Upper limb exoskeleton device

Abstract

The invention discloses an upper limb exoskeleton device. The upper limb exoskeleton device comprises a power backpack, an arm exoskeleton, rehabilitation gloves and a tendon rope transmission system. A plurality of groups of driving motors are arranged in the power knapsack, and the driving motors comprise shoulder joint driving motors, elbow joint driving motors and hand driving steering engines; the arm exoskeleton is connected with the power knapsack and used for being connected with the arms of the human body; the rehabilitation glove is connected with the arm exoskeleton and used for being connected with the palm of the human body; one end of the tendon rope transmission system is connected with the shoulder joint driving motor, the elbow joint driving motor and the hand driving steering engine, and the other end of the tendon rope transmission system is connected with the arm exoskeleton and the rehabilitation glove. The driving motors are intensively arranged in the power knapsack, so that the space utilization rate is increased, the degree of freedom of the arms is increased, the exoskeleton of the arms is lightened, the response of control signals is quicker and more accurate, and the motion performance is smoother, more coherent and smoother. And user life quality is improved.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the field of exoskeleton technology, specifically to an upper limb exoskeleton device. Background Technology

[0002] Currently, upper limb exoskeleton products are increasingly widely used in rehabilitation, industrial, and other fields. Most products adopt a layout where joint motors are directly driven, meaning the drive motors are placed directly at each joint. However, this layout has many drawbacks.

[0003] First, due to space limitations in the human body, it's impossible to arrange all the motors according to the degrees of freedom of the human joints. For example, the shoulder area often lacks the internal and external rotation degrees of freedom of the upper arm due to limited space. This prevents the exoskeleton from fully mimicking the natural movement patterns of the human body, limiting its functionality and applicability. Second, traditional layouts result in a heavy load on the arm and high inertia. Placing the motors directly at the joints increases the weight of the arm, leading to less smooth control, insufficient continuity and fluidity of movement, and negatively impacting the user experience, especially in scenarios requiring precise operation. Third, the overall appearance of the arm is bulky, making it difficult and inconvenient to wear. The bulky appearance not only affects aesthetics but also increases the difficulty of wearing it, reducing user comfort and hindering the promotion and application of exoskeletons.

[0004] Therefore, a new layout approach is urgently needed to overcome the above problems and improve the performance and user experience of upper limb exoskeleton products. Summary of the Invention

[0005] The purpose of this application is to overcome the above-mentioned technical deficiencies and propose an upper limb exoskeleton device to solve the technical problems of limited freedom of movement, insufficient smooth control, and difficult wearing in the prior art.

[0006] To achieve the above-mentioned technical objectives, this application adopts the following technical solution: This application provides an upper limb exoskeleton device, including a powered backpack, an arm exoskeleton, a rehabilitation glove, and a tendon cable transmission system.

[0007] The powered backpack has multiple built-in drive motors, including a shoulder joint drive motor, an elbow joint drive motor, and a hand drive servo motor. An arm exoskeleton, connected to the powered backpack, is used to connect to the human arm; A rehabilitation glove, connected to the arm exoskeleton, is used to connect to the human hand. The tendon cable transmission system has one end connected to the shoulder joint drive motor, the elbow joint drive motor and the hand drive servo motor respectively, and the other end connected to the arm exoskeleton and the rehabilitation glove respectively.

[0008] In some embodiments of this application, the arm exoskeleton includes multiple extension modules and multiple rotation modules connected alternately, with the extension modules at both ends connected to the power backpack and the rehabilitation glove, respectively.

[0009] In some embodiments of this application, the plurality of extension modules include a shoulder joint, an elbow joint, and a wrist joint, and the plurality of rotation modules include an upper arm and a forearm. The shoulder joints are respectively connected to the power backpack and the upper arm, the elbow joints are respectively connected to the upper arm and the forearm, and the wrist joints are respectively connected to the forearm and the rehabilitation glove.

[0010] In some embodiments of this application, the tendon cable transmission system includes multiple tendon cables, which are respectively connected to the shoulder joint drive motor and the shoulder joint, the elbow joint drive motor and the elbow joint, the hand drive servo motor and the wrist joint, and the hand drive servo motor and multiple finger sleeves of the rehabilitation glove.

[0011] In some embodiments of this application, the tendon cable transmission system includes a tension sensor disposed on the tendon cable.

[0012] In some embodiments of this application, the shoulder joint is provided with a shoulder flexion-extension joint and a shoulder adduction-abduction joint, the shoulder adduction-abduction joint is mounted on the power backpack, and the shoulder flexion-extension joint is connected to the shoulder adduction-abduction joint.

[0013] In some embodiments of this application, the power backpack includes arm mounts and a support back plate. Two arm mounts are respectively disposed on both sides of the support back plate and connected to the shoulder adduction and abduction joints. A plurality of shoulder joint drive motors are symmetrically disposed in the middle of the support back plate. A plurality of elbow joint drive motors are disposed between the arm mounts and the shoulder joint drive motors. A plurality of hand drive servos are respectively disposed between the two arm mounts and between the four shoulder joint drive motors.

[0014] In some embodiments of this application, the upper arm is provided with an upper arm internal rotation and external rotation joint and an upper arm motor that are connected by transmission, and the lower arm is provided with a lower arm internal rotation and external rotation joint and a lower arm motor that are connected by transmission.

[0015] In some embodiments of this application, an angle encoder is also included, which is disposed on the upper arm internal and external rotation joint and the lower arm internal and external rotation joint.

[0016] In some embodiments of this application, the material of the rehabilitation gloves includes silicone, rubber, or hydrogel.

[0017] Compared with the prior art, the beneficial technical effects of the technical solution provided in this application include: This application improves space utilization and increases arm freedom by centrally housing the drive motors within the power backpack. This eliminates the need for motors in the limited space of the arm exoskeleton, resulting in a lighter exoskeleton, reduced load and inertia, and a decreased burden on the user. A flexible chord drive system connects the drive motors to the arm exoskeleton. The low inertia allows for a faster and more precise response to control signals, reducing delays and oscillations caused by inertia. This results in more refined motion control and smoother, more consistent, and fluid motion performance. The high degree of modularity facilitates customization and adjustment based on user needs, enhancing user acceptance and comfort, and improving the user's quality of life. Attached Figure Description

[0018] To more clearly illustrate the technical solutions in this application, the accompanying drawings used in the embodiments will be briefly described below: Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of an upper limb exoskeleton device according to an embodiment of this application; Figure 2 This is a front view of an upper limb exoskeleton device according to an embodiment of this application; Figure 3 This is a schematic diagram of the appearance of a powered backpack according to an embodiment of this application; Figure 4 This is an internal schematic diagram of a powered backpack according to an embodiment of this application; Figure 5 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of an arm exoskeleton according to an embodiment of this application; Figure 6 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of a rehabilitation glove in an embodiment of this application; Figure 7 This is a logic flowchart of a control method in an embodiment of this application.

[0019] Figure label: 1. Powered backpack; 2. Arm exoskeleton; 3. Rehabilitation gloves; 4. Tendon rope. Shoulder joint drive motor 11, elbow joint drive motor 12, hand drive servo motor 13, arm fixation seat 14, shoulder fixation strap 15, abdominal fixation strap 16, power battery 17, control unit 18; Upper arm 21, forearm 22, upper arm internal and external rotation joint 21a, forearm internal and external rotation joint 22a, shoulder adduction and abduction joint 23, shoulder flexion and extension joint 24, elbow joint 25, wrist joint 26; 31. Hand fastening band, 32. Hand leather sleeve, 33. Finger bending and folding groove, 34. Finger pad fixing sleeve. Detailed Implementation To make the objectives, technical solutions, and advantages of this application clearer, the following detailed description is provided in conjunction with the accompanying drawings and embodiments. It should be understood that the specific embodiments described herein are merely illustrative and not intended to limit the scope of this application.

[0020] Those skilled in the art will understand that, in this specification, the term "comprising" is an open-ended expression, meaning that the stated feature is present but other features are excluded. Directional terms such as "upper," "lower," "left," and "right" refer to exemplary directions based on the accompanying drawings. Features specified as "first" or "second" implicitly include one or more of that feature. Singular expressions can also be used in plural forms. "Multiple" means two or more. The terms "installed," "connected," and "linked" can refer to a fixed connection, a detachable connection, or an integral connection; it can be a direct connection or an indirect connection via an intermediate medium, and it can be a connection within two components. Furthermore, "linked" can include wireless connections.

[0021] The purpose of this application is to overcome the above-mentioned technical deficiencies and propose an upper limb exoskeleton device to solve the technical problems of limited freedom of movement, insufficient smooth control, and difficult wearing in the prior art.

[0022] To achieve the above-mentioned technical objectives, this application adopts the following technical solution: like Figures 1-6 As shown. In a first aspect, this application provides an upper limb exoskeleton device, including a powered backpack 1, an arm exoskeleton 2, a rehabilitation glove 3, and a tendon cable transmission system.

[0023] The power backpack 1 has multiple built-in drive motors, including a shoulder joint drive motor 11, an elbow joint drive motor 12, and a hand drive servo motor 13; it adopts a centralized drive and flexible transmission design. All drive power sources, including the shoulder joint drive motor 11, elbow joint drive motor 12, and hand drive servo motor 13, are centrally located in the power backpack 1 worn on the user's back, forming a centralized power center.

[0024] The arm exoskeleton 2 is connected to the powered backpack 1 to connect to the human arm; the rehabilitation glove 3 is connected to the arm exoskeleton 2 to connect to the human hand; one end of the tendon cable transmission system is connected to the shoulder joint drive motor 11, the elbow joint drive motor 12, and the hand drive servo motor 13, respectively, and the other end is connected to the arm exoskeleton 2 and the rehabilitation glove 3, respectively. Power is transmitted from the backpack to the arm and fingers through the tendon cable transmission system. This system connects each drive motor in the backpack to the corresponding joint of the arm exoskeleton 2 and the finger joint actuator of the rehabilitation glove 3 via tendon cables 4. When the control system drives the motors in the backpack to rotate according to instructions, the motors precisely control the bending, extending, or grasping movements of the arm exoskeleton 2 and the rehabilitation glove 3 by extending and retracting the tendon cables 4, thereby assisting or replacing the user's upper limb movements.

[0025] The powered backpack 1 is secured to the user via shoulder straps 15 and abdominal straps 16, and has two arm rests 14 on each arm. All drive motors and control units 18 are centrally located inside the backpack. Shoulder movement is driven by two motors on each side, with the two motors on the same side controlling flexion / extension and adduction / abduction movements respectively. Elbow movement is driven by one motor on each side, while hand movement is controlled by 12 hand-drive servos 13. The control unit 18 receives user input and instructs the motors to drive shoulder, elbow, and hand joint movements via tendon cables 4, providing upper limb functional assistance. Power is provided by a power battery 17 inside the backpack. This centralized drive design improves space utilization and ensures stability when worn via the straps.

[0026] This application improves space utilization and increases arm freedom by centrally arranging the drive motors within the power backpack 1, eliminating the need for the motors to occupy the limited space of the arm exoskeleton 2. The lightweight arm exoskeleton 2 reduces load and inertia, thus lessening the burden on the user. A flexible tendon cable transmission system connects the drive motors to the arm exoskeleton 2. Low inertia allows for a faster and more precise response to control signals, reducing delays and oscillations caused by inertia, resulting in more refined motion control and smoother, more consistent, and fluid motion performance. The high degree of modularity facilitates customization and adjustment according to user needs, improving user acceptance and comfort, and enhancing the user's quality of life.

[0027] In some embodiments of this application, the arm exoskeleton includes multiple extension modules and multiple rotation modules connected alternately, with the extension modules at both ends connected to the power backpack 1 and the rehabilitation glove 3, respectively.

[0028] The rotating module includes an upper arm 21 and a forearm 22. The upper arm 21 is connected to the power backpack 1 and the forearm 22, respectively, and the forearm 22 is connected to the rehabilitation glove 3.

[0029] The extension module includes an elbow joint 25, which is connected to the upper arm 21 and the forearm 22 respectively.

[0030] The extension module includes a wrist joint 26, which is connected to the forearm 22 and the rehabilitation glove 3.

[0031] In this embodiment, one end of the upper arm 21 assembly is connected to the powered backpack 1 worn on the user's back, and the other end is connected to the forearm 22 assembly. The end of the forearm 22 assembly is connected to the user's rehabilitation glove 3. The powered backpack 1 integrates a drive system (such as a motor). When the control system issues a command, the motor in the backpack generates driving force through the tendon cable transmission system. This force is transmitted via tendon cables 4 connected to the upper arm 21, driving the upper arm 21 to perform lifting, rotation, and other movements. At the same time, another set or several sets of tendon cables 4 are connected to the forearm 22, driving the forearm 22 to perform flexion and extension movements. Finally, the hand drive servo 13 connected to the end of the forearm 22 (usually also integrated into the glove or the end of the forearm 22) drives the rehabilitation glove 3 through tendon cables 4 or directly, assisting the user's fine motor skills such as bending, extending, or grasping the fingers. The entire system coordinates the movement of each joint through the centralized control unit 18 inside the backpack, achieving coordinated movements of the upper limb from the shoulder to the fingers.

[0032] Because the motors are concentrated in the backpack, the design of the upper arm 21 and forearm 22 can completely eliminate the limitations of motor size. This further frees up the range of motion at joints such as the shoulder and elbow, which is conducive to achieving a more natural range of motion and posture.

[0033] In this embodiment, the elbow joint 25 is connected to the exoskeleton components simulating the upper arm 21 and the forearm 22. When the user needs to bend or extend the arm, the corresponding drive motor in the power backpack 1, such as the elbow joint drive motor 12, is activated. The power generated by the motor is transmitted to the actuator at the elbow joint 25 through a tendon cable transmission system, which may be a pulley, a linkage, or a directly driven joint axis. The actuator then rotates or moves, changing the relative angle between the upper arm 21 and the forearm 22, thereby realizing the flexion and extension movement of the elbow. This centralized drive and flexible transmission mode allows the elbow joint 25 to flexibly drive the forearm 22 and the end glove to perform movements.

[0034] In this embodiment, the wrist joint 26 connects the forearm 22 to the rehabilitation glove 3. The drive motor of the wrist joint 26 within the power backpack 1, via a tendon cable transmission system, pulls a pulley or actuator located at the wrist joint 26, driving relative flexion, extension, or deflection movements between the forearm 22 and the glove, thereby simulating the flexible posture of the wrist. This enhances the functionality of the exoskeleton. It not only restores key wrist mobility, allowing the hand to grasp and manipulate at more natural and diverse angles, but also significantly enhances the targeting and effectiveness of rehabilitation training, enabling more precise assistance or exercise of wrist function, and improving the overall naturalness of human-computer interaction and user experience.

[0035] In some embodiments of this application, the arm exoskeleton 2 includes an upper arm internal rotation and external rotation joint 21a and a lower arm internal rotation and external rotation joint 22a. The upper arm internal rotation and external rotation joint 21a is disposed on the upper arm 21, and the lower arm internal rotation and external rotation joint 22a is disposed on the lower arm 22.

[0036] In this embodiment, joints that allow internal and external rotation movements are provided on the skeletal structure of the upper arm 21. Similarly, corresponding internal and external rotation joints are provided on the skeletal structure of the forearm 22. When the motor drives the tendon cable 4, the upper arm 21 and forearm 22 can be precisely controlled to perform internal or external rotation movements around their own axes, respectively.

[0037] This allows exoskeletons to mimic a more complete range of motion in the human upper limbs, enhancing the biosimilarity of exoskeleton movements. It also enables rehabilitation training to more specifically target relevant muscle groups and neural pathways, helping patients more effectively restore fine motor skills and coordination in their upper limbs.

[0038] In some embodiments of this application, the power backpack 1 includes an arm mount 14, and the arm exoskeleton 2 includes a shoulder adduction and abduction joint 23 and a shoulder flexion and extension joint 24. The shoulder adduction and abduction joint 23 is mounted on the arm mount 14, and the shoulder flexion and extension joint 24 is connected to the shoulder adduction and abduction joint 23 and the upper arm 21, respectively.

[0039] In this embodiment, the powered backpack 1 is not only a power source but also integrates an arm fixation base 14 for stable support and connection of the entire arm exoskeleton 2. Motors within the backpack drive the shoulder adduction / abduction joints 23 and shoulder flexion / extension joints 24, mounted on the fixation base, via tendon cables 4. These two joints work together to drive the upper arm 21 to complete complex three-dimensional shoulder movements. Simultaneously, the hand drive motors within the backpack also precisely control the flexion and extension movements of the fingers via tendon cables 4. The entire system relies on the flexible transmission of the tendon cables 4 to transmit the concentrated power within the backpack to the various joints of the arm and fingers.

[0040] Utilizing the flexibility of the tendon cable 4, the joints and drive units can be centrally located within the backpack, greatly simplifying the arm's structural design and maximizing space utilization, avoiding the bulky motors at the joints found in traditional methods. It not only achieves three degrees of freedom in the shoulder but also enables independent flexion and extension of the five fingers via the tendon cable 4, providing broader functional coverage. The compact structure and absence of exposed motors allow the arm to be easily worn under loose clothing, significantly improving user comfort. The overall compact structure results in low weight and low inertia, enabling faster movement response and more precise control of the exoskeleton, allowing users to experience more flexible and fluid motion.

[0041] The powered backpack 1 includes arm mounts 14 and a support back plate. Two arm mounts are respectively disposed on both sides of the support back plate and connected to the shoulder adduction and abduction joints 23. Multiple shoulder joint drive motors 11 are symmetrically disposed in the middle of the support back plate. Multiple elbow joint drive motors 12 are disposed between the arm mounts 14 and the shoulder joint drive motors 11. Multiple hand drive servos 13 are respectively disposed between the two arm mounts 14 and between the four shoulder joint drive motors 11.

[0042] In some embodiments of this application, the arm exoskeleton 2 further includes a shoulder linkage translational joint, an upper arm linkage translational joint, and a forearm translational joint. The shoulder linkage translational joint is connected to the arm fixation seat 14 and the shoulder adduction and abduction joint 23, respectively. The upper arm linkage translational joint is connected to the shoulder flexion and extension joint 24 and the upper arm 21, respectively. The forearm translational joint is connected to the elbow joint 25 and the forearm 22, respectively.

[0043] To achieve a dexterous exoskeleton capable of arbitrarily oriented XYZ translational and rotational movements within a motion space, this application employs a dual-arm structure. Each arm has 6 rotational degrees of freedom and 3 translational joints, totaling 18 degrees of freedom. The 6 rotational joints of each arm simulate the 3 joints of the human shoulder, decoupling the ball joints of the shoulder into 3 rotational degrees of freedom; the elbow has 1 flexion degree of freedom; and the wrist has 2 degrees of freedom. Each arm has 3 translational joints: a shoulder linkage translational joint, an upper arm linkage translational joint, and a forearm translational joint. These translational joints are manually adjustable. Each rotational joint is driven by a tendon cable 4, with the drive motor housed within the powered backpack 1. This reduces arm weight, decreases moment of inertia, improves comfort, and enhances control stability.

[0044] In some embodiments of this application, the arm exoskeleton further includes a link length adjuster, which is disposed on the shoulder link translational joint, the upper arm link translational joint, or the forearm translational joint.

[0045] This device consists of a powered backpack, a carbon fiber back support, a left arm, a right arm, a left-hand five-finger rehabilitation glove, and a right-hand rehabilitation glove. When wearing it, a second person assists in securing the backpack to the user's back and fastening the straps. The user's arms are then secured to the exoskeleton's left and right arms via straps. The exoskeleton's left and right gloves are then placed over the user's left and right hands, with the finger straps adjusted. The gloves, made of flexible silicone, feature a semi-open design with locking straps. Each finger is driven by at least two tendon cords, enabling gripping movements.

[0046] To accommodate the differences in upper limb and torso dimensions among people of different heights, an adjustment device is installed on each of the shoulder, upper arm, and forearm links of the exoskeleton. This device has a locking mechanism, a scale, and an electronic linear displacement sensor, which can steplessly adjust the length of the exoskeleton links according to the wearer's torso dimensions. At the same time, the displacement sensor can measure the adjusted length of the exoskeleton links in real time.

[0047] This device enables the measurement of length changes and adjustments in the boom link's length through a link length adjustment device and a locking displacement measuring device. Taking the boom link as an example, the same principle applies to the forearm link and shoulder link. The boom link consists of four parts: a first connecting member, a link length adjustment device, a locking displacement measuring device, and a second connecting member. The link length adjustment device uses a V-shaped dovetail slide rail. The first connecting member is bolted to the slide rail, and the slider is bolted to the second connecting member. The linear movement of the first and second connecting members is achieved by moving the slide rail and the slider, ultimately resulting in the length of the entire boom link being adjusted.

[0048] Length adjustment procedure: After putting on the exoskeleton, loosen the locking bolts and manually adjust the relative distance between the first and second connecting parts. To ensure the controllability of the adjustment distance, the scale of the ruler can be used as a reference during adjustment. After the connecting rod length is adjusted, pass the locking screw through the slider and lock it with the slide rail. The system measures the relative displacement of the first and second connecting parts through a linear displacement sensor and generates a change in connecting rod length Δa in the control system.

[0049] In some embodiments of this application, the tendon cable transmission system includes multiple tendon cables 4, which are respectively connected to the shoulder joint drive motor 11 and the shoulder joint, the elbow joint drive motor 12 and the elbow joint 25, the hand drive servo motor 13 and the wrist joint 26, and the hand drive servo motor 13 and multiple finger sleeves of the rehabilitation glove 3.

[0050] In this embodiment, the tendon ropes 4 serve as the transmission medium. The shoulder joint drive motor 11 is located inside the power backpack 1, and its rotational motion is transmitted through multiple tendon ropes 4. These tendon ropes 4 are respectively connected to the adduction / abduction joints and flexion / extension joints of the shoulder. The motor tightens or loosens a specific tendon rope 4, thereby driving the corresponding joint to rotate around its axis, achieving multidimensional movement of the shoulder.

[0051] The motor is located within the backpack, eliminating the need for a motor at the joints. This results in a simpler, lighter arm structure, solving the problems of bulky and heavy traditional designs. The absence of a motor at the joints allows for greater design flexibility, making it easier to conceal under clothing, improving aesthetics and wearability. The flexible chords can adapt to minor positional deviations during movement, ensuring smooth transmission and reducing impact and noise. The motor's location away from the joints reduces the load on the joints and connecting components, contributing to improved system reliability.

[0052] In this embodiment, when the hand drive motor inside the power backpack 1 is activated, it pulls the connected finger bending tendon ligament 4. As the tendon ligament 4 is tightened, it pulls the finger structure installed in the palm sleeve 32, causing it to bend. The palm sleeve 32 wraps around the palm, providing support and connection points for the fingers. The fingertip fixing sleeve 34 is used to stabilize the position of the fingertips, and a flexible piezoresistive tactile sensor is embedded inside to ensure the coordination and accuracy of the bending movement. The palm fastening strap 31 is used to firmly fix the entire hand exoskeleton structure to the user's palm to prevent slippage. The finger bending folding groove 33 forms a corrugated groove on the fingertip side between two adjacent phalanges, allowing axial compression when the finger joint flexes, avoiding material buildup that could restrict joint movement.

[0053] Multiple independent tendon cords 4 are connected to corresponding finger sleeves on the rehabilitation glove 3. The drive source is a hand-driven servo motor 13 located inside the power backpack 1. These servo motors establish a transmission connection with the finger sleeves of the glove through their respective tendon cords 4. During operation, the servo motors inside the backpack rotate according to control commands, tightening or loosening the corresponding tendon cords 4, thereby driving the individual finger sleeves of the rehabilitation glove 3 to perform bending or straightening movements. By precisely controlling the tension and length of each tendon cord 4, and combining it with tactile sensor feedback from the fingertips, the system can simulate and assist in completing complex multi-degree-of-freedom hand movements, especially fine motor tasks.

[0054] Each finger is equipped with an independent tendon cord 4, ensuring the independence and flexibility of each finger joint movement, enabling fine grasping and manipulation. The drive servo motors are centrally located inside the backpack, leaving only the lightweight rehabilitation glove 3 and tendon cord 4 on the hand, greatly reducing the burden on the hand and improving wearing comfort and durability. It can effectively assist fingers with muscle atrophy in achieving reverse extension and achieve five-finger flexion through active drive, significantly improving hand function, especially for users with high-level paraplegia, helping them complete daily self-care or work-related hand tasks. Tactile sensors on the fingertips provide force feedback information, allowing the control system or user to perceive the contact force, improving the accuracy and safety of operation. By restoring complex hand movement capabilities, especially fine motor skills, it greatly improves the self-care ability and quality of life of users with high-level paraplegia and other hand function limitations.

[0055] In some embodiments of this application, the tendon cable transmission system further includes an angle encoder and a tension sensor. The angle encoder is an absolute encoder and is mounted on the upper arm internal and external rotation joints and the forearm internal and external rotation joints. The tension sensor is mounted on the tendon cable.

[0056] Each rotary joint is equipped with an absolute encoder to accurately record the joint rotation angle; a tension sensor is installed on each drive rope to obtain the torque of each joint in real time.

[0057] In some embodiments of this application, the material of the rehabilitation glove 3 includes silicone, rubber, or hydrogel.

[0058] In this embodiment, the main material of the rehabilitation glove 3 is a flexible and transparent material. This material is shaped into a finger sleeve structure that covers the shape of the fingers. When the tendon cord 4 connected to the glove is pulled by the drive servo motor inside the backpack, this flexible and elastic material will deform as the tendon cord 4 is pulled, causing the fingers to complete bending or straightening movements.

[0059] Silicone, rubber, and hydrogel are all soft, skin-friendly materials that conform well to the contours of the fingers, reducing friction and pressure on the skin. They don't feel overly restrictive or uncomfortable even after prolonged wear, increasing user acceptance. These materials are generally non-toxic, non-irritating, and biocompatible, suitable for direct skin contact and reducing the risk of allergies or skin damage. The materials also possess good flexibility, conforming to the natural curvature of the fingers and joint movements, without restricting the fingers' subtle movements, making exoskeleton-assisted movement more natural and coordinated.

[0060] Secondly, this application also provides a wearable exoskeleton device, including an upper limb exoskeleton device as described in any embodiment of the first aspect.

[0061] This invention proposes a novel upper limb exoskeleton technology approach. Its core innovation lies in the use of tendon-wire drive, separating the drive motor from the joint. This design significantly improves the space utilization of key areas such as the shoulder, not only increasing the degrees of freedom of the upper arm 21, such as internal and external rotation, but also greatly improving the flexibility and smoothness of movement by reducing the overall weight and inertia of the arm.

[0062] In terms of hand design, the flexible properties of the tendon cord 4 are used to drive the five fingers, enabling the hand to achieve complex multi-degree-of-freedom movements, especially adept at performing fine manipulation tasks, thereby effectively improving the user's quality of life.

[0063] In addition, the entire system adopts a highly modular design principle, which not only makes it easy to customize and adjust according to the length of the upper and lower arms 22 and the shoulder width of different users, increasing the system's versatility and adaptability, but also ensures that the exoskeleton arm and powered backpack 1 fit closely to various parts of the human body, making it more convenient and comfortable to wear, and significantly improving the overall user experience.

[0064] like Figure 7 As shown. Thirdly, this application also provides a control method for a wearable exoskeleton device, applicable to the wearable exoskeleton device as described in the second aspect.

[0065] Based on standard DH modeling and kinematic matrices, a control method for adaptive model adjustment is proposed, as follows: S1. In the DH parameters, for the four parameters of link length (a), link rotation angle (α), link offset (d), and joint angle (θ), establish four functions: link length f(a), link rotation angle f(α), link offset (d), and joint angle f(θ). In each function, set one corresponding parameter variable Δa, Δα, Δd, and Δθ.

[0066] Specifically, in the standard Denavit-Hartenberg (DH) model, the link length *a*, link angle *α*, link offset *d*, and joint angle *θ* are all fixed values, which cannot adapt to structural deformations, assembly errors, or individual differences among wearers during exoskeleton use. In this embodiment, a dynamic parameter function is defined: f(a) = a + Δa (dynamic compensation for link length); f(α) = α + Δα (dynamic compensation for link rotation angle); f(d) = d + Δd (dynamic compensation for link offset); f(θ) = θ + Δθ (Joint angle dynamic compensation); Where a, α, d, θ are the nominal design values, and Δa, Δα, Δd, Δθ are the deviations detected in real time.

[0067] By detecting the changes in four parameters (Δ values) using sensors and inputting these changes into four corresponding functions, the DH model parameters of the exoskeleton under different configurations are obtained in real time. This ensures that the DH model is consistent with the physical entity and ultimately enables dynamic adjustment of the kinematic model T matrix. This guarantees precise and effective motion control planning under different configurations.

[0068] Specifically, the sensor network continuously monitors the physical state of the exoskeleton → generates Δa, Δα, Δd, Δθ → inputs the corresponding functions f(a), f(α), f(d), f(θ) → outputs real-time DH parameters. Traditional exoskeletons, due to their fixed DH parameters, experience accumulated pose errors due to mechanical wear or use by wearers of different body types. This method suppresses these errors to the sub-millimeter level through Δ compensation.

[0069] Strong adaptability to dynamic environments: When the lower limb exoskeleton walks on a slope, the change in joint load leads to an increase in Δθ → f(θ) corrects the foot landing point in gait planning.

[0070] During rehabilitation training, the recovery of muscle strength in patients leads to changes in stride length → Δd adjusts the stride length parameter → avoids dragging or overextension.

[0071] Compared with the prior art, the beneficial technical effects of the technical solution provided in this application include: This application improves space utilization and increases arm freedom by centrally arranging the drive motors within the power backpack 1, eliminating the need for the motors to occupy the limited space of the arm exoskeleton 2. The lightweight arm exoskeleton 2 reduces load and inertia, thus lessening the burden on the user. A flexible tendon cable transmission system connects the drive motors to the arm exoskeleton 2. Low inertia allows for a faster and more precise response to control signals, reducing delays and oscillations caused by inertia, resulting in more refined motion control and smoother, more consistent, and fluid motion performance. The high degree of modularity facilitates customization and adjustment according to user needs, improving user acceptance and comfort, and enhancing the user's quality of life.

[0072] Those skilled in the art will understand that the steps, measures, and schemes in the various operations, methods, processes, and procedures discussed in this application can be alternated, modified, rearranged, decomposed, combined, or deleted.

[0073] The specific embodiments described above do not constitute a limitation on the scope of protection of this application. Any other corresponding changes and modifications made based on the technical concept of this application should be included within the scope of protection of the claims of this application.

Claims

1. An upper limb exoskeleton device, characterized in that, include: The powered backpack has multiple built-in drive motors, including a shoulder joint drive motor, an elbow joint drive motor, and a hand drive servo motor. An arm exoskeleton, connected to the powered backpack, is used to connect to the human arm; A rehabilitation glove, connected to the arm exoskeleton, is used to connect to the human hand. The tendon cable transmission system has one end connected to the shoulder joint drive motor, the elbow joint drive motor and the hand drive servo motor respectively, and the other end connected to the arm exoskeleton and the rehabilitation glove respectively.

2. The upper limb exoskeleton device according to claim 1, characterized in that, The arm exoskeleton includes multiple extension modules and multiple rotation modules connected alternately, with the extension modules at both ends connected to the power backpack and the rehabilitation glove, respectively.

3. The upper limb exoskeleton device according to claim 2, characterized in that, The multiple extension modules include shoulder joints, elbow joints, and wrist joints, and the multiple rotation modules include upper arms and forearms. The shoulder joints are connected to the power backpack and the upper arm, the elbow joints are connected to the upper arm and the forearm, and the wrist joints are connected to the forearm and the rehabilitation glove.

4. The upper limb exoskeleton device according to claim 3, characterized in that, The tendon cable transmission system includes multiple tendon cables, which are respectively connected to the shoulder joint drive motor and the shoulder joint, the elbow joint drive motor and the elbow joint, the hand drive servo motor and the wrist joint, and the hand drive servo motor and multiple finger sleeves of the rehabilitation glove.

5. The upper limb exoskeleton device according to claim 4, characterized in that, The tendon cable transmission system includes a tension sensor, which is mounted on the tendon cable.

6. The upper limb exoskeleton device according to claim 3, characterized in that, The shoulder joint is provided with a shoulder flexion-extension joint and a shoulder adduction-abduction joint. The shoulder adduction-abduction joint is installed on the power backpack, and the shoulder flexion-extension joint is connected to the shoulder adduction-abduction joint.

7. The upper limb exoskeleton device according to claim 6, characterized in that, The powered backpack includes arm mounts and a support back plate. Two arm mounts are respectively disposed on both sides of the support back plate and connected to the shoulder adduction and abduction joints. Multiple shoulder joint drive motors are symmetrically disposed in the middle of the support back plate. Multiple elbow joint drive motors are disposed between the arm mounts and the shoulder joint drive motors. Multiple hand drive servos are respectively disposed between the two arm mounts and between the four shoulder joint drive motors.

8. The upper limb exoskeleton device according to claim 3, characterized in that, The upper arm is equipped with an inner and outer rotation joint and an upper arm motor that are connected by transmission, and the lower arm is equipped with an inner and outer rotation joint and a lower arm motor that are connected by transmission.

9. The upper limb exoskeleton device according to claim 8, characterized in that, It also includes an angle encoder, which is disposed on the upper arm internal and external rotation joint and the lower arm internal and external rotation joint.

10. The upper limb exoskeleton device according to claim 1, characterized in that, The materials used in the rehabilitation gloves include silicone, rubber, or hydrogel.

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