Modular exoskeleton structure that provides force assistance to the user

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11787040-B2
Application number	US-202017071598-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Oct 15, 2020
Priority date	Dec 24, 2015
Publication date	Oct 17, 2023
Grant date	Oct 17, 2023

Abstract

A modular exoskeleton structure provides force assistance to a user. The structure includes a base module including a lumbar belt capable of surrounding the waist of the user, a battery and a control unit attached to the lumber belt, a first attachment part attached to the belt and capable of cooperating with a second complementary attachment part of a hip module to attach the hip module to the base module by snapping the second attachment part into the first attachment part, and a third attachment part attached to the belt and capable of cooperating with a complementary fourth attachment part of a back module for attaching the back module to the base module.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A modular exoskeleton structure for transfer of forces and loads applied to an upper body portion of a user, the modular exoskeleton structure comprising:
a base module comprising a lumbar belt capable of surrounding a waist of the user, a first battery and a control unit attached to the lumbar belt,
a back module configured to be attached to the base module and a back of the user, the back module comprising a second battery and a spinal column segment designed to extend along a spinal column of the user, the spinal column segment comprising a plurality of stacked vertebral elements exerting a return force tending to return the spinal column segment to a stable equilibrium position in response to an application of a force or load,
an upper module configured to be attached to the back module and upper extremities of the user, comprising:
a bilateral shoulders module configured to be located at shoulders of the user, comprising:
a pair of joints configured to be located at each of the shoulders of the user on a coronal plane;
a pair of joints configured to be located at each of the shoulders of the user on a sagittal plane;
a proximal segment configured to be located at a posterior part of the shoulders of the user, the proximal segment being configured to be operatively connected to the back module; and
a distal segment configured to be located at a lateral part of the shoulders of the user;

a pair of arm modules each comprising:
a proximal segment configured to be located at a forearm of the user;
a distal segment configured to be located at an arm of the user, the distal segment being operatively connected to the distal segment of the bilateral shoulders module; and
an elbow joint operatively connecting the proximal segment to the distal segment;

a lower module configured to be attached to the base module and to be located at lower extremities of the user, comprising:
a hip module including a pair of hip joints each operatively connected to a corresponding femoral portion configured to be located at a respective thigh of the user;
a pair of knee modules each including a knee joint operatively connecting a tibial portion configured to be located at a calf of the user and the proximal segment of the hip module; and
a pair of foot modules each including an ankle joint operatively connecting a foot segment configured to be located at a foot of the user and the distal segment of a corresponding knee module, and a ground contact element;

wherein in use the load applied to the upper body portion of a user is transferred to the lower body portion of the user and then to the ground via the connections between the upper module, the base module and the lower module.

2. The modular exoskeleton structure according to claim 1 , each of the hip joints includes a hip actuator comprising a stator and a rotor capable of being driven in rotation with respect to the stator to drive in rotation the corresponding proximal body segment with respect to the base module during a flexure or extension movement of a corresponding hip of the user, the corresponding proximal body segment being attached to the stator of the hip actuator.

3. The modular exoskeleton structure according to claim 2 , wherein the first attachment part and the second attachment part each comprise electrical contacts capable of electrically connecting the first battery and the control unit to the hip actuator when the second attachment part is snapped into the first attachment part.

4. The modular exoskeleton structure according to claim 2 , wherein the base module and the hip module are operatively connected via a respective first attachment part and a second attachment part forming a bayonet type attachment device in which one of either the first attachment part or of the second attachment part comprises a radial pin, and the other of the first attachment part and the second attachment part comprises a curved slot in which the radial pin can slide, the curved slot being curved in such a manner that the sliding of the radial pin in the curved slot from an entrance of the curved slot to an end of the curved slot requires a combined translation and rotation movement of the second attachment part with respect to the first attachment part, the translation being accomplished successively in a first direction, then in a second direction opposite to the first direction.

5. The modular exoskeleton structure according to claim 4 , wherein the bayonet type attachment device also comprises an elastic return element capable of urging the second attachment part in the second direction so as to hold the second attachment part snapped into the first attachment part.

6. The modular exoskeleton structure according to claim 5 , wherein when the elastic return element urges the second attachment part in the second direction, the elastic return element tends to separate the second attachment part from the first attachment part.

7. The modular exoskeleton structure according to claim 1 , wherein the knee module comprises a connecting bar capable of being inserted into a femoral segment of the femoral portion to attach knee module to the hip module.

8. The modular exoskeleton structure according to claim 7 , wherein the connecting bar is capable of sliding inside the femoral segment of the hip module to allow adjustment of a distance between the knee joint and the hip joint.

9. The modular exoskeleton structure according to claim 1 , wherein each foot module further comprises a connecting bar capable of being inserted into a tibial segment of the tibial portion to attach each foot module to each knee module.

10. The modular exoskeleton structure according to claim 1 , wherein the plurality of stacked vertebral elements are connected by a flexible connecting element so that the plurality of vertebral elements remain in the stable equilibrium position and such that during a movement of the back of the user, the flexible connecting element allows a displacement of the stacked vertebral elements with respect to one another while still exerting a return force tending to return the spinal column segment to the stable equilibrium position.

Assignees

• Safran Electronics & Defense
• B Temia Inc

Inventors

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

Classifications

• 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

• B25J9/08

  characterised by modular constructions · CPC title

• A61H2003/007

  secured to the patient, e.g. with belts · CPC title

• A61H2201/0107

  modular · CPC title