Exoskeleton for assisting trunk movements.

Abstract

Exoskeleton for assisting trunk movements The invention relates mainly to an exoskeleton (1) for assisting the movements of the trunk of a wearer, comprising means for holding the bust (6) of said wearer, characterized in that it comprises a dorso-costal support system (56) comprising a dorso-costal belt (73) operable between a relaxed position and a rib support position, and means (65) for actuating the dorso-costal belt (73) towards its rib support position when the wearer performs a movement of the trunk, which actuating means (65) comprise connecting means (66) to the means for holding the bust (6) of the wearer. Figure to be published with the abstract: Fig. 1

Description

Title of the invention: Exoskeleton for assisting trunk movements. Technical field

[0001] The invention falls within the field of systems for physically assisting human body movements, and more particularly in the field of exoskeletons for physically assisting the movements of the trunk of a user wearing such an exoskeleton. PRIOR ART AND DISADVANTAGES OF PRIOR ART

[0002] In many situations, most often related to professional activity, individuals must regularly perform trunk movements - in particular when bending down to lift a load - which results in significant stress on the lumbar vertebrae under the tension of the lumbar muscles. These repeated and prolonged movements ultimately lead to lower back pain, or even injuries.

[0003] Various models of exoskeletons are known, which typically include back belts that work in compression around the user's waist. These belts include, in particular, adjustment straps to adapt to the user's morphology.

[0004] A disadvantage of these prior art systems lies in the large number of straps used. These are sometimes complex to install and create pressure zones around the waist. In addition, the effectiveness of the support depends on the tightening of the belt, which is not always easy to master for a novice, who must find the balance between comfort and sufficient support. OBJECTIVE OF THE INVENTION

[0005] The invention therefore aims to propose an exoskeleton for assisting trunk movements that is simple to install, compact, ergonomic and more effective. Statement of the invention

[0006] To this end, the invention relates to an exoskeleton for assisting the movements of the trunk of a wearer, comprising means for supporting the bust of said wearer, a dorso-costal support system comprising a dorso-costal belt operable between a relaxed position and a rib support position, and means for actuating the dorso-costal belt towards its rib support position when the wearer performs a movement of the trunk, which actuating means comprise means for connection to the means for supporting the bust of the wearer.

[0007] The exoskeleton may also include the following optional features: considered in isolation or according to all possible technical combinations: • The dorso-costal belt comprises a back support device and a rib support device connected to the actuating means and mounted to move relative to the back support device between the release position and the rib support position. • The rib support device comprises two lateral rib support branches substantially parallel to each other and perpendicular to the back support device, each branch comprising a free rib end intended to bear against the wearer's flanks and an opposite connecting end slidably connected in the back support device by the actuating means between the release position and the rib support position. • The connecting means are formed by sheathed cables whose opposite ends are respectively connected to the connecting ends of the rib support branches and to the means of support on the wearer's torso. • The actuating means comprise at least one elastic member secured to the bust support means, which elastic member is connected to the sheathed cables and is capable of exerting a return force on the rib support branches towards their rib support position transmitted by the sheathed cables. • The means of maintaining the bust include an articulated frame, points of support for the frame against the back and against the thorax of the wearer, and means of distancing the frame from the shoulders of the wearer when the latter is equipped with the exoskeleton. • The frame comprises two articulated cervical branches capable of extending on either side of the cervical vertebrae of the wearer equipped with the exoskeleton from a free dorsal end to a free thoracic end. • The free dorsal ends of each of the two cervical branches are joined together to form a single dorsal end, and each of the free thoracic ends of the two cervical branches forms two separate thoracic ends. • The considered ends of the sheathed cables are connected to the dorsal end of the cervical branches. • The elastic member of the actuating means is secured to the dorsal end of the cervical branches. PRESENTATION OF FIGURES

[0008] Other features and advantages of the invention will become clear from the description given below, for information purposes only and in no way limiting, with reference to the attached figures including:

[0009] [Fig.l] [Fig.l] represents a perspective view of the dorso-costal support exoskeleton according to one embodiment.

[0010] [Fig.2] [Fig.2] represents a perspective view of a detail of the actuating means of the dorso-costal support system of the exoskeleton of [Fig.l]. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0011] It is first of all specified that in the figures, the same references designate the same elements regardless of the figure in which they appear and regardless of the form of representation of these elements. Similarly, if elements are not specifically referenced in one of the figures, their references can be easily found by referring to another figure.

[0012] It is also specified that the figures essentially represent an embodiment of the subject of the invention but that there may be other embodiments which meet the definition of the invention.

[0013] The invention relates to a dorso-costal exoskeleton 1, intended to be installed on the bust and at the waist of a wearer to accompany the extension movements of the trunk of said wearer.

[0014] With reference to figures 1 to 2, the exoskeleton 1 comprises on the one hand means 6 for holding the bust of a wearer of said exoskeleton 1, and on the other hand a dorso-costal support system 56 to accompany any flexion movement of the trunk of the wearer equipped with said exoskeleton 1.

[0015] By bust is meant the upper part of the body between the head and the waist of the wearer. As a corollary, the holding means 6 of the exoskeleton 1 according to the invention do not cooperate with the parts of the wearer's body located at and below the waist.

[0016] The holding means 6 on the wearer's torso comprise an articulated frame 2, for example made of aluminum, which frame 2 comprises two curved or angled main branches 7 which extend, when the wearer is equipped with the exoskeleton 1, above the wearer's shoulders on either side of his cervical vertebrae. Thus, each main branch 7 extends from a dorsal free end 11 to a thoracic free end 12 when the wearer is equipped with the exoskeleton 1, which thoracic free end 12 is provided to bear against the thorax of the wearer of the exoskeleton 1 more precisely under one of his clavicles.

[0017] Furthermore, to improve the positioning and support of the main branches 7 on the wearer's torso, the free dorsal ends of said main branches 7 are joined together to form a single dorsal end 11, while the free thoracic ends of the two main branches 7 form two separate thoracic ends 12.

[0018] Each main branch 7 is formed of a dorsal part 33 comprising the dorsal end 11, a thoracic part 34 comprising the thoracic end 12 and a central part 35 connecting the thoracic and dorsal parts via pivot joints 14. In fact and like the other embodiments, the dorsal 33 and thoracic 34 parts are pivotally movable relative to the central part 35 between a deployed position and a folded position. In particular, the joints 14 are notched, which ensures that the branches are held in their chosen position (unfolded or deployed).

[0019] With reference to [Fig. 1], the dorsal portion 33 of each branch 7 is formed of a telescopic tube with locking notches which makes it possible to adjust the length of said dorsal portion 33 and thus to optimally adjust the frame 2 on the shoulders of the wearer. In addition, the dorsal portions are inclined and extend from their common dorsal end 11 symmetrically with respect to the axis of the neck of the wearer. In other words, the angles formed between the neck axis and the dorsal portion of the two respective branches are identical, these two angles being acute. This facilitates the positioning and comfort of wearing the exoskeleton Id on the wearer.

[0020] Furthermore, the central portion 35 of each branch 7 is adjustable so as to adapt the branches 7 to the morphology of the wearer. The central portion 35 may also comprise a fixing projection (not shown) intended to cooperate with another exoskeleton (not shown) intended to accompany the movements of the wearer's upper limbs.

[0021] The holding means 6 comprise support points 8 of the frame 2 against the back and thorax of the wearer. These support points 8, arranged at the thoracic ends 12 and at the dorsal end 11 of the main branches 7, comprise contact pads 9 mounted in an articulated manner by means of a ball joint 10 on each thoracic end 12 or dorsal end 11. More precisely, each thoracic end 12 or dorsal end 11 is connected to a contact pad 9, itself mounted on a ball joint 10 secured to the end in question 11, 12. In this way, the entire contact surface of each contact pad 9 is in support against the thorax or back of the wearer when the latter is equipped with the exoskeleton 1.

[0022] Furthermore, and in a particularly advantageous manner, this clamp effect allows the wearer equipped with the exoskeleton 1 to keep the main branches 7 at a distance from the shoulders of said wearer. The main branches 7 therefore do not form any support point on the shoulders of the user on either side of the cervical vertebrae, i.e. neither on the upper back nor on the trapezius muscles of the wearer. The rigid nature of the main branches 7 and the ends 11, 12 of said branches 7 form means for distancing the frame 2 from the shoulders of the wearer when the latter is equipped with the exoskeleton 1.

[0023] Thus, the holding means 6 of the exoskeleton 1 do not cause any discomfort to the wearer. Furthermore, since the contact surface between the holding means 6 and the wearer's torso is limited to the contact pads 9, the wearer's movements have no influence on the adjustment of the branches 7 and the support points 8.

[0024] Optionally and with reference to [Fig.l], the exoskeleton 1 comprises a device for accompanying the extension movements of the wearer's head 3. This accompanying device 3 comprises a headrest 4 secured to the frame 2. More precisely, the accompanying device 3 comprises a support 47 of the headrest 4 connected to the frame 2 and to return means.

[0025] The support 47 is an articulated connecting device of the headrest 4 to the frame 2 and comprises a ball joint 49 secured to the headrest 4, a receiving member 50 of the ball joint 49 - in particular a pad 50 - in which said ball joint 49 is free to rotate, and a connecting piece 51 of the receiving member 50 to the frame 2, which connecting piece 51 extends parallel to the neck of the wearer equipped with the exoskeleton 1 and comprises one end secured to the receiving member 50 and an opposite end secured to the dorsal end 11 of the two main branches 7. To increase comfort and adapt the headrest 4 to any wearer, the connecting piece 51 is formed of a telescopic tube to adjust its length. Furthermore, the connecting piece 51 is angled, to improve comfort and the contact surface between the headrest 4 and the wearer.Finally, the telescopic tube 51 is movable along an anteroposterior axis depending on the movements of the wearer. An elastic return means makes it possible to return the tube 51 from a posterior position to an anterior position, in a direction away from the frontal plane of the wearer.

[0026] The ball joint 49 comprises a substantially cylindrical projection 55, while the housing of the ball joint 49 formed in the receiving member 50 comprises a through opening 54: in this way, when the ball joint 49 is engaged in the receiving member 50, a part of the ball joint 49 passes through the through opening 54 of the receiving member 50 and in particular the cylindrical projection 55.

[0027] The headrest 4 comprises a receiving hoop 46 for the wearer's head and extends along a longitudinal axis which is perpendicular to the axis of the wearer's neck when the latter is equipped with the exoskeleton 1, which hoop 46 is integral with the support 47 and more particularly with the ball joint 49. To allow the hoop 46 to be adjusted on the wearer's head, said hoop 46 comprises means for adjusting its radius of curvature 52.

[0028] Finally, the return means comprise an elastic member whose ends are secured respectively to the cylindrical projection 55 of the ball joint 49 and to the connecting piece 51. In this way, the elastic member also extends parallel to the axis of the wearer's neck.

[0029] The elastic organ has a triple function.

[0030] Firstly, the elastic member exerts a force compensating for the extension movement of the wearer's head applied to at least a portion of the headrest 4.

[0031] Secondly, the return member exerts a contact force of the hoop 46 against the wearer's head. Thus, as soon as the wearer is equipped with the exoskeleton 1 provided with the accompanying device 3, the elastic return member will ensure that the hoop 46 is brought into contact with the wearer's head.

[0032] Thirdly, the elastic member, the ball joint 49, the receiving member 50 and the connecting piece 51 are all arranged along a main axis parallel to the axis of the wearer's neck. Thus, the elastic member makes it possible to oppose a pivoting of the arch 46 caused for example by a lateral flexion movement of the wearer's head, and to return the arch 46 to a position perpendicular to the axis of the wearer's neck.

[0033] The wearer is therefore naturally led to straighten his head when he is equipped with the exoskeleton 1 equipped with the accompanying device 3, and as a corollary, the wearer feels - via a tension of the elastic member according to a component perpendicular to the axis of the neck - that the exoskeleton must be better positioned on him.

[0034] According to the invention, the exoskeleton 1 comprises a dorso-costal support system 56 which will now be described.

[0035] The rib support system 56 comprises a dorso-rib support belt 73 which comprises a back support device 57 and a rib support device 53 comprising two lateral rib support branches 62. Each rib branch 62 comprises a free rib end 64 and an opposite connecting end 63 slidably connected to said back support device 57.

[0036] The back support device 57 - which extends along a longitudinal axis perpendicular to the axis of the spine of the equipped wearer - comprises two back pieces 58, the respective first ends of which are connected to each other by a flexible strap-type member 61, to allow better positioning and better support of the two back pieces 58 against the back of the wearer equipped with the exoskeleton 1.

[0037] The opposite ends of the two dorsal parts 58 are for their part slidably connected to the connecting ends 63 of the two respective lateral rib support branches 62: each branch 62 is thus movable by sliding in a sliding space 59 arranged in the dorsal part considered 58 and which extends along the longitudinal axis of the dorsal support device 58, between a separated position and a rib support position resting against the bust of the wearer of the exoskeleton 1.

[0038] Each rib support branch 62 further comprises, at its free rib end 64, a support point 8 provided with a contact pad 9 capable of coming into contact with the wearer's torso.

[0039] The dorso-costal support system 56 further comprises means 65 for actuating the branches from their spaced apart position to their costal support position. These actuating means 65 comprise flexible connecting means 66 connecting the bust support means 6 and the dorso-costal support belt 73, and more precisely connecting the free dorsal end 11 of the main branches 7 and said dorso-costal support belt 73. These connecting means 66 are formed by sheathed cables, each of which comprises a cable 67 housed in a flexible sheath 68, for example of the bicycle brake cable type, each sheathed cable 66 comprising a dorsal end portion 70 connected to the dorsal end 11 of the main branches 7, and an opposite costal end portion 69 secured to the dorso-costal support belt 73.This type of 66 sheathed cables ensures optimal comfort for the equipped wearer, following the curvature of the back whatever the wearer's movements.

[0040] More precisely and as shown in [Fig.l], the costal end portion 69 of each sheathed cable 66 is arranged in a housing 60 formed in the dorsal part considered 58 of the back support device 57, which housing 60 opens into the sliding space 59 of the part considered 58. The end of the cable 69 is then connected to the connecting end 63 of the sliding branch considered 62. In [Fig.l], the sheathed cables 66 are shown sectioned to illustrate the presence of the cables 67 inside the sheaths 68, but those skilled in the art will of course understand that these sheathed cables 66 are continuous between their respective end portions 69, 70.

[0041] Furthermore, the dorsal end portion 70 of each sheathed cable 66 is housed in a sheath 71 secured to the bust support means 6, and more precisely secured to the dorsal end 11 of the main branches 7. Even more precisely, the end of the cable 67 housed in the sheath 71 is connected to at least one compression spring 72 secured to the internal surface of the sheath 71 ([Fig.2]), which spring 72 makes it possible to maintain permanent traction on the cables 67 so that the latter tend to bring the costal branches 62 to which they are respectively connected towards their costal support position pressing against the flanks of the wearer of the exoskeleton 1. The springs 72 and the sheathed cables 66 form the actuating means 65.

[0042] The dorso-costal support system 56 operates as follows: when the wearer equipped with the exoskeleton 1 makes movements of the trunk, this has the effect of moving said support system 56 away from the bust support means 6, causing the movement of the cables 67 inside their sheaths 68. In other words, when the wearer makes a movement of the trunk, the sheaths 71 secured to the dorsal end 11 of the main branches 7 pull on the considered ends of the cables 67, which causes by reaction the sliding of the lateral rib support branches 62 towards their rib support position. Thus, the more the wearer flexes the trunk, the more the support branches 62 tend to move towards their rib support position, and the more the bearing force of the rib support branches 62 against the bust increases and the better the support, in particular when moving loads. In addition, the effects generated by the dorso-rib support system 56 on the wearer give him information on his posture and encourage him to adopt a good, more ergonomic position.

[0043] Conversely, when the wearer straightens up, the pulling force of the cables 67 at the level of the sheaths 71 decreases, causing the rib support branches 62 to move towards their spaced position and therefore the reduction of the bearing force of said branches 62 against the wearer's bust.

Claims

Claims

1. Exoskeleton (1) for assisting the movements of the trunk of a wearer, comprising means for holding the bust (6) of said wearer, characterized in that it comprises a dorso-costal support system (56) comprising a dorso-costal belt (73) operable between a relaxed position and a position of support in rib contention, and means (65) for actuating the dorso-costal belt (73) towards its position of support in rib contention when the wearer performs a movement of the trunk, which means of actuation (65) comprise means of connection (66) to the means for holding the bust (6) of the wearer.

2. Exoskeleton (1) according to the preceding claim, characterized in that the dorso-costal belt (73) comprises a dorsal support device (57) and a rib support device (53) connected to the actuating means (65) and mounted to move relative to the dorsal support device (57) between the release position and the rib support position.

3. Exoskeleton (1) according to the preceding claim, characterized in that the rib support device (53) comprises two lateral rib support branches (62) substantially parallel to each other and perpendicular to the dorsal support device (57), each branch (62) comprising a free rib end (64) intended to bear against the flanks of the wearer and an opposite connecting end (63) slidably connected in the dorsal support device (57) by the actuating means (65) between the release position and the rib support position.

4. Exoskeleton (1) according to the preceding claim, characterized in that the connecting means (66) are formed by sheathed cables whose opposite ends are respectively connected to the connecting ends (63) of the rib support branches (62) and to the means for holding the wearer to the bust (6).

5. Exoskeleton (1) according to claim 3 or 4, characterized in that the actuating means (65) comprise at least one elastic member (72) integral with the bust support means (6), which elastic member (72) is connected to the sheathed cables (66) and is capable of exerting a return force on the rib support branches (62) towards their rib support position transmitted by the sheathed cables (66).

6. Exoskeleton (1) according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the means for holding the bust (6) comprise an articulated frame (2), support points (8) of the frame (2) against the back and against the thorax of the wearer, and means for distancing the frame (2) from the shoulders of the wearer when the latter is equipped with the exoskeleton (1).

7. Exoskeleton (1) according to the preceding claim, characterized in that the frame (2) comprises two articulated cervical branches (7) capable of extending on either side of the cervicals of the wearer equipped with the exoskeleton from a free dorsal end (11) to a free thoracic end (12).

8. Exoskeleton (1) according to the preceding claim, characterized in that the free dorsal ends of each of the two cervical branches (7) are secured to each other to form a single dorsal end (11), and in that each of the free thoracic ends (12) of the two cervical branches (7) forms two separate thoracic ends (12).

9. Exoskeleton (1) according to the preceding claim, characterized in that the considered ends of the sheathed cables (66) are connected to the dorsal end (11) of the cervical branches (7).

10. Exoskeleton (1) according to claim 8 or 9 and according to claim 5, characterized in that the elastic member (72) of the actuating means (65) is integral with the dorsal end (11) of the cervical branches (7).

Images