Closed-loop fluidic regenerative system and active compression band, apparel, device, footwear and method
Disclosed herein are wearable devices for use with closed-loop fluidic regenerative systems comprising closed-loop fluidic regeneration module, fluidic transducers module, and fluidic transportation module. The system uses human gait combined with closed-loop fluidic regenerative module to enable actuation of fluidic actuators to apply assistive, rehabilitative and/or therapeutic force, compression and/or torque to the human body. Human gait can also enable fluid sensors combined with a close-loop fluidic regenerative module to detect motion, characteristics, and/or positions of anatomical parts of the human body. In addition, disclosed herein are wearable active compression bands enabled by fluidic actuators that can apply smooth sequential gradient compression with cooling/icing effect in a wearable/portable profile. Closed-loop fluidic regenerative system combined with active compression band can achieve electronics-free active compression.
1 . A wearable assistive device comprising:
a fluidic transducers module comprising at least one fluidic transducer, wherein the fluidic transducers module is operable to receive a fluid under pressure and in response to operate the at least one fluidic transducer;
a fluidic regeneration module operable to receive and to pressurize the fluid responsive to mechanical interaction with the fluidic regeneration module; and
a fluidic transportation module coupled to transport the fluid between the fluidic transducers module and the fluidic regeneration module;
wherein:
the fluidic regeneration module comprises at least one fluidic regeneration chamber to contain the fluid, wherein the at least one fluidic regeneration chamber is mechanically compressible to pressurize the fluid in the at least one fluidic regeneration chamber to transport the fluid under pressure to the fluidic transducers module via the fluidic transportation module; and
the wearable assistive device further comprises an energy return mechanism operable to return the fluid from the fluidic transducers module to the fluidic regeneration module via the fluidic transportation module when the at least one fluidic regeneration chamber is decompressed wherein the at least one fluidic regeneration chamber comprises an elastic wall defining an interior volume of the at least one fluidic regeneration chamber is compressible to decrease the interior volume, thereby to pressurize the fluid to transport the fluid under pressure to the fluidic transducers module via the fluidic transportation module; and is operable to rebound to increase the interior volume of the at least one fluidic regeneration chamber when the at least one fluidic regeneration chamber is decompressed, thereby to return the fluid from the fluidic transducers module to the fluidic regeneration module via the fluidic transportation module .
2 . The wearable assistive device of claim 1 , wherein:
the fluidic transducers module, and fluidic regeneration module, and the fluidic transportation module form a closed loop; and
during use of the wearable assistive device, none of the fluid enters the wearable assistive device, and none of the fluid exits the wearable assistive device.
3 . The wearable assistive device of claim 1 , wherein:
the at least one fluidic regeneration chamber further comprises a spring device operable to rebound the at least one fluidic regeneration chamber.
4 . The wearable assistive device of claim 3 , wherein:
the spring device is positioned within the at least one fluidic regeneration chamber and operable to press against an interior surface of the wall to rebound the at least one fluidic regeneration chamber.
5 . The wearable assistance device of claim 1 , further comprising:
a wearable equipment, wherein the at least one fluidic regeneration chamber is positioned in or on the wearable equipment for alternating compression and decompression of the at least one fluidic regeneration chamber by motion of a wearer of the wearable equipment.
6 . The wearable assistive device of claim 5 , wherein:
the wearable equipment comprises a footwear, and the at least one fluidic regeneration chamber is positioned in or on the footwear for alternating compression and decompression by a body weight of the wearer.
7 . The wearable assistive device of claim 6 , wherein:
the at least one fluidic regeneration chamber is positioned in or on a housing of the footwear.
8 . The wearable assistive device of claim 7 , wherein:
the housing is a cushion, an insole, a midsole, an outer sole, an orthotic, or any combination thereof.
9 . The wearable assistive device of claim 6 , wherein:
the at least one fluidic regeneration chamber is on or in or shaped as a wedge-style foot orthotic.
10 . The wearable assistive device of claim 6 , wherein:
the at least one fluidic transducer comprises at least one fluidic actuator operable to apply force at at least one anatomical part of a body of the wearer.
11 . The wearable assistive device of claim 10 comprising:
an active knee brace comprising:
at least one articulation joint; and
at least one strap coupled to the articulation joint, and sized and shaped to encompass a leg of the wearer proximal a knee of the wearer;
wherein:
the articulation joint and the at least one strap are respectively positioned whereby the articulation joint is positionable at or adjacent the knee of the wearer when the active knee brace is worn by the wearer;
the at least one fluidic actuator is positionable and operable to tighten the active knee brace about the knee of the wearer to reduce knee abduction/adduction moment when the at least one fluidic regeneration chamber is compressed.
12 . The wearable assistive device of claim 11 , wherein:
the at least one fluidic actuator is positioned at or proximal an inner surface of the articulation joint, and positionable between the articulation joint and the knee of the wearer when the active knee brace is worn by the wearer; and
when the at least one fluidic regeneration chamber is compressed, the at least one fluidic actuator is operable to move the articulation joint away from the knee and relative to the at least one strap to tighten the active knee brace about the knee of the wearer.
13 . The wearable assistive device of claim 11 , wherein:
the at least one fluidic actuator is positioned on or in the at least one strap and is operable to contract the at least one strap when the at least one fluidic regeneration chamber is compressed to tighten the active knee brace about the knee of the wearer.
14 . The wearable assistive device of claim 11 , wherein:
when the at least one fluidic regeneration chamber is decompressed, the active knee brace is operable to squeeze or stretch the at least one fluidic actuator to return the fluid from the at least one fluidic actuator to the at least one fluidic regeneration chamber and to untighten the active knee brace about the knee of the wearer.
15 . The wearable assistive device of claim 6 , wherein:
the at least one fluidic regeneration chamber is positioned in or on the footwear to compress the at least one fluidic regeneration chamber during a heel-strike and stance phase of a gait of the wearer, and to decompress the at least one fluidic regeneration chamber during a swing phase of the gait of the wearer.
16 . The wearable assistive device of claim 5 , wherein:
the wearable equipment comprises a prosthesis, and the at least one fluidic regeneration chamber is positioned in or on a prosthetic socket of the prosthesis for alternating compression and decompression by a residual limb of the wearer of the prosthesis during a motion of the wearer.
17 . The wearable assistive device of claim 16 , wherein the motion of the wearer comprises relative motion between the residual limb and the prosthetic socket.
18 . The wearable assistive device of claim 17 , wherein:
the prosthetics comprises a prosthetic leg comprising a prosthetic foot coupled with the prosthetic socket;
the residual limb is a residual leg of the wearer;
the at least one fluidic regeneration chamber is positioned in or on the prosthetic socket at an end of the prosthetic socket proximal the prosthetic foot; and
the motion of the wearer comprises relative motion between the residual leg and the prosthetic socket during a gait of the wearer.
19 . The wearable assistive device of claim 17 , wherein:
the at least one fluidic transducer comprises at least one fluidic sensor operable to indicate the relative motion between the residual limb and the prosthetic socket responsive to the alternating compression and decompression of the at least one fluidic regeneration chamber.
20 . The wearable assistive device of claim 19 , wherein:
the at least one fluidic sensor comprises a level indicator comprising a transparent wall enabling visual identification of a level of the fluid in the level indicator.
21 . The wearable assistive device of claim 19 , wherein:
the at least one fluidic sensor is operable to generate an audible sound responsive to the compression of the at least one fluidic regeneration chamber.
22 . The wearable assistive device of claim 19 , wherein:
the at least one fluidic sensor is operable to vibration and positioned to be felt by the wearer responsive to the compression of the at least one fluidic regeneration chamber.
23 . The wearable assistive device of claim 1 , wherein:
each one of the at least one fluidic actuator is independently a Mckibben-type artificial muscle actuator, a soft fluidic actuator, a balloon actuator, a linear pneumatic piston actuator, or any combination thereof.
24 . The wearable assistive device of claim 1 , wherein:
the fluidic transportation module comprises at least one fluidic conduit coupled for communicating the fluid between the at least one fluidic transducer and the at least one fluidic regeneration chamber.
25 . The wearable assistive device of claim 24 , wherein:
the fluidic transportation module further comprises at least one valve for controlling flow of the fluid between the at least one fluidic transducer and the at least one fluidic regeneration chamber.
26 . The wearable assistive device of claim 1 , further comprising:
at least one fluid intake mechanism fluidically coupled with the fluidic transportation module for injection of the fluid into the fluidic transportation module.
27 . The wearable assistive device of claim 26 , wherein:
the at least one fluid intake mechanism comprises a one-way flow valve configured to couple temporarily with a syringe or fluid pumping mechanism for the injection of the fluid into the fluidic transportation module.
28 . The wearable assistive device of claim 26 , wherein:
the at least one fluid intake mechanism comprises a filter operable to filter the fluid when injected into the fluidic transportation module.