Exoskeleton system

Abstract

An exoskeleton system includes a pelvis link configured to be attachable to a pelvic portion of a human body; a first ankle link configured to be attachable to an ankle portion of a first leg of the human body; and a first force transmission system connected to the pelvis link and the first ankle link. The force transmission system includes a first Bowden cable, the Bowden cable comprising a tension cable and a cable sheath extending around at least a portion of the tension cable.

Description

EXOSKELETON SYSTEM

[0001] This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application No. 63 / 571 ,488 filed March 29, 2024, the contents of which are incorporated by reference herein.BACKGROUND

[0002] Twelve percent of Americans have difficulty walking. Causes range from age- related muscle weakness to neurological conditions such as stroke, spinal cord injury, muscular dystrophy, and cerebral palsy.

[0003] A wide range of assistive technologies is available. Canes and walkers can provide stability but are not suitable for individuals who are unable to support their own body weight or make a step. At the other end of the spectrum, wheelchairs are used to completely eliminate the need for walking. Recently there have been promising developments in motorized exoskeletons to move the limbs of persons with paralysis. These exoskeleton devices are expensive (around $50k) and work best when the user’s legs are completely paralyzed. However, for those with milder impairments, powered exoskeletons are too bulky, too expensive, and produce movement that tends to be “robotic” without good user interaction. Users with some residual muscle function will generally find that the exoskeleton does not improve their ability to walk because it takes full control over the movement without involving the user’s muscles and control system.

[0004] Passive exoskeletons should be considered because they do not have a control system, which makes them transparent (predictable), and the user retains full control over their movement. Simple braces, such as the ankle-foot orthosis (AFO) are a well-known example of a passive exoskeleton which stabilizes and supports the function of a single joint through an elastic or rigid structure.

[0005] A commercial version of a previous design, described in EP 2 685 946 B1 , operated at only 10% of the tension of the patent (U.S. Pat. No. 7,549,969, which was theoretical). Higher tension would have caused buckling with the exoskeleton frame that was used. To operate at full tension without buckling, the frame would have to be very bulky and heavy. The present application presents an alternative solution.

[0006] The key to an improved design is to understand the cause of buckling. When viewed from the front, the exoskeleton structure is essentially a column which loaded in compression by the tension of the cable. The cable supplies the force that provides the movement assistance. Buckling occurs when the tension exceeds the critical load given by Euler’s formula:Cn:zEI P=-L2

[0007] where E is the elastic modulus of the material, I is the area moment of inertia which depends on the cross-sectional geometry, C is the end condition constant (a C value of 1 is common and signifies pinned ends, ends free to rotate but not translate, and L is the length of a continuous exoskeleton link under compression. U.S. Pat. No. 7,549,969 B2 discloses a previous design, in which L is the length of the entire leg and is fixed. The version of EP 2 685 946 B1 allowed only about 10% of the assistive effect to be generated, i.e., 5% reduction in total muscle force. It sometimes produced impressive outcomes, but only in patients who needed a small guiding force to improve their walking ability.

[0008] U.S. Pat. No. 7,549,969 specified a peak tension of 1500 Newtons (300 lbs.) for walking. The buckling formula allows for the calculation of the required column dimensions and weight. With the E of steel (200 Gpa), assuming leg length of 1 m, and circular cross section, the area moment of inertia needs to be at least 7.5991 e-10. This requires diameter of the column to be at least 11 .2 mm, giving the exoskeleton (for one leg) a weight of 6.75 pounds, which is not acceptable.

[0009] U.S. Pat. No. 11 , 191 , 694 B2 discloses another previous design which replaced the cable with a pneumatic system. The motion and force were transmitted by air flow in flexible tubing. The tensile force only acted across one joint, such that L is only the length of one pneumatic actuator. However, air cylinders may be heavy and there may be energy losses due to friction between piston and cylinder.

[0010] An elastic structure can also be designed to act across multiple joints simultaneously. This idea was inspired by the mechanical design of legs in animals with highly efficient movements, such as horses. A specific mechanism was patented andcommercialized as the KickStart Walking System. The retail price was around $7000. U.S. Pat. Pub. No. 2012 / 0271207 A1 discloses certain aspects of such a system. During design and testing, it was found that the originally specified tension (1500 Newtons, about 300 lbs) would cause the exoskeleton to buckle. The spring stiffness was lowered such that a peak tenson of only 25 lbs would be generated and no buckling occurred. While this amount of tension is far from sufficient to replicate an active push off and forward swing, it was still quite effective in some patients with Multiple Sclerosis, stroke, and incomplete spinal cord injury. This was, presumably, due to the exoskeleton providing a small “guiding” force to nudge the limb towards the required motion. Many patients, however, will require much larger forces to compensate for their muscle weakness or neural impairment.

[0011] It would be desirable to develop new passive exoskeleton systems that overcome the weaknesses of known exoskeleton systems.BRIEF DESCRIPTION

[0012] The present disclosure relates to a passive exoskeleton system which utilizes a Bowden cable. A Bowden cable is a mechanism to transmit load and motion, best known for its use in bicycle brakes. In a Bowden cable, a flexible cable is used to transmit load and motion via movement of an inner cable relative to a surrounding cable housing.

[0013] Disclosed, in some embodiments, is an exoskeleton system including: a pelvis link configured to be attachable to a pelvic portion of a human body; a first ankle link configured to be attachable to an ankle portion of a first leg of the human body; and a first force transmission system connected to the pelvis link and the first ankle link. The force transmission system includes a first Bowden cable having a tension cable and a cable sheath extending around at least a portion of the tension cable.

[0014] The Bowden cable may be spring loaded to generate tension.

[0015] In some embodiments, the system further includes a first spring having a first end and a second end, wherein the first end is attached to the first ankle link and the second end is attached to the first Bowden cable.

[0016] The exoskeleton system may not include a power source, a motor, or a control system.

[0017] In some embodiments, the Bowden cable wraps around a cam associated with the pelvis link. Alternatively or additionally, the Bowden cable may wrap around a cam associated with the ankle link.

[0018] The exoskeleton system may not include a knee link.

[0019] In some embodiments, the exoskeleton system does not include a rigid member extending vertically across a knee joint of the human body.

[0020] The exoskeleton system may further include at least one first upper leg fastener configured to be secured to an upper leg area of the first leg comprising at least one upper guiding element. The at least one upper guiding element is configured to guide the tension cable.

[0021] In some embodiments, the first upper leg fastener comprises a sleeve, strap, or band.

[0022] The at least one first upper guiding element may include a guide opening through which the tension cable passes.

[0023] In some embodiments, the at least one first upper guiding element includes a rotatable member.

[0024] The at least one first upper guiding element is located on an anterior portion of the at least one first upper leg fastener.

[0025] In some embodiments, the system further includes at least one first lower leg fastener configured to be secured to a lower leg area of the first leg and comprising at least one lower guiding element. The at least one first lower guiding element is configured to guide the tension cable.

[0026] The first lower leg fastener comprises a sleeve, strap, or band.

[0027] In some embodiments, the at least one first lower guiding element includes a guide opening through which the tension cable passes.

[0028] The at least one first lower guiding element may include a rotatable member.

[0029] In some embodiments, the at least one first lower guiding element is located on a posterior portion of the at least one lower leg fastener.

[0030] The system may further include a second ankle link configured to be attachable to an ankle portion of a second leg of the human body; and a second force transmission system connected to the pelvis link and the second ankle link. The second forcetransmission system includes a second Bowden cable, having a tension cable and a cable sheath extending around at least a portion of the tension cable.

[0031] Non-limiting examples of spring configurations include tension springs, compression springs, leaf springs, and / or springs in linkages. In particular embodiments, compression springs are not utilized.

[0032] In some embodiments, the system includes a device configured to allow cable tension to be adjusted to a higher or lower force.

[0033] Optionally, the device for adjusting cable tension includes a pulley gear, a pinion, and a ratchet. The pinion may have a user interface, such as a square or hex drive.

[0034] The device may have a mechanical advantage in a range of from about 2:1 to about 10:1, including from about 3: 1 to about 5:1.

[0035] In some embodiments, the foot plate includes a hinge allowing the wearer’s foot to pivot at the ball of their foot and the leg lifting action to be assisted by the exotendon (Bowden Cable).

[0036] These and other non-limiting characteristics of the disclosure are more particularly disclosed below.BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0037] The following is a brief description of the drawings, which are presented for the purposes of illustrating the exemplary embodiments disclosed herein and not for the purposes of limiting the same.

[0038] FIG. 1 is a concept drawing of an exoskeleton system with a Bowden cable that utilizes a tension spring. The tension cable is red, and the cable sheath is black. Exoskeleton components are blue and green. The cable wraps around a cam (light blue) at the hip which is rigidly attached to the pelvis component (dark blue).

[0039] FIG. 2 is an expanded view of the ankle detail of the concept drawing of FIG. 1 , showing the equal and opposite forces applied by the Bowden sheath and cable. The distance L between the two forces is much smaller than the leg length and bucking is no longer a concern.

[0040] FIG. 3 is a concept drawing of another exoskeleton system with a Bowden cable that utilizes a compression spring.

[0041] FIG. 4 is a concept drawing of another exoskeleton system with a Bowden cable that utilizes a leaf spring.

[0042] FIG. 5 is a concept drawing of another exoskeleton system with a Bowden cable that utilizes a tension spring to create nonlinear (stiffening) response.

[0043] FIG. 6 illustrates a device for allowing cable tension to be adjusted to a higher or a lower force.

[0044] FIG. 7 is a first photograph of the prototype. FIG. 8 is a second photograph of the prototype. FIG. 9 is a third photograph of the prototype. FIG. 10 is a fourth photograph of the prototype. FIG. 11 is a rear photograph of a lower leg portion of the prototype. FIG. 12 is a perspective photograph of the lower leg portion of the prototype. FIG. 13 is a side perspective photograph of the lower leg portion of the prototype. FIG. 14 is a front photograph of the lower leg portion of the prototype. FIG. 15 is an external side photograph of an upper leg portion of the prototype. FIG. 16 is an internal side photograph of the upper leg portion of the prototype. FIG. 17 is a second internal side photograph of the upper leg portion of the prototype. FIG. 18 is a perspective photograph of the upper leg portion of the prototype. FIG. 19 is another photograph of the upper leg portion of the prototype. FIG. 20 is a further photograph of the upper leg portion of the prototype. FIG. 21 is a side photograph of a user wearing the prototype. FIG. 22 is a side photograph of a user wearing the prototype, focused on the lower leg. FIG. 23 is a side photograph of a user wearing the prototype, focused on the upper leg.DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0045] A more complete understanding of the components, processes and apparatuses disclosed herein can be obtained by reference to the accompanying drawings. These figures are merely schematic representations based on convenience and the ease of demonstrating the present disclosure, and are, therefore, not intended to indicate relative size and dimensions of the devices or components thereof and / or to define or limit the scope of the exemplary embodiments.

[0046] Although specific terms are used in the following description for the sake of clarity, these terms are intended to refer only to the particular structure of the embodiments selected for illustration in the drawings and are not intended to define or limit the scope of the disclosure. In the drawings and the following description below, it is to be understood that like numeric designations refer to components of like function.

[0047] Unless otherwise defined, all technical and scientific terms used herein have the same meaning as commonly understood by one of ordinary skill in the art. In case of conflict, the present document, including definitions, will control. Preferred methods and materials are described below, although methods and materials similar or equivalent can be used in practice or testing of the present disclosure. All publications, patent applications, patents, and other references mentioned herein are incorporated by reference in their entirety. The materials, methods, and articles disclosed herein are illustrative only and not intended to be limiting.

[0048] The singular forms “a,” “an,” and “the” include plural referents unless the context clearly dictates otherwise.

[0049] As used in the specification and in the claims, the term “comprising” may include the embodiments “consisting of” and “consisting essentially of.” The terms “comprise(s),” “include(s),” “having,” “has,” “can,” “contain(s),” and variants thereof, as used herein, are intended to be open-ended transitional phrases that require the presence of the named ingredients / steps and permit the presence of other ingredients / steps. However, such description should be construed as also describing compositions, mixtures, or processes as “consisting of” and “consisting essentially of” the enumerated ingredients / steps, which allows the presence of only the named ingredients / steps, along with any impurities that might result therefrom, and excludes other ingredients / steps.

[0050] Unless indicated to the contrary, the numerical values in the specification should be understood to include numerical values which are the same when reduced to the same number of significant figures and numerical values which differ from the stated value by less than the experimental error of the conventional measurement technique of the type used to determine the particular value.

[0051] All ranges disclosed herein are inclusive of the recited endpoint and independently combinable (for example, the range of “from 2 to 10” is inclusive of theendpoints, 2 and 10, and all the intermediate values). The endpoints of the ranges and any values disclosed herein are not limited to the precise range or value; they are sufficiently imprecise to include values approximating these ranges and / or values.

[0052] As used herein, approximating language may be applied to modify any quantitative representation that may vary without resulting in a change in the basic function to which it is related. Accordingly, a value modified by a term or terms, such as “about” and “substantially,” may not be limited to the precise value specified, in some cases. The modifier “about” should also be considered as disclosing the range defined by the absolute values of the two endpoints. For example, the expression “from about 2 to about 4” also discloses the range “from 2 to 4.” The term “about” may refer to plus or minus 10% of the indicated number. For example, “about 10%” may indicate a range of 9% to 11%, and “about 1” may mean from 0.9-1 .1 .

[0053] For the recitation of numeric ranges herein, each intervening number there between with the same degree of precision is explicitly contemplated. For example, for the range of 6-9, the numbers 7 and 8 are contemplated in addition to 6 and 9, and for the range 6.0-7.0, the number 6.0, 6.1 , 6.2, 6.3, 6.4, 6.5, 6.6, 6.7, 6.8, 6.9, and 7.0 are explicitly contemplated.

[0054] It should be noted that various aspects of the present disclosure may be combined with one or more aspects of U.S. Pat. No. 7,549,969 B2, U.S. Pat. Pub. No. 2012 / 0271207 A1 , and / or U.S. Pat. No. 11 ,191 ,694 B2, all of which are incorporated by reference herein in their entireties.

[0055] The present disclosure relates to a passive exoskeleton which can be produced at about 10% of the cost of a powered exoskeleton. It is designed to guide and assist the walking movement through elastic forces generated by joint motions. Being passive, the device always behaves predictably and leaves the user in control. Theoretically, this exoskeleton system can replace about half of the muscle force that is required for walking.

[0056] The exoskeleton systems of the present disclosure may be useful for restoring the walking gait of persons with neurological disabilities, including, but not limited to multiple sclerosis, Parkinson’s Disease, strokes, partial spinal cord damage, muscular dystrophy, and cerebral palsy.

[0057] The disclosed therapeutic devices may help to restore proper walking gait functions after an accident or sudden injury.

[0058] In comparison to powered exoskeletons, the passive systems may have a lower cost (e.g., about 10% of the cost of a powered exoskeleton), be less bulky (e.g., can potentially be worn under clothing), provide a more predictable and transparent user experience, and have a larger potential market (i.e., users with moderate to severe impairments, instead of complete paraplegia).

[0059] In comparison to the Kickstart system, the passive systems of the present disclosure may provide a higher level of assistive load (potentially 50% of the required muscle force, rather than 5%). Lift occurs due to a moment, i.e., force acting over a moment arm.

[0060] The exoskeleton system includes two exoskeleton components, worn respectively on the hip and the ankle, and a Bowden cable connecting them. A Bowden cable is a mechanism to transmit load and motion, best known for its use in bicycle brakes. In the exoskeleton, the Bowden cable is spring-loaded to generate tension in the cables. The spring characteristics and the lever arms are optimally designed such that the tension in the cable is highest just before the foot is lifted off the ground during walking and will assist the push-off rotation of the foot and the forward swing of the leg. This is a passive device, which means that it requires no motors, no power supply, and no control system.

[0061] FIG. 1 is a concept drawing of an exoskeleton system 100 with a Bowden cable 105. The tension cable is red, and the cable sheath (compression) is black. The system includes a pelvis link 120, an ankle link 110, an upper leg fastener 140, and a lower leg fastener 130. The cable 105 wraps around a cam 150 at the hip which is rigidly attached to the pelvis component 120. The depicted embodiment utilizes a tension spring 160 on the cable 105. FIG. 2 is an expanded view of the ankle detail of the concept drawing of FIG. 1 , showing the equal and opposite forces applied by the Bowden sheath and cable. The fasteners may be clamps. For example, the system may utilize a thigh clamp and / or a calf clamp and / or similar fasteners.

[0062] The ankle link 110 may include a joint near the ball of the foot which may allow the exotendon to help lift the back of the foot. The lift may occur as part of the walking gait.

[0063] The distance L between the two forces is much smaller than the leg length and bucking is no longer a concern.

[0064] FIG. 3 is a concept drawing of an exoskeleton system 200 with a Bowden cable 205. The tension cable is red, and the cable sheath is black. The system includes a pelvis link 220, an ankle link 210, an upper leg fastener 240, and a lower leg fastener 230. The cable 205 wraps around a cam 250 at the hip which is rigidly attached to the pelvis component 220. The depicted embodiment utilizes a compression spring 261 on the cable 205. The compression spring may be a non-linear spring. A potential advantage of a nonlinear force displacement relationship is increased stiffness with increasing load as more and more coils come into contact. Such stiffening can help shape the joint torques and this is a mechanical property that muscles and tendons also have.

[0065] FIG. 4 is a concept drawing of an exoskeleton system 300 with a Bowden cable 305. The tension cable is red, and the cable sheath is black. The system includes a pelvis link 320, an ankle link 310, an upper leg fastener 340, and a lower leg fastener 330. The cable 305 wraps around a cam 350 at the hip which is rigidly attached to the pelvis component 320. The depicted embodiment utilizes a leaf spring 362 on the cable 305. The leaf spring may be a non-linear spring. The leaf spring may be tapered to cause stiffening with increasing load.

[0066] FIG. 5 is a concept drawing of an exoskeleton system 400 with a Bowden cable 405. The tension cable is red, and the cable sheath is black. The system includes a pelvis link 420, an ankle link 410, an upper leg fastener 440, and a lower leg fastener 430. The cable 405 wraps around a cam 450 at the hip which is rigidly attached to the pelvis component 420. The depicted embodiment utilizes a tension spring in linkage 463 on the cable 405. This spring configuration may create a non-linear (stiffening) response. This may be a four-bar linkage with a spring to create a non-linear force displacement curve. These are currently used, for example, in the rear wheel suspension of mountain bikes.

[0067] These new versions use a Bowden cable to transfer motion and force between the hip and ankle, which will allow higher cable tension with a light-weight exoskeleton.This will allow the full potential of the concept to be realized, opening a larger market: patients who cannot walk independently but have enough muscle strength to use this device. These patients would otherwise need a wheelchair.

[0068] Non-linear springs are helical coil springs that exert an inconsistent amount of force when under a working load or torque. This means that the force needed to travel one inch, millimeter, or degree might not double when it travels two inches, millimeters, or degrees like a linear spring would.

[0069] There are several types of non-linear springs in compression, extension, and even torsional spring forms. These include conical / tapered springs, barrel springs (concave and convex), and dual-pitch springs.

[0070] In conical / tapered springs, due to the change in outer diameter of each coil, the force each coil will exert will be different. Smaller coils will produce more force. This is what makes conical and tapered springs non-linear. The narrowing of each coil makes the spring index of this non-linear spring tighter. Therefore, it exerts more force and does not execute a constant rate of force per distance traveled. Torsional springs may also be made into a conical tapered form in some cases.

[0071] Conical springs are usually used to make more space for more travel due to the telescope effect they are able to achieve when compressed which allows for the solid height to be lowered. This can be achieved by making the outer diameter of each coil smaller than the previous one to make a conical / tapered shape. Non-linear conical springs which do not have a telescope effect because tapered springs may allow the spring to have more stability in case there is a normal compression spring with a long free length in proportion to its outer diameter which would cause the spring to buckle or bend when being compressed.

[0072] Barrel compression springs are very similar to conical compression springs since the diameters of the coils become tighter as the spring ascends. In the case of barrel compression and extension springs though, the body of the spring forms a convex or concave shape. A convex spring will have a larger outer diameter in the center coil and the coils in the ends will have the smaller outer diameter while a concave spring will have a smaller outer diameter in the center coil and larger diameters on the end coils. Barrel extension springs will usually be convex. These springs are primarily used to providestability but may also be designed to perform a telescope effect when the barrel compression spring is being compressed.

[0073] Barrel springs are also non-linear due to the changing diameters of the coils. Like conical springs, the smaller coils will have more force than those that are larger. These non-linear springs will be most convenient if you have a barrel compression spring that runs the risk of buckling when compressed and it is not going to be installed over a shaft or inside a hole.

[0074] Dual pitch springs are non-linear compression springs with different amounts of pitch between coils in different sections of the spring. Coil pitch is key to the spring’s load and travel capacities. The more pitch between the coils, the more force can be obtained as well as stress on the compression spring. This is why some springs with very few coils and a lot of pitch will not travel all the way down to solid height; they have very little deflection or travel.

[0075] Non-linear dual pitch springs may be used when needed to meet two loads on your spring that you are not able to meet with a constant spring rate. This requires adjusting the pitch in between some of the coils for it to take you to a different amount of load to meet your required loaded heights.

[0076] The system may include a plurality of rotatable members may be connected with the system and disposed adjacent to various components thereof. The elongated force transmission component may be connected with the framework and may engage arcuate surfaces on the rotatable members. Each segment of the exoskeleton system (e.g., pelvis, thigh, shank, foot) may be associated with one or more rotatable members. Advantageously, the exoskeleton systems of the present disclosure may not require the thigh and shank members to be linked at the knee. Put another way, the exoskeleton system does not include a knee joint in some embodiments. This may reduce the total weight as these members can be shorter because they do not need to reach the knee. In other embodiments, the exoskeleton may be fully linked exoskeleton enabling it to carry most of its own weight, which prevents the pieces from sagging downward or having to be strapped very tightly. The force transmission component may be offset in an anterior direction where the elongated force transmission component engages arcuate surfaces on one or more rotatable members. The force transmission component may be offset ina posterior direction at a location where the force transmission component engages one or more additional rotatable members. A first rotatable member may have a radius which is greater than the radius of a second rotatable member. Of course, a greater or lesser number of rotatable members having radii with any desired size relationship may be used.

[0077] Although the rotatable members may have any desired construction, they may be pulleys.

[0078] A Bowden cable includes a tension cable surrounded by a sheath. The sheath is loaded in compression with a force that is equal and opposite to the tensile force in the cable. This compressive force in the sheath contributes to the moment that lifts the thigh area. A common application is in bicycle brake mechanisms. Each exoskeleton component will still be loaded by the full cable tension of 1500 N (300 lbs) but is much shorter than the leg length and can resist buckling even with a lightweight design. Bowden cables as used in bicycles can easily transfer a load of 300 lbs. Human handgrip strength is about 100 lbs in young males and the leverage ratio is about 3.

[0079] Theoretical calculations indicate that the system can allow normal walking with about 50% less total force generated by the leg muscles and without buckling in the frame as in the commercial embodiments of EP 2 685 946 B1 .

[0080] The disclosed systems are passive (i.e., are not powered by any external energy source). They do not require any motor, control system, or power supply.

[0081] In this new invention, we reduce the length L by separating the exoskeleton in a hip exoskeleton and an ankle exoskeleton, with a Bowden cable to transfer load and motion between them.

[0082] The length L may be only about 20% of the leg length, allowing 25x greater load before buckling occurs. In fact, buckling will no longer be a relevant failure mode and bending becomes the main consideration in the mechanical design.

[0083] The design of the present disclosure may lead to one or more advantages compared to the design of U.S. Pat. No. 7,549,969 B2:• Generate larger forces to replace about 50% of the muscle force required for walking;• Simpler design, there is no knee joint in the exoskeleton;• Lower weight;• When used for rehabilitation, the amount of assistance can be gradually lowered during the rehabilitation period by swapping the springs.

[0084] Although the system is depicted with reference to the lower body, it should be understood that an upper body exoskeleton system of a similar design is also contemplated. Shoulder and wrist frame members may replace pelvis and ankle frame members, respectively.

[0085] The elements of the system, particularly the frame elements, may be formed via additive manufacturing (i.e., 3D printing).

[0086] In some embodiments, the frame elements contain or are formed from a carbon fiber material.

[0087] FIG. 6 illustrates a device 501 for allowing cable tension to be adjusted to a higher or a lower force.

[0088] The device 501 may include a gear 571 , a pinion 572, a ratchet 573, and a ratchet stop 574. In some embodiments, the system includes a device configured to allow cable tension to be adjusted to a higher or lower force. The use of the pinion in combination with the gear may enable a mechanical advantage. The mechanical advantage may be in a range of from about 2:1 to about 10:1 , including from about 3:1 to about 5:1.

[0089] The pinion may have a user interface, such as a square or hex drive.

[0090] The gear may be associated with a pulley of the system. The pulley may be provided near or at the hip or the ankle.EXAMPLES

[0091] A prototype device was produced. FIG. 7 is a first photograph of the prototype. FIG. 8 is a second photograph of the prototype. FIG. 9 is a third photograph of the prototype. FIG. 10 is a fourth photograph of the prototype. FIG. 11 is a rear photograph of a lower leg portion of the prototype. FIG. 12 is a perspective photograph of the lower leg portion of the prototype. FIG. 13 is a side perspective photograph of the lower leg portion of the prototype. FIG. 14 is a front photograph of the lower leg portion of the prototype. FIG. 15 is an external side photograph of an upper leg portion of the prototype. FIG. 16 is an internal side photograph of the upper leg portion of the prototype. FIG. 17is a second internal side photograph of the upper leg portion of the prototype. FIG. 18 is a perspective photograph of the upper leg portion of the prototype. FIG. 19 is another photograph of the upper leg portion of the prototype. FIG. 20 is a further photograph of the upper leg portion of the prototype. FIG. 21 is a side photograph of a user wearing the prototype. FIG. 22 is a side photograph of a user wearing the prototype, focused on the lower leg. FIG. 23 is a side photograph of a user wearing the prototype, focused on the upper leg.

[0092] The exemplary embodiment has been described with reference to the preferred embodiments. Obviously, modifications and alterations will occur to others upon reading and understanding the preceding detailed description. It is intended that the exemplary embodiment be construed as including all such modifications and alterations insofar as they come within the scope of the appended claims or the equivalents thereof. It should also be understood that aspects and features of different embodiments disclosed herein can be combined.

Claims

CLAIMS:1 . An exoskeleton system comprising: a pelvis link configured to be attachable to a pelvic portion of a human body; a first ankle link configured to be attachable to an ankle portion of a first leg of the human body; and a first force transmission system connected to the pelvis link and the first ankle link; wherein the force transmission system comprises a first Bowden cable, the Bowden cable comprising a tension cable and a cable sheath extending around at least a portion of the tension cable.

2. The exoskeleton system of claim 1 , wherein Bowden cable is spring loaded to generate tension.

3. The exoskeleton system of claim 1 , further comprising: a first spring having a first end and a second end, wherein the first end is attached to the first ankle link and the second end is attached to the first Bowden cable.

4. The exoskeleton system of claim 1 , wherein the exoskeleton system does not comprise a power source.

5. The exoskeleton system of claim 1 , wherein the exoskeleton system does not comprise a motor.

6. The exoskeleton system of claim 1 , wherein the exoskeleton system does not comprise a control system.

7. The exoskeleton system of claim 1 , wherein the Bowden cable wraps around a cam associated with the pelvis link.

8. The exoskeleton system of claim 1 , wherein the exoskeleton system does not comprise a knee joint.

9. The exoskeleton system of claim 1 , further comprising:at least one first upper leg fastener configured to be secured to an upper leg area of the first leg comprising at least one upper guiding element; wherein the at least one upper guiding element is configured to guide the tension cable.

10. The exoskeleton system of claim 9, wherein the first upper leg fastener comprises a strap or band.11 . The exoskeleton system of claim 9, wherein the at least one first upper guiding element comprises a guide opening through which the tension cable passes.

12. The exoskeleton system of claim 9, wherein the at least one first upper guiding element comprises a rotatable member.

13. The exoskeleton system of claim 9, wherein the at least one first upper guiding element is located on an anterior portion of the at least one first upper leg fastener.

14. The exoskeleton system of claim 1 , further comprising: at least one first lower leg fastener configured to be secured to a lower leg area of the first leg and comprising at least one lower guiding element; wherein the at least one first lower guiding element is configured to guide the tension cable.

15. The exoskeleton system of claim 14, wherein the first lower leg fastener comprises a strap or band.

16. The exoskeleton system of claim 14, wherein the at least one first lower guiding element comprises a guide opening through which the tension cable passes.

17. The exoskeleton system of claim 14, wherein the at least one first lower guiding element comprises a rotatable member.

18. The exoskeleton system of claim 9, wherein the at least one first lower guiding element is located on a posterior portion of the at least one lower leg fastener.

19. The exoskeleton system of claim 1 , further comprising: a second ankle link configured to be attachable to an ankle portion of a second leg of the human body; and a second force transmission system connected to the pelvis link and the second ankle link; wherein the force transmission system comprises a second Bowden cable, the Bowden cable comprising a tension cable and a cable sheath extending around at least a portion of the tension cable.

20. The exoskeleton system of claim 2, wherein the spring comprises a tension spring, a leaf spring, or a spring in a linkage.21 . The exoskeleton system of claim 2, wherein the spring comprises a leaf spring.

22. The exoskeleton system of claim 2, wherein the spring comprises a spring in a linkage.

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