Motion compatible thumb exoskeleton with finger aligning function and use method thereof

Abstract

The invention discloses a motion compatible thumb exoskeleton with a finger aligning function and a use method thereof, and belongs to the technical field of biological mechanical engineering.The motion compatible thumb exoskeleton comprises a palm fixing part arranged on the back of a hand, the palm fixing part is provided with a carpal joint motion module, and the output end of the carpal joint motion module is provided with a carpal joint phalanx connecting piece; the carpometacarpal joint phalanx connecting piece is arranged outside the thumb metacarpal bone, the carpometacarpal joint movement module can drive the carpometacarpal joint phalanx connecting piece to move close to or away from the palm, the carpometacarpal joint phalanx connecting piece is provided with the interphalangeal metacarpal joint movement module, and the output end of the interphalangeal metacarpal joint movement module is arranged on the thumb distal phalanx. The thumb can be driven by the interphalangeal joint movement module to be close to or away from the index finger. According to the motion compatible thumb exoskeleton with the finger aligning function and the using method thereof, accurate, in-place and multi-angle personalized rehabilitation training aiming at thumb finger aligning motion can be achieved.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the field of biomechanical engineering technology, specifically to a kinematically compatible thumb exoskeleton with finger-opposing function and its method of use. Background Technology

[0002] Hand motor function is crucial for daily life. Currently, some patients have lost hand motor function, which severely affects their ability to live independently. However, there is a huge gap between the number of rehabilitation therapists and the enormous demand in the rehabilitation market. Simply relying on manual assisted training is insufficient to meet the actual needs. To address this contradiction, hand exoskeleton rehabilitation devices are often used to assist patients in rehabilitation training. Among these devices, the thumb plays an important role in hand motor function. Therefore, thumb motor training is of great importance for hand motor rehabilitation.

[0003] Understandably, thumb movement is typically accomplished through the coordinated action of the wrist-metacarpophalangeal joints, metacarpophalangeal joints, and interphalangeal joints. The wrist-metacarpophalangeal joints have two degrees of freedom: opposition and adduction / abduction; the metacarpophalangeal joints have two degrees of freedom: flexion / extension and adduction / abduction; and the interphalangeal joints have one degree of freedom: flexion / extension. Therefore, thumb movement can be simplified into three movements: opposition, flexion / extension, and adduction / abduction. Opposition refers to the relative movement of the thumb to the other fingers, allowing the thumb pad to touch the other fingers. This movement is crucial for fine and strong grasping.

[0004] Most existing hand exoskeleton rehabilitation devices focus on training finger flexion and extension movements, neglecting to train the thumb's unique opposition movements. For example, Chinese utility model patent CN208436011U places the thumb exoskeleton opposite the four fingers to assist the thumb in flexion and extension movements; Chinese invention patent CN120114292A proposes a rope-driven flexible hand rehabilitation exoskeleton that utilizes material compliance to achieve joint self-alignment, but it is still limited to assisting in finger flexion and extension movements.

[0005] Therefore, existing thumb exoskeleton-assisted training devices generally have certain limitations: Firstly, the functions are limited. Most devices can only achieve the flexion and extension of the thumb independently, and cannot achieve the key thumb opposition movement. When a few devices achieve thumb opposition movement rehabilitation training, they usually combine the adduction and abduction of the thumb with flexion and extension movements to achieve the thumb opposition movement. This method leads to complex coordination of multiple movement modes, making it difficult to achieve precise thumb opposition movement. Moreover, the combination of the two movement modes forms compensation, making it impossible to achieve thumb opposition movement independently. As a result, the training of thumb opposition movement is not thorough and accurate, thus affecting the rehabilitation training of the patient's thumb opposition movement. Secondly, the structural design did not fully consider the training needs of the adjustable angle between the thumb and index finger, which limited its potential for application in personalized rehabilitation. Third, there is insufficient kinematic compatibility. Although some solutions attempt to align the joint axis, they are still difficult to fully adapt to the complex physiological movement trajectory of the thumb during multi-degree-of-freedom coordinated movements. Summary of the Invention To address the problems existing in the prior art, this invention provides a motion-compatible thumb exoskeleton with finger-opposing function and its usage method. It can specifically realize the thumb's finger-opposing movement while limiting and constraining the thumb to prevent other movements. Furthermore, during finger-opposing movement training, the angle interval between the thumb and index finger can be adjusted, thereby achieving accurate, precise, and multi-angle personalized rehabilitation training for thumb-opposing movement.

[0006] The technical solution of the present invention is as follows: In a first aspect of the invention, a kinematically compatible thumb exoskeleton with finger-adaptive function is provided, comprising a palm fixation member disposed on the back of the hand, a wrist-metacarpal joint motion module disposed on the palm fixation member, a wrist-metacarpal joint phalangeal joint connector disposed on the output end of the wrist-metacarpal joint motion module, the wrist-metacarpal joint phalangeal joint connector disposed on the outside of the thumb metacarpal bone, the wrist-metacarpal joint motion module being capable of moving the wrist-metacarpal joint phalangeal joint connector closer to or further away from the palm, and an interphalangeal joint motion module disposed on the wrist-metacarpal joint phalangeal joint connector, the output end of the interphalangeal joint motion module being disposed on the distal phalanx of the thumb, the thumb being able to move closer to or further away from the index finger under the action of the interphalangeal joint motion module. In some embodiments of the present invention, the wrist-metacarpal joint phalangeal joint connector is configured as a U-shaped structure, and the U-shaped wrist-metacarpal joint phalangeal joint connector encloses the outside of the thumb metacarpal bone. In some embodiments of the present invention, the palm fixing member is provided with a wrist palm Velcro near the wrist of the palm, and the palm fixing member is provided with a finger palm Velcro near the finger part of the palm. The palm fixing member is set on the back of the hand by the wrist palm Velcro and the finger palm Velcro. In some embodiments of the present invention, the wrist-palm joint motion module is provided with a wrist-palm joint motor support frame, a wrist-palm joint motor is provided on the wrist-palm joint motor support frame, the output end of the wrist-palm joint motor is connected to a wrist-palm joint trapezoidal lead screw, the other end of the wrist-palm joint trapezoidal lead screw is connected to a wrist-palm joint trapezoidal lead screw nut by a thread, the other end of the wrist-palm joint trapezoidal lead screw nut is hinged to a wrist-palm joint drive rod, and the other end of the wrist-palm joint drive rod is fixedly connected to a wrist-palm joint phalangeal connector. In some embodiments of the present invention, the wrist-palm joint motor support frame is provided with a first support frame and a second support frame. The bottom of the first support frame is fixedly connected to the palm fixing member, the upper part of the first support frame is hinged to the second support frame, and the upper part of the second support frame is fixedly connected to the wrist-palm joint motor. The palm fixing component is provided with a drive rod mounting seat. The bottom of the drive rod mounting seat is fixedly connected to the palm fixing component, and the middle part of the wrist joint drive rod is hinged to the drive rod mounting seat. In some embodiments of the present invention, the wrist-metacarpal joint phalangeal joint connector is provided with a fan-shaped structural member, the fan-shaped structural member is disposed on the outside of the back of the hand of the thumb metacarpal bone, the fan-shaped structural member is provided with an L-shaped rod, the L-shaped rod is disposed on the outside of the palm part of the thumb metacarpal bone, the upper part of the fan-shaped structural member is provided with an interphalangeal joint base, the interphalangeal joint base is provided with an interphalangeal joint motion module, and the wrist-metacarpal joint drive rod is connected to the fan-shaped structural member. In some embodiments of the present invention, the interphalangeal joint motion module includes a first motor support frame and a second motor support frame; The first motor support frame is equipped with a first motor. The output end of the first motor is connected to a first trapezoidal lead screw. The other end of the first trapezoidal lead screw is connected to a first lead screw nut by a thread. The other end of the first lead screw nut is rotatably connected to the interphalangeal joint adapter rod. The second motor is mounted on the second motor support frame. The output end of the second motor is connected to the second trapezoidal lead screw. The other end of the second trapezoidal lead screw is connected to the second lead screw nut via a thread. The other end of the second lead screw nut is rotatably connected to the interphalangeal joint adapter rod. The end of the interphalangeal joint adapter link away from the first lead screw nut and the second lead screw nut is rotatably connected to the interphalangeal joint link. The other end of the interphalangeal joint link is connected to the interphalangeal joint connecting block. The other end of the interphalangeal joint connecting block is provided with a finger Velcro strap, which is set on the distal phalanx of the thumb. In some embodiments of the present invention, the bottom of the first motor support frame is provided with a first rotating shaft, which is rotatably connected to the wrist-to-palm joint phalangeal connector, and the bottom of the second motor support frame is provided with a second rotating shaft, which is rotatably connected to the wrist-to-palm joint phalangeal connector. In some embodiments of the present invention, the interphalangeal joint connecting rod is configured as a T-shaped rod, the T-shaped rod including a first connecting rod and a second connecting rod arranged perpendicularly to each other, the first connecting rod having a first pin and a second pin, the second connecting rod having a third pin, the first lead screw nut being rotatably connected to the first connecting rod via the first pin, the second lead screw nut being rotatably connected to the first connecting rod via the second pin, and the interphalangeal joint connecting rod being rotatably connected to the second connecting rod via the third pin; The axes of the first and second pins are arranged parallel to each other, and the axis of the third pin is arranged perpendicular to the axes of the first and second pins. In a second aspect of the invention, a method of using a kinematically compatible thumb exoskeleton with finger-opposing function is provided, comprising: When performing thumb-to-finger movement, the required angle between the thumb and index finger is adjusted according to the actual situation. That is, the thumb is adducted and abducted. By controlling the interphalangeal joint motion module, the distal phalanx of the thumb is driven, so that the thumb moves closer to or away from the index finger under the action of the interphalangeal joint motion module, thereby adjusting the angle between the thumb and index finger. Then, the wrist-to-palm joint motor drives the wrist-to-palm joint trapezoidal screw and the wrist-to-palm joint trapezoidal screw nut to move relative to each other, driving the wrist-to-palm joint drive rod to move. This, in turn, drives the wrist-to-palm joint phalanx connector to move the thumb closer to or away from the palm. At the same time, the interphalangeal joint motion module is in an active state, working in conjunction with the wrist-to-palm joint motion module to achieve the thumb-to-finger movement. When performing thumb flexion and extension movements, the first motor and the second motor drive simultaneously at the same speed toward or away from the finger direction, causing the first trapezoidal screw and the first trapezoidal screw nut, as well as the second trapezoidal screw and the second trapezoidal screw nut, to move relative to each other. This drives the interphalangeal joint connecting rod and the interphalangeal joint connecting rod to move, thereby driving the interphalangeal joint connecting block to move. The interphalangeal joint connecting block drives the finger Velcro to move the distal phalanx of the thumb toward or away from the palm, thus realizing the thumb flexion and extension movements. When the thumb is adducted or abducted, the first and second motors drive it differentially toward or away from the finger, causing the first trapezoidal screw and nut, as well as the second trapezoidal screw and nut, to move relative to each other. This drives the interphalangeal joint connecting rod and the interphalangeal joint linkage to move, thereby causing the interphalangeal joint connecting block to move. The interphalangeal joint connecting block then moves the finger Velcro strap, causing the distal phalanx of the thumb to move closer to or further away from the index finger, thus achieving the adducting and abducting movement of the thumb.

[0007] One or more technical solutions of the present invention have the following beneficial effects: This invention achieves different thumb movement modes through the division of labor and cooperation between the wrist-metacarpal joint motion module and the interphalangeal joint motion module. The wrist-metacarpal joint motion module drives the wrist-metacarpal joint phalangeal connector to move the thumb metacarpals closer to or further away from the palm, thereby specifically realizing finger-to-finger movements without relying on compensatory combinations of adduction / abduction or flexion / extension movements, ensuring the accuracy and targeting of training. At the same time, the interphalangeal joint motion module, through the coordinated control of the first and second motors, can independently complete the thumb's flexion / extension and adduction / abduction movements, avoiding the complexity of coordinating multiple movement modes, so that each movement can be precisely trained, effectively solving the problem of inadequate finger-to-finger movement training in existing devices.

[0008] The differential drive of the first and second motors drives the interphalangeal joint connecting rod and the interphalangeal joint linkage to move, thereby adjusting the angle between the distal phalanx of the thumb and the index finger. In actual use, the angle is first adjusted by adduction and abduction movements, and then the wrist and metacarpophalangeal joint movement module is activated to realize the finger-opposition movement. This allows patients to flexibly adjust the finger-opposition angle according to their individual hand characteristics and rehabilitation stage, enhancing the personalization and adaptability of the equipment and meeting diverse rehabilitation training needs.

[0009] The wrist-metacarpal joint phalangeal connector uses a U-shaped structure to envelop the thumb metacarpal bone, combined with fan-shaped structural components and L-shaped rods, to ensure a stable fit between the exoskeleton and the thumb structure. The hinged settings in the wrist-metacarpal joint motion module, such as the hinge between the wrist-metacarpal joint drive rod and the drive rod mounting seat, and the T-shaped rods in the interphalangeal-metacarpal joint motion module connected to multiple pins, such as the perpendicular setting of the first, second, and third pin axes, provide multi-degree-of-freedom flexibility for realizing thumb opposition, flexion-extension, and adduction-abduction movements. Furthermore, as part of the exoskeleton kinematic chain, the thumb phalanges can achieve kinematic compatibility between the exoskeleton and the thumb, i.e., joint axis self-alignment, avoiding unwanted forces between the thumb and the exoskeleton kinematic chain. This allows the exoskeleton to naturally adapt to the complex movement trajectories of the thumb wrist-metacarpal joint, metacarpophalangeal joint, and interphalangeal joint, reducing movement interference and discomfort, and improving training comfort and effectiveness. Attached Figure Description

[0010] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the kinematically compatible thumb exoskeleton with finger-opposing function provided in Embodiment 1 of the present invention. Figure 1 ; Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram of the kinematically compatible thumb exoskeleton with finger-opposing function provided in Embodiment 1 of the present invention. Figure 2 ; Figure 3This is a schematic diagram of the kinematically compatible thumb exoskeleton with finger-opposing function provided in Embodiment 1 of the present invention. Figure 3 ; Figure 4 This is a schematic diagram of the kinematically compatible thumb exoskeleton with finger-opposing function provided in Embodiment 1 of the present invention. Figure 4 ; Figure 5 This is a schematic diagram of the thumb joint provided in Embodiment 1 of the present invention; Figure 6 This is a schematic diagram of the thumb flexion and extension movement provided in Embodiment 1 of the present invention; Figure 7 This is a schematic diagram of the thumb adduction and abduction movement provided in Embodiment 1 of the present invention; Figure 8 This is a schematic diagram of the thumb adduction and abduction movement provided in Embodiment 1 of the present invention.

[0011] In the picture: 1. Finger and palm Velcro; 2. Palm fixing component; 3. Wrist-palm joint motor; 4. Wrist-palm joint motor support frame; 401. First support frame; 402. Second support frame; 5. Wrist-palm joint trapezoidal lead screw; 6. Wrist-palm joint trapezoidal lead screw nut; 7. Wrist-palm joint drive rod; 8. First lead screw nut; 9. First trapezoidal lead screw; 10. First motor support frame; 11. First motor; 12. Second motor; 13. Second motor support frame; 14. Second trapezoidal lead screw; 15. Finger-palm joint base; 16. Wrist and palm Velcro; 17. Second lead screw nut; 18. 1801. Wrist-metacarpal joint phalangeal connector; 1802. Fan-shaped structural component; 1803. L-shaped rod; 19. Interphalangeal joint adapter link; 1904. First link; 1905. Second link; 1906. First pin; 1907. Second pin; 1908. Third pin; 20. Thumb metacarpal bone; 21. Interphalangeal joint link; 22. Proximal phalanx of thumb; 23. Interphalangeal joint pin; 24. Interphalangeal joint connecting block; 25. Finger Velcro; 26. Distal phalanx of thumb; 27. Wrist-metacarpal joint; 28. Metacarpophalangeal joint; 29. ​​Interphalangeal joint. Detailed Implementation

[0012] The present invention will be further described below with reference to the accompanying drawings and embodiments.

[0013] Example 1 In a typical embodiment of the present invention, such as Figures 1 to 8As shown, a kinematically compatible thumb exoskeleton with finger-adaptive function is proposed, including a palm fixation component 2 set on the back of the hand. The palm fixation component 2 is provided with a wrist-metacarpal joint motion module. The output end of the wrist-metacarpal joint motion module is equipped with a wrist-metacarpal joint phalangeal joint connector 18. The wrist-metacarpal joint phalangeal joint connector 18 is located outside the thumb metacarpal bone 20. The wrist-metacarpal joint motion module can drive the wrist-metacarpal joint phalangeal joint connector 18 to move closer to or away from the palm. The wrist-metacarpal joint phalangeal joint connector 18 is provided with an interphalangeal joint motion module. The output end of the interphalangeal joint motion module is located on the distal phalanx 26 of the thumb. The thumb can move closer to or away from the index finger under the action of the interphalangeal joint motion module. like Figures 5 to 8 As shown, the movement of the thumb is typically accomplished through the coordinated action of the wrist-metacarpal joint 27, the metacarpophalangeal joint 28, and the interphalangeal joint 29. The wrist-metacarpal joint 27 has two degrees of freedom: opposition and adduction / abduction; the metacarpophalangeal joint 28 has two degrees of freedom: flexion / extension and adduction / abduction; and the interphalangeal joint 29 has one degree of freedom: flexion / extension. Therefore, the movement of the thumb can be simplified into three movements: opposition, flexion / extension, and adduction / abduction. Opposition refers to the relative movement of the thumb to the other fingers, allowing the thumb pad to touch the other fingers. This movement is crucial for achieving both fine and strong grasping.

[0014] By setting the palm fixing component 2 as the base of the entire device, a stable and reliable installation platform is provided for all motion modules. The wrist-metacarpal joint motion module is responsible for driving the wrist-metacarpal joint phalangeal connector 18, thereby driving the entire thumb metacarpal 20 to move towards or away from the palm. The output end of the interphalangeal joint motion module directly acts on the distal phalanx 26 of the thumb, realizing the adduction, abduction and flexion-extension movements of the thumb.

[0015] Traditional devices often use a single drive source or complex linkage mechanisms to simulate multiple movements, leading to inaccurate finger opposition training or easy motor compensation. This solution, however, uses two modules to provide targeted reinforcement training based on the patient's specific condition. This makes it possible to train finger opposition movements without inducing adduction, abduction, flexion, or extension, ensuring the accuracy and effectiveness of finger opposition rehabilitation training. Furthermore, the thumb phalanges, as part of the exoskeleton's kinetic chain, endow the exoskeleton with good kinematic compatibility, better adapting to the complex physiological movement trajectory of the thumb's multiple joints, reducing the feeling of constraint and discomfort caused by mismatch between the device structure and human anatomy.

[0016] In this embodiment, the wrist-metacarpal joint phalangeal bone connector 18 is configured as a U-shaped structure, and the U-shaped wrist-metacarpal joint phalangeal bone connector 18 encloses the outside of the thumb metacarpal bone 20.

[0017] The thumb, driven by the wrist-metacarpal joint phalangeal connector 18, can move closer to or further away from the palm around the wrist-metacarpal joint as an axis, realizing the thumb's finger-opposing movement. Simultaneously, the U-shaped wrist-metacarpal joint phalangeal connector 18 envelops the thumb metacarpal 20, achieving stable envelopment and reliable force transmission. The U-shaped structure acts like a clamp, surrounding the thumb metacarpal 20 from the back of the hand and both sides of the palm, ensuring that when the wrist-metacarpal joint motion module applies driving force through the wrist-metacarpal joint phalangeal connector 18, the force can be evenly and reliably transmitted to the thumb metacarpal, avoiding force concentration points and preventing possible slippage or twisting of the connector during training. This ensures precise motion control. Furthermore, the enveloping structure enhances the restriction effect on the thumb, ensuring that the thumb can effectively avoid movement in other directions during finger-opposing movements, achieving precise and targeted finger-opposing movement assistance training and improving training effectiveness. In this embodiment, the palm fixing member 2 is provided with a wrist palm Velcro 16 near the wrist of the palm, and the palm fixing member 2 is provided with a finger palm Velcro 1 near the finger part of the palm. The palm fixing member 2 is set on the back of the hand through the wrist palm Velcro 16 and the finger palm Velcro 1. Velcro, as a common fastening method, allows for quick donning and detachment, greatly facilitating self-use by patients or operation by therapists. By setting fixation points in two key areas—the wrist and fingers—on the back of the hand, the palm fixation component 2 achieves a complete fit with the back of the hand, effectively preventing the base from shaking or shifting due to external forces during training. This provides a stable working foundation for all the motion modules above it. In addition, the Velcro has a certain length adjustment capability, allowing the palm fixation component 2 to adapt to patients with different hand sizes and shapes, improving the personalized adaptability of the device and expanding its application range.

[0018] In this embodiment, the wrist-palm joint motion module is provided with a wrist-palm joint motor support frame 4, and a wrist-palm joint motor 3 is provided on the wrist-palm joint motor support frame 4. The output end of the wrist-palm joint motor 3 is connected to the wrist-palm joint trapezoidal lead screw 5. The other end of the wrist-palm joint trapezoidal lead screw 5 is connected to the wrist-palm joint trapezoidal lead screw nut 6 by a thread. The other end of the wrist-palm joint trapezoidal lead screw nut 6 is hinged to a wrist-palm joint drive rod 7. The other end of the wrist-palm joint drive rod 7 is fixedly connected to the wrist-palm joint finger bone connector 18. The wrist-to-palm joint motor 3 provides rotational power. Through the cooperation of the trapezoidal screw and nut, the rotational motion of the motor is precisely converted into the linear motion of the trapezoidal screw nut 6 of the wrist-to-palm joint. The trapezoidal screw has high transmission accuracy, small backlash, and smooth movement, which can achieve precise control of the thumb's position relative to the finger. The trapezoidal screw pair has excellent self-locking performance. When the motor stops driving, the screw nut will not move in the opposite direction due to external forces, such as the elastic restoring force of the thumb, so that the thumb can be reliably locked at any target position. This is crucial for maintenance rehabilitation training. Through the hinged wrist-to-palm joint drive rod 7, the wrist-to-palm joint phalangeal connector 18 is driven to swing in an arc. The entire transmission process is efficient, reliable, and controllable.

[0019] In this embodiment, the wrist joint motor support frame 4 is provided with a first support frame 401 and a second support frame 402. The bottom of the first support frame 401 is fixedly connected to the palm fixing member 2, the upper part of the first support frame 401 is hinged to the second support frame 402, and the upper part of the second support frame 402 is fixedly connected to the wrist joint motor 3. The palm fixing component 2 is provided with a drive rod mounting seat. The bottom of the drive rod mounting seat is fixedly connected to the palm fixing component 2, and the middle part of the wrist joint drive rod 7 is hinged to the drive rod mounting seat. The wrist joint motor support frame 4 is configured as a hinged form of the first support frame 401 and the second support frame 402, so that the wrist joint motor 3 and its driven lead screw pair become a floating unit that can swing slightly. At the same time, the middle part of the wrist joint drive rod 7 is hinged to the fixed drive rod mounting seat to form a lever. This configuration allows the entire drive system to adaptively adjust the angle when pushing the wrist joint finger bone connector 18 to perform arc-shaped movements, avoiding the mechanism jamming, wear, or additional constraint on the user that may be caused by a purely rigid connection. This ensures that the drive process is smooth and natural and better matches the movement trajectory of the human wrist joint.

[0020] In this embodiment, the wrist-metacarpal joint finger bone connector 18 is provided with a fan-shaped structure 1801, which is located on the outside of the back of the hand of the thumb metacarpal 20. An L-shaped rod 1802 is provided on the fan-shaped structure 1801, which is located on the outside of the palm part of the thumb metacarpal 20. An interphalangeal joint base 15 is provided on the upper part of the fan-shaped structure 1801, and an interphalangeal joint motion module is provided on the interphalangeal joint base 15. The wrist-metacarpal joint drive rod 7 is connected to the fan-shaped structure 1801. The fan-shaped structural component 1801 covers the back of the hand of the thumb metacarpal bone 20, providing a large area to distribute the force and serve as a connection base. The L-shaped rod 1802 envelops the palm side, together completing the stable constraint of the metacarpal bone. The interphalangeal joint base 15 on the upper part of the fan-shaped structural component 1801 provides a high-level mounting platform for the interphalangeal joint motion module, so that the center of gravity and structure of the entire interphalangeal joint motion module can be reasonably distributed, avoiding interference with the palm or other fingers. The wrist-palm joint drive rod 7 is directly connected to the sturdy fan-shaped structural component 1801, ensuring effective input of driving force. Moreover, the fan-shaped structural component 1801 and the L-shaped rod 1802 can limit the thumb when the thumb adjusts the angle between the thumb and the index finger, so that it only changes the angle adjustment direction and does not perform other directional movements, ensuring the accuracy of angle adjustment.

[0021] In this embodiment, the interphalangeal joint motion module includes a first motor support frame 10 and a second motor support frame 13; The first motor support frame 10 is equipped with a first motor 11. The output end of the first motor 11 is connected to the first trapezoidal lead screw 9. The other end of the first trapezoidal lead screw 9 is connected to the first lead screw nut 8 by a thread. The other end of the first lead screw nut 8 is rotatably connected to the interphalangeal joint adapter rod 19. The second motor support frame 13 is equipped with a second motor 12. The output end of the second motor 12 is connected to the second trapezoidal lead screw 14. The other end of the second trapezoidal lead screw 14 is connected to the second lead screw nut 17 by a thread. The other end of the second lead screw nut 17 is rotatably connected to the interphalangeal joint adapter rod 19. One end of the interphalangeal joint adapter 19, away from the first lead screw nut 8 and the second lead screw nut 17, is rotatably connected to the interphalangeal joint connecting rod 21. The other end of the interphalangeal joint connecting rod 21 is connected to the interphalangeal joint connecting block 24. The other end of the interphalangeal joint connecting block 24 is provided with a finger Velcro 25, which is set on the distal phalanx 26 of the thumb. Through the coordination and differential action of the dual drive sources, a compound movement of two degrees of freedom—flexion-extension and adduction-abduction—of the distal phalanx 26 of the thumb is achieved. When the first motor 11 and the second motor 12 drive at the same speed and direction, the first trapezoidal screw 9 nut and the second trapezoidal screw 14 nut will move synchronously, thereby pushing or pulling the interphalangeal joint connecting rod 19 to produce a single translation or swing. Ultimately, through the interphalangeal joint connecting rod 21 and the connecting block, the distal phalanx 26 of the thumb performs a pure flexion or extension movement. When the two motors drive at different speeds, the two lead screw nuts will produce relative displacement, which will force the interphalangeal joint connecting rod 19 to rotate around its own axis, and thus convert into adduction or abduction movement of the distal phalanx 26 of the thumb.

[0022] In this embodiment, the bottom of the first motor support frame 10 is provided with a first rotating shaft, which is rotatably connected to the wrist-to-palm joint phalangeal connector 18. The bottom of the second motor support frame 13 is provided with a second rotating shaft, which is rotatably connected to the wrist-to-palm joint phalangeal connector 18. The first and second rotating shafts are rotatably connected to the base 15 of the interphalangeal joint.

[0023] When the wrist-to-palm joint motion module drives the entire thumb to perform an opposing movement, the spatial posture and angle of the thumb will change. If the interphalangeal joint motion module is rigidly fixed, its driving direction will not match the changed thumb orientation, resulting in motion interference. By designing the two motor support frames to be able to rotate around the axis, and the interphalangeal joint motion module being in a movable state, it does not generate driving force, but only cooperates with the wrist-to-palm joint motion module to adaptively follow the spatial orientation of the thumb metacarpal bone 20 determined by the wrist-to-palm joint movement. Regardless of whether the thumb is in the opposing position or the return position, the interphalangeal joint motion module can always maintain the correct relative relationship with the thumb phalanges, eliminating motion interference between modules.

[0024] In this embodiment, the interphalangeal joint connecting rod 19 is configured as a T-shaped rod, which includes a first connecting rod 1901 and a second connecting rod 1902 arranged perpendicularly to each other. The first connecting rod 1901 is provided with a first pin 1903 and a second pin 1904, and the second connecting rod 1902 is provided with a third pin 1905. The first lead screw nut 8 is rotatably connected to one end of the first connecting rod 1901 through the first pin 1903, and the second lead screw nut 17 is rotatably connected to the other end of the first connecting rod 1901 through the second pin 1904. The interphalangeal joint connecting rod 21 is rotatably connected to the second connecting rod 1902 through the third pin 1905. The axes of the first pin 1903 and the second pin 1904 are arranged parallel to each other, and the axis of the third pin 1905 is arranged perpendicular to the axes of the first pin 1903 and the second pin 1904.

[0025] like Figure 1 As shown, the interphalangeal joint connecting rod 21 and the interphalangeal joint connecting block 24 are connected by the interphalangeal joint pin 23, which can rotate relative to each other and cross the proximal phalanx 22 of the thumb. The interphalangeal joint connecting block 24 is fixed to the distal phalanx 26 of the thumb by the finger Velcro 25. With the above configuration, it can be understood that the rotational surfaces of the first lead screw nut 8 and the second lead screw nut 17 rotatably connected to the first connecting rod 1901 are on the same plane. The rotational surfaces of the interphalangeal joint connecting rod 21 and the second connecting rod 1902 rotatably connected are perpendicular to the rotational surfaces of the first lead screw nut 8 and the second lead screw nut 17 rotatably connected to the first connecting rod 1901. The T-shaped rod acts as a precise motion conversion hub, synthesizing and outputting the motions of the two planes. When the inputs of the first motor 11 and the second motor 12 are synchronized, the combined force pushes the T-shaped rod to move, realizing flexion and extension movements. When the inputs of the first motor 11 and the second motor 12 are differential, the generated torque causes the T-shaped rod to rotate around a specific axis, realizing adduction and abduction movements.

[0026] In a second aspect of the invention, a method of using a kinematically compatible thumb exoskeleton with finger-opposing function is provided, comprising: When performing thumb-to-finger movement, the required angle interval between the thumb and index finger is adjusted according to the actual situation. First, the thumb is adducted and abducted. By controlling the interphalangeal joint movement module, the distal phalanx 26 of the thumb is driven, so that the thumb moves closer to or away from the index finger under the action of the interphalangeal joint movement module, thereby adjusting the angle interval between the thumb and index finger. Then, the wrist-palm joint motor 3 drives the wrist-palm joint trapezoidal screw 5 and the wrist-palm joint trapezoidal screw nut 6 to move relative to each other, driving the wrist-palm joint drive rod 7 to move, which in turn drives the wrist-palm joint phalanx connector 18 to move the thumb closer to or away from the palm. During this period, the interphalangeal joint movement module is in an active state, cooperating with the wrist-palm joint movement module to realize the thumb-to-finger movement. When the thumb flexion and extension movement is performed, the first motor 11 and the second motor 12 drive at the same speed towards or away from the finger direction, which drives the first trapezoidal screw 9 and the first screw nut 8, as well as the second trapezoidal screw 14 and the second screw nut 17 to move relative to each other, driving the interphalangeal joint connecting rod 19 and the interphalangeal joint connecting rod 21 to move, thereby driving the interphalangeal joint connecting block 24 to move. The interphalangeal joint connecting block 24 drives the finger Velcro 25 to move the distal phalanx 26 of the thumb closer to or away from the palm, thus realizing the flexion and extension movement of the thumb. When the thumb is adducted or abducted, the first motor 11 and the second motor 12 drive it differentially toward or away from the finger, causing the first trapezoidal screw 9 and its nut, as well as the second trapezoidal screw 14 and its nut, to move relative to each other. This drives the interphalangeal joint connecting rod 19 and the interphalangeal joint connecting rod 21 to move, thereby causing the interphalangeal joint connecting block 24 to move. The interphalangeal joint connecting block 24 then drives the finger Velcro 25 to move the distal phalanx 26 of the thumb toward or away from the index finger, thus achieving the adducting and abducting movement of the thumb.

[0027] In addition, when the speeds of the first motor 11 and the second motor 12 moving toward or away from the finger direction are disproportionate (movement speed and direction), they can simultaneously assist the thumb in performing a mixed movement of flexion and extension, and adduction and abduction.

[0028] The above method clarifies the driving mechanisms of the three basic movements: finger movement, flexion-extension movement, and adduction-abduction movement, enabling each movement to receive pure and intensified training.

[0029] Furthermore, it allows for adjustable angle intervals for finger-opposition movements. First, the adduction and abduction functions of the interphalangeal joint motion module are used to pre-adjust the distal phalanx 26 of the thumb to the most suitable angle for finger-opposition with the index finger. Then, the wrist-metacarpal joint motion module is activated to complete the finger-opposition action. This simulates the natural behavior of humans when grasping objects of different sizes: first adjusting the thumb posture, then grasping. This setting greatly expands the rehabilitation application scenarios of the exoskeleton, enabling more functional and personalized training. For example, targeted training can be conducted to address the different needs of pinching small objects, such as needles, which require a small angle of finger-opposition, while grasping large objects, such as cups, requires a large angle of finger-opposition, thereby comprehensively improving the patient's hand function recovery level.

[0030] While the specific embodiments of the present invention have been described above in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, this is not intended to limit the scope of protection of the present invention. Those skilled in the art should understand that various modifications or variations that can be made by those skilled in the art without creative effort based on the technical solutions of the present invention are still within the scope of protection of the present invention.

Claims

1. A motion-compatible thumb exoskeleton with opposition function, characterized in that, The hand palm fixing part is provided on the back of the hand, and a wrist palm joint movement module is arranged on the hand palm fixing part.

2. The motion-compatible thumb exoskeleton with opposition function of claim 1, wherein, The wrist palm joint finger bone connecting part is arranged outside the thumb metacarpal bone.

3. The motion-compatible thumb exoskeleton with opposition function of claim 1, wherein, The hand palm fixing part is provided on the back of the hand through the wrist palm magic tape and the finger palm magic tape.

4. The motion-compatible thumb exoskeleton with opposition function of claim 1, wherein, The wrist palm joint movement module is provided with a wrist palm joint motor support frame, the wrist palm joint motor support frame is provided with a wrist palm joint motor, the output end of the wrist palm joint motor is connected with a wrist palm joint trapezoidal screw rod, the other end of the wrist palm joint trapezoidal screw rod is connected with a wrist palm joint trapezoidal screw rod nut through a thread, the other end of the wrist palm joint trapezoidal screw rod nut is hinged with a wrist palm joint driving rod, and the other end of the wrist palm joint driving rod is fixedly connected with the wrist palm joint finger bone connecting part.

5. The motion-compatible thumb exoskeleton with opposition function of claim 4, wherein, The wrist palm joint motor support frame is provided with a first support frame and a second support frame. The hand palm fixing part is provided on the back of the hand through the wrist palm magic tape and the finger palm magic tape.

6. The motion-compatible thumb exoskeleton with opposition function of claim 4, wherein, The wrist palm joint movement module is provided with a wrist palm joint motor support frame, the wrist palm joint motor support frame is provided with a wrist palm joint motor, the output end of the wrist palm joint motor is connected with a wrist palm joint trapezoidal screw rod, the other end of the wrist palm joint trapezoidal screw rod is connected with a wrist palm joint trapezoidal screw rod nut through a thread, the other end of the wrist palm joint trapezoidal screw rod nut is hinged with a wrist palm joint driving rod, and the other end of the wrist palm joint driving rod is fixedly connected with the wrist palm joint finger bone connecting part.

7. The motion-compatible thumb exoskeleton with opposition functionality of claim 1, wherein, The wrist palm joint motor support frame is provided with a first support frame and a second support frame. The hand palm fixing part is provided on the back of the hand through the wrist palm magic tape and the finger palm magic tape. The wrist palm joint movement module is provided with a wrist palm joint motor support frame, the wrist palm joint motor support frame is provided with a wrist palm joint motor, the output end of the wrist palm joint motor is connected with a wrist palm joint trapezoidal screw rod, the other end of the wrist palm joint trapezoidal screw rod is connected with a wrist palm joint trapezoidal screw rod nut through a thread, the other end of the wrist palm joint trapezoidal screw rod nut is hinged with a wrist palm joint driving rod, and the other end of the wrist palm joint driving rod is fixedly connected with the wrist palm joint finger bone connecting part. The wrist palm joint motor support frame is provided with a first support frame and a second support frame. The hand palm fixing part is provided on the back of the hand through the wrist palm magic tape and the finger palm magic tape. The wrist palm joint movement module is provided with a wrist palm joint motor support frame, the wrist palm joint motor support frame is provided with a wrist palm joint motor, the output end of the wrist palm joint motor is connected with a wrist palm joint trapezoidal screw rod, the other end of the wrist palm joint trapezoidal screw rod is connected with a wrist palm joint trapezoidal screw rod nut through a thread, the other end of the wrist palm joint trapezoidal screw rod nut is hinged with a wrist palm joint driving rod, and the other end of the wrist palm joint driving rod is fixedly connected with the wrist palm joint finger bone connecting part. The interphalangeal metacarpophalangeal joint connecting rod is rotatably connected to the interphalangeal metacarpophalangeal joint connecting rod at one end away from the first screw nut and the second screw nut, the other end of the interphalangeal metacarpophalangeal joint connecting rod is connected to the interphalangeal metacarpophalangeal joint connecting block, the other end of the interphalangeal metacarpophalangeal joint connecting block is provided with a finger magic tape, and the finger magic tape is arranged on the distal phalanx of the thumb.

8. The motion-compatible thumb exoskeleton with opposition function of claim 7, wherein, The bottom of the first motor support frame is provided with a first rotating shaft, the first rotating shaft is rotatably connected to the metacarpophalangeal joint phalanx connecting piece, the bottom of the second motor support frame is provided with a second rotating shaft, and the second rotating shaft is rotatably connected to the metacarpophalangeal joint phalanx connecting piece.

9. The motion-compatible thumb exoskeleton with opposition functionality of claim 7, wherein, The interphalangeal metacarpophalangeal joint connecting rod is arranged as a T-shaped rod, the T-shaped rod comprises first and second connecting rods arranged perpendicular to each other, the first connecting rod is provided with a first pin shaft and a second pin shaft, the second connecting rod is provided with a third pin shaft, the first screw nut is rotatably connected to the first connecting rod through the first pin shaft, the second screw nut is rotatably connected to the first connecting rod through the second pin shaft, and the interphalangeal metacarpophalangeal joint connecting rod is rotatably connected to the second connecting rod through the third pin shaft. The axes of the first pin shaft and the second pin shaft are arranged parallel to each other, and the axis of the third pin shaft is arranged perpendicular to the axes of the first pin shaft and the second pin shaft.

10. The method of using a motion-compatible thumb exoskeleton with opposition functionality of any of claims 1-9, wherein, It comprises: When the thumb is subjected to the finger-to-finger movement, the required angle interval between the thumb and the index finger is adjusted according to the actual situation, that is, the thumb is subjected to the adduction and abduction movement, the distal phalanx of the thumb is driven by the interphalangeal metacarpophalangeal joint movement module, the thumb is made to approach or move away from the index finger under the driving of the interphalangeal metacarpophalangeal joint movement module, the angle interval adjustment between the thumb and the index finger is realized, then the metacarpophalangeal joint trapezoidal screw and the metacarpophalangeal joint trapezoidal screw nut are relatively moved under the driving of the metacarpophalangeal joint motor, the metacarpophalangeal joint driving rod is driven to move, the metacarpophalangeal joint phalanx connecting piece is driven to move the thumb to approach or move away from the palm, during which the interphalangeal metacarpophalangeal joint movement module is in a movable state, and the thumb-to-finger movement of the thumb is realized in cooperation with the metacarpophalangeal joint movement module; When the thumb is subjected to the flexion and extension movement, the first trapezoidal screw and the first trapezoidal screw nut and the second trapezoidal screw and the second trapezoidal screw nut are relatively moved under the driving of the first motor and the second motor at the same speed towards or away from the finger direction, the interphalangeal metacarpophalangeal joint connecting rod and the interphalangeal metacarpophalangeal joint connecting rod are driven to move, thereby driving the interphalangeal metacarpophalangeal joint connecting block to move, the interphalangeal metacarpophalangeal joint connecting block drives the finger magic tape to make the distal phalanx of the thumb approach or move away from the palm, and the flexion and extension movement of the thumb is realized; When the thumb is subjected to the adduction and abduction movement, the first trapezoidal screw and the first trapezoidal screw nut and the second trapezoidal screw and the second trapezoidal screw nut are relatively moved under the driving of the first motor and the second motor at different speeds towards or away from the finger direction, the interphalangeal metacarpophalangeal joint connecting rod and the interphalangeal metacarpophalangeal joint connecting rod are driven to move, thereby driving the interphalangeal metacarpophalangeal joint connecting block to move, the interphalangeal metacarpophalangeal joint connecting block drives the finger magic tape to make the distal phalanx of the thumb approach or move away from the index finger, and the adduction and abduction movement of the thumb is realized.

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