HK1164684B - Motion assisting device and motion assisting device maintenance/management system - Google Patents

Description

Operation assisting device and maintenance management system for operation assisting device

The present application is a divisional application of an invention application filed by the university of bubo by the jurisdictional corporation of the present applicant, international application date being 9/27/2007, application No. 200780036663.7, entitled action assisting device and maintenance management system for an action assisting device.

Technical Field

The present invention relates to an operation assisting device and a maintenance management system for the operation assisting device, and more particularly to an operation assisting device and a maintenance management system for the operation assisting device that manage an operation state of a drive unit.

Background

In recent years, various assisting apparatuses have been developed to assist the movement of physically handicapped persons and elderly persons (see, for example, patent document 1). For example, a wearable motion assist device described in patent document 1 includes a joint that rotatably connects a plurality of arms to each other, an actuator that pivots one arm with respect to the other arm, and an angle sensor that detects a rotation angle of the arm.

For example, a rotation angle detection device in which a detection element is disposed in a radial direction of a rotation shaft is provided (for example, see patent document 2). The rotation angle detecting device described in patent document 2 fixes a reflection band spirally to the circumferential surface of a rotating shaft. The light is projected in a direction crossing the reflection band, and the reflected light from the reflection band is captured by the detection element. Then, the detection device detects the rotation angle of the rotating shaft based on the displacement of the incident position of the reflected light from the reflection belt accompanying the rotation of the rotating shaft.

For example, a monitoring system for monitoring an operating state of a motor is provided (for example, see patent document 3). The monitoring system described in patent document 3 monitors the operating state of the motor using a plurality of sensors, and displays an alarm when data on the operating state exceeds a threshold value.

Patent document 1: japanese laid-open patent publication No. 2005-95561

Patent document 2: japanese unexamined patent publication Hei 9-14941

Patent document 3: japanese unexamined patent application publication No. 2005-25751

However, in the above-described operation assisting device, if the driving means generating the driving force is used for a long period of time, the driving force cannot be generated similarly even if a driving signal is input to the driving means due to a motor failure or a change over time, or an excessive load is applied to the motor, which may cause a problem that the motor is overheated.

Further, the drive unit for driving the joint may be embedded in the body of the wearer who wears the motion assist device. As described above, when the drive unit is embedded in the body, it is difficult to check the operating state of the motor from the outside of the body, and even when some kind of failure of the motor is suspected, the motor cannot be easily repaired.

Therefore, an object of the present invention is to determine whether or not a motor is in a faulty state or in a state in which an overload is applied to the motor, and control the driving of the motor in accordance with the state of the motor.

Disclosure of Invention

In order to solve the above problems, the present invention has the following means.

(1) The present invention solves the above problems by an operation assisting device,

the motion assist device has a drive unit for assisting or replacing the motion of the joint and a control unit for controlling the drive unit,

the drive unit has

A motor for applying an inputted driving force and

a circuit board on which a control unit for generating and controlling a drive signal in the motor based on a control signal from the control unit is mounted,

the control part is provided with

A motor monitoring member for monitoring the operation state of the motor,

And a motor control means for limiting a drive signal to the motor so that the motor does not become an overload state, based on a monitoring result of the motor monitoring means.

(2) The present invention solves the above problems by an operation assisting device,

the motion assist device is the motion assist device described in the above (1), and is provided with

Physical quantity detecting means for detecting physical quantity relating to movement of the joint, and

a biological signal detecting means for detecting a biological signal generated when the joint is operated,

the control unit controls the drive unit based on the physical quantity and the biosignal detected by the physical quantity detecting means and the biosignal detecting means.

(3) The present invention solves the above problems by an operation assisting device,

the motion assist device is the motion assist device described in the above (1) or (2),

the motor control member includes

A determination means for determining whether or not the total accumulated value of the current values inputted to the motor exceeds a predetermined threshold value, and

and a motor suppressing means for gradually reducing the drive signal to be supplied to the motor at a predetermined rate when the determination means determines that the total integrated value of the current values exceeds a predetermined threshold value.

(4) The present invention solves the above problems by an operation assisting device,

the motion assist device is the motion assist device described in the above (1) or (2),

the motor control member includes

A judging means for judging whether or not the temperature of the control part exceeds a predetermined threshold value, and

and a motor suppressing means for gradually reducing the drive signal to be supplied to the motor at a predetermined ratio when the determining means determines that the temperature of the control unit exceeds a predetermined threshold.

(5) The present invention solves the above problems by an operation assisting device,

the motion assist device is the motion assist device described in the above (1) or (2),

the motor control member includes

A judging means for judging whether or not the temperature of the motor exceeds a predetermined threshold value, and

and a motor suppressing means for gradually reducing the drive signal to be supplied to the motor at a predetermined rate when the determining means determines that the temperature of the circuit board exceeds a predetermined threshold.

(6) The present invention solves the above problems by an operation assisting device,

the motion assist device has a drive unit for assisting or replacing the motion of the joint and a control unit for controlling the drive unit,

the drive unit has

A motor for applying an inputted driving force and

a control part for generating and controlling a driving signal in the motor according to a control signal from the control unit,

the control part is provided with

A motor monitoring component for calculating the remaining life time by subtracting the total operation time from the end to the present from the life time of the motor, and

and a motor suppressing means for gradually reducing the drive signal to be supplied to the motor at a predetermined rate when the remaining life time of the motor calculated by the motor monitoring means reaches a predetermined value.

(7) The present invention solves the above problems by an operation assisting device,

the motion assist device is the motion assist device described in (3) above,

the control part is provided with

A storage means for storing a first allowable value of a current value supplied to the motor and a second allowable value set to a value higher than the first allowable value,

An operation means for integrating a current value exceeding the first allowable value, and

and a motor suppressing means for gradually decreasing the value of the current supplied to the motor at a predetermined rate when the integrated value calculated by the calculating means exceeds the threshold value.

(8) The present invention solves the above-described problems by an operation assisting device described in the above (7),

the motor control member

When the current value to the motor exceeds the second allowable value, the current value to be supplied to the motor is gradually reduced to the first allowable value or less.

(9) The present invention solves the above problems by an operation assisting device,

the motion assist device is the motion assist device described in the above (1) or (6),

the drive unit is provided with

A motor,

A case for accommodating the motor,

A rotating body accommodated in the case and having a peripheral surface rotating relatively to the case when the motor is driven,

A fluorescent tape arranged along the circumferential surface of the rotating body and extending obliquely with respect to the circumferential direction of the rotating body,

A light emitting part for irradiating the fluorescent band with light,

A detection unit which is stationary relative to the case and has a light receiving surface facing the fluorescent band, receives light emitted from the fluorescent band, and detects positional information of the fluorescent band along the axial direction of the rotating body, and a detection unit

And a calculation unit for calculating a relative rotation angle between the case and the rotating body based on the position information of the fluorescent tape detected by the detection unit.

(10) The present invention solves the above-mentioned problems by providing an operation assisting device as described in the above (9),

the light emitting unit is turned on and off to emit light to the fluorescent band,

the detection unit receives light emitted from the fluorescent band when the light emitting unit is turned off, and detects positional information of the fluorescent band.

(11) The present invention solves the above problems by an operation assisting device,

the motion assist device is the motion assist device described in the above (1) or (6),

the drive unit has

A motor,

A case for accommodating the motor,

A rotating body accommodated in the case and having a peripheral surface rotating relatively to the case when the motor is driven,

A reflection band arranged along the peripheral surface of the rotary body and extending obliquely with respect to the peripheral direction of the rotary body,

A first light-emitting unit for emitting light to the reflection band,

A second light emitting part provided in the axial direction of the rotating body apart from the first light emitting part and emitting light to the reflection band,

A light receiving surface which is relatively static relative to the box and is opposite to the reflection band, a detection part which receives the light of the first light-emitting part reflected by the reflection band and the light of the second light-emitting part reflected by the reflection band and detects the position information of the reflection band along the axial direction of the rotating body, and a detection part

And a calculation unit for calculating a relative rotation angle between the tank and the rotating body based on the position information of the reflection band detected by the detection unit.

(12) The present invention solves the above-described problems by providing an operation assisting device as described in the above (11),

the first light emitting unit and the second light emitting unit are alternately lighted,

the detection unit detects positional information of the reflection band based on a distribution of reflected light detected when the first light-emitting unit emits light and a distribution of reflected light detected when the second light-emitting unit emits light.

(13) The present invention is the movement assisting device described in the above (9),

the rotating body is a gear box in which one or more gears are housed.

(14) The present invention solves the above-described problems by providing an operation assisting device as described in the above (13),

the slit member is provided with a slit formed along the axial direction of the rotating body and disposed between the detecting unit and the rotating body.

(15) The present invention solves the above-described problems by providing a motion assist device as described in the above (1) or (6),

the above-mentioned drive unit

Has a communication means for transmitting information including data on the driving state of the motor.

(16) The present invention is provided with the motion assist device described in the above (15),

A receiving member provided in a center for managing an operation state of the operation assisting device and receiving data information on a driving state of the motor transmitted from the driving unit via the communication member and a communication network,

A database for storing the data information of the driving state of the motor inputted via the receiving member,

An analysis means for analyzing the data information stored in the database to create information on the life and overload state of the drive unit,

And a transmission means for transmitting maintenance information to the drive unit when it is determined that the motor needs maintenance based on the analysis result obtained by the analysis means.

Effects of the invention

According to the present invention, since the motor control means is provided with the motor monitoring means for monitoring the operating state of the motor in the drive means and the motor control means for limiting the drive signal of the motor so that the motor does not become an overload state based on the monitoring result of the motor monitoring means, it is possible to solve the problems such as the motor being forcibly driven even though the performance of the motor has already been lowered or the motor or the circuit board is overheated. Accordingly, for example, when a drive signal is input to the motor in the same manner as when the motor is in an overload state in a state where the performance of the motor is degraded due to aging or the like, the drive signal can be gradually reduced, the drive force generated by the motor can be suppressed to be small, and the life of the motor can be extended. In particular, in the case of a configuration in which the drive unit is embedded in the body of the wearer, the motor cannot be easily replaced, and therefore, the load on the wearer can be reduced by extending the life of the motor.

Further, according to the present invention, when the remaining life time of the motor reaches a predetermined value, the drive signal to be supplied to the motor is gradually reduced at a predetermined rate, whereby it is possible to prevent the performance of the motor from being deteriorated rapidly in response to the drive signal, and it is possible to prevent the motor from being suddenly stopped and completely failing to obtain the drive force of the motor against the intention of the wearer.

Further, according to the present invention, the database at the center of managing the operation state of the operation assisting device stores the data information of the driving state of the motor transmitted from the driving unit via the communication means and the communication network, analyzes the data information stored in the database, and transmits the maintenance information to the driving unit from the analysis result obtained from the information of the life of the driving unit, the presence or absence of the overload state, and the like, whereby it is possible to always analyze whether or not the driving unit is normal, and in the case where some abnormality occurs in the driving unit, it is possible to immediately issue an alarm to notify the wearer.

Drawings

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a wearable motion assist device according to a first embodiment of the present invention.

Fig. 2 is a perspective view of the drive unit according to the first embodiment.

Fig. 3 is a sectional view of the drive unit according to the first embodiment.

Fig. 4 is a plan view of the detection member according to the first embodiment.

Fig. 5 is a side view showing the drive unit according to the first embodiment in a partial cross section.

Fig. 6 is a sectional view taken along line F6-F6 of the driving unit shown in fig. 5.

Fig. 7 is a diagram showing a maintenance management system of the wearable motion assist device according to the first embodiment.

Fig. 8 is a diagram showing a configuration of a drive unit according to the first embodiment.

Fig. 9 is a diagram showing a configuration of a rotation angle detection unit according to the first embodiment.

Fig. 10 is a diagram showing a configuration of a temperature detection unit according to the first embodiment.

Fig. 11 is a diagram showing a configuration of a strain/vibration detecting unit according to the first embodiment.

Fig. 12A is a diagram showing a configuration of a current information detection unit according to the first embodiment.

Fig. 12B is a graph showing a relationship between a change in the drive current of the motor 31 and time.

Fig. 13A is a flowchart showing an example of the flow of the main control process executed by the control unit 45 of the drive unit according to the first embodiment.

Fig. 13B is a flowchart showing an example of the flow of the maintenance process performed by the control unit 45 of the drive unit according to the first embodiment.

Fig. 14 is a side view partially in section showing a drive unit of a wearable motion assist device according to a second embodiment of the present invention.

Fig. 15 is a sectional view taken along line F15-F15 of the drive unit shown in fig. 14.

Fig. 16 is a diagram showing a configuration of a rotation angle detecting unit according to the second embodiment.

Fig. 17 is a side view of a drive unit of a wearable motion assist device according to a third embodiment of the present invention.

Fig. 18 is a sectional view taken along line F18-F18 of the drive unit shown in fig. 17.

Fig. 19 is a side view of a drive unit of a wearable motion assist device according to a fourth embodiment of the present invention.

Fig. 20 is a sectional view taken along line F20-F20 of the drive unit shown in fig. 19.

Fig. 21 is a side view partially in section showing a drive unit of a wearable motion assist device according to a fifth embodiment of the present invention.

Fig. 22 is a sectional view taken along line F22-F22 of the drive unit shown in fig. 21.

Fig. 23 is a side view showing an embedded motion assist device 200 according to a sixth embodiment.

Fig. 24 is a perspective view showing an embedded motion assist device 500 according to a seventh embodiment.

Description of the symbols

1, 91, 101, 111, 121 wearable motion assist device

2 body trunk component

3 Upper arm part

4 forearm parts

5 shoulder joint mechanism

6 elbow joint mechanism

11, 92, 102, 112, 122, 290, 550 drive unit

23, 24 Flange parts

31 motor

34 inner box

35 outer case

41 Circuit Board

45 control part

51, 93, 103, 113, 123 rotation angle detection unit

52 temperature detector

53 strain/vibration detecting unit

54 current information detecting part

61, 94 detection member

62, 95, 96 luminescent moieties

63 position detecting part

63a light receiving surface

64 degree calculation section

66 slit member

68 body portion

69 fluorescent strip

83 communication network

84 information management device

85 communication device

86 storage device

87 analyzer

88 database

97 reflection band

100 control unit

200, 500 embedded motion assisting device

Detailed Description

Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings to which a wearable motion assist device and a drive unit thereof are applied.

Fig. 1 to 13 show a wearable motion assistance device 1 according to a first embodiment of the present invention. Fig. 1 is a representative view of the upper right half of a wearable motion assist device 1 corresponding to the periphery of the right arm of a wearer P. The wearable motion assist device 1 includes a body trunk member 2, an upper arm member 3, and a forearm member 4. The trunk part 2 is worn on the trunk of the wearer P. The upper arm member 3 extends along the upper arm of the wearer P and is worn on the upper arm of the wearer P. The forearm member 4 extends along the forearm of the wearer P and is worn on the forearm of the wearer P.

The wearable motion assist device 1 includes an angle sensor (physical quantity detection means) for detecting a physical quantity related to the motion of a joint such as a shoulder or an elbow, a biosensor (biological signal detection means) for detecting a muscle potential signal (biological signal) generated when the joint such as the shoulder or the elbow is moved, and a torque sensor for detecting a driving force transmitted from a motor to the joint.

A shoulder joint mechanism 5 is provided between the trunk member 2 and the upper arm member 3, and the trunk member 2 and the upper arm member 3 are mutually rotatably coupled by the shoulder joint mechanism 5. An elbow joint mechanism 6 is provided between the upper arm member 3 and the forearm member 4, and the upper arm member 3 and the forearm member 4 are mutually rotatably connected by the elbow joint mechanism 6. The wearable motion assist device 1 also has the same structure as the right upper half in the left upper half.

The wearable motion assist device 1 includes a shoulder joint mechanism 5 and an elbow joint mechanism 6 for assisting the motion of a shoulder, an elbow, and the like, and a control unit 100 having a control circuit for controlling a drive unit 11 of the shoulder joint mechanism 5 and the elbow joint mechanism 6. The control unit 100 controls the driving unit 11 based on the physical quantity and the biosignal detected by the angle sensor, the torque sensor, and the biosignal detection sensor.

The control unit 100 controls the drive unit 11 in such a manner that the autonomous control member 100A and the optional control member 100B are combined. When sensor signals (physical information signals) detected by the sensors are supplied to the autonomous control means 100A, the task and phase of the wearer are estimated by comparing the detection values of the sensors with reference parameters stored in a database, and an autonomous control signal for generating a driving force corresponding to the estimated phase at the drive unit 11 is generated. The optional control component 100B generates an optional control signal based on the biopotential signal detected by the biopotential sensor 310. Further, the control signal synthesizing means 100C synthesizes the optional control signal from the optional control means 100B and the autonomous control signal from the autonomous control means 100A, and generates a control signal for the drive unit 11.

Next, the shoulder joint mechanism 5 will be proposed and described in detail. Since the elbow joint mechanism 6 has substantially the same configuration as the shoulder joint mechanism 5, the same reference numerals are given to the components having the same functions, and the description thereof will be omitted.

As shown in fig. 2 and 3, the shoulder joint mechanism 5 includes a drive unit 11, and first and second coupling members 12 and 13. As shown in fig. 1, one end of the first coupling member 12 is attached to the trunk member 2. One end of the second connecting member 13 is attached to the upper arm member 3.

As shown in fig. 3, the drive unit 11 includes a drive portion 21, a gear head 22, and first and second flange members 23 and 24 that rotate relative to each other. The driving unit 21 has a motor 31 as a driving source. The motor 31 has a motor main body 31a and a drive shaft 31 b. As shown in fig. 3, the drive shaft 31b extends inside the gear head 22. A sun gear 32a constituting a part of the planetary gear mechanism 32 is attached to a distal end of the drive shaft 31 b.

The gear head 22 has two housings, an inner case 34 and an outer case 35. The inner case 34 is an example of a rotating body described in the present invention, and is an example of a first member. The inner case 34 is formed in a cylindrical shape with one side open, and houses the planetary gear mechanism 32 therein. The planetary gear mechanism 32 includes, in addition to the sun gear 32a, a plurality of planetary gears 32b that mesh with the sun gear 32a, and an internal gear 32c (so-called ring gear) that meshes with the planetary gears 32 b. The planetary gear mechanism 32 is an example of a speed reduction mechanism, and other speed reduction mechanisms may be used for the gear head 22. The inner casing 23 does not need to include a plurality of gears, and may house one gear, for example.

As shown in fig. 3, the first flange member 23 is fixed to the motor body 31a and thermally connected to the motor 31. The planetary gear mechanism 32 has a support member 36 that supports the planetary gears 32 b. One example of the support member 36 is a bolt. The support member 36 is fixed to the first flange member 23, for example. Further, the inner box 34 is fixed to the first flange member 23. Therefore, the inner case 34 is relatively stationary with respect to the motor 31.

The outer box 35 is formed in a cylindrical shape with one side open, and accommodates the inner box 34 therein. A plurality of bearing members 37 are disposed between the outer case 35 and the inner case 34, for example. The second flange member 24 is integrally formed with, for example, the internal gear 32c of the planetary gear mechanism 32. The outer box 35 is fixed to the second flange member 24 and rotates integrally with the second flange member 24.

As shown in fig. 2, the first coupling member 12 has a fixed portion 12a formed in a ring shape and an extended portion 12b extending from the fixed portion 12 a. The front end of the extension 12b is attached to the trunk part 2. The fixing portion 12a is fixed to the first flange member 23 by a plurality of bolts 38, for example. The second coupling member 13 includes a fixing portion 13a formed in a ring shape and an extending portion 13b extending from the fixing portion 13 a. The front end of the extension 13b is attached to the upper arm member 3. The fixing portion 13a is fixed to the second flange member 24 by a plurality of bolts 38, for example.

Next, the operation of the drive unit 11 will be described.

When the motor 31 is driven, the ring gear 32c is rotated by the sun gear 32a and the planetary gears 32 b. Accordingly, the second flange member 24 rotates relatively to the first flange member 23. When the second flange member 24 rotates relative to the first flange member 23, the inner peripheral surface 35a of the outer box 35 rotates relative to the outer peripheral surface 34a of the inner box 34. In addition, the phrase "B rotates relative to a" in the present embodiment means that B rotates relative to a with a as a reference, and includes a case where B and a rotate relative to a stationary state.

When the first flange member 23 is rotated relative to the second flange member 24, the upper arm member 3 is rotated relative to the body member 2. Accordingly, the movement of the upper arm of the wearer P around the shoulder is assisted. Also, the drive unit 11 of the elbow joint mechanism 6 relatively rotates the forearm part 4 with respect to the upper arm part 3, assisting the circling motion of the forearm of the wearer P around the elbow.

In the present embodiment, the outer box 35 rotates around the stationary inner box 34, whereby the inner box 34 rotates relative to the outer box 35. The embodiment of the present invention is not limited to this, and for example, the first coupling member 12 may be fixed to the upper arm member 3 and the second coupling member 13 may be fixed to the trunk member 2. In this way, the inner case 34 rotates inside the stationary outer case 35.

As shown in fig. 2, the drive unit 11 has a circuit board 41 that controls the motor 31. The circuit board 41 is formed in a ring shape that is one step larger than the outer shape of the motor main body 31 a. The circuit board 41 is mounted on the first flange member 23, and is thermally connected to the first flange member 23. The circuit substrate 41 uses the first flange member 23 as a heat sink for heat dissipation. The filler 42 is attached to the first flange member to cover the circuit board 41. Accordingly, the circuit board 41 is not exposed to the outside. As shown in fig. 8, the circuit board 41 includes a control unit 45 that integrates control of the drive unit 11, a motor driver 46 that controls the motor 31, a storage unit 47, and a database 48.

The drive unit 11 includes, for example, a rotation angle detection unit 51, a temperature detection unit 52, a strain/vibration detection unit 53, and a current information detection unit 54.

As shown in fig. 3 and 9, the rotation angle detection unit 51 includes a detection member 61, a light emitting unit 62, a position detection unit 63, an angle calculation unit 64, a controller 65, and a slit member 66.

As shown in fig. 4, the detection member 61 includes a main body 68 and a fluorescent tape 69 provided on the main body 68. One example of the body portion 68 is a flexible member formed in an elongated belt shape. The material of the main body 68 may be any of resin, rubber, paper, and the like, and when the fluorescence is small, it is not necessary to pay particular attention to the type.

As shown in fig. 5 and 6, the body portion 68 is wound around the outer peripheral surface 34a of the inner box 34 in the circumferential direction of the outer peripheral surface 34 a. The body portion 68 according to the present embodiment is formed in a closed ring shape that wraps around the outer peripheral surface 34a of the inner box 34. The body portion 68 may be a ring-shaped member formed in advance. The main body 68 does not need to be in a closed loop shape, and may be formed in an arc shape in accordance with a rotation angle of a necessary detection range.

As shown in fig. 4, the fluorescent stripes 69 extend obliquely with respect to the longitudinal direction of the body portion 68. As shown in fig. 5, when the main body portion 68 is wound around the inner box 34, the fluorescent tape 69 extends spirally and obliquely with respect to the circumferential direction of the inner box 34. Accordingly, when the outer peripheral surface 34a of the inner case 34 is viewed from a point outside as the inner case 34 relatively rotates, the position of the fluorescent tape 69 along the axial direction (lateral direction in fig. 5) of the inner case 34 changes.

In the present embodiment, the "circumferential direction of the inner casing 34" refers to a direction along the rotational direction of the inner casing 34 in which the relative rotational movement is performed. That is, in the present embodiment, the inner case 34 is formed in a cylindrical shape in the circumferential direction. Further, the fluorescent stripes 69 extend so that their positions change in a direction intersecting the rotational direction of the inner box 34 as they move forward in the rotational direction of the inner box 34.

The fluorescent tape 69 may be formed by sticking a fluorescent tape to the main body 68, or may be formed by painting the main body 68 with a fluorescent paint. The fluorescent tape 69 may be provided directly on the outer peripheral surface 34a of the inner box 34. The term "fluorescence" as used herein refers to a generic term for substances that emit light when they are exposed to light, and also includes phosphorescence that emits light immediately after light is removed. One example of the width of the fluorescent stripes 69 is 10 μm to 20 μm. However, the width of the fluorescent stripes 69 is not limited thereto.

As shown in fig. 6, the fluorescent portion 62 is fixed to the outer case 35, for example. The light emitting unit 62 emits light to the detection member 61. One example of the light emitting portion 62 is a point light source made of an LED.

The controller 65 controls the irradiation timing of the light emitting section 62. The controller 65 transmits a pulse-like control signal to the light emitting unit 62, for example. Accordingly, the light emitting unit 62 intermittently emits light to the detection member 61 when alternately repeating lighting and lighting-off. One example of the period of lighting of the light emitting unit 62 is 1 kHz. However, the period of the bright and dark is not limited thereto.

The position detecting unit 63 includes, for example, a one-dimensional position detecting element. One example of a one-dimensional position detecting element is a psd (position Sensitive detector). As shown in fig. 5 and 6, the position detection unit 63 is attached to the outer case 35, for example. That is, the position detection unit 63 is stationary relative to the outer case 35. The position detector 63 has a light receiving surface 63 a. The light receiving surface 63a faces the detection member 61.

The position detecting unit 63 is disposed such that one-dimensional detection line thereof is along the axial direction of the inner box 34. When the spot light enters the position detection unit 63, the position detection unit 63 can detect from which position in the axial direction of the inner box 34 the spot light enters. Accordingly, the position detector 63 can detect where the fluorescent stripe 69 is located (i.e., position information of the fluorescent stripe 69 along the axial direction of the inner box 34) in the region where the light receiving surface 63a faces.

The controller 65 transmits a control signal synchronized with the control signal transmitted to the light emitting section 62 to the position detecting section 63. The controller 65 controls the position detection unit 63 so as to perform the position detection process of the fluorescent stripes 69 when the light emitting unit 62 is turned off (i.e., when the light emitting unit 62 stops emitting light) with respect to the position detection unit 63.

The position information of the fluorescent stripes 69 detected by the position detecting unit 63 is sent to the angle calculating unit 64. The angle calculation unit 64 performs a process of calculating the relative rotation angle of the outer box 35 and the inner box 34 from the position information of the fluorescent stripes 69 based on information about the inclination angle of the fluorescent stripes 69, the position information of the fluorescent stripes 69 at the reference position (rotation angle 0 °), and the like. The angle calculation unit 64 transmits the calculated information on the rotation angle to the control unit 45.

The slit member 66 is provided between the position detection portion 63 and the inner case 34. The slit member 66 is fixed to the outer case 35, for example, and moves integrally with the outer case 35. The slit member 66 has a slit 66a facing the light receiving surface 63a of the position detector 63. The slit 66a extends in the axial direction of the inner case 34.

Next, the operation of the rotation angle detection unit 51 will be described.

When a control signal relating to the irradiation timing is transmitted from the controller 65 to the light emitting portion 62, the light emitting portion 62 intermittently emits light to the detection member 61 according to the irradiation timing. The controller 65 is configured to wait when the light emitting unit 62 is turned on with respect to the position detecting unit 63, and to perform detection processing when the light emitting unit 62 is turned off.

When the light emitting unit 62 is turned on, light is irradiated to the detection member 61, and light energy is injected into the fluorescent stripe 69. When the light emitting section 62 is turned off, the fluorescent stripe 69 emits light. Light emitted from the fluorescent tape 69 on the detection line of the position detection section 63 enters the position detection section 63 through the slit 66 a. Light emitted from the fluorescent tape 69 located in a region away from the detection line is blocked by the slit member 66 and does not enter the position detection unit 63.

The position detecting unit 63 performs a process of detecting position information of the fluorescent stripes 69 facing the position detecting unit 63 from the incident position of the light. The angle calculation unit 64 performs a process of calculating the rotation angle based on the position information of the fluorescent stripes detected by the position detection unit 63. The angle calculation unit 64 transmits information on the calculated rotation angle to the control unit 45.

Next, the temperature detector 52 will be described.

As shown in fig. 10, the temperature detection unit 52 includes a temperature sensor 71 for detecting the temperature of the circuit board 41 on which the control unit 45 is mounted, and a motor temperature calculation unit 72. As shown in fig. 3, the temperature sensor 71 is connected to the circuit board 41. The temperature sensor 71 directly detects the temperature of the circuit substrate 41. The temperature sensor 71 performs processing for transmitting information on the detected temperature to the control unit 45, and transmits information on the detected temperature to the motor temperature calculation unit 72.

The motor temperature calculation unit 72 performs a process of calculating the temperature of the motor 31 by solving a one-dimensional heat transfer equation based on the detected temperature transmitted from the temperature sensor 71. The motor temperature calculation unit 72 transmits information on the calculated temperature of the motor 31 to the control unit 45. The detection process of the temperature of the circuit substrate 41 and the temperature of the motor 31 is continuously performed during the operation of the drive unit 11. As shown by the two-dot chain line in fig. 3, the temperature detection unit 52 may include another temperature sensor 71a that directly detects the temperature of the motor 31, instead of the motor temperature calculation unit 72.

Next, the strain/vibration detecting unit 53 will be described.

As shown in fig. 11, the strain/vibration detecting unit 53 includes a strain/vibration sensor 73. As shown in fig. 3, the strain/vibration sensor 73 is attached to the first flange member 23. The strain/vibration sensor 73 detects the amount of strain of the first flange member 23 and detects the state of vibration (e.g., the presence or absence of chatter) of the first flange member 23. The detection process of the strain amount and the vibration state is continuously performed during the operation of the driving unit 11.

Next, the current information detection unit 54 will be described.

As shown in fig. 12A, the current information detection unit 54 includes a current detection unit 75 and a calculation unit 76. The current detection unit 75 detects a current value flowing to the motor 31 by measuring, for example, a current flowing through the motor driver 46. The current detection unit 75 transmits information on the detected current value to the operation unit 76. The operation unit 76 calculates how much current flows to the motor 31 from the time of the initial start of the drive unit 11 to the time of the current flowing to the motor 31. The calculation unit 76 transmits the time-integrated value (total operation time) of the calculated current value to the control unit 45.

The database 48 stores data relating to the allowable temperature of the circuit board 41 that does not cause a malfunction, the allowable temperature of the motor 31 that does not cause a malfunction, the allowable strain amount of the first flange member 23 that does not cause a failure, the life of the motor 31, and the like.

The control unit 45 includes a motor monitoring unit 45A that monitors an operating state of the motor 31, and a motor control unit 45B that limits a drive signal to the motor 31 based on a monitoring result of the motor monitoring unit 45A to avoid an overload state of the motor 31. The motor monitoring unit 45A includes a determination unit 45C for determining whether or not the total integrated value of the current values input to the motor 31 exceeds a predetermined threshold value, and a remaining life calculation unit 77. When the determination unit 45C determines that the total integrated value of the current values exceeds the preset threshold value, the motor control unit 45B controls the motor 31 so as to gradually decrease the drive signal supplied to the motor 31 at a predetermined rate (for example, 5% to 10% of the maximum output per second).

The control unit 45 compares the temperature of the circuit board 41 and the motor 31 transmitted from the temperature detection unit 52 and the information on the total operation time of the motor 31 with the allowable value stored in the database 48 and the average life of the motor 31. When either the temperature of the circuit board 41 or the temperature of the motor 31 exceeds the allowable value, the control unit 45 switches the motor 31 to low-speed rotation or the like to slow or stop the driving of the motor 31. The control unit 45 compares the strain amount or the state of vibration sent thereto from the strain/vibration detection unit 53 with the allowable value stored in the database, and alleviates or stops the driving of the motor 31 as necessary.

As such, the drive unit 11 can overcome the problems such as excessive driving of the motor 31 despite the performance degradation of the motor 31, or overheating of the motor 31. Accordingly, for example, when a drive signal is input to the motor 31 in the same manner as when the motor 31 and the circuit board 41 are in an overload state in a state where performance of the motor 31 is degraded due to aging or the like, the drive signal is gradually reduced, the drive force of the motor 31 can be suppressed to be small, and the life of the motor 31 can be extended. In particular, when the drive unit 11 is embedded in the body of the wearer (see fig. 23 and 24), the motor cannot be easily replaced, and therefore, the load on the wearer can be reduced by extending the life of the motor 31.

Further, when the remaining life time of the motor 31 reaches a predetermined value, by gradually reducing the drive signal to be supplied to the motor 31 at a predetermined rate (for example, 5% to 10% of the maximum output per second), it is possible to prevent the performance of the motor 31 from being deteriorated rapidly with respect to the drive signal, and it is possible to prevent the motor 31 from being stopped suddenly and the driving force of the motor 31 from being completely unavailable to the intention of the wearer.

As shown in fig. 12A, the control unit 45 includes a remaining life calculation unit 77. The remaining life calculating section 77 receives information on the time-integrated value of the current value flowing to the motor 31 from the current information detecting section 54. On the other hand, the database 48 stores information on a value of the time integral of the current for the motor to reach the lifetime (for example, a preset reference value for lifetime determination) obtained through an experiment or an actual use. The remaining life calculating section 77 compares the time-integrated value of the current value received from the current information detecting section 54 with the information stored in the database, thereby calculating the remaining life of the motor 31. The control unit 45 determines that the replacement timing is the replacement timing when, for example, the time-integrated value of the current value flowing through the motor 31 exceeds a predetermined reference value. The remaining life detection process is continuously performed during the operation of the drive unit 11.

As shown in fig. 8, the drive unit 11 has a communication section 78. Various information detected or calculated by the temperature detection unit 52, the strain/vibration detection unit 53, the current information detection unit 54, and the control unit 45 is transmitted to the storage unit 47, and information data thereof is stored. The communication unit 78 is, for example, a wireless communication device. The communication unit 78 periodically transmits various information detected or calculated by the temperature detection unit 52, the strain/vibration detection unit 53, the current detection unit 75, and the control unit 45 to the outside, for example.

Fig. 12B is a graph showing a relationship between a change in the drive current of the motor 31 and time. As shown in fig. 12B, the drive current of the motor 31 is changed in steps according to the angle and torque at the time of driving the joint of the shoulder or elbow. In the present embodiment, the first allowable value I of the drive current_AAnd a second allowable value I_BIs preset in the database 48 (I)_A<I_B）。

The drive unit 11 has a first allowable value I for storing a current value to be supplied to the motor 31_AAnd is set to be greater than the first allowable value I_AHigh second allowable value of I_BA database (storage means) 48. In addition, the remaining life calculating section 77 exceeds the first allowable value I_AThe current value of the amount of (c) is integrated, and the remaining life of the motor 31 is calculated by subtracting the total use time until the end from the average life. Then, when the calculated integrated value exceeds the threshold value, the motor control unit 45B controls the motor 31 so as to set the calculated integrated value at a predetermined ratio (for example, the first allowable value I per second)_A5% to 10%) of the current, and the current value supplied to the motor 31 is gradually decreased.

Further, the motor control unit 45B controls the motor when the drive current exceeds the second allowable value I_BIn the case of (3), the motor 31 is controlled so as to gradually decrease the current value supplied to the motor 31 at a predetermined rate. The ratio of reducing the current value supplied to the motor can be set as follows. For example, the second allowable value I is exceeded_BIs momentarily (e.g. within one second) reduced to a second allowable value I_B. Or in a few secondsAnd internally reduced to a first allowed value. Here, the drive current may be smoothly reduced by applying, for example, an S-function (sigmoid function), a bezier Curve (bezier Curve), a spline Curve, or the like.

Further, it is repeatedly detected that the drive current exceeds the second allowable value I in this manner_BIn the case of (2), the control unit 100 automatically changes the assistance rate (the ratio of the torque generated by the wearer himself to the torque generated by the drive unit) to be low. The predetermined ratio may be set to any value, and for example, the drive current may be reduced to 0.1% to 1% of the maximum output per second depending on the situation, and the motor 31 may be stopped.

Next, referring to fig. 13A, the main control process of the motor 31 executed by the control unit 45 of the drive unit 11 will be described.

When a drive command is issued from the control unit 100 to the drive unit 11, the control unit 45 starts driving the motor 31 as a first step S1. Next, in the first step S11, as a second step S12, the current information detector 54 detects the value of the current flowing through the motor 31, and calculates the time-integrated value (monitoring means). In the third step S13, the temperature detector 52 detects the temperature of the circuit board 41 and calculates the temperature of the motor 31 (monitoring means). In the fourth step S14, the strain/vibration detecting unit 53 detects the amount of strain in the first flange member 23, and detects the state of vibration (monitoring means). In the present embodiment, the second to fourth steps S2, S3, and S4 are performed simultaneously. However, these steps may be performed sequentially, and in this case, the order of performing may be started from either one.

As a fifth step S5, the controller 45 compares the various information detected in the second to fourth steps S2, S3, and S4 with the allowable values and reference values stored in the database 48, and determines whether or not the operating state of the drive unit 11 is normal (determination means). For example, the control unit 45 determines that the time integral value of the current flowing through the motor 31 is equal to or less than a predetermined amount? Is the temperature of the circuit substrate 41 below the allowable value? Is the temperature of the motor 31 below the allowable value? Is the amount of strain in the first flange member 23 below the allowable value? And a sign of the chattering vibration judged from the vibration state is found.

When all the values are equal to or less than the allowable value, the rotation angle detecting unit 51 detects the relative rotation angle of the first and second flange members 23, 24 as a sixth step S6. In the seventh step S7, the control unit 45 determines whether or not the vehicle is at the stop position based on the detected rotation angle. When the control unit 45 determines that the stop position has not been reached, the sequence is started again from the second step S2. When the control unit 45 determines that the stop position is reached, the motor 31 is stopped as an eighth step S8. Accordingly, the series of processes ends.

In the fifth step S5, when at least one of the time-integrated value of the current value flowing through the motor 31, the temperature of the circuit board 41, the temperature of the motor 31, and the strain amount of the first flange member 23 exceeds an allowable value or a reference value, or a sign of chatter vibration is found, the process proceeds to a ninth step S9. In the ninth step S9, the motor 31 is, for example, put into a low-speed operation, and the drive of the motor 31 is reduced (motor suppressing means). Therefore, if the allowable value is exceeded in S5, in S9, deceleration control is performed to reduce the drive of the motor 31 by, for example, switching the motor 31 to low-speed rotation at a predetermined rate.

In the tenth step S10, the information detected by the various detection units is transmitted to the outside by the communication unit 78. Before or after the tenth step S10, the driving of the motor 31 is stopped.

Next, a maintenance control process of the motor 31 performed by the control unit 45 of the drive unit 11 will be described with reference to fig. 13B. The maintenance control process is performed in parallel with the above-described main control process (shown in fig. 13A), and is interrupted at predetermined time intervals (for example, at intervals of 1 minute to 10 minutes).

In fig. 13B, the first step S11 to the sixth step S16 are the same as the first step S1 to the fifth step S5 and the ninth step S9 in fig. 13A, and therefore, the description thereof is omitted.

In fig. 13B, the processing different from that in fig. 13A is a seventh step S17. In the seventh step S17, the control unit 45 transmits the operating state of the motor 31 (for example, in a case where the time integral value of the current flowing through the motor 31 is equal to or less than a predetermined amount. Accordingly, the information management device 84 can analyze the operation state of each wearable motion assist device 1 based on the central database 88.

Finally, the maintenance management system 81 of the wearable motion assist device 1 will be described.

As shown in fig. 7, the maintenance management system 81 includes a wearable motion assist device 1 and a wireless terminal 82 provided on the user side, and an information management device 84 provided on the provider side and connected to the wireless terminal 82 on the user side via a communication network 83 such as the internet.

The information management device 84 is provided at the center of managing the operation status of the wearable motion assist device 1, and includes a communication device 85 connected to the communication network 83, a storage device (storage means) 86 having a database 88 for storing information on the operation status of each wearable motion assist device 1 (including information on the motor 31) inputted from the communication device 85 one by one, and an analysis device (analysis means) 87 for analyzing each piece of the operation status information stored in the storage device 86 with respect to the wearable motion assist device 1.

The analysis device 87 analyzes the data information stored in the database 88 to create analysis information such as the life of the drive unit 11 and the presence or absence of overload, and transmits the analysis information to the wearable motion assist device 1 when the importance of the analysis result is high.

The communication device 85 includes a receiving unit 85A that receives data information of the driving state of the motor 31 transmitted from the driving unit 11 via the communication hand 78 and the communication network 83, and a transmission unit 85B that transmits maintenance information to the driving unit 11 when it is determined from the analysis result obtained by the analysis means that maintenance of the motor 3 is necessary.

As described above, the wearable motion assist device 1 includes the communication unit 78 in each drive unit 11. That is, the wearable motion assist device 1 includes a plurality of communication units 78 such as the communication unit 78 provided in the drive unit 11 of the shoulder joint mechanism 5 and the communication unit 78 provided in the drive unit 11 of the elbow joint mechanism 6. Information on the operating state of each drive unit 11 is periodically transmitted from the plurality of communication units 78 to the communication network 83 via the wireless terminal 82, for example. In addition, other wearable motion assistance apparatuses 1 used by other users also transmit information on the drive unit 11 to the communication network 83 in the same manner. The information management device 84 provided on the supplier side acquires information transmitted to each user on the communication network 83, and manages the information in the database 88 in a comprehensive manner.

As described above, the database 88 at the center of managing the operation state of the operation assisting device stores the data information of the driving state of the motor 31 transmitted from the driving unit 11 via the communication means and the communication network 83, analyzes the data information stored in the database 88, and transmits the maintenance information to the driving unit 11 based on the analysis result obtained based on the information such as the lifetime of the driving unit 11 and the presence or absence of the overload state, whereby the normality of the driving unit 11 can be always analyzed, and when some abnormality occurs in the driving unit 11, an alarm can be immediately issued by a wireless signal to notify the wearer.

With the wearable motion assist device 1 or the drive unit 11 configured as described above, the influence of light scattering by the rotation angle detection unit 51 is suppressed, and the accuracy of detecting the rotation angle is improved. That is, the rotation angle detecting unit 51 according to the present embodiment uses the fluorescent tape 69. Since the fluorescent stripes 69 themselves emit light, the problem of diffused reflection of light does not occur at the edges of the fluorescent stripes 69, and the light whose scattering is suppressed enters the position detection unit 63. That is, if the fluorescent stripes 69 are used, errors due to light scattering are hard to enter, and the accuracy of detecting the rotation angle is improved.

When the light emitting unit 62 intermittently emits light and the position detecting unit 63 receives light emitted from the fluorescent stripe 69 when the light emitting unit 62 is turned off, the light emitted from the fluorescent stripe 69 can be reliably detected without being obstructed by the light emitted from the light emitting unit 62.

The detection member 61 has a main body portion 68 to which the fluorescent tape 69 is attached, and the fluorescent tape 69 is directly attached to the rotating body, whereby the inclination angle with respect to the circumferential direction can be accurately set. The fluorescent strip 69 is also simple to install.

In general, most angle detecting units are provided with an angle detecting portion on a rotating shaft connected to a motor shaft. Therefore, the drive unit including the angle detection unit is large in the axial direction thereof. On the other hand, the detection member 61 according to the present embodiment is attached to the outer peripheral surface 34a of the inner case 34 as the gear case. If the detection member 61 is attached to the inner case 34, a portion for detecting the angle of the rotation shaft can be omitted, and the drive unit 11 can be downsized.

For example, if an angle detector such as a potentiometer is used, there is a possibility that an error may be introduced into the detection due to a deviation or looseness between the axis of the potentiometer and the rotation axis. On the other hand, if the rotation angle detection unit 51 is directly incorporated into the gear motor system as in the present embodiment, it is difficult to detect an error, and highly reliable detection can be achieved.

The slit member 66 is not essential and may be omitted. When the slit member 66 is provided, redundant light emitted from the front and rear regions of the detection line is shielded. This contributes to improvement in the detection accuracy of the rotation angle.

For example, a monitoring system described in patent document 3 monitors an operating state of a motor using a sensor, and issues an alarm when data on the operating state exceeds a threshold value. When a user uses a drive unit provided with such a monitoring system, it is necessary for the supplier of the drive unit to respond one by one each time an alarm is issued.

One aspect of the embodiment of the present invention is to provide a driving unit that monitors the operating state of the motor 31 and can autonomously respond to the operating state in order to make the operating state appropriate.

Since the first flange member 23 is thermally connected to the motor 31, the temperature rises when the motor 31 is driven. When a circuit board as a heating element is mounted on such a flange member, the circuit board may be heated to a high temperature. Therefore, the circuit board is generally disposed away from the motor.

On the other hand, in the drive unit 11 according to the present embodiment, the circuit board 41 is mounted on the first flange member 23. The drive unit 11 includes a temperature detection unit 52 that detects the temperature of the circuit board 41. The temperature of the circuit substrate 41 is always monitored by the temperature detector 52. In this way, when the temperature exceeds the allowable value, the amount of heat flowing from the motor 31 to the first flange member 23 is reduced by alleviating the driving of the motor 31 and the like. Thus, the first flange member 23 functions as a heat sink for the circuit substrate 41, and suppresses an increase in temperature of the circuit substrate 41. By providing the control unit 45 that monitors the temperature state of the circuit board 41 and controls the motor 31 in this manner, the circuit board 41 can be mounted on the first flange member 23 thermally connected to the motor 31. If the circuit board 41 can be disposed adjacent to the motor 31, the drive unit 11 can be downsized.

For example, if the temperature detection unit 52 monitors the temperature of the motor 31 and, at the same time, if either the temperature of the motor 31 or the temperature of the circuit board 41 exceeds the allowable value, the drive of the motor 31 is relaxed, the first flange member 23 functions as a heat sink for the motor 31 or the circuit board 41, and therefore, an increase in temperature is suppressed. With such a control unit 45, the drive unit 11 can be further downsized and the reliability thereof can be improved.

The motor 31 used in the wearable motion assist device 1 is not rotated very much during the lifetime, but is often used in an overload state such as a state of supporting a heavy load. As a method of detecting the lifetime of the motor 31, for example, a method based on the total number of rotations of the motor is available, but is not suitable for the motor 31 for the wearable motion assist device 1.

On the other hand, the drive unit 11 according to the present embodiment includes a control unit 45 that integrates the value of the current flowing through the motor 31 with time from the initial operation and determines the life of the motor 31 based on the integrated value. The overload state of the motor 31 is proportional to the magnitude of the current value flowing through the motor 31. Therefore, by calculating the time integral of the current value, it is possible to estimate what overload state the motor 31 is in only. That is, according to the drive unit 11, the life of the motor 31 in the overload state can be appropriately determined.

If the drive unit 11 has the storage unit 47 that stores various kinds of detection information and the like, it is possible to obtain information on how the drive unit 11 is used in what environment, and it is possible to improve maintenance efficiency, for example.

If the drive unit 11 includes the communication unit 78 that transmits various kinds of detection information and the like to the outside, the operating state, the remaining life, and the like of each drive unit 11 can be grasped from the outside. Accordingly, for example, a replacement timing can be presented from the supplier side, or a component to be replaced can be prepared in advance for the drive unit 11 which is about to reach the replacement timing.

If the plurality of drive units 11 are configured as separate units including the circuit board 41 including the various detection units 52, 53, and 54 and the control unit 45, and the communication unit 78, the cables connecting the drive units 11 are, for example, only power cables, and the convenience of the wearable motion assist device 1 is improved.

In the present embodiment, the fluorescent tape 69 is provided in the inner box 34 and the position detecting unit 63 is provided in the outer box 35, but the fluorescent tape 69 may be provided in the outer box 35 and the position detecting unit 63 may be provided in the inner box 34.

The position detecting unit 63 is not limited to a position detecting unit that detects light when the light emitting unit 62 is turned off. For example, if a fluorescent stripe and a light emitting section are used, in which the frequency of light emitted from the fluorescent stripe 69 and the frequency of light emitted from the light emitting section 62 are different from each other, and the position detecting section 63 responsive to the frequency of the fluorescent stripe 69 is used, even when the position detecting section 63 is turned on at the light emitting section 62, the position detection process can be performed based on the light emitted from the fluorescent stripe 69. However, when position detection unit 63 performs detection processing when light emitting unit 62 is turned off, position detection unit 63 can be easily selected and adjusted, and detection errors are unlikely to occur.

Next, a wearable motion assist device 91 according to a second embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to fig. 14 to 16. The same reference numerals are given to the components having the same functions as those of the wearable motion assist device 1 according to the first embodiment, and the description thereof will be omitted.

The shoulder joint mechanism 5 and the elbow joint mechanism 6 of the wearable motion assisting device 91 each have a drive unit 92. The configuration of the drive unit 92 is different from that of the rotation angle detection unit 51 according to the first embodiment only in regard to the rotation angle detection unit 93, and the other configurations are the same as those of the first embodiment. That is, the drive unit 92 includes the control unit 45, the motor driver 46, the storage unit 47, the database 48, the temperature detection unit 52, the strain/vibration detection unit 53, and the current information detection unit 54.

The rotation angle detecting unit 93 includes a detecting member 94, a first light emitting unit 95, a second light emitting unit 96, a position detecting unit 63, an angle calculating unit 64, a controller 65, and a slit member 66.

The detection member 94 includes a main body 68 and a reflection band 97 provided on the main body 68. An example of the main body portion 68 is painted black to reduce the reflectivity of light.

The reflection band 97 extends obliquely with respect to the longitudinal direction of the main body 68. As shown in fig. 14, when the main body portion 68 is wound around the inner case 34, the reflection band 97 extends spirally and obliquely with respect to the circumferential direction of the inner case 34. Accordingly, as the inner box 34 is relatively rotated, the position of the reflection band 97 along the axial direction of the inner box 34 changes.

The reflective tape 97 is formed of a material having high light reflectivity, and for example, a tape having light reflectivity may be attached to the main body 68, or may be painted with a paint having high light reflectivity. The reflection band 97 may be provided directly on the outer peripheral surface of the inner box 34. One example of the width of the reflection band 97 is 10 μm to 20 μm. However, the width of the reflection band 97 is not limited thereto.

As shown in fig. 14, first and second light emitting units 95 and 96 are fixed to, for example, outer case 35. The first and second light emitting units 95 and 96 are provided so as to be apart from each other in the axial direction of the inner box 34. The first and second light emitting units 95 and 96 are separated from the center of the detection member 94 by the same distance in opposite directions along the axial direction of the inner case 34. The first and second light emitting units 95 and 96 emit light to the detection member 94.

The controller 65 controls the irradiation timing of the first and second light emitting units 95 and 96. The controller 65 transmits, for example, a pulse-like control signal to the first and second light emitting units 95 and 96. The controller 65 controls the first and second light emitting units 95 and 96 to alternately light up. One example of the period of lighting of the first and second light emitting units 95 and 96 is 1 kHz. However, the period of the bright and dark is not limited thereto.

When the first light-emitting unit 95 emits light, the position detector 63 receives the light of the first light-emitting unit 95 reflected by the reflection band 97. When the second light emitting unit 96 emits light, the position detecting unit 63 receives the light of the second light emitting unit 96 reflected by the reflection belt 97. The position detector 63 detects position information of the reflection band 97 along the axial direction of the inner box 34 based on the distribution of the reflected light detected when the first light emitting unit 95 emits light and the distribution of the reflected light detected when the second light emitting unit 96 emits light.

For example, the position detector 63 detects the position of the peak of the reflected light distribution detected when the first light-emitting unit 95 emits light (hereinafter referred to as "first peak") and the position of the peak of the reflected light distribution detected when the second light-emitting unit 96 emits light (hereinafter referred to as "second peak"), and detects the position, for example, in the middle of the first peak and the second peak as the position information of the reflection band 97 at that time.

For example, the position detector 63 detects the first and second peak values at a reference position (for example, a rotation angle of 0 °) and a predetermined position (for example, a rotation angle of 180 °), and detects the intermediate position as the position information of the reflection band 97 at the reference position and the position information of the reflection band 97 at the predetermined position. Then, these pieces of detected information are stored in the angle calculation section 64.

The angle calculation unit 64 acquires the position information of the reflection belt 97 at an arbitrary angle detected by the position detection unit 63 from the position detection unit 63, and performs processing for calculating the relative rotation angle between the outer box 35 and the inner box 34 from the position information of the reflection belt 97 at the reference position and the predetermined position, and the like.

However, the method of detecting the position information of the reflection band 97 is not limited to the method of selecting the intermediate position between the first and second peaks, and may be appropriately adopted if the position corresponding to the rotation angle is specified from the reflected light distribution by the first light-emitting portion 95 and the reflected light distribution by the second light-emitting portion 96.

According to the wearable motion assist device 91 or the drive unit 92 having such a configuration, the influence of light scattering of the rotation angle detection unit 93 is suppressed, and the accuracy of detecting the rotation angle is improved. That is, the distribution of the reflected light by the first light-emitting portion 95 and the distribution of the reflected light by the second light-emitting portion 96 are different from each other. This is because the diffused reflection generated at the edge of the reflective tape 97 when the first light-emitting portion 95 emits light and the diffused reflection generated at the edge of the reflective tape 97 when the second light-emitting portion 96 emits light are different from each other, and the scattering characteristics of both are different.

That is, the drive unit 11 according to the present embodiment can reduce the margin for the influence of the scattering that appears in one light distribution to enter the detection result by detecting the positional information of the reflection band 97 based on the two reflected light distributions having different scattering characteristics from each other. Accordingly, the influence of scattering of light generated at the edge of the reflection band 97 is suppressed, and the detection accuracy of the rotation angle is improved.

The edge portions of the reflective tape 97 on both sides are aligned in the axial direction of the inner box 34. If the first and second light-emitting portions 95 and 96 are provided along the axial direction of the inner box 34, the distribution of the reflected light by the first light-emitting portion 95 and the distribution of the reflected light by the second light-emitting portion 96 can be easily made different from each other. This can further suppress the influence of light scattering at the edge portion, and can improve the detection accuracy of the rotation angle. If the first and second light emitting units 95 and 96 are separated from the detection member 94 by the same distance in opposite directions along the axial direction of the inner box 34, the error is more unlikely to enter, and the detection accuracy is improved.

When the first and second light emitting portions 95 and 96 emit light alternately, two different light distributions can be reliably received. That is, when the reflected light from the first light-emitting unit 95 is received, if the second light-emitting unit 96 is turned off, the reflected light from the first light-emitting unit 95 is received by the position detecting unit 63 without being mixed with the reflected light from the second light-emitting unit 96.

The first and second light emitting units 95 and 96 are not necessarily limited to alternately lighting. For example, if the first light-emitting portion 95 and the second light-emitting portion 96 having different light frequencies are used, the positional information of the reflection band 97 can be detected from two reflected light distributions based on the first and second light-emitting portions 95 and 96 that are simultaneously lit.

In the present embodiment, the reflective tape 97 is provided in the inner box 34 and the position detecting unit 63 is provided in the outer box 35, but the reflective tape 97 may be provided in the outer box 35 and the position detecting unit 63 may be provided in the inner box 34.

Next, a wearable motion assist device 101 according to a third embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to fig. 17 and 18. The same reference numerals are given to the components having the same functions as those of the wearable motion assist device 1 according to the first embodiment, and the description thereof will be omitted.

The shoulder joint mechanism 5 and the elbow joint mechanism 6 of the wearable motion assisting apparatus 101 each have a drive unit 102. The configuration of the drive unit 102, that is, the rotation angle detection unit 103, is different from the rotation angle detection unit 51 according to the first embodiment, and the other configurations are the same as those of the first embodiment.

The rotation angle detection unit 103 includes a fluorescent band 69, a light emitting unit 62, a position detection unit 63, an angle calculation unit 64, a controller 65, and a slit member 66. In the present embodiment, the first flange member 23 is an example of a first component according to the present invention, and the second flange member 24 is an example of a second component.

As shown in fig. 18, the fluorescent tape 69 is provided on the end surface 23a of the first flange member 23, faces the second flange member 24, and extends spirally. That is, the fluorescent stripes 69 extend so that their positions change in a direction (in the present embodiment, the radial direction of the first flange member 23) intersecting the rotational direction of the second flange member 24 as they proceed in the rotational direction (i.e., the circumferential direction) of the second flange member 24. Accordingly, the position of the fluorescent stripe 69 along the radial direction of the second flange member 24 changes with the rotation of the second flange member 24.

The light emitting portion 62 is fixed to the second flange member 24, for example. The light emitting unit 62 intermittently emits light to the fluorescent stripe 69 when alternately repeating lighting and lighting-off.

As shown in fig. 17, the position detector 63 is attached to, for example, the second flange member 24 so as to face the fluorescent tape 69. The position detecting unit 63 arranges the one-dimensional detection lines thereof in the radial direction of the first flange member 23. The position detecting unit 63 detects where the fluorescent stripes 69 are located in the region where the light receiving surface 63a faces (i.e., the position information of the fluorescent stripes 69 in the radial direction of the first flange member 23).

The angle calculation unit 64 calculates the relative rotation angle of the first flange member 23 and the second flange member 24 from the positional information of the fluorescent stripes 69 based on information about the spiral shape of the fluorescent stripes 69, the positional information of the fluorescent stripes 69 at the reference position (rotation angle 0 °), and the like.

The slit member 66 is provided between the position detection portion 63 and the first flange member 23. The slit member 66 makes the slit 66a along the radial direction of the first flange member 23 and is relatively stationary with respect to the position detecting portion 63. However, the slit member 66 is not essential.

With the wearable motion assist device 101 or the drive unit 102 configured as described above, the influence of light scattering by the rotation angle detection unit 103 is suppressed, and the accuracy of detecting the rotation angle is improved. That is, since the fluorescent stripes 69 themselves emit light, the problem of diffused reflection of light does not occur at the edges of the fluorescent stripes 69, and the light whose scattering is suppressed enters the position detection unit 63. That is, if the fluorescent stripes 69 are used, errors due to light scattering are hard to enter, and the accuracy of detecting the rotation angle is improved. Further, the fluorescent tape 69 may be provided on the second flange member 24, and the position detecting portion 63 may be provided on the first flange member 23.

Next, a wearable motion assist device 111 according to a fourth embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to fig. 19 and 20. The same reference numerals are given to the same components having the same functions as those of the wearable motion assist devices 1, 91, and 101 according to the first to third embodiments, and the description thereof will be omitted.

The shoulder joint mechanism 5 and the elbow joint mechanism 6 of the wearable motion assisting device 111 each have a drive unit 112. The configuration of the drive unit 112, which is only the rotation angle detection unit 113, is different from that of the rotation angle detection unit 51 relating to the first embodiment, and the other configurations are the same as those of the first embodiment.

The rotation angle detection unit 113 includes a reflection belt 97, a first light emitting unit 95, a second light emitting unit 96, a position detection unit 63, an angle calculation unit 64, a controller 65, and a slit member 66.

As shown in fig. 20, the reflection band 97 is provided on the end surface 23a of the first flange member 23, faces the second flange member 24, and extends spirally. That is, the reflection band 97 extends so that its position changes in a direction (in the present embodiment, the radial direction of the first flange member 23) intersecting the rotational direction of the second flange member 24 as it advances in the rotational direction (i.e., the circumferential direction) of the second flange member 24. Accordingly, the position of the reflection band 97 along the radial direction of the second flange member 24 changes with the rotation of the second flange member 24.

The first and second light emitting portions 95 and 96 are fixed to the second flange member 24, for example. The first and second light emitting portions 95 and 96 are provided apart from each other in the radial direction of the second flange member 24. The first and second light emitting units 95 and 96 are alternately lighted, for example.

As shown in fig. 20, the position detector 63 is attached to, for example, the second flange member 24 so as to face the reflection band 97. The position detecting unit 63 arranges the one-dimensional detection lines thereof in the radial direction of the first flange member 23. For example, the position detector 63 detects the position of the peak of the reflected light distribution detected when the first light-emitting unit 95 emits light (hereinafter referred to as "first peak") and the position of the peak of the reflected light distribution detected when the second light-emitting unit 96 emits light (hereinafter referred to as "second peak"), and detects the position, for example, between the first peak and the second peak as the position information of the reflection band 97 at that time, as in the second embodiment. However, the detection method of the position detection unit 63 is not limited to this.

The angle calculation unit 64 calculates the relative rotation angle of the first flange member 23 and the second flange member 24 from the positional information of the reflection band 97 based on information such as information on the spiral shape of the reflection band 97 and positional information of the reflection band 97 at the reference position (rotation angle 0 °).

The slit member 66 is provided between the position detection portion 63 and the first flange member 23. The slit member 66 makes the slit 66a along the radial direction of the first flange member 23 and is relatively stationary with respect to the position detecting portion 63. However, the slit member 66 is not essential.

With the wearable motion assist device 111 or the drive unit 112 having such a configuration, the influence of light scattering by the rotation angle detection unit 113 is suppressed, and the accuracy of detecting the rotation angle is improved. That is, the rotation angle detecting unit 113 according to the present embodiment can reduce the margin for the influence of scattering that appears in one light distribution to enter the detection result by detecting the positional information of the reflection band 97 from two reflected light distributions having different scattering characteristics from each other. Therefore, the detection accuracy of the rotation angle is improved. Further, the reflective tape 97 may be provided on the second flange member 24, and the position detector 63 may be provided on the first flange member 23.

Next, a wearable motion assist device 121 according to a fifth embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to fig. 21 and 22. The same reference numerals are given to the components having the same functions as those of the wearable motion assist device 1 according to the first embodiment, and the description thereof will be omitted.

The shoulder joint mechanism 5 and the elbow joint mechanism 6 of the wearable motion assisting device 121 each have a drive unit 122. The configuration of the drive unit 122 is different from that of the rotation angle detection unit 51 according to the first embodiment only in the rotation angle detection unit 123, and the other configurations are the same as those of the first embodiment.

The rotation angle detection unit 123 includes a detection member 61 having a fluorescent tape 69, a light emitting unit 62, a position detection unit 63, an angle calculation unit 64, a controller 65, and a slit member 66. In the present embodiment, the inner case 34 is an example of the first component of the present invention, and the outer case 35 is an example of the second component.

As shown in fig. 22, the main body 68 of the detection member 61 is formed so that its thickness gradually increases as it goes in the circumferential direction of the inner case 34. The fluorescent stripes 69 are provided on the surface of the main body portion 68. Therefore, the fluorescent stripes 69 extend so as to change in position in a direction intersecting the rotational direction of the inner box 34 (in the present embodiment, the radial direction of the inner box 34) as they proceed in the rotational direction of the inner box 34 (i.e., the circumferential direction). Accordingly, as the inner casing 34 and the outer casing 35 rotate relative to each other, the position of the fluorescent stripe 69 along the radial direction of the inner casing 34 changes.

The light emitting portion 62 is fixed to the second flange member 24, for example. The light emitting unit 62 intermittently emits light to the fluorescent stripe 69 when alternately repeating lighting and lighting-off.

As shown in fig. 17, the position detection unit 63 is attached to the outer case 35, for example, and faces the fluorescent tape 69. The position detector 63 can detect the amount of light incident on the light receiving surface 63 a. The position detector 63 detects where the fluorescent stripes 69 are located in the region where the light receiving surface 63a faces each other (i.e., the positional information of the fluorescent stripes 69 along the radial direction of the inner box 34) based on the magnitude of the amount of light incident from the light receiving surface 63 a.

The angle calculation unit 64 calculates the relative rotation angle between the outer casing 35 and the inner casing 34 from the position information of the fluorescent stripes 69 based on information on the change in the wall thickness of the detection member 61, the position information of the fluorescent stripes 69 at the reference position (rotation angle 0 °), and the like.

With the wearable motion assist device 121 or the drive unit 122 configured as described above, the influence of light scattering by the rotation angle detection unit 123 is suppressed, and the accuracy of detecting the rotation angle is improved. That is, since the fluorescent stripes 69 themselves emit light, there is no problem of diffuse reflection of light in the front and rear regions of the fluorescent stripes 69 in the circumferential direction of the inner box 34, and therefore, the detection accuracy of the rotation angle is improved. The outer casing 35 may be provided with the detection member 61, and the inner casing 34 may be provided with the position detection unit 63.

Next, an embedded motion assist device 200 according to a sixth embodiment will be described. Fig. 23 is a side view showing an embedded motion assist device 200 according to a sixth embodiment.

As shown in fig. 23, the embedded motion assisting device 200 is a device for assisting the motion of the joint, and is composed of a motion assisting unit 230 to be worn on the joint 220 of the wearer, and a control unit 100 having a control circuit for wirelessly controlling the motion assisting unit 230 from the outside of the body.

The motion assisting means 230 includes a first limb 250 coupled to a first bone 222 formed of an upper arm bone of the elbow joint 220, a second limb 260 coupled to a second bone 224 formed of a radius bone on a thumb side and an ulna bone on a little finger side below the elbow of the joint 220, and a driving means 290 provided between the first limb 250 and the second limb 260 and driving the second limb 260 in a rotational direction of the joint with respect to the first limb 250. A combining portion 252 combined with the first bones 222 is protruded at the upper end of the first limb 250, and a combining portion 262 combined with the second bones 224 is protruded at the lower end of the second limb 260.

Since the coupling portions 252 and 262 of the first limb 250 and the second limb 60 are directly coupled to the bone, they are formed of a material that is difficult to corrode, such as titanium, titanium alloy, or ceramic. As a method for bonding the bonding portions 252 and 262 to the bone, for example, a method of bonding by a coupling member such as a screw or a rivet made of a material that is difficult to corrode such as titanium, a titanium alloy, or ceramic is used.

Further, a wireless transceiver for transmitting the driving information signal to the outside of the body and receiving a control signal from the outside of the body, and a control unit for supplying the driving current to the driving unit 290 are provided on the side surface of the driving unit 290.

The driving unit 290 has a motor 292 such as a DC motor, an AC motor, or an ultrasonic motor. The motor 292 is configured by combining a stator and a rotor, one of which is a coil and the other is a permanent magnet. The driving force generated by the motor 292 is transmitted to the second leg 260 via a speed reduction mechanism such as a reduction gear that reduces the relative rotation between the stator and the rotor.

In this way, the controller 45 of the driving unit 290 generates a driving current, and supplies the driving current to the coil of the motor 292, thereby rotating the second leg 260 with respect to the first leg 250.

Further, a biopotential sensor 310 for detecting a biopotential of the upper arm portion is connected to the control unit 45 of the drive unit 290. When the wearer wants to move the arm, a biopotential signal including a nerve transmission signal and a tendon potential signal is generated. Since the biopotential sensor 310 is embedded in the muscle of the upper arm, a biopotential signal can be detected without passing through the skin, and the biopotential signal can be detected more accurately than the biopotential signal which is attached to the skin surface of the upper arm.

The rechargeable battery cells 320 are housed in the first leg 250 and the second leg 260, respectively. The rechargeable battery unit 320 is composed of a charging unit 322 that is charged by electromagnetic induction from the outside, and a rechargeable battery 324. The rechargeable battery cells 320 are provided in a pair, one being a main power supply and the other being a reserve power supply. Therefore, in the operation assisting unit 230, even if the voltage of one rechargeable battery 324 decreases, the other rechargeable battery 324 is automatically switched to, thereby preventing an emergency stop. Since the rechargeable battery cell 320 can be charged while being worn in the body, it can be used while being worn in the body for a long time (within the range of chargeable times) until the end of the charging life. The rechargeable battery cells 320 may be provided in the first and second limbs 250 and 260, respectively, or may be provided in either one of the limbs.

In addition, the driving unit 290 has a torque sensor (physical quantity sensor) 294 that detects the torque T generated by the supplied driving current, and an angle sensor (physical quantity sensor) 296 that detects the rotation angle θ of the first limb 250 and the second limb 260. The torque sensor 294 and the angle sensor 296 output detection signals of the detected torque and angle to the driving unit 290. As the torque sensor 294, a magnetostrictive torque sensor that detects strain of a shaft that transmits a rotational driving force, an electromagnetic torque sensor that electromagnetically detects a phase difference between a driving-side gear and a load-side gear of the motor 292, or the like is used. As the angle sensor 296, for example, a rotary encoder that outputs pulses of the number corresponding to the rotation angle, a potentiometer that changes a resistance value corresponding to the rotation angle, or the like is used.

Further, a stress sensor (physical quantity sensor) 330 for detecting stress (strain) acting when the motor is driven is provided on the outer periphery of the first leg 250 and the second leg 260. The stress sensor 330 is constituted by a strain gauge, and outputs a detection signal corresponding to the stress acting on the first limb 250 and the second limb 260 to the control unit 45 of the driving unit 290.

The control unit 45 wirelessly transmits detection signals detected by the torque sensor 294, the angle sensor 296, the biopotential sensor 310, and the stress sensor 330 to the control unit 100 via the wireless transceiver. The control unit 100 transmits the information on the operating state of the drive unit 290 obtained from the control unit 45 to the above-described central information management device 84 via the communication network 83.

Accordingly, the information management device 84 stores the received information on the operating state of the driving unit 290 in the database 88, and the analysis device 87 analyzes the operating state of the driving unit 290 and notifies the control unit 100 of the analysis result via the communication network 83. Therefore, the control unit 100 performs control so as to reduce (reduce) the motor torque and the rotation angle so as not to become an overload state according to the operating state of the driving unit 290.

The wireless transmission receiver 280, the motor 292, the torque sensor 294, and the angle sensor 296 are housed in a case of the driving unit 290. The drive unit 290, which is worn inside the joint 220, has a waterproof structure that prevents body fluid from entering the inside of the case, and is configured so that a malfunction of the motor 292 due to body fluid does not occur. The control process of the embedded motion assist device 200 is executed in the same order as in the above-described flowcharts, and therefore, the description thereof is omitted.

Since the driving unit 290 has the configuration of the control unit 100, information on the operation state may be directly transmitted to the central information management apparatus 84.

Next, an embedded motion assist device 500 according to a seventh embodiment will be described.

Fig. 24 is a perspective view showing an embedded motion assist device 500 according to a seventh embodiment. As shown in fig. 24, the embedded motion assist device 500 is worn outside the joint 510. The joint 510 is a portion connecting the upper arm bone 520, the radius bone 530, and the ulna bone 540, and abuts against the drive unit 550 on the left and right sides thereof. The drive unit 550 has a thin motor, and the motor is housed in a case having a waterproof structure. Further, the inner side of the driving unit 550 is formed in a curved shape according to the shape of the joint 510, and is formed of a low friction material having a small friction coefficient in order to reduce friction with the joint 510.

A first limb 560 is connected to the upper side of the driving unit 550. The first leg 560 is fixed to the upper arm bone 520 by a coupling member, and houses a thin electromagnetic induction type charging unit and a rechargeable battery therein. Further, a second limb 570 is coupled to the upper side of the drive unit 550. The second limb 570 is fixed to the radius 530 and the ulna 540 by a coupling member, and houses a thin electromagnetic induction type charging unit and a rechargeable battery therein.

The driving unit 550 is controlled by the control unit 100 by a wireless signal, as in the above-described embodiment. The control process of the embedded motion assist device 500 is executed in the same order as in the above-described flowcharts, and therefore, the description thereof is omitted.

As described above, even when the embedded motion assist device 500 is configured to be worn outside the joint 510, the drive unit 550, the first limb 560, and the second limb 570 are made thin, so that the wearing is not visible from the appearance, and the wearing and removing work is not necessary, which improves the convenience for the physically handicapped who have inconveniently his or her feet.

The drive unit 550 transmits information on the operation state to the information management apparatus 84 of the center via the communication network 83.

Accordingly, the information management device 84 stores the received information on the operating state of the drive unit 550 in the database 88, and the analysis device 87 analyzes the operating state of the drive unit 550 and notifies the control unit 100 of the analysis result via the communication network 83. Therefore, the control unit 100 performs control so as to reduce (reduce) the motor torque and the rotation angle so as not to become an overload state according to the operating state of the drive unit 550.

Since the drive unit 550 has the configuration of the control unit 100, the information of the operation state may be directly transmitted to the central information management apparatus 84.

The wearable motion assistive devices 1, 91, 101, 111, 121, the embedded motion assistive devices 200, 500, and the driving units 11, 92, 102, 112, 122, 290, 550 according to the first and second embodiments have been described above, but these are merely examples of the embodiments of the present invention, and the present invention is not limited thereto.

The present international application claims priority based on Japanese patent application No. 2006-272223, applied on 3/2006, and Japanese patent application No. 2007-242648, applied on 19/2007, 9, 2007, and the entire contents of Japanese patent application No. 2006-272223 and Japanese patent application No. 2007-242648 are included in the present international application.

Claims (9)

1. A motion assist device having a drive unit for assisting or replacing a motion of a joint and a control unit for controlling the drive unit,

it is characterized in that the preparation method is characterized in that,

the drive unit has

A motor for applying an inputted driving force and

a control unit for generating a drive signal to be supplied to the motor based on a control signal from the control unit,

the control part is provided with

A motor monitoring component for calculating the remaining life time by subtracting the total operation time from the end to the present from the life time of the motor, and

and a motor control means for gradually reducing the drive signal to be supplied to the motor at a predetermined rate when the remaining life time of the motor calculated by the motor monitoring means reaches a predetermined value.

2. The motion assist device as set forth in claim 1,

it is characterized in that the preparation method is characterized in that,

the drive unit is provided with

A case for accommodating the motor,

A rotating body accommodated in the case and having a peripheral surface rotating relatively to the case when the motor is driven,

A fluorescent tape arranged along the circumferential surface of the rotating body and extending obliquely with respect to the circumferential direction of the rotating body,

A light emitting part for irradiating the fluorescent band with light,

A detection unit which is stationary relative to the case and has a light receiving surface facing the fluorescent band, receives light emitted from the fluorescent band, and detects positional information of the fluorescent band along the axial direction of the rotating body, and a detection unit

And a calculation unit for calculating a relative rotation angle between the case and the rotating body based on the position information of the fluorescent tape detected by the detection unit.

3. The motion assist device of claim 2,

the light emitting unit is turned on and off to emit light to the fluorescent band,

the detection unit receives light emitted from the fluorescent band when the light emitting unit is turned off, and detects positional information of the fluorescent band.

4. The motion assist device as set forth in claim 1,

it is characterized in that the preparation method is characterized in that,

the drive unit has

A case for accommodating the motor,

A rotating body accommodated in the case and having a peripheral surface rotating relatively to the case when the motor is driven,

A reflection band arranged along the peripheral surface of the rotary body and extending obliquely with respect to the peripheral direction of the rotary body,

A first light-emitting unit for emitting light to the reflection band,

A second light emitting part provided in the axial direction of the rotating body apart from the first light emitting part and emitting light to the reflection band,

A light receiving surface which is relatively static relative to the box and is opposite to the reflection band, a detection part which receives the light of the first light-emitting part reflected by the reflection band and the light of the second light-emitting part reflected by the reflection band and detects the position information of the reflection band along the axial direction of the rotating body, and a detection part

And a calculation unit for calculating a relative rotation angle between the tank and the rotating body based on the position information of the reflection band detected by the detection unit.

5. The motion assist device of claim 4,

the first light emitting unit and the second light emitting unit are alternately lighted,

the detection unit detects positional information of the reflection band based on a distribution of reflected light detected when the first light-emitting unit emits light and a distribution of reflected light detected when the second light-emitting unit emits light.

6. The motion assist device of claim 2,

the rotating body is a gear box in which one or more gears are housed.

7. The motion assist device of claim 6,

the slit member is provided with a slit formed along the axial direction of the rotating body and disposed between the detecting unit and the rotating body.

8. The motion assist device of claim 1,

the above-mentioned drive unit

Has a communication means for transmitting information including data on the driving state of the motor.

9. A maintenance management system for an operation assisting device is characterized by comprising

The movement assisting device according to claim 8,

A receiving member provided in a center for managing an operation state of the operation assisting device and receiving data information on a driving state of the motor transmitted from the driving unit via the communication member and a communication network,

A database for storing the data information of the driving state of the motor inputted via the receiving member,

An analysis means for analyzing the data information stored in the database to create information on the life and overload state of the drive unit,

And a transmission means for transmitting maintenance information to the drive unit when it is determined that the motor needs maintenance based on the analysis result obtained by the analysis means.