Wearable assistive device

Abstract

To provide a mounting-type assist device that does not require electricity in holding a posture thereof and does not produce heat, while maintaining responsiveness.SOLUTION: A mounting-type assist device comprises a first mounting fixture and a second mounting fixture which are mounted on the body of a user and assists the motion of the user by reducing the distance between the first mounting fixture and the second mounting fixture, and comprises an actuator provided in the first mounting fixture and having a winding pulley and a power transmitting member mounted on the winding pulley on one end and mounted on the second mounting fixture on the other end. The actuator comprises a motor, a motor-side gear, a pulley-side gear and rotation direction regulating means, where the motor-side gear is configured to take two states of a state where the gear engages with the pulley-side gear and a state where the engagement with the pulley-side gear is released, and also is configured to rotate in one direction by the drive of the motor.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a wearable assist device for assisting the movements of a user.

Background Art

[0002] Conventionally, there has been a wearable assist device that is worn on a user's body to assist the user's movements. For example, Patent Document 1 discloses an assist device provided with a McKibben type actuator.

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0003]

Patent Document 1

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0004] However, a wearable assist device provided with a McKibben type actuator requires a tank and piping for supplying compressed air in order to drive the actuator by the compressed air, and there is also room for improvement in responsiveness. In this regard, in order to improve the responsiveness, a wire winding type wearable assist device that assists the movement by winding a wire has also been proposed. However, in the case of a wire winding type assist device, an electromagnetic brake (electromagnetic lock) for maintaining the wire in a wound state for posture holding is required, so that the battery capacity and heat generation become problems.

[0005] The present invention has been made in view of such circumstances, and provides a wearable assist device that maintains responsiveness and does not require power and does not generate heat when maintaining the posture.

Means for Solving the Problems

[0006] According to the present invention, there is provided a wearable assist device including a first wearable device and a second wearable device that are worn on a user's body, and assisting the user's movement by shortening the distance between the first wearable device and the second wearable device. The wearable assist device includes an actuator provided on the first wearable device and having a winding pulley, and a power transmission member having one end attached to the winding pulley and the other end attached to the second wearable device. The actuator further includes a motor, a motor-side gear, a pulley-side gear, and a rotation direction restricting means. The motor-side gear is configured to be in two states: a state of meshing with the pulley-side gear and a state of releasing the meshing with the pulley-side gear, and is configured to rotate in one direction by driving of the motor. The rotation direction restricting means is configured to allow the rotation of the motor-side gear in the one direction and restrict the rotation in the other direction. The pulley-side gear is configured to rotate integrally with the winding pulley or rotate in conjunction with the winding pulley, and is arranged in a direction in which the winding pulley rotates in the winding direction by the rotation of the motor-side gear in the one direction.

[0007] According to the present invention, since the rotation of the motor-side gear in one direction is restricted by the rotation direction restricting means, the rotation of the winding pulley in the unwinding direction is restricted via the pulley-side gear. Therefore, when the power transmission member is maintained in a wound state, no power is required and the device does not generate heat. Further, the actuator can switch between a state in which the rotation of the winding pulley in the unwinding direction is restricted by the rotation direction restricting means and a state in which the rotation of the winding pulley in the unwinding direction is allowed by only rotating the motor in one direction by the action of the split gear. This facilitates control and improves the responsiveness when releasing the assist.

[0008] Hereinafter, various embodiments of the present invention will be illustrated. The embodiments shown below can be combined with each other.

[0009] Preferably, the motor-side gear is a split gear having a split tooth portion without gear teeth.

[0010] Preferably, the rotation direction restricting means is a one-way clutch having an outer ring and an inner ring, and one of the outer ring and the inner ring is fixed to the housing of the actuator, and the other is fixed to the motor-side gear or a member that rotates in conjunction with the motor-side gear, so as to allow the one-way rotation of the motor-side gear and restrict the rotation in the other direction.

[0011] Preferably, an angle detector for detecting the rotation angle of the motor-side gear is provided, and the angle detector can at least detect a first angle at which the motor-side gear meshes with the pulley-side gear and a second angle at which the motor-side gear does not mesh with the pulley-side gear.

[0012] Preferably, the angle detector is a potentiometer.

[0013] Preferably, a biasing means for rotating the pulley-side gear in the winding-back direction when the engagement between the motor-side gear and the pulley-side gear is released is further provided.

[0014] Further, according to the present invention, a pair of left and right wearable assist devices are provided, the first fixture of each wearable assist device is a waist plate worn on the waist of the user, the second fixture of each wearable assist device is a back plate worn such that the front surface contacts the back of the user, each actuator of each wearable assist device is arranged to be located at the lower part of the back and at the central part in the left-right direction, and the other end side of the power transmission member of each wearable assist device is arranged at both upper side ends of the back of the user, and a wearable rotational assist device configured to assist the left-right rotational movement of the upper body of the user is provided.

[0015] Preferably, it includes a rotation sensor and a control device. The rotation sensor detects the left - right rotation of the upper body of the user, and when the degree of rotation detected by the rotation sensor exceeds a predetermined threshold value, the control device drives the motor of one of the wearable assist devices so as to rotate the upper body in the direction in which the angle increases.

[0016] Preferably, the rotation sensor is a load cell.

[0017] Preferably, it further includes a release switch operable by the user. When the release switch is operated while the degree of rotation detected by the rotation sensor exceeds a predetermined threshold value, the control device drives the motor of the one wearable assist device in the direction in which the motor - side gear rotates in the one direction.

[0018] Also, according to the present invention, there is provided an actuator including a motor, a winding pulley, a motor - side gear, a pulley - side gear, and a rotation - direction restricting means. The motor - side gear is configured to take two states: a state of meshing with the pulley - side gear and a state where the meshing with the pulley - side gear is released, and is configured to rotate in one direction by driving of the motor. The rotation - direction restricting means is configured to allow the rotation of the motor - side gear in the one direction and restrict the rotation in the other direction. The pulley - side gear is configured to rotate integrally with the winding pulley or rotate in conjunction with the winding pulley, and is arranged in a direction in which the winding pulley rotates in the winding direction by the rotation of the motor - side gear in the one direction.

Brief Description of the Drawings

[0019]

Figure 1

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Mode for Carrying Out the Invention

[0020] Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described. Various characteristic matters shown in the following embodiments can be combined with each other. Also, the invention can be achieved independently for each characteristic.

[0021] 1. Overall Configuration of the Wearable Rotary Assist Device 1 The wearable rotary assist device 1 as a wearable assist device according to an embodiment of the present invention is used, for example, to assist the movement of the upper body of a user by being worn on the upper body of the user during the luggage loading operation of passengers at an airport. More specifically, the wearable rotary assist device 1 of the present embodiment is used for assisting the operation of rotating the upper body of the user to the left and right around the spine while the user holds luggage (hereinafter referred to as the rotary assist operation) when the user carries luggage. Further, the wearable rotary assist device 1 of the present embodiment is also used for assisting the operation of raising the upper body from a state where the upper body is bent while the user holds luggage (hereinafter referred to as the extension assist operation).

[0022] In the following description, the directions of up, down, left, right, front, and back are defined based on the human body of the user wearing the wearable rotary assist device 1. Further, regarding the rotation of the upper body, the clockwise direction in a plan view is defined as the rotation to the right, and the counterclockwise direction is defined as the rotation to the left.

[0023] As shown in FIG. 1, the wearable swing assist device 1 of the present embodiment includes a waist plate 2 as a first wearable device wound around the waist of a user, a back plate 3 as a second wearable device mounted so that the front surface contacts the user's back, a connecting plate 4 connecting the waist plate 2 and the back plate 3, and a pulley support plate 5 supporting a left pulley 5L and a right pulley 5R as direction conversion members. Further, the wearable swing assist device 1 includes a left actuator 6L provided on the waist plate 2 and having a left winding pulley 60L, and a right actuator 6R provided on the waist plate 2 and having a right winding pulley 60R. Furthermore, the wearable swing assist device 1 includes a left wire 7L as a power transmission member with one end attached to the left winding pulley 60L and the other end attached to the left wing portion 30L of the back plate 3, and a right wire 7R as a power transmission member with one end attached to the right winding pulley 60R and the other end attached to the right wing portion 30R of the back plate 3. In addition, the wearable swing assist device 1 includes a control device 11 for controlling the left actuator 6L and the right actuator 6R. It should be noted that the wearable swing assist device 1 of the present embodiment can also be considered to include a pair of left and right wearable assist devices that assist the user's movement by shortening the distance between the waist plate 2 (first wearable device) and the back plate 3 (second wearable device). Hereinafter, each component of the wearable swing assist device 1 will be specifically described.

[0024] The waist plate 2 is formed in a C-shaped band shape in a plan view so as to be wound around the waist of the user, and the connecting plate 4, the pulley support plate 5, and a fastening portion 20 are attached thereto. The fastening portion 20 is configured to be able to fasten a lower body assist device (not shown) that assists the movement of the waist and the lower body.

[0025] The back plate 3 is formed in a flat plate shape and has a left wing portion 30L and a right wing portion 30R that are positioned around the left and right scapulas of the user during wearing, and a central portion 31 that connects them. The vertical lengths of the left wing portion 30L and the right wing portion 30R are configured to be longer on the central portion 31 side and shorter at both ends in the left-right direction. The left wing portion 30L and the right wing portion 30R each have a tapered shape in which the width in the left-right direction becomes narrower as it goes downward. At both ends in the left-right direction above the left wing portion 30L and the right wing portion 30R, attachment portions 32L and 32R for attaching the left wire 7L and the right wire 7R are provided.

[0026] The connecting plate 4 is a member that connects the waist plate 2 and the back plate 3, and is formed in a flat plate shape so as to extend in the vertical direction. As shown in FIG. 2, the back plate 3 and the connecting plate 4 are specifically connected via a left reinforcing member 8L, a left load cell 9L, a right reinforcing member 8R, and a right load cell 9R. Incidentally, these left reinforcing member 8L, left load cell 9L, right reinforcing member 8R, and right load cell 9R are covered by a cover member 10 as shown in FIG. 1.

[0027] As shown in FIG. 2, the left reinforcing member 8L and the right reinforcing member 8R are each flat plate-shaped members that extend in the vertical direction. The left reinforcing member 8L is attached to the lower end portion of the left wing portion 30L of the back plate 3, and the right reinforcing member 8R is attached to the lower end portion of the right wing portion 30R of the back plate 3.

[0028] The left load cell 9L and the right load cell 9R are members that convert the load into an electrical signal (voltage) when a load is applied, and are horizontally arranged so as to extend in the left-right direction as shown in FIGS. 2 and 3. The right side of the left load cell 9L is attached to the upper left side of the connecting plate 4, and the left side is attached to the lower end portion of the left reinforcing member 8L. The left side of the right load cell 9R is attached to the upper right side of the connecting plate 4, and the right side is attached to the lower end portion of the right reinforcing member 8R.

[0029] Here, the left load cell 9L and the right load cell 9R are members that function as rotation sensors for detecting left - right rotation of the user's upper body. The left load cell 9L is arranged such that a load is applied in the positive direction when the user's upper body moves to the right, and the right load cell 9R is arranged such that a load is applied in the positive direction when the user's upper body moves to the left. With such an arrangement, the left load cell 9L and the right load cell 9R can detect different positive and negative voltages from each other, and thereby detect that the degree of rotation of the upper body in the left - right direction, that is, the rotation angle of the upper body in the left - right direction exceeds a predetermined threshold value. Further, the left load cell 9L and the right load cell 9R can also detect the bending motion of the upper body in the front - rear direction (specifically, that the degree of bending of the upper body, that is, the bending angle of the upper body exceeds a predetermined threshold value) by detecting the same positive and negative voltages.

[0030] As shown in FIG. 1, the pulley support plate 5 has its lower end supported by the waist plate 2 and supports the left pulley 5L and the right pulley 5R at its upper end. The pulley support plate 5 is arranged on the back side of the connecting plate 4 and extends in the vertical direction along the connecting plate 4. The left pulley 5L and the right pulley 5R are used to change the directions of the left wire 7L and the right wire 7R so that the left wire 7L and the right wire 7R are arranged along the user's back.

[0031] The left actuator 6L includes a left winding pulley 60L and is configured to be able to wind the left wire 7L. The right actuator 6R includes a right winding pulley 60R and is configured to be able to wind the right wire 7R. One end of the left wire 7L is attached to the left winding pulley 60L, and the other end is attached to the attachment portion 32L of the left wing portion 30L of the back plate 3. Also, one end of the right wire 7R is attached to the right winding pulley 60R, and the other end is attached to the attachment portion 32R of the right wing portion 30R of the back plate 3. The specific configurations of the left actuator 6L and the right actuator 6R will be described later. Note that the left actuator 6L and the right actuator 6R of the present embodiment are controlled by the control device 11 shown in the block diagram of FIG. 4.

[0032] The control device 11 is composed of, for example, an on-board microcomputer and a motor driver board. As shown in FIG. 4, the control device 11 includes a left load cell 9L and a right load cell 9R as turning sensors, a potentiometer 66 (see also FIG. 6) as an angle detector for the left actuator 6L and the right actuator 6R described later, a thumb sensor 12 as a release switch, and a palm sensor 13 as a load detection sensor. Based on the signals from these sensors, the control device 11 drives the motors 61 of the left actuator 6L and the right actuator 6R.

[0033] Here, as shown in FIG. 5, the thumb sensor 12 and the palm sensor 13 are arranged on a glove 14 worn by the user on the palm. The thumb sensor 12 is used to perform a release operation of the turning assist operation and a start operation of the extension assist operation described later when the user moves the thumb. Also, the palm sensor 13 is used to detect whether the user is holding a load by detecting the load applied to the palm.

[0034] In the wearable turning assist device 1 of the present embodiment, by operating the left actuator 6L and the right actuator 6R under the control of the control device 11, the left wire 7L and the right wire 7R are wound up, and the distance between the left winding pulley 60L and the right winding pulley 60R arranged on the left wing portion 30L and the right wing portion 30R of the back plate 3 and the waist plate 2 is shortened, thereby assisting the user's movement. Specifically, to assist the user's upper body turning to the left, the left actuator 6L can be operated to wind up the left wire 7L. To assist the user's upper body turning to the right, the right actuator 6R can be operated to wind up the right wire 7R. Also, to assist the movement (extension movement) from the state where the upper body is bent, the left actuator 6L and the right actuator 6R can be operated together to wind up the left wire 7L and the right wire 7R simultaneously.

[0035] 2. Configuration of the actuator 6 Hereinafter, with reference to FIGS. 6 to 10, a more specific configuration of the left actuator 6L and the right actuator 6R will be described. Note that the left actuator 6L and the right actuator 6R have the same configuration (including a bilaterally symmetric configuration as shown in the drawings), and hereinafter, they will be generally described as the actuator 6 without distinguishing between the left and the right.

[0036] As shown in FIGS. 6, 7, and 9, the actuator 6 includes, in addition to the take-up pulleys 60 (60L, 60R), a motor 61, a motor-side gear 62, a pulley-side gear 63, a one-way clutch 64 as a rotation direction restricting means, a housing 65, a potentiometer 66 as an angle detector, and a back tension spring 67 as a biasing means.

[0037] The motor 61 receives electric power from a battery (not shown) and is driven under the control of the control device 11. In the present embodiment, the motor 61 only needs to be rotatable in one direction. The rotation of the output shaft (not shown) of the motor 61 is transmitted to the rotating shaft 68 via a speed reduction mechanism 61a.

[0038] In the present embodiment, as shown in FIG. 8, the motor-side gear 62 is a missing-tooth gear having a missing-tooth portion 62a without gear teeth. The motor-side gear 62 is fitted to the rotating shaft 68 as shown in FIG. 8, and the motor-side gear 62 rotates in conjunction with the rotation of the rotating shaft 68. Since the motor-side gear 62 is a missing-tooth gear, it is configured to take two states: a state of meshing with the pulley-side gear 63 and a state in which the meshing with the pulley-side gear 63 is released.

[0039] On the other hand, the pulley-side gear 63 is a spur gear having gear teeth over its outer circumference. The pulley-side gear 63 is fitted to the rotating shaft 69 as shown in FIGS. 6 to 9, and the rotation of the pulley-side gear 63 is transmitted to the take-up pulley 60 via the rotating shaft 69.

[0040] The one-way clutch 64 is a member that transmits rotation in only one direction. The one-way clutch 64 is, for example, of a cam type, and as shown in FIG. 10, includes an inner ring 64b that rotates in only one direction with respect to an outer ring 64a. In the present embodiment, the outer ring 64a is fixed to the housing 65, and the inner ring 64b is fixed to a rotating shaft 68 that rotates in conjunction with the motor-side gear 62. With such a configuration, the one-way clutch 64 of the present embodiment allows the one-way rotation of the motor-side gear 62 and restricts the rotation in the other direction. Here, the "one-way rotation" of the motor-side gear 62 is the rotation in the direction in which the take-up pulley 60 that transmits rotation via the pulley-side gear 63 rotates in the take-up direction, and the "rotation in the other direction" is the rotation in the direction in which the take-up pulley 60 rotates in the rewinding direction. With such a configuration, when the motor-side gear 62 and the pulley-side gear 63 are engaged with each other, the take-up pulley 60 is allowed to rotate only in the take-up direction, and the rotation in the rewinding direction is restricted.

[0041] The housing 65 is a member that holds the above-described respective members. Each member of the actuator 6 is fixed to the waist plate 2 of the wearable rotary assist device 1 via the housing 65. Specifically, as shown in FIGS. 6, 7, and 9, the housing 65 includes a pedestal portion 65a, a shaft support member 65b that supports the rotating shafts 68 and 69, a motor support member 65c that supports the motor 61 (speed reduction mechanism 61a), and a cover 65d (see FIG. 1) that covers each member. The shaft support member 65b and the motor support member 65c are fixed to the pedestal portion 65a. Note that the description of members such as screws for fixing each member is omitted.

[0042] The potentiometer 66 is provided on the rotating shaft 68 and is configured to be able to detect the rotation angle of the rotating shaft 68. In the present embodiment, by detecting the rotation angle of the rotating shaft 68, the rotation angle of the motor-side gear 62 that rotates integrally can be detected.

[0043] The back tension spring 67 is attached to the rotating shaft 69. The back tension spring 67 is energized by the rotation of the rotating shaft 69 in a direction corresponding to the rotation of the take-up pulley 60 in the take-up direction, and biases the rotating shaft 69 in the direction of rotating it in the rewinding direction when the take-up pulley 60 is rotating in the take-up direction.

[0044] With the above configuration, the actuator 6 of the present embodiment rotates the motor-side gear 62 in one direction by driving the motor 61, and thereby rotates the take-up pulley 60 in the take-up direction via the pulley-side gear 63 meshing with the motor-side gear 62, and can maintain the take-up pulley 60 from rotating in the rewinding direction.

[0045] 3. Operation of the wearable rotary assist device 1 Next, based on the timing chart of FIG. 11 and FIGS. 12A to 12D, the operations of the wearable rotary assist device 1 having the above configuration, specifically, the rotary assist operation and the extension assist operation will be described respectively. Note that these rotary assist operation and extension assist operation are controlled by the control device 11.

[0046] 3.1 Rotary assist operation The turning assist operation is performed when the user holds a load and rotates the upper body to the left or right by a predetermined angle or more. Hereinafter, as an example, the operation of driving the motor 61 of the right actuator 6R to assist the turning of the upper body to the right will be described. However, the same applies to the operation of driving the motor 61 of the left actuator 6L to assist the turning to the left. When the assist operation is not being performed, as shown in FIG. 12A, the toothless portions 62a of the motor-side gears 62 of the left actuator 6L and the right actuator 6R face the pulley-side gear 63 and are not engaged with the pulley-side gear 63. Hereinafter, this state is defined as the initial state, and the angle of the motor-side gear 62 detected by the potentiometer 66 (see FIG. 6 etc.) at this time is set to 0°. Also, when the motor-side gear 62 and the pulley-side gear 63 are engaged and the winding pulley 60 rotates in the winding direction, the rotation direction (one direction) of the motor-side gear 62 is defined as the positive direction.

[0047] When the user holds the load, first, the palm sensor 13 (see FIG. 5) detects the holding of the load. In this state, when the turning angle of the user's upper body to the right detected by the left load cell 9L and the right load cell 9R (turning sensors) exceeds a predetermined threshold value (see the transition trigger T1 in FIG. 11), the turning assist operation is executed (see steps (i) to (ii) in FIG. 11). Specifically, the control device 11 transmits a control signal to drive the motor 61 of the right actuator 6R. As a result, power is supplied from a battery (not shown) to the motor 61, and the motor 61 starts to rotate. When the motor 61 starts to rotate, the rotation of the motor 61 is speed-reduced by the speed reduction mechanism 61a, and the motor-side gear 62 starts to rotate via the rotating shaft 68, and the angle detected by the potentiometer 66 increases (see FIG. 11). Immediately after the motor 61 starts to rotate, as shown in FIG. 12A, since the motor-side gear 62 is not engaged with the pulley-side gear 63, the pulley-side gear 63 does not rotate. The angle of the motor-side gear 62 at this time is defined as the second angle.

[0048] After that, the control device 11 continues to rotate the motor 61. Then, as shown in FIG. 12B, the motor-side gear 62 meshes with the pulley-side gear 63, and the pulley-side gear 63 also rotates as the motor-side gear 62 rotates. When the pulley-side gear 63 rotates, the winding pulley 60 starts to rotate in the winding direction via the rotating shaft 69. The angle of the motor-side gear 62 when starting the rotation is defined as the first angle. As a result, when the right winding pulley 60R rotates in the winding direction, the right wire 7R is wound around the right winding pulley 60R, assisting the user's upper body to rotate to the right (see situation (ii) in FIG. 11).

[0049] The control device 11 continues to drive the motor 61 until the angle of the motor-side gear 62 detected by the potentiometer 66 reaches 270°. This is the period during which the meshing between the motor-side gear 62 and the pulley-side gear 63 continues, as shown in FIGS. 12B to 12C. When the angle of the motor-side gear 62 reaches 270° (see the transition trigger T2 in FIG. 11), the control device 11 stops supplying power to the motor 61 and stops driving the motor 61 (see situation (ii) to situation (iii) in FIG. 11). Here, when the driving of the motor 61 is stopped, the output shaft (not shown) of the motor 61 can rotate freely. However, in the actuator 6 of the present embodiment, since the one-way clutch 64 is attached to the rotating shaft 68, the motor-side gear 62 is prevented from rotating in the other direction (negative direction). Since the motor-side gear 62 does not rotate in the other direction, the rotation of the pulley-side gear 63 that meshes with it is also restricted. As a result, the rotation of the winding pulley 60 in the unwinding direction is restricted. That is, although the winding pulley 60 attempts to rotate in the unwinding direction due to the spring characteristics when the back plate 3 and the connecting plate 4 are twisted and the biasing force of the back tension spring 67, the rotation is restricted by the action of the one-way clutch 64, and the rotation assist continues.

[0050] When the control device 11 detects a signal of an instantaneous release operation of the thumb sensor 12 by the user in a state where the assist of the above-mentioned rotation continues (see the transition trigger T3 in FIG. 11), the motor 61 is driven again in the same direction (see the situations (iii) to (iv) in FIG. 11). Then, when the motor-side gear 62 rotates in the positive direction due to the rotation of the motor 61, after the pulley-side gear 63 rotates slightly along with the rotation of the motor-side gear 62, as shown in FIGS. 12C to 12D, the meshing between the motor-side gear 62 and the pulley-side gear 63 is released.

[0051] When the meshing between the motor-side gear 62 and the pulley-side gear 63 is released, the restriction on the rotation of the winding pulley 60 in the unwinding direction by the one-way clutch 64 is released. Then, due to the spring characteristics when the back plate 3 and the connecting plate 4 are twisted and the biasing force of the back tension spring 67, the pulley-side gear 63 rotates reversely, and the right wire 7R is unwound. And when the right wire 7R is unwound to the original state, the assist of the rotation ends.

[0052] Then, when the angle of the motor-side gear 62 detected by the potentiometer 66 reaches 360° (see the transition trigger T4 in FIG. 11), the control device 11 stops the drive of the motor 61 (see the situations (iv) to (v) in FIG. 11). At this time, the motor-side gear 62 and the pulley-side gear 63 have returned to the initial state, and are in a state where the next rotation assist can be performed (see the situation (v) in FIG. 11).

[0053] 3.2 Extension assist operation On the one hand, the extension assist operation is performed when the user holds the load and operates the thumb sensor 12. When the user operates the thumb sensor 12, during the period when the thumb sensor 12 is ON, both the left actuator 6L and the right actuator 6R are driven to wind up both the left wire 7L and the right wire 7R. As a result, the upper body of the user is pulled and rotated in the extension direction, and the extension assist is realized. When the user then turns the thumb sensor 12 OFF, due to the spring characteristics when the back plate 3 and the connecting plate 4 are twisted and the biasing force of the back tension spring 67, each winding pulley 60 of the left actuator 6L and the right actuator 6R rotates in the unwinding direction, and the left wire 7L and the right wire 7R are unwound to end the extension assist.

[0054] 4. Operational Effects As described above, in the wearable rotation assist device 1 according to the present embodiment, in each of the left actuator 6L and the right actuator 6R, the rotation of the motor side gear 62 in the other direction (negative direction) is restricted by the one-way clutch 64, so that the rotation of the winding pulley 60 (left winding pulley 60L and right winding pulley 60R) interlocked therewith via the pulley side gear 63 in the unwinding direction is restricted. As a result, power is not required to maintain the state in which the left wire 7L and the right wire 7R are wound up, and the configuration does not generate heat.

[0055] Also, by using the one-way clutch 64 as a configuration for restricting the rotation of the winding pulley 60, the one-way clutch 64 can function as a torque limiter, and it is possible to protect the wearable rotation assist device 1 and the body of the user wearing the same.

[0056] In addition, the left actuator 6L and the right actuator 6R are each configured to take two states: a state in which the motor-side gear 62 meshes with the pulley-side gear 63 and a state in which the meshing with the pulley-side gear 63 is released due to the action of the missing-tooth portion 62a. With such a configuration, by rotating the motor 61 in only one direction, it is possible to switch between the meshing and the release of the meshing between the motor-side gear 62 and the pulley-side gear 63, and it is possible to switch between a state in which the rotation of the left take-up pulley 60L and the right take-up pulley 60R in the winding-back direction is restricted by the one-way clutch 64 and a state in which it is allowed. And the above switching can be performed only by rotating the motor 61 in one direction, and it is not necessary to rotate the motor 61 in both directions, so the control becomes easy and it is possible to use a simple one-board microcomputer as the control device 11. Furthermore, it is also possible to improve the responsiveness when releasing the turning assist.

[0057] Note that FIG. 13A is a graph showing the results of a comparative experiment on the lifting operation of the actuator 6 (winding type) according to an embodiment of the present invention and the McKibben type actuator according to a comparative example. As shown in the graph, the actuator 6 according to the embodiment of the present invention can be displaced greatly in a short time compared with the McKibben type actuator. Also, FIG. 13B is a graph showing the results of a comparative experiment on the release operation of the actuator 6 (winding type) according to an embodiment of the present invention and the McKibben type actuator according to a comparative example. As shown in the graph, the actuator 6 according to the embodiment of the present invention can also recover the displacement to the original state in a short time compared with the McKibben type actuator.

[0058] 5. Modification The present invention can also be implemented in the following aspects.

[0059] In the above-described embodiment, the wearable rotation assist device 1 having a pair of left and right wearable assist devices that assist the user's movement by shortening the distance between the waist plate 2 (first wearable device) and the back plate 3 (second wearable device) has been described. However, the positions where the first wearable device and the second wearable part are worn on the user's body are arbitrary, and the present invention can be applied to a wearable assist device that assists the user's movement by shortening the distance between any two points.

[0060] In the above-described embodiment, the one-way clutch 64 is used as the rotation direction regulating means for allowing the rotation of the motor-side gear 62 in one direction and restricting the rotation in the other direction. However, it is also possible to use other configurations having the same function, for example, a ratchet.

[0061] In the above-described embodiment, the motor-side gear 62 is configured as a toothless gear in order to take two states: a state of meshing with the pulley-side gear 63 and a state of releasing the meshing with the pulley-side gear 63. However, other configurations that take two states: a state of meshing with the pulley-side gear 63 and a state of releasing the meshing with the pulley-side gear 63, for example, a configuration in which the motor-side gear 62 moves in the axial direction or a direction perpendicular to the axis as it rotates, so as to take two states of meshing with the pulley-side gear 63 and releasing the meshing with the pulley-side gear 63, are also possible.

[0062] In the above-described embodiment, the wires (7L, 7R) are used as the power transmission members for shortening the distance between the first wearable device (waist plate 2) and the second wearable device (back plate 3). However, as long as it can be curved along the user's body and can be wound and rewound by the winding pulley 60, other members such as a belt can be used instead of the wires (7L, 7R).

[0063] In the above-described embodiment, the potentiometer 66 was arranged on the rotary shaft 68 as the angle detector for detecting the rotation angle of the motor-side gear 62. However, as the angle detector, it is also possible to use an encoder, or to integrally configure the motor 61 and the angle detector by using a servo motor as the motor 61.

[0064] In the above-described embodiment, the load cells (9L, 9R) were used as the turning sensors for detecting the turning operation of the user. However, instead of the load cells (9L, 9R), it is also possible to use a potentiometer or a gyro sensor.

[0065] In the above-described embodiment, the thumb sensor 12 was used as the release switch for releasing the winding state, and the palm sensor 13 was used as the load detection sensor. However, as long as the release switch and the load detection sensor can transmit an electrical signal to the control device 11, any means can be used.

[0066] 6. Other application examples of the actuator 6 FIGS. 14A and 14B are schematic views showing an example in which the actuator 6 according to the present invention is used in the hand device 100. The hand device 100 is a device for gripping and transporting a conveyed object F. The hand device 100 includes a fixed arm 101, a horizontal member 102 extending horizontally from the upper end of the fixed arm 101, a moving arm 103 arranged to face the fixed arm 101, the actuator 6 described above, a guide member 104 and a guide rail 105 for moving the moving arm 103 parallel to the fixed arm 101, and a biasing means 106 for biasing the moving arm 103 in a direction to widen the distance between the moving arm 103 and the fixed arm 101.

[0067] The fixed arm 101 and the movable arm 103 each have a gripping surface 101a and a gripping surface 103a for gripping the conveyed object F. Further, the actuator 6 is disposed on the upper surface of the horizontal member 102. One end of the wire 7 is attached to the winding pulley 60 of the actuator 6 so as to be wound and rewound, and the other end of the wire 7 is held by the holding member 107 of the movable arm 103. Further, the biasing means 106 is a coil spring, one end of the biasing means 106 is attached to the fixed member 108 disposed on the upper surface of the horizontal member 102, and the other end is attached to the movable arm 103. Due to the biasing force of the biasing means 106, the winding pulley 60 of the actuator 6 rotates in the rewinding direction by releasing the restriction on the rotation in the rewinding direction by the one-way clutch 64 (see FIG. 10 etc. of the above-described embodiment).

[0068] As shown in FIG. 14A, in the hand device 100 having such a configuration, when the actuator 6 is not winding the wire 7, the movable arm 103 is at a position separated from the fixed arm 101 and does not grip the conveyed object F. By driving the actuator 6 to wind the wire 7 around the winding pulley 60, the conveyed object F can be gripped and conveyed.

[0069] When the actuator 6 according to the present invention is used in the hand device 100 as described above, since no power is required in the state where the wire 7 is wound and the conveyed object F is gripped, the hand device 100 can be operated with power saving, and it is also possible to operate with a battery. As a result, the hand device 100 can be suitably used even under conditions where a commercial power supply cannot be secured. Further, since the motor 61 (see FIG. 10 etc.) only needs to be rotated in one direction, control can be easily performed.

Explanation of Reference Numerals

[0070] 1: Wearable Rotary Assist Device (Wearable Assist Device) 2: Waist Plate (First Wearable Tool) 3: Back Plate (Second Wearable Tool) 4: Connecting Plate 5: Pulley Support Plate 5L: Left pulley 5R: Right pulley 6: Actuator 6L: Left actuator 6R: Right actuator 7, 7L, 7R: Wire (power transmission member) 8L: Left reinforcing member 8R: Right reinforcing member 9L: Left load cell (rotation sensor) 9R: Right load cell (rotation sensor) 10: Cover member 11: Control device 12: Thumb sensor (release switch) 13: Sensor 14: Glove 20: Fastening part 30L: Left wing part 30R: Right wing part 31: Central part 32L: Mounting part 32R: Mounting part 60: Take-up pulley 60L: Left take-up pulley 60R: Right take-up pulley 61: Motor 61a: Reduction mechanism 62: Motor side gear 62a: Tooth part 63: Pulley side gear 64: One-way clutch (rotation direction regulating means) 64a: Outer ring 64b: Inner ring 65: Housing 65a: Pedestal part 65b: Shaft support member 65c: Motor support member 65d: Cover 66: Potentiometer (angle detector) 67: Back tension spring (biasing means) 68: Rotation shaft 69: Rotation shaft 100: Hand device 101: Fixed arm 101a: Gripping surface 102: Horizontal member 103: Moving arm 103a: Gripping surface 104: Guide member 105: Guide rail 106: Biasing means 107: Holding member 108: Fixing member F: Object to be conveyed T1~T4: Transition trigger

Claims

A wearable assist device comprising a first wearable device and a second wearable device to be worn on a user's body, and assisting the user's movement by shortening the distance between the first wearable device and the second wearable device, an actuator provided on the first wearable device and having a winding pulley, and a power transmission member having one end attached to the winding pulley and the other end attached to the second wearable device, the actuator further comprising a housing, a motor, a motor-side gear, a pulley-side gear, and a rotation direction restricting means, the housing being fixed to the first wearable device and holding the motor, the motor-side gear, the pulley-side gear, and the rotation direction restricting means, the motor-side gear being configured to take two states: a state of meshing with the pulley-side gear and a state of disengagement from the pulley-side gear, and being configured to rotate in one direction with respect to the housing by driving of the motor, the rotation direction restricting means being configured to allow the one-direction rotation of the motor-side gear and restrict the rotation in the other direction with respect to the housing, the pulley-side gear being configured to rotate integrally with the winding pulley or rotate in conjunction with the winding pulley, and being arranged in a direction in which the winding pulley rotates in the winding direction by the one-direction rotation of the motor-side gear, further comprising an angle detector for detecting the rotation angle of the motor-side gear, the angle detector being capable of detecting at least a first angle at which the motor-side gear meshes with the pulley-side gear and a second angle at which the motor-side gear does not mesh with the pulley-side gear, the wearable assist device.

2. The wearable assist device according to claim 1, wherein the motor-side gear is a missing-tooth gear having a missing-tooth portion without gear teeth, the wearable assist device.

3. The wearable assist device according to claim 1 or claim 2, wherein the rotation direction restricting means is a one-way clutch having an outer ring and an inner ring, wherein one of the outer ring and the inner ring is fixed to the housing of the actuator, and the other is fixed to the motor-side gear or a member that rotates in conjunction with the motor-side gear, thereby being configured to allow the one-direction rotation of the motor-side gear and restrict the rotation in the other direction, the wearable assist device.

4. A wearable assist device according to any one of Claims 1 to 3, wherein the angle detector is a potentiometer, the wearable assist device.

5. A wearable assist device according to any one of Claims 1 to 4, further comprising biasing means for rotating the pulley-side gear in the winding-back direction when the engagement between the motor-side gear and the pulley-side gear is released, the wearable assist device.

6. A pair of left and right wearable assist devices according to any one of Claims 1 to 5 are provided, wherein the first fixture of each wearable assist device is a waist plate worn on the waist of the user, and the second fixture of each wearable assist device is a back plate worn such that the front face thereof contacts the back of the user, each actuator of each wearable assist device is arranged to be positioned at the lower part of the back and at the central part in the left-right direction, the other end sides of the power transmission members of each wearable assist device are arranged at both upper end sides of the back of the user, the wearable swing assist device configured to assist the left-right swing motion of the upper body of the user.

7. A wearable swing assist device according to Claim 6, comprising a swing sensor and a control device, wherein the swing sensor detects the left-right swing of the upper body of the user, and when the degree of swing detected by the swing sensor exceeds a predetermined threshold value, the control device drives the motor of one of the wearable assist devices so as to swing the upper body in the direction in which the degree of swing increases, the wearable swing assist device.

8. A wearable swing assist device according to Claim 7, wherein the swing sensor is a load cell, the wearable swing assist device.

9. A wearable assist device according to Claim 7 or Claim 8, further comprising a release switch operable by the user, wherein when the release switch is operated while the degree of swing detected by the swing sensor exceeds a predetermined threshold value, the control device drives the motor of one of the wearable assist devices in the direction in which the motor-side gear rotates in the one direction, the wearable swing assist device.

10. A wearable assist device comprising a first fixture and a second fixture worn on the body of the user, and assisting the operation of the user by shortening the distance between the first fixture and the second fixture. An actuator provided on the first wearing device and having a winding pulley, a power transmission member having one end attached to the winding pulley and the other end attached to the second wearing device, and an angle detector for detecting the rotation angle of the motor-side gear. The actuator further includes a motor, a motor-side gear, a pulley-side gear, and a rotation direction restricting means. The motor-side gear is configured to take two states: a state of meshing with the pulley-side gear and a state where the meshing with the pulley-side gear is released, and is configured to rotate in one direction by driving of the motor. The rotation direction restricting means is configured to allow the rotation of the motor-side gear in the one direction and restrict the rotation in the other direction. The pulley-side gear is configured to rotate integrally with the winding pulley or rotate in conjunction with the winding pulley, and is arranged in a direction in which the winding pulley rotates in the winding direction by the rotation of the motor-side gear in the one direction. The angle detector is a wearable assist device that can at least detect a first angle at which the motor-side gear meshes with the pulley-side gear and a second angle at which the motor-side gear does not mesh with the pulley-side gear.

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