Invention Grant
- Patent Title: Trunk supporting exoskeleton and method of use
- Patent Title (中): 树干支撑外骨骼和使用方法
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Application No.: US14480549Application Date: 2014-09-08
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Publication No.: US09022956B2Publication Date: 2015-05-05
- Inventor: Homayoon Kazerooni , Wayne Tung , Michael McKinley , Yoon Jung Jeong
- Applicant: Homayoon Kazerooni , Wayne Tung , Michael McKinley , Yoon Jung Jeong
- Applicant Address: US CA Berkeley
- Assignee: U.S. Bionics, Inc.
- Current Assignee: U.S. Bionics, Inc.
- Current Assignee Address: US CA Berkeley
- Agency: Aka Chan LLP
- Main IPC: A61H1/00
- IPC: A61H1/00 ; A61H1/02 ; A61H5/00 ; A61F5/02 ; A61H3/00

Abstract:
An exoskeleton (100) includes two torque generators (116, 118), two thigh links (104,106), and a supporting trunk (112) rotatably coupled to the thigh links (104, 106). When a wearer bends forward in the sagittal plane such that the supporting trunk (112) extends beyond a predetermined angle A with respect to vertical, at least one of the torque generators (116, 118) imposes a resisting torque between the supporting trunk (112) and a corresponding thigh link (104, 106), thus imposing a force onto a wearer's trunk and thighs to aid in supporting the wearer in a bent position. The exoskeleton (100) may include an active or passive means (116, 134) for actuating the torque generators (116, 118). When the supporting trunk (112) does not extend beyond the predetermined angle A, the torque generators (116, 118) do not impose resisting torques between the supporting trunk (112) and the thigh links (104, 106) during the entire range of motion of the thigh links (104, 106), thus enabling a wearer to walk, run, and sit without constraint while in a substantially upright position.
Public/Granted literature
- US20140378882A1 Trunk Supporting Exoskeleton and Method of Use Public/Granted day:2014-12-25
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