An orthopedic device for supporting a lower back of a user includes a mechanical energy store, a pelvic element, an upper body element with a first force transmission element and an upper leg element with a second force transmission element. The upper leg element is arranged on the pelvic element such that it can be swivelled about a first swivel axis, the upper body element is movably arranged relative to the pelvic element, the first force transmission element can be engaged and disengaged with the second force transmission element by moving the upper body element relative to the pelvic element, and the mechanical energy store can be charged and discharged by swivelling the upper leg element relative to the upper body element when the first force transmission element is engaged with the second force transmission element.

A joint for an orthopedic device which has a first articulated arm and a second articulated arm, which are mounted about a swivel axis such that they can be swiveled relative to one another, and a blocking device which can be moved into a release position and a blocking position. The blocking device, when in the blocking position, blocks the swiveling of the first articulated arm relative to the second articulated arm in the first swivel direction, independently of a swivel angle between the first articulated arm and the second articulated arm, insofar as the swivel angle is in a predetermined range, and allows the swiveling in the first swivel direction, insofar as the swivel angle is outside of the predetermined range.

An orthopedic device for supporting a lower back of a user includes a mechanical energy store, a pelvic element, an upper body element with a first force transmission element and an upper leg element with a second force transmission element The upper leg element is arranged on the pelvic element such that it can be swivelled about a first swivel axis, the upper body element is movably arranged relative to the pelvic ele-ment, the first force transmission element can be engaged and disengaged with the second force transmission element by moving the upper body element relative to the pelvic element, and the mechanical energy store can be charged and discharged by swiv-elling the upper leg element relative to the upper body element when the first force transmission element is engaged with the second force transmission element.

A walking assistance mechanism includes: a waist side link; a thigh side link connected to the waist side link to be able to relatively swing in a front-rear direction of the user by means of a hip joint side swinging shaft; a lower leg side link connected to the thigh side link to be able to relatively swing in the front-rear direction by means of a knee joint side swinging shaft; a knee extension posture maintenance mechanism that regulates relative swinging between the thigh side link and the lower leg side link to maintain a knee extension posture in which a relative angle between the thigh side link and the lower leg side link is large; and a knee bending posture allowance mechanism that releases the regulation of the knee extension posture maintenance mechanism to allow for a knee bending posture in which the relative angle between the thigh side link and the lower leg side link becomes smaller when the thigh side link is positioned on a more rearward side than a position at which the thigh side link forms a predetermined reference relative angle with respect to the waist side link. According to the present invention, the walking assistance mechanism that allows a knee on a leg of a pedestrian on the front side to maintain an extended state and allow a knee on a leg of the pedestrian on the rear side to be bent while walking can be provided.

The invention relates to an orthopedic device with a joint with a first joint element with a first joint arm and a first positive-locking element, and a second joint element that can be swivelled relative to the first joint element, said second joint element comprising a second joint arm and a force application lever with a second positive-locking element, and a mechanical energy store, which is arranged between the force application lever and the second joint arm, wherein the mechanical energy store can be charged and discharged by swivelling the first joint arm relative to the second joint arm when the positive-locking element engages with the second positive-locking element, wherein the device has a safety device which ensures that, irrespective of the position of the first positive-locking element and the second positive-locking element relative to one another, the two positive-locking elements can be engaged with one another in such a way that a force exerted by the charged mechanical energy store is transmitted from the second positive-locking element to the first positive-locking element.

An orthopedic device for supporting a lower back of a user includes a mechanical energy store, a pelvic element, an upper body element with a first force transmission element and an upper leg element with a second force transmission element. The upper leg element is arranged on the pelvic element such that it can be swivelled about a first swivel axis, the upper body element is movably arranged relative to the pelvic element, the first force transmission element can be engaged and disengaged with the second force transmission element by moving the upper body element relative to the pelvic element, and the mechanical energy store can be charged and discharged by swivelling the upper leg element relative to the upper body element when the first force transmission element is engaged with the second force transmission element.

Examples include an upper joint arm for engaging a wearer's upper torso, connected to a first positive-locking element, and include a lower joint arm for engaging the wearer's upper leg body, and have a force application lever with a second positive-locking element, and a a mechanical energy store between the force application lever and the second joint arm. The first and second positive-locking element are aligned on a common axis, and are axially movable for engagement and disengagement. A safety device provides, in a mechanical engaging of the first and second positive-locking element, a corrective rotating of one or both the positive-locking elements. This rotation adjusts initial misalignments of the first positive-locking element and the second positive-locking element. The first positive-locking element and second positive-locking element, when engaged, transfer swivelling of the first joint arm relative to the second joint arm into a charging-discharging of the mechanical energy store.

An orthopedic device for supporting a lower back of a user includes a mechanical energy store, a pelvic element, an upper body element with a first force transmission element and an upper leg element with a second force transmission element. The upper leg element is arranged on the pelvic element such that it can be swivelled about a first swivel axis, the upper body element is movably arranged relative to the pelvic element, the first force transmission element can be engaged and disengaged with the second force transmission element by moving the upper body element relative to the pelvic element, and the mechanical energy store can be charged and discharged by swivelling the upper leg element relative to the upper body element when the first force transmission element is engaged with the second force transmission element.

An exoskeleton includes two torque generators, two thigh links, and a supporting trunk rotatably coupled to the thigh links. When a wearer bends forward in the sagittal plane such that the supporting trunk extends beyond a predetermined angle A with respect to vertical, at least one of the torque generators imposes a resisting torque between the supporting trunk and a corresponding thigh link, thus imposing a force onto a wearer's trunk and thighs to aid in supporting the wearer in a bent position. The exoskeleton may include an active or passive means for actuating the generators. When the supporting trunk does not extend beyond the predetermined angle A, the torque generators do not impose resisting torques between the supporting trunk and the thigh links during the entire range of motion of the thigh links, thus enabling a wearer to walk, run and sit without constraint while in an upright position.

A joint for an orthopedic device which has a first articulated arm and a second articulated arm, which are mounted about a swivel axis such that they can be swiveled relative to one another, and a blocking device which can be moved into a release position and a blocking position. The blocking device, when in the blocking position, blocks the swiveling of the first articulated arm relative to the second articulated arm in the first swivel direction, independently of a swivel angle between the first articulated arm and the second articulated arm, insofar as the swivel angle is in a predetermined range, and allows the swiveling in the first swivel direction, insofar as the swivel angle is outside of the predetermined range.