Integrated Upper Body Frame for Exoskeleton Weight Reduction
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional human body supporting exoskeleton devices are heavy due to numerous parts, making it difficult to reduce the weight felt by the user while maintaining an upright support force, which limits their comfort and affordability.
Innovation Solution
A human body supporting exoskeleton device with a lightweight design featuring a pair of base sections, an upper body mounting section, leg mounting sections, a hip belt, and actuator containers, where the upper body frame is integrally molded with resin and has an inverted V-shape, with adjustable hip belts and McKibben-type artificial muscles that provide an urging force ratio of 6 kgf/kg or more, reducing the overall weight and manufacturing costs.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Force
If conventional human body supporting devices use multiple parts to provide support force, then the support force is sufficient, but the device weight becomes heavy
Solution Approach 1:
The upper body frame is designed as a single integrated component that combines multiple functions: supporting the actuator containers, providing structural connection between base sections, and serving as the mounting structure for the support mechanism. This merging of multiple parts into one reduces overall device weight while maintaining sufficient support force through optimized structural design.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent employs lightweight structural materials and thin-walled designs for the upper body frame and base sections, achieving adequate strength and support force with reduced material usage. The frame structure uses optimized thickness and geometry to provide necessary rigidity while minimizing weight.
2Stability of the object's composition
If conventional devices use multiple parts for structural support, then stability is maintained, but the number of parts increases device complexity
Solution Approach 1:
Multiple structural components are merged into the upper body frame single component, reducing the total number of parts and simplifying the device structure. The integrated frame provides stable support through its geometric design and connection points while eliminating the need for separate mounting structures and support elements.
Solution Approach 2:
The upper body frame serves multiple functions simultaneously: structural support, actuator mounting, and mechanical linkage between components. This multi-functionality reduces the need for dedicated separate parts, simplifying the overall device while maintaining structural stability through the frame's inherent design.
3Adaptability or versatility
If conventional devices use multiple components, then functionality is comprehensive, but manufacturing cost increases
Solution Approach 1:
The upper body frame is manufactured as a single integrated component, reducing assembly steps and manufacturing complexity. This merging approach lowers production costs while maintaining comprehensive support functionality through the frame's built-in structural features and mounting points for actuators and other components.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent optimizes material selection and structural parameters of the integrated frame to achieve the required performance at lower cost. By carefully selecting materials and optimizing thickness, geometry, and reinforcement locations, the single-component design provides full support functionality at reduced manufacturing expense compared to multi-part conventional designs.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The device achieves a significant reduction in weight felt by the user while maintaining a strong upright support force, enhancing comfort and affordability by optimizing the weight distribution and part count, allowing for stable and efficient assistance during heavy lifting tasks.
Implementation Method 1
a pair of left and right wires that are each provided between the corresponding actuator and the corresponding leg mounting section, the left and right wires being guided by the wire guides to pull the leg mounting sections toward the actuators by driving of the actuators so that the upper body mounting section is tilted toward the base sections and the leg mounting sections are tilted toward the base sections, thereby propagating an urging force in a direction in which the human body is heaved upright
Data Source
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AI summary
Provided is a human body supporting exoskeleton device with which it is possible to decrease the weight felt by a user and provide the user with a sense of lightweight fit, and to reduce production cost so as to offer an easily affordable price for users. A human body supporting exoskeleton device 10 is provided with a base portion 12, an upper body attachment portion 18, a leg attachment portion 16, a waist belt 14, an actuator accommodating portion 38, an actuator 20, and a wire 48. The upper body attachment portion 18 comprises an upper body-side frame 18 composed of a single component arranged in an upper part of the human body supporting exoskeleton device 10, the upper body-side frame 18 having the actuator accommodating portion 38 and being directly connected to a pair of left and right base portions 12. The ratio of the weight of the human body supporting exoskeleton device 10 to a biasing force in the direction of raising the human body P is no less than 6 kgf/kg.