Wearable Back Assist With Clutch-Controlled Lumbar Offloading
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing wearable assistance devices for reducing lower back pain and injury are bulky, restrictive, and do not effectively offload the lumbar spine during leaning and lifting tasks, and existing wearable devices fail to provide adequate support during leaning and lifting tasks, and existing devices that provide support often restrict motion or increase intra-abdominal pressure.
Innovation Solution
A wearable assistance device with an upper-body and lower-body interface connected by elastic members and a clutch mechanism that provides adjustable assistive force or torque, using electromyography sensors to adjust assistance based on user activity.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Force
If assistance devices are designed with components that protrude significantly from the lower back to maximize moment arm, then mechanical advantage is improved, but the device becomes bulky and restrictive for daily use
Solution Approach 1:
The device employs a flexible, dynamically adjustable support structure that can adapt its configuration based on user movement and load requirements, rather than using fixed protruding components. This allows the moment arm to be optimized dynamically without the bulk of static structural elements.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention uses flexible wearable components that conform to the body's contours, providing necessary mechanical support through elastic and compliant materials rather than rigid protruding structures. This maintains mechanical advantage while eliminating bulkiness and restrictiveness.
2Force
If back belts and braces restrict motion of the spine to reduce forces, then spinal loading is reduced, but motion freedom is lost
Solution Approach 1:
The device changes the mechanical parameters of spinal support dynamically, adjusting the level and type of support based on real-time detection of loading conditions and motion patterns. This allows force reduction during high-load tasks while maintaining motion freedom during low-load activities.
Solution Approach 2:
The system uses sensors and control algorithms to automatically adjust support levels based on detected user needs, eliminating the need for manual adjustment or restrictive fixed structures. The device self-regulates to provide support only when and where needed.
3Device complexity
If passive elastic members are used to provide assistive force, then device complexity is reduced, but ability to selectively adjust assistance is limited
Solution Approach 1:
The device incorporates sensors that detect user activity, loading conditions, and motion patterns, providing feedback to a control system that adjusts the elastic member tension and engagement accordingly. This maintains structural simplicity while enabling selective and adaptive assistance adjustment.
Solution Approach 2:
A clutch mechanism acts as an intermediary between the passive elastic members and the user's body, selectively engaging or disengaging the elastic force based on detected needs. This allows simple elastic components to provide adjustable assistance through the mediating clutch system.
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
Reduces muscle and spinal loads by providing an assistive extensor moment with reduced force, allowing for comfortable motion and adjustable support during tasks.
Implementation Method 1
one or more elastic members, where each of the elastic members mechanically couples the upper-body interface to the lower-body interface and extending from the rear side of the upper-body interface to the rear side of the lower-body interface
Data Source
AI summary
Wearable assistance devices and methods of operating and using the same are provided. A wearable assistance device includes a first body interface and a second body interface. The assistance device also includes one or more elastic members operatively coupling the first body interface to the second body interface and extending along a body segment (e.g., back, elbow, knee, etc.) of the user so as to provide an assistive force to or assistive torque about the body segment or another body segment. The assistance device further includes a clutch mechanism operatively connected to at least one of the one or more elastic members, the clutch mechanism configured to selectively adjust the assistive force or assistive torque provided by the one or more elastic members to/about the body segment or the another body segment.