Clutch adapted for exoskeleton and ankle joint assisted exoskeleton

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12466059-B2
Application number	US-202217864355-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jul 13, 2022
Priority date	Nov 18, 2021
Publication date	Nov 11, 2025
Grant date	Nov 11, 2025

Abstract

A clutch adapted for an exoskeleton includes lower and upper base plates, a roller, a roller ratchet ring, a trigger, a pawl, a pawl spring, a trigger torsional spring, a trigger positioning shaft, and a pawl positioning shaft. Two ends of the trigger positioning shaft are respectively connected to the upper and lower base plates. The trigger and the trigger torsional spring are sleeved on the trigger positioning shaft. Two ends of the trigger torsional spring are respectively connected to the lower base plate and the trigger. Two ends of the pawl positioning shaft are connected to the lower and upper base plates. The pawl spring and the pawl are respectively sleeved on the pawl positioning shaft. Two ends of the roller are rotatably connected to the lower and upper base plates. The pawl is detachably connected to the roller ratchet ring. The trigger is movably connected to the pawl.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . A clutch adapted for an exoskeleton, the clutch comprising a clutch lower base plate, a clutch upper base plate, a clutch roller, a clutch roller ratchet ring, a clutch trigger, a clutch pawl, a clutch pawl spring, a clutch trigger torsional spring, a clutch roller torsional spring, a clutch trigger positioning shaft, and a clutch pawl positioning shaft;
wherein the clutch upper base plate and the clutch lower base plate are arranged at intervals, two ends of the clutch trigger positioning shaft are respectively connected to the clutch upper base plate and the clutch lower base plate, the clutch trigger and the clutch trigger torsional spring are sleeved on the clutch trigger positioning shaft, and two ends of the clutch trigger torsional spring are respectively and fixedly connected to the clutch trigger and the clutch lower base plate; two ends of the clutch pawl positioning shaft are respectively connected to the clutch lower base plate and the clutch upper base plate, the clutch pawl spring and the clutch pawl are sleeved on the clutch pawl positioning shaft, two ends of the clutch pawl spring are respectively and fixedly connected to the clutch lower base plate and the clutch pawl; two ends of the clutch roller are respectively and rotatably connected to the clutch lower base plate and the clutch upper base plate, two ends of the clutch roller torsional spring are respectively connected to the clutch lower base plate and the clutch roller, and the clutch roller ratchet ring is arranged on one end of the clutch roller adjacent to the clutch upper base plate; the clutch pawl is detachably connected to the clutch roller ratchet ring, the clutch trigger is movably connected to the clutch pawl; the clutch trigger drives the clutch pawl to rotate by rotating, such that the clutch pawl abuts against the clutch roller ratchet ring or the clutch pawl is disengaged from the clutch roller ratchet ring, and that the clutch is in a locked state or an open state; when the clutch is in the locked state, the clutch roller is rotatable unidirectionally; when the clutch is in the open state, the clutch is rotatable bidirectionally.

2 . The clutch adapted for the exoskeleton according to claim 1 , wherein the clutch roller and the clutch trigger are connected to an energy storage mechanism of the exoskeleton, and the energy storage mechanism rotates as a human body walks, and drives the clutch trigger and the clutch roller to rotate respectively.

3 . The clutch adapted for the exoskeleton according to claim 1 , wherein one side of the clutch roller is provided with a torsional spring hole, a bottom portion of the torsional spring hole is evenly provided with a torsional spring position-limiting through hole, the clutch roller torsional spring is located in the torsional spring hole, and one end of the clutch roller torsional spring is fixed in the torsional spring position-limiting through hole, while the other end of the clutch roller torsional spring is fixed in the torsional spring position-limiting through hole of the clutch lower base plate; another side of the clutch roller is formed with an arc gear, an inner side of the clutch roller ratchet ring is formed with an arc gear, and ratchet teeth arranged at intervals are formed at an outer side of the clutch roller ratchet ring; the inner side of the clutch roller ratchet ring is engaged with the clutch roller to be fixed together, and the outer side of the clutch roller ratchet ring is detachably connected to the clutch pawl.

4 . The clutch adapted for the exoskeleton according to claim 1 , wherein the clutch trigger comprises an oval connecting portion and a pawl, the connecting portion is rotatably connected to the clutch trigger positioning shaft; the pawl is connected to one end of the connecting portion, the pawl cooperates with the clutch pawl to adjust a working state of the clutch; one end of the connecting portion away from the pawl is provided with a wire hole, and the wire hole is configured for a calf clutch trigger cord to pass therethrough, one end of the calf clutch trigger cord is connected to the connecting portion, and another end of the calf clutch trigger cord is configured to connect an energy storage mechanism of the exoskeleton.

5 . The clutch adapted for the exoskeleton according to claim 4 , wherein an engaging protrusion is formed on the clutch pawl, and the engaging protrusion cooperates with the pawl to adjust the working state of the clutch.

6 . The clutch adapted for the exoskeleton according to claim 1 , wherein the clutch further comprises a clutch trigger position-limiting shaft, and two ends of the clutch trigger position-limiting shaft are respectively fixed on the clutch lower base plate and the clutch upper base plate, so as to limit a position to which the clutch trigger is restored.

7 . The clutch adapted for the exoskeleton according to claim 1 , wherein the clutch further comprises an ankle joint assisted cord stopper, the ankle joint assisted cord stopper is arc-shaped, and two ends of the ankle joint assisted cord stopper are respectively fixed in arc-shaped grooves of the clutch lower base plate and the clutch upper base plate.

8 . The clutch adapted for the exoskeleton according to claim 1 , wherein a stiffness and a spring wire diameter of the clutch pawl spring are respectively less than a stiffness and a spring wire diameter of the clutch trigger torsional spring, and an initial preload force of the clutch pawl spring is less than an initial preload force of the clutch trigger torsional spring.

9 . An ankle joint assisted exoskeleton, comprising: a first passive exoskeleton, wherein the first passive exoskeleton comprises the clutch as claimed in claim 1 , an energy storage mechanism, and strike-recipient mechanisms,
the energy storage mechanism is connected to the strike-recipient mechanisms, and the clutch is connected to the energy storage mechanism and the strike-recipient mechanisms, the strike-recipient mechanisms collect an energy that is generated by heels impacting the ground through rotation deformation when the human body walks, and drive the energy storage mechanism to deform; the energy storage mechanism stores the energy from the strike-recipient mechanisms through elastic deformation, and is configured to assist an ankle joint when the human body walks and pushes off, and the energy storage mechanism drives the clutch to rotate; and a calf clutch performs time-division regulation on the energy storage mechanism through rotation.

10 . The ankle joint assisted exoskeleton according to claim 9 , wherein the energy storage mechanism is connected to the clutch trigger and the clutch roller respectively through a calf clutch trigger cord and an ankle joint assisted cord; the energy storage mechanism comprises a ratchet shaft, and the ratchet shaft is connected to the strike-recipient mechanisms, the calf clutch trigger cord and the ankle joint assisted cord are respectively and indirectly connected to the ratchet shaft; the exoskeleton further comprises a second passive exoskeleton; when in use, the first passive exoskeleton and the second passive exoskeleton are in a mirror-image relationship with respect to a sagittal plane of the human body, and the two strike-recipient mechanisms are adapted to be respectively worn on a left foot and a right foot.

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

• A61H1/0266 Primary

  Foot · CPC title

• A61H2201/1445

  Overrunning clutches; One-way clutches · CPC title

• A61H2003/007

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

• B25J9/109

  comprising mechanical programming means, e.g. cams · 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