OPTIMAL DESIGN OF A LOWER LIMB EXOSKELETON OR ORTHOSIS
First Claim
1. A wearable device, comprising:
- a) a distal member wearable by an individual distal to a skeletal joint of the individual;
b) a proximal member wearable by the individual proximal to the joint, wherein one or other of the distal member and the proximal member includes a crossing member; and
c) a link between the distal member and the proximal member, wherein the link extends from the crossing member of the distal member or the proximal member, to the other of the distal member or the proximal member, and whereby actuation of the link will be translated to a force at the distal or proximal member that is normal to a major longitudinal axis extending through the distal and proximal members.
2 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A link extends between a distal member and a proximal member of a wearable device, such as an exoskeleton, orthosis or prosthesis for a human lower limb. One or other of the distal member and the proximal member includes a crossing member. The link extends from the crossing member of the distal member or the proximal member, to the other of the distal member or the proximal member. Actuation of the link translates to a force at the distal or proximal member that is normal to a major longitudinal axis extending through the distal and proximal members. In one embodiment, a sliding link of a device configured for use with a human joint tracks two degrees of freedom of the joint.
77 Citations
64 Claims
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1. A wearable device, comprising:
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a) a distal member wearable by an individual distal to a skeletal joint of the individual; b) a proximal member wearable by the individual proximal to the joint, wherein one or other of the distal member and the proximal member includes a crossing member; and c) a link between the distal member and the proximal member, wherein the link extends from the crossing member of the distal member or the proximal member, to the other of the distal member or the proximal member, and whereby actuation of the link will be translated to a force at the distal or proximal member that is normal to a major longitudinal axis extending through the distal and proximal members. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 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, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42)
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43. A wearable lower limb device, comprising:
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a) a distal module wearable by an individual that spans a distal skeletal joint; and b) a proximal module wearable by the individual that spans a proximal skeletal joint, wherein the distal module and the proximal module are coupled, and wherein at least one of the distal and proximal modules includes i) a distal member wearable by the individual distal to the respective skeletal joint; ii) a proximal member wearable by the individual proximal to the respective skeletal joint, wherein one or the other of the distal member and the proximal member includes a crossing member; and iii) a link between the distal member and the proximal member, wherein the link extends from the crossing member of the distal member or the proximal member, to the other of the distal member or the proximal member, and whereby actuation of the link will be translated to a force at the distal or proximal member that is normal to a major longitudinal axis extending through the distal and proximal members. - View Dependent Claims (44, 45, 46, 47, 48, 49, 50, 51, 52, 53, 54, 55, 56, 57, 58, 59, 60, 61)
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62. A wearable device, comprising:
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a) a distal member wearable by an individual distal to a skeletal joint of the individual; b) a proximal member wearable by the individual proximal to the joint, wherein one or other of the distal member and the proximal member includes a crossing member; and c) a link between the distal member and the proximal member, wherein the link extends from the crossing member of the distal member or the proximal member, to the other of the distal member or the proximal member, and wherein the link applies only a substantially linear force to the crossing member.
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63. A device of a human knee joint, comprising;
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a) a ground link that is fixed relative to either a distal end of a human femur or a proximal end of a human tibia; b) an input link having a first end and a second end, wherein the input link is fixed to and rotates about a pivot defining an axis of rotation, the pivot linking the input link at the first end to the ground link; c) a coupler having a first end and a second end, the first end being pivotally mounted to the second end of the input link; d) an output link fixed relative to the other of the distal end of the human femur, or the proximal end of the human tibia, and having a first end and a second end, the first end being pivotally mounted at the first end to the second end of the coupler; and e) a sliding link between the ground link and the output link, whereby rotation of a human knee joint to which the device is secured will cause translation of an axis of rotation of the output link relative to the ground link to track two degrees of freedom of the human knee joint, wherein the human knee joint rotates in a sagittal plane about an axis that is normal to the sagittal plane but which moves relative to the axis of rotation of the pivot linking the first end of the input link to the ground link. - View Dependent Claims (64)
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Specification