2-RPR / RP parallel pneumatic muscle wrist exoskeleton

Abstract

The invention provides a 2-RPR / RP parallel pneumatic muscle wrist exoskeleton, which relates to the field of medical instruments and comprises a forearm supporting unit, an RPR branch chain, an RP branch chain and a tail end handle unit, during use, the tail end handle unit is arranged close to the palm of the human body, and the forearm supporting unit is arranged close to the elbow of the forearm; the tail end handle unit is arranged on the RP branch chain and is used for being grabbed by a palm; the forearm supporting unit is used for being fixedly connected with a forearm; the two ends of the RPR branch chain are hinged to the front arm supporting unit and the RP branch chain respectively. The two RPR branch chains are arranged on the two sides of the RP branch chain and the front arm supporting unit in a bilateral symmetry mode and used for driving the tail end handle unit to swing left and right through the RP branch chain. The pneumatic muscle is adopted as a driving element, so that the driving capacity of the device is greatly improved, and the device is compact in structure, small in size, wide in movement range and capable of effectively adapting to various wrist rehabilitation trainings.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The invention relates to the technical field of medical devices, and in particular to a 2-RPR / RP parallel pneumatic muscle wrist exoskeleton. Background Art

[0002] According to a report in The Lancet Neurology, there were 101 million stroke patients worldwide in 2019, of which 12.2 million were first-time strokes. In the United States, about 795,000 people have new or recurrent strokes each year, of which about two-thirds survive and require rehabilitation. In China, stroke is the third leading cause of death among the population, with about 3.94 million new stroke cases each year. In Europe, 200 to 300 people suffer a stroke for every 100,000 people, and about 30% of stroke patients have movement disorders. In general, stroke poses a huge challenge to the healthy lives of people all over the world, and a large number of stroke patients need rehabilitation treatment.

[0003] Stroke often leads to functional movement disorders of the wrist and hand. Wrist rehabilitation therapy can enable these stroke survivors to restore basic motor functions and complete daily life activities independently (a 2-RPR / RP parallel pneumatic muscle wrist exoskeleton). Rehabilitation therapists' repeated physical therapy is a conventional method to restore wrist joint movement function. Studies by a 2-RPR / RP parallel pneumatic muscle wrist exoskeleton and others have shown that repeated physical therapy has a positive effect on the recovery of stroke survivors. However, providing long-term and repeated physical therapy for such a large number of stroke patients with limited motor function requires a large number of full-time health technicians, and the lack of medical resources restricts the rehabilitation process of stroke patients. In the past decade, a large number of researchers have proposed solutions for robot-assisted rehabilitation, which can provide patients with repetitive treatment with minimal supervision. Summary of the invention

[0004] The object of the present invention is to provide a 2-RPR / RP parallel pneumatic muscle wrist exoskeleton to solve at least one of the above technical problems existing in the prior art. The present invention has a compact structure, a small size, a wide range of motion, and can effectively adapt to various wrist rehabilitation training.

[0005] In order to solve the above technical problems, the present invention provides a 2-RPR / RP parallel pneumatic muscle wrist exoskeleton, comprising: a forearm support unit, an RPR branch chain, an RP branch chain and an end handle unit; When in use, the end handle unit is arranged against the palm of the human body, and the forearm support unit is arranged close to the elbow of the forearm; the end handle unit is arranged on the RP branch chain for being grasped by the palm; the forearm support unit is used to be fixedly connected to the forearm; the two ends of the RPR branch chain are hinged to the forearm support unit and the RP branch chain respectively; the two RPR branches are symmetrically arranged on both sides of the RP branch chain and the forearm support unit, respectively, and are used to drive the end handle unit to swing left and right through the RP branch chain.

[0006] Furthermore, it also includes a base, and the forearm supporting unit and the RP branch chain are arranged on the base.

[0007] Furthermore, the RP branch chain includes a mounting seat; the mounting seat is rotatably arranged on the base; and the end handle unit is arranged on the mounting seat.

[0008] Furthermore, the RP branch chain also includes a bearing seat and a bearing; the bearing seat is fixedly arranged on the base, and the mounting seat is rotatably arranged on the bearing seat through the bearing.

[0009] Preferably, the bearing is a deep groove ball bearing.

[0010] Furthermore, a torque sensor is provided between the mounting seat and the base (or the bearing seat); The RP branch chain further comprises a rotating frame, and the rotating frame is rotatably arranged on the bearing seat through a bearing; The torque sensor is arranged between the mounting seat and the rotating frame; the mounting seat is arranged on the rotating frame through the torque sensor.

[0011] Specifically, the inner ring or the outer ring of the torque sensor is fixedly connected to the rotating frame, and the outer ring or the inner ring of the torque sensor is fixedly connected to the mounting seat.

[0012] Furthermore, the rotating frame includes a frame body portion on one side of the mounting seat and a shaft body portion on one side of the bearing; the shaft body portion is inserted into the bearing and fixedly connected to the inner ring of the bearing.

[0013] The bearing seat is fixed to the base by screws and other fasteners, the bearing is installed in the shaft hole of the bearing seat, and the shaft hole is provided with a retaining spring structure on both sides of the bearing to achieve the installation and positioning of the bearing. Similarly, the shaft body is inserted into the inner ring of the bearing, and a retaining spring and other fixing structures can be used to fix the shaft body and the inner ring.

[0014] Furthermore, it also includes an angle sensor, which is arranged at the bottom of the base, the body of the angle sensor is fixed on the base, and the rotating shaft of the angle sensor is fixedly connected to the shaft body of the rotating frame through a through hole on the base.

[0015] Specifically and preferably, a slot is provided at the bottom of the shaft body, and the shaft part of the angle sensor is inserted into the slot. The cross-sections of the slot and the shaft part are non-circular. The shaft body can drive the shaft part to rotate, and then the angle sensor can detect the swing angle of the mounting seat.

[0016] This application can monitor the interactive forces and kinematic information such as torque and angle during the swinging process of the mounting base in real time through angle sensors and torque sensors.

[0017] Optionally, the angle sensor is fixed to the bottom of the base through a sensor seat plate.

[0018] Furthermore, the RP branch chain also includes an angle limiting structure for limiting the swing angle of the mounting seat and the end handle unit.

[0019] Furthermore, the angle limiting structure includes an arc-shaped limiting groove provided on the mounting seat or the base, and a limiting rod provided on the base or the mounting seat, and an end of the limiting rod is inserted into the arc-shaped limiting groove.

[0020] Further, the RPR branch chain includes a pneumatic muscle, and both ends of the pneumatic muscle are respectively connected to the forearm support unit and the mounting seat through a composite hinge unit; The composite hinge unit comprises: a swing frame and a shaft sleeve; the swing frame is relatively fixedly arranged on the forearm support unit and the mounting seat, and the shaft sleeve is swingably arranged on the swing frame through a pivot shaft; the pivot shaft is parallel to the swing axis of the mounting seat; Pivots are provided at both ends of the pneumatic muscle; the pivot as a whole is in the shape of a waist drum that is thick in the middle and thin at both ends, and the cross-sectional shape of the annular side of the pivot is an outwardly convex spherical structure; an inwardly concave spherical structure that matches the annular side of the pivot is provided in the sleeve; the pneumatic muscle is rotatably inserted into the sleeve through the pivot and can be movably inserted in the cone space.

[0021] Preferably, the apex angle of the cone is 10-90°.

[0022] The composite articulated unit in the present application has the composite functions of two pivot joints and one hemispherical articulation, so that the connection structure at both ends of the pneumatic muscle is closer to the connection method of human muscles. When the pneumatic muscle drives the mounting seat and the end handle unit to rotate, it is more flexible, has less impact vibration, and can swing at a larger angle without locking.

[0023] Furthermore, the swing frame is a U-shaped frame; the U-shaped frame includes connecting arms arranged in parallel, and the connecting arms are provided with pivot holes or pivot grooves; The shaft sleeve is arranged in the U-shaped groove between the two connecting arms, and the pivot shafts at both ends of the shaft sleeve are respectively rotatably inserted in the pivot hole or the pivot groove.

[0024] Preferably, the pivot shaft is rotatably inserted into the pivot hole or the pivot groove via a bearing.

[0025] Preferably, the front end of the pneumatic muscle is connected to the rotating frame, and the mounting seat is driven to swing through the rotating frame.

[0026] Preferably, the sleeve is composed of two half sleeves. The front and rear ends of the pneumatic muscle extend out of the sleeve, and are respectively provided with an air inlet and an air outlet. The air inlet is connected to an air source (such as an air pump). After the air pump works, it inflates the pneumatic muscle, the middle part of the pneumatic muscle expands, and the overall length of the pneumatic muscle shortens; the starting muscles on both sides are alternately inflated and exhausted, thereby pulling the forearm support unit and the mounting seat to swing back and forth. The control system related thereto generally includes a controller, a control valve, etc., which belongs to the prior art and will not be described in detail here.

[0027] Furthermore, the base is a long strip-shaped plate, and the end handle unit and the forearm support unit are respectively arranged at two ends of the base.

[0028] Furthermore, the forearm supporting unit comprises a forearm supporting half ring and a rear strap, and long strip holes are arranged at both ends of the forearm supporting half ring, and both ends of the rear strap pass through the long strip holes to fix the forearm.

[0029] Furthermore, a forearm support plate and a front strap are provided on the base and between the end handle unit and the forearm support unit. The forearm support plate is an arc-shaped plate with long holes at both ends. The two ends of the front strap pass through the long holes to fix the forearm.

[0030] And preferably, the forearm supporting half rings are respectively provided with lining pads.

[0031] Furthermore, the end handle unit includes: an annular or semi-annular track assembly and a handle; the handle is rotatably arranged on the track assembly; the swing center line of the handle is parallel to the middle connecting line of the forearm support unit and the end handle unit (that is, the swing center line is roughly parallel to the length direction of the base and roughly parallel to the placement direction of the human forearm).

[0032] Furthermore, the track assembly includes an annular or semi-annular slide rail, and a slide seat sliding along the slide rail; the handle is fixedly arranged on the slide seat.

[0033] Furthermore, the slide rail includes an annular or semi-annular slide groove, and the slide groove is provided with an opening on the inner side of the slide rail; the cross-section of the slide seat is T-shaped, including a slider and a connecting arm; the slider is slidably arranged in the slide groove, and the connecting arm extends from the opening to be connected to the handle.

[0034] Preferably, the slide seat is provided with an arc-shaped cover plate at the outer end of the connecting arm portion, for covering the opening and the slide rail, and the handle is provided on the cover plate. The provision of the cover plate makes the handle part more beautiful and can prevent the skin of the hand from entering the gap at the opening and being pinched.

[0035] Furthermore, the track assembly also includes a locking member for locking the slide seat and the handle at one or more set positions.

[0036] Furthermore, the locking member is a locking pin, and one or more through holes connecting the inside and outside of the slide groove are provided on the slide rail along the sliding track of the slider; a pin hole is provided on the slider, and the locking pin is inserted into the pin hole from the outside through the through hole to lock the slider and the handle at a set angle position.

[0037] Furthermore, the slider is an annular or semi-annular member; the slider is provided with a plurality of locking holes spaced apart along its circumference (or sliding track direction); the slide rail is provided with a through hole connecting the inside and outside of the slide groove; the locking member is a latch, which is selectively inserted into one of the locking holes through the through hole, thereby locking the slider and the handle at a set angle position.

[0038] Furthermore, it also includes a driving assembly for driving the slider and the handle to swing, the driving assembly including a driving gear arranged in the slide slot and a knob arranged outside the slide slot; The slider is an annular or semi-annular part, and is provided with a tooth structure (or rack or gear structure) meshing with the driving gear. The knob is connected to the driving gear through a connecting shaft. By turning the knob, the slider and the handle are driven to slide along the slide groove through the cooperation of the driving gear and the tooth structure, thereby adjusting the swing angle of the handle.

[0039] Furthermore, the track assembly can be movably arranged on the mounting base along the middle connecting line direction of the forearm support unit and the end handle unit (that is, the swing center line is roughly parallel to the length direction of the base and roughly parallel to the placement direction of the human forearm).

[0040] Preferably, a linear guide assembly is provided on the mounting seat, and the track assembly is provided on the linear guide assembly.

[0041] The linear guide assembly may be a linear track assembly or a slide rail, etc., or may be an electric or pneumatic telescopic mechanism, such as an electric slide rail, etc.

[0042] Preferably, the linear guide assembly comprises a linear guide rail and a guide block; the rail assembly is disposed on the guide block directly or through an intermediate piece such as a seat plate.

[0043] By adopting the above technical solution, the present invention has the following beneficial effects: The present invention provides a 2-RPR / RP parallel pneumatic muscle wrist exoskeleton, which uses pneumatic muscles as driving elements, greatly improving the driving ability of the device, and has a compact structure, small size, and a wide range of motion, and can effectively adapt to various wrist rehabilitation training. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0044] In order to more clearly illustrate the specific implementation methods of the present invention or the technical solutions in the prior art, the drawings required for use in the specific implementation methods or the description of the prior art will be briefly introduced below. Obviously, the drawings described below are some implementation methods of the present invention. For ordinary technicians in this field, other drawings can be obtained based on these drawings without paying creative work.

[0045] Figure 1 A stereoscopic diagram of a 2-RPR / RP parallel pneumatic muscle wrist exoskeleton provided by an embodiment of the present invention; Figure 2 This is an axial schematic diagram of a human body wearing a parallel wrist exoskeleton in this embodiment; Figure 3 It is a schematic diagram of the decomposition of the RP branch chain; Figure 4 for Figure 1 A partially exploded schematic diagram of Figure 5 A schematic diagram of a partial structure of a composite hinge unit in an embodiment; Figure 6 is an exploded schematic diagram of a composite hinge unit in an embodiment; Figure 7 is a schematic diagram of a pneumatic muscle in an uninflated state in an embodiment; Figure 8 is a schematic diagram of the pneumatic muscle in the inflated state in the embodiment; Fig. 9 is a three-dimensional diagram of the track assembly and the handle in the vertical state of the handle in the embodiment; Fig.10 is a three-dimensional diagram of the track assembly and the handle in the embodiment with the handle in a horizontal state; Fig.11 is an exploded schematic diagram of the end handle unit in the embodiment; Fig.12 is a front view of the track assembly and the handle in the vertical state of the handle in the embodiment; Fig.13is a front view of the track assembly and the handle in a horizontal state in the embodiment; Fig.14 Schematic diagram of the transmission principle of the wrist exoskeleton during flexion movement in the embodiment; Fig.15 Schematic diagram of the transmission principle of the wrist exoskeleton during stretching exercise in the embodiment; Fig.16 Schematic diagram of the transmission principle of the wrist exoskeleton during ulnar deviation movement in the embodiment; Fig.17 Schematic diagram of the transmission principle of the wrist exoskeleton during radial deviation movement in the embodiment.

[0046] Reference numerals: 1-bearing; 2-circlip; 10-base; 11-leg; 12-Z-shaped connecting plate; 13-arc-shaped limit groove; 20-forearm support unit; 21-forearm support half ring; 22-rear strap; 23-front strap; 24-forearm support plate; 30-RPR branch chain; 31-pneumatic muscle; 31a-pivot; 31b-air inlet; 31c-air outlet; 40-RP branch chain; 41-mounting seat; 42-bearing seat; 43-torque sensor; 44-rotating frame; 44a-frame body; 44b-shaft body; 45-angle sensor; 45a-body; 45b-rotating shaft; 45c-sensor seat plate; 46-limiting rod; 50-end End handle unit; 51-handle; 52-track assembly; 52a-slide rail; 52b-slide seat; 52b1-slider; 52b2-connecting arm; 52b3-arc cover; 53-latch; 58-wrist lining pad; 60-compound hinge unit; 61-swing frame; 61a-connecting arm; 61b-pivot slot; 62-sleeve; 62a-semi-sleeve; 63-pivot shaft; 70-drive assembly; 71-drive gear; 72-knob; 73-tooth structure; 80-linear guide assembly; 81-linear guide rail; 82-guide block; 83-cantilever plate; 83a-mounting slot; 84-slot cover; 85-transfer block; 86-cover. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0047] The technical solution of the present invention will be described clearly and completely below in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. Obviously, the described embodiments are only part of the embodiments of the present invention, not all of the embodiments. Based on the embodiments of the present invention, all other embodiments obtained by ordinary technicians in this field without creative work are within the scope of protection of the present invention.

[0048] In the description of the present invention, it should be noted that the terms "center", "upper", "lower", "left", "right", "vertical", "horizontal", "inner", "outer", etc., indicating the orientation or positional relationship, are based on the orientation or positional relationship shown in the drawings, and are only for the convenience of describing the present invention and simplifying the description, rather than indicating or implying that the device or element referred to must have a specific orientation, be constructed and operated in a specific orientation, and therefore cannot be understood as limiting the present invention. In addition, the terms "first", "second", and "third" are used for descriptive purposes only, and cannot be understood as indicating or implying relative importance.

[0049] In the description of the present invention, it should be noted that, unless otherwise clearly specified and limited, the terms "installed", "connected", and "connected" should be understood in a broad sense, for example, it can be a fixed connection, a detachable connection, or an integral connection; it can be a mechanical connection or an electrical connection; it can be a direct connection, or it can be indirectly connected through an intermediate medium, or it can be the internal communication of two components. For ordinary technicians in this field, the specific meanings of the above terms in the present invention can be understood according to specific circumstances.

[0050] The present invention is further explained below in conjunction with specific implementation modes.

[0051] like Figure 1-2 As shown, the present embodiment provides a 2-RPR / RP parallel pneumatic muscle wrist exoskeleton, comprising: a forearm support unit 20, an RPR branch chain 30, an RP branch chain 40 and an end handle unit 50. When in use, the end handle unit 50 is arranged against the human palm, and the forearm support unit 20 is arranged close to the elbow of the forearm; the end handle unit 50 is arranged on the RP branch chain 40 for being grasped by the palm; the forearm support unit 20 is used to be fixedly connected to the forearm; the two ends of the RPR branch chain 30 are hingedly connected to the forearm support unit 20 and the RP branch chain 40 respectively; the two RPR branch chains 30 are respectively arranged symmetrically on both sides of the RP branch chain 40 and the forearm support unit 20, and are used to drive the end handle unit 50 to swing left and right through the RP branch chain 40. · This embodiment further includes a base 10, on which the forearm support unit 20 and the RP branch chain 40 are arranged. The base 10 is a long strip-shaped plate body, which is used to fix the above-mentioned components. The bottom of the base 10 is provided with legs 11 around it, which are used to stably support the entire parallel pneumatic muscle wrist exoskeleton.

[0052] See also Figure 3As shown, the RP branch chain 40 includes a mounting seat 41; the mounting seat 41 is rotatably arranged on the base 10; the end handle unit 50 is arranged on the mounting seat 41. The RP branch chain 40 also includes a bearing seat 42 and a bearing 1; the bearing seat 42 is fixedly arranged on the base 10 by fasteners such as screws, and the mounting seat 41 is rotatably arranged on the bearing seat 42 by the bearing 1. Preferably, the bearing 1 is a deep groove ball bearing.

[0053] In this embodiment, preferably, a torque sensor 43 is arranged between the mounting seat 41 and the base 10 or the bearing seat 42; for easy installation, the RP branch chain 40 in this embodiment further includes a rotating frame 44, which is rotatably arranged on the bearing seat 42 through the bearing 1; the torque sensor 43 is arranged between the mounting seat 41 and the rotating frame 44; the mounting seat 41 is arranged on the rotating frame 44 through the torque sensor 43. Specifically, the inner ring or outer ring of the torque sensor 43 is fixedly connected to the rotating frame 44, and the outer ring or inner ring of the torque sensor 43 is fixedly connected to the mounting seat 41.

[0054] Furthermore, the rotating frame 44 includes a frame body portion 44 a on one side of the mounting seat 41 and a shaft body portion 44 b on one side of the bearing 1 ; the shaft body portion 44 b is inserted into the bearing 1 and fixedly connected to the inner ring of the bearing 1 .

[0055] The bearing seat 42 is fixed to the base 10 by means of screws and other fasteners, the bearing 1 is installed in the shaft hole of the bearing seat 42, and the shaft hole is provided with retaining springs 2 on both sides of the bearing 1, thereby realizing the installation and position limiting of the bearing 1. Similarly, the shaft body 44b is inserted into the inner ring of the bearing 1, and a retaining spring 2 and other fixing structures can be used to fix the shaft body 44b and the inner ring.

[0056] Furthermore, it also includes an angle sensor 45, which is arranged at the bottom of the base 10. Specifically, in this embodiment, a Z-shaped connecting plate 12 is arranged on the base 10, and the RP branch chain 40 and its mounting seat 41 and other components are arranged on the Z-shaped connecting plate 12. The Z-shaped connecting plate 12 lifts the RP branch chain 40 to facilitate the installation of the angle sensor 45 below.

[0057] The body 45a of the angle sensor 45 is fixed on the base 10 or the Z-shaped connecting plate 12, and the shaft portion 45b of the angle sensor 45 is fixedly connected to the shaft portion 44b of the rotating frame 44 through the through hole on the base 10. Specifically and preferably, a slot (not shown) is provided at the bottom of the shaft portion 44b, and the shaft portion 45b of the angle sensor 45 is inserted into the slot. The cross-sections of the slot and the shaft portion are non-circular, and the shaft portion 44b can drive the shaft portion 45b to rotate, so that the angle sensor 45 can detect the swing angle of the mounting seat 41. Optionally, the angle sensor 45 is fixed to the bottom of the base 10 through a sensor seat plate 45c.

[0058] The present application can monitor the interactive forces and kinematic information such as torque and angle during the swinging process of the mounting base 41 in real time through the angle sensor 45 and the torque sensor 43 .

[0059] The RP branch chain 40 may further include an angle limiting structure for limiting the swing angle of the mounting seat 41 and the end handle unit 50. Figure 3 As shown, the angle limiting structure disclosed in this embodiment includes an arc-shaped limiting groove 13 provided on the mounting seat 41 or the base 10 , and a limiting rod 46 provided on the base 10 or the mounting seat 41 , and the end of the limiting rod 46 is inserted into the arc-shaped limiting groove 13 . Figure 3 In the angle limiting structure, the limiting rod 46 is fixed to the outside of the rotating frame 44 and is indirectly fixedly connected to the mounting seat 41 ; and the arc-shaped limiting groove 13 is arranged on the Z-shaped connecting plate 12 .

[0060] See also Figure 1 , 2 , 4 and Figure 5 As shown, the RPR branch chain 30 includes a pneumatic muscle 31, and the two ends of the pneumatic muscle 31 are respectively connected to the forearm support unit 20 and the mounting seat 41 through a composite articulation unit 60. Figure 5 It is a three-dimensional structural diagram of the composite hinge unit 60.

[0061] The composite articulated unit 60 includes: a swing frame 61 and a shaft sleeve 62; the swing frame 61 is relatively fixedly arranged on the forearm support unit 20 and the mounting seat 41, and the shaft sleeve 62 is swingably arranged on the swing frame 61 through a pivot shaft 63; the pivot shaft 63 is parallel to the swing axis of the mounting seat 41.

[0062] See also Figure 6As shown, the pneumatic muscle 31 is provided with pivots 31a at both ends; the pivot 31a is in the shape of a waist drum with a thick middle and thin ends, and the cross-sectional shape of the annular side of the pivot 31a is a convex spherical structure; the sleeve 62 is provided with a concave spherical structure adapted to the annular side of the pivot 31a; the pneumatic muscle 31 is rotatably and movably inserted in the sleeve 62 through the pivot 31a in the cone space. Preferably, the cone vertex angle is 10-90°.

[0063] Preferably, the swing frame 61 in this embodiment is a U-shaped frame; the U-shaped frame includes parallel connecting arms 61a, and the connecting arms 61a are provided with a pivot hole or a pivot groove 61b. The shaft sleeve 62 is inserted into the U-shaped groove between the two connecting arms 61a, and the pivot shafts 63 at both ends of the shaft sleeve 62 are respectively rotatably inserted into the pivot hole or the pivot groove 61b. Preferably, the pivot shaft 63 is rotatably inserted into the pivot hole or the pivot groove 61b through the bearing 1. The bearing 1 can be fixed and locked by the retaining spring 2.

[0064] Preferably, the front end of the pneumatic muscle 31 is connected to the rotating frame 44, and the mounting seat 41 is driven to swing through the rotating frame 44. In this embodiment, the swing frame 61 is fixedly arranged on the rotating frame 44.

[0065] Preferably, the sleeve 62 is composed of two half sleeves 62a. The front and rear ends of the pneumatic muscle 31 extend out of the sleeve 62 and are respectively provided with an air inlet 31b and an air outlet 31c. Figure 7 The figure shows the original length of the pneumatic muscle 31 when it is not inflated. The air inlet 31b is connected to an air source (such as an air pump). When the air pump works, it inflates the pneumatic muscle 31, causing the middle of the pneumatic muscle 31 to expand and the overall length of the pneumatic muscle 31 to shorten. Figure 8 The pneumatic muscle 31 shown is inflated and its overall length is shortened. The starting muscles on both sides are alternately inflated and exhausted, thereby pulling the forearm support unit 20 and the mounting seat 41 to swing back and forth. The control system related thereto generally includes a controller, a control valve, etc., which belongs to the prior art and will not be described in detail here.

[0066] In this embodiment, the base 10 is a long strip-shaped plate, and the end handle unit 50 and the forearm support unit 20 are respectively arranged at two ends of the base 10 .

[0067] See also Figure 1-2 and Figure 4As shown, the forearm support unit 20 includes a forearm support half ring 21 and a rear strap 22. Long strip holes are set at both ends of the forearm support half ring 21. The two ends of the rear strap 22 pass through the long strip holes to fix the forearm. In addition, a forearm support plate 24 and a front strap 23 are also set on the base 10 and between the end handle unit 50 and the forearm support unit 20. The forearm support plate 24 is an arc-shaped plate as a whole, and long strip holes are set at both ends. The two ends of the front strap 23 pass through the long strip holes to fix the forearm. Among them, the forearm support half ring 21 is closer to the elbow, and the forearm support plate 24 can be set in the middle position of the forearm or slightly close to the forearm support half ring 21. And preferably, an inner lining cushion 25 is set on the forearm support half ring 21.

[0068] More preferably, the end handle unit 50 is provided with a wrist lining cushion 58 for supporting a person's wrist. Specifically, the wrist lining cushion 58 can be provided on the mounting seat 41.

[0069] See also Figure 1 , Figure 2 and Figure 9-13 As shown, the end handle unit 50 includes: an annular or semi-annular track component 52, and a handle 51; the handle 51 is rotatably arranged on the track component 52; the swing center line of the handle 51 is parallel to the middle connecting line between the forearm support unit 20 and the end handle unit 50 (that is, the swing center line is roughly parallel to the length direction of the base 10 and roughly parallel to the placement direction of the human forearm).

[0070] See also Figure 9-10 The track assembly 52 shown includes an annular or semi-annular slide rail 52a, and a slide seat 52b sliding along the slide rail 52a; the handle 51 is fixedly arranged on the slide seat 52b. The slide rail 52a includes an annular or semi-annular slide groove, and the slide groove is provided with an opening on the inner side of the slide rail 52a; the cross section of the slide seat 52b can be T-shaped, including a slider 52b1 and a connecting arm 52b2; the slider 52b1 is slidably arranged in the slide groove, and the connecting arm 52b2 extends from the opening and is connected to the handle 51. Preferably, the slide seat 52b is provided with an arc-shaped cover plate 52b3 at the outer end of the connecting arm 52b2, which is used to cover the opening and the slide rail 52a, and the handle 51 is arranged on the arc-shaped cover plate 52b3. The provision of the arc-shaped cover plate 52b3 makes the handle 51 more beautiful, and at the same time can prevent the skin of the hand from entering the gap at the opening and being pinched. See Fig.11As shown, in the present application, the slide rail 52a is assembled from two half shells. The handle 51 is hollow, with a square groove at the bottom. The arc-shaped cover plate 52b3 is provided with a square boss adapted to the square groove. A through hole is provided on the bottom of the square groove of the handle 51, and a screw is screwed into the screw hole at the top of the square boss through the hole to lock the handle 51. A cover is provided on the top of the handle 51 to cover the hollow space.

[0071] Furthermore, the track assembly 52 also includes a locking member for locking the slide seat 52b and the handle 51 at one or more set positions.

[0072] Among them, the locking member can be a locking pin, and one or more through holes connecting the inside and outside of the slide groove are arranged along the sliding track of the slider 52b1 in the slide rail 52a; the slider 52b1 is provided with a pin hole, and the locking pin is inserted into the pin hole from the outside through the through hole to lock the slider 52b1 and the handle 51 at a set angle position.

[0073] In this embodiment, the slider 52b1 is an annular member or a semi-annular member; the slider 52b1 is provided with a plurality of locking holes spaced apart along its circumference (or the direction of the sliding track); the slide rail 52a is provided with a through hole connecting the inside and outside of the slide groove; the locking member is a latch 53, and the latch 53 is selectively inserted into one of the locking holes through the through hole, thereby locking the slider 52b1 and the handle 51 at a set angle position.

[0074] Preferably, this embodiment includes a driving assembly 70 for driving the slider 52b1 and the handle 51 to swing, and the driving assembly 70 includes a driving gear 71 arranged in the slide groove of the slide rail 52a and a knob 72 arranged outside the slide groove; The slider 52b1 is an annular or semi-annular member, and is provided with a tooth structure 73 (or a rack or gear structure) meshing with the driving gear 71. The knob 72 is connected to the driving gear 71 via a connecting shaft. When the knob 72 is turned, the slider 52b1 and the handle 51 are driven to slide along the slide groove through the cooperation of the driving gear 71 and the tooth structure 73, thereby adjusting the swing angle of the handle 51. Figure 9-13 As shown, the handle 51 disclosed in the present application can be swung at multiple angles such as horizontally and vertically, thereby meeting the requirements of rehabilitation training.

[0075] In order to adjust the grasping position of the palm, the track assembly 52 can be movably arranged on the mounting seat 41 along the middle connecting line direction of the forearm support unit 20 and the end handle unit 50 (that is, the swing center line is roughly parallel to the length direction of the base 10 and roughly parallel to the placement direction of the human forearm).

[0076] Preferably, a linear guide assembly 80 is provided on the mounting seat 41, and the track assembly 52 is provided on the linear guide assembly 80. The linear guide assembly 80 may be a linear track assembly 52 or a slide rail 52a, or an electric or pneumatic telescopic mechanism, such as an electric slide rail.

[0077] Preferably, see Fig.11 As shown, the linear guide assembly 80 includes a linear guide rail 81 and a guide block 82 for guiding cooperation; the track assembly 52 is directly or through an intermediate piece such as a seat plate, and is disposed on the guide block 82. The linear guide assembly 80 also includes a cantilever plate 83, one end of which is fixedly connected to the mounting seat 41 by a fastener such as a screw, and the other end of the cantilever plate 83 extends out of the mounting seat 41 in a direction away from the forearm support unit 20. The cantilever plate 83 is provided with a mounting groove 83a, and the linear guide rail 81 and the guide block 82 are installed in the mounting groove 83a. The guide block 82 is slidably disposed on the linear guide rail 81 to play a linear guide function.

[0078] The groove cover plate 84 and the adapter block 85 covering the installation groove 83a are also included. The groove cover plate 84 is U-shaped and provided with a notch. The two sides of the adapter block 85 are provided with slide grooves. The two side edges of the notch are inserted into the slide grooves to further form a linear guide structure. The adapter block 85 is fixedly connected to the guide block 82 below. The track assembly 52 is arranged on the adapter block 85 to further form a double linear guide structure. It has strong bearing capacity, is not easy to deform, and can slide reliably for a long time.

[0079] The slots of the installation slot 83a and the slot cover plate 84 are both open slots, and an outer opening is set on the side away from the forearm support unit 20; the present application also provides an L-shaped cover 86 for covering the outer opening, and at the same time forms a limiting structure of the linear guide assembly 80.

[0080] The present invention uses pneumatic muscle 31 as a driving element, which greatly improves the driving ability of the device, and has a compact structure, small size, and a wide range of motion, and can effectively adapt to various wrist rehabilitation training. Figure 12-Figure 17 As shown, the composite hinge unit 60 in the present application has the composite functions of two pivot joints and one hemispherical hinge, so that the connection structure at both ends of the pneumatic muscle 31 is closer to the connection mode of human muscles, and when the pneumatic muscle 31 drives the mounting seat 41 and the end handle unit 50 to rotate, it is more flexible, the impact vibration is small, the swing angle is larger and it will not lock; wherein, Fig.14 This is the maximum flexion movement posture of the wrist exoskeleton, and the maximum flexion angle is 55°; Fig.15 This is the maximum extension posture of the wrist exoskeleton, and the maximum extension angle is 55°; Fig.16 This is the maximum ulnar deviation movement posture of the wrist exoskeleton, and the maximum ulnar deviation angle is 55°; Fig.17 This is the maximum radial deviation movement posture of the wrist exoskeleton, and the maximum radial deviation angle is 55°. The above parameters far exceed the maximum angle of the existing technology, thereby greatly improving the rehabilitation effect.

[0081] Finally, it should be noted that the above embodiments are only used to illustrate the technical solutions of the present invention, rather than to limit it. Although the present invention has been described in detail with reference to the aforementioned embodiments, those skilled in the art should understand that they can still modify the technical solutions described in the aforementioned embodiments, or replace some or all of the technical features therein with equivalents. However, these modifications or replacements do not cause the essence of the corresponding technical solutions to deviate from the scope of the technical solutions of the embodiments of the present invention.

Claims

1. A 2-RPR / RP parallel pneumatic muscle wrist exoskeleton, characterized in that: include: Forearm support unit, RPR branch chain, RP branch chain and end handle unit; When in use, the end handle unit is arranged against the palm of the human body, and the forearm support unit is arranged close to the elbow of the forearm; the end handle unit is arranged on the RP branch chain for being grasped by the palm; the forearm support unit is used to be fixedly connected to the forearm; the two ends of the RPR branch chain are hinged to the forearm support unit and the RP branch chain respectively; the two RPR branches are symmetrically arranged on both sides of the RP branch chain and the forearm support unit, respectively, and are used to drive the end handle unit to swing left and right through the RP branch chain.

2. The 2-RPR / RP parallel pneumatic muscle wrist exoskeleton according to claim 1, characterized in that: It also includes a base, and the forearm supporting unit and the RP branch chain are arranged on the base.

3. The 2-RPR / RP parallel pneumatic muscle wrist exoskeleton according to claim 2, characterized in that: The RP branch chain includes a mounting seat; the mounting seat is rotatably arranged on the base; and the end handle unit is arranged on the mounting seat.

4. The 2-RPR / RP parallel pneumatic muscle wrist exoskeleton according to claim 3, characterized in that: The RP branch chain also includes a bearing seat and a bearing; the bearing seat is fixedly arranged on the base, and the mounting seat is rotatably arranged on the bearing seat through the bearing.

5. The 2-RPR / RP parallel pneumatic muscle wrist exoskeleton according to claim 4, characterized in that: The bearing is a deep groove ball bearing.

6. The 2-RPR / RP parallel pneumatic muscle wrist exoskeleton according to claim 3, characterized in that: A torque sensor is arranged between the mounting seat and the base; The RP branch chain further comprises a rotating frame, and the rotating frame is rotatably arranged on the bearing seat through a bearing; The torque sensor is arranged between the mounting seat and the rotating frame; the mounting seat is arranged on the rotating frame through the torque sensor.

7. The 2-RPR / RP parallel pneumatic muscle wrist exoskeleton according to claim 6, characterized in that: The rotating frame comprises a frame body portion on one side of the mounting seat and a shaft body portion on one side of the bearing; the shaft body portion is inserted into the bearing and fixedly connected to the inner ring of the bearing.

8. The 2-RPR / RP parallel pneumatic muscle wrist exoskeleton according to claim 7, characterized in that: It also includes an angle sensor, which is arranged at the bottom of the base. The body of the angle sensor is fixed on the base, and the rotating shaft of the angle sensor is fixedly connected to the shaft body of the rotating frame through a through hole on the base.

9. The 2-RPR / RP parallel pneumatic muscle wrist exoskeleton according to claim 8, characterized in that: A slot is provided at the bottom of the shaft body, and the shaft part of the angle sensor is inserted into the slot. The cross-sections of the slot and the shaft part are non-circular. The shaft body can drive the shaft part to rotate, and then the angle sensor can detect the swing angle of the mounting seat.

10. The 2-RPR / RP parallel pneumatic muscle wrist exoskeleton according to claim 3, characterized in that: The RP branch chain also includes an angle limiting structure for limiting the swing angle of the mounting seat and the end handle unit.

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