Shoulder module for an exoskeleton structure

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10589435-B2
Application number	US-201616065564-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Dec 23, 2016
Priority date	Dec 24, 2015
Publication date	Mar 17, 2020
Grant date	Mar 17, 2020

Abstract

A shoulder module ( 3 ) for an exoskeleton structure that connects to an elbow module ( 4 ) attached to an arm of a user to a back module ( 2 ) attached to the back of the user. The shoulder module ( 3 ) has a plurality of connecting parts ( 34, 36, 38, 310 ), and a first pivot ( 35 ) connecting two of the connecting parts ( 34, 36 ) while allowing rotation of one of the connecting parts with respect to the other connecting part ( 34 ) according to a first axis of rotation (X 1 ), during a rotation of the elbow module ( 4 ) with respect to the back module ( 2 ) corresponding to an abduction or adduction movement of the shoulder of the user. The connecting parts ( 34, 36, 38, 310 ) include a connecting part ( 38 ) comprising two parts ( 381, 382 ) that slide to allow shortening or lengthening of the connecting part ( 38 ) of the elbow module ( 4 ).

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A shoulder module for an exoskeleton structure, the shoulder module being designed to connect an elbow module attached to an arm of a user to a back module attached to a back of the user, the shoulder module comprising:
a plurality of connecting parts, and
a first pivot connecting two of the plurality of connecting parts while allowing rotation of one of the two connecting parts with respect to the other of the two connecting parts according to a first axis of rotation, during an abduction or adduction movement of a shoulder of the user,
wherein the plurality of connecting parts include a first connecting part comprising two sub-parts mounted slidingly with respect to one another by a first slideway, the sliding of the two sub-parts with respect to one another by the first slideway allowing shortening of the first connecting part during rotation of the elbow module with respect to the back module caused by the abduction movement of the shoulder of the user and allowing lengthening of the first connecting part during rotation of the elbow module with respect to the back module caused by the adduction movement of the shoulder of the user, and
wherein the first slideway comprises an elastic return element elastically opposing a separation of the two sub-parts with respect to one another leading to the lengthening of the first connecting part.

2. The module according to claim 1 , further comprising:
a second pivot connecting two of the plurality of connecting parts while allowing relative rotation of the two connecting parts connected together by the second pivot with respect to one another according to a second axis of rotation, during an internal or external rotation of the shoulder of the user.

3. The module according to claim 2 , wherein the first axis of rotation intersects the second axis of rotation.

4. The module according to claim 2 , further comprising a third pivot connecting two connecting parts of the plurality of connecting parts while allowing relative rotation of the two connecting parts connected together by the third pivot with respect to one another according to a third axis of rotation, during a flexure or extension movement of the shoulder of the user, and wherein the third axis of rotation intersects the second axis of rotation.

5. The module according to claim 4 , wherein the plurality of connecting parts include a second connecting part capable of connecting the shoulder module to an elbow joint of the elbow module, the second connecting part comprising two sub-parts mounted slidingly with respect to one another by a second slideway, the sliding of the two sub-parts with respect to one another by the second slideway allowing shortening or lengthening of the second connecting part during a flexure or extension movement of an elbow of the user.

6. The module according to claim 5 , further comprising a four-bar mechanism connecting the back module to the first pivot, the four-bar mechanism comprising four bars, and four joints connecting the bars to each other while forming a deformable parallelogram.

7. The module according to claim 6 , wherein the four-bar mechanism comprises an elastic member extending along a diagonal of the parallelogram and connecting two opposite joints of the four joints together.

8. The module according to claim 6 , further comprising a fourth pivot connecting one of the bars of the four-bar mechanism to a part of the back module, and a fifth pivot connecting a parallel bar of the four-bar mechanism to a third connecting part of the plurality of connecting parts.

9. The module according to claim 1 , further comprising a third pivot connecting two connecting parts of the plurality of connecting parts while allowing relative rotation of the two connecting parts connected together by the third pivot with respect to one another according to a third axis of rotation, during a flexure or extension movement of the shoulder of the user.

10. The module according to claim 9 , wherein the plurality of connecting parts include a second connecting part capable of connecting the shoulder module to an elbow joint of the elbow module, the second connecting part comprising two sub-parts mounted slidingly with respect to one another by a second slideway, the sliding of the two sub-parts with respect to one another by the second slideway allowing shortening or lengthening of the second connecting part during a flexure or extension movement of an elbow of the user.

11. The module according to claim 10 , wherein the second slideway comprises an elastic return element elastically opposing a separation of the two sub-parts with respect to one another by the second slideway leading to a lengthening of the second connecting part.

12. The module according to claim 1 , further comprising a four-bar mechanism connecting the back module to the first pivot, the four-bar mechanism comprising four bars, and four joints connecting the bars to each other while forming a deformable parallelogram.

13. The module according to claim 12 , wherein the four-bar mechanism comprises an elastic member extending along a diagonal of the parallelogram and connecting two opposite joints of the four joints together.

14. The module according to claim 12 , further comprising a fourth pivot connecting one of the bars of the four-bar mechanism to a part of the back module and a fifth pivot connecting a parallel bar of the four-bar mechanism to a third connecting part of the plurality of connecting parts.

15. An exoskeleton structure comprising:
a back module capable of being attached to a back of a user,
an elbow module capable of being attached to an arm of the user, and
a shoulder module comprising:
a plurality of connecting parts, and first
a pivot connecting two of the plurality of connecting parts while allowing rotation of one of the two connecting parts with respect to the other of the two connecting parts according to a first axis of rotation, during an abduction or adduction movement of a shoulder of the user,
wherein the plurality of connecting parts include a first connecting part comprising two sub-parts mounted slidingly with respect to one another by a first slideway, the sliding of the two sub-parts with respect to one another by the first slideway allowing shortening of the first connecting part during rotation of the elbow module with respect to the back module caused by the abduction movement of the shoulder of the user and allowing lengthening of the first connecting part during rotation of the elbow module with respect to the back module caused by the adduction movement of the shoulder of the user, and
wherein the first slideway comprises an elastic return element elastically opposing a separation of the two sub-parts with respect to one another leading to the lengthening of the first connecting part.

Assignees

• Safran Electronics & Defense
• B Temia Inc

Inventors

• Baptista Jonathan
• Thieffry Roland
• Grenier Jordane
• Vaure Alexandre

Classifications

• B25J9/08

  characterised by modular constructions · CPC title

• B25J9/0006 Primary

  Exoskeletons, i.e. resembling a human figure · CPC title

• A61H3/00

  Appliances for aiding patients or disabled persons to walk about (apparatus for helping babies to walk A47D13/04 {; applying electrical currents by contact electrodes for stimulating motor muscles, e.g. walking assistance A61N1/36003}) · CPC title

• B25J19/02 Primary

  Sensing devices · CPC title

• A61H3/008

  using suspension devices for supporting the body in an upright walking or standing position, e.g. harnesses · CPC title