Exoskeleton

Abstract

The invention relates to exoskeletons for aiding people to handle loads. The present exoskeleton includes a torso section that is connected to lower limb sections by means of a hip section. A lower limb section includes a femoral portion, a knee portion and a tibial portion. The femoral portion includes an upper thigh element and a lower thigh element which are connected to one another, the lower thigh element being connected to a connecting element of the knee portion. The knee portion includes two elements connected to one another for bending of the knee portion, one of said elements being connected to the connecting element of the knee portion, and the other of said elements being connected to a connecting element of the tibial portion. The tibial portion includes an upper tibial element connected to the connecting element of the tibial portion, a shock absorber, a lower tibial element, and a foot support member. The technical result of the solution is an increase in the efficiency, reliability and manufacturability of the exoskeleton.

Description

[0001] EXOSKELETON

[0002] Field of technology

[0003] The claimed technical solution relates to exoskeletons and other wearable structures designed to assist a person in moving loads. In particular, the claimed solution relates to passive exoskeletons and / or exoskeletons without a mechanical drive.

[0004] Exoskeletons find application in various industries that require lifting heavy loads, as they significantly increase the mass of the payload that can be carried by a person without injury. Such devices can be used, for example, by builders, firefighters, police officers, military personnel, tourists, etc. to move loads, sometimes over long distances. In addition, these devices should not limit a person's ability to move, be safe and reliable, and also allow holding a large payload that exceeds the safe limit of human capabilities.

[0005] Prior art

[0006] A modular exoskeleton is known from the prior art, comprising a chest plate, a back plate, a belt, thigh cuffs and an elastic element. The exoskeleton comprises a frame made in the shape of the letter "G", which connects the chest plate, the back plate and the belt with a mounted abdominal plate and a tubular fastening due to the installation of universal fasteners, while the universal fasteners are necessary for installing additional modules, such as a headrest, a frontal support, elastic cables with hooks, a roller through which elastic and non-elastic elements are pulled in parallel, connected to the thigh cuffs, an active module. The back plate is made in the shape of the natural deflection of the human spine and contains Velcro fabric and soft pads for adjustment to the individual characteristics of a person, and the elastic and non-elastic elements contain buckles for adjusting the degree of sag and tension force of these elements.The thigh cuffs also contain Velcro fabric for quick fastening and release, and the active module contains a housing, a microcontroller, a winch, a battery, a cable, a carabiner, an angular displacement sensor, and a sensor. Russian Federation Patent No. RU202567U1, IPC A62B 99 / 00, published on 02 / 25 / 2021.

[0007] The prior art also discloses a solution selected as the closest analogue, which is an exoskeleton designed to be worn by the user to support and transmit the load carried by the user. It is known from the description of the solution that the exoskeleton includes a left and a right section of the lower limbs, each of which typically contains three main parts: a hip joint connecting unit, an upper element of the lower limb, and a lower element of the lower limb. The hip joint connecting unit is attached to the corresponding hip element of the hip joint section and to the upper end portion of the upper element of the lower limb. The hip joint connecting unit is articulated to ensure the ability to move the upper element of the lower limb relative to the hip joint section when the user moves (e.g., walking, running, kneeling, squatting, etc.).The upper member of the lower limb is connected to the hip joint and to the lower member of the lower limb. The upper end portion of the upper member of the lower limb is pivotally mounted on the hip joint, and the lower end portion of the upper member of the lower limb is pivotally connected to the lower member of the lower limb. The hinge connection between the upper and lower members of the lower limb is usually located at the level of the user's knee to allow the lower member of the lower limb to follow the movements of the lower part of the user's leg relative to the upper part of the lower limb. The lower member of the lower limb usually extends downwards and in the direction of the inner side of the user's leg, so as to transfer the load from the outer part of the leg in the direction of the inner part of the leg and downwards to the inner side of the user's foot.In this case, the lower end portion of the lower element of the lower limb ends with a plantar insert designed to be placed in the user's footwear (for example, in a boot). Russian Federation Patent No. RU2696631C2, IPC B25J 11 / 00, A61F 2 / 50, A61F 2 / 60, A61F 5 / 00, F41H 13 / 00, published on 05.08.2019.

[0008] A distinctive feature of the claimed solution is, in particular, that the knee part of the lower limb section includes two parts connected to each other, providing the ability to bend the knee part, one of which is connected with the ability to rotate with the connecting part of the knee part, and the other is connected with the ability to rotate with the connecting part of the shin part, which gives the claimed exoskeleton high mobility. At the same time, the claimed solution is also distinguished, in particular, by the connection of the upper shin part with the lower shin part by means of a shock absorber, due to which shock absorption of the exoskeleton is ensured, its efficiency and reliability are increased, as well as the convenience and safety of use.

[0009] Disclosure of invention

[0010] The technical result of the claimed solution consists in increasing the efficiency, reliability and manufacturability of the exoskeleton.

[0011] The efficiency increase is achieved, in particular, by increasing the mass of the payload that can be moved, as well as by increasing the mobility of the exoskeleton. The reliability increase is achieved, in particular, by increasing the wear resistance and durability of the exoskeleton. The manufacturability increase is achieved, in particular, by increasing the ease of use of the exoskeleton and simplifying its preparation for operation. The claimed technical result is achieved due to the fact that the exoskeleton includes a torso section connected to a lower limb section by means of a hip joint section, wherein the lower limb section includes a femoral portion connected to a knee portion connected to a shin portion, wherein the femoral portion includes an upper thigh part containing a groove in which a connecting part of the hip joint section is installed with the possibility of movement and fixation in it, a lower thigh part containing a groove,in which a connecting part of the knee part is installed with the possibility of movement and fixation therein, connected to each other with the possibility of changing and fixing the distance between them, wherein the knee part includes two parts connected to each other, providing the possibility of bending the knee part, one of which is connected with the possibility of rotation to the connecting part of the knee part, and the other is connected with the possibility of rotation to the connecting part of the shin part, wherein the shin part includes an upper shin part containing a groove in which a connecting part of the shin part is installed with the possibility of movement and fixation therein, connected by means of a shock absorber to the lower shin part connected to the foot support element.

[0012] The claimed exoskeleton includes a torso section connected to a lower limb section by means of a hip joint section, which imitates the anatomical structure of the human body and ensures the load is transferred from the torso section to the hip joint section, then to the lower limb section and to the supporting surface, thereby removing the load from the user's back, making it easier for him to move heavy loads. In some preferred embodiments, the torso section may contain two vertebral columns, each of which includes a flexible rod on which vertebrae and intervertebral spacers are installed in alternating order. The flexible rods may be connected in the upper part to the shoulder girdle section, and in the lower part to the hip joint section, wherein the flexible rod may be located in the cavity of the vertebrae and intervertebral spacers.The vertebral columns can be connected to each other by corresponding parallel vertebrae, the intervertebral spacers can be made in the form of elastic elements connected to the upper and lower vertebrae for cushioning the load between them, placed in an elastic body. In some embodiments, the torso section can be connected to the shoulder girdle section, preferably made in the form of a rigid frame including left and right shoulder holders, each of which is fixed at one end of the extension element, the other end of which is fixed to the transition element, and connected to the upper intervertebral spacer of the corresponding vertebral column by means of a flexible rod. The shoulder girdle section can also include rigid pads for holding the mass of the payload, rigidly fixed to the extension elements.

[0013] The lower limb section includes a femoral part connected to a knee part connected to a shin part, which is also a repetition of the anatomical structure of the human lower limbs, allowing the exoskeleton to also correspond to the biomechanics of the movements of the human lower limbs, which provides the exoskeleton with high mobility, and as a result, efficiency. In addition, such a design of the lower limb section is also necessary for the transfer of the load received from the hip joint section, sequentially to the femoral, knee and shin parts and then to the supporting surface through the foot support element, which relieves the load from the user's body when moving loads.The connection of the three parts of the lower limb section with each other corresponds to the structure of the human lower limb, where the thigh is connected to the shin by means of the knee joint, which makes it possible to arrange these parts in different planes, corresponding to the position of the user's lower limb during various movements. At the same time, the presence of three parts of the lower limb section connected to each other also increases the reliability of the exoskeleton due to the repetition of the biomechanics of human movement, and as a consequence, the absence of stress in the parts of the exoskeleton when the possibility of movement of the human limb does not correspond to the movement of the lower limb section of the exoskeleton, thereby preventing deformation and damage to the parts of the lower limb section, increasing the durability and wear resistance of the exoskeleton. It is obvious to a specialist in this field of technology that the femur, knee, shin parts and the foot support element are made respectively for each lower limb of the user.

[0014] The thigh part includes an upper thigh part containing a groove in which a connecting part of the hip joint section is installed with the possibility of moving and fixing therein, and a lower thigh part containing a groove in which a connecting part of the knee part is installed with the possibility of moving and fixing therein, connected to each other with the possibility of changing and fixing the distance between them, which increases the efficiency and reliability of the claimed exoskeleton, as well as its manufacturability.The implementation of the upper thigh part, containing a groove in which the connecting part of the hip joint section is installed with the possibility of movement and fixation in it, allows connecting the femoral part of the lower limb section with the hip joint section, and also due to the possibility of movement and fixation of the connecting part of the hip joint section in the groove of the upper thigh part, provides the possibility of adjusting the position of the parts relative to each other and allows adjusting the lower limb section of the exoskeleton to the parameters of a specific user, in particular to the hip circumference, which ensures a tight fit of the femoral part to the user's hip, thereby simplifying the process of preparing the exoskeleton for operation, increasing the convenience of its use, and, as a result, manufacturability.The design of the lower thigh part containing a groove in which the connecting part of the knee part is installed with the possibility of movement and fixation in it allows connecting the thigh part to the knee part, and also due to the possibility of movement and fixation of the connecting part of the knee part in the groove of the lower thigh part, similar to the above-described design of the upper thigh part, provides the possibility of adjusting the position of the parts relative to each other and allows adjusting the section of the lower limbs of the exoskeleton to the parameters of a specific user, in particular to the circumference of the lower thigh, which ensures a tight fit of the thigh part to the user's thigh, thereby simplifying the process of preparing the exoskeleton for use, increasing the convenience of its use and, as a result, manufacturability.The implementation of the thigh part with an upper thigh part and a lower thigh part allows to take into account the difference in the parameters of the user's thigh, in particular the thigh circumference in the upper and lower parts, which are often different, which also increases the tightness of the thigh part to the user's thigh, thereby increasing the ease of use of the exoskeleton. The connection of the upper thigh part with the lower thigh part with the ability to change and fix the distance between them allows to adjust the length of the thigh part to match the user's parameters, in particular the length of the thigh, which also increases the ease of use of the claimed solution and simplifies its preparation for operation.This design of the femoral part, which allows the femoral part of the lower limb section of the exoskeleton to be adjusted to the parameters of a specific user, in particular to the girth and length of the thigh, increases the efficiency and reliability of the claimed solution by ensuring a stable position of the lower limb section relative to the user, preventing the displacement of the load vector, which can lead to deformation and damage to parts, as well as loss of stability when moving large loads.In the absence of the possibility of adjusting the thigh part to achieve a tight fit to the user's thigh due to the possibility of bending the knee part of the exoskeleton, as well as connecting its parts with the possibility of rotation, there is a high probability of transferring the main part of the load to the user's body, as well as increasing the pressure on the moving nodes of the connection of the parts to each other, which can lead to damage to the connection, reducing wear resistance, durability, and, as a consequence, the reliability of the solution, and will not simplify the movement of loads for the user, will reduce the mass of the payload that can be moved, which will also reduce the efficiency of the claimed exoskeleton. In addition, in the absence of the possibility of adjusting the thigh part to achieve a tight fit to the user's thigh, friction between the user's body and the exoskeleton parts increases, which also reduces the convenience of its use.The implementation of a groove in the upper thigh part and in the lower thigh part to enable movement and fixation of the connecting part of the hip joint section and the connecting part of the knee part, respectively, is the simplest design, ensuring possible movements and does not require the installation of complex gears to enable position adjustment, which simplifies preparation for operation of the exoskeleton and increases its manufacturability.

[0015] The claimed exoskeleton in a preferred embodiment includes a threaded element for changing and fixing the distance between the upper thigh part and the lower thigh part, which additionally increases the convenience of adjusting the distance between the upper and lower thigh parts due to the possibility of rotational movement, and the absence of the need to use complex gears, additionally simplifying the preparation of the exoskeleton for operation, and also additionally increases the reliability of fixation due to a decrease in the probability of loosening the connection when the load is directed along the axis of the threaded element, since the presence of a thread complicates the loosening of the connection in the absence of rotational movement.The connection of the upper thigh part and the lower thigh part with each other with the possibility of changing and fixing the distance between them in the preferred embodiment can be implemented by making cylindrical grooves in the upper and lower thigh parts, in which a cylindrical tube can be installed, connecting the upper and lower thigh parts with its ends. In a particular embodiment, the exoskeleton can include two threaded elements for changing and fixing the distance between the upper and lower thigh parts of one limb, in particular screws or bolts, one of which connects one end of the cylindrical tube to the upper thigh part, and the other end - to the lower thigh part, with the possibility of adjusting the position of the ends of the cylindrical tube in the cylindrical grooves of the upper and lower thigh parts.In particular embodiments, the cylindrical tube can be fixed in the cylindrical grooves of the upper and lower thigh parts by means of bolts installed along the axis of the cylindrical tube, which will further simplify the adjustment of the distance between the upper and lower thigh parts, or perpendicular to the axis of the cylindrical tube, which will further increase the reliability of the connection.

[0016] In a preferred embodiment, the connection of the upper thigh part with the lower thigh part with the possibility of changing and fixing the distance between them may include a shock-absorbing element, in particular, a shock absorber, for example, a gas shock absorber, or an elastic part that performs a shock-absorbing function, in particular, due to being made of an elastic material or a special geometry, which additionally increases the efficiency, reliability and manufacturability of the exoskeleton, due to the additional possibility of damping vibrations that occur during walking, running, jumping and other movements of the user, in the thigh part of the lower limb section, additionally reducing the inertial impact on the user's lower limbs, stepping push and impact load.In addition, such a preferred option also additionally increases the mass of the payload that can be moved due to the additional reduction in vibrations during its movement, and also additionally reduces the vibrational load on the parts of the lower limb section of the exoskeleton and their connection nodes, which also additionally reduces the risks of their deformation and breakage.

[0017] The upper thigh part preferably includes eyelets for connecting elements for fastening the thigh fabric lining, which additionally increases the convenience of using the exoskeleton, and as a consequence its manufacturability, as well as the tightness of the thigh part to the user's thigh, thereby additionally increasing the stabilization of the position of the thigh part relative to the user's thigh, evenly distributing the load, thereby additionally increasing the efficiency and reliability of the exoskeleton. The thigh fabric lining may include belts and other fastening elements. The upper thigh part may also, in particular cases of the design of the claimed exoskeleton, include additional elements for fastening the belts of the thigh fabric lining.

[0018] In a preferred embodiment, the exoskeleton includes bolted connections for fixing the connecting part of the hip joint section in the groove of the upper thigh part and the connecting part of the knee part in the groove of the lower thigh part, which additionally increases the wear resistance and reliability of the claimed solution due to the possibility of rigidly and securely fastening the two parts to each other, and also additionally increases the manufacturability of the exoskeleton due to the possibility of quickly and easily separating the parts and adjusting their position relative to each other for another user, as opposed to using rivets that form a permanent connection, which additionally simplifies the preparation of the exoskeleton for operation and additionally increases the convenience of its use.

[0019] The knee part includes two parts connected to each other, providing the ability to bend the knee part, one of which is connected with the ability to rotate with the connecting part of the knee part, and the other is connected with the ability to rotate with the connecting part of the shin part, which increases the efficiency of the claimed exoskeleton, as well as its manufacturability. This design of the knee part maximally repeats the biomechanics of the knee joint movements, allowing the shin to take various positions relative to the thigh, which significantly increases the mobility of the exoskeleton and the ease of its use. With this design, the user can easily squat, jump, run, and also kneel or lie down.In addition, the connection of one part of the knee part with the possibility of rotation to the connecting part of the knee part, and another part of the knee part with the possibility of rotation to the connecting part of the shin part, simplifies the process of putting on the exoskeleton for the user due to the high mobility of the parts of the knee part relative to the femur and shin parts and simplifies ensuring the adhesion of the knee part to the user's knee, which increases the convenience of using the exoskeleton, simplifies the process of preparing it for operation, thereby increasing manufacturability. In addition, the claimed connections do not limit the possible rotational movements of the shin relative to the thigh, thereby increasing the mobility of the exoskeleton, and as a result, its effectiveness.

[0020] The connection of two parts of the knee part to each other preferably includes a bearing, which additionally increases the mobility of the claimed exoskeleton due to an additional increase in the degrees of freedom of movement of these parts relative to each other with the possibility of bending the knee part, thereby additionally increasing the efficiency of the exoskeleton. In a preferred embodiment, the connection of one part of the knee part to the connecting part of the knee part and the connection of the other part of the knee part to the connecting part of the shin part include cylindrical hinges, which additionally stabilizes the movement of the knee part in certain planes without reducing its mobility, thereby additionally reducing the risks of shifting the load vector, which can lead to deformation and damage to the knee part, as well as an additional decrease in ease of use, thus additionally increasing the reliability and manufacturability of the solution.In some particular embodiments of the knee part, two parts of the knee part can be connected to each other with the possibility of bending the knee part by means of intermediate parts, wherein such a connection can include a bearing. Also, in particular embodiments, these intermediate parts can form a cylindrical hinge connection between one part of the knee part and the connecting part of the knee part and between the other part of the knee part and the connecting part of the shin part. In addition, such connections can include additional intermediate parts.

[0021] The two parts of the knee part are preferably made in the form of a figure based on a triangle, which additionally increases their reliability, as well as the reliability of the entire exoskeleton due to the reduction in the risks of deformation of these parts during active movements of the user due to the additional increase in their rigidity and resistance to various loads due to the execution in the form of a figure based on a triangle. This wording should be understood that the figure based on a triangle includes three sides located in planes intersecting with each other to form a triangle.

[0022] The shin part includes an upper shin part containing a groove in which a connecting part of the shin part is installed with the possibility of movement and fixation in it, which increases the efficiency and reliability of the claimed exoskeleton, as well as its manufacturability.The implementation of the upper shin part, containing a groove in which the connecting part of the shin part is installed with the possibility of movement and fixation in it, allows connecting the knee part of the lower limb section with the shin part, and also due to the possibility of movement and fixation of the connecting part of the shin part in the groove of the upper shin part, provides the possibility of adjusting the position of the parts relative to each other and allows adjusting the section of the lower limbs of the exoskeleton to the parameters of a specific user, in particular to the circumference of the shin, which ensures a tight fit of the shin part to the user's shin, thereby simplifying the process of preparing the exoskeleton for use, increasing the convenience of its use and, as a result, manufacturability.This design of the shin section, which allows the shin section of the lower limb section of the exoskeleton to be adjusted to the parameters of a specific user, in particular to the shin circumference, increases the efficiency and reliability of the claimed solution by ensuring a stable position of the lower limb section relative to the user, preventing the displacement of the load vector, which can lead to deformation and damage to parts, as well as loss of stability when moving large loads.In the absence of the possibility of adjusting the shin part to achieve a tight fit to the user's shin due to the possibility of bending the knee part of the exoskeleton, as well as connecting its parts with the possibility of rotation, there is a high probability of transferring the main part of the load to the user's body, as well as increasing the pressure on the moving nodes of the connection of the parts to each other, which can lead to damage to the connection, reducing wear resistance, durability, and, as a consequence, the reliability of the solution, and will not simplify the movement of loads for the user, will reduce the mass of the payload that can be moved, which will also reduce the efficiency of the claimed exoskeleton. In addition, in the absence of the possibility of adjusting the shin part to achieve a tight fit to the user's shin, friction between the user's body and the exoskeleton parts increases, which also reduces the convenience of its use.Making a groove in the upper shin part to allow movement and fixation of the connecting part of the shin part is the simplest design, ensuring possible movement and does not require the installation of complex gears to adjust the position, which simplifies preparation for operation of the exoskeleton and increases its manufacturability.

[0023] In a preferred embodiment, the upper shin part includes eyelets for connecting elements for fastening the shin fabric lining, which further increases the convenience of using the exoskeleton, as well as the tightness of the shin part to the user's shin, thereby further increasing the stabilization of the shin part position relative to the user's shin, evenly distributing the load, thereby further increasing the efficiency and reliability of the exoskeleton. The shin fabric lining may include belts and other fastening elements.In a preferred embodiment, the exoskeleton includes bolted connections for fixing the connecting part of the shin part in the groove of the upper shin part, which additionally increases the wear resistance and reliability of the claimed solution due to the possibility of rigidly and securely fastening two parts to each other, and also additionally increases the manufacturability of the exoskeleton due to the possibility of quickly and easily separating the parts and adjusting their position relative to each other for another user, as opposed to using rivets that form a permanent connection, which additionally simplifies the preparation of the exoskeleton for operation and additionally increases the convenience of its use.

[0024] The shin part includes an upper shin part connected by means of a shock absorber to a lower shin part connected to a foot support element, which provides the claimed solution with high reliability, efficiency, and manufacturability. The connection of the upper shin part and the lower shin part by means of a shock absorber allows absorbing vibrations that occur during walking, running, jumping, and other movements of the user, thereby increasing the smoothness of the exoskeleton movement, reducing the inertial impact on the user's lower limbs, stepping impact, and impact load, increasing the convenience and safety of using the exoskeleton. In addition, such a connection by means of a shock absorber increases the efficiency of the claimed exoskeleton by increasing the mass of the payload that can be moved due to the reduction of vibrations during its movement.In addition, the use of a shock absorber also increases the durability and reliability of the exoskeleton, reducing the vibration load on the parts of the lower limb section of the exoskeleton and their connection units, which also reduces the risks of their deformation and breakage. At the same time, the presence of a shock absorber in the shin section is also a repetition of the anatomical structure of the human lower limbs, which also perform a shock-absorbing function, reducing the step push and impact load on the human body. The presence of a shock absorber enhances this shock-absorbing effect, thereby increasing the efficiency, reliability and manufacturability of the claimed solution. In a preferred embodiment, the lower limb section is designed so that the shock absorber, by means of which the upper shin part is connected to the lower shin part, is located on the inside of the user's shin.

[0025] The shock absorber is preferably a gas shock absorber, which additionally increases the durability of the claimed solution, and as a consequence its reliability, since gas shock absorbers have increased durability, in contrast to oil ones, due to less sensitivity to temperature changes due to filling with gas, which allows using the exoskeleton at temperatures above and below zero degrees Celsius. In addition, as a shock absorber in the preferred embodiment, an elastic part can be used that performs a shock-absorbing function, in particular, due to being made of an elastic material or special geometry, which additionally simplifies the design of the exoskeleton, its production, and as a consequence additionally increases manufacturability, as well as reliability.

[0026] The connection of the lower shin part with the foot support element allows to transfer the received load from the lower shin part to the supporting surface, thereby providing a reduction in the load on the human body, facilitating the movement of loads and increasing the mass of the payload that can be moved, which increases the efficiency of the claimed exoskeleton. In addition, the foot support element also takes the load from the user's lower limbs due to the foot support and transfers it to the supporting surface, which also increases the mass of the payload that can be moved, and as a consequence, the efficiency of the solution. In a preferred embodiment, the foot support element includes an upper part of the foot support element connected using a bearing connection to the lower shin part and connected to the lower part of the foot support element using a cylindrical hinge, made with the possibility of contacting the user's foot.Such a preferred design additionally increases the mobility of the foot support element, and as a result, the efficiency of the exoskeleton by repeating the biomechanics of the ankle joint movement, additionally increasing the convenience of using the exoskeleton. The connection of the upper part of the foot support element using a bearing connection with the lower shin part, in a particular embodiment, allows the user's foot to bend and unbend without obstacles, additionally increasing the mobility of the solution. The connection of the upper part of the foot support element with the lower part of the foot support element using a cylindrical hinge, in a particular embodiment, allows the user's foot to move to the sides, which also additionally increases the mobility of the device, and as a result, its efficiency.The possibility of contacting the lower part of the foot support element with the user's foot can be realized by fastening a soft shock-absorbing lining to the part for installation in the user's shoes and direct contact with the foot for additionally increasing the shock absorption and ease of use of the exoskeleton. In the preferred embodiment, the foot support element is made in such a way that the cylindrical hinge connecting the upper and lower parts of the foot support element is located at the inner longitudinal arch of the user's foot.

[0027] In another preferred embodiment, the upper and lower parts of the foot support element can be rigidly connected, or the foot support element can be made in the form of a single curved part, for example, from an elastic material, which further increases the efficiency of transferring the vertical load from the shin part of the lower limb section to the supporting surface.

[0028] In the preferred embodiment, the shock absorber is rigidly connected with one end to the upper shin part, which further increases the reliability of the solution, as well as the efficiency of transferring the load and vibrations to the shock absorber. In a particular embodiment, the connection of the other end of the shock absorber to the lower shin part can be made with the ability to adjust the position of the parts relative to each other, in particular using a lock, which allows for additional adjustment of the shin part length for a specific person, which further increases the manufacturability and efficiency of the claimed solution.

[0029] The lower shin part preferably includes eyelets for connecting elements for attaching an additional shin fabric lining, which further increases the convenience of using the exoskeleton, as well as the tightness of the shin portion to the user's shin, thereby further increasing the stabilization of the shin portion relative to the user's shin, evenly distributing the load, thereby further increasing the efficiency and reliability of the exoskeleton. The additional shin fabric lining may include belts and other fastening elements.

[0030] In a preferred embodiment, the hip joint section includes a lumbar portion connecting the torso section to the waist portion including waist fasteners mounted with the ability to move along the waist portion, each of which is pivotally connected to a connecting part of the waist portion of the corresponding limb, connected to a connecting part of the hip joint section of the corresponding limb. Such a preferred design of the hip joint section replicates the biomechanics of the human body, in particular the hip joint, additionally increasing the mobility of the exoskeleton, and as a consequence its efficiency. The preferred presence of the lumbar portion forms a connection of the torso section to the waist portion of the hip joint section for transferring the load from the torso section.The presence of waist fasteners installed with the ability to move along the waist part, in a particular embodiment, allows the user to rotate the torso, which additionally increases the mobility of the claimed solution and the convenience of its use. The hinged connection of each waist fastener with the connecting part of the waist part of the corresponding limb, in a particular embodiment, repeats the structure of the human hip joint and allows for various movements of the thigh in the hip joint, which also additionally increases the mobility of the claimed exoskeleton, and as a consequence its efficiency. Such a preferred hinged connection can be a ball joint, which additionally increases the mobility of the exoskeleton, or a cylindrical hinge, which additionally simplifies the manufacture of the hip joint section, additionally increasing the manufacturability of the exoskeleton.The connection of the connecting part of the waist portion of the corresponding limb with the connecting part of the hip joint section of the corresponding limb, in a particular embodiment, ensures the transfer of the load from the hip joint section to the lower limb section through the connecting part of the hip joint. In preferred embodiments, the hip joint section includes a fabric lining located on the lumbar and waist portions.

[0031] The indicated preferred embodiments of the exoskeleton sections and its individual units and elements characterize the solution by enhancing the declared technical effects, however, being preferred embodiments of its implementation, they do not limit other possible implementation options.

[0032] Brief description of the drawings The claimed technical solution is further explained using figures, which conditionally represent one of the preferred embodiments of the claimed solution.

[0033] Fig. 1 shows a general view of the exoskeleton.

[0034] Fig. 2 shows a general view of the lower limb section from the side and a fragment of the hip joint section.

[0035] Fig. 3, 4 show general views of the hip joint section and the lower limb section from different sides, as well as a fragment of the torso section.

[0036] The numbers on the figures indicate:

[0037] - torso section (1);

[0038] - hip joint section (2);

[0039] - lower limbs section (3);

[0040] - femoral part (4);

[0041] - knee part (5);

[0042] - shin part (6);

[0043] - upper thigh piece (7);

[0044] - connecting part (8) of the hip joint section (2);

[0045] - lower thigh piece (9);

[0046] - connecting part (10) of the knee part (5);

[0047] - cylindrical tube (11);

[0048] - threaded elements (12);

[0049] - eyes (13) of the upper thigh piece (7);

[0050] - thigh fabric lining (14);

[0051] - belts (15) of the thigh fabric lining (14);

[0052] - additional element (16) for fastening the straps (15) of the thigh fabric lining (14).

[0053] - bolted connections (17);

[0054] - one part (18) of the knee part (5); - another part (19) of the knee part (5);

[0055] - connecting part (20) of the shin part (6);

[0056] - cylindrical joints (21);

[0057] - intermediate parts (22) of the knee part (5);

[0058] - bearing (23) of the knee part (5);

[0059] - additional intermediate part (24) of the knee part (5);

[0060] - upper leg piece (25);

[0061] - groove (26) of the upper leg piece (25);

[0062] - shock absorber (27);

[0063] - lower shin piece (28);

[0064] - foot support element (29);

[0065] - eyes (30) of the upper shin piece (25);

[0066] - calf fabric lining (31);

[0067] - upper part (32) of the foot support element (29);

[0068] - a bearing (33) connecting the lower shin part (28) and the upper part (32) of the foot support element (28);

[0069] - lower part (34) of the foot support element (29);

[0070] - cylindrical hinge (35) of the foot support element (29);

[0071] - shock-absorbing lining (36);

[0072] - retainer (37) of shock absorber (27);

[0073] - eyes (38) of the lower shin piece (34);

[0074] - additional shin fabric lining (39);

[0075] - belts (40) of additional shin fabric lining (39);

[0076] - waist part (41);

[0077] - belt fastenings (42);

[0078] - ball joint (43);

[0079] - connecting part (44) of the waist part (41);

[0080] - fabric lining (45) of the hip joint section (2).

[0081] Embodiments of the invention One of the preferred embodiments of the claimed technical solution is described below with reference to the figures.

[0082] An exoskeleton comprising a torso section (1) connected via a hip joint section (2) to a lower limb section (3), wherein the lower limb section (3) comprises a thigh portion (4) connected to a knee portion (5) connected to a shin portion (6).

[0083] The thigh part (4) includes an upper thigh part (7) containing a groove in which a connecting part (8) of the hip joint section (2) is installed with the possibility of moving and fixing therein, a lower thigh part (9) containing a groove in which a connecting part (10) of the knee part (5) is installed with the possibility of moving and fixing therein, connected to each other with the possibility of changing and fixing the distance between them.

[0084] The connection of the upper thigh part (7) and the lower thigh part (9) to each other with the possibility of changing and fixing the distance between them in the preferred embodiment can be implemented by making cylindrical grooves in the upper (7) and lower (9) thigh part, in which a cylindrical tube (11) can be installed, connecting the upper (7) and lower (9) thigh parts with its ends. In a particular embodiment, the exoskeleton includes threaded elements (12) for changing and fixing the distance between the upper (7) and lower (9) thigh parts, in particular screws connecting the cylindrical tube (11) with the ends of the upper (7) and lower (9) thigh parts.

[0085] The upper thigh part (7) preferably includes eyelets (13) for connecting elements for fastening the thigh fabric lining (14), which may include belts (15) and other fastening elements. The upper thigh part (7) may also, in particular cases of the design of the claimed exoskeleton, include additional elements (16) for fastening the belts (15) of the thigh fabric lining (14).

[0086] The exoskeleton preferably includes bolt connections (17) for fixing the connecting part (8) of the hip joint section (2) in the groove of the upper thigh part (7) and the connecting part (10) of the knee part

[0087] (5) in the groove of the lower thigh piece (9).

[0088] The knee part (5) includes two parts (18, 19) connected to each other, preferably made in the form of a figure based on a triangle, providing the possibility of bending the knee part (5). One part (18) of the knee part (5) is connected with the possibility of rotation to the connecting part (10) of the knee part (5), and the other (19) is connected with the possibility of rotation to the connecting part (20) of the shin part (6). The connection of one part (18) of the knee part (5) with the connecting part (10) of the knee part (5) and the connection of the other part (19) of the knee part (5) with the connecting part (20) of the shin part (6) can include cylindrical hinges (21). In some particular embodiments of the knee part (5), two parts (18, 19) of the knee part (5) can be connected to each other to ensure the possibility of bending the knee part (5) by means of intermediate parts (22), wherein such a connection can include a bearing (23).Also, in particular embodiments, these intermediate parts (22) can form a cylindrical hinge (21) between one part (18) of the knee part (5) and the connecting part (10) of the knee part (5) and between another part (19) of the knee part (5) and the connecting part (20) of the shin part (6). In addition, between the intermediate part (22) and the connecting part (20) of the shin part.

[0089] (6) an additional intermediate part (24) may be located, also forming a cylindrical hinge (21).

[0090] The shin portion (6) includes an upper shin piece (25) comprising a groove (26) in which a connecting piece (20) of the shin portion (6) is mounted with the possibility of movement and fixation, connected by means of a shock absorber (27), preferably a gas shock absorber, to a lower shin piece (28) connected to a foot support element (29). The upper shin piece (25) preferably includes eyelets (30) for connecting elements for fastening a shin fabric lining (31). The exoskeleton preferably includes bolt connections (17) for fixing the connecting piece (20) of the shin portion (6) in the groove (26) of the upper shin piece (25).

[0091] A particular embodiment of the claimed exoskeleton includes the implementation of a foot support element (29), including an upper part (32) of the foot support element (29), connected using a bearing (33) to a lower shin part (28) and connected to a lower part (34) of the foot support element (29) using a cylindrical hinge (35), made with the possibility of contacting the user's foot, preferably by means of a soft shock-absorbing lining (36). The shock absorber (27) is preferably rigidly connected at one end to the upper shin part (25), and at the other end to the lower shin part (28) using a retainer (37) with the possibility of adjusting the position of the parts relative to each other. The lower shin part (28) can include eyelets (38) for connecting elements for fastening an additional shin fabric lining (39), which can include belts (40) and other fastening elements.

[0092] The hip joint section (2) preferably includes a lumbar portion connecting the torso section (1) to a waist portion (41) including waist fasteners (42) mounted with the possibility of movement along the waist portion (41), each of which is hingedly connected (preferably using a ball joint (43)) to a connecting part (44) of the waist portion (41) of the corresponding limb, connected to a connecting part (8) of the hip joint section (2) of the corresponding limb. In preferred embodiments, the hip joint section (2) includes a fabric lining (45) located on the lumbar and waist (41) portions.

[0093] The preferred variant of operation of the claimed solution is demonstrated below using an example.

[0094] The load from the load carried by the user, located in the torso section (1), in particular on the shoulder girdle section connected to it, is directed along the torso section (1) down to the hip joint section (2). The hip joint section (2) directs the load to the lower limb section (3) (on each limb) down along the thigh portion (4) through the knee portion (5) to the shin portion (6) and the foot support element (29) to transfer the load to the supporting surface. Thus, when the claimed exoskeleton is attached to the user, during movements performed by the user, for example, walking, running, kneeling, etc., this exoskeleton takes at least part of the load that is applied to the user's body, removes it from the body and redirects it to the supporting surface under the user's feet.

[0095] When preparing the exoskeleton for use, in particular when securing it to the user's body, the user can adjust the position of the connecting part (8) of the hip joint (2) in the groove of the upper thigh part (7) and the position of the connecting part (10) of the knee part (5) in the groove of the lower thigh part (9) to ensure a tight fit of the thigh part (4) of the lower limb section (3) of the exoskeleton to the thigh, and also change the distance between the upper (7) and lower (9) thigh parts to adjust the thigh part (4) in accordance with the length of the user's thigh. A tight fit of the thigh part (4) allows maintaining a stable position of the exoskeleton during active movements, uniformly transferring the load from the hip joint section (2) to the knee part (5), thereby increasing the ease of use of the exoskeleton and, due to the ease of adjustment, simplifying its preparation for use.

[0096] The connection of two parts (18, 19) of the knee part (5) with each other ensures the bending of the knee part (5) and high mobility of the exoskeleton, in particular due to the presence of bearings (23) in the connection, while the connection of one part (18) of the knee part (5) with the possibility of rotation with the connecting part (10) of the knee part (5) and the other part

[0097] (19) knee part (5) with the possibility of rotation with the connecting part

[0098] (20) of the shin part (6) increases convenience and simplifies the process of putting on the exoskeleton, thereby ensuring high technological efficiency of the solution. In addition, such connections also do not limit various movements of the user's shin relative to the thigh, for example, when turning, bending, squatting, etc., which also increases the mobility of the exoskeleton.

[0099] The user can also adjust the position of the connecting part (20) of the shin part (6) in the groove (26) of the upper shin part (25) to ensure a tight fit of the shin part (6) of the lower limb section (3) of the exoskeleton to the shin, which, during active movements, allows maintaining a stable position of the exoskeleton, evenly transferring the load to the supporting surface, thereby increasing the ease of use of the exoskeleton and, due to the ease of adjustment, simplifying its preparation for use.

[0100] The shock absorber (27), preferably gas, absorbs vibrations that occur when the user walks, runs, jumps and makes other movements, thereby increasing the smoothness of the exoskeleton's movement, reducing the inertial impact on the user's lower limbs, stepping impact and impact load, increasing the convenience and safety of using the exoskeleton. In addition, the shock absorber (27) reduces the vibration load on the parts of the lower limb section (3) of the exoskeleton, which also reduces the risks of their deformation and breakage.

[0101] The foot support element (29), connected to the lower shin part (28), transfers the load to the supporting surface, thereby facilitating the process of transferring the mass of the payload for the user, and is preferably installed in the user's shoe.

[0102] Industrial applicability

[0103] The claimed technical solution can be used to assist the user in moving cargo and is characterized by increased efficiency, reliability and technological effectiveness.

[0104] The presented figures, description of the design and use of the exoskeleton do not exhaust the possible design options and do not limit in any way the scope of the claimed technical solution. Other design options are possible within the scope of the claimed formula.

[0105] T1

Claims

FORMULA 1. An exoskeleton comprising a torso section connected to a lower limb section by means of a hip joint section, wherein the lower limb section comprises a femur portion connected to a knee portion connected to a shin portion, wherein the femur portion comprises an upper thigh portion comprising a groove in which a connecting part of the hip joint section is mounted so as to be movable and fixed therein, a lower thigh portion comprising a groove in which a connecting part of the knee portion is mounted so as to be movable and fixed therein, connected to each other so as to be able to change and fix the distance between them, wherein the knee portion comprises two parts connected to each other, providing the ability to bend the knee portion, one of which is connected so as to be rotatably to the connecting part of the knee portion, and the other is connected so as to be rotatably to the connecting part of the shin portion,wherein the shin portion includes an upper shin portion containing a groove in which a connecting part of the shin portion is installed with the possibility of movement and fixation in it, connected by means of a shock absorber to the lower shin portion connected to the foot support element.

2. An exoskeleton according to claim 1, characterized in that the hip joint section includes a lumbar portion connecting the torso section with a waist portion including waist fasteners installed with the possibility of movement along the waist portion, each of which is pivotally connected to a connecting part of the waist portion of the corresponding limb, connected to a connecting part of the hip joint section of the corresponding limb.

3. An exoskeleton according to item 1, characterized in that the upper thigh piece and the upper shin piece include eyelets for connecting elements for fastening the thigh fabric lining and the calf fabric lining, respectively.

4. An exoskeleton according to claim 1, characterized in that it includes bolted connections for fixing the connecting part of the hip joint section in the groove of the upper thigh part, the connecting part of the knee part in the groove of the lower thigh part, and the connecting part of the shin part in the groove of the upper shin part.

5. An exoskeleton according to item 1, characterized in that it includes a threaded element for changing and fixing the distance between the upper thigh piece and the lower thigh piece.

6. An exoskeleton according to item 1, characterized in that the two parts of the knee portion are made in the form of a figure based on a triangle.

7. An exoskeleton according to claim 1, characterized in that the connection of one part of the knee portion with the connecting part of the knee portion and the connection of the other part of the knee portion with the connecting part of the shin portion include cylindrical hinges.

8. An exoskeleton according to claim 1, characterized in that the connection of two parts of the knee part to each other includes a bearing.

9. An exoskeleton according to item 1, characterized in that the shock absorber is a gas shock absorber.

10. An exoskeleton according to claim 1, characterized in that the foot support element includes an upper part of the foot support element, connected using a bearing connection to the lower shin part and connected to the lower part of the foot support element using a cylindrical hinge, designed with the possibility of contacting the user's foot.

11. An exoskeleton according to item 1, characterized in that the lower shin part includes eyelets for connecting elements for attaching an additional shin fabric lining.

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