Ankle joint, mechanical lower limb and robot

Abstract

The invention discloses an ankle joint, a mechanical lower limb and a robot. The ankle joint comprises an ankle part; the foot part is rotatably arranged on the ankle part through a connecting piece; the damping mechanism is arranged on the ankle part; the damping mechanism comprises a hydraulic damper, an adjusting motor connected with the hydraulic damper and used for adjusting the hydraulic damper, and an output rod arranged on the hydraulic damper. A control mechanism; the control mechanism is electrically connected with the adjusting motor and used for controlling the adjusting motor to achieve damping adjustment. The output rod is rotationally connected with the connecting piece and used for driving the connecting piece to rotate relative to the ankle part; the hydraulic damper, the adjusting motor and the control mechanism are integrated in the ankle part, and the output rod is rotationally connected with the connecting piece, so that the ankle joint actively adjusts and controls the rotation behavior of the foot; and the output resistance can be conveniently adjusted and responded to the change and demand of the gait.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to the technical field of robot joint structures, and in particular to an ankle joint, a mechanical lower limb and a robot. Background Art

[0002] Existing prosthetic ankle joints mostly use fixed structures or rely on elastic deformation of materials to achieve buffering functions. The structure is simple but the response is passive, making it difficult to adjust the joint behavior in real time according to changes in gait rhythm, ground slope, etc. In actual use, prosthetic wearers need to deal with a variety of uncertain terrains and dynamic movements. It is difficult to provide a stable, safe and natural walking experience by relying solely on the deformation ability of the structure itself. Especially in scenarios such as going up and down slopes, and going up and down stairs, the human ankle joint usually dynamically adjusts the support angle and resistance to match the body posture and load changes. However, traditional structures cannot achieve real-time adjustment of damping characteristics, resulting in a stiff gait, increased energy consumption, and even the risk of falling. Summary of the Invention

[0003] The present invention provides an ankle joint, a mechanical lower limb and a robot, aiming to solve the problem that existing traditional prosthetic ankle joints cannot achieve real-time adjustment of damping.

[0004] To achieve the above objectives, the present application proposes an ankle joint, comprising: Ankle; a foot portion rotatably disposed on the ankle portion via a connecting member; A damping mechanism is provided at the ankle; the damping mechanism includes a hydraulic damper, an adjustment motor connected to and used to adjust the hydraulic damper, and an output rod provided on the hydraulic damper; Control mechanism; the control mechanism is electrically connected to the adjustment motor, and is used to control the adjustment motor to achieve damping adjustment; The output rod is rotatably connected to the connecting member and is used to drive the connecting member to rotate relative to the ankle.

[0005] In some embodiments, the connector includes a mounting seat for connecting to the foot, and an extension portion disposed laterally at an upper end of the mounting seat; One end of the extension portion is rotatably connected to the ankle portion via a first rotating shaft, and the other end is rotatably connected to the output rod via a second rotating shaft; the first rotating shaft and the second rotating shaft are arranged in parallel.

[0006] In some embodiments, the ankle portion includes a first shell, and the hydraulic damper is tiltedly arranged in the first shell via a fixed shaft; the axis of the fixed shaft is located in the axial extension direction of the output rod.

[0007] In some embodiments, the output rod extends out of the first shell and is rotatably connected to the connecting member; the first shell is provided with an avoidance hole corresponding to the rotation trajectory of the output rod and the connecting member.

[0008] In some embodiments, the fixed shaft is arranged parallel to the first rotating shaft and the second rotating shaft; The fixed shaft and the second rotating shaft are respectively located on both sides of the first rotating shaft, and the axis centers of the fixed shaft and the second rotating shaft are respectively located on opposite sides in the axial extension direction of the output rod.

[0009] In some embodiments, the adjusting motor is disposed at an end of the hydraulic damper away from the output rod, and the output shaft of the adjusting motor is disposed parallel to the output rod; An accommodating cavity is formed between the side of the hydraulic damper facing away from the regulating motor and the inner surface of the first shell. A battery electrically connected to the control mechanism is arranged in the accommodating cavity.

[0010] In some embodiments, a second shell detachably connected to the first shell is further included, and the second shell is used to cover the accommodating cavity; the control mechanism is arranged in the second shell.

[0011] In some embodiments, an angle sensor for detecting an angle change between the first shell and the connecting member is further included, and the angle sensor is electrically connected to the control mechanism.

[0012] Furthermore, the present application also proposes a mechanical lower limb, comprising a mechanical lower limb body and an ankle joint arranged on the mechanical lower limb body, wherein the ankle joint is the above-mentioned ankle joint.

[0013] Furthermore, the present application also proposes a robot, comprising a robot body and an ankle joint arranged on the robot body, wherein the ankle joint is the ankle joint mentioned above.

[0014] The beneficial effects of the present invention are as follows: the ankle joint structure of the present invention integrates the hydraulic damper, adjustment motor and control mechanism into the ankle, and constructs a revolute pair connection through the output rod and the connecting member, thereby realizing the active adjustment and response control of the ankle joint to the rotation behavior of the foot. Unlike traditional ankle joints that rely on material deformation or mechanical structure fixed resistance, the present invention dynamically adjusts the damper through a control mechanism, facilitating the adjustment of the output resistance in response to gait changes, support status or terrain requirements, effectively simulating the natural transition and buffering control of the human ankle joint in different postures during walking; the present invention effectively improves the dynamic compliance of the ankle joint; the structural layout is compact and reasonable, which is conducive to integration into bionic lower limbs or robotic systems. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0015] Figure 1 A cross-sectional view of an ankle joint according to the present invention; Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram of the overall structure of an ankle joint according to the present invention; Figure 3 A cross-sectional view of an ankle joint of the present invention in a state where the foot is rotated downward; Figure 4 A cross-sectional view of an ankle joint of the present invention showing the foot hooked upward; In the picture: .

[0016] The realization of the objectives, functional features and advantages of this application will be further explained in conjunction with embodiments and with reference to the accompanying drawings. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0017] The following will be combined with the accompanying drawings to clearly and completely describe the solutions in the embodiments of the present invention. Obviously, the described embodiments are only part of the embodiments of the present invention, not all of the embodiments. Based on the embodiments of the present invention, all other embodiments obtained by ordinary technicians in this field without making any creative efforts are within the scope of protection of the present invention.

[0018] It should be noted that all directional indications (such as up, down, left, right, front, back, etc.) in the embodiments of the present invention are only used to explain the relative position relationship, movement status, etc. between the various components under a certain specific posture (as shown in the accompanying drawings). If the specific posture changes, the directional indication will also change accordingly.

[0019] It should also be noted that when an element is referred to as being "fixed on" or "disposed on" another element, it may be directly on the other element or there may be an intermediate element. When an element is referred to as being "connected to" another element, it may be directly connected to the other element or there may be an intermediate element.

[0020] In addition, the descriptions of "first", "second", etc. in the present invention are for descriptive purposes only and should not be understood as indicating or implying their relative importance or implicitly indicating the number of the indicated technical features. Therefore, the features defined as "first" or "second" may explicitly or implicitly include at least one of such features. In addition, the technical solutions between the various embodiments can be combined with each other, but this must be based on the fact that they can be implemented by ordinary technicians in this field. When the combination of technical solutions is contradictory or cannot be implemented, it should be deemed that such combination of technical solutions does not exist and is not within the scope of protection required by the present invention.

[0021] The present invention proposes an ankle joint 100, referring to Figures 1 to 4 ,include: Ankle 1; The foot 2 is rotatably mounted on the ankle 1 via a connecting member 3; A damping mechanism 4 is provided on the ankle 1 ; the damping mechanism 4 includes a hydraulic damper 41 , an adjustment motor 42 connected to and used for adjusting the hydraulic damper 41 , and an output rod 43 provided on the hydraulic damper 41 ; Control mechanism 5; the control mechanism 5 is electrically connected to the adjustment motor 42, and is used to control the adjustment motor 42 to achieve damping adjustment; The output rod 43 is rotatably connected to the connecting member 3 and is used to drive the connecting member 3 to rotate relative to the ankle 1 .

[0022] In this embodiment, the ankle 1 is the core support unit of the structure, used to connect to a prosthetic or robotic lower limb structure. The foot 2 is rotatably mounted on the ankle 1 via a connector 3, creating rotational freedom for the ankle. This allows the foot 2 to rotate and swing relative to the ankle 1 within a certain range, simulating a human gait.

[0023] The damping mechanism 4 is located within the ankle 1 or on its outer shell and comprises a hydraulic damper 41, an adjustment motor 42 for adjusting the damper, and an output rod 43 mounted on the hydraulic damper 41. The hydraulic damper 41, a key component in providing dynamic resistance in this structure, controls the resistance of the hydraulic oil through throttling. The adjustment motor 42 drives the throttling mechanism to change the oil path diameter, thereby achieving dynamic adjustment of the resistance. The output rod 43, serving as the power output of the hydraulic damper 41, can perform reciprocating linear motion along its axis.

[0024] The end of the output rod 43 is connected to the connector 3 via a revolute joint, which drives the connector 3 to rotate relative to the ankle 1. The axial push of the output rod 43 drives the connector 3 to rotate around the ankle 1, thereby driving the foot 2 to adjust its angle, simulating the dynamic support and release of the human ankle joint 100 during gait.

[0025] The control mechanism 5 is electrically connected to the regulating motor 42 and is used to control the damping adjustment behavior in real time. By issuing instructions to the regulating motor 42 through a preset control strategy, closed-loop control of the damping output is achieved, thereby making the ankle joint 100 structure dynamic responsive and adaptable to multiple scenarios.

[0026] The ankle joint 100 structure of this embodiment realizes a stable and reliable rotational buffering function by organically integrating hydraulic damping, an adjustable motor and a rotating connection structure. It can dynamically adjust the resistance of the foot 2 according to different terrains and gait states, simulating the response behavior of the human ankle joint 100; and the structure is integrated into one, which is convenient for assembly, maintenance and module replacement.

[0027] Furthermore, the connecting member 3 includes a mounting seat 31 for connecting to the foot 2, and an extension portion 32 disposed laterally at the upper end of the mounting seat 31; One end of the extension portion 32 is rotatably connected to the ankle portion 1 via the first rotating shaft 6 , and the other end is rotatably connected to the output rod 43 via the second rotating shaft 7 ; the first rotating shaft 6 and the second rotating shaft 7 are arranged in parallel.

[0028] By dividing the connector 3 into a mounting base 31 and an extension 32, this structure clearly defines the functional divisions of the foot 2 connection and transmission path. The extension 32, located at the upper end of the connector 3, provides a clear function as a rotational pair. It forms a rotational connection with the ankle 1 via a first rotating shaft 6 and a driving connection with the output rod 43 via a second rotating shaft 7, forming a complete input and conversion path. The parallel arrangement of the two shafts not only ensures rotational consistency but also enhances structural stability.

[0029] In this embodiment, the mounting base 31 and the extension portion 32 are integrally formed to form the connector 3. This integral structure effectively avoids the accumulation of tolerances associated with multi-component assembly, improving the precision and strength of each connection. Furthermore, the structural integrity is enhanced, fixing the spatial relative relationship of the revolving pair, and improving transmission stability and service life. Furthermore, the integrated component simplifies processing, manufacturing, maintenance, and replacement, facilitating modular assembly and subsequent maintenance.

[0030] Furthermore, the ankle portion 1 includes a first housing 11 , and the hydraulic damper 41 is tiltedly disposed in the first housing 11 via a fixed shaft 8 ; the axis of the fixed shaft 8 is located in the axial extension direction of the output rod 43 .

[0031] In this embodiment, hydraulic damper 41 is tilted relative to the length of first housing 11. This tilted arrangement ensures that its output direction better aligns with the rotational path of extension 32 of connector 3, thereby improving force flow consistency and structural integration. This tilted installation, via fixed shaft 8, provides reliable mechanical support while ensuring that output rod 43 always moves along a stable axis, preventing unbalanced loading and structural deformation, and enhancing overall accuracy and lifespan.

[0032] In this embodiment, a limb connection portion 13 is also provided to facilitate the connection between the ankle portion 1 and the external prosthetic thigh segment or lower limb, thereby improving the modular design level of the system and enhancing the system's assembly convenience and ability to adapt to various limb sizes.

[0033] Furthermore, the output rod 43 extends out of the first housing 11 and is rotatably connected to the connecting member 3 ; the first housing 11 is provided with an avoidance hole 111 corresponding to the rotation trajectory of the output rod 43 and the connecting member 3 .

[0034] This clearance hole 111 not only allows the output rod 43 to pass through, but also provides space for the connector 3 to rotate during rotation, preventing interference between the output rod 43 and the first housing 11 during rotation. By presetting the tolerance range of the clearance hole 111, the output rod 43 and the connector 3 can swing freely at all angles during operation, thereby improving the smoothness and safety of the ankle joint 100 during actual gait.

[0035] Furthermore, the fixed axis 8 is arranged parallel to the first rotating axis 6 and the second rotating axis 7. This spatial layout forms a symmetrical and stable mechanical structure among the three axes, which is conducive to the coordination of the motion path.

[0036] The fixed shaft 8 and the second rotating shaft 7 are respectively located on both sides of the first rotating shaft 6, and the axis centers of the fixed shaft 8 and the second rotating shaft 7 are respectively located on opposite sides of the axial extension direction of the output rod 43; while ensuring the accuracy of the rotating pair, the entire transmission path can have good symmetry and spatial redundancy, forming a complete and balanced transmission structure path, avoiding the occurrence of overload and motion jamming, and improving the assembly tolerance adaptability and transmission smoothness.

[0037] Furthermore, the regulating motor 42 is arranged at the end of the hydraulic damper 41 away from the output rod 43, and the output shaft of the regulating motor 42 is arranged parallel to the output rod 43; the regulating motor 42 and the output rod 43 are arranged on both sides of the hydraulic damper 41 to avoid mutual interference; the output shaft of the regulating motor 42 is arranged parallel to the output rod 43 and is used to drive the throttling mechanism in the hydraulic damper 41 to control the output damping size; An accommodating chamber 112 is formed between the side of the hydraulic damper 41 facing away from the adjusting motor 42 and the inner surface of the first shell 11, and a battery 9 electrically connected to the control mechanism 5 is arranged in the accommodating chamber 112; the accommodating chamber 112 structure reasonably embeds the battery 9 in the shell space, which not only improves the compactness of the overall structure, but also facilitates the layout and maintenance of the energy supply.

[0038] Furthermore, it also includes a second shell 12 that is detachably connected to the first shell 11, and the second shell 12 is used to cover the accommodating cavity 112; the control mechanism 5 is arranged in the second shell 12; the control mechanism 5 is arranged in the second shell 12, which facilitates the centralized arrangement of the control module and the battery 9, realizes the modular assembly of the system, and at the same time improves the convenience of maintenance of the whole machine and the protection performance of electronic components.

[0039] Furthermore, an angle sensor (not shown in the figure) for detecting the angle change between the first housing 11 and the connecting member 3 is included, and the angle sensor is electrically connected to the control mechanism 5 .

[0040] The angle sensor monitors the relative angle between the first housing 11 of the ankle 1 and the connector 3 in real time, serving as a key feedback parameter for the structural motion state. Furthermore, the present invention can further integrate sensory elements such as encoders and IMUs (including triaxial accelerometers and triaxial gyroscopes) to obtain information about the wearer's current gait cycle and foot movement trends.

[0041] Through the above-mentioned multi-source sensing data, the control mechanism 5 can identify the stage of gait (such as the stance phase and the swing phase), and judge the resistance demand according to the current angular position and the dynamic acceleration trend, and send a control signal to the adjustment motor 42 to drive the throttling mechanism in the hydraulic damper 41 for adjustment, so as to realize the dynamic change of the damping response of the ankle joint 100 during the gait process, which can effectively improve the synchronization and naturalness of the bionic ankle joint 100 to the user's movements, so that the walking of disabled people wearing prostheses is closer to the reaction state of the real ankle, thereby enhancing comfort and safety.

[0042] In practice, when a user walks while wearing the ankle joint 100 of the present invention, the foot 2 first contacts the ground. External reaction forces cause the foot 2 to rotate relative to the ankle 1. At this point, the connector 3, along with the sole of the foot, is subjected to force, and its extension 32 begins to rotate about the first rotation axis 6, driving the output rod 43 connected thereto to produce linear axial displacement. This axial motion of the output rod 43 is transmitted to the hydraulic damper 41, which pushes the internal piston or throttling structure to generate hydraulic resistance, thereby cushioning and decelerating the foot's rotational motion, thereby simulating the natural support and cushioning response of the human ankle joint 100.

[0043] During this process, the angle sensor integrated on the ankle joint 100 can detect the relative angle change between the ankle 1 and the connecting part 3 in real time; at the same time, the IMU inertial measurement unit can also be used to obtain dynamic information of the current gait, such as gait stage, foot swing speed, etc.

[0044] Based on the data collected by the angle sensor, the control mechanism 5 determines the current gait time zone and, combined with the position and rotational trend of the output rod 43, issues a control signal to the adjustment motor 42. The adjustment motor 42 drives the throttling mechanism within the hydraulic damper 41 to adjust the damping channel opening, dynamically adjusting the damping force to match the resistance output with the gait rhythm. When the foot 2 is lifted and the output force is released, the damper returns to its original state, ready for the next contact. This entire process operates in a closed-loop, continuous, and stable manner, allowing the user to achieve a near-natural ankle response while walking, ascending or descending slopes, or on complex terrain.

[0045] like Figure 3 and Figure 4 As shown, the ankle joint 100 can realize bidirectional rotation of the foot 2 around the ankle 1 in actual use, wherein Figure 3The foot 2 is shown in an upward hooked state, which often occurs in the early swing phase or during the leg lifting process to prevent the toes from touching the ground; Figure 4 The foot 2 is shown in a downward-pressing state. In this state, the connector 3 drives the foot 2 to rotate clockwise around the ankle 1, providing support and load relief during downhill gait, enhancing the naturalness and safety of the gait. The structural changes between these two states demonstrate the dynamic responsiveness of the ankle joint 100 structure of the present invention, enabling support and cushioning at multiple critical moments during natural gait.

[0046] In other embodiments, a robotic lower limb is provided, comprising a mechanical lower limb body and an ankle joint disposed thereon, wherein the ankle joint is the aforementioned ankle joint 100. The integration of the ankle joint 100 structure with the lower limb body enables the entire robotic lower limb to possess gait perception and dynamic response capabilities, making it suitable for use in prosthetic wear assistance, rehabilitation training robots, or multi-degree-of-freedom lower limb support systems.

[0047] In other embodiments, a robot is provided, comprising a robot body and an ankle joint disposed on the robot body, wherein the ankle joint is the aforementioned ankle joint 100. The integration of the ankle joint 100 structure with the lower limb body enables the entire robotic lower limb to have gait perception and dynamic response capabilities, suitable for use in prosthetic wear assistance, rehabilitation training robots, or multi-degree-of-freedom lower limb support systems.

[0048] The above are only some or preferred embodiments of the present invention. Neither the text nor the drawings can limit the scope of protection of the present invention. All equivalent structural transformations made by using the contents of the present invention description and drawings under the overall concept of the present invention, or direct / indirect application in other related technical fields are included in the scope of protection of the present invention.

Claims

1. An ankle joint, characterized in that: include: Ankle; a foot portion rotatably disposed on the ankle portion via a connecting member; A damping mechanism is provided at the ankle; the damping mechanism includes a hydraulic damper, an adjustment motor connected to and used to adjust the hydraulic damper, and an output rod provided on the hydraulic damper; Control mechanism; the control mechanism is electrically connected to the adjustment motor, and is used to control the adjustment motor to achieve damping adjustment; The output rod is rotatably connected to the connecting member and is used to drive the connecting member to rotate relative to the ankle.

2. The ankle joint according to claim 1, characterized in that The connecting member includes a mounting seat for connecting to the foot, and an extension portion disposed laterally at an upper end of the mounting seat; One end of the extension portion is rotatably connected to the ankle portion via a first rotating shaft, and the other end is rotatably connected to the output rod via a second rotating shaft; the first rotating shaft and the second rotating shaft are arranged in parallel.

3. The ankle joint according to claim 2, characterized in that The ankle portion includes a first shell, and the hydraulic damper is tiltedly arranged in the first shell via a fixed shaft; the axis of the fixed shaft is located in the axial extension direction of the output rod.

4. The ankle joint according to claim 3, characterized in that The output rod extends out of the first housing and is rotatably connected to the connecting member; the first housing is provided with an avoidance hole corresponding to the rotation trajectory of the output rod and the connecting member.

5. The ankle joint according to claim 4, characterized in that The fixed shaft is arranged parallel to the first rotating shaft and the second rotating shaft; The fixed shaft and the second rotating shaft are respectively located on both sides of the first rotating shaft, and the axis centers of the fixed shaft and the second rotating shaft are respectively located on opposite sides in the axial extension direction of the output rod.

6. The ankle joint according to claim 3, characterized in that The regulating motor is arranged at one end of the hydraulic damper away from the output rod, and the output shaft of the regulating motor is arranged parallel to the output rod; An accommodating cavity is formed between the side of the hydraulic damper facing away from the regulating motor and the inner surface of the first shell. A battery electrically connected to the control mechanism is arranged in the accommodating cavity.

7. The ankle joint according to claim 6, characterized in that It also includes a second shell that is detachably connected to the first shell, and the second shell is used to cover the accommodating cavity; the control mechanism is arranged in the second shell.

8. The ankle joint according to claim 3, characterized in that It also includes an angle sensor for detecting the angle change between the first shell and the connecting member, and the angle sensor is electrically connected to the control mechanism.

9. A mechanical lower limb, comprising a mechanical lower limb body and an ankle joint provided on the mechanical lower limb body, characterized in that: The ankle joint is the ankle joint according to any one of claims 1 to 8.

10. A robot comprising a robot body and an ankle joint provided on the robot body, characterized in that: The ankle joint is the ankle joint according to any one of claims 1 to 8.

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