JP2014184085A - Support device and support program - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To mitigate impulsive force due to mechanical play.SOLUTION: When the operation of a knee joint actuator 18 turns from bend to extension or from extension to bend, a walking support device 1 causes the knee joint actuator 18 to output a maximum output in a reversal direction only for a predetermined period ΔT. Then, the knee joint actuator 18 operates at high speed for the period of ΔT, reducing the idle running period due to mechanical play. The mechanical play can thus be reduced efficiently without making an instruction for a reversal operation taking the timing of the reversal operation into consideration. As a result, the wearer feels no unpleasantness when the operation reverses, thus reducing the feeling of discomfort or anxiety of the wearer.

Description

  The present invention relates to a support device and a support program, for example, to support movement of a leg joint.

In recent years, a wearable walking support device (wearable mobility) that is worn by a pedestrian and supports (assist) the walking motion of the pedestrian with an actuator or the like has been actively researched. A device has been proposed.
The walking assist device described in Patent Document 1 has a structure that supports a part of the body weight by lifting the seating portion upward by controlling the angle between the upper thigh frame and the lower thigh frame with an assisting actuator.

Generally, these actuators are configured by using a motor and a gear head attached to the motor, and the power generated by the actuator is further transmitted from the gear head via a mechanical mechanism.
As described above, in a dynamic mechanism including a gear, a chain, and the like, there is always mechanical play (backlash or other mechanical play) when performing a reversing operation. As the mechanical mechanism intervenes, the play overlaps and the idle running period at the time of inversion increases.

  In a working robot or the like, since the timing of reversal is known in advance, the force required to reduce mechanical play at the time of reversal is calculated, and an operation signal (indicated voltage) adapted to the calculated value is output to the actuator. Things have been done.

However, in the case of a walking support device that is attached to a human body and performs walking support, the reversal operation command depends on the motion of the human body, so the reversal timing cannot be determined in advance.
Therefore, when the actuator is moved from extension to flexion or from flexion to extension in accordance with the movement of the human body, mechanical play cannot be taken into account, and as a result, when the reversed torque is applied, There is a problem that torque is transmitted to the wearer as a hitting force, which causes discomfort and anxiety to the wearer.

Further, a conventional example will be described with reference to FIG.
FIG. 5 is a diagram showing a torque curve that the knee joint actuator acts on the knee joint in a conventional example.
The vertical axis represents torque, and the horizontal axis represents time.
The positive direction on the vertical axis is the torque in the extending direction for extending the knee joint, and the negative direction is the torque in the bending direction for bending the knee joint.
When the knee joint is reversed from flexion to extension, as indicated by a curve 41, the torque generated by the knee joint actuator approaches 0 from a negative value and becomes 0 at the reversal timing 47.
The knee joint actuator reverses the direction of torque output at timing 47.

  Then, as shown by the curve 42, it is ideal that the torque rises smoothly and continues to the curve 43. However, since there is mechanical play, during the period of ΔS (from timing 47 to timing 48). Period), when the transmission mechanism such as a gear runs idle and mechanical play is eliminated, the torque suddenly rises as shown by the curve 44 and is felt by the wearer 100. Thereby, a striking force is generated at the knee joint.

Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2007-616

  An object of the present invention is to alleviate the striking force caused by mechanical play caused by the reversal of motion.

(1) In order to achieve the above object, according to the first aspect of the present invention, in the invention described in claim 1, the support device supports the exercise of the support target person, and the actuator supports the movement of the support target person's joint. And a reversal detecting means for detecting reversal of the operation direction of the actuator, and when the reversal of the operation is detected, the output of the actuator is increased to shorten the period during which mechanical play due to the reversal occurs. And a shortening means.
(2) The invention according to claim 2, wherein the shortening means increases the output of the actuator simultaneously with the detection of the reversal of the operation direction. .
(3) In the invention described in claim 3, the inversion detection means detects the inversion of the operation direction of the actuator from the operation signal before being input to the actuator. Or the support apparatus of Claim 2 is provided.
(4) In the invention according to claim 4, the support device according to claim 1, 2, or 3, wherein the shortening means causes the actuator to output a maximum output. To do.
(5) In the invention according to claim 5, the shortening means increases the output of the actuator for a predetermined period set in advance. A support device according to any one of claims is provided.
(6) In the invention according to claim 6, there is provided a support program for a support device including an actuator that supports the exercise of the support target person, the reversal detection function for detecting reversal of the operation direction of the actuator, Provided is a support program that realizes, by a computer, a shortening function that shortens a period during which mechanical play due to the reversal occurs by increasing the output of the actuator when a reversal of motion is detected.

  According to the present invention, the striking force due to mechanical play can be reduced by shortening the idle running period at the time of reversal.

1 shows a configuration of a weight support type walking support device. It is a figure for demonstrating a free running period shortening process. It is the figure which showed the system configuration | structure of the walking assistance apparatus. It is a flowchart for demonstrating the procedure of walking assistance operation | movement. It is a figure for demonstrating a prior art example.

(1) Outline of Embodiment In the assistance device of the present embodiment, a walking assistance device 1 that performs walking assistance will be described as an example.
When the operation of the knee joint actuator 18 changes from flexion to extension, or from extension to flexion, the walk support device 1 outputs a maximum output to the knee joint actuator 18 in the reverse direction for a predetermined period ΔT. Only output.
Then, since the knee joint actuator 18 operates at high speed during ΔT, the idle running period due to mechanical play is reduced. Therefore, mechanical play can be efficiently reduced without instructing a reversal operation in anticipation of the reversal operation timing in advance.
As a result, the discomfort felt by the wearer due to the reversal of the operation of the knee joint actuator 18 is reduced, and discomfort and anxiety can be reduced.

As shown in the torque curve of FIG. 2A, the walking assist device 1 causes the knee joint actuator 18 to output the maximum output 50 at the inversion timing 47.
As a result, the walking support device 1 ends the idle running period at the timing 49 and then applies the torque in the reverse direction indicated by the curve 43 to support the knee joint extension operation.

Conventionally, as shown in FIG. 2B, the idle running period has continued for ΔS seconds at timings 47 to 48, but in the walking support device 1, the idle running period is shortened to ΔT seconds at timings 47 to 49.
For this reason, the increase in torque generated at the end of the idle running period due to mechanical play is N2 in the past, but decreases to N1 in the walking support device 1.
Note that the curve 44 shows a rapid increase in torque when the idle running period ends in the conventional example.
As described above, in the walking support device 1, the striking force generated by the rapid increase in torque generated by the reversing operation is remarkably reduced, so that the uncomfortable feeling experienced by the wearer can be effectively reduced.

(2) Details of Embodiment FIG. 1 shows a configuration of a weight support type walking support apparatus 1.
Fig.1 (a) is the figure which showed the place which looked at the structure of the walk assistance apparatus 1 which concerns on this embodiment from the side surface (lateral direction with respect to the advancing direction).
FIG. 1B is a diagram in which the walking support device 1 in the state shown in FIG. 1A is viewed from the front (traveling direction) and the lower body part of the wearer 100 is represented by dotted lines.
As shown in FIG. 1, the walking support device 1 supports (burdens) a part of the weight of the wearer 100 and reduces the load on the wearer 100 when the wearer 100 rides over the rider. . Part of the weight is applied by generating an upward force on the seating portion 61 by driving an actuator described later.
Moreover, in the walking assistance apparatus 1, since the wearer 100 does not need to fix a waist | hip | lumbar part, an upper leg part, and a lower leg part, attachment / detachment becomes easy.

  As shown in FIGS. 1 (a) and 1 (b), the walking support device 1 is bent at the knee joint portion when the wearer 100 indicated by the dotted line is in a state where the leg is extended (upright state). Thereby, even in an upright state, an upward force can be generated in the seating portion 61 to bear a part of the body weight.

  Returning to FIG. 1A, the walking assist device 1 includes a seating portion 61, a connecting member 63, a plate 62, guide rails 64 and 65, a load sensor 67, a hip joint pitch axis mechanism 17, a knee joint actuator 18, and an ankle joint pitch axis. The mechanism 19 includes an upper leg connecting member 26, a lower leg connecting member 27, a foot connecting member 28, a foot mounting portion 24, a floor reaction force sensor 241, an encoder 20, a knee joint pitch shaft 86, and the like.

Note that the hip joint pitch axis mechanism 17, the knee joint actuator 18, the encoder 20, the knee joint pitch axis 86, the ankle joint pitch axis mechanism 19, the upper thigh connection member 26, the lower thigh connection member 27, the foot connection member 28, the foot mounting portion 24, As for the floor reaction force sensor 241, there are members for the right leg and the left leg as shown in FIG. 1 (b). A description will be given separately with LR.
Although not shown, in the present embodiment, the control device 2 and the battery are disposed in the seating portion 61 or on the lower side of the seating portion 61, but are disposed at other positions, for example, the upper thigh coupling member 26. You may make it install.
In FIG. 1A, the right side (toe side of the foot mounting portion 24) is the front as viewed in the drawing.

The seating part 61 is a member on which the wearer 100 sits down.
On the upper surface of the seating portion 61, a load sensor 67 that detects the pressure received by the seating portion 61 from the wearer 100 is disposed. In the present embodiment, the output of the knee joint actuator 18 is controlled so that the detection value of the load sensor 67 becomes a predetermined target value (referred to as support load).
As a result, the wearer 100 always receives an upward urging force from the seating portion 61 so as to bear a part of his weight.

  The seating portion 61 supports at least a part of the weight of the wearer 100 from below. Since the seating portion 61 is pressed against the crotch portion of the wearer 100 from below, the upper portion of the walking support device 1 is thereby fixed to the waist portion of the wearer 100.

The connecting member 63 extends to the rear of the seat portion 61, and two left and right plates 62 are fixed to the extended portion. The connecting member 63 fixes the position of the seating portion 61 with respect to the plate 62.
The two plates 62 are disposed so as to be rotatable about the axis of the connecting member 63, so that the connecting member 63 functions as an opening / closing shaft for the two plates 62. Accordingly, the two plates 62 are also opened and closed around the axis of the connecting member 63 as the legs of the wearer 100 are opened and closed.

The plate 62 is a fan-shaped member that is formed from the rear end side of the seating portion 61 to the lower portion of the front end side of the seating portion 61 and is convex toward the lower limb side. The plate 62 is a member that holds the seat portion 61 with respect to the movement of the lower limbs, and has rigidity that can withstand it.
On the surface of the plate 62, guide rails 64 and 65 (hereinafter, referred to as guide rails 65) are formed concentrically around a hip joint pitch axis center (position of the hip joint) K located above the seat portion 61. ing.
The guide rail 65 defines a trajectory in which the hip joint pitch axis mechanism 17 moves in the front-rear direction as the wearer 100 moves.

The hip joint pitch axis mechanism 17 is configured to freely move on the track by the guide rail 65, and the hip joint pitch axis mechanism 17 freely moves on the path by the guide rails 64, 65 as the wearer 100 walks. To do.
For example, in a state where the center of gravity moves forward by the wearer 100 moving the right leg forward, the right hip joint pitch shaft mechanism 17R freely moves forward on the track in conjunction with the movement of the leg, and the left on the standing leg side. The left hip joint pitch shaft mechanism 17L freely moves backward on the track in conjunction with the movement of the leg backward from the center of gravity.
As described above, the hip joint pitch axis mechanism 17 freely moves in the front-rear direction on the track by the force (movement) of the wearer 100 moving the leg in the front-rear direction, and is driven in the front-rear direction by the actuator. Absent.
The hip joint pitch shaft mechanism 17 is provided with a position sensor that detects the position of the guide rails 64 and 65. Since the value of the position sensor can be used to calculate the hip joint angle of the wearer 100, the position sensor functions as a joint angle sensor related to the hip joint.

One end of an upper thigh coupling member 26 composed of a rigid member (for example, a columnar member) is fixed to the hip joint pitch shaft mechanism 17, and the knee joint actuator 18 is connected to the other end of the upper thigh coupling member 26. ing.
Since one end of the upper thigh connecting member 26 is fixed to the hip joint pitch axis mechanism 17, the angle with respect to the hip joint pitch axis mechanism 17 does not change, but the hip joint pitch axis mechanism 17 moves on the guide rail 65 on the arc. Thus, the angle of the upper thigh connecting member 26 with respect to the horizontal plane changes while keeping the angle θ with the tangent to the guide rail 65 constant.
That is, as the hip joint pitch shaft mechanism 17 moves forward on the guide rail 65 with the operation of raising the knee of the wearer 100, the angle between the upper thigh connecting member 26 and the horizontal plane becomes small (approaches horizontal).

Then, the knee joint actuator 18 located on the other end side of the upper thigh connecting member 26 moves back and forth on an arc centered on the hip joint pitch axis center K which is the central axis of the guide rail 65. That is, the knee joint actuator 18 performs an arc motion while maintaining a certain distance from the hip joint pitch axis center K as the hip joint pitch axis mechanism 17 freely moves.
The lower leg connection member 27 is connected to the other end side of the upper leg connection member 26 via a knee joint pitch shaft 86.

The knee joint actuator 18 is configured to change the knee joint angle between the upper thigh connecting member 26 and the lower thigh connecting member 27 with the knee joint pitch axis 86 as an axis based on the output.
That is, the knee joint actuator 18 increases the knee joint angle (closer to a straight line) so as to generate an upward biasing force on the seat 61 connected to the upper thigh coupling member 26 via the plate 62 or the like. Thus, a part of the weight of the wearer 100 is supported by the upper biasing force.
The knee joint actuator 18 functions as an actuator that supports the movement of the joints of the legs of the walking support target person.

  The knee joint actuator 18 of the present embodiment will be described in the case where it is disposed at the position of the knee joint pitch axis 86 (the connection point between the upper thigh connecting member 26 and the lower thigh connecting member 27). Alternatively, they may be arranged in other positions such as in the seating portion 61, under the seating portion 61, and behind the hip joint pitch axis mechanism 17. In this case, the output of the knee joint actuator 18 may be applied to the upper thigh connecting member 26 and the lower thigh connecting member 27 by arranging a pulley at a necessary position and using a transmission mechanism using a wire or a belt or other force transmission mechanism. .

  Although not shown, the encoder 20 is installed so as to be coaxial with the knee joint pitch axis 86 and detects the rotation angle of the knee joint pitch axis 86. The encoder 20 functions as a joint angle sensor related to the knee joint.

The crus connecting member 27 is formed of a rigid member (for example, a columnar member), and an ankle joint pitch axis mechanism 19 is attached to the other end opposite to the knee joint actuator 18.
The ankle joint pitch shaft mechanism 19 is attached with a foot connecting member 28 made of a rigid member (for example, a columnar member).
A foot mounting portion 24 into which the foot of the wearer 100 is inserted is fixed to the foot connecting member 28 so that the position of the ankle joint pitch axis mechanism 19 is substantially the same height as the ankle joint of the wearer 100.
In the ankle joint pitch axis mechanism 19, the foot connecting member 28 and the foot mounting portion 24 freely pitch with respect to the crus connecting member 27.
Although not shown, the ankle joint pitch axis mechanism 19 is also provided with an encoder for detecting the angle of the ankle joint, and functions as a joint angle sensor for detecting the angle of the ankle joint.

The foot mounting portion 24 is disposed outside the pair of opposing foot connecting members 28, so that FIG.
), Each member other than the foot mounting portion 24 fits between both legs.
Floor reaction force sensors 241R and 241L for detecting a reaction force from the walking surface are disposed on the bottom surface of the foot mounting portion 24 in order to obtain a weight ratio of the weight supported by each leg.
In the present embodiment, one floor reaction force sensor 241 is disposed at a substantially central portion of the bottom surface of each foot mounting portion 24. However, in order to more accurately determine the state of the standing leg and the free leg, You may make it arrange | position a floor reaction force sensor in multiple places (for example, two places of a toe and a heel).

The wearing procedure of the walking support device 1 is as follows.
First, the power of the walking support device 1 is turned off and the upper thigh connecting member 26 and the lower thigh connecting member 27 are folded.
Then, the wearer 100 wears the foot attachment unit 24 on the left and right legs in a sitting posture.
Next, the wearer 100 stands up, extends the upper thigh connecting member 26 and the lower thigh connecting member 27, and puts the seating portion 61 on the crotch.

Next, when the power is turned on, the walking support device 1 drives the knee joint actuator 18 so that the detection value of the load sensor 67 matches the support load, and the seat portion 61 supports the weight of the wearer 100. When taking off the walking support device 1, the reverse procedure is performed.
Thus, the walking support device 1 is easy to attach and detach.

When the power is turned on, until the load sensor 67 of the seating section 61 detects the load, the knee joint actuator 18 applies a torque corresponding to the load at the time of wearing that is smaller than the output torque corresponding to the support load. By outputting, the seating part 61 slowly rises below the waist of the wearer 100.
When the power is turned off, the knee joint actuator 18 outputs torque corresponding to a load at the time of attachment / detachment that is smaller than the load at the time of attachment, so that the seating portion 61 is slowly lowered downward.

  In this embodiment, the knee joint actuator 18 is used as the walking support actuator. However, an ankle joint actuator is provided for the ankle joint pitch shaft mechanism 19, or the hip joint pitch shaft mechanism 17 is connected to the guide rail 64. A hip joint actuator driven along 65 may be provided.

In the following, the idle running period shortening process at the time of motion reversal will be described by taking the knee joint actuator 18 as an example, but the same processing can be performed at the time of motion reversal even when an ankle joint actuator or a hip joint actuator is provided.
In this embodiment, the walking support device 1 of the type that is mounted on the inner side of both legs will be described. For example, the type that is mounted on the outer side of both legs and that holds and drives the waist, thigh, lower leg, and the like. The present invention can also be applied to other walking support devices.

FIG. 2 is a diagram for explaining the idling period shortening process performed by the walking support apparatus 1 when the torque is reversed.
FIG. 2A shows a torque curve that the knee joint actuator 18 acts around the knee joint pitch axis 86.
The vertical axis represents torque, and the horizontal axis represents time.
The positive direction on the vertical axis is the torque in the extending direction for extending the knee joint, and the negative direction is the torque in the bending direction for bending the knee joint.
Except for the maximum output 50, a curve obtained by smoothly connecting the curve 41 and the curve 43 is an ideal torque curve.

When the knee joint is reversed from flexion to extension, as indicated by a curve 41, the torque generated by the knee joint actuator 18 approaches 0 from a negative value and becomes 0 at the reversal timing 47.
The knee joint actuator 18 reverses the direction of the torque output at the timing 47.

The walking assist device 1 causes the knee joint actuator 18 to output the maximum output at the moment of timing 47 when the operation of the knee joint actuator 18 is reversed, thereby shortening the idle running period.
In the example shown in the figure, the maximum output 50 is output during the period ΔT from timing 47 to timing 49. At timing 49, the curve 43 returns to an ideal torque curve in the extension torque direction.

The period (time) ΔT is from the moment when the motion reversal is detected to immediately before the mechanical play is eliminated, and the mechanical play is eliminated at the timing 49 when the maximum output 50 ends. For this reason, in this embodiment, the play period coincides with ΔT.
As described above, the reason why the end timing of ΔT is at least immediately before the mechanical play is eliminated is that if ΔT is made longer than this, the maximum output 50 acts on the knee joint.
The closer the end point of the maximum output 50 is to the time point at which mechanical play is eliminated, the greater the impact reduction effect.

More specifically, the value of ΔT includes ΔT (positive rotation) when the knee joint actuator 18 rotates positively (for example, the joint extension direction) and negative rotation (for example, the bending direction of the joint). ΔT (negative rotation) in the case of supposing that the walking assist device 1 uses ΔT (positive rotation, negative rotation) corresponding to the extension / bending of the knee joint. Hereinafter, ΔT (positive rotation) and ΔT (negative rotation) will be collectively referred to as ΔT.
The walking support device 1 measures the period ΔT in advance and stores the measured period ΔT, thereby causing the knee joint actuator 18 to output the period maximum output 50 based on this value.

FIG. 2B is an enlarged view of the vicinity of the torque curve at the time of torque reversal.
A curve 44 shows a torque curve of the conventional example. In the conventional example, mechanical play is eliminated at the timing 48, and a sudden increase in torque shown by the curve 44 is observed.
On the other hand, in the walking assistance device 1, the idle running period ends at a timing 49 earlier than the timing 48. Thereby, the idling period of the walking support device 1 is shortened (decreased) from ΔS to ΔT compared to the conventional example.
As the idling period decreases, the increase in torque generated at the end of the idling period decreases from N2 in the conventional example to N1.
As described above, in the walking support device 1, an increase in torque generated from mechanical play at the time of reversal is reduced by shortening the idle running period, so that the striking power experienced by the wearer 100 can be reduced.

In this embodiment, the maximum output 50 is output to the knee joint actuator 18 in order to shorten the mechanical play period. However, if the torque is larger than the normal torque, there is an effect of shortening the play period.
In this way, the control device 2 increases the output of the knee joint actuator 18 during the play period, but is most effective when the output is set to the maximum output 50.

FIG. 3 is a diagram illustrating a system configuration of the walking support device 1.
The control device 2 is an electronic control unit including a CPU (Central Processing Unit), a ROM (Read Only Memory), a RAM (Random Access Memory), a storage unit, various interfaces, and the like (not shown). Electronically controlled.

  The control device 2 is configured by executing various programs such as a walking support program stored in a storage unit by a CPU, and includes a sensor information acquisition unit 3, a joint moment calculation unit 4, an actuator operation signal acquisition unit 8, and play removal control. Unit 7, device parameter storage unit 5, human body parameter storage unit 6 and the like.

The sensor information acquisition unit 3 acquires the angle of each joint from the joint angle sensor 9 (such as the encoder 20), acquires the floor reaction force from the floor reaction force sensor 241, and acquires the load from the load sensor 67.
The joint moment calculation unit 4 uses the joint angles, the detection values of the floor reaction force sensor 241, and the parameters stored in the device parameter storage unit 5 and the human body parameter storage unit 6 to use the joint moment of the knee joint of the wearer 100. Is calculated.
The actuator operation signal acquisition unit 8 acquires an operation signal of the knee joint actuator 18 that exerts a predetermined assist force on the joint moment calculated by the joint moment calculation unit 4.

The play removal control unit 7 monitors whether the operation of the knee joint actuator 18 is reversed by the operation signal while outputting the operation signal acquired by the actuator operation signal acquisition unit 8 to the knee joint actuator 18.
When the operation of the knee joint actuator 18 is reversed, the play removal control unit 7 inputs a predetermined operation signal to the knee joint actuator 18 and outputs the maximum output to the knee joint actuator 18 during ΔT.

As described above, the play removal control unit 7 detects the reversal of the operation of the actuator, and when the reversal of the operation is detected, the play removal control unit 7 raises the output of the actuator to cause mechanical play due to the reversal. It functions as a shortening means to shorten the period.
In this embodiment, the case where the output of the actuator is increased by the shortening means will be described as an example in which the maximum output is output. However, a predetermined output value larger than the output required when the actuator operation is reversed is output. It may be.
Further, the play removal control unit 7 increases the output of the knee joint actuator 18 for a predetermined period ΔT set in advance.

Further, the play removal control unit 7 confirms the operation signal output from the actuator operation signal acquisition unit 8 before the operation signal is input to the knee joint actuator 18, and thereby detects inversion. The maximum output can be output instantaneously.
In this way, the play removal control unit 7 detects the inversion from the operation signal before being input to the actuator, and the timing at which the play removal control unit 7 increases the output of the knee joint actuator 18 is the inversion of the operation. The moment of detection (simultaneous with detection).

The device parameter storage unit 5 stores the length between the joints of the walking support device 1, the weight and center of gravity of each unit, ΔT that is the period during which the knee joint actuator 18 outputs the maximum output, and the like.
The human body parameter storage unit 6 stores data representing physical characteristics such as the height and weight of the wearer 100.
Thus, the device parameter storage unit 5 and the human body parameter storage unit 6 store various parameters necessary for calculating the joint moment and the like.

FIG. 4 is a flowchart for explaining the procedure of the walking support operation performed by the control device 2.
The following processing is processing performed by the CPU included in the control device 2 according to the walking support program.
First, the sensor information acquisition part 3 acquires a detection value from each sensor, such as the joint angle sensor 9, the floor reaction force sensor 241, and the load sensor 67 (step 5).

Next, the joint moment calculator 4 calculates the joint moment of the knee joint by a predetermined calculation (step 10).
Next, the actuator operation signal acquisition unit 8 acquires an operation signal for driving the knee joint actuator 18 using the value of the joint moment (step 15).

Next, the play removal control unit 7 acquires an operation signal from the actuator operation signal acquisition unit 8, and determines whether or not the torque output from the knee joint actuator 18 is reversed from the flexion side to the extension side (step 20). .
As described above, the play removal control unit 7 outputs the maximum output at the moment when the knee joint actuator 18 performs the reverse operation in order to detect the reverse operation before the operation signal is input to the knee joint actuator 18. Can do.

When reversing from flexion to extension (step 20; Y), the play removal control unit 7 causes the knee joint actuator 18 to output a maximum output for ΔT at the moment when the motion signal for extension is reached (step 25).
After ΔT, the play removal control unit 7 returns to the normal operation in which the operation signal acquired by the actuator operation signal acquisition unit 8 is output to the knee joint actuator 18 (step 30).
Since the play removal control unit 7 has returned to the normal operation, the operation signal acquired from the actuator operation signal acquisition unit 8 is input to the knee joint actuator 18 to drive the knee joint actuator 18 in a normal state (step 35).

Next, the control device 2 determines whether or not to continue the walking support operation (step 40). If it continues (step 40; Y), it returns to step 5; otherwise, it does not continue (step 40; N). The process ends.
For example, the walking support device 1 can select the start and end of the walking support operation by the wearer 100 pressing a switch or the like, and the control device 2 can perform the walking support operation when the switch is on. If the switch is off, it is determined that the walking support operation is to be terminated.

Note that the operation switch for starting and ending this operation may be the same as or different from the above-described power on / off operation.
In the case of common use, when the operation end switch (= power switch) is turned off, the knee joint actuator 18 outputs an output torque corresponding to the load at the time of attachment / detachment, so that the seat portion 61 slowly descends downward.
On the other hand, when separate from the power switch, the knee joint actuator 18 continues to output the output torque corresponding to the support load.

On the other hand, when not reversing from flexion to extension (step 20; N), the play removal control unit 7 determines whether the torque output from the knee joint actuator 18 is reversed from the extension side to the flexion side based on the operation signal. (Step 45).
In the case of reversal from extension to flexion (step 45; Y), the play removal control unit 7 causes the knee joint actuator 18 to output a maximum output during ΔT at the moment when the motion signal for flexion is obtained (step 50). ), And proceeds to step 30.
On the other hand, when not reversing from extension to bending (step 45; N), the play removal control unit 7 proceeds to step 35.

  The walking assist device 1 performs the above processing independently for the left and right knee joint actuators 18 with respect to the left and right knee joint actuators 18.

In the embodiment described above, the timing of motion reversal is acquired from the motion signal input to the knee joint actuator 18, but this is only an example, and even if the knee joint moment is monitored and the timing of reversal is acquired from this Good.
Moreover, it can also comprise so that inversion may be detected from the detected value of the encoder 20.
Furthermore, in the embodiments, the knee joint actuator has been described as an example. However, various actuators other than the knee, such as hip joint actuators, ankle joint actuators, and various actuators in support devices that support the operation of elbows, shoulder wrists, etc. It is also possible to apply.

According to the embodiment described above, the following effects can be obtained.
(1) By causing the knee joint actuator 18 to output the maximum output at the moment when the operation of the knee joint actuator 18 is reversed, the idle running period in which mechanical play is occurring can be shortened.
(2) By shortening the idling period, it is possible to relieve the striking force generated when the operation is reversed and to improve the wearing feeling given to the wearer 100.
(3) It is possible to reduce the impact force at the time of reversing the operation at low cost without using complicated control or a device.

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Walking assistance apparatus 2 Control apparatus 3 Sensor information acquisition part 4 Joint moment calculation part 8 Actuator operation signal acquisition part 9 Joint angle sensor 17 Hip joint pitch axis mechanism (slide mechanism)
18R Right knee joint actuator 18L Left knee joint actuator 19 Ankle joint pitch axis mechanism 20 Encoder 24 Foot mounting portion 241R Right floor reaction force sensor 241L Left floor reaction force sensor 26 Upper thigh connection member 27 Lower thigh connection member 28 Foot connection members 41 and 43 44 Curve 47-49 Timing 50 Maximum output 61 Seating part 62 Plate 63 Connecting member 64 Guide rail 65 Guide rail 67 Load sensor 71, 72 Gear 86 Knee joint pitch axis 91-96 Arrow line 100 Wearer K Hip joint pitch axis center

Claims (6)

A support device for supporting exercise of a support target person,
An actuator for supporting the movement of the joint of the person to be supported;
Reversal detecting means for detecting reversal of the operating direction of the actuator;
A shortening means for shortening a period in which mechanical play due to the reversal occurs by increasing the output of the actuator when the reversal of the operation is detected;
A support apparatus comprising: The shortening means increases the output of the actuator simultaneously with the detection of the reversal of the operation direction;
The support apparatus according to claim 1. The inversion detection means detects the inversion of the operation direction of the actuator from the operation signal before being input to the actuator.
The support device according to claim 1, wherein the support device is a device. The shortening means causes the actuator to output a maximum output;
The support apparatus according to claim 1, claim 2, or claim 3. The shortening means increases the output of the actuator for a predetermined period set in advance.
The support device according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein the support device is any one of claims 1 to 4. A support program for a support device including an actuator that supports the movement of a support target person,
An inversion detection function for detecting inversion of the operation direction of the actuator;
When a reversal of the operation is detected, a shortening function that increases the output of the actuator to shorten a period during which mechanical play due to the reversal occurs,
Support program that realizes with a computer.

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