MOTION ASSIST SYSTEM AND MANAGEMENT DEVICE

• US 20190314977A1
• Filed: 04/04/2019
• Published: 10/17/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 04/11/2018
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Jtekt Corporation (Toyota Motor Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Jtekt Corporation (Toyota Motor Corporation)
• Inventors: KANAYA, Manabu, TAKEUCHI, Shinji
• Granted Patent: US 11,465,276 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• CPC Class Codes: B25J 11/005 Manipulators for mechanical processing tasks
• CPC Class Codes: B25J 11/008 Manipulators for service tasks
• CPC Class Codes: B25J 9/0006 Exoskeletons, i.e. resembling a human figure
• CPC Class Codes: B25J 9/006 with kinematics chains of the type spherical-prismatic-universal

Abstract

A motion assist system includes a plurality of assist devices and a management device configured to manage the assist devices. The assist device includes: a power portion configured to generate power that assists the motion of the assist target person; a communication portion communicable with the management device; and a control device configured to transmit motion information of the power portion to the management device. The management device generates overall information that unifies working states of the assist target persons based on pieces of motion information and presents at least part of the overall information to the assist target persons or an administrator.

Claims

1. A motion assist system comprising:

a plurality of assist devices put on a plurality of assist target persons performing an assist target operation such that the assist devices assist respective motions of assist target body parts of the assist target persons; and

a management device configured to manage the assist devices, wherein;

each of the assist devices includes

a power portion configured to generate power that assists the motion of the assist target body part,

a communication portion communicable with the management device, and

a control device configured to transmit motion information of the power portion to the management device via the communication portion; and

the management device is configured to generate overall information that unifies working states of the assist target persons based on pieces of motion information obtained from the assist devices and to present at least part of the overall information to the assist target persons or an administrator.

2. The motion assist system according to claim 1, wherein the management device is configured to estimate a progress status of the assist target operation based on the number of times that the assist target persons perform the assist target operation.

3. The motion assist system according to claim 2, wherein the control device is configured to count the number of times that the assist target operation is performed and to transmit, to the management device, the counted number of times that the assist target operation is performed, as the motion information.

4. The motion assist system according to claim 1, wherein:

the assist device includes a current measuring portion configured to measure a driving current supplied to the power portion; and

the control device is configured to transmit, to the management device, a value of the driving current measured by the current measuring portion, as the motion information.

5. The motion assist system according to claim 4, wherein the management device is configured to compare a received current waveform of the driving current with a reference current waveform acquired in advance and to evaluate a working posture of the assist target person.

6. The motion assist system according to claim 1, wherein the management device is configured to estimate a fatigue degree of the assist target person based on the received motion information.

7. The motion assist system according to claim 1, wherein:

the management device is configured to transmit an alert signal for a warning or an instruction to the assist device; and

the assist device includes a notification portion configured to notify the assist target person that the alert signal is received, when the alert signal is received.

8. A management device for managing a plurality of assist devices put on a plurality of assist target persons performing an assist target operation, the assist devices being each configured to transmit, to the management device, motion information of a power portion configured to generate power that assists a motion of an assist target body part of a corresponding one of the assist target persons, the management device comprising a processor, wherein the processor is configured to generate overall information that unifies working states of the assist target persons based on pieces of motion information obtained from the assist devices and to present at least part of the overall information to the assist target persons or an administrator.

9. The management device according to claim 8, wherein the processor is configured to estimate a progress status of the assist target operation based on the number of times that the assist target persons perform the assist target operation.

10. The management device according to claim 8, wherein the processor is configured to estimate respective fatigue degrees of the assist target persons based on the received pieces of motion information.

11. The management device according to claim 8, wherein the processor is configured to transmit an alert signal for a warning or an instruction to the assist devices.