Prosthetic hand socket and method of making same

Abstract

The present application belongs to the technical field of artificial limb design, and discloses an artificial limb hand receiving cavity and a preparation method thereof, wherein the receiving cavity comprises a receiving cavity main body, the receiving cavity main body is used for wearing of a wearer's palm, the receiving cavity main body is provided with a modularized finger joint and a finger notch, the modularized finger joint is used for connecting a mechanical finger, and the finger notch is used for wearing of a residual finger of the wearer, the receiving cavity main body is further provided with a flexible area, the flexible area has a flexible deformation capability, and the movement function of the wearer's palm is realized through the flexible area. The present application provides a design idea of retaining the movement function of the wearer's palm, and by arranging the flexible area on the receiving cavity main body, a certain movable space can be provided for the wearer's palm, so that the movement function of the patient's own palm can be realized on the premise of ensuring the stable connection between the receiving cavity main body and the patient's palm, and the movement capability and practicability of the artificial limb hand are further improved.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention belongs to the technical field of prosthetic design, and more specifically, relates to a prosthetic hand socket and its preparation method. Background Technology

[0002] The research and development of intelligent myoelectric prosthetic hands has always been a hot topic, with many companies and research institutions achieving significant results. However, the development of prosthetic sockets, which act as a bridge between the prosthetic hand and the residual limb, has been slow. A prosthetic socket is the cavity that connects the prosthesis and the residual limb; both upper and lower limb sockets need to be adapted to the shape of the residual limb to ensure comfort for the amputee and to integrate the prosthesis and residual limb seamlessly. Currently, most prosthetic hands are designed for patients with complete hand loss, and the socket primarily utilizes the elbow joint for fixation. Due to the limited range of motion in the arm, the main design goal of the socket is simply to achieve a stable connection. For example, a forearm socket for a prosthetic hand disclosed in patent CN115721461A focuses on the stability of the socket connection.

[0003] For patients with missing hands or fingers, most of them retain some motor function in their hands, and their long-term grasping habits often result in a level of control over their remaining limbs that is even higher than that of the average person. However, traditional prosthetic sockets typically use a rigid design to connect the prosthetic hand to the natural hand. This rigid socket, which is difficult to deform, completely restricts the patient's own hand movement, forcing them to rely solely on the mechanical prosthetic hand for daily activities. This contradicts the original design principle of mechanical prosthetic hands, which aims to improve hand motor function. Therefore, patients with hand disabilities have an urgent desire and need for a prosthetic hand socket that preserves hand motor function. Summary of the Invention

[0004] In view of the above-mentioned defects or improvement needs of the existing technology, the present invention provides a prosthetic hand socket and its preparation method. It solves the problem that the traditional socket usually uses a rigid design to directly connect the prosthetic hand to the human hand. The difficult-to-deform socket will completely restrict the patient's own hand movement ability, which is contrary to the original intention of mechanical prosthetic hand to improve the patient's hand movement ability. The present invention provides a socket design idea that preserves the wearer's hand movement function and can provide guidance for the customized design of the socket.

[0005] To achieve the above objectives, according to one aspect of the present invention, a prosthetic hand socket is provided, comprising a socket body for wearing a wearer's hand, the socket body having a modular finger connector at a location corresponding to a missing finger of the wearer, and a finger notch at a location corresponding to a remaining finger of the wearer, the modular finger connector for connecting a mechanical finger, the finger notch for wearing the remaining finger of the wearer, and a flexible region on the socket body having flexible deformation capability, through which the wearer's hand movement function is realized.

[0006] According to the prosthetic hand receiving cavity provided by the present invention, the flexible region is a notched structure or a flexible material region structure.

[0007] According to the prosthetic hand receiving cavity provided by the present invention, the flexible area corresponds to the part of the wearer's hand with motor function and is distributed in the palm and / or back of the hand of the receiving cavity body.

[0008] According to the prosthetic hand socket provided by the present invention, the flexible region includes a metacarpophalangeal joint region. The metacarpophalangeal joint regions are respectively provided on the palm and back of the hand corresponding to the metacarpophalangeal joints of the socket body to adapt to the metacarpophalangeal joint movement function of the wearer's hand.

[0009] According to the prosthetic hand receiving cavity provided by the present invention, the metacarpophalangeal joint region is arc-shaped, and the metacarpophalangeal joint region located at the palm of the receiving cavity body is closer to the wrist than the metacarpophalangeal joint region located at the back of the receiving cavity body.

[0010] According to the prosthetic hand receiving cavity provided by the present invention, the flexible region further includes a wrist-palm joint region, which is located in the palm part of the receiving cavity body to adapt to the wrist-palm joint movement function of the wearer's hand.

[0011] According to the prosthetic hand receiving cavity provided by the present invention, the wrist-palmar joint region is located at the position corresponding to the phalanx of the ring finger and extends to the corresponding part of the wrist.

[0012] According to the prosthetic hand receiving cavity provided by the present invention, the receiving cavity body is provided with a fixing and tightening structure at the finger notch and the corresponding wrist position;

[0013] And / or, the receiving cavity body is integrally formed by injection molding.

[0014] According to another aspect of the present invention, a method for preparing a prosthetic hand socket is provided, the method comprising:

[0015] The number of modular finger connectors and finger notches is determined based on the wearer's hand shape;

[0016] Based on the wearer's palm model, the modular finger connector, and the number of finger notches, a reliably wearable receiving cavity body is prepared;

[0017] Use medical imaging and / or experimental methods to determine the functional parts of the wearer's palm;

[0018] The flexible region is prepared at the location corresponding to the part of the wearer's hand with motor function, forming the prosthetic hand receiving cavity.

[0019] According to the method for fabricating a prosthetic hand socket provided by the present invention, based on the wearer's palm model, the modular finger joint, and the number of finger notches, a reliably wearable socket body is fabricated, specifically including:

[0020] Based on the wearer's hand model, the modular finger connector, and the number of finger notches, an initial model of the receiving cavity body is designed, and an initial version of the receiving cavity body is manufactured.

[0021] The initial version of the receiving cavity body is adapted for wearability, and the initial model of the receiving cavity body is adjusted accordingly based on the results of the adaptation, so as to prepare a reliably wearable receiving cavity body;

[0022] The flexible region is prepared at the location corresponding to the motor function part of the wearer's palm in the main body of the receiving cavity, forming the prosthetic hand receiving cavity, specifically including:

[0023] The flexible region is prepared at the location corresponding to the part of the wearer's hand with motor function in the receiving cavity body. The receiving cavity body with the flexible region is adjusted for wearing adaptation to finally form the prosthetic hand receiving cavity.

[0024] In summary, compared with the prior art, the prosthetic hand socket and its preparation method provided by the present invention are superior in that:

[0025] 1. A design concept that preserves the wearer's hand movement function is provided. The reliably connected and fixed socket can be achieved by wearing the socket body. By setting a flexible area on the socket body, a certain amount of space for the wearer's hand can be provided. Thus, while ensuring a stable connection between the socket body and the patient's hand, it is beneficial to enable the patient to retain the movement function of their own hand, thereby further improving the movement ability and practicality of the prosthetic hand.

[0026] 2. Specifically, it provides the relative positions of the metacarpophalangeal joints and carpometacarpophalangeal joints mapped onto the main body of the receiver, providing guidance for the customized design of the receiver;

[0027] 3. It is proposed that by relying on medical imaging and / or experimental methods, the presence of the patient's motor function can be ensured from a mechanistic perspective, and the accuracy of the position of the flexible area on the main body of the receiving cavity can be guaranteed. Attached Figure Description

[0028] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of wearing a prosthetic hand socket provided by the present invention;

[0029] Figure 2 This is a view of the palm side of the socket of a prosthetic hand provided by the present invention;

[0030] Figure 3 This is a flowchart of the method for preparing the prosthetic hand socket provided by the present invention;

[0031] In all the accompanying drawings, the same reference numerals are used to denote the same elements or structures, wherein:

[0032] 1-Receiver cavity body, 2-Metacarpophalangeal joint area, 3-Wrist-metacarpophalangeal joint area, 4-Modular finger connector, 5-Way hole, 6-Wrist constriction point, 7-Tiger mouth constriction point, 8-Ventilation hole. Detailed Implementation

[0033] To make the objectives, technical solutions, and advantages of this invention clearer, the invention will be further described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings and embodiments. It should be understood that the specific embodiments described herein are merely illustrative and not intended to limit the invention. Furthermore, the technical features involved in the various embodiments of this invention described below can be combined with each other as long as they do not conflict with each other.

[0034] Example 1

[0035] Please see Figure 1 and Figure 2 This invention provides a prosthetic hand socket, which includes a socket body 1 for wearing the wearer's hand. The socket body 1 has a modular finger connector 4 at the location corresponding to the wearer's missing finger and a finger notch at the location corresponding to the wearer's remaining finger. The modular finger connector 4 is used to connect a mechanical finger, and the finger notch is used to wear the wearer's remaining finger. The socket body 1 also has a flexible region with flexible deformation capability, and the wearer's hand movement function is realized through the flexible region.

[0036] In this embodiment, the socket body 1 is worn on the wearer's residual hand. The socket body 1, in conjunction with the wearer's residual limb, enables a reliable and fixed connection of the prosthetic hand socket. The socket body 1 has a modular finger connector 4 at the location corresponding to the missing finger, used to connect a mechanical finger to replace the wearer's missing finger. The modular finger connector 4 can be customized according to the patient's actual residual finger condition. The socket body 1 also features a finger notch structure at the location corresponding to the residual finger; the residual finger is the finger still retained by the wearer, and the wearer's residual finger can pass through the finger notch for insertion.

[0037] Furthermore, the prosthetic hand socket provided in this embodiment, compared with the rigid design of traditional prosthetic hand sockets, proposes to analyze and judge the mobility of the wearer's residual hand. Then, by setting an appropriate part of the socket body 1 as a flexible area, it can provide a certain amount of space for the wearer's hand to move, thereby avoiding the wearer's hand being completely restricted by the rigid design and preserving the mobility of the residual hand.

[0038] The prosthetic hand socket provided by this invention offers a design concept that preserves the wearer's hand motor function. The socket body 1 can be reliably connected and fixed by wearing it. By setting a flexible area on the socket body 1, a certain amount of space for movement can be provided for the wearer's hand. Thus, while ensuring a stable connection between the socket body 1 and the patient's hand, it is beneficial for the patient to retain the motor function of their own hand, further improving the motor ability and practicality of the prosthetic hand, and providing guidance for the customized design of the socket.

[0039] Furthermore, the flexible region is a notch structure or a flexible material region structure. The flexible region can be formed by cutting notches directly from the receiving cavity body 1 or by filling the notches with flexible material. The notches provide space for the wearer's hand to move, or the deformability of the flexible material ensures the mobility of the receiving cavity body 1.

[0040] Furthermore, the flexible region corresponds to the functional parts of the wearer's hand and is distributed on the palm and / or back of the hand of the receiving cavity body 1. The position of the flexible region coincides with the position of the wearer's movable joint relative to the palm surface. By reducing the stiffness of the corresponding part of the receiving cavity through the flexible region, space is provided for the movable joint, thus preserving the wearer's own hand movement ability. Specifically, the flexible region can be set at the corresponding palm and / or back of the hand of the receiving cavity body 1 according to the part of the wearer's movable joint that needs space during movement.

[0041] Furthermore, the actual motor ability of the patient's residual hand can be analyzed and judged based on medical image analysis and / or experimental methods. Under the premise of ensuring the reliability of the fixation of the receiving cavity body 1 with the patient, the receiving cavity body 1 can be given corresponding movable space by using soft materials or notches.

[0042] Furthermore, the flexible region includes a metacarpophalangeal joint region 2. The metacarpophalangeal joint region 2 is respectively provided on the palm and back of the hand corresponding to the metacarpophalangeal joints of the receiving cavity body 1 to accommodate the metacarpophalangeal joint movement function of the wearer's hand. This embodiment considers that the wearer, i.e., the patient, may retain the ability to move their metacarpophalangeal joints; that is, when there is a residual finger, the metacarpophalangeal joint at the connection between the residual finger and the palm may have movement function. In this case, a flexible region, i.e., a metacarpophalangeal joint region 2, can be provided in the area of ​​the receiving cavity body 1 corresponding to the metacarpophalangeal joints, thereby providing space for the movement of the patient's metacarpophalangeal joints and preserving their movement function.

[0043] Furthermore, considering that the metacarpophalangeal joints of the hand require space in both the palm and the back of the hand during movement, it is proposed that the metacarpophalangeal joint areas 2 be respectively set in the palm and back of the receiving cavity body 1 corresponding to the metacarpophalangeal joints, so as to better realize the movement function of the patient's metacarpophalangeal joints.

[0044] Furthermore, the metacarpophalangeal joint region 2 corresponds to the metacarpophalangeal joints of the wearer's hand that have mobility. That is, the metacarpophalangeal joint region 2 is set at the location corresponding to the metacarpophalangeal joints of the wearer's hand that have mobility. For example, when the patient has mobility in the metacarpophalangeal joint of the index finger, flexible regions can be set in the palm and back of the hand corresponding to the metacarpophalangeal joint of the index finger in the main body of ...

[0045] Furthermore, since the space of motion of the metacarpophalangeal joints mapped onto the palm surface during movement is arc-shaped rather than linear, the metacarpophalangeal joint region 2 is arc-shaped to better realize the residual motor function of the patient's metacarpophalangeal joints. Also, the metacarpophalangeal joint region 2 located in the palm of the receiving cavity body 1 is closer to the wrist than the metacarpophalangeal joint region 2 located on the back of the hand of the receiving cavity body 1. Because the rotation axis of the metacarpophalangeal joint is closer to the back of the hand, the space of motion on the palm side when the metacarpophalangeal joint bends is lower than that on the back of the hand; therefore, the metacarpophalangeal joint region 2 located in the palm is closer to the wrist.

[0046] Furthermore, the flexible region also includes a wrist-metacarpal joint region 3, which is located in the palm part of the receiving cavity body 1 to accommodate the wrist-metacarpal joint movement function of the wearer's hand. This embodiment considers that the wearer, i.e., the patient, may retain wrist-metacarpal joint movement ability; that is, when the ring finger or little finger phalanx is present, the patient may have wrist-metacarpal joint movement function to perform finger-opposition movements. In this case, a flexible region, i.e., a wrist-metacarpal joint region 3, can be set in the area of ​​the receiving cavity body 1 corresponding to the wrist-metacarpal joint, thereby providing space for the patient's wrist-metacarpal joint movement and preserving the patient's wrist-metacarpal joint movement function.

[0047] Furthermore, this embodiment found through research that when the palm has wrist-palm joint movement function, the required activity space is mainly in the palm center. Based on this, it is proposed that the wrist-palm joint region 3 be located in the palm center of the receiving cavity body 1, which can better realize the wrist-palm joint movement function.

[0048] Furthermore, the wrist-metacarpal joint region 3 is located at the position corresponding to the ring finger phalanx and extends to the corresponding part of the wrist. This embodiment, through in-depth research and analysis of the space required for wrist-metacarpal joint movement, found that the space mainly required for wrist-metacarpal joint movement is distributed in the area where the ring finger phalanx extends towards the wrist. Based on this, it is proposed that the wrist-metacarpal joint region 3 be positioned at the connection between the ring finger phalanx and the wrist, which can better accommodate the movement of the wrist-metacarpal joint.

[0049] Furthermore, the receiving cavity body 1 is provided with a fixing and tightening structure at the finger notch and the corresponding wrist position; the tightening structure is used to connect and fix the receiving cavity body 1 to the wearer's residual limb. For example, when the wearer retains a thumb, the receiving cavity body 1 is provided with a finger notch at the corresponding thumb position for wearing the thumb. At this time, the receiving cavity body 1 can be tightened at the wrist and the web between the thumb and index finger to restrict the relative movement of the receiving cavity and the palm of the hand, thus reliably fixing the receiving cavity body 1.

[0050] Specifically, the tightening structure can be connected and fixed to the wearer's residual limb through an interference fit; the tightening structure can also be connected and fixed to the wearer's residual limb through other fixing methods. For example, the receiving cavity body 1 can also be provided with Velcro or other structures at the corresponding position on the wrist to achieve connection and fixation with the wearer's wrist. The specific method is not limited, as long as the purpose is to achieve connection and fixation of the receiving cavity body 1.

[0051] Furthermore, the receiving cavity body 1 is also provided with wiring holes 5 and vent holes 8. The wiring holes 5 are integrated with the receiving cavity body 1 and are located on the back of the hand of the receiving cavity body 1, using the holes to fix the air tubes or signal lines of the robotic hand fingers; the vent holes 8 are distributed on the surface of the receiving cavity to ensure overall air permeability. The receiving cavity body 1 is integrally formed by injection molding. The finished receiving cavity can be manufactured using a two-color injection molding process, and the receiving cavity body 1, the flexible area made of soft material, the wiring holes 5, and the modular finger connector 4 can be manufactured using a one-time molding process.

[0052] Example 2

[0053] The present invention also provides a method for preparing a prosthetic hand socket, the method being based on the prosthetic hand socket described in any of the above embodiments, the method comprising:

[0054] The number of the modular finger connector 4 and the number of the finger notches are determined based on the wearer's hand shape;

[0055] Based on the wearer's palm model, the modular finger connector 4, and the number of finger notches, the reliably wearable receiving cavity body 1 is prepared;

[0056] Use medical imaging and / or experimental methods to determine the functional parts of the wearer's palm;

[0057] The flexible region is prepared at the location corresponding to the part of the wearer's hand with motor function in the receiving cavity body 1 to form the receiving cavity of the prosthetic hand.

[0058] Specifically, a 3D scan can be used to obtain a model of the wearer's hand, and the design of the prosthetic cavity body 1 can be based on this model. After fabricating a reliably wearable prosthetic cavity body 1, the flexible region is customized based on this body. This involves determining the areas of motor function the patient retains through medical imaging and experimental methods, and designing flexible regions corresponding to these areas to provide space for movement, ultimately forming a prosthetic hand prosthetic cavity that preserves hand motor function. This invention can preserve the motor function of the patient's residual limbs while achieving the motor function of the mechanical finger, further improving the mobility and practicality of the prosthetic hand.

[0059] Furthermore, based on the wearer's palm model, the modular finger connector 4, and the number of finger notches, the wearable receiving cavity body 1 is fabricated, specifically including:

[0060] Based on the wearer's palm model, the modular finger connector 4, and the number of finger notches, an initial model of the receiving cavity body 1 is designed, and an initial version of the receiving cavity body 1 is manufactured.

[0061] The initial version of the receiving cavity body 1 is adjusted for wearability adaptation. Based on the wearability adaptation adjustment results, the initial model of the receiving cavity body 1 is adjusted accordingly to prepare the receiving cavity body 1 that is wearable reliably.

[0062] The flexible region is prepared at the location corresponding to the motor function part of the wearer's palm in the receiving cavity body 1 to form the prosthetic hand receiving cavity, specifically including:

[0063] The flexible region is prepared at the location corresponding to the part of the wearer's hand with motor function in the receiving cavity body 1. The receiving cavity body 1 with the flexible region is adjusted for wearing adaptation to finally form the prosthetic hand receiving cavity.

[0064] The preparation of the reliably wearable receiving cavity body 1 specifically includes: fabricating the receiving cavity body 1 using flexible 3D printing, and adjusting its size to ensure that the receiving cavity body 1 is fixed to the human body. After determining whether the receiving cavity body 1 is a good fit, i.e., reliably wearable, the patient's hand movement ability is obtained based on medical imaging and / or experimental judgment. Based on the movement ability of the residual hand, a flexible area is added to the receiving cavity body 1 for customized design, and its size is adjusted to fit the human hand.

[0065] Furthermore, the flexible region is prepared at the location corresponding to the part of the wearer's hand with motor function in the receiving cavity body 1. Specifically, this includes: when the wearer's hand has metacarpophalangeal joint motor function, flexible regions are respectively provided on the palm and back of the hand corresponding to the metacarpophalangeal joint in the receiving cavity body 1. These flexible regions are called metacarpophalangeal joint regions 2. Furthermore, when the wearer's hand has wrist-metacarpophalangeal joint motor function, a flexible region is provided on the receiving cavity body 1 corresponding to the wrist-metacarpophalangeal joint. These flexible regions are called wrist-metacarpophalangeal joint regions 3.

[0066] Furthermore, medical imaging is used to determine the functional parts of the wearer's hand, specifically including: acquiring medical imaging images of the wearer's hand, determining the motor function of the metacarpophalangeal joints based on the presence of the metacarpophalangeal joints and / or the presence of muscle groups at the metacarpophalangeal joints; and determining the motor function of the wrist-metacarpophalangeal joints based on at least one of the presence of the wrist-metacarpophalangeal joints, the presence of the little finger phalanx, the presence of the ring finger phalanx, and the presence of muscle groups at the wrist-metacarpophalangeal joints.

[0067] In one specific embodiment, medical imaging is used to determine the functional parts of the wearer's hand. Specifically, this includes: based on medical images of the wearer's hand, determining that a metacarpophalangeal joint, if present, is functional; and based on medical images of the wearer's hand, determining that a wrist-metacarpophalangeal joint is functional if a wrist-metacarpophalangeal joint is present, and at least one of the little finger phalanx and the ring finger phalanx is present. This is because the movement of the wrist-metacarpophalangeal joint primarily enables finger opposition, which requires the presence of the wrist-metacarpophalangeal joint and at least one of the little finger phalanx and the ring finger phalanx.

[0068] Furthermore, in one specific embodiment, determining the functional parts of the wearer's hand using medical imaging specifically includes: when the prosthetic hand socket is used for daily life, based on medical imaging images of the wearer's hand, determining that the existing metacarpophalangeal joint has motor function when a metacarpophalangeal joint is present and the muscle group strength at the metacarpophalangeal joint meets the requirements; based on medical imaging images of the wearer's hand, determining that the wrist-metacarpophalangeal joint has motor function when a wrist-metacarpophalangeal joint is present, at least one of the little finger phalanx and the ring finger phalanx is present, and the muscle group strength at the wrist-metacarpophalangeal joint meets the requirements.

[0069] When the prosthetic hand socket is used for rehabilitation training, based on medical imaging images of the wearer's palm, if a metacarpophalangeal joint is present and the muscle group at that joint is present, it is determined that the existing metacarpophalangeal joint has motor function. Based on medical imaging images of the wearer's palm, if a wrist-metacarpal joint is present, at least one of the little finger phalanges and ring finger phalanges is present, and the muscle group at the wrist-metacarpal joint is present, it is determined that the wrist-metacarpal joint has motor function. This embodiment differentiates the determination of functional parts of the wearer's palm based on different uses of the prosthetic hand socket, and sets flexible areas at the corresponding locations of the determined functional parts, which can better fit practical applications and provide ideas for customized socket design.

[0070] Furthermore, experimental methods were used to determine the functional parts of the wearer's hand, specifically including: conducting a residual finger movement experiment on the wearer; if the wearer's residual finger can move around the metacarpophalangeal joint, it is determined that the metacarpophalangeal joint has motor function. A finger opposition movement experiment was conducted on the wearer; if the wearer can perform finger opposition movements, it is determined that the wrist-metacarpophalangeal joint has motor function.

[0071] Furthermore, the final prosthetic hand receiving cavity is a receiving cavity model, which can be used to integrally mold the finished receiving cavity product through injection molding.

[0072] Furthermore, the present invention provides a prosthetic hand socket that preserves the hand's motor function and its preparation method. The prosthetic hand socket is based on medical imaging and / or experiments, novel processes, and assembly practices. While ensuring a stable connection between the mechanical finger and the patient's hand, it preserves the patient's own motor ability, thereby further improving the practicality of the prosthetic hand.

[0073] Taking a patient with four missing fingers as an example, the diagram showing the wearing of the prosthetic hand socket is as follows: Figure 1 , Figure 2 As shown, the receiving cavity includes a receiving cavity body 1; the receiving cavity body 1 has a flexible area, a modular finger connector 4, a finger notch, a wiring hole 5, and a vent 8. The division of the flexible area can be achieved by medical imaging to determine whether the patient has the corresponding joints and muscle groups, and by corresponding motor test experiments. The need to divide the area into metacarpophalangeal joint region 2 and wrist-metacarpophalangeal joint region 3 is determined by assessing the patient's hand motor ability. Since the metacarpophalangeal joints have a large range of motion and the receiving cavity undergoes significant deformation during movement, flexible areas for metacarpophalangeal joint movement should be provided on both the palmar and dorsal sides of the receiving cavity body 1. Because the mapping of the metacarpophalangeal joints on the palmar and dorsal sides of the human hand differs, therefore... Figure 2 The metacarpophalangeal joint region 2 in the middle compared to Figure 1 The metacarpophalangeal joint region 2 is located closer to the wrist. This misaligned design of the metacarpophalangeal joint region 2 ensures precise positioning while also improving the overall rigidity of the socket, guaranteeing a secure fixation of the prosthetic finger using the modular finger connector. The wrist-metacarpophalangeal joint region 3 is positioned between the metacarpal bones of the ring and middle fingers on the palm side, providing joint space for finger-to-finger movements in the prosthetic hand. The modular finger connector 4 serves as a base to connect and fix the prosthetic finger to the socket. The wiring hole 5 is used for managing signal cables or air tubes, ensuring the overall aesthetics and wearing comfort of the prosthetic hand.

[0074] The integrated socket tightly encloses the palm, and the socket body 1 is secured by the thumb. Specifically, the socket body 1 tightens at the wrist and the base of the thumb, respectively, using wrist constriction 6 and the base of the thumb constriction 7 to restrict the axial movement of the socket relative to the arm. The socket body 1 is made of appropriately deformable rubber, silicone, or TPU material. The flexible area is either hollowed out or filled with a soft material to replace the movement gap, depending on the patient's actual mobility. When using a soft material to fill the movement gap, the hardness of the soft material is less than that of the socket body 1.

[0075] It should be noted that although this invention uses a socket for a patient with four missing fingers as an example, it is also applicable to patients with varying degrees of missing fingers or palms, where a notch for the healthy finger is cut out on the socket body 1. Compared to traditional prosthetic hand sockets that impose additional restrictions on the wrist and metacarpophalangeal joints of the healthy finger, the socket in this invention does not negatively affect the movement of the healthy finger.

[0076] This invention also provides a method for preparing a prosthetic hand socket that preserves finger motor function, the specific process of which is as follows: Figure 3 As shown. The preparation process includes the following steps:

[0077] Step one: The orthotist assesses the condition of the patient's hand, determines the location of the socket and the wearing method, and determines the number of mechanical fingers to be connected to the socket.

[0078] Step two involves using a 3D scanner to perform a 3D scan of the patient's disabled hand, then reverse engineering the resulting point cloud model to obtain a 3D model of the disabled hand. The orthotist uses this model as a basis for designing a basic version of the receiving cavity.

[0079] Step 3: Using 3D printing technology of flexible materials, a socket is quickly made. The socket is fitted to the patient's disabled hand. Based on the fitting results, the work of step 2 is repeated to make adaptive adjustments to the socket, thereby preparing a reliable prosthetic hand socket.

[0080] Step four: After completing the basic version of the prosthetic hand socket, medical imaging and experiments are used to determine whether the patient's metacarpophalangeal and wrist-metacarpophalangeal joints have mobility, and to determine the specific location where the residual hand degree of freedom needs to be preserved.

[0081] Step 5: After selecting the material for filling the flexible area based on the orthotist's advice, the main body of the socket 1 and the flexible area are fabricated in one step using a two-color injection molding process. This process ensures the reliability of the connection between the two materials and greatly shortens the overall processing time. The socket is then fitted. If it is found that the joints are restricted or the overall socket is not securely fixed, step 4 is returned for revision. The fabrication of the prosthetic hand socket is completed through rapid iteration.

[0082] Furthermore, most existing prosthetic products from manufacturers have relatively low technological content and are rather crude. Most still rely on traditional methods like plaster casting, a process that demands highly skilled technicians, requires patients to maintain a specific posture, and involves a lengthy socket molding process. With the advancement of modern technology, the traditional prosthetic fitting industry will undergo a transformation. This invention combines 3D scanning, selective laser sintering, and two-color injection molding technologies to provide the socket not only with the connection between the prosthetic hand and the residual limb but also with the opportunity to support additional motor functions. Integrating these technologies further benefits people with disabilities.

[0083] The prosthetic hand socket and its preparation method provided by this invention have the following main advantages:

[0084] The prosthetic hand socket provided by this invention offers a design concept that preserves the patient's hand motor function, and provides the relative positions of the metacarpophalangeal joints and wrist-metacarpophalangeal joints mapped on the socket, providing guidance for the customized design of the socket.

[0085] This invention provides a reliable and effective method for fabricating a prosthetic hand socket. Relying on medical imaging and experiments, the presence of the patient's motor function can be ensured mechanistically, and the accuracy of the location of the movement notch on the socket can be guaranteed. Furthermore, based on 3D scanning technology and various molding processes, manufacturing costs and iteration time can be significantly reduced.

[0086] Those skilled in the art will readily understand that the above description is merely a preferred embodiment of the present invention and is not intended to limit the present invention. Any modifications, equivalent substitutions, and improvements made within the spirit and principles of the present invention should be included within the scope of protection of the present invention.

Claims

1. A prosthetic hand socket, characterized in that, The device includes a receiving cavity body for wearing on the wearer's hand. The receiving cavity body has a modular finger connector at the location corresponding to the wearer's missing finger and a finger notch at the location corresponding to the wearer's remaining finger. The modular finger connector is used to connect to a mechanical finger, and the finger notch is used to wear the wearer's remaining finger. The receiving cavity body also has a flexible area with flexible deformation capability, and the wearer's hand movement function is realized through the flexible area. The flexible area includes the metacarpophalangeal joint area, which is provided on the palm and back of the hand corresponding to the metacarpophalangeal joints, respectively, to adapt to the metacarpophalangeal joint movement function of the wearer's hand. The metacarpophalangeal joint area is arc-shaped, and the metacarpophalangeal joint area located in the palm of the receiving cavity body is closer to the wrist than the metacarpophalangeal joint area located on the back of the receiving cavity body.

2. The prosthetic hand socket as described in claim 1, characterized in that, The flexible region is a notched structure or a flexible material region structure.

3. The prosthetic hand socket as described in claim 1, characterized in that, The flexible area also includes a wrist-palm joint area, which is located in the palm part of the receiving cavity body to accommodate the wrist-palm joint movement function of the wearer's hand.

4. The prosthetic hand socket as described in claim 3, characterized in that, The wrist-palm joint area is located at the position corresponding to the phalanx of the ring finger and extends to the corresponding part of the wrist.

5. The prosthetic hand socket as described in claim 1, characterized in that, The receiving cavity body is provided with a fixing and tightening structure at the finger notch and the corresponding wrist position.

6. The prosthetic hand socket as described in claim 1 or 5, characterized in that, The receiving cavity body is integrally formed by injection molding.

7. A method for preparing a prosthetic hand socket, characterized in that, The prosthetic hand socket is the prosthetic hand socket according to any one of claims 1-6, and the preparation method includes: The number of modular finger connectors and finger notches is determined based on the wearer's hand shape; Based on the wearer's palm model, the modular finger connector, and the number of finger notches, a receiving cavity body is prepared to be adapted to fit the wearer's palm after wear adaptation adjustment; Use medical imaging and / or experimental methods to determine the functional parts of the wearer's palm; The flexible region is prepared at the location corresponding to the part of the wearer's hand that has the function of movement, after the receiving cavity body is adapted to fit the wearer's palm through wearing adaptation, to form the receiving cavity of the prosthetic hand.

8. The method for preparing a prosthetic hand socket as described in claim 7, characterized in that, Based on the wearer's hand model, the modular finger connector, and the number of finger notches, a receiving cavity body is prepared to fit the wearer's hand through wear adaptation adjustment, specifically including: Based on the wearer's hand model, the modular finger connector, and the number of finger notches, an initial model of the receiving cavity body is designed, and an initial version of the receiving cavity body is manufactured. The initial version of the receiving cavity body is adjusted for wearability adaptation, and the initial model of the receiving cavity body is adjusted accordingly based on the wearability adaptation adjustment results to prepare the receiving cavity body that is adapted to the wearer's palm after wearability adaptation adjustment; The flexible region is prepared at the location corresponding to the part of the wearer's hand that has been fitted and adjusted to fit the wearer's palm, thereby forming the prosthetic hand receiving cavity, specifically including: The flexible region is prepared at the location corresponding to the part of the wearer's hand that has been adapted to fit the wearer's palm after being fitted and adjusted, and the wearer's hand with the flexible region is fitted and adjusted to fit the wearer's palm to finally form the prosthetic hand receiving cavity.

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