A bellows-shaped soft actuator and hand rehabilitation trainer

Abstract

The application discloses a bellows-shaped soft actuator and a hand rehabilitation training device. The bellows-shaped soft actuator comprises a hollow bellows section, a first interface pipe section connected with one end of the hollow bellows section, and a projection of a wave crest structure outer contour and a wave trough structure outer contour of the hollow bellows section in an axial direction is two eccentrically arranged closed curves. The bellows-shaped soft actuator can realize the combination of the stretching deformation and the bending deformation of the actuator in the unconstrained condition, and when used as the hand rehabilitation training device, the bellows-shaped soft actuator can combine the interdigital extension and the finger bending and straightening.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to the technical field of soft robots and hand health care and rehabilitation, and in particular to a bellows-shaped soft actuator and a hand rehabilitation trainer. Background Art

[0002] With the aging population, the number of people suffering from hemiplegia due to illnesses like stroke is increasing. Furthermore, the number of people suffering from hand motor impairment due to accidents like workplace and traffic accidents is also increasing year by year. These patients often cannot care for themselves due to limb motor dysfunction, placing considerable pressure on their families and society. Robot-assisted health care and rehabilitation training can save significant manpower and resources, provide quantitative assessments of patients' recovery progress, and provide step-by-step training tailored to their progress.

[0003] For hand rehabilitation training, there are two types of exoskeleton robots on the market: rigid exoskeleton robots with traditional structures such as connecting rods, hinges, and sliders, while flexible exoskeleton robots are constructed with flexible fluid actuators, such as pneumatic actuators made of silicone. Compared to rigid exoskeleton robots, flexible exoskeleton robots offer greater safety and comfort. Due to their inherent structural flexibility, when a collision or system disturbance causes sudden unexpected loads, the flexible structure can buffer the unexpected load, preventing harm to the patient.

[0004] At present, the mainstream hand health care and rehabilitation training equipment on the market mainly uses bellows soft actuators with equal wave heights, such as circular bellows soft actuators or elliptical bellows soft actuators. This type of soft actuator has great power and is suitable for patients with hand diseases of different degrees. However, it is very easy to bend laterally, twist, and has an overall size that is too large. In addition, the bending direction is uncertain, which affects the use effect. When the pressure is too high, the excessive bending of the bellows may cause secondary injury to the user. The hand health care and rehabilitation training equipment that uses segmented installation of bellows soft actuators with equal wave heights has a complex process structure, many parts, and is not convenient for production and manufacturing. Some existing bellows soft actuators also have the problem of unreasonable installation methods. Summary of the Invention

[0005] In view of the above-mentioned shortcomings of the prior art, the purpose of the present invention is to provide a bellows-shaped soft actuator and a hand rehabilitation trainer to solve the technical problems in the prior art that the equal-wave height bellows soft actuator is prone to lateral bending, twisting, and has a large overall size.

[0006] To achieve the above and other related objectives, the present invention provides a bellows-shaped soft actuator, comprising:

[0007] hollow bellows section;

[0008] a first interface pipe segment connected with one end of the hollow bellows pipe segment;

[0009] wherein the projection of the outer profile of the crest structure and the outer profile of the trough structure of the hollow bellows pipe segment in the axial direction is two eccentrically arranged closed curves.

[0010] In an optional embodiment, the bellows pipe-shaped soft actuator further comprises a second interface pipe segment connected with the other end of the hollow bellows pipe segment, and the end of the second interface pipe segment away from the hollow bellows pipe segment is sealed or open.

[0011] In an optional embodiment, the bellows pipe-shaped soft actuator further comprises a hollow driving cavity sequentially penetrating through the first interface pipe segment, the hollow bellows pipe segment and the second interface pipe segment.

[0012] In an optional embodiment, the hollow bellows pipe segment has a maximum value and a minimum value of the wave height in the circumferential direction, and the maximum value is greater than the minimum value.

[0013] In an optional embodiment, the wave height of the hollow bellows pipe in the circumferential direction continuously changes between the maximum value and the minimum value.

[0014] In an optional embodiment, the bellows pipe-shaped soft actuator is made of an elastic material.

[0015] In an optional embodiment, the hollow bellows pipe segment, the first interface pipe segment and the second interface pipe segment of the bellows pipe-shaped soft actuator are integrally formed.

[0016] In an optional embodiment, when the projection of the outer profile of the crest structure and the outer profile of the trough structure of the hollow bellows pipe segment in the axial direction is a left-right symmetrical pattern, the hollow bellows pipe segment bends around an axis of a perpendicular line parallel to the left-right symmetrical plane when inflated.

[0017] In an optional embodiment, when the projection of the outer profile of the crest structure and the outer profile of the trough structure of the hollow bellows pipe segment in the axial direction is an asymmetrical pattern, the hollow bellows pipe segment bends around an axis of a perpendicular line of an axial cross section of a line substantially parallel to the center of the projection of the outer profile of the crest structure and the outer profile of the trough structure of the hollow bellows pipe segment in the axial direction when inflated.

[0018] To achieve the above object and other related objects, the present application further provides a hand rehabilitation training device, comprising:

[0019] a rehabilitation glove; and

[0020] Bellows-shaped soft actuator, comprising:

[0021] hollow bellows section;

[0022] A first interface pipe section connected to one end of the hollow bellows section;

[0023] The projections of the outer contour of the wave crest structure and the outer contour of the wave trough structure of the hollow corrugated tube segment in the axial direction are two eccentrically arranged closed curves.

[0024] The bellows-shaped soft actuator of the present invention has different wave heights in the circumferential direction and different bending cross-sectional coefficients in the circumferential direction. The bending cross-sectional coefficient at the position with small wave height is greater than the bending cross-sectional coefficient at the position with large wave height. Therefore, it is easy to bend at the position with large wave height and not easy to bend sideways at the position with small wave height, and has a relatively definite bending direction.

[0025] When the bellows-shaped soft actuator of the present invention is filled with fluid or discharged with fluid, it can obtain greater bending force compared with a bellows-shaped soft actuator with the same wave height under the condition of the same cross-sectional area.

[0026] The bellows-shaped soft actuator of the present invention has a left-right symmetrical and up-down asymmetrical structure, and an overall asymmetrical structural design that can realize the combination of telescopic deformation and bending deformation of the actuator under unconstrained conditions. When used as a hand rehabilitation trainer, it can combine the expansion of the fingers with the bending and straightening of the fingers.

[0027] The bellows-shaped soft actuator of the present invention is made of elastic material and has good flexibility.

[0028] The bellows-shaped soft actuator of the present invention has a simple structure and is easy to manufacture.

[0029] The bellows-shaped soft actuator of the present invention is integrally formed during manufacturing, thereby reducing the process flow and the number of connecting parts.

[0030] The bellows-shaped soft actuator of the present invention can be used alone as an integral soft actuator, or a plurality of soft actuators can be assembled in sequence to form a segmented soft actuator.

[0031] The bellows-shaped soft actuator of the present invention has a smaller size and is convenient for use by patients with small hands, such as children.

[0032] The bellows-shaped soft actuator with a bilaterally symmetrical and vertically asymmetrical structure of the present invention is not prone to lateral bending when used as a driving unit, which can effectively improve the use effect and wearing comfort.

[0033] The bellows-shaped soft actuator of the present invention has multiple potential application fields and is used in the industrial field to develop flexible clamps, etc., and has a very broad market prospect. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0034] Figure 1 A schematic diagram of the three-dimensional structure of a bellows-shaped soft actuator provided in an embodiment of the present invention.

[0035] Figure 2 A radial cross-sectional view of a bellows-shaped soft actuator provided in an embodiment of the present invention.

[0036] Figure 3 For the Figure 2 Cross-sectional view in the AA direction.

[0037] Figure 4 For the Figure 2 Cross-sectional view along the BB direction.

[0038] Figure 5 A schematic diagram of the three-dimensional structure of an integrated soft actuator provided in an embodiment of the present invention.

[0039] Figure 6 This is a schematic diagram of the overall hand rehabilitation trainer using an integral soft actuator provided by an embodiment of the present invention.

[0040] Figure 7 A schematic diagram of the three-dimensional structure of a segmented soft actuator provided in an embodiment of the present invention.

[0041] Figure 8 This is an overall schematic diagram of a hand rehabilitation trainer using a segmented soft actuator provided by an embodiment of the present invention.

[0042] Figure 9 An overall schematic diagram of another bellows-shaped soft actuator provided in an embodiment of the present invention.

[0043] Figure 10 A schematic diagram of radial plane projections of the outer contours of the crest structure and the trough structure of another bellows-shaped soft actuator provided in an embodiment of the present invention.

[0044] Figure 11 For the Figure 10 Cross-sectional view in CC direction.

[0045] Figure 12 An overall schematic diagram of a third bellows-shaped soft actuator provided in an embodiment of the present invention.

[0046] Figure 13 Schematic diagram of radial plane projections of the outer contours of the crest structure and the trough structure of the third bellows-shaped soft actuator provided in an embodiment of the present invention.

[0047] Figure 14 For the Figure 13 Cross-sectional view in the DD direction.

[0048] Figure 15 is along Figure 13 a cross-sectional view along the direction of E-E.

[0049] Figure 16 is a schematic diagram of the overall fourth bellows-shaped soft actuator provided by the embodiment of the present application.

[0050] Figure 17 is a schematic diagram of the radial plane projection of the outer contour of the crest structure and the outer contour of the trough structure of the fourth bellows-shaped soft actuator provided by the embodiment of the present application.

[0051] Figure 18 is along Figure 17 a cross-sectional view along the direction of F-F.

[0052] Figure 19 is along Figure 17 a cross-sectional view along the direction of G-G.

[0053] Element number explanation

[0054] 1 crest structure

[0055] 2 trough structure

[0056] 3 hollow bellows segment

[0057] 4 first interface pipe segment

[0058] 5 second interface pipe segment

[0059] 6 hollow driving cavity

[0060] 7a first mounting base

[0061] 7b second mounting base

[0062] 10 integral soft actuator

[0063] 10' segmented soft actuator

[0064] 10a, 10b, 10c bellows-shaped soft actuator

[0065] 20 rehabilitation glove

[0066] 21 finger part

[0067] 22 palm part

[0068] 23 wrist part

[0069] 30 fluid pipe

[0070] 31 main pipe line

[0071] 32 branch pipe line DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0072] The following describes the embodiments of the present invention through specific examples. Those skilled in the art can easily understand other advantages and effects of the present invention from the content disclosed in this specification. The present invention can also be implemented or applied through other different specific embodiments. The details in this specification can also be modified or changed based on different viewpoints and applications without departing from the spirit of the present invention. It should be noted that the following embodiments and features in the embodiments can be combined with each other unless they conflict.

[0073] It should be noted that the illustrations provided in the following embodiments are merely schematic illustrations of the basic concept of the present invention. Therefore, the illustrations only show components related to the present invention and are not drawn according to the number, shape, and size of components in actual implementation. In actual implementation, the type, quantity, and proportion of each component may be changed arbitrarily, and the component layout may also be more complex.

[0074] Example 1

[0075] See also Figures 1-4 In order to solve the problems in the prior art of the uniform wave height bellows soft actuator being prone to lateral bending, twisting, and having a large overall size, this embodiment provides a bellows-shaped soft actuator, wherein: Figure 1 is a schematic diagram of the three-dimensional structure of the bellows-shaped soft actuator of this embodiment, Figure 2 is a radial cross-sectional view of the bellows-shaped soft actuator of this embodiment at the position of the trough structure 2, Figure 3 For the Figure 2 Cross-sectional view in the AA direction; Figure 4 For the Figure 2 Cross-sectional view along the BB direction.

[0076] See also Figure 1-4In this embodiment, the bellows-shaped soft actuator is mainly composed of a first interface pipe section 4, a hollow bellows section 3 and a second interface pipe section 5 arranged in sequence. The bellows-shaped soft actuator is a left-right and up-down symmetrical structure. The hollow bellows segment 3 is a hollow elliptical bellows, comprising a peak structure 1 and a trough structure 2 alternately arranged along the axial direction. The projections of the outer contours of the peak structure 1 and the trough structure 2 of the hollow bellows segment 3 in the axial direction are two concentrically arranged ellipses. The wave height of the hollow bellows segment 3 (defined as the height between the top of the peak structure 1 and the bottom of the trough structure 2 at the corresponding position) has a maximum value h1 and a minimum value h2 along the circumferential direction. The wave height of the hollow bellows segment 3 in the long axis direction of the peak structure 1 has a maximum value h1, and the wave height of the hollow bellows in the short axis direction of the peak structure 1 has a minimum value h2. The wave height of the hollow bellows segment 3 in the circumferential direction continuously changes between the maximum value h1 and the minimum value h2, wherein the maximum value h1 is greater than the minimum value h2. It should be noted that since the hollow corrugated pipe segment 3 has different wave heights in the circumferential direction and different bending cross-sectional coefficients in the circumferential direction, the bending cross-sectional coefficient at the position with small wave height is greater than the bending cross-sectional coefficient at the position with large wave height. Therefore, when constrained by the mounting base to be introduced later, it is easy to bend at the position with large wave height and not easy to bend sideways at the position with small wave height, and has a relatively definite bending direction.

[0077] See also Figure 1-4 In this embodiment, the axial cross-section of the hollow bellows section 3 is a corrugated cross-section. For example, the radial cross-sections of the peak structures 1 and the trough structures 2 may each be an elliptical cross-section. The first interface section 4 may be, for example, a hollow cylindrical tube (other tubular structures are also possible), and the second interface section 5 may be, for example, a hollow cylindrical tube (other tubular structures are also possible). The first interface section 4 and the second interface section 5 are respectively connected to the ends of the hollow bellows section 3. The end of the second interface section 5 facing away from the hollow bellows section 3 is sealed or open, while the end of the first interface section 4 facing away from the hollow bellows section 3 is open. The hollow cavities of the first interface section 4, the hollow cavities of the hollow bellows section 3, and the second interface section 5 are interconnected to form a hollow drive cavity 6. That is, the hollow drive cavity 6 sequentially extends through the first interface section 4, the hollow bellows section 3, and the second interface section 5.

[0078] See also Figure 1-4 In this embodiment, the bellows-shaped soft actuator is made of an elastic soft material, such as rubber, which has good flexibility. The bellows-shaped soft actuator can be integrally formed, thereby reducing the process flow and the number of connecting parts.

[0079] See also Figure 5 This embodiment also introduces a three-dimensional structural diagram of an integral soft actuator 10, which consists of a Figures 1-4 The bellows-shaped soft actuator is assembled together with the mounting base. In the integral soft actuator 10, the end of the second interface pipe section 5 of the bellows-shaped soft actuator away from the hollow bellows section 3 is sealed, and the end of the first interface pipe section 4 of the bellows-shaped soft actuator away from the hollow bellows section 3 is open. The end of the first interface pipe section 4 away from the hollow bellows section 3 is open. The first interface pipe section 4 serves as the fluid inlet of the integral soft actuator 10, which is connected to the fluid pump through the fluid pipe 30. The fluid pump can pump fluid into or out of the above-mentioned hollow drive cavity 6, thereby driving the integral soft actuator 10 to bend and deform. The mounting base includes a first mounting base 7a which is sleeved on the outer wall of the first interface pipe section 4 and the outer wall of the second interface pipe section 5, and a second mounting base 7b which is sleeved on a specified position on the outer wall of the hollow bellows section 3 (this position needs to be adjusted according to actual needs and avoid the position of the finger joints). The number of the second mounting bases 7b can be 0, 1, 2 or more. The top of the first mounting base 7a has a first assembly hole for the first interface pipe section 4 or the second interface pipe section 5 to pass through; the top of the second mounting base 7b has a second assembly hole which matches the outer wall of the hollow bellows section 3, and the side wall of the second assembly hole has a fracture along the axial direction of the integral soft actuator 10, so as to facilitate the second mounting base 7b It is mounted on the outer wall of the hollow bellows section 3; the first mounting base 7a and the second mounting base 7b can be fixed to the bellows-shaped soft actuator by, for example, glue, and the bottom of the first mounting base 7a and the second mounting base 7b can be bonded to the rehabilitation glove 20 (or other rehabilitation device bodies) to be introduced below by, for example, glue, so that the integral soft actuator 10 is installed and constrained on the rehabilitation glove 20. When inflated, the hollow bellows section 3 can be bent around an axis that is generally parallel to the perpendicular line of the axial section where the wave height maximum value of the hollow bellows section 3 is located, that is, it can bend axially around the short axis of the elliptical radial section of the wave peak structure 1 that is generally parallel to the hollow bellows section 3.

[0080] See also Figure 6 This embodiment also introduces a method of using Figure 5A hand rehabilitation trainer is made of the integral soft actuator 10 in the figure, and the hand rehabilitation trainer includes a rehabilitation glove 20, an integral soft actuator 10 and a fluid tube 30. The rehabilitation glove 20 includes a wrist portion 23 for wearing on the wrist, a palm portion 22 corresponding to the back of the palm, and five finger portions 21 for inserting different fingers, which are connected in sequence. At least one integrated soft actuator 10 is fixed to the back of the finger portion 21 of the rehabilitation glove 20 via a mounting bracket. The fluid tube 30 may, for example, include a main line 31 and a branch line 32 that are interconnected. The end of the branch line 32 of the fluid tube 30 that is not connected to the main line 31 is connected to the fluid inlet of the integrated soft actuator 10, and the end of the main line 31 of the fluid tube 30 that is not connected to the branch line 32 is connected to a fluid pump. The fluid pump can pump fluid into or out of the hollow drive cavity 6 of the integrated soft actuator 10, thereby driving the integrated soft actuator 10 to bend and deform, driving the corresponding fingers to perform corresponding rehabilitation training. It should be noted that in this hand rehabilitation trainer, the number and installation position (different finger portions 21) of the integrated soft actuator 10 can be adjusted according to actual needs. Specifically, Figure 6 Figure 2 shows five integral soft actuators 10 fixed to the back of the thumb, index finger, middle finger, ring finger and little finger 21 of the rehabilitation glove 20 respectively through their respective mounting supports, wherein, in each integral soft actuator 10, the bellows-shaped soft actuator is mounted on the back of the finger 21 of the rehabilitation glove 20 through the first mounting base 7a or the combination of the first mounting base 7a and the second mounting base 7b, and the axial section where the wave height maximum of the hollow bellows segment 3 is located is perpendicular to the back of the finger 21 of the rehabilitation glove 20, so that bending training can be performed on each finger.

[0081] See also Figure 7 This embodiment also introduces a three-dimensional structural diagram of a segmented soft actuator 10', which has multiple Figures 1-4 The bellows-shaped soft actuator in the embodiment is assembled with the first mounting base 7a. The segmented soft actuator 10' comprises a plurality of bellows-shaped soft actuators sequentially connected from left to right, with two adjacent bellows-shaped soft actuators being connected and fixed via the first mounting base 7a. Figure 7FIG. 1 shows a situation including three bellows-shaped soft actuators 10a, 10b and 10c, wherein the second interface pipe section 5 of the bellows-shaped soft actuator 10a on the far left is sealed at one end away from the hollow bellows section 3 and is defined as the first soft actuator, while the bellows-shaped soft actuators 10b and 10c on the middle and far right are open at one end away from the hollow bellows section 3 and are defined as the second soft actuator; A first mounting base 7a is fixedly mounted, and the first interface pipe section 4 of the bellows-shaped soft actuator 10a and the second interface pipe section 5 of the bellows-shaped soft actuator 10b share a first mounting base 7a for docking and sealing assembly. The first interface pipe section 4 of the bellows-shaped soft actuator 10b and the second interface pipe section 5 of the bellows-shaped soft actuator 10c share a first mounting base 7a for docking and sealing assembly, and the docking position of two adjacent bellows-shaped soft actuators needs to avoid the finger joint position, that is, the first mounting base 7a shared by the two needs to avoid the finger joint position. It should be noted that in other embodiments, the number of second soft actuators in the bellows-shaped soft actuator in the segmented soft actuator 10' can be adjusted according to actual needs, for example, it can be one, two, three or more.

[0082] See also Figure 8 This embodiment also introduces a hand rehabilitation trainer using the segmented soft actuator 10', which includes a rehabilitation glove 20, a segmented soft actuator 10', and a fluid tube 30. The rehabilitation glove 20 includes a wrist portion 23 for being put on the wrist, a palm portion 22 corresponding to the back of the palm, and five finger portions 21 for inserting different fingers, which are connected in sequence. At least one segmented soft actuator 10' is fixed to the back of a finger portion 21 of the rehabilitation glove 20 through its own mounting bracket; the fluid tube 30 The body tube 30 may, for example, include a main line 31 and a branch line 32 that are interconnected. The end of the branch line 32 of the fluid tube 30 that is not connected to the main line 31 is connected to the fluid inlet of the segmented soft actuator 10', and the end of the main line 31 of the fluid tube 30 that is not connected to the branch line 32 is connected to a fluid pump. The fluid pump can pump fluid into or out of the hollow drive cavity 6 of the segmented soft actuator 10', thereby driving the segmented soft actuator 10' to bend and deform, and driving the corresponding fingers to perform corresponding rehabilitation training. It should be noted that in the hand rehabilitation trainer, the number and installation position of the segmented soft actuator 10' can be adjusted according to actual needs. As an example, Figure 8The figure shows four segmented soft actuators 10' fixed to the back of the index finger, middle finger, ring finger and little finger of the rehabilitation glove 20 through their respective mounting brackets, while the above-mentioned integrated soft actuator 10 is fixed to the finger portion 21 of the thumb of the rehabilitation glove 20 through its own mounting bracket.

[0083] The bellows-shaped soft actuator of the present embodiment has different wave heights in the circumferential direction and different bending cross-sectional coefficients in the circumferential direction. The bending cross-sectional coefficient at the position with small wave height is greater than that at the position with large wave height. Therefore, it is easy to bend at the position with large wave height and not easy to bend sideways at the position with small wave height, and has a relatively definite bending direction. When the bellows-shaped soft actuator of the present invention is filled with fluid or discharged with fluid, it can obtain greater force compared with the bellows soft actuator with equal wave height under the condition of the same cross-sectional area. The bellows-shaped soft actuator of the present embodiment has a structure. Simple and easy to manufacture; the bellows-shaped soft actuator of the present invention has a smaller size, which is convenient for use by patients with small hand sizes, such as children; the bellows-shaped soft actuator of the present invention can be used alone as an integral soft actuator 10, or multiple soft actuators can be assembled in sequence to form a segmented soft actuator; the bellows-shaped soft actuator of the present invention is not prone to lateral bending when used as a driving unit, which can effectively improve the use effect and wearing comfort; the bellows-shaped soft actuator of the present invention has multiple potential application fields, and is used in the industrial field to develop flexible clamps, etc., and has a very broad market prospect.

[0084] Example 2

[0085] See also Figures 9-11 This embodiment introduces another bellows-shaped soft actuator, wherein: Figure 9 is an overall schematic diagram of the bellows-shaped soft actuator of this embodiment, Figure 10 Schematic diagram of radial plane projection of the outer contours of the crest structure 1 and the trough structure 2 of the bellows-shaped soft actuator of this embodiment, Figure 11 For the Figure 10 Cross-sectional view in CC direction.

[0086] See also Figure 9-11In this embodiment, the bellows-shaped soft actuator is primarily composed of a first interface pipe section 4, a hollow bellows section 3, and a second interface pipe section 5, which are sequentially arranged. The bellows-shaped soft actuator has an overall asymmetric structure, where the overall asymmetric structure refers to a structure without a plane of symmetry parallel to the axial direction of the hollow bellows section 3. The hollow bellows section 3 is a hollow elliptical bellows, comprising a crest structure 1 and a trough structure 2 alternately arranged along the axial direction. The axial projections of the outer contours of the crest structure 1 and the trough structure 2 of the hollow bellows section 3 are two asymmetric, eccentrically arranged ellipses (in other embodiments, they may be two asymmetric, eccentrically arranged closed curves, such as circles). When inflated, the hollow bellows section 3 can bend about an axis that is substantially parallel to a perpendicular line to an axial cross-section of a line connecting the centers of the axial projections of the outer contours of the crest structure 1 and the trough structure 2 of the hollow bellows section 3. The wave height h of the hollow bellows section 3 (defined as the height between the top of the peak structure 1 and the bottom of the trough structure 2 at the corresponding position) has a maximum value and a minimum value along the circumferential direction, and the wave height h of the hollow bellows section 3 along the circumferential direction continuously changes between the maximum value and the minimum value, wherein the maximum value is greater than the minimum value.

[0087] See also Figure 9-11 In this embodiment, the axial cross-section of the hollow bellows section 3 is a corrugated cross-section. For example, the radial cross-sections of the peak structures 1 and the trough structures 2 may each be an elliptical cross-section. The first interface section 4 may be, for example, a hollow cylindrical tube (other tubular structures are also possible), and the second interface section 5 may be, for example, a hollow cylindrical tube (other tubular structures are also possible). The first interface section 4 and the second interface section 5 are respectively connected to the ends of the hollow bellows section 3. The end of the second interface section 5 facing away from the hollow bellows section 3 is sealed or open, while the end of the first interface section 4 facing away from the hollow bellows section 3 is open. The hollow cavities of the first interface section 4, the hollow cavities of the hollow bellows section 3, and the second interface section 5 are interconnected to form a hollow drive cavity 6. That is, the hollow drive cavity 6 sequentially extends through the first interface section 4, the hollow bellows section 3, and the second interface section 5.

[0088] See also Figure 9-11 In this embodiment, the bellows-shaped soft actuator is made of an elastic soft material, such as rubber, which has good flexibility. The bellows-shaped soft actuator can be integrally formed, thereby reducing the process flow and the number of connecting parts.

[0089] It should be noted that, as with the bellows-shaped soft actuator of embodiment one, the bellows-shaped soft actuator of the present embodiment can also be mounted on the rehabilitation glove 20 to make a hand rehabilitation trainer. It should be noted that, due to the difference in the bending direction of the hollow bellows segment 3 of the bellows-shaped soft actuator of the present embodiment and the bending direction of the hollow bellows segment 3 of the bellows-shaped soft actuator of embodiment one, the orientation of the bellows-shaped soft actuator after installation is different.

[0090] It should be noted that, the bellows-shaped soft actuator of the present embodiment has different wave heights in the circumferential direction, has different bending section coefficients in the circumferential direction, and the bending section coefficient at the position with small wave height is greater than the bending section coefficient at the position with large wave height, so the position with large wave height is easy to bend, the position with small wave height is not easy to bend, and the bending direction is relatively determined; under the condition of the same cross-sectional area, compared with the bellows-shaped soft actuator with equal wave height, the bellows-shaped soft actuator of the present embodiment can obtain greater bending force when fluid is filled or discharged; the eccentric design of the wave crest structure and the wave trough structure of the bellows-shaped soft actuator of the present embodiment can realize the combination of stretching deformation and bending deformation of the actuator under the condition of no constraint, and when used as a hand rehabilitation trainer, the interdigital extension and finger bending can be combined; the bellows-shaped soft actuator of the present embodiment is not easy to bend when used as a driving unit, and can effectively improve the use effect and wearing comfort; the bellows-shaped soft actuator of the present embodiment has a simple structure and is easy to manufacture; the bellows-shaped soft actuator of the present embodiment has a smaller size, and is convenient for patients with small hand size such as children to use; the bellows-shaped soft actuator of the present embodiment has a variety of potential application fields, and is used in the development of flexible clamps in the industrial field, and has a very broad market prospect.

[0091] Embodiment three

[0092] Please refer to Figure 12-15 , the third bellows-shaped soft actuator is introduced for the present embodiment, wherein, Figure 12 is the overall schematic view of the bellows-shaped soft actuator of the present embodiment, Figure 13 is the schematic view of the radial plane projection of the wave crest structure 1 outer contour and the wave trough structure 2 outer contour of the bellows-shaped soft actuator of the present embodiment, Figure 14 is the cross-sectional view along Figure 13 D-D direction; Figure 15 is the cross-sectional view along Figure 13 E-E direction.

[0093] Please refer to Figure 12-15In this embodiment, the bellows-shaped soft actuator is primarily composed of a first interface pipe section 4 and a hollow bellows section 3, which are sequentially arranged. The bellows-shaped soft actuator has a bilaterally symmetrical but vertically asymmetrical structure. The hollow bellows section 3 is a hollow elliptical bellows, comprising crest structures 1 and trough structures 2 alternately arranged along the axial direction. The axial projections of the outer contours of the crest structures 1 and the trough structures 2 of the hollow bellows section 3 are two eccentrically arranged ellipses that are bilaterally symmetrical but vertically asymmetrical (in other embodiments, they may be two asymmetrical, eccentrically arranged closed curves, such as circles). Thus, when inflated in an unconstrained state, the hollow bellows section 3 can bend about an axis parallel to a perpendicular line to the bilateral symmetry plane. The wave height of the hollow bellows section 3 (defined as the height between the top of the peak structure 1 and the bottom of the trough structure 2 at the corresponding position) has a maximum value and a minimum value along the circumferential direction, and the wave height of the hollow bellows section 3 along the circumferential direction continuously changes between the maximum value and the minimum value, wherein the maximum value is greater than the minimum value.

[0094] See also Figure 12-15 In this embodiment, the axial cross-section of the hollow bellows section 3 is a corrugated cross-section. As an example, the radial cross-sections of the crest structure 1 and the trough structure 2 can both be elliptical cross-sections. The first interface pipe section 4 can be, for example, a hollow cylindrical tube (of course, it can also be a tubular structure of other shapes). The first interface pipe section 4 is connected to one end of the hollow bellows section 3. The end of the first interface pipe section 4 away from the hollow bellows section 3 is open, and the other end of the hollow bellows section 3 is closed or can be like a bellows. Figure 9 The hollow cavity of the first interface pipe section 4 and the hollow cavity of the hollow bellows section 3 are interconnected to form a hollow drive cavity 6, that is, the hollow drive cavity 6 passes through the first interface pipe section 4 and the hollow bellows section 3 in sequence.

[0095] See also Figure 12-15 In this embodiment, the bellows-shaped soft actuator is made of an elastic soft material, such as rubber, which has good flexibility. The bellows-shaped soft actuator can be integrally formed, thereby reducing the process flow and the number of connecting parts.

[0096] It should be noted that, like the bellows-shaped soft actuator of embodiment 1, the bellows-shaped soft actuator of this embodiment can also be installed on the rehabilitation glove 20 through the mounting base to make a hand rehabilitation trainer. At the same time, the axial section where the wave height maximum of the hollow bellows section 3 of the bellows-shaped soft actuator is located is also perpendicular to the back of the finger 21.

[0097] It should be noted that the bellows-shaped soft actuator of the present embodiment has different wave heights in the circumferential direction and different bending cross-sectional coefficients in the circumferential direction. The bending cross-sectional coefficient at the position with small wave height is greater than that at the position with large wave height. Therefore, it is easy to bend at the position with large wave height and not easy to bend sideways at the position with small wave height, and has a relatively definite bending direction. The eccentric design of the crest structure and the trough structure of the bellows-shaped soft actuator of the present embodiment can realize the combination of telescopic deformation and bending deformation of the actuator without constraints. When used as a hand rehabilitation trainer, it can combine the spreading of fingers with the bending and straightening of fingers. The bellows-shaped soft actuator of the present embodiment can realize the combination of telescopic deformation and bending deformation of the actuator without constraints. When the corrugated tubular soft actuator is filled with fluid or discharged with fluid, it can obtain greater bending force compared with the corrugated tubular soft actuator with the same wave height under the condition of the same cross-sectional area; the corrugated tubular soft actuator of this embodiment is not prone to lateral bending when used as a driving unit, which can effectively improve the use effect and wearing comfort; the bellows-shaped soft actuator of this embodiment has a simple structure and is easy to manufacture; the bellows-shaped soft actuator of this embodiment has a smaller size, which is convenient for use by patients with small hand size such as children; the bellows-shaped soft actuator of this embodiment has a variety of potential application fields, and is used in the industrial field to develop flexible clamps, etc., and has a very broad market prospect.

[0098] Example 4

[0099] See also Figure 16-Figure 19 , this embodiment introduces the fourth bellows-shaped soft actuator, wherein, Figure 16 is an overall schematic diagram of the bellows-shaped soft actuator of this embodiment, Figure 17 Schematic diagram of radial plane projection of the outer contours of the crest structure 1 and the trough structure 2 of the bellows-shaped soft actuator of this embodiment, Figure 18 For the Figure 17 Cross-sectional view in the FF direction; Figure 19 For the Figure 17 Cross-sectional view in the GG direction.

[0100] See also Figure 16-19 The bellows-shaped soft actuator in this embodiment is a deformation structure of the bellows-shaped soft actuator structure in Example 3. The difference between the two is that in Example 3, the axially symmetrical section (DD section) of the hollow bellows segment 3 and the axial section where the wave height of the hollow bellows segment 3 is the maximum are in the same plane, while in this embodiment, the axially symmetrical section (GG section) of the hollow bellows segment 3 and the axial section where the wave height of the hollow bellows segment 3 is the minimum are in the same plane. The other structures are basically the same, so they will not be described again.

[0101] In summary, the bellows-shaped soft actuator of the present invention has different wave heights in the circumferential direction, and has different bending cross-sectional coefficients in the circumferential direction. The bending cross-sectional coefficient at the position with small wave height is greater than the bending cross-sectional coefficient at the position with large wave height. Therefore, it is easy to bend at the position with large wave height, and not easy to bend sideways at the position with small wave height, and has a relatively definite bending direction. When the bellows-shaped soft actuator of the present invention is filled with fluid or discharged with fluid, it can obtain greater bending force compared with the bellows soft actuator with the same wave height under the condition of the same cross-sectional area. The left-right symmetric and up-down asymmetric structure and the overall asymmetric structure design of the bellows-shaped soft actuator of the present invention can realize the combination of telescopic deformation and bending deformation of the actuator in an unconstrained situation. When used as a hand rehabilitation trainer, it can combine the spreading of fingers with the bending and straightening of fingers. The bellows-shaped soft actuator of the present invention is made of elastic material and has good flexibility. The bellows-shaped soft actuator of the present invention has a simple structure and is easy to manufacture. The bellows-shaped soft actuator of the present invention is integrally formed during manufacturing, which reduces the process flow and the number of connecting parts. The bellows-shaped soft actuator of the present invention can be used alone as an integral soft actuator, or multiple soft actuators can be assembled in sequence to form a segmented soft actuator. The bellows-shaped soft actuator of the present invention has a smaller size, which is convenient for use by patients with small hand sizes, such as children. The bellows-shaped soft actuator of the present invention, which has a left-right symmetrical and up-down asymmetrical structure, is not prone to lateral bending when used as a driving unit, which can effectively improve the use effect and wearing comfort. The bellows-shaped soft actuator of the present invention has a variety of potential application fields. It is used in the industrial field to develop flexible clamps, etc., and has a very broad market prospect.

[0102] The above embodiments are merely illustrative of the principles and effects of the present invention and are not intended to limit the present invention. Anyone skilled in the art may modify or alter the above embodiments without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention. Therefore, all equivalent modifications or alterations made by one of ordinary skill in the art without departing from the spirit and technical principles disclosed herein are intended to be covered by the claims of the present invention.

[0103] In the description herein, numerous specific details, such as examples of components and / or methods, are provided to provide a complete understanding of the embodiments of the present invention. However, those skilled in the art will recognize that embodiments of the present invention may be practiced without one or more of the specific details or with other devices, systems, assemblies, methods, components, materials, parts, etc. In other cases, well-known structures, materials, or operations are not specifically shown or described in detail to avoid obscuring aspects of the embodiments of the present invention.

[0104] Reference throughout this specification to "one embodiment," "an embodiment," or "a specific embodiment" means that a particular feature, structure, or characteristic described in connection with the embodiment is included in at least one embodiment of the invention, and not necessarily in all embodiments. Thus, various appearances of the phrases "in one embodiment," "in an embodiment," or "in a specific embodiment" in different places throughout this specification are not necessarily referring to the same embodiment. Furthermore, the particular features, structures, or characteristics of any specific embodiment of the invention may be combined with one or more other embodiments in any suitable manner. It should be understood that other variations and modifications of the embodiments of the invention described and illustrated herein are possible in light of the teachings herein and are considered part of the spirit and scope of the invention.

[0105] It should also be understood that one or more of the elements shown in the figures may also be implemented in a more separate or more integrated manner, or even removed because they are inoperable in certain circumstances or provided because they may be useful depending on the application.

[0106] In addition, unless otherwise expressly indicated, any marking arrows in the drawings should be regarded as illustrative only and not limiting. Furthermore, unless otherwise indicated, the term "or" as used herein is generally intended to mean "and / or." Where a term is unclear in providing separation or combination capabilities, the combination of components or steps will also be considered as indicated.

[0107] As used in the description herein and throughout the claims that follow, “a,” “an,” and “the” include plural references unless otherwise indicated. Likewise, as used in the description herein and throughout the claims that follow, the meaning of “in” includes “in” and “on” unless otherwise indicated.

[0108] The above description of the illustrated embodiments of the present invention (including that described in the Abstract) is not intended to be exhaustive or to limit the invention to the precise forms disclosed herein. Although specific embodiments of the present invention and examples of the present invention are described herein for illustrative purposes only, as those skilled in the art will recognize and appreciate, various equivalent modifications are possible within the spirit and scope of the present invention. As noted, modifications may be made to the present invention in light of the above description of the illustrated embodiments of the present invention, and such modifications will be within the spirit and scope of the present invention.

[0109] Systems and methods have been generally described herein in detail to facilitate understanding of the present invention. In addition, various specific details have been given to provide an overall understanding of embodiments of the present invention. However, those skilled in the relevant art will recognize that embodiments of the present invention may be practiced without one or more of these specific details, or with other devices, systems, accessories, methods, components, materials, parts, etc. In other cases, well-known structures, materials, and / or operations are not specifically shown or described in detail to avoid obscuring aspects of embodiments of the present invention.

[0110] Thus, although the invention has been described herein with reference to specific embodiments thereof, freedom of modification, various changes and substitutions are contemplated within the foregoing disclosure, and it should be understood that in some cases, some features of the invention will be employed without the corresponding use of other features without departing from the scope and spirit of the claimed invention. Thus, many modifications may be made to adapt a particular environment or material to the true scope and spirit of the invention. The invention is not intended to be limited to the specific terminology used in the claims below and / or to the specific embodiments disclosed as the best mode contemplated for carrying out the invention, but the invention is intended to include any and all embodiments and equivalents falling within the scope of the appended claims. Thus, the scope of the invention will be determined solely by the appended claims.

Claims

1. A bellows-shaped soft actuator, characterized in that: include: hollow bellows section; A first interface pipe section connected to one end of the hollow bellows section; The wave height of the hollow bellows section has a maximum value and a minimum value along the circumferential direction, and the maximum value is greater than the minimum value; The wave height of the hollow bellows in the circumferential direction changes continuously between the maximum value and the minimum value; The bellows-shaped soft actuator has an overall asymmetric structure, and the projections of the outer contours of the crest structure and the trough structure of the hollow bellows segment in the axial direction are two asymmetric eccentrically arranged closed curves; When inflated, the hollow bellows section bends around an axis that is generally parallel to a perpendicular line of an axial section where a line connecting the centers of projections of the outer contours of the crest structure and the trough structure of the hollow bellows section is located.

2. The bellows-shaped soft actuator according to claim 1, characterized in that: The bellows-shaped soft actuator further includes a second interface pipe segment connected to the other end of the hollow bellows segment, and one end of the second interface pipe segment away from the hollow bellows segment is sealed or open.

3. The bellows-shaped soft actuator according to claim 1, characterized in that: The bellows-shaped soft actuator further includes a hollow driving cavity, which sequentially passes through the first interface pipe section and the hollow bellows section.

4. The bellows-shaped soft actuator according to claim 1, characterized in that: The material of the bellows-shaped soft actuator is elastic material.

5. The bellows-shaped soft actuator according to claim 1, characterized in that: The hollow bellows section and the first interface pipe section of the bellows-shaped soft actuator are an integrally formed structure.

6. A hand rehabilitation training device, characterized in that: include: recovery gloves; as well as Bellows-shaped soft actuator, comprising: hollow bellows section; A first interface pipe section connected to one end of the hollow bellows section; The wave height of the hollow bellows segment has a maximum value and a minimum value along the circumferential direction, and the maximum value is greater than the minimum value; the wave height of the hollow bellows segment along the circumferential direction continuously changes between the maximum value and the minimum value; The bellows-shaped soft actuator has an overall asymmetric structure, and the projections of the outer contours of the crest structure and the trough structure of the hollow bellows segment in the axial direction are two asymmetric eccentrically arranged closed curves; When inflated, the hollow bellows section bends around an axis that is generally parallel to a perpendicular line of an axial section where a line connecting the centers of projections of the outer contours of the crest structure and the trough structure of the hollow bellows section is located.

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