Jul 1, 2025

US12343297 - Human interface device for exoskeleton apparatus

A human interface device is configured to be coupled to a trunk of a person and comprises a frame, a fabric coupled to said frame configurable to be under tensile forces, and a belt configured to be coupled to two side edges of said frame wherein when said belt is worn by said person, an area of said fabric will be pushed against the person's lower back conforming to the shape of the lower back of said person. In operation when said human interface device is worn by said person, the weight of any load coupled to or supported by said frame will be partially supported by the friction force between the area of said fabric which is pushed against the person's lower back, and the person's lower back allowing said person to carry said load.

Assignee: suitX, Inc.
Inventors: James Hatch, Logan Van Engelhoven, Homayoon Kazerooni, Valantyn Joseph Sean Koziak, Minerva Pillai, John Jow Kuwata
Filing date: 2023-03-02

The patent describes a wearable exoskeleton designed to assist individuals by reducing shoulder forces and torques when raising the upper arm, featuring a human interface device that conforms to the torso and lower back. It includes a load-bearing structure and a compliant strut that adapts to the user’s hips, allowing for effective load distribution and support during movement.

Claim 1

A wearable exoskeleton comprising: an arm link mechanism configured to couple to an upper arm of a person and to reduce human shoulder forces and torques required to raise the upper arm of the person; and a human interface device configured to couple to a torso of the person, wherein the human interface device comprises: a frame curved around a horizontal axis, a fabric coupled to the frame, a load bearing structure comprising an upper end and a lower end, wherein the upper end is coupled to the arm link mechanism, and wherein the load bearing structure is configured to reduce deformation of the frame in a sagittal plane, a strut coupled to the lower end of the load bearing structure, wherein the strut is configured to be compliant in a transverse plane and wrap around a hip of the person, and a belt coupled to the strut such that, when the wearable exoskeleton is worn by the person, tensile forces from the belt deform the strut in the transverse plane to conform to the hips of the person, and an area of the fabric is pushed against a lower back of the person conforming to the lower back of the person, wherein, when the wearable exoskeleton is worn by the person, reaction forces and torques from the arm link mechanism are transferred from the load bearing structure to the hips of the person by the strut while the load bearing structure reduces the deformation of the frame in the sagittal plane. an arm link mechanism configured to couple to an upper arm of a person and to reduce human shoulder forces and torques required to raise the upper arm of the person; and a human interface device configured to couple to a torso of the person, wherein the human interface device comprises: a frame curved around a horizontal axis, a fabric coupled to the frame, a load bearing structure comprising an upper end and a lower end, wherein the upper end is coupled to the arm link mechanism, and wherein the load bearing structure is configured to reduce deformation of the frame in a sagittal plane, a strut coupled to the lower end of the load bearing structure, wherein the strut is configured to be compliant in a transverse plane and wrap around a hip of the person, and a belt coupled to the strut such that, when the wearable exoskeleton is worn by the person, tensile forces from the belt deform the strut in the transverse plane to conform to the hips of the person, and an area of the fabric is pushed against a lower back of the person conforming to the lower back of the person, wherein, when the wearable exoskeleton is worn by the person, reaction forces and torques from the arm link mechanism are transferred from the load bearing structure to the hips of the person by the strut while the load bearing structure reduces the deformation of the frame in the sagittal plane.

Google Patents

https://patents.google.com/patent/US12343297

USPTO PDF

https://image-ppubs.uspto.gov/dirsearch-public/print/downloadPdf/12343297