Apparatus for human arm supporting exoskeleton
First Claim
1. An arm supporting exoskeleton configured to be coupled to a person, the arm supporting exoskeleton comprising:
- a shoulder base configured to be coupled to a trunk of the person; and
an arm link mechanism configured to be coupled to said shoulder base, the arm link mechanism comprising;
a proximal link; and
a distal link configured to rotate relative to the proximal link about a rotating joint and along a first rotational axis;
at least one arm-coupler attached to the distal link and adapted to couple an upper arm of the person to said distal link;
a tensile force generator coupled to said proximal link at a first end of the tensile force generator and coupled to said distal link at a second end of the tensile force generator,wherein the tensile force generator is configured to provide a torque to flex said distal link relative to said proximal link; and
a protrusion located substantially at said rotating joint, wherein;
when said distal link extends past a toggle angle, said protrusion constrains said tensile force generator, and the torque provided by said tensile force generator remains at or below a torque of a second torque mode; and
when said protrusion does not constrain said tensile force generator, said torque generated by the tensile force generator between said proximal link and said distal link is at or above a torque of a first torque mode and flexes said distal link relative to said proximal link, thereby reducing human shoulder forces and torques required to raise said upper arm of the person.
1 Assignment
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Accused Products
Abstract
An arm supporting exoskeleton comprises a shoulder base coupled to an arm link mechanism. The arm link mechanism comprises a proximal link and a distal link configured to rotate relative to each other about a rotating joint; at least one arm-coupler adapted to couple a user'"'"'s arm to the distal link; a tensile force generator coupled to the proximal link and the distal link, and providing a torque to flex the distal link relative to the proximal link; and a protrusion located substantially at the rotating joint. When the distal link extends past a toggle angle, the protrusion constrains the tensile force generator, and the torque provided by the tensile force generator remains substantially small. When the protrusion does not constrain the tensile force generator, the torque tends to flex the distal link relative to the proximal link, thereby reducing human shoulder forces and torques required to raise the user'"'"'s arm.
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Citations
30 Claims
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1. An arm supporting exoskeleton configured to be coupled to a person, the arm supporting exoskeleton comprising:
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a shoulder base configured to be coupled to a trunk of the person; and an arm link mechanism configured to be coupled to said shoulder base, the arm link mechanism comprising; a proximal link; and a distal link configured to rotate relative to the proximal link about a rotating joint and along a first rotational axis; at least one arm-coupler attached to the distal link and adapted to couple an upper arm of the person to said distal link; a tensile force generator coupled to said proximal link at a first end of the tensile force generator and coupled to said distal link at a second end of the tensile force generator, wherein the tensile force generator is configured to provide a torque to flex said distal link relative to said proximal link; and a protrusion located substantially at said rotating joint, wherein; when said distal link extends past a toggle angle, said protrusion constrains said tensile force generator, and the torque provided by said tensile force generator remains at or below a torque of a second torque mode; and when said protrusion does not constrain said tensile force generator, said torque generated by the tensile force generator between said proximal link and said distal link is at or above a torque of a first torque mode and flexes said distal link relative to said proximal link, thereby reducing human shoulder forces and torques required to raise said upper arm of the person.
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2. An arm supporting exoskeleton configured to be coupled to a person, the arm supporting exoskeleton comprising:
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a shoulder base configured to be coupled to a trunk of the person; and an arm link mechanism configured to be coupled to said shoulder base, the arm link mechanism comprising; a proximal link; and a distal link configured to rotate relative to the proximal link about a rotating joint and along a first rotational axis; at least one arm-coupler attached to the distal link and adapted to couple an upper arm of the person to said distal link; and a tensile force generator coupled to said proximal link at a first end of the tensile force generator and coupled to said distal link at a second end of the tensile force generator; a protrusion located substantially at said rotating joint and configured to constrain the tensile force generator, wherein the tensile force generator is configured to provide a torque to flex said distal link relative to said proximal link, wherein; when an angle between said proximal link and said distal link is smaller than a toggle angle, said torque generated by the tensile force generator between said proximal link and said distal link is above a first amount and flexes said distal link relative to said proximal link, thereby reducing human shoulder forces and torques required to raise the upper arm of the person, and to impose reaction forces and torques on said shoulder base; and when said angle between said proximal link and said distal link is larger than said toggle angle, said torque generated by the tensile force generator between said proximal link and said distal link is below a second amount allowing said person to freely move said upper arm.
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3. An arm supporting exoskeleton configured to be coupled to a person, the arm supporting exoskeleton comprising:
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a shoulder base configured to be coupled to a trunk of the person; an arm link mechanism configured to be coupled to said shoulder base, the arm link mechanism comprising; a proximal link; and a distal link configured to rotate relative to the proximal link around a first rotational axis; at least one arm-coupler attached to the distal link and adapted to couple an upper arm of the person to said distal link; at least one torque generator coupled to said proximal link and said distal link and configured to generate a torque between said proximal link and said distal link; a protrusion located substantially at a rotating joint of the first rotational axis and configured to constrain the at least one torque generator, wherein; when an angle between said proximal link and said distal link is smaller than a toggle angle, said torque generated by the at least one torque generator between said proximal link and said distal link is above a first amount and flexes said distal link relative to said proximal link, thereby reducing human shoulder forces and torques required to raise the upper arm of the person, and to impose reaction forces and torques on said shoulder base; and when said angle between said proximal link and said distal link is larger than said toggle angle, said torque generated by the at least one torque generator between said proximal link and said distal link is below a second amount allowing said person to freely move said upper arm. - View Dependent Claims (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)
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30. An arm supporting exoskeleton configured to be coupled to a person, the arm supporting exoskeleton comprising:
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a back frame configured to locate substantially behind a back of the person; a lower extremity exoskeleton configured to be coupled to said back frame and to legs of the person; a coupling mechanism configured to couple said back frame to a trunk of the person such that said back frame moves in unison with the trunk of the person; at least one arm link mechanism configured to be coupled to said back frame comprising; a proximal link; and a distal link configured to rotate relative to the proximal link around a first rotational axis; at least one arm-coupler attached to the distal link and adapted to couple an upper arm of the person to said distal link; at least one torque generator coupled to said proximal link and said distal link and configured to generate a torque between said proximal link and said distal link; a protrusion located substantially at a rotating joint of the first rotational axis and configured to constrain the at least one torque generator, wherein; when an angle between said proximal link and said distal link is smaller than a toggle angle, said torque generated by the at least one torque generator between said proximal link and said distal link is above a first amount and flexes said distal link relative to said proximal link, thereby reducing human shoulder forces and torques required to raise the upper arm of the person, and to impose reaction forces and torques on a shoulder base; and when said angle between said proximal link and said distal link is larger than said toggle angle, said torque generated by the at least one torque generator between said proximal link and said distal link is below a second amount allowing said person to freely move said upper arm.
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Specification