A rope-driven upper limb exoskeleton robot and its usage method
By using pulley rope drive technology, the drive unit is separated from the end effector. The use of lightweight, high-strength drive rope and pulley guide design solves the problems of control precision, assist effect and energy loss in flexible exoskeleton robots, and achieves efficient and flexible power transmission and precise control.
Patent Information
- Authority / Receiving Office
- CN · China
- Patent Type
- Patents(China)
- Current Assignee / Owner
- Filing Date
- 2026-01-07
- Publication Date
- 2026-04-03
AI Technical Summary
Existing flexible exoskeleton robots suffer from insufficient control precision, poor assist effect, and high energy loss in terms of drive and transmission, making it difficult to meet the needs of high-load assistance.
By adopting pulley rope drive technology, the drive unit is separated from the actuator end. Power is transmitted remotely through a lightweight and high-strength drive rope. Combined with pulley guide design to reduce friction loss and hysteresis, precise and reliable power transmission is achieved.
It achieves lightweight and highly flexible moving parts, improves system energy utilization efficiency and practical auxiliary capabilities, enhances control accuracy and maintainability, and simplifies the establishment of dynamic models and the design of control algorithms.
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Figure CN121447597B_ABST
Abstract
Description
Technical Field
[0001] This invention belongs to the field of robotics technology, specifically relating to a rope-driven upper limb exoskeleton robot and its usage method. Background Technology
[0002] In recent years, with the rapid development of robotics technology and the continuous expansion of its application scenarios, upper limb exoskeleton robots, as a typical representative of human-machine collaboration, have seen vigorous development in their research and development. These devices aim to significantly enhance users' work capabilities in augmented applications such as logistics handling and high-altitude operations by integrating with the user's body through ergonomic design. The overall performance of an exoskeleton system largely depends on the choice of its drive and transmission schemes; different technological approaches directly affect the system's weight distribution, output capacity, movement flexibility, and overall energy efficiency.
[0003] In terms of drive technology, rigid actuation has been the mainstream solution adopted by many systems, both in the early stages and currently. Besides rigid actuation, flexible exoskeletons have also attracted attention as an important technological approach. These exoskeletons typically use flexible components such as textile materials, pneumatic artificial muscles, or planar cables as the body or drive mechanism. Their advantages lie in their light weight, good conformity to the human body, and high wearing comfort. However, their inherent characteristics also lead to two major challenges: First, insufficient control precision. Due to the nonlinear and hysteresis characteristics of flexible materials and the difficulty in establishing accurate dynamic models due to soft contact with the human body, it is difficult to achieve precise posture or torque control, resulting in poor stability of the assist output. Second, poor assist effect. Flexible structures generate significant deformation and energy loss when transmitting large torques, leading to low assist efficiency and difficulty in meeting the high-load assistance requirements of enhanced sports applications. Therefore, flexible exoskeletons are more suitable for rehabilitation training or mild assist scenarios with low load requirements.
[0004] To achieve efficient power transmission while maintaining lightweight design, the use of motor-driven and cable-driven designs has become an effective solution to existing problems. Bowden cable drives, as an important flexible transmission solution, are widely used. This solution effectively reduces the mass of the moving end by placing the motor at a proximal position, such as the human torso, and transmitting power through a steel cable within the Bowden cable sleeve. However, Bowden cable drives have significant technical bottlenecks: on the one hand, frictional losses in the steel cable within the sleeve are significant, especially in curved paths, where transmission efficiency drops sharply; on the other hand, nonlinear friction and gaps between the steel cable and the sleeve lead to significant hysteresis, reducing the accuracy of joint torque control and making precise position control difficult. Furthermore, the dynamic modeling of the Bowden cable system is complex, and factors such as tension changes and elastic deformation pose significant challenges to system analysis and control algorithm design.
[0005] To overcome the inherent drawbacks of Bowden cable drives while maintaining the advantages of flexible transmission, pulley cable drive technology offers a new solution. Unlike Bowden cables, pulley drives reduce bending losses by optimizing pulley layout. Its core innovation lies in combining the remote placement of the drive unit with low-friction power transmission. Summary of the Invention
[0006] This invention addresses the above-mentioned problems by providing a rope-driven upper limb exoskeleton robot and its usage method.
[0007] To achieve the above objectives, the present invention employs the following technical solution:
[0008] A rope-driven upper limb exoskeleton robot includes a support mechanism, on which two sets of backplate mechanisms are rotatably mounted. The two sets of backplate mechanisms are located on the left and right sides of the support mechanism, respectively. A shoulder joint mechanism is mounted on the upper part of the backplate mechanism away from the support mechanism, and an arm mechanism is mounted at the front end of the shoulder joint mechanism.
[0009] The shoulder joint mechanism includes a C-shaped cable routing component. One end of the C-shaped cable routing component is fixedly connected to a through-plate shaft. The through-plate shaft passes through a mounting plate in the back plate mechanism and is threadedly connected to a first bidirectional take-up roller. The through-plate shaft is rotatably connected to the mounting plate. The first bidirectional take-up roller is fixedly connected to the other end of the C-shaped cable routing component by screws. A cable management pulley is rotatably connected to the rear end of the through-plate shaft. Multiple cable routing pulleys are distributed on the upper part of the C-shaped cable routing component. A connecting plate is integrally provided at the front end of the C-shaped cable routing component. A shoulder pulley shaft is rotatably connected to the connecting plate. A second bidirectional take-up roller is fixedly installed on the outer end of the shoulder pulley shaft. Cable routing pulleys are rotatably connected to both the upper and lower surfaces of the connecting plate. An upper reversing pulley and a lower reversing pulley, respectively at the same horizontal position as the two cable routing pulleys, are rotatably installed at the front of the C-shaped cable routing component.
[0010] The arm mechanism includes a wrist collar, with a forearm rod fixedly connected to both the upper and lower ends of the wrist collar. A rotating joint is fixedly connected to the other end of the forearm rod. The two rotating joints are rotatably connected to the upper and lower ends of the elbow collar via a central pivot. A central pulley is rotatably mounted on the central pivot. A bending pulley and an extension pulley are respectively arranged on both sides of the central pulley. Both the bending and extension pulleys are fixedly mounted on the rotating joint. A telescopic outer rod is fixedly connected to both the upper and lower ends of the elbow collar. A telescopic inner rod is slidably disposed inside the telescopic outer rod. The telescopic outer rod and the telescopic inner rod are fixedly connected by a pin. The other ends of the two telescopic inner rods are fixedly connected to the upper and lower ends of the shoulder collar, respectively. The shoulder collar is fixedly connected to the shoulder pulley shaft. An adjusting rear rod is rotatably connected to the rear end of the telescopic inner rod. An adjusting front rod is hinged to the front end of the adjusting rear rod. The front end of the adjusting front rod is rotatably connected to the front end of the telescopic outer rod. Guide pulleys are rotatably provided at the rear end of the adjusting rear rod, the front part of the adjusting front rod, and the hinge point between the adjusting front rod and the adjusting rear rod. A first strap is connected between the upper and lower forearm rods, and the first strap is located in the middle of the forearm rod. A second strap is connected between the upper and lower telescopic outer rods, and the second strap is located at the rear end of the telescopic outer rod.
[0011] Four drive motors are fixedly mounted on the mounting plate in the backplate mechanism. Three bidirectional take-up reels are mounted on the output shafts of two of the drive motors, and one-way take-up reels are mounted on the output shafts of the other two drive motors. Two drive ropes are wound on the three bidirectional take-up reels in opposite directions. The other end of the drive rope on one of the three bidirectional take-up reels is wound on a first bidirectional take-up reel, and the two drive ropes on the first bidirectional take-up reel are wound in opposite directions. The other end of the drive rope on the other three bidirectional take-up reel passes over a yarn guide pulley and multiple yarn routing pulleys and is wound around... On the second bidirectional take-up reel, the two drive ropes on the second bidirectional take-up reel are wound in opposite directions. On the unidirectional take-up reel, a single drive rope is wound. The drive rope on one of the unidirectional take-up reels passes in sequence around the cable guide pulley, multiple cable routing pulleys, the upper reversing pulley, and the upper cable guide pulley, multiple guide pulleys, the extension pulley, and the center pulley, and is fixedly connected to the bending pulley. The drive rope on the other unidirectional take-up reel passes in sequence around the cable guide pulley, multiple cable routing pulleys, the upper reversing pulley, the lower reversing pulley, and the lower cable guide pulley, multiple guide pulleys, the bending pulley, and the center pulley, and is fixedly connected to the extension pulley.
[0012] Furthermore, the support mechanism includes a back plate on which a battery for power supply is installed. An upper bow-shaped clamp and a lower bow-shaped clamp are rotatably connected to the upper and lower ends of the back plate, respectively. The upper bow-shaped clamp and the lower bow-shaped clamp are connected to the upper and lower ends of the support rod through fisheye bearings, respectively. The back plate mechanism is rotatably connected to the support rod.
[0013] Furthermore, the support rod includes an outer sleeve rod, with an upper sliding rod and a lower sliding rod slidably disposed on the upper and lower parts of the inner cavity of the outer sleeve rod, respectively. The upper sliding rod and the lower sliding rod are fixedly connected to the outer sleeve rod by a pin. The upper sliding rod is connected to the upper arched clamp by a fisheye bearing, and the lower sliding rod is connected to the lower arched clamp by a fisheye bearing. A height adjusting nut is threaded onto both the upper and lower sliding rods, and the height adjusting nut is used to support and limit the back plate mechanism.
[0014] Furthermore, the backplate mechanism includes a mounting plate, with sleeves fixedly installed at both the upper and lower ends of the mounting plate. A connecting rod is slidably installed inside the sleeve, and the connecting rod is fixedly connected to the sleeve via a pin. The inner end of the connecting rod is rotatably connected to an upper sliding rod or a lower sliding rod. The height adjusting nut is used to support and limit the connecting rod.
[0015] Furthermore, shims are placed between two adjacent connecting rods of different backplate mechanisms to ensure that the connecting rods on the left and right sides are at different heights, thereby accommodating the needs of people with uneven shoulders.
[0016] Furthermore, a waist belt is fixedly installed on the lower bow-shaped buckle, with the two ends of the waist belt connected together by a buckle. Shoulder straps are fixedly installed on both the left and right sides of the upper bow-shaped buckle, with the lower ends of the shoulder straps fixedly connected to the waist belt.
[0017] A method for using a rope-driven upper limb exoskeleton robot includes the following steps: determining whether the backplate mechanism, shoulder joint mechanism, and arm mechanism are to be installed on one side or both sides based on usage requirements and environmental conditions; adjusting the overall length of the support rods according to the user's height; adjusting the positions of the connecting rods on the left and right sides and the number of pads according to the height difference between the user's left and right shoulders; securing the rope-driven upper limb exoskeleton robot to the user using a waist belt and shoulder straps; adjusting the relative position between the telescopic outer rod and the telescopic inner rod according to the user's arm length to adapt to the user's arm length; securing the arm mechanism to the user using strap number one and strap number two; during operation, driving the user's arm mechanism using two drive motors equipped with a number three bidirectional take-up reel. The shoulder joint performs rotational and swinging movements, which are driven by two drive motors equipped with one-way take-up reels to drive the user's arm to perform flexion and extension movements. Specifically, the drive rope located at the upper part of the arm mechanism is retracted by the corresponding one-way take-up reel through the rotation of the drive motor. The upper drive rope drives the extension pulley to move closer to the guide pulley located at the front end of the adjustment rod. At the same time, the drive rope located at the lower part of the arm mechanism is released by the corresponding one-way take-up reel through the rotation of the drive motor. The lower bending pulley moves away from the guide pulley located at the front end of the adjustment rod, realizing the extension movement of the arm mechanism. Conversely, the drive rope located at the lower part of the arm mechanism is retracted and the drive rope located at the upper part of the arm mechanism is released, realizing the bending movement of the arm mechanism.
[0018] Compared with the prior art, the present invention has the following advantages:
[0019] This invention employs a "separation of drive unit and execution end" architecture, centralizing all power sources, including the drive motor, on a mounting plate mounted on the user's back. Power is then remotely transmitted to joints such as the shoulder and elbow via lightweight, high-strength drive cables. This design removes the main mass from the arm mechanism, significantly reducing its rotational inertia and avoiding the combined effects of "power demand and weight burden" inherent in traditional rigid drives. Its direct advantages include extremely lightweight moving parts, allowing the arm mechanism to move at speeds and with agility approaching human physiological characteristics. Simultaneously, the drive motor's output power can be more effectively used to overcome external workloads rather than being consumed by the arm mechanism itself, significantly improving the system's energy efficiency and practical assistance capabilities.
[0020] Flexible transmission and pulley guidance balance safety, controllability, precision, and reliability. This invention uses a drive rope for power transmission, whose inherent flexibility effectively buffers accidental impacts, providing intrinsic safety for human-machine interaction. In the transmission path design, pulleys guide the drive rope. Compared to Bowden cable structures, pulley transmission has less friction loss and motion lag, resulting in higher transmission precision and control accuracy. Simultaneously, the drive rope path is intuitive and clear, facilitating tension adjustment, condition monitoring, and maintenance, thus improving system maintainability. Furthermore, guiding the drive rope with pulleys makes its dynamic model easier to establish, calculate, and simulate, laying a reliable theoretical foundation for control algorithm optimization and product iteration upgrades.
[0021] In this invention, the telescopic inner rod, telescopic outer rod, adjusting rear rod, and adjusting front rod on the arm mechanism form a triangular structure. When adjusting the length of the upper arm through the telescopic inner rod and telescopic outer rod, the rope length on the adjusting rear rod and adjusting front rod remains constant and does not change the tension. This ensures that the back and arm are adjustable without requiring repeated rope adjustments for different wearers.
[0022] The driving structure of the elbow joint in this invention is a bidirectional symmetrical structure. The extension and flexion of the elbow joint are completed on the upper and lower sides. According to the winding situation, the rope paths on the upper and lower sides of the elbow joint form symmetrical movements. The absolute changes in the rope paths on both sides are the same but opposite in direction, which simplifies the design difficulty of the middle rope path for long-distance transmission and further achieves lightweighting. Attached Figure Description
[0023] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of the present invention;
[0024] Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram of the installation of the support mechanism and the back plate mechanism in this invention;
[0025] Figure 3 This is a schematic diagram of the installation of the support rod in this invention;
[0026] Figure 4 This is a schematic diagram of the backplate mechanism in this invention;
[0027] Figure 5 For the present invention Figure 3 A magnified view of a portion of circle A in the center;
[0028] Figure 6 This is a schematic diagram illustrating the installation of the waist belt and shoulder straps in this invention;
[0029] Figure 7 This is an isometric view of the shoulder joint mechanism in this invention;
[0030] Figure 8 This is a schematic diagram of the shoulder joint mechanism in this invention;
[0031] Figure 9 This is an exploded view of the shoulder joint mechanism in this invention;
[0032] Figure 10 This is a schematic diagram of the arm mechanism in the invention;
[0033] Figure 11 This is a schematic diagram of the connection between the shoulder collar and the elbow collar in this invention;
[0034] Figure 12 This is a schematic diagram of the extension principle of the arm mechanism of the present invention from a top view.
[0035] Figure 13 This is a schematic diagram of the bending principle of the arm mechanism of the present invention in an upward view.
[0036] Figure 14 This is a schematic diagram of the cable routing of the No. 1 bidirectional take-up reel in this invention;
[0037] Figure 15 This is a schematic diagram of the cable routing of the No. 2 bidirectional take-up reel in this invention;
[0038] In the diagram, the components are: support mechanism 1, backplate mechanism 2, shoulder joint mechanism 3, arm mechanism 4, backplate 101, battery 102, upper bow-shaped clamp 103, lower bow-shaped clamp 104, fisheye bearing 105, support rod 106, height adjusting nut 107, sleeve outer rod 1061, upper sliding rod 1062, lower sliding rod 1063, mounting plate 201, drive motor 202, No. 3 bidirectional take-up reel 203, unidirectional take-up reel 204, sleeve 205, connecting rod 206, gasket 207, waist belt 208, buckle 209, shoulder strap 210, drive rope 211, C-shaped cable routing component 301, and through-plate shaft 30. 2. No. 1 bidirectional take-up reel 303, cable management pulley 304, cable routing pulley 305, connecting plate 306, shoulder pulley shaft 307, No. 2 bidirectional take-up reel 308, cable guide pulley 309, upper reversing pulley 310, lower reversing pulley 311, wrist collar 401, forearm bar 402, rotating joint 403, central rotating shaft 404, elbow collar 405, central pulley 406, bending pulley 407, extension pulley 408, telescopic outer bar 409, telescopic inner bar 410, shoulder collar 411, adjusting rear bar 412, adjusting front bar 413, guide pulley 414, No. 1 strap 415, No. 2 strap 416. Detailed Implementation
[0039] To further illustrate the technical solution of the present invention, the present invention will be further described below through embodiments.
[0040] like Figures 1 to 15As shown, a rope-driven upper limb exoskeleton robot includes a support mechanism 1, on which two sets of backplate mechanisms 2 are rotatably mounted. The two sets of backplate mechanisms 2 are located on the left and right sides of the support mechanism 1, respectively. A shoulder joint mechanism 3 is installed on the upper part of the backplate mechanism 2 away from the support mechanism 1, and an arm mechanism 4 is installed at the front end of the shoulder joint mechanism 3.
[0041] The support mechanism 1 includes a back plate 101, on which a battery 102 for power supply is installed. An upper bow-shaped clamp 103 and a lower bow-shaped clamp 104 are rotatably connected to the upper and lower ends of the back plate 101, respectively. The upper bow-shaped clamp 103 and the lower bow-shaped clamp 104 are respectively connected to the upper and lower ends of the support rod 106 through a fisheye bearing 105. The back plate mechanism 2 is rotatably connected to the support rod 106. The support rod 106 includes a sleeve outer rod 1061. An upper sliding rod 1062 and a lower sliding rod 1063 are slidably disposed in the upper and lower parts of the inner cavity of the sleeve outer rod 1061, respectively. The upper sliding rod 1062 and the lower sliding rod 1063 are fixedly connected to the sleeve outer rod 1061 by a pin. The upper sliding rod 1062 is connected to the upper arched clamp 103 by a fisheye bearing 105, and the lower sliding rod 1063 is connected to the lower arched clamp 104 by a fisheye bearing 105. Height adjustment nuts 107 are threaded onto both the upper sliding rod 1062 and the lower sliding rod 1063. The height adjustment nuts 107 are used to support and limit the back plate mechanism 2. A waist belt 208 is fixedly installed on the lower bow-shaped clip 104. The two ends of the waist belt 208 are connected together by buckles 209. Shoulder straps 210 are fixedly installed on both the left and right sides of the upper bow-shaped clip 103. The lower ends of the shoulder straps 210 are fixedly connected to the waist belt 208.
[0042] The back panel mechanism 2 includes a mounting plate 201. Sleeves 205 are fixedly installed at both the upper and lower ends of the mounting plate 201. A connecting rod 206 is slidably installed inside the sleeve 205. The connecting rod 206 is fixedly connected to the sleeve 205 by a pin. The inner end of the connecting rod 206 is rotatably connected to the upper sliding rod 1062 or the lower sliding rod 1063. The height adjusting nut 107 is used to support and limit the connecting rod 206. A shim 207 is provided between two adjacent connecting rods 206 of different back panel mechanisms 2 so that the connecting rods 206 on the left and right sides are at different heights, thereby adapting to the needs of people with uneven shoulders.
[0043] The shoulder joint mechanism 3 includes a C-shaped cable routing component 301. One end of the C-shaped cable routing component 301 is fixedly connected to a through-plate shaft 302. The through-plate shaft 302 passes through the mounting plate 201 in the backplate mechanism 2 and is threadedly connected to a first bidirectional take-up reel 303. The through-plate shaft 302 is rotatably connected to the mounting plate 201. The first bidirectional take-up reel 303 is fixedly connected to the other end of the C-shaped cable routing component 301 by screws. A cable management pulley 304 is rotatably connected to the rear end of the through-plate shaft 302. Cable routing components are arranged on the upper part of the C-shaped cable routing component 301. There are multiple cable routing pulleys 305. A connecting plate 306 is integrally provided at the front end of the C-shaped cable routing component 301. A shoulder pulley shaft 307 is rotatably connected to the connecting plate 306. A second bidirectional take-up pulley 308 is fixedly installed at the outer end of the shoulder pulley shaft 307. Cable passing pulleys 309 are rotatably connected to both the upper and lower surfaces of the connecting plate 306. An upper reversing pulley 310 and a lower reversing pulley 311, which are respectively at the same horizontal position as the two cable passing pulleys 309, are rotatably installed at the front of the C-shaped cable routing component 301.
[0044] The arm mechanism 4 includes a wrist collar 401. A forearm bar 402 is fixedly connected to both the upper and lower ends of the wrist collar 401. A rotating joint 403 is fixedly connected to the other end of the forearm bar 402. The two rotating joints 403 are rotatably connected to the upper and lower ends of the elbow collar 405 via a central pivot 404. A central pulley 406 is rotatably mounted on the central pivot 404. A bending pulley 407 and an extension pulley 408 are respectively provided on both sides of the central pulley 406. Both the bending pulley 407 and the extension pulley 408 are fixedly mounted on the rotating joints 403. A telescopic outer rod 409 is fixedly connected to both the upper and lower ends of the elbow collar 405. A telescopic inner rod 410 is slidably disposed inside the telescopic outer rod 409. The telescopic outer rod 409 and the telescopic inner rod 410 are fixedly connected by a pin. The other ends of the two telescopic inner rods 410 are fixedly connected to the upper and lower ends of the shoulder collar 411, respectively. The shoulder collar 411 is fixedly connected to the shoulder pulley shaft 307. An adjusting rear rod 412 is rotatably connected to the rear end of the telescopic inner rod 410. An adjusting front rod 413 is hinged to the front end of the adjusting rear rod 412. The front end of the adjusting front rod 413 is rotatably connected to the front end of the telescopic outer rod 409. Guide pulleys 414 are rotatably provided at the rear end of the adjusting rear rod 412, the front part of the adjusting front rod 413, and the hinge point between the adjusting front rod 413 and the adjusting rear rod 412. A first strap 415 is connected between the upper and lower forearm rods 402, and the first strap 415 is located in the middle of the forearm rod 402. A second strap 416 is connected between the upper and lower telescopic outer rods 409, and the second strap 416 is located at the rear end of the telescopic outer rod 409.
[0045] Four drive motors 202 are fixedly mounted on the mounting plate 201 in the back plate mechanism 2. Three bidirectional take-up reels 203 are mounted on the output shafts of two of the drive motors 202, and one-way take-up reels 204 are mounted on the output shafts of the other two drive motors 202. Two strands of drive rope 211 are wound around the three bidirectional take-up reels 203, with opposite winding directions. The other end of the drive rope 211 on one of the three bidirectional take-up reels 203 is wound around a first bidirectional take-up reel 303, with the two strands of drive rope 211 on the first bidirectional take-up reel 303 also wound in opposite directions. The other end of the drive rope 211 on the other three bidirectional take-up reel 203 passes over a cable management pulley 304 and multiple cable routing pulleys 305 and is wound around a second bidirectional take-up reel 308. The two drive ropes 211 on the second bidirectional take-up reel 308 are wound in opposite directions. A single drive rope 211 is wound on the unidirectional take-up reel 204. The drive rope 211 on one of the unidirectional take-up reels 204 passes through the line guide pulley 304, multiple line guide pulleys 305, the upper reversing pulley 310, and the upper passing pulley 309, multiple guide pulleys 414, extension pulley 408 and center pulley 406 and is fixedly connected to the bending pulley 407. The drive rope 211 on the other unidirectional take-up reel 204 passes through the line guide pulley 304, multiple line guide pulleys 305, the upper reversing pulley 310, the lower reversing pulley 311, and the lower passing pulley 309, multiple guide pulleys 414, bending pulley 407 and center pulley 406 and is fixedly connected to the extension pulley 408.
[0046] A method for using a rope-driven upper limb exoskeleton robot includes the following steps: determining whether the backplate mechanism 2, shoulder joint mechanism 3, and arm mechanism 4 are to be installed on one or both sides according to usage requirements and environmental conditions; adjusting the overall length of the support rod 106 according to the user's height; adjusting the position of the connecting rods 206 on the left and right sides and the number of pads 207 according to the height difference between the user's left and right shoulders; fixing the rope-driven upper limb exoskeleton robot to the user's body using a waist belt 208 and shoulder straps 210; adjusting the relative position between the telescopic outer rod 409 and the telescopic inner rod 410 according to the user's arm length to adapt to the user's arm length; fixing the arm mechanism 4 to the user's body using a first strap 415 and a second strap 416; during operation, driving the user's shoulder joint to rotate and swing using two drive motors 202 equipped with a third bidirectional take-up reel 203. The movement is driven by two drive motors 202 equipped with one-way take-up reels 204, which drive the user's arms to perform flexion and extension movements. Specifically, the drive rope 211 located at the upper part of the arm mechanism 4 is retracted by the corresponding one-way take-up reel 204 through the rotation of the drive motor 202. The upper drive rope 211 drives the extension pulley 408 to move closer to the guide pulley 414 located at the front end of the adjustment rod 413. At the same time, the drive rope 211 located at the lower part of the arm mechanism 4 is released by the corresponding one-way take-up reel 204 through the rotation of the drive motor 202. The lower bending pulley 407 moves away from the guide pulley 414 located at the front end of the adjustment rod 413, thereby realizing the extension movement of the arm mechanism 4. Conversely, the drive rope 211 located at the lower part of the arm mechanism 4 is retracted, and the drive rope 211 located at the upper part of the arm mechanism 4 is released, thereby realizing the bending movement of the arm mechanism 4.
[0047] The foregoing has shown and described the main features and advantages of the present invention. It will be apparent to those skilled in the art that the present invention is not limited to the details of the exemplary embodiments described above, and that the invention can be implemented in other specific forms without departing from its spirit or essential characteristics. Therefore, the embodiments should be considered exemplary and non-limiting in all respects, and the scope of the invention is defined by the appended claims rather than the foregoing description. Thus, it is intended that all variations falling within the meaning and scope of equivalents of the claims be included within the present invention.
[0048] Furthermore, it should be understood that although this specification describes embodiments, not every embodiment contains only one independent technical solution. This narrative style is merely for clarity. Those skilled in the art should consider the specification as a whole, and the technical solutions in each embodiment can also be appropriately combined to form other embodiments that can be understood by those skilled in the art.
Claims
1. A rope-driven upper limb exoskeleton robot, characterized in that: Includes a support mechanism (1), on which two sets of back plate mechanisms (2) are rotatably mounted. The two sets of back plate mechanisms (2) are located on the left and right sides of the support mechanism (1), respectively. A shoulder joint mechanism (3) is installed on the upper part of the back plate mechanism (2) away from the support mechanism (1), and an arm mechanism (4) is installed at the front end of the shoulder joint mechanism (3). The shoulder joint mechanism (3) includes a C-shaped cable routing component (301). One end of the C-shaped cable routing component (301) is fixedly connected to a through-plate shaft (302). The through-plate shaft (302) passes through the mounting plate (201) in the back plate mechanism (2) and is threadedly connected to a first bidirectional take-up reel (303). The through-plate shaft (302) is rotatably connected to the mounting plate (201). The first bidirectional take-up reel (303) is fixedly connected to the other end of the C-shaped cable routing component (301) by screws. A cable management pulley (304) is rotatably connected to the rear end of the through-plate shaft (302). The upper part of the C-shaped cable routing component (301) is distributed with... The C-shaped cable routing component (301) is provided with multiple cable routing pulleys (305). A connecting plate (306) is integrally provided at the front end of the C-shaped cable routing component (301). A shoulder pulley shaft (307) is rotatably connected to the connecting plate (306). A second bidirectional take-up pulley (308) is fixedly installed at the outer end of the shoulder pulley shaft (307). Cable passing pulleys (309) are rotatably connected to both the upper and lower surfaces of the connecting plate (306). An upper reversing pulley (310) and a lower reversing pulley (311) are rotatably installed at the front of the C-shaped cable routing component (301) and are respectively at the same horizontal position as the two cable passing pulleys (309). The arm mechanism (4) includes a wrist collar (401), with a forearm rod (402) fixedly connected to both the upper and lower ends of the wrist collar (401). A rotating joint (403) is fixedly connected to the other end of the forearm rod (402). The two rotating joints (403) are rotatably connected to the upper and lower ends of the elbow collar (405) respectively via a central rotating shaft (404). A central pulley (406) is rotatably mounted on the central rotating shaft (404). A bending pulley (407) and an extension pulley (408) are respectively provided on both sides of the 06). The bending pulley (407) and the extension pulley (408) are both fixedly installed on the rotating joint (403). A telescopic outer rod (409) is fixedly connected to the upper and lower ends of the elbow collar (405). A telescopic inner rod (410) is slidably arranged inside the telescopic outer rod (409). The telescopic outer rod (409) and the telescopic inner rod (410) are fixedly connected by a pin. The other ends of the two telescopic inner rods (410) are fixedly connected to the upper and lower ends of the shoulder collar (411), respectively. The shoulder collar (411) is fixedly connected to the shoulder pulley shaft (307). An adjusting rear rod (412) is rotatably connected to the rear end of the telescopic inner rod (410). An adjusting front rod (413) is hinged to the front end of the adjusting rear rod (412). The front end of the adjusting front rod (413) is rotatably connected to the front end of the telescopic outer rod (409). 12) The rear end, the front part of the front adjustment rod (413) and the hinge of the front adjustment rod (413) and the rear adjustment rod (412) are all rotatably equipped with guide pulleys (414). A first strap (415) is connected between the upper and lower small arm rods (402), and the first strap (415) is located in the middle of the small arm rod (402). A second strap (416) is connected between the upper and lower telescopic outer rods (409), and the second strap (416) is located at the rear end of the telescopic outer rod (409). Four drive motors (202) are fixedly mounted on the mounting plate (201) in the back plate mechanism (2). Three bidirectional take-up reels (203) are mounted on the output shafts of two of the drive motors (202), and one-way take-up reels (204) are mounted on the output shafts of the other two drive motors (202). Two strands of drive rope (211) are wound on the three bidirectional take-up reels (203), and the two strands of drive rope (211) are wound on the three bidirectional take-up reels (203). The winding directions are opposite. The other end of the drive rope (211) on one of the No. 3 bidirectional take-up reels (203) is wound around the No. 1 bidirectional take-up reel (303), and the two drive ropes (211) on the No. 1 bidirectional take-up reel (303) are wound in opposite directions. The other end of the drive rope (211) on the other No. 3 bidirectional take-up reel (203) passes around the line guide pulley (304) and multiple line guide pulleys (305) and is wound around the No. 2 bidirectional take-up reel (308), and the two... The two drive ropes (211) on the bidirectional take-up reel (308) are wound in opposite directions. A single drive rope (211) is wound on the unidirectional take-up reel (204). The drive rope (211) on one of the unidirectional take-up reels (204) passes in sequence over the cable management pulley (304), multiple cable guide pulleys (305), the upper reversing pulley (310), and the upper cable guide pulley (309), multiple guide pulleys (414), the extension pulley (408), and... The center pulley (406) is fixedly connected to the curved pulley (407), and the drive rope (211) on the other one-way take-up pulley (204) passes in sequence around the line guide pulley (304), multiple line guide pulleys (305), upper reversing pulley (310), lower reversing pulley (311), and the lower line guide pulley (309), multiple guide pulleys (414), curved pulley (407) and center pulley (406) and is fixedly connected to the extension pulley (408).
2. The rope-driven upper limb exoskeleton robot according to claim 1, characterized in that: The support mechanism (1) includes a back plate (101), on which a battery (102) for power supply is installed. An upper bow-shaped clamp (103) and a lower bow-shaped clamp (104) are rotatably connected to the upper and lower ends of the back plate (101), respectively. The upper bow-shaped clamp (103) and the lower bow-shaped clamp (104) are respectively connected to the upper and lower ends of the support rod (106) through a fisheye bearing (105). The back plate mechanism (2) is rotatably connected to the support rod (106).
3. The rope-driven upper limb exoskeleton robot according to claim 2, characterized in that: The support rod (106) includes a sleeve outer rod (1061). An upper sliding rod (1062) and a lower sliding rod (1063) are slidably arranged in the upper and lower parts of the inner cavity of the sleeve outer rod (1061), respectively. The upper sliding rod (1062) and the lower sliding rod (1063) are fixedly connected to the sleeve outer rod (1061) by a pin. The upper sliding rod (1062) is connected to the upper bow-shaped clamp (103) by a fish-eye bearing (105). The lower sliding rod (1063) is connected to the lower bow-shaped clamp (104) by a fish-eye bearing (105). A height adjusting nut (107) is threaded onto both the upper sliding rod (1062) and the lower sliding rod (1063). The height adjusting nut (107) is used to support and limit the back plate mechanism (2).
4. The rope-driven upper limb exoskeleton robot according to claim 3, characterized in that: The back plate mechanism (2) includes a mounting plate (201). A sleeve (205) is fixedly installed at both the upper and lower ends of the mounting plate (201). A connecting rod (206) is slidably installed inside the sleeve (205). The connecting rod (206) is fixedly connected to the sleeve (205) by a pin. The inner end of the connecting rod (206) is rotatably connected to the upper sliding rod (1062) or the lower sliding rod (1063). The height adjusting nut (107) is used to support and limit the connecting rod (206).
5. A rope-driven upper limb exoskeleton robot according to claim 4, characterized in that: A shim (207) is provided between two adjacent connecting rods (206) of different backplate mechanisms (2) so that the connecting rods (206) on the left and right sides are at different heights, thereby adapting to the needs of people with uneven shoulders.
6. A rope-driven upper limb exoskeleton robot according to claim 5, characterized in that: A waist belt (208) is fixedly installed on the lower bow-shaped buckle (104). The two ends of the waist belt (208) are connected together by a buckle (209). Shoulder straps (210) are fixedly installed on both the left and right sides of the upper bow-shaped buckle (103). The lower end of the shoulder straps (210) is fixedly connected to the waist belt (208).
7. A method of using a tethered upper limb exoskeleton robot, based on the tethered upper limb exoskeleton robot of claim 6, characterized in that: Includes the following steps: Determine whether the backplate mechanism (2), shoulder joint mechanism (3), and arm mechanism (4) are installed on one side or both sides according to usage requirements and environmental conditions; adjust the overall length of the support rod (106) according to the user's height; adjust the position of the connecting rods (206) on the left and right sides and the number of pads (207) according to the height difference between the user's left and right shoulders; fix the rope-driven upper limb exoskeleton robot to the user's body through the waist belt (208) and shoulder straps (210); adjust the relative position between the telescopic outer rod (409) and telescopic inner rod (410) according to the user's arm length to adapt to the user's arm length; fix the arm mechanism (4) to the user's body through the first strap (415) and the second strap (416); during operation, drive motors (202) equipped with the third bidirectional take-up reel (203) drive the user's shoulder joint to perform rotation and swinging movements, and drive the two unidirectional take-up reels (204) to perform rotation and swinging movements. The drive motor (202) drives the user's arm to perform flexion and extension movements. Specifically, the drive rope (211) located at the upper part of the arm mechanism (4) is retracted by the corresponding one-way take-up wheel (204) through the rotation of the drive motor (202). The drive rope (211) located at the upper part drives the extension pulley (408) to move closer to the guide pulley (414) located at the front end of the adjustment rod (413). At the same time, the drive rope (211) located at the lower part of the arm mechanism (4) is released by the corresponding one-way take-up wheel (204) through the rotation of the drive motor (202). The bending pulley (407) at the lower part moves away from the guide pulley (414) located at the front end of the adjustment rod (413), thereby realizing the extension movement of the arm mechanism (4). Conversely, the drive rope (211) located at the lower part of the arm mechanism (4) is retracted, and the drive rope (211) located at the upper part of the arm mechanism (4) is released, thereby realizing the bending movement of the arm mechanism (4).
Citation Information
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