Self-reconfiguration constant force arm and self-reconfiguration variable rigidity constant force auxiliary exoskeleton

Abstract

The invention discloses a self-reconfiguration constant force arm and a self-reconfiguration variable rigidity constant force auxiliary exoskeleton, and relates to the technical field of wearable exoskeleton robot driving. Comprising a large arm shell, a small arm, an adjusting motor, a gear, a linear groove cam provided with a plurality of linear grooves, a pulley adjusting assembly, a pre-tightening force adjusting assembly and the like. The second gear is provided with a plurality of guide grooves, and a pin shaft of the movable pulley correspondingly penetrates through the linear groove and the guide grooves. A controller is linked with an adjusting motor based on load pressure collected by a forearm pressure sensor, changes the rotation angle of a second gear through gear transmission, and is linked with movable pulleys to move in a linear groove under the guidance of a guide groove, so that the number of the movable pulleys entering an effective working state is changed, the joint rotation rigidity is improved, and the constant force output range is expanded. And meanwhile, the pre-tightening force adjusting assembly is linked to adjust the tightness of the rope, and the pre-tightening force within the target range is output. A fixed-configuration constant-force mechanism is converted into a variable-stiffness structure capable of being autonomously reconstructed, and wide-range accurate adjustment of constant-force output is achieved.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the field of wearable exoskeleton robot drive technology, and in particular to a self-reconfigurable constant force arm and a self-reconfigurable variable stiffness constant force auxiliary exoskeleton. Background Technology

[0002] In fields such as industrial production, rehabilitation medicine, and exoskeleton robotics, traditional exoskeleton assistive devices are limited by fixed structures and single force output modes, making it difficult to adapt to the dynamic load requirements of complex working environments. For example, in industrial handling, workers need to alternately handle parts of different weights, and in rehabilitation training, patients' muscle strength changes dynamically with the recovery process. These scenarios all require assistive exoskeletons to have flexible force adjustment capabilities.

[0003] In recent years, constant force mechanisms, as core components for gravity balance and force regulation, have become a core component of auxiliary exoskeletons due to their characteristic of "outputting a nearly constant force within a specified deformation range." By providing constant force, they achieve gravity compensation, thereby reducing muscle exertion during human movement and lowering the risk of work-related musculoskeletal injuries. Existing constant force mechanisms mainly include leaf spring type, double slider type, flexible linkage type, and articulated lever type, among which the articulated lever type is widely used due to its simple structure and concise mathematical model. Transforming the articulated lever type constant force mechanism into a "reconfigurable constant force mechanism" (a reconfigurable pulley-rope mechanism) allows for adjustment of nominal stiffness by changing the number of movable pulleys, thereby expanding the range of balance adjustment and improving the exoskeleton's adaptability to functional diversity and environmental changes.

[0004] This constant-force assisted exoskeleton mechanism also has the following problems: Constant force output can only be adjusted by manually presetting the number of movable pulleys. It cannot automatically adapt the output force according to real-time pressure changes, and requires stopping the machine to adjust the configuration. The operation is cumbersome and has poor adaptability.

[0005] The preload is only set as an initial parameter and cannot compensate for constant force deviations caused by load fluctuations through dynamic fine-tuning of the preload. When the load pressure exceeds the adjustment range of the preset configuration, the number of pulleys needs to be increased further, making it impossible to achieve continuous constant force coverage and limiting its applicable scenarios. Summary of the Invention

[0006] This invention aims to at least improve one of the technical problems existing in the prior art. To this end, this invention proposes a self-reconfigurable constant force arm and a self-reconfigurable variable stiffness constant force auxiliary exoskeleton. By dynamically changing the pulley block structure and preload according to load changes, the basic adjustment dimension and accuracy of the constant force are improved, thereby solving the problems of narrow continuous range of constant force output and inability to dynamically adapt to load.

[0007] The technical solution of the present invention is as follows: A self-reconfigurable constant lever arm, comprising: The boom housing has a main cavity and a joint cavity that are interconnected, and a main pin is installed in the boom housing located in the joint cavity; The forearm has a pressure sensor installed at its working end to collect load pressure. An adjustment motor is embedded in the forearm, and the output shaft of the adjustment motor passes through the forearm; The first gear is connected to the output shaft of the regulating motor; The second gear is connected to the main pin shaft and meshes with the first gear. The second gear has multiple guide grooves. The rotation angle of the second gear is controlled by adjusting the motor to drive the first gear to rotate. A linear groove cam is mounted on the forearm. The linear groove cam is located between the second gear and the joint cavity. Multiple linear grooves are formed on the surface of the linear groove cam. Multiple pulley adjustment assemblies are arrayed around the main pin shaft within the joint cavity. Each pulley assembly has a movable pulley, and the pin shaft of each movable pulley passes through the linear groove and the guide groove, and is movably connected to the boom housing and the guide groove. When the rotation angle of the second gear changes, the movable pulley can be moved in the linear groove under the guidance of the guide groove, thereby changing the number of movable pulleys in the effective working state. A preload adjustment assembly is installed inside the main cavity; The rope passes through each pulley adjustment assembly and is then connected to the preload adjustment assembly; The controller is connected to the pressure sensor and the regulating motor. Based on the collected load pressure, it links the regulating motor to rotate, which drives the movable pulley to pull the rope. This controls the number of movable pulleys entering the effective working state, improves the joint rotation stiffness, and thus achieves a wide range of adaptive adjustment of constant force. The controller is connected to the pretension adjustment component and is used to adjust the tension of the adjustment rope to output pretension within the target range.

[0008] In one possible technical solution, the pulley adjusting assembly comprises three sets. When the second gear is not rotating, the three sets of pulley adjusting assemblies are circumferentially distributed about the main pin shaft. Each pulley adjusting assembly includes: Two fixed pulleys are fixedly connected to the boom housing; The movable pulley, located between two fixed pulleys, can move along the linear groove under the guidance of the guide groove.

[0009] In one possible technical solution, the movable pulley further includes a first movable pulley, a second movable pulley, and a third movable pulley arranged sequentially in a counterclockwise direction, and the guide groove includes pulleys sequentially corresponding to the movable pulleys: The first guide groove includes a first arc-shaped groove and a first locking groove that connect from the outside to the inside. When the second gear rotates, the pin of the first movable pulley slides from the first arc groove into the first locking groove, and the first movable pulley is considered to have entered an effective working state. The second guide groove includes a first buffer groove, a second arc groove, and a second locking groove that are connected from the outside to the inside. During the rotation of the second gear If the pin of the second movable pulley slides from the second arc-shaped groove into the second locking groove, the second movable pulley is considered to have entered an effective working state. The third guide groove includes a second buffer groove and a third arc-shaped groove that are connected from the outside to the inside; During the rotation of the second gear If the pin of the third movable pulley slides from the second buffer groove to the bottom of the third arc-shaped groove, and the second gear stops and cannot rotate, then the third movable pulley is considered to have entered an effective working state.

[0010] In one possible technical solution, further, during the rotation of the second gear, If the pin of the first movable pulley enters the first locking groove, the pin of the second movable pulley will just enter the second arc-shaped groove at this time. When the pin of the second movable pulley enters the second locking groove, the pin of the third movable pulley happens to enter the third arc-shaped groove, so as to ensure the continuity and sustainability of the rope being pulled during the continuous rotation of the second gear, and expand the range of constant force output.

[0011] In one possible technical solution, the preload adjustment component further includes: A winch is installed in the main cavity of the boom housing and is connected to the head end of the rope for winding and releasing the rope. A preload adjustment motor is installed on the boom housing and connected to the winch; the preload adjustment motor is also connected to the controller. A connecting post is installed inside the main cavity of the boom housing and connects to the end of the rope. A spring is installed in the ropes near the winch; A tension sensor, installed between the ropes near the connecting post, is used to collect the magnitude of the rope pretension. The tension sensor is connected to the controller. Based on the collected pretension magnitude, the controller drives the winch to rotate in conjunction with the pretension adjustment motor to adjust the rope tension and output the pretension within the target range.

[0012] In one possible technical solution, the preload adjustment assembly further includes: Two auxiliary pulleys are arranged side by side to ensure that the rope inside the main cavity remains straight, which helps to improve the acquisition accuracy of the tension sensor and ensures that the deformation direction of the spring is consistent.

[0013] In one feasible technical solution, the first buffer groove and the second buffer groove are both arcs located on the same circumference, with the main pin shaft as the center.

[0014] In one possible technical solution, the central angle of the first buffer groove is further smaller than the central angle of the second buffer groove.

[0015] In one possible technical solution, the second buffer groove is further arranged at a 90-degree angle to the third arc-shaped groove.

[0016] A self-reconfigurable variable stiffness constant force assistive exoskeleton, comprising: The aforementioned self-reconfigurable constant lever arm; A parallelogram-shaped connecting rod, the end of which is connected to the self-reconfigurable constant lever arm; The back plate is connected to the middle of the parallelogram connecting rod; Lumbar support, connected to the back panel; Shoulder straps, connected to the back panel; Chest protector, connected to the shoulder straps; A belt connects the chest protector and the lumbar support.

[0017] The self-reconfigurable constant force arm and self-reconfigurable variable stiffness constant force auxiliary exoskeleton of the present invention have the following advantages compared with the prior art: 1. By utilizing a dual design mode of multi-pulley adjustment components and preload adaptive feedback adjustment, the pulley block structure reconstruction and preload dynamic fine-tuning are cleverly integrated to achieve precise control of constant force output in multiple dimensions.

[0018] 2. By employing a pulley block reconstruction and preload compensation scheme, and combining it with a pressure feedback closed-loop control system to regulate constant force, the problem of traditional devices requiring shutdown for manual adjustment and difficulty in compensating for constant force deviation is effectively overcome.

[0019] 3. By utilizing the guide grooves of gears and linear groove cams, the number of working pulleys can be dynamically increased or decreased, transforming the traditional fixed-configuration constant force mechanism into a self-reconfigurable variable stiffness structure, thus achieving constant force output coverage over a wide range.

[0020] 4. By utilizing the tension sensor in the preload adjustment assembly for real-time feedback and the dynamic response of the preload adjustment motor, precise compensation for constant force deviation under load fluctuations is achieved. This dual adjustment design ensures constant force stability while significantly improving the dynamic adaptability and adjustment accuracy of the constant force arm.

[0021] Additional aspects and advantages of the invention will be set forth in part in the description which follows, and in part will be obvious from the description, or may be learned by practice of the invention. Attached Figure Description

[0022] To more clearly illustrate the technical solutions of the embodiments of the present invention, the drawings used in the embodiments will be briefly introduced below. Obviously, the drawings described below are only some embodiments of the present invention. For those skilled in the art, other drawings can be obtained based on these drawings without creative effort.

[0023] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of the self-reconfigurable constant lever arm according to an embodiment of the present invention; Figure 2 yes Figure 1 A schematic diagram of the structure after removing the second gear and the linear groove cam; Figure 3 This is a schematic diagram of a pulley adjustment assembly for a self-reconfigurable constant arm according to an embodiment of the present invention; Figure 4 This is a schematic diagram of the adjustment process of the pulley adjustment assembly of the self-reconfigurable constant arm according to an embodiment of the present invention; Figure 5 This is a schematic diagram of the guide groove for a self-reconfigurable constant force arm according to an embodiment of the present invention; Figure 6 This is a schematic diagram of a self-reconfigurable variable stiffness constant force assisted exoskeleton structure according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0024] Figure label: Arm housing 11, joint cavity 111, main pin 112; Forearm 12, pressure sensor 121; Adjust motor 13; First gear 14; Second gear 15, guide groove 151, first guide groove 1511, first arc-shaped groove 15111, first locking groove 15112, second guide groove 1512, first buffer groove 15121, second arc-shaped groove 15122, second locking groove 15123, third guide groove 1513, second buffer groove 15131, third arc-shaped groove 15132; Linear groove cam 16, linear groove 161; Fixed pulley 170, movable pulley 171, first movable pulley 1711, second movable pulley 1712, third movable pulley 1713; 181 winch, 182 connecting column, 183 spring, 184 tension sensor, 185 auxiliary pulley; Rope 19; Self-reconfigurable constant force arm 100, parallelogram connecting rod 200, back plate 300, waist support 400, back strap 500, chest protector 600, waist belt 700. Detailed Implementation

[0025] The embodiments of the present invention are described in detail below. The embodiments described with reference to the accompanying drawings are exemplary. It should be understood that the specific embodiments described herein are merely illustrative of this application and are not intended to limit this application.

[0026] It should be noted that when a component is said to be "fixed to" another component, it can be directly attached to the other component or there may be an intervening component. When a component is said to be "connected to" another component, it can be directly connected to the other component or there may be an intervening component.

[0027] Unless otherwise defined, all technical and scientific terms used herein have the same meaning as commonly understood by one of ordinary skill in the art to which this invention pertains. The terminology used herein in the description of the invention is for the purpose of describing particular embodiments only and is not intended to be limiting of the invention. The term "and / or" as used herein includes any and all combinations of one or more of the associated listed items.

[0028] The terms "first," "second," "third," etc., in the specification, claims, and accompanying drawings of this application are used to distinguish different objects and not to describe a particular order. Furthermore, the terms "comprising" and "having," and any variations thereof, are intended to cover non-exclusive inclusion. For example, it may include a series of steps or units, or optionally, steps or units not listed, or other steps or units inherent to these processes, methods, products, or devices.

[0029] The accompanying drawings show only the portions relevant to this application, not all of them. Before discussing exemplary embodiments in more detail, it should be noted that some exemplary embodiments are described as processes or methods depicted as flowcharts. Although the flowcharts describe operations (or steps) as sequential processes, many of these operations may be performed in parallel, concurrently, or simultaneously. Furthermore, the order of the operations may be rearranged. The process may be terminated when its operation is completed, but may also have additional steps not included in the drawings. The process may correspond to a method, function, procedure, subroutine, subprogram, etc.

[0030] The terms “component,” “module,” “system,” “unit,” etc., used in this specification are used to refer to computer-related entities, hardware, firmware, combinations of hardware and software, software, or software in execution. For example, a unit can be, but is not limited to, a process running on a processor, a processor, an object, an executable file, a thread of execution, a program, and / or distributed between two or more computers. Furthermore, these units can be executed from various computer-readable media on which various data structures are stored. Units can communicate, for example, via local and / or remote processes based on signals having one or more data packets (e.g., data from a second unit interacting with another unit between a local system, a distributed system, and / or a network; for example, the Internet interacting with other systems via signals).

[0031] Example 1 This embodiment provides a self-reconfigurable constant force arm that can change the joint stiffness according to the load to output a corresponding constant force for gravity compensation. The principle of self-reconfiguration and variable stiffness is shown in the following equation: in, For joint stiffness, For the number of pulleys, For the institution's Jacobian matrix, This is the rope elongation. For spring stiffness, For rope pretension, This is the derivative of the Jacobian matrix with respect to the joint angular displacement α. This formula shows that joint stiffness can be increased by changing the number of pulleys. and rope pretension Adjustments can be made by increasing the number of self-reconfiguring movable pulleys and dynamically adjusting the preload to improve the range and continuity of constant force output.

[0032] A self-reconfigurable constant lever arm, such as Figures 1 to 5 As shown, it includes: The upper arm housing 11 has a main cavity and a joint cavity 111 that are interconnected. A main pin 112 is installed in the upper arm housing 11 located in the joint cavity 111 to serve as the joint center. The forearm 12 has a pressure sensor 121 installed at its working end for collecting load pressure; An adjustment motor 13 is embedded in the forearm 12, and the output shaft of the adjustment motor 13 passes through the forearm 12; The first gear 14 is connected to the output shaft of the regulating motor 13; The second gear 15 is connected to the main pin shaft 112 and meshes with the first gear 14. The second gear 15 is provided with a plurality of guide grooves 151. The rotation angle of the second gear 15 is controlled by adjusting the motor 13 to drive the first gear 14 to rotate. A linear groove cam 16 is mounted on the forearm 12. The linear groove cam 16 is located between the second gear 15 and the joint cavity 111. The surface of the linear groove cam 16 has multiple linear grooves 161. Multiple pulley adjustment assemblies are arrayed around the main pin shaft 112 within the joint cavity 111. Each pulley assembly has a movable pulley 171, with the pin shaft of each movable pulley 171 passing through the linear groove 161 and the guide groove 151, and being movably connected to the boom housing 11 and the guide groove 151. When the rotation angle of the second gear 15 changes, the movable pulley 171 can move in the linear groove 161 under the guidance of the guide groove 151, thereby changing the number of pulleys entering the effective working state. A preload adjustment assembly, installed within the main cavity, includes: A winch 181 is installed in the main cavity of the boom housing 11 and is connected to the head end of the rope 19 for winding and releasing the rope 19. A preload adjustment motor is installed on the boom housing 11 and connected to the winch 181. The preload adjustment motor is also connected to the controller. Connecting post 182 is installed in the main cavity of the boom housing 11 and connects to the end of rope 19; Spring 183 is installed in the ropes 19 near the winch 181; A tension sensor 184 is installed between the ropes 19 near the connecting post 182 to collect the pretension force of the ropes 19. The tension sensor 184 is connected to the controller. Based on the collected pretension force, the controller drives the winch 181 to rotate in conjunction with the pretension force adjustment motor to adjust the tension of the ropes 19 and output the pretension force within the target range. Rope 19 passes through each pulley adjustment assembly and is connected to the preload adjustment assembly; The controller is connected to the pressure sensor 121 and the regulating motor 13. Based on the collected load pressure, the regulating motor 13 is rotated to drive the movable pulley 171 to pull the rope 19, thereby controlling the number of movable pulleys 171 entering the effective working state, improving the joint rotation stiffness, and thus realizing a wide range of adaptive adjustment of constant force. The controller is connected to the pretension adjustment assembly and is used to adjust the tension of the adjustment rope 19 to output pretension within the target range.

[0033] It should be noted that in this embodiment, there are a total of three sets of pulley adjustment components. When the second gear 15 is not rotating, the three sets of pulley adjustment components are circumferentially distributed about the main pin shaft 112. Each pulley adjustment component includes: Two fixed pulleys 170 are fixedly connected to the boom housing 11; The movable pulley 171 is located between two fixed pulleys 170 and can move along the linear groove 161 under the guidance of the guide groove 151.

[0034] Specifically, the second gear 15 of the present invention has three guide grooves 151 corresponding to three movable pulleys 171 respectively, and the number of movable pulleys can be increased based on the adaptable constant force range.

[0035] The movable pulley 171 includes a first movable pulley 1711, a second movable pulley 1712, and a third movable pulley 1713 arranged sequentially in a counterclockwise direction. When the three movable pulleys and the fixed pulley 170 are arranged in a circle, and the second gear 15 is not rotating, this is the initial state, and the number of movable pulleys in the effective working state is [number missing]. =0, therefore the joint stiffness is: .

[0036] like Figure 4 and Figure 5 As shown, the guide groove 151 includes sections corresponding sequentially to the movable pulley 171: The first guide groove 1511 includes a first arc-shaped groove 15111 and a first locking groove 15112 that are connected from the outside to the inside. As the second gear 15 rotates, its rotation angle reaches When the pin of the first movable pulley 1711 slides from the first arc-shaped groove 15111 into the first locking groove 15112, the first movable pulley 1711 is considered to have entered an effective working state and can be locked in the first locking groove 15112. At this time, the number of movable pulleys in the effective working state N=1, and the joint stiffness is: ; The second guide groove 1512 includes a first buffer groove 15121, a second arc-shaped groove 15122, and a second locking groove 15123 that are connected from the outside to the inside. During the rotation of the second gear 15 If its rotation angle does not reach That is, when the pin of the first movable pulley 1711 slides in the first arc-shaped groove 15111, the pin of the second movable pulley 1712 moves in the first buffer groove 15121. If its rotation angle reaches When the pin of the second movable pulley 1712 slides from the second arc-shaped groove 15122 into the second locking groove 15123, the second movable pulley 1712 is considered to have entered an effective working state and can be locked in the second locking groove 15123. At this time, the number of movable pulleys in the effective working state is N=2, and the joint stiffness is: The third guide groove 1513 includes a second buffer groove 15131 and a third arc-shaped groove 15132 that are connected from the outside to the inside. During the rotation of the second gear 15 If its rotation angle is within and During this period, when the pin of the second movable pulley 1712 slides within the second arc-shaped groove 15122, the pin of the third movable pulley 1713 moves within the second buffer groove 15131. If its rotation angle reaches When the pin of the third movable pulley 1713 slides from the second buffer groove 15131 to the bottom of the third arc-shaped groove 15132, and the second gear 15 stops and cannot rotate, the third movable pulley 1713 is considered to have entered an effective working state. At this time, the number of movable pulleys in the effective working state is N=3, and the joint stiffness is: , Thus, by rotating the second gear 15, the guide groove 151 is changed, which pushes the movable pulley 171 into the effective working state in sequence. The overall structure of the constant force arm is reconstructed to realize the variable stiffness of the entire constant force mechanism, thereby expanding the range of constant force output, providing a basic adjustment dimension for constant force output, and realizing the dynamic autonomous adjustment of constant force.

[0037] It should be noted that, in this embodiment, with the main pin 112 as the center, the first buffer groove 15121 and the second buffer groove 15131 are both arcs on the same circumference.

[0038] It should be noted that, in this embodiment, during the rotation of the second gear 15, When the pin of the second movable pulley 1712 enters the second locking groove 15123, the pin of the third movable pulley 1713 just enters the third arc-shaped groove 15132, so as to ensure the continuity and sustainability of the rope being pulled during the continuous rotation of the second gear 15 and expand the range of constant force output.

[0039] Specifically, the central angle of the first buffer groove 15121 is smaller than the central angle of the second buffer groove 15131. The second buffer groove 15131 is set at a 90-degree angle to the third arc-shaped groove 15132.

[0040] It should be noted that, in this embodiment, the preload adjustment component further includes: Two auxiliary pulleys 185 are arranged side by side to ensure that the rope 19 in the main cavity is always straight, which helps to improve the accuracy of tension acquisition and ensures that the deformation direction of the spring 183 is consistent.

[0041] It should be noted that, in this embodiment, one end of the rope 19 is fixed in the rope groove of the winch 181 and connected in series with the spring 183, passing sequentially around the fixed pulley 170 and the movable pulley 171, and the other end is fixedly connected to the tension sensor 184. The preload adjustment motor is fixed to the boom housing 11 by screws.

[0042] In the initial state where the second gear 15 has not rotated, the preload adjusting motor rotates, and the winch 181 winds the rope 19 to stretch the spring 183, so that the rope 19 obtains the initial preload.

[0043] When the adjusting motor 13 drives the second gear 15 to pull the pulley 171 to pull the rope 19, in order to avoid the initial pretension force from changing abruptly and causing the spring 183 to fail, the pretension force adjusting motor of the pretension force adjusting component simultaneously relaxes the rope 19 by an equal amount, so as to always maintain the initial pretension force constant.

[0044] After the load is applied, the tension sensor 184 collects the magnitude of the preload in real time and transmits it to the controller.

[0045] When load pressure fluctuations cause insufficient output constant force to balance the load, the controller calculates the required preload adjustment based on the current load and sends a control signal to the preload adjustment motor, specifically: If the tension is insufficient, the controller controls the pretension adjustment motor to drive the winch 181 to shorten the length of the rope 19, and the tension spring 183 increases the pretension. If the tension is too great, the controller controls the pretension adjustment motor to drive the winch 181 to extend the length of the rope 19 and relax the spring 183 to reduce the pretension.

[0046] Through the above dynamic adjustment, the preload can be kept stable at 0 ≤ ≤ Within the target range, the joint stiffness can be adaptively adjusted, that is: .

[0047] This invention can acquire load pressure signals in real time, providing a decision-making basis for the control system, constructing a closed-loop regulation system, and realizing adaptive adjustment of constant force. The pressure sensor 121 is fixed to the working end of the forearm 12, with its sensing surface in contact with the load, transmitting load data to the controller. The controller determines the adjustment method based on the current constant force arm structure and load size. If the load exceeds the preload fine-tuning range of the preload adjustment component, the controller sends a signal to the adjustment motor 13 to adjust the number of movable pulleys 171 that enter the effective working state to change the basic constant force. If the load is within the pretension fine-tuning range of the pretension adjustment component, the controller sends a signal to the pretension adjustment motor to fine-tune the rope pretension until the tension deviation collected by the tension sensor 184 meets the accuracy requirements, thus realizing the closed-loop adaptive adjustment of constant force.

[0048] Example 2 This embodiment provides a self-reconfigurable variable stiffness constant force assistive exoskeleton, which can be used to help the elderly and manual laborers complete heavy lifting tasks, and to help patients gradually recover upper limb strength in medical rehabilitation, reducing muscle activity and the risk of work-related injuries. Figure 6 As shown, the self-reconfigurable variable stiffness constant force assisted exoskeleton includes: The aforementioned self-reconfigurable constant lever arm 100; The parallelogram linkage 200, whose end is connected to the self-reconfigurable constant force arm 100, ensures that the auxiliary exoskeleton can adapt to the limb during shoulder joint movement, and avoids misalignment between the mechanical structure and human movement; The back plate 300 is connected to the middle of the parallelogram connecting rod 200; The lumbar support 400 is connected to the back plate 300; The shoulder strap 500 is connected to the back plate 300; The chest protector 600 is connected to the shoulder strap 500; The waist belt 700 connects the chest protector 600 and the waist support 400.

[0049] The self-reconfigurable constant force arm and self-reconfigurable variable stiffness constant force auxiliary exoskeleton of the present invention have the following advantages compared with the prior art: 1. By utilizing a dual design mode of multi-pulley adjustment components and preload adaptive feedback adjustment, the pulley block structure reconstruction and preload dynamic fine-tuning are cleverly integrated to achieve precise control of constant force output in multiple dimensions.

[0050] 2. By employing a pulley block reconstruction and preload compensation scheme, and combining it with a pressure feedback closed-loop control system to regulate constant force, the problem of traditional devices requiring shutdown for manual adjustment and difficulty in compensating for constant force deviation is effectively overcome.

[0051] 3. By utilizing the guide grooves of gears and linear groove cams, the number of working pulleys can be dynamically increased or decreased, transforming the traditional fixed-configuration constant force mechanism into a self-reconfigurable variable stiffness structure, thus achieving constant force output coverage over a wide range.

[0052] 4. By utilizing the tension sensor in the preload adjustment assembly for real-time feedback and the dynamic response of the preload adjustment motor, precise compensation for constant force deviation under load fluctuations is achieved. This dual adjustment design ensures constant force stability while significantly improving the dynamic adaptability and adjustment accuracy of the constant force arm.

[0053] This invention successfully overcomes the technical challenges of constant-force exoskeletons in terms of dynamic load adaptation, adjustment continuity, and reliability, providing an innovative technical solution for applications with stringent requirements for precision and adaptability, such as medical rehabilitation and industrial heavy-duty handling. Compared with traditional constant-force exoskeletons, this solution exhibits significant advantages in terms of constant-force adjustment range, dynamic response speed, and ease of operation, meeting diverse needs from light tool operation to heavy equipment handling, and effectively reducing the risk of musculoskeletal injuries.

[0054] In the description of this invention, it should be understood that the terms "center," "longitudinal," "lateral," "length," "width," "thickness," "upper," "lower," "front," "rear," "left," "right," "vertical," "horizontal," "top," "bottom," "inner," "outer," "clockwise," "counterclockwise," "axial," "radial," and "circumferential" indicate the orientation or positional relationship based on the orientation or positional relationship shown in the accompanying drawings. They are used only for the convenience of describing this invention and simplifying the description, and do not indicate or imply that the device or element referred to must have a specific orientation, or be constructed and operated in a specific orientation. Therefore, they should not be construed as limitations on the invention.

[0055] In the description of this specification, references to terms such as "one embodiment," "some embodiments," "illustrative embodiment," "example," "specific example," or "some examples," etc., refer to specific features, structures, materials, or characteristics described in connection with that embodiment or example, which are included in at least one embodiment or example of the present invention. In this specification, the illustrative expressions of the above terms do not necessarily refer to the same embodiment or example.

[0056] Obviously, the described embodiments are only a part of the embodiments of this application, and not all of the embodiments. The reference to "embodiment" herein means that a specific feature, structure, or characteristic described in connection with an embodiment can be included in at least one embodiment of this application. The appearance of this phrase in various places in the specification does not necessarily indicate the same embodiment, nor is it an independent or alternative embodiment mutually exclusive with other embodiments. It will be explicitly and implicitly understood by those skilled in the art that the embodiments described herein can be combined with other embodiments. All other embodiments obtained by those skilled in the art based on the embodiments of this application without inventive effort are within the scope of protection of this application.

[0057] Although embodiments of the invention have been shown and described, those skilled in the art will understand that various changes, modifications, substitutions and alterations can be made to these embodiments without departing from the principles and spirit of the invention, the scope of which is defined by the claims and their equivalents.

Claims

1. A self-reconfigurable constant lever arm, characterized in that, include: The boom housing (11) has a main cavity and a joint cavity (111) that are interconnected. A main pin (112) is installed in the boom housing (11) located in the joint cavity (111). The forearm (12) has a pressure sensor (121) installed at its working end for collecting load pressure; An adjustment motor (13) is embedded in the forearm (12), and the output shaft of the adjustment motor (13) passes through the forearm (12). The first gear (14) is connected to the output shaft of the regulating motor (13); The second gear (15) is connected to the main pin (112) and meshes with the first gear (14), wherein the second gear (15) is provided with a plurality of guide grooves (151). A linear groove cam (16) is mounted on the forearm (12). The linear groove cam (16) is located between the second gear (15) and the joint cavity (111). The surface of the linear groove cam (16) has multiple linear grooves (161). Multiple pulley adjustment assemblies are arrayed around the main pin (112) in the joint cavity (111). The pulley assembly has a movable pulley (171). The pin of each movable pulley (171) passes through the linear groove (161) and the guide groove (151) respectively, and is movably connected to the boom housing (11) and the guide groove (151). When the rotation angle of the second gear (15) changes, the movable pulley (171) can move in the linear groove (161) under the guidance of the guide groove (151), thereby changing the number of movable pulleys that enter the effective working state. A preload adjustment assembly is installed inside the main cavity; The rope (19) passes through each pulley adjustment assembly and is connected to the pretension adjustment assembly; The controller is connected to the pressure sensor (121) and the regulating motor (13). Based on the collected load pressure, the regulating motor (13) rotates in conjunction with the controller, which drives the movable pulley (171) to pull the rope (19) to control the number of movable pulleys (171) entering the effective working state, thereby improving the joint rotation stiffness and realizing the wide-range adaptive adjustment of constant force. The controller is connected to the pretension adjustment assembly and is used to adjust the tension of the adjustment rope (19) to output pretension within the target range.

2. The self-reconfigurable constant lever arm according to claim 1, characterized in that, There are a total of three sets of pulley adjustment assemblies. When the second gear (15) is not rotating, the three sets of pulley adjustment assemblies are circumferentially distributed about the main pin shaft (112). Each pulley adjustment assembly includes: Two fixed pulleys (170) are fixedly connected to the boom housing (11); The movable pulley (171) is located between two fixed pulleys (170) and can move along the linear groove (161) under the guidance of the guide groove (151).

3. The self-reconfigurable constant lever arm according to claim 1, characterized in that, The movable pulley (171) includes a first movable pulley (1711), a second movable pulley (1712), and a third movable pulley (1713) arranged sequentially in a counterclockwise direction, and the guide groove (151) includes sections corresponding to the movable pulleys (171) in sequence: The first guide groove (1511) includes a first arc-shaped groove (15111) and a first locking groove (15112) that are connected from the outside to the inside. When the second gear (15) rotates, the pin of the first movable pulley (1711) slides from the first arc groove (15111) into the first locking groove (15112), and the first movable pulley (1711) is considered to have entered the effective working state. The second guide groove (1512) includes a first buffer groove (15121), a second arc-shaped groove (15122), and a second locking groove (15123) that are connected from the outside to the inside. As the second gear (15) rotates, If the pin of the second movable pulley (1712) slides from the second arc-shaped groove (15122) into the second locking groove (15123), then the second movable pulley (1712) is considered to have entered the effective working state; The third guide groove (1513) includes a second buffer groove (15131) and a third arc-shaped groove (15132) that are connected from the outside to the inside. As the second gear (15) rotates, If the pin of the third movable pulley (1713) slides from the second buffer groove (15131) to the bottom of the third arc groove (15132), and the second gear (15) stops and cannot rotate, then the third movable pulley (1713) is considered to have entered an effective working state.

4. The self-reconfigurable constant lever arm according to claim 3, characterized in that, As the second gear (15) rotates, If the pin of the first movable pulley (1711) enters the first locking groove (15112), the pin of the second movable pulley (1712) will just enter the second arc-shaped groove (15122). If the pin of the second movable pulley (1712) enters the second locking groove (15123), the pin of the third movable pulley (1713) will just enter the third arc groove (15132) to ensure the continuity and sustainability of the rope being pulled during the continuous rotation of the second gear (15) and to expand the range of constant force output.

5. The self-reconfigurable constant lever arm according to claim 1, characterized in that, The preload adjustment assembly includes: A winch (181) is installed in the main cavity of the boom housing (11) and connected to the head end of the rope (19) for winding and releasing the rope (19). A preload adjustment motor is installed in the boom housing (11) away from the winch (181) and connected to the winch (181). The preload adjustment motor is connected to the controller. A connecting post (182) is installed in the main cavity of the boom housing (11) and connects to the end of the rope (19); A spring (183) is installed between ropes (19) near the winch (181); A tension sensor (184) is installed between the ropes (19) near the connecting post (182) to collect the pretension force of the ropes (19). The tension sensor (184) is connected to the controller. Based on the collected pretension force, the pretension force adjusting motor drives the winch (181) to rotate, so as to adjust the tension of the ropes (19) and output the pretension force within the target range.

6. The self-reconfigurable constant lever arm according to claim 5, characterized in that, The preload adjustment assembly further includes: Two auxiliary pulleys (185) are arranged side by side.

7. The self-reconfigurable constant lever arm according to claim 3, characterized in that, With the main pin (112) as the center, the first buffer groove (15121) and the second buffer groove (15131) are both arcs on the same circumference.

8. The self-reconfigurable constant lever arm according to claim 7, characterized in that, The central angle of the first buffer groove (15121) is smaller than the central angle of the second buffer groove (15131).

9. The self-reconfigurable constant lever arm according to claim 3, characterized in that, The second buffer groove (15131) is set at a 90-degree angle to the third arc-shaped groove (15132).

10. A self-reconfigurable variable stiffness constant force auxiliary exoskeleton, characterized in that, include: The self-reconfigurable constant lever arm (100) according to any one of claims 1 to 9. A parallelogram-shaped link (200) is connected at its end to the self-reconfigurable constant lever arm (100). The back plate (300) is connected to the middle of the parallelogram connecting rod (200); A lumbar support (400) is connected to the back panel (300); The carrying strap (500) is connected to the back plate (300); A chest protector (600) is connected to the shoulder strap (500); A waist belt (700) connects the chest protector (600) and the lumbar support (400).

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