JP6326655B2 - Power assist robot - Google Patents

Description

  The present invention relates to a power assist robot apparatus that supports force work performed by a wearer.

  In Japan's agriculture, the declining birthrate and aging are progressing. In other words, as the number of agricultural workers nationwide is decreasing, the number of agricultural workers over the age of 60 has increased to 2.2 million. In addition, the need for agricultural work support is increasing as the food self-sufficiency rate is screamed. Under such circumstances, power assist suits, etc. are suitable as agricultural work support equipment that is suitable for narrow Japanese farmland, and also useful for revitalizing mountainous agriculture and regional regeneration, rather than the conventional US-style large-scale agricultural mechanization. A power assist robot device is used.

  There are power assist suits for light work and power assist suits for heavy work. Power assist suits for light work are used for light work support such as pollination of fruits such as peaches, persimmons, tangerines, grapes and cucumbers, upward work such as flowering, fruit picking, bagging and harvesting, and harvesting of strawberries and the like. It is used for work support such as lifting, lifting and transporting lightweight objects of about 10 kg or less, such as middle waist work, and walking and running support on flat ground, sloping ground and stairs.

  Power assist suits for heavy work are used for heavy work support, such as harvesting in the middle posture of large vegetables such as radishes and cabbages, and lifting, loading, unloading and transporting heavy items of about 30 kg such as rice bags and harvest containers. Used for support.

  The power assist suit is used not only for agriculture but also for factories for carrying heavy objects or working in a constant posture for a long time. Further, the power assist suit can be used for nursing care such as transferring a person from a bed to a wheelchair, and can also be used for walking rehabilitation support for rehabilitation.

  There are a passive method and an active method for driving the power assist suit. The passive system includes a spring system and a rubber system. The active method includes an electric motor method, a pneumatic drive method, a hydraulic drive method, and the like. As a pneumatic drive system, there is a system using a pneumatic rubber artificial muscle, a pneumatic cylinder, and a pneumatic rotary actuator (see, for example, Patent Documents 1 and 2).

  The assist control method for controlling the power assist suit includes an operation pattern reproduction method by voice input or switch input, a method for estimating a torque to be generated by a muscle from a surface myoelectric potential signal (see, for example, Patent Document 3), surface An operation pattern reproduction method for reproducing an operation pattern using a myoelectric potential signal as a trigger signal (see, for example, Patent Document 4), and a force acting on a wrist portion and an ankle portion of a wearer wearing a power assist suit is measured using a sensor. Thus, there is a master-slave control method (see, for example, Patent Documents 2, 5, and 6) that causes the power assist suit to follow the movement of the wearer by performing feedback control.

Japanese Patent No. 3771056 JP 2007-97636 A Japanese Patent No. 4200202 Japanese Patent No. 4178185 JP 2007-130234 A JP 2006-75456 A

  The spring-type or rubber-type passive method can power assist only in one direction. The electric motor system with a reduction gear having a high reduction ratio has a safety problem. The pneumatic system becomes heavier when an air compression compressor is installed. The hydraulic system is also heavy. In the operation pattern reproduction method, there is a limit to a pattern that can be reproduced, and there is a risk of discontinuity when the operation is switched. The method for estimating the torque from the surface myoelectric potential requires a prior learning time. The master-slave control causes a delay because feedback is applied after the wearer moves, and the wearer inevitably feels that the wearer is pulling the power assist robot apparatus.

  Further, the above-described conventional technology cannot simultaneously realize power assist for the lumbar spine for preventing back pain and power assist for the hip joint for walking in the work of lifting and transporting heavy objects. Some power assists for assisting hips use pneumatic artificial muscles to assist with certain actions, such as hip bending. Movement in the direction is constrained and cannot be supported in conjunction with walking motion. Further, it is necessary to provide drive sources for power assist for the lumbar spine and for power assist for the hip joint.

  In addition, such a power assist robot device realizes power assist by applying the driving force of the driving source to the wearer's body, but transmits the driving force from the driving source to the wearer's body. It is necessary to ensure that the load on the wearer's body is as small as possible when transmitting the driving force.

  An object of the present invention is to provide a power assist robot apparatus that can assist a lifting operation and a walking operation of a heavy object with a small number of driving sources, and can reduce a burden on a wearer's body.

The present invention is arranged near both sides of the wearer's waist or hip joint in the left-right direction, and assists the movement of the upper body and thigh in a direction following the movement of the upper body and thigh of the wearer. Two rotational drive units that generate drive torque;
An upper body frame that is attached to the chest and waist of the wearer and to which either one of the rotation shaft and the fixed end side of the two rotation driving units is fixed;
Two thigh frames, one end of which is fixed to one of the rotation shaft and the fixed end of the rotation drive unit, and the other end is attached to the side of the thigh;
The upper body frame is
A waist frame that holds the two rotational drive parts at both ends, extends between the two rotational drive parts along the back of the waist of the wearer, and is attached to the waist of the wearer;
An upper body assist arm that is rotatably connected to the waist frame around a longitudinal axis and a vertical axis;
The upper body assist arm is
A flexible breast pad that is mounted on the chest of the wearer and transmits the driving force of the two rotational drive units to the chest of the wearer;
A U-shaped side frame having a straight portion passing through the back of the waist and extending from one side of the chest of the wearer to the other side of the chest of the wearer;
A pair of belt holders formed with belt through holes, attached to the end portions of the side frames;
A pair of first belts connecting the end of the side frame and the breast pad;
An expansion / contraction adjustment mechanism for adjusting a belt length provided on the pair of first belts,
The pair of first belts includes one of the first belts inserted into the belt through hole of one of the belt holders, and one end and the other end of the pair of first belts. Two corners on the other side in the lateral direction of the breast pad in a state where the other first belt is fixed to the corner and the other first belt is inserted through the belt through hole of the other belt holder. It is a power assist robot apparatus characterized by being fixed to .

In the present invention, the upper body assist arm is
A pair of second belts connecting the breast pad to the straight part of the side frame from two corners arranged on the upper side of the breast pad toward the back through the shoulder of the wearer;
A pair of third belts connecting two corners disposed on the lower side of the breast pad to the end of the waist frame;
The present invention further includes an expansion / contraction adjustment mechanism for adjusting a belt length, which is provided on the second belt and the third belt , wherein the breast pad piece is configured to be separable left and right. It is characterized by.
In the invention, it is preferable that the breast pad is made of a leather material.

  According to the present invention, the breast pad is formed in a substantially rectangular shape, and at least one of the upper end portion and the lower end portion thereof is cut out in a substantially arc shape.

According to the present invention, the two rotational drive units are arranged near both sides of the wearer's waist or hip joint in the left-right direction, respectively, and follow the movements of the wearer's upper body and thigh. A driving torque is generated to assist the movement of the thigh. The upper body frame is mounted on the chest and waist of the wearer, and either the rotation shaft or the fixed end side of the two rotation driving units is fixed. One end of each of the two thigh frames is fixed to the other of the rotation shaft and the fixed end of the rotation drive unit, and the other end is attached to the side of the thigh. The upper body frame is mounted on the chest of the wearer and includes a breast pad piece that transmits the driving force of the two rotational drive units to the chest of the wearer. The breast pad piece is flexible. Therefore, the power assist robot apparatus can assist the lifting operation and the walking operation of heavy objects with a small number of driving sources, that is, the two rotational driving units provided on both sides of the lumbar region, and assist for assisting the movement of the upper body. Affinity with the wearer can be improved by applying force to the chest on the surface.
The upper body frame holds the two rotational drive parts at both ends, extends between the two rotational drive parts along the back of the waist of the wearer, and is attached to the waist of the wearer, An upper body assist arm is connected to the waist frame so as to be rotatable about a front-rear axis and a vertical axis. The upper body assist arm is attached to the chest of the wearer, and has a flexible chest pad that transmits the driving force of the two rotational drive units to the chest of the wearer, and a straight portion that passes through the back of the waist. A pair of U-shaped side frames extending from one side of the chest of the wearer through the back of the waist to the other side of the chest, and connecting each end of the side frame and the breast pad piece. A first belt. Therefore, by connecting each end of the side frame and the breast pad so that the first belt passes under the heel, the wearer's arm can move smoothly without interfering with the side frame. Become.
The upper body assist arm is further provided with a belt holder attached to the end portion and formed with a belt through hole through which the pair of first belts are inserted, and the belt length provided to the pair of first belts is adjusted. A pair of first belts, wherein one of the first belts is inserted into a belt through hole of one of the belt holders, and one end and the other end of the pair of first belts One end portion and the other end portion of the chest patch piece are fixed to two corners on one side in the lateral direction of the piece, and the other first belt is inserted into the belt through hole of the other belt holder. It is fixed to the two corners on the other side in the lateral direction. Therefore, the belt length can be adjusted to the wearer's physique by manually operating the expansion / contraction adjustment mechanism.
The upper body assist arm includes a pair of second belts that connect the chest pad piece to a straight portion of the side frame from two corners arranged on the upper side of the breast pad piece toward the back through the shoulder of the wearer. A pair of third belts for connecting two corners arranged on the lower side of the breast pad to the end of the waist frame, and for adjusting the belt length provided on the second belt and the third belt. Therefore, the assisting force for assisting the movement of the upper body can be applied to the chest by the surface, and the affinity between the assist suit 100 for heavy work and the wearer is improved. be able to.

  Further, according to the present invention, since the breast pad is configured to be separable to the left and right, the power assist robot apparatus can be easily attached.

  According to the present invention, since the breast pad is made of a leather material, the weight of the entire apparatus can be reduced, and the burden on the body when worn can be reduced.

  Further, according to the present invention, the breast pad is formed in a substantially rectangular shape, and at least one of the upper end portion and the lower end portion thereof is cut out in a substantially arc shape, so that the wearer takes a posture in which the upper body is bent. In this case, it is possible to prevent the neck and the chest guide from interfering with each other or the groove and the chest guide.

  Further, according to the present invention, the two rotational drive units are arranged in the vicinity of the left and right sides of the wearer's waist or hip joint, respectively, and follow the movements of the wearer's upper body and thigh. A driving torque for assisting the movement of the thigh is generated. The upper body frame is mounted on the chest and waist of the wearer, and either the rotation shaft or the fixed end side of the two rotation driving units is fixed. One end of each of the two thigh frames is fixed to the other of the rotation shaft and the fixed end of the rotation drive unit, and the other end is attached to the side of the thigh. The thigh frame includes a thigh pad that is mounted on the wearer's thigh and transmits the driving force of the two rotational driving units to the thigh of the wearer. have. Therefore, the power assist robot apparatus can assist the lifting operation and the walking operation of the heavy object with a small number of driving sources, that is, the two rotational driving units provided on both sides of the waist, and also assist the movement of the thigh. Affinity with the wearer can be improved by applying the assisting force to the thigh on the surface.

  Further, according to the present invention, since the thigh pad is made of a leather material, the weight of the entire device can be reduced, and the burden on the body when worn can be reduced.

It is a front view which shows the external appearance of the assist suit 100 for heavy work which is embodiment of this invention. It is a side view which shows the external appearance of the assist suit 100 for heavy work which is embodiment of this invention. It is sectional drawing of the main frame to which the electric motor 1 for power assistance was attached. It is a figure which shows the structure of the control apparatus contained in the assist suit 100 for heavy work. It is a figure for demonstrating calculation of the rotational torque T. FIG. 5 is a flowchart showing a processing procedure of assist suit control processing executed by the heavy work assist suit 100. It is a flowchart which shows the process sequence of a parameter rewriting sequence process. It is a flowchart which shows the process sequence of an attitude | position information input sequence process. It is a flowchart which shows the process sequence of a hip joint control sequence process. It is a flowchart which shows the process sequence of a walk judgment process. It is a flowchart which shows the process sequence of a walk control process. It is a flowchart which shows the process sequence of the calculation process of the assist torque by the free leg side. It is a flowchart which shows the process sequence of a calculation process of the assist torque by the side of a holding leg. It is a flowchart which shows the process sequence of an upper body determination process. It is a flowchart which shows the process sequence of an upper body control process. It is a flowchart which shows the process sequence of a middle waist determination process. It is a flowchart which shows the process sequence of a middle waist control process.

  FIG. 1 is a front view showing the appearance of an assist suit for heavy work 100 according to an embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 2 is a side view showing the appearance of the assist suit for heavy work 100. FIG. 1 and FIG. 2 show a state where the wearer is wearing the wearer. FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view of the main frame to which the electric motor 1 for power assist is attached, and shows a cross section seen from the cutting plane line AA in FIG. In FIG. 1, the belt 18 is omitted.

  An assist suit for heavy work 100, which is a power assist robot device, is an assist suit for heavy work. The heavy duty assist suit 100 includes a power assist electric motor 1, a waist frame 4, a back frame 5, frames 2, 3, 7 to 10, 20 to 22, and passive rotary shafts 6, 11 to 13, 24. , 35, receiving part 14, belts 15, 18, 26-28, 32, belt holders 16, 17, 25, 30, connector 23, chest guide 29, cushion 19, control box 33, The driver housing box 34, a lateral fall prevention spring 36, and an angle adjustment mechanism 37 are included.

  As shown in FIG. 1, the electric motor 1 for power assist, the waist frame 4, the frames 2, 3, 7 to 10, the passive rotary shafts 6, 11 to 13, the receiving portion 14, the belts 15, 18, 26 to 28. , 32, the belt holders 16, 17, 25, 30, the connector 23, the lateral fall prevention spring 36, and the driver accommodation box 34 are provided on each of the left and right sides of the wearer.

  The electric motor 1 for power assist which is a rotational drive part is comprised by the electric servomotor, for example. The electric motor 1 for power assist is an electric motor used as a power source for power assist of the upper body and the thigh, that is, for assisting the movement of the upper body and the thigh. In other words, the power assist electric motor 1 generates power for assisting the rotation of the upper body and the thigh using the vicinity of the hip joint as a fulcrum.

  The two electric motors for power assist 1 are arranged on the left and right sides of the wearer at the same height as the wearer's hip joint so that the rotation shaft rotates around the left and right axis as follows. Each is attached. The positional relationship between each part of the heavy work assist suit 100 and the wearer is a position relative to the wearer when the wearer wears the heavy work assist suit 100.

  The rotating shaft of the power assist electric motor 1 is connected to a main frame which is a waist frame. Here, the main frame refers to one back frame 5 provided so as to cover the central portion in the left-right direction of the lumbar part, which is the back part around the lumbar vertebrae, and the frame 2 and the frame 3 provided respectively on the left and right side parts of the wearer. And the waist frame 4, and the rotation shaft of each power assist electric motor 1 is fixed to the lower end of each frame 2 in the main frame.

  Since the main frame is configured symmetrically, only one side will be described below. The frame 2 is provided so as to extend in the vertical direction along the side of the wearer. The rotating shaft of the power assist electric motor 1 is fixed to the lower end of the frame 2 as described above. The lower end portion of the frame 3 is connected via a passive rotation shaft 6 to correspond to the degree of freedom of rotation around the front and rear axis of the lower limb in the hip joint. That is, the upper end portion of the frame 2 and the lower end portion of the frame 3 are coupled so as to be rotatable around the front-rear axis.

  The frame 3 is provided so as to extend in the vertical direction along the side of the wearer. The frame 2 is connected to the lower end of the frame 3 as described above, and one end of the waist frame 4 is connected to the upper end. Fastened and fixed.

  The waist frame 4 extends while curving from the one end to which the frame 3 is fixed to the other end opposite to the one end, and is generally L-shaped. One end of the waist frame 4 is connected to the frame 3 at a height position near the third to fifth lumbar vertebrae of the wearer so as to extend at right angles to the extending direction of the frame 3. The other end is fixed to the lower end of the back frame 5.

  A plurality of adjustment holes are provided in the other end portion of the waist frame 4 along the longitudinal direction, and similarly, a plurality of adjustment holes are provided in the lower end portion of the back frame 5 along the left-right direction. The other end of the waist frame 4 and the lower end of the back frame 5 are connected to each other through these adjustment holes. That is, the width of the main frame in the left-right direction can be adjusted by an adjustment mechanism using a plurality of adjustment holes provided in each of the waist frame 4 and the back frame 5, whereby the width of the main frame in the left-right direction can be adjusted. It can be adapted to the body shape. The adjustment mechanism using the adjustment holes provided in the waist frame 4 and the back frame 5 is a waist adjustment mechanism.

  Further, belt holders 16 are respectively attached to the left and right sides of the upper end portion of the back frame 5, and belt holders 17 are also attached to the one end portions of the waist frames 4. That is, as shown in FIG. 1, the belt holder 16 is provided at a position above the belt holder 17.

  One belt 18 is attached to the left belt holder 16 and the right belt holder 17, and the other belt 18 is attached to the right belt holder 16 and the left belt holder 17. That is, the two belts 18 are provided in a hook shape so as to cross at the wearer's abdomen. In this manner, the main frame is mounted on the waist of the wearer by winding and tightening the two belts 18 around the wearer's abdomen. Further, a belt holder 30 is attached to the one end portion of each waist frame 4 so as to be disposed on the upper side thereof. The belt holder 30 will be described later.

  As shown in FIG. 2, a cushion 19 is attached to the surface of the back frame 5 facing the wearer, so that the back frame 5 does not directly contact the waist of the wearer in the worn state. ing. The main frame can be attached in close contact with the waist of the wearer via the cushion 19. In addition, a control box 33 in which a control unit 110 and a battery unit 160 (to be described later) are accommodated is attached to the back frame 5 on the surface opposite to the side on which the cushion 19 is attached.

  As described above, each power assist electric motor 1 has a rotating shaft fixed to each frame 2 in the main frame, whereas a motor main body that rotates the rotating shaft around the axis is provided. Are connected to lower limb assist arms which are thigh frames. Here, the lower limb assist arm is a part including the frames 7 to 10, and the fixed end side of each electric motor 1 for power assist is respectively set with respect to the upper end portion of each frame 7 in the lower limb assist arm. It is fixed.

  The frame 7 is provided so as to extend in the vertical direction along the side of the wearer, and the fixed end side of the electric motor 1 for power assist is fastened and fixed to the upper end of the frame 7 as described above. The upper end portion of the frame 8 is connected via a passive rotation shaft 11 for corresponding to the degree of freedom of rotation around the longitudinal axis of the lower limb in the hip joint. That is, the lower end portion of the frame 7 and the upper end portion of the frame 8 are coupled so as to be rotatable about the front-rear axis.

  The frame 8 is provided so as to extend in the vertical direction along the side of the wearer. The frame 7 is connected to the upper end of the frame 8 as described above, and a motor driver unit 120 described below is connected to the lower end. The accommodated driver accommodation box 34 is attached so as to protrude outward, and the upper end portion of the frame 9 is fixed.

  The frame 8 is attached with a belt 32 for wrapping around the base of the wearer's thigh. By wrapping and tightening the belt 32 around the base of the thigh of the wearer, when the wearer performs the leg opening operation, the lower limb assist arm is separated from the thigh of the wearer, It is possible to prevent the assist effect from decreasing.

  The frame 9 is provided so as to extend in the vertical direction along the side of the wearer. The frame 8 is fixed to the upper end of the frame 9 as described above, and the lower end of the frame 9 is around the longitudinal axis of the lower limb in the hip joint. The frame 10 is fixed via a passive rotating shaft 12 for corresponding to the degree of freedom of rotation. In other words, the lower end portion of the frame 9 and the frame 10 are coupled so as to be rotatable around the longitudinal axis.

  The frame 10 has a receiving portion 14 having a semi-cylindrical receiving surface that partially covers the thigh of the wearer from the front, and a passive rotating shaft 13 for corresponding to the degree of freedom of rotation around the left and right axis. Is attached through. An appropriate receiving portion 14 corresponding to the movement of the wearer's thigh by rotating the receiving portion 14, which is a thigh pad, about the left and right axis by the passive rotating shaft 13 that is the thigh connecting portion. The angle of can be given. In addition, a belt 15 is attached to both ends of the receiving part 14, and the receiving part 14 is fixed to the thigh of the wearer by winding the belt 15 around the back of the thigh and tightening. It is supposed to be.

  The receiving portion 14 is configured to have flexibility. Here, the flexibility means that the object is soft and can be bent, and has almost no expansion / contraction performance. In the present embodiment, such a receiving portion 14 is formed of a leather material including natural leather and artificial leather.

  In this way, by configuring the receiving portion 14 to have flexibility, the adhesion of the receiving portion 14 to the wearer's thigh at the time of wearing can be improved, and thereby the feeling of wearing can be improved. In addition, since the assisting force for assisting the movement of the thigh can be applied to the thigh with the surface, the affinity between the heavy-duty assist suit 100 and the wearer can be improved. it can. Moreover, the weight of the whole apparatus can be reduced by comprising the receiving part 14 with a leather material, Therefore The burden on the body at the time of mounting | wearing can be reduced.

  Moreover, in this embodiment, the notch part 14a notched circularly is provided in the lower end part in the receiving part 14. As shown in FIG. By providing such a notch portion 14a, it is possible to prevent the knee and the receiving portion 14 from interfering when the wearer bends the knee. Therefore, the wearer can bend and stretch the knee without feeling uncomfortable or uncomfortable. In addition, a decrease in adhesion due to such interference can be prevented. Such a notch part 14a is formed by, for example, an arc having a radius of about 70 mm and notching the lower end part of the receiving part 14.

  Here, a plurality of adjustment holes are provided in the lower end portion of the frame 8 along the longitudinal direction. Similarly, a plurality of adjustment holes are provided in the upper end portion of the frame 9 along the longitudinal direction. The frame 8 and the frame 9 are connected to each other through these adjustment holes. That is, the lower limb assist arm can be adjusted in the vertical dimension by an adjustment mechanism using a plurality of adjustment holes provided in each of the frame 8 and the frame 9, so that the receiving portion 14 is positioned at an appropriate position of the thigh. The overall length of the lower limb assist arm can be matched to the wearer's body shape. The adjustment mechanism using adjustment holes provided in the frame 8 and the frame 9 is a thigh adjustment mechanism.

  As described above, in the present embodiment, the passive rotation shafts 6 and 11 are provided at the upper and lower positions of the power assist electric motor 1 to correspond to the degree of freedom of rotation around the front and rear axis of the lower limbs at the hip joint. The lower limb assist arm can be made to conform to the body shape of the wearer, and the lower limb assist arm can be made to conform to the body shape of the wearer even when the wearer opens the leg or crouches.

  Further, in this embodiment, a structure is adopted in which the entire length of the lower limb assist arm is matched to the wearer's body shape by an adjustment mechanism using a plurality of adjustment holes, thereby reducing the weight of the entire device and at the time of wearing. The burden on the body can be reduced.

  In the present embodiment, the motor driver unit 120 is housed in the driver housing box 34 instead of the control box 33 and is provided on the lower limb assist arm. Therefore, the size of the control box 33 attached to the main frame is configured. The amount of protrusion of the control box 33 from the main frame to the back side can be reduced. This makes it difficult for the control box 33 to come into contact with an external object when sitting on a chair or the like while wearing the heavy-duty assist suit 100, and the wearer cares about the presence of the control box 33. You can sit down without having to. Further, it is possible to prevent the control box 33 from being damaged due to contact with an external object.

  An upper and lower connection unit is connected to an upper end portion of the back frame 5 in the main frame via a passive rotation shaft 35 for corresponding to a degree of freedom of rotation about the upper and lower axis lines of the upper body. Here, the vertical connection unit is a part including the frame 20 and the frame 21, and the upper end portion of the back frame 5 is connected to the frame 20 in the vertical connection unit via the passive rotation shaft 35. Has been.

  The frame 21 is connected to the frame 20 via a passive rotation shaft 24 for corresponding to the degree of freedom of rotation about the front-rear axis of the upper body. The passive rotating shaft 24 and the passive rotating shaft 35 are upper body connecting portions. By providing such passive rotating shafts 24 and 35, it is possible to prevent the turning motion of the upper body of the wearer of the heavy duty assist suit 100 and the rotational motion of tilting the upper body from side to side being obstructed. .

  Further, the frame 20 and the frame 21 are connected by a pair of lateral fall prevention springs 36. The pair of side-falling prevention springs 36 includes a portion connected to the frame 20 via the passive rotating shaft 24, specifically, a portion constituted by the frame 21 and a body assist arm to be described later connected to the frame 21. In addition, it has a function of preventing it from easily rotating around the axis of the passive rotary shaft 24. In the present embodiment, by providing such a pair of side-fall prevention springs 36, even when the wearer wears the heavy work assist suit 100 alone, it can be easily worn. The pair of side-falling prevention springs 36 are designed so as not to hinder the rotational movement of the upper body tilted in the left-right direction performed by the wearer of the heavy-duty assist suit 100.

  An upper body assist arm is connected to the frame 21 in the vertical connection unit. The upper body assist arm is a portion including a frame 22, a connector 23, a belt holder 25, belts 26 to 28, and a chest guide 29. The frame 22 in the assist arm is connected.

  The frame 22 is a member formed by bending a cylindrical metal material so as to be substantially U-shaped, and is connected to a first straight portion extending linearly and each end of the first straight portion, A pair of curved portions extending while curving in an arc shape, and a pair of second linear portions extending in a straight line in parallel with each other at each of the curved portions, the ends being opposite to the side continuous with the first linear portion. And is symmetrical with respect to a virtual plane that includes the longitudinal center of the first straight portion and is perpendicular to the axis. Each curved portion extends so that the axis of the first straight line portion and the axis of the second straight line portion intersect substantially perpendicularly.

  The center portion of the first straight line portion of the frame 22 is connected to the frame 21 in the vertical connection unit. The connecting portion is provided with an angle adjusting mechanism 37 having a clamp mechanism for fastening and fixing the first straight portion to the frame 21. The clamp mechanism is configured to be manually operable.

  Thus, a person who intends to wear the heavy-duty assist suit 100 manually operates the angle adjusting mechanism 37 to move the upper body assist arm in the vertical direction at the time of wearing with the axis of the first straight line as the rotation center. The inclination angle γ (see FIG. 2) with respect to can be adjusted and fixed in accordance with its own body shape.

  The pair of second straight portions in the frame 22 are portions extending forward from the back side on the side of the wearer's chest when worn, and the length in the longitudinal direction is as shown in FIG. In the wearing state, each end on the side opposite to the side connected to the curved portion is set so as to be arranged on a virtual plane J including the center line of the human body and perpendicular to the front-rear direction. And the belt holder 25 is each attached to each edge part via the connector 23 so that attachment or detachment is possible.

  The chest guide 29, which is a chest pad, is generally formed in a horizontally long rectangular shape and is configured to have flexibility. Here, the flexibility means that the object is soft and can be bent, and has almost no expansion / contraction performance. In the present embodiment, such a chest guide 29 is formed of a leather material including natural leather and artificial leather. The size of the chest guide 29 is set so that, for example, the vertical dimension (vertical dimension) is 170 mm and the horizontal dimension (horizontal dimension) is 200 mm in order to match the standard male and female body dimensions. Yes.

  In the present embodiment, the chest guide 29 and the receiving portion 14 are formed of leather material, but may be any material that can be configured to have flexibility, such as FRP or less than 0.5 mm thickness. A thin metal plate made of aluminum or stainless steel may be used. However, in the case of FRP, there is a risk of breaking, and in the case of a thin metal plate, it is not possible to sufficiently follow the unevenness of the chest, and therefore it is preferable to use a leather material.

  The chest guide 29 is a member that is attached to the chest of the wearer in the wearing state, and is connected to the frame 22 via a pair of belts 27 as shown in FIGS. 1 and 2. Specifically, one end and the other end of one belt 27 inserted through the belt through hole formed in the belt holder 25 at two corners on one side in the lateral direction of the chest guide 29 are sewn, for example. Are fixed respectively. The other belt 27 is also fixed to two corners on the other side in the lateral direction of the chest guide 29 in the same manner. Thus, in the wearing state, each belt 27 extends from one side or the other side of the chest guide 29 through one side of the wearer's armpit, is folded back by the belt holder 25, and is again worn by the wearer's armpit. It extends through the chest guide 29 to the other corner.

  In addition, one end of each of the pair of belts 26 is fixed to two corners arranged on the upper side of the four corners of the chest guide 29 by, for example, sewing. The other end portions of the pair of belts 26 are respectively fixed to belt fixing portions (not shown) that project from the connecting portions of the first straight portion and the curved portions of the frame 22. Thereby, in the wearing state, each belt 26 is extended from the upper or lower corner of the chest guide 29 to the back side through the shoulder of the wearer to the belt fixing portion of the frame 22. .

  Further, one end of each of the pair of belts 28 is fixed to two corners disposed below the four corners of the chest guide 29 by, for example, sewing. Each other end of the pair of belts 26 is attached to a belt holder 30 provided at one end of each waist frame 4.

  Each of the pair of belts 26 to 28 is provided with an expansion / contraction adjustment mechanism (not shown) for adjusting the belt length. By manually operating the expansion / contraction adjustment mechanism, the belt length can be adjusted according to the body shape of the wearer. Is configured to be adjustable.

  Thus, in the present embodiment, a loop is formed between each end of the waist frame 4 and each belt fixing portion of the frame 22 by the pair of belts 26, the chest guide 29, and the pair of belts 28. Thus, when wearing, a pair of belts 26 are respectively hung on both shoulders by passing both arms through the respective loops. Thereby, in the wearing state, the assist suit for heavy work 100 is held in a state suspended from the shoulder of the wearer. That is, the structure of a suspension belt is exhibited. In the present embodiment, by adopting such a suspension belt structure, even when the wearer performs various operations, the heavy work assist suit 100 is prevented from sliding down. .

  According to the present embodiment, the chest guide 29 is configured to be flexible, so that the adhesion of the chest guide 29 to the wearer's chest at the time of wearing can be enhanced. As a result, the feeling of wearing is improved, and the assisting force for assisting the movement of the upper body can be applied to the chest on the surface, so that the affinity between the heavy-duty assist suit 100 and the wearer is improved. be able to. Further, by configuring the chest guide 29 with a leather material, the weight of the entire apparatus can be reduced, and therefore, the burden on the body when worn can be reduced.

  In this embodiment, since the belts 26 to 28 are fixed at the four corners of the chest guide 29, the assisting force for assisting the movement of the upper body is applied to the wearer via the chest guide 29. It can be evenly applied to the chest.

  Note that it is necessary to reliably transmit to the chest guide 29 the driving torque generated by the power assisting electric motor 1 and serving as an assisting force for assisting the movement of the upper body. Therefore, in the present embodiment, as described above, the length of the second straight line portion in the frame 22 is set so that the end portion thereof is arranged on the virtual plane J.

  When the frame 22 is configured such that the end of the second straight line portion is disposed on the back side of the virtual plane J, the distance between the end and the chest guide 29 becomes long. The length of the belt 27 becomes long, and there arises a problem that drive torque for assisting the movement of the upper body cannot be reliably transmitted to the chest guide 29.

  In addition, when the frame 22 is configured such that the end of the second straight line portion is disposed on the chest side of the virtual plane J, the second straight line portion extends to the armpit, and the second straight line portion Causes a problem that it interferes with the movement of the wearer's arm.

  That is, as in the present embodiment, the length of the second straight line portion in the frame 22 is set so that the end thereof is arranged on the virtual plane J, and the frame 22 and the chest guide 29 are connected by the belt 27. By doing so, it is possible to reliably transmit the driving torque for assisting the movement of the upper body to the chest guide 29, and only the thin belt 27 is provided in the space under the arm, so that the wearer moves the arm smoothly. Will be able to.

  In the present embodiment, as shown in FIG. 1, the chest guide 29 has a structure in which a fastener 31 is attached along the vertical direction at a central portion in the horizontal direction and is separable to the left and right. Therefore, by operating this fastener 31, the part comprised by a pair of belts 26-28 and the chest guide 29 is divided | segmented into right and left, Thereby, detachability can be improved. That is, the heavy work assist suit 100 can be easily attached / detached as in the case of attaching / detaching the front-opening garment. In addition, as a member for separating and connecting the chest guide 29, any member that can maintain the flexibility of the chest guide 29 may be used. For example, a hook-and-loop fastener may be used.

  Further, in the present embodiment, as shown in FIG. 1, cutout portions 29 a and 29 b cut out in an arc shape are provided at the upper end portion and the lower end portion of the chest guide 29. By providing such notches 29a and 29b, the neck and the chest guide 29 and the groove and the chest guide 29 interfere with each other when the wearer takes a posture in which the upper body is bent. This can be prevented. Therefore, the wearer can bend and stretch the upper body without feeling uncomfortable or uncomfortable. In addition, a decrease in adhesion due to such interference can be prevented. Such a notch 29a is formed by, for example, an arc having a radius of about 65 mm and notching the upper end portion of the chest guide 29, and the notch 29b is an arc having a radius of, for example, about 75 mm and the lower end portion of the chest guide 29. Formed by notching.

  FIG. 4 is a diagram illustrating a configuration of a control device included in the heavy work assist suit 100. The control equipment included in the heavy-duty assist suit 100 includes a control unit 110, two motor driver units 120, a right sole unit 130, a left sole unit 140, and a handy terminal device (hereinafter referred to as "handy terminal") 150. A battery unit 160, a right hand switch unit 170, and a left hand switch unit 180.

  The right sole unit 130 is attached to the shoe sole on the right side of the wearer, and the left sole unit 140 is attached to the shoe sole on the left side of the wearer. The handy terminal 150 serving as a parameter input unit is a portable terminal device, and is held and operated by the wearer's right hand or left hand. The handy terminal 150 is realized by a smartphone, for example. The right hand switch unit 170 is configured in a glove shape and is worn on the wearer's right hand. The left hand switch unit 180 is configured in a glove shape and is worn on the wearer's left hand.

  The control unit 110 includes a first wireless communication unit 111, a second wireless communication unit 112, a central control unit 113, and a power supply control unit 114. The first wireless communication unit 111 is configured to be able to communicate with the right foot unit 130, the left foot unit 140, the right hand switch unit 170, and the left hand switch unit 180 by wireless communication. Relaying information. The second wireless communication unit 112 is configured to be able to communicate with the handy terminal 150 by wireless communication, and relays information between the handy terminal 150 and the central control unit 113. The central control unit 113 is configured to communicate with each motor driver unit 120 by wired communication. The power control unit 114 controls the battery unit 160. The central control unit 113 and the power supply control unit 114 are realized by a computer including a CPU.

  One motor driver unit 120 includes a right motor driver 121 that controls the power assist electric motor 1 mounted on the right side of the wearer, and the other motor driver unit 120 is mounted on the left side of the wearer. A right motor driver 122 that controls the power assist electric motor 1 is configured. Each motor driver 121, 122 communicates with the central control unit 113 by wired communication, receives a command such as an output torque command necessary for assist from the central control unit 113, and centrally controls information such as motor position information. Sent to part 113. The motor position information is information representing the rotation angle of the rotation shaft of the electric motor 1 for power assist.

  The right sole unit 130 includes a wireless communication unit 131, a battery 132, a toe switch (hereinafter also referred to as “SW”) 133 and a heel SW 134. The battery 132 is a rechargeable storage battery, and supplies power to the wireless communication unit 131, the toe SW 133, and the heel SW 134. The wireless communication unit 131 sends the state of the toe SW 133 and the heel SW 134, that is, the detection result detected by the toe SW 133 and the heel SW 134 to the central control unit 113 via the first wireless communication unit 111.

  The toe SW 133 is disposed on the toe portion of the shoe sole of the right shoe worn by the wearer, and detects whether or not a load greater than a predetermined value is applied to the toe portion. The heel SW 134 is arranged at the heel portion of the shoe sole of the right shoe worn by the wearer, and detects whether a load greater than a predetermined value is applied to the heel.

  The left sole unit 40 includes a wireless communication unit 141, a battery 142, a toe SW 143, and a heel SW 144. The wireless communication unit 141, the battery 142, the toe SW 143, and the heel SW 144 are the same as the wireless communication unit 131, the battery 132, the toe SW 133, and the heel SW 134, respectively, and a description thereof is omitted to avoid duplication. The toe SW 133, the heel SW 134, the toe SW 143, and the heel SW 144 are floor reaction force detection units.

  The right hand switch unit 170 includes a wireless communication unit 171, a battery 172, and a glove SW 173. The battery 172 is a rechargeable storage battery and supplies power to the wireless communication unit 171 and the glove SW 173. The wireless communication unit 171 sends the state of the glove SW 173, that is, the detection result detected by the glove SW 173 to the central control unit 113 via the first wireless communication unit 111. The glove SW 173 is arranged on the palm side part of the finger of the right glove worn by the wearer, and detects whether or not a load greater than a predetermined value is applied to the part.

  The left hand switch unit 180 includes a wireless communication unit 181, a battery 182, and a glove SW 183. The wireless communication unit 181, the battery 182, and the glove SW 183 have the same configuration as the wireless communication unit 171, the battery 172, and the glove SW 173, respectively, and a description thereof is omitted to avoid duplication. Gloves SW173 and gloves 183 are finger reaction force detection units.

  The handy terminal 150 is used to set parameters, which will be described later, necessary for the operation of the heavy work assist suit 100. The battery unit 160 includes a battery 161. The battery 161 is a rechargeable storage battery. The battery unit 160 supplies power from the battery 161 to the control unit 110 and each motor driver unit 120.

  The central control unit 113 that is a drive control unit, based on the information of each switch given from the first wireless communication unit 111 and the position information of the motor given from each motor driver 121, 122, drive torque required for assisting And an output torque command is sent to each of the motor drivers 121 and 122.

  In the present embodiment, as shown in FIG. 4, the control unit 110 communicates with two wireless communication units, that is, a right foot unit 130, a left foot unit 140, a right hand switch unit 170, and a left hand switch unit 180. By providing the 1 wireless communication part 111 and the 2nd wireless communication part 112 which communicates with the handy terminal 150, a communication speed is improved and a parallel process can be performed.

  FIG. 5 is a diagram for explaining the calculation of the rotational torque T. The central control unit 113 dynamically calculates the rotational torque T necessary to move the body in various working postures of the wearer using the rotational angle of the rotational shaft of the electric motor 1 for power assist. Assist torque is calculated. The assist torque is a drive torque generated by the power assist electric motor 1.

  The central control unit 113 first acquires the hip joint angle β. The hip joint angle β is a rotation angle of the thigh, that is, an angle with respect to a vertical line. The central control unit 113 acquires the left and right hip joint angles β from the motor drivers 121 and 122.

If the mass of the leg is m _F [kg] and the distance from the rotary shaft of the power assist electric motor 1 to the passive rotary shaft 13 is L _F [m], the rotation required to operate the leg of mass mF The torque T _F [N · m] can be calculated by the calculation formula “T _F = L _F · m _F · g · sin (β)”.

However, g is a gravitational acceleration. L _F and m _F are proportional constants and are fixed values determined by the wearer. The central control unit 113 calculates the assist torque by setting these values as parameters in advance. The parameters can be set using the handy terminal 150.

  As described above, the assist suit 100 for heavy work according to the present embodiment is a weak surface that flows to the muscle when the muscle is moved with the rotational torque T necessary to move the body in various work postures of the wearer. Since the assist torque is calculated by dynamically calculating from the hip joint angle β without using the myoelectric potential signal, the troublesomeness of wearing the surface myoelectric potential sensor can be eliminated.

  In addition, the heavy work assist suit 100 is not a reproduction method of a preset motion pattern, but dynamically calculates the rotational torque T required to move the body in various work postures of the wearer, and assists the ratio. Since the assist torque is calculated by multiplying by, there is no discontinuity when the operation is switched.

  Here, parameters set using the handy terminal 150 are shown in Table 1 below. Parameter Nos. “01” to “07” are walking control parameters on the free leg side, and parameter Nos. “11” to “13” are walking control parameters on the holding leg side. The free leg is the leg that is not on the ground, and the holding leg is the leg that is on the ground. The walking control parameter is a parameter for assisting the walking motion.

  Parameter Nos. “21” to “25” are body control parameters. The body control parameter is a parameter for assisting the body motion. Parameter Nos. “31” to “35” are middle waist control parameters. The middle waist control parameter is a parameter for assisting the middle waist motion. Parameter Nos. “41” to “45” are teaching parameters. The handy terminal 150 has a storage area for storing these parameters.

  FIG. 6 is a flowchart showing a processing procedure of assist suit control processing executed by the heavy work assist suit 100. The assist suit control process includes four processes including a power activation sequence process, a parameter rewrite sequence process, a posture information input sequence process, and a hip joint control sequence process. When the power of the heavy work assist suit 100 is turned on and the supply of electric power to the parts other than the power assist electric motor 1 is started, the central control unit 113 proceeds to step A11.

  In step A11, the central control unit 113 executes a power activation sequence process. Specifically, the central control unit 113 waits for completion of reception of parameters necessary for assist transmitted from the handy terminal 150. The central control unit 113 initializes the rotation angle of each thigh in the upright state in which the wearer is standing upright after the reception of the parameters necessary for assisting, and supplies the power for the electric motor 1 for power assist. Turn on.

  However, if the parameters necessary for the assist have already been received, each parameter in the upright state in which the wearer is standing upright using the received parameters after a predetermined time has elapsed without waiting for transmission from the handy terminal 150. The thigh rotation angle is initialized, and the power supply for the power assist electric motor 1 is turned on. As a result, the power supply can be activated without the handy terminal 150.

  In step A12, the central control unit 113 executes a parameter rewriting sequence process. Parameters necessary for assist are appropriately sent from the handy terminal 150 held by the wearer. In the assist suit control process, the parameter rewriting sequence process is performed in the main loop so that the parameter update can be executed at any time. The main loop is a processing procedure loop formed by steps A12 to A14.

  In step A13, the central control unit 113 executes a posture information input sequence process. Posture information input sequence processing is processing for acquiring data relating to the posture of the wearer.

  In step A14, the central control unit 113 executes a hip joint control sequence process and returns to step A12. The hip joint control sequence process is a process of calculating and outputting an assist torque necessary for driving by the power assist electric motor 1 for each of the walking motion, the upper body motion, and the middle waist motion based on the data acquired in step A13. It is.

  The central control unit 113 executes the main loop at intervals of 20 mS, and the heavy work assist suit 100 realizes smooth assistance to the wearer. The central control unit 113 determines the operation of the wearer within a few seconds before starting the assist, and outputs the assist torque after the determination. The heavy duty assist suit 100 is intended to assist a healthy person, and there is no practical problem even if there is no assistance for several seconds at the start of the operation.

  FIG. 7 is a flowchart showing a processing procedure of parameter rewriting sequence processing. The parameter update includes an update by manual input and an update by input in the teaching mode. When step A12 shown in FIG. 6 is executed, the central control unit 113 proceeds to step B11.

  In step B11, the central control unit 113 determines whether or not the teaching mode is set based on the information received from the handy terminal 150. The central control unit 113 proceeds to step B12 when in the teaching mode, and proceeds to step B15 when not in the teaching mode.

  In step B12, the central control unit 113 turns off the assist. The central control unit 113 stops the assist by the power assist electric motor 1 while the assist is off, without executing the posture information input sequence process of step A13 and the hip joint control sequence process of step A14 shown in FIG. Return to Step A12.

  In step B13, the central control unit 113 detects the left and right hip joint angles β sent from the motor drivers 121 and 122, the detection results by the toe SW133 and the heel SW134 sent from the right foot unit 130, and the left foot unit 140. Necessary for judging the intended motion of the wearer by analyzing the walking motion, upper body motion, and middle waist motion of the wearer based on the detection results of the toe SW143 and the heel SW144 sent from Generate the correct parameters. Among the generated parameters, teaching parameter parameter Nos. “41” to “45” are obtained by this operation analysis.

  In step B14, the central control unit 113 transmits the generated parameter to the handy terminal 150, and ends the parameter rewriting sequence process. The parameter transmitted to the handy terminal 150 is confirmed by the wearer at the handy terminal 150. The confirmed parameters are validated by retransmitting them to the handy terminal 150.

  In step B15, the central control unit 113 receives parameters from the handy terminal 150, and sets the received parameters. In step B16, the central control unit 113 turns on the assist and ends the parameter rewriting sequence process. The reason for turning on the assist after updating the parameters is to ensure the safety of the wearer.

  FIG. 8 is a flowchart showing the processing procedure of the posture information input sequence process. When step A13 shown in FIG. 6 is executed, the central control unit 113 proceeds to step C11.

  In step C11, the central control unit 113 reads the floor reaction force switch and detects the presence or absence of the floor reaction force. The floor reaction force switches are the toe SW 133 and the heel SW 134 of the right sole unit 130, and the toe SW 143 and the heel SW 144 of the left sole unit 140. Specifically, the central control unit 113 receives the detection results of the toe SW 133 and the heel SW 134 from the right foot unit 130 and receives the detection results of the toe SW 143 and the heel SW 144 from the left foot unit 140.

  In step C12, the central control unit 113 reads the angle of the motor encoder. Specifically, the central control unit 113 determines the rotation angle of the rotating shaft of the power assist electric motor 1, that is, the hip joint angle β from the encoder included in the power assist electric motor 1 via the motor drivers 121 and 122. Read. In step C13, the central control unit 113 calculates the hip joint angular velocity, that is, the angular velocity of the rotational angle of the rotating shaft of the power assist electric motor 1, and ends the posture information input sequence process. The encoder included in the electric motor 1 for power assist is an angle detection unit.

  FIG. 9 is a flowchart showing a processing procedure of the hip joint control sequence processing. Steps D11 and D12 are processes for walking motion. Steps D13 and D14 are processes for the upper body motion. Steps D15 and D16 are processes for the middle waist movement. Processing for walking motion, processing for upper body motion, and processing for middle waist motion are processed in parallel. When step A14 shown in FIG. 6 is executed, the central control unit 113 proceeds to steps D11, D13, and D15.

  In step D11, the central control unit 113 performs walking determination. Specifically, the central control unit 113 determines whether or not a walking motion is being performed based on the hip joint angle β and the floor reaction force. In step D12, the central control unit 113 performs walking control. Specifically, when performing the walking motion, the central control unit 113, based on the hip joint angle β and the floor reaction force that change from time to time, assist torque and holding legs on the free leg side for assisting the walking motion. Side assist torque is calculated.

  In step D13, the central control unit 113 performs upper body determination. Specifically, the central control unit 113 determines whether or not a body motion is being performed based on the hip joint angle β and the floor reaction force. The upper body motion is an operation of bending the upper body and then raising the upper body. In step D14, the central control unit 113 performs upper body control. Specifically, the central control unit 113 calculates an assist torque for assisting the body motion when performing the body motion. The central control unit 113 calculates assist torque proportional to the hip joint angle β required for both legs.

In step D15, the central control unit 113 performs middle waist determination. Specifically, the central control unit 113 determines whether or not the middle waist movement is performed based on the hip joint angle β and the floor reaction force. The middle waist motion is a motion in a middle waist posture. In step D16, the central control unit 113 performs middle waist control. Specifically, the central control unit 113 calculates an assist torque for assisting the middle waist motion when performing the middle waist motion. The central control unit 113 calculates assist torque proportional to the hip joint angle β required for both legs. Steps D11 to D16 are calculation steps.

  In step D17, the central control unit 113 makes a determination according to preset priorities for walking control, upper body control, and middle waist control. In step D18, which is a driving step, the central control unit 113 follows the priorities. The motor drivers 121 and 122 are controlled so as to output the calculated assist torque, the power assist electric motor 1 is driven, and the hip joint control sequence process ends.

  In the present embodiment, the priority is set in advance so that the priority of the body control is the highest, the priority of the middle waist control follows, and the priority of the walking control is the lowest. This priority order is determined in particular to assist farm work, but the priority order of walking control, upper body control, and middle waist control can be appropriately changed as necessary.

  As described above, in the present embodiment, by setting priorities for the walking control, the upper body control, and the middle waist control in advance, the operation is estimated by the central control unit 113 instead of the wearer side, and the walking control, Clearly separated so that upper body control and middle waist control are not mixed.

  FIG. 10 is a flowchart illustrating a processing procedure of the walking determination process. In the walking determination process, the transition ratio from the stopped state to the walking is calculated based on the change of the hip joint angle β and the floor reaction force switch in the posture information of the wearer by the procedure of steps E11 to E20. When step D11 shown in FIG. 9 is executed, the central control unit 113 proceeds to steps E11 and E15.

  In step E11, the central control unit 113 differentiates the hip joint angle β. In step E12, the central control unit 113 calculates the angular velocity. That is, the central control unit 113 sets the value obtained by differentiating the hip joint angle β in step E11 as the hip joint angular velocity. In step E13, the central control unit 113 detects walking determination points for the left and right feet. In step E14, the central control unit 113 determines whether or not the hip joint angular velocity is in the walking state, and the hip joint angular velocity is the walking. When in a state, the generation point of the hip joint angular velocity is set as a walking determination point. Specifically, the point where the hip joint angular velocity exceeds the “flexion side” parameter 41 is defined as the “flexion start point”, and the point where the hip joint angular velocity exceeds the “extension side” parameter 42 is defined as the “extension start point”. Judged that he was in a walking state.

  In step E15, the central control unit 113 calculates the ground contact state of the foot based on the floor reaction force data of the wearer. In step E16, the central control unit 113 obtains a change point of the ground state, and step E17. Then, the central control unit 113 determines whether the grounding state is a walking state, and sets it as a grounding determination point. The bending judgment point and the grounding judgment point are combined into a walking judgment point.

  In step E18, the central control unit 113 clears the time integration timer at the walking determination point. The time integration timer is a timer built in the central control unit 113, and is a timer that continues integration from power-on until it is cleared. Since the time integration timer is cleared at the walking determination point, the integration value of the time integration timer does not increase beyond a certain value. Therefore, the central control unit 113 can determine whether or not the user is walking based on the integrated value of the time integration timer.

  In step E19, the central control unit 113 determines to continue walking based on the time integration timer value, that is, the integration value of the time integration timer. That is, the central control unit 113 determines whether or not walking is continued based on a time integration timer value until the walking determination point returns to the walking determination point again. In step E20, the central control unit 113 calculates a walking determination ratio and ends the walking determination process.

  As for the walking ratio (%), if the above-mentioned constant value is “constant time” of parameter No. “43” and the upper limit of the integrated value is “increase” of parameter No. “44”, Can be obtained as the “walking ratio”.

(Equation 1)
Walking ratio (%) = (Integrated value of time integration timer) ÷ (“Increase” 44) × 100
The walking ratio (%) changes from 0% to 100% during the “increase” time of parameter No “44”.

  If the state without the walking point continues, the integrated value becomes equal to or longer than the “certain time” of the parameter No “43”. At this time, it can be determined that the user is not walking. At this time, the “walking ratio” is decreased to shift the degree of determination of walking to 0%. The parameter No “45” changes from 100% to 0% in the “decrease” time.

  FIG. 11 is a flowchart illustrating a processing procedure of the walking control process. In the walking control process, the free leg side torque and the holding leg side torque required during walking are calculated based on the hip joint angle β and the presence or absence of floor reaction force that change from moment to moment in the posture information of the wearer. . When step D12 shown in FIG. 9 is executed, the central control unit 113 proceeds to step F11.

  In step F11, the central control unit 113 detects the start of assist. Specifically, the central control unit 113 detects that the leg on the free leg side is positioned at the walking determination point. In step F12, the central control unit 113 calculates the assist torque on the free leg side. In step F13, the central control unit 113 calculates the assist torque on the holding leg side. In step F14, the central control unit 113 calculates the walking assist torque by performing correction based on the walking ratio.

  FIG. 12 is a flowchart showing a processing procedure for calculating the assist torque on the free leg side. When step F12 shown in FIG. 11 is executed, the central control unit 113 proceeds to step F21.

  In step F21, the central control unit 113 determines whether or not it is a free leg, and if it is determined that it is a free leg, the process proceeds to step F22 and reads the hip joint angle β. If it is determined that the leg is not a free leg, the calculation process is terminated. If it is determined that the leg is a swing leg, the walking sequence is executed in order of “starting swinging” → “being raised” → “starting swinging” → “being shaken”, and is finished when the swinging is completed. .

When the heel SW detects the lift of the foot, it is determined that the foot is “starting to swing up”, and the “maximum holding” torque of the parameter No. “01” is set to the “acceleration time” of the parameter No. “03” on the swing side in step F23. Is output. If the swing-up operation continues even after the acceleration time has elapsed, it is determined as “raising”, and in step F22, based on “maximum holding” in parameter No “01” and “proportional range” in parameter No “02” The assist torque to the swing up in proportion to the read hip joint angle β is output (step F24). When the hip joint angle β reaches or exceeds the “return angle” of the parameter No. “04”, it is determined as “start of swinging”, and the “return angle” of the parameter No. “04” in the swinging direction including “being swung”. Based on the “return output” of the parameter No. “05”, an assist torque proportional to the hip joint angle β is output (step F25). However, parameter No “
The torque is cut within the “dead zone” of “13”. Further, in order to prevent a sudden torque change from being a burden on the wearer, the output torque is adjusted in accordance with the “increase rate” of parameter No. “07” in step F26.

  FIG. 13 is a flowchart showing a processing procedure for calculating the assist torque on the holding leg side. When step F13 shown in FIG. 11 is executed, the central control unit 113 proceeds to step F31.

  In step F31, the central control unit 113 determines whether or not it is a holding leg. If it is determined that it is a holding leg, the process proceeds to step F32. If it is determined that it is not a holding leg, the central control unit 113 The calculation process ends. If it is determined that the leg is a holding leg, a torque for holding the upright posture is output.

  In step F32, the central control unit 113 reads the hip joint angle β. In step F33, the central control unit 113 determines that the parameter No “11” is “maximum holding” and the parameter No “12” is “proportional range”. The holding torque proportional to the hip joint angle β is calculated. However, the torque is cut within the “dead zone” of parameter No. “13”. Further, in order to prevent a sudden torque change from being a burden on the wearer, the torque is adjusted according to the “increase rate” of parameter No. “07” and output in step F34.

  FIG. 14 is a flowchart illustrating the processing procedure of the body determination process. In the upper body determination process, it is determined whether the hip joint is bent and then the upper body is to be raised using the posture information of the wearer. When step D13 shown in FIG. 9 is executed, the central control unit 113 proceeds to step G11.

  In step G11, the central control unit 113 reads the hip joint angular velocity. In step G12, the central control unit 113 detects a body bending motion start point. Specifically, the position where the hip joint angular velocity calculated in step G11 exceeds the “bending side” of the parameter No “41” is detected, and that position is set as the body bending motion start point. In step G13, the central control unit 113 waits for detection of the start switch. When the switch is detected ON, the central control unit 113 starts the body control output, and returns to the “dead zone” of the parameter No “24”. Control has ended (steps G14 to G16).

  FIG. 15 is a flowchart illustrating a processing procedure of the body control process. When step D14 shown in FIG. 9 is executed, the central control unit 113 proceeds to step H11. In step H11, the central control unit 113 calculates an assist torque proportional to the hip joint angle β required for both legs. Within the “acceleration time” of parameter No. “23” immediately after the start of body control, the hip joint angle β at the start is based on “maximum holding” of parameter No. “21” and “proportional range” of parameter No. “22”. Is output (step H12), and after the acceleration time, a torque corresponding to the hip joint angle β is set (step H13). However, in order to prevent a sudden torque change from becoming a burden on the wearer, the output torque output is adjusted in accordance with the “increase rate” of parameter No. “25” in step H14.

  FIG. 16 is a flowchart illustrating a processing procedure of the middle waist determination processing. In the middle waist determination process, the middle waist posture is determined using the posture information of the wearer. When step D15 shown in FIG. 9 is executed, the central control unit 113 proceeds to step K11.

In step K11, the central control unit 113 reads the hip joint angular velocity. In step K12, the central control unit 113 detects the middle waist movement start point. Specifically, a position where the hip joint angular velocity calculated in step K11 exceeds the “flexion side” of the parameter No “41” is detected,
This position is used as the middle waist movement start point. When the “upper body control” does not start even after the “waiting time” of the parameter No. “33” elapses, it is determined that the middle waist control starts, and the middle waist control is performed until the “dead zone” of the parameter No. “34” is detected. (Steps K13 to K15).

  FIG. 17 is a flowchart illustrating a processing procedure of the middle waist control processing. When step D16 shown in FIG. 9 is executed, the central control unit 113 proceeds to step L11. In step L11, an assist torque proportional to the hip joint angle β required for both legs is calculated.

  After starting the middle waist, calculate the torque required to maintain the middle waist from the hip joint angle β at the start in step L11 based on the “maximum holding” of the parameter No “31” and the “proportional range” of the parameter No “32”. Yes. However, in order to prevent a sudden torque change from becoming a burden on the wearer, the output torque is adjusted in step L12 according to the “increase rate” of parameter No. “35”.

  In the heavy work assist suit 100, the power assist electric motor 1 is disposed on both the left and right sides of the hip joint in order to power assist the lumbar spine. In order to make the power assist electric motor 1 back-dryable, that is, to enable the drive device to be moved from the wearer side, the reduction ratio of the reduction gear added to the power assist electric motor 1 is set to 1. The output of the power assisting electric motor 1 is limited so that the wearer cannot produce more force than the wearer can achieve, and a sufficient assist force is ensured in the anti-gravity direction.

  Thus, since the heavy duty assist suit 100 makes the power assist electric motor 1 being used back-dryable, the reduction ratio of the reduction gear added to the power assist electric motor 1 is about 1/100. Since the output of the electric motor 1 for power assist is limited so that the wearer cannot produce more force than the wearer can reduce, the safety of the wearer can be ensured.

  The heavy work assist suit 100 is an assist mechanism to which the electric motor 1 for power assist is attached, and is driven by the passive rotary shafts 6, 11 to 13, 24, 35 so as not to hinder the wearer's operation other than the assist direction. A rotating shaft to which no device is attached is arranged around the outside of the joint of the target wearer.

  In this way, the heavy duty assist suit 100 has the passive rotary shafts 6, 11 to 13, 24, and 35 around the outside of the joints of the target wearer so as not to hinder the wearer's movements in directions other than the assist direction. Since it arrange | positions, a wearer's operation | movement is not restrained.

  The heavy work assist suit 100 has a mechanism and control capable of simultaneously power assisting the lumbar spine and the hip joint in the work of lifting and transporting heavy objects. The heavy duty assist suit 100 power assists the lumbar spine to prevent back pain and power assists the hip joint to assist walking. As described above, the heavy duty assist suit 100 can power assist the lumbar spine and the hip joint at the same time in order to assist walking while preventing back pain.

  Further, the heavy duty assist suit 100 does not use the weak surface myoelectric potential signal that flows to the muscle when trying to move the muscle, and the rotational torque necessary to move the body in various work postures of the wearer. Since the assist torque is calculated by dynamically calculating the surface myoelectric potential sensor, there is no troublesomeness. Thus, the heavy work assist suit 100 is practical without the trouble of wearing the surface myoelectric potential sensor.

  In addition, the heavy work assist suit 100 calculates the assist torque by dynamically calculating the torque required to move the body in various working postures of the wearer, not the motion pattern reproduction method. , There is no discontinuity when switching operations. As described above, the heavy work assist suit 100 does not need to store a large number of operation patterns in a database, and does not become discontinuous when the operation is switched.

  In addition, the spring type or rubber type passive method can power assist in only one direction, but the heavy duty assist suit 100 is an active method using the power assist electric motor 1 and assists in both directions. Can do.

  In this way, the two electric motors 1 for power assist are arranged in the vicinity of both sides of the wearer's hip joint in the left-right direction, and follow the movements of the wearer's upper body and thigh in the direction of the upper body and thigh. A drive torque for assisting the movement of the part is generated. The upper body frame is attached to the chest and waist of the wearer and holds the two electric motors 1 for power assist. The two lower limb assist arms have one end fixed to the fixed side of the power assist electric motor 1 and the other end attached to the side of the thigh. Therefore, the heavy work assist suit 100 can assist the lifting operation and the walking operation of the heavy load with a small number of drive sources, that is, the two power assist electric motors 1 provided on both sides of the waist.

  Further, the body frame includes a body assist arm, a main frame, a vertical connection unit, a passive rotating shaft 24 and a passive rotating shaft 35. The upper body assist arm is attached to the chest of the wearer. The main frame holds the two power assist electric motors 1 at both ends, extends between the two power assist electric motors 1 along the back of the waist of the wearer, and is attached to the wearer's waist. The The passive rotating shaft 24 and the passive rotating shaft 35 connect the upper body assist arm and the main frame so as to be rotatable about the front-rear axis and the vertical axis. Therefore, the heavy duty assist suit 100 restrains the movement of the upper body in the left-right direction and the rotation of the upper body, compared to the case where the upper body assist arm and the main frame are connected to each other at two positions. In addition, the lifting operation and the walking operation of heavy objects can be assisted.

  Further, the central control unit 113 reduces the calculated drive torque to a reduction ratio that is less than or equal to a reduction ratio at which a wearer can drive the two power assist electric motors 1 in the opposite directions. It is generated in the electric motor 1 for power assist. Therefore, the heavy work assist suit 100 can ensure the safety of the wearer.

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Electric motor for power assistance 2,3,7-10,20-22 Frame 4 Waist frame 5 Back frame 6,11-13,24,35 Passive rotating shaft 14 Receiving part 15,18,26-28,32 Belt 16 , 17, 25, 30 Belt holder 19 Cushion 23 Connector 29 Chest guide 31 Fastener 33 Control box 34 Driver storage box 36 Side-fall prevention spring 37 Angle adjustment mechanism

Claims (5)

It is placed near both the left and right sides of the wearer's waist or hip joint, and generates driving torque to assist the movement of the upper body and thigh in the direction to follow the movement of the upper body and thigh of the wearer. Two rotational drive units to
An upper body frame that is attached to the chest and waist of the wearer and to which either one of the rotation shaft and the fixed end side of the two rotation driving units is fixed;
Two thigh frames, one end of which is fixed to one of the rotation shaft and the fixed end of the rotation drive unit, and the other end is attached to the side of the thigh;
The upper body frame is
A waist frame that holds the two rotational drive parts at both ends, extends between the two rotational drive parts along the back of the waist of the wearer, and is attached to the waist of the wearer;
An upper body assist arm that is rotatably connected to the waist frame around a longitudinal axis and a vertical axis;
The upper body assist arm is
A flexible breast pad that is mounted on the chest of the wearer and transmits the driving force of the two rotational drive units to the chest of the wearer;
A U-shaped side frame having a straight portion passing through the back of the waist and extending from one side of the chest of the wearer to the other side of the chest of the wearer;
A pair of belt holders formed with belt through holes, attached to the end portions of the side frames;
A pair of first belts connecting the end of the side frame and the breast pad;
An expansion / contraction adjustment mechanism for adjusting a belt length provided on the pair of first belts,
The pair of first belts includes one of the first belts inserted into the belt through hole of one of the belt holders, and one end and the other end of the pair of first belts. Two corners on the other side in the lateral direction of the breast pad in a state where the other first belt is fixed to the corner and the other first belt is inserted through the belt through hole of the other belt holder. A power assist robot apparatus, which is fixed to the robot. The upper body assist arm is
A pair of second belts connecting the breast pad to the straight part of the side frame from two corners arranged on the upper side of the breast pad toward the back through the shoulder of the wearer;
A pair of third belts connecting two corners disposed on the lower side of the breast pad to the end of the waist frame;
The power assist robot apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising an expansion / contraction adjustment mechanism for adjusting a belt length, which is provided on the second belt and the third belt . The breastplate piece, power assist robot apparatus according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that it is configured to be separated into left and right. The power assist robot apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the breast pad piece is formed of a leather material. The breastplate piece is formed in a substantially rectangular shape, the power according to at least one of its upper and lower ends, it any one of claims 1-4, characterized in that notched in a substantially arcuate shape Assist robot device.

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