JP4112541B2 - Wearing device for walking assist device - Google Patents

Description

  More particularly, the present invention relates to a mounting tool for mounting a walking assist device for applying muscle strength assisting power to a person with reduced lower limb function on the waist.

  For people who have difficulty walking on their own due to trauma, illness, or muscular weakness due to aging, attach a torque actuator to the hip or knee joint, and assist the lower limb movement with the rotational force generated by the torque actuator. Various walking assistance devices have been proposed.

As a wearing tool for such a walking assist device, a device in which a corset-like abdominal band formed of a soft synthetic resin material is fixed to the abdomen with a belt is known (see Patent Document 1).
JP 2002-301124 A

  In the above-mentioned document 1, the tightening / loosening of the buckles at a plurality of positions must be performed every time the attachment / detachment is performed, and the attachment / detachment operation is troublesome and is attached to the abdomen without the skeleton. When tightened, the abdominal pressure becomes stronger, which hinders daily life, and if it is loose, the torque applied to the side of the hip joint cannot be received and the auxiliary force applied to the thigh will escape. There is.

  In order to increase the power transmission efficiency from the hip joint actuator to the thigh, it is sufficient to increase the support rigidity of the actuator to the lumbar region. However, if the rigidity of the wearing device is increased, the compatibility with the body shape difference will be reduced. It is inevitable that the cost tends to increase.

  In addition, the conventional device has to be worn on the lower limb while supporting the weight of the device set with the actuator built in, and the body function requiring this kind of auxiliary device has declined. For him, he was forced to bear a considerable physical burden.

  The present invention has been devised to solve such problems of the prior art, and its main purpose is a walking that can achieve both higher support rigidity and easier mounting of the actuator at a higher level. It is in providing the mounting tool for auxiliary devices.

To solve such problems, attachment for walking assistance device according to the invention, detachable to the waist of the user in order to mount the torque generating means to a position corresponding to the hip of the user (torque actuator TA1) A walking assist device wearing device including a waist support (1) having an opening to be smoothed, wherein the waist support (1) is provided with a plurality of rigid body portions (left portion 21L ) provided to be slidable relative to each other. - a right portion 21R, a central portion 21C), and a coupling and separating means for releasably coupling said plurality of rigid part to each other (locking mechanism R), of the opening by the relative sliding of said plurality of rigid part The dimensions can be increased or decreased .

In the walking aid apparatus wearing tool according to the present invention, preferably, the plurality of rigid body portions are divided at least in the left-right direction around the spinal column. Further, the coupling / disengaging means is configured as a ratchet mechanism including a ratchet gear and a ratchet pawl that meshes with the ratchet gear in a detachable manner. Furthermore, the waist support device has a handle for grasping the waist support device from above by hand.

According to the walking assist device for fitting unit according to the present invention, since the mounting device is constituted by a rigid body, it is possible to increase the transmission efficiency of the body of the force of the torque generating means. Moreover, despite the fact that the mounting tool is formed of a rigid body, the size of the opening that allows the waist to pass through can be freely increased or decreased. Can do. In particular, intended to part a plurality of rigid body is divided into left and right directions around the spinal column, since there is no compromising the rigidity of the mounting portion of the hip actuator, contributing to for increasing the transmission efficiency of the force of the torque generating means obtain.

Further , if there is a handle , the weight of the apparatus can be easily supported at the time of mounting, which is effective in further enhancing the mounting ease.

  Hereinafter, the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings.

  FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing an entire exoskeleton walking aid apparatus to which the present invention is applied, and FIG. 2 is a side view showing a wearing state for a user. As shown in FIG. 1, this walking assist device includes a waist support 1 attached to the user's waist and a thigh support that is vertically long and is attached to the left and right thighs of the user. 2, a crus support 3 having a vertically long bar shape mounted on the left and right crus of the user, and a foot support 4 mounted on the shoes worn by the user.

  As shown in FIG. 3, the lower back support 1 includes a base 1a formed of a relatively rigid member in a substantially U shape (U-shape) when viewed from above, and a pair of left and right open / close coupled to the front end of the base 1a. It consists of the part 1b, and has comprised the C-shape by which the front center part was open | released as a whole.

  A pair of left and right hip joint actuator bases 5 for attaching torque actuators TA1 (FIG. 2) for applying torque to the left and right hip joints are provided on the front side end of the waist support 1 and the upper end of the thigh support 2. Yes. A pair of left and right knee joint actuator bases 6 for attaching a torque actuator TA2 (FIG. 2) for applying torque to the left and right knee joints are provided at the lower end of the thigh support 2 and the upper end of the crus support 3. Is provided.

  The connecting portions of the thigh support 2 with the hip joint actuator base 5 and the knee joint actuator base 6 are connected flexibly via hinges 7a and 7b whose rotation axes extend in the front-rear direction. Further, the joint portion of the lower leg support 3 with the knee joint actuator base 6 and the foot support 4 is also connected to bend freely via hinges 8a and 8b whose rotation axes extend in the front-rear direction. The thigh support 2 and the crus support 3 can be extended and contracted vertically and set to appropriate dimensions according to the user's physique, and the length is fixed by, for example, screw means. It has come to be.

  The torque actuators TA1 and TA2 that are individually attached to the actuator bases 5 and 6 include an electric motor with a clutch and a speed reducer, and a motor housing is fixed to each of the lower ends of the waist support 1 and the thigh support 2; A rotor is fixed to each upper end of the thigh support 2 and the crus support 3. As a result, the auxiliary torque corresponding to the movement of the hip joint and the knee joint is applied to the connecting portion between the front side end of the lumbar support 1 and the upper end of the thigh support 2 and the lower and lower ends of the thigh support 2. It is given to the connecting portion with the upper end of the thigh support 3. Both torque actuators TA1 and TA2 are attached to the corresponding actuator bases 5 and 6 through screw means that can be repeatedly attached and detached, so that maintenance and maintenance are simplified.

  A thigh coupling clip 9 formed by connecting a pair of elastic C-shaped members at an appropriate vertical interval is coupled to a middle position in the vertical direction of the thigh support 2 so as to be slidable within a predetermined range. is doing. In addition, a crus coupling clip 10 formed by connecting a pair of elastic C-shaped members at an appropriate vertical interval at an intermediate position in the vertical direction of the crus support 3 is slidable up and down within a predetermined range. Are connected.

  The connecting portion 11 between the crus support 3 and the foot support 4 is rotatable on an axis extending in the left-right direction, and can follow the movement of the ankle.

  At the center of the lumbar support 1, a back plate 12 provided with a joint with an upper limb (not shown) is attached. Auxiliary devices such as a control circuit and a battery are attached to the back plate 12.

  On the other hand, grips 13 that are grasped by hand from above are provided on the upper surfaces of the left and right sides of the base 1a of the waist support 1. The base 1a is composed of three parts, a left part 21L and a right part 21R that are L-shaped, and a central part 21C that is an I-shape that is integrally coupled to the back plate 12, and includes a left part 21L and a right part 21R. Opposing ends are engaged with the central portion 21C so as to be slidable in the left-right direction. The left and right opening / closing parts 1b are also connected to the front end parts of the left part 21L and the right part 21R constituting the base part 1a via sliding guides 22 in the front-rear direction. Thereby, when attaching and detaching, the dimension between the inner ends of the left and right opening / closing parts 1b (the width dimension of the opening part at the front center) can be increased, and the left and right opening / closing parts 1b can be moved forward. After appropriately setting the width dimension of 1a and the front and rear positions of the opening / closing part 1b in accordance with the user's physique, it can be fixed with a lock mechanism described in detail below.

  The locking mechanism R is provided between the sliding portion between the left portion 21L and the right portion 21R and the central portion 21C, and between the left and right opening / closing portions 1b and the corresponding sliding guides 22, and its structure. As conceptually shown in FIGS. 4 and 5, the first member 31 and the second member 32 which are combined to be slidable relative to each other, and the bracket 33 fixed to the first member 31 are pinned. A ratchet pole 35 pivotally supported by the shaft 34, a ratchet lever 37 engaged with the pin shaft 34 by a long hole 36 whose major axis is inclined, and a saw-toothed ratchet gear 38 formed in the second member 32. It is made up of.

  The ratchet lever 37 is movable in the range of the long hole 36. The ratchet pole 35 is elastically biased in the clockwise direction in the figure by a torsion coil spring or the like so as to maintain the meshed state with the ratchet gear 38.

  In the initial meshing state shown in FIG. 4, when the first and second members 31 and 32 are pulled in the direction in which they are extended to each other (in the left-right direction in FIG. 4), the ratchet pole 35 is engaged with one of the teeth of the ratchet gear 38. This prevents relative sliding in the extending direction. From this state, when the ratchet lever 37 is slightly moved to the left to engage the ratchet claw 37a at the tip of the ratchet lever 37 with one of the teeth of the ratchet gear 38, the ratchet lever 37 is rotated counterclockwise. The ratchet pawl 37a rotates and pulls the second member 32 rightward. At this time, the free end of the ratchet pole 35 is pushed up by the tooth tip of the ratchet gear 38 and the meshing with the ratchet gear 38 is released.

  As shown in FIG. 5, when the ratchet lever 37 is fully rotated counterclockwise, the second member 32 moves to the right by one tooth of the ratchet gear 38, and an elastic force such as a torsion coil spring is generated. By force, the free end of the ratchet pole 35 is engaged with the teeth of the ratchet gear 38 which is advanced by one, and the return of the second member 32 is prevented.

  Thus, by reciprocating the ratchet lever 37 by a predetermined angle, the second member 32 is gradually pulled into the first member 31 side.

  When the two are released, the ratchet lever 37 is rotated counterclockwise so that the free end of the ratchet pole 35 is released from the tooth tip of the ratchet gear 38, and the ratchet pole 35 is fixed at a position where the mesh is released. The return movement (left movement) of the second member 32 becomes free.

  The ratchet lever 37 of the ratchet type locking mechanism R having such a configuration is provided at both left and right ends of the central portion 21C (back plate 12), and ratchet gears 38 are provided at the opposite ends of the left portion 21L and the right portion 21R constituting the base portion 1a. By providing, the left part 21L and the right part 21R constituting the base part 1a can be slid to the left and right with the back plate 12 as the center, and can be fixed at an appropriate position.

  This locking mechanism R is provided between the sliding guide portion 22 and the opening / closing portion 1b of the base portion 1a, a ratchet lever 37 is provided on the base portion 1a side, and a ratchet gear is provided at the sliding portion with the sliding guide portion 22 of the opening / closing portion 1b. By providing 38, the opening / closing part 1b can be moved back and forth and fixed at an appropriate position.

  In order to wear the walking assist device having such a configuration on the user's lower limb, first, the interval dimension between the opening and closing parts 1b of the waist support 1 and the front-rear direction position of the opening and closing part 1b are set appropriately. The grip 13 formed on the upper surface of the side portion of the base is gripped and the waist support 1 is attached to the waist H of the user. When the back plate 12 is in contact with the back surface of the waist H, the width of the left and right bases and the positions of the two opening / closing portions 1b are adjusted, and the ratchet of the locking mechanism R described above is used, as shown in FIG. As described above, the U-shaped base 1a is brought into contact with the portion corresponding to the posterior rear surface of the sacroiliac joint 24 (joint point between the spinal column and the pelvis) from the left and right iliac crest portions 23 (pelvic side end points), A pair of left and right opening / closing parts 1b is brought into contact with a portion corresponding to the osteophyte 25 (the pelvic front end point), and the waist support 1 is positioned at the user's hipbone.

  Next, the open end side of the thigh coupling clip 9 and the crus coupling clip 10 is expanded, and the user's thigh and crus from outside the user's thigh and crus By tucking the clips 9 and 10, the thigh support 2 and the crus support 3 are attached to the legs of the user. At this time, if the clutch is disengaged and both the torque actuators TA1 and TA2 are free, the upper and lower ends of the thigh support 2 and the crus support 3 are laterally moved from the hinges 7a, 7b, 8a and 8b. Since it bends, the walking assistance device can be easily attached to the leg with a posture such as sitting on a chair.

  Since the clips 9 and 10 are slidably coupled to the corresponding support devices 2 and 3 in the vertical direction, the user's thigh and crus, and the corresponding support devices corresponding thereto. Even if a deviation occurs between the two and the third during movement, the clips 9 and 10 do not cause a positional deviation with respect to the thigh and the calf, so that it is possible to reduce a sense of incongruity at the time of wearing.

  As shown in FIG. 6, the lumbar support 1 is divided into two parts (a) that are fully closed when worn, two parts (b) that are open when worn, or two parts (c) in the front-rear direction. Various modifications are possible. Moreover, the grip gripped at the time of mounting may not be a separate member as described above, but may be provided with a recess into which the fingertip can be inserted on the side surface of the base 1.

It is a whole perspective view of the wearing tool of the walk auxiliary device to which the present invention was applied. It is a side view which shows the mounting state of a walking assistance apparatus. It is a top view which shows the mounting state of the waist | hip | lumbar part support tool. It is a side view which shows the initial state of a locking mechanism. It is a side view which shows the state which tightened one step of the locking mechanism. It is the schematic which shows another aspect of the division | segmentation of a waist | hip | lumbar part support tool.

Explanation of symbols

1 Lumbar support device (equipment for walking assist device)
1a Base (part consisting of rigid body)
1b Opening / closing part 21L Left part 21R Right part 21C Center part 22 Sliding guide TA1 Torque actuator (torque generating means)
R lock mechanism (coupling / detaching means)

Claims (4)

A walking assist device for attachment comprising a lumbar support having an opening makes it detachable to the waist of the user in order to mount the torque generating means to a position corresponding to the hip of the user,
The waist support device has a plurality of rigid body portions provided so as to be slidable relative to each other , and coupling / detaching means for detachably coupling the plurality of rigid body portions to each other ,
A walking assisting device wearing device configured to be capable of increasing or decreasing the size of the opening by relative sliding of the plurality of rigid body portions . It said plurality of rigid portion, at least, the walking assist device for attachment according to claim 1, characterized in that divided in left and right directions around the spine. Binding and separating means, Rachittogia a walking assist device for attachment according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that it is configured to ratchet mechanism including a Rachittoporu meshing to be disengaged to the Rachittogia. Wherein the lumbar support, the walking assist device for attachment according to any one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that it comprises a handle grip by hand the lumbar support from above.

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