Assistance apparatus

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10792213-B2
Application number	US-201816034343-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jul 12, 2018
Priority date	Jul 28, 2017
Publication date	Oct 6, 2020
Grant date	Oct 6, 2020

Abstract

An assistance apparatus includes first to eighth wires that couple an upper body belt to be worn on an upper body of a user to a first knee belt and a second knee belt to be worn above a left knee and a right knee of the user, respectively, and a motor. When the assistance apparatus assists the user in turning left, the motor generates a tension larger than or equal to a first threshold in each of the second wire, the fourth wire, the sixth wire, and the eighth wire. When the fourth wire or the second wire is broken, the motor changes the wire in which a tension is generated.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An assistance apparatus comprising:
an upper body belt configured to be worn on an upper body of a user;
a first knee belt configured to be worn above a left knee of the user;
a second knee belt configured to be worn above a right knee of the user;
a first wire that couples the upper body belt and the first knee belt to each other on a front side of the user;
a second wire that couples the upper body belt and the first knee belt to each other and that extends in a direction crossing a direction in which the first wire extends on the front side of the user;
a third wire that couples the upper body belt and the first knee belt to each other on a back side of the user;
a fourth wire that couples the upper body belt and the first knee belt to each other and that extends in a direction crossing a direction in which the third wire extends on the back side of the user;
a fifth wire that couples the upper body belt and the second knee belt to each other on the back side of the user;
a sixth wire that couples the upper body belt and the second knee belt to each other and that extends in a direction crossing a direction in which the fifth wire extends on the back side of the user;
a seventh wire that couples the upper body belt and the second knee belt to each other on the front side of the user;
an eighth wire that couples the upper body belt and the second knee belt to each other and that extends in a direction crossing a direction in which the seventh wire extends on the front side of the user;
a control circuit;
at least four motors; and
a sensor that detects whether the second wire is broken and whether the fourth wire is broken, wherein
the first wire and the fourth wire extend upward from the first knee belt toward a right side of the user,
the second wire and the third wire extend upward from the first knee belt toward a left side of the user,
the fifth wire and the eighth wire extend upward from the second knee belt toward the left side of the user,
the sixth wire and the seventh wire extend upward from the second knee belt toward the right side of the user,
in a first condition, when the assistance apparatus assists the user in moving to turn left and the sensor detects that the second wire and the fourth wire are not broken, the control circuit causes first motors included in the at least four motors to generate first tensions in the second wire, the fourth wire, the sixth wire, and the eighth wire, using information obtained from first force sensors or drive amounts of the first motors, each of the first tensions being larger than or equal to a first threshold,
in a second condition, when the assistance apparatus assists the user in moving to turn left and the sensor detects that the fourth wire is broken, the control circuit causes second motors included in the at least four motors to generate second tensions in the second wire, the third wire, the sixth wire, and the eighth wire, using information obtained from second force sensors or drive amounts of the second motors, each of the second tensions being larger than or equal to the first threshold, and
in a third condition, when the assistance apparatus assists the user in moving to turn left and the sensor detects that the second wire is broken, the control circuit causes third motors included in the at least four motors to generate third tensions in the first wire, the fourth wire, the sixth wire, and the eighth wire, using information obtained from third force sensors or drive amounts of the third motors, each of the third tensions being larger than or equal to the first threshold.

2. The assistance apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein
in the first condition, tensions included in the first tensions and corresponding to the second wire and the fourth wire are generated in a swing phase of a left leg of the user and tensions included in the first tensions and corresponding to the sixth wire and the eighth wire are generated in a swing phase of a right leg of the user,
in the second condition, tensions included in the second tensions and corresponding to the second wire and the third wire are generated in the swing phase of the left leg and tensions included in the second tensions and corresponding to the sixth wire and the eighth wire are generated in the swing phase of the right leg, and
in the third condition, tensions included in the third tensions and corresponding to the first wire and the fourth wire are generated in a stance phase of the left leg and tensions included in the third tensions and corresponding to the sixth wire and the eighth wire are generated in the swing phase of the right leg.

3. The assistance apparatus according to claim 2 , wherein
a fourth condition, when the assistance apparatus assists the user in moving to turn left and the sensor detects that the second wire and the fourth wire are broken, the control circuit causes fourth motors included in the at least four motors to generate fourth tensions in the first wire, the third wire, the sixth wire, and the eighth wire, using information obtained from fourth force sensors or drive amounts of the fourth motors, each of the fourth tensions being larger than or equal to the first threshold, and
in the fourth condition, tensions included in the fourth tensions and corresponding to the first wire and the third wire are generated in the stance phase of the left leg.

4. The assistance apparatus according to claim 2 , further comprising:
a walk timing detecting unit that determines time points of 60% and 100% of a gait phase of the left leg and time points of 60% and 100% of a gait phase of the right leg on the basis of information obtained by an acceleration sensor and a gyro sensor or a pressure sensor, wherein
the swing phase of the left leg is a period of more than the 60% and less than the 100% of the gait phase of the left leg, and
the swing phase of the right leg is a period of more than the 60% and less than the 100% of the gait phase of the right leg.

5. The assistance apparatus according to claim 4 , wherein
a time point of 50% of the gait phase of the left leg corresponds to a time point of 0% of the gait phase of the right leg, or
a time point of 50% of the gait phase of the right leg corresponds to a time point of 0% of the gait phase of the left leg.

6. The assistance apparatus according to claim 1 , further comprising:
a memory, wherein
the memory stores a program for controlling the at least four motors, and
the control circuit controls the at least four motors in accordance with the program.

7. An assistance apparatus comprising:
an upper body belt configured to be worn on an upper body of a user;
a first knee belt configured to be worn above a left knee of the user;
a second knee belt configured to be worn above a right knee of the user;
a first wire that couples the upper body belt and the first knee belt to each other on a front side of the user;
a second wire that couples the upper body belt and the first knee belt to each other and that extends in a direction crossing a direction in which the first wire extends on the front side of the user;
a third wire that couples the upper body belt and the first knee belt to each other on a back side of the user;
a fourth wire that couples the upper body belt and the first knee belt to each other and that extends in a direction crossing a direction in which the third wire extends on the back side of the user;
a fifth wire that couples the upper body belt and the second knee belt to each other on the back side of the user;
a sixth wire that couples the upper body belt and the second knee belt to each other and that extends in a direction crossing a direction in which the fifth wire extends on the back side of the u

Assignees

• Panasonic Ip Man Co Ltd

Inventors

• Murakami Kenta
• John Stephen
• Komatsu Mayumi
• Adachi Shinobu

Classifications

• A61H1/00 Primary

  Apparatus for passive exercising (A61H5/00 takes precedence); Vibrating apparatus; Chiropractic devices, e.g. body impacting devices, external devices for briefly extending or aligning unbroken bones · CPC title

• B25J9/0006

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

• A61H2201/5023

  Interfaces to the user · CPC title

• A61H2201/5007

  computer controlled · CPC title

• A61H2201/0161

  Size reducing arrangements when not in use, for stowing or transport · CPC title