KR20230076166A - Wearable Knee Unloading Device - Google Patents

Abstract

The present invention relates to a wearable knee traction device. The wearable knee traction device comprises: a first support member that is stretchable in a longitudinal direction and is worn on either the upper thigh or the lower thigh; a second support member that is worn on the opposite side of the first support member with the knee interposed therebetween; a first extension member that provides force in the direction in which the first support member is extended; and a joint member that connects the first support member and the second support member to be rotatable relative to each other so that the first support member and the second support member are interlocked according to a change in the angle of the knee joint. The wearable knee traction device of the present invention configured as described above differently controls the traction force on the inside and the outside of the knee to move the application point of the load applied to the knee joint or change the shape thereof, thereby enabling correct assistance tailored to the state of the joint of an individual patient. In addition, the angle of the knee joint and the knee traction force are separated from each other to be controlled independently, thereby relieving knee pain more efficiently. In addition, the load applied to the wearer's knee is measured and predicted and appropriate traction force is generated based thereon, thereby preventing damage to the meniscus to be used as an exercise assistance device.

Description

Wearable Knee Unloading Device {Wearable Knee Unloading Device}

The present invention relates to a knee traction device for reducing a load applied to a knee joint, and more particularly, to a wearable knee traction device that reduces a load applied to a knee joint by lifting a thigh from a knee joint.

The knee joint is a joint located between the femur, tibia and patella, supporting the body weight and allowing the leg to bend. The knee joint is known as a joint that is easily damaged because it is frequently used and must bear a particularly heavy load.

The knee joint includes the meniscus cartilage. Meniscus is a semilunar cartilage located on the inside and outside of the knee, protecting the joint and mitigating the impact the knee receives. (The above-mentioned 'inside' is the direction toward the opposite leg, and 'outside' is the opposite direction.) These menisci are gradually worn down with aging and become unable to function properly, or are prone to rupture during excessive exercise.

In case of degenerative change or damage of the meniscus, arthritis accompanied by inflammation and pain may occur, and if appropriate treatment or measures for these joint diseases are not properly performed, joint deformation occurs and chronic physical disability is obtained . When the meniscal cartilage is aged or damaged, orthopedic and surgical cartilage reconstruction can be performed, but there is a problem that the cost is high and the risk of the operation itself is high in the case of the elderly.

For this reason, various types of orthoses for relieving knee pain have been used. Knee braces have the common purpose of alleviating the load on the knee.

However, most of the commercially available knee braces have a manual mechanism that lengthens dependently as the knee joint is bent or extended. Conventional knee braces protect the knee only in a specific posture in which the traction structure is lengthened, but do not protect the knee in the entire range of joint motion. In addition, since the structures covering the inside and outside of the knee have the same displacement amount, it is not possible to implement different levels of assistance between the inside and outside of the knee.

As is known, knee arthritis appears differently depending on an individual's body shape or exercise habits. For example, some people have damage to the medial meniscus, others to the lateral meniscus, or both. In particular, since the meniscus of patients with joint damage caused by excessive exercise has a different type from the degenerative joint, a knee support device with a structure that can protect the knee according to each patient is needed.

The present invention was created to solve the above problems, by moving the point of application of the load applied to the knee joint or changing the shape, it is possible to accurately assist according to the joint condition of each patient, and the angle of the knee joint and the knee traction force It is an object to provide a wearable knee traction device that can be separated from each other and independently controlled.

In order to achieve the above object, the wearable knee traction device of the present invention includes: a first support member that is stretchable in the longitudinal direction and is worn on any one of the thigh and lower leg; a second support member worn on the opposite side of the first support member with the knee interposed therebetween; a first extension member providing force in a direction to elongate the first support member; and a joint member that connects the first and second support members rotatably relative to each other so that the first and second support members are interlocked according to changes in the angle of the knee joint.

The wearable knee traction device of the present invention made as described above controls the traction force on the inside and outside of the knee differently to move the point of application of the load applied to the knee joint or change the shape, thereby improving the joint condition of each patient. It enables accurate assistance to fit.

In addition, since the angle of the knee joint and the knee traction force are separated from each other and independently controlled, knee pain is more effectively alleviated.

In addition, by measuring and predicting the load applied to the wearer's knee and generating an appropriate traction force based thereon, damage to the meniscus can be prevented and can be utilized as an exercise aid.

1 is a perspective view showing a wearable knee traction device according to an embodiment of the present invention mounted on a leg.
Figure 2 is an exploded perspective view of the wearable knee traction device shown in Figure 1;
3 and 4 are views for explaining the stretching action of the wearable knee traction device shown in FIG.
5 is a view showing a manual tensioner of a wearable knee traction device according to an embodiment of the present invention.
6 is a partial cross-sectional view for explaining the internal configuration of the first tensioner shown in FIG. 5;
7 is a view for explaining a driving method of an automatic tensioner of a wearable knee traction device according to an embodiment of the present invention.
8A and 8B are separate views of the joint member shown in FIG. 2 .
9 is a cross-sectional side view of the joint member shown in FIG. 8A.
10 is a view showing a state in which a gap displacement sensor is applied to the wearable knee traction device shown in FIG. 1 .
11 to 14 are views showing various examples of elongation members applicable to the wearable knee traction device according to an embodiment of the present invention.

Hereinafter, one embodiment according to the present invention will be described in more detail with reference to the accompanying drawings.

The wearable knee traction device of the present invention is a device worn on the wearer's leg, and reduces the load applied to the knee by applying force to the thigh (thigh) and the lower leg (calf) in a direction away from each other. A method of applying force to the femoral region and the lower leg region may be both electric and manual.

The electric type is a driving mode in which a driving module, which will be described later, participates, and provides an output corresponding to the angle of the knee or load information applied to the knee. However, the driving module may be independently operated regardless of the knee angle or load information. The manual type is a method in which the wearer controls the output by hand, for example, by turning a dial by hand. The output refers to the generation of force applied to the thigh and lower leg in a direction away from each other.

In addition, as described later, by independently controlling the force applied to the left and right portions of the knee, that is, the left meniscus and the right meniscus, an optimized force corresponding to the degree of aging or damage of the wearer's knee is output, and the wearer It enables accurate assistance suitable for each individual joint condition.

1 is a perspective view showing a wearable knee traction device 10 according to an embodiment of the present invention mounted on a leg.

As shown, the wearable knee traction device 10 according to this embodiment includes a first support member 20, a second support member 30, a first extension member (25 in FIG. 2), and a second extension member. A member 35 and a joint member 40 are included.

The first support member 20 is stretchable in the longitudinal direction and is worn on either the thigh or lower leg. In addition, the second support member 30 is worn on the opposite side of the first support member 20 with the knee 105 interposed therebetween. In this embodiment, the first support member 20 is worn on the thigh 101 and the second support member 30 is worn on the lower leg 103 . The first support member 20 and the second support member 30 are configured to extend in the longitudinal direction and can be stretched in the longitudinal direction.

The first extension member 25 provides force in the direction of elongation of the first support member 20, and the second extension member 35 is installed on the second support member to provide a second support member ( 30) provides a force in the direction of elongation.

In addition, the joint member 40 includes the first support member 20 and the second support member 30 such that the first support member 20 and the second support member 30 interlock according to the angle change of the knee 105 joint. (30) are connected to each other so that relative rotation is possible.

The first supporting member 20 maintains the femoral portion 101 fixed by the first wearing member 13 . As long as the first supporting member 20 can be maintained, the configuration, material, design, or wearing method of the first wearing member can be varied. For example, it may take the form of a sleeve or frame and be implemented in a way that is tightened with a strap. In the case of this embodiment, the first wearing member 13 is manufactured using a thermoplastic resin material. When such a first wearing member 13 is made soft by applying heat in a method such as immersing it in hot water, and cooled by being in close contact with the user's thigh 101, the first wearing member 13 is attached to the user's thigh 101 It becomes a shape that fits perfectly.

The second support member 30 is supported by the second wearing member 15 . Similar to the first support member 20, the configuration, material, or design of the second wearing member can also be changed.

The state in which the first support member 20 is attached to the thigh 101 via the first wearing member 13 and the second support member 30 is fixed to the lower leg 103 by the second wearing member 15 are mutually linked through the joint member 40. A description of the joint member 40 will be described later.

In addition, in FIG. 1, only one traction device 10 is applied to the outer part of the leg, but the traction device 10 can also be installed on the inner part (direction toward the opposite leg). Alternatively, it may be installed only on the inner portion without being installed on the outer portion. These are determined by the condition of the wearer's knee.

The first extension member 25 serves to move the first support member 20 in the direction of arrow a. That is, the gap between the first support member 20 with respect to the fixed joint member 40 is widened. The movement distance in the direction of arrow a is determined according to the condition of the wearer's knee.

The second extension member 35 serves to move the second support member 30 in the direction of the arrow b. By adjusting the distance between the second support member 30 with respect to the fixed joint member 40, the burden applied to the patient's knee can be reduced. In addition, the movement distance in the direction of arrow b is adjusted according to the condition of the wearer's knee.

The first elongation member 25 and the second elongation member 35 are independently operable. That is, only the first extension member 25 or only the second extension member 35 may be operated. Both can work.

FIG. 2 is an exploded perspective view of the wearable knee traction device 10 shown in FIG. 1 .

As shown, the first supporting member 20 includes a 1-1 supporting member 21 and a 1-2 supporting member 23 that are slidably connected to each other by at least partially overlapping each other. The meaning of overlapping means that the base plate 21a and the extension plate 23d overlap before operation.

The 1-1 supporting member 21 includes a base plate 21a, a first fixing block 21b, a second fixing block 21d, and a guide rod 21e.

The base plate 21a is coupled to the first wearing member 13 as a rectangular plate having a certain thickness and having elasticity. The fixing method of the base plate 21a to the first wearing member 13 can be implemented in various ways through known methods.

The first fixing block 21b and the second fixing block 21d are fixed to both ends of the base plate 21a and are connected to each other by two guide rods 21e as opposite members.

The guide rod 21e guides the linear motion of the anchor block 23a. The guide rod 21e may be made of a hollow tube. Two of the guide rods 21e are spaced parallel to each other.

In addition, a through slit 21c is formed in the first fixing block 21b. The through slit 21c is a passage through which the extension plate 23d passes. In addition, a connector 25a is mounted on the first fixing block 21b. The connector 25a is a component of the first extension member 25 and passes the first wire 25e. A wire passage (not shown) through which the first wire 25e passes is further formed in the first fixing block 21b.

The 1-2nd supporting member 23 has an anchor block 23a and an extension plate 23d. The anchor block 23a is a member that reciprocates between the first fixing block 21b and the second fixing block 21d, and has rod passage holes 23b at both ends. The rod passage hole 23b is a hole through which the guide rod 21e is passed. The inner circumferential surface of the rod passage hole 23b slides while being face-to-face with the guide rod 21e.

The extension plate 23d is a plate-like member having a certain thickness, and one end is fixed to the anchor block 23a while being inserted into the through slit 21c and the other end is coupled to the extension plate holder 41a. The extension plate 23d maintains a distance between the extension plate holder 41a and the anchor block 23a, and when the first wire 25e is pulled in the direction of the arrow c, the direction of the arrow applied to the anchor block 23a in the direction of arrow d. The force is transmitted to the first joint part (41).

As will be described later, when the first wire 25e is pulled, a force in the direction of arrow d is induced in the first joint portion 41 . If there is no obstacle obstructing the movement of the first joint portion 41, the first joint portion 41 will fall in the direction of the arrow d. However, since the first joint portion 41 is bitten by the second joint portion 43 and cannot be moved, the force in the direction of arrow d becomes a reaction force in the direction of arrow e through the 1-1 supporting member 21. output

The first extension member 25 serves to elongate the first support member 20 by providing force in a direction in which the 1-1 support member 21 and the 1-2 support member 23 move away from each other. do.

The direction away from each other means a direction in which the 1-1st supporting member 21 moves in the direction of arrow e and the direction in which the 1-2nd supporting member 23 moves in the direction of arrow d. Also, extending the first supporting member 20 means moving the 1-1 supporting member 21 in the direction of the arrow e. 3 is a state before the first support member 20 and the second support member 30 are extended, and FIG. 4 is a state in which they are maximally extended.

The first elongating member 25 includes a connector 25a, a wire sheath 25c, and a first wire 25e.

The connector 25a is mounted on the first fixing block 21b and guides the longitudinal movement of the first wire 25e. The first wire 25e has one end fixed to the anchor block 23a, passes through the first fixing block 21b and the connector 25a, and then passes through the wire sheath 25c to an automatic tensioner (FIG. 7). 70) or a manual tensioner (60 in FIG. 5). The automatic tensioner 70 or the manual tensioner 60 serves to tension the first wire 25e.

The first joint portion 41 includes an extension plate holder 41a and a gear 41b. The extension plate holder 41a is a member for receiving and fixing the end of the extension plate 23d. The gear 41b is integrated with the extension plate holder 41a and meshes with the gear 43b of the second joint part 43.

Meanwhile, the second support member 30 has the same configuration as the first support member 20 and is symmetrical with the joint member 40 interposed therebetween.

The second supporting member 30 includes a 2-1 supporting member 31 and a 2-2 supporting member 33 that are slidably connected to each other by at least partially overlapping each other. In addition, the 2-1 supporting member 31 includes a base plate 31a, a first fixing block 31b, a second fixing block 31d, and a guide rod 31e.

The base plate 31a is a rectangular plate having a predetermined thickness and coupled to the second wearing member 15 . The fixing of the base plate 31a to the second wearing member 15 can be implemented in various ways through known methods.

The first fixing block 31b and the second fixing block 31d are members installed on the upper surface of both ends of the base plate 31a and are connected by two parallel guide rods 31e. The guide rod 31e guides the linear motion of the anchor block 33a.

A through slit 31c is provided in the first fixing block 31b. The through slit 31c is a passage through which the extension plate 33d passes. A connector 35a is further mounted on the first fixing block 31b. The connector 35a passes the second wire 35e as a part of the second elongated member 35 . A wire passage (not shown) through which the second wire 35e passes is formed in the second fixing block 31d.

The 2-2 support member 33 has an anchor block 33a and an extension plate 33d. The anchor block 33a is a member that reciprocates between the first fixing block 31b and the second fixing block 31d. Rod passage holes (33b in Fig. 4) are formed at both ends of the anchor block 33a. The rod passage hole 33b is a passage through which the guide rod 31e passes. The anchor block 33a slides while being in contact with the guide rod 21e.

The extension plate 33d is coupled to the anchor block 33a at one end and to the extension plate holder 43a at the other end while being inserted into the through slit 31c. The extension plate 33d maintains the distance of the extension plate holder 43a from the anchor block 33a, and when the second wire 35e is pulled in the direction of the arrow f, the direction of the arrow applied to the anchor block 33a in the direction of arrow g. The force is transmitted to the second joint part (43). In the same principle as described with respect to the first support member 20, when the second wire 35e is pulled in the direction of arrow f, the 2-1 support member 31 moves in the direction of arrow h.

The second extension member 35 serves to elongate the second support member 30 by providing force in a direction in which the 2-1 support member 31 and the 2-2 support member 33 move away from each other. do. The direction away from each other means a direction in which the 2-1 supporting member 31 moves in the direction of arrow h and the 2-2 supporting member 33 moves in the direction of arrow g. Also, extending the second supporting member 30 means moving the 2-1 supporting member 31 in the direction of the arrow h.

The second elongating member 35 includes a connector 35a, a wire sheath 35c, and a second wire 35e. The connector 35a is mounted on the first fixing block 31b and guides the longitudinal movement of the second wire 35e. The second wire 35e has one end fixed to the anchor block 33a, passes through the second fixing block 31d and the connector 35a, and then passes through the wire sheath 35c to an automatic tensioner (see FIG. 7). 70) or a manual tensioner (60 in FIG. 5).

The second joint portion 43 includes an extension plate holder 43a and a gear 43b. The extension plate holder 43a is a member for receiving and fixing the end of the extension plate 33d. The gear 43b is integrated with the extension plate holder 43a and meshes with the gear 41b of the first joint part 41.

The joint member 40 includes a first joint part 41 , a second joint part 43 , and a gear housing 45 . The gears 41b and 43b of the first and second joint parts are accommodated in the gear housing 45 in a state of meshing with each other and supported by the support pin 46. The support pin 46 is inserted into the through hole 45c of the gear housing 45 and the pin holes 41c and 43c of the gears 41b and 43b, and maintains the meshing state of the gears.

The first joint part 41 and the second joint part 43 operate while being constrained to the gear housing 45 .

3 and 4 are views for explaining the stretching action of the knee traction device 10 . For convenience, the first and second wearing members 13 and 15 are omitted.

3 is a state when the wearer attaches the traction device 10, and the first support member 20 and the second support member 30 are as close as possible. In this state, when the first wire 25e is pulled in the direction of arrow c and the second wire 35e is pulled in the direction of arrow f, the 1-1 support member 21 and the 2-1 support member 31 are mutually connected. away from about That is, it moves in the direction of the arrows e and h, and relieves the load on the knee joint. 4 shows a state in which the first support member 20 and the second support member 30 are fully extended.

The pulling force and distance between the first wire 25e and the second wire 35e can be adjusted differently. That is, the extended distance between the first support member 20 and the second support member 30 may vary according to the wearer's convenience.

5 is a view showing the overall appearance of the manual tensioner 60 applicable to the wearable knee traction device according to an embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 6 is the inside of the first tensioner 60a shown in FIG. It is a partial cross-sectional view for explaining the configuration. Since the second tensioner 60b is the same as the first tensioner 60a, the description of the first tensioner 60b is used instead.

As shown, the first tensioner 60a and the second tensioner 60b are installed side by side on the belt 51. The belt 51 is a belt-like member worn around the waist and has adhesive cloths 51b and 51c coupled to each other at both ends. Velcro cloth can be used as the adhesive cloth.

The first tensioner 60a is a passive tensioning means for tensioning the first wire 25e, and the second tensioner 60b is a passive tensioning means for tensioning the second wire 35e, and their configuration and operating principle are the same. The wearer operates the first and second support members 20 and 30 by manipulating the first and second tensioners 60a and 60b while wearing the belt 51 . That is, the distance between the 1-1 support member 21 and the 2-1 support member 31 for the knee 105 is adjusted.

As shown, the first tensioner 60a includes a fixed plate 61, a wire case 63, a drum 64, and a tension dial 65.

The fixing plate 61 is a plate-like member having a certain thickness that fixes the wire case 63 to the outer surface of the belt 51 .

The wire case 63 is a cylindrical member providing an upper open inner space 63e in the drawing, and has a restraining groove 63a and a locking groove 63b at the center of the bottom.

The restraining groove 63a is a groove for accommodating the locking disk 64a on the lower side of the drum 64, and has a separation prevention bump 63c on the inner circumferential surface of the upper end. The release prevention jaw 63c hangs the locking disk 64a to prevent the drum 64 from being removed from the wire case 63.

The locking groove 63b is a polygonal groove and accommodates the locking protrusion 64b. The locking protrusion 64b is a downward protrusion formed at the center of the lower surface of the locking disk 64a. The polygonal groove may be a hexagonal groove, and the locking projection 64b may be a hexagonal projection. In any case, when the locking protrusion 64b is inserted into the locking groove 63b, the drum 64 is locked and cannot rotate.

Reference numeral 63d is a wire passage through which the first wire 25e passes.

The tension dial 65 has a guide groove 65a open downward on the bottom surface of the rim portion, so to speak, as a handle that the wearer manipulates to rotate left and right by hand. The guide groove 65a accommodates the upper end of the side wall of the wire case 63 and can rotate smoothly by receiving support from the side wall.

A drum 64 is fixed to the lower surface of the tension dial 65. The drum 64 is a winding drum for winding the first wire 25e. (The second wire 35e is wound around the drum of the second tensioner 60b.)

Since the drum 64 is fixed to the tension dial 65, when the tension dial 65 is lifted and rotated while the locking protrusion 64b is removed from the locking groove 63b, the first wire 25e moves to the drum ( 64). When the first wire 25e is pulled and wound as much as desired, the tension dial 65 is pressed so that the locking protrusion 64b is inserted into the locking groove 63b. When the locking protrusion 64b is inserted into the locking groove 63b, the drum 64 is not released in the opposite direction, and the first wire 25e maintains a tensioned state. By repeating the above process, the user can obtain the required tension.

7 is a view for explaining a driving method of an automatic tensioner of a wearable knee traction device according to an embodiment of the present invention.

As shown, the first wire 25e and the second wire 35e are connected to the driving module 71. The drive module 71 is controlled by the control unit 72 and is a winding means for winding the first and second wires 25e and 35e. The driving module 71 constitutes the automatic tensioner 70 together with the control unit 72. As long as the wire can be wound, the type or structure of the driving module 71 can be varied.

The control unit 72 controls the driving module 71 based on information received from the sensor unit 74 . The sensor unit 74 detects the distance or angle between the first support member 20 and the second support member 30 and the load transmitted to the joint member 40 and transmits the detected information to the control unit 72 in real time. The control unit 72 causes the driving module 71 to adjust the relative positions of the first and second support members 20 and 30 with respect to the joint member 40 based on the sensed information.

In addition, the controller 72 is wirelessly connected to the terminal 73 . The terminal 73 is a terminal carried by the wearer of the traction device 10 or by a doctor or physical therapist, and displays angle or load information of the current traction device 10 . Based on the display information of the terminal, it is possible to predict medical information such as the size of the load applied to the knee of the wearer of the traction device and the distribution of the load.

8A and 8B are separate views of the joint member shown in FIG. 2 . 9 is a cross-sectional side view of the joint member shown in FIG. 8A.

Referring to the drawing, it can be seen that the gear housing 45 is omitted and the gap displacement sensor 76 is installed between the two support pins 46 supporting the gears 41b and 43b. The gap displacement sensor 76 is a load cell, and both ends are connected to the support pins 46, respectively. The gap displacement sensor 76 senses a change in the minute gap between the two support pins 46 .

Even if the two gears 41b and 43b are engaged, since the ridge of one gear does not completely contact the bottom of the valley of the other gear, the first joint 41 and the second joint 43 stand up as shown in FIG. 8A. When this is done, the interval between the support pins 46 is finely changed by the weight of the wearer. In addition, when the wearer sits or lies down on a chair, the weight in the vertical direction is not loaded, so the gap is slightly widened.

The control unit 72 controls the driving module 71 by receiving this minute interval change information. For example, if the interval between the support pins 46 is widened, the positions of the 1-1 support member 21 and the 2-1 support member 31 are corrected to prevent an increase in load on the knee joint. 8B is a view showing the first joint part 41 and the second joint part 43 in a state where the wearer's knees are bent.

Meanwhile, an angular displacement sensor 77a is installed behind the interval displacement sensor 76. The angular displacement sensor 77a measures the angle between the first support member 20 and the second support member 30 and is fixed to the support pin 46 while being supported by the sensor bracket 77b. The sensor bracket 77b is a structure for fixing the angular displacement sensor 77a.

The angular displacement sensor 77a is connected to one end of the support pin 46 in a state supported by the sensor bracket 77b, and is connected to the direction of the arrow k of the gears 41b and 43b based on the support pin 46 or its direction. Detects the rotation angle in the opposite direction. The sensing information sensed by each angular displacement sensor 77a is transmitted to the control unit 72 .

FIG. 10 is a view showing a state in which the first displacement sensor 78 and the second displacement sensor 79 are applied to the wearable knee traction device shown in FIG. 1 .

The first displacement sensor 78 measures the change in length of the first support member 20, and the second displacement sensor 79 measures the change in length of the second support member 30 and transmits it to the control unit 72. play a role

The first displacement sensor 78 includes a distance sensor 78a fixed to the first fixing block 21b and a sensing target unit 78b fixed to the first joint 41 . The distance sensor 78a is an optical sensor and detects a change in distance of the sensing target unit 78b.

The second displacement sensor 79 has a distance sensor 79a fixed to the second fixing block 31d and a sensing target part 79b installed on the second joint part 43. The distance sensor 79a is an optical sensor and senses the distance to the sensing target unit 79b.

The control unit 72 indirectly detects a change in load applied to the knee based on the information transmitted through the upper second displacement sensors 78 and 79 . The controller 72 connects the first and second wires 25e and 35e to the 1-1st support member 21 and the 2-1st support member ( 31) to adjust the position.

11 to 14 are views showing various examples of elongation members applicable to the wearable knee traction device according to an embodiment of the present invention. The illustrated elongation member replaces the role of the first and second elongation members 25 and 35 described above, or operates together with the first and second elongation members 25 and 35 to form the first and second elongation members 25 and 35. ) can assist the function of In the drawings, for convenience, only the first support member 20 is shown, but the same applies to the second support member 30 .

Referring to FIG. 11 , it can be seen that a pneumatic cylinder 81 is applied to the first support member 20 . The pneumatic cylinder 81, the 1-1 support member 21 and the 1-2 support member 23 apply force in the direction away from each other, the 1-1 support member and the 1-2 support member installed between

That is, the cylinder 81a constituting the pneumatic cylinder 81 is fixed to the first fixing block 21b and the piston rod 81b is fixed to the anchor block 23a. By the operation of the pneumatic cylinder 81, the 1-1 support member 21 and the 2-1 support member 31 are moved away from or closer to the knee 105.

12 is an example in which an elastic member is applied as an elongation member. A spring 21n is used as an elastic member. The spring 21n is between the 1-1 support member 21 and the 1-2 support member 23 so as to apply force in a direction away from each other, between the 1-1 support member and the 1-2 support member. installed

Referring to the drawing, a long hole 21g is formed on one side of the hollow pipe-type guide rod 21e, and a spring 21n and a spring cap 21k are installed in the inner space 21f of the guide rod 21e. it can be seen that there is In the drawing, the shape of the left and right guide rods 21e and the configuration including springs and spring caps are the same.

The spring 21n is a compression coil spring and elastically supports the spring cap 21k in the direction of arrow m. The spring cap 21k is a member for accommodating the end of the spring 21n and has a cap protrusion 21m on its outer circumferential surface. The cap protrusion 21m passes through the long hole 21g and is inserted into the fixing groove 23g. The fixing groove 23g is a groove formed on the inner circumferential surface of the rod passage hole 23b and accommodates the cap protrusion 21m. Eventually, the elastic force of the spring 21n is transmitted to the anchor block 23a through the spring cap 21k, so that the 1-1 support member 21 and the 1-2 support member 23 move away from the knee. Make it an elastic bias.

Meanwhile, the elongating member shown in FIG. 13 includes two stationary magnets 83a and 83b and one movable magnet 83c. One stator magnet 83a is installed on the second fixing block 21d and the other stator magnet 83a is installed on the first fixing block 21b. Also, the moving magnet 83c is mounted on the anchor block 23a. Stationary and moving magnets are permanent magnets.

One stationary magnet 83a and the movable magnet 83c are in a repulsive relationship, and the other stationary magnet 83b and the movable magnet 83c are in a relationship of attraction. Accordingly, the 1-2 support member 23 is pressed in the direction of arrow m, and the 1-1 support member 21 and the 2-1 support member 31 are moved away from the knee by the force of the magnet. supported

In addition, as shown in FIG. 14, a wire winch 85 may be applied as an extension member. The wire winch 85 is a general device for winding the wire 86 inside. The wire 86 is attached to the anchor block 23a through the hook 23c. The wire winch 85 pulls the wire 86 in the direction of the arrow p. Accordingly, the 1-1 support member 21 and the 1-2 support member 23 are pressed in a direction away from the knee.

As an elongating member capable of moving the 1-1 support member 21 and the 1-2 support member 23 in a direction away from the knee, in addition to those described with reference to FIGS. 11 to 14, a well-known power mechanism, such as , a rack-pinion structure, a ball screw structure, a seesaw link structure, and a linear motor structure may be applied.

In the above, the present invention has been described in detail through specific embodiments, but the present invention is not limited to the above embodiments, and various modifications are possible by those skilled in the art within the scope of the technical idea of the present invention.

For example, it has been described that the first support member 20 and the second support member 30 are configured to be stretchable, respectively, and the first extension member 25 and the second extension member 35 are installed. It is also possible to configure the wearable knee traction device of the present invention such that only one of the support member and the second support member is configured to be stretchable. In addition, although it has been described that the first support member is worn on the thigh and the second support member is worn on the lower leg, it is also possible to configure the wearable knee traction device of the present invention to be worn opposite to each other with the knee joint interposed therebetween.

In addition, the first support member, the second support member, and the joint member have been described above as an example of being worn on either the inside or outside of the leg, but in some cases, the first support member, the second support member, and the joint member It is also possible to configure the wearable knee traction device of the present invention so that two sets are provided and worn on the inside and outside of the leg, respectively. In this case, the wearable knee traction device may be configured such that the first support members of each set are respectively coupled to one first wearing member, and the second support members are respectively coupled to one second wearing member.

In addition, although the joint member 40 has been described as an example of a structure in which gears are engaged and operated, the joint member may be variously changed. Various other configurations that can be connected while adjusting the angle between the first support member and the second support member in conjunction with the angle change of the knee joint using a ball joint, joint hinge, flexible material, etc. may be used.

In addition, although the angular displacement sensor installed on the joint member was described above as an example, various other methods for measuring the angular change between the first support member and the second support member may be used. For example, inertial measurement units (IMUs) are installed on the first and second support members, respectively, and the angle between the first and second support members is calculated from the measured values of the inertial measurement units. It is also possible to use a displacement sensor. It is also possible to configure a wearable knee traction device having a structure that does not include an angular displacement sensor.

10: traction device 13: first wearing member 15: second wearing member
20: first supporting member 21: first-first supporting member 21a: base plate
21b: first fixed block 21c: through slit 21d: second fixed block
21e: guide rod 21f: inner space 21g: long hole
21k: spring cap 21m: cap protrusion 21n: spring
23: first-second support member 23a: anchor block 23b: rod through hole
23c: hook 23d: extension plate 23g: fixing groove
25: first extension member 25a: connector 25c: wire sheath
25e: first wire 30; second support member 31: 2-1 support member
31a: base plate 31b: first fixing block 31c: through slit
31d: second fixing block 31e: guide rod 33: 2-1 support member
33a: anchor block 33b: rod through hole 33d: extension plate
35: second extension member 35a: connector 35c: wire sheath
35e: second wire 40: joint member 41: first joint portion
41a: extension plate holder 41b: gear 41c: pin hole
43: second joint part 43a: extension plate holder 43b: gear
43c: pin hole 45: gear housing 45c: through hole
46: support pin 51: belt 51b, 51c: adhesive cloth
60: manual tensioner 60a: first tensioner 60b: second tensioner
61: fixed plate 63: wire case 63a: restraint groove
63b: locking groove 63c: departure prevention bump 63d: wire passage
63e: inner space 64: drum 64a: jamming disk
64b: locking protrusion 65: tension dial 65a: guide groove
70: automatic tensioner 71: driving module 72: control unit
73: terminal 74: sensor unit 76: interval displacement sensor
77a: angular displacement sensor 77b: sensor bracket 78: first displacement sensor
78a: distance sensor 78b: sensing unit 79: second displacement sensor
79a: distance sensor 79b: sensing unit 81: pneumatic cylinder
81a: cylinder 81b: piston rod 83a, 83b: stationary magnet
83c: moving magnet 85: wire winch 86: wire
101: thigh 103: lower leg 105: knee

Claims (22)

a first support member formed to be stretchable in the longitudinal direction and worn on one of the thigh (thigh) and lower leg (calf);
a second support member extending in the longitudinal direction and worn on the other one of the thigh and lower leg;
a first extension member installed on the first support member to provide force in a direction to elongate the first support member; and
Wearable knee traction device comprising a; joint member for connecting the first support member and the second support member rotatably relative to each other so that the first support member and the second support member move according to the change in the angle of the knee joint. According to claim 1,
The second support member is formed to be stretchable in the longitudinal direction,
A wearable knee traction device further comprising a second extension member installed on the second support member to provide force in a direction of extending the second support member. According to claim 1 or 2,
a first wearing member coupled to the first supporting member and fixing the first supporting member to one of the thigh and lower leg; and
A wearable knee traction device further comprising: a second wearing member coupled to the second supporting member and fixing the second supporting member to the other one of the thigh and lower leg. According to claim 1,
The first support member includes a 1-1 support member and a 1-2 support member that are slidably connected to each other by at least partially overlapping each other,
The first extension member extends the first support member by providing force in a direction in which the 1-1 support member and the 1-2 support member of the first support member move away from each other. According to claim 2,
The first support member includes a 1-1 support member and a 1-2 support member that are slidably connected to each other by at least partially overlapping each other,
The second support member includes a 2-1 support member and a 2-2 support member that are slidably connected to each other by at least partially overlapping each other,
The first extension member extends the first support member by providing force in a direction in which the 1-1 and 1-2 support members of the first support member move away from each other,
The second extension member extends the second support member by providing force in a direction in which the 2-1 and 2-2 support members of the second support member move away from each other. According to claim 4,
The first elongating member may provide elastic force in a direction in which the 1-1 and 1-2 support members of the first support member move away from each other. A wearable knee traction device that is an elastic member installed between them. According to claim 4,
The first elongating member is coupled to the 1-1 support member and the 1-2 support member so that the 1-1 support member and the 1-2 support member of the first support member provide magnetic force in a direction away from each other. A wearable knee traction device that is a permanent magnet that is installed. According to claim 4,
The first elongating member may provide tension between the 1-1 support member and the 1-2 support member of the first support member in a direction away from each other. A wearable knee traction device that is a wire installed between them. According to claim 4,
The first elongating member may provide force in a direction in which the 1-1 and 1-2 support members of the first support member move away from each other. A wearable knee traction device that is a pneumatic cylinder installed between them. According to claim 5,
The first elongating member may provide elastic force in a direction in which the 1-1 and 1-2 support members of the first support member move away from each other. An elastic member installed between
The second elongating member is configured to provide elastic force in a direction in which the 2-1 and 2-2 supporting members of the second supporting member move away from each other. A wearable knee traction device that is an elastic member installed between them. According to claim 5,
The first elongating member is coupled to the 1-1 support member and the 1-2 support member so that the 1-1 support member and the 1-2 support member of the first support member provide magnetic force in a direction away from each other. It is a permanent magnet installed,
The second elongating member is provided to the 2-1 support member and the 2-2 support member so that the 2-1 support member and the 2-2 support member of the second support member provide magnetic force in a direction away from each other. A wearable knee traction device that is a permanent magnet that is installed. According to claim 5,
The first elongating member may provide tension between the 1-1 support member and the 1-2 support member of the first support member in a direction away from each other. It is a wire installed between
The second elongating member may provide tension between the 2-1 support member and the 2-2 support member of the second support member in a direction away from each other. A wearable knee traction device that is a wire installed between them. According to claim 5,
The first elongating member may provide tension between the 1-1 support member and the 1-2 support member of the first support member in a direction away from each other. A pneumatic cylinder installed between
The second elongating member may provide tension between the 2-1 support member and the 2-2 support member of the second support member in a direction away from each other. A wearable knee traction device that is a pneumatic cylinder installed between them. According to claim 2,
The wearable knee traction device further comprising a; drive module for providing power to each of the first extension member and the second extension member. According to claim 14,
Wearable knee traction device further comprising a; control unit for controlling the operation of the driving module. According to claim 15,
An angular displacement sensor installed on the joint member to measure an angle between the first and second support members;
The control unit receives the measured value of the angular displacement sensor and controls the operation of the driving module. According to claim 15,
a first displacement sensor installed on the first support member to measure a length change of the first support member;
A second displacement sensor installed on the second support member to measure a change in length of the second support member; further comprising,
The control unit controls the operation of the driving module by receiving the measured values of the first displacement sensor and the second displacement sensor. According to claim 15,
A distance displacement sensor installed on the joint member to measure the distance between the first support member and the second support member; further comprising,
The control unit controls the operation of the drive module by receiving the measured value of the gap displacement sensor. According to claim 3,
Two sets of the first support member, the second support member, and the joint member are provided,
the first support members of each set are respectively coupled to one first wearing member;
The second support member of each set is respectively coupled to one second wearing member. According to claim 14,
The first support member,
At least a portion of which overlaps each other and includes a 1-1 support member and a 1-2 support member slidably connected to each other;
The second support member,
A 2-1 support member and a 2-2 support member, at least partially overlapping each other and slidably connected to each other,
The driving module operates the first extension member so that the first extension member provides force in a direction in which the 1-1 support member and the 1-2 support member move away from each other, and the second extension member operates the A wearable knee traction device that operates the second extension member so that the 2-1 support member and the 2-2 support member provide force in directions away from each other. According to claim 20,
The first elongating member,
A first wire installed to be connected to the other one via one of the 1-1 support member and the 1-2 support member so as to transmit tension to the first support member,
The second elongated member,
A wearable knee traction device that is a second wire installed to be connected to the other one of the 2-1 support member and the 2-2 support member so as to transmit tension to the second support member. According to claim 20,
The first extension member and the second extension member are wearable knee traction devices configured using any one of a rack-pinion structure, a ball screw structure, a seesaw link structure, and a linear motor structure, respectively.

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