Leg brace and walking training system

Abstract

To provide a leg brace which can be appropriately worn, and a walking training system using the same.SOLUTION: A leg brace 120 is to be worn on a leg portion of a trainee who performs walking training. The leg brace 120 includes: a holding portion disposed to face the leg portion; and a belt that is attached to the holding portion and is wound around the leg portion to attach the leg brace to the leg portion, wherein a belt guide 215 provided along the belt and protruding to the outside is provided on an outer peripheral side surface of the holding portion.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 2

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] The present disclosure relates to leg prostheses and gait training systems. [Background technology]

[0002] Patent Document 1 discloses a health device that relieves fatigue and pain caused by abnormalities in the arch shape of the foot. It is equipped with a main body part that is attached to the foot and a fixing string part that fixes the main body part. The main body part has a through hole for passing a belt through. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] JP 2006-015172 A Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] Incidentally, a walking training system that uses a treadmill or the like to perform walking training is in use. For example, a trainee with paralyzed legs performs walking training on a treadmill. In such a walking training system, the trainee may wear a leg brace to assist leg movement during walking training. The leg brace is fixed to the upper leg or lower leg with a belt. However, when the leg brace is attached using a belt, there is a risk that the support rigidity is low. This causes a problem that the weight of the lower leg cannot be supported and the pelvis falls.

[0005] The present disclosure has been made to solve such problems, and provides a leg brace and a walking training system that can be worn appropriately. [Means for solving the problem]

[0006] The leg orthosis in this embodiment is a leg orthosis to be worn on the leg of a trainee undergoing walking training, and comprises a holder arranged facing the leg, and a belt attached to the holder and wound around the leg to wear the leg orthosis on the leg, and a belt guide is provided on the outer peripheral side of the holder along the belt and protrudes outward.

[0007] In the above leg orthosis, a belt hole through which the belt passes may be provided in one end side of the holding portion in the winding direction of the belt, and the belt guide may be formed in the holding portion in the other end side of the holding portion in the winding direction of the belt.

[0008] In the above leg brace, in a plan view of an upper corner portion on the other end side of the holding portion seen from the outer periphery side, the corner portion may be formed so as to be inclined toward one end as it goes upward.

[0009] The above leg brace may further include an upper leg frame provided along the trainee's upper leg, a lower leg frame provided along the trainee's lower leg, and a drive mechanism interposed between the upper leg frame and the lower leg frame so as to change the angle of the trainee's knee joint, and the holding portion may be an upper crescent member disposed above the knee joint of the leg and holding the upper leg frame.

[0010] In the above leg brace, the holding portion may be an injection-molded product made of resin.

[0011] The above leg brace may further comprise a pad disposed between the holding portion and the leg portion.

[0012] In the above leg brace, an elastic sheet may be provided between the belt and the leg on the side of the leg opposite to the holding portion.

[0013] A walking training system according to a supplementary embodiment includes the above-mentioned leg brace and a tensioning means attached to the leg brace for applying a tensioning force to the leg. Effect of the Invention

[0014] The present disclosure provides a leg brace and a walking training system that can be worn appropriately. [Brief description of the drawings]

[0015] [Figure 1] FIG. 1 is a schematic perspective view of a walking training system 1 according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Diagram 2] FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the leg brace seen obliquely from the front. [Diagram 3] FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the leg brace seen obliquely from behind. [Figure 4] FIG. 2 is a side view of the leg brace seen from the right side. [Diagram 5] FIG. 2 is a front view of the leg brace. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0016] The present invention will be described below through embodiments of the invention, but the invention according to the claims is not limited to the following embodiments. Furthermore, not all of the configurations described in the embodiments are necessarily essential as means for solving the problems.

[0017] (System Configuration) 1 is an overall conceptual diagram showing an example of the configuration of a rehabilitation support system according to an embodiment of the present invention. The rehabilitation support system (walking training system 1) according to this embodiment is mainly composed of a walking training device 100 and a leg brace 120.

[0018] The walking training device 100 is a specific example of a rehabilitation support device that supports the rehabilitation of a trainee (user) 900. The walking training device 100 is a device that allows the trainee 900, who is a hemiplegic patient suffering from paralysis in one leg, to perform walking training under the guidance of a training staff member 901. Here, the training staff member 901 can be a therapist (physiotherapist) or a doctor, and can also be called a training instructor, training assistant, training assistant, etc., since the training staff member supports the trainee's training by providing guidance or assistance.

[0019] The walking training device 100 mainly comprises a control panel 133 attached to a frame 130 forming the overall skeleton, and a treadmill 131 on which the trainee 900 walks. Furthermore, the leg brace 120 is attached to the affected leg, which is the paralyzed leg of the trainee 900. In FIG. 1, the leg brace 120 is attached to the right leg of the trainee 900.

[0020] The frame 130 is erected on a treadmill 131 that is installed on the floor. The treadmill 131 rotates a ring-shaped belt 132 by a motor (not shown). The treadmill 131 is a device that encourages the trainee 900 to walk, and the trainee 900 who is undergoing walking training gets on the belt 132 and tries to walk in accordance with the movement of the belt 132. Note that the training staff 901 can, for example, stand on the belt 132 behind the trainee 900 as shown in FIG. 1 and walk together with the trainee, but it is usually preferable for the training staff 901 to be in a position that makes it easy to assist the trainee 900, such as standing astride the belt 132.

[0021] The frame 130 supports a control panel 133 and a training monitor 138. The control panel 133 houses an overall control unit 210 that controls the motors and sensors. The training monitor 138 is, for example, a liquid crystal panel, and displays the progress of training and the like to the trainee 900. The frame 130 also supports a front pulling unit 135 near the front of the upper part of the trainee 900's head, a harness pulling unit 112 near the upper part of the head, and a rear pulling unit 137 near the rear of the upper part of the head. The frame 130 also includes a handrail 130a for the trainee 900 to grasp.

[0022] The handrails 130a are arranged on both the left and right sides of the trainee 900. The handrails 130a are provided along the front-rear direction in a horizontal plane. Each handrail 130a is arranged in a direction parallel to the walking direction of the trainee 900. The handrails 130a are adjustable in vertical and horizontal positions. In other words, the handrails 130a can include a mechanism for changing their height and width. Furthermore, the handrails 130a can be configured so that their inclination angle can be changed, for example, by adjusting the height to be different between the front side and the rear side in the walking direction. For example, the handrails 130a can be given an inclination angle that gradually increases along the walking direction.

[0023] The handrail 130a is also provided with a handrail sensor 218 that detects the load received from the trainee 900. For example, the handrail sensor 218 can be a resistance change detection type load detection sheet in which electrodes are arranged in a matrix. The handrail sensor 218 can also be a six-axis sensor that combines a three-axis acceleration sensor (x, y, z) and a three-axis gyro sensor (roll, pitch, yaw). However, the type and installation position of the handrail sensor 218 are not important.

[0024] The camera 140 functions as an imaging unit for observing the entire body of the trainee 900. The camera 140 is installed near the training monitor 138 so as to face the trainee. The camera 140 takes still images and videos of the trainee 900 during training. The camera 140 includes a lens and imaging element set that provides an angle of view sufficient to capture the entire body of the trainee 900. The imaging element is, for example, a CMOS (Complementary Metal-Oxide-Semiconductor) image sensor, and converts an optical image formed on an imaging surface into an image signal.

[0025] The coordinated operation of the front pulling section 135 and the rear pulling section 137 offsets the load of the leg brace 120 so that it does not become a burden on the affected leg, and further assists the swinging motion of the affected leg according to the set degree.

[0026] One end of the front wire 134 is connected to a winding mechanism of the front pulling unit 135, and the other end is connected to the leg brace 120. The winding mechanism of the front pulling unit 135 turns on / off a motor (not shown) to wind or unwind the front wire 134 in response to the movement of the affected leg. Similarly, one end of the rear wire 136 is connected to a winding mechanism of the rear pulling unit 137, and the other end is connected to the leg brace 120. The winding mechanism of the rear pulling unit 137 turns on / off a motor (not shown) to wind or unwind the rear wire 136 in response to the movement of the affected leg. Such coordinated operation of the front pulling unit 135 and the rear pulling unit 137 offsets the load of the leg brace 120 so that the load does not become a burden on the affected leg, and further assists the swinging motion of the affected leg according to the set degree.

[0027] The front wire 134 and the front pulling unit 135 constitute a first pulling means for pulling the legs of the trainee 900 upward and forward. The rear wire 136 and the rear pulling unit 137 constitute a second pulling means for pulling the legs of the trainee 900 upward and backward. The front pulling unit 135 and the rear pulling unit 137 pull the front wire 134 and the rear wire 136 with a pulling force according to the walking phase, as described below. Also, a pulling force operation pattern may be set according to the walking phase.

[0028] For example, the training staff 901, as an operator, sets a high assist level for a trainee with severe paralysis. When the assist level is set high, the front pulling unit 135 winds up the front wire 134 with a relatively large force in accordance with the timing of the swing of the affected leg. As the training progresses and assistance is no longer necessary, the training staff 901 sets the assist level to the minimum. When the assist level is set to the minimum, the front pulling unit 135 winds up the front wire 134 with just enough force to cancel the weight of the leg orthosis 120 in accordance with the timing of the swing of the affected leg.

[0029] The walking training device 100 is equipped with a fall prevention harness device as a safety device, the main components of which are an orthosis 110, a harness wire 111, and a harness tensioning part 112. The orthosis 110 is a belt that is wrapped around the abdomen of the trainee 900 and is fixed to the waist by, for example, a hook and loop fastener. The orthosis 110 is equipped with a connecting hook 110a that connects one end of the harness wire 111, which is a hanging device, and can also be called a hanger belt. The trainee 900 wears the orthosis 110 so that the connecting hook 110a is located at the rear of the trainee.

[0030] One end of the harness wire 111 is connected to a connecting hook 110a of the harness 110, and the other end is connected to a winding mechanism of the harness tensioning unit 112. The winding mechanism of the harness tensioning unit 112 winds and unwinds the harness wire 111 by turning on and off a motor (not shown). With this configuration, when the trainee 900 is about to fall, the fall prevention harness device winds up the harness wire 111 according to an instruction from the overall control unit 210 that detects the movement, and the harness 110 supports the upper body of the trainee 900, preventing the trainee 900 from falling.

[0031] The orthosis 110 includes a posture sensor 217 for detecting the posture of the trainee 900. The posture sensor 217 is, for example, a combination of a gyro sensor and an acceleration sensor, and outputs the inclination angle of the abdomen on which the orthosis 110 is worn with respect to the direction of gravity.

[0032] The management monitor 139 is attached to the frame 130, and is a display input device mainly used for monitoring and operation by the training staff 901. The management monitor 139 is, for example, a liquid crystal panel, and a touch panel is provided on its surface. The management monitor 139 displays various menu items related to training settings, various parameter values ​​during training, training results, etc. In addition, an emergency stop button 232 is provided near the management monitor 139. When the training staff 901 presses the emergency stop button 232, the walking training device 100 is brought to an emergency stop.

[0033] The overall control unit 210 generates rehabilitation data that may include setting parameters related to training settings, various data related to leg movements output from the leg brace 120 as training results, etc. This rehabilitation data may include data indicating the training staff 901 or their years of experience and level of proficiency, data indicating the symptoms, walking ability, recovery level, etc. of the trainee 900, various data output from sensors provided outside the leg brace 120, etc.

[0034] The leg brace 120 is attached to the affected leg of the trainee 900. As described above, the front wire 134 and the rear wire 136 are connected to the leg brace 120. The front wire 134 and the rear wire 136 pull the leg brace 120, thereby providing an assist force to the affected leg. The leg brace 120 may include an actuator or the like that assists the joint movement of the trainee 900. For example, the leg brace 120 includes a motor for bending or extending the knee joint.

[0035] Furthermore, the leg orthosis 120 may have a sensor for detecting leg movements. For example, the leg orthosis 120 may be provided with a sensor for detecting the load received from the sole of the foot. Of course, the leg orthosis 120 may not have an actuator or a sensor. When no pulling force is applied by the wire, the leg orthosis 120 may be omitted. In this case, the trainee 900 can perform walking training on the treadmill 131 by himself.

[0036] The overall control unit 210 controls the actuators of the leg brace 120, the front puller 135, and the rear puller 137 according to the outputs of various sensors. For example, the overall control unit 210 detects a walking cycle and its timing according to the detection results of the posture sensor 217, the sensor of the leg brace 120, the camera 140, etc. The overall control unit 210 outputs a command value for applying a driving force according to the timing of the walking cycle to each actuator. This causes each actuator to operate according to the walking cycle and walking pattern. For example, a driving force is applied according to the stance phase and the timing at which the swing mechanism is switched.

[0037] Next, the configuration of the leg orthosis 120 will be described with reference to Figures 2 to 5. The directions shown in Figures 2 to 5 will be described based on the trainee 900 wearing the leg orthosis 120. In other words, the left-right, up-down, and front-back directions in the following description correspond to the left-right, up-down, and front-back directions of the trainee 900 in Figure 1.

[0038] Figures 2 and 3 are perspective views showing the configuration of the leg brace 120. Figure 2 is a view of the leg brace 120 seen diagonally from the front, and Figure 3 is a view of the leg brace 120 seen diagonally from the rear. Figure 4 is a side view of the leg brace 120 seen from the right side. Figure 5 is a front view of the leg brace 120 seen from the front side.

[0039] The leg brace 120 comprises an upper leg fixing unit 21, a knee joint unit 22, an upper leg frame 23, a lower leg frame 24, a foot frame 25, an ankle joint mechanism 26, and a lower leg fixing unit 28. From the top, the upper leg fixing unit 21, the upper leg frame 23, the knee joint unit 22, the lower leg fixing unit 28, the lower leg frame 24, the ankle joint mechanism 26, and the foot frame 25 are connected in this order.

[0040] The upper leg frame 23 is disposed along the upper leg of the trainee 900. The upper leg frame 23 extends vertically in the up-down direction. The upper leg frame 23 is disposed on the side of the upper leg of the trainee 900. The upper leg is the area from the knee joint to the hip joint.

[0041] The lower leg frame 24 is disposed below the upper leg frame 23. The lower leg frame 24 extends vertically up and down. The lower leg frame 24 is disposed along the lower leg of the trainee 900. The lower leg frame 24 is disposed on the side of the lower leg of the trainee 900. The lower leg is the area from the knee joint to the ankle joint.

[0042] The upper leg frame 23 is provided with a connecting mechanism 231 for connecting the upper leg fixing unit 21. The connecting mechanism 231 connects the upper leg holding part 212 of the upper leg fixing unit 21 to the upper leg frame 23. The connecting mechanism 231 also has a length adjustment mechanism for adjusting the length according to the leg length of the trainee 900. For example, the length of the leg brace 120 can be changed by changing the relative attachment position of the upper leg frame 23 to the upper leg fixing unit 21.

[0043] The lower leg frame 24 is provided with a connecting mechanism 241 for connecting the lower leg fixing unit 28. The connecting mechanism 241 connects the lower leg fixing unit 28 and the lower leg frame 24. In addition, the connecting mechanism 241 has a length adjustment mechanism for adjusting the length according to the leg length of the trainee 900.

[0044] The length of the leg brace 120 can be adjusted to suit the trainee 900. In other words, if the trainee 900 has long legs, the connection positions of the upper leg frame 23 and the lower leg frame 24 are adjusted so that they are longer. This allows the trainee 900 to wear the leg brace 120 in an appropriate wearing position.

[0045] The knee joint unit 22 rotatably connects the upper leg frame 23 and the lower leg fixing unit 28. The angle of the lower leg fixing unit 28 and the lower leg frame 24 relative to the upper leg frame 23 changes according to the movement of the knee joint. The knee joint unit 22 is disposed on the side of the knee joint of the trainee 900. The rotation axis of the knee joint unit 22 extends in the left-right direction. The knee joint unit 22 may include an actuator, a sensor, a control unit, and the like. The knee joint unit 22 functions as a drive mechanism for changing the knee joint angle of the trainee 900.

[0046] For example, the knee joint unit 22 has a built-in motor that changes the angle between the upper leg frame 23 and the lower leg frame 24. Furthermore, it may have a sensor for detecting the knee joint angle and acceleration. It may also have a control unit for controlling the motor according to the detection result of the sensor. The knee joint unit 22, the upper leg frame 23, and the lower leg frame 24 operate as a link mechanism for extending or bending the knee joint of the trainee 900. The motor of the knee joint unit 22 provides an assist force that assists the movement of the knee joint.

[0047] A foot frame 25 is provided below the lower leg frame 24. The ankle joint mechanism 26 rotatably connects the foot frame 25 and the lower leg frame 24. The ankle joint mechanism 26 is disposed to the side of the trainee's 900 ankle joint.

[0048] The foot frame 25 is placed on the sole of the trainee 900. That is, the trainee 900 places his / her foot on the foot frame 25. The foot frame 25 may be provided with a load sensor for detecting the load received from the trainee 900. The motor of the knee joint unit 22 may operate in response to the load detected by the load sensor. Note that the ankle joint mechanism 26 is a passive joint that does not have an actuator, but may be an active joint that has an actuator.

[0049] A foot fixing belt 251 is attached to the foot frame 25. Both ends of the foot fixing belt 251 are connected to the left and right ends of the foot frame 25. The foot fixing belt 251 is provided so as to be wrapped around the foot of the trainee 900. In other words, the foot of the trainee 900 is inserted into the space formed by the foot fixing belt 251 and the foot frame 25. As the foot fixing belt 251 is wrapped around the foot, the foot frame 25 is fixed to the foot of the trainee 900.

[0050] In the left-right direction, the knee joint unit 22, the upper leg frame 23, the lower leg frame 24, and the ankle joint mechanism 26 are disposed on the outer side of the leg of the trainee 900. Here, since the leg brace 120 is attached to the right leg of the trainee 900, the knee joint unit 22, the upper leg frame 23, the lower leg frame 24, and the ankle joint mechanism 26 are disposed on the right side of the right leg. Since the leg brace 120 is attached to the left leg of the trainee 900, the knee joint unit 22, the upper leg frame 23, the lower leg frame 24, and the ankle joint mechanism 26 are disposed on the left side of the left leg. The ankle joint mechanism 26 may be provided with a stopper or the like for limiting the plantar flexion angle of the ankle.

[0051] An ankle fixing belt 261 is attached to the ankle joint mechanism 26. The ankle fixing belt 261 is provided so as to be wound around the outer periphery of the ankle of the trainee 900. In other words, the ankle of the trainee 900 is inserted into a space formed by the ankle fixing belt 261 and the ankle joint mechanism 26. Since the ankle fixing belt 261 is wound around the ankle, the ankle joint mechanism 26 is fixed to the ankle of the trainee 900.

[0052] A lower leg fixing unit 28 is provided on the lower leg frame 24 via a connecting mechanism 241. The lower leg fixing unit 28 extends on the front left side of the lower leg frame 24. The lower leg fixing unit 28 is located on the front side of the lower leg of the trainee 900. The lower leg fixing unit 28 is a meniscus member located on the front side of the lower leg of the trainee 900.

[0053] As shown in Fig. 3 etc., the lower leg frame 24 is fixed to the lower leg fixing unit 28 by a connecting mechanism 241. For example, the lower leg fixing unit 28 may have a tubular portion that houses the lower leg frame 24. To attach the lower leg frame 24 to the lower leg fixing unit 28, the lower leg frame 24 is inserted from below into the tubular portion of the lower leg fixing unit 28. The connecting mechanism 241 fixes the lower leg frame 24 to the lower leg fixing unit 28. Furthermore, the length of the lower leg frame 24 can be adjusted by changing the insertion length of the lower leg frame 24.

[0054] A lower leg fixing sheet 282 is provided on the rear side of the lower leg fixing unit 28. The lower leg fixing sheet 282 is disposed facing the lower leg fixing unit 28. The lower leg is positioned between the lower leg fixing sheet 282 and the lower leg fixing unit 28. The lower leg fixing sheet 282 is an elastic sheet formed of a resin material or the like. The lower leg fixing sheet 282 is formed of an elastic body such as urethane resin or sponge.

[0055] A lower leg fixing belt 281 is attached to the lower leg fixing unit 28 and the lower leg fixing sheet 282. The lower leg fixing belt 281 is provided so as to be wrapped around the lower leg of the trainee 900. The lower leg fixing unit 28 is attached to the lower leg fixing sheet 282 by the lower leg fixing belt 281. Since the lower leg fixing sheet 282 is a flexible elastic sheet, it deforms so as to fit along the outer peripheral surface of the lower leg of the trainee 900. In other words, the lower leg fixing sheet 282 curves along the lower leg of the trainee 900.

[0056] The lower leg of the trainee 900 is inserted into the space formed by the lower leg fixing unit 28, the lower leg fixing sheet 282, and the lower leg fixing belt 281. Thus, the lower leg frame 24 is fixed to the lower leg of the trainee 900. The lower leg fixing unit 28 and the lower leg fixing sheet 282 may be provided with belt holes or belt loops for passing the lower leg fixing belt 281 through.

[0057] Further, the upper thigh fixing unit 21 is connected to the upper thigh frame 23 via a connecting mechanism 231. The upper thigh fixing unit 21 fixes the upper thigh frame 23 to the upper thigh of the trainee 900. The upper thigh fixing unit 21 includes an upper thigh fixing sheet 211, an upper thigh holding portion 212, and a fixing belt 216.

[0058] The upper thigh holding part 212 is attached to the upper thigh frame 23. The right end of the upper thigh holding part 212 is attached to the upper thigh frame 23. The upper thigh holding part 212 extends forward and to the left from the upper thigh frame 23. The upper thigh holding part 212 is a crescent member located on the front side of the upper thigh of the trainee 900.

[0059] As shown in FIG. 3 etc., the upper leg holding part 212 is fixed to the upper leg frame 23 by a connecting mechanism 231. For example, the upper leg holding part 212 may have a tubular part that houses the upper leg frame 23. To attach the upper leg frame 23 to the upper leg holding part 212, the upper leg frame 23 is inserted into the tubular part of the upper leg holding part 212. The connecting mechanism 231 fixes the upper leg frame 23 to the upper leg holding part 212. The length of the upper leg frame 23 can be adjusted by changing the insertion length of the upper leg frame 23.

[0060] The upper thigh holding part 212 is a member disposed facing the leg of the trainee 900. The surface of the upper thigh holding part 212 facing the upper thigh is referred to as an inner circumferential side surface 212b, and the opposite surface is referred to as an outer circumferential side surface 212c. The inner circumferential side surface 212b is the surface of the upper thigh holding part 212 facing the leg, and the outer circumferential side surface 212c is the outer surface of the upper thigh holding part 212.

[0061] One end of the upper thigh holding part 212 is located on the left side of the upper thigh, and the other end is located on the right side of the upper thigh. The upper thigh holding part 212 is curved along the surface of the upper thigh and is disposed so as to face the upper thigh. Although the upper thigh holding part 212 is formed as a separate body from the upper thigh frame 23, the upper thigh holding part 212 may be formed integrally with the upper thigh frame 23.

[0062] The upper leg fixing sheet 211 is disposed opposite the upper leg holding part 212. The upper leg fixing sheet 211 is located on the rear side of the upper leg. The upper leg fixing sheet 211 is an elastic sheet made of a resin material or the like. The upper leg fixing sheet 211 is made of an elastic body such as urethane resin or sponge. The upper leg of the trainee 900 is located between the upper leg holding part 212 and the upper leg fixing sheet 211.

[0063] A fixing belt 216 is attached to the upper thigh holding part 212 and the upper thigh fixing sheet 211. The fixing belt 216 is provided so as to be wrapped around the upper thigh of the trainee 900. The upper thigh fixing sheet 211 is attached to the upper thigh holding part 212 by the fixing belt 216. The upper thigh fixing sheet 211 is a flexible elastic sheet, and therefore deforms so as to fit along the outer circumferential surface of the upper thigh of the trainee 900. In other words, the upper thigh fixing sheet 211 curves along the upper thigh of the trainee 900. The fixing belt 216 is wrapped around the upper thigh of the trainee 900 once, but may be wrapped around two or more times.

[0064] As shown in Fig. 2, the fixing belt 216 passes through the front side of the upper thigh holding part 212 and is wrapped around the upper thigh. Furthermore, the fixing belt 216 passes through the rear side of the upper thigh fixing sheet 211 and is wrapped around the upper thigh. Therefore, the fixing belt 216 fixes the upper thigh fixing sheet 211 and the upper thigh holding part 212 in a state where they are wrapped around the upper thigh. The upper thigh fixing sheet 211 and the upper thigh holding part 212 are arranged so as to sandwich the upper thigh from both the front and rear sides. The belt pressure of the fixing belt 216 maintains the distance between the upper thigh fixing sheet 211 and the upper thigh holding part 212.

[0065] The upper thigh holding part 212 is provided with a belt hole 212a through which the fixing belt 216 passes. The belt hole 212a is a through hole that penetrates from the outer peripheral side surface 212c to the inner peripheral side surface 212b. The belt hole 212a is located on the left end side of the upper thigh holding part 212. The fixing belt 216 that has been wound around the front side of the upper thigh holding part 212 passes through the belt hole 212a and heads toward the upper thigh fixing sheet 211 on the rear side.

[0066] 3, the upper thigh fixing sheet 211 is provided with belt loops 213 for passing the fixing belt 216 through. The belt loops 213 are disposed on the rear surface of the upper thigh fixing sheet 211. Therefore, the fixing belt 216 is wrapped around the rear side of the upper thigh fixing sheet 211.

[0067] The fixing belt 216 is provided along the horizontal direction. In other words, the wrapping direction of the fixing belt 216 is along the horizontal direction. For example, the fixing belt 216 is provided along the front-rear direction and the left-right direction. When the leg brace 120 is worn, the fixing belt 216 is guided by the belt guide 215 and wrapped around. Therefore, the fixing belt 216 can be wrapped around an appropriate position.

[0068] Therefore, the fixing belt 216 is disposed so as to surround the upper thigh holding part 212 and the upper thigh fixing sheet 211. Then, the upper thigh holding part 212 and the upper thigh fixing sheet 211 can be held by the belt pressure when the fixing belt 216 is wound around. Therefore, the attachment height of the upper thigh holding part 212 and the upper thigh fixing sheet 211 can be maintained.

[0069] Furthermore, the upper thigh holding part 212 is provided with a belt guide 215 for guiding the fixed belt 216. The belt guide 215 is a protrusion that protrudes outward from the outer peripheral side surface 212c of the upper thigh holding part 212. In other words, the belt guide 215 is a rib that protrudes outward from the outer peripheral side surface 212c of the upper thigh holding part 212. The belt guide 215 is provided along the fixed belt 216.

[0070] The belt guide 215 is formed at one end of the upper thigh holding part 212 in the winding direction of the fixed belt 216. The fixed belt 216 passes above the belt guide 215. Therefore, the belt guide 215 can prevent the fixed belt 216 from slipping downward. In other words, the belt guide 215 supports the fixed belt 216 so that it does not slip down.

[0071] The fixing belt 216 regulates the vertical position of the belt guide 215. The shifting of the position of the fixing belt 216 can be suppressed. Even when the trainee moves up and down while walking, the fixing belt 216 can be prevented from shifting downward. In other words, the fixing belt 216 will not move down unless it climbs over the belt guide 215. Therefore, the trainee 900 can wear the leg brace 120 in an appropriate wearing position. The trainee 900 can perform effective training.

[0072] The belt guide 215 is a protrusion that protrudes outward from the outer peripheral side surface 212c, and is formed along the belt guide 215. The belt guide 215 functions as a rib that reinforces the strength against the load applied to the upper thigh holding part 212. Therefore, the upper thigh holding part 212 can be made lighter and thinner.

[0073] The upper thigh holding part 212 is formed, for example, from a resin material. The upper thigh holding part 212 is an injection molded product made of resin. By making the upper thigh holding part 212 a resin molded product, it is possible to achieve a lighter weight than a metal material such as aluminum. Furthermore, it is possible to improve flexibility. Therefore, it is possible to improve wearability. Note that the upper thigh holding part 212 may be a resin molded product formed integrally with at least a part of the upper thigh frame 23. Alternatively, the upper thigh holding part 212 and the upper thigh frame 23 may be resin molded products formed as separate bodies.

[0074] The leg brace 120 also has a knee joint unit 22 interposed between the upper leg frame 23 and the lower leg frame 24 so as to change the angle of the knee joint. The leg brace 120 is fixed to both the upper leg and the lower leg. The leg brace 120 has an upper leg fixing unit 21 fixed to the upper leg, and a lower leg fixing unit 28 fixed to the lower leg. The upper leg holding part 212 of the upper leg fixing unit 21 serves as an upper crescent member and is disposed opposite the upper leg. The lower leg fixing unit 28 serves as a lower crescent member and is disposed opposite the lower leg.

[0075] In this way, the holding force can be improved, so that the trainee 900 can reliably wear the leg orthosis 120. It is possible to prevent the belt from shifting out of position due to the up and down movement during walking. Furthermore, even if the actuator of the knee joint unit 22 applies a driving force to the leg orthosis 120 to assist the knee joint movement, it is possible to prevent the belt from shifting out of position.

[0076] At one end side of the upper thigh holding part 212 in the wrapping direction of the fixing belt 216, a belt hole 212a through which the fixing belt 216 passes is provided in the upper thigh holding part 212. At the other end side of the upper thigh holding part 212 in the wrapping direction of the fixing belt 216, a belt guide 215 is formed in the upper thigh holding part 212. In this way, the fixing belt 216 can reliably hold the upper thigh holding part 212.

[0077] A pad 219 may be provided between the upper thigh holding part 212 and the upper thigh of the trainee 900. That is, the pad 219 is attached to the inner peripheral side surface 212b of the upper thigh holding part 212. The pad 219 is formed of an elastic body such as urethane resin or sponge, and is disposed along the inner peripheral side surface 212b of the upper thigh holding part 212. Since the pad 219 is interposed between the upper thigh holding part 212 and the upper thigh, it can absorb the force that the trainee 900 receives due to the belt fastening. That is, the pad 219 acts as a cushioning material, and usability can be improved.

[0078] Next, the configuration of corner C of upper thigh holding part 212 will be described with reference to Figs. 2 and 5. Corner C is an upper corner of upper thigh holding part 212 in the vertical direction. Corner C is on the outer side of upper thigh holding part 212 in the left-right direction. Corner C is behind upper thigh holding part 212 in the front-rear direction.

[0079] As shown in Figs. 2 and 4, an inclined portion 212d is provided at a corner C on the upper side of the upper thigh holding portion 212. The shape of the corner C in a plan view of the upper thigh holding portion 212 viewed from the outer periphery side will be described with reference to Fig. 4. Fig. 4 is a right side view of the leg brace 120 including the upper thigh holding portion 212. In plan view, the end of the upper thigh holding portion 212 on the belt hole 212a side in the winding direction is one end, and the opposite side of the one end is the other end. The inclined portion 212d is formed so as to be inclined toward the one end as it approaches the upper side. In other words, the inclined portion 212d is inclined from the other end side toward the one end side as it approaches the upper side.

[0080] By providing the inclined portion 212d at the corner C, it is possible to prevent the fixing belt 216 from climbing over the belt guide, thereby improving usability.

[0081] The invention made by the inventor has been specifically described above based on an embodiment, but it goes without saying that the present invention is not limited to the above embodiment and can be modified in various ways without departing from the gist of the invention. [Explanation of symbols]

[0082] 1. Walking training system 21 Upper leg fixation unit 22 Knee joint unit 23 Upper leg frame 24 Lower leg frame 25 Foot Frame 26 Ankle joint mechanism 100 Walking training device 110 Orthotics 110a Connecting hook 111 Harness wire 112 Harness tension section 120 Leg braces 130 frames 130a Handrail 131 Treadmill 132 Belt 210 Overall Control Unit 21 Upper leg fixation unit 211 Upper leg fixing sheet 212 Upper leg holding part 212a Belt hole 212b Inner periphery 212c Outer side 213 Belt loop 215 Belt guide 216 Fixation Belt 217 Attitude Sensor 900 Trainer 901 Training Staff

Claims

1. A leg brace to be attached to the leg of a trainee performing walking training, A holding portion disposed opposite the leg portion; a belt attached to the holding part and wound around the leg to attach the leg brace to the leg, The leg brace has a belt guide provided on the outer circumferential side of the holding portion, the belt guide being arranged along the belt and protruding outward.

2. a belt hole through which the belt passes is provided in the holding portion at one end side in a winding direction of the belt, 2. The leg brace according to claim 1, wherein the belt guide is formed on the holding portion at the other end side of the holding portion in the winding direction of the belt.

3. The leg brace according to claim 2 , wherein, in a plan view of the other end and upper corner of the retaining portion seen from the outer periphery, the corner is formed so as to be inclined toward the one end as it goes upward.

4. An upper leg frame provided along the upper leg of the trainee; A lower leg frame provided along the lower leg of the trainee; a drive mechanism interposed between the upper leg frame and the lower leg frame so as to change the angle of the trainee's knee joint; 4. The leg brace according to claim 1, wherein the holding portion is an upper crescent member that is disposed above the knee joint of the leg and holds the upper thigh frame.

5. 4. The leg brace according to claim 1, wherein the holding portion is an injection-molded product made of resin.

6. The leg brace according to any one of claims 1 to 3, further comprising a pad disposed between the holding portion and the leg portion.

7. The leg brace according to any one of claims 1 to 3, further comprising an elastic sheet provided between the belt and the leg on the opposite side of the leg to the holding portion.

8. The leg brace according to any one of claims 1 to 3, A gait training system comprising: a tensioning means attached to the leg brace and applying a tensioning force to the leg.

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