Patent ID: 7963932
Filing Date: 2011-06-21
Classification: A61F,A61H,B25J

Abstract:
1. An apparatus for assisting a limb comprising: a body attachment configured to be attached to a trunk of a user; a link for an upper leg, the link for the upper leg configured to be placed alongside an upper leg of the user, and configured to be coupled with the body attachment; a knee joint unit; a link for a lower leg, the link for the lower leg configured to be placed alongside a lower leg of the user, and configured to be coupled with the link for the upper leg via the knee joint unit; a lower limb attachment configured to be attached to one of the lower leg and a foot of the user, the lower limb attachment being coupled with the link for the lower leg; a drive unit; and a knee joint actuator configured to be placed in the body attachment so as to apply rotational torque to the knee joint unit via the drive unit; a foot detector configured to detect one of a landed phase and a lifted phase of the foot of the user; a controller configured to control the knee joint actuator, wherein the controller is configured to perform drive control for the knee joint actuator so as to provide an assist force freeing the user from weight via the lower limb attachment when the foot is in the landed phase, and wherein, when the foot detector detects a lifted phase, the controller terminates driving of the knee joint actuator.