# US 2019/0314978 A1 · Four-bar parallel actuated architecture for exoskeleton

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- Number: US 2019/0314978 A1
- Document ID: US20190314978A1
- Status: Published application
- Kind: A1
- Application number: 16/387,152
- Filed: 2019-04-17
- Published: 2019-10-17
- Earliest claimed: 2018-04-17
- Assignees: Arizona Board of Regents on behalf of Arizona State University
- Inventors: Justin Hunt; Hyunglae Lee
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20190314978A1

## CPC

- B25J 9/0006: {Exoskeletons, i.e. resembling a human figure}
- A61H 1/0281: {Shoulder}
- B25J 9/003: {having parallel kinematics}
- B25J 9/1065: {with parallelograms}
- F16H 21/54: for conveying or interconverting oscillating or reciprocating motions
- A61H 2201/1616: Holding means therefor
- A61H 2201/165: Wearable interfaces
- 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})
- 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)
- F16H: GEARING

## Abstract

An exoskeleton for interfacing with a joint includes a base configured to be coupled to a user, a platform configured to be coupled to the user proximate the joint, and a plurality of substructures extending between the base and the platform. The substructures are actuated in parallel in order to move the platform.

## Claims

### Claim 1

An exoskeleton for interfacing with a joint, the exoskeleton comprising:
a base configured to be coupled to a user;
a platform configured to be coupled to the user proximate the joint;
a plurality of substructures extending between the base and the platform, wherein the substructures are configured to be actuated in parallel to move the platform relative to the base.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The exoskeleton of claim 1, wherein each substructure of the plurality of substructures includes,
a base link;
a first link coupled to a first end of the base link;
a second link coupled to a second end of the base link, the second link being parallel to the first link; and
a top linkage coupled to the first link and the second link, wherein the top linkage extends to the platform.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The exoskeleton of claim 1, further comprising linkages and linearly actuated sliders coupled to the linkages, wherein the linkages and linearly actuated sliders couple adjacent substructures of the plurality of substructures together, wherein the linkages and linearly actuated sliders are configured to control a roll angle of the exoskeleton.

### Claim 4 (depends on 3)

The exoskeleton of claim 3, wherein the plurality of substructures includes two outer substructures and a center substructure positioned between the two outer substructures, wherein the linkages are coupled to the center substructure via spherical joints, and are moveable along the two outer substructures via the linearly actuated sliders.

### Claim 5 (depends on 4)

The exoskeleton of claim 4, wherein each of the substructures of the plurality of substructures includes a first motor and a second motor.

### Claim 6 (depends on 1)

The exoskeleton of claim 1, wherein the joint is a shoulder, wherein the exoskeleton further includes a cuff coupled to the platform and an arm of the user, the cuff including an outer tube and an inner tube moveable relative to the outer tube.

### Claim 7 (depends on 1)

The exoskeleton of claim 1, wherein each of the plurality of substructures is fixed with respect to the other substructures using a fixed Stewart-Gough platform.

### Claim 8

An exoskeleton for interacting with a ball and socket joint, the exoskeleton comprising:
a base configured to be coupled to a user;
a platform configured to be coupled to the user, the platform configured to move in a spherical workspace;
a plurality of substructures connecting the base to the platform, wherein the plurality of substructures are configured to be actuated in parallel to move the platform relative to the base.

### Claim 9 (depends on 8)

The exoskeleton of claim 8, wherein each of the plurality of substructure includes,
a base link;
a first link coupled to a first end of the base link;
a second link coupled to a second end of the base link, the second link being parallel to the first link; and
a top linkage coupled to the first link and the second link, the top linkage extending to the platform.

### Claim 10 (depends on 9)

The exoskeleton of claim 9, further comprising a three degree-of-freedom joint connecting each top link to the platform and one degree of freedom joints connecting the first and second parallel links to one another.

### Claim 11 (depends on 8)

The exoskeleton of claim 8, wherein a center of rotation of the platform is spaced apart from the platform.

### Claim 12 (depends on 8)

The exoskeleton of claim 8, further comprising a motor coupled to each substructure.

### Claim 13 (depends on 8)

The exoskeleton of claim 8, wherein the plurality of substructures includes two outer substructures and a center substructure positioned between the two outer substructures, wherein the exoskeleton further comprising sliders connecting adjacent substructures, the sliders configured to control a roll angle of the exoskeleton, the sliders coupled to the center substructure via spherical joints, and are moveable along the two outer substructures via the linearly actuated sliders.

### Claim 14 (depends on 8)

The exoskeleton of claim 8, wherein each substructure of the plurality of substructures is fixed with respect to the other substructures using a fixed Stewart-Gough platform.

### Claim 15

An exoskeleton of a ball and socket joint comprising:
a base configured to be coupled to a user;
a platform configured to be coupled to the user proximate the joint;
a first substructure connecting the base to the platform;
a second substructure connecting the base to the platform, the second substructure spaced apart from the first substructure;
a third substructure connecting the base to the platform, the third substructure spaced apart from the first and second substructures, wherein the first, second, and third substructures are configured to be actuated in parallel to move the platform about a spherical workspace.

### Claim 16 (depends on 15)

The exoskeleton of claim 15, wherein each substructure includes, a base link;
a first link coupled to a first end of the base link;
a second link coupled to a second end of the base link, the second link being parallel to the first link; and
a top linkage coupled to the first link and the second link, the top linkage extending to the platform.

### Claim 17 (depends on 15)

The exoskeleton of claim 15, wherein the platform is configured to move in a spherical workspace, and includes a center of rotation spaced apart from the platform.

### Claim 18 (depends on 15)

The exoskeleton of claim 15, wherein the substructures include two outer substructures and a center substructure positioned between the outer substructures, the exoskeleton further comprising linearly actuated sliders connecting adjacent substructures, the linearly actuated sliders configured to control a roll angle of the exoskeleton, the sliders are coupled to the center substructure via spherical joints, and moveable along the outer substructures via the linearly actuated sliders.

### Claim 19 (depends on 15)

The exoskeleton of claim 15, wherein each of the substructures includes a first motor configured to control the pitch of the respective substructure, and a second motor configured to control the roll of the respective substructure.

### Claim 20 (depends on 15)

The exoskeleton of claim 15, wherein each substructure is coupled to the platform with a spherical joint.