Exoskeleton and Method of Increasing the Flexibility of an Exoskeleton Joint
AssigneeEkso Bionics, Inc.
InventorsRussdon Angold, Adam Preuss, Nicholas Fleming, Matthew D. Sweeney
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Abstract
An exoskeleton configured to be coupled to a user includes a plurality of interconnected support elements constituted by rigid compression members interconnected through a tensegrity joint. The joint includes a tensile member having a first end and a second end coupled to first and second ones of the support elements respectively.
Claims20
An exoskeleton comprising:
- a plurality of interconnected support elements configured to be coupled to body portions of a user, wherein each of the support elements is a rigid compression member, wherein at least two of the support elements are interconnected through a tensegrity joint including a first tensile member having a first end coupled to a first support element of the at least two support elements and a second end coupled to a second support element of the at least two support elements, and wherein the tensegrity joint is configured such that a weight of the exoskeleton is transferred from the first support element to the second support element through the first tensile member only when the first tensile member is under tension.
A method of constructing a joint of an exoskeleton comprising a plurality of interconnected support elements configured to be coupled to body portions of a user, wherein each of the support elements is a rigid compression member, and wherein at least two of the support elements are interconnected through the joint, the method comprising:
- configuring the joint as a tensegrity joint by coupling a first end of a first tensile member to a first support element of the at least two support elements and coupling the second end of the first tensile member to a second support element of the at least two support elements such that a weight of the exoskeleton is transferred from the first support element to the second support element through the first tensile member, but only when the first tensile member is under tension.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.