Assist garment, method for controlling controller of assist garment, and recording medium

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11445769-B2
Application number	US-201916728354-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Dec 27, 2019
Priority date	Jan 28, 2015
Publication date	Sep 20, 2022
Grant date	Sep 20, 2022

Abstract

An assist garment is configured to be worn on a part of a human body and includes a plurality of garment-fitting actuators placed linearly along at least one end portion of a garment body and configured to be driven to extend and contract, a plurality of assisting actuators placed linearly on the garment body to cross the plurality of garment-fitting actuators and configured to be driven to extend and contract, and a controller configured to individually control driving of the plurality of assisting actuators and driving of the plurality of garment-fitting actuators.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An assist garment configured to be worn on a part of a living body, the assist garment comprising:
an assist garment body having an inner layer adapted to be located closest to the part of the living body and an outer layer opposite the inner layer;
a first securing part;
a second securing part;
a plurality of assisting actuators configured to be placed linearly in a direction of extension and contraction of a muscle of the part of the living body, the plurality of assisting actuators being configured to be driven to extend and contract;
a plurality of fitting actuators placed linearly to cross the assisting actuators, the plurality of fitting actuators being configured to be driven to extend and contract; and
a controller configured to individually control driving of the plurality of assisting actuators and driving of the plurality of fitting actuators,
wherein each of the plurality of assisting actuators includes a first end and a second end,
wherein each of the plurality of assisting actuators includes a first continuous part including the first end, a second continuous part including the second end, and a third continuous part between the first continuous part and the second continuous part,
wherein the plurality of fitting actuators includes a plurality of first fitting actuators, a plurality of second fitting actuators, and a plurality of third fitting actuators between the plurality of first fitting actuators and the plurality of second fitting actuators,
wherein the first continuous part of each of the plurality of assisting actuators is between the first fitting actuator between the plurality of first fitting actuators and the inner layer,
wherein the second continuous part of each of the plurality of assisting actuators is between the plurality of second fitting actuators and the inner layer,
wherein the plurality of third fitting actuators are between the third continuous part of each of the plurality of assisting actuators and the inner layer,
wherein the first securing part is directly coupled to the first end of each of the plurality of assisting actuators,
wherein the second securing part is directly coupled to the second end of each of the plurality of assisting actuators,
wherein the plurality of assisting actuators and the plurality of fitting actuators are in a space surrounded by the inner layer, the outer layer, the first securing part, and the second securing part, and
wherein a number density of the plurality of first fitting actuators is larger than a number density of the plurality of third fitting actuators.

2. The assist garment according to claim 1 ,
wherein the space includes a first space, a second space, and a third space provided between the first space and the second space,
wherein the first space touches the third space and the second space touches the third space,
wherein the first space includes the first continuous part of each of the plurality of assisting actuators and the plurality of first fitting actuators,
wherein the second space includes the second continuous part of each of the plurality of assisting actuators and the plurality of second fitting actuators, and
wherein the third space includes the third continuous part of each of the plurality of assisting actuators and the plurality of third fitting actuators.

Assignees

• Panasonic Ip Man Co Ltd

Inventors

• John Stephen William
• Asai Katsuhiko
• Nagata Takayuki
• Yamamoto Masaki

Classifications

• A61H2201/0184

  by raising an alarm · CPC title

• A61H2201/1238

  with hydraulic or pneumatic drive · CPC title

• A61H1/0244

  Hip (A61H1/0255 takes precedence) · CPC title

• A61H3/00 Primary

  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

• A61H2201/165

  Wearable interfaces · CPC title