JP6263107B2 - Work auxiliary control device and power assist suit - Google Patents

Description

  The present invention relates to a work assist control device and a power assist suit.

  There is a wearable work assist device called a power assist suit. The power assist suit assists muscular strength in accordance with the user's movement. The power assist suit may be applied as a force amplifying device for assisting care recipients, rehabilitation, and heavy work in narrow places where heavy machinery cannot enter. In such a power assist suit, it is important to determine whether the user's foot is in contact with the ground or in a swinging state (the state of the user's foot) in order to control the operation of the actuator. In this case, for example, the state of the user's foot can be determined by providing a pressure sensor on the sole and detecting the load on the sole with the pressure sensor.

  For example, Patent Document 1 discloses that a plurality of plantar pressure sensors are used in order to measure the timing at which the sole of the user (wearer) contacts the ground.

JP-A-2005-192744

  However, when multiple pressure sensors are provided on the shoe sole, the load is dissipated by the cushion provided on the shoe sole, or the user's walking method or foot size is different, so the pressure sensor There is a possibility that the load on the sole is not accurately detected and the state of the user's foot cannot be accurately determined.

  An object of this invention is to provide the work assistance control apparatus and power assist suit which suppress the deterioration of the precision of determination of a user's leg | foot state.

  In order to solve the above-described problems and achieve the object, the work auxiliary control device of the present invention corresponds to a pressure sensor for detecting a foot load of a user and the pressure sensor, and the corresponding feeling. When the detected load of the pressure sensor is equal to or less than a predetermined load, it is temporarily determined that the user's foot is in a free leg state, and the use is performed when the corresponding detected load of the pressure sensor is larger than the predetermined load. A plurality of detection units including a provisional determination unit for deriving a provisional determination result that the user's foot is in a free leg state or a ground state by temporarily determining that the user's foot is in a ground state; An integrated determination unit that integrates the temporary determination results of the temporary determination unit and determines whether the user's foot is in a free leg state or a grounded state based on the integrated result.

  According to this work auxiliary control device, the user's foot state is provisionally determined for each of the plurality of pressure sensors, and the result of the provisional determination for each pressure sensor is integrated to determine the user's foot state. To do. Therefore, even if the detection of the sole load by some of the pressure sensors is not performed accurately, the determination of the user's foot state is performed in order to integrate and determine the temporary determination results for each pressure sensor. Degradation of accuracy can be suppressed.

  In the work auxiliary control device, the temporary determination unit temporarily determines that the user's foot is in a free leg state when a detected load of the corresponding pressure sensor is in a range equal to or less than a first load value. When the detected load of the corresponding pressure sensor is larger than the second load value larger than the first load value, it is temporarily determined that the user's foot is in a grounded state, and further, the user's foot is idle. When the leg is temporarily determined, and the detected load of the corresponding pressure-sensitive sensor is greater than the first load value and less than or equal to the second load value, the user's foot is idle. The provisional determination that the leg is in a state is maintained, the user's foot is provisionally determined to be in a grounded state, and the corresponding detected load of the pressure sensor is greater than the first load value. If the load is less than or equal to the second load value, a temporary determination is made that the user's foot is in contact with the ground It is preferable to. According to this work auxiliary control device, since the hysteresis is provided in comparing the detected load with the load threshold value to determine the foot state, the load state of the user's foot is unstable. In addition, it is possible to suppress deterioration in accuracy of determination of the state of the user's foot.

  In the work auxiliary control device, the temporary determination unit generates a temporary determination signal having information on the temporary determination result, and the integrated determination unit calculates an integrated determination signal by averaging the temporary determination signals. It is preferable that the user's foot is determined to be in a free leg state or a grounded state by comparing the integrated determination signal with an integrated determination signal threshold value. According to this work auxiliary control device, the average determination signal indicating the temporary determination result of the foot state is averaged to calculate the integrated determination signal for determining the foot state. The result can be more suitably reflected in the determination of the foot state.

  In the work auxiliary control device, the temporary determination unit includes a temporary determination signal generation unit and a determination signal generation unit, the integrated determination unit includes an integrated determination signal generation unit and an integrated determination signal comparison unit, The temporary determination signal generation unit generates the temporary determination signal, and the determination signal generation unit has information on a predetermined coefficient to be multiplied by the temporary determination signal generated by the corresponding temporary determination signal generation unit. The determination signal is generated by multiplying the corresponding temporary determination signal generated by the corresponding temporary determination signal generation unit and the predetermined coefficient, and the integrated determination signal generation unit sums the determination signals. The integrated determination signal comparison unit determines that the user's foot is in a free leg state or a grounded state by comparing the integrated determination signal and the integrated determination signal threshold. Prefer to There. According to this work auxiliary control device, the determination signal is calculated by multiplying the predetermined coefficient and the provisional determination signal. Therefore, according to this work auxiliary control device, by adjusting a predetermined coefficient, it is possible to weight the detection result of each pressure sensor, and the detection result of each pressure sensor can be more suitably used. This can be reflected in the determination of the state.

  In the work auxiliary control device, it is preferable that the predetermined coefficient is different for each of the determination signal generation units. According to this work auxiliary control device, the detection result of each pressure sensor can be weighted by adjusting the predetermined coefficient to be different for each determination signal generator, and the detection result of each pressure sensor can be weighted. Can be more suitably reflected in the determination of the foot state.

  In the work auxiliary control device, the plurality of pressure-sensitive sensors are a load concentration position where a user's foot load is concentrated on a back surface of the user's foot, and a user's foot back surface where the user's foot load is concentrated. A predetermined coefficient stored in the determination signal generation unit corresponding to the pressure-sensitive sensor at the load concentration position is arranged at an auxiliary position where the concentration of the foot load is smaller than the load concentration position, and the pressure-sensitive sensor at the auxiliary position Is set to be larger than a predetermined coefficient stored in the determination signal generation unit corresponding to the ratio of the determination signal value corresponding to the pressure-sensitive sensor at the load concentration position to the integrated determination signal value. The value of the determination signal corresponding to the pressure-sensitive sensor at the auxiliary position is larger than the ratio of the value of the integrated determination signal. According to this work auxiliary control device, the detection result of the pressure-sensitive sensor at the load concentration position can be more greatly reflected in the determination of the foot state than the detection result of the pressure-sensitive sensor at the auxiliary position. The accuracy of state determination can be improved more suitably.

  In the work auxiliary control device, the detection unit corresponds to the pressure sensor, a load amplitude measurement unit that measures a load amplitude of the foot load of the user detected by the corresponding pressure sensor, and the load An average load amplitude calculation unit that calculates an average load amplitude value of the corresponding pressure-sensitive sensor by averaging the load amplitudes in a plurality of periods detected by the corresponding pressure-sensitive sensor corresponding to the amplitude measurement unit; A coefficient for calculating the predetermined coefficient in the determination signal generation unit corresponding to the load amplitude measuring unit, and a coefficient that sets the predetermined coefficient larger as the average load amplitude value of the corresponding pressure-sensitive sensor is larger It is preferable to further include a calculation unit. According to this work auxiliary control device, the detection result of the pressure sensor having a large average load amplitude value and high sensitivity to the motion of the user's foot can be largely reflected in the foot state determination. Therefore, according to this work auxiliary control device, the accuracy of determination of the state of the user's foot can be improved more suitably.

  The work auxiliary control device further includes a leg power control unit that controls an auxiliary operation for assisting the user's foot-lifting operation, and the leg power control unit is configured so that one leg of the user is detected by the integrated determination unit. When it is determined that the leg is in the free leg state and the other leg is in the grounded state, it is preferable to cause the one leg to perform the auxiliary operation at a predetermined speed. According to this work auxiliary control device, after determining the state of one foot, the auxiliary operation is performed after confirming the state of both feet. Therefore, according to this work auxiliary control device, the auxiliary operation can be performed more appropriately.

  In the work auxiliary control device, it is preferable that the leg power control unit ends the auxiliary operation after a predetermined time has elapsed since the auxiliary operation was performed. According to this work auxiliary control device, for example, when the user wants to end the foot-lifting operation, it is possible to suppress the foot-raising auxiliary operation, and the auxiliary operation can be performed more appropriately.

  The work auxiliary control device is provided at a position corresponding to the user's foot and detects an acceleration of the user's foot-lifting motion, and the user's foot-lifting motion acceleration detected by the acceleration sensor From the above, it is preferable to further include a speed calculation unit that calculates an average speed of the user's leg raising operation and transmits the average speed as the predetermined speed to the leg power control unit. According to this work auxiliary control device, it becomes possible to perform an auxiliary operation synchronized with the actual operation of the user, so that the auxiliary operation can be performed more appropriately.

  The work auxiliary control device is provided at a position corresponding to the torso of the user and detects the user's movement acceleration, and the use acceleration is detected from the user's movement acceleration detected by the acceleration sensor. It is preferable to further include a speed calculation unit that calculates an estimated average speed of the person's foot-lifting motion and transmits the estimated average speed as the predetermined speed to the leg power control unit. According to this work auxiliary control device, it becomes possible to perform an auxiliary operation synchronized with the actual operation of the user, so that the auxiliary operation can be performed more appropriately.

  The power assist suit of the present invention is configured to perform the operation of the leg power unit according to a determination result of the work assist control device, a leg power unit that performs an assisting operation of the user's leg raising operation, and the integrated determination unit. A control unit for controlling. According to this power assist suit, it is possible to suppress deterioration in accuracy of determination of the state of the user's foot, and appropriately perform an assist operation.

  The power assist suit of the present invention includes the work assist control device and a leg power unit that performs the assist operation under the control of the leg power control unit. According to this power assist suit, it is possible to suppress deterioration in accuracy of determination of the state of the user's foot, and appropriately perform an assist operation.

  ADVANTAGE OF THE INVENTION According to this invention, a user's leg | foot state determination can be performed more correctly.

FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram illustrating a power assist suit as an auxiliary device according to the first embodiment. FIG. 2 is a front view illustrating a wearing state of the power assist suit according to the first embodiment. FIG. 3 is a side view showing a wearing state of the power assist suit according to the first embodiment. FIG. 4 is a schematic diagram illustrating a configuration of the work auxiliary control device according to the first embodiment. FIG. 5 is a schematic diagram showing the position of the pressure-sensitive sensor according to the first embodiment. FIG. 6 is a diagram illustrating an example of a usage state of the pressure sensor. FIG. 7 is a schematic diagram illustrating an example in which the user's left foot is in a grounded state. FIG. 8 is a schematic diagram illustrating an example in which the user's left foot is in the swinging state. FIG. 9 is a block diagram illustrating a configuration of the provisional determination unit according to the first embodiment. FIG. 10 is a block diagram illustrating a configuration of the integrated determination unit according to the first embodiment. FIG. 11 is a block diagram illustrating a configuration of the leg power control unit according to the first embodiment. FIG. 12 is a flowchart illustrating an outline of control processing of auxiliary operation by the work auxiliary control device according to the first embodiment. FIG. 13 is a flowchart illustrating a process of determining the state of the user's foot by the work auxiliary control device according to the first embodiment. FIG. 14 is a graph illustrating an example of the relationship between the load value of the sole load and the provisional determination signal value. FIG. 15 is a graph illustrating an example of the relationship between the integrated determination signal value and the state output signal value. FIG. 16 is a flowchart illustrating the consistency check process, the auxiliary joint angular velocity calculation process, and the auxiliary operation command output process in the first embodiment. FIG. 17 is a diagram illustrating a table for the consistency check unit according to the first embodiment to check the consistency with respect to the fact that the user's left foot is in the free leg state. FIG. 18 is a schematic diagram illustrating a configuration of a work assistance control apparatus according to the second embodiment. FIG. 19 is a block diagram illustrating a configuration of a provisional determination unit according to the second embodiment. FIG. 20 is a graph showing an example of the load amplitude of the pressure sensor. FIG. 21 is a flowchart for explaining a weighting factor calculation method according to the second embodiment. FIG. 22 is a schematic diagram illustrating a power assist suit as an auxiliary device according to the third embodiment. FIG. 23 is a block diagram illustrating a configuration of a leg power control unit according to the third embodiment. FIG. 24 is a schematic diagram illustrating a power assist suit as an auxiliary device according to the fourth embodiment. FIG. 25 is a block diagram illustrating a configuration of a leg power control unit according to the fourth embodiment.

  Hereinafter, preferred embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. In addition, this invention is not limited by this embodiment, Moreover, when there are two or more embodiments, what comprises a combination of each Example is also included.

(First embodiment)

  FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram illustrating a power assist suit as an auxiliary device according to the first embodiment. FIG. 2 is a front view illustrating a wearing state of the power assist suit according to the first embodiment. FIG. 3 is a side view showing a wearing state of the power assist suit according to the first embodiment.

(Outline of power assist suit)
The power assist suit 10 is a device in which a plurality of links are connected via joints and is attached to the user to assist the user's muscle strength. As shown in FIGS. 1 to 3, the power assist suit 10 includes a waist part 11 that is worn on the user's waist, a shoulder part 12 that is worn on the shoulder, and leg parts 13A and 13B that are worn on the legs. have.

  The waist part 11 includes a waist mounting portion 21, a power feeding device 22, and thigh drive mechanisms 23A and 23B. The waist mounting portion 21 is a C-shaped ring-shaped member formed so as to be positioned around the waist of the user of the power assist suit 10, that is, the user (user) who wears the power assist suit. The power feeding device 22 is attached to the waist mounting portion 21 and is arranged on the back side of the user.

  The power supply device 22 is a device that supplies power to the control device 1 and the actuator and other devices included in the power assist suit 10. In the present embodiment, the power feeding device 22 receives power supply from the power source 22B outside the power assist suit 10 via the electric wire 22C. The power feeding device 22 converts the power from the external power supply 22B into a voltage suitable for the devices included in the power assist suit 10 and supplies the converted voltage. The external power source 22B is, for example, an AC (Alternating Current) power source. The power feeding device 22 is not limited to a device that receives power supply from the external power source 22B, and may be a device that receives power supply from a capacitor mounted on the power assist suit 10, for example.

  The thigh drive mechanisms 23A and 23B are connected to the lower side of the waist mounting portion 21 and are respectively disposed on the left and right sides of the user. The thigh drive mechanisms 23 </ b> A and 23 </ b> B correspond to the joints of the power assist suit 10. The thigh drive mechanism 23A assists muscle strength according to the movement of the thigh of the left leg by rotating the thigh mounting part 41A of the leg part 13A around the predetermined axis Ywl with respect to the waist mounting part 21. is there. The thigh drive mechanism 23B assists muscle strength according to the movement of the thigh of the right leg by rotating the thigh mounting portion 41B of the leg part 13B around the predetermined axis Ywr with respect to the waist mounting portion 21. is there.

  The shoulder part 12 includes a back mounting portion 31, and a left shoulder mounting portion 32A and a right shoulder mounting portion 32B that are arranged to be hooked on the left and right shoulders of the user. The left shoulder mounting part 32A and the right shoulder mounting part 32B are connected to the waist mounting part 21 of the waist part 11 by a back mounting part 31 arranged on the back side of the user.

  The leg parts 13A and 13B are arranged corresponding to the left leg and the right leg. The leg part 13A corresponding to the left leg includes a thigh attachment part 41A, a crus attachment part 42A, a foot attachment part 43A, a crus drive mechanism 45A, and a leg drive control device 46A.

  The thigh mounting portion 41A is disposed along the thigh of the user's left leg, and the lower thigh mounting portion 42A is disposed along the lower leg of the user's left leg. The thigh attachment part 41A and the crus attachment part 42A correspond to the link of the power assist suit 10. One end of the thigh mounting portion 41A is rotatably connected to the waist mounting portion 21 of the waist part 11. One end of the crus mounting part 42A is rotatably connected to the other end of the thigh mounting part 41A, and the other end of the crus mounting part 42A can be rotated to the foot mounting part 43A by a rotating shaft 47A. It is connected to. The foot attachment portion 43A is a shoe portion attached to the user's left foot portion (portion below the left ankle). The rotation shaft 47A corresponds to the joint of the power assist suit 10, and the foot mounting portion 43A corresponds to the link of the power assist suit 10.

  The lower leg drive mechanism 45A is attached to the other end of the thigh attachment part 41A. The crus drive mechanism 45A assists the muscular strength by rotating the crus drive mechanism 45A around a predetermined axis Ynl with respect to the thigh mounting portion 41A. The lower leg drive mechanism 45 </ b> A corresponds to the joint of the power assist suit 10. The leg drive control device 46A is attached to the thigh mounting portion 41A and controls the operations of the thigh drive mechanism 23A and the crus drive mechanism 45A. The leg drive control device 46A, the thigh drive mechanism 23A, and the crus drive mechanism 45A are supplied with power from the power supply device 22.

  Similarly to the leg part 13A, the leg part 13B corresponding to the right leg includes a thigh attachment part 41B, a crus attachment part 42B, a foot attachment part 43B, a crus drive mechanism 45B, and a leg drive control device 46B.

  The thigh mounting portion 41B is disposed along the thigh of the user's right leg, and the lower thigh mounting portion 42B is disposed along the lower leg of the user's right leg. The thigh attachment part 41B and the crus attachment part 42B correspond to the link of the power assist suit 10. One end of the thigh mounting part 41B is rotatably connected to the waist mounting part 21 of the waist part 11. One end of the crus mounting part 42B is rotatably connected to the other end of the thigh mounting part 41B, and the other end of the crus mounting part 42B can be rotated to the foot mounting part 43B by a rotating shaft 47B. It is connected to. The foot attachment portion 43B is formed as a shoe portion attached to the user's right foot portion (portion below the right ankle). The rotation shaft 47B corresponds to the joint of the power assist suit 10, and the foot mounting portion 43B corresponds to the link of the power assist suit 10.

  The lower leg drive mechanism 45B is attached to the other end of the thigh mounting part 41B. The crus drive mechanism 45B assists muscular strength by rotating the crus drive mechanism 45B around a predetermined axis Ynr with respect to the thigh mounting portion 41B. The lower leg drive mechanism 45B corresponds to the joint of the power assist suit 10. The leg drive control device 46B is attached to the thigh mounting portion 41B and controls the operations of the thigh drive mechanism 23B and the crus drive mechanism 45B. The leg drive control device 46B, the thigh drive mechanism 23B, and the crus drive mechanism 45B are supplied with power from the power supply device 22.

  The thigh drive mechanisms 23A and 23B and the crus drive mechanisms 45A and 45B are each provided with an actuator. In this embodiment, although the actuator with which these are provided is an electric motor, it is not limited to this. In this embodiment, each leg part 13A, 13B is provided with thigh drive mechanisms 23A, 23B and crus drive mechanisms 45A, 45B, so that there are two control axes. In the present embodiment, the control axis provided in the power assist suit 10 is not limited to two axes per one leg part 13A or leg part 13B.

  As shown in FIG. 2, a cushion portion 62A is provided at the bottom of the foot mounting portion 43A. Further, a cushion portion 62B is provided at the bottom of the foot mounting portion 43B. The cushion parts 62A and 62B are provided with a plurality of pressure-sensitive sensors 64, and the plurality of pressure-sensitive sensors 64 detect loads acting on the foot mounting parts 43A and 43B. Hereinafter, when the cushion portions 62A and 62B are not distinguished, they are appropriately referred to as the cushion portion 62.

  In the present embodiment, the control device 1 is provided on the back surface of the back mounting portion 31. The control device 1 is, for example, a microcomputer. The control device 1 controls the operations of the thigh drive mechanisms 23A and 23B and the crus drive mechanisms 45A and 45B based on the detection values of the plurality of pressure sensitive sensors 64. The leg drive control devices 46A and 46B drive the actuators of the thigh drive mechanisms 23A and 23B and the actuators of the crus drive mechanisms 45A and 45B based on a command from the control device 1.

  In the present embodiment, the plurality of pressure-sensitive sensors 64 provided on the foot mounting portion 43A and the leg drive control device 46A constitute a work assistance control device 60A that controls the assistance operation of the left foot. The plurality of pressure-sensitive sensors 64 provided on the foot mounting portion 43B and the leg drive control device 46B constitute a work assist control device 60B that controls the assist operation of the right foot. Hereinafter, when the work auxiliary control devices 60 </ b> A and 60 </ b> B are not distinguished, they are referred to as work auxiliary control devices 60 as appropriate. Next, the work auxiliary control device 60A will be described.

(About work auxiliary control device)
FIG. 4 is a schematic diagram illustrating a configuration of the work auxiliary control device according to the first embodiment. As shown in FIG. 4, the work auxiliary control device 60A includes pressure-sensitive sensors 64S, 64T, 64U, 64V, and 64W, a consistency confirmation unit 90A, and a leg drive control device 46A. The work auxiliary control device 60A is configured to allow the user's foot to be controlled by the leg drive control device 46A based on the load on the left sole of the user acting on the foot mounting portion 43A detected by the pressure sensitive sensors 64S, 64T, 64U, 64V, 64W. Auxiliary operation for raising operation is performed. Hereinafter, when the pressure sensors 64S, 64T, 64U, 64V, and 64W are not distinguished, they are appropriately referred to as the pressure sensor 64.

  The pressure sensor 64 is a sensor that detects a load acting on itself. As shown in FIG. 4, the pressure-sensitive sensor 64 is provided in the cushion part 62A. More specifically, the cushion portion 62A is formed by dividing the region of the user's sole into three portions into the foot portion, the heel portion, and the central portion between the foot portion and the heel portion. The foot part 33 can be divided into a foot part 33 corresponding to the foot part, a central part 34 corresponding to the central part of the user's sole, and a heel part 35 corresponding to the heel part of the user's sole. The pressure sensitive sensor 64 </ b> S is provided on the right side of the foot tip portion 33, and the pressure sensitive sensor 64 </ b> T is provided on the left side of the foot tip portion 33. The pressure sensor 64U is provided on the left side of the central part 34, and the pressure sensor 64V is provided on the right side of the central part 34 and on the heel part 35 side of the pressure sensor 64U. Further, the pressure sensor 64W is provided in the heel portion 35.

  FIG. 5 is a schematic diagram showing the position of the pressure-sensitive sensor according to the first embodiment. As shown in FIG. 5, more specifically, the pressure sensor 64S is provided at a position corresponding to the tip of the first metatarsal 202 of the user's foot 201 on the toe side. Further, the pressure-sensitive sensor 64T is provided at a position corresponding to the tip of the fifth metatarsal 204 of the user's foot 201 on the toe side. The pressure sensor 64U is provided at a position corresponding to between the third wedge-shaped bone 206 and the cubic bone 208. Further, the pressure sensor 64V is provided at a position corresponding to the heel side end of the first wedge-shaped bone 210. Further, the pressure sensor 64W is provided at a position corresponding to the rib 212.

  Generally, the positions where the pressure sensitive sensors 64S, 64T, and 64W are provided are positions where loads due to the user's walking are concentrated. And the position where the pressure sensitive sensors 64U and 64V are provided is a position where load concentration is less than the position where the pressure sensitive sensors 64S, 64T and 64W are provided. In other words, the pressure-sensitive sensors 64S, 64T, and 64W are provided at a load concentration position where the user's sole load concentrates, and the pressure-sensitive sensors 64U and 64V have the above-described concentration of the user's sole load. It is provided at an auxiliary position smaller than the load concentration position.

  In addition, although it is preferable that a part of pressure-sensitive sensor 64 is provided in the load concentration position and the other part is provided in the auxiliary position, it is not limited to this. The position where the pressure-sensitive sensor 64 is disposed is arbitrary as long as the pressure-sensitive sensor 64 is disposed at a position where the foot load of the user can be detected.

  The pressure-sensitive sensor 64 configured as described above is provided in the cushion portion 62A and used in a state of being laid on the bottom side inside the foot mounting portion 43A that is a shoe. FIG. 6 is a diagram illustrating an example of a usage state of the pressure sensor. As shown in FIG. 6, in a state where the user's foot 201 is wearing a foot mounting portion 43 </ b> A as a shoe, each part on the back side (foot sole) of the foot 201 is in contact with the pressure-sensitive sensor 64. In this state, for example, when the user walks and the foot 201 contacts the ground, pressure is applied to the back side of the foot 201. The pressure-sensitive sensor 64 detects the pressure (load) applied to the back side of the foot 201 and outputs it as an electric signal to the leg drive control device 46A.

  Next, the state of the foot 201 when the user walks will be described in more detail. FIG. 7 is a schematic diagram illustrating an example in which the user's left foot is in a grounded state. FIG. 8 is a schematic diagram illustrating an example in which the user's left foot is in the swinging state. As shown in FIGS. 7 and 8, the movement of the left leg 214 when a person walks is performed by bending each joint of the left leg 214 from the state in which the back side of the foot 201 is in contact with the ground GL. The back side is separated from the ground GL, and then the joint of the left leg 214 is extended to bring the back side of the foot 201 into contact with the ground GL again. More specifically, when a person walks, in a grounded state (FIG. 7) in which at least a part of the back side of the foot 201 is in contact with the ground GL, and in a state in which at least a part of the back side of the foot 201 is separated from the ground GL. A certain free leg state (FIG. 8) is repeated. Hereinafter, whether the foot 201 is in a grounded state or a free leg state is referred to as a foot state as appropriate.

  Next, the configuration of the leg drive control device 46A will be described. As shown in FIG. 4, the leg drive control device 46A includes provisional determination units 70AS, 70AT, 70AU, 70AV, and 70AW, an integrated determination unit 80A, a consistency confirmation unit 90A, and a leg power control unit 100A. The leg drive control device 46A determines the state of the user's foot based on the load (pressure) of the user's sole detected by the pressure sensor 64, and raises the left leg of the user using the leg part 13A. Controls auxiliary operations. Hereinafter, when the temporary determination units 70AS, 70AT, 70AU, 70AV, and 70AW are not distinguished, they are appropriately described as the temporary determination unit 70A. Note that the work auxiliary control device 60B that controls the auxiliary operation of the right leg has the same configuration as the work auxiliary control device 60A, and thus description thereof is omitted.

  The provisional determination unit 70A is electrically connected to any one of the pressure sensitive sensors 64. More specifically, the provisional determination unit 70AS and the pressure sensor 64S are electrically connected to each other, and constitute a detection unit 71S. The provisional determination unit 70AT and the pressure sensor 64T are electrically connected to each other and constitute a detection unit 71T. The temporary determination unit 70AU and the pressure-sensitive sensor 64U are electrically connected to each other and constitute a detection unit 71U. The provisional determination unit 70AV and the pressure-sensitive sensor 64V are electrically connected to constitute a detection unit 71V. The temporary determination unit 70AW and the pressure sensitive sensor 64W are electrically connected to each other, and constitute a detection unit 71W. The temporary determination unit 70A is electrically connected to the integrated determination unit 80A.

  FIG. 9 is a block diagram illustrating a configuration of the provisional determination unit according to the first embodiment. As illustrated in FIG. 9, the temporary determination unit 70AS includes a load measurement unit 72A, a load threshold storage unit 74A, a temporary determination signal generation unit 76A, a weighting coefficient storage unit 77A, and a determination signal generation unit 78A. The provisional determination unit 70AS temporarily determines whether the user's foot is in a grounded state or a free leg state based on the user's sole load detected by the pressure-sensitive sensor 64S. More specifically, the provisional determination unit 70AS provisionally determines that the user's foot is in a free leg state when the detected load of the pressure-sensitive sensor 64S is equal to or less than a predetermined load, and the detected load of the pressure-sensitive sensor 64S is described above. When it is larger than the predetermined load, a temporary determination result that the user's foot is in the free leg state or the ground contact state is derived by temporarily determining that the user's foot is in the ground contact state.

  The load measuring unit 72A receives an electric signal based on a sole load that is a load on the back side of the foot 201 detected by the pressure sensor 64S. The load measuring unit 72A calculates the load value of the sole load corresponding to the pressure sensitive sensor 64S based on the electrical signal from the pressure sensitive sensor 64S, and outputs the load value to the provisional determination signal generating unit 76A.

  The load threshold storage unit 74A stores a load threshold that is a threshold of a sole load value for temporarily determining the state of the user's foot. The provisional determination signal generation unit 76A compares the load value of the sole load corresponding to the pressure sensor 64S measured by the load measurement unit 72A and the load threshold value read from the load threshold value storage unit 74A. The provisional determination signal generation unit 76A tentatively determines (temporary determination) whether the user's foot is in a grounded state or a free leg state based on the result of the comparison, and generates a provisional determination signal. The provisional determination signal generation processing will be described later. The provisional determination signal generation unit 76A generates a provisional provisional determination signal when the user's foot is in a grounded state, and the user's foot is in a free leg state. The swing leg temporary determination signal is generated. The temporary determination signal generation unit 76A outputs the ground temporary determination signal or the free leg temporary determination signal to the determination signal generation unit 78A. The temporary determination performed by the temporary determination signal generation unit 76A is a determination material used intermediately to determine the state of the user's foot based on the detection result of the pressure sensor 64S. That is, the work assistance control device 60A does not necessarily determine that the user's foot is in the free leg state even if the temporary determination result is in the free leg state.

  The weighting coefficient storage unit 77A stores a weighting coefficient that is a predetermined coefficient by which the signal value of the provisional determination signal corresponding to the pressure sensor 64S is multiplied. The determination signal generation unit 78A reads the weight coefficient from the weight coefficient storage unit 77A, multiplies the temporary determination signal corresponding to the pressure-sensitive sensor 64S generated by the temporary determination signal generation unit 76A by the read weight coefficient, A determination signal corresponding to the pressure sensor 64S is generated. The determination signal generation unit 78A outputs a determination signal corresponding to the generated pressure sensor 64S to the integrated determination unit 80A. Details of the determination signal generation processing by the determination signal generation unit 78A will be described later.

  The provisional determination units 70AT, 70AU, 70AV, and 70AW have the same configuration as the provisional determination unit 70AS, and thus description thereof is omitted. In brief, the temporary determination unit 70AT outputs a determination signal corresponding to the pressure sensor 64T to the integrated determination unit 80A based on the sole load detected by the pressure sensor 64T. The temporary determination unit 70AU outputs a determination signal corresponding to the pressure sensor 64U to the integrated determination unit 80A based on the sole load detected by the pressure sensor 64U. The provisional determination unit 70AV outputs a determination signal corresponding to the pressure sensor 64V to the integrated determination unit 80A based on the sole load detected by the pressure sensor 64V. The provisional determination unit 70AW outputs a determination signal corresponding to the pressure sensor 64W to the integrated determination unit 80A based on the sole load detected by the pressure sensor 64W.

  FIG. 10 is a block diagram illustrating a configuration of the integrated determination unit according to the first embodiment. As illustrated in FIG. 10, the integration determination unit 80A includes an integration determination signal generation unit 82A, an integration determination signal threshold storage unit 84A, and an integration determination signal comparison unit 86A. The integrated determination unit 80A is electrically connected to the temporary determination units 70AS, 70AT, 70AU, 70AV, and 70AW, respectively, and integrates the temporary determination results from the temporary determination units 70AS, 70AT, 70AU, 70AV, and 70AW. Then, it is determined whether the user's foot is in a free leg state or a grounded state.

  The integrated determination signal generation unit 82A sums the signal values of the determination signals from the temporary determination units 70AS, 70AT, 70AU, 70AV, and 70AW to generate one integrated determination signal. The integrated determination signal generation unit 82A outputs the generated integrated determination signal to the integrated determination signal comparison unit 86A.

  The integrated determination signal threshold value storage unit 84A stores an integrated determination signal threshold value that is a threshold value of an integrated determination signal for officially determining the state of the user's foot. The integrated determination signal comparison unit 86A reads the integrated determination signal threshold value from the integrated determination signal threshold value storage unit 84A. Then, the integrated determination signal comparison unit 86A compares the integrated determination signal output from the integrated determination signal generation unit 82A with the read integrated determination signal threshold value, and the user's foot is in a free leg state or a grounded state. Is determined. The integrated determination signal comparison unit 86A is electrically connected to the consistency confirmation unit 90A, and outputs the determination result of the state of the user's foot to the consistency confirmation unit 90A as a state output signal. Details of the foot state determination processing by the integrated determination signal comparison unit 86A will be described later.

  As shown in FIG. 4, the consistency checking unit 90A is electrically connected to a work auxiliary control device 60B that controls the auxiliary movement of the right leg in addition to the integrated determination unit 80A belonging to the work auxiliary control device 60A. . The consistency confirmation unit 90A receives the determination result of the left foot state from the integrated determination unit 80A belonging to the work auxiliary control device 60A and the determination result of the right foot state from the integration determination unit 80B belonging to the work auxiliary control device 60B. Is done. When a person walks, when one leg is in a free leg state, the other leg is in a grounded state. The consistency check unit 90A matches the determination result of the left foot state and the determination result of the right foot state when the state of the left foot is a free leg state and the state of the right foot is a grounded state. And the consistency confirmation result that the left foot is in the free leg state is output to the leg power control unit 100A. Details of the consistency check result will be described later.

  FIG. 11 is a block diagram illustrating a configuration of the leg power control unit according to the first embodiment. As shown in FIG. 11, the leg power control unit 100A includes an auxiliary speed storage unit 102A, a joint angle information storage unit 104A, an auxiliary joint angular velocity calculation unit 106A, a command time storage unit 108A, and an output unit 109A. . The leg power control unit 100A controls the auxiliary operation of the leg raising operation of the left leg of the user by the leg part 13A. The leg power control unit 100A is electrically connected to the consistency confirmation unit 90A, and when the consistency confirmation result that the left foot is in the free leg state is output from the consistency confirmation unit 90A, Assisting the left leg to raise at a predetermined speed.

  The auxiliary speed storage unit 102A stores the target speed of the auxiliary operation when the leg part 13A performs the auxiliary operation of the left leg leg raising operation. The joint angle information storage unit 104A receives information on the joint angle of the leg part 13A from a joint angle sensor (not shown) that detects the joint angle of the leg part 13A, and stores the current joint angle of the leg part 13A. Here, the joint angle of the leg part 13A is a bending angle around the axis Ywl of the thigh drive mechanism 23A, which is a joint of the leg part 13A, and a bending angle around the axis Ynl of the crus drive mechanism 45A.

  The auxiliary joint angular velocity calculation unit 106A receives the consistency confirmation result from the consistency confirmation unit 90A. In addition, the auxiliary joint angular velocity calculation unit 106A reads the target speed of the auxiliary operation from the auxiliary velocity storage unit 102A. Further, the auxiliary joint angular velocity calculation unit 106A reads information on the current joint angle of the leg part 13A from the joint angle information storage unit 104A. When the consistency confirmation result that the left foot is in the free leg state is output from the consistency confirmation unit 90A, the auxiliary joint angular velocity calculation unit 106A calculates the current joint angle information of the leg part 13A and the target speed of the auxiliary operation. Then, the auxiliary joint angular velocity that is the target angular velocity when changing the joint angle of the leg part 13A by the auxiliary operation is calculated. The auxiliary joint angular velocity calculation unit 106A outputs the calculated auxiliary joint angular velocity value to the output unit 109A. Details of the auxiliary joint angular velocity calculation process will be described later.

  The output unit 109A outputs an auxiliary operation command to the leg part 13A so as to perform an auxiliary operation at the auxiliary joint angular velocity calculated by the auxiliary joint angular velocity calculation unit 106A. The command time storage unit 108A stores an auxiliary operation duration (predetermined time) that allows the leg part 13A to perform the auxiliary operation continuously, and a time after the output unit 109A outputs the auxiliary operation command. doing. When the time after the output unit 109A outputs the auxiliary operation command reaches the auxiliary operation duration time, the command time storage unit 108A causes the output unit 109A to end the auxiliary operation command to the leg part 13A, and the leg part 13A. The auxiliary operation of is terminated.

  Next, the control flow of the left foot assistance operation by the work assistance control device 60A will be described using a flowchart. FIG. 12 is a flowchart illustrating an outline of control processing of auxiliary operation by the work auxiliary control device according to the first embodiment.

  As shown in FIG. 12, when controlling the assisting operation by the leg part 13A, the work assisting control device 60A determines the state of the user's left foot (step S10). As will be described in detail later, the work assistance control device 60A determines whether the user's left foot is in a free leg state or a grounded state based on the sole load of the user's left foot.

  After determining the state of the user's left foot, the work auxiliary control device 60A further obtains the determination result of the state of the right foot and confirms whether the state of the user's both feet has consistency (step S30). Although details of the consistency check process in step S30 will be described later, the work auxiliary control device 60A receives the determination result of the user's right foot state from the work auxiliary control device 60B in addition to the determination result of the user's left foot state. Obtain. When the user's left foot is in the swinging state and the user's right foot is in the grounded state, the work auxiliary control device 60A determines that consistency is established that the user's left foot is in the swinging state. .

  When it is determined that the left foot of the user is in the free leg state and the consistency of the state of both feet is taken, the work auxiliary control device 60A changes the joint angle of the leg part 13A by the auxiliary operation. An auxiliary joint angular velocity, which is an angular velocity, is calculated (step S40). Details of the auxiliary joint angular velocity calculation process will be described later.

  After calculating the auxiliary joint angular velocity, the work auxiliary control device 60A instructs the leg part 13A to perform an auxiliary operation at the calculated auxiliary joint angular velocity (step S50). Thereby, the control process of the auxiliary operation by the work auxiliary control device 60A ends. Details of each process will be further described below.

  FIG. 13 is a flowchart illustrating a process of determining the state of the user's foot by the work auxiliary control device according to the first embodiment. FIG. 13 illustrates in detail the foot state determination process in step S10 of FIG. As shown in FIG. 13, when determining the state of the user's foot, first, the pressure sensor 64S detects the foot load of the user (step S12S). The pressure sensor 64S converts the detected foot load of the user into an electrical signal and outputs the electrical signal to the provisional determination unit 70AS. Similarly, the pressure sensor 64T detects the foot load of the user (step S12T). Further, the pressure sensors 64U, 64V, 64W similarly detect the user's sole load, but these descriptions are omitted in FIG.

  After the user's sole load is detected by the pressure sensor 64S, the temporary determination unit 70AS calculates the load value of the sole load detected by the pressure sensor 64S by the load measurement unit 72A (step S14S). . Similarly, the temporary determination unit 70AT calculates the load value of the sole load detected by the pressure sensor 64T (step S14T). Further, the provisional determination units 70AU, 70AV, and 70AW similarly calculate the load value of the sole load detected by the corresponding pressure sensor, but these descriptions are omitted in FIG. The provisional determination units 70AU, 70AV, and 70AW perform the same processes as those of the provisional determination units 70AS and 70AT in the following steps, and thus the description thereof is omitted as appropriate.

  After calculating the load value of the sole load detected by the pressure sensor 64S, the temporary determination unit 70AS uses the temporary determination signal generation unit 76A to calculate the load value and the load threshold value of the sole load corresponding to the pressure sensor 64S. Are temporarily determined to generate a temporary determination signal (step S16S). More specifically, the temporary determination unit 70AS compares the load value of the sole load corresponding to the pressure sensor 64S and the load threshold value stored in the load threshold value storage unit 74A by the temporary determination signal generation unit 76A. Then, the temporary determination unit 70AS temporarily determines that the user's foot is in the free leg state when the load value of the sole load is equal to or less than the load threshold by the temporary determination signal generation unit 76A. A determination signal is generated. In addition, the temporary determination unit 70AS temporarily determines that the user's foot is in a grounding state when the load value of the sole load is larger than the load threshold by the temporary determination signal generation unit 76A, and outputs a grounding temporary determination signal. Generate. Similarly, the temporary determination unit 70AT also compares the load value of the sole load corresponding to the pressure-sensitive sensor 64T with the load threshold value, temporarily determines the state of the user's foot, and generates a temporary determination signal (step) S16T).

  Further, generation of the provisional determination signal will be described in detail. FIG. 14 is a graph illustrating an example of the relationship between the load value of the sole load and the provisional determination signal value. The horizontal axis in FIG. 14 is the sole load (N), and the vertical axis is the signal value of the provisional determination signal corresponding to the load value of the sole load. In the first embodiment, the temporary determination signal is an ON / OFF signal of 0 or 1, the temporary contact determination signal has a temporary determination signal value of 0, and the free leg temporary determination signal has a temporary determination signal value of 1. . The temporary determination unit 70AS stores a relational expression corresponding to the relationship between the load value of the sole load and the temporary determination signal value illustrated in FIG. 14 in the load threshold storage unit 74A. Note that the signal value of the ground temporary determination signal is 0 and the signal value of the swing leg temporary determination signal is 1 is an example, and the signal value can be arbitrarily selected.

  The provisional determination unit 70AS stores a first load L1 illustrated in FIG. 14 and a second load L2 having a value larger than the first load L1 in the load threshold storage unit 74A. When the load value of the sole load is equal to or less than the first load L1, the provisional determination unit 70AS temporarily determines that the user's foot is in a free leg state, and the provisional determination signal value is 1. A signal is generated (between point P1 and point P2 in FIG. 14). The temporary determination process by the temporary determination unit 70AS is continuously performed at a predetermined sampling period. The provisional determination unit 70AS is in a state in which the user's foot is provisionally determined to be in the free leg state in the previous sampling, and the load value of the sole load is larger than the first load L1 in the current sampling and the second If the load is less than or equal to the load L2, the provisional determination that the swing leg state is maintained is maintained, and a provisional leg temporary determination signal having a temporary determination signal value of 1 is generated (between points P2 and P3 in FIG. 14).

  In addition, when the load value of the sole load is larger than the second load L2, the temporary determination unit 70AS temporarily determines that the user's foot is in a grounded state, and sets the temporary determination signal value as 0. A determination signal is generated (between point P4 and point P5 in FIG. 14). The provisional determination unit 70AS is in a state where the user's foot is provisionally determined to be in the ground contact state in the previous sampling, and the load value of the sole load is larger than the first load L1 in the current sampling. When the load L2 is equal to or smaller than 2, the provisional determination that the contact is in the ground state is maintained, and a temporary contact determination signal with a temporary determination signal value of 0 is generated (between point P4 and point P6 in FIG. 14). That is, the provisional determination unit 70AS provides hysteresis in the determination when comparing the load value of the sole load and the load threshold value. Here, it is preferable that the first load L1 and the second load L2 are determined based on, for example, experimental data. For example, the minimum value based on the experimental data of the load peak value at the moment of contact is F1 (N), and the load fluctuation value from the time of touching to the free leg is F2 (N) or more F3 (N ) If it is as follows, it is preferable that the first load L1 and the second load L2 are determined such that L1 <F2 <L2 <F1. However, the 1st load L1 and the 2nd load L2 are not restricted to this, and can be set up arbitrarily.

  The provisional determination by the provisional determination unit 70AS is not limited to the calculation based on the relationship shown in FIG. The provisional determination by the provisional determination unit 70AS temporarily determines that the user's foot is in a free leg state when the load value of the sole load is equal to or less than the load threshold, and the load value of the sole load is greater than the load threshold. In this case, the provisional determination method is arbitrary as long as the provisional determination is made that the user's foot is in a grounded state.

  After calculating the temporary determination signal value, the temporary determination unit 70AS generates a determination signal value corresponding to the pressure-sensitive sensor 64S by the determination signal generation unit 78A based on the calculated temporary determination signal value and the weighting factor (step) S18S). Similarly, the temporary determination unit 70AT generates a determination signal value corresponding to the pressure sensor 64T based on the calculated temporary determination signal value and the weighting factor (step S18T).

  Here, the temporary determination signal value calculated by the temporary determination unit 70AS is XS, the weight coefficient value stored in the temporary determination unit 70AS is kS, and the determination signal value calculated by the temporary determination unit 70AS is YS. Further, the temporary determination signal value calculated by the temporary determination unit 70AT is XT, the weighting coefficient value stored in the temporary determination unit 70AT is kT, and the determination signal value calculated by the temporary determination unit 70AT is YT. Further, the temporary determination signal value calculated by the temporary determination unit 70AU is XU, the weight coefficient value stored in the temporary determination unit 70AU is kU, and the determination signal value calculated by the temporary determination unit 70AU is YU. Further, the temporary determination signal value calculated by the temporary determination unit 70AV is XV, the weight coefficient value stored in the temporary determination unit 70AV is kV, and the determination signal value calculated by the temporary determination unit 70AV is YV. The temporary determination signal value calculated by the temporary determination unit 70AW is XW, the weight coefficient value stored in the temporary determination unit 70AW is kW, and the determination signal value calculated by the temporary determination unit 70AW is YW. Hereinafter, when not distinguishing each provisional determination signal value, the provisional determination signal value is described as X. When not distinguishing each weighting coefficient value, the weighting coefficient value is described as k, and each determination signal value is not distinguished. Describes the determination signal value as Y. In this case, the temporary determination units 70AS, 70AT, 70AU, 70AV, and 70AW calculate each determination signal value based on the following formulas (1) to (5). In addition, the weighting factors k stored in the temporary determination units 70AS, 70AT, 70AU, 70AV, and 70AW are 0 or more and 1 or less, respectively, and have the relationship of the following expression (6).

YS = XS · kS (1)
YT = XT · kT (2)
YU = XU · kU (3)
YV = XV · kV (4)
YW = XW · kW (5)
kS + kT + kU + kV + kW = 1 (6)

  In the first embodiment, the provisional determination units 70AS, 70AT, 70AU, 70AV, and 70AW each store a weight coefficient value that is at least partially different from the other portions. More specifically, kS, kT, and kW have larger values than kU and kV. In other words, the weighting factors kS, kT, kW corresponding to the pressure sensitive sensors 64S, 64T, 64W arranged at the load concentration positions are the weighting factors kU, kV corresponding to the pressure sensitive sensors 64U, 64V arranged at the auxiliary positions. The value is larger than. However, the values of the weighting factors kS, kT, kU, kV, and kW are not limited to those described above, and can be arbitrarily set such that they may be the same value.

  When the temporary determination units 70AS, 70AT, 70AU, 70AV, and 70AW calculate the determination signal, the integrated determination unit 80A integrates the determination signal values and calculates the integrated determination signal value by the integrated determination signal generation unit 82A (step) S20). More specifically, the integrated determination unit 80A generates the integrated determination signal value Z by summing up the respective determination signal values according to the following equation (7).

  Z = YS + YT + YU + YV + YW (7)

  Here, the provisional determination signal value X has a signal value of 0 or 1, respectively, the weight coefficient k is 0 or more and 1 or less, and has the relationship of the above formula (6). Accordingly, the integrated determination signal value Z, which is the sum of the determination signal value Y calculated from the temporary determination signal value X and the weighting coefficient k, is a value between 0 and 1.

  As described above, the integrated determination signal generation unit 82A calculates the integrated determination signal value Z by summing the determination signal values. Furthermore, the integrated determination signal generation unit 82A performs an arithmetic averaging process on each temporary determination signal X at a predetermined ratio using the weighting coefficient k, as shown in the above formulas (1) to (7). Thus, the integrated determination signal Z is calculated. However, the integrated determination signal generation unit 82A is limited to such a calculation method as long as the integrated determination signal value Z is calculated by integrating the temporary determination results of the temporary determination units 70AS, 70AT, 70AU, 70AV, and 70AW. I can't. The integrated determination signal generation unit 82A may calculate the integrated determination signal Z by adding an arbitrary average process such as a geometric average process to each temporary determination signal X, for example.

  When the integrated determination signal is generated, the integrated determination unit 80A compares the integrated determination signal value Z with the integrated determination signal threshold by the integrated determination signal comparison unit 86A, and the integrated determination signal value Z is equal to or greater than the integrated determination signal threshold. Is determined (step S22). The integrated determination unit 80A compares the integrated determination signal threshold S stored in the integrated determination signal threshold storage unit 84A with the integrated determination signal value Z.

  When the integrated determination signal value Z is equal to or greater than the integrated determination signal threshold S (Yes in step S22), the integrated determination unit 80A uses the determination signal generation unit 78A to convert the free leg determination signal as a state output signal into the consistency check unit. The data is output to 90A (step S24). That is, when the integration determination signal value Z is equal to or greater than the integration determination signal threshold value S, the integration determination unit 80A officially determines that the user's left foot is in the free leg state.

  If the integrated determination signal value Z is smaller than the integrated determination signal threshold value S (No in step S22), the integrated determination unit 80A causes the determination signal generation unit 78A to send a ground determination signal as a state output signal to the consistency check unit 90A. Output (step S26). That is, when the integration determination signal value Z is smaller than the integration determination signal threshold value S, the integration determination unit 80A officially determines that the user's left foot is in a grounded state. FIG. 15 is a graph illustrating an example of the relationship between the integrated determination signal value and the state output signal value. In the first embodiment, the integrated determination signal threshold value S is set to 0 or more and 1 or less. As shown in FIG. 15, when the integrated determination signal value Z is smaller than the integrated determination signal threshold S, the integrated determination unit 80A generates a ground determination signal whose state output signal value is 0, and the integrated determination signal value Z is If the integrated determination signal threshold value S is equal to or greater than the integrated determination signal threshold value S, a free leg determination signal having a state output signal value of 1 is generated. The integrated determination signal threshold value S is, for example, S ≧ 0.5, but is not limited thereto, and can be set arbitrarily.

  When the integrated determination unit 80A outputs a ground contact determination signal or a swing leg determination signal, the determination process of the state of the user's left foot is finished. Note that the determination process of the state of the user's right foot by the work auxiliary control device 60B is the same as the determination process of the state of the user's left foot, and thus description thereof is omitted.

  Next, the details of the consistency check process in step S30 described above, the auxiliary joint angular velocity calculation process in step S40, and the auxiliary operation command output process in step S50 will be described. FIG. 16 is a flowchart illustrating the consistency check process, the auxiliary joint angular velocity calculation process, and the auxiliary operation command output process in the first embodiment.

  As shown in FIG. 16, first, the consistency confirmation unit 90A confirms the state output signal value of the user's left foot and the state output signal value of the user's right foot, and the user's left foot is in the free leg state. In step S62, the user confirms whether the state of both feet of the user is consistent. The consistency confirmation unit 90A receives the state output signal value of the user's left foot from the integrated determination unit 80A of the work auxiliary control device 60A. In addition, the consistency confirmation unit 90A receives the state output signal value of the right foot of the user from the integrated determination unit 80B of the work auxiliary control device 60B. As described above, when one person walks, when one leg is in a free leg state, the other leg is in a grounded state. The consistency confirmation unit 90A determines the state of both feet when the left foot is in the free leg state and the right foot is in the grounded state, and the user's left foot is in the free leg state. Is determined to be consistent.

  FIG. 17 is a diagram illustrating a table used by the consistency confirmation unit according to the first embodiment to confirm the consistency with respect to the user's left foot being in the free leg state. FIG. 17 is a truth table stored by the consistency check unit 90A for determining whether the determination result of the state of both feet is consistent with respect to the fact that the left foot of the user is in the free leg state. As shown in FIG. 17, in the consistency check unit 90A, the state output signal value of the user's left foot is 1 (free leg state), and the state output signal value of the user's right foot is 0 (grounded state). If the user's left foot is in the free leg state, it is determined that the determination result of the state of both feet is consistent, and the auxiliary action trigger whose signal value is 1 as the consistency check result Generate a signal.

  When it is confirmed that the state of the user's left foot is consistent with respect to the user's left foot being in a free leg state (Yes in step S62), the leg power control unit 100A performs the following operation in the auxiliary joint angular velocity calculation unit 106A: Based on the target speed value of the auxiliary motion and the current joint angle information of the leg part 13A, the auxiliary joint angular speed, which is the target angular speed when changing the joint angle of the leg part 13A, is calculated (step S64).

  The first-order differential value of the position x in the center coordinates of the leg part 13A, that is, the velocity x ′, and the first-order differential value of the angle θ in each joint of the leg part 13A, that is, the angular velocity θ ′, It is expressed as the following equation (8). The velocity x ′ and the angular velocity θ ′ are both vectors.

  x ′ = J · θ ′ (8)

When the target speed value of the auxiliary motion stored in the auxiliary speed storage unit 102A is the target speed value VA, the target speed value VA corresponds to the speed x ′ in Expression (8). Further, when the auxiliary joint angular velocity is θ′A, the auxiliary joint angular velocity θ′A corresponds to the angular velocity θ ′ in Expression (8). Therefore, the target velocity value VA can be expressed using the Jacobian matrix J and the auxiliary joint angular velocity θ′A, as shown in the equation (9). Then, by multiplying both sides of Equation (9) by the inverse matrix J ⁻¹ of the Jacobian matrix J, Equation (10) is obtained.

VA = J · θ′A (9)
θ′A = J ⁻¹ · VA (10)

Here, the inverse matrix J ⁻¹ can be calculated from the current joint angle information of the leg part 13A. Therefore, the auxiliary joint angular velocity θ′A can be calculated from the current joint angle information of the leg part 13A and the target velocity value VA using Expression (10). As described above, the leg power control unit 100A calculates the auxiliary joint angular velocity θ′A of the leg part 13A based on the equation (10) in the auxiliary joint angular velocity calculation unit 106A.

  When it is confirmed that the state of the user's left foot is inconsistent with respect to the user's left foot being in a free leg state (No in step S62), the work auxiliary control device 60A ends the process, The auxiliary operation by the part 13A is not performed.

  After calculating the auxiliary joint angular velocity θ′A of the leg part 13A in step S64, the leg power control unit 100A uses the output unit 109A to assist the leg part 13A to perform an auxiliary operation with the calculated auxiliary joint angular velocity θ′A. An operation command is output (step S66). In response to the auxiliary operation command, the leg part 13A performs an auxiliary operation of the user's left foot raising operation.

  After outputting the auxiliary operation command, the leg power control unit 100A confirms whether the auxiliary operation duration has elapsed since the output of the auxiliary operation command by the command time storage unit 108A (step S68). More specifically, the leg power control unit 100A outputs an auxiliary operation duration in which the leg part 13A continuously performs an auxiliary operation in the command time storage unit 108A, and the output unit 109A outputs an auxiliary operation command. I remember the time from. The command time storage unit 108A confirms whether the time after the output unit 109A outputs the auxiliary operation command has reached the auxiliary operation duration.

  If the auxiliary operation duration has not elapsed since the output of the auxiliary operation command (No in step S68), the process returns to step S66, and the leg power control unit 100A causes the output unit 109A to continue outputting the auxiliary operation command. .

  When the auxiliary operation duration has elapsed after the output of the auxiliary operation command (Yes in step S68), the leg power control unit 100A causes the command time storage unit 108A to stop outputting the auxiliary operation command from the output unit 109A (step S68). S70). Thereby, the auxiliary operation command output process by the work auxiliary control device 60A ends. Note that the consistency check processing, auxiliary joint angular velocity calculation processing, and auxiliary operation command output processing by the work auxiliary control device 60B are the same as the processing by the work auxiliary control device 60A described above, and thus description thereof is omitted.

  The above is the processing content of the work auxiliary control device 60A according to the first embodiment. The auxiliary work control device 60A according to the first embodiment is configured so that the temporary determination units 70AS, 70AT, 70AU, 70AV, and 70AW allow the user's feet when the detected load of the corresponding pressure sensor 64 is equal to or less than the load threshold. Are temporarily determined to be in the free leg state, and when the detected load of the corresponding pressure-sensitive sensor 64 is greater than the load threshold, it is temporarily determined that the user's foot is in the grounded state. Then, the auxiliary work control device 60A integrates the results of the temporary determinations by the integrated determination unit 80A, and determines whether the user's foot is in the free leg state or the grounded state.

  As described above, the work assistance control device 60A according to the first embodiment does not directly determine the state of the user's foot from the detection results of the plurality of pressure sensors 64, and each of the plurality of pressure sensors 64. From the detection result, the user's foot state is formally determined by temporarily determining (temporarily determining) and integrating the temporary determination results. Accordingly, the work auxiliary control device 60A according to the first embodiment is different in that the load is dissipated by, for example, a cushion provided on the shoe sole, or the user's walking method or foot size is different. Even if the sole load is not accurately detected by the pressure sensor 64, the provisional determination results of the plurality of pressure sensors 64 are integrated, so that the accuracy of the determination of the foot state of the user is deteriorated. This can be suppressed. Further, the work auxiliary control device 60A can absorb variations in sensor characteristics of each pressure sensor 64 by integrating the temporary determination results of the plurality of pressure sensors 64, and determine the state of the user's foot. It is possible to suppress the deterioration of the accuracy.

  Further, since the foot load varies greatly during the walking motion, the variation distribution of the foot load becomes larger than the measurement range of the pressure sensor 64, and the output of the pressure sensor 64 may be saturated. Even in such a case, the work auxiliary control device 60A according to the first embodiment temporarily determines the state of the foot based on the relative magnitude relationship between the detection value of the pressure-sensitive sensor 64 and a predetermined threshold value. Therefore, the work auxiliary control device 60A according to the first embodiment can suppress deterioration in accuracy of determination of the state of the user's foot even when the output of the pressure-sensitive sensor 64 is saturated. Further, the work auxiliary control device 60A according to the first embodiment does not need to be provided with a pressure-sensitive sensor having a large measurement range corresponding to the variation distribution of the sole load, and can reduce the manufacturing cost. Further, the work auxiliary control device 60A adjusts the load threshold value used for the temporary determination to a value larger than 0, for example, so that the state of the user's foot can be played even if all the pressure-sensitive sensors 64 are not loaded. Since it can determine with a leg state, a user's leg | foot assistance operation | movement can be performed appropriately.

  Further, the work auxiliary control device 60A according to the first embodiment uses the first load value L1 and the second load value L2 when comparing the detected sole load and the load threshold value, to provide hysteresis. Introduced to provisionally determine the state of the user's foot. During a person's walking motion, the sole load may not simply increase from the free leg state to the ground contact state. For example, the sole load may increase or decrease even in the free leg state. Even in such a case, since the work assistance control device 60A according to the first embodiment provides a threshold value in the temporary determination, for example, even if the plantar load increases or decreases in the free leg state, the plantar load is the second. As long as the load L2 is not exceeded, the provisional determination that the leg is in the swinging state is maintained. Therefore, work auxiliary control device 60A concerning a 1st embodiment can control more appropriately that the accuracy of judgment of a user's foot state deteriorates.

  In addition, the work auxiliary control device 60A according to the first embodiment generates an integrated determination signal by averaging the temporary determination signal values corresponding to the outputs of the pressure-sensitive sensors 64, and uses the integrated determination signal value for the user. Judging the state of the foot. Since the work auxiliary control device 60A according to the first embodiment averages the temporary determination signal values, the detection of each pressure-sensitive sensor 64 can be appropriately reflected in the determination of the foot state.

  In addition, the work auxiliary control device 60A according to the first embodiment multiplies the temporary determination signal by a weighting coefficient that is a predetermined coefficient to obtain a determination signal for each pressure-sensitive sensor 64, and sums the determination signals. Thus, an integrated determination signal is generated. The work auxiliary control device 60 </ b> A can weight the detection results of the pressure sensors 64 by adjusting the weighting coefficient. That is, the work auxiliary control device 60A changes the weighting coefficient for each pressure sensor 64, for example, by increasing the weighting coefficient of the pressure sensor 64 for which the detection result is desired to be emphasized, It can be greatly reflected in the integrated determination signal. Therefore, the work assistance control device 60A according to the first embodiment can more suitably improve the accuracy of determination of the state of the user's foot.

  Furthermore, in the first embodiment, the weight coefficients kS, kT, kW corresponding to the pressure sensitive sensors 64S, 64T, 64W arranged at the load concentration position correspond to the pressure sensitive sensors 64U, 64V arranged at the auxiliary position. The value is larger than the weighting factors kU and kV. That is, in the first embodiment, the determination signal value (one of YS, YT, and YW in Expression (7)) corresponding to one of the pressure sensitive sensors 64S, 64T, and 64W is the integrated determination signal value Z. The determination signal value (one of YU and YV in equation (7)) corresponding to one of the pressure sensitive sensors 64U and 64V arranged at the auxiliary position is the integrated determination signal value Z. It will be larger than the share. Therefore, the work auxiliary control device 60A according to the first embodiment can largely reflect the detection result of the pressure-sensitive sensor 64 arranged at the load concentration position in the foot state determination, and the state of the user's foot state. The accuracy of determination can be improved more suitably. Moreover, each pressure-sensitive sensor 64 can be disposed with redundancy within a range of, for example, a load concentration position and an auxiliary position. Therefore, the work assistance control device 60A according to the first embodiment can cope with individual differences in the size of a person's foot.

  Furthermore, the work auxiliary control device 60A according to the first embodiment includes a consistency confirmation unit 90A that confirms the consistency of the state of both feet. The consistency confirmation unit 90A confirms the consistency of both feet when a person walks. More specifically, the consistency checking unit 90A determines that the left foot of the user is in the free leg state when the left foot is in the free leg state and the right foot is in the grounded state. It is determined that the state determination results are consistent. Then, when it is determined that the determination result of the state of both feet is consistent with respect to the fact that the left foot of the user is in the free leg state, the work auxiliary control device 60A performs the auxiliary operation of the left foot foot raising operation. Let it be done. As described above, after determining the state of one foot, the work auxiliary control device 60A further confirms the state of both feet and then performs the auxiliary operation. Therefore, the work auxiliary control device 60A can perform the auxiliary operation more appropriately.

  In addition, the work auxiliary control device 60A according to the first embodiment ends the auxiliary operation after the auxiliary operation duration has elapsed after the output of the auxiliary operation command. Therefore, the work assistance control device 60A can suppress the foot-lifting assisting operation when the user wants to end the foot-raising motion, for example, and can perform the assisting operation more appropriately.

(Second Embodiment)
Next, a second embodiment will be described. The work auxiliary control device 60Aa according to the second embodiment is different from the work auxiliary control device 60A according to the first embodiment in that the weight coefficient k is calculated using the average load amplitude value. Since the work auxiliary control device 60Aa according to the second embodiment is common to the work auxiliary control device 60A according to the first embodiment in other parts, description of the common parts is omitted.

  FIG. 18 is a schematic diagram illustrating a configuration of a work assistance control apparatus according to the second embodiment. As shown in FIG. 18, the work auxiliary control device 60Aa includes a plurality of pressure-sensitive sensors 64 and a leg drive control device 46Aa. The leg drive control device 46Aa includes provisional determination units 70ASa, 70ATa, 70AUa, 70AVa, 70AWa, an integrated determination unit 80Aa, a consistency confirmation unit 90A, a leg power control unit 100A, and an average load amplitude summation unit 105Aa. . The average load amplitude summing unit 105Aa is electrically connected to the provisional determination units 70ASa, 70ATa, 70AUa, 70AVa, and 70AWa.

  FIG. 19 is a block diagram illustrating a configuration of a provisional determination unit according to the second embodiment. The temporary determination unit 70ASa included in the work auxiliary control device 60Aa according to the second embodiment includes a load measurement unit 72Aa, a load threshold storage unit 74Aa, a temporary determination signal generation unit 76Aa, a weight coefficient storage unit 77Aa, and a determination signal generation. 78Aa, load amplitude measurement unit 110Aa, average load amplitude calculation unit 112Aa, and weight coefficient calculation unit 114Aa. The temporary determination unit 70ASa measures the load amplitude of the user's sole load based on the output signal of the pressure sensor 64S by the load amplitude measurement unit 110Aa, and the load in a plurality of cycles of the pressure sensor 64S by the average load amplitude calculation unit 112Aa. The amplitude is averaged to calculate an average load amplitude value of the pressure-sensitive sensor 64S and output to the average load amplitude summing unit 105Aa. The provisional determination unit 70ASa calculates a weighting factor corresponding to the pressure-sensitive sensor 64S based on the total average load amplitude value output from the average load amplitude summation unit 105Aa. The provisional determination units 70ATa, 70AUa, 70AVa, and 70AWa have the same configuration as the provisional determination unit 70ASa, and thus the description thereof is omitted as appropriate. Hereinafter, the provisional determination units 70Aa, 70ATa, 70AUa, 70AVa, and 70AW are referred to as provisional determination units 70Aa when they are not distinguished.

  The load amplitude measurement unit 110Aa is electrically connected to the load measurement unit 72Aa. The load amplitude measuring unit 110Aa continuously monitors the load value of the pressure sensitive sensor 64S calculated by the load measuring unit 72Aa, and measures the load amplitude of the pressure sensitive sensor 64S in a plurality of cycles. FIG. 20 is a graph showing an example of the load amplitude of the pressure sensor. The horizontal axis in FIG. 20 is time, and the vertical axis is the sole load value (N). As shown in FIG. 20, the load amplitude measuring unit 110Aa continuously monitors the load value of the pressure-sensitive sensor 64S calculated by the load measuring unit 72Aa, measures the sole load value for each time, and A load amplitude value having load amplitude values AM1S, AM2S, and AM3S, which is a difference between the upper and lower limits of the load peak value in the load amplitude, is measured. Here, the load amplitude until the sole load increases once from 0 and the sole load decreases to 0 is defined as one cycle load amplitude.

  The average load amplitude calculation unit 112Aa is electrically connected to the load amplitude measurement unit 110Aa. The average load amplitude calculation unit 112Aa averages the load amplitude values AM1S, AM2S, and AM3S measured by the load amplitude measurement unit 110Aa according to the following expression (11), and calculates the average load amplitude value AM4S of the pressure sensor 64S. Then, the average load amplitude calculating unit 112Aa outputs the calculated average load amplitude value AM4S to the average load amplitude totaling unit 105Aa.

  AM4S = (AM1S + AM2S + AM3S) / 3 (11)

  That is, the average load amplitude calculation unit 112Aa performs an arithmetic averaging process on the load amplitude values AM1S, AM2S, and AM3S to calculate the average load amplitude value AM4S. However, the load amplitude value averaged by the average load amplitude calculation unit 112Aa is not limited to the average of the three periods of the load amplitude values AM1S, AM2S, and AM3S as described above. The number is arbitrary. Further, the load amplitude value averaged by the average load amplitude calculation unit 112Aa is not limited to the above-described arithmetic averaging process, and for example, arithmetically averages each load amplitude value at a predetermined ratio, or performs a geometric average. Any averaging process may be used.

As described above, the average load amplitude summing unit 105Aa outputs the average load amplitude value AM4S corresponding to the pressure sensor 64S from the average load amplitude calculating unit 112Aa of the temporary determination unit 70ASa. Further, the average load amplitude summing unit 105Aa corresponds to the average load amplitude value AM4T and the pressure sensitive sensor 64U corresponding to the pressure sensor 64T from the provisional determination units 70ATa, 70AUa, 70AVa, and 70AWa (the average load amplitude calculating unit 112Aa). The average load amplitude value AM4U, the average load amplitude value AM4V corresponding to the pressure sensor 64V, and the average load amplitude value AM4W corresponding to the pressure sensor 64W are also output. Based on the following equation (12), the average load amplitude summing unit 105Aa calculates a total average load amplitude value AM4 _Sum obtained by summing up the respective average load amplitude values.

AM4 _Sum = AM4S + AM4T + AM4U + AM4V + AM4W (12)

The average load amplitude summing unit 105Aa outputs the total average load amplitude value AM4 _Sum to the respective weight coefficient calculation units 114Aa of the temporary determination units 70ASa, 70ATa, 70AUa, 70AVa, and 70AWa.

  The weighting factor calculation unit 114Aa belonging to the provisional determination unit 70ASa calculates the weighting factor kSa by the following equation (13), where the weighting factor corresponding to the provisional determination unit 70ASa is the weighting factor kSa.

kSa = AM4S / AM4 _Sum (13)

  That is, the weighting factor calculation unit 114Aa belonging to the provisional determination unit 70ASa calculates the weighting factor kSa by normalizing the average load amplitude value AM4S with the average load amplitude values AM4S, AM4T, AM4U, AM4V, and AM4W. In addition, the temporary determination units 70ATa, 70AUa, 70AVa, and 70AWa also calculate the weight coefficient ka in the weight coefficient calculation unit 114Aa in the same manner as the temporary determination unit 70ASa. That is, the weighting factor corresponding to the temporary determination unit 70ATa is set as the weighting factor kTa, the weighting factor corresponding to the temporary determination unit 70AUa is set as the weighting factor kUa, the weighting factor corresponding to the temporary determination unit 70AVa is set as the weighting factor kVa, and the temporary determination unit When the weighting coefficient corresponding to 70 AWa is set to the weighting coefficient kWa, the temporary determination units 70ATa, 70AUa, 70AVa, and 70AWa calculate each weighting coefficient ka based on the following expressions (14) to (17).

kTa = AM4T / AM4 _Sum (14)
kUa = AM4U / AM4 _Sum (15)
kVa = AM4V / AM4 _Sum (16)
kWa = AM4W / AM4 _Sum (17)

  In this way, each weighting factor calculation unit 114Aa calculates the corresponding weighting factor ka by normalizing the average load amplitude value of the corresponding pressure-sensitive sensor with the total average load amplitude value. Therefore, in other words, each weighting factor calculation unit 114Aa calculates the weighting factor ka corresponding to each temporary determination unit 70Aa so that the weighting factor ka increases as the average load amplitude value belongs to the temporary determination unit 70Aa. . Note that the weighting factor calculation unit 114Aa is not limited to obtaining the weighting factor ka by normalizing each average load amplitude value, and the weighting factor ka increases as the average load amplitude value belongs to the temporary determination unit 70Aa. As long as the weighting factor ka corresponding to each temporary determination unit 70Aa is calculated, the calculation method is arbitrary.

  The weighting factor calculation unit 114Aa outputs the calculated weighting factor kSa to the weighting factor storage unit 77Aa. The weighting coefficient storage unit 77Aa stores this weighting coefficient kSa. The determination signal generation unit 78Aa generates a determination signal from the weight coefficient kSa and the temporary determination signal value calculated by the temporary determination signal generation unit 76Aa by the same method as in the first embodiment, and outputs the determination signal to the integrated determination unit 80Aa. To do.

  Next, a weighting factor calculation method according to the second embodiment will be described with reference to a flowchart. FIG. 21 is a flowchart for explaining a weighting factor calculation method according to the second embodiment. As illustrated in FIG. 21, when calculating the weighting factor ka, the temporary determination unit 70ASa measures the load amplitude of the pressure-sensitive sensor 64S in a plurality of cycles by the load amplitude measurement unit 110Aa (step S82S). Specifically, the temporary determination unit 70ASa measures the load amplitude having the load amplitude values AM1S, AM2S, and AM3S shown in FIG. In addition, the provisional determination unit 70ATa measures the load amplitude of the pressure-sensitive sensor 64T in a plurality of cycles by the load amplitude measurement unit 110Aa (step S82T). The temporary determination units 70AUa, 70AVa, and 70AWa measure the load amplitudes of the corresponding pressure-sensitive sensors 64 in a plurality of cycles as in the temporary determination units 70ASa and 70ATa, but the description thereof is omitted. In addition, the provisional determination units 70AUa, 70AVa, and 70AWa perform the same processing as the provisional determination units 70ASa and 70ATa in the following steps, and thus description thereof is omitted as appropriate.

  After measuring the load amplitude value of the pressure sensor 64S, the provisional determination unit 70ASa averages the load amplitude values in a plurality of cycles of the pressure sensor 64S by the average load amplitude calculation unit 112Aa, and the average load amplitude of the pressure sensor 64S. A value is calculated (step S84S). The provisional determination unit 70ASa averages the load amplitude values AM1S, AM2S, and AM3S by the above-described equation (11) by the average load amplitude calculation unit 112Aa, and calculates the average load amplitude value AM4S of the pressure sensor 64S. Similarly, the temporary determination unit 70ATa averages the load amplitude values in a plurality of cycles of the pressure sensor 64T by the average load amplitude calculation unit 112Aa, and calculates the average load amplitude value of the pressure sensor 64T (step S84T). .

After the average load amplitude values of the pressure sensors 64 are calculated, the average load amplitude summing unit 105Aa sums the average load amplitude values of the pressure sensitive sensors 64 to calculate the total average load amplitude value (step S86). . More specifically, the average load amplitude summing unit 105Aa includes an average load amplitude value AM4S corresponding to the pressure sensor 64S, an average load amplitude value AM4T corresponding to the pressure sensor 64T, and an average load amplitude value AM4U corresponding to the pressure sensor 64U. Then, the average load amplitude value AM4V corresponding to the pressure sensor 64V and the average load amplitude value AM4W corresponding to the pressure sensor 64W are summed by the above equation (12) to calculate the total average load amplitude value AM4 _Sum .

After the total average load amplitude value is calculated by the average load amplitude total unit 105Aa, the provisional determination unit 70ASa uses the weight coefficient calculation unit 114Aa to calculate the average load amplitude value corresponding to the pressure sensor 64S and the total average load amplitude value. Then, a weighting factor corresponding to the pressure sensor 64S is calculated (step S88S). The provisional determination unit 70ASa normalizes the average load amplitude value AM4S of the pressure sensor 64S with the total average load amplitude value AM4 _Sum according to the above-described equation (13), thereby obtaining the weight coefficient kSa corresponding to the pressure sensor 64S. calculate. Similarly, the temporary determination unit 70ATa also calculates a weighting factor corresponding to the pressure-sensitive sensor 64T from the average load amplitude value corresponding to the pressure-sensitive sensor 64T and the total average load amplitude value by the weighting factor calculation unit 114Aa (step). S88T). The provisional determination units 70AUa, 70AVa, and 70AWa also calculate the weighting coefficient corresponding to the corresponding pressure sensor by the same process. That is, each weighting factor calculation unit 114Aa calculates the weighting factor ka corresponding to each temporary determination unit 70Aa so that the weighting factor ka becomes larger as it belongs to the pressure-sensitive sensor 64 having a larger average load amplitude value. By calculating the weighting factor ka, this process ends.

  As described above, the work auxiliary control device 60Aa according to the second embodiment corresponds to each temporary determination unit 70Aa so that the weight coefficient is set to be larger as the average load amplitude value of the corresponding pressure sensor 64 is larger. A weighting factor ka is calculated. Therefore, the work auxiliary control device 60Aa according to the second embodiment largely reflects the detection result of the pressure-sensitive sensor 64 having a large average load amplitude value and high sensitivity to the motion of the user's foot in the foot state determination. Can do. Therefore, work auxiliary control device 60Aa can improve the accuracy of judgment of a user's foot state more suitably.

(Third embodiment)
Next, a third embodiment will be described. The work auxiliary control device 60Ab according to the third embodiment calculates the auxiliary joint angular velocity from the user's foot-lifting motion acceleration detected by the acceleration sensor provided on the leg part 13Ab. Different from the auxiliary control device 60A. Since the work auxiliary control device 60Ab according to the third embodiment is common to the work auxiliary control device 60A according to the first embodiment in other parts, description of the common parts is omitted.

  FIG. 22 is a schematic diagram illustrating a power assist suit as an auxiliary device according to the third embodiment. As shown in FIG. 22, the power assist suit 10b according to the third embodiment has leg parts 13Ab and 13Bb. The leg part 13Ab has an acceleration sensor 120A for detecting acceleration at the foot mounting portion 43Ab. The acceleration sensor 120 </ b> A detects a foot lift motion acceleration in the foot lift motion of the user's left leg. The acceleration sensor 120A is provided at a position corresponding to a position below the user's ankle in the foot mounting portion 43Ab, more specifically, a position corresponding to the user's heel. However, the position of the acceleration sensor 120A is arbitrary as long as it is provided on the leg part 13Ab. Similarly, the leg part 13Bb includes an acceleration sensor 120B that detects acceleration in the foot mounting portion 43Bb.

  FIG. 23 is a block diagram illustrating a configuration of a leg power control unit according to the third embodiment. As shown in FIG. 23, the auxiliary speed storage unit 102Ab of the leg power control unit 100Ab according to the third embodiment is electrically connected to the acceleration sensor 120A. The auxiliary speed storage unit 102Ab receives an electrical signal having information on the acceleration of the leg raising motion of the user's left leg from the acceleration sensor 120A. The auxiliary speed storage unit 102Ab integrates an electrical signal having information on the foot lift motion acceleration to calculate a foot lift speed that is a speed when the user performs the foot lift motion. More specifically, the auxiliary speed storage unit 102Ab calculates the average leg lift speed of the user by averaging the leg lift speeds of the left leg of the user in a plurality of cycles. The auxiliary speed storage unit 102Ab stores the calculated average foot up speed of the user as the target speed of the auxiliary action. The leg power control unit 100Ab calculates the auxiliary joint angular velocity based on the average foot-lifting speed of the user stored as the target speed of the auxiliary action, and controls the auxiliary action of the leg part 13Ab. The leg power control unit 100Bb that controls the leg part 13Bb has the same configuration as the leg power control unit 100Ab, and thus the description thereof is omitted.

  In 3rd Embodiment, leg power control part 100Ab detects a user's leg raising motion acceleration, making leg part 13Ab perform auxiliary operation. In this case, the leg power control unit 100Ab uses the predetermined speed stored in advance as the target speed of the auxiliary operation as in the first embodiment, and causes the leg part 13Ab to perform the auxiliary operation while raising the user's foot. Detect motion acceleration. After several cycles, after calculating the user's average foot-lifting speed based on the user's foot-lifting motion acceleration, the target speed of the auxiliary motion is switched to the user's average foot-lifting speed, and the auxiliary motion is performed on the leg part 13Ab. To do. However, the leg power control unit 100Ab does not need to perform the assisting operation when detecting the user's leg lifting motion acceleration. In this case, the leg power control unit 100Ab calculates the user's average foot-lifting speed based on the user's foot-lifting motion acceleration without the assisting motion, and uses the calculated user's foot-lifting average speed for the assisting motion. As the target speed, the leg part 13Ab is caused to perform an auxiliary operation.

  As described above, the leg power control unit 100Ab according to the third embodiment calculates the average foot-lifting speed of the user by the acceleration sensor 120A provided at the position corresponding to the user's leg, and the average foot-lifting speed. Auxiliary action is performed using the target speed Accordingly, the leg power control unit 100Ab according to the third embodiment can perform an auxiliary operation in synchronization with an actual user's operation, and thus can perform the auxiliary operation more appropriately.

(Fourth embodiment)
Next, a fourth embodiment will be described. The work assistance control device 60Ac according to the fourth embodiment is the work assistance according to the first embodiment in that the auxiliary joint angular velocity is calculated from the movement acceleration of the user detected by the acceleration sensor provided in the back mounting portion 31c. It is different from the control device 60A. That is, the work auxiliary control device 60Ac according to the fourth embodiment differs from the third embodiment in the position of the acceleration sensor for calculating the auxiliary joint angular velocity. Since the work auxiliary control device 60Ac according to the fourth embodiment is common to the work auxiliary control device 60A according to the first embodiment in other parts, description of the common parts is omitted.

  FIG. 24 is a schematic diagram illustrating a power assist suit as an auxiliary device according to the fourth embodiment. As illustrated in FIG. 24, the power assist suit 10c according to the fourth embodiment includes an acceleration sensor 122 that detects acceleration in the back mounting portion 31c. The acceleration sensor 122 detects the movement acceleration due to the user's walking or the like. Although the acceleration sensor 122 is provided in the back mounting part 31c, it is not restricted to this, What is necessary is just to be provided in the position corresponding to a user's trunk | drum part in more detail above leg parts 13A and 13B. .

  FIG. 25 is a block diagram illustrating a configuration of a leg power control unit according to the fourth embodiment. As shown in FIG. 25, the leg power control unit 100Ac according to the fourth embodiment includes an auxiliary speed storage unit 102Ac and an association storage unit 124Ac.

  The auxiliary speed storage unit 102Ac is electrically connected to the acceleration sensor 122. The auxiliary speed storage unit 102Ac receives an electrical signal having information on the movement acceleration of the user from the acceleration sensor 122. The auxiliary speed storage unit 102Ac calculates the moving speed of the user by integrating an electric signal having information on the moving acceleration of the user.

  Here, the moving speed of the user and the speed of the user's foot raising operation are related. Therefore, it is possible to estimate and calculate the user's lifting motion speed from the information on the moving speed of the user and the relationship between the moving speed of the user and the lifting motion speed of the user.

  The relationship storage unit 124Ac is electrically connected to the auxiliary speed storage unit 102Ac, and stores the relationship between the moving speed of the user and the user's foot-lifting operation speed. The relevance storage unit 124Ac receives the information on the movement speed of the user from the auxiliary speed storage unit 102Ac, the information on the movement speed of the user, and the relevance between the movement speed of the user and the user's foot-lifting operation speed. From the above, the estimated footing speed of the user is calculated. More specifically, the auxiliary speed storage unit 102Ac averages the moving speeds of the users in a plurality of cycles, and calculates the average moving speed of the users. The relevancy storage unit 124Ac calculates the estimated average lifting speed of the user from the information on the average moving speed of the user and the relationship between the moving speed of the user and the lifting speed of the user.

  More specifically, when the average moving speed of the user is Vc, the estimated average lifting speed of the user is VXc, and the predetermined coefficient stored in the relation storage unit 124Ac is l, the relation storage unit 124Ac stores the following equation (18) indicating the relationship between the user's moving speed and the user's foot-lifting speed.

  Vc = 1 / VXc (18)

  The relevancy storage unit 124Ac calculates the user's estimated foot-lifting motion average speed VXc based on the equation (18). Then, the auxiliary speed storage unit 102Ac receives the value of the estimated user's estimated lift-up motion average speed VXc from the relevance storage unit 124Ac, and uses the estimated user's estimated lift-up motion average speed VXc as the target speed of the auxiliary motion. Let 13A perform an auxiliary operation.

  In addition, the calculation method of the user's estimated foot lift average motion speed VXc is based on the user's travel speed information and the relationship between the user's travel speed and the user's foot lift motion speed. Any method can be used as long as it calculates the foot-lifting speed without being limited to the equation (18). For example, the relevancy storage unit 124Ac may store a lookup table having information for calculating the user's foot-lifting operation speed from the user's moving speed. When the average movement speed of the user is input, the relevance storage unit 124Ac may read this lookup table and calculate the estimated average footing movement speed VXc of the user. In addition, the relationship storage unit 124Ac stores, for example, an approximate curve formula created from a plurality of data obtained by measuring the relationship between the user's moving speed and the user's foot-lifting speed determined by experiments. It may be. When the average moving speed of the user is input, the relevance storage unit 124Ac reads the equation of this approximate curve and calculates the estimated average lifting speed VXc of the user. Further, the relevance storage unit 124Ac may calculate the user's estimated footing motion average speed VXc by combining the expression (18), the look-up table, and the approximate curve expression, for example, by averaging each of the expressions. Good.

  Also in the fourth embodiment, as in the third embodiment, the leg power control unit 100Ac detects the movement acceleration of the user while causing the leg part 13A to perform an auxiliary operation. However, the leg power control unit 100Ac does not have to perform the auxiliary operation when detecting the movement acceleration of the user. Note that the leg power control unit 100Bc that controls the leg part 13B has the same configuration as the leg power control unit 100Ac, and thus the description thereof is omitted.

  As described above, the leg power control unit 100Ac according to the fourth embodiment calculates the moving speed of the user by the acceleration sensor 122 provided at the position corresponding to the user's torso, and is calculated from the moving speed. The auxiliary motion is performed with the estimated foot-lifting motion average speed VXc as the target speed. Accordingly, the leg power control unit 100Ac according to the fourth embodiment can perform an auxiliary operation synchronized with an actual user's operation, and thus can perform the auxiliary operation more appropriately. In the fourth embodiment, since only one acceleration sensor 122 is required, the manufacturing cost is reduced as compared with the case where a plurality of acceleration sensors are provided. In the fourth embodiment, since the acceleration sensor 122 is provided at a position corresponding to the user's torso having a relatively large space, the power assist suit can be suitably designed.

  As mentioned above, although embodiment of this invention was described, these embodiment is not limited by the content of these embodiment. In addition, the above-described constituent elements include those that can be easily assumed by those skilled in the art, those that are substantially the same, and those in a so-called equivalent range. Furthermore, the above-described components can be appropriately combined. Furthermore, various omissions, substitutions, or changes of the constituent elements can be made without departing from the spirit of the above-described embodiments and the like.

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Control apparatus 10, 10b, 10c Power assist suit 11 Waist part 12 Shoulder part 13A, 13Ab, 13B, 13Bb Leg part 21 Waist mounting part 22 Power supply apparatus 22B, 22C Power supply 23A, 23B Thigh drive mechanism 31, 31c Back mounting part 32B Right shoulder mounting part 32A Left shoulder mounting part 33 Toe part 34 Central part 35 Heel part 41A, 41B Thigh mounting part 42A, 42B Lower leg mounting part 43A, 43Ab, 43B, 43Bb Foot mounting part 45A, 45B Lower leg drive mechanism 46A, 46Aa, 46B Leg drive control device 47A, 47B Rotating shaft 60A, 60Aa, 60Ab, 60Ac, 60B Work auxiliary control device 62A, 62B Cushion part 64, 64S, 64T, 64U, 64V, 64W Pressure sensor 70A, 70Aa, 70AS, 70ASa , 70AT, 70ATa, 70A 70AUa, 70AV, 70AVa, 70AW, 70AWa Temporary determination unit 71S, 71T, 71U, 71V, 71W Detection unit 72A, 72Aa, 74A, 74Aa, 74A Load threshold comparison unit 76A, 76Aa Temporary determination signal generation unit 77A, 77Aa Weight coefficient Storage unit 78A, 78Aa Determination signal generation unit 80A Integration determination unit 80Aa Integration determination unit 82A Integration determination signal generation unit 84A Integration determination signal threshold storage unit 86A Integration determination signal comparison unit 90A Consistency confirmation units 100A, 100Ab, 100Ac, 100Bb, 100Bc Leg power control units 102A, 102Ab, 102Ac Auxiliary speed storage unit 104A Joint angle information storage unit 105Aa Average load amplitude summation unit 106A Auxiliary joint angular velocity calculation unit 108A Command time storage unit 109A Output unit 110Aa Load amplitude measurement unit 112Aa Flat Load amplitude calculation unit 114Aa Weight coefficient calculation units 120A, 120B, 122 Acceleration sensor 124Ac Relevance storage unit 201 Foot 202 First metatarsal bone 204 Fifth metatarsal bone 206 Third wedge bone 208 Cubic bone 210 First wedge bone 212 踵Bone 214 Right leg AM1S, AM2S, AM3S Load amplitude value AM4 _{Sum Sum} average load amplitude value AM4S, AM4T, AM4U, AM4V, AM4W Average load amplitude value GL Ground J Jacobian matrix J ⁻¹ Inverse matrix k, kS, kT, kU, kV, kW Weighting factor ka, kSa, kTa, kUa, kVa, kWa Weighting factor L1 First load L2 Second load L2 Threshold P1, P2, P3, P4, P5, P6 Point S Integrated determination signal threshold VA Target speed Value VXc Estimated foot lift average motion speed x Position x 'Speed X, XS, XT, XU, XV, XW Temporary judgment signal Y, YS, YT, YU, YV, YW determination signal value Ynl, Ynr, Ywl, Ywr axis Z integration identifying signal theta angle theta 'angular θ'A auxiliary joint angular velocity

Claims (15)

A pressure-sensitive sensor for detecting a plantar load of the user, and the user's foot is in a free leg state when the detected load of the corresponding pressure-sensitive sensor is equal to or less than a predetermined load corresponding to the pressure sensor. Tentatively determining that the user's foot is in a grounded state when a corresponding detected load of the pressure-sensitive sensor is greater than the predetermined load, the user's foot is a free leg. A plurality of detection units including a temporary determination unit for deriving a temporary determination result that the state or the ground state,
Integrating each of the provisional determination results of the plurality of the temporary decision unit, based on the integration result, we have a, and integration identifying unit determines whether the user's foot is lifted leg state or ground state,
The temporary determination unit temporarily determines that the user's foot is in a free leg state when the detected load of the corresponding pressure sensor is within a range of a first load value or less. When the detected load is larger than the second load value greater than the first load value, it is temporarily determined that the user's foot is in a grounded state, and further, the user's foot is provisionally determined to be in the free leg state. And when the detected load of the corresponding pressure sensitive sensor is greater than the first load value and less than or equal to the second load value, it is assumed that the user's foot is in a free leg state. The determination is maintained, the user's foot is temporarily determined to be in a grounded state, and the corresponding detected load of the pressure-sensitive sensor is greater than the first load value and less than or equal to the second load value. In this case, the work auxiliary control device maintains a temporary determination that the user's foot is in a grounded state . A pressure-sensitive sensor for detecting a plantar load of the user, and the user's foot is in a free leg state when the detected load of the corresponding pressure-sensitive sensor is equal to or less than a predetermined load corresponding to the pressure sensor. Tentatively determining that the user's foot is in a grounded state when a corresponding detected load of the pressure-sensitive sensor is greater than the predetermined load, the user's foot is a free leg. A plurality of detection units including a temporary determination unit for deriving a temporary determination result that the state or the ground state,
Integrating the provisional determination results of the plurality of provisional determination units, and based on the integrated result, an integrated determination unit that determines whether the user's foot is in the free leg state or the ground contact state,
The temporary determination unit generates a temporary determination signal having information on the temporary determination result,
The integrated determination unit averages the temporary determination signals to calculate an integrated determination signal, and compares the integrated determination signal with an integrated determination signal threshold value so that the user's foot is in a free leg state or ground contact. It determines that state, work auxiliary control unit. The temporary determination unit generates a temporary determination signal having information on the temporary determination result,
  The integrated determination unit averages the temporary determination signals to calculate an integrated determination signal, and compares the integrated determination signal with an integrated determination signal threshold value so that the user's foot is in a free leg state or ground contact. The work auxiliary control device according to claim 1, wherein the work auxiliary control device is determined to be in a state. The temporary determination unit includes a temporary determination signal generation unit and a determination signal generation unit, the integrated determination unit includes an integrated determination signal generation unit and an integrated determination signal comparison unit,
The temporary determination signal generation unit generates the temporary determination signal,
The determination signal generation unit has information on a predetermined coefficient to be multiplied by the temporary determination signal generated by the corresponding temporary determination signal generation unit, and the temporary determination signal generated by the corresponding temporary determination signal generation unit And the predetermined coefficient to generate a determination signal,
The integrated determination signal generation unit generates the integrated determination signal by summing the respective determination signals,
The integration identifying signal comparator, by comparing the integration identifying signal and the integration identifying signal threshold, it determines that the user's foot is lifted leg state or ground state, claim 2 or claim 3 The auxiliary work control device described in 1.   The work auxiliary control device according to claim 4, wherein the predetermined coefficient is different for each determination signal generation unit. The plurality of pressure-sensitive sensors are a load concentration position where the user's foot load is concentrated on the back surface of the user's foot, and the concentration of the user's foot load is the back surface of the user's foot. It is arranged at an auxiliary position smaller than the load concentration position,
The predetermined coefficient stored in the determination signal generation unit corresponding to the pressure-sensitive sensor at the load concentration position is set larger than the predetermined coefficient stored in the determination signal generation unit corresponding to the pressure-sensitive sensor at the auxiliary position. Thus, the ratio of the value of the determination signal corresponding to the pressure sensitive sensor at the load concentration position to the value of the integrated determination signal is such that the value of the determination signal corresponding to the pressure sensitive sensor at the auxiliary position is the integrated value. The work auxiliary control device according to claim 5, wherein the work auxiliary control device is larger than a ratio of a value of the determination signal. The detection unit corresponds to the pressure sensor, and a load amplitude measurement unit that measures a load amplitude of the foot load of the user detected by the corresponding pressure sensor,
An average load amplitude calculating unit corresponding to the load amplitude measuring unit and calculating an average load amplitude value of the corresponding pressure sensitive sensor by averaging the load amplitudes in a plurality of periods detected by the corresponding pressure sensitive sensor; ,
The predetermined coefficient is calculated in the determination signal generation unit corresponding to the load amplitude measuring unit, and the larger the average load amplitude value of the corresponding pressure sensor, the larger the predetermined coefficient is set. The work auxiliary control device according to claim 5, further comprising a coefficient calculation unit. A pressure-sensitive sensor for detecting a plantar load of the user, and the user's foot is in a free leg state when the detected load of the corresponding pressure-sensitive sensor is equal to or less than a predetermined load corresponding to the pressure sensor. Tentatively determining that the user's foot is in a grounded state when a corresponding detected load of the pressure-sensitive sensor is greater than the predetermined load, the user's foot is a free leg. A plurality of detection units including a temporary determination unit for deriving a temporary determination result that the state or the ground state,
Integrating the provisional determination results of the plurality of provisional determination units, and based on the integrated result, an integrated determination unit that determines whether the user's foot is in the free leg state or the ground contact state,
A leg power control unit for controlling an auxiliary operation for assisting the user's leg raising operation;
The leg power control unit is configured so that when the integration determination unit determines that one of the user's feet is in a free leg state and the other foot is in a grounded state, to perform auxiliary operations at a predetermined speed Te, work auxiliary control unit. A leg power control unit for controlling an auxiliary operation for assisting the user's leg raising operation;
  The leg power control unit is configured so that when the integration determination unit determines that one of the user's feet is in a free leg state and the other foot is in a grounded state, The work auxiliary control device according to claim 1, wherein the auxiliary operation is performed at a predetermined speed. The work auxiliary control device according to claim 8 or 9 , wherein the leg power control unit ends the auxiliary operation after a predetermined time has elapsed since the auxiliary operation was performed. An acceleration sensor provided at a position corresponding to the user's foot to detect acceleration of the user's foot-lifting operation;
A speed calculation unit that calculates an average speed of the user's foot lift operation detected from the acceleration sensor detected by the acceleration sensor, and transmits the average speed to the leg power control unit as the predetermined speed. The work auxiliary control device according to any one of claims 8 to 10 , further comprising: An acceleration sensor provided at a position corresponding to the torso of the user to detect the movement acceleration of the user;
A speed calculation unit that calculates an estimated average speed of the user's leg-lifting motion from the user's moving acceleration detected by the acceleration sensor, and transmits the estimated average speed to the leg power control unit as the predetermined speed. The work auxiliary control device according to any one of claims 8 to 10 , further comprising: A pressure-sensitive sensor for detecting a plantar load of the user, and the user's foot is in a free leg state when the detected load of the corresponding pressure-sensitive sensor is equal to or less than a predetermined load corresponding to the pressure sensor. Tentatively determining that the user's foot is in a grounded state when a corresponding detected load of the pressure-sensitive sensor is greater than the predetermined load, the user's foot is a free leg. A plurality of detection units including a temporary determination unit for deriving a temporary determination result that the state or the ground state,
An integrated determination unit that integrates the respective temporary determination results of the plurality of temporary determination units and determines whether the user's foot is in a free leg state or a grounded state based on the integrated result. A control device;
A leg power unit that performs an auxiliary operation of the user's leg raising operation;
In accordance with the determination result of the integrated determination unit, a control unit that controls the operation of the leg power unit;
Power assist suit with. The work auxiliary control device according to any one of claims 1 to 7,
  A leg power unit that performs an auxiliary operation of the user's leg raising operation;
  In accordance with the determination result of the integrated determination unit, a control unit that controls the operation of the leg power unit;
  Power assist suit with. A working auxiliary control device according to any one of claims 1 2 to claims 8,
A leg power unit that performs the auxiliary operation under the control of the leg power control unit;
Power assist suit with.

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