JP2016202580A - Walking aid - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a walking aid of a novel structure that can be compactly materialized with a lightweight and a simple construction.SOLUTION: In the walking aid for assisting walking of a user P, a first installation part that is attached to the legs of the user P and a second installation part that is attached to the trunk are connected with a left/right support force transmission part. Also, electric power supply from a power unit 48 to a motor that imparts a rotary driving force to both left/right support force transmission parts is controlled by a controller 46 based on the walking movement detection signal of a sensor, so that the rotating direction of the output shaft 44 of the motor 42 is controlled by the controller 46. With an output shaft 44 rotated to one way, a support force transmission part operating mechanism 66 draws one of the left/right support force transmission parts and delivers the other. With the output shaft 44 rotated to the other way, the support force transmission part operating mechanism 66 delivers one of the left/right support force transmission parts and draws the other, in the configuration of the walking aid.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 5

Description

  The present invention relates to a walking exercise assisting device that assists a walking motion of a wearer with an output of a motor.

  Conventionally, various walking exercise assisting devices have been proposed in order to support walking of elderly people or disabled persons with low muscular strength. As a walking exercise assisting tool, as disclosed in Japanese Patent No. 4200202 (Patent Document 1), a hard frame is mounted on a wearer's leg, and the frame is moved by a driving force such as a motor, so that the wearer There is an exoskeleton type that exerts an assisting force to forcibly move the legs of the body. On the other hand, the present applicant has proposed an exercise assisting tool having a flexible structure in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2012-192013 (Patent Document 2), which is an earlier application. That is, Patent Document 2 has a structure in which a first mounting portion attached to one side across a joint portion and a second mounting portion attached to the other side are connected to each other by an auxiliary force transmission portion. The output of the drive source is applied between the first mounting portion and the second mounting portion through the auxiliary force transmitting portion to assist the joint motion. Then, by attaching and using the first mounting portion and the second mounting portion on both sides of the hip joint, it is possible to assist walking exercise.

  By the way, since the walking exercise assisting device assists walking motion by exerting an assisting force on the left and right leg parts, a motor for assisting the left leg and a motor for assisting the right leg are provided. In Patent Document 2, one of the left and right auxiliary force transmission portions is attached to the output shaft of the motor. For example, by controlling the output shafts of the motors synchronously, the auxiliary force necessary for walking is exerted on the left and right leg portions by winding and extending the left and right auxiliary force transmitting portions.

  However, in the exercise assisting tool such as Patent Document 2 worn by the wearer, the structure including the two motors increases the weight, and for example, it may be a burden on the wearer when used for a long time. Furthermore, the arrangement of two motors complicates the structure and requires a large storage space, which may limit the size reduction of the exercise assisting tool as a whole.

Japanese Patent No. 4200202 JP 2012-192013 A

  The present invention has been made in the background of the above-mentioned circumstances, and a problem to be solved thereof is to provide a walking exercise assisting device having a novel structure that can be realized in a light weight and compact with a simple structure. .

  Hereinafter, the aspect of this invention made | formed in order to solve such a subject is described. In addition, the component employ | adopted in each aspect as described below is employable by arbitrary combinations as much as possible.

  That is, the first aspect of the present invention is a walking exercise assisting device for assisting the wearer's walking, the left and right first mounting portions attached to the left and right ones of the wearer, and the wearer A second mounting portion attached to the torso, a left and right first mounting portion, a left and right auxiliary force transmitting portion connecting the second mounting portion, and a sensor for detecting the walking motion of the wearer, A motor supported by the second mounting portion; a power supply device that supplies power to the motor; and power supply from the power supply device to the motor is controlled based on a walking motion detection signal detected by the sensor. A control device that controls the rotation direction of the output shaft of the motor, and the rotational driving force of the motor is exerted on the left and right auxiliary force transmission units, and the output shaft of the motor rotates in one direction, whereby the left and right Pull one side of the auxiliary force transmission section and feed the other Output shaft and an auxiliary force transmission unit actuating mechanism pulling the other with feeding one of 該補 help transfer portions of the left and right by rotating the other hand, that it has, and wherein the.

  According to the walking exercise assisting device structured as described above according to the first aspect of the present invention, paying attention to the fact that the left and right legs alternately require assisting force in the walking motion, the rotation direction of the output shaft of the motor Is controlled by the control device on the basis of the walking cycle detection signal, it is possible to apply an auxiliary force to the left and right auxiliary force transmission units by one motor. Therefore, it is possible to reduce the number of motors, to reduce the space for arranging the motors, and to reduce the weight, simplify the structure, improve the reliability, and the like.

  According to a second aspect of the present invention, in the walking exercise assisting device described in the first aspect, the second mounting portion sides of the left and right auxiliary force transmitting portions are continuously connected to each other.

  According to the second aspect, by connecting the left and right auxiliary force transmission parts on the second mounting part side and continuing, the number of parts can be reduced, and the auxiliary force transmission part becomes an auxiliary force transmission part operating mechanism. Installation is also easy. It should be noted that the left and right auxiliary force transmission parts being continuous with each other does not necessarily mean that the whole is integrally formed, but the second attachment of the left and right auxiliary force transmission parts formed separately. This includes the case where the part sides are post-fixed to each other and made continuous.

  According to a third aspect of the present invention, in the walking exercise assisting device described in the second aspect, the auxiliary force transmission unit operating mechanism is rotated by the motor, and the left and right auxiliary force transmission is performed according to the rotation direction. The drum is configured to include a drum that winds and unwinds the portion, and the drum is formed with an insertion hole through which the connected portion of the left and right auxiliary force transmission portions is inserted and positioned. Both ends of the insertion hole are opened in opposite directions in the circumferential direction on the outer peripheral surface of the drum.

  According to the third aspect, the retracting and feeding of the left and right auxiliary force transmission parts by the auxiliary force transmission part operating mechanism is realized by winding and feeding by rotation of the drum connected to the output shaft. Therefore, it is possible to use a simple structure without requiring a mechanism for converting the rotational output generated by the linear operation into a linear operation. The drum may be directly fixed and connected to the output shaft of the motor, or may be indirectly connected via a reduction gear train or the like.

  In addition, the connected portion of the left and right auxiliary force transmission portions is inserted through the insertion hole and positioned, so that the auxiliary force transmission portion is held without being detached from the drum, and the auxiliary force transmission portion is wound by the drum. Since the taking and feeding are stably realized, the target walking assist force can be obtained with excellent reliability. In particular, both end openings of the insertion hole are opened in the circumferential direction opposite to the outer peripheral surface of the drum, and the portions exposed from the insertion holes in the left and right auxiliary force transmission parts are guided to each circumferential direction, The winding and feeding of the left and right auxiliary force transmission portions can be more smoothly realized with respect to the rotation of the drum.

  According to a fourth aspect of the present invention, in the walking aid device described in any one of the first to third aspects, the sensor includes an angle sensor that detects an angle of the hip joint of the wearer, The sensor is mounted on the leg of the wearer.

  According to the fourth aspect, the movement of the wearer's foot is directly detected as the hip joint angle by the sensor attached to the wearer's leg, thereby accurately detecting the wearer's walking movement (walking cycle, etc.). Can be detected.

  According to a fifth aspect of the present invention, in the walking exercise assisting device described in any one of the first to fourth aspects, the motor, the power supply device, and the control device are provided in the second mounting portion. A case to be accommodated is attached, and the sensor is configured to include an upper body sensor that is accommodated in the case and detects a walking motion based on the movement of the upper body of the wearer.

  According to the fifth aspect, the motor, the power supply device, and the control device that are electrically connected to each other are housed in one case, so that the wiring can be shortened and the joint of the wearer is straddled. Therefore, it is not necessary to extend the wiring and it becomes difficult to disconnect, so that the reliability can be improved. Furthermore, when the case is made hard to protect the motor, the power supply device, and the control device that are housed, the operation of the wearer is less likely to be hindered because the case does not need to be provided at a plurality of locations.

  In addition, by adopting an upper body sensor that detects the walking cycle based on the movement of the upper body of the wearer and also housing the upper body sensor in the case, the upper body sensor can be arranged on the second mounting part side. The wiring connecting the control device and the upper body sensor can be prevented from extending across the hip joint.

  According to a sixth aspect of the present invention, in the walking exercise assisting device described in any one of the first to fifth aspects, the control device requires the generated force of the motor to assist the wearer in walking. The motor is controlled so as to have a magnitude obtained by adding a force lost due to sliding resistance of the left and right auxiliary force transmission portions to the force to be applied.

  According to the sixth aspect, by controlling the generated force of the motor in consideration of the energy loss due to the friction of the auxiliary force transmission unit, the auxiliary force having a desired size is applied to the left and right legs of the wearer. It can be made to act with higher accuracy.

  According to a seventh aspect of the present invention, in the walking exercise assisting device described in any one of the first to sixth aspects, the motor is a brushless motor, and the control means performs vector control of the motor. To do.

  According to the seventh aspect, it is possible to control the auxiliary force exerted on the left and right legs with high accuracy by directly controlling the torque generated by the motor by vector control. Further, since the motor is a brushless motor, reliability is improved, and high-precision torque control by vector control can be advantageously realized by flat torque characteristics.

  According to the present invention, by controlling the rotation direction of the output shaft of the motor based on the walking cycle detection signal by the control device, the auxiliary force can be exerted on the left and right auxiliary force transmitting portions by one motor, and the motor The space for the movement can be reduced, and the walking exercise assisting device can be reduced in weight, simplified in structure, and improved in reliability.

The figure which shows the walking exercise assistance tool as 1st embodiment of this invention in a wearing condition, Comprising: The figure seen from the front of the wearer. It is a figure which shows the walking exercise assistance tool shown in FIG. 1 in a wearing state, Comprising: The figure seen from the wearer's back. The front view of the drive device and auxiliary force transmission wire which comprise the walking exercise assistance tool shown in FIG. FIG. 4 is a right side view of the drive device and auxiliary force transmission wire shown in FIG. 3. It is a longitudinal cross-sectional view of the drive device and auxiliary force transmission wire shown in FIG. 3, and is a view corresponding to the VV cross section of FIG. The right view which cuts and shows a case in the VI-VI cross section of FIG. The front view which expands and shows the 2nd pulley and drum which comprise the drive device shown in FIG. The right side view of the 2nd pulley and drum which are shown in FIG. The rear view of the drum shown in FIG. It is a figure explaining the action | operation of the drive device and auxiliary force transmission wire which are shown in FIG. 3, Comprising: The figure which shows the case where a right leg is a free leg. It is a figure explaining the action | operation of the drive device and auxiliary force transmission wire which are shown in FIG. 3, Comprising: The figure which shows the case where a left leg is a free leg.

  Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings.

  1 and 2 show a walking exercise assisting device 10 as a first embodiment of the present invention in a wearing state of a wearer P. This walking exercise assisting device 10 has a structure in which left and right first mounting portions 12 and 12 and a second mounting portion 14 are connected to each other by an auxiliary force transmitting portion 16. In the following description, the vertical direction means the vertical direction in FIG. 1 in principle.

  More specifically, the first mounting portion 12 is formed of a belt-like cloth or the like, and both end portions can be detachably connected by a Velcro tape or hook provided at the end in the length direction, The wearer P can be wound around the leg (in this embodiment, the knee) and worn. In addition, the 1st mounting part 12 is made into the cyclic | annular form beforehand, for example, and may be the structure mounted | worn by inserting a leg, and can be fixed to the front part etc. of the clothes (pants) of the wearer P. May be.

  Furthermore, in this embodiment, the sensor 18 is attached to the first mounting portion 12. The sensor 18 is an angle sensor such as a gyro sensor that detects the angle of the hip joint of the wearer P, and is attached to the left and right first mounting portions 12 and 12, respectively. The left and right sensors 18 and 18 detect the movement of the left and right legs of the wearer P, and the walking motion of the wearer P is detected. The walking motion detection signal of the sensors 18 and 18 is detected. Based on the above, the control device 48 to be described later detects the start timing of the walking motion, measures the walking cycle of the wearer P, and the like. The sensor 18 may be connected to the control device 48 described later by a wired connection and transmit a detection signal. However, as in the present embodiment, the control device 48 and the sensor 18 are connected to the hip joint. If the detection signal is transmitted wirelessly, wiring across the hip joint can be avoided.

  The second mounting portion 14 includes a waistband portion 20 made of cloth or the like. The waistband portion 20 can be annularly formed by detachably connecting both ends thereof with Velcro tape, hooks, joints, etc., like the first attachment portion 12, and the wearer P is wound around the waist portion and attached. It can be done. Furthermore, the second mounting portion 14 of the present embodiment includes left and right shoulder strap portions 22 that the wearer P hangs on the shoulder through the arm. The shoulder strap portion 22 is provided so that the wearer P can carry a driving device 30 described later like a rucksack. In this way, the second mounting portion 14 is mounted on the trunk (upper body) of the wearer P.

  Also, the left and right first mounting parts 12, 12 to be mounted on the leg of the wearer P and the second mounting part 14 to be mounted on the trunk of the wearer P are mutually connected by the auxiliary force transmission unit 16. It is connected. The auxiliary force transmission unit 16 extends so as to straddle the hip joint of the wearer P, and includes left and right traction bands 24, 24 connected to one of the left and right first mounting units 12, 12. The traction band 24 is preferably formed of a belt-like cloth or the like, and the length can be adjusted by a buckle 26 or the like. In addition, the traction band 24 is formed of a material having low stretchability in the present embodiment and facilitates transmission of a target assisting force with high accuracy. Durability can be improved because the leg force of the wearer P is hardly transmitted to the driving device 30 described later while being exerted gently on the leg. In addition, even if the auxiliary force transmission unit 16 includes an elastic body such as a coil spring in addition to the traction band 24, the same effect as in the case of imparting elasticity to the traction band 24 can be obtained.

  One end of each of the left and right traction bands 24, 24 is connected to one of the left and right first mounting portions 12, 12, and the other end is connected to both ends of the auxiliary force transmission wire 28. A transmission wire 28 is connected to the driving device 30 attached to the second mounting portion 14.

  As shown in FIGS. 3 to 6, the drive device 30 includes a hollow case 32. The case 32 has a substantially open box-shaped front part 34 and a rear part 36 which are fixed to each other in a manner in which the opening ends are abutted with each other, and an accommodation space 38 is formed between the front part 34 and the rear part 36. Yes. Further, an intermediate plate 40 is fitted and screwed into the opening of the front portion 34 of the case 32, and the accommodation space 38 is separated forward and backward by the intermediate plate 40. The case 32 has a front portion 34 attached to the second mounting portion 14, and the second mounting portion 14 is mounted on the wearer P, so that the wearer P can carry the case 32.

  A motor 42 is accommodated in the case 32. The motor 42 of this embodiment is an outer rotor type brushless motor, and includes an output shaft 44 fixed to an outer rotor (not shown). The output shaft 44 is driven to rotate with respect to a motor housing that houses a rotor or the like, and is allowed to rotate in both forward and reverse directions in accordance with the energization direction from a power supply device 46 described later. The motor 42 has a main body portion including a motor housing disposed on the rear portion 36 side of the intermediate plate 40, and the motor housing is fixed to the intermediate plate 40 and supported by the case 32. Further, the output shaft 44 of the motor 42 protrudes toward the front portion 34 with respect to the intermediate plate 40. Note that the outer rotor type motor 42 is suitable for efficiently obtaining torque while reducing the backlash by reducing the reduction ratio of the reduction gear 52 to be described later. However, an inner rotor type motor can also be used. Furthermore, the motor 42 is not limited to a brushless motor, and a brushed DC motor or the like may be employed.

  In addition, a power supply device 46 is connected to the motor 42. The power supply device 46 is a battery for supplying power to the motor 42 and is electrically connected to the motor 42 and a control device 48 described later. The electric power supplied from the power supply device 46 to the motor 42 is controlled by an inverter circuit by a control signal from a control device 48 described later.

  A control device 48 is connected to the motor 42. The control device 48 controls the supply voltage from the power supply device 46 to the motor 42 to turn the motor 42 ON / OFF, the generated torque, and the rotation direction of the output shaft 44 into the walking motion detection signals of the sensors 18 and 18. Control based on each. In the present embodiment, the power supply device 46 and the control device 48 are mounted on the printed circuit board 50, and the motor 42 and the power supply device 46 are connected by connecting the terminals of the motor 42 to the printed wiring (not shown) of the printed circuit board 50. And the control device 48 are electrically connected.

  Further, the control device 48 performs vector control of the motor 42, and controls the torque generated by the motor 42 by controlling the magnitude of electric power applied to the motor 42. In the vector control, the supply voltage is set so that the rotation operation becomes a target value based on, for example, the detected value of the armature current of the motor 42 by using an IC supplied with a vector control algorithm and supplied to the market. It is possible to execute by controlling. Further, in the vector control of the motor 42, a position sensor (not shown) for detecting the relative position of the motor 42 on the circumference of the rotor and the stator is provided in order to enable more accurate control, and the detection result of the position sensor. However, without providing a position sensor, the relative position between the rotor and the stator can also be obtained by calculation from the three-phase current value of the stator, for example.

  In the control device 48 of the present embodiment, the force generated by the motor 42 is lost due to the sliding resistance of each part of the auxiliary force transmission unit 16 with respect to the magnitude of the force necessary for assisting the walking motion of the wearer P. The output of the motor 42 is controlled so as to increase by this amount. As a result, in assisting the walking motion described later, the force exerted on the leg portion of the wearer P is accurately adjusted according to the size necessary for assisting the walking motion, thereby assisting the walking motion more effectively. it can. The sliding force of the auxiliary force transmission unit 16 includes the traction bands 24 and 24 in addition to the contact between the auxiliary force transmission wire 28 and a drum 66 described later, the sliding contact between the auxiliary force transmission wire 28 and a guide tube 86 described later. In addition, there is frictional resistance due to sliding contact between the auxiliary force transmission wire 28 and the wearer's P clothes.

  A reduction gear 52 is attached to the output shaft 44 of the motor 42. The speed reduction device 52 is fixed to the output shaft 44, rotates with the output shaft 44, a second gear 56 that meshes with the first gear 54, and the same rotation shaft 58 as the second gear 56. A first pulley 60 to be fixed and a second pulley 64 to which torque is transmitted from the first pulley 60 by a toothed belt 62 are provided. Then, the rotational driving force of the output shaft 44 is transmitted at a predetermined reduction ratio by the meshing of the first gear 54 and the second gear 56 and the belt transmission of the first pulley 60 and the second pulley 64. It has become so.

  Further, as shown in FIGS. 5 and 6, the second pulley 64 is attached with a drum 66 as an auxiliary force transmission unit operating mechanism. The drum 66 has a stepped substantially disk shape having a large diameter portion 68 and a small diameter portion 70, and a wire holding groove 72 is formed in the small diameter portion 70. As shown in FIG. 7, the wire holding groove 72 has a small-diameter portion in which the intermediate portion extends in the circumferential direction with a length less than one circumference around the central axis and less than one circumference, and both end portions extend while being curved. 70, and both end openings are opened in opposite directions in the circumferential direction on the outer peripheral surface of the small-diameter portion 70. Note that the drum 66 is not necessarily limited to one having a circular cross section. For example, even if the drum 66 has a semicircular cross section or a polygonal cross section, the auxiliary force transmission wire 28 can be wound and fed by a rotation operation as described later. Anything is possible.

  The drum 66 has a small-diameter portion 70 superimposed on one surface in the axial direction of the second pulley 64 and is fixed by bolts 74 at three locations on the circumference, whereby the output of the motor 42 is transmitted via the speed reducer 52. It is indirectly connected to the shaft 44. Thereby, the drum 66 is configured to be rotated by the motor 42 so that the output of the motor 42 is decelerated with a predetermined reduction ratio and transmitted. Further, the wire holding groove 72 of the drum 66 is covered with the axial end surface of the second pulley 64, so that an insertion hole 76 extending between the drum 66 and the second pulley 64 is formed. Both end openings are opened in opposite directions in the circumferential direction on the outer peripheral surface of the drum 66. Furthermore, the axial end of the second pulley 64 has substantially the same diameter as the large-diameter portion 68 of the drum 66, and between the second pulley 64 and the large-diameter portion 68 of the drum 66, A wire winding groove 78 extending continuously in the circumferential direction is formed (see FIG. 6).

  An auxiliary force transmission wire 28 that constitutes the second mounting portion 14 side of the auxiliary force transmission portion 16 is attached to the drum 66. The auxiliary force transmitting wire 28 is positioned by inserting an intermediate portion through the insertion hole 76, while a portion extending from the insertion hole 76 is positioned along the outer peripheral surface of the small diameter portion 70 of the drum 66. It extends inward and extends downward from both the left and right sides of the small diameter portion 70. The left and right side portions of the auxiliary force transmission wire 28 extending downwardly extend to the outside through a wire communication hole 80 formed in the lower portion of the case 32.

  Further, in the present embodiment, the upper end portion of the wire cover 82 is fixed to the wire communication hole 80 of the case 32. The wire cover 82 is made of hard support fittings 84 and 84 that support the auxiliary force transmission wire 28 having both end portions inserted therein. The upper support fitting 84 is fixed to the case 32 and the intermediate portion is curved. The guide tube 86 is formed of a flexible elastomer or rubber elastic body that is allowed to be

  Furthermore, both ends of the auxiliary force transmission wire 28 are further exposed outwardly from the tip of the wire cover 82, and left and right connecting members 88, 88 fixed to the both ends are connected to the left and right traction bands 24, 24 is connected to the other end. Thus, the auxiliary force transmission unit 16 that connects the left and right first mounting units 12 and 12 and the second mounting unit 14 is constituted by the left and right traction bands 24 and 24 and the auxiliary force transmission wire 28. . The auxiliary force transmitting portion 16 of the present embodiment has a pair of left and right portions that extend from the case 32 and are exposed to the outside, while the end portions of the left and right portions on the second mounting portion 14 side are auxiliary force. The transmission wire 28 is configured to be continuously connected to each other. As described above, the connected portion of the auxiliary force transmission unit 16 is configured by the auxiliary force transmission wire 28, so that the left and right portions of the auxiliary force transmission unit 16 of the present embodiment are both the second mounting unit 14. It is attached to the drum 66 on the side.

  The left and right portions of the auxiliary force transmission portion 16 constituted by the left and right traction bands 24 and 24 and both end portions of the auxiliary force transmission wire 28 are wound and fed by the drum 66 rotated by the motor 42. The length can be changed. That is, when the output shaft 44 of the motor 42 rotates to the right, as shown in FIG. 10, the drum 66 is rotated counterclockwise, and the right portion of the auxiliary force transmission unit 16 is wound by the drum 66 and becomes shorter. The left part of the force transmission unit 16 is extended by the drum 66 and becomes longer. On the other hand, when the output shaft 44 of the motor 42 rotates counterclockwise, the drum 66 is rotated to the right as shown in FIG. 11, and the right portion of the auxiliary force transmitting portion 16 is extended by the drum 66 and becomes longer. The left portion of the transmission portion 16 is wound by the drum 66 and becomes shorter. Therefore, by controlling the rotation direction of the output shaft 44 of the motor 42 by the control device 48, either one of the left and right portions of the auxiliary force transmission unit 16 is pulled and shortened, and the other is extended and lengthened. It can be done.

  As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the walking exercise assisting device 10 having such a structure is mounted with the left and right first mounting portions 12 and 12 on the left and right legs (knee portions) of the wearer P. On the other hand, the left and right shoulder strap portions 22, 22 of the second mounting portion 14 are hung on the shoulder portion of the wearer P, and the waistband portion 20 of the second mounting portion 14 is mounted on the waist portion of the wearer P. . Thereby, the sensors 18 and 18 attached to the left and right first attachment parts 12 and 12 are attached to the left and right legs of the wearer P, and the drive device 30 attached to the second attachment part 14 is provided. It is carried and supported by the wearer P. Further, in the auxiliary force transmission unit 16 that connects the first mounting units 12 and 12 and the second mounting unit 14, the auxiliary force transmission wire 28 extending from the case 32 passes from the rear side of the wearer P to the side. The lower part of the auxiliary force transmission wire 28 and the traction band 24 extend vertically along the front surface of the thigh of the wearer P. The guide tube 86 is fixed to the surface of the waistband portion 20 and extends in a curved manner from the back of the wearer P to the front surface of the waist portion, and the auxiliary force transmission wire 28 guided by the guide tube 86 is connected to the thigh. It is connected to the left and right traction bands 24, 24 in front of the section.

  In such a wearing state, the walking motion assisting device 10 controls the motor 42 based on the walking motion detection signal transmitted from the sensors 18 and 18 to the control device 48, so that the wearer P An assisting force for assisting walking motion is exerted on the leg.

  That is, when the sensors 18 and 18 detect the change in the angle of the thigh and the control device 48 detects the start of the walking motion, the power is supplied to the motor 42 to rotate the output shaft 44. The rotation direction of the output shaft 44 is such that the free leg side detected based on the walking motion detection signals of the sensors 18 and 18 is wound up by the drum 66 and the grounding leg side is wound by the drum 66 in the left and right portions of the auxiliary force transmission unit 16. It is decided to be paid out.

  FIG. 10 shows a case where the right leg is a free leg as an example of such an operation. In FIG. 10, the right part exposed from the case 32 in the auxiliary force transmission part 16 is shorter than the left part with respect to the initial state of FIG. That is, the rotation of the output shaft 44 of the motor 42 is transmitted to the drum 66 via the speed reduction device 52, and the drum 66 rotates in one circumferential direction, so that the right portion of the auxiliary force transmission unit 16 is taken up by the drum 66. And the left portion is fed out of the drum 66. As a result, the right leg, which is a free leg, is provided with an assisting force in the direction of lifting the thigh by pulling the assisting force transmitting unit 16, and the left leg, which is a grounded leg, is restrained by the assisting force transmitting unit 16. It is possible to operate without being done.

  In the present embodiment, the drum 66 rotates half or less from the initial position shown in FIG. 5 to both sides in the circumferential direction, and the auxiliary force transmission wire 28 is multiplexed by the drum 66 with a length of two or more rounds. By preventing it from being wound up, the operational reliability is increased. However, the drum 66 may be allowed to rotate more than half a circumference from the initial position to both sides in the circumferential direction, and the auxiliary force transmission wire 28 may be wound in multiple turns by the drum 66. The amount of change in the length of the left and right portions) can be efficiently obtained by the small drum 66. In addition, when adopting a structure in which the auxiliary force transmission wire 28 is wound in multiple layers by the drum 66, a tensioner is provided to prevent the auxiliary force transmission wire 28 from loosening, thereby preventing the auxiliary force transmission wire 28 from being entangled. Therefore, it is desirable to increase the reliability of operation.

  FIG. 10 illustrates the case where the right leg is a free leg. However, when the left leg is a free leg, the output shaft 44 of the motor 42 is rotated in the opposite direction to that shown in FIG. As described above, by rotating the drum 66 in the reverse direction, the left portion of the auxiliary force transmission unit 16 can be wound around the drum 66, and the auxiliary force for raising the thigh can be applied to the left leg.

  Then, based on the walking motion detection signal transmitted from the sensors 18 and 18 to the control device 48, the rotation direction of the output shaft 44 of the motor 42, the output torque of the motor 42, and the like are controlled, so that the left and right legs are alternately arranged. An appropriate assisting force can be applied to assist the walking motion of the wearer P. In the control of the motor 42 by the control device 48, for example, the period of the walking motion of the wearer P is measured from the detection signals of the sensors 18 and 18, and the auxiliary force is applied based on the measured period of the walking motion. It is also possible to set changes in time and the magnitude of the auxiliary force (generated torque of the motor 42). In the present embodiment, by specifying which of the left and right legs is the free leg based on the change in the hip joint angle detected by the sensors 18 and 18, the auxiliary force starts to act on the free leg, When the time set at a predetermined ratio with respect to the cycle of the walking movement elapses, the auxiliary force is released. However, the control of the motor 42 based on the detection signals of the sensors 18 and 18 is not particularly limited. For example, both the start timing and the end timing of assistance by the output of the motor 42 are changes in the preset hip joint angle. May be determined by the sensors 18 and 18 detecting.

  Thus, according to the walking exercise assisting device 10 having the structure according to the present embodiment, the drum 66 rotates in the corresponding direction according to the rotation direction of the output shaft 44 of the motor 42, and the drum 66 becomes the auxiliary force transmission unit. One of the left and right portions of 16 is wound up and the left and right portions are fed out, and the rotation direction of the output shaft 44 of the motor 42 is controlled by the control device 48, so that one motor 42 Auxiliary force can be exerted on the left and right legs. Therefore, the motor 42 can be reduced as compared with the structure in which the left and right parts of the auxiliary force transmission unit 16 are operated by separate motors, the space for arranging the motor 42 can be reduced, and the weight can be reduced. The structure can be simplified and the reliability can be improved.

  Further, the auxiliary force transmission unit operating mechanism that changes the length of the left and right portions of the auxiliary force transmission unit 16 is constituted by a rotating drum 66, and the left and right portions of the auxiliary force transmission unit 16 are wound by the rotation of the drum 66. The length is changed by being taken or drawn out, and an auxiliary force is applied to the leg portion on the winding side. Thereby, it is not necessary to convert the rotational output generated by the motor 42 into a linear output or the like, the structure of the auxiliary force transmission unit operating mechanism can be simplified, and the auxiliary force can be increased because of the rotational operation. It is easy to reduce the size of the transmission mechanism operating mechanism.

  Further, the left and right portions of the auxiliary force transmitting portion 16 are continuously connected to each other in the case 32 on the second mounting portion 14 side, and the number of parts is larger than that in the case where the auxiliary force transmitting portions are independent on the left and right. And the mounting work to the drum 66 is simplified.

  Further, the auxiliary force transmission wire 28 constituting the auxiliary force transmission unit 16 is inserted through the insertion hole 76 and positioned, so that the auxiliary force transmission wire 28 is held without being detached from the drum 66. Therefore, the winding and feeding of the auxiliary force transmission unit 16 by the drum 66 can be realized stably, and the auxiliary force of the walking motion can be exerted on the wearer P with high reliability.

  Moreover, in this embodiment, the sensors 18 and 18 which detect the walking motion of the wearer P are attached to the first mounting parts 12 and 12, and the movement of the leg of the wearer P is directly set as the hip joint angle. To detect. Therefore, the walking state such as the cycle of the walking motion of the wearer P can be detected with high accuracy, and the walking motion can be assisted more effectively.

  In the present embodiment, the motor 42, the control device 48, and the power supply device 46 that are electrically connected to each other are accommodated in the single case 32, so that they can be easily protected by the case 32. It is also possible to shorten the wiring connecting them. Further, the hard motor 42, the power supply device 46, and the control device 48 are accommodated together in one case 32, and the case 32 is arranged on the back of the wearer P with a small amount of movement, so that the operation of the wearer P can be performed. It is hard to get in the way.

  In the present embodiment, the control device 48 performs vector control of the motor 42, and the control device 48 directly controls the torque generated by the motor 42. The applied auxiliary force can be controlled with higher accuracy.

  As mentioned above, although embodiment of this invention was explained in full detail, this invention is not limited by the specific description. For example, a sensor that detects the walking motion of the wearer P can be attached to the second mounting portion 14. Specifically, for example, in addition to the motor 42, the power supply device 46, and the control device 48, an upper body sensor for detecting walking motion is accommodated in the case 32, so that the sensor and the control device 48 are connected by wire. Since the wiring straddling the hip joint becomes unnecessary, problems such as disconnection can be avoided. In addition, when employ | adopting the upper body sensor attached to the 2nd mounting part 14, a walk exercise | movement can be detected by the motion of the upper body of the wearer P, such as a motion of a shoulder, for example.

  Further, the auxiliary force transmission unit operating mechanism that changes the length of the auxiliary force transmission unit 16 by the output of the motor 42 is not limited to the drum 66 that winds and feeds the auxiliary force transmission unit 16 by rotation operation. A rack-pinion mechanism may be employed as the auxiliary force transmission unit operating mechanism. That is, the rotation of the output shaft 44 of the motor 42 may be converted into a linear motion by the rack-pinion mechanism, and the auxiliary force may be transmitted by linear drawing or feeding of the auxiliary force transmission unit 16 by the rack.

  Moreover, although vector control was illustrated as control of the motor 42 by the control apparatus 48, other control methods, such as electric current value control, are employable, for example.

  Further, the specific configuration of the reduction gear 52 is not particularly limited, and can be appropriately changed according to a required reduction ratio, a transmission distance of force, and the like.

  Moreover, in the said embodiment, although the left-right part of the auxiliary force transmission part 16 shall be continuously connected mutually on the 2nd mounting part 14 side, for example, it also separated on the 2nd mounting part 14 side. Adopting left and right independent auxiliary force transmission parts, one end of each of the left and right auxiliary force transmission parts is attached to one of the left and right first mounting parts 12, 12, and the other end is an auxiliary force transmission part such as a drum. You may make it attach to an action | operation mechanism. In short, in the auxiliary force transmission unit 16 of the above-described embodiment, the aspect in which the second mounting portion 14 side of the left and right auxiliary force transmission units is integrally continuous is illustrated, but the left and right auxiliary force transmission units are independent of each other. Alternatively, the end portion on the second mounting portion 14 side may be connected continuously by post-fixing or the like, or may be integrally formed from the beginning. The auxiliary force transmission portion may be formed integrally as a whole, and it is not always necessary to configure the traction bands 24, 24 and separate members such as the auxiliary force transmission wire 28 in combination.

  Further, the second mounting portion may be configured by only a portion corresponding to the waistband portion 20 with the shoulder strap portion 22 omitted, and in this case, the case 32 is formed on the back surface of the waistband portion 20 or the like. Can be fixed to.

10: walking assist device, 12: first mounting portion, 14: second mounting portion, 16: auxiliary force transmitting portion, 18: sensor, 32: case, 42: motor, 44: output shaft, 46: power supply Device, 48: control device, 66: drum (auxiliary force transmission unit operating mechanism), 76: insertion hole

Claims (7)

Left and right first mounting parts that are attached to the left and right legs of the wearer;
A second mounting portion attached to the torso of the wearer;
Left and right auxiliary force transmission units connecting the left and right first mounting units and the second mounting unit;
A sensor for detecting the walking movement of the wearer;
A motor supported by the second mounting portion;
A power supply for supplying power to the motor;
A control device for controlling the rotation direction of the output shaft of the motor by controlling power feeding from the power supply device to the motor based on a walking motion detection signal detected by the sensor;
The rotational driving force of the motor is exerted on the left and right auxiliary force transmission units, and the output shaft of the motor rotates to one side, thereby pulling one of the left and right auxiliary force transmission units and feeding the other, and further outputting the output A walking exercise assisting device comprising: an auxiliary force transmission unit actuating mechanism that pulls out one of the left and right auxiliary force transmission units and pulls the other as the shaft rotates to the other.   The walking exercise assisting device according to claim 1, wherein the second mounting portion sides of the left and right auxiliary force transmitting portions are continuously connected to each other.   The auxiliary force transmission unit operating mechanism is configured to include a drum that is rotated by the motor and performs winding and feeding of the left and right auxiliary force transmission units according to the rotation direction. An insertion hole is formed in which the connected portions of the left and right auxiliary force transmission portions are inserted and positioned, and both ends of the insertion hole are opened in opposite directions in the circumferential direction on the outer peripheral surface of the drum. Item 3. A walking exercise aid according to item 2.   The walking motion assistance according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the sensor includes an angle sensor that detects an angle of the hip joint of the wearer, and the sensor is attached to a leg portion of the wearer. Ingredients.   A case for housing the motor, the power supply device, and the control device is attached to the second mounting portion, and a walking motion is detected based on the movement of the upper body of the wearer housed in the case. The walking exercise assisting device according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein the sensor is configured to include an upper body sensor.   The control device adjusts the motor so that the generated force of the motor is equal to the force required for assisting walking of the wearer with the force lost due to the sliding resistance of the left and right auxiliary force transmission units. The walking exercise assisting device according to any one of claims 1 to 5, which is controlled.   The walking exercise assisting device according to any one of claims 1 to 6, wherein the motor is a brushless motor, and the control unit performs vector control of the motor.