Human bipedal locomotion device

• US 5,016,869 A
• Filed: 07/03/1990
• Issued: 05/21/1991
• Est. Priority Date: 07/05/1989
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Applied Motion A Partnership
• Original Assignee: Applied Motion
• Inventors: Dick, G. John, Edwards, Eric A.
• Primary Examiner(s): NOT, DEFINED
• Assistant Examiner(s): Horowitz, Karen G.
• Application Number:
  US07/548,161
• Time in Patent Office: 322 Days
• Field of Search: 272/70, 272/70.1, 272/70.2, 272/70.3, 272/70.4, 623/30, 623/24, 623/26
• US Class Current: 482/75
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 25/08 Hopping-sticks, e.g. pogo sticks ; Hopping apparatus with a single resilient support devices for balloon jumping A63B5/166
• CPC Class Codes: B25J 9/0006 Exoskeletons, i.e. resembling a human figure

Abstract

A self-actuated spring-action human bipedal device includes a back-mounted frame attached to the upper torso of a user, and separate articulated right and left leg frames pivotally attached by U-joints to lower portions of the back frame. The user'"'"'s feet are secured to the leg frames so the bottoms of the leg frames contact the ground, behind and below the point where each foot is attached to its leg frame. Endless cord-like main springs are engaged with a spring actuator, which are carried on the back frame. Left and right tension lines running from respective leg frames to the spring actuator are arranged so that compression of the leg frames, caused by the force of downward movement of the user'"'"'s feet and torso, pulls on the tension lines to apply a pulling force to the spring actuator for stretching the main springs. The tension lines are also each attached to a part of the leg frame which engages on the user'"'"'s foot so that extension of the user'"'"'s leg pulls on the tension lines, also stretching the main springs. The energy stored in the stretched main springs is then transferred back to the torso of the user and to the user'"'"'s feet to cause the user to jump into the air. Separate pick-up springs connected to each leg frame keep the tension lines under positive tension and apply a pick-up force to the leg frame to raise it and prevent dragging.

Claims

1. A personal bipedal device comprising:

an external frame for attachment to the upper body of a user;

a pair of leg frames pivotally attached to the external frame and arranged to be compressed to absorb energy when landing on the ground under the weight of the user, each leg frame being longer than the corresponding leg of the user and having a first portion attached to the user'"'"'s foot region and a second portion adapted to contact the ground spaced from and below the first portion thereof; and

spring means carried on the external frame and cooperatively engaged with tension means which extends to the leg frames so that compression of either of the leg frames upon contact between said second portion of the leg frame and the ground transfers energy to the spring means through the tension means to apply lift to the user'"'"'s body and a spring action between the user'"'"'s feet and the ground so the user is lifted while walking or running with a spring action.

2. Apparatus according to claim 1 in which each leg frame is attached to the external frame by a corresponding U-joint to allow independent fore-and-aft and side-to-side motion of the leg frame.

3. Apparatus according to claim 2 in which each tension means is associated with a corresponding leg frame independently and applies a pulling force to the spring means to transfer energy to the spring means independently of the other tension means.

5. Apparatus according to claim 2 in which the tension means comprise a tension line passing over a corresponding pulley, and each pulley is offset from a corresponding U-joint to prevent the lifting action from pitching the user forward and to the other side of the bipedal device.

6. Apparatus according to claim 1 in which each leg frame is articulated and in which compression and extension of the articulated leg frame is produced by a rearward-facing knee joint.

7. Apparatus according to claim 1 in which each leg frame is articulated and in which compression and extension of the articulated leg frame is produced by a linear bearing between relatively movable parts of the leg frame.

8. Apparatus according to claim 1 in which the spring means includes a spring actuating member carried on the external frame and engaged with a main spring also carried on the external frame, and in which the spring actuating member is arranged to move so as to stretch the main spring in response to tension in either of the tension means associated with the leg frames.

9. Apparatus according to claim 8 in which the tension means associated with each leg frame independently applies a force to the spring actuating member to stretch the main spring independently, and in which forcible compression of one leg frame due to the downward motion of the user can cause the tension means for that leg frame to be pulled, causing a motion of the spring actuating member that causes the tension means associated with the other leg frame to become slack;

and including a pick-up spring for causing the other leg frame to compress and lift to prevent dragging of the other leg frame on the ground to thereby allow bipedal transportation with large leg frame compression, large steps and high jumps.

4. Apparatus according to claim including separate pick-up springs engaged with each leg frame to apply a pick up force to the leg frame to lift the leg frame above the ground in the event the tension line corresponding to the leg frame is in a slack condition.

10. A human bipedal jumping device comprising:

a back frame for attachment to the upper torso of a user;

an articulated right leg frame pivotally attached to a lower portion of the back frame;

an articulated left leg frame pivotally attached to a lower portion of the back frame adjacent the right leg frame;

means for attaching each leg frame to a corresponding foot of the user;

means for contacting the ground with a portion of each leg frame behind the point where the user'"'"'s foot is attached to the corresponding leg frame;

spring means carried on the back frame;

a spring-actuating member carried on the back frame and arranged to move so as to stretch the spring means;

pivot means on each leg frame arranged so the leg frame can move between a normal at-rest position and a compressed condition caused by downward movement of the user'"'"'s feet and the weight of the user'"'"'s body downwardly on the leg frames; and

tension means extending separately from each leg frame to the spring-actuating member and arranged to be placed in tension when either of the leg frames is compressed to thereby move the spring-actuating member to stretch the spring means to develop energy in the spring means which is then transferred back to the upper torso of the user and to the user'"'"'s feet to cause the user to jump into the air by a distance above the ground proportional to the amount of compression of the leg frame and the amount of stretch transferred to the spring means.

11. Apparatus according to claim 10 in which each leg frame is attached to the back frame by a corresponding U-joint to allow independent fore-and-aft and side-to-side motion of the leg frame.

12. Apparatus according to claim 11 in which each tension means associated with a corresponding leg frame independently applies a pulling force to the spring-actuating member to stretch the spring means independently.

13. Apparatus according to claim 11 in which each tension line passes over a corresponding pulley, and each pulley is offset from a corresponding U-joint to prevent the lifting action from pitching the user forward and to the other side of the jumping apparatus.

14. Apparatus according to claim 10 including separate pick-up springs engaged with each leg frame to apply a pick-up force to a leg frame to lift the leg frame above the ground in the event the tension line corresponding to the leg frame is in a slack condition.

15. Apparatus according to claim 10 in which each tension means is associated with a corresponding leg frame and independently applies a pulling force to the spring means to transfer energy to the spring means independently of the other tension means.

16. A personal bipedal device comprising:

an external frame for attachment to the torso of the user;

a right leg frame pivotally attached to a lower portion of the back frame, which is articulated to allow compression and extension, and which is longer than the and so that the leg frame, instead of the user'"'"'s leg contacts the ground and which includes means at its lower extremity to contact the ground;

a left leg frame pivotally attached to a lower portion of the back frame, which is articulated to allow compression and extension, and which is longer than the user'"'"'s leg and so that the leg frame, instead of the user'"'"'s leg, contacts the ground and which includes means at its lower extremity to contact the ground;

energy control means mechanically coupled through a tension means to the compression and extension motion of each articulated leg frame, to absorb the energy of downward motion of the user upon landing on the ground and to restore the energy when subsequently springing upward again;

foot attachment means connecting each of the leg frames to a foot of the user, which is articulated to allow compression and extension of the user'"'"'s leg while providing approximately direct and rigid mechanical control of the side-to-side and fore-aft motions of the leg frame by similar motions of the user'"'"'s foot;

leverage means associated with each leg frame and its foot attachment means to couple the extension and compression motion of the user'"'"'s foot to a similar extension or compression of the leg frame with a mechanical advantage of greater than 1;

1, so that the force exerted by the leg frame against the ground is greater than that exerted by the user'"'"'s foot, and which is connected to act in series with said tension means coupling of the leg frame to the energy control means.

17. Apparatus according to claim 16 in which the energy control means is a spring means.

18. Apparatus according to claim 17 in which the spring means is mounted on the external frame and connected to each leg frame by a tension means extending from the spring means to a corresponding leg frame.

19. Apparatus according to claim 18 in which a common spring means is mounted on the external frame and which is acted upon in parallel by the tension means attached to the two leg frames.

20. Apparatus according to claim 16 in which compression and extension of the articulated leg frames are produced by a rearward-facing knee joint.

21. Apparatus according to claim 16 in which compression and extension of the articulated leg frames are produced by a linear bearing between two parts of the leg frame.

22. Apparatus according to claim 16 in which each leg frame is attached to the back frame by a corresponding U-joint to allow independent fore-and-aft and side-to-side motion of the leg frame.

23. Apparatus according to claim 16 in which the tension means comprises a tension line passing over a pulley attached to a corresponding leg frame, and each pulley is offset from a corresponding U-joint to prevent lifting action on the user'"'"'s torso from pitching the user forward and to the side away from the corresponding leg frame.

24. Apparatus according to claim 16 including separate pick-up springs engaged with each leg frame to apply a pick-up force to a leg frame to compress the leg frame and lift it above the ground in the event the tension means corresponding to the leg frame is in a slack condition and so to remove the slack.

25. Apparatus according to claim 24 including a spring-actuating member which is carried on the back frame and arranged to move to thereby stretch the spring means and to which the tension means associated with both leg frames are attached.

26. Apparatus according to claim 25 in which the tension means associated with each leg frame independently apply a force to the spring-actuating member to stretch the spring means independently and in which forcible compression of one leg frame due to the downward motion of the user, may cause the tension means for that leg frame to be pulled, causing a motion of the spring-actuating member that will cause the tension means associated with the other leg frame to go slack and, through the action of a pick-up spring, cause the other leg frame to compress and lift and so prevent dragging of the other leg frame on the ground to allow bipedal transportation with large leg frame compression, large steps and high jumps.

27. A personal bipedal device comprising:

an external frame for attached to the upper body of a user;

a pair leg frames pivotally attached to the external frame and arranged to be compressed to absorb energy when landing on the ground under the weight of the user, each leg frame being longer than the corresponding leg of the user and including a first portion attached to the foot region of the user and a second portion adapted to contact the ground spaced from and below the first portion thereof, so the compression of the leg frame allows vertical motion of the user'"'"'s body and feet while the second portion of the frame is still engaging the ground;

spring means carried on the external frame;

each leg frame having leverage means in which contact between the second portion of the leg frame and the ground, causing compression of the leg frame, applies a leveraged force to the ground through a mechanical advantage produced by said leverage means; and

tension means connecting the leverage means of the leg frames in series with the spring means so that compression of each leg frame stores energy in the spring means to produce a vertical jumping force in series with the leveraged force produced by the leg frame to enhance vertical jumping force applied between the user and the ground.