Dynamic Exoskeleton Mounting Mechanism for Joint Alignment
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing exoskeletons often restrict the user's natural range of motion and cause discomfort due to misalignment and shear forces between the user's joints and the exoskeleton, leading to inefficiency and reduced effectiveness.
Innovation Solution
A novel exoskeleton mounting mechanism with multiple degrees of freedom, including rotational axes, allows for dynamic alignment with the user's joints, minimizing shear forces and maintaining parallelism, thereby enhancing user comfort and efficiency.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If the exoskeleton is rigidly affixed to the user's musculoskeletal system, then force transmission efficiency is improved, but the user's natural range of motion is restricted
Solution Approach 1:
The mounting mechanism transitions from a static rigid connection to a dynamic multi-degree-of-freedom joint system. The universal joint and spherical joint allow the mounting body to dynamically adapt its orientation and position, maintaining alignment with the user's joint axis throughout the range of motion while preserving force transmission efficiency.
Solution Approach 2:
The mounting mechanism is divided into multiple independent components: a mounting body, a universal joint with rotational degrees of freedom, and a spherical joint. This segmentation allows each component to handle specific aspects of the alignment and motion accommodation, resolving the contradiction between rigidity and flexibility.
2Measurement precision
If the exoskeleton uses a single degree of freedom joint for alignment, then alignment precision is improved, but adaptability to users of differing size is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The mounting mechanism employs multiple rotational degrees of freedom that allow the system to dynamically adapt to different user anatomies. The universal joint provides two rotational degrees of freedom, and the spherical joint adds additional orientation flexibility, enabling precise alignment across a wide range of user sizes and joint configurations.
Solution Approach 2:
The multi-degree-of-freedom joint design creates a universal mounting mechanism that can accommodate various user sizes, joint types, and motion patterns. The same mechanism serves multiple functions: alignment compensation, range of motion accommodation, and force transmission, making the exoskeleton universally applicable.
3Ease of operation
If the exoskeleton mounting structure is made more complex with multiple degrees of freedom, then alignment and comfort are improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The universal joint and spherical joint act as intermediary elements between the exoskeleton's rigid structure and the user's flexible anatomy. These intermediate components absorb the complexity of accommodating multiple degrees of freedom while presenting a relatively simple interface to both the exoskeleton structure and the user's body.
Solution Approach 2:
The dynamic multi-degree-of-freedom joint system naturally adapts to user movement patterns without requiring complex control mechanisms. The passive mechanical design allows the joints to self-align through their inherent degrees of freedom, reducing the need for active control systems and simplifying the overall device architecture.
Data Source
AI summary
The present invention is directed to the affixion of an exoskeleton device that can include multiple rotational degrees of freedom in its attachment mechanism to approximate linear motion orthogonal to the person's line of action. The present invention can include one or more additional, non-parallel degrees of freedom. The present invention provides a sliding mechanism for adjusting the exoskeleton mating point along the user's body.