Patent Application
20240246223
The present invention relates to an exoskeleton robot and a passive muscular strength support apparatus thereof, and more particularly, to a passive muscular strength support apparatus for an exoskeleton robot that is capable of easily changing the elasticity for supporting muscular strength with simple operation and improving convenience of use by simple installation and detachment.
In general, the support holder of a passive exoskeleton robot for supporting muscular strength supports muscular strength by pushing the chest area during the lifting operation of a certain load or by being located on the back and pulling the waist. Joint modules store elastic energy in springs such as gas springs and coil springs and use the elastic energy to support muscular strength. In particular, when lifting or moving a load by outputting elasticity stored in the ligaments and lumbar joints of the lumbar and sacral regions of the body, the modules play a role in supporting muscular strength by reducing the load when a user bends or twists forward.
In addition, depending on the purpose, support type, and position, the joint modules of a muscular strength support exoskeleton must be manufactured separately and connected to a holder for supporting the user's body. Accordingly, an exoskeleton robot is manufactured individually depending on the type of muscular strength support. In addition, it is not easy for users to attach or detach the exoskeleton robot, the method of use is complicated, and economic efficiency is low. Therefore, in recent years, various studies have been continuously required to improve the usability of exoskeleton robots.
Therefore, the present invention has been made in view of the above problems, and it is one object of the present invention to provide an exoskeleton robot that is capable of easily supporting muscular strength through simple operation and has excellent usability due to improved wearability.
It is another object of the present invention to provide a passive muscular strength support apparatus for the exoskeleton robot satisfying the above objectives.
In accordance with one aspect of the present invention, provided is an exoskeleton robot including a body including first and second driving bodies coupled to each other to have a driving space therein; a first connection configured to connect a hip joint area of a user and the first driving body; a second connection configured to connect a thigh area of the user and the first driving body; a third connection configured to connect a chest or back area of the user and the second driving body; an elastic portion provided in the driving space between the first and second driving bodies, wherein elasticity of the elastic portion is deformed; and an inducer for inducing deformation of the elastic portion in conjunction with movement of at least one of the first to third connections with respect to the body.
In addition, the third connection may be inserted into a guide hole provided in the second driving body, and a position thereof may be adjusted along a guide rail provided in the guide hole.
In addition, the guide rail may have a stepped rail shape to adjust a position of the third connection in an adjustment angle range according to physical conditions of the user.
In addition, the adjustment angle range may include a range of 0 to 100°.
In addition, the inducer may include a first guiding member that is axially coupled to the first driving body so as to be connected to one end of the elastic portion and is capable of axial rotation in a direction in which the elastic portion is wound or unwound; and a second guiding member configured to move along a lead line formed in the first driving body so as to be connected to the other end of the elastic portion, wherein the first and second guiding members are linked to movement of at least one of the second or third connection.
In addition, the elastic portion may include a torsion spring, the first guiding member may include an adjustment hinge that rotates in conjunction with an inner end provided inside the elastic portion, and the second guiding member may include a guiding pin that is coupled to an outer end provided outside the elastic portion and is guided along the lead line.
In addition, the inducer may include one or more guiders coaxially connected to the first guiding member to transmit movement of the second or third connection to the first guiding member.
In accordance with another aspect of the present invention, provided is an exoskeleton robot including first holders mounted on a hip joint area of a user; a second holder mounted on a thigh area of the user; a third holder mounted on a chest or back area of the user; and the passive muscular strength support apparatus that provides driving force by storing elastic energy to support muscular strength and includes a body, first to third connections, an elastic portion, and an inducer, wherein the first to third connections are connected to the first to third holders, respectively.
In addition, the first holders may be connected to a plurality of linkers connecting an upper limb for supporting shoulders and elbows and a lower limb for supporting hips, knees, and ankles.
In addition, the first holders may include at least one pair of first holding bodies with a predetermined area to be in close contact with a hip joint area of the user, a mounting hole through which the first connection is connected may be formed through the first holding bodies, and a plurality of linker holes through which a plurality of linkers are respectively connected may be formed through the first holding bodies.
In addition, the second holder may include at least one pair of second holding bodies curved to fit tightly against a thigh area of the user, and the second holding bodies and the second connection may be linked by the first connection members.
In addition, the third holder may include a third holding body that is attached or detached to a chest or back area of the user, and the third holding body and the third connection may be linked by the second connection members.
According to the present invention having the configuration described above, first, through simple manipulation by a user wearing an exoskeleton robot, a passive muscular strength support apparatus can transform and store elasticity. As a result, driving force required to support muscular strength can be simply stored and output without unnecessary joint driving motion.
Second, parts can be simplified through simple manual operation, which reduces size, improving wearability, and increasing economic efficiency.
Third, a support form can be easily changed to connect to the user's chest or back in response to the user's various usage conditions, thereby improving usability through ease of wearing and detaching.
Hereinafter, preferred embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings. However, the spirit of the present invention is not limited to the embodiments, and the spirit of the present invention may be proposed differently by adding, changing, and deleting the elements constituting the embodiments, which is also within the spirit of the present invention.
Referring to
For reference, as shown in
As shown in
The first holders 10 are placed on the hip joint of the user (H). Here, as shown in
As shown in
Here, the first holding body 11 has a shape in which the mounting hole 12 is provided by penetrating the center portion thereof. More specifically, the first holding body 11 may have an approximately ‘A’ shape inclined to the side. In addition, the linker holes 13 are formed through each end of the first holding body 11, which has an ‘A’ shape tilted to the side. The above shape of the first holding body 11 is an example, and the shape of the first holding body 11 is not limited thereto.
For reference, the linker holes 13 are connected to the linkers (L), which connect the upper limb that supports the shoulder and elbows and the lower limb that supports the hip, knees, and ankles, respectively. The shape of the first holding body 11 and the formation position, number, and size of the mounting hole 12 and the linker holes 13 are not limited to the example shown, and the shapes thereof may be changed in various ways.
As described above, the first holders 10 include the mounting hole 12 and the linker holes 13, so that the first holders 10 guide the user (H) to wear the passive muscular strength support apparatus 100 and the linkers (L) for supporting muscular strength and walking.
The second holder 20 is placed on the thigh area of the user (H). As shown in
In addition, the second holder 20 includes first connection members 22 linked to the passive muscular strength support apparatus 100 and the linkers. The first connection members 22 may have a wire shape with one end fixed to the second holding body 21 and the other end connected to the passive muscular strength support apparatus 100. The first connection members 22 are provided as a pair corresponding to a pair of second holding bodies 21.
Here, the first connection members 22, which are connected to the second holder 20, use relative movements with the linkers (L) and the third holder 30, which are connected to the user's hip joint when supporting muscular strength, and are connected to the linkers (L) connected to the passive muscular strength support apparatus 100. The first connection members 22 are interference links for the storage conversion of elastic energy for the passive muscular strength support apparatus 100.
The third holder 30 is mounted on the chest or back of the user (H). In this embodiment, as shown in
In addition, as shown in
The passive muscular strength support apparatus 100 is configured to be interlinked with the first to third holders 10, 20, and 30, and stores elastic energy for supporting muscular strength and provides driving force. Here, the passive muscular strength support apparatus 100 is mounted on the first holders 10, and elastic energy is stored according to the connection angle with the second and third holders 20 and 30. As shown in
The body 110 includes first and second driving bodies 120 and 130 coupled to each other to have a driving space 121 therein. The first and second driving bodies 120 and 130 are coupled to each other to enable coaxial rotation. More specifically, the first driving body 120 has the driving space 121, and the second driving body 130 is configured to cover the driving space 121 provided in the first driving body 120 like a kind of cover. Here, for convenience of assembly, an exposure hole 133 is formed through the second driving body 130 to expose the driving space 121, and the exposure hole 133 may be covered with a cover 134.
The first connection 140 connects the first driving body 120 to the first holders 10. The first connection 140 is provided to protrude toward the first holders 10 on one side of the first driving body 120 and is mounted on the mounting hole 12 of the first holding body 11. More specifically, at the first connection 140, a mounting protrusion 141 coupled to the mounting hole 12 is provided to protrude. Here, the first driving body 120 may rotate around the mounting protrusion 141 of the first connection 140 connected to the first holding body 11.
The second connection 150 interconnects the second holder 20 and the first driving body 120. For this configuration, the second connection 150 is configured to protrude from the other side of the first driving body 120 toward the second holder 20. The second connection 150 is connected to the second holder 20 by fixing the other end of the second connection member 32, one end of which is connected to the second holder 20.
The third connection 160 interconnects the third holder 30 and the second driving body 130. An insertion hole 161 into which the other end of the second connection member 32 connected to the third holder 30 is inserted is formed on one side of the third connection 160, so that the third connection 160 is connected to the second connection member 32 of the third holder 30. As shown in
The first guide hole 131 is formed through the side of the second driving body 130, and the second guide hole 132 is formed through the front of the second driving body 130. Inside the first guide hole 131, a stepped guide rail 163 is provided to guide the rotation radius of the guide projection 162 of the third connection 160. As shown in
In this embodiment, in response to standard body conditions, the position of the third connection 160 may be adjusted along the guide rail 163 within the adjustment angle range (A) of approximately 0 to 100°, but the present invention is not limited thereto. Here, the third connection 160, whose position is adjusted with respect to the guide rail 163, may be fixed by a fixing means such as a bolt (not shown).
The elastic portion 170 is provided in the driving space 121 between the first and second driving bodies 120 and 130, and the elasticity of the elastic portion 170 varies depending on the movement of at least one of the second and third connections 150 and 160. The elastic portion 170 may include a torsion spring, but the present invention is not limited thereto.
In addition, an inner end 171 provided on the inside of the elastic portion 170 is linked to the movement of the second connection 150, and an outer end 172 provided on the outside of the elastic portion 170 is linked to the movement of the third connection 160. The elastic deformation of the elastic portion 170 will be described in more detail along with the configuration of the inducer 180 to be described later.
The inducer 180 induces deformation of the elastic portion 170 in conjunction with the movement of at least one of the first to third connections 140, 150, and 160. The inducer 180 includes a first guiding member 181 and a second guiding member 182, and at least one of the first and second guiding members 181 and 182 is linked to the movement of at least one of the second and third connections 150 and 160.
The first guiding member 181 is rotatable by being axially coupled to the first driving body 120 so as to be connected to the inner end 171, which is one end of the elastic portion 170. According to one embodiment, the first guiding member 181 includes an adjustment hinge that rotates in the axial direction by axially coupling the inner end 171 of the elastic portion 170 to the first driving body 120. Here, the first guiding member 181 may be linked to the movement of the second connection 150.
More specifically, when the second connection 150 connected to the second holder 20 rotates, the body 110 mounted on the first holders 10 also rotates. As a result, the first guiding member 181, which includes the adjustment hinge axially connected to the first driving body 120, rotates in the axial direction in conjunction with the rotational movement of the body 110. As a result, the inner end 171 of the elastic portion 170 connected to the first guiding member 181 is deformed in a winding or unwinding direction, so that elasticity may be compressed and stored or elasticity may be output by elastic restoring force.
In addition, the inducer 180 may include one or more guiders 183 and 184 coaxially connected to the first guiding member 181 to transmit the movement of the second connection 150 to the first guiding member 181. In this embodiment, the guiders 183 and 184 may include the first guider 183 coaxially connected to the first guiding member 181 connected to the inner end 171 of the elastic portion 170 while pushing the elastic portion 170 toward the first driving body 120 in the surface direction from inside the driving space 121 and the second guider 184 configured to surround the outer diameter of the first guider 183. Here, in the second guider 184, an insertion protrusion 162a protruding from the guide projection 162 protruding from the third connection 160 and inserted into the first guide hole 131 is inserted to provide an insertion line 185 in the circumferential direction.
Here, the shape and number of the first and second guiders 183 and 184 are examples and are not limited to the drawings.
According to the configuration, the rotational force of the body 110 associated with the rotation of the second connection 150 connected to the second holder 20 is transmitted to the first guiding member 181 coaxially connected through the first and second guiders 183 and 184. As a result, the first guiding member 181 rotates the inner end 171 of the elastic portion 170 to deform the elasticity. At this time, contrary to the rotating inner end 171 of the elastic portion 170, the outer end 172 may be fixed to the body 110.
The second guiding member 182 is provided in the first driving body 120 to be connected to the outer end 172, which is the other end of the elastic portion 170, and is capable of moving along a lead line 122 formed in the first driving body 120. In this embodiment, the second guiding member 182 includes a guiding pin that connects the outer end 172 of the elastic portion 170 to the lead line 122 of the first driving body 120, but the present invention is not limited thereto.
Here, when any one of the first and second guiding members 181 and 182, which are respectively connected to the inner end 171 and the outer end 172 of the elastic portion 170, is fixed to the body 110, among the first and second guiding members 181 and 182, the remaining one may move relative to the body 110. At this time, the fixation and movement of the first and second guiding members 181 and 182 may be changed by a user.
The passive muscular strength support operation of the passive muscular strength support apparatus 100 of the exoskeleton robot 1 according to the present invention having the above configuration is explained with reference to
As shown in
When the user (H) wearing the exoskeleton robot 1 equipped with the passive muscular strength support apparatus 100 walks or lifts a load, the exoskeleton robot 1 performs walking or muscular strength support movements. For example, when the user (H) wearing the exoskeleton robot 1 lifts luggage, the second holder 20 mounted on the thigh of the user (H) rotates, and the rotational movement of the second holder 20 links the second connection 150 through the first connection members 22. In conjunction with the rotational motion of the second holder 20 and the second connection 150, the elastic portion 170 is compressed and the elasticity is stored.
At this time, elastic deformation force is induced by the first guiding member 181, which is axially connected to the inner end 171, so that the elastic portion 170 receives the rotational force of the body 110 through the first and second guiders 183 and 184. The elasticity stored as the elastic deformation force of the elastic portion 170 is applied to support muscular strength, thereby supporting the muscular strength of the user (H). Conversely, even when the inner end 171 of the elastic portion 170 is fixed and the outer end 172 is rotated with the second guiding member 182 along the lead line 122, the elasticity of the elastic portion 170 is varied to manually support muscular strength.
As described above, when supporting muscular strength by the exoskeleton robot 1, the passive muscular strength support apparatus 100 stores elasticity using the relative movement of the first to third holders 10, 20, and 30 to support muscular strength. Therefore, unlike the existing method in which the user (H) deforms the elastic portion 170 by directly applying a load through the movement of the joint, elastic energy is stored in conjunction with the user's (H) movement to apply muscular strength. That is, the passive muscular strength support apparatus 100 according to the present invention may reduce unnecessary movement of the user (H), and sufficient muscular strength support is possible with a small amount of muscular strength consumption.
In addition, in this embodiment, the passive muscular strength support apparatus 100 is exemplified by manually deforming the elasticity for supporting muscular strength by the user's operation. A modified embodiment in which the passive muscular strength support apparatus 100 includes a motor to control elastic deformation of the elastic portion 170 is also possible.
In addition, as shown in
Although the present invention has been described above with reference to the embodiments of the present invention, those skilled in the art may variously modify and change the present invention without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention as set forth in the claims below.
| Number | Date | Country | Kind |
|---|---|---|---|
| 10-2021-0068148 | May 2021 | KR | national |
| Filing Document | Filing Date | Country | Kind |
|---|---|---|---|
| PCT/KR2022/006394 | 5/4/2022 | WO |
