Orthosis for leg movement with virtual hip pivot

摘要

A leg exercise orthosis supports the leg of a patient while causing movement of the hip, knee, and ankle joints. The apparatus includes a frame; a femur support; a tibia support which is pivotally connected to the femur support; a double four-bar linkage which connects the frame, the femur support, and the tibia support; and a drive motor connected to the double four-bar linkage. As it is driven by the drive motor, the double four bar linkage guides motion of the femur and tibia supports so that femur support pivots about a virtual pivot axis which essentially corresponds to the pivot axis of the hip joint of the leg.