Hip and ankle joint linked walking assistance 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-ankle linked type walking assist device, and more particularly to a hip-ankle linked type walking assist device that is worn on a user's body and assists the walking motion according to the user's movement.

Background Art

[0002] Patients such as stroke patients who exhibit stiffness or constriction of the ankle joint due to involuntary muscle movement often have difficulty actively moving the ankle joint during the walking process. As a result, during the walking process, the patient cannot properly perform the actions of lowering the ankle downward to kick the ground or lifting the ankle upward, and the walking motion is unnatural and unstable. The condition where the ankle cannot be lifted upward and always hangs downward is called foot drop. In the case of patients with such foot drop symptoms, the phenomenon that the foot is pulled by the floor or caught by an obstacle often occurs. This not only causes injuries to the patient's ankle and its surroundings, but can also be a factor interfering with proper rehabilitation training.

[0003] To prevent this, a splint-like device that fixes the ankle in a neutral position may be used for walking assistance. However, since such a device does not help the ankle move in a normal pattern but rather fixes it, it cannot create the coordination of the many joints required for walking and still results in an unnatural posture. That is, a device such as a splint that fixes the ankle is not suitable for assisting the patient's walking or rehabilitation training and is mainly used to prevent injuries and joint deformations.

[0004] Robot-shaped ankle assist devices worn on the human body have been developed, but active robot-shaped devices have the problems of being cumbersome to wear and inconvenient to use. In addition, such conventional devices are large, heavy, and unsuitable for daily use, and there is also the problem of very high production costs.

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0005] This invention was devised to satisfy the above-mentioned needs, and aims to provide a hip-and-ankle linked walking assistance device that is easy to use while effectively assisting walking by being worn on the user's body and assisting the movement of the user's ankle. [Means for solving the problem]

[0006] The hip-and-ankle linked walking assistance device of the present invention, which solves 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 around the front of the foot; and a first wire, one end of which is fixed to the waist strap at the rear of the waist via the first sheath member, and the other end of which is fixed to the forefoot strap, so that the path is guided by the first sheath member and the device can slide. [Effects of the Invention]

[0007] The hip-and-ankle joint linked walking assistance device of the present invention effectively links the movement of the hip joint and the ankle joint based on the structure of the human body, and is small, lightweight, and easy to wear, while still providing natural assistance for walking. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0008] [Figure 1] This is a side view of a hip-and-ankle linked walking assistance device according to one embodiment of the present invention, shown in a state in which a user is wearing it. [Figure 2] This is a side view of a hip-and-ankle linked walking assistance device according to one embodiment of the present invention, shown in a state in which a user is wearing it. [Figure 3] This is a side view of a hip-and-ankle linked walking assistance device according to one embodiment of the present invention, shown in a state in which a user is wearing it. [Figure 4] Figures 1 to 3 show enlarged views of a portion of the hip-and-ankle jointed walking assistance device. [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0009] In the following, with reference to the attached drawings, a hip-and-ankle linked walking assistance device according to one embodiment of the present invention will be described.

[0010] Figures 1 to 3 are side views of a hip-and-ankle linked walking assistance device according to one embodiment of the present invention, shown in a state in which a user is wearing it.

[0011] Referring to Figures 1 to 3, the hip-and-ankle linked walking assistance device of this embodiment includes a waist strap (100), an intermediate strap (200), a forefoot strap (310), a hindfoot strap (330), a first wire (410), and a second wire (420).

[0012] The waist strap (100) is made of leather or woven material. The waist strap (100) is formed in the shape of a waist belt and is designed to be worn and secured around the user's waist. A first wire (410) and a second wire (420) are connected to the waist strap (100) to transmit tension, so the waist strap (100) is designed to be relatively securely fixed to the user's waist, capable of supporting the tension transmitted from the first wire (410) or the second wire (420).

[0013] The intermediate strap (200) is worn on the knee. The intermediate strap (200) is formed in a shape similar to that of a knee protector and is worn on the user's knee. The intermediate strap (200) should be manufactured in a structure and form that does not interfere with the user's ability to bend and straighten their knee.

[0014] The forefoot strap is worn on the front of the user's foot. The forefoot strap (310) can be worn and secured directly to the user's foot, or it can be worn indirectly by being attached to a shoe.

[0015] The rear foot strap (330) is constructed similarly to the forefoot strap (310) and is worn on the rear of the user's foot. The forefoot strap (310) can be worn at any position on the front of the user's ankle joint, and is best positioned as far forward as possible. The rear foot strap (330) can be worn at any position on the back of the user's ankle joint, and is best positioned as far back as possible on the heel.

[0016] The first wire (410) is positioned to connect the waist strap (100) and the front leg strap (310). One end of the first wire (410) is secured to the waist strap (100), and the other end is secured to the front leg strap (310). The first wire (410) is preferably secured to the waist strap (100) at the back of the waist so that it can pass through the middle strap (200) and the side of the knee.

[0017] The second wire (420) is positioned to connect the waist strap (100) and the rear leg strap (330). One end of the second wire (420) is secured to the waist strap (100), and the other end is secured to the rear leg strap (330). The second wire (420) is preferably secured to the front waist strap (100) so that it can pass through the intermediate strap (200) and the side of the knee.

[0018] A first sheath member (510) and a second sheath member (520) are installed on the sides of the intermediate 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 slide 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 positioned along the extension direction of the first wire (410) and the second wire (420), respectively, and are fixed to the intermediate strap (200), so that the first wire (410) and the second wire (420) can be guided to slide without detaching from the intermediate strap (200). As a result, the first sheath member (510) is inclined to connect forward as it goes downwards, and the second sheath member (520) is inclined to connect backward as it goes downwards.

[0019] Figures 1 to 3 illustrate the configuration in which the first wire (410) and the second wire (420) are installed so as to pass along the outside of the right foot.

[0020] In this embodiment, the first wire (410) is fixed to the waist strap (100) through the first adjustment member (610), and the second wire (420) is fixed to the waist strap (100) through the 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 adjusting 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 the form of a pulley and is configured to wind or 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 pushed to fix the length of the first wire (410). The first wire (410) is connected to the first bore dial (611) after being partially wound around the first one-way clutch (613). The first one-way clutch (613) serves to prevent damage to the first bore dial (611) by receiving most of the tension applied to the first wire (410). The first one-way clutch (613) is structured such that it can rotate freely in the direction in which the first wire (410) is wound around the first bore dial (611) and rotation in the opposite direction is prevented. Thus, when tension is applied to the first wire (410), the first one-way clutch (613) receives the tension without rotating. If the first bore dial (611) is rotated to reduce the length of the first wire (410), the first one-way clutch (613) allows the first wire (410) to be wound around the first bore dial (611) while rotating.

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

[0023] A protruding member (110) is installed on the waist strap (100). The protruding member (110) is arranged to be located on the user's thigh and is formed to protrude with respect to the thigh. The protruding member (110) is fixed to a separate strap in the form of a fabric formed to extend from the waist strap (100) and is arranged at the position as described above. The second wire (420) extends from the waist strap (100), passes through the protruding member (110), and then through the second sheath member (520) to the rear foot strap (330).

[0024] Next, the operation of the hip-ankle联动type walking assist device according to the present embodiment configured as described above will be described.

[0025] FIG. 1 shows a state where the user is standing correctly in a stopped state. In this way, when the user is standing straight, the first wire (410) and the second wire should be set to a length such that no tension is applied. For this purpose, 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). In some cases, the lengths of the first wire (410) and the second wire (420) can be adjusted to a length with a little more margin than the length when the user is standing correctly.

[0026] In such a state, when the user starts to move and extends the right foot forward, the state shown in FIG. 2 is obtained. When the right foot extends forward and the right hip joint is bent as shown in FIG. 2, the first wire (410) operates. When the right hip joint is bent, the right foot extends forward, and the distance between the back side of the waist and the tip of the right foot increases. When the distance between the back of the waist and the tip of the right foot tries to increase in this way, since the length of the first wire (410) is limited, the first wire (410) pulls the front foot strap (310). As a result, the right ankle of the user is bent forward by the first wire (410), guiding the natural walking of the user. If the user has a disorder or injury such as foot drop on the right ankle when not wearing the hip-ankle联动type walking assist device according to the present invention, the ankle joint of the user may not bend appropriately and an injury may occur. In particular, when there is no force on the ankle and the foot drop phenomenon occurs, the tip of the toe touches the floor during the walking of the user, increasing the risk of injury. However, as described above, when the user bends the hip joint and extends the foot forward, the first wire (410) pulls the front foot strap (310), so that the ankle joint of the user is naturally guided to bend, so that the walking of the user is assisted by making the posterior molar of the user contact the ground, and the effect of preventing injury can be obtained.

[0027] An important feature of the present invention is that the first wire (410) is not fixed to the intermediate strap (200), but is configured to move relative to the intermediate strap (200) via the first sheath member (510). As the first wire (410) slides along the first sheath member (510), it can operate naturally in sync with the user's hip and ankle movements. In other words, even if the distance between the lower back and the knee joint and the distance between the knee joint and the toes changes due to the user's movements, the intermediate strap (200) does not restrict the length or movement of the first wire (410) and guides the ankle to flex in accordance with the user's movements. The first sheath member (510) allows the first wire (410) to perform its role in assisting and guiding walking while maintaining a state in which the first wire (410) does not detach from the side of the user's knee. 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 the first wire (410) can be effectively guided.

[0028] When the user extends their right leg forward in this manner, the distance between the front of the user's hip and the heel of their right foot decreases, so there is no tension on the second wire (420). Therefore, the second wire (420) no longer interferes with the user's movement when the hip joint flexes.

[0029] Next, when the user continues walking, extending their left leg forward and their right leg backward, they will be in the position shown in Figure 3.

[0030] In this case, the situation is the opposite of what was explained with reference to Figure 2. As the right hip joint extends, the distance between the front of the waist and the heel of the right foot increases, and the distance between the back of the waist and the toe of the right foot decreases. Therefore, there is no tension on the first wire (410), and tension is applied to the second wire (420). As a result, the second wire (420) pulls on the rear foot strap (330) and guides the extension of the right ankle. This tension in the second wire (420) allows the user to gain energy to push off the ground with the tip of their rear foot (right foot) and move forward. Therefore, the second wire (420) assists the ligaments and muscles around the ankle joint, enabling the user to walk or run smoothly if they have ankle problems or injuries that weaken the ankle. In this case as well, similar to 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 knees and knee joints.

[0031] As described above, the hip-and-ankle linked walking assistance device of the present invention assists the user's walking motion by mechanically utilizing the fact that the distance between the back of the waist and the toes, and the distance between the front of the waist and the heels, changes depending on the user's hip joint movement. The present invention has the advantage of being able to assist the user's walking very effectively by acting 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 in a simple, easy, small, and lightweight form, minimizing the burden on the user from wearing it while obtaining a far superior assistive effect compared to conventional active assistance devices. Therefore, by using the present invention, the user can prevent injuries and receive great assistance in rehabilitation. Furthermore, even in the absence of injury or disability, it helps to use the energy from walking more effectively.

[0032] On the other hand, as shown in Figure 3, if a protruding member (110) is positioned on the front of the thigh and the second wire (420) is installed to connect to the underside via the protruding member (110), greater assistance can be obtained during walking. The protruding member (110) can increase the length of the moment arm that acts on the rear leg strap (330) due to the tension acting on the second wire (420), so the user can move forward by pushing off the ground with greater force with the help of the second wire (420) and the protruding member (110). As a result, the user can use a stronger force as propulsion when performing walking or running movements.

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

[0034] For example, as explained earlier, the first wire (410) and the second wire (420) are fixed to the waist strap (100) through a first adjustment member (610) and a second adjustment member (620), respectively, which have a dial structure. However, they can also be connected to the waist strap through configurations with different structures. It is also possible to configure a hip-and-ankle linked walking aid device in which the first and second wires are directly connected to the waist strap without the first and second adjustment members (610 and 620). Furthermore, the first and second wires can also be connected to the waist strap using a second adjustment member (620) and a length adjustment device with a different structure from the second adjustment member (620).

[0035] Furthermore, the first wire (410) and the second wire (420) can be made of an elastic material, or they can be made so that only a portion of them is elastic. When the first wire (410) and the second wire (420) have appropriate elasticity in this way, the force assisting the user's ankle joint may be slightly reduced, but the effect of naturally synchronizing with the user's movements can be obtained. In some cases, the first wire and the second wire can be made of steel wire with relatively little elasticity, and the first wire and the second wire can be connected to the waist strap using a spring-type first and second adjusting member. In this case, the first and second adjusting members will elastically wind the first and second wires, respectively, and transmit the tension caused by the change in length of the first and second wires.

[0036] Furthermore, as shown in Figures 1 to 3 above, we have explained using a hip-and-ankle linked walking assistance device 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. However, the arrangement of the first wire (410), second wire (420), first sheath member (510), and second sheath member (520) can be varied in various ways as needed. In addition to the outside of the leg, separate sets of the first wire, second wire, first sheath member, and second sheath member can also be arranged on the inside, and it is also possible to configure the device by arranging the first wire, second wire, first sheath member, and second sheath member on each foot.

[0037] Furthermore, the structure and shape of the waist strap, middle strap, front leg strap, and rear leg strap can be varied to suit the user's body type and preferred wearing style.

[0038] Furthermore, although the hip-and-ankle linked walking assistance device with a protruding member (110) was described above as an example, it is also possible to construct a hip-and-ankle linked walking assistance device without a protruding member (110).

[0039] Furthermore, while the above example of a hip-and-ankle linked walking assist device having a structure comprising a first wire (410), a second wire (420), a first sheath member (510), and a second sheath member (520) was used for the explanation, it is also possible to construct a hip-and-ankle linked walking assist device that does not include the first wire (410), the first sheath member (510), and the forefoot strap (310), or that does not include the second wire (420), the second sheath member (520), and the rearfoot strap (330). If only one of the following is required, such as preventing the user's feet from dropping or assisting the user's ground thrust, it is possible to construct a hip-and-ankle linked walking assist device with a structure that omits some of the components as described above. [Industrial applicability]

[0040] According to the present invention, the movement of the hip joint and ankle joint are effectively coordinated by the structure of the human body, making it small, lightweight, and easy to wear, while still naturally assisting walking.

Claims

1. A waist strap to be worn around the waist, A middle 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, A hip-and-ankle linked walking aid device, comprising a first wire, one end of which is fixed to the waist strap on the rear part of the waist via the first sheath member, and the other end of which is fixed to the forefoot strap, so that the path is guided by the first sheath member and the device can slide.

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

3. The first sheath member and the second sheath member are each formed in a cylindrical shape. The first sheath member described above is arranged at an inclination so that it connects to the front as it goes downwards. The second sheath member is arranged at an angle so that it connects to the rear as it goes downwards, according to claim 2 of the hip-and-ankle linked walking assistance device.

4. A first adjusting member is connected between the first wire and the waist strap and adjusts the length of the first wire, The hip-and-ankle linked walking assistance device according to claim 2, further comprising a second adjusting member connected between the second wire and the waist strap for adjusting the length of the second wire.

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

6. The hip-and-ankle linked walking assist device according to claim 2, further comprising a protruding member that supports the first wire and is positioned to protrude from the thigh between the waist strap and the intermediate strap, so as to be able to increase the tension moment arm of the second wire.

7. The hip-and-ankle linked walking assist device according to claim 2, wherein at least a portion of the first wire and the second wire are made of an elastic material.

8. A first adjustment member is connected between the first wire and the waist strap and elastically winds the first wire in a spring-like manner, The hip-and-ankle linked walking assistance device according to claim 2, further comprising a second adjusting member connected between the second wire and the waist strap, which elastically winds the second wire in a spring-like manner.

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

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