Apparatus for human arm supporting exoskeleton
First Claim
1. An arm supporting exoskeleton comprising:
- an arm link mechanism, configured to be coupled to an upper arm of a person, the arm link mechanism comprising;
a proximal link;
a distal link, configured to rotate relative to the proximal link around a first rotational axis;
at least one arm coupler, attached to the distal link and adapted to couple the upper arm of the person to the distal link;
at least one torque generator, coupled to the proximal link and the distal link and configured to generate a torque between the proximal link and the distal link; and
a protrusion, located substantially at a rotating joint of the first rotational axis and configured to constrain the at least one torque generator, wherein;
when an angle between the proximal link and the distal link is smaller than a toggle angle, the torque generated by the at least one torque generator between the proximal link and the distal link remains at or above the torque of a first torque mode, andwhen the angle between the proximal link and the distal link is larger than the toggle angle, the torque generated by the at least one torque generator between the proximal link and the distal link remains at or below the torque of a second torque mode.
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Abstract
An arm supporting exoskeleton comprises a shoulder base coupled to an arm link mechanism. The arm link mechanism comprises a proximal link and a distal link configured to rotate relative to each other about a rotating joint; at least one arm-coupler adapted to couple a user'"'"'s arm to the distal link; a tensile force generator coupled to the proximal link and the distal link, and providing a torque to flex the distal link relative to the proximal link; and a protrusion located substantially at the rotating joint. When the distal link extends past a toggle angle, the protrusion constrains the tensile force generator, and the torque provided by the tensile force generator remains substantially small, When the protrusion does not constrain the tensile force generator, the torque tends to flex the distal link relative to the proximal link, thereby reducing human shoulder forces and torques required to raise the arm.
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Citations
30 Claims
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1. An arm supporting exoskeleton comprising:
an arm link mechanism, configured to be coupled to an upper arm of a person, the arm link mechanism comprising; a proximal link; a distal link, configured to rotate relative to the proximal link around a first rotational axis; at least one arm coupler, attached to the distal link and adapted to couple the upper arm of the person to the distal link; at least one torque generator, coupled to the proximal link and the distal link and configured to generate a torque between the proximal link and the distal link; and a protrusion, located substantially at a rotating joint of the first rotational axis and configured to constrain the at least one torque generator, wherein; when an angle between the proximal link and the distal link is smaller than a toggle angle, the torque generated by the at least one torque generator between the proximal link and the distal link remains at or above the torque of a first torque mode, and when the angle between the proximal link and the distal link is larger than the toggle angle, the torque generated by the at least one torque generator between the proximal link and the distal link remains at or below the torque of a second torque mode. - View Dependent Claims (4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30)
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2. The arm supporting exoskeleton of claim I,
wherein the at least one torque generator comprises a tensile force generator, comprising a first end and a second end, the tensile force generator being coupled to the proximal link at the first end of the tensile force generator and being coupled to the distal link at the second end of the tensile force generator, and wherein the tensile force in the tensile force generator provides the torque to flex the distal link relative to the proximal link.
Specification