# US 2018/0021618 A1 · Wearable soft exoskeleton apparatus

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- Number: US 2018/0021618 A1
- Document ID: US20180021618A1
- Status: Published application
- Kind: A1
- Application number: 15/393,694
- Filed: 2016-12-29
- Published: 2018-01-25
- Earliest claimed: 2016-07-25
- Assignees: FRT Co., Ltd.
- Applicants: FRT Co., Ltd.
- Inventors: Dong-Chan LEE
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20180021618A1

## CPC

- A63B 21/00181: {comprising additional means assisting the user to overcome part of the resisting force, i.e. assisted-active exercising}
- A61H 1/0237: {for the lower limbs}
- A61H 3/00: Appliances for aiding patients or disabled persons to walk about (apparatus for helping babies to walk A47D13/04 {; applying electrical currents by contact electrodes for stimulating motor muscles, e.g. walking assistance A61N1/36003})
- A61H 1/0262: {Walking movement; Appliances for aiding disabled persons to walk (A61H3/00 takes precedence)}
- A61H 2201/1238: with hydraulic or pneumatic drive
- A61H 2201/165: Wearable interfaces
- A61H 2201/1652: Harness
- A61H 2201/1683: Surface of interface
- A61H 2201/5051: hydraulically controlled
- A61H 2201/5061: Force sensors
- A61H 2201/5071: Pressure sensors
- B25J 9/0006: {Exoskeletons, i.e. resembling a human figure}
- B25J 9/142: {comprising inflatable bodies}
- A63B: APPARATUS FOR PHYSICAL TRAINING, GYMNASTICS, SWIMMING, CLIMBING, OR FENCING; BALL GAMES; TRAINING EQUIPMENT (apparatus for passive exercising, massage A61H)
- 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)
- B25J: MANIPULATORS; CHAMBERS PROVIDED WITH MANIPULATION DEVICES ({manipulators specially adapted for use in surgery A61B34/70; manipulators used in cleaning hollow articles B08B9/04}; manipulators associated with rolling mills B21B39/20; manipulators associated with forging machines B21J13/10; {manipulators associated with picking-up and placing mechanisms B23P19/007}; means for holding wheels or parts thereof B60B30/00; {vehicles with ground-engaging propulsion means, e.g. walking members B62D57/02, B62D57/032; devices for picking-up and depositing articles or materials between conveyors B65G47/90, B65G47/91; manipulators with gripping or holding means for transferring packages B65H67/065}; cranes B66C; {manipulators used in the protection or supervision of pipe-line installations F17D5/00; walking equipment adapted for nuclear steam-generators F22B37/006}; manipulators specially adapted for, or associated with, nuclear reactors G21C; {apparatus used for handling wafers during manufacture or treatment of semiconductor H10P72/50})

## Abstract

A wearable soft exoskeleton apparatus includes: a fluid supplying portion; and a soft exoskeleton portion which is connected to the fluid supplying portion and is configured to be able to be worn in legs of a user, a soft exoskeleton portion being made of elastic material to simulate motions of the legs and being provided with a fiber conduit through which fluid flows, the soft exoskeleton portion being inflated to support the legs of the user when the fluid is supplied to the fiber conduit from the fluid supplying portion. The soft exoskeleton portion includes: a fiber tube which is formed in a mesh type to be able to enclose a femoral region and a shinbone; and a fiber structure which is disposed within the fiber tube in a structure in which cells of a predetermined shape are connected to one another so as to form a plurality of the fiber conduits therein.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A wearable soft exoskeleton apparatus comprising:
a fluid supplying portion; and
a soft exoskeleton portion which is connected to the fluid supplying portion and is configured to be able to be worn in legs of a user, a soft exoskeleton portion being made of elastic material to simulate motions of the legs and being provided with a fiber conduit through which fluid flows, the soft exoskeleton portion being inflated to support the legs of the user when the fluid is supplied to the fiber conduit from the fluid supplying portion,
wherein the soft exoskeleton portion comprises:
a fiber tube which is formed in a mesh type to be able to enclose a femoral region and a shinbone; and
a fiber structure which is disposed within the fiber tube in a structure in which cells of a predetermined shape are connected to one another so as to form a plurality of the fiber conduits therein.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The wearable soft exoskeleton apparatus of claim 1, wherein the fluid supplying portion comprises:
a fluid supplying device which supplies the fluid to the soft exoskeleton or withdraws the fluid from the soft exoskeleton; and
a wearing portion which is configured to mount the fluid supplying device to a body of the user.

### Claim 3 (depends on 2)

The wearable soft exoskeleton apparatus of claim 2, wherein the fluid supplying device comprises:
a mounting portion to which the wearing portion and the soft exoskeleton portion are coupled;
a hydraulic pressure module which is mounted to the mounting portion and generates a hydraulic pressure; and
a fluid supplying tube which connects the hydraulic pressure module and the soft exoskeleton portion together.

### Claim 4 (depends on 2)

The wearable soft exoskeleton apparatus of claim 2, wherein the wearing portion comprises:
a first supporting portion which is coupled to the fluid supplying device and is configured to be able to be worn in a waist of the user; and
a second supporting portion which is coupled to the fluid supplying device and is configured to be able to be worn in a shoulder of the user.

### Claim 5 (depends on 1)

The wearable soft exoskeleton apparatus of claim 1, wherein the soft exoskeleton portion comprises:
a first soft exoskeleton link which is configured to be able to support the femoral region;
a second soft exoskeleton link which is configured to be able to support the shinbone;
a detection portion which is configured to be able to support feet of the user and detects movements of the user to control an operation of the fluid supplying portion; and
a joint portion which connects the fluid supplying portion, the first soft exoskeleton link, the second soft exoskeleton link and the detection portion to be rotatable with respect to one another.

### Claim 6 (depends on 5)

The wearable soft exoskeleton apparatus of claim 5, wherein the soft exoskeleton portion further comprises a fixing device which fixes the first soft exoskeleton link, the second soft exoskeleton link and the detection portion to a body of the user.

### Claim 7 (depends on 5)

The wearable soft exoskeleton apparatus of claim 5, wherein the detection portion comprises:
a first supporting portion which is rotatably connected to the second soft exoskeleton link to support an ankle of the user; and
a second supporting portion which is configured to be disposed at a sole of a foot and is provided with a plurality of pressure sensors.

### Claim 8 (depends on 1)

The wearable soft exoskeleton apparatus of claim 1, wherein the elastic material is metamaterial which has a negative Poisson's Ratio or phase-change characteristics.