Trunk supporting exoskeleton and method of use

Abstract

A trunk supporting exoskeleton comprises: a supporting trunk; thigh links configured to move in unison with a wearer's thighs; and first and second torque generators located on both left and right halves of the wearer substantially close to the wearer's hip. The torque generators couple the supporting trunk to the thigh links, and generate torque between the thigh links and the supporting trunk. When the wearer bends forward such that a predetermined portion of the supporting trunk passes beyond a predetermined angle from vertical, a torque generator(s) imposes a resisting torque between the supporting trunk and the thigh link(s), causing the supporting trunk to impose a force against the wearer's trunk, and the thigh link(s) to impose a force onto the wearer's thigh. When the predetermined portion does not pass beyond the predetermined angle, the torque generators impose no resisting torques between said supporting trunk and respective thigh links.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.