Passive exoskeleton based on energy flow characteristics of foot-ankle complex

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12447603-B2
Application number	US-202217864338-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jul 13, 2022
Priority date	Nov 18, 2021
Publication date	Oct 21, 2025
Grant date	Oct 21, 2025

Abstract

A passive exoskeleton based on energy flow characteristics of a foot-ankle complex includes a first passive exoskeleton. The first passive exoskeleton includes an energy distribution mechanism, a strike-recipient mechanism and a wearing fixing assembly. The energy distribution mechanism is connected to the strike-recipient mechanism, and the energy distribution mechanism is also connected to the wearing fixing assembly. The energy distribution mechanism includes a ratchet wheel shaft, a left torsional spring, a right torsional spring and a middle guide wheel respectively sleeved on the ratchet wheel shaft. The middle guide wheel is connected to the wearing fixing assembly through an ankle joint power-assisted cord. The ratchet wheel shaft is connected to the strike-recipient mechanism, the strike-recipient mechanism drives the ratchet wheel shaft to rotate, and the ratchet wheel shaft drives the left torsional spring, the right torsional spring and the middle guide wheel to rotate.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A passive exoskeleton based on energy flow characteristics of a foot-ankle complex, the passive exoskeleton comprising:
a first passive exoskeleton, wherein the first passive exoskeleton comprises an energy distribution mechanism, a strike-recipient mechanism and a wearing fixing assembly, the energy distribution mechanism is connected to the strike-recipient mechanism, and the energy distribution mechanism is further connected to the wearing fixing assembly;
when in use, the wearing fixing assembly is fixed on a calf of a human body, and the strike-recipient mechanism is fixed on a foot of the human body; the strike-recipient mechanism deforms with a walking gait of the human body and collects a negative work generated during a heel-strike phase; the energy distribution mechanism comprises a ratchet wheel shaft, a left torsional spring, a right torsional spring and a middle guide wheel respectively sleeved on the ratchet wheel shaft, the middle guide wheel is connected to the wearing fixing assembly through an ankle joint power-assisted cord; the ratchet wheel shaft is connected to the strike-recipient mechanism, the strike-recipient mechanism drives the ratchet wheel shaft to rotate, and the ratchet wheel shaft drives the left torsional spring, the right torsional spring and the middle guide wheel to rotate, the left torsional spring and the right torsional spring store an energy transmitted by the strike-recipient mechanism through elastic deformation and release the stored energy through elastic recovery to assist an ankle joint to push-off.

2. The passive exoskeleton based on the energy flow characteristics of the foot-ankle complex according to claim 1 , wherein the energy distribution mechanism comprises a left connecting plate, a right connecting plate, a left foot guide wheel, a right foot guide wheel, a ratchet wheel, a left torsional spring baffle and a right torsional spring baffle, two ends of the ratchet wheel shaft respectively pass through the left connecting plate and the right connecting plate; the left foot guide wheel, the left connecting plate, the left torsional spring, the middle guide wheel, the ratchet wheel, the right torsional spring baffle, the right torsional spring, the right connecting plate and the right foot guide wheel are sequentially sleeved on the ratchet wheel shaft along an axial direction of the ratchet wheel shaft.

3. The passive exoskeleton based on the energy flow characteristics of the foot-ankle complex according to claim 2 , wherein the left foot guide wheel and the right foot guide wheel are connected to the strike-recipient mechanism respectively through a left foot energy storage cord and a right foot energy storage cord, and the strike-recipient mechanism is a symmetrical structure.

4. The passive exoskeleton based on the energy flow characteristics of the foot-ankle complex according to claim 3 , wherein the strike-recipient mechanism comprises a reinforced carbon tube, a heel connecting frame, rear foot frames, slider connecting rods and connecting cranks, the two rear foot frames are arranged at intervals and are respectively connected to the left connecting plate and the right connecting plate; two ends of the reinforced carbon tube are respectively connected to the two rear foot frames; two ends of the heel connecting frame are respectively connected to the two rear foot frames; middle portions of the two connecting cranks are respectively and rotatably connected to middle portions of the two rear foot frames; one ends of the two connecting cranks are respectively connected to the left foot energy storage cord and the right foot energy storage cord, and the other ends of the two connecting cranks are respectively and rotatably connected to one ends of the two slider connecting rods, the other ends of the two slider connecting rods are respectively and rotatably connected to one ends of the two rear foot frames away from the reinforced carbon tube.

5. The passive exoskeleton based on the energy flow characteristics of the foot-ankle complex according to claim 4 , wherein the reinforced carbon tube and the heel connecting frame are connected to shoe.

6. The passive exoskeleton based on the energy flow characteristics of the foot-ankle complex according to claim 2 , wherein the energy distribution mechanism further comprises a pawl, a detent, a pawl stopper, and a pawl shaft, two ends of the pawl shaft are respectively connected to the left connecting plate and the right connecting plate; the pawl stopper is fixed on the pawl shaft, the pawl is rotatably arranged on the pawl shaft, and one end of the detent is connected to the pawl stopper, and the other end of the detent is movably connected to one end of the pawl; the other end of the pawl is detachably connected to the ratchet wheel; the pawl engages or is disengaged from the ratchet wheel to make the ratchet wheel to be in a locked state or an open state, when the ratchet wheel is in the locked state, the ratchet wheel is rotatable unidirectionally; when the ratchet wheel is in the open state, the ratchet wheel is rotatable bidirectionally.

7. The passive exoskeleton based on the energy flow characteristics of the foot-ankle complex according to claim 6 , wherein the pawl stopper is Z-shaped, one end of the pawl stopper is fixed on the pawl shaft, and the other end of the pawl stopper is connected to the detent; the detent is elastically deformed to limit a position of the pawl.

8. The passive exoskeleton based on the energy flow characteristics of the foot-ankle complex according to claim 7 , wherein the detent comprises a detent housing, a detent thimble, and a detent spring, one end of the detent housing is connected to one end of the pawl stopper away from the pawl shaft, one end of the detent spring is connected to the detent housing, the other end of the detent spring is connected to one end of the detent thimble, and the other end of the detent thimble protrudes out of the detent housing and is movably connected to the pawl.

9. The passive exoskeleton based on the energy flow characteristics of the foot-ankle complex according to claim 8 , wherein the pawl comprises a pawl body, a pawl restore cord connector, a pawl pushing curved surface body and a pawl position-limiting protrusion, one end of the pawl body is rotatably connected to the pawl shaft, and the pawl pushing curved surface body is arranged on the other end of the pawl body and faces the ratchet wheel; the pawl position-limiting protrusion is arranged on the pawl pushing curved surface body; the pawl body is detachably connected to the ratchet wheel; the pawl restore cord connector is connected to one end of a pawl restore cord, and the other end of the pawl restore cord is connected to the ratchet wheel.

10. The passive exoskeleton based on the energy flow characteristics of the foot-ankle complex according to claim 9 , wherein a ratchet wheel claw and a ratchet wheel restore cord connector are arranged at intervals on the same side of the ratchet wheel, the other end of the pawl restore cord is connected to the ratchet wheel restore cord connector, and the ratchet wheel claw is detachably connected to the pawl pushing curved surface body; the wearing fixing assembly is a symmetrical structure, and two opposite sides of the wearing fixing assembly are respectively and rotatably connected to the left connecting plate and the right connecting plate.

Assignees

• Univ Huazhong Science Tech

Inventors

• Xiong cai-hua
• Wang Tao
• Hu Di
• Liang Jie Jun Yi
• Li Yuhao
• Zhou tian-cheng
• Chen Wen-Bin

Classifications

• A61H2201/1642

  Holding means therefor · CPC title

• A61H2201/14

  Special force transmission means, i.e. between the driving means and the interface with the user · CPC title

• A61H2201/1284

  using own weight · CPC title

• A61H2003/007

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

• A61H1/0266 Primary

  Foot · CPC title