Patent ID: 8968222
Filing Date: 2015-03-03
Classification: B25J

Abstract:
1. A method for supporting an object using an exoskeleton configurable to be coupled to a person comprising: coupling an object to a load holding mechanism of an exoskeleton including: first and second leg supports configurable to be coupled to a person's lower limbs and rest on a support surface during a stance phase, wherein each leg support includes a thigh link and a shank link; first and second knee joints connecting the thigh links and shank links of the respective first and second leg supports to allow flexion and extension between respective shank and thigh links; an exoskeleton trunk configurable to be coupled to a person's upper body and rotatably connected to the thigh link of each of the first and second leg supports to allow for flexion and extension between the first and second leg supports and the exoskeleton trunk, with the load holding mechanism being coupled to said exoskeleton trunk and configurable to provide hands-free support of at least a portion of a weight of the object located in front of a person coupled to the exoskeleton, independent of upper limbs of a person coupled to the exoskeleton; and at least one hip torque generator configured to create torque between the exoskeleton trunk and one of the first and second thigh links in a stance phase; and creating a first torque with the at least one torque generator between said exoskeleton trunk and the one of the first and second thigh links in the stance phase opposing a second torque generated on the exoskeleton by the weight of the object.