RU2809267C1 - Wearable gear to support user's hands - Google Patents

Abstract

FIELD: medicine.

SUBSTANCE: device for providing the required force to support at least one operator's hand, including an operator's hand holder, a support lock, at least one power element, on one side fixed to the bar by means of a fastening, on the other side fixed to the support by means of a fourth fastening, which by means of fastening the support is attached to the support latch, wherein at least one spacer element is configured to ensure movement of the bar to which the hand holder is attached, secured on one side to the said bar by means of a second fastening, on the other side by means of a fourth fastening — to the power element, or to said support, or to said support mount, or to the said support clamp for securing the device to the operator's body. Use of the device to increase labor productivity of employees of industrial enterprises. Use of the device to reduce the risk of injuries and occupational diseases of the musculoskeletal system of employees. The use of a device to reduce enterprise costs associated with temporary, partial or complete loss of performance or decreased productivity and concentration of an employee. The use of a device to reduce CO₂ emissions due to a reduction in employee energy costs.

EFFECT: expansion of the arsenal of reliable, comfortable to use, wear-resistant devices suitable for use as an industrial exoskeleton or personal protective equipment for the musculoskeletal system.

33 cl, 6 dwg

Description

TECHNICAL FIELD

The invention relates to wearable systems for supporting the user’s hands, used in industry, in particular in the mining industry, in assembly, sorting and other industries where the presence of occupational diseases of the musculoskeletal system of employees is common.

BACKGROUND OF THE ART

The state of the art widely describes wearable systems and exoskeletons for supporting human hands while performing any work that requires prolonged stress [1]-[4].

The closest analogue of the claimed invention is a device for supporting at least one shoulder of the user [5], characterized in that it consists of a support element for the arm with a holder and a passive drive capable of applying force to the support element; a lever, a force transmission stop and a force transmission element, with the ability to transmit a counter force to a support element on the belt. In this case, the device is designed in such a way that the movement of the lever does not limit the device and the force acts eccentrically with respect to the axis of rotation of the lever, and is characterized in that the main hinge of rotation of the lever is located in the area of the user's shoulder blade.

The described device has a number of serious disadvantages, such as limited range of free movements, excessive dimensions of the device, difficulty in correctly positioning fixed elements on the human body, and a small payload area when supported by the hand. They negatively affect the ergonomic characteristics of the device, including making it impossible to significantly increase the force while maintaining ergonomic characteristics. There are significant requirements for precise adjustment to the anthropometric parameters of a particular operator. There are also significant protrusions that interfere with free movement and overlap of body areas such as the shoulder blades. These factors and disadvantages lead to a decrease in comfort during use, a significant reduction in the scope and narrowing of the scope due to the loss of efficiency of the device.

Thus, the objective of the present invention was to create a similar device that is devoid of these disadvantages, has high operational ergonomics and a wide range of applicability in various areas of production processes, and therefore is economically feasible for purchase by industrial companies that need similar devices for their employees.

The technical results of the present invention are:

• expansion of the arsenal of reliable, comfortable to use, wear-resistant devices suitable for use as an industrial exoskeleton or personal protective equipment for the musculoskeletal system;

• reducing the speed of device removal;

• additional reduction of load on the back muscles;

• reduction in muscle work spent on removing the assisting force (support force) when removing the hands from the working area;

• the ability to wear the device under work clothes;

• increase in working area;

• expanding the range of working movements;

• release of necessary areas on the body surface;

• reducing the time required to put on the device;

• increasing durability and reliability;

• reduction in size and weight of the device.

This technical result is achieved thanks to several significant improvements:

• The first modification is to use a spacer element, the length of which changes slightly during movement, which can compensate for misaligned loads on the power element;

• The second modification is the use of a power element that releases energy when the external geometric characteristics increase;

• The third modification is to change the kinematic scheme, allowing the use of a pushing power element;

• The fourth modification is to change the working position of the axis of rotation, so that it is transferred from the area of the scapula to the area of the shoulder joint;

• The absence of a bending force compensation element leads to increased reliability of the device.

TERMS

An “industrial exoskeleton” (IE) in the context of the present invention is a means of personal protection of the musculoskeletal system worn on a person, compensating and/or redistributing the load on the musculoskeletal system.

“Personal protective equipment for the musculoskeletal system” (PPE ODA) is a device used to prevent or reduce the negative impact of the severity of the work process on the musculoskeletal system, intended, among other things, to reduce the risk of occupational diseases and increase labor productivity (increase natural capabilities) of a person.

Terms indicating the relative position of objects should be understood as relative position with an error of no more than 5% and (or) 5 centimeters and (or) 5 degrees.

A "free zone" in the context of the present invention is an area in which the operator's hands can be placed, but the amount of assistance force is minimal or significantly less than the amount of support used during operation.

"Straight line orthogonal to the plane" or "axis orthogonal to the plane" in the context of the present invention allows a deviation from the normal of no more than 10 degrees.

“Intended for” means, but is not limited to, a specific purpose, use and/or equipment. The fact that an object is intended for a specific function must specifically mean that the object performs that specific function in at least one application and/or operational state.

"Required effort" in the context of the present invention is an effect that reduces the load on the musculoskeletal system of a person.

“Degrees of freedom” is a set of independent coordinates of movement and/or rotation that completely determines the position of the system or body.

A “fastening” in the context of the present invention is a hinged, mechanical, magnetic, or other movable connection that provides the necessary relative mobility between the connected elements.

“Hinge” in the context of the present invention is a mechanical device that allows you to realize a given (specified) degree of freedom (mobility) when attaching one element to another, the work to change the position of the hinge coordinates of which can be neglected in the context of this application of the described device or concept.

A “spherical joint” in the context of the present invention is a mechanical device or element that allows the mutual movement of connected bodies in three non-coinciding rotational coordinates.

“Hinge axis” in the context of the present invention is a straight line around which instantaneous rotation of one structural element relative to another occurs, connected to each other by a hinge or fastener.

The “force application point” (15) in the context of the present invention is a virtual point relative to which the total moment of forces of interaction between the corresponding upper limb of the operator and the hand holder (2) is equal to zero.

"Working movement" in the context of the present invention is the movement of the hand determined by the velocity vector of the point (15).

"Operator's shoulder joint" (1) in the context of the present invention is the area on the surface of the operator's body that is minimally distant from the operator's shoulder joint, located on the upper outer surface of the shoulder.

"Arm holder" (2) in the context of the present invention is a structural element to which the upper limb of the operator is attached and through which force is transmitted from the power element to the operator.

A “support clamp” (3) in the context of the present invention is an element that allows you to fix a part of the exoskeleton on the surface of the operator’s body, preferably in the area of the hip joint, to transfer the load from the power element to the operator’s body.

A “support mount” (4) in the context of the present invention is a mount of any type that has at least three rotational degrees of freedom (not necessarily located in the same geometric location).

“Support” (5) in the context of the present invention is an object that allows you to transfer the payload from the power element to the operator’s body, which little changes the geometric characteristics during the working operation, while adjusting its length can adjust the kinematics of the device to the anatomical features of the operator. It is also may contain the missing rotational degree of freedom if the support mount (4) has two degrees of freedom.

The "bar" (6) in the context of the present invention is designed as a lever for transmitting force to the hand holder.

“Fastening” (8, 9, 10, 12) in the context of the present invention is a hinged, mechanical, magnetic, or other movable connection that provides the necessary relative mobility between the connected elements.

The fastening (8) has no more than two degrees of freedom and does not contain a moving axis parallel to the main axis (minimum moment) of the inertia tensor of the bar. One of the axes of the fastening hinge (8) is parallel or at an angle of no more than 20 degrees to the axes (9) and (10).

The mount (9) is a hinge containing an axis of rotation orthogonal to the plane of the working movement, and also allows for the presence of an axis of rotation around the longitudinal axis of the element (7). It may also contain a translational degree of freedom along the longitudinal axis of the element (7), used to adjust the zone of maximum force, or along the bar (6) to adjust the magnitude of the force.

The mount (12) can be a rotary joint, the axis of which is orthogonal to the plane of the working movement. It may also contain a translational degree of freedom along the axis of the element (5) or an additional axis of rotation, orthogonal to the plane of the working movement, used to disable the force and/or increase the free zone. The fastening (12) connects the support (5) with elements (7) and (11), fixing one of them relative to the support (5).

The fastening (10) can be of any type.

“Distancing element” (7) in the context of the present invention is an object, the distance between the fastenings (9) and (12) of which changes little (by no more than 4%) relative to the original length of the element during the execution of a working operation with the application of a limited force use case. This element is incompressible.

The “power element” (11) in the context of the present invention can be either a passive device capable of storing mechanical energy during compression and then releasing it when the arm is raised, or an active device capable of using external energy to perform useful work.

Unless otherwise specified, all technical and technical terms used in this context have their common meaning in the art.

IMPLEMENTATION OF THE INVENTION

Below are some private embodiments of the claimed invention. They illustrate the proposed solution without limiting the scope of the claims stated in the claim.

The proposed invention is a device for providing the necessary force to support at least one hand of the operator by transmitting force from the hand holder (2) to the support lock (3), through at least one power element (11), fixed to the bar on one side (6) by means of fastening (10), on the other side fixed to the support (5) by means of fastening (12), which, by means of fastening the support (4), is attached to the support latch (3), with the necessary movement of the bar (6), to to which the arm holder (2) is attached, provides at least one spacer element (7), fixed on one side to the specified bar (6) by means of a fastening (9), on the other side by means of a fastening (12) - to the specified support (5) or to said support mount (4) or to said support retainer (3).

In one preferred embodiment, similar to FIG. 2 and fig. 3, fastening (12) fixes element (7) relative to element (5) and contains a rotational degree of freedom of element (11) relative to elements (5) and (7), the axis of which is orthogonal to the plane of working movement.

In one preferred embodiment, similar to FIG. 4 and fig. 6, fastening (12) fixes element (11) relative to element (5) and contains a rotational degree of freedom of element (7) relative to elements (5) and (11), the axis of which is orthogonal to the plane of working movement.

In one of the preferred embodiments, the device has an adjustment of the length of the support (5) and an adjustment of the length of the bar (6), allowing the mounts (9) and (10) to be positioned in the area of the operator's shoulder joint (1). The device may consist of one or two modules to support one or two hands, respectively.

In one preferred embodiment, the "Fixture" may be a bearing joint, a bushing, a resilient element, a fabric part, a deformable part, a ball joint, or a movable stop.

The “hand holder” (2) in one of the preferred embodiments may be a plastic cradle hinged on a bar (6) having a fabric overlay and a belt system with adjustments for different sizes of the operator’s hand and fasteners for quick removal, and may also be a bracket with a suspension system or other part that is securely fixed on the operator’s upper limb, for example, on the shoulder, or forearm, or elbow or several areas near the elbow joint. In one preferred embodiment, the element has a coating with a high coefficient of friction when moving along the hand and a low coefficient when rotating around.

“Support” (5) in one of the preferred embodiments may be an incompressible element or a set of elements that are fixedly fixed relative to each other, including consisting of at least one tube, rod, strip, truss, axle, pin. In one preferred embodiment, the support is made in the form of a tube and includes length adjustment for operators of different heights, which can be discrete or continuous. The support may also contain a socket for fixing the power element. In one preferred embodiment, similar to FIG. 1B, FIG. 2, fig. 3, fig. 5, the support (5) may be part of the spacer element (7).

The "bar" (6) in one of the preferred embodiments may be a tube, bar, beam, profile, rod lug, stick or a connection of any set of these elements, both along the main axes and at an angle, while adjusting its length can the kinematics of the device is adjusted to the anatomical features of the operator. In one of the preferred embodiments, the element consists of two elements having a fixed translational degree of freedom relative to each other, allowing its length to be adjusted.

The “support retainer” (3) in one of the preferred embodiments may be a belt, overlay, insert, liner, sticker, detachable magnetic connection, clothespin, rivet, clasp, brooch, which can be either part of the device or attached to the element operator's clothing, for example, a belt, put into a pocket, attached to a belt or other equipment located during the execution of the target process in a given area. The retainer can be attached to the operator's own belt. In one preferred embodiment, it is designed as a belt and has two independent length adjustments on the front and back, respectively, and a quick release buckle.

The "mount" (8) in one of the preferred embodiments may be a rotary joint with one degree of freedom located at right angles to the bar (6).

The "mounts" (9) and (12) in one preferred embodiment may be a rotary joint with one degree of freedom at right angles to the bar (6). In one preferred embodiment, the hinge of one of the fasteners has an additional degree of freedom (rotational or translational) to adjust the length of the spacer element. The fastening (9) may contain a translational degree of freedom along the bar to adjust the force arm of the power element (11).

The “mount” (10) in one of the preferred embodiments may be a hinge containing one (allowing movement in the plane of the working movement) and possibly a second (orthogonal to the first) rotational degrees of freedom. The first degree of freedom can be realized by the tip of a gas spring or a spring loop, while the second can be realized around a screw or linear guide of the translational degree of freedom of this mount, used to adjust the force application arm of the power element.

The "support attachment" (4) in one of the preferred embodiments can be made in the form of a spherical joint, a set of cylindrical joints with non-parallel axes, or fastening using an elastic or non-elastic material whose properties allow repeated rotations or bends while maintaining mechanical properties. In this case, the rotational degree around the “axis” of the support (5) can be anywhere in the given support, contained in the adjustment of its length, or structurally included in the characteristics of the load-bearing element (11) itself.

The “distance element” (7) in one of the preferred embodiments may be an incompressible and inextensible element or a set of elements that are fixedly fixed relative to each other, including consisting of at least one tube, rod, strip, truss, axle, stud . In one preferred embodiment, the support is in the form of a tube and includes a length adjustment, which can be discrete or continuous. The element may also contain a socket for fixing the power element. In one of the preferred embodiments, it can similarly be part of the support (5). The spacer element can be attached to the power element (11), or to the support (5), or to the support fastening (4), or to the support latch (3).

The “power element” (11) in one of the preferred embodiments may be a gas spring, gas lift, compression spring, spring or active drive, including a pneumatic cylinder, hydraulic cylinder or linear actuator, or a device consisting of a set of these elements, or another an element whose geometric characteristics increase when external energy is used to perform useful work. In one preferred embodiment, when using a gas spring, the additional rotational degree of freedom of the hinge (10) must allow movement limited by the element (7).

The proposed device, in one of the preferred embodiments, can be used as an industrial exoskeleton.

The proposed device, in one of the preferred embodiments, can be used as a personal protective equipment for the musculoskeletal system.

The proposed device can be used to increase the productivity of employees of industrial enterprises.

The proposed device can be used to reduce the risk of injuries and occupational diseases of employees of industrial enterprises.

The proposed device can be used to reduce the costs of enterprises associated with temporary, partial or complete loss of performance or decreased productivity and concentration of employees.

The proposed device can be used to reduce CO ₂ emissions due to reduced energy consumption of employees.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Fig. 1A. Basic model of the device, side and rear views.

Fig. 1B. Models of the device with a change in the kinematic diagram, side view.

Fig. 1B. Model of a device with a change in the shape of the bar and a change in the geometry of the hinges.

Fig. 2 Possible embodiment of a device with translational mobility in the mount (12).

Fig. 3. A possible embodiment of a device with rotatable mobility in the mount (12).

Fig. 4. A possible embodiment of the device with fixation of the power element on the support.

Fig. 5. A possible embodiment of a device with a translational degree of freedom in the mount (12).

Fig. 6. A possible embodiment of the device with fixation of the power element on the support and translational mobility in the mount (12).

1 - operator’s shoulder joint

2 - hand holder

3 - support clamp

4 - support fastening

5 - support

6 - bar

7 - spacer element

8 - fastening

9 - fastening

10 - fastening

11 - power element

12 - fastening

BIBLIOGRAPHY

1. RU175852U1 (Federal State Budgetary Educational Institution of Higher Education "Russian National Research Medical University named after N.I. Pirogov" of the Ministry of Health of the Russian Federation), 12.21.2017;

2. WO2019081851 A1 (In TEMIA INC; 5AFRAN ELECTRONICS & DEFENSE), 05/02/2019;

3. CN110181489 (KNOWGENE TAIZHOU ROBOT TECH CO LTD), 08/30/2019;

4. CN110238819 (UNIV BEIHANG), 09/17/2019;

5. DE102017112436 (OTTOBOCK SE AND CO KGAA), 12/06/2018.

Claims (33)

1. A device for providing the necessary force to support at least one operator’s hand, including an operator’s hand holder (2), a support lock (3), at least one power element (11), fixed on one side to the bar (6) by means of fastening (10), on the other hand, fixed to the support (5) by means of the fourth fastening (12), which is attached to the support latch (3) using the support fastening (4), while at least one spacer element (7) is made with the ability to ensure the movement of the bar (6), to which the hand holder (2) is attached, fixed on one side to the said bar (6) by means of the second fastening (9), on the other side by means of the fourth fastening (12) - to the power element (11) , or to the specified support (5), or to the specified support mount (4), or to the specified support clamp (3), intended for fixing the device on the operator’s body. 2. The device according to claim 1, consisting of at least one module designed to support one hand of the operator. 3. The device according to claim 1, where the hand holder (2) can be a plastic holder, hinged on the bar (6), having a fabric lining and a belt system with adjustments for different sizes of the operator’s hand and fasteners for quick removal , can also be a bracket with a suspension system or other part that is securely fixed on the operator’s upper limb, for example on the shoulder, or forearm, or elbow or several areas near the elbow joint. 4. The device according to claim 1, where the support retainer (3) can be, inter alia, a belt, an overlay, an insert, an insert, a sticker, a detachable magnetic connection, a clothespin, a rivet, a clasp, a brooch, which can be either part of the device or and be included in a set with it and attached to an element of the operator’s clothing, for example, a belt, placed in a pocket, attached to a belt or other equipment located during the execution of the target process in a given area. 5. The device according to claim 4, where the support lock (3) is designed to be attached to the operator’s own belt. 6. The device according to claim 4, where the support lock (3) is made in the form of a belt and has independent length adjustment on the front and back and a buckle for quick release. 7. The device according to claim 1, where the fastening of the support (4) can be made in the form of a spherical hinge, a set of cylindrical hinges with non-parallel axes, or fastening using an elastic or non-elastic material, the properties of which allow repeated rotations or bends while maintaining mechanical properties. 8. Device according to claim 7, where the support mount (4) is a hinge having at least two rotational degrees of freedom. 9. The device according to claim 7, where the support mount (4) can be a bearing connection, a bushing, an elastic element, a weaving part, a deformable part, a ball end, a movable stop. 10. The device according to claim 1, where the support (5) and the bar (6) are configured to adjust their length, which allows the second fastening (9) and the third fastening (10) to be positioned in the area of the operator’s shoulder joint (1). 11. The device according to claim 1, where the support (5) is an incompressible element or a set of elements fixedly fixed relative to each other, including consisting of at least one tube, rod, strip, truss, axle, pin or connection of any a set of specified elements, both along the main axes and at an angle, to perform the main function of support (5). 12. The device according to claim 11, where the support (5) is made in the form of a tube and is designed to be adjustable in length, where said adjustment can be discrete or continuous. 13. The device according to claim 11, where the support (5) contains a socket for fixing the power element. 14. The device according to claim 1, where the support (5) has a negligibly small length. 15. The device according to claim 1, where the bar (6) is made in the form of a lever for transmitting torque to the hand holder. 16. The device according to claim 15, where the bar (6) may be a tube, a bar, a beam, a profile, a rod boss, a stick or a connection of any set of these elements, both along the main axes and at an angle. 17. The device according to claim 16, where the bar (6) consists of two elements having a fixed translational degree of freedom relative to each other, allowing its length to be adjusted. 18. The device according to claim 1, where the spacer element (7) is an object that does not change its length significantly when a load is applied to the arm holder (2). 19. The device according to claim 18, where the spacer element (7) may be a tube, rod, bar, truss, axle, pin or a set of similar elements. 20. The device according to claim 1, where the first fastening (8) may be a rotary joint with one degree of freedom located at right angles to the bar (6). 21. The device according to claim 1, where the second fastener (9) and the fourth fastener (12) can be a rotary joint with one degree of freedom at right angles to the bar (6). 22. The device according to claim 21, where the hinge of one of the fasteners, namely the second fastener (9) and the fourth fastener (12), has an additional degree of freedom, rotational or translational, to adjust the length of the non-extensible element. 23. The device according to claim 21, where the second fastening (9) may include a translational degree of freedom along the spacer element (7) to adjust the zone of maximum force. 24. The device according to claim 1, where the third fastening (10) may be a hinge containing one, allowing movement in the plane of the working movement, and also, possibly, a second, orthogonal to the first, rotational degrees of freedom. 25. The device according to claim 24, where the first degree of freedom is implemented by the tip of a gas spring or a spring loop, while the second is implemented around a screw or linear guide of the translational degree of freedom of this fastening, used to adjust the force application arm of the power element. 26. The device according to any one of claims 20-25, where the first fastener (8), the second fastener (9), the third fastener (10), the fourth fastener (12) can be a bearing connection, a sleeve, an elastic element, a weaving part, deformable part, ball end, movable stop. 27. The device according to claim 1, where the power element (11) may be a gas spring, gas lift, compression spring, spring or active drive, including a pneumatic cylinder, hydraulic cylinder or linear actuator, or a device consisting of a set of these elements, or another element whose geometric characteristics increase when external energy is used to perform useful work. 28. The device according to claim 27, where when using a gas spring as a power element (11), the additional rotational degree of freedom of the hinge (10) allows movement limited by the element (7). 29. The device according to claim 1, which is an industrial exoskeleton of at least one upper limb. 30. Use of the device according to claim 1 to increase the productivity of employees of industrial enterprises. 31. Use of the device according to claim 1 to reduce the risk of injuries and occupational diseases of the musculoskeletal system of employees. 32. The use of a device according to claim 1 to reduce the costs of an enterprise associated with temporary, partial or complete loss of performance, or a decrease in the productivity and concentration of an employee. 33. Use of the device according to claim 1 to reduce CO ₂ emissions due to a reduction in employee energy consumption.