Integrated knee joint exoskeleton joint device

Abstract

The application discloses an integrated knee joint exoskeleton joint device, which comprises a joint module, a thigh support frame, a calf support frame and a thigh and calf supporting plate; the joint module is fixed between the thigh support frame and the calf support frame through a through-hole screw; the thigh and calf supporting plate comprises a first calf supporting plate, a second calf supporting plate and a thigh supporting plate; the thigh supporting plate is fixed between the thigh support frame and the thigh supporting plate through a thigh adjustable mechanism; the second calf supporting plate is fixed between the calf support frame and the second calf supporting plate through a calf adjustable mechanism; and the first calf supporting plate is fixed on the calf support frame. The whole device realizes the design target of simplifying the structure, reducing the volume and lowering the weight, significantly improves the transmission efficiency and man-machine cooperation performance, and can fully meet the practical application requirements of human lower limb assistance.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the field of exoskeleton robot technology, and provides an integrated knee exoskeleton joint device. Background Technology

[0002] With the increasing aging population and the development of industrial automation, the demand for exoskeleton robots in rehabilitation medicine and industrial assistance is growing. As the core joint for lower limb movement, the knee joint's structural performance directly affects the assistive effect and wearing experience of the exoskeleton. Currently, existing rigid knee exoskeletons generally suffer from the following drawbacks:

[0003] (1) Complex drive and transmission structure: Traditional solutions often use separate motor and reducer arrangement, or connect them through intermediate transmission components such as lead screw and synchronous belt. The drive components are scattered and the transmission path is long, resulting in large joint volume, heavy weight, and high energy loss, making it difficult to achieve the goal of miniaturization and lightweight design.

[0004] (2) Poor fit and wearing experience: Most products are designed with a fixed size and lack adjustment structure for wearers of different body types. It is difficult to ensure that the joint rotation center is coaxial with the human knee joint. During exercise, human-machine interference is likely to occur, and even secondary injury may occur. At the same time, the traditional wearing and fixing method is not stable enough, the pressure distribution is uneven, the comfort is poor, and the support frame has poor fit, the center of gravity shifts outward, and the movement coordination is weak.

[0005] (3) Inconvenient maintenance and use: The existing structures are mostly integrated designs, which are difficult to disassemble and assemble, making them inconvenient for later maintenance and carrying, and difficult to meet the needs of quick wear in different scenarios.

[0006] Therefore, in view of the above-mentioned shortcomings of existing rigid knee exoskeletons, there is an urgent need to develop an integrated knee exoskeleton joint device with highly integrated drive units, compact structure, strong adaptability and convenient assembly and disassembly. Summary of the Invention

[0007] In order to overcome the above-mentioned shortcomings and deficiencies of the prior art, the purpose of this invention is to provide an integrated knee exoskeleton joint device.

[0008] The objective of this invention is achieved through the following technical solution:

[0009] An integrated knee exoskeleton device includes a joint module, thigh and calf support plates, a thigh support frame, and a calf support frame. The joint module is fixed to the thigh support frame and the calf support frame respectively using through-hole threaded rods. The thigh and calf support plates include a first calf support plate, a second calf support plate, and a thigh support plate. The thigh support plate is fixed to the thigh support frame via a thigh adjustable mechanism, and the second calf support plate is fixed to the calf support frame via a calf adjustable mechanism. The first calf support plate is fixed to the calf support frame.

[0010] Furthermore, the joint module includes a motor and reducer integrated unit, a first inner shell assembly, a second inner shell assembly, a thigh-side outer shell assembly, and a calf-side outer shell assembly. The first inner shell assembly and the second inner shell assembly are respectively fixed to the motor and reducer integrated unit, the thigh-side outer shell assembly is fixed to the second inner shell assembly, and the calf-side outer shell assembly is fixed to the output flange surface of the motor and reducer integrated unit, thereby realizing the relative rotation of the thigh-side outer shell assembly and the calf-side outer shell assembly.

[0011] Furthermore, the thigh support plate and the second calf support plate are located on the back of the thigh and calf respectively, and are fixed to the ends of the thigh support frame and the calf support frame. The second calf support plate is placed above the calf muscle, and the first calf support plate is located on the side of the calf. Each support plate has a corresponding binding piece to fix it to the human body, forming a three-point wearing fixation structure and a triangular wrap-around structure.

[0012] Furthermore, the thigh support frame and the calf support frame are spiral-shaped with rounded rectangular cross-sections.

[0013] Furthermore, the thigh adjustable mechanism includes a thigh adjustment guide rail, a thigh limiting cap, and a thigh support plate buckle. With the thigh support plate buckle in the adjustment state, the thigh support plate moves laterally on the thigh adjustment guide rail, adjusting the thigh support plate to be located at the rear end of the wearer's thigh. At this time, pulling the thigh support plate buckle will put it in a locked state.

[0014] Furthermore, the rear side of the thigh support plate is designed with two slightly opening and closing hammer-shaped structures, the hammer heads of which cooperate with the thigh adjustment guide rail.

[0015] Furthermore, a cylindrical boss is designed on one side of the thigh support buckle. The width of the boss is positioned between the two hammers of the thigh support, allowing the hammer-shaped structure to open and the hammers to engage with the thigh adjustment rail.

[0016] Furthermore, it also includes a lumbar suspension assembly, which connects the thigh support frame and the waist belt via straps, so that the thigh support frame is suspended on the waist belt via the straps.

[0017] Furthermore, the motor and reducer integrated unit applies torque and transmits the force to the thigh and calf support plates through the thigh support frame and calf support frame, thereby transmitting the force to the thigh and calf to assist knee joint movement. The thigh support plate and the second calf support plate are located on the back of the thigh and calf, which is more conducive to the assistance of the exoskeleton in the sagittal plane.

[0018] Furthermore, the second inner shell assembly is provided with a boss, leaving a space between the second inner shell assembly and the thigh-side outer shell assembly for placing the drive control board.

[0019] Compared with the prior art, the present invention has the following advantages and beneficial effects:

[0020] 1. The present invention adopts a compact joint module. By integrating the motor and reducer integrated unit, the inner shell assembly and the outer shell assembly into the same joint module, a compact joint module is formed, which reduces the number of connecting parts in the traditional split joint structure and significantly reduces the volume and structural complexity of the joint.

[0021] Compared to traditional solutions where the motor and reducer are arranged radially in parallel or connected via an intermediate transmission component, this layout allows the radial dimension of the joint module to be determined solely by the outer diameter of the motor, and the thickness to be determined solely by the sum of the axial length of the motor and the axial length of the reducer, achieving extremely high space utilization.

[0022] In addition, the coaxial arrangement of the motor, reducer, inner shell assembly and outer shell assembly makes the force transmission path clear during joint movement, reduces eccentric load and additional bending moment, and improves the stress rationality and reliability of the joint structure.

[0023] 2. The present invention adopts an adjustable mechanism, which achieves precise adjustment and fixation of the lateral position of the tray through "guide rail sliding + buckle locking".

[0024] The second calf support and thigh support can move freely laterally along the guide rail, and can be precisely adjusted to the back of the wearer's thigh and calf. It is suitable for wearers with different body types, such as thigh circumference of 40~60cm and calf circumference of 30~50cm, breaking through the limitation of single-size fitting and improving the versatility of the product.

[0025] It adopts a snap-on push-pull locking structure. After adjustment, pulling the snap will achieve rigid locking. No tools are required. It is easy to operate and securely fixed, preventing the support plate from shifting during movement and greatly improving the convenience of wearing and adjusting.

[0026] Precise adjustment of the support plate position ensures a higher degree of coaxiality between the exoskeleton's knee joint rotation center and the human knee joint, reducing human-machine interaction conflicts during exercise and improving the flexibility of joint movement.

[0027] The addition of a limit cap structure can not only strictly limit the movement range of the pallet and prevent it from falling off the guide rail, but also provide positioning guidance for pallet assembly, thereby improving the structural reliability and assembly convenience of the mechanism.

[0028] 3. It adopts a three-point wearing and fixing structure, which uses a three-point wearing and fixing layout of "single thigh strap + double calf strap". The straps are rigidly connected to the knee joint mechanism support frame to form a triangular stable support structure. At the same time, the support plate is placed on the back of the limb to utilize the large muscle groups to bear the force, and the strap contact surface is designed to conform to the physiological contour of the human thigh and calf.

[0029] Compared to traditional single / double strap designs, the three-point triangular fixation structure effectively restricts the knee joint mechanism from sliding up and down and shifting left and right after wearing, improving structural stability and preventing misalignment during exercise from affecting the assist effect.

[0030] The single thigh strap reduces the feeling of constriction in the thigh area, while the double calf straps distribute the pressure on the calf, balancing the reliability of fixation with wearing comfort and reducing local pressure after prolonged wear.

[0031] By placing the support plate on the back of the limb and using the large muscle groups on the back as the force-bearing interface, the direction of the exoskeleton's assistance is consistent with the direction of the body's active force exertion. This achieves a balance between efficient force transmission and comfortable force distribution, avoiding compression of anterior nerves and blood vessels and improving energy utilization efficiency.

[0032] The rigid connection between the straps and the support frame allows the exoskeleton's assist torque to be directly and evenly transmitted to the human limbs through the straps, reducing force transmission loss and improving the efficiency of power transmission in human-machine collaboration.

[0033] 4. The present invention features a support frame structure that conforms to the human body. Specifically, the thigh support frame and calf support frame structures are designed according to the human leg wheel, using a spiral-like design to match the curve of the human body. Combined with the arc-shaped plate structure of the thigh support plate and calf support plate, it provides support and disperses stress during the assistance process. At the same time, combined with the flexible strap body fixation method, it reduces local constraints and pressure while ensuring structural stability, and improves wearing comfort.

[0034] The human-fitting support frame structure design of this invention allows the exoskeleton to fit closely to the contours of the human lower limbs, significantly increasing the contact area and dispersing the local pressure caused by the weight of the mechanism.

[0035] In the design of the support frame and support plate, the exoskeleton is designed to conform as closely as possible to the curves of the human body while adopting a flat design so that the center of gravity of the exoskeleton is close to the lower limbs of the human body, reducing the additional load caused by the shift of the center of gravity during movement and improving wearing comfort and movement coordination. Attached Figure Description

[0036] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of an integrated knee exoskeleton joint device according to the present invention;

[0037] Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram of the joint module structure of the present invention;

[0038] Figure 3 Figure 1 is a schematic diagram of the thigh support frame structure of the present invention, wherein (a) is a schematic diagram of the connection of each part of the thigh support frame, and (b) is a schematic diagram of the main structure of the thigh support frame.

[0039] Figure 4Figure (a) is a schematic diagram of the lower leg support frame structure of the present invention, and Figure (b) is a schematic diagram of the connection of each part of the lower leg support frame.

[0040] Figure 5 This is a schematic diagram of the thigh support structure of the present invention, wherein (a) is a side view of the thigh support and (b) is a front view of the thigh support.

[0041] Figure 6 This is a schematic diagram of the thigh support buckle structure of the present invention;

[0042] Figure 7 This is a schematic diagram of the adjustment process of the present invention, wherein (a) is a schematic diagram of the adjustment state and (b) is a schematic diagram of the locked state.

[0043] Figure 8 This is a schematic diagram of the thigh-limiting cap structure of the present invention;

[0044] Figure 9 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of the end of the thigh support frame of the present invention. Detailed Implementation

[0045] The present invention is further described below through specific embodiments, but the scope of protection of the present invention is not limited thereto.

[0046] Example

[0047] like Figure 1 As shown, an integrated knee exoskeleton device comprises four parts: a joint module 1, thigh and calf support plates, a thigh support frame 3, and a calf support frame 4. Each component adopts a detachable design, enabling quick assembly and disassembly and independent maintenance. The joint module is fixed to the thigh and calf support frames, and the first calf support plate is fixed to the calf support frame using through-hole screws, allowing for easy disassembly. The thigh support plate is fixed to the thigh support frame, and the second calf support plate is fixed to the calf support frame using an adjustable mechanism, which also facilitates disassembly. In addition, the thigh and calf support plates are equipped with detachable straps, allowing the user to quickly complete the donning process by simply fixing the three straps to the leg.

[0048] like Figure 2As shown, the joint module comprises five parts: a motor and reducer integrated unit 11, a first inner shell assembly 12, a second inner shell assembly 13, a thigh-side outer shell assembly 14, and a lower leg-side outer shell assembly 15. The first inner shell assembly and the motor and reducer integrated unit are fixed together with screws. The outer sides of the first and second inner shell assemblies have corresponding threaded holes and are fixed with screws and nuts, enclosing the motor and reducer integrated unit in the middle. The thigh-side outer shell assembly is also fixed to the second inner shell assembly with screws and nuts. The second inner shell assembly has a boss, leaving space between it and the thigh-side outer shell assembly for the drive control board. The lower leg-side outer shell assembly is fixed to the output flange of the motor and reducer integrated unit with screws, thereby enabling relative rotation between the thigh-side and lower leg-side outer shell assemblies, and relative rotation between the thigh and lower leg portions of the exoskeleton.

[0049] In this embodiment, the motor and reducer integrated unit, the first and second inner shell assemblies, the thigh side outer shell assembly and the calf side outer shell assembly are all arranged axially in a compact manner and fixed at the coaxial position of the human knee joint to form a compact joint module.

[0050] The calf support includes a thigh support 21, a first calf support 221, and a second calf support 222. The thigh support and the second calf support are located on the back of the thigh and calf, respectively, and are fixed to the extended ends of the thigh support frame and the calf support frame. The second calf support is positioned above the calf muscle, utilizing the calf muscle's protruding characteristic to achieve a fall-prevention effect. The first calf support is located on the side of the calf, directly below the joint module. Each support has a corresponding binding to secure it to the body. This three-point wearable fixation structure forms a triangular ring structure, effectively preventing the exoskeleton from rotating and slipping during walking, while effectively distributing the fixation pressure to three annular areas, avoiding the pressure concentration problem caused by a single binding strap.

[0051] like Figure 8 and Figure 9 As shown, the thigh support plate and the thigh support frame are fixed together by a thigh adjustable mechanism, which includes a thigh adjusting guide rail 34, a thigh limiting cap 35, and a thigh support plate buckle 231.

[0052] The adjustment process is as follows: With the thigh support buckle in the adjustment state, the thigh support can move freely laterally on the thigh adjustment guide rail, adjusting it until it is positioned at the rear end of the wearer's thigh. At this point, pull the thigh support buckle to lock it in place, fixing the thigh support in the corresponding position on the guide rail, preventing further lateral movement. This achieves the adjustment of the thigh support's lateral position. The thigh limit cap 35 restricts the range of movement of the thigh support, preventing it from detaching from the thigh support frame, and also facilitates the assembly of the thigh support.

[0053] like Figure 5 As shown in Figures (a) and (b), the rear side of the thigh support features two slightly opening and closing hammer-shaped structures. The "hammer heads" of these structures perfectly align with the thigh adjustment rail, facilitating movement and locking between the thigh support and the rail. Additionally, two sets of slots are provided at the contact point between the thigh support and the latch on the rear side of the thigh support, corresponding to the latch positions in the adjusted and locked states, respectively.

[0054] like Figure 6 As shown, one side of the thigh support buckle has a cylindrical protrusion. The width of the protrusion is just enough to fit between the two "hammer heads" of the hammer-shaped structure on the back of the thigh support, allowing the hammer-shaped structure to open and the "hammer heads" to engage with the track. In addition, the thigh support buckle is relatively long vertically and has protrusions at both ends, making it convenient for the user to pull the thigh support buckle with their fingers.

[0055] like Figure 7 As shown in Figures (a) and (b), in the adjustable state, the hammer-shaped structure of the thigh support is in its natural state, slightly tilted inward. At this time, the "hammer head" is not engaged in the circular track of the guide rail, and the thigh support can freely adjust its position on the guide rail. In the locked state, the hammer-shaped structure is forced open by the cylindrical protrusion on the buckle, and the two "hammer heads" are engaged in the track. The thigh support can no longer move freely on the guide rail, thus locking the position of the thigh support. In addition, since the hammer-shaped structure of the thigh support has a certain tilt in the horizontal direction, when the locked state, the cylindrical protrusion of the thigh support buckle is engaged between the two "hammer heads" of the hammer-shaped structure. The thigh support buckle will be subjected to a force close to the thigh support in the vertical plane perpendicular to the guide rail. Under the action of this force, the thigh support buckle will be locked in the direction perpendicular to the surface of the thigh support. Thus, in this direction, the thigh support and thigh support frame structure are fixed and will not shift or shake back and forth, resulting in strong structural stability.

[0056] In addition, a slightly deformable circular boss is provided at the end of the thigh support frame. In conjunction with the square hole on the limit cap, the limit cap can be easily installed or removed from the end of the thigh support frame. At the same time, when the limit cap is installed at the end of the support frame, the circular boss is used to hold the limit cap in place, ensuring that it does not fall off easily. This performs the limiting function, restricting the lateral movement range of the thigh support plate and preventing it from falling off the guide rail.

[0057] The adjustable mechanism for the lower leg between the second lower leg support plate and the lower leg support frame operates on the same principle as the adjustable mechanism for the thigh, and the two mechanisms are symmetrical in structure, differing only in size.

[0058] like Figure 3As shown in Figures (a) and (b), the thigh support frame includes a thigh support frame body 31, a thigh connection hole 32, and a waist suspension assembly 33. The thigh support frame body 31 is spiral-shaped with a rounded rectangular cross-section, conforming as closely as possible to the curve of the human thigh while ensuring it does not scratch the skin. The thigh connection hole 32 is a through hole for fixing the thigh support frame to the thigh side shell assembly in the joint module. The waist suspension assembly 33 connects the thigh support frame and the waist belt via straps, suspending the thigh support frame on the waist belt, enhancing the overall stability of the exoskeleton and preventing it from sagging.

[0059] like Figure 4 As shown in Figures (a) and (b), the calf support frame includes a calf support frame body 41, a calf connecting hole 42, and a calf first support plate fixing hole 43. The adjustable calf mechanism includes a calf adjustment guide rail 44, a calf limiting cap 45, and a calf second support plate buckle 232. The calf support frame body is similar to the thigh support frame body, with a spiral shape and a rounded rectangular cross-section. It conforms as closely as possible to the curve of the human calf while ensuring it does not scratch the skin. The only difference is that the calf support frame body and the thigh support frame have different dimensions due to the different thicknesses of the thigh and calf. The calf connecting hole is a through hole for fixing the calf support frame to the calf-side outer shell assembly in the joint module. The calf first support plate fixing hole is a through hole for fixing the calf support frame to the calf first support plate. The calf adjustment guide rail and the calf limiting cap are used for the adjustable mechanism.

[0060] Overall assembly method: The thigh side shell assembly 14 of the joint module and the thigh connection hole 32 in the thigh support frame structure are fixed by through-hole screws. The thigh support frame and the thigh support plate 21 can be adjusted and locked through the thigh adjustable mechanism. The thigh support plate is equipped with corresponding binding parts to bind to the human body. The lower leg side shell assembly 15 of the joint module and the lower leg connection hole 42 in the lower leg support frame structure are fixed by through-hole screws. The lower leg first support plate fixing hole 43 of the lower leg support frame and the lower leg first support plate 221 are fixed by through-hole screws. The lower leg support frame and the lower leg second support plate 222 can be adjusted and locked through the lower leg adjustable mechanism. At the same time, the lower leg first support plate and the lower leg second support plate are equipped with corresponding binding parts to fix to the human body.

[0061] Overall movement mechanism: The integrated motor and reducer unit applies torque, which is transmitted to the thigh and calf support plates via the thigh and calf support frames, thereby transferring force to the thigh and calf to assist knee joint movement. Thigh support plate and calf second support plate.

[0062] Positioned on the back of the thigh and calf, this facilitates the exoskeleton's assistance in the sagittal plane.

[0063] The above embodiments are preferred embodiments of the present invention, but the embodiments of the present invention are not limited to the embodiments described above. Any changes, modifications, substitutions, combinations, or simplifications made without departing from the spirit and principle of the present invention shall be considered equivalent substitutions and shall be included within the protection scope of the present invention.

Claims

1. An integrated knee exoskeleton device, characterized in that, It includes a joint module, thigh and calf support plates, a thigh support frame, and a calf support frame; the joint module is fixed to the thigh support frame and the calf support frame respectively using through-hole screws; the thigh and calf support plates include a first calf support plate, a second calf support plate, and a thigh support plate. The thigh support plate is fixed to the thigh support frame by a thigh adjustable mechanism, the second calf support plate is fixed to the calf support frame by a calf adjustable mechanism, and the first calf support plate is fixed on the calf support frame.

2. The integrated knee exoskeleton device according to claim 1, characterized in that, The joint module includes a motor and reducer integrated unit, a first inner shell assembly, a second inner shell assembly, a thigh-side outer shell assembly, and a calf-side outer shell assembly. The first inner shell assembly and the second inner shell assembly are respectively fixed to the motor and reducer integrated unit, the thigh-side outer shell assembly is fixed to the second inner shell assembly, and the calf-side outer shell assembly is fixed to the output flange surface of the motor and reducer integrated unit, thereby realizing relative rotation between the thigh-side outer shell assembly and the calf-side outer shell assembly.

3. The integrated knee exoskeleton device according to claim 1, characterized in that, The thigh support plate and the second calf support plate are located on the back of the thigh and calf respectively, and are fixed to the ends of the thigh support frame and the calf support frame. The second calf support plate is placed above the calf muscle, and the first calf support plate is located on the side of the calf. Each support plate has a corresponding binding piece to fix it to the human body, forming a three-point wearing fixation structure and a triangular wrap-around structure.

4. The integrated knee exoskeleton device according to claim 1, characterized in that, The thigh support frame and the calf support frame are spiral-shaped with rounded rectangular cross-sections.

5. The integrated knee exoskeleton device according to any one of claims 1-4, characterized in that, The adjustable thigh mechanism includes a thigh adjustment guide rail, a thigh limiting cap, and a thigh support plate buckle. With the thigh support plate buckle in the adjustment state, the thigh support plate moves laterally on the thigh adjustment guide rail, adjusting the thigh support plate to be located at the rear end of the wearer's thigh. At this time, pulling the thigh support plate buckle will put it in a locked state.

6. The integrated knee exoskeleton device according to claim 5, characterized in that, The rear side of the thigh support plate is designed with two opening and closing hammer-shaped structures, and the hammer heads of the hammer-shaped structures cooperate with the thigh adjustment guide rail.

7. The integrated knee exoskeleton device according to claim 6, characterized in that, The thigh support buckle has a cylindrical protrusion on one side. The width of the protrusion is positioned between the two hammers of the thigh support, allowing the hammer-shaped structure to open and the hammers to engage with the thigh adjustment rail.

8. The integrated knee exoskeleton device according to claim 5, characterized in that, It also includes a lumbar suspension assembly, which connects the thigh support frame and the waist belt via straps, so that the thigh support frame is suspended on the waist belt via the straps.

9. The integrated knee exoskeleton device according to claim 2, characterized in that, The motor and reducer integrated unit applies torque and transmits the force to the thigh and calf support plates through the thigh support frame and calf support frame, thereby transmitting the force to the thigh and calf to assist knee joint movement. The thigh support plate and the second calf support plate are located on the back of the thigh and calf, which facilitates the assistance of the exoskeleton in the sagittal plane.

10. The integrated knee exoskeleton device according to claim 2, characterized in that, The second inner shell assembly is provided with a boss, so that there is space between the second inner shell assembly and the thigh side outer shell assembly for placing the drive control board.

Images