Human lower limb performance enhancement outfit systems

Abstract

The present invention comprises a user-friendly, soft and resilient, biomimetic (mimicking biological entities) lower limb support outfits that can be worn externally by people to improve and enhance lower limb, legs and knees performance in sports, daily dynamic activities and medical rehabilitation/physical therapy. More specifically, the present invention relates to an outfit, which allows a portion of the upper limb's quasi-static weight and dynamic weight due to impact forces to be excluded from being transmitted to the lower limb, legs, quadriceps and hamstrings muscles and knees by directly transmitting them to the ankles, footwear and/or the ground, through soft elastic columnar quasi-legs that are equipped with smart biomimetic materials such as shape memory materials and artificial muscles such as synthetic and/or ionic polymeric muscles and provide lower limb support function by buckling and bending in accordance with the dynamic maneuvering of the user. The said lower limb performance enhancing outfit is encapsulated by user-friendly fabric means for easy wear. The upper portion of the outfit can be in the form of a sports short worn by the user and encapsulating the buttocks support plates or supporting other outfits worn on the torso of the user or support other loads on the torso such as a backpack.

1 ) A human performance enhancement apparatus, comprising a biomimetic quasi-leg, having first and second ends, wherein the second end is adapted to mount with a portion of the human body above the knee, and wherein the first end is adapted to mount in a substantially fixed relationship with a portion of the human body below the knee, wherein the quasi-leg comprises an artificial muscle or a smart material.  
     
     
         2 ) A human performance enhancement apparatus as in  claim 1 , wherein the first end is adapted to mount with the ankle or foot of a human, and wherein the second end is adapted to mount with the buttocks of a human.  
     
     
         3 ) An apparatus as in  claim 2 , wherein the first end comprises a binding strap suitable for attachment to a human ankle or to a human foot and a ground member, where the human foot communicates forces with a surface, and wherein the ground member mounts relative to the binding strap such that the ground member communicates force with the surface substantially contemporaneously with the foot's communication of forces with the surface.  
     
     
         4 ) An apparatus as in  claim 2 , wherein the first end comprises a binding strap suitable for attachment to a human ankle or to a human foot and a ground member mounted relative to the binding strap such that the ground member communicates force with a surface opposing forces supplied by the quasi-leg.  
     
     
         5 ) An apparatus as in  claim 2 , wherein the first end comprises footwear suitable for wear by a human.  
     
     
         6 ) An apparatus as in  claim 2 , wherein the second end comprises a buttocks support plate.  
     
     
         7 ) An apparatus as in  claim 2 , further comprising fabric encapsulating at least a portion of the apparatus.  
     
     
         8 ) An apparatus as in  claim 2 , further comprising a second biomimetic quasi-leg, having first and second ends, wherein the first end is adapted to mount with the ankle or foot of a human, and wherein the second end is adapted to mount with the buttocks of a human, and wherein the second biomimetic quasi-leg comprises an artificial muscle or a smart material.  
     
     
         9 ) An apparatus as in  claim 2 , wherein the second end comprises a load-carrying structure, mounted with the quasi-leg such that a portion of the weight of the load-carrying structure is communicated to the quasi-leg.  
     
     
         10 ) An apparatus as in  claim 9 , wherein the load-carrying structure comprises a pouch.  
     
     
         11 ) A human performance enhancement apparatus, comprising a biomimetic quasi-leg, having first and second ends, wherein the second end is adapted to mount with a portion of the human body above the knee, and wherein the first end is adapted to mount with a portion of the human body below the knee, and wherein the quasi-leg comprises an artificial muscle or a smart material.  
     
     
         12 ) An apparatus as in  claim 11 , wherein the first end is adapted to mount with a human foot or ankle.  
     
     
         13 ) An apparatus as in  claim 11 , wherein the second end is adapted to mount with a human waist.  
     
     
         14 ) An apparatus as in  claim 11 , wherein the second end is adapted to mount with a human torso.  
     
     
         15 ) An apparatus as in  claim 11 , further comprising a second biomimetic quasi-leg, having first and second ends, wherein the second end is adapted to mount with a portion of the human body above the knee, and wherein the first end is adapted to mount with a portion of the human body below the knee, and wherein the second quasi-leg comprises an artificial muscle or a smart material.  
     
     
         16 ) An apparatus as in  claim 11 , wherein the second end comprises a load-carrying structure, mounted with the quasi-leg such that a portion of the weight of the load-carrying structure is communicated to the quasi-leg.  
     
     
         17 ) An apparatus as in  claim 16 , wherein the load-carrying structure comprises a pack.  
     
     
         18 ) An apparatus as in  claim 1 , wherein the first end is adapted to mount with a ski boot, ski binding, or ski.  
     
     
         19 ) An apparatus as in  claim 1 , wherein the second end comprises a vest.  
     
     
         20 ) A human performance enhancement apparatus, comprising a biomimetic quasi-leg, having first and second ends, wherein the second end is adapted to mount with a portion of the human body above the knee, and wherein the first end is adapted to communicate forces to a surface that supports the human, wherein the quasi-leg comprises an artificial muscle or a smart material.  
     
     
         21 ) An apparatus as in  claim 20 , wherein the first end comprises a ball mounted rotatably in a socket, mounted with the quasi-leg such that the ball communicates forces to the surface responsive to flexure of the quasi-leg.  
     
     
         22 ) An apparatus as in  claim 20 , wherein the first end comprises a wheel mounted with a housing, mounted with the quasi-leg such that the wheel communicates forces to the surface responsive to flexure of the quasi-leg.  
     
     
         23 ) An apparatus as in  claim 20 , wherein the first end comprises a low friction surface mounted with the quasi-leg such that the ball communicates forces to the surface responsive to flexure of the quasi-leg.  
     
     
         24 ) An apparatus as in  claim 20 , wherein the second end comprises a load-carrying structure, mounted with the quasi-leg such that a portion of the weight of the load-carrying structure is communicated to the quasi-leg.  
     
     
         25 ) An apparatus as in  claim 24 , wherein the load-carrying structure comprises a pack.