EP-4737067-A1 - APPARATUS AND METHOD FOR ASSISTING MUSCULAR STRENGTH

EP4737067A1EP 4737067 A1EP4737067 A1EP 4737067A1EP-4737067-A1

Abstract

A muscle strength-assisting device and method are described. The device may include a first unit to be worn on a part of a user's body, a second unit to be worn on another part of the user's body, and a constant load-generating unit equipped with a constant load spring unit that is installed on the first unit and applies a constant load on the second unit. The method may include applying, by the first unit worn on the part of a user's body, the constant load on the second unit worn on the other part of the user's body, wherein the constant load-generating unit installed on the first unit applies the constant load on the user in response to a change in a relative distance between the first unit and the second unit or a change in a body shape according to the user's body movement.

Inventors

KIM, SI JIN
HWANG, SUN HEE
KIM, YOUNG HWAN

Assignees

Curexo, Inc.

Dates

Publication Date: 20260506
Application Date: 20250327

Claims (18)

A strength-assisting device comprising: a first unit configured to be worn on a part of a user's body; a second unit configured to be worn on another part of the user's body; and a constant load-generating unit equipped with a constant load spring unit that is installed on the first unit and applies constant loads on the second unit.
The strength-assisting device of claim 1, wherein the constant load-generating unit includes a plurality of constant load spring units for applying a multi-stage constant load, and a coupling head configured to be selectively coupled to the second unit is provided at one end of each spring of the plurality of constant load spring units.
The strength-assisting device of claim 2, wherein the plurality of constant load spring units include a central spring unit and two outer spring units respectively disposed on both sides of the central spring unit.
The strength-assisting device of claim 3, wherein the two coupling heads provided at the ends of springs of the two outer spring units, respectively, are interconnected to each other by a bridge.
The strength-assisting device of claim 4, wherein a channel through which the coupling head of the central spring is placed or passes is formed in the bridge.
The strength-assisting device of claim 5, wherein a seating portion to which the coupling head of the central spring is fixed is formed in the channel.
The strength-assisting device of any one of claims 1 to 6, wherein the first unit is provided with a head mount portion equipped with a coupling bracket that provides a coupling space into which the coupling head is inserted with respect to a frame of the first unit, the coupling head being releasably fixed to the head mount portion, and the coupling bracket is provided with a locking device configured to perform, by an actuating pin, pin fixation of the coupling head provided on each of the springs.
The strength-assisting device of claim 7, wherein the locking device includes a plunger-type locking device having a cylindrical body fixed to the coupling bracket, an actuating pin that reciprocates with respect to the cylindrical body, and a handle connected to the actuating pin.
The strength-assisting device of claim 7, wherein the locking device includes a plunger-type locking device having an elastic piece that elastically biases an actuating pin of a reciprocating type to releasably fix the coupling head by pin fixation.
The strength-assisting device of claim 9, wherein the first unit is mounted on a user's waist, and the second unit is mounted on a user's upper body.
A method of assisting a user's muscle strength with a strength- assisting device, the strength-assisting device comprising: a first unit configured to be worn on a part of a user's body; a second unit configured to be worn on another part of the user's body; and a constant load-generating unit equipped with a constant load spring unit that is installed on the first unit and applies a constant load on the second unit, the method comprising: applying, by the first unit worn on the part of a user's body, the constant load on the second unit worn on the other part of the user's body, wherein the constant load-generating unit installed on the first unit applies the constant load on the user in response to a change in a relative distance between the first unit and the second unit or a change in a body shape according to the user's body movement.
The method of claim 11, wherein the constant load-generating unit is configured to generate the constant load in multiple stages by a plurality of springs drawn from a plurality of constant load spring units, and the plurality of springs transmit the constant load to the second unit through a head mount portion provided on the second unit.
The method of claim 12, wherein the constant load-generating unit is configured to apply a multi-stage adjustable constant load on the user's body through the second unit by the plurality of constant load spring units for multi-stage constant load application.
The method of claim 11, wherein the constant load-generating unit is configured to apply a multi-stage adjustable constant load on the user's body through the second unit by a plurality of constant load spring units for multi-stage constant load application.
The method of claim 14, wherein the constant load spring unit is configured to generate the constant load by at least one selected from a central spring unit and two outer spring units respectively disposed on both sides of the central spring unit.
The method of claim 15, wherein the first unit is configured to apply the constant load on the user's upper body, and the second unit is configured to fix the constant load-generating unit that generates the constant load to the user's waist.
The method of claim 11, wherein the constant load spring unit is configured to generate the constant load by at least one selected from a central spring unit and two outer spring units respectively disposed on both sides of the central spring unit.
The method of claim 12, wherein the constant load spring unit is configured to generate the constant load by at least one selected from a central spring unit and two outer spring units respectively disposed on both sides of the central spring unit.

Description

Technical Field The present disclosure relates to a muscle strength-assisting device and method, and more particularly, to a device and method for assisting the erector spinae muscles of the upper body. Background Art Various tasks that use muscle strength require various forms of physical load on workers. Any form or work that exceeds a worker's muscular limits may cause physical injury to the worker. Wearable assistive suits for assisting the physical muscle strength generate assisting forces that help wearers perform tasks that are difficult to perform with normal muscle strength. Passive-type suits have structures that simply support physical movements, and active-type suits have structures that generate amplified artificial forces that support body movements. The active types are not only structurally complex, but also expensive. Existing passive wearable assistive suits also have complex structures, making it difficult to avoid interference with surrounding structures. Also, it is difficult to modify the support forces and maintain assisting forces constant according to a task being performed. Therefore, it would be beneficial to develop a strength-assisting device that may be easy to wear, minimize interference with surrounding environmental factors when worn, and maintain constant determined assisting forces. Disclosure of Invention Technical Problem The present disclosure provides a muscle strength-assisting device and method, which may be capable of being simply worn and minimize interference with external environmental factors. The present disclosure provides a muscle strength-assisting device and method, which may adjust assisting forces in multiple stages and maintain a determined assisting force constant. The present disclosure provides a muscle strength-assisting device and method, which may assist movements of the upper body muscles with assisting forces to protect the upper body muscles from excessive tension and excessive spinal curvature. Solution to Problem According to one or more embodiments of the present disclosure, a muscle strength-assisting device includes a first unit configured to be worn on a part of a user's body,a second unit configured to be worn on another part of the user's body, anda constant load-generating unit equipped with a constant load spring unit that is installed on the first unit and applies a constant load on the second unit. According to one or more embodiments, the constant load-generating unit may include a plurality of constant load spring devices for applying a multi-stage constant load, anda coupling head that is selectively coupled to the second unit may be provided at one end of each of the constant load spring units. According to one or more embodiments, the constant load spring units may include a central spring unit and two outer spring units respectively disposed on both sides of the central spring unit. According to one or more embodiments, the two coupling heads provided at the spring ends of the two outer spring units, respectively, may be interconnected to each other by a bridge. According to one or more embodiments, a channel through which the coupling head of a central spring is placed or passes may be formed in the bridge. According to one or more embodiments, a seating portion may be formed in the channel to which the coupling head of a central spring is fixed. According to one or more embodiments, the first unit may be provided with a head mount portion equipped with a coupling bracket that provides a coupling space into which the coupling head is inserted with respect to a frame of the first unit, the coupling head being releasably fixed to the head mount portion, andthe coupling bracket may be provided with a locking device that performs, by an operating pin, pin fixation of the coupling head provided on each of the springs. According to one or more embodiments, the locking device may be a plunger-type locking device having a cylindrical body fixed to the coupling bracket, an operating pin that reciprocates with respect to the cylindrical body, and a handle connected to the operating pin. According to one or more embodiments, the first unit may be mounted on the user's waist, and the second unit may be mounted on the user's upper body. A strength-assisting method according to the present disclosure includes applying, by a first unit worn on a part of a user's body, a constant load on a second unit worn on another part of the user's body,wherein a constant load-generating unit installed on the first unit may apply a constant load on the user in response to a change in a relative distance between the first unit and the second unit or a change in a body shape according to a user's body movement. According to the method of one or more embodiments, the constant load-generating unit may generate the constant load in multiple stages by a plurality of constant load springs drawn from a plurality of constant load spring units, andthe plurality of