Wearable assistance devices and methods of operation
Wearable assistance devices and methods of operating the same are provided. A wearable assistance device includes an upper-body interface with a front side and a rear side and a lower-body interface with a front side and a rear side. The assistance device also includes one or more elastic members, each of the elastic members mechanically coupling the upper-body interface to the lower-body interface and extending from the rear side of the upper-body interface to the rear side of the lower-body interface and along a back of the user so as to provide an assistive force parallel to the back of the user. Further, the assistance device also includes a clutch mechanism associated with each one of the elastic members, the clutch mechanism configured for selectively adjusting the assistive force provided by the one of the elastic members.
1 . A wearable assistance device to be worn by a user, comprising:
an upper-body interface;
a lower-body interface;
one or more elastic bands mechanically coupling the upper-body interface to the lower-body interface along a back of the user so as to provide an extension moment about the spine of the user when the one or more elastic bands stretch, the one or more elastic bands being configured to curve about at least a portion of the user's buttocks when the user bends forward, each of the one or more elastic bands comprising a first portion and a second portion connected in series, the first portion being connected to the upper-body interface and the second portion being connected to the lower-body interface, and the first and the second portions having a different stiffness; and
at least one clutch mechanism associated with the one or more elastic bands, the at least one clutch mechanism being configured for selectively adjusting the extension moment provided by the one or more elastic bands when the user bends forward.
2 . The wearable assistance device of claim 1 , further comprising an actuator associated with the at least one clutch mechanism that is configured to switch the at least one clutch mechanism between engaged and disengaged configurations.
3 . The wearable assistance device of claim 2 , wherein the actuator is separate from the at least one clutch mechanism.
4 . The wearable assistance device of claim 1 , wherein the at least one clutch mechanism is located on the upper-body interface or lower-body interface.
5 . The wearable assistance device of claim 1 , wherein the upper-body interface includes one or more shoulder straps.
6 . The wearable assistance device of claim 1 , wherein the lower-body interface comprises thigh sleeves or shorts.
7 . The wearable assistance device of claim 1 , wherein a stiffness of the second portion of the one or more elastic bands is greater than a stiffness of the first portion of the one or more elastic bands.
8 . The wearable assistance device of claim 1 , wherein at least one elastic band of the one or more elastic bands comprises a first elastic member extending from a right side of the upper-body interface to a left side of the lower-body interface and at least one elastic band of the one or more elastic bands comprises a second elastic band extending from a left side of the upper-body interface to a right side of the lower-body interface.
9 . The wearable assistance device of claim 1 , wherein the one or more elastic bands contains a third portion in series with and in between the first portion and second portion.
10 . The wearable assistance device of claim 1 , wherein the one or more elastic bands is configured with a side-to-side differential.
11 . The wearable assistance device of claim 1 , wherein the at least one clutch mechanism is located in between the first portion and second portion.
12 . The assistance device of claim 1 , wherein the first portion of the at least one elastic band is connected to the upper body interface via the at least one clutch mechanism, and/or the second portion of the at least one elastic band is connected to the lower body interface via the at least one clutch mechanism.
13 . The assistance device of claim 1 , wherein the first and second portions of the one or more elastic bands is either elastic or inelastic.
14 . The assistance device of claim 1 , wherein the one or more elastic bands comprises rubber, plastic, webbing, fabric or combinations thereof.
15 . A wearable assistance device to be worn by a user, comprising:
an upper-body interface;
a lower-body interface;
one or more elastic bands mechanically coupling the upper-body interface to the lower-body interface along a back of the user, the one or more elastic bands being configured to curve about at least a portion of the user's buttocks when the user bends forward; and
at least one clutch mechanism associated with the one or more elastic bands, the at least one clutch mechanism being configured to engage the one or more elastic bands such that when the user bends forward the one or more elastic bands stretch, thereby providing an extension moment about the spine of the user, and the at least one clutch mechanism being configured to disengage the one or more elastic bands, thereby providing minimal or no extension moment about the spine of the user when the user bends forward.
16 . The wearable assistance device of claim 15 , further comprising an actuator associated with the at least one clutch mechanism that is configured to switch the at least one clutch mechanism between engaged and disengaged configurations.
17 . The wearable assistance device of claim 16 , wherein the actuator is a manual actuator triggered by the user.
18 . The wearable assistance device of claim 16 , wherein the actuator is a battery-powered actuator that is controlled by a processor.
19 . The wearable assistance device of claim 15 , wherein each of the one or more elastic bands comprises a first portion and a second portion connected in series, the first portion being connected to the upper-body interface and the second portion being connected to the lower-body interface.
20 . The assistance device of claim 19 , wherein the first portion of the at least one elastic band is connected to the upper body interface via the at least one clutch mechanism, and/or the second portion of the at least one elastic band is connected to the lower body interface via the at least one clutch mechanism.
21 . The assistance device of claim 19 , wherein the first and second portions of the one or more elastic bands is either elastic or inelastic.
22 . The wearable assistance device of claim 19 , wherein the one or more elastic bands contains a third portion in series with and in between the first portion and second portion.
23 . The wearable assistance device of claim 15 , wherein the at least one clutch mechanism is located on the upper-body interface or lower-body interface.
24 . The assistance device of claim 15 , wherein the one or more elastic bands comprises rubber, plastic, webbing, fabric or combinations thereof.
25 . A wearable assistance device to be worn by a user, comprising:
an upper-body interface;
a lower-body interface;
one or more elastic bands mechanically coupling the upper-body interface to the lower-body interface along a back of the user, the one or more elastic bands being configured to curve about at least a portion of the user's buttocks when the user bends forward, and each of the one or more elastic bands having first and second portions; and
at least one clutch mechanism associated with the one or more elastic bands, the at least one clutch mechanism being configured to engage the one or more elastic bands such that when the user bends forward, the first portion of the one or more elastic bands does not stretch and the second portion of the one or more elastic bands stretches, thereby providing an extension moment about the spine of the user, and the at least one clutch mechanism being configured to disengage the one or more elastic bands such that when the user bends forward, the first portion and second portion of the one or more elastic bands move relative to the at least one clutch mechanism and provide minimal or no extension moment about the spine of the user when the user bends forward.
26 . The wearable assistance device of claim 25 , further comprising an actuator associated with the at least one clutch mechanism that is configured to switch the at least one clutch mechanism between engaged and disengaged configurations.
27 . The wearable assistance device of claim 26 , wherein the actuator is a manual actuator configured to be triggered by the user.
28 . The wearable assistance device of claim 26 , wherein the actuator is a battery-powered actuator that is controlled by a processor.
29 . The wearable assistance device of claim 25 , wherein the first and second portions of each elastic band have different stiffnesses.
30 . The assistance device of claim 25 , wherein the first portion of the at least one elastic band is connected to the upper body interface via the at least one clutch mechanism, and/or the second portion of the at least one elastic band is connected to the lower body interface via the at least one clutch mechanism.
31 . The assistance device of claim 25 , wherein the first and second portions of the one or more elastic bands is either elastic or inelastic.
32 . The assistance device of claim 25 , wherein the one or more elastic bands comprises rubber, plastic, webbing, fabric or combinations thereof.
33 . A wearable assistance device to be worn by a user, comprising:
an upper-body interface;
a lower-body interface;
one or more elastic bands mechanically coupling the upper-body interface to the lower-body interface along a back of the user so as to provide an extension moment about the spine of the user when stretched, the one or more elastic bands being configured to curve about at least a portion of the user's buttocks when the user bends forward; and
at least one rotationally dynamic clutch mechanism associated with the one or more elastic bands, the at least one rotationally dynamic clutch mechanism being configured for selectively adjusting the extension moment provided by the one or more elastic bands when the user bends forward.
34 . The wearable assistance device of claim 33 , wherein each of the one or more elastic bands comprises a first portion and a second portion connected in series, the first portion being connected to the upper-body interface and the second portion being connected to the lower-body interface.
35 . The wearable assistance device of claim 34 , wherein the first and second portions of each elastic band have different stiffnesses.
36 . The assistance device of claim 34 , wherein the first portion of the at least one elastic band is connected to the upper body interface via the at least one rotationally dynamic clutch mechanism, and/or the second portion of the at least one elastic band is connected to the lower body interface via the at least one rotationally dynamic clutch mechanism.
37 . The assistance device of claim 34 , wherein the first and second portions of the one or more elastic bands is either elastic or inelastic.
38 . The assistance device of claim 33 , wherein the one or more elastic bands comprises rubber, plastic, webbing, fabric or combinations thereof.
39 . The wearable assistance device of claim 33 , further comprising an actuator associated with the at least one rotationally dynamic clutch mechanism that is configured to switch the at least one rotationally dynamic clutch mechanism between engaged and disengaged configurations.