KR20190079986A - Walking Assistance Apparatus and Walking Assistance Method - Google Patents

Abstract

A walking assistance apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention comprises: a foothold supporting feet; a leg link rotating in a pitch direction with respect to the foothold by walking; a first elastic member provided between one side of the foothold and one side of the leg link; and a second elastic member provided between one side of the foothold and one side of the leg link. When an angle of the leg link reaches a first pitch angle as the walking progresses, the walking assistance energy storage is started in the first elastic member. When an angle of the leg link reaches a second pitch angle greater than the first pitch angle, the walking assistance energy storage is started in the second elastic member.

Description

[0001] Walking Assistance Apparatus and Walking Assistance Method [

The present invention relates to a walking aiding apparatus and a walking aiding method, and relates to a walking aiding apparatus and a walking aiding method driven by an exoskeletal type passive mechanism.

Generally, the exoskeleton robot is a device for supporting the strength of the wearer and lifting a heavy object or moving the patient such as a paraplegic patient smoothly, which is sometimes referred to as a wearable robot or a glove robot.

These exoskeletal robots were originally developed for military use, such as being able to easily move heavy cannons mounted on their arms. Exoskeleton robots, which were developed for industrial or military purposes, support the wearer's strength and enable heavy objects to be lifted. The exoskeleton robot has the characteristic of transmitting the force of the heavy object to the ground instead of applying the force to the person.

These robots can perform various tasks by installing various platforms, and an additional platform is needed when lifting objects using the wearer's upper limb. Most of the platforms for lifting objects are driven by actuators, and typical examples are upper limb exoskeleton robots.

In recent years, robots have been researched and developed for use in therapeutic and walking aids for patients with paraplegia using the wearable robot concept. However, currently developed wearable robots for bipedalism patients have bipedal and quadrupedal walking patterns, and there is instability of mechanical structure and control algorithm itself. For example, when a wearable robot with two or four legs walking is malfunctioning or the patient does not cope with falling down during driving due to an inadequate use of the patient, There is no choice but to be injured.

Therefore, researches on devices, robots, and the like that can easily perform the walking assistance to the paraplegic patients are actively performed. However, the exoskeleton robot developed to date has disadvantages in terms of cost and weight because it uses an actuator such as a motor as a main power source.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION It is an object of the present invention to provide a walking assistance device and a walking assistance method driven by a passive mechanism.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION It is an object of the present invention to provide a walking assistance device and a walking assistance method driven by a multi passive mechanism.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION It is an object of the present invention to provide a walking assist device and a walking assistant method that introduce an active mechanism into a passive mechanism and minimize a wearing burden of a wearer.

The technical problem to be solved by the present invention is not limited to the above.

A walking assist device according to an embodiment of the present invention includes a foot for supporting a foot, a leg link rotating in a pitch direction with respect to the foot according to walking, And a second elastic member provided between one side of the foot plate and one side of the leg link, wherein when the angle of the leg link reaches the first pitch angle as the walking progresses, When the walking assist energy storage starts to the first elastic member and reaches the second pitch angle which is larger than the first pitch angle, the walking assist energy storage can start to the second elastic member.

According to an embodiment of the present invention, there is further provided a fixed link connecting the first elastic member and one side of the leg link, and a rotating link rotatably coupled to the fixed link, The rotation link may include a shaft hole through which the shaft pin passes and a rotation guide slot through which the rotation locking pin passes.

According to an embodiment, when the rotary pin is in the rotary guide slot, rotation of the rotary link with respect to the fixed link is allowed, and when the rotary pin is in contact with one end of the rotary guide slot, The rotation of the rotating link with respect to the fixed link can be locked.

According to an embodiment, at the first pitch angle, the rotary lock pin may contact one end of the rotation guide slot.

According to an embodiment, the first elastic member includes a linear spring, and when the pitch angle becomes larger than the first pitch angle as the gait progresses, the leading spring is stretched to start storing the gait.

According to an embodiment of the present invention, it is preferable that the elastic member further includes a first fixing portion and a second fixing portion for fixing the second elastic member, wherein the second elastic member has a twist portion, a first linear portion at one end of the twist portion, Wherein the first fixing portion fixes the first linear portion and the second fixing portion allows the rotation of the second linear portion before the second pitch angle and the second linear portion is rotated by the second pitch, And thereafter the rotation of the second linear portion can be restricted.

According to one embodiment, in the case of before the second pitch angle, the second linear portion is in non-contact with the second fixing portion, and in the case after the second pitch angle, the second linear portion is in contact with the second fixing portion, / RTI >

According to an embodiment, the first fixing portion includes a fixing groove into which the first linear portion is fitted, and the first fixing portion can transmit the rotational force of the leg link to the first linear portion.

According to one embodiment, the walking assist energy stored in at least one of the first and second elastic members may be released such that the foot supports the force falling from the ground as the walking progresses.

According to one embodiment, the motor further comprises a motor, a pulley, and a wire provided on the outer circumferential surface of the pulley and driven by the motor, wherein at least one of the foot plate and the leg link is walked An auxiliary force may be provided.

A walking assist device according to an embodiment of the present invention includes a foot for supporting a foot, a leg link rotating in a pitch direction with respect to the foot according to walking, A fixed link having one end fixed to one side of the leg link and including a pivot pin and a pivot lock pin, and one end connected to the other end of the fixed link so as to be rotatable, And a rotation guide slot including a rotation guide slot through which the rotation locking pin passes, wherein when the rotation locking pin is in the rotation guide slot, rotation of the rotation link with respect to the fixed link is allowed, When the king pin contacts one end of the rotation guide slot, the rotation of the rotation link with respect to the fixed link is locked to the first elastic member, Joe energy can be saved.

A walking assist device according to an embodiment of the present invention includes a foot for supporting a foot, a leg link rotating in a pitch direction with respect to the foot according to walking, A second fixing member having a first linear portion at one end of the twisted portion and a second linear portion at the other end, and a first fixing portion and a second fixing portion fixing the second elastic member, , The first fastening portion limits free rotation with respect to the first linear portion and the second fastening portion permits or restricts free rotation with respect to the second linear portion according to the pitch angle of the leg link to the footrest .

The walking assist method according to an embodiment of the present invention includes a step in which the leg link is rotated toward the foot plate after the heel touches the ground and the first elastic member Storing the walking assist energy in the second elastic member from a second pitch angle greater than the first pitch angle, and storing the walking assist energy in the second elastic member and the first and second elastic members And a step of releasing the walking assist energy stored in the memory.

According to one embodiment, the step of storing the gait assist energy in the second elastic member may include the step of continuously storing energy in the first elastic member.

According to an embodiment of the present invention, at least one of the step of storing the walking assist energy in the first elastic member and the step of storing the walking assist energy in the second elastic member is a step of walking through the wire driven by the driving unit And may include an auxiliary step.

A walking assist device according to an embodiment of the present invention includes a foot for supporting a foot, a leg link rotating in a pitch direction with respect to the foot according to walking, And a second elastic member provided between one side of the foot plate and one side of the leg link, wherein when the angle of the leg link reaches the first pitch angle as the walking progresses, When the walking assist energy storage starts to the first elastic member and reaches the second pitch angle which is larger than the first pitch angle, the walking assist energy storage can start to the second elastic member.

According to the present embodiment, since a walking assist energy can be provided through a passive mechanism, a simpler structure can be provided. In addition, since the start time of the walking assist energy storage is different according to the first and second pitch angles, the modulus of elasticity can be reduced, and the gait disturbance can be reduced.

In addition, an active mechanism is introduced. By placing the position of the driving part on the back of the body, it is possible to reduce the wearing load of the wearer as compared with the case where the driving part is located on the ankle.

Fig. 1 is a view for explaining a step of walking.
2 is a view for explaining a walking aid according to an embodiment of the present invention.
3 is a view for explaining an ankle part of a walking aid according to an embodiment of the present invention.
4 is a view for explaining an angle according to an embodiment of the present invention.
5 to 8 are views for explaining the first elastic member according to an embodiment of the present invention in detail.
9 to 11 are views for explaining a second elastic member according to an embodiment of the present invention in detail.
12 is a view for explaining a pitch angle at which the walking assist energy is stored in each of the first and second elastic members according to the ankle angle according to the embodiment of the present invention.
13 is a view for explaining a driving unit of a walking aid according to an embodiment of the present invention.
14 is a view for explaining a walking assistance method according to an embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 15 is a diagram for explaining step S100 of FIG. 14 in detail.
FIG. 16 is a diagram for explaining step S110 in FIG. 14 in detail.
FIG. 17 is a diagram for explaining step S120 of FIG. 14 in detail.

Hereinafter, preferred embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. However, the technical spirit of the present invention is not limited to the embodiments described herein but may be embodied in other forms. Rather, the embodiments disclosed herein are provided so that the disclosure can be thorough and complete, and will fully convey the scope of the invention to those skilled in the art.

In this specification, when an element is referred to as being on another element, it may be directly formed on another element, or a third element may be interposed therebetween. Also, in the drawings, the shape and size are exaggerated for an effective description of the technical content.

Although the terms first, second, third, etc. in the various embodiments of the present disclosure are used to describe various components, these components should not be limited by these terms. These terms have only been used to distinguish one component from another. Thus, what is referred to as a first component in any one embodiment may be referred to as a second component in another embodiment. Each embodiment described and exemplified herein also includes its complementary embodiment. Also, in this specification, 'and / or' are used to include at least one of the front and rear components. Also, in the drawings of the present specification, the left-side configuration is denoted by L, the right-side configuration is denoted by R, and the left and right sides are collectively described except for the case where the left and right sides are specifically described.

The singular forms "a", "an", and "the" include plural referents unless the context clearly dictates otherwise. It is also to be understood that the terms such as " comprises "or" having "are intended to specify the presence of stated features, integers, Should not be understood to exclude the presence or addition of one or more other elements, elements, or combinations thereof. Also, in this specification, the term "connection " is used to include both indirectly connecting and directly connecting a plurality of components.

In the following description of the present invention, a detailed description of known functions and configurations incorporated herein will be omitted when it may make the subject matter of the present invention rather unclear.

Fig. 1 is a view for explaining a step of walking.

Referring to FIG. 1, the step of walking includes steps of starting from the initial contact where the heel of the right foot (or the external curve) touches the ground to the ground, the right and left toes It can also be made of an elbow that touches the heel of the right foot to the ground again. During the whole gait phase, the stance phase occupies 60% and the swing phase can occupy 40%.

For the human body to walk, the pelvis, knee and ankle require strength, and the pelvis, knee and ankle are known to generate 60% of the force. In other words, it can be confirmed that it is important to assist the ankle for the walking assistance.

Thus, the present inventor assists the movement of the ankle during walking through the passive type first and second elastic members. For example, energy is stored in the first elastic member in the stomach midcycle (about 30% of the walking cycle shown in FIG. 1), and in the middle of the stance phase (about 35% of the walking cycle shown in FIG. 1 Energy is also stored in the second elastic member, and the energy stored in the first and second elastic members is released from the end of the stance period (about 45% of the walking cycle shown in Fig. 1), thereby helping the ankle move. In particular, since the energy stored in the first and second elastic members is released at the start time (toe off) of the ankle, which requires a large amount of muscle force, the walking assist effect can be increased. So that the ankle motion can be further assisted.

2 is a view for explaining a walking aid according to an embodiment of the present invention.

2, the walking assistance device according to an embodiment of the present invention includes a passive walking aiding device 100 having first and second elastic members, a wire (not shown) attached to an ankle, And an active walking aiding device 200 for controlling an active walking aiding device 205. A passive walking aiding apparatus will now be described with reference to Fig. Hereinafter, the passive walking assistance device 100 and the active walking assistance device 200 may be abbreviated as a walking aiding device.

FIG. 3 is a view for explaining a passive mechanism of a walking aid in an embodiment of the present invention.

Referring to FIG. 3, the walking assist device 100 according to an embodiment of the present invention includes a foot plate 102 for supporting a foot, a leg link 102 rotating in a pitch direction (Ry direction) (110), a fixing base (120) provided on one side of the leg link (110) and fixed to the lower leg of the body, a fixing base (120) provided between one side of the foot base (102) and one side of the leg link 1 elastic member 130 and at least one of a first elastic member 150 provided between one side of the foot plate 102 and one side of the leg link 110. [

The foot plate 102 can be moved in the X-axis direction according to the progress of the walking. When the walking progresses, the lower leg is rotated (Ry) with respect to the ankle, so that a pitch angle is generated.

According to one embodiment, when the angle of the leg link 110 reaches the first pitch angle with the progress of the gait, the walking assist energy storage is started to the first elastic member 130, When reaching a second pitch angle greater than the angle, storage of the gait assist energy in the second elastic member 150 can be started.

Refer to FIG. 4 for convenience in understanding the pitch angle.

4 is a view for explaining an angle according to an embodiment of the present invention.

Referring to FIG. 4, the pitch angle may be an angle that defines the degree of rotation of the leg link 110, when the walking direction is the X-axis direction. In this specification, the case where the leg link 110 is perpendicular to the foot plate 102 (or the ground) will be defined as a pitch angle of zero degrees. The first quadrant of FIG. 4 is defined as a + pitch angle, and the second quadrant of FIG. 4 is defined as a pitch angle. If the pitch angle is substituted in the walking cycle of FIG. 1, the pitch angle becomes 0 degree when the walking step progresses from 0% to 30%, and the pitch angle increases in the + direction when the walking step becomes 30% .

According to an embodiment of the present invention, the first pitch angle at which the walking assist energy storage starts at the first elastic member 130 is 0 degree and the walking assist energy storage starts at the second elastic member 150 2 pitch angle is assumed to be 10 degrees. That is, energy is primarily stored in the first elastic member 130 and secondarily stored in the second elastic member 150 when the walking progresses further.

5 to 8, a first elastic member according to an embodiment of the present invention will be described in detail.

5 to 8 are views for explaining the first elastic member according to an embodiment of the present invention in detail.

Referring to FIG. 5, one end of the first elastic member 130 according to an embodiment of the present invention may be rotatably coupled to a fixed end 132 fixedly provided on the foot plate 102. The other end of the first elastic member 130 may be rotatably coupled to one end of the rotary link 135. Further, the other end of the rotation link 135 may be rotatably coupled to one end of the fixed link 140. At this time, the other end of the rotating link 135 is rotatably coupled to one end of the fixed link 140, but the range of the rotatable angle may be limited. The other end of the fixed link 140 may be coupled to the leg link 110.

The rotational force applied to the leg link 110 may be transmitted to the fixed link 140, the rotational link 135, and the first elastic member 130 when the leg link 110 is rotated according to the progress of the walking.

At this time, when the pitch angle of the leg link 110 is smaller than the first pitch angle, the rotation link 135 can freely rotate with respect to the fixed link 140. [ Alternatively, when the pitch angle of the leg link 110 is larger than the first pitch angle, the rotating link 135 may not rotate with respect to the fixed link 140 any more. In this case, while the first elastic member 130 (e.g., a linear spring) is stretched, the walking assist energy can be stored.

6 for enlarging the area A of FIG. 5 for a more detailed description, the fixed link 140 may include an axial pin 142 and a rotary locking pin 144, A shaft hole (not shown) through which the shaft pin 142 passes and a rotation guide slot 137 through which the rotation locking pin 144 passes.

A rotation axis through which the rotation link 135 rotates with respect to the fixed link 140 can be defined as the shaft pin 142 passes through the shaft hole. That is, the rotation link 135 can rotate about the axis pin 142 with respect to the fixed link 140. [

The rotation guide slot 137 may open one side of the rotation link 135, for example, in an arc shape. The pivot pin 144 may pass through the opening of the rotation guide slot 137. When the rotation lock pin 144 is in the rotation guide slot 137, the rotation link 135 is allowed to rotate with respect to the fixed link 140, The rotation of the rotating link 135 with respect to the fixed link 140 can be locked.

That is, when the upper end of the rotation guide slot 137 and the rotation locking pin 144 are in contact with each other, the rotation link 135 may be most extended with respect to the fixed link 140. 7, when the lower end of the rotation guide slot 137 and the rotation locking pin 144 are in contact with each other, the rotation link 135 is most folded with respect to the fixed link 140 .

Referring to FIG. 8, when the pitch angle of the leg link 110 is smaller than the first pitch angle, the rotation guide slot 137 may not be locked by the rotation lock pin 144. In this case, the rotary link 135 can freely rotate with respect to the fixed link 140. [ The rotation link 135 can freely rotate with respect to the fixed link 140 when the pitch angle of the leg link 110 is less than 0 degree when the first pitch angle is 0 degree as described above.

Alternatively, when the pitch angle of the leg link 110 reaches the first pitch angle (0 degrees), the rotation guide slot 137 may be locked by the rotation lock pin 144. In this case, the rotation link 135 can not rotate with respect to the fixed link 140 any more. When the pitch angle of the leg link 110 increases even though the rotating link 135 does not rotate with respect to the fixed link 140, the first elastic member 130 is stretched, Can be started.

On the other hand, the walking assist energy stored in the first elastic member 130 is emitted from the time point when the heel starts to move away from the ground and / or the moment when the toe starts to move away from the ground according to the progress of the gait, can do. That is, when the walking progresses in the X-axis direction, the walking assist energy stored in the first elastic member 130 may be released to rotate the footrest 110 clockwise.

5 to 8, the configuration related to the first elastic member according to the embodiment of the present invention has been described. Hereinafter, a second elastic member according to an embodiment of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to FIGS. 9 to 11. FIG.

9 to 11 are views for explaining a second elastic member according to an embodiment of the present invention in detail.

9 to 11, the second elastic member 150 includes a twist portion 152, a first linear portion 153 at one end of the twisted portion and a second linear portion 154 at the other end And a torsion spring.

The walking aid device according to one embodiment includes a first fixing table 160 including a fixing groove into which a first linear portion 153 is inserted to fix the first linear portion 153, And a second fixing table 162 that allows rotation of the second linear portion 162 and restricts rotation of the second linear portion 154 after the second pitch angle (10 degrees).

The first fixing table 160 may rotate together with the rotation of the leg link 110. In this case, the first fixing table 160 receives the rotational force of the leg link 110 to the first linear part 153 by receiving the first linear part 153 in the width direction of the first linear part 153 .

The second linear portion 154 is in non-contact with the second fixing portion 162 and the second pitch angle (10 degrees) before the second pitch angle (10 degrees) 10 degrees), the second linear portion 154 may be in contact with the second fixing portion 162.

Referring to FIG. 10, a clearance angle Rs may be provided between the upper surface of the second fixing table 162 and the second linear portion 154 before the second pitch angle (10 degrees). Accordingly, even when the second linear portion 154 rotates before the second pitch angle (10 degrees), it is in non-contact with the upper surface of the second fixing portion 162. Therefore, even if the rotational force of the leg link 110 is transmitted to the first fixing table 160, the first linear portion 153, and the twist portion 152 before the second pitch angle (10 degrees) Since the two linear portion 154 rotates freely, the storage of the walking assist energy may not be started.

Alternatively, as shown in FIG. 11, when the pitch angle of the leg link 110 is increased to reach the second pitch angle 10, the pitch angle Rs may be 0 degree. That is, the second linear portion 154 may contact the upper surface of the second fixing table 162. In this case, further free rotation of the second linear portion 154 can be blocked. Accordingly, since the twisting force is applied to the twisted portion 152, the walking assist energy storage can be started.

The walking assist energy stored in the second elastic member 150 is emitted from the time point at which the heel starts to move away from the ground and / or the time at which the toe begins to move away from the ground as the walking progresses, thereby assisting the ankle muscle force required for the walking have. That is, when the walking progresses in the X-axis direction, the walking assist energy stored in the second elastic member 150 may also be released to rotate the footrest 110 clockwise.

12 is a view for explaining a pitch angle at which the walking assist energy is stored in each of the first and second elastic members according to the ankle angle according to the embodiment of the present invention.

The x-axis in Fig. 12 shows the progression step of the walking in 100%, and the y-axis shows the pitch angle of the ankle. The pitch angle of the ankle was found to be about 12 degrees maximum in the case of flat land, a maximum of about 33 degrees in the uphill road, about 26 degrees in the uphill step, about 25 degrees in the downhill road, and about 40 degrees in the downhill step.

The present inventor has found that the first pitch angle at which the walking assist energy is stored in the first elastic member 130 is 0 degree and the second pitch angle at which the walking assist energy is stored in the second elastic member 150 is The second pitch angle at which the walking assist energy was stored was 10 degrees. In this case, the walking assist energy is stored in the first elastic member 130 at a pitch angle of 0 degrees or more of the leg leak 110, and the walking assist energy is stored in the second elastic member 150 at a pitch angle of 10 degrees or more .

It goes without saying that the first and second pitch angles can be changed according to the design of a person skilled in the art. For example, the first pitch angle can be changed by adjusting the position of the rotary lock pin 144 and / or the length of the rotation guide slot 137. [ Further, by adjusting the clearance angle Rs, the second pitch angle can be changed.

The passive mechanism according to one embodiment of the present invention has been described above. An active walking aiding apparatus will now be described with reference to FIG.

13 is a view for explaining an active mechanism of a walking aid according to an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 13 is a detailed view of the reference numeral 200 in FIG.

Referring to FIG. 13, the walking assist device 200 according to an embodiment of the present invention can provide a walking assist force through the wire 205. A driving part 240 (for example, a motor) having a motor pulley on one side thereof and a driving part 240 (for example, a motor) mounted on the wearing part 210; A battery 220 for supplying power to each component, and a tension adjusting roller 260 for adjusting the tension of the wire 205. The controller 230 controls the tension of the wire 205,

3, a walking aiding apparatus 200 according to an embodiment of the present invention includes an ankle pulley 270 provided at one side of a foot plate 110, a sheath 280 through which a wire 205 passes, , And a wire guide (290) through which the wire (205) passes to the outer periphery.

2, both ends of the wire 205 may be wound around the motor pulley and the ankle pulley 270, and may pass through the sheath 280 through the wire guide 290. Referring to FIG.

The controller 230 controls the rotation direction and the rotation amount of the wire 205 to provide a walking assist force to the ankle. That is, the controller 230 may rotate the driving unit 240 to rotate the motor pulley coupled to the driving unit 240. Accordingly, the rotational force of the driving unit 240 can rotate the ankle pulley 270 through the wire 205. The axis of the ankle pulley 270 may be directly and / or indirectly connected to the footplate 102, or may be directly and / or indirectly connected to the leg link 110, thereby providing a walking assist force.

The controller 230 controls the driving unit 240 based on a sensing signal of an encoder (not shown) that senses a rotation amount of a pressure sensor (not shown) and / or a driving unit 240 built in the foot plate 102 The rotation direction and / or the rotation amount of the wire 205 can be controlled. Further, the controller 230 controls the tension of the wire 205 contacting the outer circumference of the tension adjusting roller 260 by adjusting the distance between the tension adjusting rollers 260. Thus, the controller 230 can control the torque direction and / or torque applied to the wire 205.

According to one embodiment, the controller 230 may control the wire 205 to provide a walking assist force over the pre-gait cycle shown in FIG. That is, the controller 230 can always provide a walking assist force. In another aspect, the walking assist force through the wire 205 may assist walking with the first elastic member 130 and / or the second elastic member 150, and the first elastic member 130 ) And / or the second elastic member 150 does not emit the gait assistant energy.

According to the present embodiment, since the driving unit 240 is mounted on the back of the vehicle while providing the walking assist force, the inconvenience of walking can be solved compared with the case where the driving unit 240 is mounted near the ankle. In other words, since the heavy and bulky drive unit 240 is mounted on the back instead of the ankle, it is possible to more effectively provide the walking assist force.

1 to 13, a walking assistance apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention has been described. Hereinafter, a walking assistance method according to an embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS. 14 to 17. FIG.

FIG. 14 is a view for explaining a walking assistance method according to an embodiment of the present invention, FIG. 15 is a view for explaining step S100 of FIG. 14 in detail, and FIG. And FIG. 17 is a diagram for explaining step S120 in FIG. 14 in detail.

Referring to FIG. 14, in the walking assist method according to an embodiment of the present invention, the leg link is rotated toward the foot plate after the heel touches the ground, A step S110 of storing the walking assist energy in the first elastic member after the angle is reached S110, a step S120 of storing the walking assist energy in the second elastic member after the second pitch angle greater than the first pitch angle, And releasing the walking assist energy stored in the first and second elastic members such that the foot is separated from the ground (S130).

Step S100

The leg link 110 can be rotated toward the foot plate after the heel touches the ground in step S100. The pitch angle of the leg link 110 can be increased. However, it is assumed that the pitch angle of step S100 does not reach the first pitch angle, that is, the angle at which energy is stored in the first elastic member.

15 (a), as the pitch angle of the leg link 110 is increased (clockwise rotation), one end of the first elastic member 130 is connected to the fixed end 132 And the other end of the first elastic member 130 can rotate in a counterclockwise direction with respect to the rotation link 135. The other end of the first rotation link 135 may be rotated counterclockwise with respect to the fixed link 140.

The inter-link rotation in step S100 may be free rotation. Referring to FIG. 15 (b), the rotation guide slot 137 of the rotation link 135 may not be locked by the rotation lock pin 144 of the fixed link 140. Accordingly, the rotation link 135 can freely rotate about the axis pin 142 with respect to the fixed link 140. [ In this case, the walking assist energy storage of the first elastic member 130 may be inactivated.

Referring to FIG. 15 (c), the first fixing table 160 may be rotated according to the rotation of the leg link 110. Accordingly, the first linear portion 153 of the second elastic member 150 accommodated in the first fixing table 160 can rotate together. As the first linear portion 153 rotates, the twist portion 152 and the second linear portion 154 can freely rotate together. In this case, the walking assist energy storage of the second elastic member 150 may be inactivated.

Meanwhile, provision of a walking assist force through the wire 205 may be performed. For example, the control unit 230 may analyze the walking step and provide a walking assist force corresponding to the analyzed walking step through the wire 205. FIG.

Step S110

When the pitch angle of the leg link 110 increases after step S100 to reach the first pitch angle (0 degree), the walking assist energy can be stored in the first elastic member 130. [ 16, when the pitch angle of the leg link 110 increases beyond the first pitch angle, the rotation link 135 can not rotate with respect to the fixed link 140 any more. That is, since the rotation guide slot 137 of the rotation link 135 and the rotation locking pin 144 of the fixed link 140 are in contact with each other, further free rotation may not be allowed. Nevertheless, when the pitch angle of the leg link 110 increases, the first elastic member 130 can be activated. That is, the first elastic member 130 is stretched and the walking assist energy can be stored.

In step S110, the second linear part 154 of the second elastic member 150 can freely rotate. That is, the second elastic member 150 can be inactivated.

It goes without saying that the provision of the walking assist force through the wire 205 may also be performed in step S110.

Step S120

When the pitch angle of the leg link 110 increases after the step S100 to reach the second pitch angle (10 degrees), the walking assistant energy can be stored in the second elastic member 150. [ 17, when the pitch angle of the leg link 110 increases to a second pitch angle or more, the rotation of the second linear portion 154 of the second elastic member 150 is transmitted to the second fixed base 162). However, when the pitch angle of the leg link 110 increases, the second elastic member 150 can be activated. That is, the second elastic member 150 may be twisted and the walking assist energy may be stored.

The walking assist energy can be continuously stored in the first elastic member 130 while the walking assist energy is stored in the second elastic member 150 according to step S120.

It goes without saying that the provision of the walking assist force through the wire 205 may also be performed in step S120.

Step S130

As the walking progresses, the walking assist energy stored in the first and second elastic members (130, 150) may be released such that the feet are separated from the ground. As a result, a passive mechanism can assist walking.

Also, in step S130, provision of a walking assist force through the wire 205 may be performed.

The walking assistance apparatus and the walking assistance method according to an embodiment of the present invention have been described above. According to the active mechanism of the walking aid device according to the present embodiment, since the weight is heavy, for example, the driving part is mounted on the back of the body and the driving part is connected to one side of the ankle through the wire, It can be avoided. In addition, since a passive mechanism can be added to the active mechanism, the driving unit can be made compact. Also, since the passive mechanism sequentially stores the energy at the first and second pitch angles as the gait phase progresses, the elastic modulus of the elastic member can be lowered. This can minimize the gait disturbance that may occur when energy is stored in the elastic member. Also, by designing at least one of the first and second pitch angles to be equal to or greater than 0 degrees, the walking assist energy can be stored by utilizing the weight of the body. This also minimizes the gait disturbance that may occur when energy is stored in the elastic member.

While the present invention has been particularly shown and described with reference to exemplary embodiments thereof, it is to be understood that the scope of the present invention is not limited to the disclosed exemplary embodiments. It will also be appreciated that many modifications and variations will be apparent to those skilled in the art without departing from the scope of the present invention.

Claims (15)

A footrest supporting the foot;
A leg link rotating in a pitch direction with respect to the foot plate according to walking;
A first elastic member provided between one side of the foot plate and one side of the leg link; And
And a second elastic member provided between one side of the foot plate and one side of the leg link,
When the angle of the leg link reaches the first pitch angle in accordance with the progress of the gait, the walking assist energy storage is started to the first elastic member, and when the second pitch angle is larger than the first pitch angle, And the walking assist energy storage starts to the second elastic member. The method according to claim 1,
Further comprising a fixed link connecting the first elastic member and one side of the leg link, and a rotating link rotatably coupled to the fixed link,
Wherein the fixed link includes an axial pin and a rotary lock pin,
Wherein the rotation link includes a shaft hole through which the shaft pin passes and a rotation guide slot through which the rotation locking pin passes. 3. The method of claim 2,
When the rotary pin is in the rotary guide slot, rotation of the rotary link with respect to the fixed link is permitted,
And the rotation of the rotary link with respect to the fixed link is locked when the rotary pin is in contact with one end of the rotary guide slot. The method of claim 3,
And the pivot lock pin contacts the one end of the rotation guide slot at the first pitch angle. 5. The method of claim 4,
Wherein the first elastic member includes a linear spring,
Wherein when the pitch angle becomes larger than the first pitch angle as the gait progresses, the leading spring is pulled and the walking assist energy storage starts. The method according to claim 1,
Further comprising a first fixing part and a second fixing part fixing the second elastic member,
The second elastic member includes a torsion spring having a first linear portion at one end of the twisted portion and a second linear portion at the other end,
Wherein the first fixing portion fixes the first linear portion and the second fixing portion allows the rotation of the second linear portion before the second pitch angle and limits the rotation of the second linear portion after the second pitch angle , A walking aid. The method according to claim 6,
Wherein the second linear portion is in non-contact with the second fixing portion and, when after the second pitch angle, the second linear portion is in contact with the second fixing portion, Device. The method according to claim 6,
Wherein the first fixing portion includes a fixing groove into which the first linear portion is fitted,
And the first fixing portion transmits the rotational force of the leg link to the first linear portion. The method according to claim 1,
Wherein the walking assist energy stored in at least one of the first and second elastic members is released so as to assist the force that the feet fall from the ground as the walking progresses. The method according to claim 1,
A motor provided in the back plate;
Pulleys; And
Further comprising a wire provided on an outer circumferential surface of the pulley and driven by the motor,
Wherein a walking assist force is provided to at least one of the footrest and the leg link according to the rotation of the wire. A footrest supporting the foot;
A leg link rotating in a pitch direction with respect to the foot plate according to walking;
A first elastic member provided between one side of the foot plate and one side of the leg link;
A fixed link, one end of which is fixed to one side of the leg link and includes a pivot pin and a pivot pin; And
And a rotation link including a shaft hole through which the shaft pin passes and a rotation guide slot through which the rotation locking pin passes,
Wherein when the rotary pin is in the rotation guide slot, rotation of the rotary link with respect to the fixed link is allowed, and when the rotary pin is in contact with one end of the rotary guide slot, Wherein the rotation of the rotary link is locked so that the walking assist energy is stored in the first elastic member. A footrest supporting the foot;
A leg link rotating in a pitch direction with respect to the foot plate according to walking;
A second elastic member provided between one side of the footrest and one side of the leg link, the second elastic member having a twist portion, a first linear portion at one end of the twist portion, and a second linear portion at the other end; And
And a first fixing part and a second fixing part fixing the second elastic member,
The first fastening portion limits free rotation with respect to the first linear portion and the second fastening portion according to the pitch angle of the leg link with respect to the footrest allows walking or restricting free rotation with respect to the second linear portion Auxiliary device. The leg link rotating toward the footplate after the heel touches the ground;
Storing the walking assist energy in the first elastic member after the angle of the leg link reaches the first pitch angle in accordance with the rotation;
Storing gait assist energy in a second elastic member after a second pitch angle greater than the first pitch angle; And
And releasing gait assist energy stored in the first and second elastic members such that the foot is separated from the ground. 14. The method of claim 13,
Wherein the step of storing the gait assist energy in the second elastic member comprises continuously storing energy in the first elastic member. 14. The method of claim 13,
At least one of the step of storing the walking assist energy in the first elastic member and the step of storing the walking assist energy in the second elastic member includes a step of assisting the walking through the wire driven by the driving unit Walking aids.

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