US 12,029,699 B2
Remote center shoulder joint for shoulder supporting exoskeleton
Logan Van Engelhoven, Emeryville, CA (US); and James Hatch, Emeryville, CA (US)
Assigned to suitX, Inc., Emeryville, CA (US)
Filed by suitX, Inc., Emeryville, CA (US)
Filed on Mar. 19, 2021, as Appl. No. 17/206,814.
Claims priority of provisional application 62/991,684, filed on Mar. 19, 2020.
Prior Publication US 2021/0290469 A1, Sep. 23, 2021
Int. Cl. A61H 1/02 (2006.01); B25J 9/00 (2006.01)
CPC A61H 1/0281 (2013.01) [B25J 9/0006 (2013.01); A61H 2201/165 (2013.01); A61H 2201/1671 (2013.01)] 30 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A remote-center joint for an arm supporting exoskeleton comprising:
a base segment coupled to a torso frame of the arm supporting exoskeleton, wherein the torso frame is configured to be coupled to a torso of a person;
a terminal segment coupled to an arm segment of the arm supporting exoskeleton, wherein the arm segment is configured to be coupled to an arm of the person;
a first segment rotatably coupled to the base segment along a first axis;
a second segment rotatably coupled to the first segment about a second axis, and
rotatably coupled to the terminal segment about a third axis, wherein the first axis, second axis, and third axis intersect at a first point;
a third segment rotatably coupled to the base segment along a fourth axis parallel to the first axis, wherein the third segment and the first segment are provided with a first set of intermeshing gears; and
a fourth segment rotatably coupled to the third segment along a fifth axis, and rotatably coupled to the terminal segment along a sixth axis parallel to the third axis, wherein the fourth axis, the fifth axis, and sixth axis intersect at a second point, and
wherein the fourth segment and the second segment are provided with a second set of intermeshing gears, wherein the remote-center joint rotates the arm segment relative to the torso frame about an imaginary axis connecting the first point and the second point that is configured to cross through a shoulder joint of the person.