Trunk supporting exoskeleton and method of use

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10524974-B2
Application number	US-201916243942-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jan 9, 2019
Priority date	Jun 10, 2011
Publication date	Jan 7, 2020
Grant date	Jan 7, 2020

Abstract

A trunk supporting exoskeleton comprises: a supporting trunk; thigh links configured to move in unison with a wearer's thighs; and first and second torque generators located on both left and right halves of the wearer substantially close to the wearer's hip. The torque generators couple the supporting trunk to the thigh links, and generate torque between the thigh links and the supporting trunk. When the wearer bends forward such that a predetermined portion of the supporting trunk passes beyond a predetermined angle from vertical, a torque generator(s) imposes a resisting torque between the supporting trunk and the thigh link(s), causing the supporting trunk to impose a force against the wearer's trunk, and the thigh link(s) to impose a force onto the wearer's thigh. When the predetermined portion does not pass beyond the predetermined angle, the torque generators impose no resisting torques between said supporting trunk and respective thigh links.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A trunk supporting exoskeleton configured to be worn by a person to reduce muscle forces in a back of the person during forward lumbar flexion, the trunk supporting exoskeleton comprising:
a supporting trunk configured to be coupled to a trunk of the person;
first and second thigh links configured to move in unison with thighs of the person in a manner resulting in flexion and extension of respective first and second thigh links relative to the supporting trunk; and
first and second torque generators configured to be located on both left and right halves of the person close to a hip of the person, coupling the supporting trunk to the first and second thigh links respectively and configured to generate torque between the first and second thigh links and the supporting trunk, each torque generator comprising at least one engagement mechanism having a contacting position and a non-contacting position,
wherein when the engagement mechanism is in its contacting position, at least one of the first or second torque generators impose a resisting torque between the supporting trunk and at least one of the first and second thigh links, causing the supporting trunk to impose a force against the trunk of the person and at least one of the first and second thigh links to impose a force onto the thigh of the person, and
wherein when the engagement mechanism is in its non-contacting position, a resisting torque between the supporting trunk and at least one of the first and second thigh links depends on an angle of a predetermined portion of the supporting trunk, such that:
when the person bends forward in a sagittal plane such that a predetermined portion of the supporting trunk passes beyond a predetermined angle from vertical, at least one of the first or second torque generators imposes a resisting torque between the supporting trunk and at least one of the first and second thigh links, causing the supporting trunk to impose a force against the trunk of the person and at least one of the first and second thigh links to impose a force onto the thigh of the person and,
when the predetermined portion of the supporting trunk does not pass beyond the predetermined angle from vertical, the first and second torque generators, during an entire range of motion of the first and second thigh links, impose no resisting torques between the supporting trunk and the respective first and second thigh links.

2. The trunk support exoskeleton of claim 1 , wherein at least one of the first and second torque generators comprises:
an upper bracket configured to be coupled to the supporting trunk;
a lower bracket configured be coupled to one of the first and second thigh links and rotatably coupled to the upper bracket;
a pendulum rotatably coupled to the upper bracket;
an engagement bracket slidingly coupled to the upper bracket;
a compression spring rotatably coupled to the lower bracket from its first end and rotatably coupled to the engagement bracket from its second end,
wherein the engagement mechanism is rotatably coupled to the upper bracket, and wherein:
when the engagement mechanism is in its contacting position, the engagement mechanism is in contact with the engagement bracket and therefore prevents the engagement bracket from sliding on the upper bracket, causing the compression spring to provide a resisting torque between the upper bracket and the lower bracket, and
when the engagement mechanism is in its non-contacting position, the engagement mechanism is not in contact with the engagement bracket and therefore the resisting torque between the supporting trunk and at least one of the first and second thigh links depends on the angle of the predetermined portion of the supporting trunk, such that:
when the predetermined portion of the supporting trunk extends beyond the predetermined angle from vertical, the pendulum comes into contact with the engagement bracket and prevents it from sliding, causing the compression spring to provide a resisting torque between the upper bracket and the lower bracket; and
when the predetermined portion of the supporting trunk does not extend beyond the predetermined angle from vertical, the pendulum is not in contact with the engagement bracket, the engagement bracket is free to slide on the upper bracket, and the compression spring does not provide resisting torque between the upper bracket and the lower bracket.

3. The trunk support exoskeleton of claim 2 further comprising a triggering mechanism wherein the triggering mechanism comprises at least a first configuration and a second configuration, wherein:
when the triggering mechanism is in the first configuration, the engagement mechanism is moved into its contacting position, and
when the triggering mechanism is in the second configuration, the engagement mechanism is moved into its non-contacting position.

4. The trunk support exoskeleton of claim 3 , wherein the triggering mechanism further comprises a third configuration, wherein when the triggering mechanism is in the third configuration, the engagement mechanism is moved into its non-contacting position while the pendulum is moved to its non-contacting position, such that the engagement bracket is free to slide on the upper bracket, and the compression spring does not provide resisting torque between the upper bracket and the lower bracket.

5. The trunk support exoskeleton of claim 3 , wherein the triggering mechanism comprises a triggering block comprising a first triggering magnet wherein:
when the triggering block is moved to its first configuration, the first triggering magnet causes the engagement mechanism to move to its contacting position, and
when the triggering block is moved to its second configuration, the first triggering magnet causes the engagement mechanism to move its non-contacting position.

6. The trunk support exoskeleton of claim 5 , wherein the triggering block further comprises a second triggering magnet, wherein
when the triggering block is moved to its third configuration, the second triggering magnet causes the engagement mechanism to move its non-contacting position, while the first triggering magnet causes the pendulum to move to its non-engaging configuration.

7. The trunk support exoskeleton of claim 5 , wherein the triggering block is slidably coupled to the upper bracket, and capable of sliding between its first and second configurations.

8. The trunk support exoskeleton of claim 5 , wherein the triggering block is configured to be manually moved between its first and second configurations by a user.

9. The trunk support exoskeleton of claim 1 , wherein at least one of the first and second torque generators comprises:
an upper bracket configured to be coupled to the supporting trunk;
a lower bracket configured be coupled to one of the first and second thigh links and rotatably coupled to the upper bracket;
an engagement bracket slidingly coupled to the upper bracket;
a compression spring rotatably coupled to the lower bracket from its first end and rotatably coupled to the engagement bracket from its second end,
wherein the engagement mechanism is rotatably coupled to the upper bracket, and wherein: when the engagement mechanism is in its contacting position, the engagement mechanism comes into contact with the engagement bracket and prevents it from sliding, causing the compression spring to provide a resisting torque between the upper bracket and the lower bracket; and
when the engagement mechanism is in its non-contacting position, the engagement mechanism is not in contact with the engagement bracket, the engagement bracket is free to slide on the upper bracket, and the compression spring does not provide resisting torque betwee

Assignees

• Univ California
• U S Bionics Inc

Inventors

• Tung Wayne Yi-Wei
• Poon Nathan
• Yangyuenthanasan Theerapat
• Kazerooni Homayoon

Classifications

• A61H2201/1652

  Harness · CPC title

• A61H1/0292

  for the spinal column (A61H1/0218 takes precedence) · CPC title

• A61H1/0244

  Hip (A61H1/0255 takes precedence) · CPC title

• A61H2201/018

  By limiting the applied torque or force · CPC title

• A61H2201/1621

  Holding means therefor · CPC title