US 4,872,665 AGranted

Mechanical leg-propulsion assistance device

OwnerJean-Louis Chareireinventor

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Abstract

A leg-propulsion assistance device for improving the individual field of a mobility of a human being. The device provides a saddle supplied with a hip fastening device. A saddle joint allows for the swiveling movement of two telescopic rods, the extension force of which is derived from a compressed spring or fluid generated under pressure, by a motor-compressor set. A link arm transmits the movement to a fixed joint in front of the user's shoe. A joint which becomes freed automatically at the end of each propulsive stride allows the link arm and foot to be raised. An automatic piloting system synchronizes the motive force with the muscular extension force of the leg and foot. The invention relates to all applications necessitating propulsion by the legs of an individual capable or not capable of exerting an intense muscular effort.

Claims10

Dependent claims

A mechanical leg-propulsion assistance device comprising a saddle having means for fastening the saddle to the hips, shoulders or hands of a user, said saddle having a center plane and having attached to said center plane a first joint, said joint having an axis which is about perpendicular to the center plane of the saddle, and to which first joint are connected two telescopic rods with one end of each rod attached to said first joint, one of the rods situated on each of the sides of said center plane, the other end of each of the telescopic rods comprising a second joint whose axis is about perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of each of the telescopic rods, said second joint having an automatic blocking and unblocking device and being connected about perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of a link arm whose other end comprises a third joint having an axis which is about parallel to the axis of said second joint, which third joint connects the link arm to means for securing the link arm to the front of a user's shoes so that the axis the third joint is spaced from and about parallel to the plane of the sole of the shoe, the shape of the link arm enabling it to rotate freely around the third joint without impeding the shoe, the two telescopic rods being fitted with associated motor means which, when the second joint is blocked, can assist the leg propulsion muscular force of a user.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.