Assist Device Slacking Detection via Crossing Wire Tension Control
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing assist devices fail to effectively detect slacking of the belt, leading to positional displacement and inadequate support during user motion.
Innovation Solution
An assist device with an upper-body belt and knee belts connected by crossing wires, utilizing a motor and drive controller to apply tension thresholds and incorporate gyro sensors for angular velocity measurement to detect slacking and provide feedback to the user.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If existing assist devices use simple belt structures without tension control, then the device complexity is reduced, but the ability to detect slacking and maintain support effectiveness deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The system applies tension to the belt using a motor and sensor assembly, then detects slacking by measuring changes in tension force. When slacking is detected, the system provides feedback to alert the user to tighten the belt, creating a closed-loop feedback mechanism that maintains support effectiveness without requiring constant manual adjustment
Solution Approach 2:
The invention replaces simple mechanical belt structures with an integrated system combining motors, sensors, and control circuits. The motor assembly applies controlled tension to the belt, while sensors detect tension changes, substituting passive mechanical design with active electromechanical control to achieve reliable slacking detection
2Measurement precision
If the assist device uses multiple crossing wires with motor tension control, then the measurement precision of belt slacking is improved, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system divides the belt support function into multiple independent wire segments, each equipped with its own motor and sensor assembly. This segmentation allows individual monitoring and control of each belt section, improving measurement precision for detecting localized slacking while enabling modular implementation that manages overall system complexity
Solution Approach 2:
The motor assembly and sensor system serve multiple functions: applying tension to the belt, detecting slacking through tension changes, and providing structural support. This multi-functionality reduces the need for separate dedicated components, thereby improving measurement precision without proportionally increasing device complexity
Data Source
AI summary
An assist device includes an upper-body belt attached to the upper body of a user, first and second belts attached to the knees, a first wire coupling the upper-body belt to the first belt, a second wire crossing the first wire, a third wire coupling the upper-body belt to the second belt, a fourth wire crossing the third wire, and a motor coupled to one end of each of the first to fourth wires. When assisting users with walking, tensions equal to a first threshold value or greater are applied to one of the first and second wires and one of the third and fourth wires by the motor at different times. When detecting slacking of the upper-body belt, tensions equal to the first threshold value or greater are simultaneously applied to one of the first and second wires and one of the third and fourth wires by the motor.