A61F2005/0158

PASSIVE POWER-CONSERVATIVE ARTIFICIAL KNEE

A wearable apparatus comprises a passive artificial knee that comprises first and second links coupled at a knee joint, a passive compressive force generator coupled to the second link, and a release mechanism coupled to the first link. When an angle of the first and second links is less than a toggle angle, the release mechanism locks in a first operational mode, and the force generator compresses, resisting flexing of the second link. When the angle is larger than the toggle angle, the force generator decompresses and encourages flexion of said second link. When the force generator is extended and said compressive force is small, the release mechanism moves into a second operational mode, wherein the force generator neither resists nor encourages extension and flexion of said second link from said first link. The wearable apparatus comprises an exoskeleton trunk configured to couple to an upper body of a user.

ORTHOTICS HAVING RATE-RESPONSIVE, STRETCHABLE DEVICES
20180311064 · 2018-11-01 ·

Rate-dependent, elastically-deformable devices according to various embodiments can be stretched and recovered at low elongation rates. Yet they become stiff and resistive to stretching at high elongation rates. These device can be utilized in orthotics, braces, and circulation-enhancing compression garments for the prevention of injury, promotion of personal health, and/or enhancement in human performance. The rate-responsive properties of the devices are critical performance enablers, as they allow the devices to provide a unique balance of comfort and performance that cannot be achieved with conventional, passive straps, braces, and compression garments.

CONTROL UNIT FOR WEARABLE SITTING POSTURE ASSISTING DEVICE
20180304456 · 2018-10-25 ·

A control unit for a wearable sitting posture assisting device, having at least one operation program, which is designed to control a blocking means of at least one leg unit of the wearable sitting posture assisting device in dependence of a sensor signal representing a sitting angle between an upper support and a lower support of the at least one leg unit, to a wearable sitting posture assisting device with such a control unit and a method for controlling a wearable sitting posture assisting device.

Swing Training Device
20180304136 · 2018-10-25 ·

A swing training device has an upper cuff for removably receiving an upper arm of a user and a lower cuff for removably receiving a lower arm of the user. A hinge connects the cuffs, which are movable about the hinge and relative to each other between an extended position and a retracted position. An elastic member biases the cuffs toward the extended position. The device may be utilized for medical uses, such as for rehabilitation or strengthening exercises.

WEARABLE ASSISTIVE JAMMING APPARATUS AND RELATED METHODS
20180296424 · 2018-10-18 ·

Wearable assistive jamming apparatus and related methods are disclosed herein. An example apparatus includes a frame to be worn about a body part of a user and a jamming actuator carried by the frame. The example apparatus includes an electrode to deliver electricity from an electrical source communicatively coupled to the electrode to a muscle of the user. In the example apparatus, the jamming actuator is to transition from a flexible state to a substantially rigid state in coordination with the delivery of the electricity to the electrode to support the body part.

JOINT ANGLE ADJUSTMENT MECHANISM
20180296380 · 2018-10-18 ·

A joint angle adjustment mechanism is provided. A base has a center and two side boards opposite to each other, and at least one of the two side boards has toothed recesses arranged curvedly and open toward the center. Two connecting members are respectively connected to the base, and at least one of the two connecting members is pivoted to the base. At least one adjustment mechanism is axially pivoted to the base about the center, each said adjustment mechanism includes a positioning assembly including a slidable seat, a positioning member and an elastic member within the slidable seat, the positioning member is slidably arranged within the slidable seat and optionally moves radially to be engaged with or disengaged from one of the toothed recesses, the elastic member radially urges the positioning member to engage with one of the toothed recesses.

BRACE AND INSERTION-FITTING MEMBER USED THEREFORE

A brace includes a first member, a second member, a joint mechanism, and an insertion-fitting member configured to be insertion-fitted into the joint mechanism in such a manner that the insertion-fitting member can be fixed to and removed from the joint mechanism; the joint mechanism includes an insertion-fitting receiving part, the insertion-fitting receiving part being configured to enable the insertion-fitting member to be insertion-fitted into the joint mechanism, and a regulation part being disposed around the rotation axis in the second member; and the regulation part, which rotates around the rotation axis in an integrated manner with a rotation of the second member, comes into contact with the insertion-fitting member fixed to the insertion-fitting receiving part on a trajectory of the rotation of the regulation part, so that a range of the rotation of the second member is regulated.

LIMB MOTION SUPPORT DEVICE
20180280178 · 2018-10-04 ·

Provided is a motion transmission mechanism 30 of a limb motion support device 1A configured so as not to transmit the movements of a pair of braces 10R and 10L attached to right and left legs to spring members 20R and 20L in a state where the bending degrees of the right and left legs are smaller than a predetermined bending degree in the case where both of the right and left legs equipped with the braces 10L and 10R are bent from a stretched state and configured to transmit the movements of the braces 10L and 10R to the spring members 20L and 20R via a wire 31 after the bending degrees of the legs increase to be larger than the predetermined bending degree.

JOINT MECHANISM
20180280180 · 2018-10-04 ·

A joint mechanism pivotably connecting first and second links respectively to be fitted on first and second body parts of a user which are connected to each other via a joint, the joint mechanism including: a first slide member connected to the first link and provided with a first slide track having an arc shape that is convex away from the joint in side view; an intermediate slide member provided with a second slide track having an arc shape that is convex away from the joint in side view, and connected to the first slide member to be slidable along the first slide track; and a second slide member connected to the intermediate slide member to be slidable along the second slide track, and connected to the second link, wherein the first and second slide tracks track have different centers of curvature.

BOOSTER DEVICE FOR MUSCLES
20180271690 · 2018-09-27 ·

A device for aiding a human joint, the device including a booster mechanism including a two part housing, a first part of the housing having a first end adapted for coupling adjacent one side of the joint and a second part of the housing having a second end adapted for coupling adjacent a second side of the joint, one part of the housing being movable relative to the other part of the housing, a spring mounted between the first part of the housing and the second part of the housing, a locking mechanism in the housing for releasably locking the spring when the spring is in a loaded state, and a release element engaging the locking mechanism for unlocking and releasing the loaded spring to boost the first end of the housing away from the second end of the housing.