Connecting module and motion assistance apparatus including the same

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2016016307-A1
Application number	US-201414536964-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Nov 10, 2014
Priority date	Jul 17, 2014
Publication date	Jan 21, 2016
Grant date	—

Abstract

Provided are a connecting module and a motion assistance apparatus including the same, the connecting module including a case provided to incline downward from a space recessed between a waist and a hip of a user to a hip joint of the user, a power transmitting assembly disposed in an internal portion of the case, and a supporting module connecting portion disposed at an output terminal of the power transmitting assembly and to be fastened with a supporting module that supports a leg of the user.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . A connecting module comprising:
a connecting frame configured to transmit driving power, the connection frame including,
a case configured to position in a space recessed between a waist and a hip of a user, the case configured to incline downward from the hip of the user;
a power transmitting assembly inside of the case; and
a support connector at an output terminal of the power transmitting assembly, the support connector configured to connect with a support that supports a leg of the user.

2 . The connecting module of claim 1 , wherein the connecting frame further comprises:
a driving source at an input terminal of the power transmitting assembly such that the driving source is disposed in the recessed space.

3 . The connecting module of claim 2 , wherein the power transmitting assembly comprises:
a plurality of decelerating gears that incline downward in a longitudinal direction relative to the case.

4 . The connecting module of claim 3 , wherein the plurality of decelerating gears comprises:
a first decelerating gear configured to receive a power from the driving source; and a second decelerating gear provided to receive a power from the first decelerating gear to rotate the support connector, wherein
the first decelerating gear and the second decelerating gear each are a compound gear in which gears having different diameters are combined.

5 . The connecting module of claim 4 , wherein
a gear having a relatively large diameter in the first decelerating gear is configured to connect to a driving gear of the driving source, a gear having a relatively small diameter in the first decelerating gear is configured to connect to a gear having a relatively large diameter in the second decelerating gear, and the gear having the relatively small diameter in the first decelerating gear and a gear having a relatively small diameter in the second decelerating gear are disposed to face opposite sides of the case.

6 . The connecting module of claim 4 , wherein
the case is bent, a gear having a relatively large diameter in the first decelerating gear is configured to connect to a driving gear of the driving source, a gear having a relatively small diameter in the first decelerating gear is configured to connect to a gear having a relatively large diameter in the second decelerating gear, and the gear having the relatively small diameter in the first decelerating gear and a gear having a relatively small diameter in the second decelerating gear are disposed to face a same side of the case.

7 . The connecting module of claim 3 , wherein
the case is bent, and a driving gear of the driving source and at least a portion of the plurality of decelerating gears are bevel gears.

8 . The connecting module of claim 3 , wherein
widths of end portions of the case are narrower than a width of a central portion of the case, and a diameter of one of the decelerating gears at the center portion is greater than a diameter of one of the decelerating gears at the input terminal of the power transmitting assembly and a diameter of one of the decelerating gears at the output terminal of the power transmitting assembly.

9 . The connecting module of claim 2 , wherein the case comprises:
a first case connected to the driving source, the first case including a rigid material such that the first case is configured to support the driving source; a second case connected to the support connector , the second case including a rigid material such that the second case is configured to support the support connector; and a third case connected between the first case and the second case, the third case including a flexible material.

10 . The connecting module of claim 9 , wherein the power transmitting assembly comprises:
a longitudinal direction member configured to extend in a longitudinal direction of the third case.

11 . The connecting module of claim 2 , wherein the case comprises:
a flexible frame including a flexible material; a driving source support on one side of the flexible frame, the driving source support configured to support the driving source; and a support connector support provided on another side of the flexible frame, the support connector support configured to support the support connector.

12 . The connecting module of claim 1 , further comprising:
a combining frame configured to cover at least a portion of a side surface of the waist of the user, wherein the case is configured to integrate with the combining frame.

13 . A motion assistance apparatus comprising:
a fixing member configured to attach to a waist of a user; a support configured to be fixed to a limb of the user to assist a movement of the limb; and a connecting module including a connecting frame configured to transmit power to the support, the connection frame including,
a driving source on a first side thereof, the connecting module configured to connect to the fixing member,
a support connector on a second side of the connection frame, the support connector configured to connect with the support, and
a power transmitting assembly configured to transmit the power between the driving source and the support connector.

14 . The motion assistance apparatus of claim 13 , wherein the connecting frame further comprises:
a case configured to mount in a space recessed between a waist and a hip of the user.

15 . The motion assistance apparatus of claim 14 , wherein the power transmitting assembly comprises:
a plurality of rotating bodies provided to transmit the power therebetween, the plurality of rotating bodies are configured to align in a longitudinal direction of the case.

16 . The motion assistance apparatus of claim 13 , wherein the connecting module further comprises:
a combining frame configured to cover at least a portion of the waist of the user, the combining frame configured to slidably connect to the fixing member such that the combining frame is adjustable based on a circumference of the waist of the user.

17 . The motion assistance apparatus of claim 16 , wherein the driving source, the support connector, and the power transmitting assembly are inside the combining frame.

18 . The motion assistance apparatus of claim 13 , wherein the support is configured to detach from the connecting frame.

19 . The motion assistance apparatus of claim 18 , wherein the support connector comprises:
a connecting disc configured to rotate in response to a power received from the power transmitting assembly, the connecting disc including a plurality of first combining portions provided to be mutually asymmetric based on an axis of rotation of the connecting disc, wherein the support includes a plurality of second combining portions having shapes corresponding to shapes of the plurality of first combining portions.

20 . The motion assistance apparatus of claim 13 , further comprising:
a joint member between the support connector and the support, the joint member including a hinge configured to connect the connecting frame and the supporting such that the support can adduct and abduct.

Assignees

• Samsung Electronics Co Ltd

Inventors

• Choi Byungjune
• Lee Youn Baek
• Roh Se-Gon
• Lee Minhyung
• Kim Jeonghun
• Lee Jongwon
• Choi Hyun Do

Classifications

• B25J9/102 Primary

  Gears specially adapted therefor, e.g. reduction gears (gearings in general F16H) · CPC title

• B25J9/0006

  Exoskeletons, i.e. resembling a human figure · 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

• A61H2201/1628

  Pelvis · CPC title

• A61F2005/0169

  with damping means · CPC title