Knee joint walking exoskeleton

Abstract

The application discloses a knee walking aid exoskeleton. The knee walking aid exoskeleton comprises an exoskeleton framework, an ankle joint subsystem, a knee joint rotation aid subsystem and a load distribution optimization subsystem. The exoskeleton framework comprises a thigh assembly and a shank assembly. The ankle joint subsystem is connected with the exoskeleton framework and provides passive assistance for the ankle joint of a user when the user walks. The knee joint rotation aid subsystem connects the thigh assembly and the shank assembly. The load distribution optimization subsystem is connected with the exoskeleton framework through binding. The knee joint rotation aid subsystem comprises a standing state and a moving state. When the knee joint rotation aid subsystem is in the standing state, the driving subsystem locks the exoskeleton framework. When the knee joint rotation aid subsystem is in the moving state, the shank assembly can rotate relative to the thigh assembly. The application has two working modes, i.e., the standing state and the moving state. In the moving state, the application can assist the user to bend and stretch the knee joint when walking. In the standing state, the application can prevent the user from keeping the standing posture for a long time due to insufficient leg muscle strength.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This application relates to the field of exoskeleton assistive technology, and in particular to a knee joint assistive walking exoskeleton. Background Technology

[0002] Osteoarthritis of the knee is a common type of arthritis. Statistics show that the prevalence of osteoarthritis of the knee in people over 65 years of age is 20%. Osteoarthritis of the knee affects all tissues of the synovial joint, including cartilage, bone, ligaments, tendons, synovium, and meniscus. Therefore, osteoarthritis of the knee causes varying degrees of pain and swelling. Furthermore, if osteoarthritis of the knee progresses to a later stage, it can lead to severe impairment of knee joint function and ultimately disability.

[0003] Currently, most traditional rehabilitation training devices for patients with osteoarthritis of the knee are limited by their size and weight, failing to adequately meet the needs of patients' daily activities. Therefore, wearable rehabilitation exoskeletons are more popular in the rehabilitation field due to their lightweight and portability. Wearable lower limb exoskeletons can support patients in ground walking training, integrating rehabilitation training into their daily lives, meeting their rehabilitation needs, and improving rehabilitation outcomes. However, most wearable lower limb exoskeletons currently only have joint rotation assistance functions and lack joint load adjustment functions. For patients with osteoarthritis of the knee, excessive load on the knee joint can cause further damage to tissues such as articular cartilage and synovium, often requiring patients to rest in bed for extended periods to prevent the condition from worsening; however, prolonged bed rest may also lead to symptoms such as muscle weakness and joint atrophy. Furthermore, some existing exoskeletons add weight to the wearer, increasing the load on the patient's joints.

[0004] Patients with osteoarthritis of the knee may also experience symptoms of joint deformity, namely varus and valgus deformities. Knee deformities can cause the medial or lateral compartments of the knee joint to shrink or even disappear, leading to friction between the femur and patella, and damage to articular cartilage, synovium, and other tissues. Therefore, knee deformities cause uneven stress distribution in the knee joint, resulting in limited knee function, pain, and swelling. Thus, rehabilitation devices for patients with osteoarthritis of the knee also include orthotics. Orthotics can improve the varus and valgus symptoms of the knee, thereby correcting incorrect knee posture, optimizing the load distribution of the knee joint during walking, and alleviating knee pain. Currently available knee-assisting exoskeletons do not consider optimizing the load distribution on the medial and lateral articular surfaces through knee orthotics to alleviate joint pain.

[0005] Currently, most knee-assisted walking exoskeletons only have the function of assisting joint rotation.

[0006] Therefore, it is desirable to have a technical solution to overcome or at least mitigate one of the aforementioned defects of the prior art.

[0007] Application content

[0008] The purpose of this application is to provide a knee-assisted walking exoskeleton to overcome or at least mitigate one of the aforementioned defects of the prior art.

[0009] To achieve the above objectives, this application provides a knee-joint walking exoskeleton, which includes:

[0010] An exoskeleton frame for connecting to and assisting in supporting the user's weight, the exoskeleton frame including a thigh component and a lower leg component;

[0011] An ankle joint subsystem, which is connected to the exoskeleton frame, provides assistance to the ankle joint when the user walks;

[0012] A knee joint rotation assist subsystem is provided, wherein the thigh assembly and the lower leg assembly are connected via the knee joint rotation assist subsystem. The knee joint rotation assist subsystem includes a standing state and an active state. When the knee joint rotation assist subsystem is in the standing state, the drive system locks the exoskeleton frame. When the knee joint rotation assist subsystem is in the active state, the lower leg assembly can rotate relative to the thigh assembly.

[0013] Optionally, the exoskeleton knee joint assistive exoskeleton further includes:

[0014] A drive subsystem, connected to the knee joint rotation assist subsystem, is used to provide power to the knee joint rotation assist subsystem, thereby enabling the knee joint rotation assist subsystem to drive the lower leg assembly to rotate relative to the thigh assembly when in an active state.

[0015] Optionally, the knee joint rotation assist subsystem includes a clutch positioning assembly, a rotation assembly, and a knee joint tension wheel assembly; wherein,

[0016] The rotating assembly includes a first lower leg cover, a planar thrust needle roller bearing, a thigh support cover, a thigh cover, the outer edge of a large pulley, a pulley hub, and a lower leg support component;

[0017] The thigh support cover and the thigh pressure cover are positioned by a pin connection; the outer edge of the large pulley and the pulley hub are coaxially mounted between the thigh support cover and the thigh pressure cover; the outer edge of the large pulley and the pulley hub are coaxially connected; the first calf pressure cover is installed on the outside of the thigh support cover and connected to the calf support member, and the second calf pressure cover is installed on the outside of the thigh pressure cover and connected to the calf support member;

[0018] The clutch positioning assembly is coaxially mounted on the rotating assembly. The clutch positioning assembly is movable to have a first position and a second position. In the first position, the clutch positioning assembly engages with the spline groove of the pulley hub. In the second position, the clutch positioning assembly engages with the spline groove of the thigh support cover and the thigh pressure cover.

[0019] The knee joint tension wheel assembly is mounted on the rotating assembly and connected to the drive subsystem; wherein...

[0020] The inner wall of the center hole of the thigh support cover and the thigh pressure cover is uniformly provided with a plurality of first rectangular spline grooves extending axially in the circumferential direction, and the inner wall of the center hole of the pulley hub is uniformly provided with a plurality of second rectangular spline grooves extending axially in the circumferential direction.

[0021] When the clutch positioning component is in the first position, the knee joint rotation assist subsystem is in an active state;

[0022] When the clutch positioning component is in the second position, the knee joint rotation assist subsystem is in a standing state.

[0023] Optionally, the clutch positioning assembly includes: a pressure cap, a clutch core, a knee joint spring, a second lower leg pressure cap, a clutch, an electromagnet pressure cap, an elastic retaining ring, an electromagnet push rod, an electromagnet pin, and a locking block; wherein,

[0024] The clutch is coaxially mounted with the thigh support cover and the thigh pressure cover, and a stepped shaft shape is formed on the outside of the clutch.

[0025] The clutch is provided with a flange at one end, and the flange is connected to the second small leg cover;

[0026] The first lower leg pressure cover is connected to the pressure cover, and the inner side of the pressure cover is provided with a circular groove, which cooperates with the other end of the clutch to fix the axial position of the clutch;

[0027] The clutch has an axially penetrating stepped hole at its center, and the clutch core is installed inside the clutch through the hole and shaft and can slide axially.

[0028] The clutch has two annular grooves, and the space between the grooves is used to install an electromagnet cover. Elastic retaining rings are installed within the two grooves to fix the axial position of the electromagnet cover.

[0029] The diameter-changing plane inside the clutch stepped hole and the electromagnet pressure plate together achieve the limiting function of the clutch core, allowing the clutch core to slide freely between the two planes.

[0030] Optionally, the knee joint tensioning assembly includes a knee joint tensioning wheel cover, a knee joint tensioning wheel shaft, a deep groove ball bearing, and a knee joint tensioning wheel;

[0031] The knee joint tensioning wheel cover is connected to the thigh support cover and the thigh cover respectively;

[0032] One end of the knee joint tensioning wheel cover is provided with an installation groove that mates with the knee joint tensioning wheel shaft. The other end of the knee joint tensioning wheel cover is provided with a regular hexagonal groove with a threaded through hole at the bottom of the groove. The center of the tensioning wheel shaft is provided with a threaded hole. The tensioning wheel cover and the tensioning wheel shaft are connected by a set screw.

[0033] The knee joint tensioning wheel is coaxially arranged with the knee joint tensioning wheel shaft. Both sides of the knee joint tensioning wheel are provided with circular grooves to accommodate the deep groove ball bearing. The center of the knee joint tensioning wheel is provided with a small diameter through hole to accommodate the tensioning wheel shaft.

[0034] Optionally, the drive subsystem includes a drive assembly, a power supply assembly, and a synchronous belt drive assembly; wherein,

[0035] The drive assembly includes a motor, an inner flange, a harmonic reducer, and an outer flange;

[0036] The motor and the harmonic reducer are connected by a coupling;

[0037] The outer flange is fixed to the harmonic reducer; the outer flange is connected to the synchronous belt drive assembly.

[0038] The power supply assembly includes a lithium battery and a battery mounting box; the battery mounting box is connected to the drive subsystem housing; the lithium battery is installed inside the battery mounting box;

[0039] The synchronous belt drive assembly is connected to the knee joint rotation assist subsystem.

[0040] Optionally, the exoskeleton frame further includes a seat assembly and an electric actuator assembly;

[0041] The seat assembly is connected to the drive subsystem;

[0042] One end of the thigh assembly is connected to the drive subsystem, and the other end is connected to one end of the knee joint rotation assist subsystem;

[0043] One end of the lower leg assembly is connected to the other end of the knee joint rotation assist subsystem;

[0044] The electric push rod assembly is connected to the lower leg assembly, with one end of the electric push rod connected to the lower leg assembly and the other end connected to the knee joint rotation assist subsystem.

[0045] The other end of the lower leg assembly is connected to the ankle joint subsystem.

[0046] Optionally, the knee-joint walking exoskeleton further includes a binding assembly, which includes a thigh binding assembly and a lower leg binding assembly; the thigh binding assembly is connected to the drive subsystem, and the thigh binding assembly and the lower leg binding assembly are interconnected.

[0047] Optionally, the knee-joint walking exoskeleton further includes a load distribution optimization subsystem, through which the thigh binding assembly and the calf binding assembly are connected;

[0048] The load distribution optimization subsystem adjusts the horizontal position of the hinge center component by adjusting the angle between the thigh binding component and the calf binding component.

[0049] Optionally, the knee-joint walking exoskeleton further includes a walking assistance training system, the walking assistance training system comprising:

[0050] An inertial sensor and a force sensor are provided. The inertial sensor is disposed on one or more of the first thigh restraint, the second thigh restraint, the first calf restraint, the second calf restraint, and the foot pedal, and is used to obtain the magnitude of angular acceleration and angular velocity during use. The force sensor is disposed on the foot pedal and the exoskeleton frame, and is used to obtain the magnitude of the pressure and tension of the user's feet.

[0051] The controller is connected to the sensor, the knee joint rotation assist subsystem, and the knee joint frame, respectively. The controller is used to control the knee joint rotation assist subsystem to switch between the standing state and the active state based on the information transmitted by the sensor.

[0052] The knee-assisted walking exoskeleton of this application is designed with two working modes: standing and active. During daily walking, the knee joint rotation assist subsystem is in active mode, assisting the user in knee flexion and extension. When the user maintains a standing posture for an extended period, the knee joint rotation assist subsystem can switch to standing mode, locking the knee flexion and extension angles to prevent the user from being unable to maintain a standing posture for a prolonged period due to insufficient leg muscle strength. Simultaneously, the knee-assisted walking exoskeleton of this application is designed with axial load sharing and load distribution optimization functions. The electric push rod assembly in the exoskeleton frame can adjust the support force in real time during the user's walking process, reducing the load on the user's knee joint. The load distribution optimization subsystem allows the user to manually adjust the magnitude of the corrective torque to optimize the load distribution within the user's knee joint. Attached Figure Description

[0053] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of a knee-joint walking exoskeleton according to an embodiment of this application.

[0054] Figure 2 yes Figure 1 The diagram shows the structure of the lower leg component in the knee-joint walking exoskeleton.

[0055] Figure 3 yes Figure 1 The diagram shows the structure of the thigh component in the knee-joint walking exoskeleton.

[0056] Figure 4 yes Figure 1 The diagram shows an exploded view of the drive subsystem and seat assembly in the exoskeleton of the knee joint assistive walking exoskeleton.

[0057] Figure 5 yes Figure 1 An exploded view of the knee joint rotation assist subsystem in the knee joint assistive walking exoskeleton shown.

[0058] Figure 6 yes Figure 1 The diagram shows a cross-sectional view of the knee joint rotation assist subsystem in the knee joint assistive walking exoskeleton.

[0059] Figure 7 yes Figure 1 The diagram shows a cross-sectional view of the tension wheel assembly of the knee joint rotation assist subsystem in the knee-joint walking exoskeleton.

[0060] Figure 8 yes Figure 1 The diagram shows the structural schematic of the binding components and load distribution optimization subsystem in the knee-joint walking exoskeleton.

[0061] Figure 9 yes Figure 1 The exploded view of the load distribution optimization subsystem in the knee-joint walking exoskeleton is shown.

[0062] Figure 10 yes Figure 1 An exploded view of the ankle joint subsystem in a knee-assisted walking exoskeleton.

[0063] Figure 11 yes Figure 1 The diagram shows a cross-sectional view of the ankle subsystem in a knee-assisted walking exoskeleton.

[0064] Figure 12 yes Figure 1 The diagram shows a knee-joint walking exoskeleton being worn.

[0065] Figure Labels

[0066]

[0067]

[0068] Detailed Implementation

[0069] 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.

[0070] 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.

[0071] like Figures 1 to 12 The knee-assisted walking exoskeleton shown includes an exoskeleton frame, an ankle joint subsystem, a knee joint rotation assist subsystem, and a load distribution optimization subsystem, among which...

[0072] The exoskeleton frame is used to connect to the user's legs and assist in supporting the user's weight. The exoskeleton frame includes a thigh assembly, a lower leg assembly, and a seat assembly.

[0073] The ankle joint subsystem is connected to the exoskeleton frame, and the ankle joint subsystem provides assistance to the ankle joint when the user walks;

[0074] The thigh assembly and the lower leg assembly are connected via the knee joint rotation assist subsystem, which includes a standing state and an active state. When the knee joint rotation assist subsystem is in the standing state, the drive subsystem locks the exoskeleton frame. When the knee joint rotation assist subsystem is in the active state, the lower leg assembly can rotate relative to the thigh assembly.

[0075] The knee joint assistive walking exoskeleton of this application is designed with two working modes: standing and active. When the user is walking, the knee joint rotation assist subsystem is in active mode, which assists the user in flexing and extending the knee joint. When the user maintains a standing posture for a long time, the knee joint rotation assist subsystem can switch to standing mode and lock the knee joint flexion and extension angle to prevent the user from being unable to maintain a standing posture for a long time due to insufficient leg muscle strength.

[0076] In this embodiment, the knee-joint walking exoskeleton further includes a drive subsystem connected to the knee joint rotation assist subsystem, which provides power to the knee joint rotation assist subsystem so that the knee joint rotation assist subsystem can drive the lower leg assembly to rotate relative to the thigh assembly when in an active state.

[0077] See Figures 5 to 6 In this embodiment, the knee joint rotation assist subsystem includes a clutch positioning assembly, a rotation assembly, and a knee joint tension wheel assembly; wherein,

[0078] The rotating assembly includes a first lower leg cover 23, a planar thrust needle roller bearing 31, a thigh support cover 25, a thigh cover 26, a large pulley outer edge 28, a pulley hub 27, and a lower leg support 37.

[0079] The thigh support cover 25 and the thigh pressure cover 26 are positioned by a pin connection; the outer edge 28 of the large pulley and the pulley hub 27 are coaxially installed between the thigh support cover 25 and the thigh pressure cover 26; the outer edge 28 of the large pulley and the pulley hub 27 are coaxially connected; the first calf pressure cover 23 is installed on the outside of the thigh support cover 25 and connected to the calf support member 37, and the second calf pressure cover 24 is installed on the outside of the thigh pressure cover 26 and connected to the calf support member 37;

[0080] The clutch positioning assembly is coaxially mounted on the rotating assembly. The clutch positioning assembly is movable to have a first position and a second position. In the first position, the clutch positioning assembly engages with the spline groove of the pulley hub 27. In the second position, the clutch positioning assembly engages with the spline groove of the thigh support cover 25 and the thigh pressure cover 26.

[0081] The knee joint tension wheel assembly is mounted on the rotating assembly and connected to the drive subsystem; wherein...

[0082] The inner walls of the center holes of the thigh support cover 25 and the thigh pressure cover 26 are uniformly provided with a plurality of first rectangular spline grooves extending axially in the circumferential direction, and the inner walls of the center holes of the pulley hub 27 are uniformly provided with a plurality of second rectangular spline grooves extending axially in the circumferential direction.

[0083] When the clutch positioning component is in the first position, the knee joint rotation assist subsystem is in an active state;

[0084] When the clutch positioning component is in the second position, the knee joint rotation assist subsystem is in a standing state.

[0085] More specifically, both the thigh support cover 25 and the thigh pressure cover 26 have positioning holes on their inner sides, and the thigh support cover 25 and the thigh pressure cover 26 are connected and positioned by pins.

[0086] The outer edge 28 of the large pulley and the pulley hub 27 are coaxially mounted between the thigh support cover 25 and the thigh pressure cover 26. The raised platform provided on the inner side of the thigh support cover 25 and the thigh pressure cover 26 is used to fix the axial position of the outer edge 28 of the large pulley and the pulley hub 27. The outer edge 28 of the large pulley and the pulley hub 27 are coaxially mounted and connected by set screws.

[0087] The first lower leg cover 23 and the second lower leg cover 24 are coaxially mounted on both sides of the thigh support cover 25 and the thigh cover 26, and are connected to the mounting holes of the lower leg support 37 by bolts and nuts.

[0088] Since there is relative rotation between adjacent components, a planar thrust needle roller bearing 31 is provided on the adjacent planes of the first calf cover 23 and the thigh support cover 25 and the second calf cover 24 and the thigh cover 26. The bearing cooperates with the annular grooves machined on the first calf cover 23, the second calf cover 24, the thigh support cover 25 and the thigh cover 26 to convert the sliding friction force when the components slide relative to each other into rolling friction force, thereby improving wear resistance and reducing the torque loss of the output torque of the drive subsystem, thus improving the control accuracy.

[0089] In this embodiment, the clutch positioning assembly includes a pressure cap 22, a clutch core 29, a knee joint spring 32, a second lower leg pressure cap 24, a clutch 30, an electromagnet pressure cap 33, an elastic retaining ring 34, an electromagnet push rod 35, an electromagnet pin 36, and a locking block 38; wherein,

[0090] The clutch 30 is coaxially mounted with the thigh support cover 25 and the thigh pressure cover 26, and the clutch 30 forms a stepped shaft shape on its outside.

[0091] One end of the clutch 30 is provided with a flange, which is connected to the second small leg cover 24;

[0092] The first lower leg pressure cover 23 is connected to the pressure cover 22. The inner side of the pressure cover is provided with a circular groove, which cooperates with the other end of the clutch 30 to fix the axial position of the clutch 30.

[0093] The clutch 30 has an axially penetrating stepped hole at its center, and the clutch core 29 is installed in the clutch 30 through the hole and shaft and can slide axially.

[0094] The clutch 30 has two annular grooves, and the space between the grooves is used to install the electromagnet cover 33. Elastic retaining rings 34 are installed in the two grooves to fix the axial position of the electromagnet cover 33.

[0095] The diameter-changing plane inside the stepped hole of the clutch 30 and the plane of the electromagnet cover 33 together realize the limiting function of the clutch core, and the clutch core 29 can slide freely between the two planes.

[0096] More specifically, the clutch positioning assembly is coaxially mounted with the rotating assembly; the inner walls of the center holes of the thigh support cover 25 and the thigh pressure cover 26 are uniformly provided with a plurality of first rectangular spline grooves extending axially in the circumferential direction, and the inner walls of the center holes of the pulley hub 27 are also uniformly provided with a plurality of second rectangular spline grooves extending axially in the circumferential direction.

[0097] When the clutch positioning component engages with the second rectangular spline groove, i.e. the large pulley is locked, the thigh support cover 25 and the thigh pressure cover 26 are unlocked, and the thigh assembly and the lower leg assembly can rotate relative to each other, i.e. the knee joint rotation assist subsystem is in an active state.

[0098] When the clutch positioning component engages with the spline groove of the first rectangular spline groove, the large pulley is unlocked, the thigh support cover 25 and the thigh pressure cover 26 are locked, and the relative angle between the thigh assembly and the lower leg assembly is fixed, meaning the knee joint rotation assist subsystem is in a standing state.

[0099] It is understood that the outer edge 28 of the large pulley and the pulley hub 27 can be in the form of a combination or an integral structure; in this embodiment, the large pulley is in the form of a combination, and the outer edge 28 of the large pulley and the pulley hub 27 are machined separately; the outer edge 28 of the large pulley has evenly distributed tooth grooves around its circumference, and the two are coaxially assembled and fixed by set screws; the tooth grooves are used to install a timing belt, and the other end of the timing belt is installed with the tooth groove of the small pulley of the drive subsystem to realize torque transmission.

[0100] See Figures 5 to 6 The clutch positioning assembly includes a pressure cover 22, a clutch core 29, a knee joint spring 32, a second lower leg pressure cover 24, a clutch 30, an electromagnet pressure cover 33, an elastic retaining ring 34, an electromagnet push rod 35, an electromagnet pin 36, and a locking block 38.

[0101] The clutch 30 is coaxially mounted with the thigh support cover 25 and the thigh pressure cover 26. The clutch 30 is formed into a stepped shaft shape to determine its axial position.

[0102] The clutch 30 has a flange at one end, and the flange has evenly distributed mounting holes, which are connected to the evenly distributed mounting holes in the circular groove on one side of the second leg cover 24 by screws.

[0103] The mounting holes evenly distributed in the circular groove of the first lower leg cover 23 are engaged with the mounting holes evenly distributed on the cover 22 by screws. The inner side of the cover is provided with a circular groove, which engages with the small diameter part of the other end of the clutch 30 to fix the axial position of the clutch 30.

[0104] The clutch 30 has an axially penetrating stepped hole at its center, and the clutch core 29 is installed in the clutch 30 through the hole and shaft, and can slide axially.

[0105] The large-diameter end of the stepped hole of the clutch 30 is provided with two annular grooves. The space between the grooves is used to install the electromagnet cover 33. The elastic retaining rings 34 are installed in the two grooves to fix the axial position of the electromagnet cover 33. The diameter change plane in the stepped hole of the clutch 30 and the plane of the electromagnet cover 33 together realize the limiting function of the clutch core. The clutch core 29 slides freely between the two planes.

[0106] More specifically, the clutch 30 is provided with three rings of guide holes evenly arranged along the axial direction, and the clutch core 29 is provided with two circumferential grooves of different widths along the axial direction.

[0107] The locking block 38 is circumferentially installed between the locking block guide hole of the clutch 30 and the circumferential groove of the clutch core 29; a through hole is provided at the central axis of the clutch core 29 to provide space for accommodating the electromagnet push rod 35, the electromagnet pressure cover 33 and the knee joint spring 32; the part of the push rod end of the electromagnet push rod 35 that extends out of the clutch core 29 is provided with a through hole, and a cotter pin is provided at the through hole, so that the push rod movement drives the clutch core to move together and change the working mode;

[0108] The circular base of the electromagnet cover 33 is provided with a rectangular mounting groove, and the base end of the electromagnet push rod 35 is connected to the rectangular mounting groove of the electromagnet cover 33 by screws; a knee joint spring 32 is provided between the circular base of the electromagnet cover 33 and the clutch core 29 to assist in switching between different working modes of the knee joint rotation assist subsystem.

[0109] When the knee joint rotation assist subsystem is in an active state, the electromagnet push rod 35 is energized, that is... Figure 6 As shown, the middle locking block 3802 is exactly between the two circumferential grooves of the clutch core 29, while the left locking block 3801 and the right locking block 3803 are located within the circumferential grooves.

[0110] The length of the locking block 38 is slightly longer than the length of the locking block guide hole of the clutch 30. The locking block 38 is cylindrical in shape, with a dome-shaped upper surface. The radius of curvature of the upper surface is equal to the radius of curvature of the spline groove bottom. Figure 6At the position shown, the middle locking block 3802 is lifted up, the left locking block 3801 and the right locking block 3802 are retracted, and the middle locking block 3802 engages with the spline groove of the pulley hub 27, that is, the large pulley is locked with the clutch positioning assembly. At this time, the rotation of the outer edge 28 of the large pulley can drive the relative rotation of the components inside the rotating assembly.

[0111] When switching to the standing position, the electromagnet push rod 35 is de-energized, and the push rod retracts and moves inward, driving the clutch core 29 to move inward. The left circumferential groove of the clutch core 29 is wider than the right circumferential groove. When the clutch core 29 moves to the right, the left locking block 3801 moves to the left end of the left circumferential groove, the middle locking block 3802 moves into the left locking block, and the right locking block 3803 moves between the left and right circumferential grooves. Therefore, the left locking block 3801 and the right locking block 3803 are lifted up, and the middle locking block 3802 just retracts. The left locking block 3801 and the right locking block 3803 cooperate with the spline grooves provided in the thigh support cover 25 and the thigh pressure cover 26, that is, the large pulley is unlocked from the clutch positioning assembly, and the rotating assembly is locked from the clutch positioning assembly.

[0112] In this mode, the relative positions of the components within the rotating assembly are fixed, ensuring the stability of the user when standing. When switching back to walking mode, the electromagnet push rod 35 is re-energized and returns to its initial position with the assistance of the knee joint spring 32. The middle locking block 3802 is lifted, and the large pulley can drive the components within the rotating assembly to rotate relative to each other.

[0113] In this embodiment, the knee joint tensioning assembly includes a knee joint tensioning wheel cover 74, a knee joint tensioning wheel shaft 75, a deep groove ball bearing 76, and a knee joint tensioning wheel 77;

[0114] The knee joint tensioning wheel cover 74 is connected to the thigh support cover 25 and the thigh cover 26 respectively;

[0115] One end of the knee joint tension wheel cover 74 is provided with a mounting groove that mates with the knee joint tension wheel shaft 75. The other end of the knee joint tension wheel cover 74 is provided with a regular hexagonal groove with a threaded through hole at the bottom of the groove. The tension wheel shaft 75 is provided with a threaded hole at its center. The tension wheel cover 74 and the tension wheel shaft 75 are connected by a set screw.

[0116] The knee joint tensioning wheel shaft 75 is coaxially provided with a knee joint tensioning wheel 77, and both sides are provided with circular grooves to accommodate the deep groove ball bearing 76; a small diameter through hole is provided in the center to accommodate the tensioning wheel shaft 75.

[0117] See Figure 7 In this embodiment, the knee joint tensioning assembly adopts an eccentric wheel structure, including a knee joint tensioning wheel cover 74, a knee joint tensioning wheel shaft 75, a deep groove ball bearing 76, and a knee joint tensioning wheel 77.

[0118] Specifically, both the thigh support cover 25 and the thigh pressure cover 25 are symmetrically provided with cylindrical mounting platforms on the left and right sides. The knee joint tension wheel pressure cover 74 cooperates with the mounting platforms provided on the thigh support cover 25 and the thigh pressure cover 26 and is connected by screws.

[0119] The end of the knee tensioner cover 74 is provided with a mounting groove that mates with the knee tensioner shaft 75 at a position off-center. The other end of the tensioner cover 74 has a regular hexagonal groove with a threaded through hole at the bottom. The center of the tensioner shaft 75 is also provided with a threaded hole. The tensioner cover 74 and the tensioner shaft 75 are connected by a set screw.

[0120] The knee joint tensioning wheel 77 is coaxially arranged on the knee joint tensioning wheel shaft 75, and has circular grooves on both sides to accommodate the deep groove ball bearings 76; a small diameter through hole is provided in the center to accommodate the tensioning wheel shaft 75; since there is relative rotation between the tensioning wheel 77 and the tensioning wheel shaft 75, deep groove ball bearings 76 are installed at both ends of the tensioning wheel 77 to change sliding friction into rolling friction, thereby reducing the friction between the two and improving wear resistance.

[0121] Furthermore, the tension wheel cover 74 has 8 mounting holes circumferentially, and the mounting grooves on the thigh support cover 25 and thigh cover 26 have 18 mounting holes axially. By rotating the tension wheel cover, different tension wheel cover mounting holes can be used to fix it to the mounting holes on the thigh assembly, thereby adjusting the preload of the synchronous belt drive, providing a total of 36 preload adjustment levels.

[0122] In this embodiment, the drive subsystem includes a drive assembly, a power supply assembly, and a synchronous belt drive assembly; wherein,

[0123] The drive assembly includes a motor 13, an inner flange 21, a harmonic reducer 20, and an outer flange 17;

[0124] Motor 13 is connected to harmonic reducer 20 via coupling 19;

[0125] The outer flange 17 is fixed to the harmonic reducer 20; the outer flange 17 is connected to the synchronous belt drive assembly 16.

[0126] The power supply assembly includes a lithium battery 2 and a battery mounting box 12; the battery mounting box 12 is connected to the drive subsystem housing 14; the lithium battery 2 is installed inside the battery mounting box 12.

[0127] The synchronous belt drive assembly is connected to the knee joint tensioner assembly.

[0128] See Figure 4 In this embodiment, the drive assembly can be specifically divided into a motor 13, an inner flange 21, a harmonic reducer 20, an outer flange 17, and a drive subsystem housing assembly.

[0129] In this embodiment, the motor 13 and the harmonic reducer 20 are connected by a coupling 19 to reduce the motor speed and increase the auxiliary torque. The motor 13 and the harmonic reducer 20 are connected by a flexure wheel fixed and a steel wheel output. The output flange, i.e., the outer flange 17, is fixed on the steel wheel of the harmonic reducer 20. The outer flange 17 is connected to the small pulley 16 of the synchronous belt drive assembly, thereby connecting the output end of the drive assembly to the input end of the synchronous belt drive assembly.

[0130] More specifically, the motor 13 has three circumferentially evenly distributed mounting holes, which are connected to the input flange, i.e., the inner flange 21, by screws. The motor shaft of the motor 13 is fixed to the coupling 19 by screws, and the coupling 19 is connected to the wave generator hole shaft of the harmonic reducer 20 by a key. The flexible wheel of the harmonic reducer 20 has eight circumferentially evenly distributed mounting holes, and the outer side of the inner flange 21 has eight circumferentially evenly distributed mounting holes, which are connected to the mounting holes of the flexible wheel of the harmonic reducer 20 by bolts and nuts. The flexible wheel of the harmonic reducer 20 has eight circumferentially evenly distributed mounting holes, which are fixed to the outer flange 17 by screws. The center of the outer flange 17 has a mounting shaft that is connected to the hole shaft of the small pulley 16, and the torque is transmitted through the connection of the flat key 18. In this way, the motor 13 drives the small pulley 16 to rotate through the harmonic reducer 20, thereby providing sufficient auxiliary torque for knee flexion and extension.

[0131] The drive subsystem housing assembly includes a drive subsystem housing 14 and a drive subsystem housing cover 15. The power supply assembly includes a lithium battery 2 and a battery mounting box 12. The drive subsystem housing 14 and the drive subsystem housing cover 15 are each provided with four mounting platforms along their circumferential sides. The drive subsystem housing 14 and the drive subsystem housing cover 15 are connected by bolts and nuts after aligning with the mounting platforms. The drive components such as the motor 13, inner flange 21, outer flange 17, and harmonic reducer 20, as well as the small pulley 16 of the synchronous belt drive assembly, are all disposed inside the drive subsystem housing 14 and the drive subsystem housing cover 15.

[0132] The power supply assembly includes a lithium battery 2 and a battery mounting box 12; the bottom of the drive subsystem housing 14 is provided with two mounting holes, and the battery mounting box 12 and the drive subsystem housing 14 are connected by bolts and nuts; the lithium battery 2 is installed in the battery mounting box 12, one end of the battery mounting box is closed, and the other end is provided with two fixing holes, and the battery position is fixed by setting buckles.

[0133] In this embodiment, the exoskeleton frame further includes an electric actuator assembly;

[0134] The seat assembly is connected to the drive subsystem;

[0135] One end of the thigh assembly is connected to the drive subsystem, and the other end is connected to one end of the knee joint rotation assist subsystem;

[0136] One end of the lower leg assembly is connected to the other end of the knee joint rotation assist subsystem;

[0137] The electric push rod assembly is arranged side by side with the lower leg assembly. One end of the electric push rod is connected to the lower leg assembly, and the other end is connected to the knee joint rotation assist subsystem.

[0138] The other end of the lower leg assembly is connected to the ankle joint assist subsystem.

[0139] In this embodiment, the thigh assembly includes a first thigh rod 72 and a second thigh rod 73, and the calf assembly includes a first calf rod 67 and a second calf rod 68.

[0140] In this embodiment, the seat assembly is connected to the drive subsystem housing 14; one end of the thigh assembly is connected to the drive subsystem housing 14, and the other end is connected to one end of the knee joint rotation assist subsystem; one end of the calf assembly is connected to the other end of the knee joint rotation assist subsystem; the electric push rod assembly is connected in parallel with the calf assembly, and both ends of the electric push rod are connected to the calf assembly and the knee joint rotation assist subsystem, respectively; the other end of the calf assembly is connected to the ankle joint subsystem.

[0141] See Figures 1 to 4 More specifically, the seat assembly is connected to the mounting slot on the top of the drive subsystem housing 14 via a joint bearing 8. The drive subsystem housing 14 is connected to the first thigh rod 72 via a first thigh clamp 70. The first thigh rod and the second thigh rod are fixed in position by bolts and nuts. The second thigh rod 73 is connected to the knee joint rotation assist subsystem via a second thigh clamp 71. The first calf rod 67 is connected to the knee joint rotation assist subsystem via a thread, and the second calf rod 68 is also connected to the ankle joint subsystem via a thread. The first calf rod 67 and the second calf rod 68 are connected by a calf rod clamp 69.

[0142] Furthermore, if the electric push rod assembly is used, it is not necessary to tighten the lower leg rod clamp 69. The relative position of the first lower leg rod 67 and the second lower leg rod 68 can be controlled by the electric push rod assembly. The electric push rod assembly includes an electric push rod 5, a one-dimensional force sensor 65, and a force sensor connector 64. The push rod end of the electric push rod 5 and the one-dimensional force sensor 65 are connected through the force sensor connector 65. The force sensor end of the electric push rod assembly is connected to the first lower leg rod 67 through the first electric push rod clamp 63, and the base end is connected to the second lower leg rod 68 through the second electric push rod clamp 66.

[0143] For more details, see Figure 4In this embodiment, the seat assembly of the exoskeleton frame consists of a seat 1, a seat rod 8, a seat rod fixing member 7, and a joint bearing 9. The seat 1 and the seat rod 8 are connected by the seat rod fixing member 7 and bolts and nuts. The lower end of the seat rod 8 is threaded and threadedly connected to the joint bearing 9. The joint bearing 9 is connected to the mounting groove of the drive subsystem housing 14 by bolts and nuts. Nuts 11 are provided at both ends of the mounting hole. The nuts 11 on the outer side of the mounting groove are used to fix the bolts, while the nuts 11 on the inner side of the mounting groove and between the joint bearing are used to provide redundant degrees of freedom. This allows the user to not only satisfy the flexion and extension functions of the hip joint in the sagittal plane during walking, but also the abduction and adduction functions of the hip joint in the coronal plane, providing a more comfortable user experience.

[0144] In addition, the mounting slot of the drive subsystem housing 14 is designed with a limiting slope and an adjustable angle of ±45°, which meets the user's hip flexion and extension needs when walking and prevents the user from overextension of the hip joint due to muscle weakness during walking.

[0145] In this embodiment, the knee-joint walking exoskeleton further includes a binding assembly, which includes a thigh binding assembly and a calf binding assembly; the thigh binding assembly is connected to the drive subsystem, and the thigh binding assembly and the calf binding assembly are interconnected.

[0146] In this embodiment, see Figures 1 to 3 The binding assembly includes a thigh binding 3 and a calf binding 4; the thigh binding 3 is connected to the side of the drive subsystem housing assembly by screws, and the thigh binding 3 and the calf binding 4 are connected through a load distribution optimization subsystem.

[0147] Further, see Figure 8 The thigh binding 3 is connected at one end by a hinge 39 to the first thigh binding 301 and the second thigh binding 302, and at the other end by a buckle to the user's thigh; the calf binding 4 is connected at one end by a hinge 39 to the first calf binding 401 and the second calf binding 402, and at the other end by an adjustable strap to the user's calf; the first thigh binding 301 is connected to the drive subsystem housing by screws, and the thigh binding 3 and the calf binding 4 are connected to the slider groove 43 of the linkage slider assembly in the load distribution optimization subsystem by screws on the inner and outer sides, respectively.

[0148] In this embodiment, the knee-joint walking exoskeleton further includes a load distribution optimization subsystem, and the thigh binding assembly and the calf binding assembly are connected through the load distribution optimization subsystem;

[0149] The load distribution optimization subsystem adjusts the horizontal position of the hinge center component by adjusting the angle between the thigh binding component and the calf binding component.

[0150] In this embodiment, the load distribution optimization subsystem includes an inner load distribution optimization subsystem and an outer load distribution optimization subsystem. Both contain the same components, and each component performs the same function. Therefore, only the inner load distribution optimization subsystem is used as an example:

[0151] See Figures 8 to 9 In this embodiment, the inner load distribution optimization subsystem includes a hinge center assembly and a connecting rod slider assembly; the load distribution optimization subsystem can be further divided into three parts: an upper connecting rod slider assembly, a lower connecting rod slider assembly, and a hinge center assembly. The connecting rod slider assembly includes a slider groove 43, a slider 42, a slider connecting rod 41, a thigh binding connecting rod 40, or a calf binding connecting rod 4001.

[0152] The first thigh binding 301 has an installation platform at its lower end, with four installation holes. The upper end of the load distribution optimization subsystem has a slider groove 43 base with four sliding grooves arranged in the same pattern as the binding installation holes. The slider groove 43 is connected to the first thigh binding 301 by bolts and nuts. The first calf binding 401 has an installation platform at its upper end, with four installation holes. The lower end of the load distribution optimization subsystem has a slider groove 43 base with four sliding grooves arranged in the same pattern as the binding installation holes. The slider groove 43 is connected to the calf binding 401 by bolts and nuts.

[0153] The purpose of the slider groove 43 is to allow the user to adjust the axial position of the hinge center component of the load distribution optimization subsystem during use, so as to ensure that the hinge center component and the knee joint component have good concentricity, overcome or reduce the influence of processing / installation errors, and improve the user's comfort.

[0154] In this embodiment, the load distribution optimization subsystem adjusts the horizontal position of the hinge center assembly by simultaneously adjusting the angles of the binding links at both ends. The hinge center assembly directly applies external force to the knee joint, thereby optimizing the load distribution of the knee joint. Simultaneous adjustment of the binding links at both ends keeps the hinge center assembly vertical, thus ensuring good fit between the hinge center assembly and the user's knee joint and improving user comfort.

[0155] For the inner load distribution optimization subsystem, the working principle of the upper and lower connecting rod-slider assemblies is the same; therefore, the upper connecting rod-slider assembly will be used as an example:

[0156] The thigh binding link 40 has a through hole at its center and the slider groove 43 has symmetrical through holes on its side. The through holes on the side of the thigh binding link 40 and the through holes on the side of the slider groove 43 are aligned and installed, and connected by bolts and nuts with clearance fit, so that the thigh binding link 40 can rotate freely around the connection point of the through hole. The thigh binding link 40 has different thicknesses at its two ends, with the end connected to the hinge center component having a larger thickness and the end connected to the slider link 41 having a smaller thickness. The thick end U-shaped mounting plane of the thigh binding link 40 is located on the top surface of the thigh binding link 40, and the thin end U-shaped mounting plane is located on the main plane of the thigh binding link 40. The thick end U-shaped mounting plane of the thigh binding link 40 mates with the upper mounting hole of the hinge center component, and the thin end U-shaped mounting plane mates with the mounting hole at one end of the slider link 41. Both ends are fixed by bolts and nuts, which can realize relative rotation between adjacent components.

[0157] The slider connecting rod 41 has symmetrical mounting holes at both ends. The slider 42 is a rectangular slider with a U-shaped mounting plane on the top surface and a threaded hole on the bottom surface. The mounting hole at the other end of the slider connecting rod 41 is connected to the U-shaped mounting plane of the slider 42 by bolts and nuts. The bottom surface of the slider groove 43 has a rectangular groove, and the bottom of the rectangular groove has a small groove that runs through the entire base of the slider groove 43. The thigh binding mounting plane also has a groove of the same size. The slider 42 can slide freely in the slider groove. The set screw is screwed into the threaded hole of the slider from the thigh binding mounting plane side to fix the position of the slider 42 in the slider groove 43.

[0158] In this embodiment, the adjacent components of the slider-link assembly are directly hinged, and relative rotation will occur between the adjacent components. Therefore, friction-reducing pads (not shown in the figure) can be set between adjacent contact surfaces to reduce sliding friction and improve wear resistance.

[0159] When it is necessary to increase the force applied to the knee joint by the load distribution optimization subsystem, the hinge center assembly needs to be moved toward the user's knee side, that is, the sliders 42 at both ends of the load distribution optimization subsystem move backward, driving the slider link 41 to increase the angle between the thigh binding link 40 and the base of the slider groove 43.

[0160] When it is necessary to reduce the force applied to the knee joint by the load distribution optimization subsystem, the hinge center assembly needs to be moved away from the user's knee side, that is, the sliders 42 at both ends of the load distribution optimization subsystem move towards each other, driving the slider link 41 to reduce the angle between the thigh binding link 40 and the base of the slider groove 43.

[0161] Furthermore, the purpose of setting the connection end of the binding link and the slider link 41 on the main plane of the binding link is to enable the binding link and the slider groove 43 to be arranged in parallel without interference. Therefore, the included angle between the binding link and the slider groove 43 can be adjusted from 0°. In this embodiment, the adjustable range of the included angle between the binding link and the slider groove 43 is approximately 0° to 35°.

[0162] In this embodiment, the hinge center assembly includes a hinge link slider 47, a hinge link 49, a hinge support cover 45, a hinge pressure cover 48, a pin 46, and a planar thrust needle roller bearing 44. The circular bosses of two identical hinge links 49 engage with each other. The hinge support cover 45 and the hinge pressure cover 48 are coaxially aligned with the hinge links and are respectively installed at both ends of the two hinge links 49. The hinge pressure cover 48 and the hinge support cover 45 are connected by set screws. During user movement, there is relative rotation between the two hinge links 49 and between the hinge links and the hinge pressure cover 48 and the hinge support cover 45. Therefore, a planar thrust needle roller bearing 44 can be provided between adjacent components to reduce sliding friction and improve wear resistance.

[0163] The hinge link 49 is provided with a slider groove and a through-link groove. The hinge link slider 47 is U-shaped and has two mounting holes. The hinge link slider 47 is installed in conjunction with the slider groove of the hinge link 49, and the mounting holes of the hinge link slider 47 are connected to the through-link groove of the hinge link 49. The upper connection is fixed by bolts and nuts, and the lower connection is fixed by pins. The relative position of the upper hinge link slider 47 and the hinge link 49 is fixed, while the lower hinge link slider 47 can move freely within the groove range of the hinge link 49. The lower connection adopts a redundant design to prevent the central axis of the load distribution optimization subsystem from deviating from the central axis of the user's knee joint during walking, thereby improving user comfort. The upper bolt and nut connection can also be finely adjusted according to the user's comfort requirements.

[0164] Furthermore, in this embodiment, the binding link needs to be made of a material with good elasticity; since the overall length of the central hinge assembly of the load distribution optimization subsystem changes little, it can be regarded as the overall size remaining unchanged. However, if the central hinge assembly moves towards the knee side, the length of the binding link needs to be extended to a certain extent to achieve this. Therefore, the binding link needs to be made of a highly elastic metal material.

[0165] In this embodiment, the ankle joint subsystem includes the left ankle joint subsystem and / or the right ankle joint subsystem; see also Figures 10 to 11In this embodiment, the ankle joint subsystem includes an ankle joint cap 56, a sleeve 55, an ankle joint spring 53, a sling 51, a spring cap 54, an ankle joint movable component 52, an ankle joint fixing component 51, a foot pedal 6, an ankle joint hinge assembly, and an ankle joint tensioning assembly.

[0166] The bottom end of the ankle joint fixation component 51 is provided with a sliding groove, which cooperates with the mounting groove provided on the foot pedal 6 to ensure that the rotation center of the user's ankle joint coincides with the rotation center of the exoskeleton's ankle joint; both the ankle joint movable component 52 and the ankle joint fixation component 51 are provided with mounting holes, which are connected by the ankle joint hinge assembly to ensure that the two can rotate relative to each other and realize the flexion and extension function of the ankle joint; the upper end of the ankle joint movable component 52 is provided with a sleeve, and the sleeve is provided with threads for connecting with the second lower leg rod 68.

[0167] The ankle joint movable component 52 has circular grooves at both ends, threaded holes on the inner wall of the grooves, and a circular through hole at the bottom of the grooves, which are fixed to the external thread of one end of the sleeve 55; the ankle joint movable component 52 has an ankle joint spring 53 inside the groove, and a spring cap 54 is fixed to the spring at the upper end of the spring, and the groove and the spring, as well as the spring cap 53 and the spring, are fixed by welding; the ankle joint fixing component 51 has an annular groove around its circumference to accommodate the lasso 51; the lasso 51 passes through the circular holes at the bottom of the circular grooves at both ends of the ankle joint movable component 52 around the ankle joint fixing component 51, and is fixed to the spring cap 54 by welding; the top end of the sleeve 55 has an internal thread that connects to the ankle joint cap 56.

[0168] Furthermore, users often engage in ankle joint activities during daily walking. During ankle flexion and extension, gravity is the primary force, and much of this work is lost in the process. Therefore, the excess work done by gravity is converted into the energy of the spring and released during ankle dorsiflexion, thereby assisting the user's ankle joint movement.

[0169] In this embodiment, the ankle joint hinge assembly includes an ankle joint hinge cover 60, an ankle joint hinge shaft 61, and a deep groove ball bearing 62. The ankle joint hinge cover 60 mates with a mounting groove located at the central axis of the ankle joint movable component 52. The ankle joint hinge cover 60 has a circular groove on its inner side, which mates with the ankle joint hinge shaft 61 and is connected by a set screw. The ankle joint fixing component 51 has circular grooves on both sides to accommodate the deep groove ball bearing 62. Since there is relative rotation between the hinge shaft and the ankle joint fixing component 51, the deep groove ball bearing reduces sliding friction and provides wear resistance.

[0170] The ankle tensioning assembly includes an ankle tensioning wheel sleeve 59, a deep groove ball bearing 58, and an ankle tensioning wheel 57. The ankle tensioning assembly is installed directly below the central axis of the ankle fixation component 51. A groove is provided below the central axis of the ankle fixation component 51, and the ankle tensioning wheel sleeve 59 cooperates with it, with the position of the ankle tensioning wheel sleeve 59 fixed by bolts and nuts. The sleeve 59 is equipped with the deep groove ball bearing 58 and the ankle tensioning wheel 57, both coaxially mounted. The ankle tensioning wheel 57 is used to tension the sling and provide preload, while the deep groove ball bearing 58 is used to reduce sliding friction and improve wear resistance. The preload is adjusted by adjusting the position of the ankle tensioning assembly within the groove of the ankle fixation component 51.

[0171] In this embodiment, the knee-joint walking exoskeleton further includes a walking assistance training system, which includes:

[0172] An inertial sensor and a force sensor are included. The inertial sensor is disposed on one or more of the first thigh restraint, the second thigh restraint, the first calf restraint, the second calf restraint, and the foot pedal, and is used to acquire the magnitude of angular acceleration and angular velocity during use. The force sensor is disposed on the foot pedal and the exoskeleton frame, and is used to acquire the magnitude of plantar pressure and tensile pressure of the user. The user's joint angular acceleration and angular velocity information are matched with a kinematic database and combined with the pressure information measured at the forefoot, midfoot, and heel to achieve gait phase recognition.

[0173] The controller is connected to the sensor, the knee joint rotation assist subsystem, and the knee joint frame. The controller is used to control the knee joint rotation assist subsystem to switch between the standing state and the active state based on the kinematic and dynamic data transmitted by the sensor, so as to realize the assist strategy of the knee joint rotation assist subsystem in the active state and the support force control strategy to realize the load sharing function of the knee joint frame.

[0174] In this embodiment, gait phase recognition is achieved by matching angular acceleration and angular velocity information with a kinematic database and combining pressure information measured at the forefoot, midfoot, and heel. In this embodiment, gait phase includes a support phase and a swing phase. The support phase includes the initial ground contact period, weight-bearing reaction period, mid-support phase, end-support phase, and early swing phase. The swing phase includes the early swing phase, mid-swing phase, and end-swing phase.

[0175] In this embodiment, gait phase recognition is achieved by combining pressure information measured at the forefoot, midfoot, and heel.

[0176] The oscillation phase occurs when plantar pressure is close to zero. Understandably, a range of plantar pressure, such as 0 to 10 N, can be provided, within which the oscillation phase is considered.

[0177] When it exceeds 10N, it is considered a supporting phase.

[0178] More specifically, during the initial contact phase, the heel strikes the ground, and the pressure on the heel gradually increases; during the weight-bearing response phase and the middle of the support phase, the pressure on the heel decreases, while the pressure on the forefoot and middle of the foot increases; at the end of the support phase, the pressure on the forefoot reaches its peak, while the pressure on other parts is almost zero.

[0179] More specifically, gait phase can be further identified with greater precision, as follows:

[0180] During the initial contact phase, the angular velocity is close to zero, and the angular acceleration is a small negative value. During the load-bearing reaction phase, the angular velocity increases, and the angular acceleration is a significant negative value. In the middle of the support phase, the angular velocity decreases to zero, and the angular acceleration is close to zero or a small positive value. In the late support phase and early oscillation phase, the angular velocity gradually increases, and the angular acceleration is a positive value. In the early oscillation phase, the angular velocity reaches its peak, and the angular acceleration is initially positive and then rapidly decreases. In the middle of the oscillation phase, the angular velocity decreases, and the angular acceleration is a negative value. In the late oscillation phase, the angular velocity increases again, and the angular acceleration is a negative value.

[0181] In this embodiment, the controller controls the amount of power provided by the drive subsystem to the knee joint rotation assist subsystem based on the kinematic and dynamic data transmitted by the sensor, including:

[0182] Acquire angular acceleration and angular velocity information transmitted by inertial sensors;

[0183] Acquire plantar pressure information transmitted by the force sensor;

[0184] Obtain a patient walking kinematics database, which includes kinematic characteristic data of the patient corresponding to different phases of the gait cycle, such as user joint angles, joint angular velocities, and joint angular accelerations;

[0185] Acquire the current user's kinematic data and predict the patient's movement posture in real time based on the database;

[0186] Based on the patient's movement posture, the controller controls the drive subsystem to provide the patient with the required auxiliary torque: 0-15 N·m extension torque in the initial landing phase to stabilize the knee joint; 15-35 N·m flexion torque in the weight-bearing reaction phase to absorb impact and provide support; 10-25 N·m extension torque in the middle of the stance phase to prepare for propelling the lower limb forward; 20-40 N·m extension torque in the end of the stance phase and the early swing phase to provide power; 5-20 N·m flexion torque in the early swing phase to assist the user in taking the next step; and almost no torque is provided in the middle and end of the swing phase.

[0187] In this embodiment, the knee joint assistive walking exoskeleton of this application can also be used as an auxiliary device for exercising the user's leg strength. For example, when rehabilitation training is integrated into the patient's daily life, on the one hand, it is necessary to assist the user in walking through assistance. On the other hand, during the continuous training process, it is also necessary to provide the patient with a variable resistance to adapt to the patient's gradually changing rehabilitation situation. For example, when the patient first uses the knee joint assistive walking exoskeleton of this application, he / she may hope that he / she can walk with a relatively small force on his / her knee joint. However, if the patient has been undergoing rehabilitation training for several months, he / she may instead hope that he / she can use a larger force on his / her knee joint (to encourage the knee joint to get used to normal force) and then receive assistance from the knee joint assistive walking exoskeleton.

[0188] In this embodiment, the controller controls the magnitude of the support force provided by the electric push rod in the exoskeleton frame based on the support force data transmitted by the force sensor connected to the electric push rod and the kinematic data transmitted by the inertial sensor, including:

[0189] Acquire angular acceleration and angular velocity information transmitted by inertial sensors;

[0190] Acquire the support force information transmitted by the force sensor;

[0191] Obtain a patient walking kinematics database, which includes kinematic characteristic data of the patient at different stages of the gait cycle;

[0192] Acquire the current user's kinematic data and predict the patient's movement posture in real time based on the database;

[0193] Based on the patient's movement posture, the controller controls the load-sharing subsystem to provide reasonable support force, that is, no support force is provided during the swing phase, and reasonable support force is provided during the support phase. Specifically, the support force provided gradually increases from the early to the middle of the support phase, and gradually decreases from the middle to the end of the support phase, so as to keep the axial load on the user's knee joint within a low range. More specifically, when the provided support force needs to be increased, the electric push rod assembly moves upward, driving the seat assembly to move upward, and the provided support force also increases accordingly.

[0194] In this embodiment, the controller controls the knee joint rotation assist subsystem to switch between the standing state and the active state based on the kinematic and dynamic data transmitted by the sensor, including:

[0195] Acquire angular acceleration and angular velocity information transmitted by inertial sensors;

[0196] Acquire plantar pressure information transmitted by the force sensor;

[0197] Obtain a patient walking and standing kinematics database, which includes patient kinematic data in different postures, and the kinematic feature data corresponds to human movement postures;

[0198] Acquiring the kinematic and dynamic data of the current user, it is understood that this kinematic and dynamic data can be obtained through sensors;

[0199] Obtain the human posture corresponding to the kinematic data that is the same as the current user's motion characteristics. That is, when the user's plantar pressure changes are not obvious and the angular velocity and angular acceleration are both at a low level, it can be determined that the user is in a standing state.

[0200] Determine if the acquired human posture features indicate a standing position; if so, de-energize the electromagnet pusher.

[0201] The knee joint rotation assist subsystem is switched to a standing position.

[0202] This application has the following advantages:

[0203] 1. The knee joint frame of this application with axial load sharing function can effectively reduce the load on the user's knee joint. It can also adaptively change the magnitude of the support force provided in real time during walking according to the user's needs. At the same time, the seat component is designed to take into account a certain degree of freedom in the coronal plane of the hip joint, and the flexion and extension angle of the hip joint is also equipped with a limiting mechanism to ensure the safety and comfort of the user.

[0204] 2. The knee joint rotation assist subsystem can identify the user's gait phase information based on the controller and provide appropriate assist torque to achieve knee joint flexion and extension functions according to the designed rotation assist control strategy.

[0205] 3. The knee joint rotation assist subsystem is designed with a clutch assembly, which can switch between two working modes. In active mode, it can effectively assist the user's knee joint flexion and extension functions; in standing mode, it can effectively ensure the user's stability and safety, while improving the exoskeleton's endurance.

[0206] 4. This application has a load distribution optimization subsystem, which can improve the load distribution of the knee joint and reduce the local pain symptoms of the knee joint during walking; at the same time, it considers multiple aspects to reduce the influence of the asymmetry between the axis of the knee joint rotation assist subsystem and the axis of the load distribution optimization subsystem, thereby improving the user's comfort.

[0207] 5. Through a reasonable structural layout, the heavy drive subsystem is located at the root of the thigh, and the knee joint flexion and extension are assisted by synchronous belt drive, which reduces the end rotational inertia during walking.

[0208] 6. In addition to knee joint assistance, this application also adds a passive ankle joint assistance subsystem to further improve user comfort.

[0209] 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.

[0210] 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. A knee-joint walking exoskeleton, characterized in that, The knee-joint assistive exoskeleton includes: An exoskeleton frame for connecting to and assisting in supporting the user's weight, the exoskeleton frame including a thigh component and a lower leg component; An ankle joint subsystem, the ankle joint subsystem including a foot pedal, the ankle joint subsystem being connected to the exoskeleton frame, the ankle joint subsystem providing assistance to the ankle joint when the user walks; A knee joint rotation assist subsystem, wherein the thigh assembly and the lower leg assembly are connected via the knee joint rotation assist subsystem; A drive subsystem, which is connected to the knee joint rotation assist subsystem; The knee joint rotation assist subsystem includes a standing state and an active state. When the knee joint rotation assist system is in the standing state, the drive subsystem locks the exoskeleton frame. When the knee joint rotation assist system is in the active state, the lower leg assembly can rotate relative to the thigh assembly. The drive subsystem provides power to the knee joint rotation assist system, thereby enabling the knee joint rotation assist subsystem to drive the lower leg assembly to rotate relative to the thigh assembly in the active state. The knee joint rotation assist subsystem includes a clutch positioning assembly, a rotation assembly, and a knee joint tension wheel assembly; wherein... The rotating assembly includes a first lower leg cover (23), a planar thrust needle roller bearing (31), a thigh support cover (25), a thigh cover (26), the outer edge of the large pulley (28), a pulley hub (27), and a lower leg support (37). The clutch positioning assembly includes: a pressure cover (22), a clutch core (29), a knee joint spring (32), a second lower leg pressure cover (24), a clutch (30), an electromagnet pressure cover (33), an elastic retaining ring (34), an electromagnet push rod (35), an electromagnet pin (36), and a locking block (38). The thigh support cover (25) and the thigh pressure cover (26) are positioned by a pin connection; the outer edge (28) of the large pulley and the pulley hub (27) are coaxially installed between the thigh support cover (25) and the thigh pressure cover (26); the outer edge (28) of the large pulley and the pulley hub (27) are coaxially connected; the first calf pressure cover (23) is installed on the outside of the thigh support cover (25) and connected to the calf support member (37); the second calf pressure cover (24) is installed on the outside of the thigh pressure cover (26) and connected to the calf support member (37); The clutch positioning assembly is coaxially mounted on the rotating assembly. The clutch positioning assembly is movable to have a first position and a second position. In the first position, the clutch positioning assembly engages with the spline groove of the pulley hub (27). In the second position, the clutch positioning assembly engages with the spline groove of the thigh support cover (25) and the thigh pressure cover (26). The knee joint tension wheel assembly is mounted on the rotating assembly and connected to the drive subsystem; wherein... The inner wall of the center hole of the thigh support cover (25) and the thigh pressure cover (26) is uniformly provided with a plurality of first rectangular spline grooves extending axially in the circumferential direction, and the inner wall of the center hole of the pulley hub (27) is uniformly provided with a plurality of second rectangular spline grooves extending axially in the circumferential direction. When the clutch positioning component is in the first position, the knee joint rotation assist subsystem is in an active state; When the clutch positioning component is in the second position, the knee joint rotation assist subsystem is in a standing state; The clutch (30) is coaxially mounted with the thigh support cover (25) and the thigh pressure cover (26), and the clutch (30) forms a stepped shaft shape. The clutch (30) is provided with a flange at one end, and the flange is connected to the second small leg cover (24); The first lower leg cover (23) is connected to the cover (22). The inner side of the cover is provided with a circular groove, which cooperates with the other end of the clutch (30) to fix the axial position of the clutch (30). The clutch (30) has an axially penetrating stepped hole at its center, and the clutch core (29) is installed in the clutch (30) through the hole and shaft and can slide axially. The clutch (30) has two annular grooves, and the space between the grooves is used to install the electromagnet cover (33). Elastic retaining rings (34) are installed in the two grooves to fix the axial position of the electromagnet cover (33); wherein, The diameter variation plane inside the stepped hole of the clutch (30) and the plane of the electromagnet cover (33) together realize the limiting function of the clutch core, and the clutch core (29) can slide freely between the two planes.

2. The knee joint assistive walking exoskeleton as described in claim 1, characterized in that, The knee joint tensioning assembly includes a knee joint tensioning wheel cover (74), a knee joint tensioning wheel shaft (75), a deep groove ball bearing (76), and a knee joint tensioning wheel (77). The knee joint tensioning wheel cover (74) is connected to the thigh support cover (25) and the thigh cover (26) respectively; The knee joint tension wheel cover (74) has an installation groove at one end that mates with the knee joint tension wheel shaft (75), and a regular hexagonal groove at the other end. A threaded through hole is provided at the bottom of the groove. A threaded hole is provided at the center of the knee joint tension wheel shaft (75). The knee joint tension wheel cover (74) and the knee joint tension wheel shaft (75) are connected by a set screw. The knee joint tensioning wheel shaft (75) is coaxially provided with the knee joint tensioning wheel (77), and both sides of the knee joint tensioning wheel (77) are provided with circular grooves for accommodating the deep groove ball bearing (76); the center of the knee joint tensioning wheel (77) is provided with a small diameter through hole for accommodating the knee joint tensioning wheel shaft (75).

3. The knee joint assistive walking exoskeleton as described in claim 2, characterized in that, The drive subsystem includes a drive assembly, a power supply assembly, and a synchronous belt drive assembly; wherein... The drive assembly includes a motor (13), an inner flange (21), a harmonic reducer (20), and an outer flange (17). The motor (13) is connected to the harmonic reducer (20) via a coupling (19); The outer flange (17) is fixed on the harmonic reducer (20); the outer flange (17) is connected to the synchronous belt drive assembly (16); The power supply assembly includes a lithium battery (2) and a battery mounting box (12); the battery mounting box (12) is connected to the drive subsystem housing (14); the lithium battery (2) is installed inside the battery mounting box (12); The synchronous belt drive assembly is connected to the knee joint rotation assist subsystem.

4. The knee joint assistive walking exoskeleton as described in claim 3, characterized in that, The exoskeleton frame further includes a seat assembly and an electric actuator assembly; The seat assembly is connected to the drive subsystem; One end of the thigh assembly is connected to the drive subsystem, and the other end is connected to one end of the knee joint rotation assist subsystem; One end of the lower leg assembly is connected to the other end of the knee joint rotation assist subsystem; The electric push rod assembly is connected to the lower leg assembly, with one end of the electric push rod connected to the lower leg assembly and the other end connected to the knee joint rotation assist subsystem. The other end of the lower leg assembly is connected to the ankle joint subsystem.

5. The knee joint assistive walking exoskeleton as described in claim 4, characterized in that, The knee-joint walking exoskeleton further includes a binding assembly, which includes a thigh binding assembly and a calf binding assembly. The thigh binding assembly consists of a first thigh binding and a second thigh binding. One end of the first thigh binding and the second thigh binding are connected by a hinge, and the other end is connected to the user's thigh by a buckle. The calf binding consists of a first calf binding and a second calf binding. The first calf binding and the second calf binding are connected by a hinge, and the other end is fixed to the user's calf by an adjustable strap. The thigh binding assembly is connected to the drive subsystem, and the thigh binding assembly is interconnected with the calf binding assembly.

6. The knee joint assistive walking exoskeleton as described in claim 5, characterized in that, The knee-joint walking exoskeleton further includes a load distribution optimization subsystem, and the thigh binding assembly and the calf binding assembly are connected through the load distribution optimization subsystem. The load distribution optimization subsystem adjusts the horizontal position of the hinge center component by adjusting the angle between the load distribution subsystem and the thigh and calf binding components.

7. The knee joint assistive walking exoskeleton as described in claim 6, characterized in that, The knee-joint walking exoskeleton further includes a walking assistance training system, which includes: An inertial sensor and a force sensor are provided. The inertial sensor is disposed on one or more of the first thigh restraint, the second thigh restraint, the first calf restraint, the second calf restraint, and the foot pedal, and is used to obtain the magnitude of angular acceleration and angular velocity during use. The force sensor is disposed on the foot pedal and the exoskeleton frame, and is used to obtain the magnitude of the pressure and tension of the user's feet. The controller is connected to an inertial sensor, a force sensor, a knee joint rotation assist subsystem, and an exoskeleton frame. The controller is used to control the knee joint rotation assist subsystem to switch between the standing state and the active state based on the information transmitted by the inertial sensor and the force sensor.

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