SWING LEG PENDULAR MOVEMENT ASSISTING TOOL FOR WALKING AND METHOD FOR CONTROLLING ASSIST FORCE

摘要

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a movement assisting tool for walking based on a new technical concept which pays attention to a swing leg capable of effectively restraining deterioration of muscle power and also supporting walking with a smaller energy for a longer time at a longer distance in the case of keeping a fixed walking speed by use in a person deteriorating in walking ability to support the walking movement with small force, thereby promoting the walking movement by muscle power of the person deteriorating in walking ability himself to increase the walking speed.SOLUTION: A swing leg pendular movement assisting tool 10 for walking includes: a pair of assist members each having a driving source 40 for exerting tensile force to an assisting force transmitting part 12 for right and left leg parts; a joint angle sensor 32 for detecting the joint angle in user's hip joint; and control means 50 for causing the respective driving sources 40 in the respective assist members to drive corresponding to a change in joint angle to exert the assist force in the direction of swinging forward to a swing leg floating from the ground so that the pendular movement of the swing leg is assisted.