Dynamic Exoskeleton Mounting for Joint Alignment and Motion

Resolve Bottlenecks,
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions

Solution Overview

Problem

Existing exoskeletons often inhibit 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 inefficiencies and reduced effectiveness.

Innovation Solution

A novel exoskeleton mounting mechanism with multiple degrees of freedom, allowing the device to dynamically align with the user's joints, minimizing shear forces and maintaining parallelism through a combination of rotational and linear adjustments.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering 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

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveforce transmission efficiencyVSAvoidrange of motion

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The mounting mechanism incorporates multiple degrees of freedom including rotational joints and linear adjustment capabilities, allowing the exoskeleton to dynamically adapt its position and orientation to match the user's natural joint alignment during movement, thereby maintaining force transmission efficiency without restricting range of motion

Inventive Principle:

Principle #15Dynamics

Solution Approach 2:

The system allows adjustment of mounting parameters such as position, orientation, and alignment angles to optimize both force transmission and range of motion for different users and movement conditions

Inventive Principle:

Principle #35Parameter changes

2Measurement precision

If the exoskeleton uses rigid fixturing for alignment, then joint alignment is improved, but adaptability to users of differing size is reduced

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvejoint alignmentVSAvoiduser size adaptability

Core Design Contradiction:

Measurement precisionVSAdaptability or versatility

Solution Approach 1:

The mounting mechanism is designed with universal adjustment capabilities that can accommodate users of different sizes and anatomical variations while maintaining precise joint alignment through its multiple degrees of freedom and adjustment mechanisms

Inventive Principle:

Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

3Stability of the object's composition

If the exoskeleton mounting is rigid, then alignment stability is improved, but shear forces between the user and mechanical structure increase

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvealignment stabilityVSAvoidshear forces

Core Design Contradiction:

Stability of the object's compositionVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The dynamic mounting mechanism with multiple degrees of freedom allows the exoskeleton to move and adjust with the user's natural motion, preventing the generation of harmful shear forces while maintaining alignment stability through active adaptation rather than rigid constraint

Inventive Principle:

Principle #15Dynamics

Data Source

PatentUS20260034012A1Dynamic mounting mechanism for an exoskeleton

Publication Date: 2026.02.05 DEPHY INC

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.