A high strength ankle passive exoskeleton suitable for use with a large weight person

Abstract

The application discloses a high-strength passive ankle exoskeleton suitable for people with a weight of more than 75 kg, which comprises a proximal shank binding assembly, left-right symmetrical carbon fiber anti-torsion support strips, a rear integrated carbon fiber energy storage spring piece, an ankle adjustable angle mechanical hinge, a semi-enclosed rigid foot bottom support shell and a multi-point locking binding system. The device realizes weight load shunting through proximal shank bearing, and can reduce ankle joint load by 15%-30%. The carbon fiber spring piece realizes energy storage, buffering and ground-pushing assistance in a gait cycle. The bilateral carbon fiber support forms a wrapped anti-torsion cage, effectively limiting ankle joint varus, eversion and horizontal torsion. The mechanical hinge can realize adjustable dorsiflexion and plantar flexion angles, and has a mountain climbing locking gear. The overall structure safety factor is greater than or equal to 5.0, and the lightweight passive design can meet the high-intensity sports requirements such as running, jumping, sudden stopping and turning, outdoor mountaineering and the like, and solves the problems of large ankle joint load, easy sprain and insufficient stability of people with a large weight during sports.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the field of sports protective equipment and passive exoskeleton technology, specifically to a support, load reduction, assistance and limit device for the ankle joint, suitable for high-intensity exercise and outdoor mountaineering for heavy-weight people. Background Technology

[0002] Currently available ankle braces and supports only provide mild restraint and stability, failing to achieve weight distribution and exercise assistance. Traditional rehabilitation AFO foot braces are too soft and lack rigidity, unable to meet the needs of strenuous activities such as running, jumping, and mountain climbing. Some carbon fiber energy storage devices are mostly used in the field of prostheses and are not suitable for able-bodied people. Conventional passive assistive structures mostly use springs, ropes, or flexible straps, which have poor torsional resistance and lack strong lateral protection, making them prone to ankle sprains. At the same time, most existing products are designed for light-weight individuals and lack high-strength, high-safety redundancy structures for people weighing over 75kg, making it difficult to protect the ankle joint during strenuous exercise. Summary of the Invention

[0003] The purpose of this invention is to overcome the shortcomings of existing technologies and provide a high-strength passive ankle exoskeleton suitable for heavy-weight people and can be used for running, jumping and mountain climbing, achieving integrated functions of joint load reduction, energy storage assistance, ankle sprain prevention, angle limitation and mountain climbing locking.

[0004] 3.1 Overall Structure The present invention includes: a lower leg binding component, left and right carbon fiber anti-torsion support strips, a rear integrated carbon fiber energy storage spring, an adjustable angle mechanical hinge for the ankle, a semi-enclosed rigid foot support shell, a heel TPU shock-absorbing block, a wear-resistant rubber sole, and instep and heel locking straps.

[0005] 3.2 Load Diversion Principle: Body weight is mainly transferred through the calf straps to the carbon fiber support strips on both sides and the carbon fiber spring sheet on the back, and then directly to the foot support shell and the ground, so that the ankle joint does not bear the main load, achieving a load reduction effect of 15% to 30%.

[0006] 3.3 Energy Storage Assist Principle: The carbon fiber springs bend and store energy during the ground contact phase, provide rigid support during the support phase, and rebound and release energy during the push-off phase to assist the human body in forward propulsion; during the landing phase, they work with the heel shock absorber to absorb impact and protect the ankle, knee, and lumbar spine.

[0007] 3.4 Limiting and Anti-torsion Principle: The double-sided carbon fiber support strips form a wrap-around anti-torsion cage, limiting inward, outward and abnormal torsion; the mechanical hinge limits the flexion and extension angle to prevent excessive dorsiflexion and plantarflexion, and the climbing mode can be locked to prevent kneeling downhill. Attached Figure Description Figure 1 Side view of the overall structure. Figure 2 Front view of the overall structure. Figure 3 Schematic diagram of ankle hinge angle limit. Figure 4 Schematic diagram of load diversion path. Detailed Implementation

[0008] The calf binding component uses a double-layer wide strap to fix it to the calf muscle area, achieving proximal support. The strap is 50mm wide and can withstand a tensile force of no less than 1500N, preventing slippage during exercise.

[0009] The carbon fiber energy storage spring is integrally hot-pressed using T800 grade unidirectional carbon fiber prepreg, with a thickness of 2.6mm. It continuously covers the back of the calf, heel and sole, with a bending strength ≥4500MPa and a fatigue life ≥10 million gait cycles. It has the functions of energy storage, cushioning and assist.

[0010] Carbon fiber anti-torsion support strips are symmetrically arranged on both sides of the ankle, with a thickness of 4.0mm. They are equipped with lateral wings to form a wrap-around anti-torsion cage with an anti-torsion torque of ≥200N・m. They limit the inversion and eversion of the ankle joint by ±4° and the horizontal twisting by ≤2°, preventing sprains during sudden stops and changes of direction.

[0011] The mechanical hinge is located at the corresponding positions of the inner and outer ankles, with a pin diameter of 6mm. It is made of 6061-T6 aluminum alloy, with an adjustable dorsiflexion range of 0° to 12° and an adjustable plantarflexion range of 0° to 30°. It has a locking mechanism, and the climbing mode can lock the angle to prevent kneeling when descending.

[0012] The sole shell has a semi-enclosed structure, made of PP+GF30 material, with a thickness of 3.0mm, conforming to the arch and heel. The bottom has a 4.0mm thick wear-resistant rubber layer, and the heel has a 12mm thick TPU shock-absorbing block, which can absorb 30% to 40% of the impact upon landing.

[0013] The overall weight per side is ≤250g. It has a passive, purely mechanical structure that requires no power supply or drive. It can be worn directly inside sports shoes or worn outside. Its appearance is similar to sports equipment, and it does not feel like a medical brace.

[0014] Beneficial effects

[0015] It can achieve a weight distribution of 15% to 30% on the ankle joint, effectively reducing pressure on the articular cartilage and protecting the ankle joint.

[0016] Carbon fiber springs passively store energy and release energy upon impact, saving 20% ​​to 25% of calf muscle strength, making walking, running, and jumping less strenuous and reducing impact upon landing.

[0017] The dual-sided wrap-around anti-torsion cage structure effectively restricts abnormal inversion, eversion, and twisting of the ankle joint, significantly reducing the risk of ankle sprains and making it suitable for high-intensity sports.

[0018] The adjustable-angle mechanical hinge with a mountaineering lock function allows for switching between different modes depending on the activity level, such as walking, running, jumping, or mountaineering, making it highly practical.

[0019] Designed for individuals weighing 75-110kg, with a safety factor of ≥5.0, an ultimate vertical load of ≥5000N, and an ultimate lateral load of ≥2200N, it can withstand high-intensity loads from running, jumping, mountain climbing, and sudden stops and changes of direction, demonstrating strong durability. Its lightweight design, with a weight of ≤250g per side, allows for everyday wear without hindering normal activities. It also boasts an aesthetically pleasing appearance, avoiding the unhealthy look of medical braces.

Claims

1. A high-strength passive ankle exoskeleton suitable for overweight individuals, characterized in that, include: The system includes a calf binding component, symmetrically arranged carbon fiber anti-torsion support bars, an integrated carbon fiber energy storage spring on the rear side, an adjustable angle mechanical hinge at the ankle, a semi-enclosed rigid foot support shell, and a multi-point locking strap system. The carbon fiber anti-torsion support bar and the carbon fiber energy storage spring together form a continuous load-bearing structure extending from the lower leg to the sole of the foot, so that the weight load can be directly transferred to the ground by bypassing the ankle joint. The mechanical hinge is used to limit the range of motion of the ankle joint in dorsiflexion and plantarflexion, and has a locking mechanism.

2. The exoskeleton according to claim 1, characterized in that, The carbon fiber energy storage spring is integrally hot-pressed from T800 grade unidirectional carbon fiber prepreg, with a thickness of 2.4 to 2.8 mm, and has the functions of ground contact energy storage, landing cushioning, vertical support and ground push energy release.

3. The exoskeleton according to claim 1, characterized in that, The carbon fiber anti-torsion support bar is not less than 4.0 mm thick and has lateral wrapping wings to form an anti-torsion cage, which can limit the inversion and eversion angle of the ankle joint to within ±4° and the horizontal torsion angle to within 2°.

4. The exoskeleton according to claim 1, characterized in that, The mechanical hinge has an adjustable dorsiflexion range of 0° to 12° and an adjustable plantarflexion range of 0° to 30°, and can be locked to a fixed angle in mountaineering mode.

5. The exoskeleton according to claim 1, characterized in that, The calf binding component is located in the lower 1 / 3 of the calf muscle area, and load is transferred through double-layer wide straps to avoid compressing the bones.

6. The exoskeleton according to claim 1, characterized in that, The semi-enclosed rigid foot support shell has a TPU shock-absorbing structure and a wear-resistant rubber layer at the bottom, and a shock-absorbing block is set at the heel, which can absorb 30% to 40% of the impact upon landing.

7. The exoskeleton according to claim 1, characterized in that, The overall applicable weight is 75-110kg, the safety factor is not less than 5.0, and it can withstand high-intensity loads such as running, jumping, mountain climbing, and sudden stops and changes of direction.

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