Lower extremity assistive exoskeleton

Abstract

The utility model provides a kind of lower limb power assisting exoskeleton, including two left and right symmetrical distribution's exoskeleton leg, and the hip of two the exoskeleton leg is connected by hip connecting frame;The hip of two exoskeleton legs is oppositely provided with elastic air bag in inside, and air bag take-up component is connected on the elastic air bag;The state that the present application can be worn in patient lower limb power assisting exoskeleton, utilize air bag take-up component to inflate or deflate to elastic air bag, to carry out fine adjustment to the thickness of elastic air bag in left and right directions, to adapt to the use demand of user under different clothing thickness, with the advantage that it is convenient to adjust, and adjustment precision is high;In addition, since elastic air bag and user flexible contact, effectively improve the use comfort of user.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This utility model belongs to the field of assisted walking technology, specifically relating to a lower limb assistive exoskeleton. Background Technology

[0002] A lower limb assistive exoskeleton is a device worn on the lower limbs to help people with lower limb disabilities walk. To meet the needs of people with different body widths, the lower limb assistive exoskeleton needs to have an adjustable width function.

[0003] For example, invention patent application CN2018110227202 discloses an exoskeleton robot designed to prevent backward tilting, specifically disclosing two lower limb structures (i.e., exoskeleton legs) and a hip adjustment bracket for connecting the upper parts of the two lower limb structures. It utilizes the hip adjustment bracket to adjust the distance between the two lower limb structures in the left-right direction, thereby meeting the usage needs of people with different body widths. Another example is utility model patent application CN2021229498434, which discloses a child-assisted walking exoskeleton. It places the two exoskeleton legs of the lower limb exoskeleton on two lever arms on a walking frame, and the distance between the two lever arms can be adjusted by a synchronous adjustment device to allow them to move closer or further apart simultaneously. This allows for adjustment of the distance between the two lever arms to meet the usage needs of people with different body widths. However, the above width adjustment schemes are only suitable for coarse adjustments in offline mode (i.e., adjustments without wearing the device), and are not convenient for precise adjustments in online mode (i.e., wearing mode), thus hindering the convenient and quick fulfillment of users' needs under different clothing thicknesses. Utility Model Content

[0004] In view of the shortcomings of the prior art, the purpose of this utility model is to provide a lower limb assistive exoskeleton that can adjust its width according to the thickness of the user's clothing.

[0005] To achieve the above and other related objectives, this utility model provides a lower limb assistive exoskeleton, comprising two symmetrically distributed exoskeleton legs, with the hips of the two exoskeleton legs connected by a hip connector; elastic airbags are disposed opposite each other on the inner sides of the hips of the two exoskeleton legs, and airbag inflation / deflation components are connected to the elastic airbags; this application allows for the inflation or deflation of the elastic airbags using the airbag inflation / deflation components while the patient is wearing the lower limb assistive exoskeleton, thereby fine-tuning the thickness of the elastic airbags in the left-right direction to adapt to the user's needs under different clothing thicknesses, offering advantages such as convenient adjustment and high adjustment precision; furthermore, because the elastic airbags are in flexible contact with the user, it effectively improves the user's comfort.

[0006] Preferably, the airbag inflation / deflation assembly includes an air tube, an inflation ball, and an air valve; the air valve has an air inlet, an air outlet, and an air release port; one end of the air tube is connected to the elastic airbag, and the other end of the air tube is connected to the air outlet of the air valve; the air inlet of the air valve is connected to the inflation ball; inflation is performed using the inflation ball, which has the advantages of simple operation and low cost.

[0007] Preferably, the air valve has a valve core that can switch between a first position and a second position; when the valve core is in the first position, the air inlet and the air outlet of the air valve are connected; when the valve core is in the second position, the air outlet and the air release port of the air valve are connected; the user can switch between the inflation and deflation states by switching the valve core.

[0008] Preferably, the hip connection frame is a hip adjustment bracket to facilitate coarse adjustment of the distance between the two exoskeleton legs.

[0009] Preferably, the hip adjustment bracket includes a fixing plate, a first connector, a second connector, and a synchronous adjustment assembly; the first connector and the second connector are both slidably mounted on the fixing plate in the left-right direction and are respectively connected to the hips of the two exoskeleton legs; the synchronous adjustment assembly is used to drive the first connector and the second connector to move closer or further away synchronously, so as to adjust the distance between the first connector and the second connector.

[0010] Preferably, the hip connection frame is equipped with a control box for controlling the movement of each exoskeleton leg, so as to facilitate the control of the movement of each exoskeleton leg.

[0011] Preferably, the exoskeleton leg includes a thigh, a calf, and a drive assembly; the upper end of the thigh is hinged to the hip, and the lower end of the thigh is hinged to the upper end of the calf; the drive assembly is used to drive the thigh and calf to move in order to simulate human gait.

[0012] Preferably, the exoskeleton leg includes a foot assembly; the foot assembly includes a foot plate and an ankle joint connector fixedly mounted on the foot plate; the ankle joint connector is hinged to the lower end of the lower leg.

[0013] Preferably, an elastic reset mechanism is provided between the foot assembly and the lower leg; the elastic reset mechanism is used to lift the foot plate, which is not subject to external force, to a preset posture to avoid the phenomenon of the forefoot shoveling when patients with foot drop use the lower limb assistive exoskeleton to walk.

[0014] Preferably, the elastic reset mechanism is an elastic tension band, one end of which is connected to the lower leg, and the other end of which is connected to the front end of the foot plate.

[0015] As described above, the lower limb assistive exoskeleton of this utility model has the following beneficial effects:

[0016] This invention features elastic airbags positioned opposite each other on the inner hip sides of the two exoskeleton legs. By controlling the inflation volume of these airbags, the thickness of the airbags in the lateral direction can be fine-tuned. This facilitates precise width adjustment of the lower limb assistive exoskeleton while it is being worn, ensuring a precise fit between the exoskeleton and the user. Furthermore, when the user's clothing thickness changes, the inflation volume of the elastic airbags can be adjusted to ensure a snug fit between the exoskeleton and the user, meeting the needs of users with different clothing thicknesses. Moreover, the elastic airbags prevent direct rigid contact between the exoskeleton legs and the patient's hips, improving patient comfort. Attached Figure Description

[0017] Figure 1 This is a perspective view of a lower limb assistive exoskeleton in one embodiment of the present invention.

[0018] Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram showing the connection between the elastic airbag and the airbag deployment and deployment assembly.

[0019] Figure 3 This is a schematic diagram of the right exoskeleton leg in one embodiment.

[0020] Figure 4 for Figure 3 Left view after removing the cover.

[0021] Figure 5 This is a schematic diagram of the hip connection frame in one embodiment.

[0022] Figure 6 This is a schematic diagram of a synchronous adjustment component.

[0023] Figure 7 This is a schematic diagram of another structure for the synchronization adjustment component.

[0024] Explanation of reference numerals in the attached figures

[0025] Exoskeleton leg 10, hip 11, hip base plate 111, cover 112, thigh 12, calf 13, foot assembly 14, foot plate 141, ankle joint connector 142, elastic tension band 143, drive disc 15, first drive link 16, second drive link 17, hip joint swing arm 18, thigh link 19, first hinge point A, second hinge point B, third hinge point C, fourth hinge point D, fifth hinge point E, sixth hinge point F, seventh hinge point G;

[0026] Hip connector 20, fixing plate 21, first mounting part 22a, second mounting part 22b, positive and negative lead screws 23, intermediate gear 24, first rack 25a, second rack 25b, intermediate rotating rod 26, first push rod 27a, second push rod 27b;

[0027] Elastic airbag 30, air tube 31, inflatable ball 32, air valve 33, control box 40. Detailed Implementation

[0028] The following specific embodiments illustrate the implementation of this utility model. Those skilled in the art can easily understand other advantages and effects of this utility model from the content disclosed in this specification.

[0029] Please see Figures 1 to 7 It should be understood that the structures, proportions, sizes, etc., illustrated in the accompanying drawings are merely for illustrative purposes to aid those skilled in the art and are not intended to limit the scope of this invention. Therefore, they have no substantial technical significance. Any modifications to the structure, changes in proportions, or adjustments to size, without affecting the effectiveness and purpose of this invention, should still fall within the scope of the disclosed technical content. Furthermore, the terms "upper," "lower," "left," "right," "middle," and "one" used in this specification are merely for clarity and not intended to limit the scope of this invention. Changes or adjustments to their relative relationships, without substantially altering the technical content, should also be considered within the scope of this invention.

[0030] This application provides a lower limb assistive exoskeleton with easily adjustable width to meet the user's needs under different clothing thicknesses. In the following embodiments, for ease of description, the directions are defined as follows: the user's forward-backward direction after wearing the exoskeleton is defined as the forward-backward direction; the user's left-right direction after wearing the exoskeleton is defined as the left-right direction; and the user's height direction after wearing the exoskeleton is defined as the up-down direction. Based on this, Figure 4 In the view, the left and right sides of the paper are the forward direction and the forward direction, the top and bottom sides of the paper are the up direction and the down direction, and the inside and outside sides of the paper are the right direction and the left direction.

[0031] like Figure 1As shown, the lower limb assistive exoskeleton involved in this application embodiment includes two exoskeleton legs 10 symmetrically distributed in the left-right direction, and the hips 11 of the two exoskeleton legs 10 are connected together by a hip connecting frame 20. In order to avoid the hip connecting frame 20 affecting the user's wearing of the lower limb assistive exoskeleton, the hip connecting frame 20 needs to be located on the front or back of the hip 11, so that when the user wears the lower limb assistive exoskeleton, the hip connecting frame 20 can be located at the user's abdomen or lower back. In addition, elastic airbags 3 are provided opposite to each other on the inner sides of the hips of the two exoskeleton legs 10. The elastic airbag 30 is connected to an airbag deployment and retraction component, which allows the user to fine-tune the width of the elastic airbag 30 in the left and right directions to adapt to the user's needs under different clothing thicknesses. Since the width of the elastic airbag 30 can be fine-tuned while the user is wearing the device, the adjustment accuracy can be effectively improved, ensuring that the distance between the two elastic airbags 30 can match the user's body width under different clothing thicknesses. In addition, the elastic airbag 30 can avoid direct rigid contact between the exoskeleton leg 10 and the user, improving the user's comfort.

[0032] In a preferred embodiment, such as Figure 2 As shown, the airbag inflation / deflation assembly includes an air tube 31, an inflation ball 32, and an air valve 33. The air valve 33 has an air inlet, an air outlet, and a deflation port. One end of the air tube 31 is connected to the elastic airbag 30, and the other end of the air tube 31 is connected to the air outlet of the air valve 32. The air inlet of the air valve 33 is connected to the inflation ball 32. Thus, when the elastic airbag 30 needs to be inflated, simply connect the air inlet of the air valve 33 to the air outlet and repeatedly squeeze the inflation ball 31. When the elastic airbag 30 needs to be deflated, simply connect the air outlet of the air valve 33 to the deflation port, allowing some of the gas inside the elastic airbag 30 to be discharged through the deflation port.

[0033] To facilitate control of the state of the elastic airbag 30, the air valve 33 has a valve core that can switch between a first position and a second position. When the valve core is in the first position, the air inlet and outlet of the air valve 33 are connected, and the elastic airbag 30 can be inflated. When the valve core is in the second position, the air outlet of the air valve 33 is connected to the deflation port, and the elastic airbag 30 is in a deflated state.

[0034] Furthermore, the valve core can switch between the first position, the second position, and the third position; when the valve core is in the third position, the air inlet of the air valve 33 is connected to the air outlet, and the elastic air bag 30 is in a stable state, effectively avoiding accidental inflation caused by the inflatable ball 32 being squeezed.

[0035] Of course, in other embodiments, the airbag inflation / deflation assembly may also employ an air pump assembly to perform automatic inflation / deflation operations.

[0036] In an optional embodiment, the elastic airbag 30 is provided with a flexible anti-slip layer on the side facing the user to increase the friction between the user and the hip 11 of the exoskeleton leg 10 and prevent relative sliding between the user's hip and the hip 11 of the exoskeleton leg 10; the flexible anti-slip layer may be made of a fabric with a certain anti-slip capability.

[0037] In the aforementioned lower limb assistive exoskeleton, the hip connector 20 is a hip adjustment bracket.

[0038] Specifically, the hip adjustment bracket includes a fixing plate 21, a first connector 22a, a second connector 22b, and a synchronous adjustment assembly. The first connector 22a and the second connector 22b are both slidably mounted on the fixing plate 21 in a left-right direction and are respectively connected to the hips 11 of the two exoskeleton legs 10. The synchronous adjustment assembly is used to drive the first connector 22a and the second connector 22b to move closer or further apart synchronously, thereby adjusting the distance between the first connector 22a and the second connector 22b. The hip adjustment bracket can perform preliminary adjustment of the distance between the two exoskeleton legs 10.

[0039] It should be noted that there are various structural types of synchronization control components, including but not limited to the following three structural forms:

[0040] The first structural form: such as Figure 5 As shown, the synchronous adjustment assembly includes a positive and negative lead screw 23, which is horizontally mounted on a fixed plate 21 via a lead screw support. The outer wall of the positive and negative lead screw 23 is provided with a positive thread and a negative thread. The first connector 22a and the second connector 22b are respectively threaded to the threads of different directions on the positive and negative lead screw 23 so that when the positive and negative lead screw 23 rotates forward or reverses, the first connector 22a and the second connector 22b can move closer or further away synchronously.

[0041] The second structural form: such as Figure 6 As shown, the synchronization adjustment assembly includes an intermediate gear 24 and a first rack 25a and a second rack 25b that mesh with the intermediate gear 24 simultaneously; the first rack 25a is connected to the first connector 22a, and the second rack 25b is connected to the second connector 22b; thus, when the intermediate gear 24 rotates forward or backward, the first connector 22a and the second connector 22b can move closer or further away synchronously.

[0042] The third structural form; such as Figure 7As shown, the synchronous adjustment assembly includes an intermediate rotating rod 26 and a first push rod 27a and a second push rod 27b respectively hinged to both ends of the intermediate rotating rod 26; the end of the first push rod 27a away from the intermediate rotating rod 26 is hinged to the first connecting member 22a, and the end of the second push rod 27b away from the intermediate rotating rod 26 is hinged to the second connecting member 22b; thus, when the intermediate rotating rod 27 rotates forward or backward, the first connecting member 22a and the second connecting member 22b can move closer or further away synchronously.

[0043] Since the lead screw has a self-locking function, for cost considerations, in this embodiment, the synchronous adjustment component is preferably... Figure 5 The first structural form shown.

[0044] Of course, the first connector 22a and the second connector 22b can also be adjusted asynchronously; for example, multiple adjustment holes are provided on the fixing plate 21 at intervals along the left and right direction, and fixing holes that cooperate with the adjustment holes are provided on the first connector 22a and the second connector 22b; simply insert the positioning pin, bolt or other positioning parts into the fixing holes of each connector to cooperate with the different adjustment holes, and the left and right positions of the corresponding connectors on the fixing plate 21 can be adjusted, thereby realizing the adjustment of the distance between the two connectors 22a.

[0045] In addition, in other embodiments, the width of the hip connection frame 20 can also be customized according to the user's body shape; of course, the hip connection frame 20 can also be made into a floor-standing frame to support and reduce the weight of the user and the lower limb assistive exoskeleton, thereby reducing the burden on the user's exercise and walking.

[0046] It should be noted that the structure of the exoskeleton leg 10 can take many forms and is not limited thereto, as long as it can assist the user in swinging their legs and walking. For specific details on the structure of the exoskeleton leg 10, please refer to the leg structures disclosed in existing patents such as CN202110391147.8, CN2022207294487, and CN2022206732253.

[0047] In this embodiment, as Figure 3 and Figure 4 As shown, the exoskeleton leg 10 includes a thigh 12, a lower leg 13, and a drive assembly; wherein, the upper end of the thigh 12 is hinged to the hip 11, and the lower end of the thigh 12 is hinged to the upper end of the lower leg 13; the drive assembly drives the thigh 12 and lower leg 13 to move under the control of the control box 40 to simulate human gait, thereby assisting the user in walking; the control box 40 is preferably set on the hip connection frame 20 so that the user can operate it by himself.

[0048] Specifically, such as Figure 4As shown, the drive assembly includes a drive disc 15, a first drive link 16, a second drive link 17, a hip joint swing arm 18, and a thigh link 19. The drive disc 15 is rotatably mounted on the hip 11, and a first hinge point A is provided on the drive disc 15, offset from the rotation center of the drive disc 15. The first end of the first drive link 16 and the first end of the second drive link 17 are both hinged to the first hinge point A of the drive disc 15. The hip joint swing arm 18 is a triangular frame structure, a triangular plate structure, or a bent rod structure with three vertices, and a second hinge point B, a third hinge point C, and a fourth hinge point D are respectively provided at the three vertices of the hip joint swing arm 18. The first drive link 16 is hinged at the second hinge point B of the hip joint swing rod 18; the first end of the thigh link 19 is hinged at the third hinge point C of the hip joint swing rod 18, and the second end of the thigh link 19 is hinged at the sixth hinge point F of the lower leg 13; the first end of the thigh 12 and the fourth hinge point C of the hip joint swing rod 18 are hinged at the same position on the hip 11, and the second end of the thigh 12 is hinged at the fifth hinge point E of the lower leg 13; the second end of the second drive link 17 is hinged at the seventh hinge point G of the thigh 12, and the seventh hinge point G is located between the fourth hinge point D and the fifth hinge point E.

[0049] Thus, when the drive disc 15 rotates under the action of external power, it will drive the first drive link 16 and the second drive link 17 to move, which in turn will drive the hip joint swing arm 18 and the thigh 12 to rotate relative to the hip 11, causing the thigh link 19 and the lower leg 13 to move accordingly, thereby simulating human gait movement. This not only eliminates the knee power source, but also reduces the difficulty of control.

[0050] It is understandable that the triangular frame structure is a triangular frame structure formed by three connecting rods connected end to end in sequence (also known as a triangular connecting rod); the triangular plate structure is a plate-shaped mechanism with a triangular cross-section; and the bent rod structure is a two-section bent rod formed by connecting one end of two connecting rods.

[0051] To improve the aesthetics of the exoskeleton leg 10, such as Figure 3 and Figure 4 As shown, the hip portion 11 includes a hip base plate 111 and a cover 112; wherein, the hip base plate 111 is used to connect the drive plate 15, the first drive link 16, the second drive link 17, the hip joint swing rod 18, the thigh link 19, and the thigh 12; the cover 112 is used to cover the drive plate 15, the first drive link 16, the second drive link 17, and the hip joint swing rod 18; in addition, the cover 112 is provided with an opening for the thigh 12 and the thigh link 19 to move; at this time, the elastic airbag 30 is installed on the cover 112.

[0052] In a preferred embodiment, the second drive link 17 adopts a telescopic structure with adjustable length, so as to switch the state of the exoskeleton leg 10 by adjusting the length of the second drive link 17. That is, when the second drive link 17 is at its shortest length, the exoskeleton leg 10 is in a standing and walking state; when the second drive link 17 is at its longest length, the exoskeleton leg 10 is in a sitting state.

[0053] Of course, the thigh 12, calf 13 and thigh connecting rod 19 can also adopt a telescopic structure with adjustable length to meet the needs of people with different leg lengths.

[0054] Furthermore, the exoskeleton leg 10 includes a foot assembly 14; the foot assembly 14 includes a foot plate 141 and an ankle joint connector 142 fixedly disposed on the foot plate 141; the ankle joint connector 142 is hinged to the lower end of the lower leg 13.

[0055] To prevent foot drop patients from shoving their forefoot when using a lower limb-assisted exoskeleton for walking, an elastic reset mechanism can be provided between the foot plate 14 and the lower leg 13. When the foot plate 141 is subjected to force, the elastic reset mechanism deforms and stores energy. When the foot plate 141 is not subjected to external force, the elastic reset mechanism releases energy to lift the foot plate 141, which is not subjected to external force, to a preset posture, thus preventing the user from shoving their forefoot when taking a step forward.

[0056] like Figure 4 As shown, in a preferred embodiment, the elastic reset mechanism is an elastic tension band 143, one end of which is connected to the lower leg 13, and the other end of which is connected to the front end of the foot plate 141.

[0057] Of course, the elastic reset mechanism can also adopt various anti-foot drop structures disclosed in patents such as CN2022223000453, CN2022204174286, CN2021204478056, and CN2024210805650, and there is no limitation on this.

[0058] In a preferred embodiment, the lower leg 13 is provided with a knee support component to prevent the user from collapsing due to leg weakness and bending during walking, thereby improving safety.

[0059] In summary, this invention provides elastic airbags 30 on the inner hip sides of the two exoskeleton legs 10, allowing for fine-tuning of the thickness of the elastic airbags 30 in the left-right direction by controlling their inflation volume. This facilitates adjusting the width of the lower limb assistive exoskeleton to a position precisely matching the user's width while in use. Furthermore, when the user's clothing thickness changes, adjusting the inflation volume of the elastic airbags 30 ensures the lower limb assistive exoskeleton fits the user, meeting the needs of users with different clothing thicknesses. Moreover, the elastic airbags 30 prevent direct rigid contact between the hips 11 of the exoskeleton legs 10 and the patient's hips, improving patient comfort.

[0060] Therefore, this utility model effectively overcomes the various shortcomings of the prior art and has high industrial application value.

[0061] The above embodiments are merely illustrative of the principles and effects of this utility model and are not intended to limit the scope of this utility model. Any person skilled in the art can modify or alter the above embodiments without departing from the spirit and scope of this utility model. Therefore, all equivalent modifications or alterations made by those skilled in the art without departing from the spirit and technical concept disclosed in this utility model should still be covered by the claims of this utility model.

Claims

1. A lower limb assistive exoskeleton, comprising two symmetrically distributed exoskeleton legs (10), wherein the hips (11) of the two exoskeleton legs (10) are connected by a hip connector (20); characterized in that, Two exoskeleton legs (10) have elastic airbags (30) arranged opposite each other on the inner side of their hips, and the elastic airbags (30) are connected to airbag detonation and retraction components.

2. The lower limb assistive exoskeleton according to claim 1, characterized in that, The airbag inflation and deflation assembly includes an air tube (31), an inflation ball (32), and an air valve (33); the air valve (33) has an air inlet, an air outlet, and an air release port; one end of the air tube (31) is connected to the elastic airbag (30), and the other end of the air tube (31) is connected to the air outlet of the air valve (33); the air inlet of the air valve (33) is connected to the inflation ball (32).

3. The lower limb assistive exoskeleton according to claim 2, characterized in that, The air valve (33) has a valve core that can switch between a first position and a second position. When the valve core is in the first position, the air inlet and the air outlet of the air valve (33) are connected. When the valve core is in the second position, the air outlet of the air valve (33) is connected to the air discharge port.

4. A lower limb assistive exoskeleton according to any one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that, The hip connection frame (20) is a hip adjustment bracket.

5. A lower limb assistive exoskeleton according to claim 4, characterized in that, The hip adjustment bracket includes a fixing plate (21), a first connector (22a), a second connector (22b), and a synchronous adjustment assembly; the first connector (22a) and the second connector (22b) are both slidably mounted on the fixing plate (21) in the left-right direction and are respectively connected to the hips of the two exoskeleton legs (10); the synchronous adjustment assembly is used to drive the first connector (22a) and the second connector (22b) to move closer or further away synchronously, so as to adjust the distance between the first connector (22a) and the second connector (22b).

6. The lower limb assistive exoskeleton according to claim 1, characterized in that, The hip connector (20) is equipped with a control box (40) for controlling the movement of each exoskeleton leg.

7. The lower limb assistive exoskeleton according to claim 1, characterized in that, The exoskeleton leg (10) includes a thigh (12), a calf (13) and a drive assembly; the upper end of the thigh (12) is hinged to the hip (11), and the lower end of the thigh (12) is hinged to the upper end of the calf (13); the drive assembly is used to drive the thigh (12) and calf (13) to move in order to simulate human gait.

8. A lower limb assistive exoskeleton according to claim 7, characterized in that, The exoskeleton leg (10) includes a foot assembly (14); the foot assembly (14) includes a foot plate (141) and an ankle joint connector (142) fixedly mounted on the foot plate (141); the ankle joint connector (142) is hinged to the lower end of the lower leg (13).

9. A lower limb assistive exoskeleton according to claim 8, characterized in that, An elastic reset mechanism is provided between the foot assembly (14) and the lower leg (13); the elastic reset mechanism is used to lift the foot plate (141) which is not subject to external force to a preset posture.

10. A lower limb assistive exoskeleton according to claim 9, characterized in that, The elastic reset mechanism is an elastic tension band (143), one end of which is connected to the lower leg (13), and the other end of which is connected to the front end of the foot plate (141).

Images