ROBOT STRUCTURE AND REHABILITATION DEVICE

Abstract

A robot structure and a rehabilitation device have multiple elements and joints connecting the elements. At least one of the elements includes a first tubular piece with a first outer lateral surface wall, and a second tubular piece with a second outer lateral surface wall. The second tubular piece is arranged such that the length thereof is at an angle to the length of the first tubular piece so that the second tubular piece is inserted into two opposing tubular sections of the first tubular piece, and the second tubular piece passes through the first outer lateral surface wall of the first tubular piece at opposite sides. The second tubular piece is rigidly connected to the first tubular piece by a first connection element and a second connection element.

Claims

1-15. (canceled)

16. A robot structure, comprising: a plurality of links and respective joints connecting the links to one another; at least one link of the plurality of links comprising a first tube piece which includes a first jacket outer wall, and a second tube piece which includes a second jacket outer wall; wherein the second tube piece is arranged with its longitudinal extent inclined at an angle to the longitudinal extent of the first tube piece such that the second tube piece is inserted into two oppositely disposed tube cutouts in the first tube piece, whereby the second tube piece passes through the first jacket outer wall of the first tube piece at opposite sides; the second tube piece rigidly connected to the first tube piece by a first connection element and a second connection element; the first connection element comprising a first ring section having a first ring inner jacket wall that abuts flush against the second jacket outer wall of the second tube piece, and having a first ring outer jacket wall that abuts flush against a first cutout edge of one of the tube cutouts of the first tube piece; the first connection element further comprising a tab section which adjoins the first ring section and extends with its longitudinal extent aligned with the longitudinal extent of the first tube piece and abutting flush against the first jacket outer wall of the first tube piece; the second connection element comprising a second ring section having a second ring inner jacket wall that abuts flush against the second jacket outer wall of the second tube piece, and having a second ring outer jacket wall that abuts flush against a second cutout edge of the other one of the tube cutouts of the first tube piece; and the second connection element further comprising a cylinder jacket section that adjoins the second ring section and abuts flush against an inner wall of the first tube piece.

17. The robot structure of claim 16, wherein the second tube piece is inserted into the first tube piece with its longitudinal extent at a right angle to the longitudinal extent of the first tube piece, such that the second tube piece is arranged perpendicularly to the first tube piece.

18. The robot structure of claim 16, wherein at least one of the first connection element or the second connection element is configured as a one-piece plastic body.

19. The robot structure of claim 16, wherein the first connection element is connected to the first tube piece by an adhesive bond or a cohesive connection between an inner surface of the tab section that faces the first tube piece and the first jacket outer wall of the first tube piece.

20. The robot structure of claim 16, wherein the second connection element is connected to the first tube piece by an adhesive bond between the cylinder jacket section that faces the first tube piece and the inner wall of the first tube piece.

21. The robot structure of claim 16, wherein the first connection element is connected to the second tube piece by one of: an adhesive bond between the first ring inner jacket wall of the first ring section, which faces the second tube piece, and the second jacket outer wall of the second tube piece; or a compression-molded connection between the first ring inner jacket wall of the first ring section, which faces the second tube piece, and the second jacket outer wall of the second tube piece.

22. The robot structure of claim 16, wherein the second connection element is connected to the second tube piece by one of: an adhesive bond between the second ring inner jacket wall of the second ring section, which faces the second tube piece, and the second jacket outer wall of the second tube piece; or a compression-molded connection between the second ring inner jacket wall of the second ring section, which faces the second tube piece, and the second jacket outer wall of the second tube piece.

23. The robot structure of claim 16, wherein the tab section of the first connection element extends along the longitudinal extent of the first tube piece over a minimum length that is equal to or greater than the width of the second tube piece.

24. The robot structure of claim 23, wherein the minimum length is equal to or greater than a diameter of the second tube piece.

25. The robot structure of claim 16, wherein at least one of: at least one of the first tube piece or the second tube piece comprises a circular cross-section; or the tab section of the first connection element extends transversely to the longitudinal extent of the first tube piece over a circumferential arc of the first tube piece which extends at an angle of between about 90 degrees and about 180 degrees, inclusive, around the first tube piece.

26. The robot structure of claim 16, wherein: the first ring section of the first connection element comprises, at least at the height of the first cutout edge of the one tube cutout, an at least largely constant wall thickness; and the second ring section of the second connection element comprises, at least at the height of the second cutout edge of the other tube cutout, an at least largely constant wall thickness; the wall thicknesses of the first ring section and the second ring section being on average between about 0.5 millimeters and about 2.0 millimeters, inclusive.

27. The robot structure of claim 16, wherein: at least one of: the first connection element comprises a first drive-element seat, or the second connection element comprises a second drive-element seat; and each of the first and second drive-element seats is configured to carry a drive element of the robot structure in a rotationally-fixed manner.

28. The robot structure of claim 16, wherein: at least one of: the first connection element comprises a first rolling bearing seat, or the second connection element comprises a second rolling bearing seat; and each of the first and second rolling bearing seats is configured to carry an inner ring of a rolling bearing of the robot structure in a rotationally-fixed manner.

29. The robot structure of claim 16, wherein: the second tube piece comprises at least one passage opening in its tube wall, the passage opening aligned with the longitudinal extent of the second tube piece at a height located between the first connection element and the second connection element; and the passage opening is configured for an electrical line to be passed through between a first cavity of the first tube piece and a second cavity of the second tube piece.

30. A rehabilitation device, comprising: a stand; a lifting column fastened to the stand; a lifting carriage mounted in a height-adjustable manner on the lifting column and automatically height-adjustable by a first drive; a base arm pivotably mounted on the lifting carriage about a first, vertical axis of rotation, and pivotably movable about the first, vertical axis of rotation in an automatically-driven manner by a second drive; a forearm pivotably mounted on the base arm about a second, vertical axis of rotation, and pivotably movable about the second, vertical axis of rotation in an automatically-driven manner by a third drive; a connection piece mounted on the forearm and freely rotatable about a third, vertical axis of rotation; and a body part support mounted on the connection piece and tiltably movable about a fourth, horizontal axis of rotation; wherein at least the base arm, the forearm, and the connection piece are configured as a robot structure according to claim 16.

31. The rehabilitation device of claim 30, wherein: the forearm is pivotally mounted on the base arm about the second axis of rotation by a first joint; the first joint is configured to keep the forearm above the base arm in all pivoting positions of the forearm; the connection piece is pivotably mounted on the forearm about the third axis of rotation by a second joint; the second joint is configured to keep the connection piece above the forearm in all pivoting positions of the connection piece; the body part support is tiltably mounted on the connection piece about the fourth axis of rotation by a third joint; and the third joint is configured to keep the body part support above the forearm in all pivoting positions of the body part support.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0062] The accompanying drawings, which are incorporated in and constitute a part of this specification, illustrate exemplary embodiments of the invention and, together with a general description of the invention given above, and the detailed description given below, serve to explain the principles of the invention.

[0063] FIG. 1 depicts an exploded view of a first and a second tube piece, as well as of a first and a second connection element of an embodiment of the robot structure,

[0064] FIG. 2 depicts the first and the second tube pieces, as well as the first and the second connection elements of the robot structure according to FIG. 1, in an assembly,

[0065] FIG. 3 is a sectional view through the first and the second tube pieces in the region of the first and the second connection elements,

[0066] FIG. 4 is a lateral side view of the first and the second tube pieces, as well as of the first and the second connection elements of the robot structure according to FIG. 1, in an assembly,

[0067] FIG. 5 is a frontal side view of the first and the second tube pieces, as well as of the first and the second connection elements of the robot structure according to FIG. 1, in an assembly,

[0068] FIG. 6 is a perspectival view of the first connection element by itself,

[0069] FIG. 7 is a perspectival view of the second connection element by itself,

[0070] FIG. 8 depicts a first embodiment variant of a robot structure with several joints and links, which are designed inventively,

[0071] FIG. 9 depicts a second embodiment variant of a robot structure with several joints and links, which are designed inventively,

[0072] FIG. 10 is a perspective view of a rehabilitation device, which may comprise an inventive robot structure, in use on a person,

[0073] FIG. 11 is a perspective view of the rehabilitation device by itself, and

[0074] FIG. 12 is a side view of the rehabilitation device according to FIG. 10 or FIG. 11.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0075] FIG. 1 shows a representative link 20 of a robot structure comprising several links and joints connecting these links to one another.

[0076] This link 20 includes a first tube piece 21 comprising a first jacket outer wall 21a and a second tube piece 22 comprising a second jacket outer wall 22b, wherein the second tube piece 22 is arranged, with its longitudinal extent at an angle to the longitudinal extent of the first tube piece 21, as shown in FIG. 1 through FIG. 5, in such a way that the second tube piece 22 is inserted into two, opposite tube cutouts 21.1, 21.2 of the first tube piece 21, and the second tube piece 22 thereby passes through the first jacket outer wall 21a of the first tube piece 21 at opposite sides.

[0077] The second tube piece 22 is rigidly connected to the first tube piece 21 by means of a first connection element 23a and a second connection element 23b.

[0078] As shown in particular in FIG. 6, the first connection element 23a comprises a first ring section 24.1, which abuts with its first ring inner jacket wall 25.1 flush against the second jacket outer wall 22a of the second tube piece 22 and abuts with its first ring outer jacket wall 26.1 flush against a first cutout edge of the one tube cutout 21.1 of the first tube piece 21, and the first connection element 23a comprises a tab section 27, which adjoins the first ring section 24.1 and extends with its longitudinal extent along the longitudinal extent of the first tube piece 21 while abutting flush against the first jacket outer wall 21a thereof, as can be seen in particular in FIG. 2 and FIG. 3.

[0079] As shown in particular in FIG. 7, the second connection element 23b comprises a second ring section 24.2, which abuts with its second ring inner jacket wall 25.2 flush against the second jacket outer wall 22a of the second tube piece 22 and abuts with its second ring outer jacket wall 26.2 flush against a second cutout edge of the other tube section 21.2 of the first tube piece 21, and the second connection element 23b comprises a cylinder jacket section 28, which adjoins the second ring section 24.2 and abuts flush against an inner wall of the first tube piece 21.

[0080] In the case of the present exemplary embodiments, the second tube piece 22 is inserted with its longitudinal extent at a right angle to the longitudinal extent of the first tube piece 21 into the first tube piece 21, so that the second tube piece 22 is arranged perpendicularly to the first tube piece 21.

[0081] In the case of the present exemplary embodiments, the first connection element 23a and/or the second connection element 23b are each designed as a one-piece, plastic injection-molded body or as a 3-D-printed plastic body.

[0082] The first connection element 23a is connected to the first tube piece 21 in that an inner surface 27.1 (FIG. 6), facing the first tube piece 21, of the tab section 27 of the first connection element 23a is adhesively bonded to the first jacket outer wall 21a of the first tube piece 21 in the case of the present exemplary embodiments.

[0083] The second connection element 23b is connected to the first tube piece 21 in that the cylinder jacket section 28, facing the first tube piece 21, of the second connection element 23b is adhesively bonded to the inner wall of the first tube piece 21.

[0084] The first connection element 23a can optionally be connected to the second tube piece 22 in that the first ring inner jacket wall 25.1, facing the second tube piece 22, of the first ring section 24.1 of the first connection element 23a is adhesively bonded or compression-molded to the second jacket outer wall 22a of the second tube piece 22.

[0085] The second connection element 23b can optionally be connected to the second tube piece 22 in that the second ring inner jacket wall 25.2, facing the second tube piece 22, of the second ring section 24.2 of the second connection element 23b is adhesively bonded or compression-molded to the second jacket outer wall 22a of the second tube piece 22.

[0086] The tab section 27 of the first connection element 23a extends in the longitudinal extent of the first tube piece 21 over a minimum length equal to or greater than the width—in particular, the diameter—of the second tube piece 22.

[0087] In the case of the present exemplary embodiments, the first tube piece 21 and the second tube piece 22 each comprise a circular cross-section. The tab section 27 of the first connection element 23a extends transversely to the longitudinal extent of the first tube piece 21 over a circumferential arc of the first tube piece 21, which extends around the first tube piece 21 at an angle of between 90 and 180 degrees—here, about 120 degrees, as can be seen in particular in FIG. 5.

[0088] The first ring section 24.1 of the first connection element 23a comprises, at least at the height of the first cutout edge of the one tube cutout 21.1, an at least largely constant wall thickness, which is on average between 0.5 and 2.0 millimeters. The second ring section 24.2 of the second connection element 23b also comprises, at least at the height of the second cutout edge of the other tube cutout 21.2, an at least largely constant wall thickness, which is on average between 0.5 and 2.0 millimeters.

[0089] As indicated in FIG. 4 by the rolling bearing 29, the first connection element 23a comprises a first rolling bearing seat 30, which is designed to carry an inner ring of the rolling bearing 29 of the robot structure in a rotationally-fixed manner.

[0090] As shown in FIG. 3, the second tube piece 22 may comprise, in its tube wall, at least one passage opening 31, which is arranged in the longitudinal extent of the second tube piece 22 at a height located between the first connection element 23a and the second connection element 23b, wherein the passage opening 31 is designed for an electrical line to be passed through between a first cavity of the first tube piece 21 and a second cavity of the second tube piece 22.

[0091] Exemplary basic embodiments of an inventive rehabilitation device 1 are shown in FIG. 8 through FIG. 12. The respective rehabilitation device 1 comprises a stand 2; a lifting column 3 fastened to the stand 2; a lifting carriage 4 mounted in a height-adjustable manner on the lifting column 3 and automatically height-adjustable by means of a first drive of the rehabilitation device 1; a base arm 5 mounted on the lifting carriage 4 pivotably about a first, vertical axis of rotation D1 and pivotable about the first, vertical axis of rotation D1 in an automatically-driven manner by means of a second drive of the rehabilitation device 1; a forearm 6 mounted on the base arm 5 pivotably about a second, vertical axis of rotation D2 and pivotable about the second, vertical axis of rotation D2 in an automatically-driven manner by means of a third drive of the rehabilitation device 1; a connection piece 7 mounted on the forearm 6 freely rotatably about a third, vertical axis of rotation D3 in a non-driven manner; and a body part support 8 mounted on the connection piece 7 tiltably about a fourth, horizontal axis of rotation D4.

[0092] The stand 2 comprises stand legs 9—four stand legs 9 in the case of the present exemplary embodiment of FIG. 10 and FIG. 11. As shown, weights 10 can be attached to the stand legs 9 in order to increase the stability, i.e., the steadiness, of the rehabilitation device 1. The stand legs 9 can optionally be provided with stand feet 11, as shown in FIG. 11. Instead of stand feet 11, it is also possible to provide rollers, which allow the rehabilitation device 1 to be easily moved manually. The rollers can be braked.

[0093] In the case of the present exemplary embodiment of FIG. 10 through FIG. 12, the body part support 8 is designed as a lower arm support, on which a lower arm of a person 12 is strapped down.

[0094] FIG. 12 once again shows the degrees of freedom of rehabilitation device 1 in a somewhat modified embodiment of the rehabilitation device 1. In this case, the rehabilitation device 1 also comprises a stand 2; a lifting column 3 fastened to the stand 2; a lifting carriage 4 mounted in a height-adjustable manner on the lifting column 3 and automatically height-adjustable by means of a first drive of the rehabilitation device 1; a base arm 5 mounted on the lifting carriage 4 pivotably about a first, vertical axis of rotation D1 and pivotable about the first, vertical axis of rotation D1 in an automatically-driven manner by means of a second drive of the rehabilitation device 1; a forearm 6 mounted on the base arm 5 pivotably about a second, vertical axis of rotation D2 and pivotable about the second, vertical axis of rotation D2 in an automatically-driven manner by means of a third drive of the rehabilitation device 1; a connection piece 7 mounted on the forearm 6 freely rotatably about a third, vertical axis of rotation D3 in a non-driven manner; and a body part support 8 mounted on the connection piece 7 tiltably about a fourth, horizontal axis of rotation D4.

[0095] As can in particular be seen in FIG. 12, the forearm 6 is mounted on the base arm 5 pivotally about the second axis of rotation D2 by means of a second joint G2, wherein the second joint G2 is designed to keep the forearm 6 above the base arm 5 in all pivoting positions of the forearm 6, wherein the connection piece 7 is mounted on the forearm 6 pivotably about the third axis of rotation D3 by means of a third joint G3, wherein the third joint G3 is designed to keep the connection piece 7 above the forearm 6 in all pivoting positions of the connection piece 7, the body part support 8 being mounted on the connection piece 7 tiltably (arrow P1) about the fourth axis of rotation D4 by means of a fourth joint G4, wherein the fourth joint G4 is designed to keep the body part support 8 above the forearm 6 in all pivoting positions of the body part support 8.

[0096] FIG. 12 also shows how a distal end section E1 of the base arm 5 and/or a proximal end section E2 of the forearm 6, at which transition the end sections E1 and E2, the second axis of rotation D2 is arranged, can be angled in such a way that, in a relative position of base arm 5 and forearm 6 arranged one above the other, as shown in FIG. 3, a gap space S acting as an anti-pinch protection is formed between the base arm 5 and the folded-in forearm 6 shown in dashed lines.

[0097] While the present invention has been illustrated by a description of various embodiments, and while these embodiments have been described in considerable detail, it is not intended to restrict or in any way limit the scope of the appended claims to such de-tail. The various features shown and described herein may be used alone or in any combination. Additional advantages and modifications will readily appear to those skilled in the art. The invention in its broader aspects is therefore not limited to the specific details, representative apparatus and method, and illustrative example shown and described. Accordingly, departures may be made from such details without departing from the spirit and scope of the general inventive concept.