Patents by Inventor Mayumi Komatsu
Mayumi Komatsu 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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Patent number: 11241356Abstract: A walking assistance apparatus includes a knee fastener, a heel fastener, a first wire and a second wire connected to the knee fastener and the heel fastener, a first motor connected to the first wire, a second motor connected to the second wire, and a control circuit that controls the first motor and the second motor. The first wire is connected to a first position included in a right-half region of the heel fastener. The second wire is connected to a second position included in a left-half region of the heel fastener. The control circuit acquires gait information of the user, and, based on the gait information, the control circuit controls the first motor to reduce a length of the first wire and the second motor to reduce a length of the second wire at a predetermined timing.Type: GrantFiled: September 4, 2018Date of Patent: February 8, 2022Assignee: PANASONIC INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY MANAGEMENT CO., LTD.Inventors: Stephen William John, Jun Ozawa, Mayumi Komatsu, Kenta Murakami
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Publication number: 20210290472Abstract: An apparatus includes a first wire and a second wire which are coupled to a right upper ankle belt and a right lower ankle belt, a third wire and a fourth wire which are coupled to a left upper ankle belt and a left lower ankle belt, an obtainer obtaining user information about a user and information about walking action of the user, and a controller controlling tensions of the first wire and the second wire at the same time and controlling tensions of the third wire and the fourth wire at the same time using a first stiffness target value corresponding to the first wire, a second stiffness target value corresponding to the second wire, a third stiffness target value corresponding to the third wire, and a fourth stiffness target value corresponding to the fourth wire that are determined based on the user information and the walk information.Type: ApplicationFiled: May 26, 2021Publication date: September 23, 2021Inventors: Mayumi KOMATSU, Stephen William JOHN
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Patent number: 11071674Abstract: An apparatus includes a first wire and a second wire which are coupled to a right upper ankle belt and a right lower ankle belt, a third wire and a fourth wire which are coupled to a left upper ankle belt and a left lower ankle belt, an obtainer obtaining user information about a user and information about walking action of the user, and a controller controlling tensions of the first wire and the second wire at the same time and controlling tensions of the third wire and the fourth wire at the same time using a first stiffness target value corresponding to the first wire, a second stiffness target value corresponding to the second wire, a third stiffness target value corresponding to the third wire, and a fourth stiffness target value corresponding to the fourth wire that are determined based on the user information and the walk information.Type: GrantFiled: August 8, 2018Date of Patent: July 27, 2021Assignee: PANASONIC INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY MANAGEMENT CO., LTD.Inventors: Mayumi Komatsu, Stephen William John
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Patent number: 11020307Abstract: An assist system includes a fist belt worn on an upper body part of a user, a second belt worn on a knee of the user, a wire, a motor coupled with a first end of the wire and disposed on the first or second belt, a drive controller that controls drive of the motor, a gyro sensor that is disposed on the second belt and that measures an angular velocity about a direction perpendicular to the direction of the wire, and a controller. When the angular velocity is greater than or equal to a first threshold with a first tension being applied to the wire using the motor, the controller outputs first information. A second end of the wire is coupled with the second belt when the motor is disposed on the first belt but coupled with the first belt when the motor is disposed on the second belt.Type: GrantFiled: September 5, 2017Date of Patent: June 1, 2021Assignee: PANASONIC INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY MANAGEMENT CO., LTD.Inventors: Kenta Murakami, Stephen John, Mayumi Komatsu, Jun Ozawa
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Patent number: 10980699Abstract: A walking assistance apparatus includes a suit to be worn on a knee and waist of a user, a first wire that couples a portion included in the suit and worn above the knee to a portion included in the suit and worn on the waist, a second wire that couples a portion included in the suit and worn above a back of the knee to a portion included in the suit and worn on the waist, and motors coupled to the first and second wires. The motors are controlled to generate tensions so that each of the first and second wires has a stiffness greater than 200 N/m during a first period including a period of 95% or more and 100% or less of a first gait cycle of the user and a period of 0% or more and 50% or less of a second gait cycle subsequent to the first gait cycle.Type: GrantFiled: September 21, 2018Date of Patent: April 20, 2021Assignee: PANASONIC INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY MANAGEMENT CO., LTD.Inventors: Mayumi Komatsu, Stephen William John, Kenta Murakami, Jun Ozawa
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Patent number: 10973727Abstract: An apparatus includes a first wire and a second wire which are coupled to a right upper ankle belt and a right lower ankle belt, a third wire and a fourth wire which are coupled to a left upper ankle belt and a left lower ankle belt, an obtainer obtaining information about a road surface where a user walks, and a controller controlling tensions of the first wire and the second wire at the same time and controlling tensions of the third wire and the fourth wire at the same time using a first stiffness target value corresponding to the first wire, a second stiffness target value corresponding to the second wire, a third stiffness target value corresponding to the third wire, and a fourth stiffness target value corresponding to the fourth wire that are determined based on the information about the road surface.Type: GrantFiled: August 8, 2018Date of Patent: April 13, 2021Assignee: PANASONIC INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY MANAGEMENT CO., LTD.Inventors: Mayumi Komatsu, Stephen William John
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Patent number: 10945909Abstract: An assistance apparatus includes first to eighth wires that couple an upper body belt to be worn on an upper body of a user to a first knee belt and a second knee belt to be worn above a left knee and a right knee of the user, respectively, and a motor. In a case of assisting the user in turning left, the motor generates, when a left leg is in a swing phase and a right leg is in a stance phase, a tension in each of the second, third, sixth, and seventh wires at an identical timing. In a case of assisting the user in turning right, the motor generates, when the left leg is in a stance phase and the right leg is in a swing phase, a tension in each of the second, third, sixth, and seventh wires at an identical timing.Type: GrantFiled: June 15, 2018Date of Patent: March 16, 2021Assignee: PANASONIC INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY MANAGEMENT CO., LTD.Inventors: Kenta Murakami, Stephen John, Mayumi Komatsu, Shinobu Adachi
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Publication number: 20210055738Abstract: A self-propelled robot includes: a force sensor for detecting a lateral force in a wheel axial direction of each of a left drive wheel and a right drive wheel when a main body travels straight; an acquisition unit that acquires left target speed and right target speed, respectively, for the left drive wheel and the right drive wheel; a correction amount calculation unit that calculates a left correction amount and a right correction amount for the left target speed and the right target speed, respectively, based on the corresponding lateral forces detected by the force sensor; a correction unit that corrects the left target speed and the right target speed, respectively, based on the left correction amount and the right correction amount; and a drive unit that drives the left drive wheel and the right drive wheel, respectively, based on the left target speed and the right target speed corrected by the correction unit.Type: ApplicationFiled: August 12, 2020Publication date: February 25, 2021Inventors: Mayumi KOMATSU, Shingo SHIBUSAWA, Shuji INOUE
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Patent number: 10888488Abstract: An assistance apparatus includes wires that couple an upper body belt to be worn on an upper body of a user to first and second knee belts to be worn above left and right knees of the user, and a motor. In a case of assisting the user in turning left, the motor generates a tension in second and fourth wires in a period of 65% or more and 100% or less of a first gait phase of a left leg and a period of 0% or more and 20% or less of a second gait phase of the left leg, and generates a tension in sixth and eighth wires in a period of 65% or more and 100% or less of a first gait phase of a right leg and a period of 0% or more and 20% or less of a second gait phase of the right leg.Type: GrantFiled: January 25, 2019Date of Patent: January 12, 2021Assignee: PANASONIC INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY MANAGEMENT CO., LTD.Inventors: Kenta Murakami, Stephen William John, Mayumi Komatsu, Shinobu Adachi
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Patent number: 10881574Abstract: An assistance apparatus includes first to eighth wires that couple an upper body belt to be worn on an upper body of a user to a first knee belt and a second knee belt to be worn above a left knee and a right knee of the user, respectively, and a motor. In a case of assisting the user in moving to turn left, the motor generates a tension larger than or equal to a first threshold in each of the second wire, the third wire, and the fourth wire at an identical timing in a swing phase of a left leg of the user, and generates a tension larger than or equal to the first threshold in each of the fifth wire, the sixth wire, and the eighth wire at an identical timing in a swing phase of a right leg of the user.Type: GrantFiled: July 3, 2018Date of Patent: January 5, 2021Assignee: PANASONIC INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY MANAGEMENT CO., LTD.Inventors: Kenta Murakami, Stephen John, Mayumi Komatsu, Shinobu Adachi
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Patent number: 10792213Abstract: An assistance apparatus includes first to eighth wires that couple an upper body belt to be worn on an upper body of a user to a first knee belt and a second knee belt to be worn above a left knee and a right knee of the user, respectively, and a motor. When the assistance apparatus assists the user in turning left, the motor generates a tension larger than or equal to a first threshold in each of the second wire, the fourth wire, the sixth wire, and the eighth wire. When the fourth wire or the second wire is broken, the motor changes the wire in which a tension is generated.Type: GrantFiled: July 12, 2018Date of Patent: October 6, 2020Assignee: PANASONIC INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY MANAGEMENT CO., LTD.Inventors: Kenta Murakami, Stephen John, Mayumi Komatsu, Shinobu Adachi
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Patent number: 10792211Abstract: An assist device includes an upper-body belt attached to the upper body of a user, first and second belts attached to the knees, a first wire coupling the upper-body belt to the first belt, a second wire crossing the first wire, a third wire coupling the upper-body belt to the second belt, a fourth wire crossing the third wire, and a motor coupled to one end of each of the first to fourth wires. When assisting users with walking, tensions equal to a first threshold value or greater are applied to one of the first and second wires and one of the third and fourth wires by the motor at different times. When detecting slacking of the upper-body belt, tensions equal to the first threshold value or greater are simultaneously applied to one of the first and second wires and one of the third and fourth wires by the motor.Type: GrantFiled: September 1, 2017Date of Patent: October 6, 2020Assignee: PANASONIC INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY MANAGEMENT CO., LTD.Inventors: Kenta Murakami, Stephen John, Mayumi Komatsu, Jun Ozawa
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Patent number: 10717185Abstract: An assistance apparatus includes first to eighth wires that couple an upper body belt to be worn on an upper body of a user to a first knee belt and a second knee belt to be worn above a left knee and a right knee of the user, respectively, and a motor. In a case of assisting the user in turning left, the motor generates, when a right leg of the user is in a stance phase, a tension larger than or equal to a first threshold in each of the second, fourth, sixth, and eighth wires at an identical timing. In a case of assisting the user in turning right, the motor generates, when a left leg of the user is in a stance phase, a tension larger than or equal to the first threshold in each of the first, third, fifth, and seventh wires at an identical timing.Type: GrantFiled: May 17, 2018Date of Patent: July 21, 2020Assignee: PANASONIC INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY MANAGEMENT CO., LTD.Inventors: Kenta Murakami, Stephen John, Mayumi Komatsu, Shinobu Adachi
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Publication number: 20190151184Abstract: An assistance apparatus includes wires that couple an upper body belt to be worn on an upper body of a user to first and second knee belts to be worn above left and right knees of the user, and a motor. In a case of assisting the user in turning left, the motor generates a tension in second and fourth wires in a period of 65% or more and 100% or less of a first gait phase of a left leg and a period of 0% or more and 20% or less of a second gait phase of the left leg, and generates a tension in sixth and eighth wires in a period of 65% or more and 100% or less of a first gait phase of a right leg and a period of 0% or more and 20% or less of a second gait phase of the right leg.Type: ApplicationFiled: January 25, 2019Publication date: May 23, 2019Inventors: KENTA MURAKAMI, STEPHEN WILLIAM JOHN, MAYUMI KOMATSU, SHINOBU ADACHI
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Publication number: 20190029912Abstract: An assistance apparatus includes first to eighth wires that couple an upper body belt to be worn on an upper body of a user to a first knee belt and a second knee belt to be worn above a left knee and a right knee of the user, respectively, and a motor. When the assistance apparatus assists the user in turning left, the motor generates a tension larger than or equal to a first threshold in each of the second wire, the fourth wire, the sixth wire, and the eighth wire. When the fourth wire or the second wire is broken, the motor changes the wire in which a tension is generated.Type: ApplicationFiled: July 12, 2018Publication date: January 31, 2019Inventors: KENTA MURAKAMI, STEPHEN JOHN, MAYUMI KOMATSU, SHINOBU ADACHI
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Publication number: 20190021933Abstract: An assistance apparatus includes first to eighth wires that couple an upper body belt to be worn on an upper body of a user to a first knee belt and a second knee belt to be worn above a left knee and a right knee of the user, respectively, and a motor. In a case of assisting the user in moving to turn left, the motor generates a tension larger than or equal to a first threshold in each of the second wire, the third wire, and the fourth wire at an identical timing in a swing phase of a left leg of the user, and generates a tension larger than or equal to the first threshold in each of the fifth wire, the sixth wire, and the eighth wire at an identical timing in a swing phase of a right leg of the user.Type: ApplicationFiled: July 3, 2018Publication date: January 24, 2019Inventors: KENTA MURAKAMI, STEPHEN JOHN, MAYUMI KOMATSU, SHINOBU ADACHI
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Publication number: 20190021936Abstract: A walking assistance apparatus includes a suit to be worn on a knee and waist of a user, a first wire that couples a portion included in the suit and worn above the knee to a portion included in the suit and worn on the waist, a second wire that couples a portion included in the suit and worn above a back of the knee to a portion included in the suit and worn on the waist, and motors coupled to the first and second wires to generate tensions so that the first and second wires each has a stiffness greater than 200 N/m during a first period including a period of 95% or more and 100% or less of a first gait cycle of the user and a period of 0% or more and 50% or less of a second gait cycle subsequent to the first gait cycle.Type: ApplicationFiled: September 21, 2018Publication date: January 24, 2019Inventors: MAYUMI KOMATSU, STEPHEN WILLIAM JOHN, KENTA MURAKAMI, JUN OZAWA
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Publication number: 20190008714Abstract: An assistance apparatus includes first to eighth wires that couple an upper body belt to be worn on an upper body of a user to a first knee belt and a second knee belt to be worn above a left knee and a right knee of the user, respectively, and a motor. In a case of assisting the user in turning left, the motor generates, when a left leg is in a swing phase and a right leg is in a stance phase, a tension in each of the second, third, sixth, and seventh wires at an identical timing. In a case of assisting the user in turning right, the motor generates, when the left leg is in a stance phase and the right leg is in a swing phase, a tension in each of the second, third, sixth, and seventh wires at an identical timing.Type: ApplicationFiled: June 15, 2018Publication date: January 10, 2019Inventors: KENTA MURAKAMI, STEPHEN JOHN, MAYUMI KOMATSU, SHINOBU ADACHI
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Publication number: 20180369057Abstract: A walking assistance apparatus includes a knee fastener, a heel fastener, a first wire and a second wire connected to the knee fastener and the heel fastener, a first motor connected to the first wire, a second motor connected to the second wire, and a control circuit that controls the first motor and the second motor. The first wire is connected to a first position included in a right-half region of the heel fastener. The second wire is connected to a second position included in a left-half region of the heel fastener. The control circuit acquires gait information of the user, and, based on the gait information, the control circuit controls the first motor to reduce a length of the first wire and the second motor to reduce a length of the second wire at a predetermined timing.Type: ApplicationFiled: September 4, 2018Publication date: December 27, 2018Inventors: STEPHEN WILLIAM JOHN, JUN OZAWA, MAYUMI KOMATSU, KENTA MURAKAMI
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Publication number: 20180370020Abstract: An assistance apparatus includes first to eighth wires that couple an upper body belt to be worn on an upper body of a user to a first knee belt and a second knee belt to be worn above a left knee and a right knee of the user, respectively, and a motor. In a case of assisting the user in turning left, the motor generates, when a right leg of the user is in a stance phase, a tension larger than or equal to a first threshold in each of the second, fourth, sixth, and eighth wires at an identical timing. In a case of assisting the user in turning right, the motor generates, when a left leg of the user is in a stance phase, a tension larger than or equal to the first threshold in each of the first, third, fifth, and seventh wires at an identical timing.Type: ApplicationFiled: May 17, 2018Publication date: December 27, 2018Inventors: KENTA MURAKAMI, STEPHEN JOHN, MAYUMI KOMATSU, SHINOBU ADACHI