US 12,295,902 B2
Load reduction device, control device, load reduction method, and storage medium for storing program
Tadashi Ookoba, Tokyo (JP)
Assigned to NEC CORPORATION, Tokyo (JP)
Appl. No. 17/292,914
Filed by NEC Corporation, Tokyo (JP)
PCT Filed Nov. 8, 2019, PCT No. PCT/JP2019/043890
§ 371(c)(1), (2) Date May 11, 2021,
PCT Pub. No. WO2020/100742, PCT Pub. Date May 22, 2020.
Claims priority of application No. 2018-212803 (JP), filed on Nov. 13, 2018.
Prior Publication US 2021/0401658 A1, Dec. 30, 2021
Int. Cl. A61H 3/00 (2006.01); A45F 3/08 (2006.01); A61H 1/02 (2006.01); B25J 9/00 (2006.01); B25J 9/16 (2006.01); B25J 19/00 (2006.01); A45F 3/00 (2006.01); F16F 13/00 (2006.01)
CPC A61H 3/00 (2013.01) [A45F 3/08 (2013.01); A61H 1/0262 (2013.01); B25J 9/0006 (2013.01); B25J 9/1633 (2013.01); B25J 19/0091 (2013.01); A45F 2003/003 (2013.01); A61H 2201/018 (2013.01); A61H 2201/165 (2013.01); A61H 2201/5007 (2013.01); F16F 13/00 (2013.01)] 5 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A load reduction device comprising:
a shock absorption mechanism in which an elastic body is arranged to absorb impact force generated when a user moves;
a drive mechanism configured to output torque for reducing a load applied to the user at a joint of a leg of the user; and
a torque controller configured to control the torque output by the drive mechanism on the basis of operation of the shock absorption mechanism,
wherein the shock absorption mechanism has a first shock absorption mechanism provided in a skeleton portion corresponding to a thigh of the user and a second shock absorption mechanism provided in a skeleton portion corresponding to a lower leg of the user,
the first shock absorption mechanism is configured to expand and contract in a first direction along the skeleton portion corresponding to the thigh, and the second shock absorption mechanism is configured to expand and contract in a second direction along the skeleton portion corresponding to the lower leg, and
the skeleton portion corresponding to the thigh and the skeleton portion corresponding to the lower leg are rotatably coupled,
wherein the shock absorption mechanism is configured to estimate a state of the shock absorption mechanism based on load information indicating load values of each leg, and joint angle information indicating an angle of the joint, and shock absorption mechanism information indicating an operating status of the shock absorption mechanism, which includes at least one of a length of the elastic body, an expansion/contraction speed of the elastic body, or a load value applied to the elastic body, and
wherein the torque controller is configured to control the torque based on the estimated state of the shock absorption mechanism, the load information, and the joint angle information.