WO2025193049A1 - Wearable suit for walking assistance device and wearable walking assistance system having same - Google Patents

Abstract

The present invention relates to a wearable suit for a walking assistance device and a wearable walking assistance system having same, wherein the wearable suit is closely fitted to a wearer's body such that lifting or twisting is minimized even when the walking assistance device is in operation, thereby fully transmitting the auxiliary force of joint drivers to the walking motion of the wearer.

Description

Wearable suit for walking assistance device and wearable walking assistance system equipped therewith

The present invention relates to a wearable suit for a walking assistance device and a wearable walking assistance system comprising the same. More specifically, the present invention relates to a wearable suit for a walking assistance device and a wearable walking assistance system comprising the same, which allows the walking assistance device to remain in close contact with the wearer's body while in operation, thereby minimizing lifting or twisting, thereby allowing the assistive power of a joint actuator to be fully utilized in the wearer's walking motion.

An exoskeleton-type walking assistance device can provide patients, the elderly, and the disabled with insufficient muscle strength in the hip joint or thigh by using the auxiliary torque of a joint actuator including a driving motor, thereby enabling walking similar to that of a normal person.

In general, the joint actuators that constitute the exoskeleton-type walking assistance device are equipped with a driving motor, and the joint actuators can be placed on the outside of each joint.

Additionally, the assistive torque generated from the joint actuator of the exoskeleton-type walking assistance device can be transmitted through a thigh frame arranged along the outer side of the thigh and a band member connected to the thigh frame and wrapping around the thigh.

However, since the joint actuator and frame are not perfectly fixed to the body, and the joint actuator and frame are arranged along the side of the lower body, and the driving directions of the two joint actuators are opposite when walking, the joint actuator and frame drive in opposite directions when the joint actuator is in operation, and the walking assistance device cannot maintain a close contact with the wearer's lower body, and lifting and twisting from the lower body may occur overall.

When such lifting or twisting occurs, the assistive power or assistive torque provided by each joint actuator cannot be accurately used for walking motion.

The present invention aims to provide a wearable suit for a walking assistance device, which can minimize lifting or twisting by keeping the walking assistance device in close contact with the wearer's body while in operation, so that the assistive power of a joint actuator can be fully used for the wearer's walking motion, and a wearable walking assistance system having the suit.

In order to solve the above problem, the present invention provides a wearable suit for a walking assistance device that is worn by a wearer and docked to an exoskeleton-type walking assistance device, the wearable suit including: a pelvic suit unit that wraps around the wearer's waist and pelvis; and at least one docking frame that is provided with a mounting portion that is mounted on the pelvic suit unit and a docking portion that is docked to the walking assistance device.

In addition, the walking assistance device has a main body unit that wraps around the back of the wearer's waist and pelvis, and the docking frame can be detachably docked to the main body unit.

In addition, the docking frame may be configured to include a first frame having the mounting portion and a second frame connected to the first frame and having the docking portion.

Here, the second frame can be hinged to the first frame so as to be capable of internal rotation.

Here, the second frame has a step at the hinge portion relative to the first frame so that the second frame can be connected parallel to the outside of the first frame.

And, the main body unit includes a rear portion that wraps around the back area of the wearer's waist and a pair of side portions that extend from the rear portion to wrap around the wearer's hip joint area, and a pair of docking frames are provided, and the docking portion of each docking frame can be docked to the inner surface of the side portion of the main body unit.

Here, a male docking wheel may be provided on one side of the docking part of the docking frame and the inner side of the side of the main body unit, and a docking groove into which the docking wheel is inserted and received may be provided on the other side.

In this case, the docking frame is made of a resin material, the docking groove is integrally formed in the docking portion of the docking frame, and the docking wheel is made of a metal material and can be fastened to the inner surface of the side portion of the main body unit.

In addition, a joint actuator for hip joint assistance is mounted inside the side of the main body unit, and the positions of the driving motor axis centers of the docking wheel and the joint actuator can be aligned.

Additionally, the entrance of the docking wheel and the docking home may have the same shape rather than being circular.

Additionally, the entrance of the docking wheel and the docking home may be configured in a track shape.

Here, the position at which the docking wheel can be inserted into the docking home is an angle other than the normal wearing angle of the walking assistance device, and when the walking assistance device is worn at the normal wearing angle with the docking wheel inserted into the docking home, the docking wheel rotates and locks within the docking home, so that the pelvic suit unit and the main body unit of the walking assistance device can be docked.

In this case, a magnetic member is provided at an arbitrary position around the docking groove of the docking unit, and a magnetic sensor is provided at an arbitrary position around the docking wheel of the main body unit, so that when the walking assistance device is worn at a normal wearing angle with the docking wheel inserted into the docking groove, the controller of the walking assistance device can determine whether the pelvic suit unit and the main body unit of the walking assistance device have completed docking by having the magnetic sensor detect the magnetic member.

Here, the pelvic suit unit is configured in the form of a belt, the docking frame is longer than the width, the mounting portion is provided at the upper portion and the docking portion is provided at the lower portion, and the docking portion can be mounted on the outer or inner surface of the pelvic suit unit so as to be positioned below the pelvic suit unit.

In this case, a hook surface of a Velcro member is provided on the inner or outer surface of the mounting portion of the docking frame, and a loop surface of a Velcro member is provided on the outer or inner surface of the pelvic suit unit, so that the docking frame can be attached to or detached from the outer or inner surface of the pelvic suit unit.

In addition, in order to solve the above problem, the present invention can provide a wearable walking assistance system including a wearable suit for a walking assistance device; and a walking assistance device worn to assist walking of a wearer wearing the wearable suit for a walking assistance device.

According to the wearable suit for a walking assistance device according to the present invention and the wearable walking assistance system having the same, the wearable suit worn by the wearer and the walking assistance device are configured in a detachable docking structure so that the walking assistance device can be in close contact with the wearer's body even while in operation, thereby minimizing lifting or twisting.

In addition, according to the wearable suit for a walking assistance device according to the present invention and the wearable walking assistance system having the same, docking and undocking can be made possible in a simple manner by forming a docking wheel on one side and a docking home on the other side of the wearable suit and the walking assistance device in the form of a flexible waistband worn by the wearer.

In addition, according to the wearable suit for a walking assistance device according to the present invention and the wearable walking assistance system including the same, the pelvic suit unit worn by the wearer and the walking assistance device are configured to have a dockable structure, and the position of the docking frame provided in the pelvic suit unit is configured to be changeable, so that the position of the docking frame can be optimized according to the body structure of the wearer, thereby maximizing the walking assistance effect.

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of one embodiment of a wearable suit for a walking assistance device according to the present invention.

Figure 2 illustrates an exploded view of the wearable suit for a walking assistance device illustrated in Figure 1.

FIG. 3 illustrates one embodiment of a docking frame constituting a wearable suit according to the present invention.

Figures 4 and 5 illustrate the wearing state of a wearable suit for a walking assistance device according to the present invention.

Figure 6 illustrates a perspective view of a walking assistance device constituting a wearable walking assistance system according to the present invention.

FIG. 7 is a perspective view showing the coupling relationship between a wearable suit and a walking assistance device that constitute a wearable walking assistance system according to the present invention.

FIG. 8 and FIG. 9 illustrate a process in which a wearer wearing a wearable suit constituting a wearable walking assistance system according to the present invention wears a walking assistance device.

FIG. 10 and FIG. 11 illustrate a state in which a wearer wearing a wearable suit for a walking assistance device according to the present invention wears the walking assistance device.

FIG. 12 illustrates a wearer wearing a wearable walking assistance system according to another embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 13 is a perspective view of one embodiment of a wearable suit for a walking assistance device according to the present invention.

Figure 14 shows an exploded view of the wearable suit for the walking assistance device illustrated in Figure 13.

Hereinafter, preferred embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the attached drawings. However, the present invention is not limited to the embodiments described herein and may be embodied in other forms. Rather, the embodiments introduced herein are provided to ensure that the disclosure is thorough and complete, and to sufficiently convey the spirit of the invention to those skilled in the art. Like reference numbers designate like elements throughout the specification.

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of one embodiment of a wearable suit for a walking assistance device according to the present invention, FIG. 2 is an exploded view of the wearable suit for a walking assistance device shown in FIG. 1, FIG. 3 is an embodiment of a docking frame constituting a wearable suit according to the present invention, FIGS. 4 and 5 are views showing a wearing state of a wearable suit for a walking assistance device according to the present invention, and FIG. 6 is a perspective view of a walking assistance device constituting a wearable walking assistance system according to the present invention.

The wearable suit (900) for a walking assistance device according to the present invention refers to a special suit that the wearer wears in advance to optimize the wearing and fitting of the walking assistance device (1000) in the form of an exoskeleton, thereby minimizing twisting of the walking assistance device (1000) during the operation of the walking assistance device (1000) and ensuring that the force is transmitted well to joints, etc.

As illustrated in FIGS. 1 and 2, a wearable suit (900) for a walking assistance device according to the present invention may be configured to include a pelvic suit unit (910) in the form of a belt and at least one docking frame (920).

Specifically, a wearable suit (900) for a walking assistance device according to the present invention is a wearable suit (900) for a walking assistance device that is worn by a wearer and is docked to an exoskeleton-type walking assistance device (1000), and may be configured to include a pelvic suit unit (910) that wraps around the wearer's waist and pelvis; and at least one docking frame (920) that is provided with a mounting portion (920a) that is mounted to the pelvic suit unit and a docking portion (920b) that is docked to the walking assistance device (1000).

The above pelvic suit unit (910) may be configured in the form of a flexible belt that is worn to wrap around the wearer's waist and pelvis.

The above pelvic suit unit (910) can be applied with a wide range of applications, such as by using Velcro elements on both ends, to accommodate users of various body sizes.

At least one docking frame (920) may be provided in the above pelvic suit unit (910).

The wearable suit (900) for a walking assistance device according to the present invention illustrated in FIGS. 1 and 2 is equipped with two docking frames (920) on the left and right sides of a pelvic suit unit (910) so that it can be docked to a walking assistance device (1000).

The above docking frame (920) is configured to be docked and mounted on a walking assistance device (1000), and is mounted on a pelvic suit unit (910) made of a flexible material, and is docked to an exoskeleton-type walking assistance device (1000), so as to minimize lifting or twisting of the walking assistance device (1000) when the walking assistance device (1000) is operated, and the driving force or assisting force generated can be fully transmitted to the wearer.

The above docking frame (920) can be mounted on the inner surface of the pelvic suit unit (910).

The above docking frame (920) is provided with a detachable means so that it can be repositioned or detachably mounted on the inner surface of the pelvic suit unit (910).

Specifically, as illustrated in FIGS. 1 to 5, the docking frame (920) is longer than wide and has a mounting portion (920a) mounted on the pelvic suit unit (910) at the top and a docking portion (920b) docked to the walking assistance device (1000) at the bottom, and the mounting portion (920a) can be attached to the inner surface of the pelvic suit unit (910) so that the docking portion (920b) is exposed to the bottom of the pelvic suit unit (910).

The position of the docking portion (920b) of the above-described docking frame (920) may correspond to the position of the wearer's hip joint. Since the position of the docking portion (920b) of the above-described docking frame (920) corresponds to the position of the wearer's hip joint, as described below, lifting or twisting of the wearable suit (900) and the walking assistance device can be minimized even when the joint actuator is operated. A description thereof will be postponed for later.

For example, if the pelvic suit unit (910) is provided with a wide area of a loop surface of a Velcro member on the inner surface so that it can be applied to various users, and a hook surface (921) of a Velcro member is provided on the outer surface of the mounting portion (920a) of the docking frame (920), the position of the docking frame (920) can be optimized and changed to suit the user's body size or physical characteristics.

And, as shown in FIGS. 1 to 3, the docking frame (920) may be configured to include a first frame (920u) provided with the mounting portion (920a) and a second frame (920l) connected to the first frame (920u) and provided with the docking portion (920b).

In the case of the docking frame of the embodiment described below with reference to FIGS. 13 and 14, it is configured as one body, but in the case of the embodiment shown in FIGS. 1 to 3, the docking frame is configured to be divided into a first frame (920u) and a second frame (920l), and the second frame (920l) can be hinge-coupled to the first frame (920u) so as to be capable of internal rotation.

And, as shown in FIG. 3(c), the second frame (920l) has a step at the hinge portion (920h) with respect to the first frame (920u), so that the second frame (920l) can be connected parallel to the outside of the first frame (920u).

In this way, the second frame (920l) is configured to have a step difference from the first frame (920u) and protrude outward, and the mounting portion of the first frame (920u) is attached to the pelvic suit unit (910), and the second frame (920l) which is exposed to the lower portion of the pelvic suit unit (910) and has a docking portion (920b) has a step difference in the outer direction of the pelvis and secures a free space, so that even in the case of a user's body type in which the pelvis protrudes, the docking frame reflects the body type to a certain extent, but in the case of a user's body type in which the pelvis does not protrude, the second frame (920l) is configured to be rotated inward through the hinge portion (920h) so that the second frame (920l) can be in close contact with the wearer's pelvis.

Accordingly, depending on the user's body type characteristics, a docking frame divided into two parts and hinged as shown in FIGS. 1 to 3 may be applied, or, as described below, a docking frame configured as an integral part may be applied.

The above first frame (920u) and second frame (920l) can be made of various materials such as lightweight metal, plastic, or fiber-reinforced plastic.

A cushion member (930) may be added to the inner surface of the docking portion (920b) of the docking frame (920). The cushion member (930) may be made of a flexible and thick material to cushion impacts applied to the side of the hip joint, and may also be provided with a loop surface (931) of a Velcro member on the rear surface, so that it can be attached and detached to a hook surface (not shown) provided on the inner surface of the docking portion (920b) of the docking frame (920).

Additionally, at least one support bar (925) may be formed to protrude from the docking frame (920). In the embodiments illustrated in FIGS. 1 to 3, the support bar (925) is depicted as being provided on the second frame (920l), but its location may also be provided on the first frame (920u).

The above protrusion bar (925) determines the mounting position of the side of the main body unit (100) of the wearable walking assistance device, etc., and is configured to prevent tilting, etc., and its number, position, or shape can be changed.

In addition, a rear frame (940) that can be mounted on a walking assistance device (1000) may be further provided at the rear of the pelvic suit unit (910) that constitutes the wearable suit (900) for the walking assistance device according to the present invention.

The above rear frame (940) can be detachably mounted on the rear of the pelvic suit unit (910), and like the pair of docking frames (920), is configured to be mounted on the walking assistance device (1000), so that the walking assistance device (1000) can be stably maintained in a fitting state and lifting of the wearer and the walking assistance device (1000) can be prevented.

The rear frame (940) can be attached and detached to the outer surface of the pelvic suit unit (910), and the outer surface of the pelvic suit unit (910) can also be provided with a loop surface of a Velcro member, and the inner surface of the rear frame (940) can be provided with a hook surface (941) of a Velcro member.

As illustrated in FIG. 5, the rear frame (940) may be configured to include a support member (948) on which the lower part of the main body unit (100) of the walking assistance device (1000) is mounted, and a clip fixing member (947) configured in the form of an elastic clip to support the upper part of the main body unit (100).

The above rear frame (940) can be configured in a form that grips the rear of the pelvic unit of the walking assistance device (1000) described later, but its form can be changed in various ways.

FIG. 6 is a perspective view of a walking assistance device (1000) constituting a wearable walking assistance system according to the present invention, FIG. 7 is a perspective view showing a coupling relationship between a wearable suit (900) constituting a wearable walking assistance system according to the present invention and a walking assistance device (1000), FIGS. 8 and 9 illustrate a process in which a wearer wearing a wearable suit (900) constituting a wearable walking assistance system according to the present invention wears a walking assistance device (1000), and FIGS. 10 and 11 illustrate a wearing state in which a wearer wearing a wearable suit (900) for a walking assistance device according to the present invention wears a walking assistance device (1000).

In the case of a conventional exoskeleton robot-type assistance system, a structure was used in which a main body equipped with a battery (200) and a controller (300), etc., was placed on the wearer's back, and an exoskeleton was connected from the main body to the side of the wearer's lower extremities. However, it was difficult to perform daily life while wearing an exoskeleton robot.

However, the walking assistance device (1000) illustrated in FIGS. 6 to 11 omits the backpack-shaped body on the back of the wearer's upper body and is miniaturized and mounted in the waist area, thereby maximizing the wearer's usability in daily life.

Specifically, a walking assistance device (1000) according to the present invention comprises: a main body unit (100) including a rear portion (110) that surrounds a rear region of a waist of a wearer and a pair of side portions (120) that extend to surround a hip joint region of the wearer, and a front portion that is open and has a metal frame and a housing that surrounds the metal frame; at least one mount plate (130) that is rotatably mounted on the front of the main body unit (100); a thigh frame (500) that is rotatably connected to both side portions (120) of the main body unit (100) and is positioned along the thigh of the wearer; a thigh wearing unit (600) that is mounted on the thigh frame (500) and is provided to surround the thigh of the wearer; a joint actuator (400) that is mounted on the side portions (120) of the main body unit (100) and rotates the thigh frame (500) to assist movement of the hip joint of the wearer; It may be configured to include a controller (300) mounted on the mount plate (130) and for controlling the joint actuator (400); and a battery (200) detachably mounted on the controller (300) and supplying power to the joint actuator (400).

The main body unit (100) is open at the front to enable wear, and the rear portion (110) is positioned across the back of the wearer's waist. The two ends of the rear portion (110) can be connected to a pair of side portions (120) positioned at the hip joint side area via a diagonally provided bending portion (150).

The above main body unit (100) is provided with a metal frame inside and a resin material housing on the outside, so as to provide a smooth appearance while ensuring sufficient rigidity.

A housing constituting the main body unit (100), specifically, a front end of the housing (121) of the side portion (120), may be equipped with a mount plate (130) that is configured separately from the housing of the main body unit (100) but connected to the housing.

The above mount plate (130) opens the front of the main body unit (100) to provide convenience of wearing and can provide a mounting location for the controller (300) and battery (200).

FIG. 6 illustrates an embodiment in which an extension (123a, 123b) for hinge-joining the mount plate (130) is provided at the front end of the housing (121a, 121b) of the side portion (120) of the main body unit (100), and the mount plate (130) and the extension (123a, 123b) of the front end of the housing of the main body unit (100) are connected in a hinge-joined manner. However, the method of connecting the mount plate (130) and the housing of the main body unit (100) may be changed in various ways.

In addition, the support bar (925) of the aforementioned docking frame (920) is installed at the lower portion of the extension (123a, 123b) to minimize the twisting of the main body unit (100) due to the rebound torque when the joint actuator is operated.

In the embodiment illustrated in FIG. 6, two mount plates (130) are shown to be each attached to the front end of the main body unit (100), but only one mount plate (130) may be provided.

The above mount plate (130) may be formed with a fastening hole for fastening a controller (300), etc., or a long hole for connecting a belt member.

The controller (300) mounted on the mount plate (130) may be configured in a cross-section in the shape of the letter 'L' in which a vertical portion (300a) and a horizontal portion (300b) are connected, and the battery (200) may be configured in a structure in which it is detachably mounted on the horizontal portion (300b). In the case of the walking assistance device (1000) according to the present invention, the battery (200) is detachably mounted on the controller (300) on the mount plate (130) connected to the front of the main body unit (100), so that the wearer has a structure in which the battery (200) can be replaced when the battery (200) is discharged without the help of a third party.

The above controller (300) is configured in a cross-section in the shape of the letter 'L', so that a battery (200) is mounted on the horizontal portion (300b), and the vertical portion (300a) can provide a mounting location for the mount plate (130).

The above controller (300) has a horizontal portion and terminal portions (310, 210) provided on the upper portion of the horizontal portion (300b) and the lower portion of the battery (200) to enable easy connection during the docking process of the battery (200) and to reduce the possibility of separation or falling of the battery (200) in the event of an external impact.

In addition, the controller (300) is equipped with an input unit (320) for inputting a control signal on the front of the horizontal section (300b), so that the wearer can input various control signals or power on/off signals by himself/herself without the help of a third party.

In addition, a remaining capacity index (330) of the battery (200) mounted on the horizontal portion (300b) is provided on the upper surface of the vertical portion (300a) of the controller (300), so that the user can easily check the remaining capacity of the battery (200) or visualize and express the size of the auxiliary torque provided by the joint actuator during operation of the walking assistance device.

And, unlike the embodiment shown in Fig. 6, since two mount plates (130) are provided, it is also possible to mount a battery (200) and a controller (300) on each mount plate (130) and install wiring cables, etc. along the main body unit (100).

A joint actuator (400) may be mounted on the side portion (120) of the main body unit (100) to assist the wearer's hip joint movement by rotating the thigh frame (500) described below. The joint actuator (400) may be equipped with a reduction gear-integrated drive motor and a motor driver configured in the form of a PCB board for controlling the drive motor, and various sensors, such as an encoder or an inertial sensor, may be integrally mounted on the motor driver configured in the form of a PCB board.

An output member (460) may be mounted on the output shaft or output terminal of the above joint actuator and connected to the thigh frame (500).

As shown in Fig. 6, an output member (460) mounted on the joint actuator (400) is provided, and the output member (460) is connected to a thigh frame (500) by a hinge (h) and has a structure that allows internal or external rotation of the thigh output member.

The upper part of the thigh frame (500) can be connected to the output member of the joint actuator, and the lower part can be connected to the thigh wearing unit (600).

That is, the docking frame (920) is detachably docked to the main body unit (100), and specifically, as shown in FIG. 6, the docking portion (920b) of each docking frame (920) can be docked to the inner side of the side of the main body unit (100).

To this end, a docking wheel (127) is mounted on the inner surface of the housing that surrounds the joint actuator (400) among the side portions (120) of the main body unit (100), and the docking wheel (127) can be docked to a docking groove (927) formed in the locking portion of the docking frame (920).

In addition, a joint actuator (400) for hip joint assistance is mounted on the inner side of the main body unit (100), and the positions of the drive motor shaft centers of the docking wheel (127) and the joint actuator (400) can be aligned.

In addition, the entrance of the docking wheel (127) and the docking home (927) may have the same shape rather than a circle, and for example, as shown in FIGS. 6 and 7, the entrance of the docking wheel (127) and the docking home (927) may be configured in a track shape.

The entrance shape of the above docking home (927) is configured to have the same shape as the docking wheel (127) so that insertion is possible only when the docking wheel (127) enters at a specific angle, but rotation is possible within a certain angle range after insertion, so that when the docking wheel (127) is rotated after being inserted, the docking state can be locked.

As illustrated in FIG. 6, the upper end of the thigh frame (500) is connected to the output member (460) of the joint actuator (400), and the lower end of the thigh frame (500) can be bent forward of the wearer's thigh and connected to the mount bracket (610) of the thigh wearing unit (600).

The lower end of the thigh frame (500) is bent forward of the wearer's thigh and positioned along the wearer's thigh to maximize the efficiency of transferring assistive power compared to when connected to the thigh wearing unit. That is, the lower end (510) of the thigh frame (500) is configured to be bent forward of the thigh and connected to the mount bracket (610) of the thigh wearing unit (600), so that the driving power of the joint actuator is effectively transferred to the thigh, and distortion of the thigh frame (500) during force transfer can be minimized.

The above mount bracket (610) is placed on the front of the wearer's thigh, and may be connected to a belt member (b) or the like to wrap around and fix the wearer's thigh.

In addition, the lower part of the thigh frame (500) is slidably mounted with the mount bracket (610) to compensate for, to some extent, deviations in the length of the thigh depending on the wearer or changes in the length of the thigh due to flexion or extension movements.

In order to slidably connect the lower end of the thigh frame (500) and the mount bracket (610), the embodiment illustrated in FIG. 4 may include a long hole (510h) formed in the lower end of the thigh frame (500), a slot into which the lower end of the thigh frame (500) is inserted in the mount bracket (610), and a catch (not shown) accommodated in the long hole formed in the lower end of the mount bracket (610) may be provided therein.

Accordingly, the wearer can adjust the position of the thigh wearing unit (600) according to the shape and length of the thigh, etc., to improve the wearing comfort or the effect of transmitting auxiliary power, or absorb the change in the distance between the joint actuator and the thigh wearing unit according to the movement of the hip joint.

The walking assistance device (1000) configured in this manner can prevent lifting or twisting between the walking assistance device (1000) and the wearable suit (900) when the wearer of the walking assistance device according to the present invention described with reference to FIGS. 1 to 5 wears the walking assistance device (1000) on the outside of the wearable suit (900) and the walking assistance device (1000) operates, thereby enabling the assistive power provided by the walking assistance device (1000) to be accurately transmitted.

In order to ensure that the above walking assistance device (1000) is accurately docked to the wearable suit (900), a docking frame (920) and a rear frame (940) of the wearable suit (900) are provided, and a docking wheel (127) is provided on the main body unit (100) of the walking assistance device (1000).

As illustrated in FIG. 7, a docking wheel (127) mounted on the inner surface of the side surface of the main body unit (100) of the walking assistance device (1000) is inserted into the docking groove (927) of the docking part (920b) provided at the lower portion of the docking frame (920) of the wearable suit (900) and docked, and the rear frame (940) can be docked in a manner that grips the rear surface of the main body unit (100) from the upper and lower portions.

Therefore, a user who wants to wear a walking assistance device (1000) must first wear a wearable suit (900) for a walking assistance device according to the present invention as shown in FIGS. 4 and 5, and then wear the walking assistance device (1000).

In this case, as shown in FIG. 8, the user inserts the docking wheel (127) mounted on the inner surface of the side of the main body unit (100) of the walking assistance device (1000) into the docking home (927) of the docking part (920b) provided on the lower part of the docking frame (920) of the wearable suit (900) while wearing the wearable suit (900).

And, the entrance of the docking wheel (127) and the docking groove (927) may be configured in a track shape, and as shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the docking groove (927) of the docking frame (920) is arranged horizontally, and as shown in FIGS. 6 and 7, the docking wheel (127) provided to the walking assistance device (1000) may be inclined. The reason why the docking wheel (127) is provided inclined is to ensure that the walking assistance device and the wearable suit are mutually locked when the walking assistance device is normally worn.

Therefore, in order to mount the docking wheel (127) in the docking groove (927), as shown in FIG. 8, the walking assistance device (1000) is tilted backwards to match the angle or direction of the docking groove (927) and the docking wheel (127) and then inserted into the docking groove (927), and then, as shown in FIG. 9, when the main body is rotated to the fixed position or normal wearing angle, the docking wheel (127) can be rotated within the docking groove (927) to lock the docking state.

In addition, as illustrated in FIG. 9, in the process of wearing the walking assistance device (1000) in the correct position, the rear part of the main body unit (100) of the walking assistance device (1000) is docked to the rear frame (940) of the wearable suit (900) for the walking assistance device according to the present invention, as described above.

In addition, a stopper (927s, see FIG. 3(b)) is provided to prevent the docking wheel (127) inserted into the docking home (927) from rotating clockwise relative to FIG. 8, so that when the docking wheel (127) is inserted into the docking home (927), the docking wheel is prevented from rotating in the opposite direction unrelated to docking or locking, thereby enabling even an unskilled user to easily perform a docking operation.

In addition, a magnetic member (928) may be provided on the docking frame (920) of the wearable suit (900) for the walking assistance device according to the present invention, and a magnetic sensor (128) may be provided at any position around the docking wheel (127) of the main body unit (100) of the walking assistance device (1000).

The magnetic member (928) may be a permanent magnet, and the magnetic sensor (128) may be a device that detects a magnetic field and converts it into an electrical signal.

Specifically, the magnetic member (928) can be embedded and mounted on the raised docking portion edge of the docking frame (920).

Accordingly, as illustrated in FIG. 8, when the docking wheel (127) is inserted through the entrance of the docking home (927) for mounting the walking assistance device (1000), the magnetic sensor (128) of the main body unit (100) cannot sense the magnetic member (928) provided in the docking frame (920). However, as illustrated in FIG. 9, when the walking assistance device (1000) is rotated and the docking wheel (127) is rotated into a locked state, the position of the main body unit (100) is rotated around the docking wheel (127), and the magnetic sensor (128) can detect and identify the magnetic field of the magnetic member (928) provided in the docking frame (920).

Accordingly, as shown in FIG. 9, when the walking assistance robot is worn and the docking wheel is docked and locked accordingly, the magnetic sensor (128) can sense the magnetic member (928) provided in the docking frame (920).

Therefore, when the walking assistance device (1000) is worn at a normal wearing angle with the docking wheel (127) inserted into the docking home (927), the magnetic sensor (128) can detect the magnetic member (928) to determine whether the pelvic suit unit (910) and the main body unit (100) of the walking assistance device (1000) are docked.

Accordingly, the controller (300) of the walking assistance device does not process the control signal when the control signal is input due to a malfunction of the controller (300) in a state where the magnetic sensor (128) does not detect the magnetic member (928), and the controller (300) processes the control signal input only in a normal wearing state where the magnetic sensor (128) detects the magnetic member (928), thereby preventing malfunction or product failure.

And, as shown in FIGS. 10 and 11, when the docking mounting of the walking assistance device (1000) is completed, the band member connected to the mount plate or the thigh wearing unit in front of the main body unit (100) or the like is connected or fixed to the thigh to complete wearing of the walking assistance device (1000), thereby completing preparation for walking.

In addition, the wearable suit (900) for a walking assistance device according to the present invention has two docking frames (920) on the side of the pelvic suit unit (910) and a rear frame (940) on the rear, and has a three-point docking means on the pelvic suit unit (910) that is tightly worn on the pelvis, thereby minimizing the occurrence of twisting or lifting of the walking assistance device (1000) when the walking assistance device (1000) is operated, and can accurately transmit assistive power or assistive torque for walking assistance to the user's hip joint or thigh.

FIG. 12 illustrates a wearer wearing a wearable walking assistance system according to another embodiment of the present invention.

The embodiment illustrated in FIG. 6 illustrates an embodiment in which the upper end of the thigh frame (500) is connected to the output member (460) of the joint actuator (400), and the lower end of the thigh frame (500) is bent forward of the wearer's thigh and connected to the mount bracket (610) of the thigh wearing unit (600). However, the embodiment illustrated in FIG. 12 is an embodiment in which the lower end of the thigh frame (500') is not bent forward of the wearer's thigh, but is arranged along the side of the wearer's thigh and connected to the thigh wearing unit (600').

By this structure, the structure of the thigh frame (500) can be simplified, cost and weight can be reduced, and interference with objects in the front of the thigh can be prevented.

Fig. 13 illustrates a perspective view of one embodiment of a wearable suit for a walking assistance device according to the present invention, and Fig. 14 illustrates an exploded view of the wearable suit for a walking assistance device illustrated in Fig. 13. Any description that overlaps with the descriptions made with reference to Figs. 1 to 3 will be omitted.

The above-described embodiment has described an example in which the docking frame is divided into a first frame and a second frame and configured to be rotatable through a hinge portion, taking into account the wearer's pelvic body shape, etc.; however, considering the weight reduction or cost of the docking frame, etc., the docking frame (920) may be configured as a single plate as a whole, as shown in FIGS. 13 and 14. The docking frame (920) is made of a thin and flexible material; however, in order to form a docking groove, etc. to be described later, the docking portion (920b) area may be raised as a whole, and a docking groove (927) may be formed in the raised area.

The docking frame (920) illustrated in FIGS. 13 and 14 may also be composed of various materials such as lightweight metal, plastic, or fiber-reinforced plastic.

And, the docking frame illustrated in FIGS. 1 to 3 is illustrated as having a mounting portion (920a) provided on the outer surface of the first frame (920u) attached to the inner surface of the pelvic suit unit (910), but as illustrated in FIGS. 13 and 14, a mounting portion (920a) may be provided on the upper inner surface of the docking frame (920), and the mounting portion (920a) may be attached to the outer surface of the pelvic suit unit (910).

That is, the docking frame (920) can be configured to be mounted on the inner or outer surface of the pelvic suit unit (910) as needed. To this end, the location of the mounting portion (920a) of the docking frame (920) is also configured such that a hook surface is added to the outer or inner surface of the upper portion of the docking frame (920), the outer or inner surface of the first frame (920l) of the aforementioned embodiment, and the inner and outer surfaces of the pelvic suit unit (910) are configured as loop surfaces of a Velcro member, thereby providing a soft wearing feeling to the wearer and enabling the docking frame to be mounted in various situations.

While this specification has described preferred embodiments of the present invention, those skilled in the art will appreciate that various modifications and variations can be made to the present invention without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as defined in the claims below. Therefore, any modified implementation that fundamentally includes the elements of the claims should be considered within the technical scope of the present invention.

Claims (16)

In a wearable suit for a walking assistance device that is worn by the wearer and docked to an exoskeleton-type walking assistance device, A pelvic suit unit that wraps around the wearer's waist and pelvis; A wearable suit for a walking assistance device, comprising at least one docking frame having a mounting portion mounted on the pelvic suit unit and a docking portion docked to a walking assistance device. In the first paragraph, A wearable suit for a walking assistance device, characterized in that the walking assistance device has a main body unit that wraps around the wearer's back and pelvis, and the docking frame is detachably docked to the main body unit. In the second paragraph, A wearable suit for a walking assistance device, characterized in that the above docking frame comprises a first frame having the mounting portion and a second frame connected to the first frame and having the docking portion. In the third paragraph, A wearable suit for a walking assistance device, characterized in that the second frame is hinge-connected to the first frame so as to be capable of internal rotation. In paragraph 4, A wearable suit for a walking assistance device, characterized in that the second frame has a step at the hinge portion relative to the first frame so that the second frame can be connected in parallel to the outside of the first frame. In the second paragraph, The above main body unit includes a rear portion that wraps around the wearer's rear waist area and a pair of side portions that extend from the rear portion to wrap around the wearer's hip joint area, respectively. A wearable suit for a walking assistance device, characterized in that the above docking frames are provided in pairs, and the docking portion of each docking frame is docked to the inner surface of the side of the main body unit. In paragraph 6, A wearable suit for a walking assistance device, characterized in that a male docking wheel is provided on one side of the docking portion of the docking frame and the inner side of the side of the main body unit, and a docking home into which the docking wheel is inserted and received is provided on the other side. In paragraph 7, The above docking frame is configured in a plate shape, and the docking groove is integrally formed in the docking portion of the docking frame. A wearable suit for a walking assistance device, characterized in that the above docking wheel is fastened to the inner side of the side of the main body unit. In paragraph 8, A wearable suit for a walking assistance device, characterized in that a joint actuator for hip joint assistance is mounted inside the side of the main body unit, and the positions of the center axes of the driving motor of the docking wheel and the joint actuator are identical. In paragraph 7, A wearable suit for a walking assistance device, characterized in that the entrance of the above-mentioned docking wheel and the above-mentioned docking home have the same shape rather than being circular. In Article 10, A wearable suit for a walking assistance device, characterized in that the above-mentioned docking wheel and the entrance of the above-mentioned docking home are configured in a track shape. In Article 10, The position at which the above-mentioned docking wheel can be inserted into the above-mentioned docking home is an angle other than the normal wearing angle of the walking assistance device. A wearable suit for a walking assistance device, characterized in that when the walking assistance device is worn at a normal wearing angle while the docking wheel is inserted into the docking home, the docking wheel rotates and locks within the docking home, thereby completing docking between the pelvic suit unit and the main body unit of the walking assistance device. In paragraph 8, A magnetic member is provided at an arbitrary position around the docking home of the above-mentioned docking unit, and a magnetic sensor is provided at an arbitrary position around the docking wheel of the above-mentioned main unit. A wearable suit for a walking assistance device, characterized in that the controller of the walking assistance device can determine whether the pelvic suit unit and the main body unit of the walking assistance device are docked by detecting the magnetic member by the magnetic sensor when the walking assistance device is worn at a normal wearing angle with the docking wheel inserted into the docking home. In paragraph 6, A wearable suit for a walking assistance device, characterized in that the pelvic suit unit is configured in the form of a belt, the docking frame is longer than the width, the mounting portion is provided at the upper portion, the docking portion is provided at the lower portion, and the docking portion is mounted on the outer or inner surface of the pelvic suit unit so as to be positioned below the pelvic suit unit. In Article 14, A wearable suit for a walking assistance device, characterized in that a hook surface of a Velcro member is provided on the inner or outer surface of the mounting portion of the docking frame, and a loop surface of a Velcro member is provided on the outer or inner surface of the pelvic suit unit, so that the docking frame can be attached to or detached from the outer or inner surface of the pelvic suit unit. A wearable suit for a walking assistance device according to any one of claims 1 to 15; and A wearable walking assistance system including a walking assistance device worn to assist walking of a wearer wearing the wearable suit for the above walking assistance device.