A single-arm exoskeleton robot for rehabilitation of the upper limb

Abstract

This invention provides a single-arm exoskeleton robot for rehabilitation, comprising an upper arm plate, a forearm plate, an elbow joint mechanism, and a wrist joint mechanism. The elbow joint mechanism includes a first drive assembly, a first transmission assembly, and an elbow joint assembly. The elbow joint assembly employs a dual-rocker mechanism, with two rockers arranged in a crisscross pattern. Each rocker's two ends are rotatably connected to the adjacent ends of the forearm plate and the upper arm plate, respectively. The first drive assembly drives the elbow joint assembly through the first transmission assembly, thereby rotating the forearm plate to achieve elbow flexion / extension. The crisscross arrangement of the two rockers in the dual-rocker mechanism results in an instantaneous center trajectory at their intersection point that approximates the instantaneous center trajectory of the human elbow joint. This makes the elbow joint movement trajectory of the exoskeleton similar to that of the human elbow joint, effectively reducing the deviation between the rotation centers of the human joint and the exoskeleton joint, and preventing the exoskeleton from compressing the human muscles.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention belongs to the field of bionic robots, specifically relating to a single-arm exoskeleton robot for rehabilitation. Background Technology

[0002] As society ages, the number of diseases is increasing, especially central nervous system diseases and other conditions that impair motor function, such as stroke and osteoarthritis. Rehabilitation is an indispensable part of the treatment process. These diseases often lead to motor impairments, and the process of regaining mobility is slow, partly due to the complexity of human joint movement, which results in lengthy and costly treatments. Patients must undergo repetitive functional training to regain mobility, which is a time-consuming and arduous task for therapists. Researchers are increasingly considering the application of exoskeleton robots in the rehabilitation process.

[0003] Upper limb rehabilitation training helps patients recover from upper limb functional losses caused by disease, injury, or surgery. Through systematic training, patients can rebuild muscle strength, joint range of motion, and coordination. However, current upper limb rehabilitation exoskeleton robots focus on simulating human upper limb movements, often using simple joint structures and lacking designs that align the human-machine joint rotation center. During rehabilitation training, misalignment between the exoskeleton joint center and the human joint center frequently occurs, leading to muscle compression and joint misalignment. This not only reduces rehabilitation efficiency but also causes further damage to the joints.

[0004] Therefore, it is necessary to design a single-arm exoskeleton robot for rehabilitation. Summary of the Invention

[0005] In view of the shortcomings of the prior art described above, the purpose of this invention is to provide a single-arm exoskeleton robot for rehabilitation, which can simulate the instantaneous center of gravity trajectory during elbow flexion / extension movements. This makes the elbow joint movement trajectory of the exoskeleton similar to that of the human elbow joint, reducing the deviation between the rotation center of the human joint and the exoskeleton joint, and preventing the exoskeleton from compressing the human muscles.

[0006] To achieve the above and other related objectives, the present invention provides a single-arm upper limb exoskeleton robot for rehabilitation, comprising:

[0007] Upper arm plate;

[0008] Forearm plate;

[0009] An elbow joint mechanism, the elbow joint mechanism comprising a first drive assembly, a first transmission assembly, and an elbow joint assembly;

[0010] The elbow joint assembly employs a dual-rocker mechanism, with two rockers arranged in a cross configuration. Each rocker's two ends are rotatably connected to the adjacent ends of the forearm plate and the upper arm plate, respectively.

[0011] The first drive component drives the elbow joint component to move through the first transmission component, and drives the forearm plate to rotate, so as to realize the flexion / extension of the elbow joint;

[0012] A wrist joint mechanism, the wrist joint mechanism including a second drive assembly, a second transmission assembly and a wrist joint assembly;

[0013] The second transmission component adopts a parallelogram mechanism, and the second drive component drives the wrist joint component to rotate through the second transmission component to achieve pronation / supination of the wrist joint.

[0014] As an embodiment of the present invention, the first transmission component adopts a crank-rocker mechanism, and its driven member is a triangular plate. The first end of the triangular plate is rotatably connected to the connecting rod of the crank-rocker mechanism, and the second and third ends of the triangular plate are rotatably connected to the forearm plate and the upper arm plate, respectively.

[0015] In one embodiment of the present invention, the elbow joint assembly includes a connecting rod, the two ends of which are rotatably connected to the forearm plate and the upper arm plate, respectively; the connecting edges of the second and third ends of the triangular plate and the connecting rod constitute the two rockers of the dual rocker mechanism.

[0016] In one embodiment of the present invention, the second transmission assembly includes a first link, a second link, and a third link that are rotatably connected in sequence. The first link and the third link are of equal length. The other end of the first link is rotatably connected to the second drive assembly. The other end of the third link is rotatably connected to the end of the forearm plate away from the upper arm plate. The distance from the connection point to the drive connection end of the first link is equal to the equivalent length of the second link.

[0017] As an embodiment of the present invention, the wrist joint assembly includes a rotating plate, a first rotating rod and a second rotating rod, one end of the first rotating rod and the second rotating rod are respectively rotatably connected to the rotating plate, the other end of the first rotating rod is fixedly connected to the connection between the second connecting rod and the third connecting rod, and the other end of the second rotating rod is rotatably connected to the first connecting rod;

[0018] The plane containing the line connecting the connection point of the first rotating rod and the second rotating rod on the rotating plate is the first plane, the plane containing the straight line passing through the drive connection end of the first connecting rod and parallel to the equivalent length of the second rotating rod is the second plane, and the intersection of the first plane and the second plane is the rotation axis of the rotating plate.

[0019] As an embodiment of the present invention, it further includes a gripping member, which is fixedly connected to the rotating plate, and the center point of the rod of the gripping member is on the rotation axis of the rotating plate.

[0020] In one embodiment of the present invention, the first driving component and the second driving component have the same structure, both including a lasso wheel, a lasso joint shaft and a lasso, the lasso being wound around the lasso wheel, the lasso wheel being mounted on the lasso joint shaft, and a tension force being applied to the lasso to drive the lasso joint shaft to rotate; the lasso joint shaft of the first driving component is driven to the crank of the first transmission component, and the lasso joint shaft of the second driving component is driven to the first connecting rod of the second transmission component.

[0021] As an embodiment of the present invention, the upper arm plate is provided with a first lead screw and slider assembly, and the slider of the first lead screw and slider assembly is provided with an upper arm binding block; the forearm plate is provided with a second lead screw and slider assembly, and the slider of the second lead screw and slider assembly is provided with a wrist slider, the end of the wrist slider away from the upper arm plate is rotatably connected to the third link of the second transmission assembly.

[0022] As an embodiment of the present invention, it also includes a back frame and a motor mechanism. A support plate is provided on one side of the back frame, and the support plate is connected to the upper arm plate of the rehabilitation upper limb single-arm exoskeleton robot. The motor mechanism is installed on the other side of the back frame, and the two lassos of the motor mechanism are respectively connected to the first drive component and the second drive component of the rehabilitation upper limb single-arm exoskeleton robot.

[0023] As an embodiment of the present invention, the motor mechanism includes a power supply, a control box and a pair of servo motor assemblies. Each servo motor assembly includes a servo motor, a first pulley, a second pulley and a rope. The first pulley and the second pulley are mounted at different heights on the back frame via a pulley mounting bracket. One end of the rope is wound around the output shaft of the servo motor and passes sequentially around the first pulley and the second pulley, and finally passes through the Bourdon tube to connect to the first drive assembly or the second drive assembly.

[0024] The technical advantages of this invention are as follows: the elbow joint assembly of the elbow joint mechanism is configured as a dual-rocker mechanism, and is driven by a crank-rocker mechanism. The first drive assembly drives the crank of the crank-rocker mechanism to rotate, and the crank-rocker mechanism transmits the motion to the elbow joint assembly, that is, to the two rockers of the dual-rocker mechanism for rotation. The two rockers of the dual-rocker mechanism are arranged crosswise, and the instantaneous center trajectory of their intersection point is similar to that of the human elbow joint, making the elbow joint movement trajectory of the exoskeleton similar to that of the human elbow joint. This effectively reduces the deviation between the rotation centers of the human joint and the exoskeleton joint, and prevents the exoskeleton from compressing the human muscles.

[0025] The second transmission component of the wrist joint mechanism adopts a parallelogram mechanism. The second drive component drives the first link of the parallelogram mechanism to move, thereby causing the parallelogram mechanism as a whole to rotate. At the same time, the first rotating rod, the second rotating rod of the wrist joint component, and their connections with the rotating plate and the second drive component respectively form a parallelogram mechanism, and move synchronously with the parallelogram mechanism of the second transmission component, so that the forearm can perform internal / external rotation. Its rotation center can be designed to be the center position of the human forearm, that is, the midpoint of the handle of the grip, which can effectively conform to the pronation / supination of the human wrist joint, that is, the internal / external rotation of the forearm. Attached Figure Description

[0026] To more clearly illustrate the technical solutions of the embodiments of the present invention, the accompanying drawings used in the description of the embodiments will be briefly introduced below. Obviously, the drawings described below are only some embodiments of the present invention. For those skilled in the art, other drawings can be obtained based on these drawings without creative effort.

[0027] Figure 1 A schematic diagram of the structure of a single-arm upper limb exoskeleton robot for rehabilitation provided in an embodiment of the present invention. Figure 1 ;

[0028] Figure 2 A schematic diagram of the structure of a single-arm upper limb exoskeleton robot for rehabilitation provided in an embodiment of the present invention. Figure 2 ;

[0029] Figure 3 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of an elbow joint mechanism provided in an embodiment of the present invention;

[0030] Figure 4 A schematic diagram of an elbow joint provided according to an embodiment of the present invention;

[0031] Figure 5 This is a schematic diagram of the wrist joint mechanism provided in an embodiment of the present invention;

[0032] Figure 6 A schematic diagram of a wrist joint provided in an embodiment of the present invention;

[0033] Figure 7 A cross-sectional schematic diagram of a first transmission component provided in an embodiment of the present invention;

[0034] Figure 8 A schematic diagram of the structure of a single-arm upper limb exoskeleton robot for rehabilitation provided in an embodiment of the present invention. Figure 3 ;

[0035] Figure 9 This is an installation state diagram of a motor mechanism provided in an embodiment of the present invention.

[0036] The components include: upper arm plate 1; forearm plate 2; elbow joint mechanism 3; first drive assembly 31; first transmission assembly 32; triangle plate 321; crank 322; elbow joint assembly 33; connecting rod 331; wrist joint mechanism 4; second drive assembly 41; second transmission assembly 42; first connecting rod 421; second connecting rod 422; third connecting rod 423; wrist joint assembly 43; rotating plate 431; first rotating rod 432; second rotating rod 433; gripper 5; cable pulley 311; lasso joint shaft 312; joint box 313; torque sensor 314. Crank 321; first lead screw slider assembly 10; upper arm binding block 101; second lead screw slider assembly 20; wrist slider 201; back frame 6; motor mechanism 7; support plate 61; power supply 71; control box 72; servo motor 731; first pulley 732; second pulley 733; pulley mounting bracket 734; Bourdon cable conduit 735. Detailed Implementation

[0037] The following specific examples illustrate the implementation of the present invention. Those skilled in the art can easily understand other advantages and effects of the present invention from the content disclosed in this specification. The present invention can also be implemented or applied through other different specific embodiments, and 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, unless otherwise specified, the following embodiments and features described therein can be combined with each other.

[0038] It should be noted that the illustrations provided in the following embodiments are only schematic representations of the basic concept of the present invention. Therefore, the illustrations only show the components related to the present invention and are not drawn according to the actual number, shape and size of the components in the actual implementation. In the actual implementation, the form, quantity and proportion of each component can be arbitrarily changed, and the layout of the components may also be more complex.

[0039] Please see Figure 1 and Figure 2To achieve the above and other related objectives, the present invention provides a single-arm exoskeleton robot for rehabilitation, comprising an upper arm plate 1, a forearm plate 2, an elbow joint mechanism 3, and a wrist joint mechanism 4. The elbow joint mechanism 3 includes a first drive assembly 31, a first transmission assembly 32, and an elbow joint assembly 33. The elbow joint assembly 33 adopts a dual-rocker mechanism, with two rockers arranged in a cross configuration, and each rocker's two ends rotatably connected to the forearm plate 2 and the upper arm plate 1 respectively at their closest points. The first drive assembly 31 drives the elbow joint assembly 33 to move through the first transmission assembly 32, thereby causing the forearm plate 2 to rotate, thus achieving flexion / extension of the elbow joint. The wrist joint mechanism 4 includes a second drive assembly 41, a second transmission assembly 42, and a wrist joint assembly 43. The second transmission assembly 42 adopts a parallelogram mechanism, and the second drive assembly 41 drives the wrist joint assembly 43 to rotate through the second transmission assembly 42, thereby achieving pronation / supination of the wrist joint, i.e., internal / external rotation of the forearm.

[0040] Therefore, the rehabilitation upper limb single-arm exoskeleton robot of the present invention can be worn on the human arm to achieve two degrees of freedom of movement of the elbow joint and forearm. The elbow joint component 33 adopts a dual-rocker mechanism design, with its two rockers arranged in a cross pattern. When the first drive component 31 drives the elbow joint component 33 to move through the first transmission component 32 and drives the forearm plate 2 to rotate, the instantaneous center trajectory of the intersection point of the two rockers is similar to the instantaneous center trajectory of the human elbow joint. This makes the movement trajectory of the elbow joint component 33 of the rehabilitation upper limb single-arm exoskeleton robot similar to the movement of the human elbow joint, which can effectively reduce the deviation between the rotation center of the human joint and the exoskeleton joint and prevent the exoskeleton from compressing the human muscles.

[0041] Please see Figure 3 As an embodiment of the present invention, the first transmission component 32 adopts a crank-rocker mechanism, and its driven component is a triangular plate 321. The first end of the triangular plate 321 is rotatably connected to the connecting rod of the crank-rocker mechanism, and the second and third ends of the triangular plate 321 are rotatably connected to the forearm plate 2 and the upper arm plate 1, respectively.

[0042] It should be noted that the first transmission assembly 32 adopts a crank-rocker mechanism, and utilizes the driven member of the triangular plate 321 of the crank-rocker mechanism, so that the connecting sides of the second and third ends of the triangular plate 321 and the connecting rod 331 form two rockers of a double rocker mechanism. When the crank 322 of the first transmission assembly 32 rotates under the drive of the first drive assembly 31, it will drive the triangular plate 321 to rotate through the first end of the triangular plate 321. Due to the existence of the double rocker mechanism, the two rockers of the elbow joint assembly 33 use the two connection points of the upper arm plate 1 as fixed points, thereby realizing the smooth rotation of the forearm plate 2. The double rocker mechanism provides better motion stability and reduces the possibility of swaying and vibration. Through the combination of the crank-rocker mechanism and the double rocker mechanism, the precise rotation of the forearm plate 2 can be achieved. The components of the elbow joint mechanism 3 are connected by rotation, its structure is compact, and the motion transmission efficiency is improved, realizing the stable rotation of the forearm plate 2 under the action of the elbow joint assembly 33.

[0043] As an embodiment of the present invention, the elbow joint assembly 33 includes a connecting rod 331, the two ends of which are rotatably connected to the forearm plate 2 and the upper arm plate 1, respectively; the connecting edges of the second and third ends of the triangular plate 321 and the connecting rod 331 are the two rockers of a double rocker mechanism.

[0044] It should be noted that a four-bar linkage can simulate the instantaneous center of gravity (COC) trajectory of the elbow joint by properly designing the link lengths and hinge point positions. The COC trajectory of the four-bar linkage closely approximates that of the elbow joint. The range of motion of the fixed link (simulating the upper arm) and connecting link (simulating the forearm) of the four-bar linkage should be consistent with the flexion and extension range of the elbow joint. The four-bar linkage should be as compact as possible to accommodate the wearable requirements of exoskeletons.

[0045] See Figure 4 As shown, the elbow joint assembly 33 is a dual-rocker mechanism (four-bar linkage). The starting position (D) and ending position (A) are shown. The dashed line represents the instantaneous center trajectory of the intersection of the two rockers. Since this instantaneous center trajectory is similar to that of the elbow joint, it indicates that the mechanism can effectively simulate elbow joint movement. The four-bar linkage can simulate the instantaneous center trajectory of the elbow joint by rationally designing the link lengths and hinge point positions. The instantaneous center trajectory of the four-bar linkage is close to that of the elbow joint. The range of motion of the fixed link (simulating upper arm plate 1) and the connecting link (simulating forearm plate 2) of the four-bar linkage should be consistent with the flexion and extension range of the elbow joint. The four-bar linkage should be as compact as possible to meet the wearing requirements of exoskeletons. When using a four-bar linkage to simulate the movement of the human elbow joint, similarity to the instantaneous center trajectory of the elbow joint can be achieved, thereby enabling self-adjustment of the elbow joint center and increasing the comfort of the human elbow joint.

[0046] As an embodiment of the present invention, the second transmission assembly 42 includes a first link 421, a second link 422 and a third link 423 that are rotatably connected in sequence. The first link 421 and the third link 423 are of equal length. The other end of the first link 421 is driven to be connected to the second drive assembly 41. The other end of the third link 423 is rotatably connected to the end of the forearm plate 2 away from the upper arm plate 1, and the distance from its connection point to the drive connection end of the first link 421 is equal to the equivalent length of the second link 422.

[0047] It should be noted that the first link 421, the second link 422, the third link 423, and the lines connecting the first link 421 and the third link 423 form a parallelogram, meaning the second transmission assembly 42 has a parallelogram structure. Through its unique geometric design, the second transmission assembly 42 not only improves the stability, precision, and rigidity of the transmission system but also provides greater motion flexibility and transmission efficiency. Furthermore, the standardized and modular nature of this structure helps simplify the design and manufacturing process and reduce costs. In summary, the parallelogram mechanism is an efficient, reliable, and economical design choice in mechanical transmission systems, particularly suitable for applications requiring precise motion control and high load-bearing capacity.

[0048] See Figure 5 As shown, in one embodiment of the present invention, the wrist joint assembly 43 includes a rotating plate 431, a first rotating rod 432 and a second rotating rod 433. One end of the first rotating rod 432 and the second rotating rod 433 are respectively rotatably connected to the rotating plate 431. The other end of the first rotating rod 432 is fixedly connected to the connection between the second connecting rod 422 and the third connecting rod 423. The other end of the second rotating rod 433 is rotatably connected to the first connecting rod 421.

[0049] The plane containing the line connecting the connection point of the first rotating rod 432 and the second rotating rod 433 on the rotating plate 431 is the first plane. The plane containing the straight line passing through the driving connection end of the first connecting rod 421 and parallel to the equivalent length of the second rotating rod 433 is the second plane. The intersection of the first plane and the second plane is the rotation axis of the rotating plate 431.

[0050] It also includes a grip 5, which is fixedly connected to the rotating plate 431, and the midpoint of the handle of the grip 5 is on the rotation axis of the rotating plate 431.

[0051] It should be noted that the gripper 5 is U-shaped, with one side plate of the U-shape fixedly connected to the rotating plate 431, and the other side plate of the U-shape can be set as a rod for easy gripping. The first connecting rod 421, the second connecting rod 422, the third connecting rod 423, the first rotating rod 432, and the second rotating rod 433 can be set to specific shapes according to actual conditions to avoid mutual interference during movement.

[0052] It should be noted that, see Figure 6 As shown, the rotational connection point between the first rotating rod 432 and the rotating plate 431 is G, and the rotational connection point between the second rotating rod 433 and the rotating plate 431 is F. The first connecting rod 421 is represented by BC, the equivalent length of the second connecting rod 422 is represented by CD, the third connecting rod 423 is represented by DA, the first rotating rod 432 is represented by DG, and the equivalent length of the second rotating rod 433 is represented by FE. Since the second transmission assembly 42 is a parallelogram mechanism, ABCD is a parallelogram, and CEFG is also a parallelogram. A line parallel to CG is drawn through point B, intersecting the extension of GF at point P.

[0053] Two parallelogram mechanisms rotate synchronously. The rotation center of the GF rod is point P, which is a fixed point. The rotational motion of BC can be transmitted to the rotation of GF around point P. By designing point P as the midpoint of the handle of the grip 5, it becomes the rotation center of the wrist joint, which coincides with the center of rotation of the human wrist. That is, the center position of the human forearm, which can effectively conform to the internal / external rotation movement of the human forearm.

[0054] See Figure 7 As shown, in one embodiment of the present invention, the first drive assembly 31 and the second drive assembly 41 have the same structure, both including a lasso wheel 311, a lasso joint shaft 312 and a lasso. The lasso is wound around the lasso wheel 311, and the lasso wheel 311 is mounted on the lasso joint shaft 312. Tension is applied to the lasso to drive the lasso joint shaft 312 to rotate. The lasso joint shaft 312 of the first drive assembly 31 is driven to the crank 321 of the first transmission assembly 32, and the lasso joint shaft 312 of the second drive assembly 41 is driven to the first connecting rod 421 of the second transmission assembly 42.

[0055] It should be noted that, see Figure 7 As shown, the first drive assembly 31 and the second drive assembly 41 are integrally disposed inside the joint box 313, and the lasso joint shaft 312 is rotatably mounted inside the joint box 313 through a bearing. The lasso joint shaft 312 extends out of the upper end cover of the joint box 313 and is connected to a torque sensor 314 through a connector.

[0056] The active motion parts of the first drive component 31 and the second drive component 41 can be equipped with encoders respectively. The joint box 313 covering the encoder part can be made transparent to facilitate observation of the encoder arranged inside the joint box 313. The encoder is used to measure the active joint angle, including the elbow joint and wrist joint, to facilitate feedback of the joint motion angle, and then to use the control algorithm to control the joint motion to run according to the expected trajectory.

[0057] As an embodiment of the present invention, the upper arm plate 1 is provided with a first lead screw slider assembly 10, and the slider of the first lead screw slider assembly 10 is provided with an upper arm binding block 101; the forearm plate 2 is provided with a second lead screw slider assembly 20, and the slider of the second lead screw slider assembly 20 is provided with a wrist slider 201, and the end of the wrist slider 201 away from the upper arm plate 1 is rotatably connected to the third connecting rod 423 of the second transmission assembly 42.

[0058] It should be noted that the upper arm and forearm are securely fastened with the strap 101, and the hand grips the handle of the grip piece 5. The length of the upper arm and forearm can be adjusted according to the individual's arm length via the first lead screw and slider assembly 10 and the second lead screw and slider assembly 20.

[0059] See Figure 8 As shown, the present invention also provides a single-arm exoskeleton robot for rehabilitation, which further includes a back frame 6 and a motor mechanism 7. A support plate 61 is provided on one side of the back frame 6, and the support plate 61 is connected to the upper arm plate 1 of the single-arm exoskeleton robot for rehabilitation. The motor mechanism 7 is installed on the other side of the back frame 6, and the two lassos of the motor mechanism 7 are respectively connected to the first drive component 31 and the second drive component 41 of the single-arm exoskeleton robot for rehabilitation.

[0060] It should be noted that the motor mechanism 7, which drives the two active joints (wrist and elbow joints), is mounted on the back frame 6. The motor mechanism 7 pulls the corresponding joints to move via a lasso. The lasso consists of a lasso and a rope. The lasso provides a flexible path for the rope, and the rope is typically a steel wire rope. The rope is spirally wound around the joint to increase friction and prevent slippage. This means that the arm portion of the wearer of the rehabilitation upper limb exoskeleton robot of this invention does not contain motors, actuators, or other components, reducing the load on the arm portion and making it easier to wear. The motor mechanism 7, mounted on the back frame 6, transmits energy to the corresponding two active joints (elbow flexion / extension and forearm external / internal rotation) via the lasso.

[0061] See Figure 9 As shown, in one embodiment of the present invention, the motor mechanism 7 includes a power supply 71, a control box 72, and a pair of servo motor assemblies. Each servo motor assembly includes a servo motor 731, a first pulley 732, a second pulley 733, and a rope. The first pulley 732 and the second pulley 733 are mounted at different heights on the back frame 6 via a pulley mounting bracket 734. One end of the rope is wound around the output shaft of the servo motor 731 and passes sequentially around the first pulley 732 and the second pulley 733, and finally passes through a Bourdon tube 735 to connect to the first drive assembly 31 or the second drive assembly 41.

[0062] It should be noted that after the rope passes through the Bourdon tube 735, a loop is fitted over it to form a lasso. The rope is flexible and requires pre-tensioning. The corresponding pre-tensioning design includes a first pulley 732 and a second pulley 733. The first pulley 732 and the second pulley 733 are set at different heights, and the ropes on them are wound in opposite directions. The pulleys will keep the rope taut.

[0063] In summary, the single-arm exoskeleton robot for rehabilitation of the upper limb of the present invention achieves at least the following positive technical effects:

[0064] (1) Elbow Joint: The elbow joint assembly is configured as a dual-rocker mechanism, which is driven by a crank-rocker mechanism. The first drive assembly 31 drives the crank 322 of the crank-rocker mechanism to rotate. The crank-rocker mechanism transmits the motion to the elbow joint assembly, that is, to the two rockers of the dual-rocker mechanism for rotation. The two rockers of the dual-rocker mechanism are arranged in a cross pattern, and the instantaneous center trajectory of their intersection point is similar to that of the human elbow joint. This makes the elbow joint motion trajectory of the exoskeleton similar to that of the human elbow joint, which can effectively reduce the deviation between the rotation center of the human joint and the exoskeleton joint, and prevent the exoskeleton from compressing the human muscles.

[0065] (2) Forearm self-rotation: The second transmission component 42 adopts a parallelogram mechanism. The second drive component 41 drives the first link 421 of the parallelogram mechanism to move, thereby driving the parallelogram mechanism as a whole to rotate. At the same time, the first rotating rod 432, the second rotating rod 433 of the wrist joint component 43 and their connections with the rotating plate 431 and the second drive component 41 respectively form a parallelogram mechanism, and move synchronously with the parallelogram mechanism of the second transmission component 42, so that the forearm performs internal / external rotation. Its rotation center can be set to the center position of the human forearm, that is, the midpoint of the handle of the grip 5, which can effectively conform to the pronation / supination of the human wrist joint, that is, the internal / external rotation of the forearm.

[0066] (3) Back frame 6: Since the upper limb single-arm exoskeleton does not contain motors, drivers, or other components, the overall weight of the arm part of the upper limb single-arm exoskeleton is light and easy to wear. The motor, driver, controller, etc. are arranged on the back frame 6, and the energy is transmitted to the corresponding two active motion joints through the lasso to realize the elbow joint flexion / extension movement and the wrist joint pronation / supination, i.e., the forearm external rotation / internal rotation movement.

[0067] The above embodiments are merely illustrative of the principles and effects of the present invention and are not intended to limit the invention. Any person skilled in the art can modify or alter the above embodiments without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention. Therefore, all equivalent modifications or alterations made by those skilled in the art without departing from the spirit and technical concept disclosed in the present invention should still be covered by the claims of the present invention.

[0068] Throughout this description, numerous specific details, such as examples of components and / or methods, are provided to provide a complete understanding of embodiments of the invention. However, those skilled in the art will recognize that embodiments of the invention may be practiced without one or more of these specific details or by other devices, systems, components, methods, parts, materials, components, etc. In other instances, well-known structures, materials, or operations have not been specifically shown or described in detail to avoid obscuring aspects of embodiments of the invention.

[0069] Throughout this specification, the terms "an embodiment," "embodiment," or "specific embodiment" refer to a particular feature, structure, or characteristic described in connection with an embodiment that is included in at least one embodiment of the invention, but not necessarily in all embodiments. Therefore, the various representations of the phrases "in one embodiment," "in an embodiment," or "in a specific embodiment" in different places throughout the specification do not necessarily refer to the same embodiment. Furthermore, a particular feature, structure, or characteristic of any specific embodiment of the invention can be combined with one or more other embodiments in any suitable manner. It should be understood that other variations and modifications of the embodiments of the invention described and illustrated herein may be based on the teachings herein and will be considered part of the spirit and scope of the invention.

[0070] It should also be understood that one or more of the elements shown in the figures may be implemented in a more separate or more integrated manner, or may even be removed because they are inoperable in certain circumstances or provided because they may be useful for a particular application.

[0071] Furthermore, unless otherwise expressly stated, any arrows in the accompanying drawings should be considered illustrative only and not limiting. Additionally, unless otherwise stated, the term "or" as used herein is generally intended to mean "and / or". Where a term is anticipated to provide a separation or combination capability that is unclear, a combination of components or steps will also be considered as indicated.

[0072] As used herein and throughout the claims below, unless otherwise specified, “a” and “the” include the plural references. Similarly, as used herein and throughout the claims below, unless otherwise specified, “in” means “in” and “on”.

[0073] The above description of the embodiments shown in this invention (including the content set forth in the abstract of the specification) is not intended to be an exhaustive enumeration or to limit the invention to the precise forms disclosed herein. Although specific embodiments and examples of the invention have been described herein for illustrative purposes only, various equivalent modifications are possible within the spirit and scope of the invention, as will be recognized and understood by those skilled in the art. As indicated, these modifications can be made to the invention in accordance with the above description of the embodiments described herein, and such modifications will be within the spirit and scope of the invention.

[0074] This document has generally described the systems and methods in detail to aid in understanding the invention. Furthermore, various specific details have been set forth to provide a general understanding of embodiments of the invention. However, those skilled in the art will recognize that embodiments of the invention can be practiced without one or more specific details, or using other means, systems, accessories, methods, components, materials, parts, etc. In other instances, well-known structures, materials, and / or operations have not been specifically shown or described in detail to avoid obscuring aspects of embodiments of the invention.

[0075] Therefore, although the invention has been described herein with reference to specific embodiments thereof, freedom of modification, various changes and substitutions are also within the scope of the foregoing disclosure, and it should be understood that in some cases, certain features of the invention may be adopted without departing from the scope and spirit of the invention and without corresponding use of other features. Thus, many modifications can be made to adapt a particular environment or material to the essential scope and spirit of the invention. The invention is not intended to be limited to the specific terminology used in the following claims and / or the specific embodiments disclosed as the best mode for carrying out the invention, but the invention will include any and all embodiments and equivalents falling within the scope of the appended claims. Therefore, the scope of the invention will be defined only by the appended claims.

Claims

1. A single-arm exoskeleton robot for rehabilitation, characterized in that, include: Upper arm plate (1); Forearm plate (2); Elbow joint mechanism (3), the elbow joint mechanism (3) includes a first drive assembly (31), a first transmission assembly (32) and an elbow joint assembly (33); The elbow joint assembly (33) employs a dual rocker mechanism, with its two rockers arranged in a cross configuration. Each rocker's two ends are rotatably connected to the forearm plate (2) and the upper arm plate (1) at their closest points. The first drive assembly (31) drives the elbow joint assembly (33) to move through the first transmission assembly (32) and drives the forearm plate (2) to rotate, so as to realize the flexion / extension of the elbow joint; The wrist joint mechanism (4) includes a second drive assembly (41), a second transmission assembly (42), and a wrist joint assembly (43). The second transmission component (42) adopts a parallelogram mechanism, and the second drive component (41) drives the wrist joint component (43) to rotate through the second transmission component (42) to achieve pronation / supination of the wrist joint; The first transmission component (32) adopts a crank-rocker mechanism, and its driven component is a triangular plate (321). The first end of the triangular plate (321) is rotatably connected to the connecting rod of the crank-rocker mechanism, and the second and third ends of the triangular plate (321) are rotatably connected to the forearm plate (2) and the upper arm plate (1) respectively. The elbow joint assembly (33) includes a connecting rod (331), the two ends of which are rotatably connected to the forearm plate (2) and the upper arm plate (1), respectively; the connecting edges of the second and third ends of the triangular plate (321) and the connecting rod (331) are the two rockers of the double rocker mechanism.

2. The single-arm exoskeleton robot for rehabilitation of the upper limb according to claim 1, characterized in that, The second transmission assembly (42) includes a first link (421), a second link (422), and a third link (423) that are rotatably connected in sequence. The first link (421) and the third link (423) are of equal length. The other end of the first link (421) is driven to be connected to the second drive assembly (41). The other end of the third link (423) is rotatably connected to the end of the forearm plate (2) away from the upper arm plate (1). The distance from the connection point to the drive connection end of the first link (421) is equal to the equivalent length of the second link (422).

3. The single-arm exoskeleton robot for rehabilitation of the upper limb according to claim 2, characterized in that, The wrist joint assembly (43) includes a rotating plate (431), a first rotating rod (432), and a second rotating rod (433). One end of the first rotating rod (432) and the second rotating rod (433) are respectively rotatably connected to the rotating plate (431). The other end of the first rotating rod (432) is fixedly connected to the connection between the second connecting rod (422) and the third connecting rod (423). The other end of the second rotating rod (433) is rotatably connected to the first connecting rod (421). The plane containing the line connecting the first rotating rod (432) and the second rotating rod (433) at their connection point on the rotating plate (431) is the first plane. The plane containing the line passing through the drive connection end of the first connecting rod (421) and parallel to the equivalent length of the second rotating rod (433) is the second plane. The intersection of the first plane and the second plane is the rotation axis of the rotating plate (431).

4. The single-arm exoskeleton robot for rehabilitation of the upper limb according to claim 3, characterized in that, It also includes a grip (5), which is fixedly connected to the rotating plate (431), and the center point of the rod of the grip (5) is on the rotation axis of the rotating plate (431).

5. The single-arm exoskeleton robot for rehabilitation of the upper limb according to claim 4, characterized in that, The first drive assembly (31) and the second drive assembly (41) have the same structure, both including a lasso wheel (311), a lasso joint shaft (312) and a lasso. The lasso is wound around the lasso wheel (311), and the lasso wheel (311) is mounted on the lasso joint shaft (312). Tension is applied to the lasso to drive the lasso joint shaft (312) to rotate. The lasso joint shaft (312) of the first drive assembly (31) is driven to the crank (322) of the first transmission assembly (32), and the lasso joint shaft (312) of the second drive assembly (41) is driven to the first connecting rod (421) of the second transmission assembly (42).

6. The rehabilitation single-arm exoskeleton robot for upper limbs according to claim 5, characterized in that, The upper arm plate (1) is provided with a first lead screw slider assembly (10), and the slider of the first lead screw slider assembly (10) is provided with an upper arm binding block (101); the forearm plate (2) is provided with a second lead screw slider assembly (20), and the slider of the second lead screw slider assembly (20) is provided with a wrist slider (201), and the end of the wrist slider (201) away from the upper arm plate (1) is rotatably connected to the third link (423) of the second transmission assembly (42).

7. The rehabilitation single-arm exoskeleton robot for upper limbs according to claim 6, characterized in that, It also includes a back frame (6) and a motor mechanism (7). A support plate (61) is provided on one side of the back frame (6). The support plate (61) is connected to the upper arm plate (1) of the rehabilitation upper limb single-arm exoskeleton robot. The motor mechanism (7) is installed on the other side of the back frame (6). The two lassos of the motor mechanism (7) are respectively connected to the first drive component (31) and the second drive component (41) of the rehabilitation upper limb single-arm exoskeleton robot.

8. The single-arm exoskeleton robot for rehabilitation of the upper limb according to claim 7, characterized in that, The motor mechanism (7) includes a power supply (71), a control box (72), and a pair of servo motor assemblies. Each servo motor assembly includes a servo motor (731), a first pulley (732), a second pulley (733), and a rope. The first pulley (732) and the second pulley (733) are mounted at different heights on the back frame (6) via a pulley mounting bracket (734). One end of the rope is wound around the output shaft of the servo motor (731), and then wound around the first pulley (732) and the second pulley (733) in sequence, and finally passes through a Bourdon tube (735) to connect to the first drive assembly (31) or the second drive assembly (41).

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