# Exoskeleton Shoulder Joint That Adapts to Your Arm's Movement > This patent describes a shoulder exoskeleton that uses a special slip mechanism to prevent the robot's joints from getting out of sync with a user's natural arm movements, making it more comfortable and effective. - **Patent:** US 10814473 - **Original title:** Mechanism for alleviating the effects of joint misalignment between users and wearable robots - **Owner:** Arizona State University Downtown Phoenix campus - **Granted:** 2020 - **Status:** Active - **Times cited:** 0 - **Field:** robotics, medical_devices, mechanical, rehabilitation, assistive_technology ## What it does This patent details an exoskeleton system designed for a user's shoulder and arm. It combines a 'spherical parallel manipulator' with a 'passive slip mechanism' (Claim 1). The spherical parallel manipulator uses multiple linear actuators that work together to move the arm, with each actuator's motion depending on the others. The clever part is the slip mechanism, which connects to the user's arm and has a 'passive cuff joint' (Claim 1). This cuff joint allows for both rotational and translational movement, meaning it can slide and twist slightly. For example, if a user's shoulder joint shifts slightly during movement, the internal cuff can translate within an external cuff (Claim 7), preventing the rigid exoskeleton from fighting against the user's natural motion and causing discomfort or mechanical interference. ## What it does NOT cover - Does not cover exoskeletons that lack a spherical parallel manipulator with interdependent linear actuators. - Does not cover exoskeletons where the arm connection mechanism lacks both rotational and translational degrees-of-freedom. - Does not cover systems where the slip mechanism is actively controlled rather than passive. - Does not cover exoskeletons for other body parts, such as legs or hands, unless they also incorporate a shoulder-like spherical parallel manipulator and slip mechanism. - Does not cover a rigid connection between the exoskeleton and the user's arm that does not allow for relative movement. ## The clever bit The truly novel aspect is the integration of a passive slip mechanism, specifically a cuff joint with both rotational and translational freedom, directly into a spherical parallel manipulator-based shoulder exoskeleton. This simple mechanical addition allows the robot to tolerate natural, small shifts in a human joint's center of rotation, which was previously a significant hurdle for rigid exoskeleton designs. ## Real-world examples 1. Rehabilitation exoskeletons for stroke patients 2. Assistive exoskeletons for individuals with mobility impairments 3. Industrial exoskeletons for heavy lifting or repetitive tasks 4. Research prototypes for human-robot interaction ## Why it matters Exoskeletons are powerful tools for rehabilitation and assistance, but a major challenge is ensuring they move naturally with the human body. Misalignment between robot and human joints can cause discomfort, skin irritation, and even injury. This patent addresses a core problem in wearable robotics by allowing the exoskeleton to adapt to the user, making these devices more practical and user-friendly for long-term use in therapy or assistive roles. ## Frequently asked questions ### What does Exoskeleton Shoulder Joint That Adapts to Your Arm's Movement cover? This patent describes a shoulder exoskeleton that uses a special slip mechanism to prevent the robot's joints from getting out of sync with a user's natural arm movements, making it more comfortable and effective. ### Who owns patent US 10814473? Arizona State University Downtown Phoenix campus owns this patent, granted in 2020. ### When does this patent expire? This patent is expected to expire on July 26, 2037, when the invention enters the public domain. ### What problem does this patent solve? Exoskeletons are powerful tools for rehabilitation and assistance, but a major challenge is ensuring they move naturally with the human body. Misalignment between robot and human joints can cause discomfort, skin irritation, and even injury. This patent addresses a core problem in wearable robotics by allowing the exoskeleton to adapt to the user, making these devices more practical and user-friendly for long-term use in therapy or assistive roles. ### What does this patent NOT cover? Does not cover exoskeletons that lack a spherical parallel manipulator with interdependent linear actuators. **Full plain-English explainer:** https://patentbrief.org/patent/us/10814473/mechanism-for-alleviating-the-effects-of-joint-misalignment-between-users-and-we **Original patent:** https://patents.google.com/patent/US10814473 --- _Source: PatentBrief — https://patentbrief.org. Patent facts are from public records; the plain-English explanation is PatentBrief's._ ## Related patents Semantically similar inventions in the PatentBrief corpus: - [How a Robotic Exoskeleton Helps Your Shoulder Move](https://patentbrief.org/patent/us/10800031/spherical-parallel-manipulator-architecture-for-shoulder-robotic-exoskeleton) — This patent describes a robotic shoulder exoskeleton using multiple straight-moving actuators arranged in a "spherical parallel manipulator" to assist or rehabilitate arm movements while preventing joint misalignment. - [How a Robot Actuator Controls Force and Speed with Gears](https://patentbrief.org/patent/us/8209052/high-performance-differential-actuator-for-robotic-interaction-tasks) — This patent describes a compact robot actuator that uses a special gear system and two motors with different electrical resistance to precisely control both the force and speed applied to a robotic arm or tool. - [How Surgical Robots Reconfigure Their Arms Without Moving the Tool Tip](https://patentbrief.org/patent/us/9949801/systems-and-methods-for-commanded-reconfiguration-of-a-surgical-manipulator-usin) — This patent describes how a surgical robot arm can move and reshape itself to avoid obstacles or improve its position, all while keeping its surgical tool perfectly still at the patient's entry point or target. - [How a Surgical Robot Arm's Wrist Moves Instruments](https://patentbrief.org/patent/us/12414825/surgical-arm) — This patent describes a specific design for the end part of a surgical robot arm, called the terminal portion, which uses a clever arrangement of three joints to precisely position and rotate surgical tools. - [Robots That Don't Get Stuck: A Master-Slave Control System](https://patentbrief.org/patent/us/9855653/master-slave-system) — This patent describes a robot control system where a human-operated 'master' robot guides a 'slave' robot, preventing either from getting into awkward, uncontrollable positions by carefully planning the master robot's movements.