University of California

U.S. Bionics, Inc.

Suitx, Inc.

Kazerooni, Homayoon

Jeong, Yoon Jung

Kim, Kyunam

Yoon Jung Jeong

Homayoon Kazerooni

Michael McKinley

Wayne Tung

Raghid Mardini

Jose Chavarria

Stephen McKinley

Nicholas J Errico

Don Jin Hyun

Kyunam Kim

Don Jin Huyn

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

An exoskeleton () adapted to be coupled to a lower extremity of a person includes a thigh link (), a shank link () and a knee joint () allowing flexion and extension between the thigh and shank links (). A torque generator () connected to the knee joint () includes a wrap spring () having a first end () coupled to the thigh link (), and a second end () coupled to an electric actuator () capable of selectively positioning the second end () of the wrap spring (). A controller () causes the electric actuator () to position the wrap spring () to provide a selective torque between the thigh and shank links () based on a signal () produced by a sensor ().

Controllable passive artificial knee

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

A manual apparatus of the present invention enables quick connection and disconnection of an exoskeleton leg from a remaining body of an exoskeleton. The apparatus comprises a cavity defined by a housing coupled to the remaining body of the exoskeleton; a latch coupled to the remaining body of the exoskeleton, the latch comprising a latching feature; a clip body including a projection element extending from an end thereof, the clip body coupled to the exoskeleton leg; a handle rotatably coupled to a clip base on the clip body; and a hook rotatably coupled to the handle. When the hook is engaged with the latching feature and the handle rotated from a first unlatched position to a second latched position, the projection element moves inside the cavity.

Mechanism for efficient donning and doffing of an exoskeleton

An input device for commanding an exoskeleton worn by a person, adapted to be coupled to the person, the input device comprising: at least one signal generator adapted to be coupled to the user's finger capable of generating at least one electric signal when said one signal generator gets contacted and, an input device controller adapted to be coupled to the user's body capable of receiving and processing at least one signal and transmitting a command signal to the exoskeleton.

Growing community of inventors

Berkeley, CA, United States of America

Yoon Jung Jeong