JP2019107288A - Operation support apparatus - Google Patents

Abstract

To provide an operation support apparatus that supports operation while allowing displacement of a wearing position.SOLUTION: An operation support apparatus 1 is worn in a first region at one side of a wearer's joint and a second region at the other side, and supports the joint operation. The operation support apparatus includes: a joint mechanism 16 arranged in the vicinity of the joint, and driven by an actuator; a frame 12 with one end connected to the joint mechanism 16, the frame 12 that has a portion unlike the one end among the frames 12 being worn in the first region; a connecting body 22 with one end connected to the frame 12 in a turning manner around the turning shaft J by the joint mechanism 16, the connecting body 22 that has a portion unlike the one end among the connecting bodies 22 being worn in the second region; and a connecting body 18 where a portion is connected to the joint mechanism 16 or the frame 12 so as to move substantially in a circumferential direction centering on the turning shaft J, the connecting body 22 that has the other portion unlike the portion of the above among the connecting bodies 18 being worn in a third region unlike the first region and the second region of a wearer.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

  The present invention relates to an operation support device.

  There is a motion support device that is worn by a human and supports the motion of the worn human (also referred to as a wearer). For example, when the wearer lifts a heavy object, the motion support device reduces a force that the wearer should generate by generating a part of the force required for the motion. Thus, the motion support device supports the motion of the wearer by bearing a part of the force generated by the wearer.

  The operation support device is roughly classified into two types, a grounded type and a non-grounded type. The grounding type motion support device is used in contact with the ground. The wearer is not required to support the weight of the motion support device because the wearer is in a state of getting on the motion support device in contact with the ground.

  On the other hand, the non-grounded motion support device is used in a state of being worn on a part of the body of the wearer without touching the ground. Since the motion support device is worn on the wearer's body, the wearer needs to support the weight of the motion support device. In addition, since the non-ground type motion support device is mounted by being hung on the shoulder of the wearer or wound around the waist, the freedom of the wearer is increased as compared with the case of the ground type motion support device. Operations are likely to be restricted.

  Patent Document 1 discloses a non-grounded operation support device. The motion support device disclosed in Patent Document 1 is a motion support device that supports the motion of the hip joint of the wearer. The motion support device includes a frame mounted on the upper body of the wearer and a frame mounted on each of the left and right thighs of the wearer, and the frames are connected via a joint mechanism.

Patent No. 5526444

  However, humans have many joints, and the freedom of each human joint is high. On the other hand, in general, the number of joint mechanisms of the motion support device is small compared to humans, and the degree of freedom of each joint mechanism is low compared to humans. Therefore, the motion support device can not sufficiently follow the motion of the human body, and may deviate from an appropriate wearing position.

  If the motion support device performs motion support while the mounting position is not appropriate, the motion support device interferes with the wearer to cause pain or damage to the wearer, or the motion support device appropriately assists the motion of the wearer The problem of not being done may arise.

  Then, this invention aims at providing the operation assistance apparatus which can perform operation assistance, accept | permitting the shift | offset | difference of the mounting | wearing position of a movement assistance apparatus.

  The motion support device according to an aspect of the present invention is mounted on a first portion on one side of a joint of a wearer and on a second portion on the other side different from the one side of the joint. A motion support device for supporting motion, comprising: a joint mechanism disposed in the vicinity of the joint and driven by an actuator; and a first frame having one end connected to the joint mechanism, wherein A first frame in which a portion different from the one end is attached to the first portion, and a second frame in which one end is rotatably connected to the first frame by the joint mechanism, the second frame Among the third frame, a second frame in which a portion different from the one end is attached to the second portion, and a third frame in which a portion is connected to the joint mechanism or the first frame Some different And a third frame attached to a third part different from the first part and the second part of the wearer, the third frame being the second frame by the joint mechanism It is movable in a substantially circumferential direction about a rotation axis of the rotation of the lens.

  The operation support apparatus according to the present invention can support the operation while allowing the displacement of the mounting position.

FIG. 1 is a front view and a side view showing the appearance of the operation support apparatus according to the first embodiment. FIG. 2 is an explanatory diagram of a method of operation support by the operation support apparatus according to the first embodiment. FIG. 3 is a partially enlarged view showing an aspect of connection of the frame and the waist belt according to the first embodiment. FIG. 4 is a partially enlarged view showing the range of rotation of the connector according to the first embodiment and the restricting portion. FIG. 5 is a first explanatory view schematically showing the cross-sectional shape of the frame according to the first embodiment. FIG. 6 is an explanatory view schematically showing the cross-sectional shape of the frame according to the related art. FIG. 7 is a second explanatory view schematically showing the cross-sectional shape of the frame according to the first embodiment. FIG. 8 is a front view and a side view showing the appearance of the operation support apparatus according to the second embodiment. FIG. 9 is an explanatory diagram of a method of operation support by the operation support apparatus according to the second embodiment. FIG. 10 is a first partially enlarged view showing the connector and the restricting portion according to the second embodiment. FIG. 11 is a second partial enlarged view showing the connector and the restricting portion according to the second embodiment. FIG. 12 is a first partially enlarged view showing a connector and a restricting portion according to a modification of the second embodiment. FIG. 13 is a second partial enlarged view showing a connector and a restricting portion according to a modification of the second embodiment.

  The motion support device according to an aspect of the present invention is mounted on a first portion on one side of a joint of a wearer and on a second portion on the other side different from the one side of the joint. A motion support device for supporting motion, comprising: a joint mechanism disposed in the vicinity of the joint and driven by an actuator; and a first frame having one end connected to the joint mechanism, wherein A first frame in which a portion different from the one end is attached to the first portion, and a second frame in which one end is rotatably connected to the first frame by the joint mechanism, the second frame Among the third frame, a second frame in which a portion different from the one end is attached to the second portion, and a third frame in which a portion is connected to the joint mechanism or the first frame Some different And a third frame attached to a third part different from the first part and the second part of the wearer, the third frame being the second frame by the joint mechanism It is movable in a substantially circumferential direction about a rotation axis of the rotation of the lens.

  According to the above aspect, the motion support device can be appropriately worn on the wearer even when the relative position to the wearer is changed due to the motion of the wearer's body. Assuming that the motion support device is directly mounted on the body part of the wearer without passing through the third frame, the movement of the body of the wearer makes the mounting on the wearer insufficient and for motion support Or the wearer's body may experience pain or injury. The motion support device of the present invention is mounted by moving the third frame in a substantially circumferential direction about the pivot axis of the joint mechanism even when the relative position to the wearer is changed due to the movement of the wearer's body. Can be worn properly by a person. Then, the wearer can be given an appropriate force for motion support. Thus, the operation support device can support the operation while allowing the displacement of the mounting position.

  For example, the third frame may have a restricting portion that restricts the movement of the third frame about the pivot axis within a predetermined range.

  According to the above aspect, the movement support device restricts the movement range of the third frame, so that the positional relationship between the joint of the wearer and the joint mechanism deviates from the range suitable for the movement support by the movement support device. Can be avoided in advance. Therefore, the motion support device can support the motion while allowing the displacement of the mounting position in a state where the positional relationship between the joint of the wearer and the joint mechanism is within the range suitable for the motion support.

  For example, the first region is included in the upper body of the wearer, the second region is included in the thigh of the wearer, and the third region is included in the waist of the wearer, The joint may be the hip joint of the wearer.

  According to the above aspect, the motion support device is attached to the upper body, the waist and the thigh of the wearer. Then, the movement of the hip joint of the wearer can be supported while permitting the displacement of the mounting position.

  For example, the motion support device further includes a rigid member mounted from the back side of the waist of the wearer to the left and right lateral waists, and of the rigid members, in the vicinity of the waist of the wearer. The distance between the pair of wearing bodies, which are parts to be worn, may be wider as it proceeds from the back side to the ventral side of the waist.

  According to the above aspect, the movement support device can be avoided from interfering with the movement of the wearer since the distance between the pair of wearing bodies increases as it advances from the back side to the ventral side of the wearer's waist. Changes in the shape or size of the body can be tolerated to some extent. As a measure to avoid interfering with the movement of the wearer without such a configuration, a part of the rigid member may include a movable mechanism such as a hinge. However, if a part of the rigid member includes a movable mechanism such as a hinge, another problem of increased weight and number of parts may occur. That is, according to the motion support device of the present embodiment, it is possible to support the motion of the hip joint of the wearer while allowing the displacement of the mounting position without increasing the weight and the number of parts.

  Embodiments will be specifically described below with reference to the drawings.

  The embodiments described below are all inclusive or specific examples. The numerical values, shapes, materials, components, arrangement positions and connection forms of the components, and the like described in the following embodiments are merely examples, and are not intended to limit the present invention. Further, among the components in the following embodiments, components not described in the independent claim indicating the highest concept are described as arbitrary components.

Embodiment 1
In the present embodiment, an operation support apparatus 1 that supports the operation while allowing the displacement of the mounting position will be described.

  FIG. 1 is a front view (a) and a side view (b) showing the appearance of the operation support apparatus 1 according to the present embodiment. Although the wearer P wearing the operation support apparatus 1 is shown in FIG. 1 together with the operation support apparatus 1, the wearer P is not included in the operation support apparatus 1. In the following description, a description may be made using coordinate axes shown in each drawing. At this time, the positive direction of the Z-axis is referred to as the upper side, and the negative direction of the Z-axis may be referred to as the lower side. Also, the positive direction of the Y axis may be called the front, and the negative direction of the Y axis may be the back. Also, the words left or right refer to the left or right to the wearer P in principle, respectively.

  As shown in FIG. 1, the motion support device 1 is a non-grounded motion support device that is mounted across the back, waist and thigh of the wearer P. The motion support device 1 supports, for example, the motion of the hip joint when the wearer P performs a standing motion from the squatting posture to the standing posture.

  The motion support device 1 includes a frame 12, a shoulder belt 14, a joint mechanism 16, connectors 18 and 22, a waist belt 20, and a thigh attachment 24.

  The frame 12 is a rigid member that is mounted from the back side of the upper body (chest, back and waist) of the wearer P to the left and right waists, that is, a rigid frame (link). The frame 12 has no change in shape other than slight bending. That is, in the portion of the frame 12 which is mounted from the back side of the waist of the wearer P to the left and right side waists, the movable mechanism such as the hinge mechanism is not included. The dimensions of the frame 12 are, for example, about 40 to 60 cm in the left-right direction and about 40 to 60 cm in the vertical direction. The frame 12 is made of a lightweight metal such as aluminum, a cured resin, or a synthetic material such as carbon fiber.

  Inside the frame 12, a power source such as a battery for driving the joint mechanism 16, a peripheral circuit, wiring, and the like are stored.

  The frame 12 has a mounting body 13 which is a part thereof. The mounting body 13 is a portion of the frame 12 mounted in the vicinity of the left and right side waists of the wearer P. A connecting body 22 is rotatably connected to the mounting body 13. The mounting body 13 has a joint mechanism 16 for connecting the frame 12 and the connector 22 inside thereof. The mounting body 13 may incorporate an angle sensor (for example, an encoder using a Hall element) for detecting the rotation angle of the frame 12 with respect to the connection body 22.

  The mounting body 13 may be an end of the frame 12. If the mounting body 13 is an end portion of the frame 12, the rigid member does not reach the ventral side of the wearer P or the front side of the side waist of the wearer P. Assuming that the frame 12 extends to the front side of the side waist of the wearer P, a portion of the frame 12 on the front side of the side waist may interfere with the operation of the wearer P. It can be avoided in advance to prevent the operation of the wearer P by being the end.

  Moreover, as for the mounting body 13, the surface facing the side waist part of the wearer P may be a substantially plane. As a result, the clothes worn on the side waist portion or the side waist portion of the wearer P are caught on the mounting body 13 and the operation of the wearer P is interrupted or the side waist portion of the wearer P is pushed by the mounting body 13 Can prevent the wearer P from being injured or in pain.

  The shoulder belt 14 is a belt that causes the wearer P to wear the motion support device 1 by being wound around the upper body of the wearer P. One end of the shoulder belt 14 is connected to the upper end of the frame 12. Further, the other end of the shoulder belt 14 is connected to the frame 12 in the vicinity of the back side of the waist of the wearer P. The shoulder belts 14 have a left shoulder belt 14 and a right shoulder belt 14. The left shoulder belt 14 is connected to the frame 12 again from the upper end of the frame 12 through the left shoulder, the left chest and the lower left arm of the wearer P. The right shoulder belt 14 is connected to the frame 12 again from the upper end of the frame 12 through the right shoulder, the right chest, and the lower right side of the wearer P. The shoulder belt 14 is adjustable in length according to the type of the wearer P, and brings the shoulder belt 14 and the body of the wearer P into close contact with an appropriate tightening force. The dimension (length) of the shoulder belt 14 is, for example, about 50 to 60 cm.

  The joint mechanism 16 is a joint mechanism that rotates one of the frame 12 and the connector 22 with respect to the other. The joint mechanism 16 is mounted near the waist of the wearer P, in other words, near the hip joint. The joint mechanism 16 is driven by the force generated by the actuator. The actuator is, for example, an electric actuator (for example, a motor), a pneumatic actuator, an artificial muscle or the like. The actuator may be mounted inside the joint mechanism 16 or may be mounted outside the joint mechanism 16 and drive the joint mechanism 16 through an appropriate transmission mechanism.

  As the joint mechanism 16 is driven by the actuator, a force in the direction to rotate one of the connection body 22 and the frame 12 with respect to the other around the rotation axis J penetrating the mounting body 13 in the plate thickness direction It is exerted. This force exerts a force directed from the ventral side to the back side on the upper body of the wearer P through the frame 12 and the shoulder belt 14. The force generated by the actuator can be controlled by the output value of an angle sensor (not shown) that detects the rotation angle of the frame 12 relative to the connector 22. The operation support device 1 holds in advance information (specifically, a relational expression, a correspondence table, etc.) indicating the correspondence between the output value of the angle sensor and the force generated by the actuator, and based on this information, the actuator Control the joint mechanism 16 by determining the force generated by

  The connector 18 is a rigid member connecting the waist belt 20 and the frame 12, that is, a rigid frame (link). The connector 18 has a connector 18 on the left side and a connector 18 on the right side. The connector 18 on the left side connects the mounting body 13 on the left side and a portion of the waist belt 20 near the side waist of the wearer P on the left side. The connection body 18 on the right side connects the mounting body 13 on the right side and a portion of the waist belt 20 near the side waist portion of the wearer P on the right side. One end of the connection body 18 is connected to the mounting body 13, and a portion different from the one end is mounted to the waist of the wearer P via the waist belt 20. Further, the connection body 18 is movable in a substantially circumferential direction around a rotation axis J of rotation of the connection body 22 by the joint mechanism 16. The manner of movement of the connector 18 will be described in detail later. The shape of the connector 18 is, for example, a rod or a plate of any shape such as a rectangle or a circle. The dimensions of the connector 18 are, for example, about 20 to 30 cm. The connector 18 is made of a lightweight metal such as aluminum, a cured resin, or a synthetic material such as carbon fiber.

  The waist belt 20 is a belt that causes the wearer P to wear the operation support device 1 by being wound around the waist of the wearer P. The waist belt 20 is connected to the connector 18 near each of the left and right side waists of the wearer P, and is connected to the lower end of the frame 12 via the connector 18. The length of the waist belt 20 can be adjusted according to the type of the wearer P, and the waist belt 20 and the body of the wearer P are brought into close contact with an appropriate tightening force. The dimension (length) of the waist belt 20 is, for example, about 50 to 100 cm.

  The connector 22 is a rigid member that connects the attachment 13 and the thigh attachment 24, that is, a rigid frame (link). The connector 22 has a left connector 22 and a right connector 22. The left connecting body 22 connects the left mounting body 13 and the left thigh mounting body 24. The connection body 22 on the right side connects the attachment body 13 on the right side and the thigh attachment body 24 on the right side. One end of the connection body 22 is connected to the mounting body 13, and the connection body 22 extends downward along the leg from the one end, and the other end is connected to the thigh mounting body 24. The connector 22 is worn from the side waist to the thigh of the wearer P. The dimensions of the connector 22 are, for example, about 20 to 30 cm. The connector 22 is made of a lightweight metal such as aluminum, a cured resin, or a synthetic material such as carbon fiber.

  The thigh mounted body 24 is a mounted body mounted on the thighs of the wearer P. The thigh attachment body 24 is attached to the left and right thighs of the wearer P one by one. The thigh attachment 24 is attached, for example, by being wound around the thigh of the wearer P. The thigh attachment 24 may be a rod or a plate that contacts the thigh of the wearer P.

  The frame 12 corresponds to a first frame, the connector 22 corresponds to a second frame, and the connector 18 corresponds to a third frame. In addition, the upper body of the wearer P to which the frame 12 is attached, that is, the chest, back, or lumbar region corresponds to a first portion located on one side of the hip joint. The thighs of the wearer P to which the connector 22 is attached correspond to a second portion on the other side of the hip joint. The waist of the wearer P to which the connector 18 is attached is also referred to as a third portion.

  FIG. 2 is an explanatory diagram of a method of operation support by the operation support apparatus 1 according to the present embodiment.

  In FIG. 2, the wearer P wearing the motion support device 1 shows a mid-low-back posture in the middle of the standing motion from the squatting posture to the standing posture (the posture in FIG. 1). For example, when the wearer P tries to lift an object (not shown) placed on the floor, such a mid-high waist posture is taken.

  Further, FIG. 2 shows a force F1 exerted by the joint mechanism 16 driven by the actuator on the frame 12 and a force G1 exerted by the joint mechanism 16 on the connector 22. The forces F1 and G1 are determined based on information indicating the correspondence between the output value of the angle sensor held by the operation support device 1 and the force generated by the actuator.

  The force F1 is applied to the body of the wearer P through the frame 12 and the shoulder belt 14 as a force F2 for pushing the chest of the wearer P from the ventral side toward the back side. In addition, the force G1 pushes the thigh of the wearer P downward through the connector 22 and the thigh attachment body 24 or the force G2 pushes the thigh of the wearer P backward. The body of

  As described above, the motion support device 1 supports the standing motion of the wearer P by controlling the force generated by the actuator based on the output value of the angle sensor when the wearer P tries to stand up.

  In the following, technical features that lead to allowing the displacement of the mounting position of the operation support device 1 will be described in detail.

  First, an aspect of connection between the frame 12 and the waist belt 20 will be described.

  FIG. 3 is a partially enlarged view showing an aspect of connection of the frame 12 and the waist belt 20 according to the present embodiment. In FIG. 3, a frame 12 with an articulation mechanism 16 and connections 18 and 20 are shown. As described above, the frame 12 and the connector 22 are connected rotatably around the rotation axis J.

  Further, the connection body 18 is connected to the joint mechanism 16 so as to be rotatable by an external force around the rotation axis J. A waist belt 20 is connected to the connector 18, and the waist belt 20 is attached to the waist of the wearer P. On the other hand, the joint mechanism 16 is a part of the frame 12, and the waist of the wearer P and the frame 12 are connected via the joint mechanism 16. Therefore, even when the positional relationship between the waist of the wearer P and the joint mechanism 16 changes, the joint mechanism 16 rotates in the vicinity of the waist of the wearer P by rotating the connecting body 18 about the pivot axis J. It can be worn. Thus, the operation support device 1 can support the operation while allowing the displacement of the mounting position.

  Among the body of the wearer P, there are a plurality of intervertebral joints and shoulder joints as well as the hip joint between the upper body and the lumbar region on which the frame 12 is mounted, and when the wearer P operates Each of these joints can operate independently. Therefore, if the waist portion of the wearer P and the frame 12 are connected in a fixed manner, that is, if they are directly connected without the connection body 18, the wearer P operates by being operated. When the relative position between the person P and the frame 12 and the connector 22 changes, the joint mechanism 16 may be moved to a position where the wearer P can not be subjected to an appropriate force for operation support, This movement may cause pain or injury to the body of the wearer P.

  In the motion support device 1, since the waist belt 20 is connected to the joint mechanism 16 via the connection body 18, the relative position between the wearer P and the motion support device 1 changes with the motion of the wearer P. However, the connection body 18 can be appropriately worn on the wearer P by moving in a substantially circumferential direction about the pivot axis of the joint mechanism 16. Then, the wearer P can be given an appropriate force for motion support.

  In addition, the rotation of the connection body 18 about the rotation axis J is not limited to the movement of drawing a perfect circle. For example, the movement of the connector 18 may be a movement of drawing an ellipse or a distorted circle centered on the rotation axis J. In addition, the position of the rotation axis J may be slightly offset with respect to the frame 12. Such movement of the connector 18 can also be expressed as movement in a substantially circumferential direction about the pivot axis J.

  Operation support device 1 may be provided with regulation parts 19A and 19B which restrict the range of movement by rotation of connection object 18 in a predetermined range. The restricting portions 19A and 19B will be described with reference to FIG.

  FIG. 4 is a partially enlarged view showing the range of rotation of the connector 18 according to the present embodiment and the restricting portions 19A and 19B.

  The restricting portions 19A and 19B are members that restrict the rotation of the connection body 18 within a predetermined range. The restriction portions 19A and 19B are, for example, convex portions provided to protrude to the inner surface (surface facing the wearer P) side of the frame 12. For example, when the connector 18 pivots counterclockwise on the paper surface of FIG. 4 about the pivot axis J, the connector 18 abuts on the restricting portion 19A and can not pivot forward from the hit position. Similarly, when the connector 18 pivots clockwise on the paper surface of FIG. 4 about the pivot axis J, the connector 18 abuts on the restricting portion 19B and can not pivot from the position where the connector 18 abuts. As a result, the range in which the connector 18 can move by rotation is limited to the range of the angle θ shown in FIG.

  If the range in which the connector 18 can move by rotation is relatively wide, the amount of change in the relative position between the hip joint of the wearer P and the joint mechanism 16 becomes large, and the operation of the wearer P can not be appropriately supported. Things can also happen. Therefore, by restricting the range of rotation of the connector 18 by the restriction portions 19A and 19B, the operation of the wearer P can be appropriately supported.

  In this manner, by attaching the restricting portions 19A and 19B so as to restrict the range of rotation of the connection body 18 to a range in which the operation support device 1 is appropriately attached to the wearer P, the connection body 18 is provided. Can be avoided in advance from deviating from the range suitable for the operation support by the operation support apparatus 1.

  Next, the shape of the frame 12 will be described in more detail.

  FIG. 5 is a first explanatory view schematically showing the cross-sectional shape of the frame 12 according to the present embodiment. The cross-sectional shape shown in FIG. 5 is a view showing the cross-section of the frame 12 and the cross-section of the waist of the wearer P in the V-V cross-section line of FIG. 1.

  As shown in FIG. 5, the distance between the pair of left and right wearing bodies 13 is wider as it proceeds from the back side to the belly side of the waist of the wearer P. In other words, the distance between the pair of left and right wearing bodies 13 is wider as it moves forward for the wearer P. That is, the separation distance between the pair of left and right mounting bodies 13 increases as it proceeds in the Y-axis plus direction, and more specifically speaking, the separation distance D2 between the pair of left and right mounting bodies 13 at a position relatively close to the belly side It is larger than the separation distance D1 of the pair of left and right mounting members 13 at a position relatively close to the back side.

  By doing this, the motion support device 1 can avoid disturbing the motion of the wearer P, more specifically the motion of the legs, and to a certain extent, changes in the shape or size of the body of the wearer P There is an acceptable advantage. These advantages are described below.

(1) Regarding Movement of Leg The advantage that the motion support device 1 can avoid interfering with the movement of the leg of the wearer P will be described with reference to FIGS. 5 and 6. FIG. 6 is an explanatory view schematically showing the cross-sectional shape of the frame 112 according to the related art to be compared. In FIG. 6, the cross section of the flame | frame 112 which concerns on related technology, and the cross section of the waist part of the wearer P are shown. The frame 112 is, for example, a frame of the conventional motion support device 100 corresponding to the frame 12 of the motion support device 1 of the present embodiment.

  As shown in FIG. 6, the distance between the pair of left and right wearing bodies 113 of the frame 112 is the same on the back side and the belly side of the waist of the wearer P. In other words, the separation distance between the pair of left and right mounting bodies 113 is the same at any position in the Y-axis direction, and more specifically speaking, the separation distance between the pair of left and right mounting bodies 113 at a position relatively close to the ventral side D4 is the same as the separation distance D3 of the pair of left and right mounting members 113 at a position relatively close to the back side.

  In this case, for example, the right thigh T of the wearer P moves forward in the right direction (Y-axis plus direction and X-axis minus direction) for the wearer P with reference to the large trochanter G, that is, the flexion of the hip joint and the right foot When external rotation is performed, the thigh T and the wearing body 113 interfere with each other, and the movement of the thigh T is impeded, or being pushed from the wearing body 113 causes the thigh T to be damaged or sore. It is possible to

  On the other hand, the distance between the pair of attached bodies 13 of the motion support device 1 according to the present embodiment is wider as it proceeds from the back side to the ventral side of the waist as shown in FIG. Even in the case of moving as shown in FIG. Therefore, it is possible to prevent the motion of the thigh T from being disturbed or causing the thigh T to be injured or pained by being pushed from the wearing body 13.

  In addition, if movable mechanisms, such as a hinge, are temporarily contained in a part of flame | frame 12, it will be suppressed that the operation | movement of the wearer P is restricted as mentioned above. However, the inclusion of the movable mechanism may cause another problem that the number of parts increases. That is, according to the operation support apparatus 1 of the present embodiment, the operation support can be performed while allowing the displacement of the mounting position without increasing the number of parts.

(2) Regarding Shape or Size of Body of Wearer P The advantage that the movement support device 1 can allow the change of the shape or size of the body of the wearer P to some extent will be described with reference to FIGS. 5 and 7. FIG. 7 is a second explanatory view schematically showing the cross-sectional shape of the frame 12 according to the present embodiment. FIG. 7 shows the cross section of the frame 12 when the wearer PA whose body size is larger than that of the wearer P shown in FIG. 5 wears the operation support device 1 and the cross section of the waist of the wearer PA. ing.

  As shown in FIG. 7, the distance between the pair of mounting bodies 13 of the motion support device 1 is wider as it proceeds from the back side to the ventral side of the waist, so even when the motion support device 1 is worn by the wearer PA. The interference between the side waist of the wearer PA and the mounting body 13 is avoided. Moreover, even when the thigh T moves as described above, interference with the wearing body 13 is avoided. Therefore, it is possible to prevent the motion of the thigh T from being disturbed or causing the thigh T to be injured or pained by being pushed from the wearing body 13.

  In the present embodiment, the motion support device 1 for supporting the motion of the hip joint of the wearer P has been described, but the present invention is directed to the motion support of another joint (for example, elbow joint or knee joint) of the wearer. Can also be applied.

  When the motion support device 1 is applied to support the motion of an elbow joint, for example, the upper arm corresponds to a first portion located on one side of the elbow joint, and the forearm corresponds to a second portion located on the other side of the elbow joint, A portion of the upper arm or forearm near the elbow joint corresponds to a third portion. By so doing, the motion support device 1 can support the motion while allowing the displacement of the mounting position when assisting the motion of the elbow joint.

  In addition, when the motion support device 1 is applied to support the motion of the knee joint, for example, the thigh corresponds to a first portion located on one side of the knee joint, and the lower thigh is located on the other side of the knee joint It corresponds to two parts, and the part near the knee joint in the thigh or the lower leg corresponds to the third part. In this way, the motion support device 1 can support the motion while allowing the displacement of the mounting position when assisting the motion of the knee joint.

  As described above, even when the relative position to the wearer is changed due to the movement of the body of the wearer, the motion support device of the present embodiment can be appropriately worn on the wearer. Assuming that the motion support device is directly mounted on the body part of the wearer without passing through the third frame, the movement of the body of the wearer makes the mounting on the wearer insufficient and for motion support Or the wearer's body may experience pain or injury. The motion support device of the present invention is mounted by moving the third frame in a substantially circumferential direction about the pivot axis of the joint mechanism even when the relative position to the wearer is changed due to the movement of the wearer's body. Can be worn properly by a person. Then, the wearer can be given an appropriate force for motion support. Thus, the operation support device can support the operation while allowing the displacement of the mounting position.

  Further, since the movement range of the third frame is restricted, the movement support device avoids in advance that the positional relationship between the wearer's joints and the joint mechanism deviates from the range suitable for the movement support by the movement support device. it can. Therefore, the motion support device can support the motion while allowing the displacement of the mounting position in a state where the positional relationship between the joint of the wearer and the joint mechanism is within the range suitable for the motion support.

  In addition, the motion support device is attached to the upper body, the waist and the thigh of the wearer. Then, the movement of the hip joint of the wearer can be supported while permitting the displacement of the mounting position.

  In addition, since the movement support device is wider as the distance between the pair of wearing bodies advances from the back side to the ventral side of the wearer's waist, it is possible to avoid interfering with the movement of the wearer, and the shape of the wearer's body or Some variation in dimensions can be tolerated. As a measure to avoid interfering with the movement of the wearer without such a configuration, a part of the rigid member may include a movable mechanism such as a hinge. However, if a part of the rigid member includes a movable mechanism such as a hinge, another problem of increased weight and number of parts may occur. That is, according to the operation support apparatus 1 of the present embodiment, it is possible to support the operation of the hip joint of the wearer while allowing the displacement of the mounting position without increasing the weight and the number of parts.

Second Embodiment
In the present embodiment, a motion support device 2 capable of assisting the motion while allowing the displacement of the mounting position will be described. Although the motion support device 2 is different in shape from the motion support device 1 of the first embodiment, the motion support device 2 supports the standing motion of the wearer P in the same manner as the motion support device 1.

  FIG. 8 is a front view (a), a side view (b) and a rear view (c) showing the appearance of the operation support apparatus 2 according to the present embodiment. Although the wearer P wearing the operation support device 2 is shown in FIG. 8 together with the operation support device 2, the wearer P is not included in the operation support device 2.

  As shown in FIG. 8, the motion support device 2 is a non-grounded motion support device that is mounted across the back, waist and thigh of the wearer P.

  The motion support device 2 includes frames 32 and 44, a chest pad 34, a shoulder belt 36, a mounting body 38, connectors 40 and 46, a waist belt 42, and a thigh mounting body 48.

  The frame 32 is a rigid member, that is, a rigid frame (link) that is mounted from the chest to the side waist of the wearer P. The frame 32 is connected to the mounting body 38 near the side waist of the wearer P. The frame 32 has a left frame 32 and a right frame 32. The left frame 32 is mounted from the left side to the left mounting body 38 of the chest of the wearer P. The right frame 32 is mounted across the right to right mounting body 38 of the chest of the wearer P. The frame 32 has no change in shape other than slight bending. That is, the frame 32 does not include a movable mechanism such as a hinge mechanism. The dimension (length) of the frame 32 is, for example, about 40 to 60 cm. The frame 32 is made of a lightweight metal such as aluminum, a cured resin, or a synthetic material such as carbon fiber.

  The chest rest 34 is a plate-like flexible member interposed between the frame 32 and the chest of the wearer P. The chest rest 34 disperses the force when the frame 32 exerts a force that pushes the wearer's P chest. This prevents the wearer P from being injured or in pain. The chest rest 34 has a left chest rest 34 mounted on the left side of the chest of the wearer P and a right chest rest 34 mounted on the right side of the chest of the wearer P. The breastplate 34 is pre-attached to the end of the frame 32. The chest pad 34 may be attached to the chest of the wearer P in advance. Also, the breastplate 34 may not exist.

  The shoulder belt 36 is a belt for mounting the motion support device 2 to the wearer P. One end of the shoulder belt 36 is connected to the frame 32 via a chest rest 34. Also, the shoulder belts 36 are connected from the left and right chest pads 34 or the frame 32 through both shoulders of the wearer P at the back, and the other end of the shoulder belts 36 is connected to the frame 44 on the back side of the waist of the wearer P It is done. The shoulder belt 36 can be adjusted in length according to the type of the wearer P, and brings the shoulder belt 36 and the body of the wearer P into close contact with an appropriate tightening force. The dimension (length) of the shoulder belt 36 is, for example, about 50 to 60 cm.

  The mounting body 38 is mounted near the left and right side waists of the wearer P. The frame 32 and the connecting body 46 are rotatably connected to the mounting body 38. The mounting body 38 has a joint mechanism 39 for connecting the frame 32 and the connector 46 in its inside. The mounting body 38 may incorporate an angle sensor (for example, an encoder using a Hall element) that detects the rotation angle of the frame 32 with respect to the connection body 46. The mounting body 38 has the same function as the mounting body 13 of the operation support apparatus 1 of the first embodiment.

  The joint mechanism 39 is a joint mechanism that rotates one of the frame 32 and the connector 46 with respect to the other. The joint mechanism 39 is mounted near the waist of the wearer P, in other words, near the hip joint. The joint mechanism 39 has the same function as the joint mechanism 16 of the first embodiment.

  The connecting body 40 is a rigid member connecting the waist belt 42 and the mounting body 38, that is, a frame (link) having rigidity. The connector 40 has a connector 40 on the left side and a connector 40 on the right side. The left connection body 40 connects the left attachment body 38 and a portion of the waist belt 42 near the side waist of the wearer P on the left side. The connection body 40 on the right side connects the attachment body 38 on the right side and a portion of the waist belt 42 near the side waist portion on the right side of the wearer P. One end of the connector 40 is connected to the frame 32, and a portion different from the one end is attached to the waist of the wearer P via the waist belt 42. The connector 18 is movable in a substantially circumferential direction about the pivot axis J. The connector 40 has the same function as the connector 18 of the first embodiment.

  The waist belt 42 is a belt that is wound around the waist of the wearer P. The waist belt 42 is connected to the connector 40 near each of the left and right side waists of the wearer P, and is connected to the mounting body 38 via the connector 40. The waist belt 42 has the same function as the waist belt 20 of the first embodiment.

  The frame 44 is a rigid member attached to the back side of the waist of the wearer P, that is, a frame (link) having rigidity. Inside the frame 44, a power source such as a battery for driving the joint mechanism 39, peripheral circuits, wiring, and the like are stored. The frame 44 is made of a lightweight metal such as aluminum, a cured resin, or a synthetic material such as carbon fiber.

  The connector 46 is a rigid member that connects the mounting body 38 and the thigh mounting body 48, that is, a rigid frame (link). The connection body 46 is a connection body for connecting the left attachment body 38 and the left thigh attachment body 48, a right connection body for connecting the right attachment body 38, and the right thigh attachment body 48. And 46. The connector 46 has the same function as the connector 22 of the first embodiment.

  The thigh attachment body 48 is a wearing body attached to the thigh of the wearer P. The thigh attachment body 48 has the same function as the thigh attachment body 24 of the first embodiment.

  The frame 32 corresponds to a first frame, the connector 46 corresponds to a second frame, and the connector 40 corresponds to a third frame. Further, the chest of the wearer P to which the frame 32 is attached corresponds to a first portion on one side of the hip joint. The thighs of the wearer P to which the connector 46 is attached correspond to a second portion on the other side of the hip joint. The waist of the wearer P to which the connector 40 is attached is also referred to as a third portion.

  FIG. 9 is an explanatory diagram of a method of operation support by the operation support apparatus 2 according to the present embodiment.

  In FIG. 9, the wearer P wearing the motion support device 2 shows a mid-latitude posture on the way from the squatting posture to the standing posture (the posture of FIG. 8). FIG. 9 corresponds to FIG. 2 of the operation support apparatus 1 in the first embodiment.

  Similar to FIG. 2, FIG. 9 shows a force F1 that the joint mechanism 39 exerts on the frame 32 and a force G1 that the joint mechanism 39 exerts on the connector 46. The force F1 is a force F2 that pushes the chest of the wearer P from the ventral side toward the back side through the frame 32 and reaches the body of the wearer P. In addition, the force G1 pushes the thigh of the wearer P downward through the connection body 46 and the thigh attachment body 48, or the force G2 pushes the thigh of the wearer P backward. The body of

  As described above, the motion support device 2 supports the motion of the wearer P standing up in the same manner as the motion support device 1 of the first embodiment.

  Operation support device 2 may be provided with a regulation part which limits the range of rotation of mounting object 38 to a predetermined range. If the range in which the mounting body 38 can move by rotation is relatively wide, the amount of positional deviation between the hip joint of the wearer P and the joint mechanism 39 becomes large, and the operation of the wearer P can not be appropriately supported. is there.

  10 and 11 are partially enlarged views showing the mounting body 38 and the restricting portion according to the present embodiment. FIG. 10 shows the wearing body 38 and the restriction part when the wearer P is in the standing posture, and FIG. 11 shows the wearing body 38 and the restriction part when the wearer P is in the squatting posture There is.

  As shown in FIG. 10, this restricting portion has a hole 50 and an elastic cord 52.

  The elastic cord 52 straddles the frame 32 and spans the two holes 50, and exerts an elastic force that causes the frame 32 to be positioned between the two holes 50. The elastic cord 52 moves the frame 32 between the two holes 50 when the frame 32 deviates from the space between the two holes 50 by the rotation of the frame 32 relative to the connector 46 by the joint mechanism 39. Force F3 is applied to the frame 32. The elastic cord 52 is, for example, a rubber cord.

  The elastic cord 52 thus restricts the moving range of the frame 32 by the joint mechanism 39 by the elastic force. The elastic force generated by the elastic cord 52 increases as the distance between the frame 32 and the connector 40 increases. Therefore, when the frame 32 moves away from the connector 40 due to the action of a constant external force, the frame 32 can not move first from the position where the external force and the elastic force generated by the elastic cord 52 are in balance. Thus, the movement of the frame 32 is restricted within a range in which the external force acting on the frame 32 is smaller than the elastic force generated by the elastic cord 52.

  For example, FIG. 11 shows an angle φ formed by the connector 40 and the frame 32 when both the connector 40 and the frame 32 have a shape that can be regarded as a rod. And the above-mentioned position of connection object 40 in the case where it is based on frame 32 is shown by two dashed lines 40A and 40B. In this case, the movement of the connector 40 is restricted within the range of the angle θ formed by the broken lines 40A and 40B.

(Modification of Embodiment 2)
In this modification, another form of the connector 40 will be described. Specifically, an embodiment in which the connection body 40 is connected to the frame 32 will be described.

  12 and 13 are partial enlarged views showing the mounting body 38 and the restricting portion according to the present embodiment. FIG. 12 shows the wearing body 38 and the restricting portion when the wearer P is in the standing posture, and FIG. 13 shows the wearing body 38 and the restricting portion when the wearer P is in the squatting attitude There is.

  As shown in FIG. 12, the restricting portion has a frame 60, a guide 62 and a protrusion 64.

  The frame 60 is a rigid member on which the guide 62 is installed. Although the frame 60 is fixed to the connection body 40 and the waist belt 42, illustration of the connection body 40 and the waist belt 42 is omitted. In other words, the connector 40 and the frame 60 correspond to the third frame, that is, the third frame is connected to the first frame.

  The guide 62 is a regulating member provided on the frame 60 and guiding movement of the frame 60 with respect to the frame 32. The guide 62 is, for example, an inner wall of a space provided in the frame 60 and into which the protrusion 64 is inserted. The guide 62 has, for example, a form corresponding to a part of an arc centered on the pivot of the frame 32 and the connector 46 by the joint mechanism 39.

  The projections 64 are provided on the frame 32 and are inserted into the guides 62. The protrusion 64 restricts the movement of the frame 60 with respect to the frame 32 by moving relatively along the guide 62.

  As the projection 64 moves along the guide 62, the frame 60 moves so as to draw a part of a circle centering on the axis, and the movement is restricted at the end of the part of the circle.

  For example, the frame 60 shown in FIG. 13 is in a state where it rotates clockwise on the paper around the pivot axis J with respect to the frame 32 and reaches a position where the projection 64 hits the end of the guide 62. Further, the frame 60A shown in FIG. 13 is in a state in which the frame 64 rotates counterclockwise on the drawing sheet around the rotation axis J, and reaches a position where the projection 64 hits the end of the guide 62. In this case, the movement of the connector 40 and the frame 60 is restricted within the range of the position of the frame 60 and the position of the frame 60A shown in FIG. 13, that is, within the range of the angle θ in FIG.

  Although the connection body 40 is connected to the frame 32 in the present embodiment and the modification, the connection body 40 may be connected to the connection body 46. In other words, the connector 46 may correspond to a first frame, the frame 32 may correspond to a second frame, and the connector 40 may correspond to a third frame.

  As with the operation support device 1 according to the first embodiment, the operation support device according to the present embodiment and the modification can support the operation while allowing the displacement of the mounting position.

  As mentioned above, although the operation assistance apparatus which concerns on one or several aspect was demonstrated based on embodiment, this invention is not limited to this embodiment. Without departing from the spirit of the present invention, various modifications that can be conceived by those skilled in the art may be applied to the present embodiment, and modes configured by combining components in different embodiments may also be in the scope of one or more aspects. May be included within.

  The present invention is applicable to a motion support device capable of assisting motion while permitting displacement of the mounting position. More specifically, it can be used for a power assist suit, a motion support device, a walking support device, and the like.

1, 2, 100 motion support device 12, 32, 44, 112 frame 13, 38, 113 mounting body 14, 36 shoulder belt 16, 39 joint mechanism 18, 22, 40, 46 connection body 19A, 19B restricting portion 20, 42 Waist belt 24, 48 thigh attachment body 34 chest pad 40A, 40B broken line 50 hole 52 elastic string 60, 60A frame body 62 guide 64 protrusion F1, F2, F3, G1, G2 force G large trochanter J pivot shaft P, PA attachment T Thigh

Claims (4)

A motion support device mounted on a first part on one side of a joint of a wearer and a second part on the other side different from the one side of the joint, and supporting the movement of the joint,
A joint mechanism disposed in the vicinity of the joint and driven by an actuator;
A first frame having one end connected to the joint mechanism, the first frame having a portion different from the one end of the first frame attached to the first portion;
A second frame whose one end is rotatably connected to the first frame by the joint mechanism, wherein a part of the second frame different from the one end is attached to the second portion; ,
A third frame partially connected to the joint mechanism or the first frame, and another portion different from the part of the third frame is the first part of the wearer and the third part. And a third frame attached to a third part different from the second part,
The third frame is movable in a substantially circumferential direction about a rotation axis of rotation of the second frame by the joint mechanism. The operation support device according to claim 1, wherein the third frame includes a restricting portion that restricts movement of the third frame about the pivot axis within a predetermined range. The first part is included in the upper body of the wearer,
The second part is included in the wearer's thighs,
The third part is included in the waist of the wearer,
The motion support device according to claim 1, wherein the joint is a hip joint of the wearer. The operation support apparatus further includes
It comprises a rigid member mounted from the back side of the waist of the wearer to the left and right side waists,
The motion support device according to claim 3, wherein a distance between a pair of mounting bodies, which is a portion mounted in the vicinity of the side waist of the wearer among the rigid members, is wider as it proceeds from the back side to the belly side of the waist. .

Images