Trunk exoskeleton
AssigneeThe United States Government as represented by the Department of Veterans Affairs
InventorsAidan Friederich, Ronald J. Triolo, Musa Audu
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Abstract
A trunk exoskeleton is provided including a flexible corset configured to wrap around a user's torso in the lumbar spine region. The flexible corset includes a plurality of vertical pockets formed around its perimeter. A plurality of flexor columns are included, each of which positioned in one of the plurality of vertical pockets. The flexor columns generate a flexor righting torque when bent from a vertical orientation. The multiple flexor righting torques from each of the plurality of flexor columns combine to generate a combined flexor righting torque. The combined flexor righting torque comprises a portion of a user trunk torque when the user's torso is angled from vertical.
Claims17
A trunk exoskeleton for use on the lumbar spine region of a user, the trunk exoskeleton comprising:
- a flexible corset configured to wrap around the user's torso in the lumbar spine region, the flexible corset comprising a plurality of vertical pockets formed around its perimeter;
- and
- a plurality of flexor columns positioned within the plurality of vertical pockets, each of the plurality of flexor columns having a column top and a column bottom, each of the plurality of flexor columns generating a flexor righting torque when bent from a vertical orientation, the flexor righting torques from the plurality of flexor columns generating a combined flexor righting torque;
- wherein the combined flexor righting torque comprises a portion of a user trunk torque when the user's torso is angled from vertical, and wherein each of the plurality of flexor columns comprises:
- a plurality of rigid cylindrical rings, each of the plurality of rigid cylindrical rings including a lower spring engagement surface and an upper spring engagement surface;
- and
- a plurality of spring elements positioned between each of the plurality of rigid cylindrical rings such that each of the plurality of spring elements engages the upper spring engagement surface of one of the plurality of rigid cylindrical rings and the lower spring engagement surface of a neighboring one of the plurality of rigid cylindrical rings.
A trunk exoskeleton for use on the lumbar spine region of a user, the trunk exoskeleton comprising:
- a flexible corset configured to wrap around the user's torso in the lumbar spine region, the flexible corset comprising a plurality of vertical pockets formed around its perimeter;
- a plurality of flexor columns positioned within the plurality of vertical pockets, each of the plurality of flexor columns having a column top and a column bottom, each of the plurality of flexor columns generating a flexor righting torque when bent from a vertical orientation, the flexor righting torques from the plurality of flexor columns generating a combined flexor righting torque;
- and
- a base mount positioned within a lower region of the flexible corset, the base mount comprising a plurality of base rigid links rotationally engaged to each other, each of the plurality of base rigid links including a base retention slot to house one of the plurality of flexor columns,
- wherein the combined flexor righting torque comprises a portion of a user trunk torque when the user's torso is angled from vertical.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.