A finger rehabilitation unit for therapeutic finger exercises

Abstract

The invention relates to a finger rehabilitation unit for providing hand (E) rehabilitation. As a result, the novelty comprises at least one flexible body (2) that, when connected to at least one finger, expands when at least one fluid is introduced and contracts when fluid is discharged, allowing the fingers to perform thumb abduction, adduction, and opposition movements.

Description

[0001] A FINGER REHABILITATION UNIT FOR THERAPEUTIC FINGER EXERCISES

[0002] TECHNICAL FIELD

[0003] The invention relates to a finger rehabilitation unit for providing hand rehabilitation.

[0004] BACKGROUND

[0005] Muscle and Nerve Diseases (Neuromuscular Diseases, NMD) are diseases affecting the movement and sensory systems. Neuromuscular diseases have a direct effect on the musclenerve relationship. Neuromuscular diseases can be congenital or developed later in life. The progressive muscle weakness observed in the majority of these diseases has a direct impact on the functions of the upper extremities in the human body, preventing daily life activities of the human hand and wrist. During the disease's progression, the hand and wrist lose their functions permanently. As people lose the function of their hands and wrists, they become unable to perform daily activities. This is a difficult condition to recover from in human life. Hand and wrist movements occur through the synchronized work of bones and muscles, controlled by motor neurons from the central nervous system. The opening of the fingers and upward movement of the wrist are referred to as extension, the closing of the fingers and downward movement of the wrist as flexion, the horizontal opening of the fingers as abduction, and the horizontal closing of the fingers as adduction. Outward extension of the wrist in the horizontal plane is referred to as ulnar deviation, while inward extension is known as radial deviation. Injuries to the vertebrae, also known as neuromuscular diseases, can impair the natural functions of the hands and wrists, making daily activities difficult for people suffering from these diseases. The loss of movement abilities in the hands and wrists has a significant impact on human life. A patient with restricted hand and wrist movements caused by a neuromuscular disease needs treatment from a physiotherapist, as well as physiotherapy treatment for healthy hand and wrist movements. The more frequent and repetitive the hand and wrist treatment, the faster the patient recovers his or her health.

[0006] Patients who have partially or completely lost the movement functions of their hands and wrists receive rehabilitation support during the treatment process. Flexion / extension (F-E), abduction / adduction (A-A), and ulnar / radial (U-R) deviation exercises are used in the rehabilitation treatment application, which is accompanied by a physiotherapist, with the goal of restoring the hand / wrist to its original functions. The most important issues for physiotherapists in this disease group are the repetition of A-A movements for the thumb and the continuity of F-E movements for the remaining four fingers. The more regularly rehabilitation therapy is applied by physiotherapists, the shorter the recovery time for patients to regain lost functions. However, considering the current number of neuromuscular patients, the number of physiotherapists is insufficient. Additionally, the therapies applied to patients often involve numerous and similar repetitions, which can be challenging and exhausting for physiotherapists, reducing the beneficial effects of exercise in the later stages. During the exercise process, the assessment of the patient's condition by physiotherapists varies from person to person.

[0007] The loss of abduction ability leads to insufficient opening of the fingers and the inability to perform a wide grip. This particularly causes difficulty in holding large or wide objects. For example, not being able to fully grasp an object or failing to open the fingers as needed limits the patient's ability to perform daily living activities.

[0008] Loss of adduction, on the other hand, means that the fingers cannot come close to each other, limiting fine grasping movements. This makes it difficult to grasp and manipulate small or thin objects. Weakness in the adduction function causes incomplete finger closure, which impairs a secure grip. The disruption of these movements creates significant difficulties, especially in daily tasks such as writing, buttoning up, or grasping small objects.

[0009] Currently, there are robot-assisted rehabilitation systems for hand rehabilitation. However, these systems are inadequate, especially when it comes to activating all the functions of the hand. Considering the needs of individuals requiring hand rehabilitation, physiotherapists have emphasized the importance of not only F-E exercises for all fingers but also A-A exercises. The failure to perform abduction, adduction, and thumb opposition exercises results in the inability to achieve full range of motion in the fingers, leading to a decrease in grasping and holding abilities, muscle weakness, development of spasticity, and prolonged rehabilitation. As a result of the aforementioned problems, it has become necessary to innovate in the relevant technical field.

[0010] BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0011] The current invention is related to a finger rehabilitation unit designed to eliminate the disadvantages mentioned above and bring new advantages to the relevant technical field.

[0012] The invention aims to provide a finger rehabilitation unit for finger rehabilitation.

[0013] Another object of the invention is to create a finger rehabilitation unit allowing the patient to perform abduction-adduction (A-A) exercises.

[0014] The invention also aims to provide a finger rehabilitation unit allowing patients to perform thumb opposition, extension, and flexion exercises.

[0015] Another object of the invention is to create a finger rehabilitation unit that can be integrated into a rehabilitation system.

[0016] The present invention relates to a finger rehabilitation unit for providing hand rehabilitation in order to realize all of the aforementioned objectives, as will be apparent from the detailed description below. As a result, the novelty comprises at least one flexible body that, when connected to at least one finger, expands when at least one fluid is introduced and contracts when fluid is discharged, allowing the fingers to perform thumb abduction, adduction, and opposition movements. Thus, the rehabilitation process allows for both the abduction and adduction movements of the fingers, as well as the opposition movement of the thumb.

[0017] The feature of a possible embodiment of the invention is that the flexible body includes at least one channel that allows the transmission and discharge of a fluid, and at least one pipe connected to said channel. Thus, by enabling the controlled expansion and contraction of the flexible body, exercises are facilitated.

[0018] The feature of a possible embodiment of the invention is that it is associated with at least one fluid control element that allows the fluid to be delivered to the flexible body at a desired pressure value and enables the vacuuming of the delivered fluid. Thus, during exercise, the inflation and vacuuming of the flexible body under pressure can be performed in a controlled manner.

[0019] A possible embodiment of the invention is characterized in that it comprises at least one gripper enabling contact with the finger. Thus, the flexible body can be securely connected to the fingers, allowing for effective exercise performance.

[0020] A possible embodiment of the invention is characterized in that the fluid mentioned is air. Thus, the system operates in a simple and efficient manner, enabling the movement of the flexible body.

[0021] A possible embodiment of the invention is characterized by a flexible body in the form of a bellows. Thus, the flexible body expands and contracts more efficiently, allowing for more precise finger movements.

[0022] A possible embodiment of the invention is characterized in that it has a flexible body made of silicone rubber compound. Therefore, a lightweight and cost-effective structure is created, making the rehabilitation device both affordable and portable.

[0023] One possible embodiment of the invention is characterized by its integration into a rehabilitation unit.

[0024] BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES

[0025] Figure 1 shows a representative top view of the invention's finger rehabilitation unit, which is connected to the hand and opens between the fingers.

[0026] Figure 2 shows a representative top view of the invention's finger rehabilitation unit in connection with the rehabilitation unit, which allows for flexion / extension exercises.

[0027] Figure 3 shows a representative isometric view of the rehabilitation unit, which can accommodate the inventive finger rehabilitation unit. Figure 4 shows a representative isometric view of the patient's arm in the rehabilitation unit with the inventive finger rehabilitation unit integrated.

[0028] Figure 5 shows a side view of the flexion exercise situation in the rehabilitation unit with the inventive finger rehabilitation unit integrated.

[0029] Figure 6 shows a side view of the extension exercise situation in the rehabilitation unit with the inventive finger rehabilitation unit integrated.

[0030] DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0031] In this detailed description, the inventive finger rehabilitation unit (1) is described solely through examples that have no limiting effect, for a better understanding of the subject matter.

[0032] The finger rehabilitation unit (1) allows the patient to regain finger function through the rehabilitation process following permanent loss of hand functions. The finger rehabilitation unit (1) allows fingers to perform abduction, adduction, thumb opposition, flexion, and extension movements. Thumb opposition refers to the thumb moving towards and opposing the other fingers. Another definition is the opposition of the thumb's palmar face to the palmar faces of the remaining fingers. This movement allows the tip of the thumb and the other fingertips to contact one another, which is essential for the hand's ability to perform a variety of functions.

[0033] In the preferred embodiment of the invention, the hand is utilized in a rehabilitation unit (10). In this manner, in addition to flexion (bending) and extension (stretching) exercises, abduction (opening outwards), adduction (closing inwards), and thumb opposition (opposing) exercises can all be performed. However, it is clear that the finger rehabilitation unit (1) can only be used for abduction, adduction, and opposition exercises, not flexion or extension exercises, and is not dependent on the hand rehabilitation unit (10).

[0034] The finger rehabilitation unit (1) contains at least one flexible body (2). The said flexible body (2) is hollow and can expand and contract due to its flexible nature. The flexible body (2) allows the fingers to move away from and close to each other, making abduction, adduction, and thumb opposition exercises possible. In order to achieve this, the flexible body (2) is connected to a finger at least one end. On the other end, it can be connected to another finger, palm, or a point on the hand, or it can be fixed somewhere other than the hand to perform its function. In the preferred embodiment of the invention, a phalanx connection unit (15) connects at least one end of the flexible body (2) to a finger, and another phalanx connection unit (15) connects another end to another finger. The flexible body (2) takes the form of a bellows. It may be made from a silicone rubber compound. In other cases, it may be made of paper, elastomer, neoprene, polyurethane, or nylon fabric coated materials.

[0035] The flexible body (2) has at least one conduit (21) that allows it to expand and contract, allowing at least one fluid to be introduced and discharged there. The said fluid is air. In alternative embodiments, however, a different gas or liquid, such as water, may be used. Consequently, air is conveyed into the flexible body (2) through the duct (21) and the flexible body (2) expands as air fills it. Therefore, as the flexible body (2) between the two fingers expands, the distance between them widens. Similarly, as air is discharged from the conduit (21), the flexible body (2) contracts, reducing its volume and allowing the two fingers approaching one another. The conduit (21) is essentially in the form of a hole. Although the flexible body (2) is positioned between the two fingers in the preferred configuration, it is connected to the finger at one end and the palm of the other, allowing for thumb opposition, extension, and flexion movements.

[0036] In order to allow for fluid movement, the flexible body (2) may be connected to at least one fluid management member (20), allowing the flexible body (2) to be inflated and vacuumed to the desired level. The said fluid management member (20) is basically an air pump and vacuum device. The fluid management member (20) is bidirectional, allowing it to pump fluid (air in the preferred embodiment) into the flexible body (2) as well as extract air by vacuuming. This member can also take the form of a pneumatic pump. Therefore, air can be sent to the flexible body (2) at the desired pressure. In this way, the flexible body (2) expands and contracts, allowing for abduction and adduction (A-A) as well as opposition exercises. The fluid management member (20) may be linked to the finger rehabilitation unit (1) through at least one pipe (30).

[0037] The flexible body (2) may be connected to at least one valve. The said valves allow for the control of inflation and vacuuming of the flexible body (2). At least one controller may be installed to monitor, manage, and direct the fluid management member (20). This controller uses software integrated into the microprocessor circuit to inflate or vacuum the flexible body (2) in the desired amounts. It controls the air pump and vacuum to regulate the air inlet and outlet processes in order to achieve specific pressure levels.

[0038] The controller starts or stops the pumping or vacuuming process based on the target pressures that have been set. As a result, it ensures precise and controlled movements of the flexible body (2) throughout the rehabilitation process.

[0039] In the preferred embodiment of the invention, the finger rehabilitation unit (1) may be positioned between two fingers, or a single finger rehabilitation unit (1) can be connected to more than two fingers to open and close the distance between the fingers.

[0040] The finger rehabilitation unit (1) can be integrated with the rehabilitation unit (10). The said connection is made possible by using at least one phalanx connection unit (15). The said phalanx connection unit (15) connects the finger rehabilitation unit (1) to the patient's glove. The flexible body (2) can thus be positioned between the fingers using the phalanx connection unit (15) or between a finger and any fixed point (for example, the palm).

[0041] The rehabilitation unit (10) consists of at least one main unit (11) that performs hand (E) and wrist exercises on a single device. The base unit (11) is essentially the structure in which the patient positions the arm for rehabilitation, as well as the said members in the rehabilitation unit (10) and ensures that they are in the proper position for the treatment to be executed correctly.

[0042] The main unit (11) comprises at least one positioning area (12) in which the patient can place his arm. The said positioning area (12) is located on the upper surface (111). The positioning area (12) is essentially a groove formed in the said upper surface (111), which conforms to the form of the arm. In the preferred embodiment, the main unit (11) is curved when viewed from the side.

[0043] The finger rehabilitation unit (1) includes at least one motion transmission member (17) that transfers motion (force) to the fingers. The finger rehabilitation unit (1) is located on the outside of the hand, on the side opposite the palm. The said motion transmission member (17), when combined with the motion received from at least one actuator (19), allows the fingers to perform flexion and extension movements. The motion transmission member (17) is primarily a tendon. This may be a metal wire. In order to transfer the said force to the hand, the motion transmission member (17) is connected to the patient's glove (G) via the gripper (15). The said glove (G) can fit hands of various sizes. The glove (G) has at least one elastic band in the joint areas and can thus be adjusted based on size. The preferred embodiment of the invention includes a gripper (15) for each finger. A motion transmission member (17) applies force to each finger as well.

[0044] The gripper (15) is located at the joint of each finger. In other words, the thumb has two grippers (15), while the other four fingers have three grippers (15). The motion transmission member (17) passes through the holes in the grippers (15), making the grippers' positions the center of rotation. To clarify, by applying force to the tendon passing through the gripper (15), and because the phalanx connection units (15) are located at the joints, the fingers can be bent at those locations.

[0045] In order to apply said force, the motion transmission member (17) is connected, at least at one end, to the drive member (19). The transmission member (191) provides the said connection. The said drive member (19) is a DC motor. By rotating the transmission member (191), the motion transmission member (17) wrapped around the transmission member (191) can apply a pulling force to the fingers. Therefore, the fingers can move in both extension and flexion.

[0046] The finger rehabilitation unit (1) comprises at least one multiplexer (16). The multiplexer (16) ensures that the motion transmission member (17) is output to two motion transmission members (17) at a specific point on the hand, and that the transmitted force is consistent. Therefore, it is obvious that the phalanx connection units (15) should comprise a structure allowing the two tendons to pass through. This ensures that the force is distributed equally and evenly between the two tendons. The multiplexer (16) consists primarily of a single hole at one end through which the motion transmission member (17) enters and two holes at the other end through which the two motion transmission members (17) exit. In other embodiments, the multiplexer (16) could increase the number of motion transmission members (17) to more than two. The preferred embodiment of the invention includes a drive member (19) for the thumb and the remaining four fingers. The position of the said actuators (19) is critical for the proper application of the treatment. Therefore, the thumb actuator (19) is positioned in the same direction as the thumb's axis. In other words, the motion transmission member (17), tendon, runs along the axis of thumb extension and connects to the drive member (19) in this direction. The drive member (19) is located in at least one first chamber (13) of the main unit (11). Thus, a safe working environment can be provided.

[0047] The remaining four fingers (index, middle, ring, and pinky) are connected to another actuator (19) via a single motion transmission member (17). The actuator (19) that drives the four fingers is also partially in the middle of their respective directions. The patient may find it difficult to place the arm in the positioning area (12) since the drive member (19) for this position is on the positioning area (12). In order to eliminate it, the drive member (19) is installed in at least one second chamber (14) that is pivotally connected to the main unit (11). In other words, the second chamber (14) can rotate around the axis on which the hand (E) extends to a vertical position when not in use (see Figure 3), and close to a parallel position with the upper surface (111) when the patient places the arm (see Figure 4). Since the position of the drive member (19) is critical for transmitting torque to the fingers, this allows it to be properly positioned. The drive members (19) can move within the first chamber (13) and second chamber (14) so that the distance between them and the upper surface (111) changes.

[0048] A motion transmission member (17), which is connected to the drive member (19) that provides drive to the four fingers, is equipped with at least one motion guiding unit (18) to ensure physiologically appropriate force transmission to each finger. This ensures that torque is efficiently transmitted to the fingers. The said motion guiding unit (18) duplicates one motion transmission member (17) from the drive member (19) into four motion transmission members (17) for four fingers.

[0049] In order to ensure the physiological naturality and freedom of movement of the fingers during this reproduction, the motion guiding unit (18) includes at least one guide (182) attached to at least one housing (181). Said housing (181) is essentially hollow and rectangular in shape. The guide (182) is a cylindrical structure that extends in the direction of the fingertips. There are five guides. The motion guiding unit (18) consists of at least one sliding member (183) mounted on each guide (182) and capable of reciprocating movement on the guide (182). The sliding members (183) are also connected to the motion transmission member (17). As a result, one motion transmission member (17) enters the motion guiding unit (18) and exits the motion guiding unit (18) in such a way that four of the four sliding members (183) correspond to four fingers. In other words, one motion transmission member (17) enters the motion guiding unit (18), while four motion transmission members (17) exit.

[0050] The motion guiding unit (18) includes at least one coupler (184) that connects the sliding members (183). The said connector (184) has a flexible structure. This allows the sliding members (183) to slide at varying distances along the guide (182). That is, the connector (184) allows the sliding members (183) to move independently while limiting their movement. With this structure, the physiological movement of the fingers can be simulated.

[0051] In light of all this, the invention operates as follows: The flexible body (2) expands and contracts in response to air or another fluid delivered into it, allowing the gap between the two fingers to open and close. In order to perform this function, the fluid management member (20) allows the flexible body (2) to expand by pressing air and contract by vacuuming. In this way, the flexible body (2) is able to perform abduction, adduction, and opposition exercises with greater precision and control. Through valves, the inflation and vacuuming processes of the flexible body (2) are controlled. The controller controls the movement of the flexible body (2) during the rehabilitation process by adjusting the air inlet and outlet pressures to the desired levels.

[0052] Therefore, the finger rehabilitation unit (1) controls and precisely guides finger movements, thereby improving the effectiveness of the finger rehabilitation process. The invention significantly contributes to the restoration of hand functions by allowing for the opening and closing of the distance between the fingers, and accelerates the rehabilitation process by making exercises easier to perform and more individually adjustable. Furthermore, because of its integration into the hand rehabilitation unit (10), abduction / adduction (A- A) and opposition exercises can be performed alongside flexion / extension (F-E) exercises. As a result, the patient's hand and finger functions are more fully restored, and the rehabilitation process is more efficient with different movement combinations. The fact that both exercises can be performed on the same hand rehabilitation unit (10) reduces the number of devices used in the rehabilitation process, increases treatment effectiveness, and shortens treatment time. Consequently, costs are reduced while the patient benefits from a more convenient and efficient treatment method.

[0053] The scope of protection of the invention is set out in the appended claims and cannot be strictly limited to what is described in this detailed description for illustrative purposes. This is because it is clear that a person skilled in the art can come up with similar constructions in light of the foregoing without deviating from the main theme of the invention.

[0054] REFERENCE NUMBERS GIVEN IN THE FIGURES

[0055] 1 Finger Rehabilitation Unit

[0056] 2 Flexible Body

[0057] 21 Conduit

[0058] 10 Rehabilitation Unit

[0059] 11 Main Unit

[0060] 111 Upper Surface

[0061] 12 Positioning Area

[0062] 13 First Chamber

[0063] 14 Second Chamber

[0064] 15 Phalanx Connection Unit

[0065] 16 Multiplexer

[0066] 17 Motion Transmission Member

[0067] 18 Motion Guiding Unit

[0068] 181 Housing

[0069] 182 Guide

[0070] 183 Sliding Member

[0071] 184 Connector

[0072] 19 Driving Member

[0073] 191 Transfer Member

[0074] 20 Fluid Management Member

[0075] 30 Pipe

[0076] (E) Hand

[0077] (G) Glove

Claims

CLAIMS1. The invention is a finger rehabilitation unit (1) for rehabilitation of the hand (E), characterized in that it comprises at least one flexible body (2) which expands by transmitting at least one fluid into it and contracts by discharging the fluid , which enables the fingers to perform abduction, adduction, and opposition movements of the thumb by being in contact with at least one finger.

2. The finger rehabilitation unit (1) according to Claim 1, characterized in that the flexible body (2) comprises at least one conduit (21) for conducting and discharging fluid.

3. The finger rehabilitation unit (1) according to Claim 2, characterized in that it comprises at least one conduit / pipe (30) connected to the mentioned conduit (21).

4. The finger rehabilitation unit (1) according to Claim 1, characterized in that it is associated with at least one fluid management member (20) for delivering fluid to the flexible body (2) at a desired pressure value and for vacuuming the delivered fluid.

5. The finger rehabilitation unit (1) according to Claim 1, characterized in that it comprises at least one phalanx connection unit (15) for connection with the finger.

6. The finger rehabilitation unit (1) according to Claim 1, characterized in that said fluid is air.

7. The finger rehabilitation unit (1) according to Claim 1, characterized in that said flexible body (2) is in the form of a bellows.

8. The finger rehabilitation unit (1) according to Claim 1, characterized in that said flexible body (2) is made of silicone rubber compound.

9. A finger rehabilitation unit (1) according to claim 1, characterized in that it is integrated into the rehabilitation unit (10).

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