# US 11,439,566 B2 · Walking assist device

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- Number: US 11,439,566 B2
- Document ID: US11439566B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 16/285,298
- Filed: 2019-02-26
- Published: 2019-08-29
- Granted: 2022-09-13
- Earliest claimed: 2018-02-27
- Assignees: Jtekt Corporation
- Applicants: Jtekt Corporation
- Inventors: Manabu Kanaya; Yoshiyuki Shibata; Shinji Takeuchi
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US11439566B2

## CPC

- A61H 3/04: Wheeled walking aids for patients or disabled persons
- A61H 1/0277: {Elbow}
- A61H 1/0281: {Shoulder}
- A63B 21/4045: {Reciprocating movement along, in or on a guide (weights moving along or in guiding means A63B21/06; for cardio-training A63B22/201)}
- A63B 21/4047: {Pivoting movement (weight pivoting A63B21/0615)}
- A63B 23/03516: {For both arms together or both legs together; Aspects related to the co-ordination between right and left side limbs of a user}
- A63B 23/03533: {With separate means driven by each limb, i.e. performing different movements}
- A63B 23/03575: {Apparatus used for exercising upper and lower limbs simultaneously}
- A63B 23/04: for lower limbs {(training appliances for special sports A63B69/00; for the purpose of producing mechanical power F03G5/00)}
- A63B 23/12: for upper limbs {or related muscles, e.g. chest, upper back or shoulder muscles (bench press exercises A63B21/078; for teaching music G09B15/06)}
- A63B 23/1209: {Involving a bending of elbow and shoulder joints simultaneously}
- B62B 5/06: Hand moving equipment, e.g. handle bars (for cycles B62K11/14, B62K21/12)
- A61H 2003/043: {with a drive mechanism}
- A61H 2003/046: {with braking means}
- A61H 2201/0173: Means for preventing injuries
- A61H 2201/0176: By stopping operation
- A61H 2201/1207: with electric or magnetic drive
- A61H 2201/1215: Rotary drive
- A61H 2201/1261: combined with active exercising of the patient
- A61H 2201/14: Special force transmission means, i.e. between the driving means and the interface with the user
- A61H 2201/1635: Hand or arm, e.g. handle
- A61H 2201/1664: linear
- A61H 2201/1669: moving along the body in a reciprocating manner
- A61H 2201/1676: Pivoting
- A61H 2201/5007: computer controlled
- A61H 2201/5061: Force sensors
- A61H 2201/5064: Position sensors
- A61H 2201/5069: Angle sensors
- A61H 2201/5071: Pressure sensors
- A61H 2201/5079: Velocity sensors
- A61H 2201/5082: Temperature sensors
- A61H 2201/5084: Acceleration sensors
- A61H 2201/5097: wireless
- A61H 2203/0406: Standing on the feet
- A61H 2205/06: Arms
- A61H 2205/065: Hands
- A61H 2230/06: Heartbeat rate
- A61H 2230/25: Blood flowrate, e.g. by Doppler effect
- A61H 2230/50: Temperature
- A63B 21/0058: {using motors}
- A63B 21/4035: {for operation by hand}
- A63B 22/0012: {the exercises for arms and legs being functionally independent}
- A63B 22/20: using rollers, wheels, castors or the like, {e.g. gliding means,} to be moved over the floor or other surface, {e.g. guide tracks,} during exercising
- A63B 23/0405: {involving a bending of the knee and hip joints simultaneously (A63B23/0476 takes precedence)}
- A63B 2022/0094: {for active rehabilitation, e.g. slow motion devices}
- B62B 5/004: {in wheels}
- B62B 5/0069: {Control}
- B62B 5/0404: {automatic}
- 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)
- A63B: APPARATUS FOR PHYSICAL TRAINING, GYMNASTICS, SWIMMING, CLIMBING, OR FENCING; BALL GAMES; TRAINING EQUIPMENT (apparatus for passive exercising, massage A61H)
- B62B: HAND-PROPELLED VEHICLES, e.g. HAND CARTS OR PERAMBULATORS; SLEDGES (characterised by animal propulsion B62C; propulsion of sledges by driver or engine B62M)

## Abstract

A walking assist device has a frame, fixed handles, rails provided with movable handles, front wheels, rear wheels and that serve as drive wheels, drive units, a battery, and a drive control unit, and travels forward or rearward together with a user that walks while grasping the fixed handles or the movable handles. The walking assist device has an operation mode switching unit that switches between a training mode, in which a load is applied to operation of the body of the user performed as the user walks, and an assist mode in which a load on operation of the body of the user performed as the user walks is alleviated.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A walking assist device comprising:
a frame;
an arm portion provided on the frame and having a grasp portion that is graspable by a user;
a plurality of wheels provided at a lower end of the frame and including at least one drive wheel;
a drive unit that drives the drive wheel to cause the walking assist device to travel forward or rearward;
a battery that serves as a power source for the drive unit;
a drive control unit that controls the drive unit; and
an operation mode switching unit, wherein:
the walking assist device travels forward or rearward together with the user who walks while grasping the grasp portion; and
the operation mode switching unit switches between a training mode, in which a load is applied to operation of a body of the user performed as the user walks, and an assist mode, in which a load on operation of the body of the user performed as the user walks is alleviated.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The walking assist device according to claim 1, further comprising:
a state detection unit that detects at least one of a state of the grasp portion, a state of the walking assist device, a body state of the user, and an atmospheric state around the user; and
a load amount/assist amount change unit that changes a magnitude of the load on the basis of a detection signal from the state detection unit in the training mode, and that changes a magnitude of an assist force on the basis of the detection signal from the state detection unit in the assist mode.

### Claim 3 (depends on 2)

The walking assist device according to claim 2, wherein
in the assist mode, the load amount/assist amount change unit calculates an assist force with which the operation of the body of the user performed as the user walks is equivalent to operation in a no-load state, or an assist force that is larger by a predetermined amount than the assist force with which the operation of the body of the user performed as the user walks is equivalent to the operation in the no-load state.

### Claim 4 (depends on 2)

The walking assist device according to claim 2, wherein:
the state detection unit includes at least one of detection units including
a grasp portion state detection unit that detects the state of the grasp portion,
a vehicle body state detection unit that detects the state of the walking assist device including an operation history of the walking assist device,
a body state detection unit that detects the body state including a body information history of the user, and
an atmospheric state detection unit that detects the atmospheric state around the user; and
the load amount/assist amount change unit changes the magnitude of the load on the basis of a detection signal from the at least one of the detection units in the training mode, and changes the magnitude of the assist force on the basis of the detection signal from the at least one of the detection units in the assist mode.

### Claim 5 (depends on 4)

The walking assist device according to claim 4, wherein:
the arm portion has
a pair of right and left handle guide units provided on the frame so as to extend along a front-rear direction of the frame, and
movable handles provided on the respective handle guide units so as to be movable in the front-rear direction along the handle guide units, the movable handles each serving as the grasp portion;
the grasp portion state detection unit has
a movable handle movement amount detection unit that detects at least one of an arm position, an arm swing speed, and an arm swing width at a time when the user walks while grasping the movable handles and swinging his or her arms, and
a movable handle acting force detection unit that detects a movable handle acting force with which the user pushes forward and pulls rearward the movable handles which are grasped by the user; and
the state of the grasp portion is calculated on the basis of the at least one of the arm position, the arm swing speed, the arm swing width, and the movable handle acting force.

### Claim 6 (depends on 4)

The walking assist device according to claim 4, wherein:
the grasp portion has a pair of right and left fixed handles fixed to the frame;
the grasp portion state detection unit has a fixed handle acting force detection unit that detects a fixed handle acting force with which the user pushes forward and pulls rearward the fixed handles which are grasped by the user; and
the state of the grasp portion is calculated on the basis of the fixed handle acting force.

### Claim 7 (depends on 4)

The walking assist device according to claim 4, wherein
the load amount/assist amount change unit has a learning unit that adjusts a magnitude of the load in the training mode, and adjusts a magnitude of the assist force in the assist mode, on the basis of at least one of
the atmospheric state around the user which is detected using the atmospheric state detection unit,
the operation history of the walking assist device which is detected using the vehicle body state detection unit, and
the body state and the body information history of the user which are detected using the body state detection unit.

### Claim 8 (depends on 2)

The walking assist device according to claim 2, wherein:
the state detection unit has
an operation state detection unit that detects an operation state of arms or legs of the user, and
a walking state determination unit that determines a time rate of a walking state in one gait cycle, which is index information that represents a phase in one gait cycle, on the basis of the operation state of the arms or the legs which is detected by the operation state detection unit; and
in the training mode, the load amount/assist amount change unit changes a magnitude of the load in accordance with the time rate of the walking state in one gait cycle which is determined by the walking state determination unit.

### Claim 9 (depends on 8)

The walking assist device according to claim 8, wherein
the walking state determination unit determines the time rate of the walking state in one gait cycle of one of the legs on the basis of the operation state of the arms or the legs which is detected by the operation state detection unit.

### Claim 10 (depends on 8)

The walking assist device according to claim 8, wherein:
the arm portion has
a pair of right and left handle guide units provided on the frame so as to extend along a front-rear direction of the frame, and
movable handles provided on the respective handle guide units so as to be movable in the front-rear direction along the handle guide units, the movable handles each serving as the grasp portion;
the operation state detection unit has a movable handle movement amount detection unit that detects at least one of an arm position, an arm swing speed, and an arm swing width at a time when the user walks while grasping the movable handles and swinging his or her arms; and
in the case where at least one of the arm position, the arm swing speed, and the arm swing width is detected by the movable handle movement amount detection unit, the walking state determination unit determines the time rate of the walking state in one gait cycle on the basis of the at least one of the arm position, the arm swing speed, and the arm swing width which is detected by the movable handle movement amount detection unit.

### Claim 11 (depends on 10)

The walking assist device according to claim 10, further comprising:
a pair of movable handle drive units that move a pair of the movable handles in the front-rear direction along the handle guide units, wherein
the load amount/assist amount change unit changes the magnitude of the load by driving the pair of movable handle drive units and the drive unit in the training mode.

### Claim 12 (depends on 8)

The walking assist device according to claim 8, wherein:
the operation state detection unit has an imaging unit provided on the frame to image the legs of the user, or an acceleration sensor that is carried by the user; and
the walking state determination unit determines the time rate of the walking state in one gait cycle on the basis of a state of the legs which are imaged by the imaging unit or an acceleration measured by the acceleration sensor.

### Claim 13 (depends on 8)

The walking assist device according to claim 8, wherein:
the training mode includes a plurality of training types in which the load is applied in accordance with a load pattern set in correspondence with one gait cycle for each of a plurality of types of muscles of the legs; and
the load amount and assist amount change unit
has a selection reception unit that receives selection of one of the plurality of training types, and
changes a magnitude of the load in accordance with the time rate of the walking state in one gait cycle which is determined by the walking state determination unit in accordance with the load pattern corresponding to the one of the training types which is received by the selection reception unit in the training mode.

### Claim 14 (depends on 8)

The walking assist device according to claim 8, wherein
the load amount and assist amount change unit sets a first load corresponding to the time rate of the walking state in one gait cycle with one-leg support in which only one foot contacts a ground to be larger than a second load corresponding to the time rate of the walking state in one gait cycle with two-leg support in which two feet contact the ground.

### Claim 15 (depends on 2)

The walking assist device according to claim 2, wherein:
the training mode includes a plurality of training types in which the load is applied in accordance with a load pattern set in advance; and
the load amount/assist amount change unit
has a selection reception unit that receives selection of one of the plurality of training types, and
changes the magnitude of the load in accordance with the load pattern corresponding to the one of the training types which is received by the selection reception unit in the training mode.