An elastic actuator and an orthosis with active tightening and passive flexible release.

Abstract

This invention relates to an elastic actuator and an orthosis with active tightening and passive flexible release, belonging to the field of rehabilitation engineering technology. To address the current issue where orthotic devices, through tension adjustment using corrective wires, cannot achieve passive release when the motor is not running, thus restricting daily activities and failing to meet human-computer interaction needs, this invention comprises a coiled wire and a drive shaft. The coiled wire is fitted onto the drive shaft and can rotate clockwise and counterclockwise around it. The elastic actuator also includes a one-way transmission mechanism with unidirectional transmission function, installed at the ends of the coiled wire and the drive shaft. The drive shaft drives the coiled wire to rotate clockwise via the one-way transmission mechanism, allowing the corrective wire to wind around the coiled wire and be wound up. When the corrective wire provides a driving force for the coiled wire to rotate in the opposite direction, the coiled wire, under the action of the one-way transmission mechanism, is not braked by the drive shaft and can rotate freely in the opposite direction. This invention is mainly used for orthotics of the limbs, torso, and other parts of the human body.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention belongs to the field of rehabilitation engineering technology, and relates to an orthosis, particularly an elastic actuator and an orthosis with active tightening and passive flexible release. Background Technology

[0002] Orthoses are a general term for external devices fitted to the limbs, trunk, and other parts of the human body. Their purpose is to prevent or correct deformities of the limbs and trunk, treat musculoskeletal and neuromuscular diseases, and compensate for their function. Orthoses include upper limb orthoses, lower limb orthoses, and spinal orthoses. Among these, spinal orthoses are the most effective and safest method for treating mild to moderate adolescent idiopathic scoliosis, and can improve patients' health and quality of life. Currently, spinal orthoses used clinically can be divided into two categories: rigid orthoses and flexible orthoses. Rigid orthoses require a long wearing time, compress the chest cavity and affect breathing, restrict the wearer's daily activities, and the corrective force applied decreases significantly with prolonged wear. Flexible orthoses are significantly less effective than rigid spinal orthoses in controlling the progression of curvature. Therefore, current efforts are focused on developing orthotics that combine rigidity and flexibility to integrate the advantages of both. For example, the patent "CN116712231A" discloses an "active exoskeleton for correcting scoliosis," which specifically discloses "adjusting the tension of the corrective wire by controlling the power-driven tensioning module to provide the correct corrective force." However, the aforementioned patent still has some shortcomings. The power-driven tensioning module adjusts the tension of the corrective wire by rotating the motor forward and backward. During tension adjustment, passive release cannot be achieved when the motor is not running, which restricts the human body in daily activities and fails to meet the needs of human-computer interaction. Summary of the Invention

[0003] This invention addresses the problem that current orthotics, which adjust tension via a corrective wire, cannot achieve passive release when the motor is not running, thus restricting daily activities and failing to meet human-computer interaction needs. The invention provides an elastic actuator and an orthotics with active tightening and passive flexible release.

[0004] The technical solution adopted by the present invention to solve the above-mentioned technical problems is as follows:

[0005] A flexible actuator with unidirectional transmission function includes a spool and a drive shaft. The spool is sleeved on the drive shaft and can rotate in both directions around the drive shaft. The flexible actuator also includes a unidirectional transmission mechanism with unidirectional transmission function, which is installed at the ends of the spool and the drive shaft. The drive shaft drives the spool to rotate forward through the unidirectional transmission mechanism, and the straightening wire is wound around the spool and taken in. When the straightening wire provides a driving force for the spool to rotate in the opposite direction, the spool is not braked by the drive shaft under the action of the unidirectional transmission mechanism and can rotate freely in the opposite direction.

[0006] Preferably, a connecting disc is provided at the outer opening of the spool, and a ring-shaped guide rail is coaxially formed on the connecting disc; the one-way transmission mechanism includes planetary gears, a sun gear, and a crank-connecting rod assembly. The power output end of the drive shaft is connected to the power input end of the crank-connecting rod assembly, and the power output end of the crank-connecting rod assembly is connected to the planetary gears. The center of the back of each planetary gear is inserted into the ring-shaped guide rail via a pin, and it can rotate on its own axis and revolve around the drive shaft under the drive of the crank-connecting rod assembly; the sun gear is fitted onto the drive shaft and can rotate freely around the drive shaft, and the sun gear... The gear face is fixedly connected to the connecting disc of the spool to achieve torque transmission; the planetary gears mesh with the sun gear; when the drive shaft rotates forward and transmits torque to the planetary gears and sun gears sequentially through the crank-connecting rod assembly, the sun gear drives the spool to rotate forward, and the straightening line winds onto the spool and is wound up; when the spool rotates in reverse under the drive of the straightening line, the spool transmits the torque of the reverse rotation to the sun gear and planetary gears sequentially, and the planetary gears reciprocate along the annular guide rail under the action of the crank-connecting rod assembly, so that the free rotation of the sun gear and the spool is not restricted by the drive shaft.

[0007] Preferably, the crank-connecting rod assembly includes a first-stage connecting rod sleeve, a second-stage connecting rod, and a third-stage connecting rod; the third-stage connecting rod is fixedly mounted on the outer surface of the planetary gear along the radial direction of the planetary gear, with one end of the third-stage connecting rod located at the axis of the planetary gear and the other end located at the eccentric position of the planetary gear; one end of the first-stage connecting rod sleeve is fitted onto the power output end of the drive shaft and can rotate with the drive shaft, the other end of the first-stage connecting rod sleeve extends along the radial direction of the drive shaft and is hinged to one end of the second-stage connecting rod, and the other end of the second-stage connecting rod is hinged to the end of the third-stage connecting rod located at the eccentric position of the planetary gear; let the distance between the center points of the two ends of the first-stage connecting rod sleeve be L1, the distance between the center points of the two ends of the second-stage connecting rod be L2, the distance between the center points of the two ends of the third-stage connecting rod be L3, and the distance between the axis of the drive shaft and the center point of the planetary gear be L4; the relationship between L1, L2, L3, and L4 is: L1 + L2 > L3 + L4.

[0008] Preferably, the outer diameter of the planetary gear is smaller than the outer diameter of the sun gear.

[0009] Preferably, a flexible reset element is provided between the coil and the drive shaft. One end of the flexible reset element is connected to the drive shaft, and the other end of the flexible reset element is connected to the inner wall of the coil. After the coil rotates in the opposite direction, it is reset by the flexible reset element.

[0010] Preferably, the flexible reset element is a planar spiral spring, which is wound around the drive shaft. The inner end of the planar spiral spring is connected to the drive shaft, and the outer end of the planar spiral spring is connected to the inner wall of the coil. When the coil reverses, the tightening / releasing of the planar spiral spring provides a driving force for the reset of the coil.

[0011] Preferably, the elastic actuator further includes a drive mechanism for driving the drive shaft to rotate. The drive mechanism includes a drive motor and a harmonic reducer. The power output end of the drive motor is connected to the power input end of the drive shaft through the harmonic reducer to realize forward rotation of the drive shaft at low speed.

[0012] Preferably, the elastic actuator further includes a mounting housing, and the coil, drive shaft, one-way transmission mechanism and drive mechanism are all disposed inside the mounting housing, and the coil and drive shaft can rotate inside the mounting housing; the mounting housing is provided with a threading hole for the straightening wire to pass through, and the straightening wire passes through the threading hole and is wound on the coil.

[0013] An orthosis with active tightening and passive flexible release includes an orthosis body, which achieves orthotics through the winding and unwinding of the orthosis thread; the orthosis also includes an elastic actuator, the telescopic end of the orthosis thread extending into the elastic actuator and wound on a coil; the active shaft actively winds the thread through the coil, enabling the elastic actuator to actively provide orthotics to the human body; when the human body moves and provides a reverse rotation driving force to the coil through the orthosis thread, the coil can rotate freely in the opposite direction, realizing the release of the orthosis thread and the free movement of the human body without active force input from the elastic actuator.

[0014] Preferably, the orthotic body is a spinal orthotic.

[0015] The beneficial effects of this invention compared to the prior art are:

[0016] This invention provides an elastic actuator with unidirectional transmission function. When the orthotic thread does not provide sufficient orthotic force, the actuator, in conjunction with the drive shaft, the coiled thread, and the unidirectional transmission mechanism, can actively tighten the thread to achieve accurate and rapid force control and provide stable orthotic force. When the wearer needs to perform a certain action in daily life, the thread can be smoothly pulled out without affecting the wearer's daily activities. This achieves the release of the thread and free movement of the human body without active force input, allowing the human body to move freely in daily activities without restriction and meeting the needs of human-computer interaction. Simultaneously, this invention incorporates a flexible reset element between the drive shaft and the coiled thread. During free movement, the orthotic device can still provide a corrective effect on the human body under the elasticity of the flexible reset element, while avoiding interference with human activity caused by the thread's inability to retract after release. Moreover, due to the elasticity of the flexible reset element, the thread retraction process is gentler than that using a motor-driven method. The design of the flexible reset element provides smooth thread retraction and unwinding for the human body's free movement, improving the comfort of human-computer interaction. Furthermore, the use of a flexible reset element to achieve automatic suture retraction reduces the time required for active suture retraction and extends the standby time of the elastic actuator. Therefore, orthotics using this elastic actuator can achieve active correction, continuously and stably providing appropriate corrective force while also meeting the patient's daily activity needs. It also offers a degree of comfort and improves patient compliance, greatly facilitating the patient's life and treatment. Attached Figure Description

[0017] The accompanying drawings, which form part of this application, are provided to further illustrate the invention.

[0018] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the external structure of the elastic actuator in Example 1.

[0019] Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram of the internal structure of the elastic actuator in Example 1.

[0020] Figure 3 This is a cross-sectional view of the elastic actuator in Example 1.

[0021] Figure 4 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of a coiled yarn spool.

[0022] Figure 5 This is a state diagram of the unidirectional transmission mechanism in its initial position.

[0023] Figure 6 The diagram shows the state of a one-way transmission mechanism when it is at its dead point under the forward drive of the drive shaft / the state of a one-way transmission mechanism when it is at one of the critical points under the reverse drive of the coil drum.

[0024] Figure 7 This is a diagram showing the state of a unidirectional transmission mechanism rotating clockwise between two critical points under the reverse drive of the coil drum.

[0025] Figure 8 This is a state diagram of a unidirectional transmission mechanism at another critical point under the reverse drive of the coil drum.

[0026] Figure 9 This is a diagram showing the state of a unidirectional transmission mechanism rotating counterclockwise under the reverse drive of the coil drum, between two critical points.

[0027] Figure 10 This is a schematic diagram of the spinal orthosis worn on the human body in Example 2.

[0028] Explanation of reference numerals in the attached drawings: 1-Silk reel; 101-Connecting disc; 102-Annular guide rail; 2-Drive shaft; 3-One-way transmission mechanism; 301-Planetary gear; 302-Sun gear; 303-First-stage connecting rod sleeve; 304-Second-stage connecting rod; 305-Third-stage connecting rod; 4-Flexible reset element; 5-Drive mechanism; 501-Drive motor; 502-Harmonic reducer; 6-Mounting housing; 601-Wire hole; 602-Upper frame; 603-Lower frame; 7-Orthotist body; 8-Elastic retaining ring for shaft; 9-Sleeve. Detailed Implementation

[0029] To make the objectives, technical solutions, and advantages of the embodiments of the present invention clearer, the technical solutions in the embodiments will be clearly and completely described below with reference to the accompanying drawings. The following embodiments are used to illustrate the present invention, but are not intended to limit the scope of the present invention.

[0030] Example 1:

[0031] like Figures 1 to 3As shown, this application embodiment provides an elastic actuator with unidirectional transmission function, which includes a mounting housing 6. The elastic actuator is fixed to the orthosis through the mounting housing 6. The mounting housing 6 is composed of an upper frame 602 and a lower frame 603, which are arranged opposite each other and fixedly connected by screws. The upper frame 602 and the lower frame 603 form a mounting cavity. A drive mechanism 5, a drive shaft 2, and a unidirectional transmission mechanism 3 are arranged sequentially along the axial direction in the mounting cavity. The two ends of the drive shaft 2 are rotatably mounted to the mounting housing 6 through a bearing, and the drive shaft 2 is axially positioned by a shaft elastic retaining ring 8 and a sleeve 9. The power output end of the drive mechanism 5 is connected to the power input end of the drive shaft 2 to realize the forward rotation of the drive shaft 2. A coiled yarn spool 1 is sleeved on the drive shaft 2. The coiled yarn spool 1 can rotate around the drive shaft 2 in both directions, and the opening of the coiled yarn spool 1 is connected to the power output end of the drive shaft 2 through the unidirectional transmission mechanism 3. The drive mechanism 3 has a one-way transmission function. The drive mechanism 5 provides driving torque through the drive shaft 2 and drives the coil drum 1 to rotate forward under the transmission of the one-way transmission mechanism 3. The corrective thread is wound on the coil drum 1 and the thread is taken in, thus realizing that the elastic actuator actively provides accurate and stable corrective force for the human body. When the human body wearing the orthosis suddenly moves and provides a reverse rotation driving force for the coil drum 1 through the corrective thread, the coil drum 1 rotates in the opposite direction around the drive shaft 2. The coil drum 1 transmits the torque of the reverse rotation to the one-way transmission mechanism 3. Since the drive mechanism 5 does not drive the drive shaft 2 to rotate, the drive shaft 2 is in a braking state at this time. The one-way transmission mechanism 3 absorbs the torque transmitted from the coil drum 1 through its own operation. That is, the coil drum 1 is not braked when the drive shaft 2 is stationary under the action of the one-way transmission mechanism 3 and can rotate freely in the opposite direction. This realizes the release of the corrective thread and the free movement of the human body when the elastic actuator has no active force input, so that the human body is not restricted in daily activities and meets the needs of human-computer interaction.

[0032] It should be noted that the mounting housing 6 is provided with a threading hole 601 for the straightening thread to pass through. One end of the straightening thread is distributed on the orthosis, and the other end of the straightening thread passes through the threading hole 601 and is wound around the coil 1. The straightening thread is wound around the coil 1 in the opposite direction to ensure that the straightening thread can be wound on the coil 1 when the coil 1 is rotating in the forward direction, so as to realize the take-up of the straightening thread.

[0033] like Figure 3As shown, the drive mechanism 5 in this embodiment includes a drive motor 501 and a harmonic reducer 502. The power output end of the drive motor 501 is connected to the harmonic reducer 502 through a first flange, and the harmonic reducer 502 is connected to the power input end of the drive shaft 2 through a second flange. The drive motor 501 rotates forward and is decelerated under the transmission of the harmonic reducer 502, and the driving force is transmitted to the drive shaft 2. At this time, the drive shaft 2 rotates at a low speed to stably transmit the rotational torque and reduce the speed of the orthotic thread winding, so as to facilitate the wearer's control of the orthotic force.

[0034] Furthermore, such as Figures 4 to 9 As shown, the one-way transmission mechanism 3 in this embodiment includes a planetary gear 301, a sun gear 302, and a crank-connecting rod assembly. The power output end of the drive shaft 2 is connected to the power input end of the crank-connecting rod assembly, and the power output end of the crank-connecting rod assembly is connected to the planetary gear 301, which can drive the planetary gear 301 to rotate on its own axis and revolve around the drive shaft 2. The sun gear 302 is fitted on the drive shaft 2 and can rotate freely around the drive shaft 2. The planetary gear 301 meshes with the sun gear 302. An integrally formed connecting disc 101 is provided at the outer opening of the coil spool 1. A ring-shaped guide rail 102 is coaxially formed on the connecting disc 101. The center of the back of the planetary gear 301 is inserted into the ring-shaped guide rail 102 by a pin and can move along the ring-shaped guide rail 102. The gear surface of the sun gear 302 is fixed to the connecting disc 101 of the coil spool 1.

[0035] First, it should be noted that the planetary gear 301, sun gear 302, and crank-connecting rod assembly have an output dead point under forward rotation torque. Figure 6 (as shown in the diagram), while under the torque of reverse rotation, the planetary gear 301 reciprocates around the drive shaft 2 at a certain circumferential angle under the action of the crank-connecting rod assembly, that is, the planetary gear 301 has two critical points when it revolves around the drive shaft 2 ( Figure 6 This is one of the critical points in the reciprocating motion of the planetary gears. Figure 8 (This is another critical point for reciprocating motion), and the planetary gear 301 reciprocates between the two critical points.

[0036] Secondly, to facilitate the description of the entire line take-up and release process, forward rotation is defined as clockwise, and corresponding reverse rotation as counterclockwise. Figures 5 to 6 The state shown represents the winding process of the straightening cable, specifically: the drive shaft 2 rotates clockwise and transmits the rotational torque to the crank-connecting rod assembly. The crank-connecting rod assembly then transmits the torque sequentially to planetary gears 301 and sun gear 302. At this time, planetary gear 301 rotates counterclockwise, while sun gear 302 rotates clockwise around drive shaft 2. When planetary gears 301, sun gear 302, and crank-connecting rod assembly reach the dead center position (… Figure 6In the state shown, planetary gear 301 no longer rotates counterclockwise due to the braking effect of the crank-connecting rod assembly. Instead, it transmits all the torque to the sun gear 302. In other words, at this time, planetary gear 301, sun gear 302 and crank-connecting rod assembly are connected as a whole. The drive shaft 2 transmits all the torque to the sun gear 302, which drives the coil drum 1 to rotate clockwise at the same speed. The straightening line is wound on the coil drum 1 and the line is taken in.

[0037] in Figures 6 to 9 The state shown represents the unwinding process of the straightening wire. Specifically, the spool 1 rotates counterclockwise under the influence of the straightening wire. The spool 1 transmits the torque of the counterclockwise rotation to the sun gear 302. At this time, the sun gear 302 rotates counterclockwise and drives the planet gear 301 to rotate clockwise, causing the planet gear 301 to revolve clockwise around the drive shaft 2 (by...). Figure 6 The state shown moves to Figure 7 (as shown in the diagram); when planetary gear 301 revolves around the drive shaft 2 at a certain angle and reaches... Figure 8 At the critical point shown, planetary gear 301, restricted by the crank-connecting rod assembly, can no longer rotate clockwise. At this point, planetary gear 301, driven by sun gear 302, can only rotate counterclockwise. When planetary gear 301 rotates around the drive shaft 2 to a certain angle and reaches... Figure 6 At the critical point shown, the planetary gear 301 rotates clockwise again and generates a clockwise revolution around the drive shaft 2. That is to say, when the coiled thread 1 rotates counterclockwise, the planetary gear 301 reciprocates along the annular guide rail 102 between the two critical points, and the sun gear 302 and the coiled thread 1 can rotate freely without being restricted by the drive shaft 2. The human body can also release the corrective thread by moving and pulling it without restriction, thus meeting the needs of human-computer interaction.

[0038] It should also be noted that in this embodiment, the outer diameter of the planetary gear 301 is smaller than the outer diameter of the sun gear 302, which reduces the radial dimension of the elastic actuator and facilitates the wearing and carrying of the orthotics.

[0039] Among them, such as Figures 5 to 9As shown, the crank-connecting rod assembly includes a first-stage connecting rod sleeve 303, a second-stage connecting rod 304, and a third-stage connecting rod 305. The first-stage connecting rod sleeve 303 is a single piece, consisting of a circular collar and a first-stage connecting rod. One end of the first-stage connecting rod is fixed to the outer wall of the circular collar, and the other end extends radially along the circular collar. The third-stage connecting rod 305 is fixed to the outer surface of the planetary gear 301 along its radial direction, with one end of the third-stage connecting rod 305 positioned at the axis of the planetary gear 301 and the other end positioned eccentrically. The first-stage connecting rod sleeve 303 is fitted onto the power output end of the drive shaft 2 via the circular collar and connected by a key to achieve torque transmission. The other end of the first-stage connecting rod sleeve 303 is hinged to one end of the second-stage connecting rod 304, and the other end of the second-stage connecting rod 304 is hinged to the eccentrically positioned end of the third-stage connecting rod 305.

[0040] Let O be the center point of the first-stage connecting rod sleeve 303, A be the hinge point between the first-stage connecting rod sleeve 303 and the second-stage connecting rod 304, B be the hinge point between the second-stage connecting rod 304 and the third-stage connecting rod 305, and C be the center point of the planetary gear 301. The distance between the two center points of the first-stage connecting rod sleeve 303 is L1, that is, the distance between point O and point A is L1; the distance between the two center points of the second-stage connecting rod 304 is L2, that is, the distance between point A and point B is L2; ​​the distance between the two center points of the third-stage connecting rod 305 is L3, that is, the distance between point B and point C is L3; and the distance between the center of the drive shaft and the center of the planetary gear is L4, that is, the distance between point O and point C is L4. The relationship between L1, L2, L3, and L4 is: L1 + L2 > L3 + L4.

[0041] When the drive shaft 2 rotates forward, the first-stage connecting rod sleeve 303 rotates with the drive shaft 2, generating a driving force on the second-stage connecting rod 304. Since the first-stage connecting rod sleeve 303 and the second-stage connecting rod 304 form a revolute joint, the second-stage connecting rod 304 oscillates about their hinge point. The second-stage connecting rod 304 generates a driving force on the third-stage connecting rod 305. Since the third-stage connecting rod 305 and the second-stage connecting rod 304 form a revolute joint, the third-stage connecting rod 305 oscillates about their hinge point. The third-stage connecting rod 305 transmits the rotational torque to the planetary gear 301, which in turn transmits the torque to the coil spool 1 via the sun gear 302. Figure 6 As shown, when the second-stage connecting rod 304 and the third-stage connecting rod 305 are collinear, the third-stage connecting rod 305 can no longer drive the second-stage connecting rod 304 to continue swinging. At this time, the planetary gear 301 and the sun gear 302 are locked, and all the power of the drive shaft 2 is transmitted to the sun gear 302. The spool 1 rotates clockwise, realizing the winding of the line. Figure 6As shown, when the coil spool 1 transmits torque to the planetary gears 301 through the sun gear 302, the sun gear 302 rotates counterclockwise and drives the planetary gears 301 to rotate clockwise. The planetary gears 301 revolve clockwise around the hinge point B, meaning that the planetary gears 301 rotate clockwise on their own axis while also revolving clockwise around the planetary gears. When the planetary gears 301 move to... Figure 8 At the position shown, the second-stage link 304 and the third-stage link 305 are collinear again. Since L1+L2>L3+L4, planetary gear 301 can no longer continue its clockwise revolution. Driven by the sun gear 302, planetary gear 301 revolves counterclockwise around the hinge point B while also rotating clockwise on its own axis. When planetary gear 301 moves to... Figure 6 When the position shown is reached, the planetary gear 301 reciprocates clockwise. The torque transmitted from the sun gear 302 is used entirely for the operation of the planetary gear 301, and the drive shaft 2 does not need to input any power, nor does it restrict the coil drum 1.

[0042] Furthermore, in daily human activities, the range of motion is not fixed, resulting in varying lengths of the release of the corrective wire. Once released, the wire cannot be retracted, rendering the orthosis ineffective in correcting bodily movements. In some cases, excessively long wire release may even interfere with bodily activity, and it also increases the time and power consumption required for manual wire retraction. Figure 3 As shown, in this embodiment, a flexible reset element 4 is provided between the coil 1 and the drive shaft 2. One end of the flexible reset element 4 is connected to the drive shaft 2, and the other end is connected to the inner wall of the coil 1. When the corrective line is pulled out with the movement of the human body, the coil 1 rotates in the opposite direction under the drive of the corrective line. The flexible reset element 4 gradually stores the restoring force. When the corrective line is in a slack state, the corrective line no longer generates a driving force for the coil 1 to rotate in the opposite direction. The coil 1 rotates in the forward direction under the restoring force of the flexible reset element 4, and realizes the winding of the corrective line. That is, when the human body is moving freely, the corrector can also produce a corrective effect on the human body under the elasticity of the flexible reset element 4, while avoiding interference with human body movement caused by the corrective line not being able to be retracted after release. Moreover, because the flexible reset element 4 is elastic, the winding process is gentler than the winding method driven by a motor. That is, the design of the flexible reset element 4 provides the smoothness of winding and unwinding for the free movement of the human body, improving the comfort of human-computer interaction. In addition, using the flexible reset element 4 to achieve automatic wire take-up can reduce the time required for wire take-up using the active drive method and extend the standby time of the flexible driver.

[0043] In this embodiment, the flexible reset element 4 is a planar spiral spring. The planar spiral spring is wound around the drive shaft 2, and the inner end of the planar spiral spring is connected to the drive shaft 2, while the outer end of the planar spiral spring is connected to the inner wall of the coil spool 1. It should be noted that the planar spiral spring can be wound clockwise or counterclockwise around the drive shaft 2. When the coil spool 1 reverses under the drive of the straightening line, the planar spiral spring tightens (counterclockwise winding) or releases (clockwise winding) to store the restoring force. Therefore, the tightening / releasing of the planar spiral spring provides the driving force for the reset of the coil spool 1.

[0044] Example 2:

[0045] Currently, for adolescent idiopathic scoliosis, there is a need for an orthosis that combines the advantages of rigid and flexible orthoses, providing stable corrective force, offering a certain level of comfort, and improving patient compliance. The orthosis's drive mechanism, as the input unit for corrective force, significantly impacts the orthosis's ability to consistently and stably provide appropriate corrective force and ensure comfortable human-machine interaction. Therefore, this embodiment provides an orthosis with active tightening and passive flexible release to achieve the above objectives.

[0046] like Figure 10 As shown, this embodiment provides an orthosis with active tightening and passive flexible release, comprising an orthosis body 7 and an elastic actuator. The orthosis body 7 achieves orthotics through the winding and unwinding of the corrective thread. The extension end of the corrective thread passes through the thread hole 601 on the elastic actuator and is wound on the coil spool 1. The active shaft 2 actively winds up the thread through the coil spool 1, enabling the elastic actuator to actively provide orthotics to the human body. When the human body moves and provides a reverse rotation driving force to the coil spool 1 through the corrective thread, the coil spool 1 can rotate freely in the opposite direction, realizing the release of the corrective thread and the free movement of the human body without active force input, ensuring the comfort of human-machine interaction. The orthosis body 7 described in this embodiment can be a spinal orthosis.

[0047] While the invention has been described herein with reference to specific embodiments, it should be understood that these embodiments are merely examples of the principles and applications of the invention. Therefore, it should be understood that many modifications can be made to the exemplary embodiments, and other arrangements can be designed without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as defined by the appended claims. It should be understood that different dependent claims and features described herein can be combined in ways different from those described in the original claims. It is also understood that features described in conjunction with individual embodiments can be used in other described embodiments.

Claims

1. A flexible actuator with unidirectional transmission function, comprising a coiled spool (1) and a drive shaft (2), wherein the coiled spool (1) is sleeved on the drive shaft (2) and is capable of rotating in both directions around the drive shaft (2); characterized in that: The elastic actuator also includes a one-way transmission mechanism (3) with one-way transmission function. The one-way transmission mechanism (3) is installed at the ends of the coil (1) and the drive shaft (2). The drive shaft (2) drives the coil (1) to rotate forward through the one-way transmission mechanism (3). The straightening wire is wound on the coil (1) and the wire is taken up. When the straightening wire provides the driving force for the coil (1) to rotate in the opposite direction, the coil (1) is not braked by the drive shaft (2) under the action of the one-way transmission mechanism (3) and can rotate freely in the opposite direction. A connecting disc (101) is provided at the outer opening of the coil (1), and a ring-shaped guide rail (102) is coaxially opened on the connecting disc (101); the one-way transmission mechanism (3) includes a planetary gear (301), a sun gear (302) and a crank-connecting rod assembly. The power output end of the drive shaft (2) is connected to the power input end of the crank-connecting rod assembly, and the power output end of the crank-connecting rod assembly is connected to the planetary gear (301). The center of the back of the planetary gear (301) is inserted into the ring-shaped guide rail (102) of the coil (1) through a pin, and can rotate on its own axis and revolve around the drive shaft (2) under the drive of the crank-connecting rod assembly; the sun gear (302) is sleeved on the drive shaft (2) and can rotate freely around the drive shaft (2), and the gear surface of the sun gear (302) is aligned with the drive shaft (2). The connecting disc (101) of the spool (1) is fixedly connected to realize the transmission of torque; the planetary gear (301) meshes with the sun gear (302); when the drive shaft (2) rotates forward and transmits the torque to the planetary gear (301) and the sun gear (302) in sequence through the crank-connecting rod assembly, the sun gear (302) drives the spool (1) to rotate forward, and the straightening line is wound on the spool (1) and the line is taken in; when the spool (1) rotates in reverse under the drive of the straightening line, the spool (1) transmits the torque of the reverse rotation to the sun gear (302) and the planetary gear (301) in sequence. The planetary gear (301) moves back and forth along the annular guide rail (102) under the action of the crank-connecting rod assembly, so that the free rotation of the sun gear (302) and the spool (1) is not restricted by the drive shaft (2); The crank-connecting rod assembly includes a first-stage connecting rod sleeve (303), a second-stage connecting rod (304), and a third-stage connecting rod (305). The third-stage connecting rod (305) is fixedly mounted on the outer surface of the planetary gear (301) along the radial direction of the planetary gear (301), with one end of the third-stage connecting rod (305) located at the axial center of the planetary gear (301) and the other end of the third-stage connecting rod (305) located at the eccentric position of the planetary gear (301). One end of the first-stage connecting rod sleeve (303) is fitted onto the power output end of the drive shaft (2) and can rotate with the drive shaft (2). The other end of the first-stage connecting rod sleeve (303) extends along the radial direction of the drive shaft (2) and is hinged to one end of the second-stage connecting rod (304). The other end of the second-stage connecting rod (304) is hinged to the end of the third-stage connecting rod (305) located at the eccentric position of the planetary gear (301). Let L1 be the distance between the center points of the two ends of the first-stage connecting rod sleeve (303), L2 be the distance between the center points of the two ends of the second-stage connecting rod (304), L3 be the distance between the center points of the two ends of the third-stage connecting rod (305), and L4 be the distance between the axis of the drive shaft (2) and the center point of the planetary gear (301). The relationship between L1, L2, L3 and L4 is: L1 + L2 > L3 + L4.

2. The elastic actuator with unidirectional transmission function according to claim 1, characterized in that: The outer diameter of the planetary gear (301) is smaller than the outer diameter of the sun gear (302).

3. The elastic actuator with unidirectional transmission function according to claim 1, characterized in that: A flexible reset element (4) is provided between the coil (1) and the drive shaft (2). One end of the flexible reset element (4) is connected to the drive shaft (2), and the other end of the flexible reset element (4) is connected to the inner wall of the coil (1). After the coil (1) rotates in the opposite direction, it is reset by the flexible reset element (4).

4. The elastic actuator with unidirectional transmission function according to claim 3, characterized in that: The flexible reset element (4) is a planar spiral spring. The planar spiral spring is wound on the drive shaft (2), and the inner end of the planar spiral spring is connected to the drive shaft (2). The outer end of the planar spiral spring is connected to the inner wall of the coil (1). When the coil (1) reverses, the tightening / releasing of the planar spiral spring provides driving force for the reset of the coil (1).

5. The elastic actuator with unidirectional transmission function according to claim 1, characterized in that: The elastic actuator also includes a drive mechanism (5) for driving the drive shaft (2) to rotate. The drive mechanism (5) includes a drive motor (501) and a harmonic reducer (502). The power output end of the drive motor (501) is connected to the power input end of the drive shaft (2) through the harmonic reducer (502) to realize the forward rotation of the drive shaft (2) at low speed.

6. The elastic actuator with unidirectional transmission function according to claim 5, characterized in that: The elastic actuator also includes a mounting housing (6), the coil (1), drive shaft (2), one-way transmission mechanism (3) and drive mechanism (5) are all disposed inside the mounting housing (6), and the coil (1) and drive shaft (2) can rotate inside the mounting housing (6); the mounting housing (6) is provided with a threading hole (601) for the straightening wire to pass through, the straightening wire passes through the threading hole (601) and is wound on the coil (1).

7. An orthosis with active tightening and passive flexible release, comprising an orthosis body (7), wherein the orthosis body (7) achieves orthotics by tightening and loosening the orthotic thread; characterized in that: The orthotics also includes the elastic actuator as described in any one of claims 1 to 6, wherein the telescopic end of the orthotics thread extends into the elastic actuator and is wound on the coil (1); the drive shaft (2) actively takes in the thread through the coil (1), thereby realizing that the elastic actuator actively provides orthotics force for the human body. When the human body moves and provides a reverse rotation driving force to the coil (1) through the correction line, the coil (1) can rotate freely in the reverse direction, realizing the release of the correction line and the free movement of the human body without the input of the elastic actuator.

8. The orthotic device with active tightening and passive flexible release according to claim 7, characterized in that: The orthotic body (7) is a spinal orthotic.

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