Wearable assisted-walking device

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11497628-B2
Application number	US-201816633647-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jul 19, 2018
Priority date	Jul 24, 2017
Publication date	Nov 15, 2022
Grant date	Nov 15, 2022

Abstract

Provided is a wearable assisted-walking device including one lower attachment body to the foot defining a lower anchoring point at the heel of the foot of a leg of the user; an upper attachment body to an upper part of the leg proximal from the knee defining an upper ventral anchoring point and an upper dorsal anchoring point arranged on the opposite side of the coronal plane of the user; and an intermediate attachment body defining a first intermediate anchoring point, a second intermediate anchoring point and a third intermediate anchoring point, each anchoring point movable respect and connected by cables to the leg; the intermediate attachment body being adapted to store the energy by a relative motion between the anchoring points and then use it for assist walking.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A wearable assisted-walking device adapted to be worn by a user, comprising:
at least one lower attachment body for a foot of a leg of the user defining a lower anchoring point at a heel of the foot of the leg of the user;
an upper attachment body for an upper part of the leg proximal from a knee defining, for each said lower attachment body, an upper ventral anchoring point and an upper dorsal anchoring point arranged on an opposite side of the coronal plane of the user; and
for each said lower attachment body, an intermediate attachment body, comprising:
an attachment adapted to be integrally constrained to the leg of the user;
a kinematic storage mechanism defining, at the leg, a first intermediate anchoring point movable with respect to the attachment and a second intermediate anchoring point movable with respect to the attachment; the kinematic storage mechanism being adapted to store the energy taking advantage of a motion of the intermediate anchoring point with respect to the attachment and to release energy causing a movement of the intermediate anchoring point with respect to the attachment;
a locking system defining, at the leg, a third intermediate anchoring point movable with respect to the attachment; the locking system defining, as a function of the position of the third intermediate anchoring point, a locking position, in which the locking system prevents the kinematic storage mechanism from releasing the energy, and a releasing position, in which the locking system allows the kinematic storage mechanism to release the energy;
a loading cable connecting the upper dorsal anchoring point to the first intermediate anchoring point allowing the kinematic storage mechanism to store the energy on the basis of a first motion between the upper body and the intermediate body;
a discharging cable connecting the lower anchoring point to the second intermediate anchoring point allowing the kinematic storage mechanism to release the energy causing a motion of the lower body; and
a releasing cable connecting the upper ventral anchoring point to the third intermediate anchoring point so as to control the switching of the locking system from the locking position to the releasing position on the basis of a second motion between the upper body and the intermediate body.

2. The wearable device according to claim 1 , wherein the third intermediate anchoring point is on a side opposite to the second intermediate anchoring point with respect to the first intermediate anchoring point.

3. The wearable device according to claim 2 , wherein the locking system comprises a toothed wheel integral with a rotor; at least one tooth adapted to engage the toothed wheel defining the locking position or to be disengaged from the toothed wheel defining the releasing position.

4. The wearable device according to claim 3 , wherein the locking system comprises a transmission pulley of the releasing cable hinged to the intermediate body on a side opposite to the upper ventral anchoring point with respect to the third intermediate anchoring point.

5. The wearable device according to claim 2 , wherein the locking system comprises a toothed wheel integral with a rotor; at least one tooth adapted to engage the toothed wheel defining the locking position or to be disengaged from the toothed wheel defining the releasing position.

6. The wearable device according to claim 5 , wherein the locking system comprises a transmission pulley of the releasing cable hinged to the intermediate body on the side opposite to the upper ventral anchoring point with respect to the third intermediate anchoring point.

7. The wearable device according to claim 1 , wherein the kinematic storage mechanism comprises a pin defining a rotation axis; a stator integral with the attachment; a rotor adapted to rotate about the rotation axis with respect to the stator; and at least one storage unit interposed between the rotor and the stator in order as to take advantage of a reciprocal rotation between the rotor and the stator to store and release energy; wherein the first intermediate anchoring point is associated with the rotor in order to control the rotation of the rotor and thus the storage of energy by the storage unit; and wherein the second intermediate anchoring point is associated with the rotor so that the storage unit releases energy by rotating the rotor and the second intermediate anchoring point.

8. The wearable device according to claim 7 , wherein the second intermediate anchoring point is integrated with the rotor; wherein the kinematic storage mechanism comprises a feeding block of the rotor; and wherein the intermediate anchoring point is integrated with the feeding block.

9. The wearable device according to claim 8 , wherein the feeding block and the rotor are spaced apart along the rotation axis and enclose the stator therebetween.

10. The wearable device according to claim 1 , wherein the intermediate attachment body comprises a tensioner adapted to adjust the tension of the discharging cable irrespective from a position of the second intermediate anchoring point with respect to the attachment.

11. The wearable device according to claim 10 , wherein the tensioner comprises a hinge defining an additional rotation axis; an attachment adapted to rotate about the additional rotation axis and to which the second intermediate anchoring point and the discharging cable are constrained; and a preloaded spring controlling a rotation of the attachment adapted to tension the discharging cable.

12. The wearable device according to claim 11 , wherein the tensioner comprises a travel stop adapted to limit the travel of a counter-attachment and integrated with the rotor.

13. The wearable device according to claim 1 , wherein the kinematic storage mechanism comprises a pin defining a rotation axis; a stator integral with the attachment; a rotor adapted to rotate about the rotation axis with respect to the stator; and at least one storage unit interposed between the rotor and the stator in order as to take advantage of a reciprocal rotation between the rotor and the stator to store and release energy; wherein the first intermediate anchoring point is associated with the rotor in order to control the rotation of the rotor and thus the storage of energy by the storage unit; and wherein the second intermediate anchoring point is associated with the rotor so that the storage unit releases energy by rotating the rotor and the second intermediate anchoring point.

14. The wearable device according to claim 13 , wherein the second intermediate anchoring point is integrated with the rotor; wherein the kinematic storage mechanism comprises a feeding block of the rotor; and wherein the intermediate anchoring point is integrated with the feeding block.

15. The wearable device according to claim 14 , wherein the feeding block and the rotor are spaced apart along the rotation axis and enclose the stator therebetween.

Assignees

• Scuola Superiore Santanna
• Univ Colorado Regents
• The Regents Of The Univiersity Of Colorado A Body Corp

Inventors

• Etenzi Ettore
• Grabowski Alena Marie
• Monaco Vito
• Micera Silvestro

Classifications

• A61H2201/165

  Wearable interfaces · CPC title

• A61F2/68 Primary

  Operating or control means · CPC title

• A61F2002/701

  operated by electrically controlled means, e.g. solenoids or torque motors · CPC title

• A61F2002/607

  Lower legs · CPC title

• A61F2002/704

  computer-controlled, e.g. robotic control · CPC title