Unpowered Walking Assistance Device

Unpowered Gait Assistance Mechanism

This technology describes an unpowered gait assistance mechanism that utilizes an elastic body to convert changes in distance between the device and the user, occurring during the user's gait, into a compensatory force.

Existing robotic gait assist devices that use external power sources had problems with temporal and spatial constraints, as well as reduced rehabilitation training effectiveness due to passive joint movements.

This technology, therefore, proposes a method that utilizes an elastic body, a link unit, and an action point conversion unit, all integrated into the weight support section, to convert the user's trunk movement force into gait assistance force and deliver it to the lower limbs in sync with the gait cycle.

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Key Features:

• A weight support unit that bears the user's weight, and a power generation unit connected to it, designed to provide power for gait assistance.
• A power transmission unit that transmits power delivered from the power generation unit to the user's foot.
• Equipped with a movable support point for the power generation unit, allowing it to align with the user's gait cycle.
• The user of the gait assist device can receive gait assistance force by utilizing the force generated by their trunk movement, without requiring a separate power generation device such as an electric actuator.

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This technology was developed through the support of the Pan-Government Medical Device R&D Project Group's research project on the development and usability evaluation of an indoor mobile gait rehabilitation device capable of weight support and lower limb muscle assistance.

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