A rigid-flexible coupling type assisting exoskeleton suitable for human joints

Abstract

The application discloses a rigid-flexible coupling type assisting exoskeleton suitable for human joints and relates to the technical field of assisting exoskeletons.The application comprises at least two adaptive fixators, a multi-joint bionic exoskeleton unit is arranged between the two adaptive fixators, a driving cable unit is arranged on the multi-joint bionic exoskeleton unit, one end of the driving cable unit is arranged on the multi-joint bionic exoskeleton unit, and the other end of the driving cable unit is arranged on the adaptive fixator; the driving cable unit and the limb direction form a certain angle and are arranged in an inclined manner.The application has higher adhesion compared to a traditional driving mode, and the multi-joint body structure has higher motion adaptability compared to a single hinge type structure; the common motion of multiple rotating pairs enables the motion pair axis to be freely changed along with the limb, and the comfort, safety and motion stability of human-machine interaction are improved; meanwhile, the adaptive air bag filling fixator can reduce the compression on the limb and improve the comfort of the patient.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the field of assisted exoskeleton technology, specifically to a rigid-flexible coupled assisted exoskeleton suitable for human joints. Background Technology

[0002] Assistive exoskeletons can replace professional physicians to help stroke patients with hemiplegia complete passive movement and other functional training, promoting the recovery of limb motor function and nerve function. Existing rehabilitation assistive exoskeletons can be divided into rigid exoskeletons and flexible exoskeletons. Rigid exoskeletons have greater driving force and have high installation requirements, which can easily cause secondary injury to patients if not operated properly. Flexible exoskeletons have limited driving force and are difficult to move the stiff joints and weak muscles of hemiplegic patients, which greatly affects the rehabilitation effect. Therefore, there is a need for a rigid-flexible coupled assistive exoskeleton that combines the advantages of traditional pure rigid exoskeletons and pure flexible exoskeletons, makes up for their shortcomings, and improves the comfort and compliance of human-computer interaction while achieving good rehabilitation effect. To this end, we propose a rigid-flexible coupled assistive exoskeleton suitable for human joints. Summary of the Invention

[0003] The purpose of this invention is to provide a rigid-flexible coupling assistive exoskeleton suitable for human joints. It uses a diagonal drive cable to contract and drive the human forearm (leg) to rotate around the joint. It has a higher fit than the traditional straight drive cable, and the multi-joint structure can also enhance the adaptability of movement.

[0004] To achieve the above objectives, the present invention provides the following technical solution: a rigid-flexible coupling assistive exoskeleton suitable for human joints, comprising at least two adaptive fixators, a multi-joint bionic exoskeleton unit installed between the two adaptive fixators, a drive cable unit installed on the multi-joint bionic exoskeleton unit, one end of the drive cable unit being installed on the multi-joint bionic exoskeleton unit and the other end being installed on the adaptive fixator, and the drive cable having a certain angle with the limb direction and being arranged at an angle.

[0005] Furthermore, both adaptive fixators include a housing and a TPU airbag mounted on the inner wall of the housing;

[0006] The outer shell is circular in shape and is made of photosensitive resin through 3D printing.

[0007] Furthermore, the multi-joint bionic exoskeleton unit includes multiple joint bodies, with adjacent joint bodies meshing with each other, and the joint bodies at both ends being fixedly connected to two adaptive fixators, which are integrally formed.

[0008] Furthermore, of the two adjacent joint bodies, one joint body has rotating grooves on both sides, and the other joint body has rotating rings fixedly connected to both sides, with the rotating rings and rotating grooves being mutually compatible.

[0009] Limit plates are installed on both sides of the rotating groove.

[0010] Furthermore, each of the joint bodies has a connecting boss installed on its side wall, and a tensioning rope is threaded through the middle of the connecting boss.

[0011] Furthermore, the joint body is made of photosensitive resin by 3D printing, and ventilation holes are provided on the side wall of the joint body.

[0012] Furthermore, the drive cable unit includes a first cable and a second cable, and both the first cable and the second cable are driven by a motor;

[0013] One end of the cable-stayed cable is installed on the first adaptive fixator, and the other end is fixed on the fifth joint body at a distance from the first adaptive fixator;

[0014] One end of the second cable is fixed to the second joint body at a distance from the first adaptive fixator, and the other end is installed on the second adaptive fixator.

[0015] Furthermore, multiple eye bolts are bolted to the first adaptive fastener. One end of the stay cable is connected to the first adaptive fastener and converted into multiple protruding anchor points through a rabbit ear knot. All of the multiple protruding anchor points are fixed by eye bolts.

[0016] A bracket is installed on the fifth joint, and two bearings are installed at the top of the bracket. The stay cable is threaded between the two bearings.

[0017] Furthermore, one end of the cable-stayed cable is converted into multiple protruding anchor points through a rabbit ear knot. All the protruding anchor points are fixed to the second joint body through a hanging ring locking device, and the other end is installed on the second adaptive fixator through a bracket and bearing.

[0018] Furthermore, both adaptive fixers are equipped with attitude sensors.

[0019] This invention has at least the following beneficial effects:

[0020] (1) The multi-joint bionic exoskeleton unit of the present invention has multiple joint bodies with variable motion axes. During the movement, the exoskeleton can adapt to the movement of the limbs and has high motion adaptability. Furthermore, the adjacent joint bodies have a large contact surface, which can ensure that each joint body abuts against each other along the limb direction and effectively prevent the exoskeleton from shifting during the movement.

[0021] (2) The inclined drive cable of the present invention has a certain angle with the limb direction in the traction direction, which makes the anchor point and the exit point offset. It is not at the highest point of the adaptive fixation device but at a position closer to the upper surface of the limb, so that the inclined cable fits the human body more closely during the movement. At the same time, the two drive cables are set with different anchor points and exit points according to the arrangement and distribution of human muscles and the characteristics of coordinated movement, and they drive together during the movement.

[0022] (3) In order to distribute the tension at the anchor point of the drive cable, the present invention uses a rabbit ear knot to divide a drive cable into four extended anchor points, so that the force is more evenly distributed. The extended anchor points of the drive cable are fixed by a hanging ring lock. The structure is simple and can be arranged at any position of the exoskeleton, making the anchor point position easy to adjust.

[0023] (4) The present invention can fit the limb size of different subjects by setting TPU airbags. When the airbag is inflated, the pressure generated can ensure that the outer rigid structure and the limb are tightly fixed together.

[0024] (5) The exoskeleton described in this invention uses 3D printing to make the parts, which is simple and low-cost.

[0025] Of course, any product implementing this invention does not necessarily need to achieve all of the advantages described above at the same time. Attached Figure Description

[0026] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the overall structure of the present invention;

[0027] Figure 2 This is a three-dimensional schematic diagram of the adaptive fixator structure of the present invention;

[0028] Figure 3 This is a top view of the drive cable unit structure of the present invention;

[0029] Figure 4 This is a three-dimensional schematic diagram of the structure of the lifting ring locking device of the present invention;

[0030] Figure 5 This is a three-dimensional schematic diagram of the support structure of the present invention;

[0031] Figure 6 This is a three-dimensional schematic diagram of the joint structure of the present invention;

[0032] Figure 7 This is a three-dimensional schematic diagram of the overall structure of the present invention in its extended state;

[0033] Figure 8 This is a three-dimensional schematic diagram of the overall structure of the present invention in a bent state;

[0034] Figure 9 This is a side view of the overall structure of the present invention in a bent state.

[0035] Figure label:

[0036] 1. Adaptive Fixator; 11. Shell; 12. TPU Airbag; 13. First Adaptive Fixator; 14. Second Adaptive Fixator; 2. Multi-Joint Bionic Exoskeleton Unit; 21. Joint Body; 22. Rotation Groove; 23. Rotation Ring; 24. Limiting Plate; 25. Connecting Boss; 26. Tensioning Rope; 27. Vent Hole; 3. Drive Cable Unit; 31. Cable I; 32. Cable II; 33. Hanging Ring Locking Device; 34. Bracket; 35. Bearing; 4. Attitude Sensor. Detailed Implementation

[0037] The technical solutions of the embodiments of this disclosure will be clearly and completely described below with reference to the accompanying drawings. Obviously, the described embodiments are only some embodiments of this disclosure, and not all embodiments. Based on the embodiments of this disclosure, all other embodiments obtained by those skilled in the art without creative effort are within the scope of protection of this disclosure.

[0038] Please see Figure 1-8 The present invention provides a technical solution: a rigid-flexible coupling assistive exoskeleton suitable for human joints, including at least two adaptive fixators 1, a multi-joint bionic exoskeleton unit 2 installed between the two adaptive fixators 1, a drive cable unit 3 installed on the multi-joint bionic exoskeleton unit 2, and one end of the drive cable unit 3 is installed on the multi-joint bionic exoskeleton unit 2, and the other end is installed on the adaptive fixator 1.

[0039] like Figure 2 As shown, the two adaptive fixators 1 are the first adaptive fixator 13 and the second adaptive fixator 14, and both adaptive fixators 1 include a shell 11 and a TPU airbag 12 installed on the inner wall of the shell 11. It should be noted that the TPU airbag 12 is manually inflated by a pressure ball (not shown in the figure). When the airbag is not inflated, there is a certain gap between the shell 11 and the human body, which is convenient for putting on and taking off. After inflation, the TPU airbag 12 expands to fill the gap and adapts to the limb size of different subjects. The TPU airbag 12 can ensure the tightness of the fixation and improve the comfort of the subject wearing it.

[0040] like Figure 1-2As shown, the outer shell 11 is circular in shape. The diameter of the outer shell 11 of the first adaptive fixator 13 is smaller than that of the second adaptive fixator 14. According to the technical solution of this application, the first adaptive fixator 13 can be used to fix the forearm or lower leg, and the second adaptive fixator 14 can be used to fix the upper arm or thigh, thereby realizing the movement assistance of the elbow joint of the upper limb or the knee joint of the lower limb. Moreover, the outer shell 11 is made of photosensitive resin by 3D printing, which has a certain tensile strength and is lightweight, making it more suitable for human wear.

[0041] 3D printing (3DP), also known as additive manufacturing, is a rapid prototyping technology. It is a technique that uses digital model files as a basis and employs powdered metal or plastic and other bondable materials to construct objects layer by layer. 3D printing is usually achieved using digital material printers and is often used in mold making, industrial design and other fields to create models. Later, it was gradually used for the direct manufacturing of some products, and there are already parts printed using this technology.

[0042] Furthermore, such as Figure 3 As shown, the multi-joint bionic exoskeleton unit 2 includes multiple joint bodies 21. In accordance with the technical solution of this application, the joint bodies 21 are specifically configured as six. Two adjacent joint bodies 21 are interlocked with each other, and the joint bodies 21 located at both ends are fixedly connected to two adaptive fixators 1. The two are integrally formed by 3D printing. The six joint bodies 21 support each other along the limb direction and can adaptively rotate with the limb posture during movement, avoiding displacement due to external forces.

[0043] Furthermore, such as Figure 4-6 As shown, two adjacent joint bodies 21 have rotating grooves 22 on both sides of one joint body 21 and rotating rings 23 fixedly connected to both sides of the other joint body 21. The rotating rings 23 and rotating grooves 22 are adapted to each other to form a rotating pair, which plays a supporting and positioning role along the limb direction. In order to prevent the rotating rings 23 from being misaligned when rotating and unable to accurately engage with the rotating grooves 22, limit plates 24 are installed on both sides of the rotating grooves 22. The rotating rings 23 are installed between the two limit plates 24 to ensure their stability during movement.

[0044] Each joint body 21 is provided with a connecting boss 25. A tension rope 26 is installed through the middle of the connecting boss 25. The two connecting bosses 25 near the self-adaptive fixator are locked with butterfly buckles on the outside, so that the two ends of the tension rope 26 can be fixed to the connecting boss 25. This makes all joint bodies 21 close to each other along the axial direction. All joint bodies 21 are made of photosensitive resin by 3D printing, which is lightweight and suitable for human wear. It should be noted that ventilation holes 27 are also provided on the side wall of the joint body 21 to enhance the breathability during use and avoid discomfort caused by close contact with the skin.

[0045] On the other hand, such as Figure 3 As shown, the drive cable unit 3 includes a first cable 31 and a second cable 32. Both the first cable 31 and the second cable 32 are arranged at an angle, and both are driven by a motor (not shown in the figure). According to the technical solution of this application, the motor (not shown in the figure) has a self-locking function. When the motor rotates, it pulls the first cable 31 or the second cable 32, thereby causing multiple joint bodies 21 to bend. When the joint movement angle is less than 105°, the first cable 31 and the second cable 32 drive together. As the joint body 21 continues to bend, the joint movement angle becomes larger and larger. When the joint movement angle is greater than 105°, the second cable 32 can drive alone.

[0046] like Figure 7-9 As shown, multiple eye bolts 33 are bolted to the first adaptive fixer 13. One end of the stay cable 31 is converted into multiple protruding anchor points through a rabbit ear knot to facilitate the distribution of tension at the anchor points. All the protruding anchor points are fixed to the first adaptive fixer 13 by eye bolts 33. The other end of the stay cable 31 is fixed to the fifth joint body 21 at a distance from the first adaptive fixer 13. A bracket 34 is installed on the fifth joint body 21. Two bearings 35 are installed at the top of the bracket 34. The stay cable 31 passes between the two bearings 35. When the motor pulls the stay cable 31 to move, the stay cable 31 and the bearings 35 are in point-line contact. During the sliding process, the stay cable 31 experiences little friction and wear.

[0047] One end of the second cable 32 is installed on the second adaptive fixer 14, and the other end is fixed on the second joint body 21 at a distance from the first adaptive fixer 13. One end of the second cable 32 is converted into multiple protruding anchor points through a rabbit ear knot. All the multiple protruding anchor points are fixed on the second joint body 21 through a hanging eye lock 33. The other end is installed on the second adaptive fixer 14 through a bracket 34 and a bearing 35.

[0048] Furthermore, both adaptive fixators 1 are equipped with attitude sensors 4. The relative positions of the two attitude sensors 4 change, and the difference in their relative angles can be used to measure the joint motion angle in real time.

[0049] The attitude sensor 4 (ET-ahrs) is a high-performance three-dimensional motion attitude measurement system based on MEMS technology. It includes auxiliary motion sensors such as a three-axis gyroscope, a three-axis accelerometer (i.e., IMU), and a three-axis electronic compass. It outputs calibrated angular velocity, acceleration, magnetic data, etc. through an embedded low-power ARM processor, and performs motion attitude measurement through a quaternion-based sensor data algorithm. It outputs zero-drift three-dimensional attitude data in real time, expressed in quaternions, Euler angles, etc. For the technical solution of this application, the attitude sensor 4 is preferably a BWT901 BLECL5.0 Bluetooth attitude sensor.

[0050] Specifically, when needed, the first adaptive fixator 13 is first fitted onto the user's forearm or lower leg, and the second adaptive fixator 14 is fitted onto the user's upper arm or thigh. Then, the TPU airbag 12 is inflated by a pressure ball to fix the exoskeleton to the designated position of the user's limb (i.e., the fourth joint body unit is aligned with the elbow or knee joint). Then, the motor is started to move the second inclined cable 32 and the first inclined cable 31, which can drive the forearm or lower leg to rotate around the elbow or knee joint. At this time, multiple joint bodies 21 will also rotate adaptively to adapt to the current limb posture. The posture sensor 4 can measure the joint movement angle in real time. In summary, compared with the traditional drive method, it has a higher fit, and the multi-joint body 21 structure has higher motion adaptability than the single hinge structure. The joint movement of multiple rotating joints allows the axis of motion joints to change freely with the limb, which also improves the comfort, safety and stability of human-computer interaction and movement. At the same time, the adaptive airbag filling fixator can reduce the pressure on the limb and improve the comfort of the patient.

[0051] The principle and process of using this invention are as follows: First, the first adaptive fixation device 13 is fitted onto the user's forearm or lower leg, and the second adaptive fixation device 14 is fitted onto the user's upper arm or thigh. Then, the TPU airbag 12 is inflated by a pressure ball to fix the exoskeleton to the designated position of the user's limb. Then, the motor is started to drive the second inclined cable 32 and the first inclined cable 31 to move, which can drive the forearm or lower leg to rotate around the elbow or knee joint. At this time, multiple joint bodies 21 will also rotate adaptively to adapt to the current limb posture. Furthermore, the posture sensor 4 can measure the changes in the motion angle of the human joints in real time.

[0052] It should be noted that, in this document, relational terms such as "first" and "second" are used only to distinguish one entity or operation from another, and do not necessarily require or imply any such actual relationship or order between these entities or operations. Furthermore, the terms "comprising," "including," or any other variations thereof are intended to cover non-exclusive inclusion, such that a process, method, article, or apparatus that comprises a list of elements includes not only those elements but also other elements not expressly listed, or elements inherent to such process, method, article, or apparatus.

[0053] For those skilled in the art, the specific meanings of the above terms in this invention can be understood according to the specific circumstances. When an element is referred to as being "assembled on," "mounted on," "fixed to," or "set on" another element, it may be directly on the other element or there may be an intermediate element present. When an element is considered to be "connected to" another element, it may be directly connected to the other element or there may be an intermediate element present. The terms "vertical," "horizontal," "upper," "lower," "left," "right," and similar expressions used herein are for illustrative purposes only and do not represent the only possible embodiments.

[0054] Although embodiments of the invention have been shown and described, it will be understood by those skilled in the art that various changes, modifications, substitutions and alterations can be made to these embodiments without departing from the principles and spirit of the invention, the scope of which is defined by the appended claims and their equivalents.

[0055] In the description of this specification, references to terms such as "an embodiment," "example," "specific example," etc., indicate that a specific feature, structure, material, or characteristic described in connection with that embodiment or example is included in at least one embodiment or example of this disclosure. In this specification, the illustrative expressions of the above terms do not necessarily refer to the same embodiment or example. Furthermore, the specific features, structures, materials, or characteristics described may be combined in any suitable manner in one or more embodiments or examples.

Claims

1. A rigid-flexible coupling assistive exoskeleton suitable for human joints, characterized in that, It includes at least two adaptive fixators (1), and a multi-joint bionic exoskeleton unit (2) is installed between the two adaptive fixators (1). A drive cable unit (3) is installed on the multi-joint bionic exoskeleton unit (2). One end of the drive cable unit (3) is installed on the multi-joint bionic exoskeleton unit (2), and the other end is installed on the adaptive fixator (1). The drive cable unit (3) has a certain angle with the limb direction and is arranged in an inclined manner. The drive cable unit (3) includes a first cable (31) and a second cable (32), and both the first cable (31) and the second cable (32) are driven by a motor. One end of the cable-stayed cable (31) is mounted on the first adaptive retainer (13), and the other end is fixed to the fifth joint body (21) at a distance from the first adaptive retainer (13); One end of the second cable (32) is fixed to the second joint body (21) at a distance from the first adaptive fixator (13), and the other end is installed on the second adaptive fixator (14); Multiple eyelet locks (33) are bolted to the first adaptive fastener (13). The cable-stayed cable (31) is connected to one end of the first adaptive fastener (13) and converted into multiple protruding anchor points through a rabbit ear knot. All the protruding anchor points are fixed by eyelet locks (33). A bracket (34) is installed on the fifth joint body (21). Two bearings (35) are installed at the top of the bracket (34), and the cable-stayed cable (31) passes between the two bearings (35).

2. The rigid-flexible coupling assistive exoskeleton suitable for human joints according to claim 1, characterized in that: Both adaptive fixators (1) include a housing (11) and a TPU airbag (12) mounted on the inner wall of the housing (11); The outer shell (11) is circular in shape and is made of photosensitive resin by 3D printing.

3. The rigid-flexible coupling assistive exoskeleton suitable for human joints according to claim 2, characterized in that: The multi-joint bionic exoskeleton unit (2) includes multiple joint bodies (21), with two adjacent joint bodies (21) meshing with each other, and the joint bodies (21) at both ends being fixedly connected to two adaptive fixators (1), which are integrally formed.

4. A rigid-flexible coupling assistive exoskeleton suitable for human joints according to claim 3, characterized in that: The two adjacent joint bodies (21) have rotating grooves (22) on both sides of one joint body (21) and rotating rings (23) fixedly connected to both sides of the other joint body (21), and the rotating rings (23) and rotating grooves (22) are mutually adapted to each other. Limiting plates (24) are installed on both sides of the rotating groove (22).

5. A rigid-flexible coupling assistive exoskeleton suitable for human joints according to claim 3, characterized in that: Each of the joint bodies (21) has a connecting boss (25) installed on its side wall, and a tensioning rope (26) is threaded through the middle of the connecting boss (25).

6. A rigid-flexible coupling assistive exoskeleton suitable for human joints according to claim 5, characterized in that: The joint body (21) is made of photosensitive resin by 3D printing, and ventilation holes (27) are provided on the side wall of the joint body (21).

7. A rigid-flexible coupling assistive exoskeleton suitable for human joints according to claim 6, characterized in that: One end of the second cable (32) is converted into multiple protruding anchor points through a rabbit ear knot. All the protruding anchor points are fixed to the second joint body (21) through a hanging ring lock (33). The other end is installed on the second adaptive fixer (14) through a bracket (34) and a bearing (35).

8. A rigid-flexible coupling assistive exoskeleton suitable for human joints according to claim 7, characterized in that: Both adaptive stabilizers (1) are equipped with attitude sensors (4).

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