiliary shoe assembly;

[0034] The shoe cover has multiple bolt holes located at different positions on the rear protective plate.

[0035] The gyroscope sensor can be connected to the rear panel of the shoe cover through one or more bolt holes, thereby adjusting its relative position to the user's foot on the auxiliary shoe body by connecting to different bolt holes; wherein,

[0036] The gyroscope sensor is used to detect the coronal plane angular velocity of the human ankle joint.

[0037] Optionally, the auxiliary shoe assembly includes:

[0038] The support shoe body is used to support the user's foot;

[0039] The shoe cover has a rear support plate, which is disposed on the auxiliary shoe body for the user's heel to rest against. The gyroscope sensor is mounted on the shoe cover's rear support plate and can move on the shoe cover's rear support plate to adjust its relative position to the user's foot located on the auxiliary shoe body.

[0040] Optionally, the ankle sprain assistive exoskeleton system further includes:

[0041] An airbag assembly is attached to the inner side of the auxiliary shoe assembly using nylon hook and loop fasteners. The airbag assembly is used to automatically inflate and provide cushioning support to the ankle joint when an ankle sprain occurs.

[0042] A plantar pressure sensor, embedded in the sole plate of the auxiliary shoe assembly, is used to detect any abnormalities in the plantar pressure of the human foot; wherein...

[0043] The airbag assembly is used to inflate and provide cushioning to the user when the user sprains or deforms their ankle.

[0044] This application also provides a method for preventing ankle sprains, used in the ankle joint assistive exoskeleton system for preventing ankle sprains as described above, characterized in that the method includes:

[0045] Real-time acquisition of coronal plane angular velocity information of the human ankle joint;

[0046] Every preset time interval, check whether the coronal plane angular velocity information of the human ankle joint exceeds a preset threshold. If so, then...

[0047] The anti-sprain component provides counter-support to prevent further movement of the user's foot in the coronal plane of the ankle joint.

[0048] The ankle joint assistive exoskeleton system of this application is designed to prevent ankle sprains. It is an ankle joint rehabilitation / assistive exoskeleton that does not restrict the movement of each degree of freedom of the ankle joint, but can prevent ankle sprains when inversion / eversion loses stability. It provides a reverse support force to prevent the user's foot from moving further in the coronal plane of the ankle joint when the angular velocity of the human ankle joint exceeds the preset speed, thereby preventing ankle sprains. Attached Figure Description

[0049] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of an ankle sprain assistive exoskeleton system according to an embodiment of this application.

[0050] Figure 2 yes Figure 1 The diagram shows the structure of the magnetorheological damper in the ankle sprain assistive exoskeleton system.

[0051] Figure 3 yes Figure 1 The diagram shows the structure of the drive component in the ankle sprain assistive exoskeleton system.

[0052] Figure 4 yes Figure 1 The rear view of the auxiliary shoe component and the anti-sprain component in the ankle joint assistive exoskeleton system shown.

[0053] Figure 5 yes Figure 1 Another schematic diagram of the drive component in the ankle sprain assist exoskeleton system shown.

[0054] Figure 6 yes Figure 1 The diagram shows the effect of an ankle sprain assistive exoskeleton system installed on a human body; in which, Figure 6 An ankle-supporting exoskeleton system is installed on one leg to prevent ankle sprains.

[0055] Figure 7 yes Figure 1 The diagram shows the effect of an ankle sprain assistive exoskeleton system installed on a human body; in which, Figure 7 The drive source components are installed on the treadmill.

[0056] Figure 8 yes Figure 1 The diagram shows the effect of an ankle sprain assistive exoskeleton system installed on a human body; in which, Figure 8 The driver source component is installed on the walking aid.

[0057] Figure 9 yes Figure 1 The diagram shows the effect of an ankle sprain assistive exoskeleton system installed on a human body; in which, Figure 6 An ankle-supporting exoskeleton system is installed on both legs to prevent ankle sprains.

[0058] Figure 10 yes Figure 1 The diagram shows the structural diagram of the rear panel of the shoe cover in the ankle sprain assist exoskeleton system.

[0059] Figure 11 This is a schematic diagram of the auxiliary shoe component of an ankle joint assistive exoskeleton system according to another embodiment of this application.

[0060] Figure 12 yes Figure 11 The diagram shows the airbag structure of the ankle sprain assistive exoskeleton system.

[0061] Figure Labels

[0062]

[0063] Detailed Implementation

[0064] To make the objectives, technical solutions, and advantages of this application clearer, the technical solutions in the embodiments of this application will be described in more detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings. In the drawings, the same or similar reference numerals denote the same or similar elements or elements having the same or similar functions throughout. The described embodiments are some, but not all, embodiments of this application. The embodiments described below with reference to the accompanying drawings are exemplary and intended to explain this application, and should not be construed as limiting this application. All other embodiments obtained by those skilled in the art based on the embodiments of this application without creative effort are within the scope of protection of this application. The embodiments of this application will be described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0065] In the description of this application, it should be understood that the terms "center", "longitudinal", "lateral", "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 limiting the scope of protection of this application.

[0066] like Figures 1 to 12 The ankle sprain assistive exoskeleton system shown includes a rope-driven assembly, an assistive shoe assembly, an ankle sprain prevention assembly, and an angular velocity detection device.

[0067] The rope drive assembly includes a drive assembly and a drive rope assembly, the drive assembly having a drive end, and one end of the drive rope assembly being connected to the drive end;

[0068] The auxiliary shoe assembly has multiple connection points, each of which is connected to the drive rope assembly;

[0069] One end of the anti-spine sprain component is connected to the drive rope component, and the other end is connected to the auxiliary shoe component;

[0070] An angular velocity detection device is mounted on the auxiliary shoe assembly, and the angular velocity detection device is used to detect the coronal plane angular velocity of the human ankle joint; wherein...

[0071] Auxiliary shoe components are used to provide support for the user's feet;

[0072] The drive component is used to drive the drive rope component to move, thereby causing the drive rope component to drive the auxiliary shoe component to move, so that the auxiliary shoe component provides assistance to the user's foot;

[0073] The anti-spine twisting component is used to provide a reverse support force to prevent the user's foot from moving further in the coronal plane of the ankle joint when the angular velocity detection device detects that the angular velocity of the human ankle joint coronal plane exceeds a preset speed.

[0074] The ankle joint assistive exoskeleton system of this application is designed to prevent ankle sprains. It is an ankle joint rehabilitation / assistive exoskeleton that does not restrict the movement of each degree of freedom of the ankle joint, but can prevent ankle sprains when inversion / eversion loses stability. It provides a reverse support force to prevent the user's foot from moving further in the coronal plane of the ankle joint when the angular velocity of the human ankle joint exceeds the preset speed, thereby preventing ankle sprains.

[0075] In this embodiment, the ankle sprain assist exoskeleton system further includes a lumbar component, and the drive component is mounted on the lumbar component;

[0076] The waist assembly includes:

[0077] A back assembly for connection to the human body.

[0078] In this embodiment, the back assembly includes a back plate 2 and a nylon strap 1. A drive assembly is mounted on the back plate 2, and a drive rope assembly is at least partially mounted on the back plate 2. The nylon strap 1 is connected to the back plate 2.

[0079] In this embodiment, the driving assembly includes a power supply assembly 4, a motor assembly 3, and a winding reel 8, wherein,

[0080] Power supply assembly 4 is mounted on back panel 2;

[0081] Motor assembly 3 is mounted on back plate 2;

[0082] The winding wheel 8 is mounted on the motor assembly 3, and when the output end of the motor assembly 3 rotates, it can drive the winding wheel 8 to rotate.

[0083] In this embodiment, the drive rope assembly includes Bowden inner core 10, a first tension sensor and a second tension sensor 19. One end of Bowden inner core 10 is wound on a winding wheel 8, and the other end of Bowden inner core 10 is divided into a first drive harness 101 and a second drive harness 102. The first drive harness 101 is connected to a first position of the auxiliary shoe assembly, and the second drive harness 102 is connected to a second position of the auxiliary shoe assembly. The first position is close to the user's forefoot, and the second position is close to the user's ankle joint.

[0084] A first tension sensor is mounted on the first drive harness 101;

[0085] The second tension sensor 19 is mounted on the second drive harness 102.

[0086] In this embodiment, the anti-ekle component includes a calf guard 12, a first magnetorheological damper 16, and a second magnetorheological damper, wherein...

[0087] The calf guard plate 12 is provided with a first wire sleeve and a second wire sleeve 13. The first wire harness is driven to pass through the first wire sleeve and connect to the first position of the auxiliary shoe assembly, and the second wire harness 102 is driven to pass through the second wire sleeve 13 and connect to the second position of the auxiliary shoe assembly.

[0088] One end of the first magnetorheological damper 16 is hinged to the lower leg guard plate 12, and the other end is hinged to the auxiliary shoe assembly;

[0089] The second magnetorheological damper is hinged at one end to the calf guard plate 12 and at the other end to the auxiliary shoe assembly; wherein...

[0090] The first magnetorheological damper and the second magnetorheological damper are used to provide a reverse support force to prevent the user's foot from moving further in the coronal plane of the ankle joint when the angular velocity detection device detects that the angular velocity of the human ankle joint coronal plane exceeds the preset velocity.

[0091] In this embodiment, the drive rope assembly further includes a Bowden wire sheath.

[0092] See Figure 1 In this embodiment, the nylon strap 1 is connected to the back plate 2, the power supply assembly 4 (in this embodiment, the power supply assembly includes a power supply and a controller, used to supply power to the motor and control the motor to work) and the motor assembly 3 are connected to the back plate 2 by screws, and the outer shell of the motor assembly has a threaded hole that is threaded to the Bowden wire outer sheath connector in the drive rope assembly.

[0093] In this embodiment, when the ankle sprain assist exoskeleton system of this application is not in use, the drive rope assembly of this application can be detached from the assistive shoe. At this time, the Bowden wire core 10 in the drive rope assembly can be wound on the winding wheel in the drive assembly. At this time, the drive assembly and drive rope assembly of the ankle sprain assist exoskeleton system of this application can be placed separately from the ankle sprain assembly, etc.

[0094] In this embodiment, the drive component can also be located in other positions instead of being connected to the backplane, for example, see [link to relevant documentation]. Figure 7 The drive assembly and part of the Bowden cable core are fixed to the shelf with screws, which is located at the rear of the treadmill. Alternatively, see... Figure 8 The drive components and part of the Bowden wire core are mounted on the walker's storage plate.

[0095] Specifically, the drive assembly further includes a housing, with the power supply assembly 4 and motor assembly 3 all housed within the housing. Together with the Bowden wire, they form a modular drive unit that is functionally independent and whose placement is not dependent on any specific object. This approach allows the entire drive assembly to be placed anywhere according to the needs of the application scenario.

[0096] In this embodiment, see Figure 3 The disc-type brushless DC motor 5 and the cycloidal pinwheel reducer 7 are connected by a coupling 35 to reduce the motor speed and increase the auxiliary torque. The Bowden wire winding wheel 8 is fixed to the output disc of the reducer by screws. The Bowden wire is driven by the winding wheel to pass through the side through hole of the outer shell and then connected to the force output device to realize the assistance of the exoskeleton.

[0097] The advantages of this approach are: the system integrates a motor, reducer, and winding reel, providing efficient and reliable power output, resulting in a compact exoskeleton robot drive unit structure and reduced exoskeleton size and weight. The modular drive unit is easy to disassemble; installation and maintenance only require consideration of the assembly of the modular shell and output device. Through the combined use of modules, different application requirements of the exoskeleton can be met. See also Figure 6 The wearable exoskeleton uses two drive rope modules to enable single-leg assistance. See also Figure 7 The treadmill-style exoskeleton uses a drive rope module to adjust the movement speed and incline, providing different rehabilitation training intensities. See also... Figure 8 The walking aid-style exoskeleton uses a drive rope module, which can meet the user's needs in various outdoor and indoor scenarios, and helps improve balance and stability. See also Figure 9 The wearable exoskeleton, through the combined use of four modules, provides leg assistance, achieving human-machine integration and offering excellent portability and terrain adaptability. Upgrades to the exoskeleton technology can be made by replacing or adding to the drive module, without requiring the entire device to be disassembled.

[0098] There are two Bowden wire sheaths 11, which are connected to the first wire sleeve and the second wire sleeve 13 on the calf guard plate 12 respectively. The calf guard plate 12 is divided into front and back halves for easy wear. The inner side of the calf guard plate is connected by a hinge 14, and the outer side is tied with a buckle 15, which can be adjusted according to the user's body shape.

[0099] In this embodiment, the upper ends of both the first magnetorheological damper and the second magnetorheological damper 16 are connected to the calf guard plate 12, and the lower ends are connected to the auxiliary shoe assembly.

[0100] Specifically, the upper ends of the first magnetorheological damper and the second magnetorheological damper 16 are connected to the calf guard plate 12 via ball bearings, and the lower ends are connected to the auxiliary shoe assembly via ball hinges 17.

[0101] In this embodiment, a first tension sensor is disposed on the first driving harness 101, and a second tension sensor 19 is disposed on the second driving harness 102.

[0102] This application further includes an inertial measurement unit 20, which is fixed on the calf guard plate 12 and the auxiliary shoe assembly 18 for measuring the angle and angular velocity of the ankle joint in the sagittal plane for feedback control.

[0103] In this embodiment, the angular velocity detection device is a gyroscope sensor 21, which is installed on the auxiliary shoe assembly. The gyroscope sensor 21 is used to detect the coronal plane angular velocity of the human ankle joint.

[0104] See Figure 2 In this embodiment, the first magnetorheological damper 16 is mainly composed of a piston rod 22, a coil 23, a sealing ring 24, an end cap 25, and a sealing plug 26.

[0105] Specifically, the piston rod 22 has a through-slot to supply power to the coil 23. The coil is wound around the middle of the piston rod, and the coil surface is sealed with resin to prevent corrosion of the coil outer sheath. A sealing ring 24 is used to seal the magnetorheological fluid. The damper end cap 25 is connected to the cylinder by screws. The cylinder has an injection hole, through which the magnetorheological fluid is injected into the cylinder, and then sealed with a sealing plug 26.

[0106] It is understandable that the first magnetorheological damper 16 and the second magnetorheological damper have the same structure, so they will not be described in detail here.

[0107] In this embodiment, the Bowden cable inner core 10 is wound on the winding reel 8. The drive cable at the forefoot and heel is configured in the same way. The upper end of the Bowden cable outer sheath 11 is connected to the pressure sleeve on the back plate, and the lower end is connected to the wire sleeve on the calf guard plate 12. Each cable inner core 10 is guided by the outer sheath 11 and connected to the spring hook on the shoe cover. The drive cable 10 needs to be pre-tightened during installation to ensure sufficient friction between the spindle 9 and the Bowden cable inner core 10.

[0108] In this embodiment, the auxiliary shoe assembly includes an auxiliary shoe body 28 and a shoe cover rear panel 27, wherein,

[0109] The auxiliary shoe body 28 is used to support the user's foot;

[0110] The shoe cover heel guard 27 is mounted on the auxiliary shoe body 28 for the user's heel to rest against. The gyroscope sensor 21 is mounted on the shoe cover heel guard 27 and can move on the shoe cover heel guard to adjust its relative position to the user's foot located on the auxiliary shoe body.

[0111] See Figure 11 as well as Figure 12 In another embodiment, the airbag assembly 44 includes a custom-shaped TPU nylon composite airbag 45, a micro DC motor 49, a triggering mechanism, and a high-pressure carbon dioxide cylinder 47, wherein...

[0112] See Figure 11 The airbags are attached to both sides of the back panel of the shoe cover with nylon hook and loop fasteners, and the high-pressure gas cylinder is fixed to the bottom plate of the shoe cover with a gas cylinder bracket.

[0113] The triggering mechanism includes a crank-slider mechanism 46, a needle, and a binding wire:

[0114] One end of the binding wire is connected to the connection between the rocker arm and the connecting rod of the crank-slider mechanism, and the other end is wound around the output shaft of the miniature DC motor 49. When the angular velocity of the ankle joint coronal plane exceeds the threshold, the motor is controlled to rotate, pulling the binding wire and causing the rocker arm to rotate. The slider needle moves towards the high-pressure carbon dioxide cylinder 47, puncturing the diaphragm on the high-pressure carbon dioxide cylinder 47 and inflating the airbag 45. This provides support for the unstable ankle joint and also provides cushioning when the anti-sprain component acts on the human body, thus improving the comfort of the human body.

[0115] In this embodiment, the instep and heel portions of the auxiliary shoe body 28 are connected to the spring hook 29 via eye bolts, and then connected to the Bowden thread core 10 via the spring hook 29. This method facilitates the disassembly of the auxiliary shoe body 28 and the Bowden thread core 10. The rear guard plate 27 of the auxiliary shoe assembly is connected to the auxiliary shoe body 28 via screws. The front and rear positions of the guard plate can be adjusted by connecting to different bolt holes to achieve the size adjustment function. Specifically, see... Figure 4 In this embodiment, the portion of the auxiliary shoe body 28 near the rear guard plate 27 of the auxiliary shoe assembly is provided with multiple sets of bolt holes. The rear guard plate 27 of the auxiliary shoe assembly can be adjusted to different positions by connecting with different bolt holes.

[0116] In this embodiment, the shoe cover rear guard plate 27 is provided with multiple bolt holes located at different positions;

[0117] The gyroscope sensor 21 can be connected to the heel plate 27 of the shoe cover through one or more bolt holes, thereby adjusting its relative position to the user's foot on the auxiliary shoe body by connecting to different bolt holes, so that the central axis of the gyroscope coincides with the rotation axis of the coronal plane of the ankle joint (1 cm below the lateral malleolus).

[0118] In this way, the gyroscope sensor 21 can be adjusted to the most suitable position for measuring the coronal plane angular velocity of the human ankle joint, depending on the different body shapes of the person.

[0119] See Figure 3 as well as Figure 5In this embodiment, the motor assembly includes a brushless DC motor 5, which includes a brushless DC motor stator 33 and a motor rotor 32. In this embodiment, the brushless DC motor stator 33 generates a magnetic field by energizing the coil, which drives the motor rotor 32 to rotate. The rotor drives the connecting shaft 34 to rotate through a key connection. The connecting shaft 34 and the gear shaft 36 are connected by a plum blossom coupling 35.

[0120] In this embodiment, the rotating shaft 34 drives the reducer 7 to move. When the reducer gear shaft 36 rotates clockwise, it drives the planetary gear 37 to revolve around the central gear axis and also rotate counterclockwise. The crank shaft 41 is fixedly connected to the planetary gear 37 and rotates at the same speed. The cycloidal wheel 40 is hinged to the crank shaft and meshes with the fixed needle wheel. While its axis revolves around the needle wheel axis, it will also rotate in the opposite direction, that is, rotate clockwise.

[0121] The output disc 39 is driven by a crankshaft support bearing mounted on it. The winding wheel 8 is connected to the output disc 39 by screws, which in turn drives the winding wheel 8 to rotate.

[0122] The lower end of the outer cylinder 38 of the motor assembly has a threaded hole, and the Bowden wire outer sheath 11 connector is threaded to mate with the outer cylinder thread. The upper end of the outer cylinder 38 has a motor wire hole for easy wiring and power supply. The module outer cylinder 38 and the module cover plate 42 are bolted together. The wire groove of the winding wheel 8 is used to store the inner core rope, and the Bowden wire inner core 10 is wound on the winding wheel 8 and expands and contracts accordingly.

[0123] In this embodiment, the magnetorheological damper 16 is mainly composed of components such as piston rod 22, coil 23, sealing ring 24, and end cap 25.

[0124] See Figure 2 The magnetorheological damper 16 is symmetrically arranged on both sides of the auxiliary shoe assembly 18. The auxiliary shoe assembly 18 is subjected to symmetrical forces on both sides. The gyroscope sensor 21 on the rear side of the auxiliary shoe assembly sends the ankle joint coronal plane angular velocity data to the controller to determine the current state of the human body. The system controls the magnitude of the damping force by applying an adjustable current to the excitation coil 23 in the magnetorheological damper.

[0125] In this embodiment, when the coronal plane angular velocity of the human ankle joint exceeds 300° / s, the control current increases, the damping force increases, and the two magnetorheological dampers pull the auxiliary shoe assembly 18 through the ball hinge 17 to provide a support force opposite to the current direction of foot movement, thus preventing ankle sprains.

[0126] When the coronal plane angular velocity of the human ankle joint is within 300° / s, the input current value is stable and the damping force is stable. According to the human gait, the piston rod 22 swings up and down, and the state of the magnetorheological fluid is changed by the change of piston speed, thereby controlling the damping force and not restricting the ankle joint's inversion and eversion degrees of freedom.

[0127] In this embodiment, the present application can also achieve assisted walking. Specifically, human motion information is collected in real time by a plantar pressure sensor 43 and an inertial measurement unit 20, and then the human motion state is analyzed. The data collected by the motion sensing module is transmitted to the motion control module through a wireless communication module, thereby controlling the movement of the flexible exoskeleton robot. The outer control loop uses force feedback based on pre-admittance, the inner loop uses PID control of the position of the rope drive component, and the upper layer expects to assist F. d As the outer loop control input, the displacement x of the Bowden cable inner core 10 is calculated through the Bowden cable transmission model. The tension sensor detects the tension value F in real time. The difference between the expected assist and the tension sensor value is used as the input of the admittance model. The difference between the displacement of the Bowden cable inner core 10 and the actual inner core displacement is used as the inner loop control input. This method enables trajectory tracking of the expected torque and the displacement of the Bowden cable inner core. Specifically, before the toes leave the ground, the motor assembly 3 drives the winding wheel 8 to rotate, causing the front cable to relax and the rear cable to tighten, completing the toe flexion movement. After the toes leave the ground, the front cable tightens and the rear cable relaxes, completing the dorsiflexion movement. The Bowden cable outer sheath 11 guides the Bowden cable inner core 10 between the motor assembly 3 and the calf guard plate 12, enabling the motor assembly 3 to apply tension to the lower limbs more efficiently and reliably through the cables. The two leg assist exoskeletons cycle through leg lifting, leg lowering, and gait support, producing an assistive walking effect.

[0128] See Figures 7 to 9 The power supply components of this application can be arranged in various ways.

[0129] See Figure 7 Scenario 1: The power supply and cable drive components are fixed to the rack at the rear of the treadmill using screws. Due to the limitation of the Bowden cable length, the drive module allows the patient to perform limited movements on the treadmill, enabling them to complete walking rehabilitation training. This arrangement places the relatively heavy drive components outside the wearer's body, effectively reducing the added weight when using the exoskeleton and lowering the patient's load. It is generally used in the initial rehabilitation phase.

[0130] See Figure 8Scenario 2: The power supply and cable drive components are mounted on the walker's platform. These components move with the walker. This layout is suitable for patients requiring rehabilitation training with a walker. The walker assists the patient in supporting their body and maintaining balance, while the exoskeleton provides support and rehabilitation to the patient's ankle joint, gradually restoring their walking ability. Compared to Scenario 1, this layout offers better mobility. Furthermore, the drive components are positioned on the walker, distributing the patient's weight and thus facilitating better rehabilitation training. This layout is generally suitable for patients with some walking ability but insufficient stability who require walker assistance, typically during the intermediate rehabilitation stage.

[0131] See Figure 9 Scenario 3: The power supply, rope drive, and motor components are mounted on the backplate of the patient's torso. After the patient wears the exoskeleton, the drive unit is carried on the patient's back and moves with them. This layout offers good portability and terrain adaptability, is not limited by the range of motion or walking terrain, and facilitates rehabilitation during daily walking. It is generally used in the later stages of rehabilitation and before the patient can walk independently.

[0132] The ankle sprain assistive exoskeleton system of this application has the following advantages:

[0133] 1. Based on the magnetorheological damper, the output force can be adjusted by changing the current and the speed of the actuator. When the human body tends to twist its ankle, it provides a reverse support force to resist the movement, thereby preventing the human body from losing stability and causing joint damage.

[0134] 2. The Bowden linear power transmission device is adopted to reduce the number of guiding mechanisms, simplify the exoskeleton structure, and reduce weight.

[0135] 3. The rope drive component integrates drive, transmission and control into one unit, realizing the lightweight and miniaturization of the exoskeleton robot and achieving the universality of drive source layout.

[0136] 4. Ergonomic design is fully considered, and the shape of the calf guard is designed to ensure human comfort and fit closely to the body.

[0137] 5. The ankle joint coronal plane adaptive locking design provides protection when the human ankle joint loses stability, improving system safety.

[0138] 6. The use of a rope-driven assembly enables the universality of the drive source placement, allowing application in various rehabilitation scenarios. This invention illustrates three scenarios. Figure 7 The drive source is fixed on the external support of the platform-type rehabilitation robot and cannot be moved. Figure 8The drive source is placed on the external walking aid, which increases portability, but requires a surface suitable for the walking aid to work on, which limits the range of human movement. Figure 9 The drive source is placed on the torso of the human exoskeleton and moves with the human body.

[0139] 7. It does not restrict the freedom of movement of the lower limbs, increases the comfort of wearing the garment, and improves the ability of the human body to walk.

[0140] 8. The exoskeleton robot features bidirectional dorsiflexion and plantarflexion movements with bidirectional assistance, expanding its applicability.

[0141] This application also provides a method for preventing ankle sprains, used in the ankle joint assistive exoskeleton system for preventing ankle sprains as described above, the method comprising:

[0142] Real-time acquisition of coronal plane angular velocity information of the human ankle joint;

[0143] Every preset time interval, check whether the coronal plane angular velocity information of the human ankle joint exceeds a preset threshold. If so, then...

[0144] The anti-sprain component provides counter-support to prevent further movement of the user's foot in the coronal plane of the ankle joint.

[0145] Before the ankle sprain control component provides a counter-support force to prevent further movement of the user's foot in the coronal plane of the ankle joint, the ankle sprain control method of this application further includes:

[0146] Real-time acquisition of pressure information transmitted by the pressure sensor;

[0147] Based on the pressure information transmitted by the pressure sensor and the angular velocity information of the coronal plane of the human ankle joint, it is determined whether to control the anti-sprain component to provide a reverse support force to prevent the user's foot from moving further in the coronal plane of the human ankle joint.

[0148] In this embodiment, determining whether to control the anti-sprain component to provide a reverse support force to prevent further movement of the user's foot in the coronal plane of the ankle joint based on the pressure information transmitted by the pressure sensor includes:

[0149] Determine whether the pressure information transmitted by the pressure sensor exceeds a preset pressure value within a preset time. If so, then...

[0150] The determination requires the control of the anti-sprain component to provide reverse support to prevent further movement of the user's foot in the coronal plane of the ankle joint.

[0151] The present application takes into account that in some situations, users may actively move their ankles, which may cause the coronal plane angular velocity information of the human ankle joint to exceed a preset threshold. However, such active ankle movement will not cause a sudden increase in pressure. Therefore, the judgment of the pressure sensor can further determine whether it is a real ankle sprain or the user moving their ankle on their own.

[0152] It is understood that in this embodiment, the preset time setting for determining whether the pressure information transmitted by the pressure sensor exceeds the preset pressure value within a preset time cannot be too large, and can be 1ms or other user-set values.

[0153] Understandably, the preset pressure value here can also be set according to actual needs.

[0154] Although this application discloses preferred embodiments as described above, it is not intended to limit this application. Any person skilled in the art can make possible changes and modifications without departing from the spirit and scope of this application. Therefore, the scope of protection of this application should be determined by the scope defined in the claims of this application.

[0155] Finally, it should be noted that the above embodiments are only used to illustrate the technical solutions of this application, and not 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; and these 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.

Claims

1. An ankle sprain assistive exoskeleton system, characterized in that, The ankle sprain assist exoskeleton system includes: A rope-driven assembly, comprising a drive assembly and a drive rope assembly, wherein the drive assembly has a drive end and one end of the drive rope assembly is connected to the drive end; An auxiliary shoe assembly, wherein the auxiliary shoe assembly is provided with at least two connection points, each connection point being connected to the drive rope assembly; An ankle sprain prevention component, one end of which is connected to the drive rope component and the other end of which is connected to the auxiliary shoe component; An angular velocity detection device is installed on the auxiliary shoe assembly and is used to detect the coronal plane angular velocity of the human ankle joint. The device includes a waist assembly, the drive assembly being mounted on the waist assembly; the waist assembly includes a back assembly for connection to a human body; in, The auxiliary shoe assembly (18) is used to provide support for the user's foot; The drive component is used to drive the drive rope component to move, thereby causing the drive rope component to drive the auxiliary shoe component (18) to move, so that the auxiliary shoe component provides assistance to the user's foot; The anti-spine sprain component is used to provide a reverse support force to prevent the user's foot from moving further in the coronal plane of the ankle joint when the angular velocity detection device detects that the angular velocity of the human ankle joint coronal plane exceeds a preset speed; The back assembly includes: Back plate (2), the drive assembly is mounted on the back plate (2), and the drive rope assembly is at least partially mounted on the back plate (2); The driving component includes: Power supply assembly (4), which is mounted on the back plate (2); Motor assembly (3), said motor assembly (3) is mounted on said back plate (2); A winding wheel (8) is mounted on the motor assembly (3) and can drive the winding wheel (8) to rotate when the output end of the motor assembly (3) rotates. The drive rope assembly includes: Bowden inner core (10), one end of which is wound on the winding wheel (8), and the other end of which is divided into a first driving harness (101) and a second driving harness (102). The first driving harness (101) is connected to a first position of the auxiliary shoe assembly, and the second driving harness (102) is connected to a second position of the auxiliary shoe assembly. The first position is close to the user's forefoot, and the second position is close to the user's ankle. A first tension sensor is disposed on the drive first wiring harness (101); The second tension sensor (19) is disposed on the second drive harness (102); The ankle sprain prevention component includes: Lower leg guard (12), the lower leg guard (12) is provided with a first wire sleeve and a second wire sleeve (13), the first driving wire harness passes through the first wire sleeve and is connected to the first position of the auxiliary shoe assembly, and the second driving wire harness (102) passes through the second wire sleeve (13) and is connected to the second position of the auxiliary shoe assembly; The first magnetorheological damper (16) is hinged at one end to the lower leg guard plate (12) and at the other end to the auxiliary shoe assembly (18). A second magnetorheological damper, one end of which is hinged to the calf guard plate (12), and the other end of which is hinged to the auxiliary shoe assembly (18); wherein, The first magnetorheological damper and the second magnetorheological damper are used to provide a reverse support force to prevent the user's foot from moving further in the coronal plane of the ankle joint when the angular velocity detection device detects that the angular velocity of the human ankle joint coronal plane exceeds the preset velocity; The ankle sprain assist exoskeleton system further includes: An airbag assembly is attached to the inner side of the auxiliary shoe assembly using nylon hook and loop fasteners. The airbag assembly is used to automatically inflate and provide cushioning support to the ankle joint when an ankle sprain occurs. A plantar pressure sensor, embedded in the sole plate of the auxiliary shoe assembly, is used to detect whether there are any abnormalities in the plantar pressure of the human foot; wherein... The airbag assembly is used to inflate and provide cushioning to the user when the user sprains or deforms their ankle.

2. The ankle sprain assistive exoskeleton system as described in claim 1, characterized in that, The back assembly further includes: Nylon strap (1), which is connected to the back plate (2).

3. The ankle sprain assistive exoskeleton system as described in claim 2, characterized in that, The auxiliary shoe assembly (18) includes: The auxiliary shoe body (28) is used to support the user's foot; The shoe cover back panel (27) is disposed on the auxiliary shoe body (28) for the user's heel to rest against.

4. The ankle sprain assistive exoskeleton system as described in claim 3, characterized in that, The angular velocity detection device is a gyroscope sensor (21), which is installed on the auxiliary shoe assembly; The shoe cover has multiple bolt holes located at different positions on the rear protective plate. The gyroscope sensor (21) can be connected to the rear panel of the shoe cover through one or more bolt holes, thereby adjusting its relative position to the user's foot on the auxiliary shoe body by connecting to different bolt holes; wherein, The gyroscope sensor (21) is used to detect the coronal plane angular velocity of the human ankle joint.

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