Portable system for assisting body movement

Abstract

The present invention provides a differential pressure body suit with external support against body suit migration. In its preferred embodiment, such body suit may comprise a close-fitting, multi-layered suit sealed against a mammal's skin to contain the differential pressure, or a looser-fitting suit that bends at the mammal's joints with minimal force. External support means include either fixed or movable mechanical supports attached to the body suit, extraordinary air pressure levels for making the body suit rigid, or exoskeletons attached to the body suit. A cyclic control system can turn the differential pressure condition within the body suit on and off on a selective basis to accommodate the movement of the legs of the mammal. This differential pressure body suit provides a portable and convenient system for, e.g., rehabilitating a skeletal joint injury or training the mammal for injury prevention or athletic performance. The pressurization reduces the weight of the body to greater or lesser extents, and offloads the weight to the ground through the external support means.

1 . A system for assisting the motion of or supporting a body of a mammal, such system comprising:
 (a) a pressure-tight suit worn over at least one part of the mammal's body having at least one opening for inserting the body part into the suit;   (b) means for providing a pressure-tight seal connected adjacent to the opening of the suit for operative engagement of the body part surface of the mammal;   (c) inlet means in the suit for introduction of at least one source of positive pressure or vacuum to the interior of the suit between the mammal body and the suit to create a differential pressure condition therein;   (d) support means connected to the suit for counteracting a downwards force applied to the suit when it is placed under the differential pressure condition;   (e) whereby the differential pressure condition contained inside the suit exerts an upwards force upon the body part to offload a portion of the weight of the body to the support means.   
   
   
       2 . The assisted motion system of  claim 1 , wherein the body suit is worn by the mammal during exercise or training. 
   
   
       3 . The assisted motion system of  claim 1 , wherein the body suit is worn by the mammal during rehabilitation of an injury. 
   
   
       4 . The assisted motion system of  claim 1 , wherein the body suit is worn by the mammal to reduce weight on the muscle skeletal structure of the mammal. 
   
   
       5 . The assisted motion system of  claim 1 , wherein the body suit is worn by the mammal to maintain proper posture of the muscle skeletal structure of the mammal. 
   
   
       6 . The assisted motion system of  claim 1 , wherein the at least one source of positive pressure is provided by a pressurized gas. 
   
   
       7 . The assisted motion system of  claim 6 , wherein the pressurized gas comprises air. 
   
   
       8 . The assisted motion system of  claim 6 , wherein the pressurized gas comprises nitrogen. 
   
   
       9 . The assisted motion system of  claim 6 , wherein the pressurized gas comprises carbon dioxide. 
   
   
       10 . The assisted motion system of  claim 6 , wherein-the pressurized gas comprises argon. 
   
   
       11 . The assisted motion system of  claim 1 , wherein the at least one source of vacuum is provided by a vacuum pump. 
   
   
       12 . The assisted motion system of  claim 1 , wherein the source of positive pressure or vacuum is portable. 
   
   
       13 . The assisted motion system of  claim 1 , wherein the body suit covers the feet of the mammal, and a first positive pressure condition is introduced to a leg portion of the body suit covering the foot that is in contact with a hard surface, while a second positive pressure condition less than the first positive pressure condition is introduced to a leg portion of the body suit covering the foot that is removed from the hard surface, further comprising a controller for regulating the cycling between the first and second positive pressure conditions introduced to the body suit. 
   
   
       14 . The assisted motion system of  claim 13 , wherein the body suit further comprises at least one sensor positioned below the foot of the mammal for detecting the relative contact position of the foot with respect to the hard surface, such'sensor providing a signal to the controller to regulate the cycled first and second positive pressure conditions delivered to the body suit. 
   
   
       15 . The assisted motion system of  claim 1 , wherein the at least one source of positive pressure is produced by energy expended by the mammal. 
   
   
       16 . The assisted motion system of  claim 1 , wherein the at least one source of positive pressure is produced by a foot-driven air pump operatively connected to a foot of the mammal. 
   
   
       17 . The assisted motion system of  claim 1  further comprising means within the body suit for regulating the air temperature within the body suit. 
   
   
       18 . The assisted motion system of  claim 1  further comprising means within the body suit for regulating the humidity level within the body suit. 
   
   
       19 . The assisted motion system of  claim 1 , wherein the body suit closely fits the mammal's body. 
   
   
       20 . The assisted motion system of  claim 1 , wherein the body suit loosely fits the mammal's body. 
   
   
       21 . The assisted motion system of  claim 1 , wherein the body suit comprises multiple layers of material. 
   
   
       22 . The assisted motion system of  claim 21 , wherein at least one layer comprises an inner vent layer. 
   
   
       23 . The assisted motion system of  claim 21 , wherein at least one layer comprises an air pressure resistant layer. 
   
   
       24 . The assisted motion system of  claim 21 , wherein at least one layer comprises a layer for restraining the force applied by the positive pressure source to the body suit. 
   
   
       25 . The assisted motion system of  claim 24 , wherein the restraining layer constrains the application of circumferential force to the body suit. 
   
   
       26 . The assisted motion system of  claim 24 , wherein the restraining layer constrains the application of longitudinal force to the body suit. 
   
   
       27 . The assisted motion system of  claim 1 , wherein at least one layer of material within the body suit is extensible along a first axis, and non-extensible along a second axis perpendicular to the first axis. 
   
   
       28 . The assisted motion system of  claim 20 , wherein the loose-fitting body suit comprises at least one joint for encompassing a joint within the muscle skeletal structure of the mammal. 
   
   
       29 . The assisted motion system of  claim 28 , wherein the body suit joint is a constant-volume joint. 
   
   
       30 . The assisted motion system of  claim 1 , wherein the pressure-tight sealing means comprises an airproof elastic sleeve. 
   
   
       31 . The assisted motion system of  claim 1 , wherein the pressure-tight sealing means comprises an airproof band. 
   
   
       32 . The assisted motion system of  claim 1 , wherein the pressure-tight sealing means comprises an airproof pair of shorts attached to the interior of the body suit adjacent to the sealing location. 
   
   
       33 . The assisted motion system of  claim 1 , wherein the pressure-tight sealing means comprises an inflatable air tube seal. 
   
   
       34 . The assisted motion system of  claim 1 , wherein the pressure-tight sealing means comprises an air bladder. 
   
   
       35 . The assisted motion system of  claim 1 , wherein the pressure-tight suit is sealed around the waist of the mammal, and extends down the lower body to cover the feet of the mammal. 
   
   
       36 . The assisted motion system of  claim 1 , wherein the pressure-tight suit is sealed around the waist of the mammal, and extends down the lower body to seal around the ankles of the mammal. 
   
   
       37 . The assisted motion system of  claim 1 , wherein the pressure-tight suit is sealed around the waist of the mammal, and extends down the lower body to seal around the knees of the mammal. 
   
   
       38 . The assisted motion system of  claim 1 , wherein the pressure-tight suit comprises separate leg units, each leg unit being sealed around a thigh of the mammal, and extending down the lower body to seal around an ankle of the mammal. 
   
   
       39 . The assisted motion system of  claim 1 , wherein the pressure-tight suit comprises separate leg units, each leg unit being sealed around a thigh of the mammal, and extending down the lower body to seal around a knee of the mammal. 
   
   
       40 . The assisted motion system of  claim 1 , wherein the pressure-tight suit is sealed around the chest of the mammal, and extends down the lower body to cover the feet of the mammal. 
   
   
       41 . The assisted motion system of  claim 1 , wherein the pressure-tight suit covers the upper body of the mammal. 
   
   
       42 . The assisted motion system of  claim 41 , wherein the pressure-tight suit covering the upper body of the mammal is sealed above the waist and adjacent to the neck and arms of the mammal. 
   
   
       43 . The assisted motion system of  claim 1 , wherein the pressurized suit is operative connected to a rigid band on the support means for encircling the waist of the mammal wearing the suit. 
   
   
       44 . The assisted motion system of  claim 1 , wherein the support means is movable. 
   
   
       45 . The assisted motion system of  claim 44 , wherein the support means comprises at least two wheels. 
   
   
       46 . The assisted motion system of  claim 45 , wherein support means comprises a wheel substantially ahead of the mammal, and a wheel substantially behind the mammal. 
   
   
       47 . The assisted motion system of  claim 45 , wherein support means comprises a cart. 
   
   
       48 . The assisted motion system of  claim 46  further comprising means for steering or braking the support means. 
   
   
       49 . The assisted motion system of  claim 1 , wherein support means comprises a stationary frame. 
   
   
       50 . The assisted motion system of  claim 49 , wherein stationary frame support means enables a mammal wearing the pressurized suit to use a treadmill, stair-master, orbital trainer, cross-country ski trainer, or other exercise apparatus. 
   
   
       51 . The assisted motion system of  claim 49 , wherein stationary frame support means accommodates lateral or longitudinal movement of the mammal wearing the pressurized suit. 
   
   
       52 . The assisted motion system of  claim 49 , wherein stationary frame support means accommodates vertical movement of the mammal wearing the pressurized suit. 
   
   
       53 . The assisted motion system of  claim 52 , wherein stationary frame support means comprises means for providing a constant force to support the vertical downwards loads applied by the pressurized suit connected to the support means, while accommodating the vertical movement of the mammal's body. 
   
   
       54 . The assisted motion system of  claim 1 , wherein the pressurized suit comprises at least one tubular leg unit, and the support means comprises a column of pressurized air. 
   
   
       55 . The assisted motion system of  claim 1 , wherein the tubular leg unit comprises at least one separate, smaller pressurized tubular unit for supporting the downwards load produced by the pressurized suit. 
   
   
       56 . The assisted motion system of  claim 1 , wherein the support means comprises an exoskeleton attached to the exterior of the pressure-tight suit. 
   
   
       57 . The assisted motion system of  claim 1 , wherein the external support means comprises an exoskeleton embedded within the pressure-tight suit 
   
   
       58 . The assisted motion system of  claim 1 , wherein the mammal is a human. 
   
   
       59 . The assisted motion system of  claim 1 , wherein the mammal is four-legged animal. 
   
   
       60 . A system for assisting the motion of or supporting a body of a mammal, such system comprising:
 (a) a suit formed from fabric or elastic material wound around at least one part of the mammal's body circumferentially kept under tension for creating an inwardly-directed radial force upon the body part;   (b) support means connected to the suit for counteracting a downwards force applied to the suit when it is placed under tension;   (c) whereby the tension condition contained inside the suit exerts an upwards force upon the body part to offload a portion of the weight of the body to the support means.   
   
   
       61 . The assisted motion system of  claim 60  further comprising an air bladder positioned under a portion of the wound material for creating further tension upon the body part inside the suit. 
   
   
       62 . The assisted motion system of  claim 60 , wherein the wound material comprises a shaped memory alloy or shaped memory polymer. 
   
   
       63 . A method for reducing groin numbness in a human riding a bicycle, comprising:
 (a) a pressure-tight suit worn over at least the lower body of the mammal having at least one opening for inserting a lower body part into the suit;   (b) means for providing a pressure-tight seal connected adjacent to the opening of the suit for operative engagement of the body part surface of the mammal;   (c) inlet means in the suit for introduction of at least one source of positive pressure or vacuum to the interior of the suit between the mammal body and the suit to create a differential pressure condition therein;   (d) support means extending from the bicycle and connected to the suit for counteracting a downwards force applied to the suit when it is placed under the differential pressure condition;   (e) whereby the differential pressure condition contained inside the suit exerts an upwards force upon the lower body to offload a portion of the weight of the body to the support means and bicycle to create separation between the groin of the mammal and the bicycle.   
   
   
       64 . The method of  claim 63 , wherein the support means comprises a rigid exoskeleton. 
   
   
       65 . The assisted motion system of  claim 1  further comprising a bladder attached to the interior of the pressure-tight suit positioned between the suit and the body part, wherein the positive pressure introduced into the interior of the suit is contained within the bladder.