US 12,121,490 B2
Locomotion assisting apparatus with integrated tilt sensor
Amit Goffer, Kiryat Tivon (IL); and Oren Tamari, Pardesia (IL)
Assigned to ReWalk Robotics LTD., Yokneam (IL)
Filed by ReWalk Robotics LTD., Yokneam (IL)
Filed on Nov. 30, 2020, as Appl. No. 17/107,453.
Application 17/107,453 is a continuation of application No. 15/136,844, filed on Apr. 22, 2016, granted, now 10,849,816.
Application 15/136,844 is a continuation of application No. 12/909,746, filed on Oct. 21, 2010, abandoned.
Prior Publication US 2021/0290471 A1, Sep. 23, 2021
This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.
Int. Cl. A61H 3/00 (2006.01); A61H 1/02 (2006.01)
CPC A61H 3/00 (2013.01) [A61H 1/024 (2013.01); A61H 1/0244 (2013.01); A61H 2003/007 (2013.01); A61H 2201/165 (2013.01); A61H 2201/5002 (2013.01); A61H 2201/5058 (2013.01); A61H 2201/5069 (2013.01); A61H 2201/5071 (2013.01); A61H 2201/5097 (2013.01)] 15 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A locomotion assisting exoskeleton device comprising: a trunk support for affixing to the part of the torso of a person
a pair of leg segment braces, each leg segment brace for connecting to a section of a leg of the person, wherein:
each leg segment brace having a joint including an angle sensor and an actuator, the joint for connecting a respective leg segment brace to the trunk support and for providing relative angular movement therebetween;
a tilt sensor mounted on the exoskeleton device for sensing an indicated tilt of the trunk support; and
a controller for receiving sensed signals from the tilt sensor and each angle sensor, and programmed with an algorithm with instructions for actuating the joints m accordance with the sensed signals,
wherein the algorithm comprises:
monitoring the tilt sensor to determine whether the indicated tilt being equal to or greater than a first threshold value, and
upon the indicated tilt being greater than the first threshold value, initiating a step sequence of a walking mode, or if the first threshold value has not been met, exiting the walking mode,
the step sequence comprises:
operating a first of the joints to swing a first trailing leg forward,
monitoring the angle sensor of the first of the joints to verify that the swung forward leg is moving in accordance with predetermined criteria or whether the step is complete or to continue forward motion of the leg, and
operating a second of the joints to extend a second leading leg backward so as to raise the truck support towards an upright position.