WALKING ASSISTANCE DEVICE

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a walking assistance device which achieves downsizing, weight reduction and cost reduction of an actuator by reducing output of the actuator necessary for driving a leg link and by reducing variation range in working speed of the actuator. SOLUTION: The walking assistance device has a drive mechanism 9 for driving a third joint 8 of the leg link 3, a crank arm 33 secured to a lower link member 7, and a linear-motion actuator 14 having a linear-motion output shaft 14a connected to the crank arm. The angle formed by a straight line connecting a joint axis of the third joint 8 and a connecting portion of the linear-motion output shaft 14a relative to the crank arm 33 and a straight line which passes the connecting portion and which is parallel to the axial center of the linear-motion output shaft 14a changes from an angle closer to the straight angle toward an angle closer to the right angle as the flexion degree of the leg link 3 is increased from a flexion degree corresponding to a state wherein a user is in an upright posture. COPYRIGHT: (C)2010,JPO&INPIT