Tendon cord-driven wearable orthosis and method of calibrating tendon cord-driven wearable orthosis

Abstract

The present invention relates to a cord-driven wearable orthosis configured to be worn by a user, where the cord-driven wearable orthosis is configured to assist in movement of at least one joint of the user, the orthosis comprising: an adapter unit connectable to at least one end effector by at least one cord, the adapter unit comprising at least one end effector; wherein the adapter unit is removably connected to a motor unit, where the motor unit is configured to operate the adapter unit to apply a tensile force on the at least one tendon cord to assist movement of the at least one joint, where the adapter unit comprises at least one tensioning device configured to tension the at least one tendon cord to assist movement of the at least one joint. And at least one actuator configured to adjustably control a length of the at least one tendon cord between the adapter unit and the at least one end effector. In addition, a method for calibrating a cord-driven wearable orthosis configured to be worn by a user is disclosed.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a tendon-cable driven wearable orthosis and a method for calibrating a tendon-cable driven orthosis. Background Art

[0002] The present invention relates to the field of user-wearable orthoses, and more particularly to the field of tendon-cable driven wearable orthoses. Specifically, individuals suffering from certain forms of disease, such as upper body paralysis caused by stroke, spinal cord injury, brachial plexus injury, or other causes, may have difficulty performing certain movements, such as grasping movements typically performed by the hand. To assist in performing such movements or restoring the ability to perform said movements, different types of mechanical devices have been previously developed, such as powered glove devices worn on the user's hand. The powered glove devices can be actuated using tendon-cable and pneumatic systems.

[0003] Typically available tendon-cable based systems include actuators connected to a glove structure by one or more tendon-cables. Each tendon-cable has a fixed length and is retracted and released by the actuator. Therefore, it is necessary to accurately measure the user to ensure an accurate value for determining the tendon-cable length. Subsequently, the tendon-cables are cut to a certain size and fixedly connected to the actuator and the glove structure. Failure to obtain accurate measurement results may lead to incorrect operation of the tendon-cable based system. For example, when using an under-actuated tendon-cable based system, inaccurate measurement may cause one or more fingers to bend / extend out of sync, resulting in unnatural finger movement and / or inability to safely grasp an object.

[0004] In addition, the specific length required for each tendon-cable is highly user-specific, making it impossible to mass-produce tendon-cable based systems. This can be avoided by providing a separate tendon-cable and corresponding separate actuator for each tendon-cable. However, such methods significantly increase the power requirements of the orthosis, as well as system complexity, cost, mass, and size. Summary of the Invention

[0005] Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide a tendon-cable driven wearable orthosis with improved personalized characteristics. The above object is achieved by a tendon-cable driven wearable orthosis and a method for calibrating a tendon-cable driven wearable orthosis according to the independent claims. Preferred embodiments form the subject matter of the dependent claims.

[0006] One aspect of the present invention relates to a tendon - cable - driven wearable orthosis configured to be worn by a user. In particular, the tendon - cable - driven wearable orthosis can be at least partially mounted on a fixing device, wherein the tendon - cable - driven wearable orthosis and / or the fixing device can be configured to be worn by the user. The fixing device can include, for example, one or more straps () and / or one or more strips (). The fixing device can include at least one of one or more textiles, one or more plastics, one or more metals, and / or one or more composite materials. The fixing device can be a single fixing device or can include one or more different fixing device components, such as straps () and / or strips ().

[0007] The tendon - cable - driven wearable orthosis is configured to assist the movement of at least one joint of the user. The user's joint can connect two or more structures of the user's skeletal system, such as bones. The tendon - cable - driven wearable orthosis can be configured to cause the movement (such as a bending movement) of at least one joint of the user by generating a direct and / or indirect force (such as a pulling force) on at least one structure, thereby assisting the movement of at least one joint. The tendon - cable - driven wearable orthosis can be configured to assist the movement of multiple joints of the user simultaneously, such as by assisting the bending movement of the user's fingers and / or hands.

[0008] The tendon - cable - driven wearable orthosis includes an adapter unit, which can be connected to at least one end - effector by at least one tendon - cable. In particular, at least one tendon - cable can be fixedly or detachably connected to the adapter unit at a first end of the at least one tendon - cable and can be fixedly or detachably connected to at least one end - effector at a second end of the at least one tendon - cable. Optionally or additionally, at least one tendon - cable can be configured as at least one closed - loop tendon - cable, wherein the at least one closed - loop tendon - cable can be fixedly or detachably connected to the adapter unit and at least one end - effector.

[0009] At least one tendon - cable can be at least one cable element, such as a metal cable. However, the tendon - cable - driven wearable orthosis is not limited to such types of tendon - cables, and any type of tendon - cable can be used. All of the at least one tendon - cable can be formed of substantially the same material, or different materials can be used. In addition, the term "tendon - cable" is intended to be interpreted broadly herein and can therefore also include other elements suitable for connecting the adapter unit to at least one end - effector. For example, the at least one tendon - cable can optionally or additionally include one or more of () strips, bands (), chains, ropes, and / or straps (). In addition, the at least one tendon - cable can be configured as at least one inner core wire of at least one Bowden cable.

[0010] At least one end effector may be configured to be worn by a user, e.g., on the user's hand and / or finger. However, the tendon-driven wearable orthosis is not limited thereto and may be used for other elements and / or joints of the user. At least one end effector may be configured to be fixedly or removably connected to at least one tendon. In particular, the at least one end effector may include one or more connection elements configured to be connected to at least one tendon, where the one or more connection elements may include one or more hooks, loops, and / or tendon guides. For example, at least one end effector may be configured to be mounted on a support structure such as a glove structure configured to be worn by the user. The tendon-driven wearable orthosis may further include at least one tendon guide element configured to guide at least one tendon from an adapter unit to the at least one end effector and / or the support structure. At least one tendon guide element may include a Bowden cable outer sheath, where each of the at least one tendons may be configured as a core wire located within the Bowden cable outer sheath. At least one tendon guide element may be fixedly connected to the adapter unit at its first end and fixedly connected to the support structure at its second end. In particular, a desired distance may thus be maintained between the support structure and the adapter unit while still allowing adjustable control of the length of at least one tendon, e.g., to apply a pre-tension to the at least one tendon.

[0011] The adapter unit is removably connected to the motor unit. For example, the adapter unit may be mounted on the motor unit and / or may be engaged with the motor unit. The motor unit is configured to operate the adapter unit to apply a pulling force on at least one tendon, thereby assisting the movement of at least one joint. In other words, the motor unit is configured to operate the adapter unit to generate a pulling force, where the pulling force may be applied on at least one tendon to assist the movement of at least one joint. For example, in a state where the adapter unit is connected to the motor unit, the motor unit may be configured to generate a force (such as a mechanical force) on the adapter unit to cause the adapter unit to apply a pulling force. The pulling force applied on at least one tendon may be configured to cause a further pulling force applied on at least one end effector through the at least one tendon to assist the movement of at least one joint. The motor unit may be configured as a linear actuator or a rotary actuator, for example. The motor unit may be configured as a non-reversible drive motor unit. In other words, the motor unit may be configured to operate the adapter unit in a single operating direction (e.g., forward or clockwise) rather than in two operating directions (e.g., forward and backward, or clockwise and counterclockwise). In particular, a very simply designed motor unit may thus be made possible.

[0012] The adapter unit further includes at least one tensioning device configured to adjustably control the length of at least one tendon cord between the adapter unit and at least one end effector. The at least one tensioning device can be configured to adjustably control the length of at least one tendon cord to apply a pre-tension to at least one tendon cord between the adapter unit and at least one end effector. Adjustably controlling the length of at least one tendon cord can be specifically understood as adjustably increasing and / or decreasing the length of at least one tendon cord. Thus, the length of at least one tendon cord can be adjustably controlled to have a desired length.

[0013] Accordingly, the adapter unit can advantageously allow the tendon-cord-driven wearable orthosis to be highly personalized for the specific needs or parameters of the user, such as for each finger of the user individually. In particular, it is thus even possible to avoid significant measurements of the user before manufacturing the tendon-cord-driven wearable orthosis in order to ensure a personalized fit to the user. Furthermore, by providing such a tendon-cord-driven wearable orthosis including the adapter unit, it becomes possible to provide the tendon-cord-driven wearable orthosis as a standardized product, which can be effectively and easily adapted to the personalized needs of the user. In particular, mass production of the tendon-cord-driven wearable orthosis can thus be achieved.

[0014] Furthermore, by providing a tendon-cord-driven wearable orthosis including the adapter unit, the tendon-cord-driven wearable orthosis can be dynamically adjusted to fit the user. Thus, errors in user measurement can be prevented from causing a misfit and / or malfunction of the orthosis. In addition, the tendon-cord-driven wearable orthosis can adapt to potential physiological changes of the user.

[0015] Underactuated applications of the tendon-cord-driven wearable orthosis can also be effectively achieved. For example, the adapter unit and / or two or more tendon cords can be configured to be operated by a single actuator of the motor unit. Thus, the requirements of the motor unit (e.g., power, cost, complexity, mass, and size requirements) can be significantly reduced while still maintaining a large degree of freedom for any user. The flexibility of the tendon-cord-driven wearable orthosis can be further improved by allowing the adapter unit to be effectively connected to and removed from the motor unit.

[0016] Furthermore, by providing such a tendon-cord-driven wearable orthosis, the tendon-cord-driven wearable orthosis can be worn by one or more users while allowing a personalized fit to be obtained for each of the users according to the expectations and / or needs of the current wearer of the tendon-cord-driven wearable orthosis.

[0017] The tendon-cable-driven wearable orthosis can be configured to be worn at least partially on a user's hand and / or arm. Specifically, the adapter unit can be connected to at least one end effector by at least one tendon cable, wherein the at least one end effector can be configured to be worn and / or mounted on the user's hand and / or at least one finger. Thus, the adapter unit can be configured to apply a pulling force on at least one joint of the user's hand through at least one tendon cable and at least one end effector. In particular, the tendon-cable-driven wearable orthosis can be configured to assist the movement of at least one finger joint of the user's hand. The movement of at least one finger joint can be the flexion and / or extension of at least one finger joint.

[0018] Thus, the tendon-cable-driven wearable orthosis can effectively and easily assist the movement of the user's hand, and thus can support such movements of users whose one or both hands suffer from mobility problems due to, for example, stroke.

[0019] In particular, the tendon-cable-driven wearable orthosis can be configured to assist the substantially synchronous movement of at least two finger joints of at least two of the index finger, middle finger, ring finger, little finger, and / or thumb. Specifically, by assisting such substantially synchronous movements, the grasping movement of the user's hand can be very effectively supported.

[0020] Unless explicitly provided with a different definition, in the context of the present disclosure, "substantially" should be understood to also include small deviations caused by, for example, environmental and / or construction / production reasons.

[0021] The tendon-cable-driven wearable orthosis can further include at least one tendon cable and at least one end effector. In particular, the tendon-cable-driven wearable orthosis can include an adapter unit, at least one tendon cable, and at least one end effector, wherein the adapter unit is connected to the at least one end effector by at least one tendon cable. Thus, the tendon-cable-driven wearable orthosis can be effectively provided as a unit configured to be individually adjustable, for example, by at least one tensioning device, to suit the user's needs.

[0022] The tendon-cable-driven wearable orthosis can further include a motor unit.

[0023] At least one tensioning device can be configured to adjustably control the length of at least one tendon cable between the adapter unit and the at least one end effector when the adapter unit is not connected to the motor unit. In particular, thus, the tendon-cable-driven wearable orthosis can be individually adjusted to suit the user without the need to be connected to the motor unit. Therefore, a simpler and easier structure can be achieved for both the motor unit and the adapter unit. In addition, the process of adjusting the length of at least one tendon cable can be made easier because the adapter unit can be in a state separated from the motor unit.

[0024] The adapter unit may further include at least one first reel, to which at least one tendon cord may be connected. In particular, the adapter unit may include one first reel for each tendon cord of the at least one tendon cord. Each tendon cord may be connected to a respective first reel. Thus, effective management of at least one tendon cord in the tendon-cord-driven wearable orthosis can be achieved. The at least one first reel is configured to be rotatable by the motor unit to apply a tensile force to the at least one tendon cord. In particular, the at least one first reel may be configured to be operable by the motor unit to rotate about a respective axis of rotation in a state where the adapter unit is connected to the motor unit. Each first reel may have its own axis of rotation, or one or more reels may share a common axis of rotation. The at least one first reel is configured such that the at least one tendon cord can be at least partially wound around the at least one first reel by rotation of the at least one first reel.

[0025] The at least one first reel may further include one or more reel bearings, such as one or more reel bearing washers. It should be noted that although one or more reel bearings are described herein as being provided for the at least one first reel, it should be understood that any reel described herein may further include one or more reel bearings.

[0026] The at least one tensioning device may include at least one first tensioning tool that detachably engages with the adapter unit and the at least one first reel. Detachably engaging should be understood to include being configured to engage and being configured to disengage as needed, preferably without causing substantial damage and / or deformation. In addition, the at least one first reel may be configured to be operable (preferably rotatable) using the at least one first tensioning tool to control the length of at least one tendon cord between the adapter unit and the at least one end effector. Preferably, the at least one first reel may be configured to be rotatable using the at least one first tensioning tool to reduce the length of at least one tendon cord between the adapter unit and the at least one end effector. Specifically, the length of at least one tendon cord can thus be controlled very effectively, enabling the tendon-cord-driven wearable orthosis to achieve improved calibration according to the personalized needs of the user.

[0027] The at least one first tensioning tool may be at least one ratchet key. The at least one ratchet key may be configured to perform a ratchet operation operably. In particular, each ratchet key may include a plurality of first ratchet teeth, and the adapter unit may include a plurality of second ratchet teeth.

[0028] The ratchet teeth can be understood in the present disclosure to include a series of preferably alternating protrusions and recesses. The series of protrusions and recesses can extend radially outwardly or inwardly relative to a respective central axis of an element or structure including the series of protrusions and recesses. As described herein, the ratchet teeth can be configured to be at least partially elastically deformable.

[0029] Each ratchet key can be configured to removably engage with an adapter unit and at least one first reel to engage a plurality of first ratchet teeth with at least a portion of a plurality of second ratchet teeth. The plurality of first ratchet teeth and at least a portion of the plurality of second ratchet teeth can be configured such that when the plurality of first ratchet teeth engage with at least a portion of the plurality of second ratchet teeth, rotation of at least one first reel in a first rotational direction is prevented and rotation of at least one first reel in a second rotational direction opposite to the first rotational direction is allowed. In particular, the first rotational direction and the second rotational direction can correspond to opposite rotational directions about a central rotational axis of at least one ratchet key and / or at least one first reel. Specifically, at least one ratchet key can thus be effectively used to reduce the length of at least one tendon cord and maintain the at least one tendon cord at this reduced length. This can allow the lengths of multiple tendon cords to be adjusted sequentially without having to actively hold any such tendon cord at the reduced and / or desired length, such as by the user manually holding the respective ratchet key. Further, if the length of a tendon cord is unexpectedly reduced too much and / or pulled too tight, the respective ratchet key can simply be disengaged from the adapter unit and at least one first reel to allow at least one first reel to rotate to correct the length.

[0030] The at least one tensioning device can further include a carriage movably mounted on a carriage track, wherein the carriage can be a reel carriage. The carriage or reel carriage can include, for example, a carriage body and at least one wheel element, wherein the at least one wheel element is fixed to the carriage body and is configured to allow the carriage or reel carriage to move along the carriage track. The carriage track can include one or more guide rails along which the carriage or reel carriage can be guided.

[0031] The at least one tensioning device can further include at least one connecting device mounted on the carriage, wherein at least one tendon cord can be connected to the at least one connecting device, and wherein the carriage can be configured to be movable along the carriage track by a motor unit to apply a tensile force on the at least one tendon cord.

[0032] At least one connecting device can be implemented as at least one second reel, as further described below. However, at least one connecting device is not limited to such an implementation, and can be any at least one connecting device configured to be connectable to at least one tendon cord. For example, at least one connecting device can be implemented as at least one adjustable clamp. Preferably, such a clamp is configured to be operated with one hand, for example without winding around a pulley, which can reduce the overall size of the connection. For example, a thumb screw can be fastened to a splint that holds the tendon cord in the correct relative length position. For example, such an operation can be performed by a technician during the initial assembly of the product.

[0033] At least one tensioning device can further include at least one second reel mounted on a reel carriage, wherein at least one tendon cord can be connected to at least one second reel. At least one second reel can be mounted on the reel carriage so that it can rotate about a central axis of rotation of at least one second reel. In addition, at least one second reel can be configured such that at least one tendon cord can be at least partially wound around at least one second reel by rotation of at least one second reel. The reel carriage can further be configured to be movable along a carriage track by a motor unit so as to apply a tensile force to at least one tendon cord.

[0034] In particular, therefore, a linear actuator, for example, can be used to effectively cause the application of the tensile force, the linear actuator being configured to move the carriage or the reel carriage along the carriage track.

[0035] The reel carriage can further include a plurality of third ratchet teeth. In particular, the plurality of third ratchet teeth can be provided in a reel carriage body of the reel carriage. At least one second reel can include a plurality of fourth ratchet teeth that detachably engage at least a portion of the plurality of third ratchet teeth. The plurality of fourth ratchet teeth and at least a portion of the plurality of third ratchet teeth can be configured such that when the plurality of fourth ratchet teeth engage at least a portion of the plurality of third ratchet teeth, rotation of at least one second reel in a third rotation direction is prevented and rotation of at least one second reel in a fourth rotation direction opposite to the third rotation direction is allowed. In particular, the third rotation direction and the fourth rotation direction can correspond to opposite rotation directions about a central axis of rotation of at least one second reel. In particular, therefore, the length of at least one tendon cord can be effectively reduced and the at least one tendon cord can be held at this reduced length.

[0036] At least one tensioning device may further include at least one second tensioning tool that detachably engages with at least one second reel. In particular, the at least one second reel may be configured to be rotatable in a fourth direction using the at least one second tensioning tool to control the length of at least one tendon cord between the adapter unit and the at least one end effector. For example, the at least one second tensioning tool may be configured to engage with the at least one second reel and further include a rotation handle configured to allow a user to rotate the at least one second tensioning tool to cause rotation of the at least one second reel.

[0037] The at least one second reel may further be configured to be operable using the at least one second tensioning tool to move a plurality of fourth ratchet teeth out of engagement with at least a portion of a plurality of third ratchet teeth. In particular, the at least one second reel may include at least one spring element. For example, the at least one second reel may be at least one second spring-loaded reel. The at least one spring element may be fixed to the reel carriage and / or carriage body at a first spring end, and / or may be fixed to the at least one second reel at a second spring end. The compression direction of the at least one spring element may be substantially parallel to the central rotation axis of the at least one second reel. The at least one second tensioning tool may be operated to cause pressure on the at least one second reel to cause the at least one spring element to be compressed, thereby moving the plurality of fourth ratchet teeth out of engagement with at least a portion of the plurality of third ratchet teeth.

[0038] Accordingly, a particularly effective and easy-to-use tool can be provided to adjustably control the length of at least one tendon cord. By engaging the at least one second tensioning tool with the at least one second reel and rotating the at least one second tensioning tool, the length of at least one tendon cord can be easily reduced. Further, if the length of the tendon cord is accidentally reduced too much and / or pulled too tight, pressure may be applied by the user on the corresponding second tensioning tool so as to cause the plurality of fourth ratchet teeth to disengage from at least a portion of the third ratchet teeth. Accordingly, the at least one second reel may be allowed to rotate in a third rotational direction to increase the length of the corresponding at least one tendon cord.

[0039] At least one tensioning device may further include a multi-roller unit. The multi-roller unit may include at least one central rotating shaft and a plurality of third rollers. Each of the third rollers may be substantially identical to each other. The plurality of third rollers may be mounted on the central rotating shaft. For example, each third roller may include a central mounting hole extending through the corresponding third roller, wherein the central rotating shaft may be inserted into the central mounting hole. At least one tendon cord may be connected to at least one third roller, wherein at least one tendon cord may be configured to wind around at least one third roller during rotation of the at least one third roller. In particular, by using such a multi-roller unit, a pulling force can be effectively applied to at least one tendon cord simultaneously by the rotation of the central rotating shaft.

[0040] Furthermore, the multi-roller unit may be configured to be switchable between a first state and a second state. In the first state, each of the plurality of third rollers may be configured to be rotatable about the central rotating shaft, preferably freely rotatable. In the second state, the plurality of third rollers may be configured to be fixed relative to the central rotating shaft. For example, in the second state, the plurality of third rollers may be compressed between a top plate and a bottom plate of the multi-roller unit, wherein the top plate and the bottom plate may be engaged and / or fixed relative to the central rotating shaft. Additionally, in the second state, the multi-roller unit may be configured to be rotatable by a motor unit to apply a pulling force to at least one tendon cord. Thus, a simple design and operation of the multi-roller unit can be achieved.

[0041] At least one tensioning device may further include at least one third tensioning tool. The at least one third tensioning tool may be configured to detachably engage the plurality of third rollers in the first state to fix the positioning of the plurality of third rollers relative to each other. For example, each of the plurality of third rollers may include at least one locking hole extending through the corresponding third roller. The at least one third tensioning tool may be inserted into at least one locking hole of each third roller to fix the positioning of the plurality of third rollers relative to each other. In particular, thus each third roller in the first state can be rotated about the central rotating shaft to a desired corresponding positioning, and then the at least one third tensioning tool can be inserted into the corresponding at least one locking hole. In particular, thus the length of each tendon cord connected to the corresponding third roller can be individually selected. The at least one third tensioning tool may be, for example, at least one locking screw, wherein the at least one locking screw may be configured to be screwed into the top plate and / or the bottom plate. In the second state, the at least one third tensioning tool can be removed from the multi-roller unit. Thus, a simple and effective tool can be provided to adapt the multi-roller unit and the tendon cord-driven wearable orthosis to the personalized needs of the user.

[0042] For example, each of the plurality of third reels may include eight locking holes extending through the respective third reel. However, the plurality of third reels is not limited to such a number of locking holes, and the number of locking holes may be freely selected according to the needs of the tendon-driven wearable orthosis and / or the user. In particular, by increasing the number of locking holes, a more desirable corresponding positioning and / or higher precision of the multi-reel unit can be achieved. In addition, by reducing the number of locking holes, according to, for example, the material used for the multi-reel unit, the structural stability of the multi-reel unit can be increased, and thus the chance of failure of the multi-reel unit can be reduced. Therefore, the number of locking holes can be selected by, for example, making a relative trade-off of such factors and finding an acceptable compromise according to the needs of the tendon-driven wearable orthosis and / or the user.

[0043] The adapter unit may further include a tensioning device for each of at least one tendon, wherein each tensioning device is configured to adjustably control the length of the respective tendon between the adapter unit and at least one end effector. Alternatively, the adapter unit may include a tensioning device for multiple tendons or all tendons, wherein each tensioning device is configured to adjustably control the length of the respective tendon between the adapter unit and at least one end effector.

[0044] The motor unit may be configured to operate the adapter unit to apply a pulling force on at least two tendons substantially simultaneously, thereby assisting the movement of at least one joint. Preferably, the motor unit may be configured to operate the adapter unit to apply a pulling force on all tendons substantially simultaneously, thereby assisting the movement of at least one joint, thereby effectively allowing the tendon-driven wearable orthosis to assist, for example, the grasping movement of the user.

[0045] The adapter unit may be configured to be simultaneously and separately connected to the motor unit and at least one first tensioning tool, at least one second tensioning tool, and / or at least one third tensioning tool. Therefore, at least one first tensioning tool, at least one second tensioning tool, and / or at least one third tensioning tool can be used separately to keep at least one tendon at a desired length until the adapter unit is connected to the motor unit. In particular, an undesired and / or unintentional change in the length of one or more tendons during the connection of the adapter unit to the motor unit can thus be avoided.

[0046] Another aspect of the present disclosure relates to a method for calibrating a tendon - driven wearable orthosis configured to be worn by a user, wherein the tendon - driven wearable orthosis is configured to assist the movement of at least one joint of the user. The tendon - driven wearable orthosis includes an adapter unit that can be connected to at least one end - effector by at least one tendon. The method includes mounting the tendon - driven wearable orthosis on the user and adjustably controlling the length of at least one tendon between the adapter unit and the at least one end - effector using at least one tensioning device of the adapter unit.

[0047] The step of adjustably controlling the length of at least one tendon may further include detachably connecting at least one tensioning tool to the adapter unit. The at least one tensioning tool can be, for example, at least one first tensioning tool, at least one second tensioning tool, and / or at least one third tensioning tool as described herein.

[0048] The step of adjustably controlling the length of at least one tendon may further include operating (e.g., rotating and / or turning) at least one tensioning device using at least one tensioning tool to control the length of at least one tendon between the adapter unit and the at least one end - effector.

[0049] In particular, the method for calibrating a tendon - driven wearable orthosis may include any combination of the features of the tendon - driven wearable orthosis described herein.

[0050] Another aspect of the present invention relates to a method for assisting the movement of at least one joint of a user. The method includes calibrating a tendon - driven wearable orthosis configured to be worn by the user. In particular, the step of calibrating the tendon - driven wearable orthosis may include performing the method for calibrating the tendon - driven wearable orthosis described herein. The method for assisting the movement of at least one joint of the user further includes detachably connecting the adapter unit to a motor unit, the motor unit being configured to operate the adapter unit to apply a pulling force on at least one tendon so as to assist the movement of at least one joint of the user, and operating the adapter unit using the motor unit.

[0051] The step of detachably connecting the adapter unit may further include detachably connecting the adapter unit to the motor unit while connecting at least one tensioning tool to the adapter unit and disconnecting at least one tensioning tool from the adapter unit. The at least one tensioning tool can be, for example, at least one first tensioning tool, at least one second tensioning tool, and / or at least one third tensioning tool as described herein.

[0052] In particular, the method for assisting the movement of at least one joint of the user may include any combination of the features of the tendon - driven wearable orthosis described herein.

[0053] The present invention will now be further discussed and explained by reference to the exemplary embodiments shown in the accompanying drawings. It should be understood that the present invention is not limited to the exemplary embodiments, but may include any combination of the features described herein and / or shown in the drawings. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0054] Figure 1 : Top view of an exemplary adapter top plate of an exemplary adapter unit; Figure 2 : Bottom view of an exemplary adapter top plate of an exemplary adapter unit; Figure 3 : Top view of an exemplary adapter bottom plate of an exemplary adapter unit; Figures 4A to 4B : Front and rear perspective views of an exemplary first reel, respectively; Figures 5A to 5B : Front and rear perspective views of an exemplary first tensioning tool, respectively; Figures 6A to 6B : Front and rear exploded perspective views of an exemplary adapter unit, respectively; Figures 7A to 7D : Combination of an exemplary adapter and an exemplary motor unit when adjustably controlling the length of at least one tendon cord in different configurations; Figure 8 : Abstract schematic diagram of a tendon cord-driven wearable orthosis; Figures 9A to 9B : Two perspective views of an exemplary third reel of an exemplary multi-reel unit; Figures 10 to 11 : Two perspective views of an exemplary multi-reel unit; Figures 12 to 15 : Perspective view of a multi-reel unit in different configurations; Figure 16 : Exploded perspective view of another exemplary adapter unit having another multi-reel unit; Figure 17 : Partially exploded perspective view of a multi-reel unit and an adapter unit; Figure 18 : Perspective view of an exemplary adapter unit; Figures 19A to 19B : Perspective top view and perspective bottom view of an adapter unit, respectively; Figure 20 : Schematic side view of another exemplary adapter unit and an exemplary motor unit; Figure 21 : Schematic top view of an exemplary adapter unit; Figure 22: Flowchart of an exemplary method for calibrating a tendon-driven wearable orthosis worn by a user; Figure 23 : Flowchart of an exemplary method for assisting the movement of at least one joint of a user. Detailed Description

[0055] It should be noted that at least one tendon cord and / or at least one end effector are omitted in the illustrations of the following several figures. This should not be construed as limiting the scope of the present disclosure. On the contrary, omitting at least one tendon cord and / or at least one end effector is merely for illustrative purposes.

[0056] Figure 1 A top view of an exemplary adapter top plate 10 of an exemplary adapter unit 1 is shown. In particular, the adapter unit 1 may include an adapter top plate 10 and an adapter bottom plate 20 (shown, for example, in Figure 3 ), where the adapter top plate 10 and the adapter bottom plate 20 may be fixed to each other to form a housing of the adapter unit 1. The adapter top plate 10 may be substantially planar and include a top surface 11 and a plurality of top reel holes 12. In this exemplary adapter top plate 10, only four top reel holes 12 are shown. However, it should be understood that more or fewer top reel holes 12 may be provided. Each of the plurality of top reel holes 12 may be configured to receive at least a portion of a first reel 30 of a corresponding shape (e.g., as shown in Figure 4A ). Each of the plurality of top reel holes 12 may be configured to extend substantially through the adapter top plate 10 in a direction substantially orthogonal to the top surface 11. Each top reel hole 12 may further include a plurality of second ratchet teeth 13 disposed along the edge of the corresponding top reel hole 12 at the top surface 11. Each of the plurality of second ratchet teeth 13 may extend at least partially in a radial direction of the corresponding top reel hole 12 toward the center of the top reel hole 12. Each second ratchet tooth 13 may further include a blocking contact surface substantially parallel to the radial direction and an inclined contact surface substantially at a non-zero angle to the radial direction. Although the exemplary shape of each of the plurality of second ratchet teeth has been described above, it should be noted that each of the plurality of first ratchet teeth, third ratchet teeth, and fourth ratchet teeth may be of a similar and / or correspondingly engageable shape. However, such exemplary shapes should not be construed as limiting. On the contrary, different exemplary shapes may be implemented and may depend on the first rotation direction, second rotation direction, third rotation direction, and / or fourth rotation direction.

[0057] The adapter top plate 10 may further include a plurality of tendon cord holes 14 configured to each guide at least one tendon cord from one or more top reel holes 12 at least partially toward at least one end effector. The tendon cord holes 14 may extend substantially parallel to each other and / or substantially orthogonally to the plurality of top reel holes 12. However, the present disclosure is not limited to such configurations, and different arrangements of the tendon cord holes 14 may be provided as per personalized requirements. Further, the tendon cord holes 14 may be provided in a portion of the adapter top plate 10 having a thickness greater than the average thickness of the adapter top plate 10.

[0058] In addition, the adapter top plate 10 may further include at least one top operation recess 15. The at least one top operation recess 15 may extend substantially orthogonally from a side surface of the adapter top plate 10. The at least one top operation recess 15 may be configured to facilitate user operation and / or improve the ease of use of the adapter top plate 10 and / or the adapter unit 1.

[0059] Figure 2 A bottom view of an exemplary adapter top plate 10 of an exemplary adapter unit 1 is shown.

[0060] As Figure 2 shown, the plurality of top reel holes 12 may extend from a top surface 11 of the adapter top plate 10 through the adapter top plate to a bottom surface 16 of the adapter top plate 10. The top surface 11 and the bottom surface 16 may be substantially parallel to each other. Further, as Figure 2 shown, the plurality of second ratchet teeth 13 may be provided only in a portion substantially adjacent to the top surface 11 in each top reel hole 12.

[0061] In addition, a plurality of top tendon cord grooves 17 may be provided in the bottom surface 16. Each top tendon cord groove 17 may be configured to extend from one of the top reel holes 12 to one of the tendon cord holes 14 and may be configured to guide a corresponding tendon cord from the top reel hole 12 to one of the tendon cord holes 14.

[0062] In addition, the adapter top plate 10 may further include an alignment protrusion 18 extending from the bottom surface 16. Although Figure 2 the shown alignment protrusion 18 is substantially rectangular, alignment protrusions 18 of different shapes may be provided. The alignment protrusion 18 may be particularly configured to engage with a corresponding alignment recess 26 of the adapter bottom plate 20 (see, for example, Figure 3 ) so as to align the adapter top plate 10 and the adapter bottom plate 20 with each other.

[0063] Figure 3 A top view of an exemplary adapter bottom plate 20 of an exemplary adapter unit 1 is shown.

[0064] The adapter base plate 20 includes a top surface 21 and a plurality of bottom reel holes 22. In the present exemplary adapter base plate 20, only four bottom reel holes 22 are shown. However, it should be understood that more or fewer bottom reel holes 22 may be provided. Each of the plurality of bottom reel holes 22 may be configured to receive at least a portion of a first reel 30 of a corresponding shape (e.g., as shown in Figure 4A ). Each of the plurality of bottom reel holes 22 may be configured to extend substantially through the adapter base plate 20 in a direction substantially orthogonal to the top surface 21.

[0065] In addition, a plurality of top reel holes 12 and a plurality of bottom reel holes 22 may be provided such that each top reel hole 12 is aligned with a bottom reel hole 22 to form an accommodation space in which a corresponding first reel 30 can be accommodated and / or inserted.

[0066] A plurality of bottom tendon grooves 23 may be provided in the top surface 21. Each bottom tendon groove 23 may be configured to extend from one of the bottom reel holes 22 toward one of the tendon holes 14 and may be configured to guide a corresponding tendon from the bottom reel hole 22 to one of the tendon holes 14. In particular, a plurality of top tendon grooves 17 and a plurality of bottom tendon grooves 23 may be provided such that each top tendon groove 17 is aligned with a bottom tendon groove 23 to define a guiding channel for a corresponding tendon, where each guiding channel extends from one of the accommodation spaces to one of the tendon holes 14.

[0067] Each bottom tendon groove 23 may further include one or more groove protrusions 24, preferably one or more semi-circular groove protrusions 24, which are arranged at one or more positions along the corresponding bottom tendon groove 23. By providing such groove protrusions 24, the contact area between the tendon and the corresponding bottom tendon groove 23 can be reduced, thereby facilitating the movement of the tendon in the bottom tendon groove 23 and further reducing the wear of the tendon. In addition, it should be noted that any number of groove protrusions 24 may be provided. In addition, a plurality of groove protrusions 24 may be provided in one or more of the plurality of bottom tendon grooves 23 and / or in one or more of the top tendon grooves 17.

[0068] The adapter base plate 20 may further include at least one bottom operation recess 25. The at least one bottom operation recess 25 may extend substantially orthogonally from a side surface of the adapter base plate 20. The at least one bottom operation recess 25 may be configured to facilitate user operation and / or improve the usability of the adapter base plate 20 and / or the adapter unit 1. In addition, when the adapter top plate 10 and the adapter base plate 20 are connected to each other, at least one top operation recess 15 may be provided to be substantially aligned with the at least one bottom operation recess 25 to form a common operation recess.

[0069] The adapter base plate 20 may further include an alignment recess 26 extending from the top surface 21. The alignment recess 26 may be particularly configured to engage with a corresponding alignment protrusion 18 of the adapter top plate 10 (see, for example Figure 2 ) so as to align the adapter top plate 10 and the adapter base plate 20 relative to each other. However, the present invention is not limited to the exemplary alignment recess 26 and alignment protrusion 18. Instead, each of the adapter top plate 10 and the adapter base plate 20 may include one or more alignment recesses 26 and / or one or more alignment protrusions 18 so as to align the adapter top plate 10 and the adapter base plate 20. In addition, the shape of each of the alignment recesses 26 and / or each of the alignment protrusions 18 may be freely selected, wherein at least one alignment recess 26 is configured to engage with at least one alignment protrusion 18 so as to align the adapter top plate 10 and the adapter base plate 20 relative to each other.

[0070] Figure 4A and Figure 4B respectively show front and rear perspective views of an exemplary first reel 30.

[0071] The first reel 30 includes a substantially cylindrical central rotating shaft 31 and a tendon winding portion 32. The tendon winding portion 32 may be substantially disposed in the middle of the central rotating shaft 31, and at least one tendon may be connected to the first reel 30 in the tendon winding portion 32. In particular, the tendon winding portion 32 may be configured such that by rotating the first reel 30 about the central rotating shaft 31 and / or the central rotation axis, the tendon connected thereto may be wound around (or respectively unwound from) at least the central rotating shaft 31. The central rotation axis may correspond to the central axis of the central rotating shaft 31. The tendon winding portion 32 may further include a first circumferential boundary wall and a second circumferential boundary wall, wherein the tendon may be connected to the first reel 30 between the first circumferential boundary wall and the second circumferential boundary wall.

[0072] The first reel 30 may further include a first tensioning tool engaging portion 33. The first tensioning tool engaging portion 33 may be configured to engage with a first tensioning tool, such as engage with a ratchet key 40 (as Figure 5A and Figure 5B shown). The first tensioning tool engaging portion 33 may be disposed at the first end of the central rotating shaft 31 and may be further configured to engage with the first tensioning tool such that the rotation of the first tensioning tool engaging with the first tensioning tool engaging portion 33 causes the first reel 30 to rotate about the central rotating shaft 31 and / or the central rotation axis.

[0073] In an exemplary embodiment of the first reel 30 shown, the first tensioning tool engagement portion 33 is shown as a generally cubic recess. However, the first tensioning tool engagement portion 33 is not limited to such an embodiment. In particular, the first tensioning tool engagement portion 33 may include one or more engagement recesses and / or one or more engagement protrusions. Additionally, the shape of each of the one or more engagement recesses and / or the one or more engagement protrusions may be freely selected according to the specific needs of the user.

[0074] The first reel 30 may further include a first motor unit engagement portion 34. The first motor unit engagement portion 34 may be configured to engage with the motor unit 100 and / or the motor unit reel engagement portion 102, for example as Figure 7A shown. The first motor unit engagement portion 34 may be disposed at the second end of the central rotation axis 31 and may further be configured to engage with the motor unit 100 and / or the motor unit reel engagement portion 102 such that rotation of the motor unit 100 and / or the motor unit reel engagement portion 102 engaged with the first motor unit engagement portion 34 causes the first reel 30 to rotate about the central rotation axis 31 and / or the central rotation axis.

[0075] In an exemplary embodiment of the first reel 30 shown, the first motor unit engagement portion 34 is shown as a generally cubic recess. However, the first motor unit engagement portion 34 is not limited to such an embodiment. In particular, the first motor unit engagement portion 34 may include one or more engagement recesses and / or one or more engagement protrusions. Additionally, the shape of each of the one or more engagement recesses and / or the one or more engagement protrusions may be freely selected according to the specific needs of the user.

[0076] Figure 5A and Figure 5B respectively show front and rear perspective views of an exemplary first tensioning tool configured as an exemplary ratchet key 40.

[0077] The ratchet key 40 may include a handle 41 disposed at a first end of the ratchet key 40, where the handle 41 is configured to facilitate rotation of the ratchet key 40 about its axis of rotation. It should be noted that the handle 41 is not limited to Figure 5A and Figure 5B the arrangement and shape shown, but may be freely selected according to the specific needs of the user.

[0078] The ratchet key 40 may further include one or more rotation direction indicators 42, where when the ratchet key 40 is engaged with at least the adapter unit 1, the one or more rotation direction indicators 42 may indicate the allowable rotation direction of the ratchet key 40.

[0079] The ratchet key 40 may further include a plurality of first ratchet teeth 43. The first ratchet teeth 43 may be configured as a series of first ratchet teeth 43 circumferentially arranged about the axis of rotation of the ratchet key 40, and each may further include at least one protrusion extending radially outward relative to the axis of rotation. In addition, each of the ratchet teeth 43 may be configured to be elastically deformable, wherein each of the ratchet teeth 43 may be configured to be elastically displaced in the radial direction, such as elastically displaced inward in the radial direction relative to the axis of rotation.

[0080] The ratchet key 40 may further include a first reel engagement portion 44. The first reel engagement portion 44 may be configured to engage with the first reel 30 and / or the first tensioning tool engagement portion 33 of the first reel 30, for example as Figure 4A shown. The first reel engagement portion 44 may be disposed at the second end of the ratchet key 40 and may further be configured to engage with the first reel 30 and / or the first tensioning tool engagement portion 33 of the first reel 30 such that rotation of the ratchet key 40 engaged with the first reel 30 and / or the first tensioning tool engagement portion 33 causes the first reel 30 to rotate about its central axis of rotation 31 and / or the central axis of rotation.

[0081] In an exemplary embodiment of the ratchet key 40 shown, the first reel engagement portion 44 is shown as a generally cubic protrusion. However, the first reel engagement portion 44 is not limited to such embodiments. In particular, the first reel engagement portion 44 may include one or more engagement recesses and / or one or more engagement protrusions. In addition, the shape of each of the one or more engagement recesses and / or the one or more engagement protrusions may be freely selected according to the specific needs of the user.

[0082] The exemplary ratchet key 40 may be configured to detachably engage with the adapter unit 1 and at least one first reel 30 such that a plurality of first ratchet teeth 43 engage with at least a portion of a plurality of second ratchet teeth 13. The plurality of first ratchet teeth 43 and at least a portion of the plurality of second ratchet teeth 13 may be configured such that when the plurality of first ratchet teeth 43 engage with at least a portion of the plurality of second ratchet teeth 13, rotation of at least one first reel 30 and the ratchet key 40 in a first rotational direction is prevented and rotation of at least one first reel 30 and the ratchet key 40 in a second rotational direction opposite to the first rotational direction is allowed.

[0083] However, it should be noted that the first ratchet teeth 43 according to the present disclosure should not be understood as being limited to, for example Figure 5A and Figure 5B the number, shape, and configuration of the ratchet teeth 43 shown in

[0084] Figure 6A and Figure 6BFront and rear exploded perspective views of an exemplary adapter unit 1 are shown respectively.

[0085] An adapter base plate 20 can be provided, for example as Figure 3 shown. The adapter base plate 20 can include at least one bottom reel hole 22.

[0086] At least one first reel 30 can be provided, for example as Figure 4A and Figure 4B shown, wherein the first reel 30 can be at least partially received in each bottom reel hole 22 of the adapter base plate 20.

[0087] Each first reel 30 can further include a reel bearing 50, wherein the reel bearing 50 can be implemented as, for example, a reel bearing washer. The reel bearing 50 can be detachably mounted on the first reel 30, such as on the central rotating shaft 31 of the first reel 30, wherein the reel bearing 50 can be substantially disposed between the first reel 30 and the adapter base plate 20 and / or the adapter top plate 10. Although not shown in Figure 6A and Figure 6B , each first reel 30 can be provided with more than one reel bearing 50.

[0088] An adapter top plate 10 can be provided, for example as Figure 1 and Figure 2 shown. The adapter top plate 10 can include at least one top reel hole 12. Each first reel 30 and the reel bearing 50 can be at least partially received in the corresponding top reel hole 12.

[0089] The adapter top plate 10 and the adapter base plate 20 can be fixed to each other to form the housing of the adapter unit 1. In addition, a ratchet wrench key 40 can be provided, for example as Figure 5A and Figure 5B shown. In particular, a ratchet wrench key 40 can be provided for each first reel 30.

[0090] Figure 7A , Figure 7B , Figure 7C and Figure 7D show combinations of an exemplary adapter unit 1 and an exemplary motor unit 100 when adjustably controlling the length of at least one tendon cord in different configurations.

[0091] The motor unit 100 may include a housing configured to accommodate an actuator, such as a rotary actuator, and a drive shaft 101. The drive shaft 101 may be configured to be operated by the actuator, such as rotated. The drive shaft 101 may be further configured to operate and / or rotate one or more motor unit reel engagement portions 102. Each motor unit reel engagement portion 102 may be configured to engage with a corresponding first motor unit engagement portion 34 of a corresponding first reel 30.

[0092] The motor unit 100 may further include an adapter mounting surface 103, on which the adapter unit 1 and / or the adapter base plate 20 may be mounted such that each motor unit reel engagement portion 102 engages with a corresponding first motor unit engagement portion 34.

[0093] As Figure 7A shown, in the initial state, the adapter unit 1 is separately provided from the motor unit 100, where the ratchet key 40 is set not to engage with the adapter unit 1. It should be noted that in the first step, the tendon-driven wearable orthosis may be mounted on the user. For illustrative purposes, such steps are not shown in Figure 7A here.

[0094] In the second step, as Figure 7B shown, the ratchet key 40 may be mounted on the adapter unit 1 to engage with the adapter unit 1 and / or at least one first reel 30. Specifically, the ratchet key 40 may be mounted on the top surface 11 of the adapter top plate 10. By rotating the ratchet key 40, the length of each tendon connected to the first reel 30 may be individually controlled and / or adjusted. For example, in the second step, the ratchet key 40 may be rotated to adjust the length of each tendon connected to the first reel 30, preferably reducing it to a corresponding required length.

[0095] In the third step, as Figure 7C shown, the adapter unit 1 may be mounted on the motor unit 100 while the ratchet key 40 remains mounted on the adapter unit 1. In particular, thus the adjustment and required length of at least one tendon may be maintained until at least the adapter unit 1 is mounted on the motor unit 100. For example, during the third step, the ratchet key 40 may be further rotated to adjust the length of each tendon connected to the first reel 30, preferably reducing it further to allow each motor unit reel engagement portion 102 to engage with a corresponding first motor unit engagement portion 34.

[0096] In the fourth step, as Figure 7DAs shown, the ratchet key 40 can be removed and / or detached from the adapter unit 1. By removing the ratchet key 40, the motor unit 100 can freely operate the adapter unit 1 to apply a pulling force on at least one tendon cord, thereby assisting the user's movement.

[0097] Figure 8 An abstract schematic diagram of a tendon cord-driven wearable orthosis is shown. As described herein, a tendon cord-driven wearable orthosis may include an adapter unit 1 and a motor unit 100, wherein the adapter unit 1 is detachably connected to the motor unit 100. In addition, the adapter unit 1 may be connected to at least one end effector 70 by at least one tendon cord 60. The adapter unit 1 may include at least one tendon cord 60 and / or at least one end effector 70.

[0098] Figure 9A and Figure 9B Two perspective views of an exemplary third reel 210 of an exemplary multi-reel unit 200 are shown.

[0099] The third reel 210 may include a cylindrical central portion 211, wherein the cylindrical central portion 211 may include a central mounting hole 212. The cylindrical central portion 211 may further include one or more locking holes 213, wherein the one or more locking holes 213 may be arranged adjacent to the central mounting hole 212.

[0100] The one or more locking holes 213 may be configured as a single locking hole 213 ( Figure 9A and 9B not shown in) or multiple locking holes 213, wherein multiple locking holes 213 may be arranged, and preferably equidistantly arranged, to surround the central mounting hole 212 in a circle. The central mounting hole 212 and the one or more locking holes 213 may further extend through the cylindrical central portion 211 substantially parallel to each other.

[0101] The third reel 210 may further each include a preferably circular mounting plate 214 that extends outward from the cylindrical central portion 211. The mounting plate 214 may be substantially planar and perpendicular to the central axis of the central mounting hole 212. The mounting plate 214 may further include a circumferential wall 215, wherein the circumferential wall 215 is configured to extend orthogonally from the mounting plate 214 and at least partially surround the cylindrical central portion 211. The circumferential wall 215 may include at least one opening 216, wherein the opening 216 is configured to allow at least one tendon cord fixed to the cylindrical central portion 211 to pass through the circumferential wall 215. Each third reel 210 may be configured such that during rotation of the third reel 210 about the central rotation axis 240 (see, for example Figure 10 ), the tendon cord fixed to the corresponding cylindrical central portion 211 can be wound around the circumferential wall 215.

[0102] The mounting plate 214, the circumferential wall 215, and at least one of the following may be configured to form a tendon cord channel for fixing at least one tendon cord to the cylindrical central portion 211: the mounting plate 214 adjacent to another third reel 210 mounted adjacent to the exemplary third reel 210, the top plate 220, and the bottom plate 230. In particular, the tendon cord channel may be configured such that during rotation of the exemplary third reel 210, the tendon cord fixed to the corresponding cylindrical central portion 211 may be wound around the circumferential wall 215 within the tendon cord channel.

[0103] Figure 10 and Figure 11 Respectively show two perspective views of the exemplary multi-reel unit 200.

[0104] The multi-reel unit 200 may include at least a central rotation shaft 240 and a plurality of third reels 210 that can be mounted on the central rotation shaft 240. Each third reel 210 can be mounted on the central rotation shaft 240, which is substantially adjacent to at least one other third reel 210. The central rotation shaft 240 can be implemented as a central shaft screw. Each third reel 210 may include a central mounting hole 212 extending through the corresponding third reel 210, wherein the central rotation shaft 240 can be inserted into the central mounting hole 212. Each third reel 210 may be configured to Figure 9A and Figure 9B The third reel 210 shown. In addition, the plurality of third reels 210 may be substantially identical to each other, or the plurality of third reels 210 may include two or more third reels 210 that are different from each other.

[0105] The multi-reel unit 200 may further include a top plate 220 that can be mounted on the central rotation shaft 240. The top plate 220 may include a central top plate mounting hole 222 extending through the top plate 220, wherein the central rotation shaft 240 can be inserted into the central top plate mounting hole 222. The top plate 220 may further include one or more top plate locking holes configured to detachably engage with the third tensioning tool 250. In addition, the top plate 220 may additionally include a top plate motor engagement portion 221, wherein the top plate motor engagement portion 221 may be configured to engage with a motor unit to allow the motor unit to operate the multi-reel unit 200, preferably rotate the multi-reel unit 200. The shape of the top plate motor engagement portion 221 may be selected according to the specific requirements of, for example, the user and / or the motor unit.

[0106] The multi-reel unit 200 may further include a bottom plate 230 that may be mounted on the central rotation shaft 240. The bottom plate 230 may include a central bottom plate mounting hole 231 extending through the bottom plate 230, wherein the central rotation shaft 240 may be inserted into the central bottom plate mounting hole 231. The central rotation shaft 240 may be engaged with the central bottom plate mounting hole 231, for example, by screwing the central rotation shaft 240 into the central bottom plate mounting hole 231. In addition, a plurality of third reels 210 may be mounted on the central rotation shaft 240 between the top plate 220 and the bottom plate 230. In particular, the central rotation shaft 240 may be engaged with the central bottom plate mounting hole 231 to press the top plate 220 and the bottom plate 230 together, thereby generating a compressive force and / or an extrusive force on the plurality of third reels 210.

[0107] In particular, the multi-reel unit 200 may be configured to be switchable between a first state and a second state. In the first state, each of the plurality of third reels 210 may be configured to be rotatable around the central rotation axis 240, preferably freely rotatable. In the second state, the plurality of third reels 210 may be configured to be fixed relative to the central rotation axis 240 by compressing the plurality of third reels 210 between the top plate 220 and the bottom plate 230. In the second state, the multi-reel unit 200 may be configured to be rotated by the motor unit to apply tension on at least one tendon cord.

[0108] The base plate 230 may further include one or more base plate locking holes 232 configured to be removably engaged with at least one third tensioning tool 250. The at least one third tensioning tool 250 may be implemented as at least one locking screw, wherein each locking screw may be engaged with at least one base plate locking hole 232. In addition, the base plate 230 may further include a recess configured to at least partially accommodate the at least one third tensioning tool 250 (e.g., a screw head of the at least one locking screw).

[0109] At least one third tensioning tool 250 may be configured to be detachably engaged with the plurality of third reels 210 in at least a first state to fix the positioning of the plurality of third reels 210 relative to each other. The third tensioning tool 250 may be configured, for example, to be inserted into the bottom plate locking hole 232 of the bottom plate 230 and the locking hole 213 of each of the plurality of third reels 210 to fix the positioning of the plurality of third reels 210 relative to each other. For example, in Figure 13 Such a configuration has been shown in , where the top plate 220 and the central rotation axis 240 have been exemplarily moved to make the view clearer.

[0110] In the second state, at least one third tensioning tool 250 can be removed from the multi-roll unit 200, wherein, as described above, the compression force generated by pressing the top plate 220 and the bottom plate 230 together can be sufficient to prevent the third rolls 210 from rotating relative to each other in the second state. Alternatively, at least one third tensioning tool 250 can remain in the multi-roll unit 200 in the second state to ensure that there is no relative rotation between the plurality of third rolls 210.

[0111] Figure 12 A partial assembled view of the multi-roll unit 200 is shown. In the view shown, the top plate 220, the plurality of third rolls 210, and the bottom plate 230 are arranged adjacent to each other in a stacked configuration, while the central rotating shaft 240 and at least one third tensioning tool 250 are shown separately to form a stacked configuration.

[0112] Figure 14 and Figure 15 shows Figures 10 to 13 two perspective views of the multi-roll unit 200 in a fully assembled configuration according to one of

[0113] Figure 16 An exploded perspective view of another exemplary adapter unit 1A having another multi-roll unit 200A is shown.

[0114] The adapter unit 1A can include a top plate 10A, wherein the top plate 10A can be substantially planar. A multi-roll unit recess 12A can be provided in the top plate 10A and configured to at least partially receive and / or accommodate the multi-roll unit 200A.

[0115] The adapter unit 1A can further include a bottom plate 20A. The bottom plate 20A can include a multi-roll receiving space 22A, which is configured to at least partially accommodate the multi-roll unit 200A. The multi-roll unit recess 12A and the multi-roll receiving space 22A can be configured to form a substantially enclosed receiving space, wherein the multi-roll unit 200A can be accommodated. In addition, the top plate 10A and the bottom plate 20A can be configured to form a housing for the multi-roll unit 200A. The bottom plate 20A can further include one or more alignment posts 26A, which are configured to at least partially engage the top plate 10A to align the top plate 10A relative to the bottom plate 20A.

[0116] In addition, the bottom plate 20A can further include a tendon exit 28, wherein the tendon exit 28 is configured to guide one or more tendons connected to the multi-roll unit 200A from within the multi-roll receiving space 22A through the bottom plate 20A towards at least one end effector. For example, the tendon exit 28 can be implemented as one or more exit holes in the bottom plate 20A.

[0117] The multi-roll unit 200A may further include a central rotating shaft 240, a top plate 220, and a bottom plate 230, which are substantially similar to the central rotating shaft 240, the top plate 220, and the bottom plate 230 as described above for the multi-roll unit 200. Therefore, the repetitive description thereof will be omitted. Similar to the multi-roll unit 200, the multi-roll unit 200A can be switched between a first state and a second state.

[0118] The multi-roll unit 200A may further include a plurality of third rolls 210A, wherein the plurality of third rolls 210A may be configured to be similar to the plurality of third rolls 210 as described above for the multi-roll unit 200. However, each third roll 210A may be different from the third roll 210 described above in that additional clamping protrusions 217 are provided. Each third roll 210A may include a plurality of such clamping protrusions 217, which are arranged around the mounting plate 214 and / or the circumference of the third roll 210A.

[0119] The plurality of clamping protrusions 217 may be configured to rotate each third roll 210A when pushed by a user. In addition, the bottom plate 20A may include a plurality of access slits 27 passing through the bottom plate 20A, which are arranged adjacent to the multi-roll accommodation space 22A. When the multi-roll unit 200A is accommodated in the multi-roll accommodation space 22A, each access slit 27 may be configured and arranged to at least partially accommodate the plurality of clamping protrusions 217 of the third roll 210A. In particular, when the multi-roll unit 200A is accommodated in the multi-roll accommodation space 22A, the plurality of clamping protrusions 217 may thus at least partially extend from the multi-roll accommodation space 22A through the access slits 27. Therefore, each third roll 210A can be easily rotated, for example, by hand without having to remove the top plate 10A and the bottom plate 20A from each other.

[0120] The multi-roll unit 200A may further be different from the multi-roll unit 200 in that a different third tensioning tool 250A is provided. The third tensioning tool 250A may be integrally formed. In particular, the third tensioning tool 250A may include a plurality of locking protrusions 251, wherein each locking protrusion 251 may be configured to engage with the bottom plate locking holes 232 of the bottom plate 230 and the locking holes 213 of each of the plurality of third rolls 210A so as to fix the positioning of the plurality of third rolls 210A relative to each other.

[0121] Figure 17 A partial exploded perspective view of the multi-roll unit 200A and the adapter unit 1A is shown.

[0122] In particular, as Figure 17As shown, the top plate 220, the plurality of third reels 210A, and the bottom plate 230 are arranged adjacent to each other in a stacked configuration, while the central rotating shaft 240 and at least one third tensioning tool 250A are shown separately to form a stacked configuration.

[0123] Figure 18 A perspective view of the adapter unit 1A is shown, in which the top plate 10A and the bottom plate 20A are fixed to each other to accommodate the multi-reel unit 200A. In the shown adapter unit 1A, the multi-reel unit 200A is in a first state, and the third tensioning tool 250A is shown separately.

[0124] In addition, Figure 18 A plurality of clamping protrusions 217 of at least one third reel 210A extending through the plurality of access slits 27 are shown. In particular, the plurality of clamping protrusions 217 can extend through the plurality of access slits 27 and at least partially protrude from the bottom plate 20A so as to be accessible from the outside of the adapter unit 1A.

[0125] Figure 19A and Figure 19B A perspective top view and a perspective bottom view of the adapter unit 1A are shown respectively. In particular, the adapter unit 1A is fully assembled, in which the third tensioning tool 250A engages with the multi-reel unit 200A to fix the positioning of the plurality of third reels 210A relative to each other.

[0126] The third tensioning tool 250A can be configured to be flush with the bottom surface of the bottom plate 20A when engaged with the multi-reel unit 200A. The third tensioning tool 250A can further include an access hole 252. An access key (not shown) can be provided, where the access key can be configured to engage with the access hole 252 to remove the third tensioning tool 250A from the multi-reel unit 200A. Alternatively, the third tensioning tool 250A can be provided with a handle (not shown) to allow the third tensioning tool 250A to be removed from the multi-reel unit 200A.

[0127] Figure 20 A schematic side view of another exemplary adapter unit 1B and an exemplary motor unit 100A is shown, while Figure 21 A schematic top view of the exemplary adapter unit 1B is shown.

[0128] The adapter unit 1B and / or at least one tensioning device may include a reel carriage 302 movably mounted on a carriage track 301. The reel carriage 302 and the carriage track 301 may be provided in a housing 300 of the adapter unit 1B. The reel carriage 302 may include a carriage body and at least one wheel element 303, wherein the at least one wheel element 303 is fixed to the carriage body and configured to allow the reel carriage 302 to move along the carriage track 301. The carriage track 301 may include two guide rails (e.g., as Figure 21 shown), and the carriage 302 may be guided along the guide rails. In the exemplary embodiment shown, the reel carriage 302 may include at least two wheel elements 303 for each guide rail.

[0129] The at least one tensioning device may further include at least one second reel 309 mounted on the reel carriage 302 (e.g., four second reels 309 as Figure 21 shown), wherein at least one tendon cord 60 may be connected to the at least one second reel 309. The at least one second reel 309 may be mounted on the reel carriage 302 to rotate in a rotational direction R (see, for example Figure 21 ) about a central rotational axis of the at least one second reel 309. By rotation of the respective second reel 309, a tendon cord 60 may be at least partially wound around each second reel 309.

[0130] The reel carriage 302 may further include a plurality of third ratchet teeth 306 provided within the reel carriage body of the reel carriage 302. Each second reel 309 may include a plurality of fourth ratchet teeth 305 detachably engaging at least a portion of the plurality of third ratchet teeth 306. The plurality of fourth ratchet teeth 305 and at least a portion of the plurality of third ratchet teeth 306 may be configured such that when the plurality of fourth ratchet teeth 305 engage at least a portion of the plurality of third ratchet teeth 306, it prevents each second reel 309 from rotating in a third rotational direction and allows each second reel 30 to rotate in a fourth rotational direction opposite to the third rotational direction (e.g., rotational direction R).

[0131] The at least one tensioning device may further include at least one second tensioning tool 304, wherein each second tensioning tool 304 may be detachably engaged with one second reel 309. In particular, the at least one second reel 309 may be configured to be rotatable in the rotational direction R using the at least one second tensioning tool 304 to control the length of at least one tendon cord 60 between the adapter unit 1B and at least one end effector.

[0132] At least one second reel 309 may be further configured to be operably movable by at least one second tensioning tool 304 to disengage a plurality of fourth ratchet teeth 305 from at least a portion of a plurality of third ratchet teeth 306. In particular, at least one second reel 309 may include a spring element 308. In particular, each second reel 309 may thus be configured as a second spring-loaded reel. At least one spring element 308 may be fixed to the reel carriage 302 and / or the carriage body at a first spring end, and / or may be fixed to at least one second reel 309 at a second spring end. Pressure may be applied to the second tensioning tool 304 engaged with at least one second reel 309 to compress at least one spring element 308, thereby moving the plurality of fourth ratchet teeth 305 to disengage from at least a portion of the plurality of third ratchet teeth 306.

[0133] The reel carriage 302 may be further configured to be movable along the carriage track 301 by the motor unit 100A to apply a tensile force to at least one tendon cord 60.

[0134] The motor unit 100A may include a motor element 106A and a main shaft 103A. The main shaft 103A may be connected to the motor element 106A at its first end and may be connected to a bearing element 101A at its second end. A slide plate 104A may be disposed on the main shaft 103A, wherein the motor unit 106A may be configured to operate (e.g., rotate) the main shaft 103A to linearly move the slide plate 104A along the main shaft 103A. The motor unit 106A, the main shaft 103A, the slide plate 104A, and the bearing element 101A may be disposed in the motor unit housing 102A.

[0135] The adapter unit 1B and / or the reel carriage 302 may further include a keyed motor engagement portion 307, and the motor unit 100A and / or the slide plate may include a keyed connection post 105A. When the adapter unit 1B is connected to the motor unit 100A, the keyed connection post 105A may be configured to engage with the keyed motor engagement portion 307, thereby allowing the motor unit 100A to move the reel carriage 302 along the carriage track 301.

[0136] Figure 22 A flowchart of an exemplary method 400 for calibrating a tendon-driven wearable orthosis configured to be worn by a user is shown.

[0137] In a first step 401, the method 400 may include providing a tendon-driven wearable orthosis. The tendon-driven wearable orthosis may be configured to assist movement of at least one joint of a user and includes an adapter unit that may be connected to at least one end effector by at least one tendon. The tendon-driven wearable orthosis may include any combination of features of the tendon-driven wearable orthosis disclosed herein.

[0138] In a second step 402, the method 400 may further include mounting the tendon-driven wearable orthosis on the user. Mounting the tendon-driven wearable orthosis on the user may include, for example, the user at least partially wearing the tendon-driven wearable orthosis.

[0139] In a third step 403, the method 400 may further include adjustably controlling a length of at least one tendon between the adapter unit and at least one end effector, for example, by using at least one tensioning device of the adapter unit.

[0140] The third step 403 may further include a fourth step 404 of removably connecting at least one tensioning tool to the adapter unit.

[0141] The third step 403 may further include a fifth step 405 of operating (e.g., by rotating and / or turning) at least one tensioning tool to control a length of at least one tendon between the adapter unit and at least one end effector.

[0142] Figure 23 A flowchart of an exemplary method 500 for assisting movement of at least one joint of a user is shown. The method 500 may include, as a first step 501, calibrating a tendon-driven wearable orthosis configured to be worn by the user. In particular, the first step 501 may include performing the method 400 for calibrating the tendon-driven wearable orthosis described herein.

[0143] In a second step 502, the method 500 may include removably connecting the adapter unit to a motor unit configured to operate the adapter unit to apply a pulling force on at least one tendon to assist movement of at least one joint of the user. In a third step 503, the method 500 may include operating the adapter unit using the motor unit.

[0144] The second step 502 may further include, in a fourth step 504, removably connecting the adapter unit to the motor unit when connecting at least one tensioning tool to the adapter unit.

[0145] Additionally, the second step 502 may further include, in a fifth step 505, disconnecting at least one tensioning tool from the adapter unit.

[0146] As can be readily understood from the present disclosure, although the present invention has been described by way of exemplary embodiments shown in the drawings, the present invention is not limited thereto. On the contrary, any combination of the features described herein and / or shown in the drawings may be implemented.

[0147]

Claims

1. A tendon-driven wearable orthosis configured to be worn by a user, wherein the tendon-driven wearable orthosis is configured to assist the movement of at least one joint of the user, and the tendon-driven wearable orthosis includes: An adapter unit (1, 1A, 1B) connectable to at least one end effector (70) by at least one tendon (60), wherein the adapter unit (1, 1A, 1B) is detachably connected to a motor unit (100, 100A), and the motor unit (100, 100A) is configured to operate the adapter unit (1, 1A, 1B) to apply a pulling force on the at least one tendon (60) so as to assist the movement of the at least one joint, wherein the adapter unit (1, 1A, 1B) includes at least one tensioning device configured to adjustably control the length of at least one tendon (60) between the adapter unit (1, 1A, 1B) and the at least one end effector (70).

2. The tendon-driven wearable orthosis according to claim 1, wherein the tendon-driven wearable orthosis is configured to assist the movement of at least one finger joint of the user's hand, and optionally, wherein the movement of the at least one finger joint is the flexion and / or extension of the at least one finger joint.

3. The tendon-driven wearable orthosis according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the tendon-driven wearable orthosis further includes at least one tendon (60) and at least one end effector (70); and / or wherein the at least one tensioning device is configured to adjustably control the length of at least one tendon (60) between the adapter unit (1, 1A, 1B) and the at least one end effector (70) when the adapter unit (1, 1A, 1B) is not connected to the motor unit (100, 100A).

4. The tendon-driven wearable orthosis according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the adapter unit (1, 1A, 1B) further includes at least one first reel (30), and the at least one tendon (60) is connectable to the at least one first reel (30), wherein the at least one first reel (30) is configured to be rotated by the motor unit (100, 100A) to apply a pulling force on the at least one tendon (60).

5. The tendon-driven wearable orthosis according to claim 4, wherein the at least one tensioning device includes at least one first tensioning tool detachably engaged with the adapter unit (1, 1A, 1B) and the at least one first reel (30), wherein the at least one first reel (30) is configured to be operated using the at least one first tensioning tool to control the length of at least one tendon (60) between the adapter unit (1, 1A, 1B) and the at least one end effector (70).

6. The tendon cord driven wearable orthosis according to claim 5, wherein the at least one first tensioning tool is at least one ratchet key (40), wherein each ratchet key (40) includes a plurality of first ratchet teeth (43), and the adapter unit (1, 1A, 1B) includes a plurality of second ratchet teeth (13), wherein each ratchet key (40) is configured to be detachably engaged with the adapter unit (1, 1A, 1B) and the at least one first reel (30) such that the plurality of first ratchet teeth (43) are engaged with at least a portion of the plurality of second ratchet teeth (13), wherein the plurality of first ratchet teeth (43) and at least a portion of the plurality of second ratchet teeth (13) are configured such that when the plurality of first ratchet teeth (43) are engaged with at least a portion of the plurality of second ratchet teeth (13), rotation of the at least one first reel (30) in a first rotational direction is prevented and rotation of the at least one first reel (30) in a second rotational direction opposite to the first rotational direction is allowed.

7. The tendon cord driven wearable orthosis according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the at least one tensioning device comprises: a carriage movably mounted on a carriage track (301), at least one connecting device mounted on the carriage, wherein the at least one tendon cord (60) is connectable to the at least one connecting device, wherein the carriage is configured to be movable along the carriage track (301) by the motor unit (100, 100A) to apply a tensile force to the at least one tendon cord (60).

8. The tendon cord driven wearable orthosis according to claim 7, wherein the carriage is a reel carriage (302), wherein the at least one connecting device is at least one second reel (309).

9. The tendon cord driven wearable orthosis according to claim 8, wherein the reel carriage (302) includes a plurality of third ratchet teeth (306), wherein the at least one second reel (309) includes a plurality of fourth ratchet teeth (305) detachably engaged with at least a portion of the plurality of third ratchet teeth (306), wherein the plurality of fourth ratchet teeth (305) and at least a portion of the plurality of third ratchet teeth (306) are configured such that when the plurality of fourth ratchet teeth (305) are engaged with at least a portion of the plurality of third ratchet teeth (306), rotation of the at least one second reel (309) in a third rotational direction is prevented and rotation of the at least one second reel (309) in a fourth rotational direction opposite to the third rotational direction is allowed.

10. The tendon cord driven wearable orthosis according to claim 9, wherein the at least one tensioning device includes at least one second tensioning tool (304) detachably engaged with the at least one second reel (309), Wherein the at least one second reel (309) is configured to be rotatable in the fourth direction using the at least one second tensioning tool (304) to control the length of at least one tendon cord (60) between the adapter unit (1, 1A, 1B) and the at least one end effector (70). Wherein the at least one second reel (309) is configured to be operated using the at least one second tensioning tool (304) to move the plurality of fourth ratchet teeth (305) out of engagement with at least a portion of the plurality of third ratchet teeth (306).

11. The tendon cord driven wearable orthosis according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the at least one tensioning device further comprises a multi-reel unit (200, 200A), and wherein the multi-reel unit (200, 200A) comprises: A central rotating shaft (240), A plurality of third reels (210, 210A) mounted on the central rotating shaft (240), wherein the at least one tendon cord (60) can be connected to the plurality of third reels (210, 210A). Wherein the multi-reel unit (200, 200A) is configured to be switchable between a first state and a second state, Wherein in the first state, each of the plurality of third reels (210, 210A) is configured to be rotatable about the central rotating shaft (240). Wherein in the second state, the plurality of third reels (210, 210A) are configured to be fixed relative to the central rotating shaft (240). Wherein in the second state, the multi-reel unit (200, 200A) is configured to be rotatable by the motor unit (100, 100A) to apply a tensile force on the at least one tendon cord (60).

12. The tendon cord driven wearable orthosis according to claim 11, wherein the at least one tensioning device comprises at least one third tensioning tool (250, 250A). Wherein the at least one third tensioning tool (250, 250A) is configured to detachably engage with the plurality of third reels (210, 210A) in the first state to fix the positioning of the plurality of third reels (210, 210A) relative to each other.

13. The tendon cord driven wearable orthosis according to any one of claims 5, 6, 10 or 12, wherein the adapter unit (1, 1A, 1B) is configured to be simultaneously and respectively connected to the motor unit (100, 100A) and the at least one first tensioning tool, the at least one second tensioning tool (304) or the at least one third tensioning tool (250, 250A).

14. A method (400) for calibrating a tendon-driven wearable orthosis worn by a user, wherein the tendon-driven wearable orthosis is configured to assist the movement of at least one joint of the user, and wherein the tendon-driven wearable orthosis includes an adapter unit (1, 1A, 1B) that is connectable to at least one end effector (70) by at least one tendon (60), the method comprising: Mounting the tendon-driven wearable orthosis on the user; Adjustably controlling the length of at least one tendon (60) between the adapter unit (1, 1A, 1B) and the at least one end effector (70) using at least one tensioning device of the adapter unit (1, 1A, 1B).

15. The method (400) for calibrating a tendon-driven wearable robot according to claim 14, wherein adjustably controlling the length of the at least one tendon (60) comprises: Detachably connecting at least one tensioning tool to the adapter unit (1, 1A, 1B), Operating the at least one tensioning device using the at least one tensioning tool to control the length of at least one tendon (60) between the adapter unit (1, 1A, 1B) and the at least one end effector (70).

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