# US 10,945,907 B2 · Motion assistance apparatus > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 10,945,907 B2 - Document ID: US10945907B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 15/967,878 - Filed: 2018-05-01 - Published: 2019-05-16 - Granted: 2021-03-16 - Earliest claimed: 2017-11-15 - Assignees: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd. - Applicants: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd. - Inventors: Youngjin Park; Jongwon Lee - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US10945907B2 ## CPC - A61H 1/0262: {Walking movement; Appliances for aiding disabled persons to walk (A61H3/00 takes precedence)} - A61F 5/0102: {specially adapted for correcting deformities of the limbs or for supporting them; Ortheses, e.g. with articulations} - A61F 5/0123: {for the knees (A61F5/0106 takes precedence)} - A61H 3/00: Appliances for aiding patients or disabled persons to walk about (apparatus for helping babies to walk A47D13/04 {; applying electrical currents by contact electrodes for stimulating motor muscles, e.g. walking assistance A61N1/36003}) - A61F 2005/0155: {with actuating means} - A61F 2005/0165: {with limits of movement} - A61H 2003/007: {secured to the patient, e.g. with belts} - A61H 2201/1642: Holding means therefor - A61H 2201/1652: Harness - A61H 2201/5007: computer controlled - A61H 2201/5053: mechanically controlled - A61H 2201/5064: Position sensors - A61H: PHYSICAL THERAPY APPARATUS, e.g. DEVICES FOR LOCATING OR STIMULATING REFLEX POINTS IN THE BODY; ARTIFICIAL RESPIRATION; MASSAGE; BATHING DEVICES FOR SPECIAL THERAPEUTIC OR HYGIENIC PURPOSES OR SPECIFIC PARTS OF THE BODY (electrotherapy, magnetotherapy, radiation therapy or ultrasound therapy A61N) - A61F: FILTERS IMPLANTABLE INTO BLOOD VESSELS; PROSTHESES; DEVICES PROVIDING PATENCY TO, OR PREVENTING COLLAPSING OF, TUBULAR STRUCTURES OF THE BODY, e.g. STENTS; ORTHOPAEDIC, NURSING OR CONTRACEPTIVE DEVICES; FOMENTATION; TREATMENT OR PROTECTION OF EYES OR EARS; BANDAGES, DRESSINGS OR ABSORBENT PADS; FIRST-AID KITS (dental prosthetics A61C) ## Abstract A motion assistance apparatus including a support link to be attached to a waist of a user, a thigh link connected to a first end of the support link, a knee link connected to a first end of the thigh link, a connecting link connected to a first end of the knee link, and selectively connected to a second end of the support link, and an actuator configured to rotate the knee link with respect to the thigh link is provided. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A motion assistance apparatus, comprising: a support link configured to attach to a waist of a user, the support link including a first end and a second end; a thigh link connected to the first end of the support link; a knee link connected to the thigh link; a connecting link connected to the knee link, the connecting link configured to be selectively connected to the second end of the support link such that the connecting link is configured to, assist a hip joint motion of the user by performing a 4-bar linkage motion together with the thigh link, the knee link, and the support link, when the connecting link is connected to the support link, and assist a knee joint motion of the user, when the connecting link is disconnected from the support link; and an actuator configured to rotate the knee link with respect to the thigh link. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The motion assistance apparatus of claim 1, further comprising: a calf supporting frame rotatably connected to the connecting link, the calf supporting frame configured to support a calf of the user, when the connecting link is disconnected from the support link. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The motion assistance apparatus of claim 2, wherein the connecting link comprises: a stopper configured to restrict a rotation range of the calf supporting frame. ### Claim 4 (depends on 3) The motion assistance apparatus of claim 3, wherein the calf supporting frame is configured to, rotate between a first state and a second state, the first state being a state in which the calf supporting frame is in contact with a first side of the stopper and the second state being a state in which the calf supporting frame is in contact with a second side of the stopper, and maintain the first state of being in contact with the first side of the stopper, when the calf supporting frame is supporting a calf of the user while the connecting link is disconnected from the support link. ### Claim 5 (depends on 4) The motion assistance apparatus of claim 4, wherein the calf supporting frame is curved such that the calf supporting frame is configured to enclose the calf of the user, when the calf supporting frame is in contact with the calf of the user. ### Claim 6 (depends on 3) The motion assistance apparatus of claim 3, wherein the support link comprises: a first sub-support link configured to attach to the waist of the user, the first sub-support link rotatably connected to a first portion of the thigh link; a second sub-support link having a first end and a second end, the second sub-support link being between the first sub-support link and the knee link, the first end of the second sub-support link being rotatably connected to a second portion of the thigh link; and a third sub-support link configured to connect the first sub-support link and the second sub-support link, wherein the connecting link is configured to selectively connect to the second end of the second sub-support link. ### Claim 7 (depends on 6) The motion assistance apparatus of claim 6, wherein, when the connecting link is connected to the second end of the second sub-support link, the first sub-support link, the second sub-support link, and the knee link are in parallel with each other, the third sub-support link is in parallel with the thigh link, and the connecting link is in parallel with the thigh link. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The motion assistance apparatus of claim 1, wherein the actuator comprises: a driving source on the thigh link such that the driving source is closer to the support link than the knee link; and a power transmitting member including a band, belt or chain configured to transmit power from the driving source to the knee link. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The motion assistance apparatus of claim 1, wherein the support link includes a coupling pin configured to rotatably connect the connecting link to the support link, and the connecting link includes a connecting head opened toward the coupling pin, and wherein the motion assistance apparatus further comprises: a fixing pin configured to attach to the connecting head, the fixing pin configured to resist a separation of the coupling pin from the connecting head. ### Claim 10 (depends on 9) The motion assistance apparatus of claim 9, wherein the connecting head further includes a projection protruding toward the coupling pin, and the coupling pin includes a fixing groove configured to receive the fixing pin and the projection. ### Claim 11 (depends on 1) The motion assistance apparatus of claim 1, wherein one of the knee link or the connecting link includes a receiver, the receiver having a dent shape, and an other one of the knee link or the connecting link includes a protrusion, the protrusion configured to be inserted into the receiver. ### Claim 12 (depends on 11) The motion assistance apparatus of claim 11, wherein the protrusion is configured to align with the receiver, when the connecting link is disconnected from the support link and rotates at at least a set angle with respect to the knee link. ### Claim 13 (depends on 12) The motion assistance apparatus of claim 12, wherein the other one of the knee link or the connecting link further comprises: a link configured to pass through the other one of the knee link or the connecting link; a support plate at an end portion of the link; and an elastic body between the support plate and an inner wall of the other one of the knee link or the connecting link. ### Claim 14 A motion assistance apparatus, comprising: a support link configured to attach to a waist of a user, the support link including a first end and a second end; a thigh link connected to the first end of the support link; a knee link connected to the thigh link; a connecting link connected the knee link, the connecting link configured to be selectively connected to the second end of the support link such that the connecting link is configured to, assist motion of a hip joint of the user by performing a 4-bar linkage motion together with the thigh link, the knee link, and the support link, when the connecting link is connected to the support link, and assist motion of a knee joint of the user, when the connecting link is disconnected from the support link; a first actuator configured to rotate the knee link with respect to the thigh link; and a second actuator configured to rotate the thigh link with respect to the support link. ### Claim 15 (depends on 14) The motion assistance apparatus of claim 14, wherein the first actuator and the second actuator are configured to assist one or more of flexion motion and an extension motion of the hip joint of the user, when the connecting link is connected to the support link. ### Claim 16 (depends on 14) The motion assistance apparatus of claim 14, further comprising: a calf supporting frame connected to the connecting link, the calf supporting frame configured to support a calf of the user, when the connecting link is disconnected from the support link. ### Claim 17 (depends on 16) The motion assistance apparatus of claim 16, wherein, when the connecting link is disconnected from the support link, the first actuator is configured to assist one or more of a flexion motion and an extension motion of the knee joint of the user, and the second actuator is configured to assist one or more of a flexion motion and an extension motion of the hip joint of the user. ### Claim 18 A motion assistance apparatus, comprising: a support link configured to attach to a waist of a user, the support link including a first end and a second end; a thigh link connected to the first end of the support link; a knee link connected to the thigh link; and a connecting link connected to the knee link, the connecting link configured to be selectively connected to the second end of the support link, wherein the motion assistance apparatus is configured to select which joint of the user is to receive an assistance force based on whether the connecting link is connected to the support link such that the motion assistance apparatus is configured to, assist motion of a hip joint of the user by performing a 4-bar linkage motion together with the thigh link, the knee link, and the support link, when the connecting link is connected to the support link, and assist motion of a knee joint of the user, when the connecting link is disconnected from the support link. ### Claim 19 (depends on 18) The motion assistance apparatus of claim 18, wherein the motion assistance apparatus is configured to, transmit the assistance force to the hip joint, when the connecting link is connected to the support link, and transmit the assistance force to the knee joint, when the connecting link is disconnected from the support link.