U.S. Bionics, Inc.

University of California

Suitx, Inc.

Michael McKinley

Yoon Jung Jeong

Homayoon Kazerooni

Wayne Tung

Jose Chavarria

Raghid Mardini

An exoskeleton includes two torque generators, thigh links, and a supporting trunk rotatably coupled to the thigh links. When a wearer bends forward in the sagittal plane such that the supporting trunk extends beyond a predetermined angle A with respect to vertical, at least one of the torque generators imposes a resisting torque between the supporting trunk and a corresponding thigh link, thus imposing a force onto a wearer's trunk and thighs to aid in supporting the wearer in a bent position. The torque generators may be active or passive torque generators. When the supporting trunk does not extend beyond the predetermined angle A, the torque generators do not impose resisting torques between the supporting trunk and thigh links during the entire range of motion of the thigh links, thus enabling a wearer to walk, run, and sit without constraint while in a substantially upright position.

Trunk supporting exoskeleton and method of use

Provided is an exoskeleton assembly configured to be coupled to a wearer, including a plurality of members corresponding to body segments of the wearer. An adjustable first member includes a first component and a second component. The assembly further includes a first locking mechanism and a second locking mechanism, each configured to alternate between a locked position and unlocked position. When the first locking mechanism and the second locking mechanism are in the respective unlocked positions, the first component and the second component are free to slide relative to each other thereby adjusting the length of the first member. When either the first locking mechanism or the second locking mechanism is in the respective locked position, the first component and the second component are not free to slide relative to each other. The first member may be a spine assembly, a hip assembly, or a leg assembly.

Adjustable trunk and hip assembly for exoskeleton apparatus

An exoskeleton () includes two torque generators (), two thigh links (), and a supporting trunk () rotatably coupled to the thigh links (). When a wearer bends forward in the sagittal plane such that the supporting trunk () extends beyond a predetermined angle A with respect to vertical, at least one of the torque generators () imposes a resisting torque between the supporting trunk () and a corresponding thigh link (), thus imposing a force onto a wearer's trunk and thighs to aid in supporting the wearer in a bent position. The exoskeleton () may include an active or passive means () for actuating the torque generators (). When the supporting trunk () does not extend beyond the predetermined angle A, the torque generators () do not impose resisting torques between the supporting trunk () and the thigh links () during the entire range of motion of the thigh links (), thus enabling a wearer to walk, run, and sit without constraint while in a substantially upright position.

Trunk and hip assembly for exoskeleton apparatus

Growing community of inventors

Berkeley, CA, United States of America

Michael McKinley