Walking assistance device

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9022958-B2
Application number	US-201213488880-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jun 5, 2012
Priority date	Jun 10, 2011
Publication date	May 5, 2015
Grant date	May 5, 2015

Abstract

In a walking assistance device ( 10 ) that can transmit the power generated by a power generator ( 26, 28 ) to a femoral part of a user, a swing arm ( 60, 62 ) is attached to an output member of the power generator at a base end thereof, and is connected to a femoral support plate ( 68, 70 ) at a free end thereof via a pivot joint ( 64 ). The pivot joint includes a spherical projection ( 100 ) provided on the free end of the swing arm and a socket ( 112 ) provided on the femoral support plate, the socket defining a spherical recess ( 110 ) configured to receive the spherical projection to permit a tilting movement of the femoral support plate at least in two directions with respect to the free end of the swing arm. Thereby, the femoral support plate is enabled to accommodate the build and/or the movement of the femoral part of the user.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A walking assistance device, comprising:
a pelvic frame having an intermediate portion configured to be applied to a lower back of a user and a pair of front portions extending laterally outward and forward from the intermediate portion;
an abdominal belt detachably securing the pelvic frame on a pelvic part of the user;
a power generator attached to each front portion of the pelvic frame at a position corresponding to a hip joint of the user;
a swing arm having a base end connected to an output end of each power generator; and
a femoral support member connected to a free end of the swing arm via a pivot joint and configured to be applied to a femoral part of the user;
wherein the pivot joint includes a spherical projection provided on one of the free end of the swing arm and the femoral support member and a socket provided on the other of the free end of the swing arm and the femoral support member, the socket defining a spherical recess configured to receive the spherical projection to permit a tilting movement of the femoral support member at least in two directions with respect to the free end of the swing arm, and
wherein the spherical projection is provided with a pair of flat surfaces on either side thereof substantially in parallel to each other, and the spherical recess is provided with an open end including a narrower side limited by a pair of parallel edges, a width between the two parallel edges being smaller than a nominal outer diameter of the spherical projection and being equal to or greater than a width between the two flat surfaces.

2. The walking assistance device according to claim 1 , wherein the femoral support member includes a front femoral support plate configured to be applied to a front part of the femoral part of the user and a femoral belt configured to be detachably passed around the femoral part of the user and engaged by either side part of the femoral support plate at two ends thereof.

3. The walking assistance device according to claim 1 , wherein the width between the two flat surfaces of the spherical projection is narrower at a free end of the spherical projection than at a base end thereof.

4. The walking assistance device according to claim 3 , wherein the socket includes a plurality of discrete surface pieces defining an inner surface of the spherical recess, the discrete surface pieces including a bottom surface piece and a pair of side surface pieces, each side surface piece including an overhang such that the side surface pieces jointly define an open end of the spherical recess narrower than the nominal outer diameter of the spherical projection but equal to or wider than the width between the two flat surfaces of the spherical projection.

5. The walking assistance device according to claim 4 , wherein the socket is provided with a pair of through holes on either side of the bottom surface piece.

6. The walking assistance device according to claim 1 , wherein the abdominal belt includes a pair of side belt parts extending forward along an inner side of the pelvic frame from a rear part thereof and a front belt part connecting front ends of the side belt parts, and the walking assistance device further comprises a pair of stabilizer members each having a base end fixedly attached to the corresponding front portion of the pelvic frame and a free end engaging the corresponding side belt part of the abdominal belt, the free end of the stabilizer member permitting the side belt to move in a lengthwise direction relative to the stabilizer member.

7. The walking assistance device according to claim 6 , wherein each stabilizer member is flexible for a bending movement thereof toward and away from the user, and is stiff against a bending movement thereof in a vertical direction.

8. The walking assistance device according to claim 6 , wherein each stabilizer member includes a main body including a plurality of fabric sheets layered and stitched together, a connecting member attached to a base end of the main body and fastened to the corresponding front portion of the pelvic frame and a belt holder attached to a free end of the main body and defining a slot through which the corresponding side belt part is passed.

Assignees

• Shimizu Hideo
• Hideaki Takahashi
• Okazaki Koji
• Honda Motor Co Ltd

Inventors

• Shimizu Hideo
• Takahashi Hideaki
• Okazaki Koji

Classifications

• A61H2201/1673

  Multidimensional rotation · CPC title

• A61H2201/1215

  Rotary drive · CPC title

• A61H1/0244 Primary

  Hip (A61H1/0255 takes precedence) · CPC title

• A61H2201/5002

  Means for controlling a set of similar massage devices acting in sequence at different locations on a patient · CPC title

• A61H2201/163

  holding means therefor · CPC title