Frame assembly and motion assistance apparatus including the same
A frame assembly including a first longitudinal member, a second longitudinal member spaced apart from the first longitudinal member, a third longitudinal member configured to diagonally connect the first longitudinal member and the second longitudinal member, a plurality of first distance maintaining members configured to connect the first longitudinal member and the second longitudinal member, and a plurality of second distance maintaining members configured to connect the second longitudinal member and the third longitudinal member is disclosed.
1. A motion assistance apparatus comprising: a back support configured to support a back of a user; a driver on one side of a joint of the user; and a frame assembly including a plurality of longitudinal members each having first ends connected to the driver and second ends connected to the back support such that a stiffness of the plurality of longitudinal members collectively increases from an intermediate portion thereof between the first ends and the second ends towards each of the first ends and the second ends, the plurality of longitudinal members including, a first longitudinal member configured to connect to back support and the driver, a second longitudinal member configured to connect to back support and the driver such that the second longitudinal member and the first longitudinal member are separated by a distance, and a third longitudinal member configured to diagonally connect the first longitudinal member and the second longitudinal member.
2. The motion assistance apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the frame assembly further includes a plurality of first distance maintaining members and a plurality of second distance maintaining members, wherein the first longitudinal member and the second longitudinal member are each configured to connect to the back support and the driver; the plurality of first distance maintaining members are configured to connect the first longitudinal member and the second longitudinal member such that the second longitudinal member maintains a distance from the first longitudinal member; the third longitudinal member is configured to connect the back support and the driver; and the plurality of second distance maintaining members is configured to connect the second longitudinal member and the third longitudinal member such that the third longitudinal member maintains a distance from the second longitudinal member.
3. The motion assistance apparatus of claim 2 , wherein a longitudinal direction of the plurality of first distance maintaining members intersects a longitudinal direction of the plurality of second distance maintaining members.
4. The motion assistance apparatus of claim 1 , wherein each of the plurality of distance maintaining members independently extend between the driver and the back support.
5. The motion assistance apparatus of claim 4 , further comprising:
a control clamp configured to control an insertion length of at least one of the first longitudinal member and the second longitudinal member into to the back support.
6. The motion assistance apparatus of claim 1 , further comprising:
a plurality of distance maintaining members configured to maintain distances between corresponding ones of the plurality of longitudinal members.
7. The motion assistance apparatus of claim 6 , wherein the plurality of distance maintaining members extend in a direction substantially perpendicular to a direction of at least two of the plurality of longitudinal members.
8. The motion assistance apparatus of claim 2 , wherein a distance between the first longitudinal member and the second longitudinal member increases from the driver toward the back support.
9. The motion assistance apparatus of claim 8 , wherein a distance between the second longitudinal member and the third longitudinal member decreases from the back support toward the driver.
10. The motion assistance apparatus of claim 2 , wherein
an intermediate portion of the first longitudinal member is configured to move relative to an intermediate portion of the second longitudinal member, and
the intermediate portion of the second longitudinal member is configured to move relative to an intermediate portion of the third longitudinal member.
11. The motion assistance apparatus of claim 2 , wherein the plurality of first distance maintaining members are configured to rotate relative to one or more of the first longitudinal member and the second longitudinal member.
12. The motion assistance apparatus of claim 2 , wherein at least one of the plurality of first distance maintaining members is configured such that ends thereof are more flexible than an intermediate portion between the ends.
13. The motion assistance apparatus of claim 2 , wherein at least one of the plurality of first distance maintaining members is configured such that cross sections of ends thereof are smaller than a cross section of an intermediate portion between the end portions.
14. The motion assistance apparatus of claim 2 , wherein a thickness of at least one of the first distance maintaining members is greater than a thickness of each of the first longitudinal member and the third longitudinal member.
15. The motion assistance apparatus of claim 2 , wherein at least one of the plurality of first distance maintaining members includes a first slider and a second slider, the first slider configured to slide relative to the second slider.
16. The motion assistance apparatus of claim 15 , wherein
the first slider includes a first slider body connected to the first longitudinal member, and a first fitting portion on the first slider body, the first slider configured to extend toward the second longitudinal member; and
the second slider include a second slider body connected to the second longitudinal member, and a second fitting portion on the second slider body, the second slider body configured to extend toward the first longitudinal member and the second fitting portion configured to fit in the first fitting portion.
17. The motion assistance apparatus of claim 16 , wherein a width of the first fitting portion increases as a distance in a direction away from the first slider body increases.
18. The motion assistance apparatus of claim 15 , wherein at least one of the plurality of distance maintaining members comprises:
a separation preventing member configured to resist separation of the first slider and the second slider.
19. The motion assistance apparatus of claim 2 , wherein a length of each of the plurality of first distance maintaining members is shorter than a length of the first longitudinal member and the second longitudinal member.
20. The motion assistance apparatus of claim 2 , wherein, among the plurality of first distance maintaining members, a distance between two neighboring ones of the first distance maintaining members is shorter than a length of a shorter one of the two neighboring ones of the first distance maintaining members.
21. The motion assistance apparatus of claim 2 , wherein at least one of the plurality of first distance maintaining members includes a material that is stiffer than a material included in the first longitudinal member and the second longitudinal member.
22. The motion assistance apparatus of claim 2 , wherein at least one of the plurality of first distance maintaining members includes a first end fixed to the first longitudinal member, and a second end fixed to the second longitudinal member.
23. The motion assistance apparatus of claim 2 , wherein at least one of the plurality of first distance maintaining members is rotatably fixed to one of the first longitudinal member and the second longitudinal member.