Wearable Robot Lower-Body Brace With Coil-Spring Shock Damping
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Solution Overview
Problem
Wearable robots with exoskeleton structures cause discomfort and pain due to restricted movement and lack of impact absorption, particularly at the knee joint, leading to transmission of ground impacts and vibrations to the wearer.
Innovation Solution
A lower limb auxiliary assembly with a damping unit connecting the knee joint driver and lower leg unit, incorporating coil springs for impact absorption and flexibility, and stoppers to limit excessive joint rotation.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a rigid structure is used to transmit driving force accurately, then driving force transmission is improved, but impact and vibration are transmitted to the wearer causing discomfort
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a damping unit with shock-absorbing elements (such as springs or dampers) between the knee joint driver and the lower leg link. This cushioning structure is designed in advance to absorb impact and vibration before they can be transmitted to the wearer's body, while still allowing the driving force to be effectively transmitted to achieve the desired knee joint movement.
2Object-affected harmful factors
If a flexible material is used to absorb impact and vibration, then impact absorption is improved, but driving force transmission becomes difficult
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs a damping unit as an intermediary component between the rigid knee joint driver and the lower leg link. This intermediary structure contains shock-absorbing elements that selectively filter out impact and vibration while maintaining the transmission of the primary driving force, thus resolving the contradiction between impact absorption and driving force transmission.
3Ease of operation
If a rotation shaft structure is used to permit flexion-extension movement, then joint movement is improved, but twisting movement is restricted causing discomfort
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces the rigid rotation shaft structure with a more dynamic knee joint driver design that incorporates damping elements and allows for multi-directional movement. This dynamic structure can accommodate not only flexion-extension movements but also slight twisting movements, better mimicking the natural human knee joint behavior and reducing wearer discomfort.
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
Provides flexibility and absorbs impact, reducing discomfort and pain by mimicking human knee joint movements and stabilizing the wearer's gait.
Implementation Method 1
a damping unit connecting the knee joint driver and the lower leg unit, and configured to buffer impact transmitted through the lower leg unit
Implementation Method 2
buffer impact transmitted through the lower leg unit
Data Source
Figure 1
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AI summary
The present invention relates to a lower limb auxiliary assembly of a wearable robot, and a wearable robot equipped with same. In an exoskeleton robot having a driver mounted on a knee joint, a lower limb auxiliary assembly is provided with a coil spring-equipped damping unit below the knee joint to absorb impact transmitted via same and provide flexibility, and to provide freedoms of movement similar to those of the knee joints of the body of the wearer, thereby minimizing pain, discomfort, or feelings of strangeness in the wearer due to the exoskeleton robot.