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WO1998043910A1 - Amplificateur de force humaine destine a des manoeuvres verticales - Google Patents

Amplificateur de force humaine destine a des manoeuvres verticales Download PDF

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Publication number
WO1998043910A1
WO1998043910A1 PCT/US1997/003460 US9703460W WO9843910A1 WO 1998043910 A1 WO1998043910 A1 WO 1998043910A1 US 9703460 W US9703460 W US 9703460W WO 9843910 A1 WO9843910 A1 WO 9843910A1
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Prior art keywords
effector
human
force
load
linear
Prior art date
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Ceased
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PCT/US1997/003460
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English (en)
Inventor
Homayoon Kazerooni
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Individual
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Individual
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Priority to PCT/US1997/003460 priority Critical patent/WO1998043910A1/fr
Priority to AU25803/97A priority patent/AU2580397A/en
Priority to AU65682/98A priority patent/AU6568298A/en
Priority to CA002233383A priority patent/CA2233383C/fr
Publication of WO1998043910A1 publication Critical patent/WO1998043910A1/fr
Anticipated expiration legal-status Critical
Ceased legal-status Critical Current

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    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B25—HAND TOOLS; PORTABLE POWER-DRIVEN TOOLS; MANIPULATORS
    • B25J—MANIPULATORS; CHAMBERS PROVIDED WITH MANIPULATION DEVICES
    • B25J3/00—Manipulators of leader-follower type, i.e. both controlling unit and controlled unit perform corresponding spatial movements
    • B25J3/04—Manipulators of leader-follower type, i.e. both controlling unit and controlled unit perform corresponding spatial movements involving servo mechanisms
    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B66—HOISTING; LIFTING; HAULING
    • B66D—CAPSTANS; WINCHES; TACKLES, e.g. PULLEY BLOCKS; HOISTS
    • B66D3/00—Portable or mobile lifting or hauling appliances
    • B66D3/18—Power-operated hoists

Definitions

  • the present invention relates to material handling devices and, more specifically, to a material handling device that amplifies the force a human exerts when the human lifts or lowers an object in the vertical direction.
  • One type of material handling device known as a balancer, consists of a motorized take-up pulley, a rope which wraps around the pulley when the pulley turns, and an end-effector which is attached to the end of the rope.
  • the end-effector has components that connect to the load being lifted. The rotation of the pulley winds or unwinds the rope and causes the end- effector to lift or lower the load.
  • an upward force in the rope exactly equal to the gravity force of the object being lifted is generated by an actuator; the rope tension is equal to the weight of the object. Therefore, the only force the operator must impose to maneuver the object is the force necessary to overcome the object's inertia.
  • the BA Series of balancers made by Zimmerman International Corporation work based on the above principle.
  • the air pressure is set and controlled by a valve to maintain a constant load balance.
  • the operator has to manually reach the actuator and set the system to a particular pressure to generate a constant tensile force on the rope.
  • the LIFTRONIC System machines made by Scaglia of Italy also belong to the family of balancers, but they are electrically powered. As soon as the system grips the load, the LIFTRONIC machine creates an upward force in the rope which is equal and opposite to the weight of the object being held.
  • These machines may be considered superior to the Zimmerman BA Series balancers because they have an electronic circuit that balances the load during the initial few moments when the load is grabbed by the system.
  • the operator does not have to reach the actuator on top and adjust the initial force in the rope.
  • the load weight is measured first by a force sensor in the system. While this measurement is being performed, the operator should not touch the load, but instead should allow the system to find the object's weight. If the operator does touch the object, the force reading will not be correct.
  • the LIFTRONIC machine then creates an upward force in the rope which is equal and opposite to the weight of the object being held. Balancers of the kind described above do not give the operator a sense of the force required to lift the load. Also, only the weight of the object is canceled by the rope's tension. Moreover, such balancers are generally not versatile enough to be used in situations in which load weights vary.
  • Another class of machines is similar in architecture to the machines described above, but the operator uses an intermediary device such as a valve, pushbutton, keyboard, switch, or teach pendent to adjust the lifting and lowering speed of the object being maneuvered. For example, the more the operator opens the valve, the greater the speed generated to lift the object. With an intermediary device, the operator is not in physical contact with the load being lifted, but is busy operating a valve or switch. The operator does not have any sense of how much he/she is lifting because his hand is not in contact with the object. Although suitable for lifting objects of various weights, this type of system is not comfortable for the operator because the operator must focus on an intermediary device (i.e valve, pushbutton, keyboard, or switch) . Thus, the operator pays more attention to operating the intermediary device than to the speed of the object. This makes the lifting operation rather unnatural.
  • an intermediary device such as a valve, pushbutton, keyboard, switch, or teach pendent to adjust the lifting and lowering speed of the object being maneuvered. For
  • the human power amplifier includes an end-effector to be held by a human operator; an actuator such as an electric or air-powered or hydraulic motor; a computer or other type of controller for controlling the actuator; and a rope, cable, wire or other type of line for transmitting a tensile lifting force between the actuator and the end-effector.
  • the end-effector provides an interface between the human operator and an object which is to be lifted.
  • a force transfer mechanism such as a pulley, drum or winch is used to apply the force generated by the actuator to the rope or other line which transmits the lifting force to the end-effector. (Note that the word “lifting” herein refers to both lifting and lowering motions.)
  • the end-effector includes a human interface subsystem and a load interface subsystem.
  • the load interface subsystem in configured so as to grip or otherwise attach to the load and may include, for example, a suction cup, a magnet, or a mechanical member shaped to conform to a surface of the load.
  • the human interface subsystem includes a force sensor which is mounted so as to measure the vertical force imposed on the end-effector by the human operator. A wide variety of force sensors may be used, including strain gauges, load cells, and piezoelectric devices. The vertical force on the end-effector may also be detected by measuring the displacement of a resilient element such as a spring.
  • the controller causes the actuator to rotate the pulley and move the end-effector appropriately so always only a preprogrammed small proportion of the load force is lifted by the human operator, and the remaining force is provided by the actuator. Therefore, the actuator adds effort to the lifting task only in response to the operator's hand force.
  • the operator has the sense that he or she is lifting the load, but with far less force than would ordinarily be required.
  • the force applied by the actuator takes into account both the gravitational and inertial forces that are necessary to move the load.
  • the force applied by the actuator is automatically determined by the force applied to the end-effector by the operator, there is no need to set or adjust the human power amplifier for loads having different weights.
  • the contact force between the human hand and the end- effector is used to control the lifting speed of the load.
  • the human hand force is measured, and these measurements are used by the controller to calculate the required angular speed of the pulley to either raise or lower the rope so as to create sufficient mechanical strength to assist the operator in the lifting task. In this way, the device follows the human arm motions in a "natural" way.
  • a well-defined small portion of the total force (gravity plus acceleration) is lifted by the human. This force gives the operator a sense of how much weight he/she is lifting. Conversely, when the operator does not apply any vertical force (upward or downward) to the end- effector, the actuator does not rotate the pulley at all, and the load hangs motionless from the pulley.
  • a single end-effector is used by the operator, who grips the end-effector with one hand.
  • a pair of end-effectors is connected to the actuator, preferably by means of a pulley arrangement, and the operator grips one of the end-effectors in each hand.
  • Fig. 1 illustrates an embodiment of the human power amplifier which includes a single end-effector.
  • Fig. 2 illustrates an embodiment of the human power amplifier which includes a pair of end-effectors.
  • Fig. 3 illustrates a detailed view of a first embodiment of an end-effector.
  • Fig. 4 illustrates a modified version of the end- effector shown in Fig. 3 including support plates for connecting the end-effector to a brace for the operator's hand and/or arm.
  • Fig. 5 illustrates an embodiment of a brace.
  • Fig. 6 illustrates a cross-sectional view of an embodiment of an end-effector, showing in particular the structure of the force sensor.
  • Fig. 7 illustrates a human power amplifier system with a pair of end-effectors which is designed to lift a human (e.g., a patient from a wheelchair).
  • Fig. 8 illustrates a cross-sectional view of an embodiment of an end-effector which includes a displacement detector for measuring the force imposed on the end-effector by an operator.
  • Fig. 9 illustrates a cross-sectional view of an alternative embodiment of an end-effector which includes a displacement detector for measuring the force imposed on the end-effector by an operator.
  • Fig. 10 illustrates a schematic diagram of the manner in which the operator and load forces interact with the elements of the human power amplifier to provide a movement to a load.
  • Fig. 1 illustrates a first embodiment of the invention, showing a human power amplifier 10.
  • a take-up pulley 11 driven by an actuator 12, is attached directly to a ceiling, wall, or overhead crane (not shown) .
  • Encircling pulley 11 is a rope 13.
  • Rope 13 is capable of lifting or lowering a heavy load when the pulley 11 turns.
  • Attached to rope 13 is an end-effector 14, which includes a human interface subsystem 15 (including a handle 16) and a load interface subsystem 17 , which in this embodiment includes a suction cup 18.
  • an air hose 19 for supplying suction cup 18 with low-pressure air.
  • Actuator 12 is driven by an electronic controller 20, which receives signals from end-effector 14 over a signal cable 21.
  • actuator 12 is an electric motor with a transmission, but alternatively it can be an electrically-powered motor without a transmission, an air powered rotary actuator with or without transmission, an air-powered linear actuator with a mechanical transmission to convert the linear motion to rotary motion, a hydraulic rotary actuator, or a hydraulic linear actuator with a mechanical transmission to convert the linear motion to rotary motion.
  • transmissions are mechanical devices such as gears, pulleys and ropes which increase or decrease the tensile force in the rope.
  • Pulley 11 can be replaced by a drum or a winch or any mechanism that is able to convert the motion provided by actuator
  • Controller 20 can be an analog circuit, a digital circuit, or a computer with input output capability.
  • Human interface subsystem 15 is designed to be gripped by a human hand and measures the human force , i.e., the force applied by the human operator against human interface subsystem 15.
  • Load interface subsystem 17 is designed to interface with the load contains various holding devices.
  • the load force is defined as the force imposed by the load on load interface subsystem 17.
  • the design of the load interface subsystem depends on the geometry of the object being lifted and other factors related to the lifting operation.
  • hooks and grippers are examples of other means that connect to load interface subsystems.
  • the load interface subsystem may contain several suction cups.
  • the human interface subsystem 15 of end-effector 14 contains a sensor (described below) which measures the magnitude of the vertical force exerted by the human operator. If the operator's hand pushes upward on the handle 16, the take-up pulley 11 moves the end- effector 14 upward. If the operator's hand pushes downward on the handle 16, the take-up pulley moves the end-effector 14 downward.
  • the measurements of the forces from the operator ' s hand are transmitted to the controller 20 over signal cable 21. Using these measurements, the controller 20 calculates the amount of pulley rotation necessary to either raise or lower the rope 13 the correct distance to create enough mechanical strength to assist the operator in the lifting task as required. Controller 20 then commands actuator 12 to cause pulley 11 to rotate.
  • FIG. 2 A second embodiment of the invention is shown in Fig. 2.
  • the operator must use both his/her hands to lift the object.
  • the operator can orient the object being lifted without introducing any other motion to the object.
  • a rope 22 hanging from pulley 11 is a rope 22.
  • This rope is connected to the horizontal midpoint of a bar 23.
  • Hanging from each end of bar 23 is a single pulley: a left pulley 27L at one end and a right pulley 27R at the other end.
  • Pulleys 27L and 27R are not motorized, but are free to rotate in response to forces on the single continuous rope 29 that runs over pulleys 27L and 27R. Because pulleys 27L and 27R can rotate freely, rope 29 moves freely whenever a force is applied at either end of rope 29; if the end beneath pulley 27L is pulled downward, the end beneath pulley 27R moves upward, and vice versa.
  • End-effectors 24L and 24R, connected to the ends of rope 29, are similar to end-effector 14 shown in Fig. 1, except that suction cup 18 has been omitted and angle pieces 28L and 28R are suited to lifting a box 30.
  • End-effectors 24L and 24R include human interface subsystems 25L and 25R, respectively.
  • the magnitudes of the vertical forces from the operator's hand movements are measured by sensors (described below) within human interface subsystems 25L and 25R and transmit signals to controller 20 over signal cables 21L and 21R.
  • the sensors within end-effectors 24L and 24R electronically detect the vertical forces from the operator's hands, such as an upward movement of the hands to lift box 30. If both of the operator's hands push upward on the handles, the pulley 11 moves the load-supporting system upward. If both of the operator's hands push downward on the handles, the take-up pulley moves the load-supporting system downward.
  • End- effector 40 is connected to a rope 41 and includes a human interface subsystem 42 and a load interface subsystem 43.
  • Rope 41 could be, for example, either rope 13 (Fig. 1) or rope 29 (Fig. 2)
  • a force sensor 44 is installed between a handle 45 and a bracket 46 to measure the human force in the vertical direction on handle 45.
  • Handle 45 is held by the operator. If handle 45 is pushed up or down, force sensor 44 measures the human force.
  • Handle 45 is shown as a cylinder in Fig. 3, but it can be of any shape that is comfortable for the operator. For example, a horizontally oriented circular bar (similar to a steering wheel) can be connected to handle 45 at its center to enable the operator to grasp handle 45 from any direction.
  • Bracket 46 is connected to the rope 41. Although the right-hand side of bracket 46 can connect to various load interface devices such as suction cups or hooks, in the embodiment shown in Fig. 3 bracket 46 is welded to an angular bracket 47, which is used to hold an edge or a corner of a box. This makes the end- effector suitable for maneuvering in a system of the kind shown in Fig. 2, wherein a pair of end-effectors contact a load at two locations and are capable of rotating the load about its own axis. Angular bracket 47 touches a plate 48 which is connected to handle 45, but these two elements can freely slide vertically relative to each other because they are not connected.
  • end-effector 40 measures only the human force imposed against the human interface subsystem 42, not the load force (the force imposed on the load interface subsystem by the load) .
  • Fig. 4 shows a modified version of end-effector 40 with two support plates 49A and 49B that can connect to a brace for the operator's hand and arm. This is particularly useful when the human operator does not grasp the handle with his or her fingers.
  • a brace 50 as shown in Fig. 5, has been proven to create more stability and comfort for some operators.
  • the human force which he or she exerts is recorded by the force sensor.
  • the signal then generated by the force sensor is transmitted to the controller.
  • the actuator and the take-up pulley turn appropriately, causing an upward motion of the rope and the end-effector assembly. This lifts the load and the end-effector together.
  • the actuator and the take-up pulley turn appropriately, causing a downward motion of the rope and the end-effector assembly.
  • Force sensor 44 can be selected from a variety of force sensors that are available in the market, including piezoelectric based force sensors, metallic strain gage force sensors, semiconductor strain gage force sensors, and force sensing resistors. Regardless of the particular type of force sensor chosen and its installation procedure, the design should be such that the force sensor measures only the human force against end-effector 40.
  • Fig. 6 shows a version of end-effector 40 which measures the vertical human force via a different type of force sensor installation.
  • a force sensor 60 which may be similar to force sensor 44, is installed between a handle 61 and a bracket 62 and is connected to controller 20 via signal cable 21.
  • Force sensor 60 has a threaded part 63 that screws into an inside bore within handle 61, which is grasped by the human operator.
  • the other side of the force sensor 60 is connected to bracket 62 via a cylinder 64.
  • the outside diameter of cylinder 64 is slightly smaller than the inside diameter of handle 61.
  • This clearance allows a sliding motion between handle 61 and cylinder 64, which guarantees that the forces from the operator which are in the vertical direction pass through force sensor 60 without any resistance and that the forces from the operator which are not in the vertical direction are transferred to bracket 62 and not to force sensor 60. If these non-vertical forces pass through force sensor 60, they may either introduce false readings in the sensor or damage the force sensor assembly.
  • Fig. 6 also shows support plates 65A and 65B which can be connected to a brace for the operator ' s hand and/or arm.
  • Four retaining rings 66 fit into slots in handle 61 to secure plates 65A and 65B and the brace to handle 61.
  • Bracket 62 bolts to various load interface devices such as a hook or a suction cup (not shown) .
  • Fig. 7 show a modified version of the system shown in Fig. 2, in which a pair of end-effectors 70L and 70R are connected to C-shaped members 71L and 71R for maneuvering patients from their wheelchairs to their beds and vice versa.
  • C-shaped members 71L and 71R which may be covered with a padded cushion, are to be placed under the patient's armpits.
  • C-shaped members 71L and 71R are connected to bracket 62 of the end- effector.
  • the force imposed by the operator against the end-effector is measured by the displacement of the handle rather than a force sensor of the kind described above.
  • the lower cost and ease of use of displacement measurement systems may make this type of end-effector more attractive in some situations.
  • end- effector 80 includes a human interface subsystem 81 and a load interface subsystem 82.
  • Human interface subsystem 81 includes a handle 83 which is grasped by the operator and thus measures the human force, not the load force.
  • Load interface subsystem 82 includes a bracket 84 that bolts to a hook or a suction cup or any other type of device that can be used to hold an object.
  • An eyelet 84A is mounted in bracket 84 for connecting bracket 84 to a rope (not shown) .
  • a ball-screw mechanism 85 translates the vertical displacement of handle 83 into a rotary displacement which is measured by an angle measuring device 86.
  • Handle 83 functions as the ball- nut portion of ball-screw mechanism 85.
  • the screw 87 of ball-screw mechanism 85 is secured by the inner race of a bearing system 88.
  • Bearing system 88 here a double row bearing, includes of any combination of bearing (s) that allows rotation of screw 87 while supporting vertical and horizontal forces. A pair of angular contact bearings could also be used. Because of the connection between screw 87 and the inner race of bearing system 88, the inner race and screw 87 turn together.
  • the outer race of the bearing system 88 is held in bracket 84 by a retaining ring 91 which is fixed to the bottom of bracket 84.
  • a shaft 89 extends from the lower end of screw 87 along the axis of handle 83.
  • An upper coil spring 90 is positioned around screw 87 and between the upper end of handle 83 and retaining ring 91, and a lower coil spring 92 is positioned around shaft 89 between a stop 93 fixed to shaft 89 and a stop 94 formed in the interior of handle 83.
  • coil spring 90 urges handle 83 downward
  • coil spring 92 urges handle 83 upward
  • springs 90 and 92 allow handle 83 to move axially with respect to screw 87 and shaft 89.
  • a stop 95 mounted at the lower end of shaft 89 provides a limit to the downward movement of handle 83.
  • Handle 83 which functions as the ball-nut of the ball-screw mechanism 85, is held by the operator. If handle 85 is moved up and down without any rotation, then screw 87 turns. The amount of rotation of screw 87 depends on the lead of screw 87. For example, if the lead is 1/2", then for every 1/2" motion of handle 83, screw 87 turns one revolution.
  • Angle measuring device 86 connected to the top of bracket 84 measures the rotation of screw 87.
  • Angle measuring device 86 can be an optical rotary encoder, a magnetic rotary encoder, a rotary potentiometer, a RVDT (Rotary Variable Differential Transformer) , an analog resolver, a digital resolver, a capacitive rotation sensor or a Hall effect sensor.
  • Angle measuring device 86 produces a signal proportional to the rotation of screw 87.
  • Springs 90 and 92 return handle 83 to an equilibrium position when handle 83 is not pushed. As shown in Fig. 8, the spring pushes the ball-nut upward so the bracket stops the ball-nut.
  • an upward velocity is imposed on the rope when there is no load on the system (assuming that the end-effector itself is light) .
  • only one spring, a compression spring at the bottom of handle 83 or a tension spring at the top of handle 83, may be used to force handle 83 upward .
  • end-effector 80 When using end-effector 80, the operator grasps handle 83. When the operator initiates an upward motion, handle 83 (the ball-nut) moves upward, causing screw 87 to turn (e.g., clockwise). This motion is recorded by angle measuring device 86. The generated signal from angle measuring device 86 is then transmitted to controller 20 (Figs. 1 and 2) . Actuator 12 turns pulley 11 appropriately, causing an upward motion of the rope and end-effector 80. This motion lifts the load and the end-effector 80 together. Similarly, when the operator initiates a downward motion, actuator 12 and the pulley 11 turn appropriately in the opposite direction, causing a downward motion of the rope and end-effector 80.
  • end-effector 80 the vertical displacement of handle 83 relative to bracket 84 (which is proportional to the human force) is measured, and the measurement is fed to controller 20.
  • this end-effector is designed to measure only the human force in the vertical direction. The end-effector does not measure the load force.
  • a safety switch 96 is installed to transfer the actuator to another control mode (position control mode) or to turn the system off when the operator leaves the system.
  • ball-screw mechanism 85 in Fig. 8 can be replaced by a lead screw mechanism in which a sliding movement between a nut portion and a screw portion replaces the rolling motion of the balls.
  • a variety of displacement sensors can be used to measure the spring deflection.
  • Fig. 9 shows an end-effector in which the ball-screw mechanism is replaced with a ball spline shaft mechanism.
  • a handle 102 which is in the ball- nut portion of the ball spline shaft mechanism, moves freely along a spline shaft 100, with no rotation relative to spline shaft 100.
  • Balls 103 move in grooves on spline shaft 100.
  • Handle 102 is held by the operator.
  • a layer 104 of a foam like material can be included in handle 102, so that the operator can grab the handle more comfortably.
  • the right-hand side of bracket 101 is connected to a rope via an eyelet 101A and has hole patterns that allow for connection of a suction cup mechanism, a hook, or any device to hold the object.
  • An upper coil spring 105 is positioned around spline shaft 100 between handle 102 and bracket 101 and urges handle 102 downward; similarly, a lower coil spring 106 is positioned around spline shaft 100 between handle 102 and a stop 107 and urges handle 102 upward.
  • a linear motion detector 108 (e.g., a linear potentiometer or a linear encoder) contains a probe 109 which contacts bracket 101 so as to measure the motion of handle 102 relative to bracket 101.
  • Linear motion detector 108 produces an electric signal on signal cable 19 which is proportional to the linear displacement of handle 102 relative to bracket 101.
  • Linear motion detector 108 can be an optical linear encoder, a magnetic linear encoder, a linear potentiometer, a LVDT (linear variable differential transformer) , a capacitive displacement sensor, an eddy current proximity sensor or a variable-inductance proximity sensor.
  • Fig. 9 shows a linear potentiometer having its housing connected to handle 102 and its probe 109 pushed against bracket 101. The motion of probe 109 relative to the potentiometer housing creates an electric signal proportional to the spring deflection.
  • the ball spline shaft mechanism shown in Fig. 9 can be replaced by a linear bushing mechanism, wherein a bushing (slider) and a shaft slide relative to one another with no balls. There should be little friction between the bushing (slider) and the shaft.
  • Figs. 8 and 9 show the end- effector using compression springs.
  • springs such as cantilever beam springs, tension springs or belleville springs in the end- effector.
  • any resiliant element capable of bringing the handle back to its equilibrium position will be sufficient.
  • the structural damping in the springs or the friction in the moving elements of the end-effectors e.g. bearings) provide sufficient damping in the system to provide stability.
  • a position controller freezes the actuator and consequently the end-effector at the position where it is when the operator leaves the system.
  • the force or displacement sensor in the end-effector delivers a signal to controller 20 which is used to control actuator 12 and to apply an appropriate torque to pulley 11. If e is the input command to actuator 12 then, in the absence of any other external torque on the actuator, the linear velocity of the outermost point of the pulley or the rope (v) can be represented by:
  • G is the actuator transfer function
  • the forces imposed on the end-effector also affect the rope velocity.
  • the input command (e) and the forces on the end-effectors contribute to the actuator speed such that:
  • S is the actuator sensitivity function which relates the external forces to the rope velocity (v) .
  • S is defined as the downward velocity of the rope (or linear velocity of the outermost point on the pulley) generated if one unit of impulse tensile force is imposed on the rope. If a velocity controller is designed for the actuator so that S is small, the actuator has only a small response to the imposed tensile force on the rope.
  • a high-gain controller in the closed-loop velocity system results in a small S and consequently a small change in actuator velocity in response to forces imposed on the rope. Also note that a high ratio transmission system on the actuator produces a small S for the system.
  • (f R + f L + p) is the total tensile force in rope 13 assuming bar 23 has negligible mass in comparison with the other forces.
  • V UP an upward biased rope velocity
  • a reasonable performance specification for the actuator is the level of amplification of the human force (f R + f L ) that is applied to the end-effector. If the force amplification is large, a small force applied by the operator results in a large force being applied to the load via the rope. If the force amplification is small, a small force applied by the operator results in a small force being applied to the load via the rope.
  • the system performance can be defined as a number that is referred to as the force amplification factor.
  • the force amplification factor of the system is programmed to be 5
  • the force on the end-effector from the load is 5 times the force that the operator is applying to the end-effector.
  • the human forces f R and f L are measured and passed through controller 20, which delivers a signal (e) to actuator 12. If the transfer function of the controller is represented by K, then the output of the controller, e, is equal to K(f R + f L ) . Substituting for e in equation (2) results in the following equation for the rope velocity (v) :
  • ⁇ f L and ⁇ f R are the change in the human force on the end-effector.
  • the term (GK/S +1) in equation (4) is the force amplification factor. This term relates the change in the load force ( ⁇ p) to the change in the human force ( ⁇ f R + ⁇ f L ) .
  • K is chosen to be, the greater the force amplification in the system.
  • K must be designed to yield an appropriate force amplification.
  • Fig. 10 shows diagrammatically how the human force and load force are generated. As Fig. 10 indicates, K may not be arbitrarily large. Rather, the choice of K must guarantee the closed-loop stability of the system shown in Fig. 10.
  • the human force (f R + f L ) is a function of human arm impedance (H)
  • the load force (p) is a function of load dynamics (E) , i.e. the gravitational and inertial forces generated by the load.
  • the device in Fig. 2 allows the operator not only to lift, but also to rotate the object.
  • the torque required to rotate the object is delivered entirely by the human without any assistance from the device. Therefore, although the device shown in Fig. 2 allows for small rotational maneuvers of the object, highly accelerated rotations of the object are not recommended.
  • lifting objects with an uneven weight distribution requires torque which must be supported by the human entirely and is not recommended.
  • the operator must make sure that the weight of the object being lifted is in the middle of the end-effectors.
  • equation (4) reduces to:
  • the end-effector electronically senses the force from the human hand gripping the end-effector.
  • the measurement of the hand force is transmitted to the device's controller.
  • the controller uses this measurement to calculate the amount of pulley rotation necessary to either raise or lower the pulley rope the correct distance to create enough mechanical strength to assist the operator in the lifting task.
  • the end-effector follows the human arm motions in a "natural" way.
  • the pulley, the rope, and the end-effector mimic the lifting/ lowering movements of the human operator, and the human is able to manipulate heavy objects more easily without the use of any intermediary device.
  • the rope supports only a pre-programmed proportion of the load forces (i.e., gravity plus inertial force due to acceleration) , not the entire load force; the remaining force is supported by the operator.
  • This method of load sharing gives the operator a sense of how much he/she is lifting. This is true because the force the human is imposing on the end-effector is exactly equal to a scaled-down value of the actual force the load is imposing on the rope.
  • the measured signal from the end-effector a signal representing the human force, is used via a computer or electronic circuitry to drive the actuator appropriately so that only a pre-programmed small proportion of the load force is lifted by the operator. Therefore the actuator adds effort to the lifting task only in response to the operator's hand force.
  • the pulley rope could supports 45 lbs. while the operator feels and supports 5 lbs.
  • the allocation of the load forces between the pulley rope and the human is programmable .

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  • Manipulator (AREA)

Abstract

L'invention concerne un amplificateur de force humaine comprenant un effecteur terminal (14) qui est saisi par un opérateur humain et appliqué à une charge. L'effecteur terminal est suspendu par un câble (13) à une poulie, un treuil ou un tambour (11) de tension qui est entraîné par un actionneur (12) pour soulever ou abaisser la charge. L'effecteur terminal comprend un capteur de force qui mesure la force verticale appliquée à l'effecteur terminal par l'opérateur et fournit un signal à un organe de commande. L'organe de commande et l'actionneur sont construits de telle façon qu'un pourcentage préétabli de la force nécessaire pour soulever ou abaisser la charge est appliqué par l'actionneur, la force restante étant fournie par l'opérateur. L'opérateur trouve la charge ainsi plus légère sans pour autant perdre la sensation de soulever la charge en exerçant un effort à l'encontre de la gravitation et des forces d'intertie propres à la charge. L'opérateur ayant un contact direct avec la charge (par l'intermédiaire de l'effecteur terminal), tout interrupteur, valve, clavier, boîtier de commande ou bouton-poussoir est superflu dans l'amplificateur de force humaine pour commander la vitesse de levage de la charge.
PCT/US1997/003460 1997-03-28 1997-03-28 Amplificateur de force humaine destine a des manoeuvres verticales Ceased WO1998043910A1 (fr)

Priority Applications (4)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
PCT/US1997/003460 WO1998043910A1 (fr) 1997-03-28 1997-03-28 Amplificateur de force humaine destine a des manoeuvres verticales
AU25803/97A AU2580397A (en) 1997-03-28 1997-03-28 Human power amplifier for vertical maneuvers
AU65682/98A AU6568298A (en) 1997-03-28 1998-03-23 Pneumatic human power amplifier module
CA002233383A CA2233383C (fr) 1997-03-28 1998-03-26 Module amplificateur de puissance humaine

Applications Claiming Priority (1)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
PCT/US1997/003460 WO1998043910A1 (fr) 1997-03-28 1997-03-28 Amplificateur de force humaine destine a des manoeuvres verticales

Publications (1)

Publication Number Publication Date
WO1998043910A1 true WO1998043910A1 (fr) 1998-10-08

Family

ID=22260477

Family Applications (1)

Application Number Title Priority Date Filing Date
PCT/US1997/003460 Ceased WO1998043910A1 (fr) 1997-03-28 1997-03-28 Amplificateur de force humaine destine a des manoeuvres verticales

Country Status (2)

Country Link
AU (1) AU2580397A (fr)
WO (1) WO1998043910A1 (fr)

Cited By (4)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
WO2000069771A1 (fr) * 1999-05-13 2000-11-23 Hamayoon Kazerooni Amplificateur de force humaine pour levage de charges avec dispositif anti-mou pour l'elingue
CN104444876A (zh) * 2014-07-25 2015-03-25 西安联纵航空精密制造有限公司 高精度柔性提升机械手
CN104786205A (zh) * 2015-03-24 2015-07-22 中国核电工程有限公司 主从机械手主动操作模拟装置
KR20190129952A (ko) * 2017-03-22 2019-11-20 가부시끼 가이샤 구보다 하물 보유 지지용 핸드부 및 어시스트 슈트

Citations (5)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US2940608A (en) * 1959-03-30 1960-06-14 Borg Warner Power hydraulic hoist
US3921959A (en) * 1974-07-22 1975-11-25 Columbus Mckinnon Corp Load balancer and hoist control
US3940110A (en) * 1974-04-12 1976-02-24 Kenro Motoda Lifting apparatus
US4557659A (en) * 1982-09-14 1985-12-10 M. Scaglia S.P.A. Device for supporting and handling loads by means of vacuum operated suction pads
US5489032A (en) * 1993-10-06 1996-02-06 International Masonry Institute Manipulator for masonry wall construction and the like

Patent Citations (5)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US2940608A (en) * 1959-03-30 1960-06-14 Borg Warner Power hydraulic hoist
US3940110A (en) * 1974-04-12 1976-02-24 Kenro Motoda Lifting apparatus
US3921959A (en) * 1974-07-22 1975-11-25 Columbus Mckinnon Corp Load balancer and hoist control
US4557659A (en) * 1982-09-14 1985-12-10 M. Scaglia S.P.A. Device for supporting and handling loads by means of vacuum operated suction pads
US5489032A (en) * 1993-10-06 1996-02-06 International Masonry Institute Manipulator for masonry wall construction and the like

Cited By (8)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
WO2000069771A1 (fr) * 1999-05-13 2000-11-23 Hamayoon Kazerooni Amplificateur de force humaine pour levage de charges avec dispositif anti-mou pour l'elingue
US6386513B1 (en) 1999-05-13 2002-05-14 Hamayoon Kazerooni Human power amplifier for lifting load including apparatus for preventing slack in lifting cable
US6622990B2 (en) 1999-05-13 2003-09-23 Homayoon Kazerooni Human power amplifier for lifting load with slack prevention apparatus
US6886812B2 (en) 1999-05-13 2005-05-03 Hamayoon Kazerooni Human power amplifier for lifting load with slack prevention apparatus
CN104444876A (zh) * 2014-07-25 2015-03-25 西安联纵航空精密制造有限公司 高精度柔性提升机械手
CN104786205A (zh) * 2015-03-24 2015-07-22 中国核电工程有限公司 主从机械手主动操作模拟装置
KR20190129952A (ko) * 2017-03-22 2019-11-20 가부시끼 가이샤 구보다 하물 보유 지지용 핸드부 및 어시스트 슈트
KR102321907B1 (ko) 2017-03-22 2021-11-05 가부시끼 가이샤 구보다 하물 보유 지지용 핸드부 및 어시스트 슈트

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