Walk training apparatus and walk training method thereof

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9737453-B2
Application number	US-201514715124-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	May 18, 2015
Priority date	May 27, 2014
Publication date	Aug 22, 2017
Grant date	Aug 22, 2017

Abstract

A walk training apparatus includes a walking assist device, a first tensile portion, and a second tensile portion. The walking assist device is configured to be attached to a leg of a user so as to assist the user in walking. The first tensile portion pulls at least one of the walking assist device and the leg of the user toward a vertically upper side and toward a front side. The second tensile portion pulls at least one of the walking assist device and the leg of the user toward the vertically upper side and toward a rear side.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A walk training apparatus comprising:
a walking assist device configured to be attached to a leg of a user so as to assist the user during walking;
a treadmill on which the user can walk;
a first tensile portion configured to pull at least one of the walking assist device and the leg of the user toward a vertically upper side and toward a front side;
a second tensile portion configured to pull at least one of the walking assist device and the leg of the user toward the vertically upper side and toward a rear side; and
a control device that includes a processor and a memory and is configured to control independently a tensile force of the first tensile portion and a tensile force of the second tensile portion such that:
(i) a resultant force of a vertically upward component of the tensile force of the first tensile portion and a vertically upward component of the tensile force of the second tensile portion and (ii) a resultant force of a horizontal component of the tensile force of the first tensile portion and a horizontal component of the tensile force of the second tensile portion are independently adjusted.

2. The walk training apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein
the resultant force of the vertically upward component of the tensile force of the first tensile portion and the vertically upward component of the tensile force of the second tensile portion is equal to a gravity of the walking assist device.

3. The walk training apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein:
an upper leg frame of the walking assist device which is attachable to an upper part of the leg of the user or a lower leg frame of the walking assist device which is attachable to a lower part of the leg of the user is provided with a plurality of adjustment frames aligned in a vertically up-down direction; and
a wire pulled by the first tensile portion and a wire pulled by the second tensile portion are connected to any one of the plurality of adjustment frames.

4. The walk training apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein:
an upper leg frame of the walking assist device which is attachable to an upper part of the leg of the user and a lower leg frame of the walking assist device which is attachable to a lower part of the leg of the user are provided with a plurality of adjustment frames aligned in a vertically up-down direction; and
a wire pulled by the first tensile portion and a wire pulled by the second tensile portion are connected to any one of the plurality of adjustment frames.

5. The walk training apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein
each of the first tensile portion and the second tensile portion includes a wire having one end attached to at least one of the walking assist device and the leg of the user, and a wire tensile portion configured to retract the wire.

6. The walk training apparatus according to claim 5 , wherein
at least one of the wire tensile portion of the first tensile portion and the wire tensile portion of the second tensile portion is provided in a movable manner in a right-left direction.

7. The walk training apparatus according to claim 1 , further configured such that
(i) a first tensile point of the walking assist device by the first tensile portion and a second tensile point of the walking assist device by the second tensile portion or (ii) a third tensile point of the leg of the user by the first tensile portion and a fourth tensile point of the leg of the user by the second tensile portion can be provided around the leg of the user in a movable manner.

8. The walk training apparatus according to claim 1 , further configured such that
(i) a first tensile point of the walking assist device by the first tensile portion, (ii) a second tensile point of the walking assist device by the second tensile portion, (iii) a third tensile point of the leg of the user by the first tensile portion, and (iv) a fourth tensile point of the leg of the user by the second tensile portion can be provided around the leg of the user in a movable manner.

9. A walk training method for a walk training apparatus including (i) a walking assist device configured to be attached to a leg of a user so as to assist the user during walking and (ii) a treadmill on which the user can walk, the walk training method comprising:
pulling, by a first tensile portion, at least one of the walking assist device and the leg of the user toward a vertically upper side and toward a front side,
pulling, by a second tensile portion, at least one of the walking assist device and the leg of the user toward the vertically upper side and toward a rear side, and
independently controlling, by a control device that includes a processor and a memory, a tensile force of the first tensile portion and a tensile force of the second tensile portion such that:
(i) a resultant force of a vertically upward component of the tensile force of the first tensile portion and a vertically upward component of the tensile force of the second tensile portion and (ii) a resultant force of a horizontal component of the tensile force of the first tensile portion and a horizontal component of the tensile force of the second tensile portion are independently adjusted.

10. The walk training apparatus according to claim 1 , further comprising:
an ankle joint portion that connects a sole frame and a lower leg frame;
a first motor configured to drive the ankle joint portion;
a knee joint portion that connects the lower leg frame and an upper leg frame; and
a second motor configured to drive the knee joint portion.

11. The walk training method according to claim 9 , further comprising the steps of:
inputting a leg load-relief amount and a swinging assist amount into the control device; and
calculating the tensile force for the first tensile portion and the tensile force for the second tensile portion based on the inputted leg load-relief amount and the swinging assist amount.

12. A walk training apparatus comprising:
a walking assist device configured to be attached to a leg of a user translating on a platform so as to assist the user during walking;
a first tensile portion configured to pull at least one of the walking assist device and the leg of the user toward a vertically upper side and toward a front side;
a second tensile portion configured to pull at least one of the walking assist device and the leg of the user toward the vertically upper side and toward a rear side; and
a control device that includes a processor and a memory and is configured to control independently a tensile force of the first tensile portion and a tensile force of the second tensile portion such that:
(i) a resultant force of a vertically upward component of the tensile force of the first tensile portion and a vertically upward component of the tensile force of the second tensile portion and (ii) a resultant force of a horizontal component of the tensile force of the first tensile portion and a horizontal component of the tensile force of the second tensile portion are independently adjusted.

Assignees

• Toyota Motor Co Ltd

Inventors

• Shimada Hiroshi
• Imaida Masayuki
• Konosu Hitoshi
• Fujikake Yoshinori
• Saitoh Eiichi

Classifications

• A61H1/0266

  Foot · CPC title

• A63B2024/0093

  the load of the exercise apparatus being controlled by performance parameters, e.g. distance or speed · CPC title

• A63B22/0046

  Details of the support elements or their connection to the exercising apparatus, e.g. adjustment of size or orientation (attachments of resisters or weights to the body of the user A63B21/4001; using rollers, wheels, castors or gliding means to be moved over the floor or guide tracks A63B22/20) · CPC title

• A61H2201/165

  Wearable interfaces · CPC title

• A61H1/024 Primary

  Knee (A61H1/0255 takes precedence) · CPC title