Hip joint assist mechanism and assist device

Abstract

To provide a hip joint assist mechanism and assist device that can accommodate movements in daily life without causing inconvenience.SOLUTION: The hip joint assist mechanism comprises: a rotary drive device 32 for assisting flexion and extension of the hip joint; and at least one of a first guide portion 34 that guides the rotary drive device 32 or a rotational axis of the rotary drive device 32 to be movable in the abduction / adduction direction of the hip joint, and a second guide portion 36 that guides the rotary drive device 32 or a rotational axis of the rotary drive device 32 to be movable in the external / internal rotation direction of the hip joint.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 4

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to an assist mechanism for a hip joint and an assist device using the same. [Background technology]

[0002] BACKGROUND ART Currently, various walking assist devices have been proposed for assisting walking of people with walking difficulties during rehabilitation, or for assisting walking of caregivers or workers at nursing care or heavy labor sites.

[0003] For example, Patent Document 1 discloses an assist device having thigh holders that are attached to the left and right thighs of a wearer, lower arms that are arranged on both the left and right sides extending up and down from the lower trunk to the thighs and are connected to the thigh holders, and an assist drive mechanism that is attached to the horizontal members of each support device on both the left and right sides of the wearer's lower trunk and has a pair of drive sources that generate drive torque around a horizontal axis to drive the upper ends of the lower arms, and that applies an assist force moment between the horizontal members and each of the left and right thighs by the drive torque of each drive source. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0004] [Patent Document 1] Patent Publication No. 2021-94654 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0005] However, the technology of Patent Document 1 controls the hip joint on one axis and assists only flexion and extension movements. Also, because the lower arm is positioned relative to the drive source so that it can only perform flexion and extension movements, it does not assist with abduction / adduction or external / internal rotation of the hip joint, and is structured to restrict the hip joint from abduction / adduction or external / internal rotation.

[0006] Furthermore, if the abduction / adduction and external / internal rotation of the hip joint are restricted as in Patent Document 1, it can be dangerous when using the toilet, which requires spreading the hip joints, or when walking because the patient is unable to brace their legs when unsteady. Therefore, when used in nursing care settings, it can only be used for limited purposes such as walking rehabilitation using a walker, and is not suitable for everyday life. Furthermore, even when used at a site where heavy labor is required, the walking assist device must be removed when going to the toilet, which is inconvenient.

[0007] SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention has been made to solve the above problems, and has as its object to provide a hip joint assist mechanism and assist device that can accommodate the movements of daily life without causing inconvenience. [Means for solving the problem]

[0008] The hip joint assist device of the present invention is characterized by comprising a rotation drive device for assisting flexion and extension of the hip joint, and at least one of a first guide part that guides the rotation drive device or the rotation shaft of the rotation drive device so that it can move in the abduction and adduction directions of the hip joint, and a second guide part that guides the rotation drive device or the rotation shaft of the rotation drive device so that it can move in the external rotation and internal rotation directions of the hip joint. By adopting this configuration, the rotation drive device can assist in flexion and extension of the hip joint, and the rotation drive device or the rotation axis of the rotation drive device itself can move in the abduction / adduction and / or external / internal rotation directions of the hip joint in accordance with the wearer's movements, so that the device can be worn continuously without causing any inconvenience in daily life.

[0009] The present invention is also characterized in that the first guide unit holds the rotation drive device or the rotation shaft of the rotation drive device so that it can move in the abduction and adduction directions of the hip joint, and the second guide unit holds the rotation drive device or the first guide unit holding the rotation shaft of the rotation drive device so that it can move in the external rotation and internal rotation directions of the hip joint, or the second guide unit holds the rotation drive device or the rotation shaft of the rotation drive device so that it can move in the external rotation and internal rotation directions of the hip joint, and the first guide unit holds the rotation drive device or the second guide unit holding the rotation shaft of the rotation drive device so that it can move in the abduction and adduction directions of the hip joint. By adopting this configuration, it is possible to make it possible to move the rotation drive device or the rotation axis of the rotation drive device in the abduction / adduction directions and external / internal rotation directions of the hip joint in accordance with the movements of the wearer, with a compact configuration.

[0010] Furthermore, either the first guide section or the second guide section is provided with a first resistance applying mechanism that applies resistance to movement of the rotary drive device or the rotation shaft of the rotary drive device, and either the other of the first guide section or the second guide section is provided with a second resistance applying mechanism that applies resistance to movement of the rotary drive device or the first guide section or the second guide section that holds the rotation shaft of the rotary drive device. By adopting this configuration, even when worn by a person with weakened muscles, wobbling in the directions of abduction / adduction or external / internal rotation can be suppressed, thereby assisting in stable walking.

[0011] Further, either the first guide section or the second guide section is provided with a first drive unit that assists movement of the rotary drive device or the rotation shaft of the rotary drive device, and either the other of the first guide section or the second guide section is provided with a second drive unit that assists movement of the rotary drive device or the first guide section or the second guide section that holds the rotation shaft of the rotary drive device. By adopting this configuration, it is possible to assist not only hip joint flexion and extension, but also hip joint abduction and adduction, and external and internal rotation, making it possible to achieve assisted movements in almost all aspects of daily life.

[0012] Furthermore, the first guide portion and the second guide portion each have an opening extending along the respective guide directions, and a first held portion that is housed and held in the opening of either the first guide portion or the second guide portion is formed on one end face on the rotational axis direction side of the rotation drive device, or on a side surface of the rotation drive device, or on the rotation shaft of the rotation drive device, and a second held portion that is housed and held in the opening of the other of the first guide portion or the second guide portion is formed on part or the entirety of either the first guide portion or the second guide portion that holds the rotation drive device or the rotation shaft of the rotation drive device. By adopting this configuration, the thickness on the side of the wearer can be made as thin as possible, and a hip joint assist mechanism can be realized with a compact configuration.

[0013] The first guide portion is formed in an arc shape centered on the abduction-adduction axis that passes through the center of the femoral head and extends horizontally along the anterior-posterior direction of the human body, and the second guide portion is formed in an arc shape centered on the external rotation-internal rotation axis that passes through the center of the femoral head and extends vertically along the posterior-posterior direction of the human body. By adopting this configuration, it is possible to accurately guide the movements accompanying the abduction / adduction and external / internal rotation of the femoral head.

[0014] The assist device of the present invention uses a hip joint assist mechanism as set forth in any one of claims 1 to 6, and is characterized by comprising a waist belt that is worn around the waist of the wearer and holds the rotation drive device or the rotation axis of the rotation drive device to the side of the wearer's hip joint, a thigh belt that is worn on the wearer's thigh, and an arm that transmits the driving force of the rotation drive device to the thigh belt. By adopting this configuration, it is possible to provide an assist device that can assist in flexion and extension of the hip joint using the rotary drive device, and the rotary drive device or the rotation axis of the rotary drive device itself can move in the abduction / adduction and external / internal rotation directions of the hip joint in accordance with the wearer's movements, thereby providing an assist device that can be worn continuously without causing inconvenience in daily life. [Effects of the Invention]

[0015] According to the present invention, it is possible to provide a hip joint assist mechanism and an assist device that can accommodate movements in daily life and does not cause inconvenience. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0016] [Figure 1] FIG. 1 is a front view of the hip joint. [Figure 2] FIG. 10 is an explanatory diagram showing an example of hip joint movement. [Figure 3] FIG. [Figure 4] FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a first embodiment of a hip joint assist mechanism. [Figure 5] FIG. 2 is a front view of a first embodiment of a hip joint assist mechanism. [Figure 6] FIG. 2 is a plan view of a first embodiment of a hip joint assist mechanism. [Figure 7] FIG. 2 is a side view of a first embodiment of a hip joint assist mechanism. [Figure 8] FIG. 2 is a front view of the first embodiment of the hip joint assist mechanism, in which the first guide portion and the second guide portion are omitted. [Figure 9] 9 is a front view of the motor when it is moved in the outward rotation direction from the state of FIG. 8. FIG. [Figure 10] FIG. 10 is a front view showing the motor moved 30° in the abduction direction and 20° in the internal rotation direction. [Figure 11] FIG. 10 is a side view showing the motor moved 30° in the abduction direction and 20° in the internal rotation direction. [Figure 12] FIG. 10 is a front view showing the motor moved 30° in the abduction direction and 20° in the external rotation direction. [Figure 13]FIG. 10 is a side view showing the motor moved 30° in the abduction direction and 20° in the external rotation direction. [Figure 14] FIG. 4 is a side view showing an example of a resistance applying mechanism. [Figure 15] FIG. 10 is a perspective view of a second embodiment of a hip joint assist mechanism. [Figure 16] FIG. 10 is a front view of a third embodiment of a hip joint assist mechanism. [Figure 17] FIG. 10 is a perspective view of a fourth embodiment of a hip joint assist mechanism. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0017] Hereinafter, a hip joint assist mechanism and an assist device using the same according to this embodiment will be described with reference to the drawings.

[0018] First, the movement of the hip joint in the human body will be described with reference to FIGS. Figure 1 shows a hip joint seen from the front. The hip joint is composed of an acetabulum 11 in a pelvis 10 and a spherical femoral head 13 formed at the top of a femur 12.

[0019] Figure 2 shows six examples of hip joint movements based on the human skeleton. Hip joint movements include (a) flexion, in which the leg moves forward; (b) extension, in which the leg moves backward; (c) abduction, in which the leg opens outward around the hip joint; (d) adduction, in which the leg closes inward around the hip joint; (e) external rotation, in which the front of the thigh opens outward around the hip joint; and (f) internal rotation, in which the front of the thigh closes inward around the hip joint.

[0020] The assist device and hip joint assist mechanism described below are illustrated and described only when worn on the left side of the wearer, but the hip joint assist mechanism may be positioned on the right side of the wearer, or on both the left and right sides of the wearer to assist the movement of both the left and right legs.

[0021] (Assist device) Fig. 3 shows a side view from the left side of a wearer wearing the assist device. Note that Fig. 3 is a diagram showing a schematic configuration, and the size, shape, etc. of each component are not limited to this. The assist device 80 is equipped with a hip joint assist mechanism 30, and assists with flexion and extension using a rotary drive device, and guides the rotary drive device to move freely in abduction, adduction, and external rotation and internal rotation in accordance with the wearer's movements, making it possible to accommodate six movements of the hip joint.

[0022] The assist device 80 includes a hip joint assist mechanism 30, a waist belt 82 for fastening the hip joint assist mechanism 30 to the wearer, a thigh belt 84 worn on the wearer's thighs, and an arm 86 for transmitting the driving force of the motor 32 to the thigh belt 84.

[0023] The rotation shaft 33 of the motor 32 of the hip joint assist mechanism 30, which will be described below, is connected to an arm 86, and the rotational driving force of the motor 32 is transmitted via the arm 86 to a thigh belt 84, which moves the wearer's thigh in the flexion and extension directions. In this embodiment, the second guide portion 36 is fixed to the waist belt 82, so that the hip joint assist mechanism 30 is located to the side of the wearer's hip joint.

[0024] (First embodiment of hip joint assist mechanism) FIG. 4 shows a perspective view of the first embodiment, FIG. 5 shows a front view of the first embodiment as seen from the front of the human body, FIG. 6 shows a plan view of the first embodiment as seen from above the human body, and FIG. 7 shows a side view of the first embodiment as seen from the side of the human body. In the drawings in this specification, the flexion / extension axis A, the abduction / adduction axis B, and the external rotation / internal rotation axis C are merely depicted as markers to indicate the centers of rotation of each component, and these axes do not actually exist as components of the hip joint assist mechanism.

[0025] The hip joint assist mechanism 30 comprises a motor 32 which is a rotary drive device, a first guide part 34 which guides the movement of the motor 32 in the abduction and adduction directions, and a second guide part 36 which guides the movement of the motor 32 in the external rotation and internal rotation directions. As described in this embodiment, a configuration in which both the first guide portion 34 and the second guide portion 36 are provided is preferable for the hip joint assist device 30, but a configuration in which only one of the first guide portion 34 and the second guide portion 36 is provided may also be used.

[0026] The motor 32 is positioned so that the axis of its rotation shaft 33 is aligned with the flexion-extension axis A, which passes through the center of the femoral head 13 and extends horizontally along the left-right direction of the human body. Therefore, the rotational force of the motor 32 assists rotation around the flexion-extension axis A. It is preferable to use a servo motor as the motor 32 in order to control the number of rotations and the rotation speed, but there is no limitation to a specific type of motor.

[0027] Although the rotary shaft 33 of the motor 32 is shown provided with a connecting bar 35 for connecting to the arm 86, the arm 86 may be directly connected to the rotary shaft 33.

[0028] FIG. 8 shows a front view in which the first guide portion and the second guide portion are omitted. As shown in Figure 8, the outer end surface 32a of the motor 32 in this embodiment is formed in a spherical shape with the center of the femoral head 13 as the center of the circle, and this end surface 32a is formed with a retained portion 38 that protrudes outward and is retained by the first guide portion 34.

[0029] The first guide portion 34 holds the motor 32 so that it can move in the abduction and adduction directions, and is formed in a rectangular shape extending in the vertical direction when viewed from the side. The first guide portion 34 is disposed on the outside of the motor 32, and has an opening 40 formed therein for accommodating and holding the held portion 38 of the motor 32. In addition, the first guide portion 34 has an arc shape centered on the abduction-adduction axis B when viewed from the front, allowing the movement of the motor 32 in the abduction and adduction directions to follow the rotation of the femoral head 13.

[0030] Furthermore, the first guide part 34 is formed with a held part 42 that protrudes outward and is held by the second guide part 36. The held part 42 is configured in a shape that connects the outside of a frame body 44 that surrounds the opening 40.

[0031] The second guide portion 36 holds the motor 32 and the first guide portion 34 so that they can move in the external and internal rotation directions, and is formed in a rectangular shape extending in the front-to-rear direction in a side view. The second guide portion 36 is disposed outside the first guide portion 34, and has an opening 46 formed therein for accommodating and holding the held portion 42 of the first guide portion 34. In addition, the second guide portion 36 has an arc shape centered on the external and internal rotation axis C in a plan view, allowing the motor 32 to move in the external and internal rotation directions in accordance with the rotation of the femoral head 13.

[0032] FIG. 9 shows a front view of the state in which the motor 32 is moved in the outward rotation direction from the state shown in FIG. 9, when the motor 32 is moved in the abduction direction, it is necessary to prevent the motor 32 from coming into contact with the skin on the outside of the ilium 15 of the pelvis 10. Therefore, it is preferable to set the position of the motor 32 at a predetermined distance outward from the surface of the human body so that the motor 32 does not come into contact with the skin on the outside of the ilium 15 even when the motor 32 is moved in the abduction direction.

[0033] Due to the structure of the human body, the ranges of motion of the hip joint in abduction / adduction and external rotation / internal rotation required in daily life are nearly fixed, and in this embodiment, the range of motion for abduction is set to 30°, the range of motion for adduction to -10°, the range of motion for external rotation to 20°, and the range of motion for internal rotation to -20°. Therefore, as shown in FIG. 5, the first guide part 34 is positioned so that it is longer upward relative to the abduction / adduction axis B so that the range of motion for abduction is greater than that for adduction. Furthermore, as shown in FIG. 6, the second guide part 36 is positioned so that the external rotation / internal rotation axis C is located in the center so that the ranges of motion for internal rotation and external rotation are equal.

[0034] 10 and 11 show the motor 32 moved 30° in the abduction direction and 20° in the internal rotation direction. At this time, it can be seen that the held portion 38 of the motor 32 has moved to the top of the opening 40 of the first guide portion 34, and the length of the first guide portion 34 is set to the maximum value of the movable range for abduction. It can also be seen that the held portion 42 of the first guide portion 34 has moved to the front of the opening 46 of the second guide portion 36, and the length of the second guide portion 36 is set to the maximum value of the movable range for internal rotation.

[0035] 12 and 13 show the motor 32 moved 30° in the abduction direction and 20° in the external rotation direction. At this time, the held portion 38 of the motor 32 has moved to the top of the opening 40 of the first guide portion 34, and it can be seen that the length of the first guide portion 34 is set to the maximum value of the movable range for abduction, as in Figures 10 and 11. It can also be seen that the held portion 42 of the first guide portion 34 has moved to the rearmost part of the opening 46 of the second guide portion 36, and the length of the second guide portion 36 is set to the maximum value of the movable range for external rotation.

[0036] Furthermore, if each of the retained portions 38, 42 moves too smoothly within each of the openings 40, 46, there is a possibility that wobbling may occur in the abduction / adduction or external / internal rotation directions, for example, when worn by a wearer with weakened muscles. Therefore, a resistance applying mechanism may be provided that applies a resistance force to each of the held portions 38, 42 that the wearer feels when moving within each of the openings 40, 46. Note that the term "resistance" here differs from the definition of resistance in mechanical engineering and refers solely to a state in which the wearer feels resistance, and therefore a member that acts to restore position, such as a spring, is also considered a resistance applying mechanism.

[0037] An example of a resistance applying mechanism is shown in FIG. In the embodiment of Figure 14, a compressible spring 50 is arranged in the opening 40 of the first guide part 34 between the upper end of the opening 40 and the upper end of the held part 38 and between the lower end of the opening 40 and the lower end of the held part 38, and a compressible spring 52 is arranged in the opening 46 of the second guide part 36 between the right end of the opening 46 and the right end of the held part 42 and between the left end of the opening 46 and the left end of the held part 42.

[0038] By arranging the springs 50, 52 in this manner, when the retained portions 38, 42 attempt to move within the openings 40, 46, the spring in the direction of movement is compressed, and the spring on the opposite side to the direction of movement is expanded, thereby providing resistance to the movement of the retained portions 38, 42. However, the resistance applying mechanism is not limited to a spring, and an oil damper or the like may be used. Alternatively, the surface shape may be such that the friction resistance between the surface of the held portion 38 and the inner wall surface of the opening 40 of the first guide portion 34, and between the surface of the held portion 42 and the inner wall surface of the opening 46 of the second guide portion 36, is increased.

[0039] In addition, the resistance applying mechanism may be configured to be provided within the opening 40 of the first guide portion 34 but not within the opening 46 of the second guide portion 36 (a configuration in which the wearer feels resistance only in the abduction and adduction directions), or may be configured to be not provided within the opening 40 of the first guide portion 34 but within the opening 46 of the second guide portion 36 (a configuration in which the wearer feels resistance only in the external rotation and internal rotation directions).

[0040] The resistance applying mechanism may be a combination of a member having a position restoring function, such as a spring, and a member having a resistance function as defined in mechanical engineering, such as an oil damper. For example, a spring may be provided within the opening 40 of the first guide part 34 and an oil damper may be provided within the opening 46 of the second guide part 36, or an oil damper may be provided within the opening 40 of the first guide part 34 and a spring may be provided within the opening 46 of the second guide part 36. Furthermore, for example, within the opening 40 of the first guide part 34, a spring may be placed on one side of the held part 38 and an oil damper may be placed on the other side, and within the opening 46 of the second guide part 36, a spring may be placed on one side of the held part 42 and an oil damper may be placed on the other side.

[0041] In the first embodiment described above, the example has been described in which the held portion 38 of the motor 32 is housed and held in the opening 40 of the first guide portion 34, and the held portion 42 of the first guide portion 34 is housed and held in the opening 46 of the second guide portion 36. In other words, the motor 32, first guide portion 34, and second guide portion 36 are arranged in this order from the surface of the human body toward the outside. However, the arrangement order of these components is not limited to the above configuration, and they may be arranged in the order of motor 32, second guide portion 36, and first guide portion 34 from the surface of the human body outward, or motor 32 may be arranged on the outermost side.

[0042] (Second embodiment of hip joint assist mechanism) A perspective view of the second embodiment is shown in Fig. 15. Note that the same components as those in the first embodiment described above are given the same reference numerals, and the description thereof may be omitted. In the second embodiment, the side of the motor 32 is housed and held in the opening 40 of the first guide portion 34, and the entire first guide portion 34 is housed and held in the opening 46 of the second guide portion 36.

[0043] A protrusion or groove (not shown) is formed on the side of the motor 32 so that the motor 32 is held movably against the inner wall surface of the opening 40 of the first guide section 34, and by engaging with the groove or protrusion (not shown) formed on the inner wall surface of the opening 40, the motor 32 is able to move in the abduction and adduction directions within the first guide section 34.

[0044] In addition, protrusions or grooves (not shown) are formed on the upper and lower edges of the first guide portion 34 so that the first guide portion 34 is held movably relative to the inner wall surface of the opening 46 of the second guide portion 36, and by engaging with the grooves or protrusions (not shown) formed on the inner wall surface of the opening 46, the first guide portion 34 is able to move in the outward and inward rotation directions within the second guide portion 36.

[0045] According to the configuration of this embodiment, the first guide portion 34 stores and holds the side of the motor 32, and the second guide portion 36 stores and holds the first guide portion 34 which stores and holds the motor 32, so that the thickness on the side of the wearer can be reduced, resulting in a compact configuration. In this embodiment, the second guide portion 36 is located outside the first guide portion 34 and the motor 32, and therefore the second guide portion 36 is fixed to the waist belt 82.

[0046] In this embodiment, the second guide portion 36 may house and hold the side surface of the motor 32, and the first guide portion 34 may house and hold the second guide portion 36.

[0047] Also in this embodiment, a resistance force applying mechanism may be provided to apply a resistance force to the motor 32 and the first guide portion 34 when they move within the openings 40 and 46. Furthermore, this embodiment may be combined with the first embodiment. For example, a configuration may be adopted in which the side surface of the motor 32 is housed and held in the opening 40 of the first guide portion 34, and the held portion 42 of the first guide portion 34 is housed and held in the opening 46 of the second guide portion 36, or a configuration may be adopted in which the held portion 38 of the motor 32 is housed and held in the opening 40 of the first guide portion 34, and the entire first guide portion 34 is housed and held in the opening 46 of the second guide portion 36.

[0048] (Third embodiment of hip joint assist mechanism) A front view of the third embodiment is shown in Fig. 16. Note that the first guide portion 34 and the second guide portion 36 are omitted in Fig. 16.

[0049] In the third embodiment, the main body of the motor 32 is installed near the thigh or knee joint, rather than on the axis of the flexion-extension axis A. The rotation output of the motor 32 is transmitted by a belt 54 to a pulley 56 that is arranged on the axis of the flexion-extension axis A. The rotation shaft 57 of the pulley 56 is connected to the connecting bar 35, and the rotational force of the motor 32 is transmitted to the arm 86. Because the rotation shaft 57 of the pulley 56 is disposed on the axis of the flexion-extension axis A, the rotational force of the motor 32 assists the rotation about the flexion-extension axis A.

[0050] Pulley 56 is provided with a held portion 58 that is housed and held in first guide portion 34. Hold portion 58 is housed and held in opening 40 of first guide portion 34, and pulley 56 is movable in the abduction and adduction directions along opening 40 of first guide portion 34.

[0051] Furthermore, the first guide portion 34 may be provided with a held portion 38 as in the first embodiment, and the held portion 38 may be housed and held in the opening 46 of the second guide portion 36, or the entire first guide portion 34 may be housed and held in the opening 46 of the second guide portion 36 as in the second embodiment. In this way, the first guide portion 34 is movable in the outward rotation and inward rotation directions along the opening of the second guide portion 36.

[0052] As in this embodiment, by arranging the motor 32 not on the axis of the flexion / extension axis A, the hip joint assist mechanism can be made smaller, and the structure can be made easier for the wearer to operate.

[0053] (Fourth embodiment of hip joint assist mechanism) A perspective view of the fourth embodiment is shown in Fig. 17. Note that the same components as those in the above-described embodiments are given the same reference numerals, and the description thereof may be omitted. The fourth embodiment is configured so that the drive device can assist not only the flexion and extension of the hip joint, but also the abduction and adduction, and external and internal rotation of the hip joint.

[0054] Motor 70 is disposed so that the axis of its rotation shaft is collinear with flexion-extension axis A. Therefore, the rotational force of motor 70 assists rotation about flexion-extension axis A. The rotation shaft of motor 70 is provided with connecting bar 35 for connecting to arm 86, but arm 86 may also be directly connected to the rotation shaft.

[0055] A first driving device 72 that moves the motor 70 in the abduction and adduction directions is disposed above the motor 70. The first driving device 72 can be a linear motor (linear actuator). A first guide portion 74 is disposed on the human body side of the first drive device 72. When viewed from the front, the first guide portion 74 has an arc shape centered on the abduction-adduction axis B. Unlike the embodiments described above, the first guide portion 74 does not have an opening and is a plate-like member. The first guide portion 74 is housed in a guide groove 73 formed on the human body side of the first driving device 72 , and the first driving device 72 is movable along the first guide portion 74 . In this embodiment, the first guide portion 74 is fixed to the waist belt 82.

[0056] When the first driving device 72 moves along the first guide portion 74, the first driving device 72 and the motor 70 are engaged with each other so that the motor 70 moves integrally with the first driving device 72. Therefore, by driving the first driving device 72, it is possible to assist the movement of the motor 70 in the abduction and adduction directions based on the rotation of the femoral head 13.

[0057] In addition, a second drive unit 76 that moves the motor 70 in the external rotation and internal rotation directions is disposed on the front or back side of the human body of the motor 70. As with the first drive unit 72, a linear motor (linear actuator) can be used for the second drive unit 76. A second guide portion 78 is disposed on the human body side of the second drive device 76. When viewed from the side, the second guide portion 78 has an arc shape centered on the external rotation / internal rotation axis C. Unlike the embodiments described above, the second guide portion 78 does not have an opening and is a plate-like member. The second guide portion 78 is housed in a guide groove 77 formed on the human body side of the second drive device 76 and a guide groove 79 formed on the human body side of the motor 70 so as to communicate with this guide groove 77, and the second drive device 76 is able to move along the second guide portion 78.

[0058] When the second driving device 76 moves along the second guide portion 78, the second driving device 76 and the motor 70 are engaged with each other so that the motor 70 moves integrally with the second driving device 76. Therefore, by driving the second driving device 76, it is possible to assist the movement of the motor 70 in the external and internal rotation directions based on the rotation of the femoral head 13.

[0059] The first driving device 72 is disposed on the upper surface of the motor 70 so as to be slidable relative to the horizontal direction. Specifically, the bottom surface of the first driving device 72 and the upper surface of the motor 70 are each formed flat, allowing them to slide relative to each other. The upper surface of the second driving device 76 is also flat and at the same height as the upper surface of the motor 70, and is slidable relative to the bottom surface of the first driving device 72. With this configuration, when the motor 70 is moved in the external rotation or internal rotation direction by the second driving device 76, the second driving device 76 and the motor 70 can move relative to the first driving device 72.

[0060] Furthermore, since the second guide portion 78 is arranged to communicate with the guide groove 77 of the second drive device 76 and the guide groove 79 of the motor 70, when the motor 70 is moved in the abduction / adduction direction by the first drive device 72, the motor 70 and the second drive device 76 can move together in the abduction / adduction direction.

[0061] According to the configuration of this embodiment, the drive device can assist not only hip joint flexion and extension, but also hip joint abduction and adduction, and external and internal rotation, making it possible to achieve assisted movements without inconvenience in almost all movements in daily life.

[0062] (Control method) In each embodiment of the hip joint assist mechanism described above, the motor 32, motor 70, first drive unit 72, and second drive unit 76 are controlled by a control device (not shown) composed of a CPU, memory, etc. The control device detects torques generated in the motor 32, motor 70, first drive unit 72, and second drive unit 76 due to the wearer's movements, calculates target values ​​for the movement angles of the wearer's hip joints based on this, and outputs control signals to the motor 32, motor 70, first drive unit 72, and second drive unit 76 to perform movement control. In each embodiment, the motor 32, the motor 70, the first drive device 72, and the second drive device 76 are controlled based on such existing operation control methods, and the details thereof will not be described here. However, the control method of the hip joint assist mechanism according to the present invention is not limited to that described above, and can be applied to all assist devices that assist the movement of the hip joint.

[0063] It should be noted that the above-described embodiments of the hip joint assist mechanism are not limited to application to the assist device having the configuration shown in FIG. 3, but can also be applied to assist devices having other structures. [Explanation of symbols]

[0064] 10 Pelvis 11 Acetabulum 12 Femur 13 Femoral head 15 Ilium 30 Hip joint assist mechanism 32 Motor (rotary drive device) 32a End face 33 Rotation axis 34 First guide section 35 Connecting bar 36 Second guide section 38 Holding part 40 Opening 42 Holding part 44 Frame 46 Opening 54 Belt 56 Pulley 57 Rotation axis 58 Holding part 70 Motor 72 First Drive Unit 73 Guide groove 74 First guide section 76 Second Drive Unit 77 Guide groove 78 Second guide section 79 Guide groove 80 Assist Device 82 Waist belt 84 Thigh Belt 86 Arm A Flexion / extension axis B. Abduction-adduction axis C External / internal rotation axis

Claims

1. Equipped with a rotary drive device to assist in flexion and extension of the hip joint, A hip joint assist mechanism comprising at least one of a first guide section that guides the rotation drive device or the rotation shaft of the rotation drive device so that it can move in the abduction and adduction directions of the hip joint, and a second guide section that guides the rotation drive device or the rotation shaft of the rotation drive device so that it can move in the external rotation and internal rotation directions of the hip joint.

2. the first guide portion holds the rotation drive device or the rotation shaft of the rotation drive device so as to be movable in the abduction / adduction directions of the hip joint, and the second guide portion holds the rotation drive device or the first guide portion holding the rotation shaft of the rotation drive device so as to be movable in the external rotation / internal rotation directions of the hip joint; Alternatively, the hip joint assist mechanism according to claim 1, characterized in that the second guide portion holds the rotation drive device or the rotation shaft of the rotation drive device so that it can move in the external rotation and internal rotation directions of the hip joint, and the first guide portion holds the rotation drive device or the second guide portion holding the rotation shaft of the rotation drive device so that it can move in the abduction and adduction directions of the hip joint.

3. a first resistance applying mechanism that applies resistance to movement of the rotation drive device or a rotation shaft of the rotation drive device is provided on either the first guide portion or the second guide portion; The hip joint assist mechanism according to claim 2, characterized in that the other of the first guide portion and the second guide portion is provided with a second resistance applying mechanism that applies resistance to movement of the rotation drive device or the first guide portion or the second guide portion that holds the rotation shaft of the rotation drive device.

4. a first drive device that assists movement of the rotation drive device or a rotation shaft of the rotation drive device is provided on either the first guide portion or the second guide portion; The hip joint assist mechanism according to claim 2, characterized in that the other of the first guide portion or the second guide portion is provided with a second drive device that assists movement of the rotation drive device or the first guide portion or the second guide portion that holds the rotation shaft of the rotation drive device.

5. The first guide portion and the second guide portion each have an opening extending along a respective guide direction, a first held portion that is housed in and held by the opening of either the first guide portion or the second guide portion is formed on one end face of the rotational axis direction of the rotation drive device, a side surface of the rotation drive device, or a rotation shaft of the rotation drive device; 3. The hip joint assist mechanism according to claim 2, characterized in that a second retained portion is formed in part or all of either the first guide portion or the second guide portion that retains the rotation drive device or the rotation shaft of the rotation drive device, and is housed and retained in the opening of the other of the first guide portion or the second guide portion.

6. the first guide portion is formed in an arc shape centered on an abduction / adduction axis that passes through the center of the femoral head and extends horizontally along the anterior-posterior direction of the human body, 2. The hip joint assist mechanism according to claim 1, wherein the second guide portion is formed in an arc shape centered on an external rotation / internal rotation axis that passes through the center of the femoral head and extends vertically along the up-and-down direction of the human body.

7. Using the hip joint assist mechanism according to any one of claims 1 to 6, a waist belt that is worn around the waist of a wearer and that holds the rotation drive device or a rotation shaft of the rotation drive device to the side of a hip joint of the wearer; A thigh belt to be worn on the wearer's thighs; an arm that transmits the driving force of the rotation drive device to the thigh belt.

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