Self-adaptive tremor suppression hand function auxiliary device for patients with Parkinson's disease

Abstract

The invention provides a Parkinson's disease patient hand function assisting device capable of achieving self-adaptive tremor suppression. The Parkinson's disease patient hand function assisting device comprises a supporting mechanism and an anti-tremor mechanism. The supporting mechanism is used for fixing palms and fingers of a user. The anti-tremor mechanism comprises a palm placing plate, a finger placing plate and an anti-tremor assembly. The core of the anti-tremor assembly is a damping module and an adjusting module, the damping module decomposes the hand composite motion based on the inherent response characteristics of the motion frequency and amplitude of the damping module, remarkable damping force is generated for high-frequency and low-amplitude tremor motion to restrain the high-frequency and low-amplitude tremor motion, and meanwhile low resistance is kept for low-frequency and large-amplitude intentional motion. A user can manually change the resistance threshold pre-tightening force of the damping module through the adjusting module so as to match individualized tremor characteristics, pathological tremor can be effectively distinguished and inhibited, meanwhile, interference on autonomous movement of the user is minimized, and the adaptability of hand function assistance and user experience are improved.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the field of medical rehabilitation equipment technology, and in particular to an adaptive tremor suppression assistive device for hand function in Parkinson's disease patients. Background Technology

[0002] Parkinson's disease is a common neurodegenerative disease, one of its typical symptoms being resting tremor, characterized by involuntary, rhythmic shaking of the hands. This tremor severely affects patients' ability to perform daily activities, such as holding objects, eating, and writing. Currently, interventions for Parkinson's tremor mainly include medication and deep brain stimulation surgery. However, medication has side effects and fluctuating efficacy, while surgery is invasive and carries high risks.

[0003] There are also some mechanical or semi-mechanical hand anti-tremor devices in the existing technology. Most of these devices use rigid support or simple elastic restraint. Although they can limit the amplitude of tremors to a certain extent, they often restrict all hand movements. While suppressing tremors, they also seriously hinder the user's conscious voluntary movements (intentional movements), resulting in uncomfortable wearing of the device and poor practicality.

[0004] Enabling devices to intelligently distinguish between harmful vibrations and beneficial autonomous movements, and to provide differentiated mechanical responses, is key to improving the practicality and user experience of such devices. Summary of the Invention

[0005] The purpose of this invention is to overcome the shortcomings of the prior art and provide an adaptive tremor suppression assistive device for hand function in Parkinson's disease patients. It can effectively distinguish and suppress pathological high-frequency tremors, while maintaining low resistance to low-frequency voluntary movements, and allows users to make personalized adjustments according to their own tremor characteristics.

[0006] The technical solution adopted by the embodiments of this application to solve its technical problem is: An adaptive tremor suppression assistive device for hand function in Parkinson's disease patients, including a support mechanism; A shock-absorbing mechanism, located at the top of the support mechanism, is used to perform shock-absorbing operations on the patient's fingers; The vibration damping mechanism includes: A palm resting plate that contacts the supporting mechanism; A finger placement plate is disposed at one end of the palm placement plate; An anti-vibration component is disposed at the bottom end of the finger placement plate, and the other end of the anti-vibration component is connected to the support mechanism.

[0007] Preferably, the anti-vibration component includes a damping module connected to the finger placement plate, and an adjustment module at its bottom for adjusting the damping module. Changing the size of the adjustment module is used to adjust the damping module.

[0008] Preferably, the damping module includes a spring damper and a sleeve fitted over it, and a support is provided at the top of the spring damper, which is connected to the finger placement plate through the support.

[0009] Preferably, the adjustment module includes a first lead screw and a second lead screw. The first lead screw is provided with a first connecting post at the bottom end of the sleeve, and its top end contacts the bottom end of the sleeve. The second lead screw is provided with a holding handle at its top end, and the bottom end of the first lead screw is provided with a second connecting post.

[0010] Preferably, the support mechanism includes a palm support plate and a finger support plate, wherein the palm support plate contacts the palm placement plate and the finger support plate corresponds to the finger placement plate.

[0011] Preferably, the palm rest plate is provided with a first connecting strap and a second connecting strap for securing the wrist.

[0012] Preferably, the ends of the first lead screw and the second lead screw connected to the gripping handle are fixedly connected.

[0013] Preferably, the first lead screw and the second lead screw, and the first connecting post and the second connecting post are threaded connections.

[0014] Preferably, the ends of the first connecting strap and the second connecting strap away from the palm rest are respectively provided with Velcro.

[0015] Rotating the handle causes the first and second lead screws to rotate, which changes the height of the adjustment module, thereby adjusting the initial compression of the spring damper to set the damping force threshold.

[0016] The advantages of the embodiments of this application are: By utilizing the inherent response characteristics of mechanical damping elements such as spring dampers to the frequency and amplitude of motion, a purely physical mechanical filter is constructed. This filter can automatically and in real time decompose complex hand motion signals: it generates high damping force for pathological tremors with high frequency and small amplitude, effectively dissipating their energy; while it presents a low resistance state for user-initiated movements with low frequency and large amplitude, fundamentally overcoming the drawbacks of existing rigid or simple elastic devices that restrict all movements.

[0017] A sophisticated mechanical adjustment module allows users or rehabilitation therapists to manually and continuously adjust the initial preload or operating point of the damping module based on individual tremor severity, primary frequency components, and muscle strength differences. This enables precise tuning of the device's resistance threshold to match the individualized needs of different patients, different disease stages, and even different activity scenarios, significantly improving the effectiveness and comfort of the intervention. Attached Figure Description

[0018] The present invention will be further described below with reference to the accompanying drawings and embodiments.

[0019] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the overall structure of the adaptive tremor suppression assistive device for hand function in Parkinson's disease patients according to the present invention; Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram of the overall structure of the support mechanism in the adaptive tremor suppression assistive device for hand function in Parkinson's disease patients according to the present invention; Figure 3 This is a schematic diagram of the overall structure of the anti-tremor mechanism in the adaptive tremor suppression assistive device for hand function in Parkinson's disease patients according to the present invention; Figure 4 This is a schematic diagram of the overall structure of the anti-tremor component in the adaptive tremor suppression assistive device for hand function in Parkinson's disease patients according to the present invention; Figure 5 This is an exploded structural diagram of the anti-tremor component in the adaptive tremor suppression assistive device for hand function in Parkinson's disease patients according to the present invention.

[0020] Explanation of key figure labels: 100. Supporting institutions; 11. Palm support plate; 12. Finger support plate; 13. First connecting strap; 14. Second connecting strap; 200. Anti-vibration mechanism; 21. Anti-vibration component; 211. Support column; 212. Spring damper; 213. Sleeve; 214. First connecting post; 215. First lead screw; 216. Handle; 217. Second lead screw; 218. Second connecting post; 22. Finger placement plate; 23. Palm placement plate. Detailed Implementation

[0021] The technical solutions of the embodiments of the present invention will be clearly and completely described below with reference to the accompanying drawings. Obviously, the described embodiments are only a part of the embodiments of the present invention, and not all of the embodiments. Based on the embodiments of the present invention, all other embodiments obtained by those of ordinary skill in the art without creative effort are within the scope of protection of the present invention. In addition, for the sake of convenience, the terms "upper," "lower," "left," and "right" are equivalent to the upper, lower, left, and right directions of the accompanying drawings themselves, and the terms "first," "second," etc., are used for descriptive purposes and have no other special meaning.

[0022] This application provides an adaptive tremor suppression assistive device for the hand function of Parkinson's disease patients, solving the problems in the prior art. It utilizes the inherent response characteristics of mechanical damping elements such as spring dampers to the frequency and amplitude of movement to construct a purely physical mechanical filter that can automatically and in real time decompose complex hand movement signals: it generates high damping force for pathological tremors with high frequency and small amplitude, effectively dissipating their energy; while it presents a low resistance state for the user's voluntary movements with low frequency and large amplitude, fundamentally overcoming the drawbacks of existing rigid or simple elastic devices that restrict all movements.

[0023] A sophisticated mechanical adjustment module allows users or rehabilitation therapists to manually and continuously adjust the initial preload or operating point of the damping module based on individual tremor severity, primary frequency components, and muscle strength differences. This enables precise tuning of the device's resistance threshold to match the individualized needs of different patients, different disease stages, and even different activity scenarios, significantly improving the effectiveness and comfort of the intervention.

[0024] The technical solution in this application is to solve the above problems, and the overall approach is as follows: This embodiment provides the specific structure of an adaptive tremor suppression assistive device for hand function in Parkinson's disease patients, such as... Figure 1-5 As shown, it includes a support mechanism 100; The support mechanism 100 includes a palm support plate 11 and a finger support plate 12. The palm support plate 11 is in contact with the palm placement plate 23, and the finger support plate 12 corresponds to the finger placement plate 22.

[0025] The palm support plate 11 is provided with a first connecting strap 13 and a second connecting strap 14 for fixing the wrist; The first connecting strap 13 and the second connecting strap 14 are respectively provided with Velcro at the ends away from the palm support plate 11.

[0026] Furthermore, the support mechanism 100 is primarily used to provide a stable support platform for the patient's hand. It includes an integrally or detachably connected palm rest 11 and finger rest 12. The palm rest 11 supports the patient's palm and wrist, and its surface can be padded with soft material to enhance comfort. On the side of the palm rest 11 near the wrist, a first connecting strap 13 and a second connecting strap 14 are provided for securing the wrist. One end of the first connecting strap 13 and the second connecting strap 14 is fixed to the side of the palm rest 11, and the other end has interlocking Velcro, allowing the operator to easily adjust the tightness according to the patient's wrist size and achieve a secure fixation, ensuring wrist stability during treatment.

[0027] The anti-vibration mechanism 200 is located at the top of the support mechanism 100 and is used to perform anti-vibration operations on the patient's fingers. The anti-tremor mechanism 200 is located at the top of the support mechanism 100 and is used to provide adjustable damping force to suppress involuntary tremors when the patient performs finger extension or fine motor skills training. The anti-tremor mechanism 200 mainly includes a palm placement plate 23, a finger placement plate 22, and an anti-tremor component 21.

[0028] The 200 shock-absorbing mechanisms include: The palm placement plate 23 is in contact with the support mechanism 100; A finger placement plate 22 is disposed at one end of a palm placement plate 23. The lower surface of the palm placement plate 23 contacts or is connected to the upper surface of the palm support plate 11 of the support mechanism 100 through a limiting structure to ensure its relatively fixed position. The finger placement plate 22 is disposed at the end of the palm placement plate 23 corresponding to the finger direction via a hinge or flexible connector, allowing the patient's fingers to be placed on the finger placement plate 22. When the patient attempts to move their fingers, the finger placement plate 22 will rotate or shift accordingly. The shock absorber 21 is located at the bottom of the finger placement plate 22, and the other end of the shock absorber 21 is connected to the support mechanism 100.

[0029] The anti-vibration component 21 includes a damping module connected to the finger placement plate 22. Its bottom end has an adjustment module for adjusting the damping module. Changing the size of the adjustment module allows for adjustment of the damping module. The anti-vibration component 21 is the core component for achieving the anti-vibration function of this invention. It is located at the bottom end of the finger placement plate 22, and its other end is connected to the finger support plate 12 or base of the support mechanism 100. The anti-vibration component 21 includes a damping module and an adjustment module.

[0030] The damping module includes a spring damper 212 and a sleeve 213 fitted over it. A support post 211 is provided at the top of the spring damper 212, and the support post 211 is connected to the finger placement plate 22.

[0031] Furthermore, the damping module provides resistance to suppress tremors. In this embodiment, the damping module includes a spring damper 212 and a sleeve 213 fitted over it. The top of the spring damper 212 is fixedly connected to the bottom surface of the finger placement plate 22 via a support 211. When the finger placement plate 22 is subjected to a force from the patient's finger and moves downward, it compresses the spring damper 212. The damping medium inside the spring damper 212 generates a damping force opposite to the direction of movement, thereby absorbing and slowing down tremor energy. The sleeve 213 serves to protect the spring damper 212 and guide the direction of movement.

[0032] The adjustment module includes a first lead screw 215 and a second lead screw 217. The first lead screw 215 and the second lead screw 217 are fixedly connected to the end of the handle 216. The first lead screw 215 is provided with a first connecting post 214 at the bottom end of the sleeve 213, and its top end contacts the bottom end of the sleeve 213. The second lead screw 217 is provided with a handle 216 at its top end, and the first lead screw 215 is provided with a second connecting post 218 at its bottom end. The rotating handle 216 rotates the first lead screw 215 and the second lead screw 217, which can change the height of the adjustment module, thereby adjusting the initial compression of the spring damper 212 to set the damping force threshold. The first lead screw 215 and the second lead screw 217 are threadedly connected to the first connecting post 214 and the second connecting post 218.

[0033] The adjustment module is used to change the initial state of the damping module, thereby setting the force threshold for triggering the damping action. The adjustment module includes a first lead screw 215 and a second lead screw 217. The top end of the first lead screw 215 contacts or connects to the bottom end of the sleeve 213 via a first connecting post 214. The first connecting post 214 and the bottom end of the sleeve 213 can be connected by a bearing or a simple support relationship, allowing the sleeve 213 to move within a certain range. The top end of the second lead screw 217 is fixedly connected to a handle 216 for easy rotation by the operator. The bottom end of the first lead screw 215 is provided with a second connecting post 218, and the top end of the second lead screw 217 is fixedly connected to the handle 216, with its screw portion threadedly engaged with the second connecting post 218. Simultaneously, the first lead screw 215 and the first connecting post 214 are also threadedly connected.

[0034] The adjustment principle is as follows: When it is necessary to adjust the anti-vibration sensitivity of the device, the operator rotates the handle 216. Since the handle 216 is fixedly connected to the second lead screw 217, the second lead screw 217 rotates accordingly. Through the threaded engagement between the second lead screw 217 and the second connecting post 218, and the threaded engagement between the first lead screw 215 and the first connecting post 214, the rotational motion is converted into a change in the axial distance between the first lead screw 215 and the second lead screw 217, thereby changing the overall vertical height of the adjustment module. The change in the height of the adjustment module will directly raise or lower the sleeve 213 and the spring damper 212 connected to it, which changes the initial compression of the spring damper 212.

[0035] The greater the initial compression, the greater the preload of the spring, requiring the patient to exert more force to begin compressing the spring damper 212 and trigger a significant damping effect; conversely, the smaller the initial compression, the more sensitive the damping effect is to small force changes. In this way, therapists can precisely set an appropriate damping force threshold based on the severity of the patient's tremor and the stage of rehabilitation, achieving individualized and progressive rehabilitation training.

[0036] In use, the patient places their wrist on the palm support plate 11 and secures it with the first connecting strap 13 and the second connecting strap 14. The fingers to be trained are straightened, with the fingertips resting on the finger placement plate 22. The patient attempts to actively control the fingers to perform slow flexion and extension or maintain a specific posture. When involuntary tremors occur, the tremor force is transmitted to the finger placement plate 22, attempting to cause it to move rapidly. At this time, the spring damper 212 in the anti-tremor component 21 generates an adjustable damping force opposite to the direction of the tremor, effectively suppressing abnormal finger tremors and helping the patient to regain perception and learn stable muscle control. By adjusting the module to set different damping thresholds, the difficulty of training can be gradually increased, promoting the recovery of neuromuscular function.

[0037] Working principle Before training begins, the therapist personalizes the damping force threshold of the device based on the patient's tremor amplitude, muscle tone, and rehabilitation goals. The operator rotates the handle 216 at the bottom of the anti-tremor component 21, driving the adjustment module, composed of the first lead screw 215 and the second lead screw 217, to extend or retract, thereby changing its overall height. The height change of the adjustment module directly affects the bottom of the sleeve 213 of the damping module, lifting it upwards or releasing the sleeve 213 and the internal spring damper 212 downwards.

[0038] For patients with severe tremor: the initial compression can be increased. At this point, the spring preload is greater, meaning the patient needs to apply a relatively large, conscious effort to overcome the preload and further compress the damper. Minor, involuntary tremor forces, being below this threshold, are effectively blocked and cannot elicit a noticeable response from the device, thus physically suppressing the occurrence of large-amplitude tremors.

[0039] For patients with mild tremor or in the rising phase: the initial compression can be reduced. At this point, the damping system becomes more sensitive, responding to even minute changes in force. This allows the device to smoothly suppress subtle jitters during the patient's attempts at fine, low-amplitude motor control, helping the patient experience and solidify stable movement patterns.

[0040] After setup, the patient fixes their wrist to the support mechanism 100 and places their fingers on the finger placement plate 22. When the patient attempts to execute rehabilitation instructions, their conscious, active muscle contraction force is transmitted to the finger placement plate 22.

[0041] When the active force exceeds a preset threshold: the finger placement plate 22 overcomes the initial preload of the spring damper 212 and begins to press down smoothly. The spring damper 212 is compressed, and the viscous damping force generated by its internal damping medium through the throttling orifice provides smooth, linear resistance throughout the pressing process. This process trains the patient's active muscle strength and control ability.

[0042] When involuntary tremors occur: the tremor manifests as a high-frequency, low-amplitude, unintentional alternating muscle contractions. This force is superimposed on the active force, attempting to cause a sudden, rapid, minute displacement of the finger placement plate 22. At this point, the damping characteristics of the spring damper 212 immediately come into play.

[0043] Finally, it should be noted that the above embodiments are merely examples for clearly illustrating the present invention and are not intended to limit the implementation. Those skilled in the art will recognize that other variations or modifications can be made based on the above description. It is neither necessary nor possible to exhaustively list all possible implementations. However, obvious variations or modifications derived therefrom are still within the scope of protection of this invention.

Claims

1. An adaptive tremor suppression assistive device for hand function in Parkinson's disease patients, characterized in that, include: Support structure (100); A shock-absorbing mechanism (200), which is located at the top of the support mechanism (100), is used to perform shock-absorbing operations on the patient's fingers; The vibration damping mechanism (200) includes: A palm resting plate (23) is in contact with the support mechanism (100); A finger placement plate (22) is disposed at one end of the palm placement plate (23); An anti-vibration component (21) is disposed at the bottom end of the finger placement plate (22), and the other end of the anti-vibration component (21) is connected to the support mechanism (100).

2. The adaptive tremor suppression assistive device for hand function in Parkinson's disease patients according to claim 1, characterized in that, The anti-vibration component (21) includes a damping module connected to the finger placement plate (22), and its bottom end is provided with an adjustment module that can adjust the damping module. Changing the size of the adjustment module is used to adjust the damping module.

3. The adaptive tremor suppression assistive device for hand function in Parkinson's disease patients according to claim 2, characterized in that, The damping module includes a spring damper (212) and a sleeve (213) sleeved on the outside. The top of the spring damper (212) is provided with a support (211), which is connected to the finger placement plate (22) through the support (211).

4. The adaptive tremor suppression assistive device for hand function in Parkinson's disease patients according to claim 3, characterized in that, The adjustment module includes a first lead screw (215) and a second lead screw (217). The first lead screw (215) is provided with a first connecting post (214) at the bottom end of the sleeve (213), and its top end is in contact with the bottom end of the sleeve (213). The second lead screw (217) is provided with a handle (216) at its top end, and the first lead screw (215) is provided with a second connecting post (218) at its bottom end.

5. The adaptive tremor suppression assistive device for hand function in Parkinson's disease patients according to claim 1, characterized in that, The support mechanism (100) includes a palm support plate (11) and a finger support plate (12). The palm support plate (11) is in contact with the palm placement plate (23), and the finger support plate (12) corresponds to the finger placement plate (22).

6. The adaptive tremor suppression assistive device for hand function in Parkinson's disease patients according to claim 5, characterized in that, The palm rest (11) is provided with a first connecting strap (13) and a second connecting strap (14) for fixing the wrist.

7. The adaptive tremor suppression assistive device for hand function in Parkinson's disease patients according to claim 4, characterized in that, The first lead screw (215) and the second lead screw (217) are fixedly connected to the end of the gripping handle (216).

8. The adaptive tremor suppression assistive device for hand function in Parkinson's disease patients according to claim 7, characterized in that, The first lead screw (215) and the second lead screw (217), the first connecting post (214) and the second connecting post (218) are threaded connections.

9. The adaptive tremor suppression assistive device for hand function in Parkinson's disease patients according to claim 6, characterized in that, The first connecting strip (13) and the second connecting strip (14) are respectively provided with Velcro at the ends away from the palm rest (11).

10. The adaptive tremor suppression assistive device for hand function in Parkinson's disease patients according to claim 9, characterized in that, Rotating the handle (216) causes the first lead screw (215) and the second lead screw (217) to rotate, which can change the height of the adjustment module, thereby adjusting the initial compression of the spring damper (212) to set the damping force threshold.

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