KR102105772B1 - Ankle Assist Apparatus And Ankle Assist System Having The Same - Google Patents

Abstract

The present invention relates to an ankle drive unit and an ankle assist system which can provide active bi-directional assistive force to the ankle joint according to the walking cycle of paralysis patients with the lower body (partial) paralysis or cerebral (child) paralysis, rehabilitating patients, the elderly or disabled, or according to the intention of a user. According to an embodiment of the present invention, the configuration of the ankle drive unit and the ankle assist system is simple and the weight thereof is minimized, so that user convenience can be provided.

Description

 Ankle Assist Apparatus And Ankle Assist System Having The Same

The present invention relates to an ankle drive unit and an ankle assist system. Specifically, the present invention is an ankle driving unit capable of providing an active bi-directional assistive force to the ankle joint according to a walking cycle of the lower body of a lower body (partial) or cerebral (child) paralysis patient, a rehabilitation patient, an elderly person or a disabled person or a user's intention. And ankle assist systems.

Lower body (partial) or cerebral (child) paralysis patients, rehabilitation patients, elderly people, or people with disabilities are providing lower body support robots that guide or assist walking by providing assistance.

Meanwhile, the ankle joint of the pedestrian rotates the foot of the pedestrian, and supports the pedestrian's weight moment to play a key role in pedestrian walking and maintaining balance.

However, most of the lower body assist robots introduced in the related art are designed to assist the thigh (or hip) and / or the lower thigh (or knee) of the pedestrian, and thus do not provide assistance to the ankle of the pedestrian.

The ankle joint of the human body varies according to individual characteristics, but the ankle joint rotates in the instep direction in the range of about 40 degrees according to walking or movement, and the ankle joint rotates in the direction of the sole in the range of about 60 degrees. The plantar flexion (Plantarflexion) operation may be performed.

The movement of the foot flexion (Dorsiflexion) and the plantar flexion (Plantarflexion) are continuously changed in the walking of the standing and swing phases of the pedestrian along with the rotation of the hip joint or the knee joint, and may constitute a walking motion.

If the ankle joint is not free to rotate, it may make normal walking difficult or increase the risk of injury. In particular, if the foot movement (Dorsiflexion) or the like is not accurately performed while walking on the stairs, the likelihood of injury of a pedestrian who falls over the stairs increases.

In the case of the recently introduced ankle drive unit, an ancillary device that actively supports plantar flexion movement in which the ankle joint is rotated in the direction of the sole, or an assist device that releases the plantar flexion state of the ankle joint using a spring, etc. This has been introduced.

However, the dorsiflexion and plantarflexion movements must be performed at appropriate times according to the gait cycle, and rather when the gait cycle or the assistive force of a certain size is provided, rather than the optional assistive force according to the pedestrian's intention. It can cause discomfort or pain.

Therefore, users with limitations in the movements of the ankle joints, such as the lower body (partial) paralysis patients, rehabilitation patients, and the elderly, are active at the time when the plantar flexion and plantar flexion movements are necessary for normal walking. Despite the need to be assisted, these ankle drive units and ankle assist systems have not been introduced.

In particular, in the case of pediatric cerebral palsy patients, unlike an adult cerebral palsy patient, since the ankle is not yet firm, it may be possible to walk similar to the normal person if ankle is provided to provide active assistive power, but ankle joint support for pediatric cerebral palsy patients A system for this is urgently needed.

The present invention provides an ankle drive unit and ankle assist that can provide an active bi-directional assistive force to the ankle joint according to the walking cycle of the lower body of a lower body (partial) or cerebral (child) paralysis patient, rehabilitation patient, elderly or disabled person, or according to a user's intention. It is an object to solve the problem of providing a system.

The ankle drive device and the ankle assist system according to an embodiment of the present invention include a pair of drive wires for providing ankle assist force in different directions to provide rotational assist force to the ankle, and each drive wire As an independent driving method, an ankle rotation may be assisted in a user's walking process or an ankle support may be provided.

In order to solve the above problems, the present invention is an ankle comprising a pair of drive wires, a rotation module that is rotationally driven by the drive wire, and a housing through which the drive wire can enter and exit in both directions and rotatably accommodate the rotation module. Drive unit; And, the front support is mounted on the front of the foot or shoes; A heel support unit in which the ankle driving unit is mounted and mounted on an ankle joint portion of a foot or shoe; And an ankle wearing unit comprising; a rotating member for connecting the front support and the ankle drive unit; The ankle driving unit is an ankle characterized in that it provides an auxiliary force required for an ankle joint according to a walking or upright state of a wearer by rotating a rotating member connected to the ankle driving unit with a driving force transmitted by the driving wire. An auxiliary device can be provided.

In addition, in order to solve the above problems, the present invention includes a pair of drive wires, a rotation module that is rotationally driven by the drive wire, and a housing that allows the drive wires to enter and exit in both directions and rotatably accommodate the rotation module. Ankle drive unit to be; A scaffolding member for supporting the user's plantar surface; And, the ankle drive unit is mounted and is worn on the user's lower leg support unit, the ankle drive unit and a lower member wearing unit including a pivoting member connecting the scaffold member; includes, the ankle drive unit is the drive wire It is possible to provide an ankle assisting device characterized in that it provides an assistive force required for an ankle joint according to a wearer's walking or upright state by rotationally driving a rotating member connected to the ankle driving unit with a driving force transmitted by the ankle. .

And, the front end of the rotation member of the ankle wearing unit is fastened to the scaffold member, and the rear end is fastened to the rotation module of the ankle drive unit, and the scaffold member connected to the front end of the rotation member is rotated according to whether the rotation module is driven. Or it can be stopped.

Here, the rotation module is to be rotated in the opposite direction by a shaft member in the form of a circular pipe rotatably mounted on the ankle drive unit and each drive wire on the shaft member, the pair of traction to rotate the shaft member It may include a member.

In this case, a flange portion is provided at an end of the shaft member of the rotation module, and the rear end of the rotation member of the ankle wearing unit is fastened to the flange portion, and when the shaft member is rotated, the ankle wearing unit is provided with the rotation member when the shaft is rotated. The member can be rotated.

In addition, the scaffolding member is divided into two and can be hinged.

In addition, when any one of the pair of traction members is towed by a driving wire or when the traction force is greater, the shaft member may be rotated in a direction of traction or a direction in which the traction force is greater.

Here, when the traction force applied to the pair of traction members is the same, rotation of the shaft member may be limited.

In this case, the rotation module may further include a propulsion member interposed between each traction member and fastened to the axial member, propelled by rotation of each traction member to rotate the axial member.

In addition, a wire fixing end to which a driving wire is fixed is provided on the outer circumferential surface of each of the traction members, and a protruding protrusion propelled by the wire fixing end when the traction member is rotated may be provided on the outer circumferential surface of the pushing member.

And, the wire fixing end is formed to protrude to have a 'b' or 'a' cross-sectional shape, and each drive wire is' l perpendicular to the traction direction of the cross section of the wire fixing end when pulling the wire fixing end. The area can propel the protruding protrusions in opposite directions.

Here, the ankle drive unit has a housing, and the drive wire enters and exits one surface of the housing, and an opening is formed on a surface facing the one surface of the housing, so that both ends of the opening of the pair of propulsion members It can act as a stopper to limit the range of rotation of the wire end.

In addition, in order to solve the above problems, the present invention is an ankle assist device; A pair of drive rollers on which the drive wires of the ankle assist device are mounted; At least one drive motor for rotating the pair of drive rollers; A power supply for supplying power to the drive motor; A controller that controls the driving motor and the power supply unit, wherein the controller controls the driving motor according to a gait motion based on a user's plantar pressure or a gait motion based on a previously input gait schedule, so that the ankle assist device wearer It can provide an ankle assist system, characterized in that to assist the ankle joint.

In this case, the driving roller, the driving motor, the power supply, and the controller may be provided in a hipsec or backpack of the wearer.

In addition, the driving wire constituting the ankle assist device may be disposed along the lower thigh and thigh in the wearer's ankle joint.

In addition, the scaffolding member is divided into a first scaffolding member in the front and a second scaffolding member in the rear in the longitudinal direction of the footrest, and a foot pressure sensor is mounted to each footrest member, and the controller is a group collected by the foot pressure sensor. The driving force of the driving motor can be controlled according to the low pressure.

Here, a pair of the initial grounding machine in which the measured value of the second plantar pressure sensor mounted on the second scaffolding member becomes the maximum value and the measured value of the first plantar pressure sensor mounted on the first scaffolding member becomes 0. Among the driving wires, the driving wires for bending the foot and foot may be towed, and the traction state of the other driving wire may be released.

In this case, the measured value of the first plantar pressure sensor mounted on the first scaffolding member becomes the maximum value, and the measurement value of the second plantar pressure sensor mounted on the second scaffolding member becomes 0. The driving wire for plantar flexion among the pair of driving wires may be towed, and the traction state of the other driving wire may be released.

According to the ankle driving device and the ankle assist system according to an embodiment of the present invention, an active bidirectional assistive force or a stop assistive force can be provided to an ankle joint according to a pedestrian's walking cycle or a user's intention, and the configuration is simple. The weight is minimized to provide user convenience.

In addition, according to the ankle driving device and ankle assist system according to the present invention, it is applied to ankle assist of a child with cerebral palsy in which the ankle is not completely hardened, thereby enabling walking similar to that of a normal person, and the size of the ankle assist force required is adult It has the advantage of being small compared to that of making the system lighter.

1 is a side view of an ankle portion wearing an ankle driving unit according to an embodiment of the present invention.
2 and 3 is a conceptual diagram of the operating state of the ankle assist system including an ankle drive unit according to an embodiment of the present invention.
4 is an exploded perspective view of an ankle driving unit according to an embodiment of the present invention.
5 to 7 are views showing the operation of the internal configuration in different operating states of the ankle drive unit according to an embodiment of the present invention.
8 is a side view of an ankle portion wearing an ankle driving unit according to another embodiment of the present invention.
9 is a plan view of an ankle wearing unit equipped with an ankle driving unit constituting an ankle assist system according to the present invention.
10 is a conceptual diagram for explaining a general walking cycle.
11 shows a front view and a side view of a wearer wearing an ankle assist system according to the present invention.

Hereinafter, the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. At this time, the same components in each drawing are denoted by the same reference numerals as possible. In addition, detailed descriptions of already known functions and / or configurations are omitted. The contents disclosed below focus on parts necessary for understanding the operation according to various embodiments, and descriptions of elements that may obscure the subject matter of the description will be omitted. Also, some components of the drawings may be exaggerated, omitted, or schematically illustrated. The size of each component does not entirely reflect the actual size, and thus the contents described herein are not limited by the relative size or spacing of components drawn in each drawing.

1 shows a side view of an ankle portion wearing an ankle driving unit 100 according to an embodiment of the present invention. And, Figures 2 and 3 is a conceptual diagram of the operating state of the ankle assist system 1 including the ankle drive unit 100 according to an embodiment of the present invention.

The ankle assist system 1 according to an embodiment of the present invention may include an ankle driving unit 100 and an ankle wearing unit 600 for assisting an ankle, a driving motor 300, and the driving motor ( 300) driven by the driving roller 200, the power supply unit 400 for supplying power to the drive motor 300, to control the drive motor 300 through the power control of the power supply unit 400 It may include a controller 500 for.

As shown in FIG. 1, the ankle assist system 1 according to an embodiment of the present invention may include an ankle wearing unit 600 to be worn on an ankle.

The ankle wearing unit 600 is connected to the front support 650 in the form surrounding the front of the foot, the rotation member 630 connected to the front support 650 to transmit rotational driving force to the front support 650, the ankle worn The unit 600 is mounted and may be configured to include a heel support 610 fixed to the ankle portion of the wearer. The heel support portion 610 may be mounted on a wearer's shoe or the like, and the ankle wearing unit 600 may be mounted on an outer surface thereof.

The ankle driving unit 100 transmits driving force from the driving roller 200 through a pair of driving wires 50.

Each driving wire 50 may be connected to each driving roller 200 to enable independent driving, and each driving roller 200 may be driven by each driving motor 300.

In addition, each driving motor 300 is supplied with driving power from a power supply unit 400 such as a battery, and the controller 500 for controlling the power supply of each power supply unit 400 or the driving motor 300 is supplied. It may be provided. The controller 500 may be connected to the power supply 400 or the driving motor 300 by wire or wireless.

2 and 3, each driving roller 200, a driving motor 300, a power supply 400, and a controller 500 are shown to be provided to drive each driving wire 50, but a power supply is provided. Only one of the 400 and the controller 500 may be provided, and further, the number of the driving motors 300 is not limited as long as the driving wires 50 can be driven independently.

In addition, the driving roller 200, the driving motor 300, the power supply unit 400, and the controller 500 may each constitute one body unit 800, and the body unit 800 may be worn. It may be provided in a form provided in a hipsec or a backpack, or may be provided in a body part of a wearable robot for assisting a hip joint or a knee joint. In this case, design may be possible by distributing the driving force of the driving device for driving the hip joint or the knee to drive the ankle driving unit.

The ankle drive unit 100 may include a rotation module 10 including a shaft member 120 that is rotationally driven by a pair of drive wires 50.

The rotation module 10 is pulled in the opposite direction by the respective driving wires on the shaft member 120 and the shaft member 120 in the form of a circular pipe rotatably mounted on the ankle drive unit and rotated to the shaft It may include a pair of traction member (130a, 130b) for rotating the member.

The shaft member 120 may be formed in a pipe shape, but a flange having a fastening hole formed on one side thereof may be provided to mount the pivoting member 630 of the ankle wearing unit 600.

As described later, the shaft member 120 can be rotated in both directions by a driving wire 50 and rotates the rotation member 630 according to a rotation direction or rotation angle, and the rotation member 630 has its front end Rotating the front support 650 mounted on the front and the front support 650 is rotated, the front of the foot is rotated, as a result, the angle of the calf and foot is changed to assist the ankle rotation.

In addition, when the pair of drive wires 50 are independently driven, and simultaneously provide the same size of the traction tension, the shaft member 120 may not be rotated and may be stopped.

That is, the size and direction of the assistive force provided to the ankle may be different in a state of standing upright and while climbing the stairs while the wearer is walking, and the assistive force rotates the ankle joint in addition to the assistive force that rotates the ankle fracture in a specific direction. It should also be understood as a concept that also includes assistive forces that support against this.

4 is an exploded perspective view of the ankle drive unit 100 according to an embodiment of the present invention.

The rotation module may further include a propulsion member 140 interposed between each traction member and fastened to the axial member, propelled by rotation of each traction member to rotate the axial member.

The above-described shaft member 120 of the ankle drive unit 100 is configured in the form of a pipe with a flange as described above, and the first traction is rotated by being connected to each drive wire 50 on the outer circumferential surface thereof. A member 130a and a second traction member 130b may be provided, and a propulsion member 140 interposed between the pair of the first traction member 130a and the second traction member 130b may be provided. You can.

The first traction member 130a and the second traction member 130b are provided with wire fixing ends 131a and 131b on outer circumferential surfaces, respectively, and drive wires 50 each have a wire fixing end 131a and 131b. Is fixed in different directions, and the protruding protrusions 141 which can be propelled by wire fixing ends of the first traction member 130a and the second traction member 130b on the outer circumferential surfaces of the propulsion member 140. It may be provided.

Each wire fixing end (131a, 131b) is in the form of "a", "b" so as not to interfere even when propelling the propulsion protrusion 141 together, to prevent the escape of the propulsion protrusion, and to provide propulsion together Can be configured.

In addition, each of the driving wires 50 is disposed along the outer circumferential surfaces of the stacked first traction member 130a, the propulsion member 140, and the second traction member 130b, thereby forming an ankle drive unit 100. (110a, 110b) may be drawn outwardly and connected to the driving roller 200 or the like.

The operation process will be described in more detail. 5 to 7 show an operation diagram of an internal configuration in different operating states of the ankle drive unit 100 according to an embodiment of the present invention.

Specifically, FIG. 5 shows that the first traction member 130a is rotated clockwise by traction of the first drive wire 50 (the left drive wire of FIG. 5), and the wire of the first traction member 130a is The fixed end may push the propulsion protrusion 141 of the propulsion member 140 to rotate the first traction member 130a, the propulsion member 140, and the second traction member 130b in a clockwise direction as a whole. .

However, in response to the rotation range of the ankle, the housings 110a and 110b of the ankle driving unit 100 to limit the rotation angles of the first traction member 130a, the propulsion member 140 and the second traction member 130b ) Is provided with a stopper (111s) in both directions to have a structure that can block the rotation of each wire fixed end or propulsion protrusion (141).

On the other hand, in the state shown in FIG. 6, the second traction member 130b is rotated counterclockwise by the traction of the second drive wire 50 (the right wire in FIG. 6), and the second traction member 130b ) The fixed end of the wire pushes the propulsion protrusion 141 of the propulsion member 140 to counteract the first traction member 130a, the propulsion member 140 and the second traction member 130b as a whole. It is possible to rotate up to the rotational limit angle by the stopper 111s.

As such, the rotation of the driving wire 50 of any one of the pair of driving wires 50 enables the propulsion member 140 to rotate in opposite directions, and a fixed shaft with the propulsion member 140 The member 120 is rotated, and the pivoting member 630 fixed to the flange of the shaft member 120 rotates the front support 650 surrounding the front of the wearer's foot in an upward or downward direction and assists for ankle rotation Power.

And, as shown in Figure 7, when the pair of drive wires 50 are towed together, the wire fixing end of the first traction member 130a and the wire fixing end of the second traction member 130b are simultaneously Since the propulsion protrusion 141 of the propulsion member 140 propels in the clockwise and counterclockwise directions, the propulsion member 140 may not be rotated and may be fixed.

In this way, it is possible to obtain an effect capable of providing a stop assist force in addition to the rotation assist force as the assist force of the invention.

As illustrated in FIG. 7, the stop assist force has an effect of preventing or alleviating the body from tilting or falling due to lack of ankle strength in a state where the wearer is upright.

As described above, according to the ankle driving unit and the system according to an embodiment of the present invention, users who have limitation in the movement of the ankle joint, such as a patient with lower palsy, a rehabilitation patient, or an elderly person by pulling any one driving wire, perform normal walking. For this, the Dorsiflexion operation and the Plantarflexion operation can actively provide an assistive force at a required time point, or, if the ankle is insufficient in supporting capacity, simultaneously pull a bidirectional drive wire to provide a stop or rotation limiting assistive force.

8 shows a side view of an ankle portion wearing an ankle driving unit according to another embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 9 is a plan view of an ankle wearing unit equipped with an ankle driving unit constituting an ankle assist system according to the present invention. City. Descriptions duplicated with reference to FIGS. 1 to 7 will be omitted.

The ankle mounting unit 600 shown in FIG. 1 was a structure that provides an auxiliary force by rotating the support part 650 surrounding the foot with a rotating member 630 connected to the ankle driving unit 100. In this case, the rotating member does not extend forward of the foot but extends downward to be connected to the footrest member to apply a structure for transmitting the driving force of the ankle driving unit 100.

That is, the embodiment illustrated in FIG. 8 may provide an ankle assist force through the first foot member 620 by connecting the rotation member 630 to the first foot member 620 supporting the wearer's foot. have.

In addition, the first scaffolding member 620 is hinged to the second scaffolding member 640 to allow a bending operation of the toe portion to enable natural walking.

The embodiment shown in FIG. 8 also includes a plurality of band-shaped support members 650 to stably support the wearer's foot.

And, the embodiment shown in Figure 8 may further include a lower wear unit 700.

The lower wear unit 700 may include a lower support unit 710 mounted on the wearer's lower leg. The ankle driving unit 100 may rotate the rotation member 630 while being mounted on the lower support portion 710.

That is, in the embodiment shown in FIG. 1, the ankle drive unit 100 is mounted on the heel support 610, but in the embodiment shown in FIG. 8, the ankle drive unit 100 is mounted on the lower support part 710 and rotated. The first footrest member 620 may be rotationally driven through the member 630 to provide an ankle assist force.

In addition, the lower wear unit may be stably worn on the wearer's lower leg by providing support members 730 and 750 in the form of bands or covers on the front and rear, respectively.

In addition, unlike the embodiment illustrated in FIGS. 1 to 7, the ankle driving unit 100 of the embodiment illustrated in FIG. 8 is configured in a form in which the housing decreases in width rather than in a rectangular shape, thereby improving appearance. The possibility of interference with surrounding objects can be minimized.

The ankle assist system according to the present invention may be configured in a manner that provides ankle assist force to a remote controller (not shown) according to a user's intention, and provides appropriate assist force automatically programmed using plantar pressure or the like. It may be configured in a manner.

And, as shown in Figure 9, the first scaffolding member 620 is hinged to the second scaffolding member 640 to allow a bending operation of the toe portion to enable natural walking, and to each scaffolding member Foot pressure sensor (FS, RS) may be provided.

Each plantar pressure sensor (FS, RS) is provided on the first scaffolding member 620 and the second scaffolding member 640, respectively, whether the ankle assist system according to the present invention is equipped with an ankle or a swing phase The plantar pressure information for judging may be collected and provided to the controller 500 of the main body 800.

The controller 500 and each plantar pressure sensor (FS, RS) may be a wired or wireless connection method, and in the case of a wired connection, a communication cable is disposed along the driving wire to minimize interference and a plantar pressure sensor. (FS, RS) can be connected to the controller 500. In addition, in the case of wireless connection, the controller 500 and each of the plantar pressure sensors FS and RS may each have a short-range wireless communication module, and examples of the short-range wireless communication module include a Bluetooth module and RFID (Radio). Frequency Identification (IR), infrared data association (IrDA) module, UWB (Ultra Wideband) module, or ZigBee (ZigBee) module may be applied.

Therefore, in the case of wireless connection, each plantar pressure sensor (FS, RS) is not just a sensor, but a power supply unit and a control unit are composed of a single module, or each plantar pressure sensor (FS, RS) is configured as a footrest member or an ankle driving unit. It is preferably configured in such a way that the power supply unit or the control unit is provided separately.

10 is a conceptual diagram for explaining a general gait cycle.

During the walking cycle, the stance phase where the plantar surface comes into contact with the ground depends on its pressure distribution: (a) Initial contact, (b) Loading response, (c) Midstance (single leg stance) )), (d) Terminal stance, (e) Pre-swing.

10, the size of the plantar pressure based on the right foot of the body is indicated by a red circle.

Thus, as shown in Figure 10 and Table 1 below, (a) the initial fold (Initial contact) and (d) terminal stance (Terminal stance), respectively, the maximum plantar pressure, (b) weight loading (Loading response), (c) In the middle stance (Midstance (single leg stance)), the plantar pressure can be distributed back and forth according to the weight movement.

Therefore, it is possible to determine the walking cycle of the ankle assist system wearer according to the present invention according to the change in the plantar pressure over time using the plantar pressure sensor provided in the scaffolding member.

Due to gait characteristics, (a) an initial contact requires an ankle flexion force in the ankle, and (d) a terminal stance requires an ankle flexion force in the ankle, but the ankle joint force The insufficient wearer lacks the power of the ankle joint, so it can be preserved through the ankle assist system according to the present invention.

Specifically, the ankle drive unit 100 of the present invention is mounted on the side of the lower leg or foot, as shown in Figures 1 and 8, the front wire of the wires connected to the ankle drive unit 100 is ankle when towing Is a plantar flexion drive wire to assist the plantar flexion, and the rear wire is a plantar flexion drive wire to assist the plantar flexion of the ankle during traction.

Therefore, (a) the initial contact (Initial contact) requires the traction of the plantar flexion drive wire, and (d) the terminal stance (Terminal stance) requires the traction of the plantar flexion drive wire.

Furthermore, when the driving force provided by the driving motor for pulling each driving wire is (+), the driving force for pulling the driving wire is provided, and when the driving force is 0, the driving motor for driving the corresponding driving wire is stopped. And, when the driving force is (-), it means that the driving force is provided in a direction to disengage the traction state of the driving wire. And, the magnitude T of the driving force means that it has a larger value than the magnitude t of the driving force.

Therefore, when (+) driving force is provided to one wire and 0 driving force is provided to the other wire, the wire provided with (+) driving force is mechanical, such as a driving motor connected to a driving wire that is not provided with driving force. It means that it overcomes impedance and provides assistance to the joint.

Accordingly, when (+) driving force is provided to one wire and (-) driving force is provided to the other wire, an ankle assist force by (+) driving force drives another driving wire connected through the rotation module. It means that it may not be lowered due to the mechanical impedance of the driving motor.

Accordingly, as shown and described in FIG. 10 and Table 1 below, in the (a) initial contact where the ground reaction force is concentrated to one side, the foot flexion drive wire is towed to a relatively large output or maximum output (T). This is necessary, and (d) in the terminal stance, the ankle assist force can be assisted by pulling the plantar flexion wire to a relatively large output or maximum output (T).

In this case, (a) the initial contact (Initial contact) and (d) terminal stance (Terminal stance), respectively, the driving wire other than the driving wire to be pulled to a relatively large output or maximum output (T) is towed driving as much as possible It is preferable to release the traction state of the driving wire with an output (-T or -t), respectively, so as not to disturb the traction of the driving wire.

In addition, it is preferable that the meaning of the output of the driving motor for pulling or releasing the driving wire does not only mean the magnitude of the traction, but is understood as a concept including the rotational speed (RPM) of the driving motor.

In addition, in the case of the plantar pressure being distributed and measured (b) the weight response (loading response), (c) the middle stance (Midstance (single leg stance)), relatively small (+) Alternatively, it is possible to provide (-) driving force, and in the case of (e) pre-swing in which the stance phase is terminated, the plantar flexion driving wire with a relatively small size (-) driving force can be used so that the swing phase can proceed naturally. It can be driven.

(a)
Initial folding (b)
Weight (c)
Middle stance (d)
Late stage (e)
Full swing Anterior plantar pressure ratio (%) 0 50 50 100 70 Rear plantar pressure ratio (%) 100 50 50 0 0 Foot flexion drive wire output + T -t + t -T or -t 0 Planter flexion drive wire output -T or -t 0 0 + T -t · “+” Means the driving force is applied in the direction of pulling the driving wire toward the main body.
· “-” Means to apply the driving force in the direction to release the traction state of the driving wire.
· Size of driving force “T”> Size of driving force “t”

Although not listed in Table 1 above, when both driving wires are provided with (+) T traction, the rotation module is supported without being rotated, so the strength of the ankle joint is insufficient and it is difficult for the wearer to maintain an upright state other than the gait process. It can be seen that it can provide an auxiliary force for maintaining an upright state.

This method is an example of a method for providing assistive power for the elderly, such as lower extremity (partial) paralysis patients, rehabilitation patients, and the elderly who are able to walk normally but lack the ankle joint, but in the case of children with cerebral palsy, the general public or the elderly And walking patterns are different and there are cases where the ankle plantar flexion or plantar flexion itself is difficult.

Therefore, in the case of pediatric cerebral palsy patients, if the ankle is not hardened and adequate support is provided, it is possible to walk similar to a normal person. You can.

In this case, it is expected that a dedicated program may be provided to control the size of the assistive force provided in consideration of the characteristics or gait patterns of children with cerebral palsy in children in a larger or smaller manner.

11 shows a front view and a side view of a wearer wearing an ankle assist system according to the present invention.

As described above, the driving roller 200, the driving motor 300, the power supply unit 400, and the controller 500 may each constitute one body portion 800, and the body portion 800 It is shown that it is provided in the form of a wearable hipsec.

The hips section-type body portion 800 worn near the wearer's waist may provide a driving force for generating an ankle assist force to the ankle driving unit 100 mounted on each ankle through a pair of driving wires 50. have. The embodiment illustrated in FIG. 10 shows a system for assisting one ankle of the wearer, but may also be configured as a system for assisting both ankles. In the latter case, a driving roller 200, a driving motor 300, a power supply unit 400, and a controller 500 may be added to the main body 800.

In addition, when the main body portion 800 is provided in the form of a hips section worn near the waist of the wearer, two driving wires 50 are connected to the ankle driving unit 50 to transmit driving force to assist each ankle. Mounted, the drive wire may be disposed along the thigh and lower thigh of the wearer, the drive wire 50 is in the form of a Bowden cable in the form of a Bowden cable to minimize friction or friction by the drive wire when the drive wire is towed. It may be a way to have a wire core.

And, further comprising a support member in the form of a band or strip for mounting or supporting the driving wire 50 near the knee joint. Interference or jamming with surrounding objects that may occur as the driving wire expands due to bending of the joint. Can be minimized.

In the present invention, it has been described by specific matters such as specific components and limited embodiments and drawings, but it is provided only to help a more comprehensive understanding of the present invention, and the present invention is not limited to the above embodiments, and the present invention Various modifications and variations will be possible to those skilled in the art without departing from the essential characteristics of the present invention. Therefore, the spirit of the present invention is not limited to the described embodiments, and should not be determined, and all technical spirits equivalent to or equivalent to the claims as well as the claims described below are included in the scope of the present invention. It should be interpreted as.

1000: ankle assist system
10: Hwadong unit
100: ankle drive unit
600: ankle wearing unit
700: lower wear unit

Claims (18)

delete An ankle drive unit including a pair of drive wires, a rotation module that is rotationally driven by the drive wire, and a housing through which the drive wires can enter and exit in both directions and rotatably accommodate the rotation module;
A scaffolding member for supporting the user's plantar surface; And,
Includes; the lower ankle driving unit is equipped with an ankle driving unit and a lower leg wearing unit that includes a pivoting member that connects the ankle driving unit and the scaffold member to a user's lower leg.
The ankle drive unit provides an auxiliary force required for an ankle joint according to a wearer's gait or upright state by rotationally driving a rotating member connected to the ankle drive unit with a drive force transmitted by the drive wire,
The rotation module for driving the ankle drive unit is a rotationally mounted circular pipe-shaped shaft member and a pair of traction members that are rotated and rotated in opposite directions by respective drive wires on the shaft member to rotate the shaft member And a propulsion member interposed between each of the traction members and fixedly fastened to the axial member to be propelled by rotation of each of the traction members to rotate the axial member,
The front end of the rotation member of the lower wear unit is fastened to the scaffold member, and the rear end of the rotation member is fastened to an axis member constituting the rotation module of the ankle drive unit, and the axis member is driven according to whether the rotation module is driven. , The rotation member and the footing member fastened to the rotation member is rotated or stopped,
A wire fixing end on which the driving wire is fixed is provided on the outer circumferential surface of each of the traction members, and a protruding protrusion propelled by the wire fixing end when the traction member is rotated is provided on the outer circumferential surface of the pushing member,
The drive wire enters and exits one surface of the housing of the ankle drive unit, and an opening is formed on a surface facing the one surface of the housing, so that both ends of the opening limit the rotation range of the wire fixing end of the pair of propulsion members. Ankle assist device, characterized in that is operated by a stopper. delete delete According to claim 2,
An ankle assist device, characterized in that a flange portion is provided at an end of the shaft member of the rotation module, and a rear end of the rotation member of the lower wear unit is fastened to the flange portion. According to claim 2,
The ankle assist device, characterized in that the scaffolding member is divided into two and hinged. According to claim 2,
An ankle assist device, characterized in that when the traction member of one of the pair of the traction member is towed by a driving wire or when the traction force is greater, the shaft member is rotated in a direction in which the traction or the traction force is greater. According to claim 2,
When the traction force applied to the pair of the traction member is the same, the ankle assist device, characterized in that the rotation of the shaft member is limited. delete delete According to claim 2,
The wire fixing end is formed to protrude to have a 'b' or 'a' cross-sectional shape, and each drive wire 'l' area perpendicular to the traction direction among the cross sections of the wire fixing end when the wire fixing end is towed Ankle assist device, characterized in that to propel the propulsion protrusions in opposite directions. delete An ankle assist device according to any one of claims 2, 5, 6, 7, 8 and 11;
A pair of drive rollers on which the drive wires of the ankle assist device are mounted;
At least one drive motor for rotating the pair of drive rollers;
A power supply for supplying power to the drive motor;
Includes a controller for controlling the drive motor and the power supply;
The controller is an ankle assist system, characterized in that to assist the ankle joint of the ankle assist device wearer by controlling the driving motor in accordance with the user's plantar pressure-based gait motion or a pre-input gait schedule-based gait motion. The method of claim 13,
Ankle assist system, characterized in that the driving roller, the driving motor, the power supply, and the controller are provided in the hipsec or backpack of the wearer. The method of claim 13,
Ankle assist system, characterized in that the driving wire constituting the ankle assist device is disposed along the lower thigh and thigh in the wearer's ankle joint. The method of claim 13,
The scaffold member is divided into a first scaffold member in the front and a second scaffold member in the rear in the longitudinal direction of the scaffold, and a foot pressure sensor is mounted to each foot member, and the controller is configured to respond to the foot pressure collected by the foot pressure sensor. According to the ankle assist system, characterized in that to control the driving force of the drive motor. The method of claim 16,
A pair of drive wires in an initial grounding machine in which the measured value of the second plantar pressure sensor mounted on the second scaffolding member becomes the maximum value and the measured value of the first plantar pressure sensor mounted on the first scaffolding member becomes 0. Ankle assist system, characterized in that traction of the driving wire for midfoot flexion and release of the traction state of the other driving wire. The method of claim 16,
A pair of drives are driven in a terminal stance machine in which the measured value of the first plantar pressure sensor mounted on the first scaffold member becomes the maximum value and the measured value of the second plantar pressure sensor mounted on the second scaffold member becomes 0. Ankle assisting system, characterized in that to pull the driving wire for plantar flexion among the wires and release the traction state of the other driving wire.

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