Self-adaptive load-bearing exoskeleton robot system suitable for complex terrain of coal mine tunnel

Abstract

The application discloses a self-adaptive load-bearing exoskeleton robot system suitable for complex terrains of coal mine tunnels, which comprises an exoskeleton main body, a load-bearing assembly and a gravity center adjusting assembly; the exoskeleton main body comprises a lower limb connecting area and a waist and back connecting area which are connected with each other; the load-bearing assembly comprises a box, a weighing sensor and a load-bearing plate; the box is provided with an openable storage cavity; the load-bearing plate is arranged in the storage cavity and on the weighing sensor; the weighing sensor is used for measuring the load value of the load-bearing plate; and the outer periphery of the load-bearing plate is provided with a low-friction part. In the scheme, the low-friction part can reduce the friction between the outer periphery of the load-bearing plate and the inner wall of the storage cavity, so as to realize the reduction of the influence of the friction on the weighing precision of the weighing sensor. Since the weighing precision of the weighing sensor directly affects the gravity center adjusting precision of the gravity center adjusting assembly, the setting of the low-friction part can realize the improvement of the gravity center adjusting precision of the exoskeleton after load-bearing.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This application relates to the field of exoskeleton technology, and in particular to an adaptive load-bearing exoskeleton robot system suitable for complex terrain in coal mine roadways. Background Technology

[0002] An exoskeleton is a wearable mechanical device that works in conjunction with human joints through sensors, a power system, and other components to enhance human strength and reduce workload.

[0003] For workers who need to work underground, wearing an exoskeleton can save them energy and improve safety. Taking coal mine operations as an example, workers need to carry drilling tools, gas detectors, and auxiliary tools such as wrenches and flashlights. Patrol workers need to carry gas detectors, communication tools, and emergency response equipment. In reality, coal mine tunnels are complex, with distances from the mine entrance to the working face typically exceeding 100 meters. As mining progresses, workers need to travel between different areas, often covering several kilometers per day. Therefore, both workers and patrol workers need to walk long distances carrying heavy loads. For workers who work long hours in the mine, the already high physical exertion of the work, combined with carrying heavy loads, can quickly deplete their energy, increasing the risk of occupational injuries such as lumbar muscle strain.

[0004] Wearing exoskeletons can reduce the burden of weight-bearing walking for workers and decrease the incidence of chronic injuries. Furthermore, with technological advancements, existing exoskeletons possess relatively mature load-bearing transmission and center-of-gravity adjustment technologies. Load-bearing transmission technology refers to transferring the load on the exoskeleton (such as the lower back) to the lower limbs; center-of-gravity adjustment technology refers to automatically adjusting the center of gravity of the exoskeleton and the wearer according to the weight of the load during different movements (such as squatting and bending over), making the wearer's overall movements more coordinated and less burdensome. For example, the article "Load-bearing Performance Analysis of a Heavy-Duty Center-of-Gravity Adaptive Adjustment Back Exoskeleton," published by the Journal of Vibration Engineering on August 28, 2024, studied a technical solution for transferring the load from the lower back to the lower limbs and automatically adjusting the center of gravity according to human movement.

[0005] However, the inventors have discovered that existing exoskeletons have low precision in adjusting their center of gravity after bearing weight, and the precision in adjusting the center of gravity affects the load-reduction effect of the exoskeleton, resulting in poor load-reduction effect of existing exoskeletons and a high risk of imbalance for the wearer. Summary of the Invention

[0006] In view of this, the purpose of this application is to provide an adaptive load-bearing exoskeleton robot system suitable for the complex terrain of coal mine roadways, in order to solve the problems of poor load reduction effect and high risk of imbalance of existing exoskeletons.

[0007] To achieve the above technical objectives, this application provides an adaptive load-bearing exoskeleton robot system suitable for complex terrain in coal mine roadways, comprising: an exoskeleton body, a load-bearing component, and a center of gravity adjustment component;

[0008] The exoskeleton body includes an interconnected lower limb connection area and a waist-back connection area;

[0009] The lower limb connection area can be worn on the worker's feet and direct the weight of the waist and back connection area to the ground;

[0010] A weighing component is provided on the lower limb connection area, and the weighing component is used to measure the wearer's weight;

[0011] The load-bearing components include: a housing, a weighing sensor, and a load-bearing plate;

[0012] The box is disposed on the center of gravity adjustment component, and the box is provided with an opening and closing storage cavity;

[0013] The weighing sensors include multiple sensors and are disposed at the bottom of the storage cavity;

[0014] The load-bearing plate is disposed inside the storage cavity and is also disposed on the weighing sensor;

[0015] The weighing sensor is used to measure the load-bearing value of the load-bearing plate;

[0016] The outer periphery of the load-bearing plate is provided with low-friction components;

[0017] The outer periphery of the load-bearing plate abuts against the cavity wall of the storage cavity through the low-friction component;

[0018] The top surface of the load-bearing plate is an inclined surface that slopes from the rear to the front.

[0019] The center of gravity adjustment component is electrically connected to the weighing sensor and the weighing component;

[0020] The center of gravity adjustment component is disposed in the waist and back connection area and is used to automatically adjust the center of gravity of the exoskeleton body according to the wearer's weight and the load disposed in the waist and back connection area.

[0021] Furthermore, the top surface of the load-bearing plate is provided with a partition protrusion;

[0022] The dividing protrusions divide the load-bearing plate into storage areas arranged in front and behind.

[0023] Furthermore, the load-bearing component also includes: a back plate and a hydraulic rod;

[0024] The back plate is disposed on the center of gravity adjustment assembly;

[0025] The hydraulic rods comprise multiple rods and are disposed on the rear side of the back plate;

[0026] The housing is mounted on the hydraulic rod;

[0027] The hydraulic rod can drive the housing to switch between a first state and a second state;

[0028] In the first state, the distance between the box and the back panel in the front-to-back direction is a;

[0029] In the second state, the distance between the box and the back panel in the front-to-back direction is b;

[0030] a is greater than b.

[0031] Furthermore, the center of gravity adjustment assembly is electrically connected to the hydraulic rod;

[0032] The center of gravity adjustment component is used to control the hydraulic rod to extend and retract until the box is in the second state when the load value is greater than the preset value;

[0033] The center of gravity adjustment component is used to control the hydraulic rod to extend or retract until the box is in a first state when the load value is less than or equal to a preset value.

[0034] Furthermore, a lower support plate is provided on the back plate;

[0035] The housing is slidably mounted on the lower support plate in the front-to-back direction.

[0036] Furthermore, multiple hydraulic rods are arranged in the upper and lower halves of the back plate;

[0037] The number of hydraulic rods located in the lower half of the region is greater than the number of hydraulic rods located in the upper half of the region.

[0038] Furthermore, the multiple weighing sensors are arranged in a rectangular array.

[0039] Furthermore, the top surface of the load-bearing plate is provided with anti-slip components.

[0040] Furthermore, the angle between the top surface of the load-bearing plate and the horizontal direction is 5-10°.

[0041] Furthermore, the low-friction component is a sphere;

[0042] The low-friction component is capable of rotating in multiple directions.

[0043] As can be seen from the above technical solutions, this application provides an adaptive load-bearing exoskeleton robot system suitable for complex terrain in coal mine roadways, comprising: an exoskeleton body, a load-bearing component, and a center-of-gravity adjustment component; the exoskeleton body includes a lower limb connection area and a waist-back connection area connected to each other; the lower limb connection area can be worn on the feet of the worker and directs the load of the waist-back connection area to the ground; a weighing component is provided on the lower limb connection area for measuring the wearer's weight; the load-bearing component includes: a housing, a weighing sensor, and a load-bearing plate; the housing is disposed on the center-of-gravity adjustment component, and the housing contains an openable and closable storage cavity; The weighing sensors include multiple sensors and are disposed at the bottom of the storage cavity; the load-bearing plate is disposed inside the storage cavity and is disposed on the weighing sensors; the weighing sensors are used to measure the load value of the load-bearing plate; a low-friction element is disposed on the outer periphery of the load-bearing plate; the outer periphery of the load-bearing plate abuts against the cavity wall of the storage cavity through the low-friction element; the top surface of the load-bearing plate is an inclined surface that slopes from rear to front; the center of gravity adjustment component is electrically connected to the weighing sensors; the center of gravity adjustment component is disposed in the waist and back connection area and is used to automatically adjust the center of gravity of the exoskeleton body according to the wearer's weight and the load disposed in the waist and back connection area.

[0044] In this design, low-friction components reduce the friction between the outer periphery of the load-bearing plate and the inner wall of the storage cavity, thereby mitigating the impact of friction on the weighing accuracy of the load cell. Since the weighing accuracy of the load cell directly affects the center-of-gravity adjustment accuracy of the center-of-gravity adjustment component, incorporating low-friction components improves the center-of-gravity adjustment accuracy of the exoskeleton under load, ensuring the exoskeleton's effectiveness in reducing the burden on workers and minimizing the risk of imbalance. Attached Figure Description

[0045] Figure 1 A schematic diagram of the structure of an adaptive load-bearing exoskeleton robot system suitable for complex terrain in coal mine roadways, provided in an embodiment of this application;

[0046] Figure 2 A schematic diagram of the load-bearing components of an adaptive load-bearing exoskeleton robot system suitable for complex terrain in coal mine roadways, provided for an embodiment of this application;

[0047] Figure 3 An internal view of the box of an adaptive load-bearing exoskeleton robot system suitable for complex terrain in coal mine roadways, provided in an embodiment of this application;

[0048] Figure 4 An internal view of the casing of an adaptive load-bearing exoskeleton robot system suitable for complex terrain in coal mine roadways, provided in an embodiment of this application, after the storage plate has been removed;

[0049] Figure 5 Side view of the loading platform of an adaptive load-bearing exoskeleton robot system suitable for complex terrain in coal mine roadways, provided in an embodiment of this application;

[0050] Figure 6 Another schematic diagram of the load-bearing component of an adaptive load-bearing exoskeleton robot system suitable for complex terrain in coal mine roadways, provided in an embodiment of this application. Detailed Implementation

[0051] The technical solutions of the embodiments of this application will be clearly and completely described below with reference to the accompanying drawings. Obviously, the described embodiments are only some, not all, of the embodiments of this application. Based on the embodiments in this application specification, all other embodiments obtained by those skilled in the art without creative effort are within the scope of protection claimed in this application.

[0052] Please see Figures 1 to 6 This application provides an adaptive load-bearing exoskeleton robot system suitable for complex terrain in coal mine roadways, comprising: an exoskeleton body 100, a load-bearing component 200, and a center-of-gravity adjustment component 300; the exoskeleton body 100 includes a lower limb connection area 110 and a waist-back connection area 120 connected to each other; the lower limb connection area 110 can be worn on the feet of the worker and directs the load of the waist-back connection area 120 to the ground; a weighing component is provided on the lower limb connection area 110 for measuring the wearer's weight; the load-bearing component 200 includes: a housing 210, a weighing sensor 220, and a load-bearing plate 230; the housing 210 is disposed on the center-of-gravity adjustment component 300, and the housing 210 has an openable and closable storage cavity 211. Multiple weighing sensors 220 are disposed at the bottom of the storage cavity 211; a load-bearing plate 230 is disposed inside the storage cavity 211 and on the weighing sensors 220; the weighing sensors 220 are used to measure the load value of the load-bearing plate 230; a low-friction element 231 is disposed on the outer periphery of the load-bearing plate 230; the outer periphery of the load-bearing plate 230 abuts against the cavity wall of the storage cavity 211 through the low-friction element 231; the top surface of the load-bearing plate 230 is an inclined surface that slopes from rear to front; a center of gravity adjustment assembly 300 is electrically connected to the weighing sensors 220 and the weighing assembly; the center of gravity adjustment assembly 300 is disposed in the waist and back connection area 120 and is used to automatically adjust the center of gravity of the exoskeleton body 100 according to the wearer's weight and the load disposed in the waist and back connection area 120.

[0053] In this embodiment, the lower limb connection area 110 is designed for workers to wear on their legs. After being worn, the bottom of the lower limb connection area 110 is connected to the ground, and the top of the lower limb connection area 110 is connected to the waist and back connection area 120. The lower limb connection area 110 and the waist and back connection area 120 can be rigidly connected, specifically ensuring that the weight of the waist and back connection area 120 and the load are transferred to the lower limb connection area 110.

[0054] In this embodiment, the bottom of the lower limb connection area 110 can be worn on the sole of the worker's foot, for example, connecting to the worker's heel area. The weighing component can weigh the wearer's weight, for example, by measuring the ground reaction force when the worker is not bearing weight after wearing the garment, using a force sensor located at the bottom of the lower limb connection area 110. After bearing weight, the weighing component can measure the total weight of the worker and the load.

[0055] The center of gravity adjustment component 300 can use existing technologies to adjust the center of gravity according to the wearer's weight and the load. For example, it can measure the wearer's torso tilt angle and angular velocity through an inertial measurement unit to determine the trend of the center of gravity position in real time, and detect and monitor the real-time angles of the hip, knee and ankle joints through joint angle sensors to help determine the limb movement status. It can also drive the load-bearing component 200 to move through mechanical adjustment to adjust the overall center of gravity of the wearer and the exoskeleton after the load is applied, thereby reducing the load on the wearer.

[0056] In practical applications, when the box 210 is loaded with weight, it cannot conform to the wearer's center of gravity as closely as the exoskeleton body 100. Therefore, the box 210 significantly affects the wearer's center of gravity. The center of gravity adjusted by the center of gravity adjustment component 300 is a composite of the body's own center of gravity, the exoskeleton structure's center of gravity, and the loaded center of gravity. Therefore, the accuracy of the load measurement on the box 210 directly affects the accuracy of the center of gravity adjustment component 300. If the measured load on the box 210 is less than the actual load, the center of gravity adjustment component 300 will add this weight to the exoskeleton body 100, shifting the adjusted center of gravity forward. Similarly, if the measured load on the box 210 is greater than the actual load, the center of gravity adjustment component 300 will shift the adjusted center of gravity backward.

[0057] After the tool is placed inside the housing 210, its weight is applied to the load-bearing plate 230, which then transfers the weight to the load cell 220. The load cell 220 measures the weight of the tool, thus measuring the load. Since the load-bearing plate 230 is required to apply downward pressure to the load cell 220 after being loaded, it must have the ability to move downwards. Therefore, the load-bearing plate 230 and the inner wall of the storage cavity 221 are connected in a movable manner.

[0058] In practical applications, the inventors discovered that there is friction between the load-bearing plate 230 inside the box 210 and the box 210. Specifically, the downward-moving load-bearing plate 230 will transfer part of the weight directly to the box 210 due to the friction, causing the load value measured by the weighing sensor 220 to be smaller than expected.

[0059] In this embodiment, by providing a low-friction component 231 on the outer periphery of the load-bearing plate 230, the friction between the load-bearing plate 230 and the housing 210 can be reduced, thereby reducing the interference of frictional force on weighing accuracy. This improves the weighing accuracy of the load cell 220 and the center-of-gravity adjustment accuracy of the center-of-gravity adjustment component 300. With the improved center-of-gravity adjustment accuracy, the exoskeleton can provide the wearer with more precise and effective load reduction and reduce the risk of imbalance.

[0060] In addition to the effects of friction mentioned above, the inventors discovered that the movable load-bearing plate 230 can also deviate in multiple directions. Specifically, when the wearer is carrying a load and performing actions such as walking, the tool is prone to wobbling, causing the load-bearing plate 230 to deviate in multiple directions, including the horizontal direction. To address this, the inventors configured the top surface of the load-bearing plate 230 as an inclined plane, which allows the tool on the load-bearing plate 230 to have a forward tilting tendency. Under the influence of this tendency, the amount of deviation of the load-bearing plate 230 in other directions can be reduced, especially the amount of deviation in the horizontal direction, thereby further improving the weighing accuracy of the load cell 220 and the center of gravity adjustment accuracy of the center of gravity adjustment assembly 300.

[0061] As one implementation method, the top surface of the load-bearing plate 230 is provided with anti-slip components, which can reduce the offset of the tool relative to the load-bearing plate 230.

[0062] In one implementation, the top surface of the load-bearing plate 230 forms an angle of 5-10° with the horizontal direction.

[0063] The inventors have discovered that setting the angle between the top surface of the load-bearing plate 230 and the horizontal direction to 5-10° can achieve the effect of preventing displacement and reducing horizontal offset while maintaining the tool's forward tilting tendency.

[0064] As one implementation, the housing 210 may be equipped with a sliding cover (not shown in the figure). The cover covers the top and part of the rear side of the housing 210. The sliding opening mechanism allows workers to easily remove the tools.

[0065] It should be noted that in practical applications, the way workers retrieve tools from the housing 210 can be achieved with the assistance of other workers. For example, during operations and patrols in coal mine roadways, multiple workers are required to work together, and for this purpose, workers can retrieve tools from the housing 210 on their backs with the help of other personnel.

[0066] As one implementation, the low-friction component 221 can be a sphere that can rotate in multiple directions to reduce the friction between the load-bearing plate 230 and the housing 210.

[0067] Correspondingly, a slot can be provided on the load-bearing plate 230 for the low-friction component 221 to be rotatably inserted. An elliptical guide groove can be provided on the inner wall of the storage cavity 211 for the low-friction component 221 to move in the vertical direction.

[0068] In one embodiment, the top surface of the load-bearing plate 230 is provided with a dividing protrusion 232; the dividing protrusion 232 divides the load-bearing plate 230 into storage areas arranged in front and behind.

[0069] The partition protrusion 232 can divide the load-bearing plate 230 into front and rear sections, reducing the risk of the tool tilting forward or backward at one time during the wearer's movement, and helping to improve the stability of the operation after wearing.

[0070] In one embodiment, the load-bearing component 200 further includes: a back plate 240 and hydraulic rods 250; the back plate 240 is disposed on the center of gravity adjustment component 300; the hydraulic rods 250 include multiple rods and are disposed on the rear side of the back plate 240; the housing 210 is disposed on the hydraulic rods 250; the hydraulic rods 250 can drive the housing 210 to switch between a first state and a second state; in the first state, the distance between the housing 210 and the back plate 240 in the front-back direction is a; in the second state, the distance between the housing 210 and the back plate 240 in the front-back direction is b; a is greater than b.

[0071] That is, in the first state, the distance of the hydraulic rod 250 is longer; in the second state, the distance of the hydraulic rod 250 is shorter.

[0072] Furthermore, the center of gravity adjustment component 300 is electrically connected to the hydraulic rod 250; the center of gravity adjustment component 300 is used to control the hydraulic rod 250 to extend and retract to the box 210 in a second state when the load value is greater than the preset value; the center of gravity adjustment component 300 is used to control the hydraulic rod 250 to extend and retract to the box 210 in a first state when the load value is less than or equal to the preset value.

[0073] Specifically, when the load on the housing 210 is less than or equal to a preset value, the center of gravity adjustment component 300 can control the hydraulic cylinder 250 to extend, thereby reducing the interference of the housing 210 with the wearer's movements such as bending over, leaning forward, and reaching for objects in front. When the load on the housing 210 is greater than the preset value, the center of gravity adjustment component 300 can control the hydraulic cylinder 250 to shorten, so that the housing 210 is closer to the exoskeleton body 100. This brings the distances between the human body's center of gravity, the exoskeleton structure's center of gravity, and the load-bearing center of gravity closer together, reducing the impact of calculation errors on the actual load reduction effect, thus helping to improve the load reduction effect of the exoskeleton.

[0074] In one embodiment, a lower support plate 241 is provided on the back plate 240; the housing 210 is slidably disposed on the lower support plate 241 in the front-back direction.

[0075] In practical applications, the lower support plate 241 can be equipped with a slide rail for the sliding of the housing 210. The housing 210 is mounted on the slide rail, which provides guidance and support for the sliding of the housing 210.

[0076] Furthermore, multiple hydraulic rods 250 are arranged in the upper and lower halves of the back plate 240; the number of hydraulic rods 250 in the lower half is greater than the number of hydraulic rods 250 in the upper half.

[0077] Specifically, the hydraulic cylinder 250 located in the lower half of the chamber can effectively move the housing 210 back and forth, and work with the hydraulic cylinder 250 in the upper half of the chamber to achieve stable adjustment of the position of the housing 210.

[0078] In one embodiment, multiple weighing sensors 220 are arranged in a rectangular array to improve weighing accuracy.

[0079] The above are merely preferred embodiments of this application and are not intended to limit the present invention. Although this application has been described in detail with reference to examples, those skilled in the art can still modify the technical solutions described in the foregoing examples or make equivalent substitutions for some of the technical features. However, any modifications, equivalent substitutions, improvements, etc., made within the spirit and principles of this application should be included within the protection scope of this application.

Claims

1. An adaptive load-bearing exoskeleton robot system suitable for complex terrain in coal mine roadways, characterized in that, include: The exoskeleton body (100), the load-bearing component (200), and the center of gravity adjustment component (300); The exoskeleton body (100) includes a lower limb connection area (110) and a waist and back connection area (120) that are connected to each other. The lower limb connection area (110) can be worn on the feet of the worker and direct the load of the waist and back connection area (120) to the ground; A weighing component is provided on the lower limb connection area (110), which is used to measure the wearer's weight; The load-bearing component (200) includes: a housing (210), a weighing sensor (220), and a load-bearing plate (230). The box (210) is disposed on the center of gravity adjustment component (300), and the box (210) is provided with an opening and closing storage cavity (211). The weighing sensors (220) include multiple types and are disposed at the bottom of the storage cavity (211); The load-bearing plate (230) is disposed inside the storage cavity (211) and is disposed on the weighing sensor (220); The weighing sensor (220) is used to measure the load value of the load-bearing plate (230); The outer periphery of the load-bearing plate (230) is provided with a low-friction component (231); The outer periphery of the load-bearing plate (230) abuts against the cavity wall of the storage cavity (211) through the low-friction component (231); The top surface of the load-bearing plate (230) is an inclined surface that slopes from rear to front; The center of gravity adjustment component (300) is electrically connected to the weighing sensor (220) and the weighing component; The center of gravity adjustment component (300) is disposed in the waist and back connection area (120) and is used to automatically adjust the center of gravity of the exoskeleton body (100) according to the weight of the wearer and the load disposed in the waist and back connection area (120); The load-bearing component (200) also includes: a back plate (240) and a hydraulic rod (250); The back plate (240) is disposed on the center of gravity adjustment assembly (300); The hydraulic rods (250) include multiple rods and are disposed on the rear side of the back plate (240); The housing (210) is disposed on the hydraulic rod (250); The hydraulic rod (250) can drive the housing (210) to switch between a first state and a second state; In the first state, the distance between the box (210) and the back plate (240) in the front-rear direction is a; In the second state, the distance between the box (210) and the back plate (240) in the front-rear direction is b; a is greater than b; The center of gravity adjustment assembly (300) is electrically connected to the hydraulic rod (250); The center of gravity adjustment component (300) is used to control the hydraulic rod (250) to extend and retract until the box (210) is in a second state when the load value is greater than the preset value; The center of gravity adjustment component (300) is used to control the hydraulic rod (250) to extend and retract until the box (210) is in a first state when the load value is less than or equal to a preset value.

2. The adaptive load-bearing exoskeleton robot system suitable for complex terrain in coal mine roadways according to claim 1, characterized in that, The top surface of the load-bearing plate (230) is provided with a partition protrusion (232). The dividing protrusion (232) divides the load-bearing plate (230) into storage areas arranged in front and behind.

3. The adaptive load-bearing exoskeleton robot system suitable for complex terrain in coal mine roadways according to claim 1, characterized in that, A lower support plate (241) is provided on the back plate (240). The box (210) is slidably mounted on the lower support plate (241) in the front-back direction.

4. The adaptive load-bearing exoskeleton robot system suitable for complex terrain in coal mine roadways according to claim 1, characterized in that, Multiple hydraulic rods (250) are arranged in the upper and lower halves of the back plate (240); The number of hydraulic rods (250) located in the lower half of the region is greater than the number of hydraulic rods (250) located in the upper half of the region.

5. The adaptive load-bearing exoskeleton robot system suitable for complex terrain in coal mine roadways according to claim 1, characterized in that, The multiple weighing sensors (220) are arranged in a rectangular array.

6. The adaptive load-bearing exoskeleton robot system suitable for complex terrain in coal mine roadways according to claim 1, characterized in that, The top surface of the load-bearing plate (230) is provided with anti-slip components.

7. The adaptive load-bearing exoskeleton robot system suitable for complex terrain in coal mine roadways according to claim 6, characterized in that, The top surface of the load-bearing plate (230) has an angle of 5-10° with the horizontal direction.

8. The adaptive load-bearing exoskeleton robot system suitable for complex terrain in coal mine roadways according to claim 1, characterized in that, The low-friction component (231) is a sphere; The low-friction component (231) is capable of rotating in multiple directions.

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