Orthotic Load Assistance Device

A load assistance device wearable by a user carrying a mass on the user's torso, the device transmitting a portion of the load from the mass to the ground without that portion of the load passing through the user's legs and thereby reducing the effective load on the user, the device comprising:

• a load receptor for receiving the load of the mass;
• a boot clamp for transmitting the load to the user's boot;
• and
• a linkage connected between the load receptor and boot clamp, the linkage having a first or actuated condition in which the linkage transmits load downward from the load receptor into the boot clamp and having a second or unactuated condition in which the linkage does not transmit load downward from the load receptor into the boot clamp, the linkage moving between the first and second conditions in response to sensing of the user's gait;
• the boot clamp being fixed to at least the lateral sides of the user's boot and having no portions that are disposed underneath the outsole of the user's boot between the outsole and the ground surface on which the user walks.

A load assistance device wearable by a user carrying a mass on the user's torso, the device transmitting a portion of the load from the mass to the ground without that portion of the load passing through the user's legs and thereby reducing the effective load on the user, the device comprising:

• a load receptor for receiving the load;
• a boot clamp for transmitting the load to the user's boot;
• and
• a linkage connected between the load receptor and the boot clamp, the linkage having a first or actuated condition in which the linkage transmits load downward from the load receptor into the boot clamp and having a second or unactuated condition in which the linkage does not transmit load downward from the load receptor into the boot clamp, the linkage moving between the first and second conditions in response to sensing of the user's gait;
• the linkage including a leg member disposed between the boot clamp and the load receptor;
• the linkage including an ankle mechanism connecting the boot clamp to the leg member for pivotal movement relative to the leg member about a first pivot axis when the user's boot is on the ground during a stride of the user;
• and
• the ankle mechanism including a spring that acts between the boot clamp and the leg member and that is compressed during the rollover phase of the user's stride thereby to counteract the heel pinning effect of the device.

A load assistance device wearable by a user carrying a mass on the user's torso, such as a backpack, the device transmitting a portion of the load from the mass to the ground without that portion of the load passing through the user's legs and thereby reducing the effective load on the user, the device comprising:

• a load receptor for receiving load from the mass;
• a boot clamp for transmitting the load to the user's boot;
• and
• a linkage connected between the load receptor and the boot clamp, the linkage having an actuated condition in which the linkage transmits load downward from the load receptor into the boot clamp and having an unactuated condition in which the linkage does not transmit load downward from the load receptor into the boot clamp;
• at least one sensor for sensing the user's stride:
• and
• a computer responsive to the at least one sensor for controlling movement of the linkage between the actuated and unactuated conditions in response to sensing of the user's stride, the linkage being moved into the actuated condition upon sensing of the commencement of the stance phase of the user's stride and being moved into the unactuated condition in response to sensing of the heel lift phase of the user's stride.