Hip and ankle linked walking assist device

Abstract

The present invention relates to a hip joint and ankle linked walking assist device, and more particularly to a hip joint and ankle linked walking assist device that is worn on the user's body and assists the walking movement of the user. The hip joint-ankle linked walking assist device of the present invention effectively links the movement of the hip joint and the movement of the ankle joint according to the structure of the human body, and is small, light, easy to wear, yet has the effect of naturally assisting walking movements.

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a hip joint and ankle linked walking assist device, and more particularly to a hip joint and ankle linked walking assist device that is worn on the user's body and assists the walking movement of the user. [Background technology]

[0002] Patients who experience stiffness or rigidity in the ankle joint due to involuntary muscle movement, such as stroke patients, often have difficulty actively moving the ankle joint when walking. As a result, they are unable to properly lower their ankle to kick off the ground or lift their ankle, resulting in unnatural and unstable walking. The condition in which the ankle cannot be lifted and is constantly hanging down is called foot drop. Patients with foot drop often experience symptoms such as their foot getting pulled against the floor or getting caught on obstacles. This can not only cause injuries to the ankle and surrounding area, but can also hinder proper rehabilitation training.

[0003] To prevent this, splint-type devices that fix the ankle in a neutral position are sometimes used to assist walking. However, because these devices fix the ankle rather than helping it move in a normal pattern, they are unable to create the harmony of the multiple joints required for walking, resulting in an unnatural posture. In other words, splint-like devices that fix the ankle are not suitable for assisting patients with walking or for rehabilitation training, and are primarily used to prevent injury and joint deformity.

[0004] Although robotic ankle assist devices that can be worn on the human body have been developed, these active robotic devices have problems such as being cumbersome to wear and inconvenient to use, being large and heavy, making them unsuitable for everyday use, and being very expensive to manufacture. Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0005] The present invention has been devised to satisfy the above-mentioned needs, and aims to provide an easy-to-use hip-ankle linked walking assist device that is worn on the user's body to assist the user's ankle movement and effectively assists walking. [Means for solving the problem]

[0006] The hip-ankle linked walking assist device of the present invention, which has been designed to achieve the above-mentioned objectives, is characterized by including a waist strap worn around the waist; an intermediate strap worn around the knee; a first sheath member attached to the intermediate strap on the side of the knee; a forefoot strap worn on the front of the foot; and a first wire that passes through the first sheath member and has one end fixed to the waist strap on the back of the waist and the other end fixed to the forefoot strap so that its path can be guided by the first sheath member and allows it to slide. [Effects of the Invention]

[0007] The hip joint-ankle linked walking assist device of the present invention effectively links the movement of the hip joint and the movement of the ankle joint according to the structure of the human body, and is small, light, easy to wear, yet has the effect of naturally assisting walking movements. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0008] [Figure 1] 1 is a side view of a hip-ankle linked walking assist device according to one embodiment of the present invention, worn by a user. [Figure 2] 1 is a side view of a hip-ankle linked walking assist device according to one embodiment of the present invention, worn by a user. [Figure 3] 1 is a side view of a hip-ankle linked walking assist device according to one embodiment of the present invention, worn by a user. [Figure 4] 4 is an enlarged view of a portion of the hip joint-ankle linked walking assist device shown in FIGS. 1 to 3. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0009] Hereinafter, a hip-ankle linked walking assist device according to one embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0010] 1 to 3 are side views of a hip-ankle linked walking assist device according to one embodiment of the present invention, worn by a user.

[0011] Referring to Figures 1 to 3, the hip-ankle linked walking assist device of this embodiment includes a waist strap (100), a middle strap (200), a front foot strap (310), a rear foot strap (330), a first wire (410) and a second wire (420).

[0012] The waist strap (100) is made of leather or fabric. The waist strap (100) is shaped like a waistband and is designed to be fastened around the user's waist. The waist strap (100) is connected to a first wire (410) and a second wire (420) to transmit tension, so the waist strap (100) is designed to be fastened relatively firmly to the user's waist so as to withstand the tension transmitted from the first wire (410) or the second wire (420).

[0013] The intermediate strap 200 is worn around the knee. The intermediate strap 200 is formed in a shape similar to that of a knee protector and is worn around the user's knee. The intermediate strap 200 is preferably manufactured with a structure and shape that does not interfere with the user's bending and straightening of the knee.

[0014] The forefoot straps are worn on the front of the user's feet. The forefoot straps (310) can be worn directly on the user's feet and secured thereto, or they can be attached to the user's shoes and worn indirectly.

[0015] The rear foot strap 330 has a similar structure to the front foot strap 310 and is worn on the rear of the user's foot. The front foot strap 310 can be worn anywhere in the front of the user's ankle, preferably near the toe. The rear foot strap 330 can be worn anywhere in the back of the user's ankle, preferably near the heel.

[0016] The first wire 410 is installed to connect the waist strap 100 and the full-leg strap 310. One end of the first wire 410 is fixed to the waist strap 100, and the other end is fixed to the front-leg strap 310. The first wire 410 may be fixed to the waist strap 100 at the back of the waist so that the first wire 410 can pass through the mid-strap 200 and the sides of the knees.

[0017] The second wire 420 is installed to connect the waist strap 100 and the rear leg strap 330. One end of the second wire 420 is fixed to the waist strap 100, and the other end is fixed to the rear leg strap 330. The second wire 420 may be fixed to the waist strap 100 at the front of the waist so that the second wire 420 can pass through the middle strap 200 and the sides of the knees.

[0018] A first sheath member 510 and a second sheath member 520 are respectively installed on the sides of the middle strap 200. In this embodiment, the first sheath member 510 and the second sheath member 520 are each formed in a cylindrical shape similar to a straw. The first wire 410 and the second wire 420 are arranged to slidably pass through the first sheath member 510 and the second sheath member 520, respectively. The first sheath member 510 and the second sheath member 520 are arranged along the extension direction of the first wire 410 and the second wire 420, respectively, and are fixed to the middle strap 200 so that the first wire 410 and the second wire 420 can guide their sliding movement without coming off the middle strap 200. As a result, the first sheath member (510) is inclined so that it extends further forward as it goes downward, and the second sheath member (520) is inclined so that it extends further rearward as it goes downward.

[0019] 1 to 3 show the state in which the first wire (410) and the second wire (420) are respectively provided so as to pass through the outside of the right foot.

[0020] In this embodiment, the first wire 410 is fixed to the waist strap 100 through a first adjustment member 610, and the second wire 420 is fixed to the waist strap 100 through a second adjustment member 620. In this embodiment, the first adjustment member 610 and the second adjustment member 620 are configured to adjust and fix the lengths of the first wire 410 and the second wire 420, respectively.

[0021] Referring to FIG. 4, the first adjustment member 610 includes a first bore dial 611 and a first one-way clutch 613. The first bore dial 611 (BOA dial) is formed in a pulley shape and is configured to wind and unwind the first wire 410. After rotating the first bore dial 611 to appropriately adjust the length of the first wire 410, the first bore dial 611 is pressed to fix the length of the first wire 410. The first wire 410 is partially wound around the first one-way clutch 613 and then connected to the first bore dial 611. The first one-way clutch 613 absorbs most of the tension applied to the first wire 410, thereby preventing damage to the first bore dial 611. The first one-way clutch (613) is configured to allow the first wire (410) to rotate freely in the direction in which it is wound around the first bore dial (611) but to prevent rotation in the opposite direction. As a result, when tension is applied to the first wire (410), the first one-way clutch (613) receives the tension without rotating. When the first bore dial (611) is rotated to reduce the length of the first wire (410), the first one-way clutch (613) rotates and allows the first wire (410) to be wound around the first bore dial (611).

[0022] The second adjusting member (620) is composed of a second bore dial (621) and a second one-way clutch (623). The structure and operation of the second adjusting member (620) are the same as those of the first adjusting member (610).

[0023] The waist strap 100 is provided with a protruding member 110. The protruding member 110 is positioned to be positioned around the user's thighs and protrudes from the thighs. The protruding member 110 is fixed to a separate woven strap that extends from the waist strap 100 and is positioned as described above. The second wire 420 extends from the waist strap 100, through the protruding member 110, and through the second sheath member 520 to the rear leg strap 330.

[0024] The operation of the hip joint-ankle linked walking assist device according to this embodiment configured as described above will now be described.

[0025] Figure 1 shows a user standing upright in a stationary position. When the user is standing upright, the first wire (410) and the second wire (420) should be long enough to avoid tension. To achieve this, the first adjustment member (610) and the second adjustment member (620) are operated to adjust the lengths of the first wire (410) and the second wire (420), respectively. In some cases, the lengths of the first wire (410) and the second wire (420) can be adjusted to a length that provides a little more slack than the length when the user is standing upright.

[0026] In this state, when the user begins to move and extends the right leg forward, the state shown in Figure 2 is reached. When the right leg extends forward and the right hip joint bends, the first wire (410) is activated. When the right hip joint bends, the right leg extends forward, increasing the distance between the back of the hip and the tip of the right foot. As the distance between the back of the hip and the tip of the right foot increases, the first wire (410) pulls the forefoot strap (310) because its length is limited. As a result, the first wire (410) bends the user's right ankle forward, guiding the user to walk naturally. Without wearing the hip-ankle linked walking assist device according to the present invention, if the user has an injury or disorder such as foot drop in the right ankle, the user's ankle joint may not bend properly, resulting in injury. In particular, if the ankle lacks strength and foot drop occurs, the user's toes may touch the floor while walking, increasing the risk of injury. However, as described above, when the user bends the hip joint and extends the leg forward, the first wire (410) pulls the front leg strap (310), naturally inducing the user's ankle joint to bend, so that the user's rear molars come into contact with the ground, thereby assisting the user in walking and preventing injury.

[0027] An important feature of the present invention is that the first wire (410) is not fixed to the middle strap (200), but is configured to move relative to the middle strap (200) via the first sheath member (510). Because the first wire (410) moves while sliding through the first sheath member (510), the first wire (410) can naturally operate in synchronization with the movement of the user's hip joint and ankle. In other words, even if the distance between the back of the waist and the knee joint and the distance between the knee joint and the toes change depending on the user's movement, the middle strap (200) does not restrict the length or movement of the first wire (410) and guides the ankle to bend in accordance with the user's movement. The first sheath member (510) allows the first wire (410) to function as a walking assist and walking guide while maintaining its state of being attached to the side of the user's knee without detaching. In particular, as described above and shown in the drawings, when the first sheath member (510) is fixed to the intermediate strap (200) in a direction inclined along the extension direction of the first wire (410), the operation of such first wire (410) can be effectively guided.

[0028] In this way, when the user extends the right leg forward, the distance between the front of the user's hip and the heel of the right leg decreases, so tension is not applied to the second wire (420). Therefore, the second wire (420) does not interfere with the user's movement when the hip joint bends.

[0029] Next, as the user continues walking, he or she extends the left leg forward and the right leg backward, resulting in the state shown in Figure 3.

[0030] In this case, the situation is the opposite of that described with reference to FIG. 2. As the right hip joint extends, the distance between the front of the hip and the heel of the right foot increases, and the distance between the back of the hip and the toe of the right foot decreases. Therefore, tension is not applied to the first wire (410), but tension is applied to the second wire (420). As a result, the second wire (420) pulls the rear foot strap (330), inducing the extension of the right ankle. This tension in the second wire (420) allows the user to obtain energy to move forward by pushing off the ground with the end of the right foot, which is the rear foot. Therefore, the second wire (420) supports the ligaments and muscles around the ankle joint, even if the user has weak ankle strength due to an ankle injury or disability, allowing the user to walk or run smoothly. In this case, as in the case of the first wire (410), the second wire (420) moves relative to the second sheath member (520) while sliding, so that it operates in effective synchronization with the movement of the user's lower body without applying unnecessary force to the user's knee and knee joint.

[0031] As described above, the hip-ankle linked walking assist device of the present invention mechanically utilizes the fact that the distance between the back of the hip and the toes and the distance between the front of the hip and the heel change depending on the user's hip joint movement to assist the user's walking. The present invention has the advantage of being able to effectively assist the user's walking by functioning as a passive actuator without the need for a separate active actuator. Because the present invention has such a passive structure, it can be implemented with a simple, easy, compact, and lightweight structure, minimizing the burden on the user when worn while providing superior assistance compared to conventional active assist devices. Therefore, the use of the present invention can prevent injuries and provide significant assistance in rehabilitation. It also helps users more effectively use the energy generated by walking even when there is no injury or disability.

[0032] On the other hand, as shown in Figure 3, if a protruding member (110) is placed on the front of the thigh and the second wire (420) is installed so that it connects to the lower part via the protruding member (110), greater assistance can be provided to walking. The protruding member (110) increases the length of the moment arm through which the tension applied by the second wire (420) acts on the rear foot strap (330), so the user, with the help of the second wire (420) and the protruding member (110), pushes off the ground with greater force and moves forward. As a result, the user can use greater force as propulsion when walking or running.

[0033] While the preferred embodiments of the present invention have been described above, the scope of the present invention is not limited to the above-described and illustrated forms.

[0034] For example, while it has been described above that the first wire (410) and the second wire (420) are fixed to the waist strap (100) via the first adjustment member (610) and the second adjustment member (620), respectively, which have a dial structure, they can also be connected to the waist strap through a configuration with a different structure. It is also possible to configure a hip-ankle linked walking assist device in which the first wire and the second wire are directly connected to the waist strap without the first adjustment member (610) and the second adjustment member (620). Also, the first wire and the second wire can be connected to the waist strap using a length adjustment device with a structure different from the second adjustment member (620) and the second adjustment member (620).

[0035] Additionally, the first wire (410) and the second wire (420) may be made of an elastic material, or may be made to have only partial elasticity. If the first wire (410) and the second wire (420) have appropriate elasticity, the force supporting the user's ankle joint may be partially reduced, but the effect of naturally synchronizing with the user's movements can be achieved. In some cases, the first wire and the second wire may be made of a steel wire with relatively little elasticity, and the first wire and the second wire may be connected to the waist straps, respectively, using first and second adjustment members that operate in a spring-like manner. In this case, the first and second adjustment members elastically wind the first and second wires, respectively, and transmit tension due to changes in the length of the first and second wires.

[0036] In addition, although the hip-ankle linked walking assist device has been described above as an example in which the first wire (410), second wire (420), first sheath member (510), and second sheath member (520) are arranged on the outside of the right foot as shown in Figures 1 to 3, the arrangement of the first wire (410), second wire (420), first sheath member (510), and second sheath member (520) can be modified in various ways as needed. Separate sets of first wire, second wire, first sheath member, and second sheath member can also be arranged on the inside as well as the outside of the leg, and it is also possible to arrange the first wire, second wire, first sheath member, and second sheath member on both feet.

[0037] In addition, the structure and shape of the waist strap, middle strap, front leg strap, and rear leg strap can be varied in various ways depending on the user's body type and preferred wearing style.

[0038] Furthermore, although the hip joint-ankle linked walking assist device has been described as having a protruding member (110) at the front, it is also possible to configure a hip joint-ankle linked walking assist device that does not have a protruding member (110).

[0039] In addition, although the hip joint-ankle linked walking assist device having a structure including the first wire (410), the second wire (420), the first sheath member (510), and the second sheath member (520) has been described above as an example, it is also possible to configure a hip joint-ankle linked walking assist device having a structure that does not include the first wire (410), the first sheath member (510), and the front foot strap (310), or that does not include the second wire (420), the second sheath member (520), and the rear foot strap (330). If only one of preventing the user's foot drop phenomenon or assisting the user's ground thrust is required, it is possible to configure a hip joint-ankle linked walking assist device having a structure that does not include some of the above-mentioned components. [Industrial Applicability]

[0040] According to the present invention, the movement of the hip joint and the movement of the ankle joint are effectively linked in accordance with the structure of the human body, and the walking movement can be naturally assisted while being small, light, and easy to wear.

Claims

1. A waist strap to be worn around the waist, A middle strap worn on the knee, a first sheath member attached to the intermediate strap at the side of the knee; a fore foot strap worn on the front of the foot; a first wire having one end fixed to the waist strap at the back of the waist via the first sheath member and the other end fixed to the front foot strap so that the path is guided by the first sheath member and the first wire can slide.

2. a second sheath member attached to the intermediate strap at the side of the knee; a rear foot strap worn on the back of the foot; 2. The hip-ankle linked walking assist device of claim 1, further comprising a second wire that is passed through the second sheath member and has one end fixed to the waist strap in the front waist portion and the other end fixed to the rear foot strap so that the path is guided by the second sheath member and the second wire can slide.

3. The first sheath member and the second sheath member are each formed in a cylindrical shape, The first sheath member is inclined so as to be connected forward as it goes downward, A hip-ankle linked walking assistance device as described in claim 2, wherein the second sheath member is inclined so that it connects more rearward as it goes downward.

4. a first adjusting member connected between the first wire and the waist trap to adjust the length of the first wire; The hip-ankle linked walking assist device of claim 2, further comprising a second adjustment member connected between the second wire and the waist strap for adjusting the length of the second wire.

5. the first adjusting member includes a first bore dial to which the first wire is connected and wound, and a first one-way clutch formed to be wound with the first wire and configured to allow only rotation of the first wire in a direction in which the first wire is wound toward the first bore dial, The hip-ankle linked walking assistance device of claim 4, wherein the second adjustment member includes a second bore dial to which the second wire is connected and wound, and a second one-way clutch formed to wind the second wire and configured to only allow rotation of the second wire in the direction of winding toward the second bore dial.

6. The hip-ankle linked walking assistance device of claim 2 further includes a protruding member that is positioned to protrude against the thigh between the waist strap and the intermediate strap and supports the first wire so as to increase the tension moment arm of the second wire.

7. A hip-ankle linked walking assistance device as described in claim 2, wherein at least a portion of the first wire and the second wire are formed from an elastic material.

8. a first adjusting member connected between the first wire and the waist strap and elastically winding the first wire in a spring manner; The hip-ankle linked walking assist device of claim 2, further comprising a second adjustment member connected between the second wire and the waist strap and elastically winding up the second wire in a spring-like manner.

9. the first adjusting member includes a first bore dial to which the first wire is connected and wound, and a first one-way clutch formed to be wound with the first wire and configured to allow only rotation of the first wire in a direction in which the first wire is wound toward the first bore dial, The hip-ankle linked walking assistance device of claim 8, wherein the second adjustment member includes a second bore dial to which the second wire is connected and wound, and a second one-way clutch formed to wind the second wire and configured to only allow rotation of the second wire in the direction of winding toward the second bore dial.

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