Design and Characteristic Analysis of a Novel Compact Torsion Spring for Assistive Exoskeleton Robots

To improve traditional rigid exoskeletons in terms of human-machine interaction flexibility and safety, a novel compact torsion spring was developed for lower limb joint assistance in this study. The flexibility of the torsion spring drive was enhanced by the deformation of elastic elements between...

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Main Authors: Mingxing Yang, Taohong Jia, Yue Yang, Shiliang Liu, Tao Zhou
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: IEEE 2025-01-01
Series:IEEE Access
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Online Access:https://ieeexplore.ieee.org/document/11059933/
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author Mingxing Yang
Taohong Jia
Yue Yang
Shiliang Liu
Tao Zhou
author_facet Mingxing Yang
Taohong Jia
Yue Yang
Shiliang Liu
Tao Zhou
author_sort Mingxing Yang
collection DOAJ
description To improve traditional rigid exoskeletons in terms of human-machine interaction flexibility and safety, a novel compact torsion spring was developed for lower limb joint assistance in this study. The flexibility of the torsion spring drive was enhanced by the deformation of elastic elements between inner and outer rings and three limiting beams were added between elastic bodies to improve its intensity. Subsequently, the overall quality, maximum stress, and maximum deformation were selected as optimization objectives and the size of the torsion spring was optimized with finite element method. To verify the stable stiffness characteristics of the design scheme under different load conditions, finite element simulation and experimental data were respectively utilized to fit the torque and torsion angle variables in MATLAB. Finally, a performance testing experimental platform for the torsion spring was established to experimentally analyze its stiffness characteristics and position tracking performance. The feasibility of the torsion spring was confirmed through experiments on exoskeleton following human walking.
format Article
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institution Kabale University
issn 2169-3536
language English
publishDate 2025-01-01
publisher IEEE
record_format Article
series IEEE Access
spelling doaj-art-46c0afdb1d6841e9a435dadcb039efde2025-08-20T03:28:40ZengIEEEIEEE Access2169-35362025-01-011311515111515910.1109/ACCESS.2025.358464611059933Design and Characteristic Analysis of a Novel Compact Torsion Spring for Assistive Exoskeleton RobotsMingxing Yang0https://orcid.org/0000-0001-6327-2263Taohong Jia1Yue Yang2Shiliang Liu3Tao Zhou4Department of Spinal Orthopaedics, Ma’anshan People’s Hospital, Maanshan, ChinaSchool of Mechanical Engineering, Anhui University of Technology, Maanshan, ChinaDepartment of Spinal Orthopaedics, Ma’anshan People’s Hospital, Maanshan, ChinaChina Ship Development and Design Center, Wuhan, ChinaDepartment of Spinal Orthopaedics, Ma’anshan People’s Hospital, Maanshan, ChinaTo improve traditional rigid exoskeletons in terms of human-machine interaction flexibility and safety, a novel compact torsion spring was developed for lower limb joint assistance in this study. The flexibility of the torsion spring drive was enhanced by the deformation of elastic elements between inner and outer rings and three limiting beams were added between elastic bodies to improve its intensity. Subsequently, the overall quality, maximum stress, and maximum deformation were selected as optimization objectives and the size of the torsion spring was optimized with finite element method. To verify the stable stiffness characteristics of the design scheme under different load conditions, finite element simulation and experimental data were respectively utilized to fit the torque and torsion angle variables in MATLAB. Finally, a performance testing experimental platform for the torsion spring was established to experimentally analyze its stiffness characteristics and position tracking performance. The feasibility of the torsion spring was confirmed through experiments on exoskeleton following human walking.https://ieeexplore.ieee.org/document/11059933/Rigid exoskeletonhuman-machine interactiontorsion springcompliant actuationstiffness characteristics
spellingShingle Mingxing Yang
Taohong Jia
Yue Yang
Shiliang Liu
Tao Zhou
Design and Characteristic Analysis of a Novel Compact Torsion Spring for Assistive Exoskeleton Robots
IEEE Access
Rigid exoskeleton
human-machine interaction
torsion spring
compliant actuation
stiffness characteristics
title Design and Characteristic Analysis of a Novel Compact Torsion Spring for Assistive Exoskeleton Robots
title_full Design and Characteristic Analysis of a Novel Compact Torsion Spring for Assistive Exoskeleton Robots
title_fullStr Design and Characteristic Analysis of a Novel Compact Torsion Spring for Assistive Exoskeleton Robots
title_full_unstemmed Design and Characteristic Analysis of a Novel Compact Torsion Spring for Assistive Exoskeleton Robots
title_short Design and Characteristic Analysis of a Novel Compact Torsion Spring for Assistive Exoskeleton Robots
title_sort design and characteristic analysis of a novel compact torsion spring for assistive exoskeleton robots
topic Rigid exoskeleton
human-machine interaction
torsion spring
compliant actuation
stiffness characteristics
url https://ieeexplore.ieee.org/document/11059933/
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AT taohongjia designandcharacteristicanalysisofanovelcompacttorsionspringforassistiveexoskeletonrobots
AT yueyang designandcharacteristicanalysisofanovelcompacttorsionspringforassistiveexoskeletonrobots
AT shiliangliu designandcharacteristicanalysisofanovelcompacttorsionspringforassistiveexoskeletonrobots
AT taozhou designandcharacteristicanalysisofanovelcompacttorsionspringforassistiveexoskeletonrobots