Exoskeleton system

• US 11,191,694 B2
• Filed: 04/30/2019
• Issued: 12/07/2021
• Est. Priority Date: 04/30/2018
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Cleveland State University
• Original Assignee: Cleveland State University
• Inventors: van den Bogert, Antonie J., Miller, Daniel, Doris, Ryan, Moody, Robert, Grimes, Jr., Donald
• Primary Examiner(s): Sharma, Yashita
• Application Number:
  US16/398,558
• Publication Number:
  US 20190328605A1
• Time in Patent Office: 952 Days
• CPC Class Codes: A61H 1/0237 for the lower limbs
• CPC Class Codes: A61H 1/024 Knee A61H1/0255 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61H 1/0244 Hip A61H1/0255 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61H 1/0262 Walking movement; Appliances for aiding disabled persons to walk A61H3/00 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61H 1/0266 Foot
• CPC Class Codes: A61H 2003/007 secured to the patient, e.g. with belts
• CPC Class Codes: A61H 2201/0157 portable
• CPC Class Codes: A61H 2201/0192 Specific means for adjusting dimensions
• CPC Class Codes: A61H 2201/1238 with hydraulic or pneumatic drive
• CPC Class Codes: A61H 2201/1246 by piston-cylinder systems
• CPC Class Codes: A61H 2201/163 holding means therefor
• CPC Class Codes: A61H 2201/1642 Holding means therefor
• CPC Class Codes: A61H 2201/165 Wearable interfaces
• CPC Class Codes: A61H 2201/5056 pneumatically controlled
• CPC Class Codes: A61H 2201/5071 Pressure sensors
• CPC Class Codes: A61H 2205/10 Leg
• CPC Class Codes: A61H 3/00 Appliances for aiding patients or disabled persons to walk about apparatus for helping babies to walk A47D13/04 ; applying electrical currents by contact electrodes for stimulating motor muscles, e.g. walking assistance A61N1/36003
• CPC Class Codes: B25J 9/0006 Exoskeletons, i.e. resembling a human figure

Abstract

An exoskeleton system is passively powered and pneumatically operated. The system may be a lower-limb system for walking gait restoration. The system may include a first linear actuator located in front of an upper leg section and a second linear actuator located behind a lower leg section.

Claims

1. A lower-limb exoskeleton system comprising:

a hip or thigh belt;

a foot plate;

an ankle fixture extending from a rear of the foot plate;

a calf brace link comprising;

an inner leg section extending upward from an inner section of the foot plate;

an outer leg section extending upward from an outer section of the foot plate; and

an arced rear section connected to upper portions of the inner leg section and the outer leg section;

a thigh link extending between the hip or thigh belt and an upper portion of the outer leg section;

a first actuator located between the hip or thigh belt and the thigh link;

a second actuator located between the ankle fixture and the rear section of the calf brace link; and

tubing connecting the first actuator and the second actuator;

wherein the lower-limb exoskeleton system does not comprise any battery;

wherein the lower-limb exoskeleton system does not comprise any motor; and

wherein the lower-limb exoskeleton system does not comprise any controller.

2. The lower-limb exoskeleton system of claim 1, wherein the hip or thigh belt comprises a front portion and a rear portion.

3. The lower-limb exoskeleton system of claim 1, wherein the foot plate and the ankle fixture are a unitary structure.

4. The lower-limb exoskeleton system of claim 1, wherein the foot plate and the ankle fixture are connected via at least one fastener.

5. The lower-limb exoskeleton system of claim 1, wherein each of the hip or thigh belt, the foot plate, the ankle fixture, the calf brace link, and the thigh link comprises an aluminum alloy.

6. The lower-limb exoskeleton system of claim 1, wherein the tubing comprises a first tube extending between a top end of the first actuator and a bottom end of the second actuator.

7. The lower-limb exoskeleton system of claim 6, wherein the tubing comprises a second tube extending between a top end of the second actuator and a bottom end of the first actuator.

8. The lower-limb exoskeleton system of claim 7, further comprising:

at least one pressure gauge in fluid communication with the tubing.

9. The lower-limb exoskeleton system of claim 8, wherein the at least one pressure gauge comprises a first pressure gauge in fluid communication with the first tube.

10. The lower-limb exoskeleton system of claim 9, wherein the at least one pressure gauge comprises a second pressure gauge in fluid communication with the second tube.

11. The lower-limb exoskeleton system of claim 1, wherein each of the first actuator and the second actuator is mounted to a rod side pin mount on a first end and a clevis mount on a second end.

12. The lower-limb exoskeleton system of claim 1, wherein the first actuator is located in front of the thigh link.

13. The lower-limb exoskeleton system of claim 1, wherein the second actuator is located behind the calf brace link.

14. The lower-limb exoskeleton system of claim 1, wherein the first actuator is located in front of the thigh link and the second actuator is located behind the calf link.

15. The lower-limb exoskeleton system of claim 1, wherein the first actuator and the second actuator comprise elastic diaphragms.

16. The lower-limb exoskeleton system of claim 1, wherein the first actuator and the second actuator comprise double-acting cylinders.

17. The lower-limb exoskeleton system of claim 1, wherein the tubing comprises a first tube connecting a first chamber of the first actuator to a third chamber of the second actuator and a second tube connecting a second chamber of the first actuator to a fourth chamber of the second actuator.

18. The lower-limb exoskeleton system of claim 17, wherein the first tube, first chamber, and third chamber define a first gas volume;

wherein the second tube, second chamber, and fourth chamber define a second gas volume;

wherein the first gas volume is pressurized by at least one first check valve permitting ambient air to flow in but not out when a first gas volume pressure is below a first predetermined threshold value; and

wherein the second gas volume is pressurized by at least one second check valve permitting ambient air to flow in but not out when a second gas volume pressure is below a second predetermined threshold value.

19. The lower-limb exoskeleton system of claim 17, wherein the first tube, first chamber, and third chamber define a first gas volume;

wherein the second tube, second chamber, and fourth chamber define a second gas volume; and

wherein the system further comprises;

a diaphragm or a spring-loaded double-acting actuator connecting the first gas volume to the second gas volume.

20. A lower-limb exoskeleton system comprising:

a hip or thigh belt;

a foot plate;

an ankle fixture extending from a rear of the foot plate;

a calf brace link comprising;

an inner leg section extending upward from an inner section of the foot plate;

an outer leg section extending upward from an outer section of the foot plate; and

an arced rear section connected to upper portions of the inner leg section and the outer leg section;

a thigh link extending between the hip or thigh belt and an upper portion of the outer leg section;

a first linear pneumatic actuator located between the hip or thigh belt and the thigh link, the first linear pneumatic actuator having a first side and a second side;

a second linear pneumatic actuator located between the ankle fixture and the rear section of the calf brace link, the second linear pneumatic actuator having a third side and a fourth side;

a first tubing connecting the first side to the third side; and

a second tubing connecting the second side to the fourth side;

wherein the lower-limb exoskeleton system does not comprise any battery;

wherein the lower-limb exoskeleton system does not comprise any motor; and

wherein the lower-limb exoskeleton system does not comprise any control system.