An underwater kick-assisted diving exoskeleton system and method

Abstract

The application discloses an underwater kicking auxiliary diving exoskeleton system and method, and belongs to the technical field of underwater operation robot equipment. The system comprises a trunk wearing carrier, a back plate, a waistband assembly, a connecting assembly, a double-sided driving assembly, a double-sided transmission assembly, a control assembly and a battery assembly. The back plate simultaneously serves as a diving equipment carrying structure and an exoskeleton main body carrying structure, the connecting assembly is installed with the double-sided driving assembly, the driving assembly outputs a power assisting torque to the lower limbs of a wearer through the transmission assembly, and underwater kicking propulsion is assisted to be completed. The control assembly and the battery assembly are installed on the waistband assembly, the arrangement position and weight of which are configured to at least constitute part of a counterweight system required by the wearer to dive, so that the integration of control, power supply, carrying and counterweight is realized. The application has the advantages of compact structure, high transmission efficiency and good man-machine matching, can effectively reduce energy consumption of underwater operation, and can delay the time point of decompression sickness.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to an underwater leg-assist diving exoskeleton system and method. Background Technology

[0002] The wearable motion-assisted exoskeleton system for marine diving operations is an innovative wearable robotic device designed to enhance divers' underwater mobility and operational efficiency. It is suitable for various underwater missions, including submarine rescue, shipwreck salvage, offshore oil and gas pipeline inspection and construction, marine civil engineering, underwater scientific exploration, and military applications.

[0003] However, due to regulations governing human descent and ascent, as well as decompression procedures, divers' underwater working time is strictly limited to prevent the ingestion of gases that could enter their body tissues under high pressure, causing decompression sickness and posing a significant risk to their safety. Excessive physical exertion further increases metabolic waste and gas intake, not only further reducing working time but also exacerbating the negative effects of decompression sickness. Assisting divers with underwater exoskeletons improves their movement efficiency within the allotted working time. Simultaneously, the exoskeleton's driving force reduces the strain on the diver's own muscles, decreasing metabolic waste and delaying the onset of decompression sickness. This is of great significance for the efficient and low-risk conduct of diving missions.

[0004] Existing diving-assisted exoskeleton technologies primarily employ flexible exoskeleton solutions, such as those disclosed in Chinese patents CN202110378005.8 and CN202311419427.0. These solutions transmit power to the legs via ropes, assisting hip joint rotation and inducing flexion and extension movements in the user's legs. However, existing flexible underwater exoskeletons often use fabrics, ropes, or soft-connection structures to transmit assistance. While offering good wearability, these systems are prone to issues such as unstable force transmission paths, delayed assistance response, limited output torque, and insufficient human-machine alignment accuracy under heavy leg-kick loads. Existing diving assistance equipment also typically suffers from the problem of dispersed power units, control units, batteries, and counterweights, which can increase wear volume and underwater burden, and may introduce defects such as uneven left-right weight distribution, unstable posture, and insufficient equipment integration. Furthermore, traditional rigid exoskeletons, if directly transplanted to the underwater environment, often require additional load-bearing frames, making them difficult to integrate with buoyancy-adjustable vests, air tanks, and counterweight systems. Summary of the Invention

[0005] To address the aforementioned shortcomings of existing technologies, this invention provides an underwater leg-assist diving exoskeleton system and method, aiming to achieve compact, stable, and efficient underwater leg-assistance.

[0006] To achieve the above objectives, the present invention adopts the following technical solution: An underwater leg-assist diving exoskeleton system includes: a torso wearable carrier; a backplate fixedly disposed on the inner side of the torso wearable carrier; a waist belt assembly fixedly connected to the backplate; a connecting assembly connected to the backplate; a first drive assembly and a second drive assembly respectively mounted on both sides of the connecting assembly; a first transmission assembly and a second transmission assembly, wherein one end of the first transmission assembly is connected to the first drive assembly and the other end is used to connect to one leg of the wearer, and one end of the second transmission assembly is connected to the second drive assembly and the other end is used to connect to the other leg of the wearer; a control assembly and a battery assembly, both mounted on the waist belt assembly.

[0007] The backplate serves as both the diving equipment support structure and the exoskeleton main support structure, supporting the waist belt assembly, the connecting assembly, the control assembly, and the battery assembly. The connecting assembly supports the first drive assembly and the second drive assembly, thus allowing the diving equipment support structure and the exoskeleton support structure to share the same backplate, reducing the volume increase and structural redundancy caused by setting up a separate support frame for the exoskeleton system.

[0008] The control component is used to control the output assist torque of the first drive component and the second drive component, and the battery component is used to power the control component, the first drive component, and the second drive component. The position and weight of the control component and the battery component on the waist belt component are configured so that they at least constitute part of the counterweight system required for the wearer's descent, thus integrating control, power supply, and counterweight functions into the waist wear structure.

[0009] Preferably, the connecting assembly includes a length adjustment mechanism, a first connecting rod, and a second connecting rod. The first connecting rod is connected between the length adjustment mechanism and the first driving assembly, and the second connecting rod is connected between the length adjustment mechanism and the second driving assembly. The length adjustment mechanism is provided with a first adjustment structure, and the first connecting rod and the second connecting rod cooperate with the first adjustment structure respectively, so that the first driving assembly and the second driving assembly can move relative to each other to change the lateral distance between them, so as to adapt to the waist circumference of wearers of different body types.

[0010] Preferably, the connecting assembly further includes a quick-release mechanism, which is disposed on the first connecting rod and the second connecting rod, for detachably fixing the first connecting rod and the second connecting rod to the length adjustment mechanism, and can realize quick distance adjustment between the connecting assembly and the driving assembly.

[0011] Preferably, the first drive assembly and the second drive assembly are each provided with a second adjustment structure. The connecting assembly cooperates with the second adjustment structure, enabling the first drive assembly and the second drive assembly to move relative to the connecting assembly in the anterior-posterior direction of the human body, thereby adjusting the positional relationship between the output axes of the first drive assembly and the second drive assembly and the rotation center of the wearer's hip joint. By adjusting the position of the drive assembly in the anterior-posterior direction of the human body, the output axes of the drive assembly are matched with the rotation centers of the wearer's left and right hip joints, thereby reducing the additional traction, movement interference, and wearing discomfort caused by the misalignment of the human-machine rotation axes during underwater leg kicking.

[0012] Preferably, the second adjustment structure is a U-shaped groove, the connecting rod of the connecting component is inserted into the U-shaped groove and can move along the U-shaped groove, and the driving component is further provided with a locking member for fixing the driving component and the connecting component after the driving component moves to the desired position.

[0013] Preferably, the control component and the battery component are respectively arranged on the left and right sides of the waist belt component, and the weight and volume of the control component and the battery component are matched to form a balanced mass distribution on the left and right sides of the wearer's waist, thereby reducing the lateral load introduced by the control component and the battery component during underwater wear and improving the stability of the diver during underwater attitude maintenance.

[0014] Preferably, the first drive assembly and the second drive assembly each include a waterproof motor, an output shaft, a torque sensor, an encoder, and a waterproof sealing structure. The waterproof motor is disposed within a motor housing, the output shaft is connected to the output end of the waterproof motor and extends out of the motor housing, and the waterproof sealing structure is disposed between the motor housing and the output shaft to achieve dynamic sealing of the power output of the drive assembly. The torque sensor is disposed between the waterproof motor and the output shaft to detect the output assist torque; the encoder is used to detect the position of the output shaft of the waterproof motor.

[0015] Preferably, the first transmission component and the second transmission component are rigid transmission components; each of the first transmission component and the second transmission component includes a leg transmission rod and a leg restraint, one end of the leg transmission rod is connected to the output end of the corresponding drive component, and the other end is connected to the leg restraint, which is used to bind and fix to the wearer's thigh.

[0016] Preferably, the leg drive rod includes a hinge assembly and a bent rod. One end of the hinge assembly is connected to the output end of a corresponding drive assembly, and the other end of the hinge assembly is connected to one end of the bent rod. The other end of the bent rod is rotatably connected to the leg restraint. The bent rod achieves the degrees of freedom of the hip joint in the adduction and abduction directions through the hinge assembly.

[0017] Preferably, the waist belt assembly is an adjustable waist fixing structure, which can be tightened or loosened according to the wearer's waist circumference; after the waist belt assembly is connected to the back plate, it forms a load-bearing closed loop around the wearer's waist and back, so that the weight of the control assembly and battery assembly is transferred to the torso wear carrier and the wearer's torso through the waist belt assembly and the back plate.

[0018] Preferably, the control component includes a control board, a waterproof housing, and a waterproof cable connector. The control board is disposed inside the waterproof housing, and the waterproof cable connector is disposed on the waterproof housing, for sealing the exit of control cables, communication cables, and power supply cables.

[0019] Preferably, the battery assembly includes a battery, a waterproof housing, and a waterproof cable connector. The battery is disposed inside the waterproof housing, and the waterproof cable connector is disposed on the waterproof housing to achieve sealed lead-out of the power supply cable of the battery assembly.

[0020] The present invention also provides an underwater leg-kicking assistance method, comprising the following steps: Step 1: Wear the torso wearable carrier on the wearer's torso, and fix the exoskeleton body to the wearer's waist through the waist belt assembly. Connect the first transmission assembly and the second transmission assembly to the wearer's left and right legs respectively to obtain the wearing state. Step 2: Based on the completed wearing state, the control component obtains the motion state information of the first drive component and the second drive component, and generates a control command containing the target assist torque according to the preset assist strategy; Step 3: According to the control command, the first drive component and the second drive component respectively output the assist torque, and transmit the assist torque to the wearer's left and right lower limbs through the first transmission component and the second transmission component to obtain the assist torque acting on the wearer's hip joint to assist the wearer in completing the underwater leg kick propulsion action; at the same time, the control component and the battery component use their own weight as at least part of the counterweight system required for the wearer's descent to assist in the descent.

[0021] Compared with the prior art, the present invention has the following beneficial effects: First, this invention employs a rigid hip joint power architecture and a backplate-supported integrated design, which can output greater assist torque while ensuring structural compactness, making it more suitable for applications with higher loads and stronger power requirements during underwater leg propulsion. Since the drive components are directly mounted on both sides of the connecting components and transmit assistance through the rigid leg transmission components, compared to the common force transmission methods of flexible exoskeletons such as steel cables, fabrics, or soft tissues, it has advantages such as high transmission efficiency, fast assist response, and a clear force transmission path.

[0022] Secondly, this invention makes full use of the original backplate and counterweight requirements of diving equipment, and uses the control components and battery components as counterweights to achieve an integrated design of control, power supply and counterweight functions. This avoids the problem of additional equipment being attached to flexible exoskeletons and reduces the increase in volume and structural redundancy caused by setting up a separate load-bearing frame for the exoskeleton system.

[0023] Third, the present invention can achieve rapid matching of the drive component with the hip joint width of different divers through the lateral spacing adjustment mechanism of the connecting components; through the front and rear position adjustment structure on the drive component, the output axis of the drive component can be aligned with the rotation center of the hip joint, thereby improving human-machine coordination, wearing comfort and long-term use stability.

[0024] Fourth, by arranging the control components and battery components on the left and right sides of the waist belt component respectively and matching their weight and volume, the present invention forms a balanced mass distribution on the left and right sides of the wearer's waist, reducing lateral load during underwater wear and improving the stability of the diver during underwater posture maintenance. Attached Figure Description

[0025] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the human body wearing the underwater leg-assisting diving exoskeleton system of the present invention; Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram of the underwater leg-assist diving exoskeleton system of the present invention; Figure 3 This is a schematic diagram of the composition of the connection component of the present invention; Figure 4 This is a schematic diagram showing the connection between the drive component, the connection component, and the transmission component of the present invention; Figure 5 This is an exploded view of the first driving component of the present invention; Figure 6 This is an exploded view of the control component of the present invention; Figure 7 This is an exploded view of the battery assembly of the present invention; Figure 8 This is a schematic diagram of the transmission component and binding connection of the present invention; Figure 9 This is a schematic diagram of the belt structure of the present invention; Figure 10 This is a schematic diagram of the backplate structure of the present invention.

[0026] Explanation of reference numerals in the attached figures: 1: The torso is fitted with a support structure; 2: Back panel; 3: Belt assembly; 3-1: Belt; 4-1: First drive assembly; 4-1-1: First waterproof motor; 4-1-2: First output shaft; 4-1-3: First torque sensor; 4-1-4: First encoder; 4-1-5: First motor driver; 4-1-6: First motor housing; 4-1-7: First motor housing cover; 4-1-8: First motor silicone seal ring; 4-1-9: First motor mounting bracket; 4-1-10: First output shaft silicone seal ring; 4-1-11: Front and rear position adjustment U-shaped groove; 5-1: First transmission assembly; 5-1-1: First leg transmission rod; 5-1-2: First leg restraint; 5-2: Second transmission assembly; 5-2-1: Second leg transmission rod; 5-2-2: Second leg restraint; 6: Control component; 6-1: Control board; 6-2: First waterproof housing base; 6-3: First housing cover; 6-4: First silicone sealing ring; 6-5: First waterproof cable connector; 7: Battery assembly; 7-1: Battery; 7-2: Second waterproof housing base; 7-3: Second housing cover; 7-4: Second silicone sealing ring; 7-5: Second waterproof cable connector; 8: Connecting component; 8-1: First connecting rod; 8-2: Second connecting rod; 8-3: Length adjustment mechanism; 8-4: Quick disassembly and assembly mechanism; 8-5: U-shaped groove; 9: Locking components. Detailed Implementation

[0027] To make the objectives, technical solutions, and advantages of the embodiments of the present invention clearer, the technical solutions of the embodiments of the present invention will be clearly and completely described below with reference to the accompanying drawings. Obviously, the described embodiments are only a part of the embodiments of the present invention, not all of them. Based on the embodiments of the present invention, all other embodiments obtained by those skilled in the art without creative effort are within the scope of protection of the present invention. Therefore, the following detailed description of the embodiments of the present invention provided in the accompanying drawings is not intended to limit the scope of the claimed invention, but merely to illustrate selected embodiments of the invention.

[0028] Example 1 like Figure 1 and Figure 2As shown, this embodiment provides an underwater leg-assist diving exoskeleton system. The system includes a torso wearable support 1, a backplate 2, a waist belt assembly 3, a first drive assembly 4-1, a second drive assembly 4-2, a first transmission assembly 5-1, a second transmission assembly 5-2, a control assembly 6, a battery assembly 7, and a connecting assembly 8. In this embodiment, the torso wearable support 1 is preferably a buoyancy-adjustable vest.

[0029] The back panel 2 is fixedly mounted on the inside of the buoyancy-adjustable vest. The waist belt assembly 3 is fixedly connected to the back panel 2. The control assembly 6 and the battery assembly 7 are respectively mounted on the waist belt assembly 3 near the abdomen. The connecting assembly 8 is fixedly connected to the back panel 2 near the buttocks and serves as the mounting structure for the first drive assembly 4-1 and the second drive assembly 4-2. The first drive assembly 4-1 and the second drive assembly 4-2 are respectively mounted on the left and right sides of the connecting assembly 8 and are symmetrically distributed about the sagittal plane of the wearer's body. One end of the first transmission assembly 5-1 is connected to the first drive assembly 4-1, and the other end is connected to one leg of the wearer. One end of the second transmission assembly 5-2 is connected to the second drive assembly 4-2, and the other end is connected to the other leg of the wearer. The control assembly 6 is used to control the output assist torque of the first drive assembly 4-1 and the second drive assembly 4-2, and the battery assembly 7 is used to supply power to the control assembly 6, the first drive assembly 4-1, and the second drive assembly 4-2.

[0030] The backplate 2 serves as both the mounting structure for the diving cylinders and the load-bearing structure for the main body of the exoskeleton. The backplate 2 supports the waist belt assembly 3, the connecting assembly 8, the control assembly 6, and the battery assembly 7. The connecting assembly 8 further supports the first drive assembly 4-1 and the second drive assembly 4-2, thereby allowing the diving equipment load-bearing structure and the exoskeleton load-bearing structure to share the same backplate 2, reducing the increase in volume and structural redundancy caused by setting up a separate load-bearing frame for the exoskeleton system.

[0031] The control component 6 and battery component 7 are respectively arranged on the left and right sides of the waist belt component 3, and their weight and volume are matched to reduce the asymmetrical load on both sides of the waist belt component 3. The control component 6 and battery component 7 together constitute part of the diver's weight system and are used to replace some of the independent weight blocks set on the waist or buoyancy adjustment vest in traditional diving equipment, thereby completing the integrated arrangement of the exoskeleton control and power supply modules without increasing the diver's weight burden.

[0032] Example 2 This embodiment provides a detailed description of the specific structure of the connecting component 8.

[0033] like Figure 3As shown, the connecting assembly 8 includes a first connecting rod 8-1, a second connecting rod 8-2, a length adjustment mechanism 8-3, and a quick-release mechanism 8-4. The first connecting rod 8-1 and the second connecting rod 8-2 are respectively connected between the first drive assembly 4-1 and the second drive assembly 4-2, serving as the lateral support structure for the first drive assembly 4-1 and the second drive assembly 4-2. The length adjustment mechanism 8-3 has U-shaped grooves 8-5 on its left and right sides. One end of the first connecting rod 8-1 and the second connecting rod 8-2 is inserted into their respective U-shaped grooves 8-5, allowing the first drive assembly 4-1 and the second drive assembly 4-2 to move along the U-shaped grooves. This combination constitutes the first adjustment mechanism, enabling the change of lateral spacing to accommodate the waist circumference of wearers with different body types. The quick-release mechanism 8-4 is disposed on the first connecting rod 8-1 and the second connecting rod 8-2, used to fix the first connecting rod 8-1 and the second connecting rod 8-2 to the length adjustment mechanism 8-3, and simultaneously enabling rapid adjustment of the distance between the connecting assembly 8 and the first drive assembly 4-1 and the second drive assembly 4-2.

[0034] like Figure 4 As shown, the first drive assembly 4-1 and the second drive assembly 4-2 are respectively provided with front-to-back position adjustment U-shaped grooves 4-1-11, which constitute the second adjustment structure. The first connecting rod 8-1 and the second connecting rod 8-2 are respectively inserted into the front-to-back position adjustment U-shaped grooves 4-1-11 on the first drive assembly 4-1 and the second drive assembly 4-2, so that the first drive assembly 4-1 and the second drive assembly 4-2 can move relative to the connecting assembly 8 along the corresponding front-to-back position adjustment U-shaped grooves 4-1-11, and be fixed by the locking member 9 after moving to the desired position. By adjusting the position of the first drive assembly 4-1 and the second drive assembly 4-2 in the front-to-back direction of the human body, the output axes of the first drive assembly 4-1 and the second drive assembly 4-2 are matched with the rotation centers of the wearer's left and right hip joints, thereby reducing the additional traction, movement interference and wearing discomfort caused by the misalignment of the human-machine rotation axes during underwater leg kicking. It should be noted that the locking member 9 is not limited to a compression spring, but can also be a screw locking or quick-locking pin structure.

[0035] Example 3 This embodiment provides a detailed description of the specific structure of the driving component.

[0036] like Figure 5 As shown, the first drive assembly 4-1 includes a first waterproof motor 4-1-1, a first output shaft 4-1-2, a first torque sensor 4-1-3, a first encoder 4-1-4, a first motor driver 4-1-5, a first motor housing 4-1-6, a first motor housing cover 4-1-7, a first motor silicone sealing ring 4-1-8, a first motor mounting bracket 4-1-9, and a first output shaft silicone sealing ring 4-1-10.

[0037] The first waterproof motor 4-1-1, the first output shaft 4-1-2, the first torque sensor 4-1-3, the first encoder 4-1-4, and the first motor driver 4-1-5 are integrated within the first motor housing 4-1-6. The first motor housing cover 4-1-7 is fixedly connected to the first motor housing 4-1-6 by fasteners. A first motor silicone sealing ring 4-1-8 is disposed between the contact surfaces of the first motor housing 4-1-6 and the first motor housing cover 4-1-7 to achieve a waterproof seal for the housing of the first drive assembly 4-1. A first output shaft silicone sealing ring 4-1-10 is disposed between the contact surfaces of the first motor housing 4-1-6 and the first output shaft 4-1-2 to achieve a dynamic seal for the power output of the first drive assembly 4-1. A first motor mounting bracket 4-1-9 is fixedly connected to the first motor housing 4-1-6 and further connected to the stator of the first waterproof motor 4-1-1. The output shaft of the first waterproof motor 4-1-1 is connected to the first output shaft 4-1-2 through the first torque sensor 4-1-3 to realize the detection of the assist torque output by the first drive assembly 4-1. The first encoder 4-1-4 is used to detect the position of the output shaft of the first waterproof motor 4-1-1.

[0038] The second drive component 4-2 has the same structure as the first drive component 4-1 and is symmetrical.

[0039] Example 4 This embodiment provides a detailed description of the specific structures of the control component 6 and the battery component 7.

[0040] like Figure 6 As shown, the control assembly 6 includes a control board 6-1, a first waterproof housing base 6-2, a first housing cover 6-3, a first silicone sealing ring 6-4, and a first waterproof cable connector 6-5. The control board 6-1 is disposed inside the first waterproof housing base 6-2. The first housing cover 6-3 is fixedly connected to the first waterproof housing base 6-2 by fasteners. The first silicone sealing ring 6-4 is disposed between the contact surfaces of the first waterproof housing base 6-2 and the first housing cover 6-3 for waterproofing the housing. The first waterproof cable connector 6-5 is disposed on the first waterproof housing base 6-2 for sealing the exit of control cables, communication cables, and power supply cables.

[0041] like Figure 7As shown, the battery assembly 7 includes a battery 7-1, a second waterproof housing base 7-2, a second housing cover 7-3, a second silicone sealing ring 7-4, and a second waterproof cable connector 7-5. The battery 7-1 is disposed within the second waterproof housing base 7-2. The second housing cover 7-3 is fixedly connected to the second waterproof housing base 7-2 by fasteners. The second silicone sealing ring 7-4 is disposed between the contact surfaces of the second waterproof housing base 7-2 and the second housing cover 7-3 for waterproofing the housing. The second waterproof cable connector 7-5 is disposed on either the second waterproof housing base 7-2 or the second housing cover 7-3 for sealing the power supply cable of the battery assembly 7.

[0042] Example 5 This embodiment provides a detailed description of the specific structure of the transmission assembly.

[0043] like Figure 8 As shown, the first transmission assembly 5-1 and the second transmission assembly 5-2 are rigid transmission assemblies. The first transmission assembly 5-1 includes a first leg transmission rod 5-1-1 and a first leg restraint 5-1-2. One end of the first leg transmission rod 5-1-1 is connected to the output end of the first drive assembly 4-1, and the other end is connected to the first leg restraint 5-1-2. The first leg restraint 5-1-2 is restrained and fixed to one thigh of the wearer.

[0044] The second transmission assembly 5-2 has the same structure as and is symmetrical to the first transmission assembly 5-1. The second transmission assembly 5-2 includes a second leg transmission rod 5-2-1 and a second leg restraint 5-2-2. One end of the second leg transmission rod 5-2-1 is connected to the output end of the second drive assembly 4-2, and the other end is connected to the second leg restraint 5-2-2. The second leg restraint 5-2-2 is bound and fixed to the wearer's other thigh.

[0045] Both the first leg drive rod 5-1-1 and the second leg drive rod 5-2-1 include a hinge assembly and a bent rod. Taking the first leg drive rod 5-1-1 as an example, its structure is described as follows: one end of the hinge assembly is connected to the output end of the first drive assembly 4-1, and the other end of the hinge assembly is connected to one end of the bent rod. The other end of the bent rod is rotatably connected to the first leg restraint 5-1-2. Specifically, the first leg restraint 5-1-2 has a hole, and the other end of the bent rod is inserted into the hole, allowing the first leg restraint 5-1-2 to rotate around the axis of the other end of the bent rod. The bent rod achieves the degrees of freedom of the hip joint in the adduction and abduction directions through the hinge assembly.

[0046] Example 6 This embodiment provides a detailed description of the structure of the belt assembly 3.

[0047] like Figure 9 and Figure 10As shown, the waist belt assembly 3 is an adjustable waist fixing structure, which can be tightened or loosened according to the wearer's waist circumference. After the waist belt assembly 3 is connected to the back plate 2, it forms a load-bearing closed loop around the wearer's waist and back, so that the weight of the control assembly 6 and the battery assembly 7 is transferred to the torso wear carrier 1 and the wearer's torso through the waist belt assembly 3 and the back plate 2. The connecting assembly 8 is connected to the back plate 2, so that the first drive assembly 4-1, the second drive assembly 4-2 and their working loads are transferred to the back plate 2 and the wearer's torso through the connecting assembly 8, thereby improving the stability of underwater wear.

[0048] The battery assembly 7 and control assembly 6 are positioned on the waist belt assembly 3 according to their respective weights, creating a nearly balanced mass distribution on both sides of the wearer's waist. This mass distribution reduces lateral loads introduced by the control assembly 6 and battery assembly 7 during underwater wear, improving the diver's stability during underwater attitude maintenance.

[0049] Example 7 This embodiment provides a detailed description of how the system works.

[0050] like Figure 1 As shown, the first drive component 4-1 and the second drive component 4-2 are respectively disposed on the left and right sides of the connecting component 8 and close to the wearer's hip joint, so that the output torque of the first drive component 4-1 and the second drive component 4-2 can be directly applied to the wearer's left and right thighs through the corresponding transmission components, thereby assisting the wearer in completing underwater leg kicking movements in the direction of hip flexion and / or extension.

[0051] The system operates as follows: The wearer first dons the torso wearable support 1, preferably a buoyancy-adjustable vest, and fixes the exoskeleton body to the waist via the waist belt assembly 3, thus completing the donning process. Then, the first transmission assembly 5-1 and the second transmission assembly 5-2 are connected to the wearer's left and right legs, respectively. The control assembly 6 acquires the motion status information of the first drive assembly 4-1 and the second drive assembly 4-2, and sends control commands to them according to a preset assist strategy. The first drive assembly 4-1 and the second drive assembly 4-2 output assist torque according to the control commands, which is transmitted to the wearer's left and right lower limbs via the first transmission assembly 5-1 and the second transmission assembly 5-2, thereby creating an assist torque near the wearer's hip joint to assist the wearer in completing alternating leg kicks underwater. Simultaneously, the control assembly 6 and the battery assembly 7, as part of the diving counterweight system, replace the traditional independent counterweight, enabling the exoskeleton system to assist in underwater diving while providing underwater assistance.

[0052] The underwater leg-assist diving exoskeleton system of the present invention can be widely used in underwater search and rescue, engineering inspection, scientific research, military training, freediving assistance and underwater rehabilitation training and other scenarios, and has significant industrial practical value.

[0053] The above description is merely an embodiment of the present invention and is not intended to limit the scope of protection of the present invention. Any equivalent structural or procedural transformations made based on the content of the present invention specification and drawings, or direct or indirect applications in other related system fields, are similarly included within the scope of protection of the present invention.

Claims

1. An underwater leg-assist diving exoskeleton system, characterized in that, include: Torso wearing a carrier (1); The back plate (2) is fixedly mounted on the torso wear carrier (1); The waist belt assembly (3) is fixedly connected to the back plate (2); The connecting component (8) is connected to the back plate (2); The first drive assembly (4-1) and the second drive assembly (4-2) are respectively installed on both sides of the connecting assembly (8); The first transmission component (5-1) and the second transmission component (5-2) are connected at one end to the first drive component (4-1) and at the other end to one leg of the wearer. The second transmission component (5-2) is connected at one end to the second drive component (4-2) and at the other end to the other leg of the wearer. The control component (6) and the battery component (7) are both mounted on the belt component (3); The backplate (2) is used to carry diving equipment as well as the waist belt assembly (3), the connecting assembly (8), the control assembly (6) and the battery assembly (7). The connecting assembly (8) is used to carry the first drive assembly (4-1) and the second drive assembly (4-2). The control component (6) is used to control the first drive component (4-1) and the second drive component (4-2) to output assist torque, and the battery component (7) is used to supply power; The position and weight of the control component (6) and the battery component (7) on the belt component (3) are configured such that they constitute at least part of the weight system required for the wearer's descent.

2. The underwater leg-assist diving exoskeleton system according to claim 1, characterized in that, The connecting component (8) includes a length adjustment mechanism (8-3), a first connecting rod (8-1), and a second connecting rod (8-2). The first connecting rod (8-1) and the second connecting rod (8-2) are respectively installed on both sides of the length adjustment mechanism (8-3), and the first drive assembly (4-1) and the second drive assembly (4-2) are respectively disposed on the first connecting rod (8-1) and the second connecting rod (8-2); The length adjustment mechanism (8-3) is provided with a first adjustment structure. The first connecting rod (8-1) and the second connecting rod (8-2) cooperate with the first adjustment structure respectively, so that the first driving component (4-1) and the second driving component (4-2) can move relative to each other to change the lateral distance between them.

3. The underwater leg-assisting diving exoskeleton system according to claim 2, characterized in that, The connecting assembly (8) further includes a quick-release mechanism (8-4), which is disposed on the first connecting rod (8-1) and the second connecting rod (8-2) for detachably fixing the first connecting rod (8-1) and the second connecting rod (8-2) to the length adjustment mechanism (8-3).

4. The underwater leg-assisting diving exoskeleton system according to claim 1, characterized in that, The first drive assembly (4-1) and the second drive assembly (4-2) are respectively provided with a second adjustment structure. The connecting assembly (8) cooperates with the second adjustment structure to enable the first drive assembly (4-1) and the second drive assembly (4-2) to move relative to the connecting assembly (8) in the front-back direction of the human body, so as to adjust the positional relationship between the output axis of the first drive assembly (4-1) and the second drive assembly (4-2) and the rotation center of the wearer's hip joint.

5. The underwater leg-assisting diving exoskeleton system according to claim 4, characterized in that, The second adjustment structure is a U-shaped groove. The connecting rod of the connecting component (8) is inserted into the U-shaped groove and can move along the U-shaped groove. The driving component is also provided with a locking member (9) for fixing the driving component and the connecting component (8) after the driving component moves to the desired position.

6. The underwater leg-assisting diving exoskeleton system according to claim 1, characterized in that, The control component (6) and the battery component (7) are respectively arranged on the left and right sides of the waist belt component (3), and the weights of the control component (6) and the battery component (7) are matched to form a balanced mass distribution on the left and right sides of the wearer's waist.

7. The underwater leg-assisting diving exoskeleton system according to claim 1, characterized in that, The first driving component (4-1) and the second driving component (4-2) have the same structure; The first drive assembly (4-1) includes a waterproof motor (4-1-1), an output shaft (4-1-2), a torque sensor (4-1-3), an encoder (4-1-4), and a waterproof sealing structure. The waterproof motor (4-1-1) is disposed inside the motor housing. The output shaft (4-1-2) is connected to the output end of the waterproof motor (4-1-1) and extends out of the motor housing. The waterproof sealing structures (4-1-8, 4-1-10) are disposed between the motor housing and the output shaft (4-1-2). The torque sensor (4-1-3) is disposed between the waterproof motor (4-1-1) and the output shaft (4-1-2) and is used to detect the output assist torque. The encoder (4-1-4) is used to detect the position of the output shaft of the waterproof motor (4-1-1).

8. The underwater leg-assisting diving exoskeleton system according to claim 1, characterized in that, The first transmission assembly (5-1) and the second transmission assembly (5-2) are rigid transmission assemblies; each of the first transmission assembly (5-1) and the second transmission assembly (5-2) includes a leg transmission rod (5-1-1) and a leg binding (5-1-2). One end of the leg transmission rod (5-1-1) is connected to the output end of the corresponding drive assembly, and the other end is connected to the leg binding (5-1-2). The leg binding (5-1-2) is used to bind and fix the wearer's thigh.

9. The underwater leg-assisting diving exoskeleton system according to claim 8, characterized in that, The leg drive rod (5-1-1) includes a hinge assembly and a bent rod. One end of the hinge assembly is connected to the output end of the corresponding drive assembly, and the other end of the hinge assembly is connected to one end of the bent rod. The other end of the bent rod is rotatably connected to the leg restraint (5-1-2).

10. An underwater leg-kicking assistance method, implemented using the underwater leg-kicking assistance diving exoskeleton system according to any one of claims 1 to 9, characterized in that, Includes the following steps: Step 1: Wear the torso wearable carrier (1) on the wearer's torso, and fix the exoskeleton body to the wearer's waist through the waist belt assembly (3). Connect the first transmission assembly (5-1) and the second transmission assembly (5-2) to the wearer's left and right legs respectively to obtain the wearing completed state. Step 2: Based on the completed wearing state, the control component (6) obtains the motion state information of the first drive component (4-1) and the second drive component (4-2), and generates a control command containing the target assist torque according to the preset assist strategy; Step 3: According to the control command, the first drive component (4-1) and the second drive component (4-2) output assist torque respectively, and transmit the assist torque to the wearer's left and right lower limbs through the first transmission component (5-1) and the second transmission component (5-2) to obtain an assist torque acting on the wearer's hip joint to assist the wearer in completing the underwater leg kick propulsion action; at the same time, the control component (6) and the battery component (7) use their own weight as at least part of the counterweight system required for the wearer's descent to assist in the descent.

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