US 12,459,108 B2
Powered ankle exoskeleton with series-elastic actuation
Sergei V. Sarkisian, Salt Lake City, UT (US); Tommaso Lenzi, Salt Lake City, UT (US); Lukas R. Gabert, Salt Lake City, UT (US); and Brendon M. Ortolano, Salt Lake City, UT (US)
Assigned to University of Utah Research Foundation, Salt Lake City, UT (US)
Filed by University of Utah Research Foundation, Salt Lake City, UT (US)
Filed on Apr. 25, 2024, as Appl. No. 18/646,639.
Claims priority of provisional application 63/462,843, filed on Apr. 28, 2023.
Prior Publication US 2024/0359313 A1, Oct. 31, 2024
Int. Cl. B25J 9/00 (2006.01); A61H 1/02 (2006.01); A61H 3/00 (2006.01)
CPC B25J 9/0006 (2013.01) [A61H 1/0266 (2013.01); A61H 3/00 (2013.01)] 20 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A powered ankle exoskeleton, comprising:
a frame configured to be worn adjacent a lower leg of a user;
a power transmission assembly integrated with the frame and configured to deliver torque to a crank member to rotate the crank member about an ankle joint;
a foot/shoe interface coupled to the crank member and configured to interface with a foot or shoe of the user and to transmit torque generated at the ankle joint to the foot or shoe of the user; and
a shin cuff coupled to the frame via a link member configured to enable the shin cuff to pivot relative to the frame,
wherein the link member is coupled to the shin cuff via a prismatic joint that enables relative vertical movement of the frame and the shin cuff,
wherein the prismatic joint is biased toward a default position to thereby bias the link member toward rotation that brings the frame and shin cuff closer together in the absence of a counteracting force,
wherein the power transmission assembly comprises
a motor,
a power screw mechanically coupled to the motor, wherein motor operation drives rotation of a shaft of the power screw to drive linear motion of a nut assembly of the power screw, wherein the linear motion of the nut assembly defines a linear axis, and
a spring comprising a first end and a second end, wherein the first end is coupled to the nut assembly and wherein the spring is configured to transmit forces along the linear axis; and
an end-effector coupled to the second end of the spring, wherein the end-effector is configured to move along the linear axis to drive rotation of the crank member via a coupler.