Deviation-preventing soft actuator and hand pneumatic power assisting device

Abstract

The utility model discloses an anti-deviation soft actuator and a hand pneumatic power assisting device, and relates to the technical field of soft robots. The anti-deviation soft body actuator comprises a fixing clamp and a fixing part, wherein the fixing clamp comprises at least two fixing parts; one limiting part is arranged between every two fixing parts, and flexible hinges are arranged at the joints of the limiting parts and the fixing parts; the limiting part comprises at least three sub-limiting parts, and every two adjacent sub-limiting parts are connected through a flexible hinge; the corrugated pipe is installed on the fixing clamp and comprises a corrugated air bag, the corrugated air bag is located above the limiting part, and the corrugated air bag communicates with an air inlet; the connecting parts are arranged on the two sides of the corrugated air bag and fixedly installed in the fixing parts. When the anti-deviation soft actuator is applied to the rehabilitation glove, the anti-deviation soft actuator is more attached to the hand, and the comfort of a user is improved. And by arranging the soft base, the situation that when the corrugated pipe is filled with over-atmospheric pressure, the fixing clamp extrudes fingers, and consequently secondary injuries are caused can be avoided.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The utility model belongs to the technical field of soft robots, and in particular relates to an anti-deflection soft actuator and a hand pneumatic power-assisting device. Background Art

[0002] With the development of human society, diseases such as stroke and cerebral infarction are becoming increasingly serious. Most patients are unable to take care of themselves due to the loss of hand function. The high medical costs and subsequent artificial rehabilitation training costs impose a huge economic burden on families and society. Therefore, the use of soft rehabilitation training gloves can enable patients to undergo effective rehabilitation training, not only reducing the workload of rehabilitation medical staff, but also reducing treatment costs, thereby enabling patients to achieve independent recovery under the guidance of a physician.

[0003] Bellows-shaped soft actuators are currently widely used in the market. They offer excellent bending properties and, when used in rehabilitation gloves, have demonstrated significant therapeutic benefits for patients of varying degrees of disability. However, when external forces drive the soft actuator to bend, it can cause twisting, lateral bending, over-extension, and over-shortening. This can lead to a poor fit between the glove and the hand, and the glove becoming detached from the hand. This in turn causes energy loss in the soft actuator due to lateral bending, twisting, over-extension, and over-shortening, reducing the bending force exerted by the soft actuator on the finger and compromising the therapeutic effect.

[0004] Typically, the bellows and actuator anti-deflection mechanism are manufactured separately and then assembled. During assembly, the anti-deflection mechanism and bellows may need to be damaged to assemble, which not only reduces the strength of the anti-deflection mechanism but also affects its aesthetics. Anti-deflection soft actuators are typically made of relatively hard materials. When used in rehabilitation gloves, if the bellows is inflated to excessive atmospheric pressure, the anti-deflection mechanism can over-compress the fingers, causing secondary injuries. Utility Model Content

[0005] The purpose of the utility model is to provide an anti-deflection soft actuator and a hand pneumatic power-assisting device, which solves the problem in the prior art that when the soft actuator is used on the rehabilitation glove, it may be twisted, bent sideways, over-extended or over-shortened under the drive of external force, resulting in the rehabilitation glove not fitting the hand well.

[0006] In order to solve the above technical problems, the present invention is achieved through the following technical solutions:

[0007] The utility model provides an anti-deflection soft actuator, which includes: a fixing fixture, and the fixing fixture includes:

[0008] at least two fixing portions;

[0009] A limiting portion, wherein a limiting portion is provided between every two fixing portions, and the connection between the limiting portion and the fixing portion is a flexible hinge; the limiting portion includes at least three sub-limiting portions, and two adjacent sub-limiting portions are connected by a flexible hinge;

[0010] A bellows is mounted on the fixing fixture, and the bellows comprises:

[0011] a corrugated airbag, the corrugated airbag being located above the limiting portion and being connected to an air inlet;

[0012] The connecting parts are arranged on both sides of the corrugated airbag and fixedly installed in the fixing part.

[0013] In one embodiment of the present invention, the sub-limiting portion is configured as a curved surface or a U-shaped surface on a side close to the bellows, and the crest structure of the bellows airbag corresponds to the curved surface or the U-shaped surface.

[0014] In one embodiment of the present invention, the flexible hinge near the top of the sub-limiting portion is a first hinge, the flexible hinge near the bottom of the sub-limiting portion is a second hinge, the fixed portion and the limiting portion are connected by the first hinge, and each sub-limiting portion is connected by the first hinge or the second hinge respectively;

[0015] When the number of the sub-limiting portions is odd, the first hinge and the second hinge are symmetrically arranged about a sub-limiting portion located in the middle of the plurality of sub-limiting portions, and at least two second hinges are included;

[0016] When the number of the sub-limiting portions is even, the first hinge and the second hinge are symmetrically arranged with respect to a flexible hinge located between two middle sub-limiting portions among the plurality of the sub-limiting portions, and include at least two second hinges.

[0017] In one embodiment of the present invention, it also includes a base, the hardness of the base is less than the hardness of the fixing clamp, the base includes a fixing block and a flexible connector, two adjacent fixing blocks are connected by the flexible connector, the fixing block is connected to the fixing part, the flexible connector is matched with the limiting part, and the flexible connector is provided with a first groove or no groove.

[0018] In one embodiment of the present invention, fractures are provided at the bottoms of the fixing portion and the limiting portion along the axis of the fixing fixture.

[0019] In one embodiment of the present invention, the fixing portion includes a mounting seat and a base, and the mounting seat is detachably connected to the base;

[0020] The mounting seat and the base are assembled to form a mounting opening, and the connecting portion cooperates with the mounting opening and is installed in the mounting opening.

[0021] In one embodiment of the present invention, a mounting hole is provided at the bottom of the mounting seat, and a mounting block is provided at the base, or a mounting hole is provided at the base, and a mounting block is provided at the bottom of the mounting seat, and the mounting block is installed in the mounting hole to form the mounting port.

[0022] In one embodiment of the present invention, slots are provided on both sides of the base, and buckles are provided on both sides of the mounting seat. When the base and the mounting seat are closed, the buckles engage with the slots.

[0023] In one embodiment of the present invention, a mounting opening is provided on one side of the fixing portion, and the mounting openings of two adjacent fixing portions face opposite directions.

[0024] In order to achieve the above-mentioned and other related purposes, the present application further provides a hand pneumatic power assist device, which includes:

[0025] An anti-deflection soft actuator, wherein the anti-deflection soft actuator adopts any of the anti-deflection soft actuators described above;

[0026] A sensor for detecting a bending angle and an output force of the anti-deflection soft actuator;

[0027] an air source for inflating the bellows of the anti-deflection soft actuator;

[0028] A control module is used to receive the bending angle and output force data detected by the sensor and control the air source.

[0029] The present invention utilizes a combination structure of a flexible hinge and a sub-limiting portion to provide a limiter. The flexible hinge is easy to bend normally, and the sub-limiting portion can have greater rigidity, thereby improving the limiter's ability to resist lateral bending, effectively limiting lateral bending of the bellows, and reducing energy loss caused by lateral bending deformation of the bellows. The limiter primarily changes its length through bending deformation at the flexible hinge, rather than through overall tensile deformation. This allows for the normal bending and stretching of the bellows while limiting excessive elongation and shortening. When used in rehabilitation gloves, the bellows can increase the bending force exerted by the bellows on the fingers, improve the bellows' driving efficiency, and enhance the stability and safety of the structure. This prevents the glove from becoming loose due to excessive elongation or shortening of the bellows, while also improving user comfort.

[0030] The utility model includes various combinations of the number, size and position of the sub-limiting parts and the flexible hinges, which can be selected according to different usage scenarios.

[0031] The utility model arranges the base at the bottom of the fixing part and the limiting part. The hardness of the base is less than that of the fixing clamp and the limiting part, which can prevent the anti-deflection mechanism from squeezing the fingers and causing secondary injuries when the bellows is filled with excessive atmospheric pressure.

[0032] The utility model makes the installation process of the corrugated pipe simpler and more convenient while maintaining the aesthetics of the structure by providing a fracture at the bottom of the fixing clamp or designing the fixing part as a split and detachable structure or providing an installation opening on the fixing part.

[0033] Of course, any product implementing the present invention does not necessarily need to achieve all of the advantages described above at the same time. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0034] In order to more clearly illustrate the technical solutions of the embodiments of the present invention, the following briefly introduces the drawings required for describing the embodiments. Obviously, the drawings described below are only some embodiments of the present invention. For ordinary technicians in this field, other drawings can be obtained based on these drawings without creative work.

[0035] Figure 1 A schematic structural diagram of an anti-deflection soft actuator provided by an exemplary embodiment of the present application.

[0036] Figure 2 A schematic structural diagram of a base provided for an exemplary embodiment of the present application.

[0037] Figure 3 A schematic diagram of the connection between a base and a fixing fixture provided in an exemplary embodiment of the present application.

[0038] Figure 4 A schematic diagram of the connection between a base and a fixing fixture provided in another exemplary embodiment of the present application.

[0039] Figure 5 A schematic diagram of the position of a flexible hinge provided in an exemplary embodiment of the present application.

[0040] Figure 6 A schematic diagram of the position of a flexible hinge provided in another exemplary embodiment of the present application.

[0041] Figure 7 A schematic structural diagram of a fixing fixture provided by an exemplary embodiment of the present application.

[0042] Figure 8 An exploded view of an anti-deflection soft actuator provided by an exemplary embodiment of the present application without a bellows installed.

[0043] Figure 9 This is a schematic structural diagram of a fixing portion provided by an exemplary embodiment of the present application.

[0044] Figure 10 This is a schematic structural diagram of a fixing portion provided in another exemplary embodiment of the present application.

[0045] Figure 11 Another exemplary embodiment of the present application provides a fixing portion and Figure 10 Schematic diagram of the structure on the opposite side.

[0046] Figure 12 A schematic structural diagram of a bellows provided as an exemplary embodiment of the present application.

[0047] Figure 13 A schematic structural diagram of a pneumatic hand assist device provided as an exemplary embodiment of the present application. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0048] The following describes the embodiments of the present invention through specific examples. Those skilled in the art will readily understand the other advantages and benefits of the present invention from the disclosure herein. The present invention may also be implemented or applied through various other specific embodiments, and the details in this specification may be modified or altered based on different perspectives and applications without departing from the spirit of the present invention.

[0049] In the description of the present invention, it should be noted that the terms "center", "up", "down", "left", "right", "vertical", "horizontal", "inside", "outside", etc., indicating directions or positional relationships, are based on the directions or positional relationships shown in the accompanying drawings. They are only for the convenience of describing the present invention and simplifying the description, and do not indicate or imply that the device or element referred to must have a specific direction, be constructed and operated in a specific direction. Therefore, they cannot be understood as limitations on the present invention.

[0050] In the description of this utility model, it should be noted that, unless otherwise expressly specified or limited, the terms "mounted," "connected," and "connected" should be understood in a broad sense. For example, they can refer to fixed connections, detachable connections, or integral connections; mechanical connections, electrical connections; direct connections, indirect connections through an intermediate medium, and internal communication between two components. Those skilled in the art will understand the specific meanings of the above terms in this utility model based on the specific circumstances.

[0051] See also Figure 1-2 As shown, the present application provides an anti-deflection soft actuator to address the problems of conventional soft actuators in rehabilitation gloves, such as twisting, lateral bending, excessive extension, and excessive shortening under external force, which can cause the rehabilitation gloves to not fit the hand well. Furthermore, bellows-shaped soft actuators are complex to install, and filling the bellows with excessive atmospheric pressure can cause the anti-deflection mechanism to over-compress the fingers, resulting in secondary injuries. The anti-deflection soft actuator specifically includes a fixing fixture 2 and a bellows 3. The fixing fixture 2 includes at least two fixing portions 21, with a limiting portion 22 disposed between each two fixing portions 21. The limiting portion 22 and the fixing portion 21 are connected by a flexible hinge 23. The bellows 3 is mounted on the fixing fixture 2 and includes a corrugated airbag 31 and a connecting portion 32. The corrugated airbag 31 is located above the limiting portion 22 and is connected to an air inlet. The connecting portion 32 is disposed on both sides of the corrugated airbag 31 and is fixedly mounted within the fixing portion 21. The bellows can be circular, elliptical, or have other special-shaped structures.

[0052] See also Figure 2 As shown, the anti-deflection soft actuator further includes a base 1, and the fixing fixture 2 is mounted on the base 1. The base 1 includes a fixing block 11 and a flexible connector 12. Adjacent fixing blocks 11 are connected by the flexible connector 12, and each fixing block 11 is fixedly mounted with a fixing portion 21. The flexible connector 12 is disposed correspondingly to the limiting portion 22. It should be noted that the hardness of the base 1 is less than that of the fixing portion 21 and the limiting portion 22, which can prevent the fixing fixture 2 from squeezing the fingers and causing secondary injury when the bellows 3 is filled with excessive atmospheric pressure.

[0053] See also Figure 3 and Figure 4 As shown, in an exemplary embodiment of the present application, the fixing block 11 and the flexible connector 12 are integrally formed to facilitate assembly of the fixing fixture 2 and the base 1, and facilitate assembly of the actuator to other components via the base 1. In some other embodiments, the base 1 may be provided with only a plurality of fixing blocks 11 to be fixedly connected to the fixing portion 21, thereby achieving assembly of the base 1 and the fixing fixture 2. The use of multiple fixing blocks 11 will not affect the bending performance of the bellows 3.

[0054] It should be understood that when the anti-deflection soft actuator is applied to a rehabilitation glove, the fixing fixture 2 of the present application can be mounted on the base 1 described in the above embodiment, and then the anti-deflection soft actuator can be mounted on the rehabilitation glove via the base 1. Alternatively, the actuator can be directly mounted on the rehabilitation glove by providing a structure that matches the fixing fixture 2. Of course, the rehabilitation glove and the base 1 can also be configured as an integrated structure, thereby assembling the fixing fixture 2 and the rehabilitation glove together.

[0055] See also Figure 5-6 As shown, in an exemplary embodiment of the present application, the fixing portion 21 is connected to the limiting portion 22 through a flexible hinge 23, and the limiting portion 22 includes at least three sub-limiting portions 221. The sub-limiting portions 221 and the sub-limiting portions 221 are also connected through a flexible hinge 23. The flexible hinge 23 is easy to bend normally, and the rigidity of the sub-limiting portion 211 can be relatively large, thereby improving the anti-lateral bending ability of the limiting portion 22 and effectively limiting the lateral bending of the bellows 3. The length of the entire limiting portion 22 is changed by the bending deformation of the flexible hinge 23, so that the limiting portion 22 can bend and rotate within a limited angle range to constrain the bending movement of the bellows 3, thereby satisfying the normal bending and stretching length changes of the bellows 3. In addition, by providing at least three of the sub-limiting portions 221, the bellows 3 can be limited from excessive extension and shortening in the front-to-back direction due to external force when being bent, so that the elongation of the bellows 3 matches the elongation of the finger when it is bent. When applied to rehabilitation gloves, the gloves can be made to fit more closely to the hands, preventing the gloves from falling off easily when bending and stretching due to external force, thereby improving the patient's comfort. It should be noted that in the present application, the thickness of the flexible hinge 23 has a great influence on the bending angle of the overall structure, and the length of the flexible hinge 23 has a great influence on the anti-deflection performance of the structure. Therefore, the length of the flexible hinge 23 is less than 2 mm and the thickness is less than 2 mm, which can make the bending performance and anti-deflection ability of the anti-deflection mechanism reach an ideal value. In addition, the fixing portion 21 and the limiting portion 22 are an integrated structure.

[0056] It should be understood that in order to ensure that the limiting portion 22 is evenly stressed when the bellows 3 is bent, the limiting portion 22 is symmetrically designed. In this embodiment, the flexible hinge 23 near the top of the sub-limiting portion is defined as a first hinge 231, and the flexible hinge 23 near the bottom of the sub-limiting portion 221 is defined as a second hinge 232. The fixed portion 21 and the limiting portion 22 are connected by the first hinge 231, and the sub-limiting portions 221 are connected to each other by the first hinge 231 or the second hinge 232. When there is an odd number of sub-limiting portions 221, the first hinge 231 and the second hinge 232 are symmetrically arranged about a sub-limiting portion 221 located in the middle of the multiple sub-limiting portions 221, and at least two second hinges 232 are included. The first hinge 231 and the second hinge 232 are symmetrically arranged about the flexible hinge 23 located between two of the plurality of sub-limiting portions 221, and include at least two second hinges 232. By configuring the flexible hinge 23 symmetrically, the flexible hinge 23 includes at least two first hinges 231 and at least two second hinges 232, enabling the limiter 22 to have good bidirectional bending capabilities both upward and downward.

[0057] See also Figure 5 As shown, in an exemplary embodiment of the present application, the number of the sub-limiting portions 221 is three, the first hinges 231 and the second hinges 232 are symmetrically arranged about the second sub-limiting portion 221, and the first hinges 231 and the second hinges 232 located on one side of the second sub-limiting portion 221 are alternately arranged, and at least two second hinges 232 are included. That is, the fixed portion 21 is connected to the first sub-limiting portion 221 via the first hinge 231, the first sub-limiting portion 221 is connected to the second sub-limiting portion 221 via the second hinge 232, the second sub-limiting portion 221 is connected to the third sub-limiting portion 221 via the second hinge 232, and the third sub-limiting portion 221 is connected to the fixed portion 21 via the first hinge 231.

[0058] See also Figure 6As shown, in another exemplary embodiment of the present application, the number of the sub-limiting portions 221 is four, the first hinges 231 and the second hinges 232 are symmetrically arranged about the flexible hinge 23 located between two middle sub-limiting portions 221 of the plurality of sub-limiting portions 221, and the flexible hinge 23 includes at least two second hinges 232. That is, the fixed portion 21 is connected to the first sub-limiting portion 221 via the first hinge 231, the first sub-limiting portion 221 is connected to the second sub-limiting portion 221 via the second hinge 232, the second sub-limiting portion 221 is connected to the third sub-limiting portion 221 via the first hinge 231 or the second hinge 232, the third sub-limiting portion 221 is connected to the fourth sub-limiting portion 221 via the second hinge 232, and the fourth sub-limiting portion 221 is connected to the fixed portion 21 via the first hinge 231.

[0059] It is understood that when the number of the sub-limiting portions 221 is other than the number of the sub-limiting portions 221, the flexible hinge 23 is arranged in the above manner. By providing the limiting portion 22 and the flexible hinge 23, the lateral bending of the bellows 3 in the left and right directions caused by the instability of the bellows 3 due to external interference during bending can be limited, thereby reducing the energy loss caused by the lateral deformation of the bellows 3. When used in a rehabilitation glove, the bending force of the bellows 3 on the fingers can be increased, thereby improving the driving efficiency of the bellows 3.

[0060] See also Figure 2-6 As shown, in an exemplary embodiment of the present application, the flexible connector 12 is provided with a first groove 121. The first groove 121 corresponds to the gap between two adjacent sub-limiting portions 221. Specifically, in this embodiment, the position of the first groove 121 corresponds to the second hinge 232. The provision of the first groove 121 can help reduce the stress generated during the bending process of the base 1, making it easier for the base 1 to bend when subjected to external forces, thereby reducing the impact of the base 1 on the bending performance of the bellows 3.

[0061] It should be noted that whether the first groove 121 is provided is determined by the material of the base 1 . If the base material has a high hardness or thickness, the first groove 121 needs to be provided; otherwise, the first groove 121 may not be provided.

[0062] As a preferred embodiment, the first groove 121 corresponds to the gap between two adjacent sub-limiting portions 221. It should be noted that, in other embodiments, the first groove 121 can be arbitrarily arranged on the flexible connector 12. In addition, the first groove 121 can be arranged not only on the side of the flexible connector 12 close to the limiting portion 22, but also on the side of the flexible connector 12 away from the limiting portion 22, or on both sides of the flexible connector 12.

[0063] See also Figure 7-9 As shown, in an exemplary embodiment of the present application, the fixing fixture 2 is detachably connected to the base 1. Specifically, a protruding structure 111 is provided on the fixing block 11, and a second groove is provided at the bottom of the fixing portion 21 to match the protruding structure 111. At the same time, the bottom of the limiting portion 22 matches the flexible connector 12. Of course, in other embodiments, a second groove may be provided on the fixing block 11, and a corresponding protruding structure 111 may be provided at the bottom of the fixing portion 21.

[0064] See also Figure 7 As shown, in embodiment 1, the fixing clamp 2 is made of an elastic material, and a fracture 24 is provided along its axis at the bottom of the fixing portion 21 and the limiting portion 22, and notches 213 are provided on both sides of the fixing portion 21. Since the fixing clamp 2 and the base 1 are detachably connected, the fracture 24 can be used to pry them apart from the bottom, so that the bellows 3 can be installed in the fixing clamp 2. The notches 213 can disperse the stress of the fixing clamp 2 during the opening process, avoiding stress concentration at the top of the fixing portion 21, thereby making the fixing clamp 2 easier to open. In addition, the notches 213 can reduce the damage to the structure of the fixing clamp 2 caused by the elastic stress of the structure itself when the fixing clamp 2 is pried apart, thereby extending the service life of the fixing clamp 2.

[0065] See also Figure 8 and Figure 9 As shown, in the second embodiment, the fixing fixture 2 includes a base 211 and a mounting seat 212, and the mounting seat 212 is detachably connected to the base 211. Specifically, the base 211 is provided with a mounting hole 2111, and the bottom of the mounting seat 212 is provided with a mounting block 2121, and the mounting block 2121 matches the mounting hole 2111. For example, the mounting block 2121 is embedded in the mounting hole 2111 to fixedly connect the base 211 and the mounting seat 212 together. Of course, in other embodiments, the mounting block 2121 can also be provided on the base 211, and the mounting hole 2111 that matches the mounting block 2121 can be provided at the bottom of the mounting seat 212.

[0066] In addition, the connection method of the base 211 and the mounting base 212 can also adopt a snap-fit ​​structure, with snap-fit ​​grooves provided on both sides of the base 211 and snap-fit ​​buckles provided on both sides of the mounting base 212. When the base 211 and the mounting base 212 are closed, the snap-fit ​​buckles and the snap-fit ​​grooves snap together to securely connect the base 211 and the mounting base 212. In other embodiments, snap-fit ​​buckles may be provided on both sides of the base 211 and snap-fit ​​grooves may be provided on both sides of the mounting base 212, which can also achieve the snap-fit ​​connection effect.

[0067] See also Figure 10 and 11 As shown, in another exemplary embodiment of the present application, a mounting opening 214 is provided on one side of the fixing portion 21, and the mounting openings 214 of two adjacent fixing portions 21 face opposite directions. Specifically, when the base 211 and the mounting seat 212 are an integrated structure, a mounting opening 214 is provided on one side of the mounting seat 212, and the mounting openings 214 of adjacent mounting seats 212 face opposite directions. When installing the corrugated tube 3, the corrugated tube can be inserted into the fixing fixture through the mounting opening 214. In addition, this structure can be printed as a whole, making it easy to produce.

[0068] The fixing fixture 2 designed according to the above-mentioned methods is simpler and more convenient when installing the corrugated pipe 3, and can maintain the aesthetics of the structure.

[0069] See also Figure 1-12 As shown, in an exemplary embodiment of the present application, the corrugated airbag 31 of the bellows 3 is provided with multiple peak structures, and the side of the sub-limiting portion 221 close to the bellows 3 is an arc surface, and the arc surface is arranged corresponding to the peak structure of the bellows 3. When the bellows 3 is inflated through the air inlet, the corrugated airbag 31 expands, and the arc surface contacts the peak structure, limiting the expansion position of the bellows 3, which can prevent the bellows from bending sideways and allow it to bend in a specified direction, thereby avoiding damage to the user and improving the safety of the product. Of course, in other embodiments, the side of the sub-limiting portion 221 close to the bellows 3 can also be set as a U-shaped surface or other structure, which can also achieve the limiting effect on the bellows.

[0070] It should be noted that in an exemplary embodiment of the present application, the fixing portion 21 is formed with a mounting opening. For example, the fixing portion 21 is an annular structure with a break 24 at its bottom, and the inner cavity of the annular structure serves as the mounting opening. Alternatively, the base 211 and the mounting seat 212 are fixedly connected to form an annular structure, thereby forming the mounting opening. The connecting portion 32 is provided with an annular protrusion 321, and the mounting opening is provided with a mounting groove that matches the annular protrusion 321. The mutual cooperation between the annular protrusion 321 and the mounting groove prevents the corrugated tube 3 from sliding when bending.

[0071] In the present application, the bellows 3 can be provided in a plurality, the plurality of bellows 3 being interconnected and having an air inlet at at least at one end. Furthermore, the bellows 3 can also be provided in a plurality of independent bellows 3, each of which is provided with an air inlet, so that the anti-deflection soft actuator is driven to bend by inflating each of the bellows 3 individually.

[0072] See also Figure 1 As shown, Figure 1 The positional relationship between the base plate 4 and the anti-deflection soft actuator is also shown. In actual use, the anti-deflection soft actuator of the present application can be used by mounting the base plate 4 on a desired rehabilitation glove or other structure. Alternatively, the base 1 of the anti-deflection soft actuator of the present application can be directly connected to a rehabilitation glove or other structure for use.

[0073] In an exemplary embodiment of the present application, each anti-deflection soft actuator can be provided with different numbers of joint components corresponding to the lengths of different fingers. Figure 1 As shown, in this embodiment, eight fixing parts 21, seven limiting parts 22 and seven bellows 3 are provided corresponding to the middle finger. The eight fixing parts 21 are arranged in a straight line at intervals, and the seven limiting parts 22 and the seven bellows 3 are respectively located between each adjacent fixing clamp 2.

[0074] During operation, the bellows 3 is inflated by an air source, causing it to expand and extend. Due to the restraining action of the fixing portion 21 and the restraining portion 22, the bellows 3 bends downward because the upper portion of the bellows 3 extends longer than the lower portion of the bellows 3. Conversely, when the air source draws air into the bellows 3, the bellows 3 contracts in the opposite direction of the above process, returning to its initial state and allowing it to bend in the opposite direction.

[0075] See also Figure 13As shown, further, the utility model provides a hand pneumatic power-assisting device, which is used by the anti-deflection soft actuator 100 provided by this application in conjunction with a sensor 200, an air source 300 and a control module 400. Specifically, the sensor 200 is used to detect the bending angle and output force of the anti-deflection soft actuator 100. When the air source 300 inflates the bellows 3 on the middle finger, the sensor 200 can measure the bending angle and output force of the soft actuator anti-deflection mechanism 100 in real time, and transmit the real-time data to the control module 400, so that a relationship curve between the air pressure of the air source 300 and the bending angle and output force can be fitted. When it is used in a rehabilitation glove, the control module 400 can issue instructions through the air source control system to control the air source 300 to fill the bellows 3 with the corresponding air pressure, thereby controlling the bending angle and output force of the anti-deflection soft actuator 100 shown, and formulating different rehabilitation strategies for different users. In addition, air sources 300 are independently provided on different fingers, so that the bending angle and output force of different fingers can be controlled, thereby improving the rehabilitation effect.

[0076] In summary, the present invention provides a limiter 22 for controlling the bending of the bellows 3, effectively limiting lateral bending, over-extension, and over-shortening of the bellows 3. The flexible hinge 23 is easy to bend normally. The sub-limiter 221 can have a relatively high rigidity, which improves the limiter 22's ability to resist lateral bending, effectively limiting lateral bending of the bellows 3 and reducing energy loss caused by lateral bending deformation of the bellows 3. The limiter 22 mainly changes its length through bending deformation at the flexible hinge 23, rather than through overall stretching deformation of the limiter 22. This ensures that the bellows 3 can maintain its normal bending and extension length while limiting over-extension and over-shortening. When used in rehabilitation gloves, the bellows 3 can increase the bending force on the fingers, improve the driving efficiency of the bellows 3, enhance the stability and safety of the structure, avoid the problem of the glove loosening caused by over-extension or over-shortening of the bellows 3, and better fit the user's hand, improving user comfort. The flexible hinge 23 and the sub-limiting portion 221 of the present application can be combined in various ways in terms of quantity, size, and position, which can be applied to different usage scenarios. In addition, by providing a base 1 at the bottom of the fixing fixture 2, it is possible to prevent the fixing fixture 2 from squeezing the fingers when the bellows 3 is filled with excessive atmospheric pressure, thereby further improving the safety of the structure. In addition, by providing a break 24 at the bottom of the fixing fixture 2, or designing the fixing portion 21 as a split structure, or providing an installation opening on the fixing portion, the bellows installation process is simplified and the structure is kept beautiful.

[0077] The above description is only a preferred embodiment of the present application and an explanation of the technical principles used. Those skilled in the art should understand that the scope involved in the present application is not limited to the technical solutions formed by the specific combination of the above-mentioned technical features, but should also cover other technical solutions formed by any combination of the above-mentioned technical features or their equivalent features without departing from the concept of the utility model, such as the technical solutions formed by the mutual replacement of the above-mentioned features with the technical features with similar functions disclosed in this application (but not limited to).

[0078] Except for the technical features described in the specification, the remaining technical features are known technologies to those skilled in the art. In order to highlight the innovative features of the present invention, the remaining technical features will not be described here in detail.

Claims

1. An anti-deflection soft actuator, characterized in that: include: A fixing fixture, wherein the fixing fixture comprises: at least two fixing portions; A limiting portion, wherein a limiting portion is provided between every two fixing portions, and the connection between the limiting portion and the fixing portion is a flexible hinge; the limiting portion includes at least three sub-limiting portions, and two adjacent sub-limiting portions are connected by a flexible hinge; A bellows is mounted on the fixing fixture, and the bellows comprises: a corrugated airbag, the corrugated airbag being located above the limiting portion and being connected to an air inlet; The connecting parts are arranged on both sides of the corrugated airbag and installed in the fixing part.

2. The anti-deflection soft actuator according to claim 1, characterized in that: The sub-limiting portion is configured as a curved surface or a U-shaped surface on a side close to the corrugated tube, and the crest structure of the corrugated airbag corresponds to the curved surface or the U-shaped surface.

3. The anti-deflection soft actuator according to claim 1, characterized in that: The flexible hinge near the top of the sub-limiting portion is a first hinge, and the flexible hinge near the bottom of the sub-limiting portion is a second hinge. The fixed portion and the limiting portion are connected by the first hinge, and each sub-limiting portion is connected by the first hinge or the second hinge. When the number of the sub-limiting portions is odd, the first hinge and the second hinge are symmetrically arranged about a sub-limiting portion located in the middle of the plurality of sub-limiting portions, and at least two second hinges are included; When the number of the sub-limiting portions is even, the first hinge and the second hinge are symmetrically arranged with respect to a flexible hinge located between two middle sub-limiting portions among the plurality of the sub-limiting portions, and include at least two second hinges.

4. The anti-deflection soft actuator according to claim 1, characterized in that: It also includes a base, the hardness of the base is less than the hardness of the fixing clamp, the base includes a fixing block and a flexible connector, two adjacent fixing blocks are connected by the flexible connector, the fixing block is connected to the fixing part, the flexible connector matches the limiting part, and the flexible connector is provided with a first groove or no groove.

5. The anti-deflection soft actuator according to claim 1, characterized in that: Along the axis of the fixing fixture, fractures are provided at the bottom of the fixing portion and the limiting portion.

6. The anti-deflection soft actuator according to claim 1, characterized in that: The fixing portion includes a mounting seat and a base, and the mounting seat is detachably connected to the base; The mounting seat and the base are assembled to form a mounting opening, and the connecting portion cooperates with the mounting opening and is installed in the mounting opening.

7. The anti-deflection soft actuator according to claim 6, characterized in that: The bottom of the mounting seat is provided with a mounting hole, and the base is provided with a mounting block, or the base is provided with a mounting hole, and the bottom of the mounting seat is provided with a mounting block, and the mounting block is installed in the mounting hole to form the mounting port.

8. The anti-deflection soft actuator according to claim 6, characterized in that: The base is provided with card slots on both sides, and the mounting seat is provided with buckles on both sides; or the base is provided with buckles on both sides, and the mounting seat is provided with card slots on both sides; When the base and the mounting seat are closed, the buckle is engaged with the slot.

9. The anti-deflection soft actuator according to claim 1, characterized in that: A mounting opening is provided on one side of the fixing portion, and the mounting openings of two adjacent fixing portions face opposite directions.

10. A pneumatic hand assist device, characterized in that: include: An anti-deflection soft actuator, wherein the anti-deflection soft actuator is the anti-deflection soft actuator according to any one of claims 1 to 9; A sensor for detecting a bending angle and an output force of the anti-deflection soft actuator; an air source for inflating the bellows of the anti-deflection soft actuator; A control module is used to receive the bending angle and output force data detected by the sensor and control the air source.

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