Reconfigurable exoskeleton

US10327975B2 · kind B2 · utility

Assignee

• Ekso Bionics Holdings, Inc. · US

Inventors

• Adam Zoss · Berkeley, US
• Jonathan Evans · Canton, US
• Reuben Sandler · Berkeley, US
• Nathan Harding · Oakland, US
• Aaron Julin · San Francisco, US
• James Lubin · Oakland, US
• Taylor Heanue · Oakland, US
• Dylan Fairbanks · Oakland, US
• James A. Stryker · San Francisco, US

Key dates

• Filing date: Dec 11, 2013
• Grant date: Jun 25, 2019
• Expiry date: Jan 14, 2036

Classification

• Technology area (CPC A): Human Necessities
• CPC primary: A61H2201/5084
• WIPO field: Medical technology
• WIPO sector: Instruments

Abstract

An exoskeleton can be reconfigured, adjusted and/or controlled on the fly utilizing devices which fall into three categories, particularly including a swappable unactuated leg, lockable transverse and coronal hip rotations, and software controlled free joints. More specifically, the first device allows for the creation of a modular joint system in which individual exoskeleton joints or limbs can be changed or swapped to optimize an exoskeleton for a particular user. The second device is concerned with mechanically controlling, such as locking and unlocking, joints thereby allowing, for example, an exoskeleton leg to pivot or not pivot in an axis that is not actuated. The third device allows an actuated exoskeleton joint to be adjusted on the fly using software to simulate a freely rotating joint. The various devices can be used either alone or in combination to enable any given exoskeleton to be appropriately reconfigured, such as when a patient advances during therapy.