EXOSKELETON ACTIVE BACK MODULE Russian patent published in 2024 - IPC A61H3/00 B25J9/00 

FIELD: medical equipment.

SUBSTANCE: invention relates to exoskeletons. Active back module of the exoskeleton comprises a thoracic-humeral frame configured to be fixed on the shoulder girdle and chest of the operator using a system of belts, vertebral node extending downward from the thoracic-humeral frame along the spine of the operator and including a row of interconnected vertebral elements—vertebrae and a C-shaped girdle with two lap belts with latches. C-shaped girdle comprises a central sacral element. Uppermost vertebra is connected to the thoracic-humeral frame, and the lower vertebra is connected to the central sacral element of the girdle. Active back module includes traction drive of spinal column fixation-unlocking for pulling or releasing traction, with one end attached as an assembly to the sacral element of the girdle, passing inside the spinal column and attached by the second movable end to the pulley of the traction drive of the rotary type, fixed in assembled form on chest-shoulder frame. Uppermost vertebra is connected to the thoracic-humeral frame, and the lowermost vertebra is connected to the central lower sacral element of the girdle by means of cylindrical hinges, the axes of which are directed perpendicular to the sagittal plane. Vertebrae are made in the form of a straight prism, on upper and lower surfaces of which there are three contact zones formed by protrusions and inserts, matched in size and mutual arrangement, located in the corners of an isosceles triangle, the base, the larger side of which is located on the side of the operator's spine. On one of the surfaces of the vertebra there are three supporting cylindrical protrusions with a spherical contact surface at the end, and on the opposite surface of the adjacent vertebra opposite each projection there is a contact cylindrical insert with a flat contact pad installed in the cavity flush with the surface of the vertebra. Ball surface of the projection and the surface of the insert form a contact pair. On the surface of the vertebra with cylindrical protrusions, ring toroidal elastic elements are installed concentrically to them. Rigidity of the contact zone of the ledge-insert is higher than the compression stiffness of the elastic elements, and the height of the elastic elements is greater than the height of the support contact protrusion. On the lower vertebra in the two middle cone-shaped holes of the antifriction inserts, there are two upward directed rectilinear elastic cylindrical installation rods of round section, and on the upper vertebra in two extreme cone-shaped holes of the inserts there are two downward directed rectilinear elastic cylindrical setting rods of round section. Length of the rods is within range of 0.8 to 1.0 of the total length of all vertebrae, and the diameter of the rods is less than the diameter of the central holes of the cone-shaped inserts. On the upper receiving plate to the right and to the left of the spinal assembly there are two plates with holes for attachment of equipment.

EFFECT: providing unloading of spine and back muscles during rigging, when lifting heavy and/or bulky objects from the floor, when performing working operations with the tool in a static position while maintaining mobility of the user in the exoskeleton while walking, when performing erection or assembly operations; simplifying the design of the back module of the exoskeleton; higher reliability of the spinal assembly; possibility of back module adaptation to user anthropometric parameters; possibility of installation of additional equipment on back module.

3 cl, 22 dwg