Patents by Inventor Erich Hacker
Erich Hacker has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).
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Publication number: 20210007875Abstract: An exoskeleton includes two torque generators, two thigh links, and a supporting trunk rotatably coupled to the thigh links. When a wearer bends forward in the sagittal plane such that the supporting trunk extends beyond a predetermined angle A with respect to vertical, at least one of the torque generators imposes a resisting torque between the supporting trunk and a corresponding thigh link, thus imposing a force onto a wearer's trunk and thighs to aid in supporting the wearer in a bent position. The exoskeleton may include an active or passive means for actuating the generators. When the supporting trunk does not extend beyond the predetermined angle A, the torque generators do not impose resisting torques between the supporting trunk and the thigh links during the entire range of motion of the thigh links, thus enabling a wearer to walk, run and sit without constraint while in an upright position.Type: ApplicationFiled: September 30, 2020Publication date: January 14, 2021Inventors: Homayoon Kazerooni, Erich Hacker, Lee-Huang Chen
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Patent number: 10821017Abstract: An exoskeleton includes two torque generators, two thigh links, and a supporting trunk rotatably coupled to the thigh links. When a wearer bends forward in the sagittal plane such that the supporting trunk extends beyond a predetermined angle A with respect to vertical, at least one of the torque generators imposes a resisting torque between the supporting trunk and a corresponding thigh link, thus imposing a force onto a wearer's trunk and thighs to aid in supporting the wearer in a bent position. The exoskeleton may include an active or passive means for actuating the generators. When the supporting trunk does not extend beyond the predetermined angle A, the torque generators do not impose resisting torques between the supporting trunk and the thigh links during the entire range of motion of the thigh links, thus enabling a wearer to walk, run and sit without constraint while in an upright position.Type: GrantFiled: March 24, 2017Date of Patent: November 3, 2020Assignee: The Regents of the University of CaliforniaInventors: Homayoon Kazerooni, Erich Hacker, Lee-Huang Chen
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Patent number: 9744066Abstract: A trunk supporting exoskeleton comprises: a supporting trunk; thigh links configured to move in unison with a person's thighs; and first and second torque generators located on both left and right halves of the person substantially close to the person's hip. The torque generators couple the supporting trunk to the thigh links, and generate torque between the thigh links and the supporting trunk. When the person bends forward such that a predetermined portion of the supporting trunk passes beyond a predetermined angle from vertical, a torque generator(s) imposes a resisting torque between the supporting trunk and the thigh link(s), causing the supporting trunk to impose a force against the person's trunk, and the thigh link(s) to impose a force onto the person's thigh. When the predetermined portion does not pass beyond the predetermined angle, the torque generators impose no resisting torques between said supporting trunk and respective thigh links.Type: GrantFiled: November 18, 2015Date of Patent: August 29, 2017Assignee: The Regents of the University of CaliforniaInventors: Homayoon Kazerooni, Erich Hacker, Lee-Huang Chen, Wayne Tung, Nathan Poon, Theerapat Yangyuenthanasan
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Publication number: 20170196712Abstract: An exoskeleton includes two torque generators, two thigh links, and a supporting trunk rotatably coupled to the thigh links. When a wearer bends forward in the sagittal plane such that the supporting trunk extends beyond a predetermined angle A with respect to vertical, at least one of the torque generators imposes a resisting torque between the supporting trunk and a corresponding thigh link, thus imposing a force onto a wearer's trunk and thighs to aid in supporting the wearer in a bent position. The exoskeleton may include an active or passive means for actuating the generators. When the supporting trunk does not extend beyond the predetermined angle A, the torque generators do not impose resisting torques between the supporting trunk and the thigh links during the entire range of motion of the thigh links, thus enabling a wearer to walk, run and sit without constraint while in an upright position.Type: ApplicationFiled: March 24, 2017Publication date: July 13, 2017Applicant: The Regents of the University of CaliforniaInventors: Homayoon Kazerooni, Erich Hacker, Lee-Huang Chen
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Patent number: 9655762Abstract: An exoskeleton includes two torque generators, two thigh links, and a supporting trunk rotatably coupled to the thigh links. When a wearer bends forward in the sagittal plane such that the supporting trunk extends beyond a predetermined angle A with respect to vertical, at least one of the torque generators imposes a resisting torque between the supporting trunk and a corresponding thigh link, thus imposing a force onto a wearer's trunk and thighs to aid in supporting the wearer in a bent position. The exoskeleton may include an active or passive means for actuating the generators. When the supporting trunk does not extend beyond the predetermined angle A, the torque generators do not impose resisting torques between the supporting trunk and the thigh links during the entire range of motion of the thigh links, thus enabling a wearer to walk, run and sit without constraint while in an upright position.Type: GrantFiled: June 11, 2012Date of Patent: May 23, 2017Assignee: The Regents of the University of CaliforniaInventors: Homayoon Kazerooni, Erich Hacker, Lee-Huang Chen
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Publication number: 20160206498Abstract: A trunk supporting exoskeleton comprises: a supporting trunk; thigh links configured to move in unison with a person's thighs; and first and second torque generators located on both left and right halves of the person substantially close to the person's hip. The torque generators couple the supporting trunk to the thigh links, and generate torque between the thigh links and the supporting trunk. When the person bends forward such that a predetermined portion of the supporting trunk passes beyond a predetermined angle from vertical, a torque generator(s) imposes a resisting torque between the supporting trunk and the thigh link(s), causing the supporting trunk to impose a force against the person's trunk, and the thigh link(s) to impose a force onto the person's thigh. When the predetermined portion does not pass beyond the predetermined angle, the torque generators impose no resisting torques between said supporting trunk and respective thigh links.Type: ApplicationFiled: November 18, 2015Publication date: July 21, 2016Inventors: Homayoon KAZEROONI, Erich HACKER, Lee-Huang CHEN, Wayne TUNG, Nathan POON, Theerapat YANGYUENTHANASAN
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Publication number: 20140121573Abstract: An exoskeleton includes two torque generators, two thigh links, and a supporting trunk rotatably coupled to the thigh links. When a wearer bends forward in the sagittal plane such that the supporting trunk extends beyond a predetermined angle A with respect to vertical, at least one of the torque generators imposes a resisting torque between the supporting trunk and a corresponding thigh link, thus imposing a force onto a wearer's trunk and thighs to aid in supporting the wearer in a bent position. The exoskeleton may include an active or passive means for actuating the generators. When the supporting trunk does not extend beyond the predetermined angle A, the torque generators do not impose resisting torques between the supporting trunk and the thigh links during the entire range of motion of the thigh links, thus enabling a wearer to walk, run and sit without constraint while in an upright position.Type: ApplicationFiled: June 11, 2012Publication date: May 1, 2014Applicant: THE REGENTS OF THE UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIAInventors: Homayoon Kazerooni, Erich Hacker, Lee-Huang Chen
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Patent number: 6324897Abstract: A partial pressure sensor is disclosed which is suitable for determining the partial pressure of a gas or vapor in a thermally uncontrolled gas atmosphere over a large measurement range and with high measuring accuracy.Type: GrantFiled: October 11, 2000Date of Patent: December 4, 2001Assignee: Jenoptik AktiengesellschaftInventors: Manfred Schrenk, Peter Weissbrodt, Erich Hacker, Dirk Mademann