Compact exoskeleton arm support device to compensate for gravity

• US 8,641,782 B2
• Filed: 12/28/2010
• Issued: 02/04/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 01/06/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Inventors: Kim, Jeong Hun, Shim, Young Bo, Yang, Soo Sang, Kim, Yong Jae, Kim, Kwang Jun
• Primary Examiner(s): CICCHINO, PATRICK D
• Application Number:
  US12/979,861
• Publication Number:
  US 20110164949A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,134 Days
• Field of Search: 744/900.1, 744/900.5, 414/1, 414/4, 414/5, 414/6, 414/680, 901/15, 901/23, 901/28, 700/245, 623/26, 623/57, 623/58, 601/33
• US Class Current: 623/58
• CPC Class Codes: A61H 1/0281 Shoulder
• CPC Class Codes: A61H 2201/165 Wearable interfaces
• CPC Class Codes: B25J 9/0006 Exoskeletons, i.e. resembling a human figure
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 74/20329 Joint between elements

Abstract

A compact exoskeleton arm support device compensates for gravity. The compact exoskeleton arm support device compensating for gravity may include at least five joints. Among the at least five joints, two joints may be driven by actuators, and the remaining joints may be driven by user force. The compact exoskeleton arm support device compensating for gravity effectively uses the actuators, thereby increasing operating efficiency and reducing production costs.

Claims

1. A compact exoskeleton arm support device to compensate for gravity and to support an arm using a plurality of members, the plurality of members comprising:

a first rotating joint enabling the entire arm to rotate in a yaw direction;

a second rotating joint enabling a forearm of the arm to rotate in the yaw direction;

a third rotating joint enabling the forearm of the arm to rotate in a pitch direction;

a first translating joint enabling the forearm of the arm to translate in a gravity direction; and

a second translating joint arranged between the first rotating joint and second rotating joint, and enabling the second rotating joint to translate,

wherein the first rotating joint, the second rotating joint, and the second translating joint are manually driven by user force, and the third rotating joint and the first translating joint are driven by actuators.

2. The compact exoskeleton arm support device to compensate for gravity according to claim 1, further comprising a first sensor to sense a load of the arm and to drive the actuators.

3. The compact exoskeleton arm support device to compensate for gravity according to claim 2, further comprising a second sensor to sense a load of an object applied to the arm and to drive the actuators in cooperation with the first sensor.

4. The compact exoskeleton arm support device to compensate for gravity according to claim 3, further comprising a control unit to check movement of the arm using the first sensor and the second sensor.

5. The compact exoskeleton arm support device to compensate for gravity according to claim 1, wherein the plurality of members includes a frame, and a base connected to the frame by the first translating joint allowing the base to translate.

6. The compact exoskeleton arm support device to compensate for gravity according to claim 5, wherein the actuators include a first actuator driving the first translating joint to move the base.

7. The compact exoskeleton arm support device to compensate for gravity according to claim 5, wherein the plurality of members further includes a first supporter connected to the base by the first rotating joint allowing the first supporter to rotate.

8. The compact exoskeleton arm support device to compensate for gravity according to claim 7, wherein the plurality of members further includes a second supporter connected to the first supporter by the second translating joint allowing the second supporter to translate.

9. The compact exoskeleton arm support device to compensate for gravity according to claim 8, wherein the plurality of members further includes a forearm support unit connected to the second supporter by the second rotating joint and the third rotating joint allowing the forearm support unit to rotate.

10. The compact exoskeleton arm support device to compensate for gravity according to claim 9, wherein the actuators include a second actuator driving the third rotating joint to rotate the forearm support unit.

11. The compact exoskeleton arm support device to compensate for gravity according to claim 10, further comprising a first sensor installed on the third rotating joint to sense a load of the arm applied to the forearm support unit.

12. The compact exoskeleton arm support device to compensate for gravity according to claim 11, wherein the forearm support unit further includes:

an object fixing part to support an object; and

a second sensor installed on the object fixing part to sense a load of the object applied to the forearm support unit.

13. The compact exoskeleton arm support device to compensate for gravity according to claim 3, wherein each of the first sensor and the second sensor includes a force-torque sensor.

14. A compact exoskeleton arm support device to compensate for gravity to assist movement of an arm using a plurality of joints, the plurality of joints comprising:

a first rotating joint enabling the entire arm to rotate in a yaw direction, a first translating joint enabling a forearm of the arm to perform a first translation, and a second translating joint enabling the forearm of the arm to perform a second translation, to determine a position of an elbow of the arm; and

a second rotating joint enabling the forearm of the arm to rotate in the yaw direction, and a third rotating joint enabling the forearm of the arm to rotate in a pitch direction to determine a position of the forearm of the arm,

wherein, among the plurality of joints, the first translating joint determines the position of the elbow of the arm in a gravity direction and the third rotating joint determines the position of the forearm of the arm in a pitch direction and are driven by actuators, and remaining joints are driven by user force.