A corrugated tube-shaped soft actuator and a hand rehabilitation trainer

Abstract

The present invention discloses a corrugated tube-shaped soft actuator and a hand rehabilitation trainer. The corrugated tube-shaped soft actuator includes a hollow corrugated tube section; a first interface tube section connected to one end of the hollow corrugated tube section; a second interface tube section connected to the other end of the hollow corrugated tube section; and a first mounting base provided on the outer walls of the first interface tube section and the second interface tube section to mount the corrugated tube-shaped soft actuator on a mounting base surface. Wherein, the wave height of the hollow corrugated tube section has a maximum value and a minimum value in the circumferential direction, the maximum value is greater than the minimum value, and the axial section where the maximum wave height of the hollow corrugated tube section is located is perpendicular to the back surface of the finger part of the rehabilitation glove. When the corrugated tube-shaped soft actuator of the present invention is used as a driving unit, it is not prone to lateral bending, and can effectively improve the use effect and wearing comfort.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to the technical fields of soft robots and hand health rehabilitation, and particularly to a corrugated soft actuator and a hand rehabilitation trainer. Background Art

[0002] Nowadays, the aging of the population in society is intensifying, and the number of hemiplegic patients caused by diseases such as stroke is increasing. At the same time, the number of people with impaired hand motor function caused by accidents such as production accidents and traffic accidents is also increasing year by year. These patients often cannot take care of themselves due to limb motor function disorders, bringing great pressure to both families and society. Robot-assisted health rehabilitation training can save a large amount of manpower and material resources, and can quantitatively evaluate the rehabilitation progress of patients, and carry out training gradually according to the rehabilitation status of patients.

[0003] In hand health rehabilitation training, there are rigid structure exoskeleton robots and flexible structure exoskeleton robots on the market. The rigid structure exoskeleton robots are composed of traditional structures such as connecting rods, hinges, and sliders, and the flexible structure exoskeleton robots are composed of flexible fluid actuators, such as pneumatic actuators made of silicone. Compared with rigid structure exoskeleton robots, flexible structure exoskeleton robots have higher safety and comfort. Due to the flexible characteristics of their own structures, when a collision or system interference occurs, resulting in a sudden accidental load, the flexible structure can buffer the accidental load and will not cause harm to the patient.

[0004] Currently, the mainstream hand health rehabilitation training equipment on the market mainly uses corrugated soft actuators with equal wave heights, such as circular corrugated soft actuators or elliptical corrugated soft actuators. Such soft actuators have great power and are suitable for patients with different degrees of hand diseases, but there are problems such as being extremely prone to lateral bending, twisting, and too large overall dimensions, and the bending direction is uncertain, affecting the use effect. When the pressure is too high, the excessive bending of the corrugated pipe may cause secondary harm to the user. The hand health rehabilitation training equipment with a segmented installation of corrugated soft actuators with equal wave heights has a complex process structure and many parts, which is not convenient for production and manufacturing. For elliptical corrugated pipes, the existing installations are habitually in a way that makes the long axis of the ellipse parallel to the installation base surface. When inflating and deflating, the elliptical corrugated pipe bends around the axis parallel to its long axis. It is habitually considered that in this case, the corrugated pipe is better stressed, the lateral dimension is larger than the vertical dimension, so the lateral bending resistance is good. When inflating and deflating, the elliptical corrugated pipe bends around the axis parallel to its long axis and is not prone to side bending, resulting in an unreasonable installation method for existing elliptical corrugated soft actuators. Summary of the Invention

[0005] In view of the above-mentioned disadvantages of the prior art, the purpose of the present invention is to provide a corrugated soft actuator and a hand rehabilitation trainer, which are used to solve the technical problems of the equal-wave-height corrugated soft actuator in the prior art, such as easy lateral bending, twisting, and relatively large overall size.

[0006] To achieve the above and other related purposes, the present invention provides a corrugated soft actuator, including:

[0007] A hollow corrugated pipe section;

[0008] A first interface pipe section, connected to one end of the hollow corrugated pipe section;

[0009] A second interface pipe section, connected to the other end of the hollow corrugated pipe section; and

[0010] A first mounting base, which is arranged on the outer walls of the first interface pipe section and the second interface pipe section;

[0011] Wherein, the wave height of the hollow corrugated pipe section has a maximum value and a minimum value in the circumferential direction, the maximum value is greater than the minimum value, and the axial section where the maximum wave height of the hollow corrugated pipe section is located is perpendicular to the installation base surface.

[0012] In an optional embodiment, the corrugated soft actuator further includes a hollow driving cavity, and the hollow driving cavity sequentially penetrates through the first interface pipe section, the hollow corrugated pipe section and the second interface pipe section.

[0013] In an optional embodiment, one end of the second interface pipe section far from the hollow corrugated pipe section is sealed or open.

[0014] In an optional embodiment, the wave height of the hollow corrugated pipe in the circumferential direction continuously changes between the maximum value and the minimum value.

[0015] In an optional embodiment, the material of the corrugated soft actuator is an elastic material.

[0016] In an optional embodiment, the hollow corrugated pipe section, the first interface pipe section and the second interface pipe section of the corrugated soft actuator are of an integrally formed structure.

[0017] In an optional embodiment, the corrugated soft actuator further includes a second mounting base, and the second mounting base is arranged at a suitable position on the outer wall of the hollow corrugated pipe section.

[0018] In an optional embodiment, the outer contours of the wave crest structure and the wave trough structure of the hollow corrugated pipe section are two concentrically arranged closed curves in the axial direction.

[0019] In an alternative embodiment, the projections of the outer contours of the peak structures and the outer contours of the valley structures of the hollow corrugated pipe section in the axial direction are two concentric ellipses.

[0020] In an alternative embodiment, the projections of the outer contours of the peak structures and the outer contours of the valley structures of the hollow corrugated pipe section in the axial direction are a concentric ellipse and a circle.

[0021] In an alternative embodiment, the projections of the outer contours of the peak structures and the outer contours of the valley structures of the hollow corrugated pipe section in the axial direction are a concentric circle and an ellipse.

[0022] In an alternative embodiment, in the projections of the outer contours of the peak structures and the outer contours of the valley structures of the hollow corrugated pipe section in the axial direction, the lateral dimension of the outer contour of the peak structure of the hollow corrugated pipe section is not greater than the vertical dimension of the peak structure of the hollow corrugated pipe section perpendicular to the installation base surface, and the minimum value of the wave height of the hollow corrugated pipe section is set on the lateral sides of the hollow corrugated pipe section.

[0023] To achieve the above and other related objectives, the present invention further provides a hand rehabilitation trainer, comprising:

[0024] A rehabilitation glove; and

[0025] A corrugated soft actuator, comprising:

[0026] A hollow corrugated pipe section;

[0027] A first interface pipe section connected to one end of the hollow corrugated pipe section;

[0028] A second interface pipe section connected to the other end of the hollow corrugated pipe section; and

[0029] A first mounting base disposed on the outer walls of the first interface pipe section and the second interface pipe section;

[0030] Wherein, the wave height of the hollow corrugated pipe section has a maximum value and a minimum value in the circumferential direction, the maximum value is greater than the minimum value, the corrugated soft actuator is mounted on the back of the finger part of the rehabilitation glove through the first mounting base, and the axial section where the maximum value of the wave height of the hollow corrugated pipe section is located is perpendicular to the back of the finger part of the rehabilitation glove.

[0031] The corrugated soft actuator of the present invention has different wave heights in the circumferential direction and different bending moment of inertia coefficients in the circumferential direction. Even in the case of an elliptical corrugated pipe, where its transverse dimension is larger than its vertical dimension, the bending moment of inertia coefficient of the corrugated pipe at the position with a small wave height can be greater than that at the position with a large wave height. Therefore, it can be realized that it is easy to bend at the position with a large wave height, and it is not easy to have side bending at the position with a small wave height, achieving the effect of having a relatively definite bending direction.

[0032] The corrugated soft actuator of the present invention is installed in such a way that the axial section where the maximum wave height of the hollow corrugated pipe section is located is perpendicular to the installation base surface. The transverse wave height is relatively small, so that under the action of fluid pressure, better transverse bending resistance can be obtained, and transverse disturbance can be avoided.

[0033] The corrugated soft actuator of the present invention is installed in such a way that the axial section where the maximum wave height of the hollow corrugated pipe section is located is perpendicular to the installation base surface. Under the action of fluid pressure, the acting force arm in the direction perpendicular to the installation base surface is larger, so that the generated bending moment is larger.

[0034] The corrugated soft actuator of the present invention is installed in such a way that the axial section where the maximum wave height of the hollow corrugated pipe section is located is perpendicular to the installation base surface. Under the condition of ensuring a certain driving torque, it has a smaller size and is more energy-efficient.

[0035] In the projection of the outer contour of the wave crest structure and the outer contour of the wave trough structure of the hollow corrugated pipe section of the corrugated soft actuator of the present invention in the axial direction, the transverse dimension of the outer contour of the wave crest structure is not greater than its vertical dimension perpendicular to the installation base surface, and the minimum wave height value is set on the left and right sides in the transverse direction. Therefore, even in the case of a relatively small transverse dimension, a large transverse bending resistance can still be ensured.

[0036] The corrugated soft actuator of the present invention has a smaller transverse dimension, which is convenient for patients with small transverse hand sizes such as children to use.

[0037] When the corrugated soft actuator of the present invention is filled with fluid or discharges fluid, compared with a corrugated soft actuator with the same wave height under the same cross-sectional area, a greater bending force can be obtained.

[0038] The corrugated soft actuator of the present invention is made of an elastic material and has good flexibility.

[0039] The corrugated soft actuator of the present invention has a simple structure and is easy to manufacture.

[0040] The corrugated soft actuator of the present invention is integrally formed during manufacturing, reducing the process flow and the number of connecting parts.

[0041] The corrugated 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.

[0042] When the corrugated soft actuator of the present invention is used as a driving unit, it is not prone to lateral bending, which can effectively improve the use effect and wearing comfort.

[0043] The corrugated soft actuator of the present invention has a variety of potential application fields, such as developing flexible fixtures in the industrial field, and has a very broad market prospect. Brief Description of the Drawings

[0044] Figure 1 It is a three-dimensional structure schematic diagram of a corrugated soft actuator provided by an embodiment of the present invention.

[0045] Figure 2 It is a projection of the outer contour of the wave crest structure and the outer contour of the wave trough structure of a corrugated soft actuator provided by an embodiment of the present invention in the axial direction.

[0046] Figure 3 It is a cross-sectional view along the Figure 2 A-A direction in

[0047] Figure 4 It is a cross-sectional view along the Figure 2 B-B direction in

[0048] Figure 5 It is a three-dimensional structure schematic diagram of an integral soft actuator provided by an embodiment of the present invention.

[0049] Figure 6 It is an overall schematic diagram of a hand rehabilitation trainer using an integral soft actuator provided by an embodiment of the present invention.

[0050] Figure 7 It is a three-dimensional structure schematic diagram of a segmented soft actuator provided by an embodiment of the present invention.

[0051] Figure 8 It is an overall schematic diagram of a hand rehabilitation trainer using a segmented soft actuator provided by an embodiment of the present invention.

[0052] Figure 9 It is a three-dimensional structure schematic diagram of another corrugated soft actuator provided by an embodiment of the present invention.

[0053] Figure 10 It is a projection of the outer contour of the wave crest structure and the outer contour of the wave trough structure of another corrugated soft actuator provided by an embodiment of the present invention in the axial direction.

[0054] Figure 11 It is a cross-sectional view along the Figure 10 C-C direction in

[0055] Figure 12 A sectional view along the Figure 10 D-D direction in the figure.

[0056] Figure 13 This is a schematic perspective view of another corrugated soft actuator provided by an embodiment of the present invention.

[0057] Figure 14 This is a projection of the outer contour of the peak structure and the outer contour of the valley structure of another corrugated soft actuator provided by an embodiment of the present invention in the axial direction.

[0058] Figure 15 A sectional view along the Figure 10 E-E direction in the figure.

[0059] Figure 16 A sectional view along the Figure 10 F-F direction in the figure.

[0060] Description of component labels

[0061] 1 Peak structure

[0062] 2 Valley structure

[0063] 3 Hollow corrugated pipe section

[0064] 4 First interface pipe section

[0065] 5 Second interface pipe section

[0066] 6 Hollow drive cavity

[0067] 7a First mounting base

[0068] 7b Second mounting base

[0069] 10 Integral soft actuator

[0070] 10’ Segmented soft actuator

[0071] 10a, 10b, 10c Corrugated soft actuators

[0072] 20 Rehabilitation glove

[0073] 21 Finger part

[0074] 22 Palm part

[0075] 23 Wrist part

[0076] 30 Fluid pipe

[0077] 31 Main pipeline

[0078] 32 Branch pipeline Detailed implementation manners

[0079] The following describes the embodiments of the present invention through specific examples. Those skilled in the art can easily understand the 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. Various 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, without conflict, the following embodiments and the features in the embodiments can be combined with each other.

[0080] It should be noted that the diagrams provided in the following embodiments only illustrate the basic concept of the present invention in a schematic manner. Therefore, only the components related to the present invention are shown in the diagrams, rather than being drawn according to the number, shape, and size of the components in actual implementation. The type, quantity, and ratio of each component in actual implementation can be arbitrarily changed, and the component layout type may also be more complex.

[0081] Embodiment 1

[0082] Please refer to Figures 1 - 4 , in order to solve the problems that the equal wave height corrugated tube soft actuator in the prior art is prone to lateral bending, twisting, and has a relatively large overall size, this embodiment provides a corrugated tube soft actuator, wherein, Figure 1 is a three-dimensional structure schematic diagram of the corrugated tube soft actuator of this embodiment, Figure 2 is the projection of the outer contour of the wave crest structure and the outer contour of the wave trough structure of the corrugated tube soft actuator of this embodiment in the axial direction, Figure 3 is a cross-sectional view along the Figure 2 A-A direction in Figure 4 is a cross-sectional view along the Figure 2 B-B direction in

[0083] Please refer to Figures 1 - 4, in this embodiment, the corrugated soft actuator mainly consists of a first interface pipe section 4, a hollow corrugated pipe section 3, and a second interface pipe section 5 arranged in sequence. The corrugated soft actuator has a symmetrical structure in the left-right and up-down directions. The hollow corrugated pipe section 3 is a hollow elliptical corrugated pipe, including a wave crest structure 1 and a wave trough structure 2 arranged alternately in the axial direction. The outer contours of the wave crest structure 1 and the wave trough structure 2 of the hollow corrugated pipe section 3 are two concentric ellipses in the projection in the axial direction. The wave height of the hollow corrugated pipe section 3 (defined as the height between the top of the wave crest structure 1 and the bottom of the wave trough structure 2 at the corresponding position) has a maximum value h1 and a minimum value h2 in the circumferential direction. The wave height of the hollow corrugated pipe section 3 has a maximum value h1 in the major axis direction of the wave crest structure 1, and the wave height of the hollow corrugated pipe in the minor axis direction of the wave crest structure 1 has a minimum value h2. The wave height of the hollow corrugated pipe section 3 in the circumferential direction changes continuously between the maximum value h1 and the minimum value h2, where the maximum value h1 is greater than the minimum value h2. In the projection of the outer contours of the wave crest structure 1 and the wave trough structure 2 of the hollow corrugated pipe section 3 in the axial direction, the lateral dimension of the outer contour of the wave crest structure 1 is smaller than the vertical dimension perpendicular to the installation base surface, and the minimum wave height h2 of the hollow corrugated pipe section 3 is set on the lateral sides of the hollow corrugated pipe section 3. It should be noted that since the hollow corrugated pipe section 3 has different wave heights in the circumferential direction and different flexural section moduli in the circumferential direction, and the flexural section modulus at the position with a small wave height is greater than that at the position with a large wave height, when being restricted by the installation base to be introduced later, it is easy to bend at the position with a large wave height and not easy to bend laterally at the position with a small wave height, and has a relatively definite bending direction.

[0084] Please refer to Figures 1 - 4 , in this embodiment, the axial section of the hollow corrugated pipe section 3 is a corrugated section. As an example, the radial sections of the wave crest structure 1 and the wave trough structure 2 can both be elliptical sections, for example. The first interface pipe section 4 can be a hollow cylindrical pipe (of course, it can also be a tubular structure of other shapes), and the second interface pipe section 5 can be a hollow cylindrical pipe (of course, it can also be a tubular structure of other shapes). The first interface pipe section 4 and the second interface pipe section 5 are respectively connected to both ends of the hollow corrugated pipe section 3. One end of the second interface pipe section 5 away from the hollow corrugated pipe section 3 is sealed or open, and one end of the first interface pipe section 4 away from the hollow corrugated pipe section 3 is open. The hollow cavity of the first interface pipe section 4, the hollow cavity of the hollow corrugated pipe section 3, and the hollow cavity of the second interface pipe section 5 are interconnected to form a hollow driving cavity 6, that is, the hollow driving cavity 6 sequentially penetrates the first interface pipe section 4, the hollow corrugated pipe section 3, and the second interface pipe section 5.

[0085] Please refer toFigures 1 - 4 , in this embodiment, the material of the corrugated soft actuator is an elastic soft material, such as rubber, with good flexibility. The corrugated soft actuator can be integrally formed, for example, so as to reduce the process flow and the number of connecting parts.

[0086] Please refer to Figure 5 , this embodiment also introduces a schematic three-dimensional structure diagram of an integral soft actuator 10, and the integral soft actuator 10 is composed of one Figures 1 - 4The bellows-shaped soft actuator in it is assembled together with the mounting base. In the integrated soft actuator 10, one end of the second interface pipe section 5 of the bellows-shaped soft actuator, which is far away from the hollow bellows section 3, is sealed, and one end of the first interface pipe section 4 of the bellows-shaped soft actuator, which is far away from the hollow bellows section 3, is open. This first interface pipe section 4 serves as the fluid inlet of the integrated soft actuator 10 and is connected to a fluid pump through a fluid pipe 30. The fluid pump can pump fluid into or out of the above-mentioned hollow driving cavity 6, thereby driving the integrated soft actuator 10 to bend and deform. The mounting base includes a first mounting base 7a 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 sleeved on a specified position (this position needs to be adjusted according to actual needs and avoid the position of the knuckle) on the outer wall of the hollow bellows section 3. 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 matching the outer wall of the hollow bellows section 3, and the side wall of the second assembly hole has a break along the axial direction of the integrated soft actuator 10, so as to facilitate sleeving and assembling the second mounting base 7b on the outer wall of the hollow bellows section 3; the first mounting base 7a and the second mounting base 7b can be fixedly bonded to the bellows-shaped soft actuator through glue, for example. The bottoms of the first mounting base 7a and the second mounting base 7b can be bonded to the rehabilitation glove 20 (which can also be other rehabilitation instrument bodies) to be introduced below through glue, for example, so as to install and restrain the integrated soft actuator 10 on the rehabilitation glove 20. When inflated, the hollow bellows section 3 can bend around an axis generally parallel to the perpendicular line of the axial section where the maximum wave height of the hollow bellows section 3 is located, that is, it can bend around an axis generally parallel to the short axis of the elliptical radial section of the wave crest structure 1 of the hollow bellows section 3. By changing the structure of the bellows-shaped soft actuator, the bellows-shaped soft actuator has different wave heights in the circumferential direction and different bending moment of inertia section coefficients in the circumferential direction. Even like an elliptical bellows, whose transverse dimension is larger than the vertical dimension, the bending moment of inertia section coefficient of the bellows at the position with a small wave height can also be greater than that at the position with a large wave height. Therefore, it is easy to bend at the position with a large wave height and not easy to bend laterally at the position with a small wave height, and the bending direction is relatively determined. Therefore, in this embodiment, an installation method different from the generally considered reasonable installation method in the prior art is adopted to install the hollow bellows section 3 on the installation base surface, overcoming the technical prejudice and should have creativity.

[0087] Please refer to Figure 6, this embodiment also introduces a hand rehabilitation trainer made of the integral soft actuator 10 in Figure 5 . The hand rehabilitation trainer includes a rehabilitation glove 20, an integral soft actuator 10, and a fluid pipe 30. The rehabilitation glove 20 includes a wrist part 23 for covering the wrist, a palm part 22 corresponding to the back of the palm, and five finger parts 21 for inserting different fingers, which are connected in sequence. At least one integral soft actuator 10 is fixed to the back of the finger part 21 of the rehabilitation glove 20 through a mounting bracket; the fluid pipe 30 may include a main pipeline 31 and a branch pipeline 32 that communicate with each other. One end of the branch pipeline 32 of the fluid pipe 30 that is not connected to the main pipeline 31 is connected to the fluid inlet of the integral soft actuator 10, and one end of the main pipeline 31 of the fluid pipe 30 that is not connected to the branch pipeline 32 is connected to a fluid pump. The fluid pump can pump fluid into or out of the hollow driving cavity 6 of the integral soft actuator 10, so as to drive the integral soft actuator 10 to bend and deform, and drive the corresponding finger to perform corresponding rehabilitation training. It should be noted that in this hand rehabilitation trainer, the number and installation position (different finger parts 21) of the integral soft actuators 10 can be adjusted according to actual needs. Specifically, Figure 6 shows that five integral soft actuators 10 are respectively fixed to the backs of the finger parts 21 of the rehabilitation glove 20 corresponding to the thumb, index finger, middle finger, ring finger, and little finger through their respective mounting brackets. Among them, in each integral soft actuator 10, the corrugated soft actuator is installed on the back of the finger part 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 maximum wave height of the hollow corrugated section 3 is located is perpendicular to the back of the finger part 21 of the rehabilitation glove 20, so as to perform bending training on each finger.

[0088] Please refer to Figure 7 , this embodiment also introduces a schematic three-dimensional structure diagram of a segmented soft actuator 10'. The segmented soft actuator 10' is assembled by a plurality of Figures 1 - 4 corrugated soft actuators in and the first mounting base 7a. The segmented soft actuator 10' includes a plurality of corrugated soft actuators connected in sequence from left to right, and adjacent two corrugated soft actuators are connected and fixed through the first mounting base 7a. Figure 7The situation including three corrugated soft actuators 10a, 10b and 10c is shown. Among them, one end of the second interface pipe section 5 of the corrugated soft actuator 10a located at the leftmost side, which is far from the hollow corrugated pipe section 3, is designed to be sealed and defined as the first soft actuator, while one end of the corrugated soft actuators 10b and 10c located in the middle and the rightmost side, which is far from the hollow corrugated pipe section 3, is designed to be open and defined as the second soft actuator; A first mounting base 7a is respectively sleeved and fixed on the second interface pipe section 5 of the corrugated soft actuator 10a and the first interface pipe section 4 of the corrugated soft actuator 10c. The first interface pipe section 4 of the corrugated soft actuator 10a and the second interface pipe section 5 of the corrugated soft actuator 10b share a first mounting base 7a for docking and sealing assembly. The first interface pipe section 4 of the corrugated soft actuator 10b and the second interface pipe section 5 of the corrugated soft actuator 10c share a first mounting base 7a for docking and sealing assembly. And the docking position of two adjacent corrugated soft actuators needs to avoid the knuckle position, that is, the shared first mounting base 7a of the two needs to avoid the knuckle position. It should be noted that in other embodiments, the number of the corrugated soft actuators in the second soft actuator of the segmented soft actuator 10' can be adjusted according to actual needs. For example, it can be one, two, three or more.

[0089] Please refer to Figure 8 , this embodiment also introduces a hand rehabilitation trainer using the above-mentioned segmented soft actuator 10'. The hand rehabilitation trainer includes a rehabilitation glove 20, a segmented soft actuator 10' and a fluid pipe 30. The rehabilitation glove 20 includes a wrist part 23 for sleeving on the wrist, a palm part 22 corresponding to the back of the palm and five finger parts 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 part 21 of the rehabilitation glove 20 through its own mounting seat; The fluid pipe 30 can include, for example, a main pipeline 31 and a branch pipeline 32 that are connected to each other. One end of the branch pipeline 32 of the fluid pipe 30 that is not connected to the main pipeline 31 is connected to the fluid inlet of the segmented soft actuator 10'. One end of the main pipeline 31 of the fluid pipe 30 that is not connected to the branch pipeline 32 is connected to a fluid pump. The fluid pump can pump fluid into or out of the hollow driving cavity 6 of the segmented soft actuator 10', so as to drive the segmented soft actuator 10' to bend and deform, and drive the corresponding finger to perform corresponding rehabilitation training. It should be noted that in the hand rehabilitation trainer, the number and installation position of the segmented soft actuators 10' can be adjusted according to actual needs. As an example, Figure 8Four segmented soft actuators 10' are shown as being respectively fixed to the back of the corresponding finger parts 21 of the index finger, middle finger, ring finger, and little finger of the rehabilitation glove 20 through their respective mounting brackets, while one of the above-mentioned integral soft actuators 10 is fixed to the corresponding thumb finger part 21 of the rehabilitation glove 20 through its own mounting bracket.

[0090] Embodiment Two

[0091] Please refer to Figures 9 - 12 , this embodiment provides another corrugated soft actuator, wherein, Figure 9 is a three-dimensional structural schematic diagram of the corrugated soft actuator of this embodiment, Figure 10 is the projection of the outer contour of the peak structure and the outer contour of the valley structure of the corrugated soft actuator of this embodiment in the axial direction, Figure 11 is along Figure 2 the cross-sectional view in the C-C direction in; Figure 4 is along Figure 2 the cross-sectional view in the D-D direction in.

[0092] Please refer to Figures 9 - 12 , the corrugated soft actuator of this embodiment is a variant embodiment of the corrugated soft actuator of Embodiment One, and it is composed of a first interface pipe section 4, a hollow corrugated pipe section 3, and a second interface pipe section 5 arranged in sequence. The corrugated soft actuator is symmetric in both the left-right and up-down directions. The difference between the corrugated soft actuator of this embodiment and the corrugated soft actuator of Embodiment One is that the projections of the outer contours of the peak structure 1 and the valley structure 2 of the corrugated soft actuator of Embodiment One in the axial direction are two concentric ellipses; while for the corrugated soft actuator of this embodiment, the projections of the outer contours of the peak structure 1 and the valley structure 2 of the hollow corrugated pipe section 3 in the axial direction are a concentric ellipse and a circle, and other structures are the same, so they will not be described repeatedly.

[0093] It should be noted that, like the corrugated soft actuator of Embodiment One, the corrugated soft actuator of this embodiment can also be installed on the rehabilitation glove 20 through a mounting base to make a hand rehabilitation trainer.

[0094] Embodiment Three

[0095] Please refer to Figures 13 - 16 , this embodiment provides yet another corrugated soft actuator, wherein, Figure 13 is a three-dimensional structural schematic diagram of the corrugated soft actuator of this embodiment, Figure 14 is the projection of the outer contour of the peak structure and the outer contour of the valley structure of the corrugated soft actuator of this embodiment in the axial direction, Figure 15 is along Figure 14 the cross-sectional view in the E-E direction in;Figure 16 is a cross-sectional view along the Figure 14 F-F direction in

[0096] Please refer to Figures 13 - 16 , the corrugated soft actuator of this embodiment is another variant embodiment of the corrugated soft actuator of Embodiment 1. It is composed of a first interface pipe section 4, a hollow corrugated pipe section 3, and a second interface pipe section 5 arranged in sequence. The corrugated soft actuator of this embodiment has a left-right and up-down symmetric structure. The difference between the corrugated soft actuator of this embodiment and that of Embodiment 1 is that the projections of the outer contours of the peak structure 1 and the trough structure 2 of the corrugated soft actuator of Embodiment 1 in the axial direction are two concentric ellipses, and in the projections of the outer contours of the peak structure 1 and the trough structure 2 of the hollow corrugated pipe section 3 in the axial direction, the lateral dimension of the outer contour of the peak structure 1 is equal to its vertical dimension perpendicular to the installation base surface; while the projections of the outer contours of the peak structure 1 and the trough structure 2 of the corrugated soft actuator of this embodiment in the axial direction are a circle and an ellipse arranged concentrically. The lateral dimension of the outer contour of the peak structure 1 of the hollow corrugated pipe section 3 of this embodiment is equal to the vertical dimension of the peak structure 1 of the hollow corrugated pipe section perpendicular to the installation base surface, and the other structures are the same, so they will not be described repeatedly.

[0097] It should be noted that, like the corrugated soft actuator of Embodiment 1, the corrugated soft actuator of this embodiment can also be installed on the rehabilitation glove 20 through an installation base to make a hand rehabilitation trainer.

[0098] In summary, the corrugated soft actuator of the present invention has different wave heights in the circumferential direction and different flexural section moduli in the circumferential direction. Even in the case of an elliptical corrugated pipe where the lateral dimension is larger than the vertical dimension, the flexural section modulus of the corrugated pipe at the position with a small wave height can be greater than that at the position with a large wave height. Therefore, it is possible to achieve easy bending at the position with a large wave height and difficult lateral bending at the position with a small wave height, having the effect of a relatively definite bending direction. The corrugated soft actuator of the present invention is installed in such a way that the axial section where the maximum wave height of the hollow corrugated pipe section is located is perpendicular to the installation base surface, and the lateral wave height is small. Thus, under the action of fluid pressure, better lateral flexural resistance can be obtained, and lateral disturbance can be avoided. The corrugated soft actuator of the present invention is installed in such a way that the axial section where the maximum wave height of the hollow corrugated pipe section is located is perpendicular to the installation base surface. Under the action of fluid pressure, the force arm in the direction perpendicular to the installation base surface is larger, and thus the generated bending moment is larger. The corrugated soft actuator of the present invention is installed in such a way that the axial section where the maximum wave height of the hollow corrugated pipe section is located is perpendicular to the installation base surface. With a certain driving torque ensured, it has a smaller size and is more energy-efficient. In the projection of the outer contour of the wave crest structure and the outer contour of the wave trough structure of the hollow corrugated pipe section of the corrugated soft actuator of the present invention in the axial direction, the lateral dimension of the outer contour of the wave crest structure is not greater than its vertical dimension perpendicular to the installation base surface, and the minimum wave height value is set on the left and right sides in the lateral direction. Thus, even with a small lateral dimension, a large lateral flexural resistance can still be ensured. The corrugated soft actuator of the present invention has a smaller lateral dimension, which is convenient for patients with small lateral hand dimensions such as children to use.

[0099] The above embodiments are only illustrative of the principles and effects of the present invention, and are not used to limit the present invention. Any person familiar with this technology can modify or change the above embodiments without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention. Therefore, all equivalent modifications or changes completed by those with ordinary knowledge in the technical field without departing from the spirit and technical ideas disclosed by the present invention should still be covered by the claims of the present invention.

[0100] In the description herein, many specific details are provided, such as examples of components and / or methods, to provide a complete understanding of the embodiments of the present invention. However, those skilled in the art will recognize that the embodiments of the present invention can be practiced without one or more of the specific details or by other devices, systems, components, methods, parts, 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.

[0101] References to "one embodiment", "an embodiment", or "a specific embodiment" in the course of this specification mean 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, the appearances of the phrases "in one embodiment", "in an embodiment", or "in a specific embodiment" in various places throughout this specification are not necessarily all referring to the same embodiment. Moreover, the particular features, structures, or characteristics of any specific embodiment of the invention may be combined in any suitable manner with one or more other embodiments. It is to be understood that other variations and modifications of the embodiments of the invention described and shown herein may be made in accordance with the teachings herein and will be considered part of the spirit and scope of the invention.

[0102] It should also be understood that one or more of the elements shown in the figures may also be implemented in a more separated or more integrated manner, or even removed in some cases where they are inoperable or provided because they may be useful in a particular application.

[0103] Additionally, unless otherwise explicitly indicated, any marked arrows in the figures should be considered merely exemplary and not limiting. Further, unless otherwise indicated, the term "or" as used herein generally intends to mean "and / or". Where the term is anticipated to be unclear due to the ability to provide separation or combination, the combination of components or steps will also be considered to be specified.

[0104] As used in the description herein and throughout the claims below, unless otherwise indicated, the singular forms "a", "an", and "the" include plural referents. Also, as used in the description herein and throughout the claims below, unless otherwise indicated, the phrase "in" means "in" and "on".

[0105] The foregoing description of the embodiments of the invention shown (including what is described in the abstract) is not intended to be exhaustive or to limit the invention to the precise forms disclosed herein. While specific embodiments of the invention and examples of the invention have been described herein for illustrative purposes only, various equivalent modifications will be apparent to and can be made by those skilled in the art within the spirit and scope of the invention. As noted, these modifications can be made to the invention in accordance with the foregoing description of the embodiments of the invention and these modifications will be within the spirit and scope of the invention.

[0106] The present disclosure has generally described systems and methods to facilitate an understanding of the details of the present invention. Additionally, various specific details have been given to provide a general 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 the specific details, or with other devices, systems, components, methods, assemblies, materials, parts, etc. In other instances, well-known structures, materials, and / or operations have not been shown or described in detail to avoid obscuring aspects of the embodiments of the present invention.

[0107] Accordingly, while the present invention has been described herein with reference to its specific embodiments, modifications, various changes and substitutions are also within the foregoing disclosure, and it should be understood that in some instances, some features of the present invention may be employed without 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 essential scope and spirit of the present invention. The present invention is not intended to be limited to the specific terms and / or specific embodiments disclosed as the best mode contemplated for carrying out the present invention, but the present invention will include any and all embodiments and equivalents falling within the scope of the appended claims. Accordingly, the scope of the present invention will be determined only by the appended claims.

Claims

1. A corrugated soft actuator, characterized in that, Comprising: A hollow corrugated pipe section; A first interface pipe section connected to one end of the hollow corrugated pipe section; A second interface pipe section connected to the other end of the hollow corrugated pipe section; And A first mounting base disposed on the outer walls of the first interface pipe section and the second interface pipe section; Wherein, the wave height of the hollow corrugated pipe section has a maximum value and a minimum value in the circumferential direction, the maximum value is greater than the minimum value, and the axial section where the maximum wave height of the hollow corrugated pipe section is located is perpendicular to the installation base surface; The projections of the outer contours of the wave crest structure and the wave trough structure of the hollow corrugated pipe section in the axial direction are two concentric ellipses; or the projections of the outer contours of the wave crest structure and the wave trough structure of the hollow corrugated pipe section in the axial direction are a circle and an ellipse that are concentrically arranged; In the projections of the outer contours of the wave crest structure and the wave trough structure of the hollow corrugated pipe section in the axial direction, the transverse dimension of the outer contour of the wave crest structure of the hollow corrugated pipe section is not greater than the vertical dimension of the wave crest structure of the hollow corrugated pipe section perpendicular to the installation base surface, and the minimum wave height of the hollow corrugated pipe section is arranged on the transverse sides of the hollow corrugated pipe section; A fluid inlet is provided on the first interface pipe section.

2. The corrugated soft actuator according to claim 1, characterized in that, Comprising: The bellows-shaped soft actuator further includes a hollow driving cavity that sequentially penetrates through the first interface pipe section, the hollow corrugated pipe section, and the second interface pipe section, and one end of the second interface pipe section away from the hollow corrugated pipe section is sealed or open.

3. The corrugated soft actuator according to claim 1, characterized in that, The wave height of the hollow corrugated pipe in the circumferential direction continuously changes between the maximum value and the minimum value.

4. The corrugated soft actuator according to claim 1, wherein, The material of the bellows-shaped soft actuator is an elastic material.

5. The bellows-shaped soft actuator according to claim 1, wherein, The hollow corrugated pipe section, the first interface pipe section, and the second interface pipe section of the bellows-shaped soft actuator are of an integrally formed structure.

6. The corrugated soft actuator according to claim 1, characterized in that The bellows-shaped soft actuator further includes a second mounting base disposed at a suitable position on the outer wall of the hollow corrugated pipe section.

7. A hand rehabilitation trainer, characterized in that, Comprising: A rehabilitation glove; And A bellows-shaped soft actuator, comprising: A hollow corrugated pipe section; A first interface pipe section connected to one end of the hollow corrugated pipe section; A second interface pipe section connected to the other end of the hollow corrugated pipe section; and A first mounting base disposed on the outer walls of the first interface pipe section and the second interface pipe section; Wherein, the wave height of the hollow corrugated pipe section has a maximum value and a minimum value in the circumferential direction, the maximum value is greater than the minimum value, the bellows-shaped soft actuator is mounted on the back of the finger part of the rehabilitation glove through the first mounting base, and the axial section where the maximum wave height of the hollow corrugated pipe section is located is perpendicular to the back of the finger part of the rehabilitation glove; The projections of the outer contours of the wave crest structure and the wave trough structure of the hollow corrugated pipe section in the axial direction are two concentric ellipses; or the projections of the outer contours of the wave crest structure and the wave trough structure of the hollow corrugated pipe section in the axial direction are a circle and an ellipse that are concentrically arranged; In the projections of the outer contour of the peak structure and the outer contour of the trough structure of the hollow corrugated pipe section in the axial direction, the lateral dimension of the outer contour of the peak structure of the hollow corrugated pipe section is not greater than the vertical dimension of the peak structure of the hollow corrugated pipe section perpendicular to the installation base surface, and the minimum value of the wave height of the hollow corrugated pipe section is set on the lateral sides of the hollow corrugated pipe section.

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