Self-locking passive upper limb exoskeleton

Abstract

The utility model discloses a kind of self-locking passive upper limb exoskeleton, it is related to exoskeleton technical field.The utility model includes back module, arm module and hip module, the arm module is symmetrically arranged on the upper end of the back module, the hip module is arranged below back module;The back module includes upper back support part and back support part;The back support part includes support block, support spine, fixed connecting piece and steering connecting piece.The utility model integrates rehabilitation and working mode, can carry out rehabilitation training to unilateral arm injury patient (normal hand provides resistance), can also be used for locking when working, satisfy diversification demand, and adopt passive design, without external power, avoid overheating and power consumption problem, structure is reliable, through multiple adjustable design (such as shoulder width, arm length, back extension etc.), adapt to different body type users, improve comfort and versatility.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This utility model belongs to the field of exoskeleton technology, and in particular relates to a self-locking passive upper limb exoskeleton. Background Technology

[0002] In the medical field, unilateral arm injuries are not uncommon in China. Unilateral arm injuries such as fractures and muscle atrophy pose significant challenges to patients' daily lives, work, and rehabilitation. In the production field, some jobs that require maintaining the same arm posture for a long time can easily cause workers to become fatigued, leading to a gradual decrease in production efficiency.

[0003] Existing medical devices are mostly designed for bilateral injuries or severe disabilities, limiting options for patients with unilateral injuries. Some unilateral assistive solutions are overly cumbersome and costly. In production, most exoskeletons currently use active assistance to apply extra force to workers to maintain a consistent posture, but prolonged use can lead to overheating or excessive power consumption, resulting in unsatisfactory assistive effects. Furthermore, most upper limb exoskeletons have a fixed structure, making prolonged wear a burden rather than a benefit.

[0004] To address these issues, we provide a self-locking passive upper limb exoskeleton. Summary of the Invention

[0005] The purpose of this invention is to provide a self-locking passive upper limb exoskeleton, which solves the problem of low practicality of existing upper limb exoskeletons through the structural cooperation of the back module, arm module and hip module.

[0006] To solve the above-mentioned technical problems, this utility model is achieved through the following technical solution.

[0007] This utility model relates to a self-locking passive upper limb exoskeleton, comprising a back module, an arm module, and a hip module. The arm modules are symmetrically arranged on the upper end of the back module, and the hip module is located below the back module. The back module includes an upper back support and a back support. The back support includes a support block, a spine support, a fixing connector, and a steering connector. The arm module includes a shoulder movement module, a shoulder support module, and an upper arm support module. The shoulder movement module includes a fixed gear, a locking gear, a shoulder drive rod, and shoulder inward and outward rotation rods. The shoulder support module includes a shoulder support and a shoulder extension. The shoulder extension is connected to the shoulder support via a slider and a slide rail. The upper arm support module includes an upper arm support, an upper arm length extension, and an upper arm width extension. The upper arm width extension is connected to the upper arm support via a slider and a slide rail. The upper arm length extension is located below the surface of the shoulder support. The hip module includes a lower back support and a lower back extension.

[0008] The present invention is further configured such that both the upper back support and the back support are detachable structures, and each includes a front back plate and a rear back plate. The rear back plate of the upper back support is provided with a shoulder movement slide, and the shoulder drive rod is provided with a protrusion adapted to the shoulder movement slide. The rear back plate of the upper back support is provided with a locking gear inner frame, and there are two fixed gears, which are respectively connected to the ends of the shoulder drive rod. The shoulder movement slide is provided with a positioning hole.

[0009] The present invention is further provided that the lower end of the boom extension and the upper end of the boom support are respectively equipped with rotating gears, and the two rotating gears mesh with each other. The lower end of the boom extension and the upper end of the boom support are also provided with limiting structures.

[0010] The present invention is further configured such that the inner and outer rotating rods of the shoulder include an inner rod and an outer rod, the inner rod is fixed in the hole of the shoulder driving rod, and the outer rod is sleeved on the inner rod and connected to the shoulder support.

[0011] The present invention is further configured such that a fixing hole is provided above the support block, and it is fixedly connected to the fixing connector. Two adjacent support blocks are connected through the fixing connector and the steering connector. The steering connector is connected to the fixing connector by a hinge, and the steering connector rotates at the fixing connector.

[0012] The present invention is further configured such that a groove is provided on one side of the support block, and a slider is slidably connected to the inner cavity of the groove; extension rods are provided on both sides of the support spine, and the extension rods are provided with slide rails; the extension rods and the groove slide together through the cooperation of the slider and the slide sleeve.

[0013] The present invention is further configured such that a long slot is provided at the lower end of the upper back support, and the upper back steering connector can slide within the long slot; a limiting block is provided on one side of the upper back steering connector.

[0014] The present invention is further configured such that the front back plate of the back support is provided with a force-bearing block, and the support blocks are arranged in a manner that is not explicitly stated in the invention.

[0015] The present invention is further configured such that an elastic button is provided on the front back plate of the upper back support, and the shoulder support and the shoulder extension, as well as the upper arm support and the upper arm extension, can all form a "U" structure.

[0016] The present invention is further configured such that the lower back extension is provided with an extension rod, the extension rod is provided with a slide rail, and the lower back support is provided with extension holes on both sides, and the extension holes are provided with sliders, the sliders sliding in the slide rails.

[0017] The present invention has the following beneficial effects.

[0018] 1. This utility model integrates rehabilitation and working modes, which can be used for rehabilitation training of patients with unilateral arm injuries (with the normal hand providing resistance) and for locking both arms during work, meeting diverse needs. It adopts a passive design, requiring no external power, avoiding overheating and power consumption problems, and has a reliable structure. Through multiple adjustable designs (such as shoulder width, arm length, back extension, etc.), it can adapt to users of different body types, improving comfort and versatility.

[0019] 2. The self-locking mechanism of this utility model is intelligent and reliable, and is only triggered under specific conditions (both arms reach the positioning hole and lean back), effectively preventing misoperation. The back module is designed with biomimicry to conform to the curvature of the human spine, ensuring the naturalness and comfort of bending over.

[0020] Of course, any product implementing this utility model does not necessarily need to achieve all of the advantages described above at the same time. Attached Figure Description

[0021] To more clearly illustrate the technical solutions of the embodiments of this utility model, the accompanying drawings used in the description of the embodiments will be briefly introduced below.

[0022] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of a self-locking passive upper limb exoskeleton.

[0023] Figure 2 This is a rear view of a self-locking passive upper limb exoskeleton.

[0024] Figure 3 This is a schematic diagram of the arm module in a self-locking passive upper limb exoskeleton.

[0025] Figure 4 This is a schematic diagram of the hip module and back support in a self-locking passive upper limb exoskeleton.

[0026] Figure 5 This is a schematic diagram of a self-locking passive upper limb exoskeleton with self-locking limiting.

[0027] Figure 6 This is a schematic diagram of a shoulder movement slide in a self-locking passive upper limb exoskeleton.

[0028] In the attached diagram: 1. Back module; 11. Upper back support; 12. Back support; 121. Support block; 122. Spine support; 123. Fixed connector; 124. Steering connector; 2. Arm module; 21. Shoulder movement module; 211. Fixed gear; 212. Locking gear; 213. Shoulder drive rod; 214. Shoulder internal and external rotation rod; 2141. Inner rod; 2142. Outer rod; 22. Shoulder support module; 221. Shoulder support; 222. Shoulder extension; 23. Upper arm support module; 231. Upper arm support; 232. Upper arm length extension; 233. Upper arm width extension; 3. Hip module; 31. Lower back support; 32. Lower back extension; 4. Rotating gear; 5. Force block; 6. Shoulder movement slide; 7. Elastic button; 8. Limiting block; 9. Fixing hole; 10. Positioning hole. Detailed Implementation

[0029] The technical solutions of the present utility model will be described below with reference to the accompanying drawings. The described embodiments are only some embodiments of the present utility model, and not all embodiments. Example 1

[0030] Please see Figures 1-6This utility model is a self-locking passive upper limb exoskeleton, including a back module 1, an arm module 2, and a hip module 3. The arm module 2 is symmetrically arranged on the upper end of the back module 1, and the hip module 3 is arranged below the back module 1. The back module 1 includes an upper back support part 11 and a back support part 12, which are used to support and fix the human back and to wear the exoskeleton. The back support part 12 includes a support block 121, a spine support 122, a fixing connector 123, and a turning connector 124. The arm module 2 includes a shoulder movement module 21, a shoulder support module 22, and an upper arm support module 23, which are used to fix the upper arm and shoulder and drive arm movement. The shoulder movement module 21 includes a fixed gear 211, a locking gear 212, a shoulder drive rod 213, and a shoulder inward and outward rotation rod 214; it is used to drive the shoulder to move up and down and rotate inward and outward, thereby driving the arm movement. The shoulder support module 22 includes a shoulder support part 221 and a shoulder extension part 222. The shoulder extension part 222 is connected to the shoulder support part 221 via a slider and a slide rail. The shoulder support part 221 is used to support the wearer's shoulder, and the shoulder extension part 222 is located on the side of the shoulder support part 221. The two are connected to the slide rail via a slider. By sliding the slider in the slide rail, the shoulder extension part 222 is driven to extend outward, thereby adjusting the shoulder width to adapt to different wearers' shoulder widths and improve wearing comfort. The upper arm support module 23 includes an upper arm support... The hip module 3 includes a lower back support 231, an upper arm length extension 232, and an upper arm width extension 233. The upper arm width extension 233 is connected to the upper arm support 231 via a slider and a slide rail. The upper arm length extension 232 is located below the surface of the shoulder support 221. The upper arm support 231 is used to support the wearer's upper arm. The upper arm width extension 233 is located on the side of the upper arm support 231. The connection method and function of the two are the same as those of the shoulder support module 22, which will not be described in detail here. The upper arm length extension 232 is located below the surface of the shoulder support 221 and is used for upper arm length adjustment to accommodate the upper arm length of different users. The hip module 3 includes a lower back support 31 and a lower back extension 32, which are used to fit snugly against the human hip and fix the human hip. Example 2

[0031] Please see Figures 1-6Based on Embodiment 1, both the upper back support 11 and the back support 12 are detachable structures, and both include a front back panel and a rear back panel. The rear back panel of the upper back support 11 is provided with a shoulder movement slide 6, and the shoulder drive rod 213 is provided with a protrusion adapted to the shoulder movement slide 6, thereby ensuring that the shoulder moves up and down within a designated area to prevent injury caused by excessive shoulder movement. The rear back panel of the upper back support 11 is provided with an inner frame for a locking gear 212, used to house the locking gear 212 and fix it in place. There are two gears 211, and the two fixed gears 211 are respectively connected to the ends of the shoulder drive rod 213. Rotating gears 4 are respectively installed at the lower end of the upper arm extension 232 and the upper end of the upper arm support 231, and the two rotating gears 4 mesh with each other. Limiting structures are also provided at the lower end of the upper arm extension 232 and the upper end of the upper arm support 231 to prevent the upper arm from rotating further after it has reached a designated position, thus preventing injury to the user due to excessive rotation. The shoulder inner and outer rotation rod 214 includes an inner rod 2141 and an outer rod. 2142, the inner rod 2141 is fixed inside the hole of the shoulder drive rod 213, and the outer rod 2142 is sleeved on the inner rod 2141 and connected to the shoulder support part 221. It can move in the direction of the inner rod 2141, thereby adjusting the height of the shoulder support part 221 to accommodate users of different heights. A fixing hole 9 is opened on the top of the support block 121, which is fixedly connected to the fixing connector 123. Two adjacent support blocks 121 are connected to the steering connector 124 through the fixing connector 123. The steering connector 124 is connected to the fixing connector 123. The connector 123 is connected by a hinge. The rotating connector 124 rotates at the fixed connector 123, thereby driving the rotation between the support blocks 121, so that it can fit the back of the user when bending over. A groove is opened on one side of the support block 121, and a slider is slidably connected to the inner cavity of the groove. Extension rods are provided on both sides of the support spine 122. The extension rods are provided with slides. The extension rods and the groove slide in cooperation with the slider and the sliding sleeve, thereby driving the support block 121 to extend outward to adapt to the state that the back will extend outward when the user bends over. Example 3

[0032] Please see Figures 1-6Based on Embodiments 1 and 2, the lower end of the upper back support 11 is provided with a long slot, within which the upper back steering connector 124 can slide. A limiting block 8 is provided on one side of the upper back steering connector 124 to limit the engagement of the gears. The support blocks 121 are arranged to mimic the changes that occur when the human spine bends, and are made of small materials to facilitate the deformation that occurs when the human body bends, allowing the support blocks 121 to conform to the human back. A force-bearing block 5 is provided on the front back plate of the back support 12, which conforms to the human back. When bending over, the force-bearing block 5 receives an outward expanding force, thereby causing the support blocks 121 to extend outward. A positioning hole 10 is provided on the shoulder movement slide 6. When the shoulder driving rod 213 passes through the positioning hole 10, there will be a slight jolt, but this does not affect its subsequent normal sliding. A spring button 7 is provided on the front back plate of the upper back support 11. When the human back touches the spring button 7, the button is pressed, and the locking gear 2 is activated. 12 moves outward to engage with the fixed gear 211, activating the self-locking mode. The engagement point of the engaging gear is associated with the positioning hole 10 of the shoulder movement slide 6. Only when the shoulder drive rods 213 on both sides reach the positioning hole 10 and the wearer leans back and touches the elastic button 7 will it be pushed in, and the engaging gear will enter the engagement mode. This prevents the wearer from accidentally leaning back in normal conditions and misjudging the locking mode. The shoulder support 221 and shoulder extension 222, the upper arm support 231 and upper arm extension can all form a "U" structure, which better fits the natural curvature of the human arm. The lower back extension 32 is provided with an extension rod, and the extension rod is provided with a slide. The lower back support 31 is provided with extension holes on both sides, and each extension hole is provided with a slider. The slider slides in the slide, thereby connecting the lower back extension 32 to the lower back support 31 and driving the lower back extension 32 to extend outward to adjust the width of the hip module 3 to adapt to the needs of different wearers.

[0033] The working principle of this utility model is as follows: the upper back of the human body can be slightly tilted back. At this time, the human body is in full contact with the upper back support 11. Pressing the elastic button 7 on the front plate of the upper back support 11 will push out the locking gear 212 to mesh with the fixed gear 211, thereby entering the self-locking mode. Only when the user controls the two shoulder drive rods 213 to reach the positioning hole 10 will the tilting back enter the subsequent self-locking process, preventing the user from accidentally tilting back and causing self-locking.

[0034] When the user bends over, the upper back steering connector 124 slides outward along the long slot below the upper back support 11, causing the back support 12 to extend outward to accommodate the expansion of the back when the user bends over. At the same time, the upper back steering connector 124 causes the limiting block 8 to slide outward. At this time, the locking gear 212, without the limiting effect of the limiting block 8, can return to the initial position with the elastic button 7, thereby releasing the self-locking mode. Only when the user's arms are in a relaxed state will the meshing of the fixed gear 211 and the locking gear 212 be relaxed. At this time, the user will bend over to initiate the contact self-locking process, preventing the self-locking from being unlocked due to normal bending over.

[0035] This device can be divided into rehabilitation mode and working mode; The rehabilitation mode requires the user to keep one hand in a relaxed state, i.e., the normal hand, and the other hand, i.e. the injured hand, to actively lift or press down. The normal hand can provide resistance to the injured hand in order to achieve the purpose of rehabilitation training. The working mode requires the user to raise both arms to the required positions and touch the positioning hole 10 to enter the self-locking mode. At this time, the user exerts force with both arms at the same time. When the force exerted by the two arms is roughly the same, the arms will be unable to move at the same time. At this time, the user's arms are in a fixed state, and work that requires the arms to remain still for a long time is performed in this state.

[0036] The foregoing description only illustrates certain exemplary embodiments of the present invention. Undoubtedly, those skilled in the art can modify the described embodiments in various ways without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention. Therefore, the above drawings and descriptions are illustrative in nature and should not be construed as limiting the scope of protection of the claims of the present invention.

Claims

1. A self-locking passive upper limb exoskeleton comprising a back module (1), an arm module (2) and a hip module (3), characterized in that: The arm module (2) is symmetrically arranged on the upper end of the back module (1), and the hip module (3) is arranged below the back module (1); The back module (1) includes an upper back support (11) and a back support (12). The back support (12) includes a support block (121), a spine support (122), a fixing connector (123), and a steering connector (124). The arm module (2) includes a shoulder movement module (21), a shoulder support module (22), and an upper arm support module (23). The shoulder motion module (21) includes a fixed gear (211), a locking gear (212), a shoulder drive rod (213), and a shoulder inner and outer rotating rod (214). The shoulder support module (22) includes a shoulder support part (221) and a shoulder extension part (222), wherein the shoulder extension part (222) is connected to the shoulder support part (221) via a slider and a slide rail. The upper arm support module (23) includes an upper arm support part (231), an upper arm length extension part (232), and an upper arm width extension part (233). The upper arm width extension part (233) is connected to the upper arm support part (231) via a slider and a slide rail. The upper arm length extension part (232) is disposed below the surface of the shoulder support part (221). The hip module (3) includes a lower back support (31) and a lower back extension (32).

2. The self-locking passive upper limb exoskeleton according to claim 1, characterized in that; Both the upper back support (11) and the back support (12) are detachable structures and each includes a front back panel and a rear back panel. The rear back panel of the upper back support (11) is provided with a shoulder moving slide (6). The shoulder driving rod (213) is provided with a protrusion that is adapted to the shoulder moving slide (6). The rear back panel of the upper back support (11) is provided with a locking gear (212) inner frame. There are two fixed gears (211), and the two fixed gears (211) are respectively connected to the ends of the shoulder driving rod (213). The shoulder moving slide (6) is provided with a positioning hole (10).

3. The self-locking passive upper limb exoskeleton according to claim 1, characterized in that: Rotating gears (4) are respectively installed at the lower end of the upper arm extension (232) and the upper end of the upper arm support (231), and the two rotating gears (4) mesh with each other. Limiting structures are also provided at the lower end of the upper arm extension (232) and the upper end of the upper arm support (231).

4. The self-locking passive upper limb exoskeleton according to claim 1, characterized in that: The shoulder inner and outer rotating rod (214) includes an inner rod (2141) and an outer rod (2142). The inner rod (2141) is fixed in the hole of the shoulder driving rod (213). The outer rod (2142) is sleeved on the inner rod (2141) and connected to the shoulder support (221).

5. The self-locking passive upper limb exoskeleton according to claim 1, characterized in that: The support block (121) has a fixing hole (9) on its top, which is fixedly connected to the fixing connector (123). Two adjacent support blocks (121) are connected through the fixing connector (123) and the steering connector (124). The steering connector (124) is connected to the fixing connector (123) by a hinge. The steering connector (124) rotates at the fixing connector (123).

6. The self-locking passive upper limb exoskeleton according to claim 1, characterized in that: A groove is provided on one side of the support block (121), and a slider is slidably connected to the inner cavity of the groove. Extension rods are provided on both sides of the support spine (122), and the extension rods are provided with slides. The extension rods and the groove slide together through the cooperation of the slider and the slide sleeve.

7. The self-locking passive upper limb exoskeleton according to claim 1, characterized in that: The upper back support (11) has a long slot at its lower end, and the upper back steering connector (124) can slide in the long slot; a limiting block (8) is provided on one side of the upper back steering connector (124).

8. The self-locking passive upper limb exoskeleton according to claim 1, characterized in that: The back support (12) has a front back plate with a force-bearing block (5), and the support blocks (121) are arranged in a row.

9. The self-locking passive upper limb exoskeleton according to claim 1, characterized in that: The upper back support (11) has a flexible button (7) on its front back plate. The shoulder support (221) and the shoulder extension (222), as well as the upper arm support (231) and the upper arm extension, can all form a "U" structure.

10. The self-locking passive upper limb exoskeleton according to claim 1, characterized in that: The lower back extension (32) is provided with an extension rod, and the extension rod is provided with a slide rail. The lower back support (31) is provided with extension holes on both sides, and the extension holes are provided with sliders, which slide in the slide rails.

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