Preloaded personal augmentation suit and method for assisted human motion

A human motion assistance device, comprising:

• an upper torso harness;
• a leg strap arrangement;
• and
• a preloaded strap arrangement including,
• (a) a first elastic strap configured to extend behind a user to couple between a first attachment point on the upper torso harness and a first attachment point on the leg strap arrangement,
• (b) a second elastic strap configured to extend behind the user to couple between a second attachment point on the upper torso harness and a second attachment point on the leg strap arrangement,
• (c) a plurality of first blocks serially arranged along the first elastic strap with the first elastic strap extending through an opening in each of the plurality of first blocks, and
• (d) a plurality of second blocks serially arranged along the second elastic strap with the second elastic strap extending through an opening in each of the plurality of second blocks,
• wherein the preloaded strap arrangement is passively preloaded under tension by the plurality of first blocks and the plurality of second blocks while the upper torso harness remains in a relaxed state and configured to avoid stress on the user.

A method of making a human motion assistance device, comprising the steps of:

• providing an upper torso harness;
• and
• providing a leg strap arrangement;
• and
• providing a preloaded strap arrangement including,
• (a) a first elastic strap configured to extend behind a user to couple between a first attachment point on the upper torso harness and a first attachment point on the leg strap arrangement,
• (b) a second elastic strap configured to extend behind the user to couple between a second attachment point on the upper torso harness and a second attachment point on the leg strap arrangement,
• (c) a plurality of first blocks serially arranged along the first elastic strap with the first elastic strap extending through an opening in each of the plurality of first blocks, and
• (d) a plurality of second blocks serially arranged along the second elastic strap with the second elastic strap extending through an opening in each of the plurality of second blocks,
• wherein the preloaded strap arrangement is passively preloaded under tension by the plurality of first blocks and the plurality of second blocks while the upper torso harness remains in a relaxed state.