US 12,454,047 B2
Fit and suspension systems and methods for a mobile robot
Garrett Hurley, San Francisco, CA (US); Ashley Swartz, Daly City, CA (US); Phil Long, Castro Valley, CA (US); Ronald Lam, Berkeley, CA (US); Monica Ha, San Francisco, CA (US); Callum Lamb, San Bruno, CA (US); Collin Smith, Carlsbad, CA (US); Linus Park, Pacifica, CA (US); Kevin Conrad Kemper, San Francisco, CA (US); and Timothy Alan Swift, Walnut Creek, CA (US)
Assigned to ROAM ROBOTICS INC., San Francisco, CA (US)
Filed by ROAM ROBOTICS INC., San Francisco, CA (US)
Filed on May 27, 2021, as Appl. No. 17/331,956.
Claims priority of provisional application 63/129,010, filed on Dec. 22, 2020.
Claims priority of provisional application 63/058,825, filed on Jul. 30, 2020.
Claims priority of provisional application 63/030,586, filed on May 27, 2020.
Prior Publication US 2021/0370494 A1, Dec. 2, 2021
Int. Cl. B25J 9/00 (2006.01); B25J 9/14 (2006.01); B25J 17/00 (2006.01)
CPC B25J 9/0006 (2013.01) [B25J 9/0009 (2013.01); B25J 9/142 (2013.01); B25J 17/00 (2013.01)] 20 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. An exoskeleton system comprising:
a left and right leg actuator unit that are respectively coupled to a left and right leg of a user over clothing of the user, the left and right leg actuator units each including:
an upper arm and a lower arm that are rotatably coupled via a rotatable joint, the rotatable joint configured to be positioned laterally adjacent to a knee of the user with the upper arm configured to be coupled about an upper-leg portion of the user above the knee and with the lower arm configured to be coupled about a lower-leg portion of the user below the knee,
the upper arm configured to be coupled to the upper-leg portion above the knee via a first set of couplers that includes a first upper-leg coupler joined to the upper arm by a rigid upper-leg brace configured to be disposed on a lateral side of the upper-leg portion, with a strap of the first upper-leg coupler configured to extend around the upper-leg portion, the upper arm coupled to the rigid upper-leg brace on a lateral side of the upper-leg portion and configured to transfer force generated by the upper arm to the upper-leg portion of the leg of the user,
the lower arm configured to be coupled to the lower-leg portion below the knee via a second set of couplers that includes a first and second lower-leg coupler associated with a rigid lower-leg brace configured to be disposed on and engaging a lateral side of the lower-leg portion of the leg, the lower arm coupled to the rigid lower-leg brace on a lateral side of the lower-leg portion of the leg and configured to transfer force generated by the lower arm to the lower-leg portion of the leg, the rigid lower-leg brace extending downward from a coupling with the lower arm at a lateral position on the lower-leg portion of the leg, with a portion of the rigid lower-leg brace curving toward a posterior of the lower-leg portion to attachments that couple one or more portions of the first and second lower-leg couplers to the rigid lower-leg brace,
wherein the first lower-leg coupler comprises a calf-coupling assembly that includes a calf brace that is coupled to the rigid lower-leg brace via a first, second and third calf strap, the first and second calf straps extending horizontally from opposing lateral sides of an upper portion of the rigid lower-leg brace from an internal face of the rigid lower-leg brace, and the third calf strap extending vertically from a lower posterior portion of the rigid lower-leg brace from an internal face of the rigid lower-leg brace where the third calf strap is coupled to the rigid lower-leg brace via a first set of one or more attachments, and
wherein the second lower-leg coupler comprises an ankle-coupling assembly that includes a cuff that is configured to extend around and surround the lower-leg portion above the ankle of the user and held via an ankle strap, the cuff coupled to the rigid lower-leg brace via one or more coupling tabs that extend vertically from the cuff, with the one or more coupling tabs coupled to the rigid lower-leg brace via a second set of one or more attachments on an internal face of the rigid lower-leg brace;
a bellows actuator that extends between the upper arm and lower arm; and
one or more sets of pneumatic lines coupled to the bellows actuator to introduce pneumatic fluid to and remove fluid from the bellows actuator to cause the bellows actuator to expand and contract and move the upper arm and lower arm.