JP6849192B2 - Muscle strength assisting device and operating device - Google Patents

Description

The present invention relates to a muscular strength assisting device that outputs an assisting force acting on the wearer's body, and an operating device for the muscular strength assisting device.

For example, as disclosed in Patent Document 1, a wearable muscular strength assisting device is being developed. This muscular strength assisting device is a wearable device that assists the muscular strength of the wearer when the wearer operates.

The muscular strength assisting device disclosed in Patent Document 1 assists the lifting operation of a load. This muscular strength assisting device has a hook portion for hooking on a load, and the hook portion is towed by a crane-type mechanism. The wearer can lift the luggage by putting his / her hand on the hook portion hung on the luggage and operating the switch provided on the hook portion. However, the muscular strength assisting device disclosed in Patent Document 1 requires a hook portion and a crane-type mechanism. The wearer of the strength assisting device must withstand not only the weight of the load to be lifted, but also the load of the strength assisting device including the hook portion and the crane mechanism.

In order to eliminate such problems, research is being conducted on a muscular strength assisting device in which an assisting force acts on the wearer's body instead of the luggage. However, since the wearer of such a muscular strength assisting device needs to operate the switches of the muscular strength assisting device while holding his / her hand on the load to be lifted, the operability of the muscular strength assisting device is significantly reduced. It is also conceivable to operate the muscle strength assisting device according to the detection result by the sensor without using switches. For example, the assist force is output when a specific motion other than the wearer's hand is detected by the sensor or when the load of the load is detected by the sensor. However, when the sensor is used, the assist force may not be output even though it is intended, or the assist force may be output unintentionally. In addition, the load may damage the sensor.

Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 2015-182832

The present invention has been made in consideration of the above points, and an object of the present invention is to improve the operability of the muscle strength assisting device.

The first muscular strength assisting device according to the present invention is
A force supply unit that outputs the force acting on the wearer's body,
The input unit operated by the wearer and
It includes a control unit that causes the power supply unit to start an operation of outputting the force with a delay of a preset time after the input unit is operated.

The second muscular strength assisting device according to the present invention is
An input unit held at any position of the wearer's hand that can be operated with the thumb of the wearer's hand,
A force supply unit that outputs a force acting on the wearer's body by operating the input unit is provided.

In the first or second muscular strength assisting device according to the present invention, the input unit may be provided apart from the force supply unit.

In the first or second muscular strength assisting device according to the present invention, the input portion may be attached to the body.

In the first or second muscular strength assisting device according to the present invention, the input portion may be held by a finger.

In the first or second muscle strength assisting device according to the present invention, the input unit may be held at any position of the one hand that can be operated by the thumb of the one hand.

In the first or second muscular strength assisting device according to the present invention, the operation of the force supply unit may be stopped when a preset second time elapses after the input unit is operated.

In the first or second muscle strength assisting device according to the present invention, the input unit may have a deformable bag body and a pressure sensor that detects the pressure inside the bag body.

The first or second muscle strength assisting device according to the present invention may further include a notification unit for notifying that the input unit has been operated.

The first or second muscular strength assisting device according to the present invention may further include a notification unit that notifies the state of the power supply unit.

In the first or second muscular strength assisting device according to the present invention, when the input unit is operated again between the time when the input unit is operated and the time when the preset time elapses, the control unit is operated again. The operation of the actuator may not be started. That is, the control unit may invalidate the first operation if the input unit is operated again before the preset time elapses after the input unit is operated.

The operating device according to the present invention
The input unit operated by the wearer of the muscular strength assisting device that outputs the force acting on the wearer's body, and
The control unit includes a control unit that starts the operation of the force supply unit of the muscle strength assisting device that outputs the force acting on the wearer's body with a delay of a preset time after the input unit is operated.

In the second muscular strength assisting device according to the present invention, the input unit may be provided apart from the control unit.

According to the present invention, the operability of the muscle strength assisting device can be improved.

FIG. 1 is a view for explaining one embodiment of the present invention, and is a side view showing a muscle strength assisting device together with a wearer. FIG. 2 is a rear view of FIG. FIG. 3 is a diagram for explaining the operation of the muscular strength assisting device of FIG. 1, and is a side view showing the muscular strength assisting device together with a wearer who is bent forward. FIG. 4 is a diagram for explaining the operation of the muscular strength assisting device of FIG. 1, and is a side view showing the muscular strength assisting device together with the wearer during the standing up operation. FIG. 5 is a diagram for explaining the operation of the muscular strength assisting device of FIG. 1, and is a side view showing the muscular strength assisting device together with a standing wearer. FIG. 6 is a plan view showing an operating device that can be included in the muscle strength assisting device of FIG. FIG. 7 is a perspective view showing a state in which the operating device of FIG. 6 is attached. FIG. 8 is a perspective view showing a state in which the operating device of FIG. 6 is being operated. FIG. 9 is a flowchart showing an example of the control flow of the muscle strength assisting device of FIG.

Hereinafter, an embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. 1 to 9 are views for explaining an embodiment of the present invention and a modification thereof. Of these, FIGS. 1 to 5 show a specific example of the muscle strength assisting device together with the wearer. Although some configurations of the control unit 11, the pressure source 23, the second notification unit 56, etc., which will be described later, are shown in any of the drawings, they may be omitted in any of the other drawings. ..

As shown in FIGS. 1 to 5, the muscle strength assisting device 10 is a device that assists the movement of the wearer H by applying an assisting force to the body of the wearer H. The muscular strength assisting device 10 according to the present embodiment includes a muscular strength assisting device main body 15 having a force supply unit 20, an input device 50 having an input unit 51, and a muscular strength assisting device main body 15 in response to an operation on the input unit 51. It has a control unit (controller) 11 for controlling the above. The muscular strength assisting device main body 15 generates and outputs a force acting on the body of the wearer H (hereinafter, also referred to as “assist force”) by the force supply unit 20. When the input unit 51 of the input device 50 is intended to output the assist force, for example, the wearer H inputs an operation. That is, the wearer H performs a clear operation of starting the operation on the input device 50.

As the wearer H, for example, a worker in a factory, a worker at a construction site, a farm worker, a long-term care worker, a person receiving long-term care, a patient undergoing rehabilitation, or the like is assumed. In particular, the muscular strength assisting device 10 according to the present embodiment described below is devised to improve the operability of the muscular strength assisting device. More specifically, the wearer H can receive the action of the assist force with a sufficient posture after operating the input unit 51. Therefore, the muscular strength assisting device 10 according to the present embodiment is suitable for application to a device that assists the movement of the wearer H during work using a hand. As specific examples, the back and waist extension movements when lifting the luggage with the hands, the knee extension movements when lifting the luggage with the hands, or the arm bending movements when lifting the luggage with the hands. As the assisting device, the muscle strength assisting device 10 according to the present embodiment can be particularly preferably used.

Hereinafter, the muscular strength assisting device 10 according to the embodiment will be described with reference to the illustrated specific example. As described above, the muscular strength assisting device 10 includes the muscular strength assisting device main body 15, the input device 50, and the control unit (controller) 11 as main components. In addition, "upper", "lower", "left", "right" and the like used in the following description are "upper", "lower", "left" based on the wearer H of the standing muscle strength assisting device 10. , "Right". Further, the "width direction" coincides with the "left-right direction".

The muscular strength assisting device main body 15 shown in FIGS. 1 to 5 has a first attachment (first attachment) 30 attached to the first portion P1 of the human body and a second attachment (second attachment) P2 of the human body. It has a second attachment 40, which is attached to the body. Further, a force supply unit 20 including actuators 21 and 22 is provided between the first mounting tool 30 and the second mounting tool 40. By driving the actuators 21 and 22, the first fitting 30 and the second fitting 40 operate relative to each other. The driving force from the actuators 21 and 22 at this time serves as an assisting force that assists the relative operation between the first portion P1 to which the first attachment 30 is attached and the second portion P2 to which the second attachment 40 is attached. It acts on the wearer H.

In the examples shown in FIGS. 1 to 5, the first fitting 30 is attached to the upper part of the upper body, more specifically, the upper part of the back or the shoulder part. On the other hand, the second fitting 40 is attached to the lumbar region of the human body of the wearer H. The muscular strength assisting device 10 assists the relative movement of the first portion P1 and the second portion P2 with the waist and the spine as flexion sites. In particular, in the illustrated example, the muscular force assisting device 10 relatively operates the second fitting 40 and the first fitting 30 by the output of the force from the force supply unit 20, that is, by driving the actuators 21 and 22. , Assists the movement of lifting the upper body (back extension movement) shown in FIG. 5 from the state in which the upper body is tilted forward and bent forward as shown in FIG. However, the muscular strength assisting device 10 is not limited to the following description, and may assist the movement of the human body with the shoulder, knee, or the like as a flexion portion (movable part), or assist various other movements. It may be.

Hereinafter, each component of the muscle strength assisting device 10 will be described in detail in order.

First, the first attachment 30 will be described. As shown in FIGS. 1 to 5, the first fitting 30 has a first base member 31 arranged at an upper portion of the human body, in the illustrated example, at a position facing the scapula, and the first base member 31 of the human body. It has a mounting member 32 for holding it on top. The first base member 31 is made of, for example, resin or metal, and is a plate-shaped member having a certain degree of rigidity. The first base member 31 is a portion of the first fitting 30 that is directly connected to the force supply unit 20. That is, an assist force is applied from the force supply unit 20 to the first base member 31. The assist force applied to the first base member 31 acts on the human body of the wearer H via the mounting member 32.

The mounting member 32 is made of a flexible material, for example a sewn product. The mounting member 32 is configured to enable the first base member 31 to be stably mounted on the human body. In the illustrated example, the mounting member 32 has four belt-like portions that pass over both shoulders and underarms. The mounting member 32 can be brought into close contact with the body of the wearer H without forming a large gap with the body of the wearer H. When the assist force is output from the force supply unit 20, the mounting member 32 can effectively suppress its deformation and misalignment on the human body. Therefore, the assist force applied to the first base member 31 can be applied to the body of the wearer H with high efficiency via the mounting member 32.

Next, the second attachment 40 will be described. As shown in FIGS. 1 to 5, the second attachment 40 includes a second base member 41 arranged on the lumbar region of the human body and a fixed belt-shaped member 42 for holding the second base member 41 on the lumbar region. And have. The second base member 41 is made of, for example, resin or metal, and has a certain degree of rigidity. The illustrated second base member 41 is a plate-shaped member. The second base member 41 is a portion of the second fitting 40 that is directly connected to the force supply unit 20. That is, an assist force is applied from the force supply unit 20 to the second base member 41. The assist force applied to the second base member 41 acts on the body of the wearer H via the fixed belt-shaped member 42.

The fixed belt-shaped member 42 is attached to the body of the wearer H so as to orbit the body on the waist. Such a fixed belt-shaped member 42 can effectively prevent the wearer H from falling off from the body. As a result, the assist force applied to the second base member 41 can be applied to the body of the wearer H with high efficiency via the fixed belt-shaped member 42.

Next, the power supply unit 20 will be described in detail. As described above, the power supply unit 20 has a first actuator 21 and a second actuator 22. The illustrated force supply unit 20 further includes a movable member 26. The movable member 26 is operably connected to the second base member 41 of the second attachment 40. The movable member 26 is connected to the second base member 41 at its lower end. In the illustrated example, the movable member 26 can swing with respect to the second base member 41 about the swing axis centered in the horizontal direction. A first actuator 21 is provided between the first fitting 30 and the movable member 26. A second actuator 22 is provided between the second attachment 40 and the movable member 26.

The first actuator 21 has a longitudinal direction, and its total length can be changed. The first actuator 21 has a telescopic member 21a capable of changing the length between both ends. In particular, in the illustrated example, the first actuator 21 outputs a pulling force, that is, a pulling force between both ends thereof. Therefore, the first actuator 21 is configured to exhibit a certain degree of rigidity with respect to a tensile force. The illustrated first actuator 21 has a telescopic member 21a that exhibits a certain degree of rigidity with respect to a tensile force, and a connector 21b that is connected to both ends of the telescopic member 21a.

The first actuator 21 is connected to the first base member 31 of the first mounting tool 30 via the connecting tool 21b on one side, which is the upper end side thereof. The first actuator 21 is connected to the movable member 26 via a connector 21b on the other side, which is the lower end side thereof. In particular, the illustrated connection position JP of the first actuator 21 to the movable member 26 is connected to a portion of the movable member 26 near the upper end away from the swing axis with respect to the second base member 41.

As shown in FIG. 2, the illustrated muscle strength assisting device 10 has a single first actuator 21. However, the muscle strength assisting device 10 may have a plurality of first actuators 21 arranged side by side in the width direction.

The connector 21b is made of, for example, metal or leather and has a certain degree of tensile strength. That is, the connecting tool 21b can transmit the pulling force to the mounting tools 30 and 40 without being significantly stretched by the pulling force output from the telescopic member 21a. As a specific example, the connector 21b is configured by an opening / closing hook such as a carabiner. Even if a plurality of openable / closable hooks such as a carabiner are connected, they can effectively resist the pulling force. Further, the first actuator 21 can be easily attached to the attachments 30 and 40 via the connector 21b. Further, by changing the number of openable / closable hooks, the length of the first actuator 21 can be easily adjusted according to the wearer's body.

The telescopic member 21a is configured as a fluid injection type actuator (so-called artificial muscle type actuator) in the illustrated example. The fluid injection type actuator is also called a balloon actuator. The force supply unit 20 further has a pressure source 23 (see FIG. 1). The fluid injection type actuator is made of a sealing material (airtight material or liquidtight material), for example, a resin material such as soft vinyl chloride, or rubber as a member that can be expanded or expanded by the fluid supplied from the pressure source 23. There is. As can be understood from the comparison of FIGS. 4 and 5, the total length of the telescopic member 21a can be shortened by being supplied with a fluid from the pressure source 23 and expanding. By shortening the telescopic member 21a, a contraction force is exerted, and this contraction force acts as a pulling force on the first attachment 30 and the second attachment 40. However, the telescopic member 21a is not limited to the fluid injection type actuator, and a combination of a rack and a pinion, an electric actuator including a ball screw, a cam mechanism, a link mechanism and the like, a fluid pressure cylinder, a spring and the like are used as the telescopic member 21a. be able to.

Next, the second actuator 22 will be described. In the illustrated example, the second actuator 22 is provided between the second base member 41 and the movable member 26 of the second fitting 40. The second actuator 22 is connected to the second base member 41 and the movable member 26 of the second fitting 40. By operating the second actuator 22, the movable member 26 can swing with respect to the second base member 41. When the movable member 26 swings with respect to the second fitting 40 by driving the second actuator 22, the connection position JP of the first actuator 21 to the movable member 26 may be separated rearward from the second base member 41. it can.

In the second actuator 22, the second actuator 22 is a member that can be expanded by a fluid supplied from the pressure source 23 (see FIG. 2), and is a sealing material (airtight material or liquidtight material), for example, a resin such as soft vinyl chloride. Made from materials and rubber. As a specific example, the second actuator 22 can be formed of a bellows made of resin or rubber.

However, the second actuator 22 is not limited to the illustrated example, and various configurations can be adopted. For example, the configuration described in WO2016 / 140361A1 can be adopted as the second actuator 22. Specifically, a combination of a rack and a pinion, an electric actuator including a ball screw, a cam mechanism, a link mechanism and the like, a fluid pressure cylinder, a spring and the like can be used as the second actuator 22. Further, the relative movement of the movable member 26 with respect to the first base member 31 is not limited to swinging, and various movements such as translational movement in which the movable member 26 can be separated rearward from the first base member 31 can be adopted. it can.

In the illustrated example, the pressure source 23 (see FIG. 1) can supply fluid to both the first actuator 21 and the second actuator 22. A gas or liquid can be used as the fluid supplied from the pressure source 23. In combination with the first actuator 21 made of a fluid injection type actuator, it is preferable that gas is supplied from the pressure source 23. The first actuator 21 and the second actuator 22 may be supplied with fluid from different pressure sources. Further, when at least one of the first actuator 21 and the second actuator 22 is configured as an electric actuator, it is possible to eliminate the need for supplying fluid to the actuator.

The supply and stop of the supply of the fluid from the pressure source 23 are controlled by the control unit 11. The control unit 11 can control the supply and stop of the supply of the fluid from the pressure source 23 by, for example, controlling the operation of the control valve provided in the flow path from the pressure source 23 to the actuators 21 and 22. it can. The control unit 11 controls the supply and stop of the fluid supply of the pressure source 23 based on the operation to the input unit 51, the detection result by the sensor attached to the muscle strength assisting device 10, and the like.

Examples of the sensor attached to the muscle strength assisting device 10 include a displacement sensor, a speed sensor, and an acceleration sensor. By calculating the detection result of any of the displacement sensor, the speed sensor, and the acceleration sensor, for example, the relative displacement of the second fitting 40 and the first fitting 30, the relative displacement of the second fitting 40 and the first fitting 30 The velocity, the relative acceleration of the second fitting 40 and the first fitting 30, and the relative jerk of the second fitting 40 and the first fitting 30 can be specified.

As an example, the control unit 11 inputs a CPU as a calculation means, a ROM for storing a program and parameters for controlling an assist force, and input values and calculation results from an input means such as an input device 50 or a sensor (not shown). It may have a microcomputer including a storage means such as a RAM or a ROM for temporarily storing, and an I / O that can be connected to the outside.

Next, the input device 50 will be described. As described above, the input device 50 has an input unit 51. By operating the input unit 51, the force can be output from the force supply unit 20. The input unit 51 can adopt various types such as a push button, a snap switch, and a touch panel type switch. In the illustrated example, the input device 50 has only one input unit 51, and is composed of the one input unit 51. However, the present invention is not limited to this example, and the input device 50 may include two or more input units of the same format or different formats.

As shown in FIG. 6, the input unit 51 is electrically connected to the control unit 11. The control unit 11 can detect whether or not the input unit 51 of the input device 50 is operated. The control unit 11 operates the power supply unit 20 when the input unit 51 is operated. That is, the input unit 51 functions as an operation switch for starting the output of the assist force. The input unit 51 and the control unit 11 constitute an operation device 70 for the muscular strength assisting device main body 15.

By using such an input unit 51, it is possible to reliably output the assist force when there is an intention to operate. However, the sensor may be used together with the input unit 51 so that the assist force is output not only when the input unit 51 is operated but also when the sensor detects a specific situation.

In the specific example shown in FIG. 6, the input unit 51 has a deformable bag body 52. In addition to the bag body 52, the input unit 51 further has a pressure sensor 53 that measures the pressure inside the bag body 52. Specifically, the measuring unit of the pressure sensor 53 is inserted into the opening of the bag body 52. The opening of the bag body 52 is sealed by the pressure sensor 53. That is, the inside of the bag body 52 is sealed. Therefore. When the bag body 52 is pushed from the outside, for example, by a finger, the internal pressure of the bag body 52 rises. The control unit 11 confirms that the pressure inside the bag 52 has risen based on the measurement result of the pressure sensor 53, and detects that the bag 52 has been pushed and an operation input has been made. It is also conceivable that the internal pressure of the bag body 52 increases when the bag body 52 unintentionally comes into contact with the outside. It is preferable to set the threshold value of the internal pressure detected as the operation input so that it can be distinguished from such an unintended increase in the internal pressure.

The inside of the bag 52 may be filled with air, or may be filled with nitrogen, which is said to be less likely to leak from the closed space than air. Further, the inside of the bag body 52 may be filled with a liquid such as oil or water instead of a gas. Further, as the material of the bag body 52, silicon rubber, natural rubber, synthetic rubber, vinyl, biomaterial, resin, cloth, paper, wood, carbon, metal, glass, gelatin and the like can be used.

In the example shown in FIG. 6, the bag body 52 has a columnar shape and has a circular shape in its cross section. However, the cross-sectional shape of the bag 52 is not limited to this example, and may be an ellipse, a quadrangle, a triangle, a rhombus, a trapezoid, a rectangle, a star, or a combination thereof. Further, the cross-sectional shape of the bag body 52 is not constant and may be changed at least in a part. For example, the bag body 52 may be wide at the tip portion separated from the pressure sensor 53. According to such an example, the tip portion can be easily pushed by, for example, the thumb.

The control unit 11 may determine that the input unit 51 has been operated when the input unit 51 is held in a state of being operated for a certain period of time. For example, when the internal pressure of the bag body 52 satisfies the standard for a time longer than a predetermined time or a time when the internal pressure exceeds a predetermined time, it is determined that the input unit 51 has been operated. It may be. Further, the control unit 11 may determine that the input unit 51 of the input device 50 has been operated when the input unit 51 is operated a predetermined number of times within a predetermined period. Further, the input device 50 has a plurality of input units 51, and the control unit 11 controls the control unit 11 when the plurality of input units 51 are operated at the same time or when the plurality of input units 51 are operated in a predetermined order. , It may be determined that the input unit 51 of the input device 50 has been operated. Alternatively, the control unit 11 is subject to a combination of two or more of the operation period of the input unit 51, the number of operated input units 51, the number of operations of the input unit 51, and the operation order of the input unit 51. Is satisfied, it may be determined that the input unit 51 has been operated. Further, when the operation of the input unit 51 satisfies a predetermined condition and the measurement result of the sensor satisfies the predetermined condition, it may be determined that the input unit 51 has been operated.

As shown in FIGS. 1, 7 and 8, the operating device 70 further includes an attachment 60 for fixing the input unit 51 (input device 50) to the body of the wearer H. The illustrated fixture 60 has a tubular member 61. The fixture 60 is covered by the index finger of the wearer H. The index finger extends through the tubular member 61 of the fixture 60. Then, as shown in FIGS. 7 and 8, an input unit 51 and a control unit 11 forming an input device 50 are held between the tubular member 61 and the index finger. That is, in the illustrated example, the fixture 60 holds not only the input unit 51 (input device 50) but also the control unit 11. However, unlike the examples of FIGS. 7 and 8, the input device 50 and the control unit 11 may be fixed to the outer surface of the tubular member 61.

In the illustrated example, the control unit 11 is arranged in the vicinity of the input device 50 via the electrical wiring 57. By connecting the control unit 11 and the input device 50 via the electrical wiring 57, the operation input of the input unit 51 can be reliably detected. However, the present invention is not limited to such an example, and as will be described later, the control unit 11 may be arranged apart from the input unit 51 (input device 50). For example, the control unit 11 may be arranged in the vicinity of the power supply unit 20. Further, the control unit 11 may wirelessly communicate with the input unit 51 (input device 50). Further, the control unit 11 may be electrically connected to the power supply unit 20 by wire.

As the tubular member 61 of such a fixture 60, a tubular band material having elasticity, a hook-and-loop fastener capable of rotating a finger, and a belt material having an adjustable peripheral length can be used.

Further, in order to prevent the fixture 60 from being displaced in the circumferential direction with respect to the finger while being penetrated by the finger, the fixture 60 is connected to two first tubular members and a second tubular member. It may have a member. In this example, one finger (for example, the index finger) is inserted into the first tubular member, and the other one finger (for example, the middle finger) is inserted into the second tubular member in the circumferential direction of the fixture 60. It is possible to effectively avoid the deviation. That is, it is possible to effectively prevent the tubular member 61 inserted into the finger from rotating on the finger. In this example, the input unit 51 (input device 50) may be held between the first tubular member and one finger or on the outer surface of the first tubular member.

Further, the operation device 70 has a first notification unit (notification unit, input notification unit) 55 for notifying that the input unit 51 has been operated. The first notification unit 55 may be provided, for example, in at least one of the input unit 51 and the control unit 11 of the input device 50. According to such a first notification means 55, the wearer H and surrounding people can grasp that the input unit 51 of the input device 50 has been accurately operated. In addition, the operating device 70 has a force supply unit 20 that outputs an assist force or a second notification unit (notification unit, state notification unit) 56 that notifies the state of the actuators 21 and 22. The second notification unit 56 may be provided on at least one of the muscle strength assisting device main body 15 and the control unit 11, for example. According to such a second notification unit 56, the wearer H and surrounding human beings can grasp the state of the muscular strength assisting device main body 15, for example, that the muscular strength assisting device main body 15 has started to operate.

Examples of the notification units 55 and 56 include means for emitting sound, means for emitting light, means for displaying, and the like. In the means for emitting sound, a plurality of states can be notified by changing the pitch of the sound, the voice or music, the rhythm of the sound, and the like. In the means for emitting light, a plurality of states can be notified by changing the color of light (wavelength of light), the blinking speed of light, and the like. If it is a means for displaying, various states can be directly indicated by the displayed contents.

In the illustrated example, the first notification unit 55 is provided in the control unit 11 as shown in FIG. As shown in FIGS. 7 and 8, the tubular member 61 of the fixture 60 is formed with a hole 61a for exposing the first notification portion 55. The first notification unit 55 is configured as a light emitting means. However, the present invention is not limited to the illustrated example, and the first notification unit 55 may be provided in the input device 50 or in the muscle strength assisting device main body 15.

On the other hand, as shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the second notification unit 56 is mounted on the mounting member 32 of the first mounting tool 30. More specifically, they are provided at positions on both shoulders of the mounting member 32, respectively. The second notification unit 56 located on one shoulder may indicate the state of the first actuator 21, and the second notification unit 56 located on the other shoulder may indicate the state of the second actuator 22. .. The second notification unit 56 may be configured as, for example, a buzzer that emits a sound. However, the present invention is not limited to the illustrated example, and the second notification unit 56 may be provided in the control unit 11 or in the input device 50.

Next, the operation of the muscular strength assisting device 10 having the above configuration will be described.

As described above, the illustrated muscular strength assisting device 10 is the first of the wearer H whose waist and spine are flexed parts (movable parts) by relatively moving the first wearing tool 30 and the second wearing tool 40. Assists the relative movement of the portion P1 and the second portion P2. In particular, the muscular strength assisting device 10 assists the operation of lifting the upper body while holding the luggage B shown in FIG. 5 from the state of bending forward and holding the luggage B shown in FIG. The operation of the muscle strength assisting device 10 at this time will be described below.

The wearer H of the illustrated muscle strength assisting device 10 first bends forward and grips the load as shown in FIG. In the illustrated example, the wearer H is holding the luggage B with both hands. In this state, the power supply unit 20 starts the operation by the control signal from the control unit 11. In the illustrated example, the fluid is first supplied from the pressure source 23 to the second actuator 22 by the control from the control unit 11, and the second actuator 22 of the force supply unit 20 starts operating. As a result, as shown in FIG. 4, the movable member 26 operates so as to be separated rearward from the second base member 41 of the second attachment 40.

The first actuator 21 is connected to the upper end portion of the movable member 26. Then, the connection position JP of the first actuator 21 to the movable member 26 operates so as to be separated rearward from the body of the wearer H and the second base member 41 by the operation of the movable member 26 driven by the second actuator 22. To do.

Next, the first actuator 21 starts operating. Specifically, the fluid is supplied from the pressure source 23 to the first actuator 21 by the control from the control unit 11, and the first actuator 21 expands as shown in FIG. The expansion of the first actuator 21 shortens the first actuator 21. The shortening of the first actuator 21 acts on the first mounting tool 30 and the second mounting tool 40 so as to pull the first base member 31 of the first mounting tool 30 toward the movable member 26. As a result, the driving force output from the first actuator 21 causes the first attachment 30 to operate with respect to the second attachment 40, and lifts the upper portion P1 of the body to which the first attachment 30 is attached. Assist.

In this example, the second actuator 22 expands prior to shortening the first actuator 21. Therefore, before the operation of the first actuator 21 starts, the longitudinal direction of the first actuator 21 is with respect to the back of the wearer H or with respect to the direction connecting the first base member 31 and the second base member 41. , Will be more inclined. Such an inclination of the first actuator 21 causes the output from the actuator 21 to cause a larger moment for raising the upper body. That is, the output from the first actuator 21 can be efficiently used to assist the relative movement of the first portion P1 and the second portion P2 of the human body.

In the example shown in FIG. 4, in a situation where only the second actuator 22 is operating before the operation of the first actuator 21, the first base member 31 and the movable member 26 of the first fitting 30 are The first actuator 21 is already stretched between them. Further expansion of the second actuator 22 from this state can assist the relative movement of the first portion P1 and the second portion P2 of the human body.

In the above operation description, an example in which the second actuator 22 operates first and then the first actuator 21 operates is shown, but the present invention is not limited to this example. Unlike the above-mentioned example, the first actuator 21 may be operated in front of the second actuator 22. According to this example, the relative movements of the first portion P1 and the second portion P2 of the human body are assisted during the operation of the first actuator 21 and the operation of the second actuator 22. Further, the operation of the first actuator 21 and the operation of the second actuator 22 may be performed in parallel.

By the way, during the lifting operation of the luggage B described above with reference to FIGS. 3 to 5, both hands of the wearer H continuously hold the luggage B. In particular, in the states shown in FIGS. 4 and 5, the wearer H uses both hands to hold the luggage B. For this reason, in the conventional muscular strength assisting device, it is necessary to quickly return the hand operating the switches to the luggage. Therefore, it cannot be said that the conventional muscular strength assisting device has sufficient operability in actual use. In addition, the wearer H could not receive the assist force in a perfect posture by putting his hand on the luggage B.

On the other hand, it is also conceivable to start the operation of the force supply unit 20, that is, to start driving the actuator when a specific operation other than the wearer's hand is detected by the sensor. However, the detection by the sensor may cause a problem that the actuator operates unintentionally or the actuator does not operate even though it is intended, unlike the operation of the input unit 51 which is a clear manifestation of intention.

In order to deal with this problem, in the present embodiment, the input unit 51 sets the operation start timing for outputting the force of the force supply unit 20, that is, the operation start timing of the actuator to be operated first. The muscle strength assisting device main body 15 is controlled so that a preset time has elapsed after the operation. That is, the actuator to be operated first starts the operation with a delay of a preset time after the input unit 51 is operated. The preset time here depends on the operation of receiving assistance and the like, but can be, for example, 0.1 seconds or more, preferably 0.3 seconds or more, and for example, 1 second or less, preferably 1 second or less. Can be 0.7 seconds or less.

Therefore, in the present embodiment, the wearer H who operates the input unit 51 can adjust his / her posture during a preset time. That is, the wearer H can first operate the input unit 51 of the input device 50, then put both hands on the luggage B and take a posture to lift the luggage B. Then, after the preparation of the wearer H is completed, the operation of the force supply unit 20 is started, and the second actuator 22 to be operated first operates. Therefore, the wearer H will be supplied with the intended assist force in a perfect posture. As a result, the wearer H can perform the scheduled work in a stable manner by effectively utilizing the assisting force. In the illustrated example, the wearer H can stably lift the luggage B.

In this embodiment, the use of a sensor for detecting the drive start timing (driving start condition is satisfied) of the actuators 21 and 22 is not excluded, and the sensor may be used in combination with the input device 50. It is possible. On the other hand, in the present embodiment, it is possible to omit the sensor that detects the drive start timing of the actuators 21 and 22. By omitting the sensor, the muscle strength assisting device 10 can be made lightweight and inexpensive. In addition, there is no need to worry about damage to the sensor.

Further, in the illustrated example, the input device 50 is held at any position of the one hand that can be operated by the thumb of one hand (the right hand in the illustrated example). Therefore, as is clear from the comparison between FIG. 7 showing the state before the operation and FIG. 8 showing the state during the operation, the movement of the wearer H required for the input unit 51 of the input device 50 is slight. is there. Therefore, it is possible to smoothly and quickly shift to a posture in which the assist force is supplied.

In this way, when the input unit 51 of the input device 50 is arranged at hand, it is assumed that the input unit 51 comes into contact with the outside, particularly the luggage B, as the wearer H operates. Then, in this case, the input unit 51 may be damaged. However, in the illustrated example, the input unit 51 is composed of a deformable bag body 52. Therefore, even if the input unit 51 comes into contact with the outside, particularly the baggage B, it is possible to effectively prevent the bag body 52 from being damaged.

Here, with reference to FIG. 9, a specific example of operation control of the force supply unit 20 by the control unit 11 will be described in more detail. FIG. 9 is a flowchart showing a specific example of operation control of the force supply unit 20.

First, as shown in FIG. 9, the control unit 11 waits for a certain period of time as the first step S1, and then detects whether the input unit 51 has been operated as the second step S2. In the muscle strength assisting device 10 described above, it is determined whether or not the input unit 51 has been operated based on the measured value of the internal pressure of the bag body 52 by the pressure sensor 53. More specifically, the control unit 11 compares the internal pressure of the bag body 52 measured by the pressure sensor 53 with a preset threshold value. When the internal pressure of the bag body 52 is less than or equal to a preset threshold value, the control unit 11 determines that the input unit 51 has not been operated. In this case, as the first step S1, the elapse of a certain time is waited, and it is determined again as the second step S2 whether the input unit 51 has been operated.

The bag body 52 may come into contact with the outside, and the internal pressure of the bag body 52 may increase. It is preferable that the threshold value is set so that such a situation is not determined that the input unit 51 has been operated.

In the second step S2, when the internal pressure of the bag body 52 is equal to or higher than a preset threshold value or exceeds the threshold value, the control unit 11 determines that the bag body 52 has been intentionally pushed, that is, the input unit 51 has been operated. To do. In this case, the control unit 11 starts measuring the time as the third step S3, and further adds the time as the fourth step S4. Then, the control unit 11 confirms whether or not the preset standby time has elapsed as the fifth step S5. If it is determined that the waiting time of the fifth step S5 has not elapsed, the fourth step S4 and the fifth step S5 are repeated. The wearer H prepares to receive the assist force while the waiting time elapses. That is, in the illustrated example, the luggage B is put on the hand and the position of the waist or the like is adjusted to take the posture of receiving the assist force.

When the control unit 11 confirms that the preset standby time has elapsed in the fifth step S5, the control unit 11 starts the operation of the power supply unit 20. In the muscle strength assisting device 10 described above, the second actuator 22 that should operate first starts the operation. Then, when the first actuator 21 reaches a stretched state with the operation of the second actuator 22, an assist force acts on the body of the wearer H via the first fitting 30 and the second fitting 40. The wearer H can receive the assisting force in a sufficient posture.

Although not shown in FIG. 9, when the input unit 51 is operated again after the operation of the power supply unit 20 has started through the sixth step S6, the operation of the power supply unit 20 is stopped. May be good. Further, at this time, not only the operation (fluid supply) of the actuators 21 and 22 may be stopped, but also the actuators 21 and 22 may be depressurized.

Further, the standby time may be managed by using a mechanical timer instead of using software.

Further, as another control method, the output of the assist force from the muscular strength assisting device main body 15 or the operation of the actuators 21 and 22 elapses a preset operation time (second time) after the input unit 51 is operated. Then, the control unit 11 may control the muscle strength assisting device main body 15 so as to stop. That is, the output of the assist force and the operation of the actuators 21 and 22 may be continued for a preset time. Such control is suitable when the wearer H is expected to perform a certain work at a certain time, for example, when the luggage B is expected to be lifted at a certain time.

Further, as an additional control method, after the operation of the input unit 51 is detected in the second step S2 and before it is determined that the waiting time has elapsed in the fifth step S5, that is, the input unit 51 is once. By operating the input unit 51 again before the operation and the waiting time elapse, the operation input of the input unit 51 that has been performed first may be canceled. In other words, if the input unit 51 is operated again during the standby time, the process may return to the first step S1 again.

In the above control flow, the wearer H receives an assist force after a certain waiting time has elapsed after operating the input unit 51. Since the waiting time is set, it is assumed that the wearer H is worried whether the operation of the input unit 51 is surely performed until the assist force is actually received. Therefore, the muscle strength assisting device 10 has a first notification unit 55 that notifies the operation state of the input unit 51. The first notification unit 55 is, for example, in a state where the input unit 51 is not operated, in a state where the input unit 51 has been operated and the start of operation of the actuators 21 and 22 is delayed by sound, light, or the like, and the input unit 51. May be informed which of the states in which the actuators 21 and 22 have already been operated and the actuators 21 and 22 have already started the operation. Since the state of the input unit 51 is notified by the first notification unit 55, the wearer H can wait for the supply of the assist force with confidence while adjusting his / her posture.

Further, in the illustrated example, the muscle force assisting device 10 has a second notifying unit 56 that notifies the state of the actuators 21 and 22 that output the assisting force. The second notification unit 56 may, for example, start applying the actuators 21 and 22, stop applying the actuators 21 and 22 while applying the actuators 21 and 22, start depressurizing the actuators 21 and 22, and use the actuator 21, During the depressurization of 22, the end of decompression of the actuators 21 and 22 may be notified separately. Since the state of the input unit 51 is notified by such a second notification unit 56, the wearer H can wait for the supply of the assist force with confidence while adjusting his / her posture.

Further, unlike the above-described example, one notification unit may notify the state of the muscle strength assisting device 10 as a whole. One notification unit is, for example, a state in which the input unit 51 of the input device 50 is not operated, a state in which the input unit 51 has been operated and delays the start of operation of the actuators 21 and 22, and the actuators 21 and 22. The state in which the application is started, the state in which the actuators 21 and 22 are applied, and the state in which the application of the actuators 21 and 22 is completed may be notified separately.

In one embodiment described above, the muscular strength assisting device 10 includes a force supply unit 20 that outputs a force acting on the body of the wearer H, an input unit 51 operated by the wearer H, and an input unit 51. It has a control unit 11 that starts an operation for outputting the force of the force supply unit 20 with a delay of a preset time after being operated. According to such a muscular strength assisting device 10, the actuator 22 operates after a predetermined time elapses after the wearer H himself operates the input device 50 by hand, and the assist force acts on the wearer H. become. Therefore, the wearer H can receive the assist force after operating the input device 50 by hand and making sufficient preparations such as putting his / her hand on the luggage B to be lifted. Therefore, the wearer H is forced to exert the assisting force in a sufficient posture, and the assisting force can be effectively used. That is, according to the present embodiment, the operability of the muscle strength assisting device 10 can be significantly improved, and as a result, the assisting force can be efficiently used.

In one specific example of the above-described embodiment, the input unit 51 is provided apart from the force supply unit 20. In particular, in the illustrated example, the input unit 51 is provided apart from the muscle strength assisting device main body 15. According to such an example, the degree of freedom regarding the arrangement of the input unit 51 is improved, and the operability can be further improved.

In one specific example of the above-described embodiment, the input unit 51 can be attached to the body. By attaching the input unit 51 to the body, the operability can be further improved. Further, it is possible to effectively prevent the input unit 51 from being lost.

In one specific example of the above-described embodiment, the input unit 51 can be held by a finger. In such an example, the input unit 51 attached to one of the fingers can be operated by the other finger. Therefore, the movement of the wearer H accompanying the operation can be made extremely small, and the operability can be significantly improved.

In one specific example of the above-described embodiment, the input unit 51 is held at any position of the one hand that can be operated by the thumb of one hand. In such an example, it is possible to operate the muscle strength assisting device 10 only by operating one hand, typically only by operating the thumb of one hand. Therefore, the movement of the wearer H accompanying the operation can be made extremely small, and the operability can be significantly improved.

In one specific example of the above-described embodiment, the output of the assist force from the muscular strength assisting device main body 15 or the operation of the force supply unit 20 is performed by a preset operation time (second) after the input unit 51 is operated. It will stop when the time) elapses. Such a muscular strength assisting device 10 is suitable for assisting the movement of an operator who repeatedly performs a constant work in a predetermined time. According to this muscular strength assisting device 10, since it is not necessary to positively stop the output of the assisting force, in addition to the operability of the muscular strength assisting device 10, the workability of the work performed by wearing the muscular strength assisting device 10 is greatly improved. Can be improved.

In one specific example of the above-described embodiment, the input unit 51 includes a deformable bag body 52 and a pressure sensor 53 that detects the pressure inside the bag body 52. Further, in this specific example, the control unit 11 may determine that the bag body 52 has been pushed due to the pressure increase in the bag body 52 as an operation input. Since such an input unit 51 is not easily damaged, it is suitable to be arranged near the hand, which is excellent in operability.

In one specific example of the above-described embodiment, the muscle strength assisting device 10 has a notification unit (first notification unit, input notification unit) 55 that notifies that the input unit 51 has been operated. By providing such a notification unit 55, it can be confirmed that the input operation for the input unit 51 has been properly completed. As a result, the wearer H can safely use the time until the output of the assist force is started as the preparation period, and can efficiently use the assist force in a perfect posture.

In one specific example of the above-described embodiment, the muscle strength assisting device 10 has a notification unit (second notification unit, state notification unit) 56 that notifies the state of the force supply unit 20. By providing such a notification unit 56, it can be confirmed that the input operation for the input unit 51 has been properly completed. As a result, the wearer H can safely use the time until the output of the assist force is started as the preparation period, and can efficiently use the assist force in a perfect posture.

Although one embodiment has been described by a plurality of specific examples, these specific examples are not intended to limit one embodiment. The above-described embodiment can be implemented in various other specific examples, and various omissions, replacements, and changes can be made without departing from the gist thereof.

Hereinafter, an example of modification will be described with reference to the drawings. In the following description and the drawings used in the following description, the same reference numerals as those used for the corresponding parts in the above-mentioned specific examples are used for the parts that can be configured in the same manner as the above-mentioned specific examples, and the same reference numerals are used, and duplicate explanations are given. Is omitted.

In one specific example described above, an example in which the input unit 51 of the input device 50 is electrically connected to the control unit 11 via the electrical wiring 57 has been shown, but the present invention is not limited to this example. For example, the control unit 11 may wirelessly communicate with the input unit 51.

Further, the control unit 11 may have a first control unit and a second control unit. In this example, the first control unit may detect that the input unit 51 has an operation input and transmit the operation input to the second control unit. The second control unit may operate the power supply unit 20 when receiving an operation input from the first control unit. In this example, the first control unit may transmit the operation input to the second control unit with a delay of a preset time from the detection of the operation input, or the second control unit may perform. , The power supply unit 20 may be operated with a delay of a preset time from the reception of the operation input. Alternatively, the first control unit transmits the detection of the operation input to the second control unit with a delay of a preset time from the detection of the operation input, and the second control unit is preset from the reception of the operation input. The power supply unit 20 may be operated with a delay of a certain amount of time.

Further, in the above-mentioned specific example, an example is shown in which the control unit 11 is held on the human body of the wearer H by the attachment 60 together with the input unit 51, but the present invention is not limited to this example. For example, the control unit 11 may be held by the muscle strength assisting device main body 15.

Further, in the above-mentioned specific example, an example in which the input unit 51 is held by the finger by the tubular member 61 of the attachment 60 is shown, but the present invention is not limited to this example. For example, the input device 50 may be held by a fixture 60 configured as a glove. Further, the input unit 51 may be held by the attachment 60 configured as clothes or shoes, or the input unit 51 may be configured as a part of clothes or shoes. The input unit 51 held by the shoe and the input unit 51 configured as a part of the shoe can operate the input unit 51 by moving the foot. Further, the input device 50 may be directly attached to the human body, for example, attached.

In the illustrated example, the control unit 11 is arranged in the vicinity of the input device 50 via the electrical wiring 57. By connecting the control unit 11 and the input device 50 via the electrical wiring 57, the operation input of the input unit 51 can be reliably detected. However, the present invention is not limited to such an example, and as will be described later, the control unit 11 may be arranged apart from the input unit 51 (input device 50). For example, the control unit 11 may be arranged in the vicinity of the power supply unit 20. Further, the control unit 11 may wirelessly communicate with the input unit 51 (input device 50). Further, the control unit 11 may be electrically connected to the power supply unit 20 by wire.

Although some modifications to the above-described embodiments have been described above, it is naturally possible to apply a plurality of modifications in combination as appropriate.

H Wearer 10 Strength assisting device 11 Control unit 15 Strength assisting device body 20 Power supply unit 21 1st actuator 22 2nd actuator 23 Pressure source 30 1st fitting 40 2nd fitting 50 Input device 51 Input part 52 Bag body 53 Pressure sensor 55 First notification means 56 Second notification means 70 Operating device

Claims (11)

A force supply unit that outputs the force acting on the wearer's body,
The input unit operated by the wearer and
A muscular strength assisting device including a control unit that starts an operation for outputting the force to the force supply unit with a delay of a preset time after the input unit is operated. The muscular strength assisting device according to claim 1, wherein the input unit is provided apart from the force supply unit. The muscular strength assisting device according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the input unit can be attached to the body. The muscular strength assisting device according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the input unit can be held by a finger. The muscle strength assisting device according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein the input unit is held at any position of the one hand that can be operated by the thumb of one hand. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 5, wherein the control unit stops the output of the force from the force supply unit when a preset second time elapses after the input unit is operated. Strength assisting device. The muscle strength assisting device according to any one of claims 1 to 6, wherein the input unit includes a deformable bag body and a pressure sensor that detects the pressure inside the bag body. The muscle strength assisting device according to any one of claims 1 to 7, further comprising a notification unit for notifying that the input unit has been operated. The muscle strength assisting device according to any one of claims 1 to 8, further comprising a notification unit for notifying the state of the power supply unit. The input unit operated by the wearer of the muscular strength assisting device that outputs the force acting on the wearer's body, and
An operation including a control unit that starts the operation of the force supply unit of the muscle strength assisting device that outputs the force acting on the wearer's body with a delay of a preset time after the input unit is operated. apparatus. The operating device according to claim 10, wherein the input unit is provided apart from the control unit.

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