Exoskeletons for running and walking

• US 20110040216A1
• Filed: 08/19/2010
• Published: 02/17/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 03/31/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Massachusetts Institute of Technology
• Original Assignee: Massachusetts Institute of Technology
• Inventors: Herr, Hugh M., Valiente, Andrew, Walsh, Conor, Grand, William, Paluska, Daniel Joseph, Pasch, Kenneth
• Granted Patent: US 10,485,681 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 601/34
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2/60 Artificial legs or feet or parts thereof
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2/605 Hip joints
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2/64 Knee joints
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2/6607 Ankle joints
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2/70 electrical
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/5003 having damping means, e.g. shock absorbers
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/5004 operated by electro- or magnetorheological fluids
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/503 for adjusting elasticity, flexibility, spring rate or mechanical tension
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/5033 for adjusting damping
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/5073 Helical springs, e.g. having at least one helical spring
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/5075 Multiple spring systems including two or more helical springs
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/5093 Tendon- or ligament-replacing cables
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/607 Lower legs
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/6614 Feet
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/6818 for braking
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/6845 Clutches
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/701 operated by electrically controlled means, e.g. solenoids or torque motors
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/704 computer-controlled, e.g. robotic control
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/7625 for measuring angular position
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/7635 for measuring force, pressure or mechanical tension
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/764 : for measuring acceleration
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/7645 : for measuring torque, e.g. hinge or turning moment, moment of force
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/7695 : Means for testing non-implantable prostheses
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 5/0102 : specially adapted for correcting deformities of the limbs or for supporting them; Ortheses, e.g. with articulations
• CPC Class Codes: B25J 19/0008 : Balancing devices
• CPC Class Codes: B25J 9/0006 : Exoskeletons, i.e. resembling a human figure
• CPC Class Codes: B62D 57/032 : with alternately or sequentially lifted supporting base and legs; with alternately or sequentially lifted feet or skid B62D57/024 takes precedence

Abstract

An exoskeleton worn by a human user consists of a rigid pelvic harness, worn about the waist of the user, and exoskeleton leg structures, each of which extends downwardly alongside one of the human user'"'"'s legs. The leg structures include hip, knee, and ankle joints connected by adjustable length thigh and shin members. The hip joint that attaches the thigh structure to the pelvic harness includes a passive spring or an active actuator to assist in lifting the exoskeleton and the human user with respect to the ground surface upon which the user is walking and to propel the exoskeleton and human user forward. A controllable damper operatively arrests the movement of the knee joint at controllable times during the walking cycle and a spring located at the ankle and foot member stores and releases energy during walking.

Claims

1. An exoskeleton worn by a human user, comprising, in combination:

a rigid pelvic harness worn about the waist of the user; and

first and second exoskeleton leg structures, each of which extends downwardly alongside one of the human user'"'"'s legs, each of which comprising;

a hip joint for attaching the leg structure at its upper end to the pelvic harness;

a knee joint;

a thigh member that extends from the hip joint to the knee joint, the thigh member being attached to the human user'"'"'s thigh;

a foot member attached to a shoe worn by the human user;

a shin member extending from the knee joint to the foot member, the shin member being attached to the foot member by an ankle joint;

a passive spring or an active actuator positioned at the hip joint for applying a motive force for rotating the thigh member with respect to the pelvic harness to assist in lifting the exoskeleton and the human user with respect to the ground surface upon which the user is walking and to propel the exoskeleton and human user forward;

a controllable damper operatively connected to the knee joint for arresting the movement relative movement of the shin member and the thigh member at controllable times; and

a spring located in the foot member or the ankle joint for storing and releasing energy during walking.

2. An exoskeleton as set forth in claim 1, wherein the pelvic harness is attached to a load-carrying backpack worn on the back of the human user, the backpack being supported on the ground surface by the exoskeleton leg structures.

3. An exoskeleton as set forth in claim 1, wherein the rigid pelvic harness is attached to a seat which supports the human user so that a significant part of the weight of the human user is born by the exoskeleton leg structures.

4. An exoskeleton as set forth in claim 1, configured such that the length of each of the leg structures is adjusted during walking to compensate for variations between the length of the human user'"'"'s legs and the length of the leg structures resulting from dissimilar centers of rotation between the human user'"'"'s legs and the leg structures.

5. An exoskeleton as set forth in claim 4, wherein the length of the shin member may be adjusted to accommodate human users of different sizes.

6. An exoskeleton as set forth in claim 5, wherein the length of the thigh member may be adjusted to accommodate human users of different sizes.