Shoulder joint exoskeleton device based on humanoid movement mechanism

Abstract

The invention relates to medical rehabilitation training and assisting equipment, in particular to a shoulder joint exoskeleton device based on a humanoid movement mechanism. Comprising a back plate, a shoulder joint mechanism and a functional electrical stimulation system, the shoulder joint mechanism is arranged on one side or two sides of the back plate, the shoulder joint mechanism comprises a fixed shoulder joint, a driving wheel, a scissor-fork type shoulder blade following mechanism and a shoulder supporting piece, the fixed shoulder joint is arranged on the back plate, the driving wheel is installed on the fixed shoulder joint through a symmetric center rotating shaft, and the scissor-fork type shoulder blade following mechanism is connected with the shoulder supporting piece. One end of the shear-fork type shoulder blade following mechanism is connected with the symmetric center rotating shaft, the other end of the shear-fork type shoulder blade following mechanism is connected with the shoulder supporting piece, and the shear-fork type shoulder blade following mechanism is used for passively following forward stretching and backward retracting movement of the shoulder blade of the human body; the abduction and adduction movement of the shoulder joint is realized by rotating the driving wheel; the functional electrical stimulation system is used for assisting in activating the target muscle. The device is simple in structure and portable to wear, active movement and electrical stimulation collaborative rehabilitation can be achieved, and the rehabilitation efficiency is effectively improved.

Description

TECHNICAL FIELD

[0001] The present application relates to medical rehabilitation training and power-assisted equipment, in particular to a shoulder joint exoskeleton device based on human-like motion mechanism. BACKGROUND

[0002] The first three months of rehabilitation training after stroke is crucial for the recovery of motor function of patients, and rehabilitation power-assisted robots can help patients perform long-term training tasks, not only reducing the demand pressure on rehabilitation therapists, but also improving the efficiency of motor recovery.

[0003] The shoulder joint is one of the most complex joints in the upper limbs of the human body, with three degrees of freedom of movement, including sagittal flexion / extension, coronal abduction / adduction and horizontal rotation. For stroke patients with hemiplegia, the recovery of shoulder joint function is a key link in upper limb rehabilitation. However, the existing upper limb rehabilitation exoskeleton has the following problems:

[0004] First, the existing exoskeleton mostly adopts fixed joint center of rotation design, while the center of rotation of the human shoulder joint will float with the movement of the scapula, resulting in a man-machine antagonistic force between the exoskeleton and the human body, causing discomfort and even secondary injury.

[0005] Second, studies have shown that as the humerus is raised, the rotation of the clavicle and the sliding of the scapula along the chest wall will cause the horizontal displacement of the glenohumeral joint center of rotation, and the existing exoskeleton cannot effectively solve this kinematic matching problem.

[0006] Third, the existing design using springs for gravity compensation will produce nonlinear resistance characteristics, affecting the "transparency" of force transmission and reducing the patient's proprioceptive ability. SUMMARY

[0007] In order to solve the above-mentioned problems existing in the existing upper limb rehabilitation exoskeleton, the purpose of the present application is to provide a shoulder joint exoskeleton device based on human-like motion mechanism to meet the needs of stroke patients with hemiplegia for autonomous rehabilitation of shoulder joint in rehabilitation training and daily life.

[0008] The purpose of the present application is achieved by the following technical solutions:

[0009] The application provides a shoulder joint exoskeleton device based on human-like motion mechanism, which comprises a back plate, a shoulder joint mechanism and a functional electrical stimulation system, wherein the back plate is used for being fixed with a human body trunk, the shoulder joint mechanism is arranged on one side or both sides of the back plate, the shoulder joint mechanism comprises a fixed shoulder joint, a driving wheel, a scissor-type scapula following mechanism and a shoulder support, wherein the fixed shoulder joint is arranged on the back plate, the driving wheel is installed on the fixed shoulder joint through a symmetric center rotating shaft, one end of the scissor-type scapula following mechanism is connected with the symmetric center rotating shaft, and the other end is connected with the shoulder support, the shoulder support is used for being fixed with a human body shoulder, and the scissor-type scapula following mechanism is used for passively following the forward extension and backward retraction movement of a human body scapula; the abduction and adduction movement of the shoulder joint is realized by rotating the driving wheel; and the functional electrical stimulation system is used for assisting in activating target muscles.

[0010] The scissor-type scapula following mechanism is a parallelogram or rhombus structure and a plane link mechanism capable of extending and retracting in a horizontal direction.

[0011] The scissor-type scapula following mechanism comprises two shoulder long rods and four shoulder short rods, wherein the middle parts of the two shoulder long rods are hinged through a shoulder abduction and adduction rotating shaft, the two ends of the two shoulder long rods are respectively hinged with the four shoulder short rods, the ends of the two shoulder short rods on the inner side are respectively fixedly connected and rotatably connected with the symmetric center rotating shaft, and the ends of the two shoulder short rods on the outer side are hinged with the shoulder support through a shoulder shared rotating shaft.

[0012] The shoulder abduction and adduction rotating shaft is used for realizing the abduction and adduction movement of the shoulder joint, the rotating axis of the shoulder abduction and adduction rotating shaft is aligned with the rotating axis of the coronal plane of the human body shoulder joint, and the rotating range is 0° to 180°.

[0013] The horizontal extension and retraction range of the scissor-type scapula following mechanism is 0 to 30 mm.

[0014] The functional electrical stimulation system comprises a stimulation electrode and an electrode pulse releaser, wherein the electrode pulse releaser is arranged on the back plate, the stimulation electrode is attached to the surface of a target muscle group of an upper limb of a human body and is connected with the electrode pulse releaser through a lead wire, and the electrode pulse releaser is used for generating and controlling an electrical stimulation pulse.

[0015] The electrode pulse releaser synchronously triggers electrical stimulation according to the motion signal of the shoulder joint mechanism, assists in target muscle contraction, and realizes the synergistic rehabilitation of active movement and electrical stimulation.

[0016] The back plate is made of light weight and high strength material, and the back plate is bound with the human body trunk through a length-adjustable binding belt.

[0017] The advantages and positive effects of this invention are as follows: The shoulder exoskeleton device based on human-like movement mechanisms provided by this invention passively adapts to the movement of the human scapula through a scissor-type scapular following mechanism, solving the problem of floating rotation center of the glenohumeral joint and avoiding human-machine resistance; the absence of a gravity compensation spring ensures transparent force transmission, helping patients obtain accurate proprioceptive feedback; the integrated functional electrical stimulation system can simultaneously activate target muscles to achieve synergistic rehabilitation, and the device has a simple structure, is made of lightweight and high-strength materials, and is equipped with adjustable straps, possessing good wearability, portability, and adaptability, making it convenient for patients to use at home or in medical institutions for long-term use, effectively compensating for insufficient medical resources and improving the efficiency and effectiveness of rehabilitation training.

[0018] Other features and advantages of the invention will be set forth in the following description, and will be apparent in part from the description, or may be learned by practicing the invention. The objects and other advantages of the invention may be realized and obtained by means of the structures particularly pointed out in the written description and the accompanying drawings.

[0019] The technical solution of the present invention will be further described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings and embodiments. Attached Figure Description

[0020] The accompanying drawings are provided to further illustrate the invention and form part of the specification. They are used in conjunction with embodiments of the invention to explain the invention and do not constitute a limitation thereof. In the drawings:

[0021] Figure 1 This is a rear view of a shoulder joint exoskeleton device based on human-like movement mechanisms after being worn by a human body, according to the present invention.

[0022] Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram of the scissor-type scapular following mechanism in this invention;

[0023] Figure 3 This is a stress analysis diagram of the scissor-type scapular following mechanism in this invention.

[0024] In the diagram: 1 is the fixed shoulder joint, 2 is the drive wheel, 3 is the stimulation electrode, 4 is the common shoulder pivot, 5 is the long shoulder rod, 6 is the short shoulder rod, 7 is the electrode pulse release device, 8 is the back plate, 9 is the symmetry center pivot, 10 is the shoulder abduction and adduction pivot, and 11 is the shoulder support component. Detailed Implementation

[0025] In this invention, unless otherwise explicitly specified and limited, the terms "installation," "connection," "linking," and "fixing," etc., should be interpreted broadly. For example, they can refer to a fixed connection, a detachable connection, or an integral connection; they can refer to a mechanical connection or an electrical connection; they can refer to a direct connection or an indirect connection through an intermediate medium; and they can refer to the internal connection of two components. Those skilled in the art can understand the specific meaning of the above terms in this invention according to the specific circumstances.

[0026] The preferred embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the accompanying drawings. It should be understood that the preferred embodiments described herein are for illustration and explanation only and are not intended to limit the present invention.

[0027] See Figure 1 and Figure 2 As shown, the present invention provides a shoulder exoskeleton device based on humanoid movement mechanisms, including a backplate 8, a shoulder joint mechanism, and a functional electrical stimulation system. The backplate 8 is worn on the patient's torso by straps, serving as the main support structure of the entire exoskeleton. The shoulder joint mechanism is located on one or both sides of the backplate 8. The shoulder joint mechanism includes a fixed shoulder joint 1, a drive wheel 2, a scissor-type scapular following mechanism, and a shoulder support 11. The fixed shoulder joint 1 is located on the backplate 8. The drive wheel 2 is mounted on the fixed shoulder joint 1 via a symmetrical central pivot 9. One end of the scissor-type scapular following mechanism is connected to the symmetrical central pivot 9, and the other end is connected to the shoulder support 11. The shoulder support 11 is used to fix the human shoulder. The scissor-type scapular following mechanism is used to passively follow the forward and backward movements of the human scapula. By rotating the drive wheel 2, the abduction and adduction movements of the shoulder joint are realized. The functional electrical stimulation system is used to assist in activating target muscles.

[0028] In embodiments of the present invention, the scissor-type scapula following mechanism is a parallelogram or rhomboid structure and a planar linkage mechanism capable of horizontal extension and retraction.

[0029] See Figure 1 and Figure 2 As shown, the scissor-type scapula following mechanism includes two long shoulder rods 5 and four short shoulder rods 6. The middle of the two long shoulder rods 5 is hinged through a shoulder abduction and retraction pivot 10. The two ends of the two long shoulder rods 5 are respectively hinged to the four short shoulder rods 6 through hinge pivots. The end of the short shoulder rod 6 located on the upper inner side is fixedly connected to the symmetry center pivot 9, and the end of the short shoulder rod 6 located on the lower inner side is rotatably connected to the symmetry center pivot 9. The ends of the two short shoulder rods 6 located on the outer side are hinged to the shoulder support member 11 through a common shoulder pivot 4, thereby forming two linked parallel four-bar linkages.

[0030] Specifically, the shoulder abduction and adduction pivot 10 is fixedly connected to one of the shoulder long rods 5, while the other shoulder long rod 5 is rotatably connected to the shoulder abduction and adduction pivot 10 via a bushing. The shoulder abduction and adduction pivot 10 is used to realize the abduction and adduction movements of the shoulder joint. The rotation axis of the shoulder abduction and adduction pivot 10 is aligned with the coronal plane rotation axis of the human shoulder joint, and the rotation range is 0° to 180°. The scissor-type scapular following mechanism solves the technical problem of the floating center of rotation of the glenohumeral joint. As the arm is raised, the rotation of the clavicle and the sliding of the scapula cause the center of rotation of the shoulder joint to shift horizontally. The scissor mechanism can passively follow this change, achieving real-time alignment between the exoskeleton joint center and the human joint center, avoiding the generation of human-machine resistance forces.

[0031] In this embodiment, to compensate for the displacement of the glenohumeral joint rotation center, a scissor-type scapular following mechanism is used to achieve scapular extension and retraction following. When the human scapula extends or retracts, the scissor-type scapular following mechanism adaptively extends and retracts in the horizontal direction; that is, when the human scapula extends, the scissor-type scapular following mechanism extends forward; when the human scapula retracts, the scissor-type scapular following mechanism retracts backward. This passive following mechanism allows the exoskeleton's shoulder joint rotation center to track the displacement of the human glenohumeral joint rotation center in real time, maintaining kinematic consistency and eliminating human-machine kinematic conflicts.

[0032] Furthermore, the scissor-type scapular follower mechanism has a horizontal extension range of 0 to 30 mm, matching the physiological range of motion of the human scapula. The human shoulder joint is a complex ball-and-socket joint system, and its center of rotation is not a fixed point. Studies have shown that as the humerus elevates, the rotation of the clavicle and the sliding of the scapula along the chest wall both cause a horizontal displacement of the glenohumeral joint's center of rotation, with a displacement range of approximately 0 to 30 mm. If the exoskeleton's joint center does not align with the human anatomical joint center, it will create resistance to movement and ergonomic conflicts, leading to discomfort and even limiting the range of motion.

[0033] The scissor-type scapula following mechanism of the present invention achieves kinematic coupling without providing any active assistance or gravity compensation. Its function is only to passively follow the movement of the human scapula, ensuring the kinematic compatibility between the exoskeleton and the human body.

[0034] See Figure 1 As shown, in an embodiment of the present invention, the functional electrical stimulation system includes a stimulation electrode 3 and an electrode pulse releaser 7, wherein the electrode pulse releaser 7 is disposed on a back plate 8, the stimulation electrode 3 is attached to the surface of the target muscle group of the upper limb (such as the deltoid muscle, biceps brachii, etc.) and is connected to the electrode pulse releaser 7 through a wire, and the electrode pulse releaser 7 is used to generate and control electrical stimulation pulses.

[0035] Furthermore, the electrode pulse releaser 7 synchronously triggers electrical stimulation based on the motion signals of the shoulder joint mechanism to assist the target muscle contraction and achieve synergistic rehabilitation of active movement and electrical stimulation.

[0036] Specifically, the backplate 8 is made of lightweight, high-strength materials, such as carbon fiber composites or aluminum alloys. The backplate 8 is secured to the human torso via flexible straps of adjustable length. The straps can be made of silicone or fabric, providing a comfortable and breathable fit against the skin. The length of the straps can be adjusted according to the patient's anthropometric parameters to ensure a secure and comfortable fit, adapting to the needs of patients of different body types.

[0037] See Figure 3 As shown, a finite element stress analysis was performed on the scissor-type scapular following mechanism to verify that its structural strength meets the usage requirements. The analysis results show that under normal operating conditions, the equivalent stress distribution of the shoulder long rod 5 and the shoulder short rod 6 is uniform, with the maximum equivalent stress of 151.69 MPa occurring at the hinge of the common shoulder pivot 4. This stress is far below the yield strength of the material, ensuring the reliability and durability of the mechanism.

[0038] This invention eliminates the use of springs for gravity compensation in the shoulder joint area, ensuring maximum transparency in force transmission. This facilitates accurate proprioceptive feedback for the patient and promotes the stimulation of neural plasticity. The invention integrates a functional electrical stimulation system consisting of a stimulation electrode 3 and an electrode pulse releaser 7, which can simultaneously activate target muscles and enhance rehabilitation effects. The invention is simple in structure, lightweight, and highly wearable and portable, making it convenient for patients to use long-term in daily life and at home.

[0039] This invention is particularly suitable for the following applications: home rehabilitation training for stroke-induced hemiplegic patients, assisted rehabilitation treatment in medical institutions, and daily living assistance for patients with upper limb motor dysfunction. Due to its lightweight design, patients can wear it for extended periods in daily life, significantly increasing the duration and frequency of rehabilitation training. It is expected to effectively promote the recovery of motor function and improve functional independence through repetitive and task-oriented training.

[0040] Obviously, those skilled in the art can make various modifications and variations to this invention without departing from its spirit and scope. Therefore, if these modifications and variations fall within the scope of the claims of this invention and their equivalents, this invention also intends to include these modifications and variations.

Claims

1. A shoulder exoskeleton device based on human-like motion mechanism, characterized in that, The shoulder joint mechanism is arranged on one side or both sides of the back plate (8), and the shoulder joint mechanism comprises a fixed shoulder joint (1), a driving wheel (2), a scissor-type scapula following mechanism and a shoulder support (11), wherein the fixed shoulder joint (1) is arranged on the back plate (8), the driving wheel (2) is installed on the fixed shoulder joint (1) through a center of symmetry rotating shaft (9), one end of the scissor-type scapula following mechanism is connected with the center of symmetry rotating shaft (9), and the other end is connected with the shoulder support (11), the shoulder support (11) is used for being fixed with the human body shoulder, and the scissor-type scapula following mechanism is used for passively following the forward extension and rear shrinkage movement of the human body scapula; the abduction and adduction movement of the shoulder joint is realized by rotating the driving wheel (2); and the functional electrical stimulation system is used for assisting in activating the target muscle.

2. The shoulder exoskeleton device based on human-like motion mechanism according to claim 1, characterized in that, The scissor-type scapula following mechanism is a parallelogram or rhombus structure and a plane link mechanism capable of extending and retracting in a horizontal direction.

3. The shoulder exoskeleton device based on human-like motion mechanism according to claim 2, characterized in that, The scissor-type scapula following mechanism comprises two shoulder long rods (5) and four shoulder short rods (6), wherein the middle portions of the two shoulder long rods (5) are hinged through a shoulder abduction and adduction rotating shaft (10), the two ends of the two shoulder long rods (5) are respectively hinged with the four shoulder short rods (6), the ends of the two shoulder short rods (6) on the inner side are respectively fixedly connected and rotatably connected with the center of symmetry rotating shaft (9), and the ends of the two shoulder short rods (6) on the outer side are hinged with the shoulder support (11) through a shoulder shared rotating shaft (4).

4. The shoulder exoskeleton device based on human-like motion mechanism according to claim 3, characterized in that, The shoulder abduction and adduction rotating shaft (10) is used for realizing the abduction and adduction movement of the shoulder joint, the rotating axis of the shoulder abduction and adduction rotating shaft (10) is aligned with the coronal plane rotating axis of the human body shoulder joint, and the rotating range is 0° to 180°.

5. The shoulder exoskeleton device based on human-like motion mechanism according to claim 1, characterized in that, The horizontal extension and retraction range of the scissor-type scapula following mechanism is 0 to 30 mm.

6. The shoulder exoskeleton device based on human-like motion mechanism according to claim 1, characterized in that, The functional electrical stimulation system comprises a stimulating electrode (3) and an electrode pulse releaser (7), wherein the electrode pulse releaser (7) is arranged on the back plate (8), the stimulating electrode (3) is attached to the surface of the target muscle group of the upper limb of the human body and is connected with the electrode pulse releaser (7) through a wire, and the electrode pulse releaser (7) is used for generating and controlling the electrical stimulation pulse.

7. The shoulder exoskeleton device based on human-like motion mechanism according to claim 6, characterized in that, The electrode pulse releaser (7) synchronously triggers the electrical stimulation according to the movement signal of the shoulder joint mechanism, assists in the contraction of the target muscle, and realizes the synergistic rehabilitation of active movement and electrical stimulation.

8. The shoulder exoskeleton device based on human-like motion mechanism according to claim 1, characterized in that, The back plate (8) is made of light-weight high-strength material, and the back plate (8) is bound with the human body trunk through a length-adjustable binding belt.

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