Patent ID: 7798983
Filing Date: 2010-09-21
Classification: A61F,A61H

Abstract:
1. A walking assistance device, comprising: an assisting force generator disposed on a side of at least one joint of a lower limb to provide an assisting force which reduces the amount of muscle power used when generating a movement of the lower limb, the assisting force being a rotational torque generated by a drive unit of the assisting force generator; and at least one of a hip support member for securely mounting the assisting force generator on the side of a hip joint and a lower leg support member for securely mounting the assisting force generator on the side of a knee joint, wherein principal engagement points of the hip support member for securely mounting the assisting force generator on the side of the hip joint and those of the lower leg support member for securely mounting the assisting force generator on the side of the knee joint are provided at portions where a relatively small amount of movement of skin occurs when a trunk or joint is moved and that are hard to be affected by expansion/contraction of muscles and the lower leg support member is adapted to fit on a region extending from lateral sides of an upper part of a shank to a portion between a lower part of a calf muscle and an upper part of an Achilles tendon while avoiding the calf muscle and the Achilles tendon to secure the assisting force generator on the side of the knee joint wherein the engagement points of the lower leg support member include a foot portion.