1. An exoskeleton adapted to decrease energy consumption of a user comprising:
an exoskeleton trunk adapted to be coupled to an upper body of a user;
first and second leg supports rotatably connected to the exoskeleton trunk allowing for the flexion and extension between said leg supports and said exoskeleton trunk, wherein the first and second leg supports are adapted to be coupled to lower limbs of a user and to shift between a stance phase and a swing phase;
means for creating a torque profile between the exoskeleton trunk and the first and second leg supports, such that, at least during one segment of the swing phase of one of the first and second leg supports, mechanical energy is transferred to a swinging lower limb of a user coupled to the one of the first and second leg supports.
2. The exoskeleton of claim 1 wherein, when said exoskeleton is worn by a user, the mechanical energy that is transferred is sufficiently large such that a user’s energy expenditure during said swing phase is reduced.
3. The exoskeleton of claim 1, wherein the mechanical energy that is transferred is sufficiently large such that a user’s oxygen consumption is reduced while walking.
4. The exoskeleton of claim 1, wherein each of the first and second leg supports further comprising comprises a thigh link adapted to be coupled to a user’s thigh.
5. The exoskeleton of claim 4, wherein each of the first and second leg supports further comprises a shank link and a knee joint configured to allow flexion and extension between said shank link and said thigh link.
6. The exoskeleton of claim 5, where said first and second leg supports are configured to rest on a support surface during their respective stance phases.
7. The exoskeleton of claim 1, further comprising: a signal processor, wherein said torque profile is chosen based on a set of information previously collected by the signal processor.
8. An exoskeleton adapted to decrease energy consumption of a user comprising:
an exoskeleton trunk adapted to be coupled to an upper body of a user;
first and second leg supports rotatably connected to the exoskeleton trunk allowing for the flexion and extension between said leg supports and said exoskeleton trunk, wherein the first and second leg supports are adapted to be coupled to lower limbs of a user and to shift between a stance phase and a swing phase;
first and second hip actuators adapted to create torques between said exoskeleton trunk and the first and second leg supports; and
means for supplying energy to the first and second hip actuators, wherein during at least one segment of the swing phase of the first leg support, the first hip actuator creates a torque profile such that the energy supplied by the first actuator is larger than energy required to move said first leg support during the at least one segment of the swing phase when not worn by a user.
9. The exoskeleton of claim 8 wherein, when said exoskeleton is worn by a user, said energy supplied by said first hip actuator is sufficiently large such that a user’s energy expenditure during said swing phase is reduced.
10. The exoskeleton of claim 8 wherein, when said exoskeleton is worn, said energy supplied by said first hip actuator is sufficiently large such that the user’s oxygen consumption is reduced while walking.
11. The exoskeleton of claim 8, wherein each of said first and second leg supports comprises a thigh link.
12. The exoskeleton of claim 11, wherein each of said first and second leg supports further comprises a shank link and a knee joint configured to allow flexion and extension between said shank link and said thigh link.
13. The exoskeleton of claim 12, wherein each of said first and second leg supports is adapted to rest on a support surface during their stance phases.
14. The exoskeleton of claim 8, further comprising a signal processor, wherein said torque profile is chosen based on a set of information previously collected by said signal processor.
15-22. (canceled)
23. An exoskeleton adapted to decrease energy consumption of a user comprising:
an exoskeleton trunk adapted to be coupled to an upper body of a user;
first and second leg supports rotatably connected to the exoskeleton trunk allowing for the flexion and extension between said first and second leg supports and said exoskeleton trunk, wherein the first and second leg supports are adapted to be coupled to lower limbs of a user and to shift between a stance phase and a swing phase;
means for imposing a force onto a swinging lower limb coupled to one of the first and second leg supports such that, at least during one segment of the swing phase of the one of the first and second leg supports, the force is in a direction of the lower limb’s swinging motion.
24. The exoskeleton of claim 23 wherein, when said exoskeleton is worn by a user, said force is sufficiently large such that a user’s energy expenditure during said swing phase is reduced.
25. The exoskeleton of claim 23 wherein, when said exoskeleton is worn by a user, said force is sufficiently large such that a user’s oxygen consumption is reduced while walking.
26. The exoskeleton of claim 23, wherein each of said first and second leg supports comprises a thigh link.
27. The exoskeleton of claim 26, wherein each of said first and second leg supports further comprises a shank link and a knee joint configured to allow flexion and extension between respective shank link and respective thigh link.
28. The exoskeleton of claim 27, wherein said first and second leg supports are adapted to rest on a support surface during their stance phases.
29. The exoskeleton of claim 23, further comprising a signal processor, wherein said force is chosen based on a set of information previously collected by said signal processor.
30. The exoskeleton of claim 23, wherein means for imposing a force includes first and second hip actuators and at least one power unit.
31. The exoskeleton of claim 24, wherein said exoskeleton further includes sensors which measure the force and wherein said first and second hip actuators are controlled such that the force on a user’s lower limb is in the direction of motion of said lower limb.
32-39. (canceled)
40. An exoskeleton adapted to decrease energy consumption of a user comprising:
an exoskeleton trunk adapted to be coupled to an upper body of a user;
first and second leg supports rotatably connected to the exoskeleton trunk allowing for the flexion and extension between said leg supports and said exoskeleton trunk, wherein the first and second leg supports are adapted to be coupled to lower limbs of a user and to shift between a stance phase and a swing phase;
means for imposing a first torque on said first leg support in a forward swing direction when the second leg support strikes a support surface, with the first torque being sufficient to transfer mechanical energy to a user’s lower limb.
41. The exoskeleton of claim 40, wherein the means for imposing a first torque also imposes a second torque on said first leg support in an opposite direction of forward swing when said first leg support strikes the support surface.
42. The exoskeleton of claim 40, wherein each of said first and second leg supports comprises a thigh link.
43. The exoskeleton of claim 42, wherein each of said first and second leg supports further comprises a shank link and a knee joint configured to allow flexion and extension between respective shank link and respective thigh link.
44. The exoskeleton of claim 43, wherein said first and second leg supports are configured to rest on a support surface during their stance phases.
45. The exoskeleton of claim 40, wherein said first torque is chosen based on a set of information previously collected by a signal processor.
46. The exoskeleton of claim 40, wherein said first torque is chosen such that a force from said first leg support onto a user’s corresponding lower limb is in the forward swing direction of the user’s lower limb.
47. The exoskeleton of claim 46, wherein said first torque is calculated to maximize said force without causing user discomfort.
48. The exoskeleton of claim 46, wherein said force is sufficiently large such that a user’s oxygen consumption is reduced while walking.
49. A method of reducing the energy consumption of a person in motion coupled to an exoskeleton device including a power unit, first and second leg supports rotatably connected to an exoskeleton trunk for attachment to the person’s legs, and first and second hip actuators attached to the exoskeleton trunk and the first and second leg supports, the method comprising:
supplying energy from the power unit to the first hip actuator;
imposing a torque on said first leg support in a forward swing direction when the second leg support strikes a support surface, thereby transferring mechanical energy to a user from the first leg support; and
imposing a second torque on the first leg support in a direction opposite of the forward swing direction when said first leg support strikes a support surface.
50. The method of claim 49, wherein said first torque rises to a nominal value and stays substantially constant during toe-off of said first leg support.
51. The method of claim 50, wherein said first torque rises to a nominal value and varies no more than fifty percent from said nominal value during double stance and toe-off of said first leg support.
52. The method of claim 49, wherein said first torque is substantially unidirectional.
53. The method of claim 49, wherein said first torque rises to a nominal value and stays within fifty percent of its nominal value during double stance, toe-off, and a majority of a period from toe-off to heel strike of said first leg support.
54. The method of claim 53, wherein said first torque rises to a nominal value and stays within fifty percent of its nominal value then reduces to a value near zero before heel strike occurs.
55. The method of claim 49, wherein said first torque rises to a nominal value and varies no more than fifty percent from said nominal value during a majority of double stance and then transitions to a torque which is calculated from terms including one that is proportional to and in the same direction as an angular velocity of a hip joint of said first leg support.
56. The method of claim 49, wherein said first torque on said first leg support rises to a nominal value and varies no more than fifty percent from said nominal value during a majority of double stance and then transitions to a torque which is calculated from terms including one that is proportional to and in the same direction as an angular velocity of a hip joint of said first leg support and including one that is proportional to the sine of an angle of a thigh link of the first leg support with respect to gravity.
57. The exoskeleton of claim 1, wherein means for creating a torque profile includes first and second hip actuators and at least one power unit.
58. The exoskeleton of claim 8, wherein means for supplying energy includes at least one power unit.
59. The exoskeleton of claim 40, wherein means for imposing a first torque includes first and second hip actuators and at least one power unit.
60. A method of controlling an exoskeleton worn by a user, said exoskeleton having first and second leg supports configurable to be coupled to a user’s lower limbs, an exoskeleton trunk configurable to be coupled to a user’s upper body and rotatably connectable to said first and second leg supports to allow for flexion and extension between each of the first and second leg supports and said exoskeleton trunk, first and second hip actuators configured to create torque between said exoskeleton trunk and respective first and second leg supports, and at least one power unit providing power to said first and second hip actuators, the method comprising:
supplying energy from the at least one power unit to one of the first and second hip actuators during at least one segment of a swing phase of the one of the respective first and second leg supports;
causing the one of the first and second hip actuators to create a torque profile; and
transferring mechanical energy to a lower limb of a user through said one of the respective first and second leg supports.
61. A method of controlling an exoskeleton worn by a user, said exoskeleton having first and second leg supports configurable to be coupled to a user’s lower limbs, an exoskeleton trunk configurable to be coupled to a user’s upper body and rotatably connectable to said first and second leg supports to allow for flexion and extension between each of the first and second leg supports and said exoskeleton trunk, first and second hip actuators configured to create torque between said exoskeleton trunk and respective first and second leg supports, and at least one power unit providing power to said first and second hip actuators, the method comprising:
supplying energy from said at least one power unit to one of the first and second hip actuators during at least one segment of a swing phase of the one of the respective first and second leg supports;
causing the one of the first and second hip actuators to create a torque profile; and
imposing a force onto a swinging lower limb of a user by the one of the respective first and second leg supports such that said force is in a direction of the lower limb swinging motion.
62. A method of controlling an exoskeleton worn by a user, said exoskeleton having first and second leg supports configurable to be coupled to a user’s lower limbs, an exoskeleton trunk configurable to be coupled to a user’s upper body and rotatably connectable to said first and second leg supports to allow for flexion and extension between each of the first and second leg supports and said exoskeleton trunk, first and second hip actuators configured to create torque between said exoskeleton trunk and respective first and second leg supports, and at least one power unit providing power to said first and second hip actuators, the method comprising:
supplying energy from said at least one power unit to one of the first and second hip actuators during at least one segment of a swing phase of the one of the respective first and second leg supports;
causing the one of the first and second hip actuators to create a torque profile; and
imposing a torque onto a swinging lower limb of a user by the one of the respective first and second leg supports such that said torque is in a direction of the lower limb swinging motion.
The claims below are in addition to those above.
All refrences to claim(s) which appear below refer to the numbering after this setence.
1. A rotor for an electromechanical switching device, comprising:
a rotor housing;
two contact bridges, mounted in the rotor housing and disposed and mutually spaced apart so as to be rotatable in relation to one another about a rotation axis, each of the two contact bridges including two contact portions, the contact portions, by rotating the rotor, being movable into an opened state for opening a power circuit and into a closed state for closing a power circuit, and in the closed state being in contact with fixed contact portions of an electromechanical switching device;
an intermediate element, disposed between the two contact bridges and mounted so as to be rotatable about the rotation axis;
a pair of first spring pins and a pair of second spring pins; and
a pair of first spring elements and a pair of second spring elements,
wherein first ends of the spring elements are fastened to the first spring pins, and the first spring pins are disposed on the contact bridges and on the intermediate element,
wherein second ends of the spring elements are fastened to the second spring pins, and the second spring pins are disposed on the intermediate element, and
wherein at least one of the first and second spring pins is disposed on at least one of the intermediate element and the contact bridges such that the spring pin by moving at least one of the contact bridges is tiltable between the two states in relation to the rotation axis.
2. The rotor of claim 1, wherein at least one of the first and second spring pins, in a portion in which the spring pin is disposed on the intermediate element, in the longitudinal section has at least partly a curved edge.
3. The rotor of claim 1, wherein at least one of the first spring pins, in a portion in which the spring pin, is disposed on the contact bridges, in the longitudinal section has at least partly a curved edge.
4. The rotor of claim 1, wherein at least one of the contact bridges, in a portion in which one of the first and second spring pins is disposed thereon, in the cross section has at least partly a curved edge.
5. The rotor of claim 1, wherein the intermediate element, in a portion in which one of the second spring pins is disposed thereon, in the cross section has at least partly a curved edge.
6. The rotor of claim 1, wherein a retaining element, which retains the at least one of the second spring pins in its position in the direction of the rotation axis or substantially in its position on the intermediate element, is disposed on at least one of the second spring pins.
7. The rotor of claim 1, wherein at least one of the second spring pins includes a main body and a mounting bolt which is insertable into the main body, and wherein the mounting bolt is disposed on the intermediate element.
8. The rotor of claim 1, wherein at least one of the second spring pins is mounted in a guidable manner in the rotor housing.
9. The rotor of claim 1, wherein three or more contact bridges, mounted and mutually spaced apart in the rotor housing so as to be rotatable about the rotation axis, are each provided with two contact portions, and wherein an intermediate element is disposed, in each case, between two contact bridges and is mounted so as to be rotatable about the rotation axis.
10. An electromechanical switching device, comprising:
the rotor of claim 1; and
at least two fixed contacts, wherein for opening and closing a power circuit, the at least two fixed contacts by rotating the rotor are capable of contacting the contact portions of the contact bridges.
11. An electromechanical switching device, comprising:
the rotor of claim 2; and
at least two fixed contacts, wherein for opening and closing a power circuit, the at least two fixed contacts by rotating the rotor are capable of contacting the contact portions of the contact bridges.
12. An electromechanical switching device, comprising:
the rotor of claim 3; and
at least two fixed contacts, wherein for opening and closing a power circuit, the at least two fixed contacts by rotating the rotor are capable of contacting the contact portions of the contact bridges.