JP6679003B2 - Finger movement assist device - Google Patents

Description

  The present invention relates to a finger movement assisting device which is arranged on the back side of a finger of a human hand and assists the bending and stretching movement of the finger of the hand.

  A person who has a problem in bending or stretching the fingers of his or her hand or loses grip power due to an accident or illness. Had to live a very crippled life. In order to eliminate such inconvenience, the present inventor has proposed in Patent Document 1 below a device capable of assisting the bending and stretching operation of fingers of the hand and adding grip force.

JP-A-2002-345861

  However, the above-described conventional device has a complicated structure and is difficult to be miniaturized. For example, a glove-type device in which the finger movement assisting device is housed in a glove and the device can be attached and detached only by fitting or removing the glove. It was not suitable for application to a finger movement assisting device.

  Therefore, an object of the present invention is to provide a finger movement assisting device which has a simple structure and can be downsized.

  In order to solve the above problems, a finger motion assisting device according to a first aspect of the present invention is a finger motion assisting device that is disposed on the back surface of a finger of a human hand and assists the bending and stretching motion of the finger of the hand. Between the distal end member disposed corresponding to the distal end portion of the finger, the proximal end member disposed corresponding to the finger portion on the base side of the finger or the back of the hand with respect to the distal end portion of the finger, and between the proximal end member and the distal end member. A plurality of link members arranged along the longitudinal direction of the finger, a plurality of connecting shafts connecting the base end member, the link member, and the tip member so as to be swingable with each other, At least one first linear member extending on the back side along the longitudinal direction to the distal end member through the base end member and the link member, and the distal end is fixed or locked to the distal end member, And on the opposite side of the first linear member with the connecting shaft interposed therebetween, At least one of at least one second linear member that extends along the longitudinal direction to the distal end member via the base end member, the link member, and has a distal end fixed or locked to the distal end member, The tension of at least one of the first linear member and the second linear member is adjusted to bend the finger of the link member and the distal end member with respect to the base end member around the connecting axis. And a drive unit that swings in an inward direction that is a direction or an outward direction that is a direction in which a finger is deployed.

  In the finger movement assisting device according to the first aspect of the present invention, it is preferable that both the first linear member and the second linear member are provided.

  Further, in the finger movement assisting device according to the first aspect of the present invention, the drive unit relaxes the tension of the second linear member when increasing the tension of the first linear member, and thus the base end When the link member and the distal end member are swung with respect to the member around the connecting shaft in the inward direction that is the direction in which the finger is bent, and conversely, when the tension of the second linear member is strengthened, the first member is used. It is preferable to loosen the tension of the linear member to swing the link member and the tip member around the connecting shaft in the outward direction, which is the direction in which the finger is deployed.

  Furthermore, in the finger movement assisting device according to the first aspect of the present invention, the link member is provided in three rows in the width direction of the finger, and the link member is provided in the longitudinal direction between the rows adjacent in the width direction. It is preferable that they are alternately arranged.

  Further, in the finger movement assisting device according to the first aspect of the invention, the base end member, the link member, and the tip member guide at least one of the first linear member and the second linear member. It is preferable that each of them has a guide portion.

  Further, in the finger movement assisting device according to the first aspect of the present invention, the surfaces of the base end member, the link member, and the tip member that face each other in the longitudinal direction have the link member and the tip member, It is preferable that inclined surfaces are formed so as to be in contact with each other at a predetermined swing angle in the inward direction and prevent the inward swing exceeding the predetermined swing angle.

  In addition, in the finger movement assisting device according to the first aspect of the present invention, partial gears that mesh with each other are formed on the surfaces of the base end member, the link member, and the tip member that face each other in the longitudinal direction. Preferably.

  In order to solve the above problems, a finger movement assisting device according to a second aspect of the present invention is a finger movement assisting device that is disposed on the back side of a finger of a person's hand and assists the bending and stretching movements of the finger of the hand. A distal end member disposed corresponding to a portion, a proximal end member disposed corresponding to a finger portion on the base side of the finger relative to the distal end portion of the finger or the back of the hand, and a finger between the proximal end member and the distal end member. A plurality of link members arranged along the longitudinal direction, the link members being provided in at least two rows in the width direction of the finger, and arranged alternately in the longitudinal direction between adjacent rows in the width direction; A plurality of connecting shafts that connect the base member, the link member, and the tip member to each other in a swingable manner, and a direction in which at least one link member with respect to the base member bends a finger around the connecting shaft. Which is inward or in the direction of deploying your fingers And a drive unit that swings in an outward direction. The surfaces of the base member, the link member, and the tip member that face each other in the longitudinal direction are intermeshed with each other to form the at least one link member. Partial gears for transmitting the swinging movement of the above to the other link member and the tip member that are adjacent in the longitudinal direction are formed.

  In the finger movement assisting device according to the second aspect of the present invention, the drive unit has a rod connected to the at least one link member, and the link member is moved based on the forward / backward movement of the rod along the longitudinal direction. It is preferable to have an actuator that swings the shaft around the connecting shaft.

Further, in the finger movement assisting device according to the second aspect of the present invention, the link member is provided in three rows in the width direction of the finger, and the drive unit is provided in the three rows with respect to the base end member. One of the link members in the central row is swung around the connecting shaft in the inward direction in which the finger is bent or in the outward direction in which the finger is deployed.

  Furthermore, in the finger movement assisting device according to the second aspect of the present invention, it is preferable that the finger movement assisting device further includes a biasing unit that constantly biases the link member and the tip member in the inward direction or the outward direction.

  In addition, in the finger movement assisting device according to the second aspect of the present invention, the urging means is a leaf spring extending along the longitudinal direction from the base end member to the tip member via the link member. Is preferred.

  According to the finger motion assisting device of the first invention, the finger motion assisting device is attached to the finger of the hand, and the first linear member or the second wire whose distal end is fixed or locked to the tip member by the driving unit. When the member is pulled toward the base of the finger, the tip member and the link member swing inward or outward around the connecting shaft with respect to the base member. The fingers of the hand on which is worn are bent or stretched. Therefore, according to the first aspect of the present invention, since the bending and stretching operation of the finger can be performed only by pulling the first linear member or the second linear member, the structure is simple and the size can be reduced. .

  Further, according to the finger movement assisting device of the second invention, when at least one link member is swung by the drive unit around the connecting shaft with respect to the base end member, the swinging motion is caused by the link member and the tip member. Is transmitted to the other link member and the tip member via the partial gears of these parts, and these members swing. Therefore, as the link member and the tip member swing, the fingers of the hand on which the tip member and the link member are mounted are attached. Is folded or stretched. Therefore, since the link member itself transmits the swinging motion, the structure is simple and the size can be reduced. Further, the swing motion is transmitted via the partial gears, and the swing angles are equal at all swing points, so that the bending and stretching of the finger can be uniformly performed on the entire finger.

FIG. 3 is a perspective view showing a state in which the finger movement assisting device according to the embodiment of the first invention is attached to the index finger of a human hand and the operating portion is bent. FIG. 2 is an exploded perspective view of an operating portion (first and second linear members are omitted) in the finger movement assisting device shown in FIG. 1. The expanded operation part in the finger movement assistance device shown in FIG. 1 is shown, (a) is a top view, (b) is a bottom view. The expanded operation part in the finger movement assistance device shown in FIG. 1 is shown, (a) is a right side view, (b) is a front view, (c) is a rear view. 1 is a plan view showing a state in which a second linear member is pulled by the drive unit, and FIG. 6B is a first linear form by the drive unit. It is a top view in the state where the member was pulled. The bending operation part in the finger movement assistance device shown in FIG. 1 is shown, (a) is a top view, (b) is a bottom view. The bending operation | movement part in the finger movement assistance apparatus shown in FIG. 1 is shown, (a) is a front view, (b) is a right view. FIG. 7 is a perspective view showing a state where the finger movement assisting device of one embodiment of the second invention is attached to the index finger of a human hand and unfolded. FIG. 8 shows the finger movement assisting device shown in FIG. 8, where (a) is a plan view and (b) is a side view. 9 is a sectional view taken along the line AA in FIG. 9A, FIG. 9B is a front view, and FIG. 9C is a rear view. FIG. 9 is a side view showing a state in which the finger movement assisting device shown in FIG. 8 is attached to a finger and a bending operation of the finger is assisted to grip a sphere. It is a perspective view which shows the finger movement auxiliary device of other one Embodiment of 2nd invention.

  Hereinafter, an embodiment of the first invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing a state in which a finger movement assisting device according to an embodiment of the first invention is attached to an index finger of a person's hand and an operating portion is bent, and FIG. 2 is a finger shown in FIG. FIG. 3 is an exploded perspective view of an operating portion (the first and second linear members are omitted) in the motion assisting device, and FIGS. 3 and 4 show a deployed operating part in the finger motion assisting device shown in FIG. 1. 3A is a plan view, FIG. 3B is a bottom view, FIG. 4A is a right side view, FIG. 4B is a front view, and FIG. 4C is a rear view. 5 shows an operating part and a drive part in the finger movement assisting device shown in FIG. 1, (a) is a plan view of a state where the second linear member is pulled by the drive part, and (b) is the first part by the drive part. It is a top view in the state which pulled the linear member of.

  As shown in FIG. 1, the finger movement assisting device 10 of the present embodiment is installed on the back side of a human finger f along the longitudinal direction of the finger f, and is an operation that assists the bending and stretching movement of the finger f. The unit 12 and the drive unit 14 that drives the operating unit 12 are provided. The actuating portion 12 mainly includes the proximal end member 16 that is the most proximal to the wearer (assistant), the distalmost tip member 18, and the length of the finger between the distal end member 16 and the proximal end member 18. A plurality of link members 20 arranged along the direction and the base member 16 and the link member 20, the link members 20 and 20, and the link member 20 and the tip member 18 which overlap each other as seen in the width direction of the finger. Pins 22 as connecting shafts that swingably connect to each other, and a first linear member 24 having one end connected to the drive unit 14 and the other end (end) fixed or locked to the tip member 18. And a second linear member 26.

  The details of each component will be described below. In the following description, “front” refers to the side where the tip member 18 is in the relationship between the tip member 18 and the base member 16, and “rear” refers to the relationship between the tip member 18 and the base member 16. In, the side where the base end member 16 is located is indicated. When the word “lower” is used, the finger motion assisting device 10 arranged on the back of the finger f and the back of the finger f refer to the side on which the back of the finger f is located. In the relationship between the finger motion assisting device 10 arranged on the back of the finger f and the back of the finger f, the side on which the finger motion assisting device 10 is located is referred to. Therefore, the "front-back direction" is synonymous with the longitudinal direction of the finger, and the "lateral direction" or "lateral direction" is synonymous with the width direction of the finger.

First, the tip member 18 swings about the pin 22 relative to the proximal member 16 and link member 20 together with the addressed cracking the back of the front end portion f _t of the finger f, bending the tip portion f _t inwardly Or, it is to be deployed outside. Note that the distal end portion f _t of the finger f, includes at least a portion corresponding to the distal phalanx of the fingers f, may include a portion corresponding to the distal interphalangeal joint and the middle phalanx.

  As shown in FIGS. 2 to 4, the tip member 18 has a flat trapezoidal shape whose height is smaller than its width when viewed from the front, and has a predetermined length in the longitudinal direction (front-back direction) of the finger f. There is. A curved convex portion 18a extending in the front-rear direction is formed on the upper surface of the tip member 18, and a curved concave portion 18b extending in the front-rear direction is formed on the lower surface of the tip member 18. The curved concave portion 18b can ensure a stable contact between the tip member 18 and the tip portion ft of the finger f, and also reduce the height when the tip member 18 is placed on the finger.

  At the rear end of the tip member 18, two leg portions 18c and 18d are provided so as to project rearward from both left and right positions, and a pin 22 as a connecting shaft is provided in the left and right direction at each leg portion 18c and 18d. A pin accommodating hole 28 is formed to be inserted therethrough. The position of the pin housing hole 28 in the front-back direction when the device is mounted is preferably on or near the distal interphalangeal joint of the finger f. Further, at the rear edge of each leg 18c, 18d, a partial gear 30 that meshes with a later-described partial gear formed on the link member 20 adjacent to the rear is integrally formed. It rotates together with the tip member 18 about the axis of the. Further, an inclined surface 31 that is inclined forward from the top to the bottom is formed at a portion of the rear edge of each leg 18c, 18d below the pin.

  Further, the first thread member 24 is inserted and guided in the front-rear direction in the vicinity of the lower surface of the tip member 18 and in the vicinity of both left and right sides, which is on the back side of the finger f with respect to the pin 22 (below the pin 22). Guide holes 32 as guide portions are respectively formed so as to penetrate therethrough, and a second thread member 26 is inserted and guided in the front-rear direction near the center near the upper surface of the tip member 18, which is above the pin 22. This also has two guide holes 34 as a guide portion formed therethrough.

The proximal end member 16 is arranged on the finger portion f _b (FIG. 1) on the base side of the finger f with respect to the tip end ft of the finger f or on the back of the hand (for example, in the metacarpal bone, in the vicinity of the metacarpophalangeal joint) to form a link. It supports the member 20 and the tip member 18, and as shown in FIGS. 2 to 4, has a flat and substantially trapezoidal shape whose height is smaller than its width in a rear view, and extends in the longitudinal direction (front-back direction) of the finger f. It has a predetermined length. Further, a curved convex portion 16a extending in the front-rear direction is formed on the upper surface of the base end member 16, and a curved concave portion 16b extending in the front-rear direction is formed on the lower surface of the base end member 16. The curved concave portion 16b can ensure a stable contact between the base end member 16 and the finger portion fb or the back of the hand, and can reduce the height when the base end member 16 is placed on the finger or the back of the hand. Also becomes.

  Further, at the front end of the base member 16, two leg portions 16c and 16d are provided so as to project forward from both left and right end positions, and a pin 22 as a connecting shaft is provided at each leg portion 16c and 16d. A pin accommodating hole 36 that is inserted in the left-right direction is formed. The position of the pin accommodating hole 36 in the front-rear direction when the device is mounted is preferably on or near the metacarpophalangeal joint. A partial gear 38 that meshes with a later-described partial gear formed on the link member 20 adjacent in the front-rear direction is integrally formed at the front edge of each leg 16c, 16d. The axial center of each partial gear 38 coincides with the axial center of the pin 22 as the connecting shaft.

  The first thread member 24 is inserted and guided in the front-rear direction in the vicinity of the lower surface of the proximal end member 16 and in the vicinity of both left and right sides, which is on the back side of the finger f with respect to the pin 22 (below the pin 22). Guide holes 40 as guide portions are formed respectively, and the second thread member 26 is inserted in the front-rear direction in the vicinity of the center near the upper surface of the base end member 16 above the pin 22. Two guide holes 41, which also serve as guides, are formed so as to be guided therethrough. Further, an inclined surface 42 that is inclined rearward as viewed from above is formed at a portion of the front edge portion of each leg 16c, 16d below the pin.

  The link member 20 is applied to the back of the finger portion between the distal end member 18 and the proximal end member 16, and swings with respect to the proximal end member 16 to bend the finger portion inward or expand outward. It is what makes me. The link members 20 are arranged in a row along the front-rear direction (longitudinal direction of the finger), and further provided in two or more rows in the left-right direction (width direction of the finger), here three rows. The link members 20 are alternately arranged in the front-rear direction between the rows that are adjacent in the left-right direction, that is, the link members 20 that are adjacent in the left-right direction are displaced from each other by a half pitch in the front-rear direction. The link members 20 displaced by a half pitch are connected to each other so as to be capable of swinging with each other via the pins 22 inserted into pin receiving holes 44 formed in the front and rear of the link member 20. Similarly, the rearmost link member 20 is swingably connected to the leg portions 16c and 16d of the base end member 16 via the pin 22, and the frontmost link member 20 is a pin. The legs 16c and 16d of the tip member 18 are swingably connected to each other via 22.

  Further, in the present embodiment, two link members 20 having different widths are used, one is a wide link member 20 arranged at the center in the lateral direction, and the other is a link member at the center. The narrow link member 20 is arranged so as to be sandwiched from the side. By forming the center link member 20 wide in this way, the bending and stretching motion of the link member 20 can be stably transmitted to the finger.

  A curved convex portion 20a extending in the front-rear direction when viewed from the front is formed on the upper surface of the center link member 20, and the lower surface of the center link member 20 extends in the front-rear direction, like the front end member 18 and the base end member 16. The recess 20b is formed. The curved concave portion 20b can ensure a stable contact between the center link member 20 and the finger f, and also reduce the height when the center link member 20 is placed on the finger.

  Further, two guide holes 46, which serve as guide portions, through which the second thread member 26 is inserted and guided in the front-rear direction, pass through near the center near the upper surface of the central link member 20, which is above the pin 22. Further, a guide groove 48, which also serves as a guide portion, for guiding the second filamentous member 26 in the front-rear direction is formed in front of and behind each of the guide holes 46, following the guide hole 46. Further, the surfaces of the central link members 20 adjacent to each other in the front-rear direction that face each other transmit the rocking motion of the one central link member 20 to the other central link member 20 by meshing with each other. The gear 50 is integrally formed. Each of the partial gears 50 rotates together with the link member 20 around the axis of the pin 22 as the connecting shaft.

  The lateral link member 20 has a height dimension larger than that of the central link member 20, and when the lateral link member 20 is connected to the central link member 20 via a pin 22, the lower end portion thereof is below the lower surface of the central link member 20. Project. A guide hole 52 as a guide portion through which the first thread member 24 is inserted and guided in the front-rear direction is formed through the protruding lower end portion.

  In addition, as shown in FIG. 4A, the front and rear surfaces of each side link member 20 have a longitudinal length of the side link member 20 as it goes downward, as shown in FIG. 4A. Inclined surfaces 54 are formed to incline at a predetermined inclination in the direction of decreasing the height. That is, the lower portion of the front surface of the lateral link member 20 is inclined rearward, and the lower portion of the rear surface of the lateral link member 20 is inclined forward. The inclined surface 54 of the side link member 20, the inclined surface 42 of the base end member 16, and the inclined surface 31 of the tip end member 18 move the link member 20 and the tip end member 18 to the base end member 16 when assisting the bending motion of the finger f. On the other hand, when the pins 20 are swung inward (palm side) around each other, they abut each other at a predetermined swing angle to prevent swing exceeding the swing angle. The predetermined swing angle is equal to the angle θ formed by the inclined surfaces 54, 31, 42 adjacent to each other in the front-rear direction in the state where the operating portion 12 is straightly deployed (FIG. 4 (a)). A desired swing angle regulation can be performed by changing the angle. In the illustrated example, the angle is approximately 40 °.

  Further, the mutually facing surfaces of the side link members 20 adjacent to each other in the front-rear direction are engaged with each other so that the swinging motion of the one side link member 20 is transferred to the other side link member 20. The partial gear 56 for transmission is integrally formed. Further, a partial gear 56 that meshes with the partial gear 38 of the base end member 16 is formed on the rear surface of the rearmost side link member 20, and the front end member 18 is formed on the front surface of the frontmost side link member 20. The partial gear 56 that meshes with the partial gear 30 is formed. Each of the partial gears 56 rotates together with the lateral link member 20 around the axis of the pin 22 serving as the connecting shaft.

  As shown in FIGS. 1 and 5, one end of each of the first thread-shaped member 24 and the second thread-shaped member 26 is connected to the drive unit 14, and from there, via the base member 16 and the link member 20, the tip member. 18 extends through the respective guide holes 40, 52, 32, 41, 46, 34 and the guide groove 48, and the other end (end) is locked to the front open end of the guide holes 32, 34 of the tip member 18. It is locked out. As the first and second thread-like members 24 and 26, for example, a cord made of para-aramid fiber or a metal wire can be used. As the aramid fiber, for example, Kevlar (registered trademark) can be used. In the illustrated example, two first thread members 24 and two second thread members 26 are provided, but one thread may be provided as long as a predetermined tensile strength is exhibited, and three or more threads may be provided. Good.

  In the present embodiment, the drive unit 14 adjusts the tension of the first thread-shaped member 24 and the second thread-shaped member 26 so that the link member 20 and the tip member 18 are provided around the pin 22 with respect to the base end member 16. The finger is swung in the inner direction, which is the direction in which the finger is bent, and in the outer direction, which is the direction in which the finger is deployed. As shown in FIG. 5, the drive unit 14 includes an actuator 58 that is disposed behind the base end member 16 and that generates a driving force for pulling the first and second linear members 24 and 26 from the rear side. As the actuator 58, a linear actuator of a motor drive type, a hydraulic drive type, an air drive type, or a rotary actuator of a motor drive type can be used. In the present embodiment, the linear actuator 58 is used as an example.

  Further, the drive unit 14 may have a transmission mechanism that transmits the drive force from the actuator 58 to the first and second thread-shaped members 24 and 26, if necessary. As the transmission mechanism, various known transmission mechanisms such as a pulley mechanism, a gear mechanism, and a link mechanism can be used. In the present embodiment, the rack and pinion transmission mechanism 60 is used as an example. Specifically, the rack and pinion transmission mechanism 60 is movable in the front-rear direction with the first rack gear 61 provided on the rod 58a of the linear actuator 58 to which the rear end of the second thread member 26 is fixed. A pinion gear 65 that is disposed between the second rack gear 63 to which the rear end 24 of the first thread-shaped member is fixed and the first and second rack gears 61 and 63, and that transmits power between these rack gears 61 and 63. Composed of and. In this transmission mechanism 60, when the rod 58a is retracted together with the first rack gear 61 (FIG. 5 (a)), the second rack gear 63 moves forward, so that the tension of the second thread member 26 is increased. , The tension of the first filamentous member 24 is relaxed, and conversely, when the rod 58a is advanced forward together with the first rack gear 61 (FIG. 5 (b)), the second rack gear 63 moves rearward, The tension of the first thread member 24 is increased and the tension of the second thread member 26 is relaxed.

  Note that the finger movement assisting device 10 of the present embodiment may include a control unit (not shown) that controls the drive unit 14. The control unit includes, for example, a sensor that detects a biological signal, and a calculation unit that outputs a control signal to the actuator 58 based on the biological signal detected by the sensor. Based on the generated myoelectric potential signal, the bending and stretching operation of the finger corresponding to the muscle may be assisted. Alternatively, the finger motion assisting device 10 may be directly operated using a controller (not shown).

  Next, a method of assisting the bending / extending motion of the human finger f using the above-described finger motion assisting device 10 will be described. First, the finger operation assisting device 10 is installed on the back side of the hand with the curved concave portions 18b, 20b formed on the lower surfaces of the link member 20 and the tip member 18 facing the back of the finger f, and the link member 20 and the tip member 18 are placed. , Are bound and fixed to the finger f at several places with a fixing tool such as a surface fastener so as to avoid the area of the pin 22. The base member 16 and the drive unit 14 can also be fixed to the back of the hand with similar fixing tools. Alternatively, in the case of configuring a glove-type finger motion assisting device (not shown), the finger motion assisting device 10 is fixed in advance in each finger bag so that when the person inserts the finger f, the above posture is obtained. In this case, the finger motion assisting device 10 and the finger f can be positioned simply by inserting the finger f into each finger bag. In any case, when the actuating portion 12 is preliminarily deployed to the outside so as to be in the straight extended posture (FIG. 5A) in the initial state, the finger movement assisting device 10 is worn on the finger f. It's easy. In this initial state, the rod 58a of the linear actuator 58 is in the position retracted rearward.

  Then, when the rod 58a of the linear actuator 58 of the drive unit 14 is advanced forward from the state in which the finger movement assisting device 10 is attached to the finger f and the operating unit 12 extends straight, the second line extending above the pin 22 is formed. Since the tension of the linear member 26 is released and the tension of the first linear member 24 extending to the lower side of the pin 22 is increased (FIG. 5 (b)), as shown in FIG. 6 and FIG. The front portions of the link member 20 and the link member 20 swing downward (inward) around each pin 22 with respect to the base end member 16, and as a result, the finger f can be bent. At this time, in the finger movement assisting device 10 of the present embodiment, the partial gears that are rotatable around the meshing pin 22 on the surfaces of the proximal end member 16, the link member 20, and the distal end member 18 that face each other in the front-rear direction. Since 38, 56, 30, and 50 are formed, the relative swing angles between the opposing members 16, 20, and 18 are equal at all positions. Thereby, the bending of the finger f from the root portion to the tip portion can be uniformly performed. When the relative swing angle between the base member 16, the link member 20, and the tip member 18 reaches a predetermined angle θ, the base member 16, the link member 20, and the tip member 18 face each other in the front-rear direction. The inclined surfaces 31, 54, 42 formed on the surfaces contact each other, and further bending of the finger is prevented.

  When deploying the finger f from the bent state of the finger f, the rod 58a of the linear actuator 58 of the drive unit 14 is retracted (FIG. 5A). Thereby, the tension of the first linear member 24 is relaxed and the tension of the second linear member 26 is increased, so that the front portions of the distal end member 18 and the link member 20 with respect to the proximal end member 18, The pins f can be swung (raised) upward (outward) around each pin 22 so that the finger f can be deployed. Also at this time, since the partial gears 38, 56, 30, 50 formed on the base member 16, the link member 20, and the distal end member 18 rotate while meshing with each other, relative movement between the members 16, 20, 18 facing each other. The rocking angle is the same at all points.

  Therefore, according to the finger movement assisting device 10 of the present embodiment, only the first linear member 24 laid on the lower side of the pin 22 and the second linear member 26 laid on the upper side of the pin 22 are pulled alternately. Thus, since the bending and stretching operation of the finger can be performed, the structure is simple and the size can be reduced.

  Further, according to the finger movement assisting device 10 of the present embodiment, since the link members 20 are provided in three rows in the width direction of the finger f, the rigidity in the lateral direction (width direction) can be increased and more stable. It is possible to assist the bending and stretching motion of the finger f.

  Furthermore, according to the finger movement assisting device 10 of the present embodiment, guide holes for guiding the first linear member 24 and the second linear member 26 to the proximal end member 16, the link member 20, and the distal end member 18. Since 40, 52, 32, 41, 46 and 34 are provided, the bending and stretching motion of the finger f can be smoothly performed.

  Furthermore, according to the finger movement assisting device 10 of the present embodiment, the surfaces of the base member 16, the link member 20, and the tip member 18 that face each other in the front-rear direction are directed toward the inner side of the link member 20 and the tip member 18. Since the inclined surfaces 31, 54, and 42 that contact each other at a predetermined swing angle to prevent inward swinging exceeding the predetermined swing angle are formed. Bending can be prevented.

  In addition, according to the finger movement assisting device 10 of the present embodiment, the partial gears 38, 56, 30 meshing with each other are formed on the surfaces of the proximal end member 16, the link member 20, and the distal end member 18 facing each other in the front-rear direction. , 50 are formed, the swing angles of the members 16, 20, 18 facing each other in the front-rear direction can be made equal, and the finger f can be uniformly bent and extended over the entire finger.

  In addition, in the present embodiment, an example in which the linear members 24 and 26 are provided above and below the pin 22 is shown, but the operating portion 12 includes the first linear member 24 and the second linear member. One of the members 26 and a biasing member such as a leaf spring, a coil spring, or rubber that constantly biases the operating portion 12 in the developing direction or the bending direction may be provided. Specifically, when only the first linear member 24 is provided on the lower side of the pin 22, an urging member that constantly urges the actuating portion 12 in the developing direction is provided, and on the upper side of the pin 22, the second linear member 24 is provided. When only the member 26 is provided, a biasing member that constantly biases the actuating portion 12 in the bending direction can be provided. By doing so, the structure of the driving portion 14 can be simplified.

  Next, an embodiment of the second invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings. 8 is a perspective view showing a state in which the finger movement assisting device of one embodiment of the second invention is attached to the index finger of a human hand and unfolded, and FIGS. 9 and 10 are shown in FIG. 9 (a) is a plan view, FIG. 9 (b) is a side view, FIG. 10 (a) is a sectional view taken along line AA in FIG. 9 (a), and FIG. 10B is a front view and FIG. 10C is a rear view.

As shown in FIG. 8, the finger movement assisting device 70 of the present embodiment is installed on the back side of a human finger f along the longitudinal direction of the finger f, and an operation for assisting the bending / extending movement of the finger f. A section 72 and a driving section 74 for driving the operating section 72 are provided. The actuating portion 72 mainly includes the proximal end member 76 that is the most recent position when viewed from the wearer (assistant), the distal end distal member 78, and the length of the finger between the distal end member 76 and the proximal end member 78. A plurality of link members 80 arranged along the direction, and between the base end member 76 and the link member 80, between the link members 80, 80, and between the link member 80 and the tip member 78, which overlap each other when viewed in the width direction of the finger. the pin 82 as a connecting shaft, each coupling swingably together, the actuating portion 72, and a biasing means for constantly urging the inner direction in which to bend outward or finger is a direction to expand the fingers I have it.

  The details of each component will be described below. In the following description, “front” refers to the side where the tip member 78 is located in the relationship between the tip member 78 and the base member 76, and “rear” refers to the relationship between the tip member 78 and the base member 76. In, the side where the base end member 76 is located is indicated. When the word "lower" is used, the finger motion assisting device 70 arranged on the back of the finger f and the back of the finger f refer to the side on which the back of the finger f is located. In the relationship between the finger movement assisting device 70 disposed on the back of the finger f and the back of the finger f, the side on which the finger movement assisting device 70 is located is referred to. Therefore, the "front-back direction" is synonymous with the longitudinal direction of the finger, and the "lateral direction" or "lateral direction" is synonymous with the width direction of the finger.

First, the tip member 78 swings about the pin 82 relative to the proximal member 76 and link member 80 together with the addressed cracking the back of the front end portion f _t of the finger f, inward tip portion f _t (volar ) Is to be bent or to be expanded outside (back side of hand). Note that the distal end portion f _t of the finger f, includes at least a portion corresponding to the end bone of the fingers f, may include a portion corresponding to the distal interphalangeal joint and the middle phalanx.

As shown in FIGS. 9 and 10, the tip member 78 has a flat and substantially rectangular shape whose height is smaller than its width when viewed from the front, and has a predetermined length in the longitudinal direction of the finger. A curved concave portion 78b extending in the front-rear direction is formed on the lower surface of the tip member 78. This curved recess 78b, it is possible to ensure the contact stable between the tip f _t of the distal end member 78 and the finger f, becomes even lower height when the搭置the tip member 78 on the finger f .

Two leg portions 78c, 78d are provided at the rear end portion of the tip member 78 so as to project rearward from both left and right positions, and the leg 82c, 78d is provided with the pin 82 as a connecting shaft on the left and right sides. A pin accommodating hole 88 that is inserted in the direction is formed. The position of the pin accommodating hole 88 in the front-rear direction when the device is attached is preferably on or near the distal interphalangeal joint of the finger. A partial gear 90 that meshes with a partial gear, which will be described later, formed on the link member 80 is integrally formed at the rear edge of each leg 78c, 78d. Each partial gear 90 has an axial center of the pin 82 . Rotate around with the tip member 78.

The proximal end member 76 is disposed on the finger part f _b on the base side of the finger f with respect to the distal end part f _t of the finger f or on the back of the hand (for example, in the metacarpal bone, in the vicinity of the metacarpophalangeal joint), and the link member 80 and The tip member 78 is supported, and as shown in FIGS. 9 and 10, has a flat, substantially rectangular shape whose height is smaller than its width in a rear view, and has a predetermined length in the longitudinal direction of the finger. There is. A curved concave portion 76b extending in the front-rear direction is formed on the lower surface of the base end member 76. The curved concave portion 76b can ensure a stable contact between the base end member 76 and the finger portion fb or the back of the hand, and can reduce the height when the base end member 76 is placed on the finger or the back of the hand. Also becomes.

  Further, two leg portions 76c, 76d are provided at the front end portion of the base end member 76 so as to project forward from both left and right end positions, and each leg portion 76c, 76d is provided with a pin 82 as a connecting shaft. A pin accommodating hole 92 that is inserted in the left-right direction is formed. The position of the pin accommodating hole 92 when the device is mounted in the front-rear direction is preferably on or near the metacarpophalangeal joint. Partial gears 94 that mesh with later-described partial gears formed on the link members 80 adjacent to each other in the front-rear direction are integrally formed at the front edge portions of the leg portions 76c and 76d. The axial center of each partial gear 94 coincides with the axial center of the pin 82 as the connecting shaft.

  The link member 80 is applied to the back of the finger portion between the distal end member 78 and the proximal end member 76, and is rocked with respect to the proximal end member 76 to bend the finger portion inward or expand outward. It is what makes me. The link members 80 are arranged in a row along the front-rear direction (longitudinal direction of the finger), and further provided in two or more rows in the left-right direction (width direction of the finger), here three rows. The link members 80 are alternately arranged in the front-rear direction between the rows that are adjacent to each other in the left-right direction, that is, the link members 80 that are adjacent to each other in the left-right direction are displaced from each other by a half pitch in the front-rear direction. The link members 80, which are displaced by a half pitch, are swingably connected to each other via a pin 82 inserted in a pin housing hole 96 formed in the front and rear of the link member 80. Similarly, the rearmost link member 80 is swingably connected to the leg portions 76c and 76d of the base end member 76 via the pin 82, and the frontmost link member 80 is a pin. The legs 78c and 78d of the tip member 78 are swingably connected to each other via 82.

  Further, in the present embodiment, two link members 80 having different widths are used, one is a wide link member 80 arranged in the lateral center, and the other is the central link member 80. Is a narrow link member 80 that is arranged so as to sandwich it from the side. By forming the center link member 80 wide in this way, the bending and stretching operation of the link member 80 can be stably transmitted to the finger.

  A curved recess 80b extending in the front-rear direction may be formed on the lower surface of the center link member 80, similarly to the distal end member 78 and the base end member 76, so that the link member 80 and the finger f are stable. This makes it possible to secure the contact and reduce the height when the link member 80 is placed on the finger.

  Further, the mutually facing surfaces (front surface and rear surface) of the central link members 80 adjacent to each other in the front-rear direction are engaged with each other so that the swinging motion of one central link member 80 causes the other central link member 80 to swing. A partial gear 98 that transmits to 80 is formed. Each of the partial gears 98 rotates around the axis of the pin 82 as a connecting shaft.

  Similarly, the mutually facing surfaces of the side link members 80 adjacent to each other in the front-rear direction are engaged with each other so that the swinging motion of one side link member 80 causes the other side link member 80 to swing. The partial gear 99 which transmits to is formed integrally. Further, a partial gear 99 that meshes with the partial gear 94 of the base end member 76 is formed on the rear surface of the rearmost side link member 80, and the front end member 78 is formed on the front surface of the frontmost side link member 80. A partial gear 99 that meshes with the partial gear 90 is formed. Each of the partial gears 99 rotates around the axial center of the pin 82 as a connecting shaft together with the lateral link member 80.

  The biasing means constantly biases the link member 80 and the tip member 78 in the outward direction in which the finger f is deployed or in the inward direction in which the finger f is bent. In the illustrated example, the biasing means is provided. As means, it is extended in the curved recesses 76b, 80b, 78b on the lower surfaces of the base member 76, the link member 80 and the tip member 78 along the front-rear direction from the base member 76 through the link member 80 to the tip member 78. In addition, a leaf spring 101 is provided that constantly biases the finger inward, which is the direction in which the finger is bent. A coil spring or rubber may be used instead of the leaf spring.

  The drive unit 84 applies a driving force to at least one link member 80 (here, the center link member 80 closest to the base end member 76) to attach the link member 80 and the distal end member 78 to the pin 82 with respect to the base end member 16. The finger f is swung around in the inward direction, which is the direction in which the finger f is bent, or in the outward direction, which is the direction in which the finger f is deployed. The drive unit 74 is disposed on the upper surface of the base end member 76 and includes an actuator 103 that applies a drive force to the center and rearmost link members 80. The actuator 103 may be a motor drive type, a hydraulic drive type, or an air drive type. A drive type linear actuator or a motor drive type rotary actuator can be used, and the linear actuator 103 is used as an example in the present embodiment.

  Further, the drive unit 84 may include a transmission mechanism that transmits the drive force from the actuator 103 to the link member 80, if necessary. As the transmission mechanism, various known transmission mechanisms such as a pulley mechanism, a gear mechanism, and a link mechanism can be used. In the illustrated example, the forward / backward movement of the rod 103a of the actuator 103 is converted into the swing movement of the link member 80. The link mechanism 105 is used.

  The finger movement assisting device 70 of the present embodiment may include a control unit (not shown) that controls the drive unit 84. The control unit has, for example, a sensor that detects a biological signal, and a calculation unit that outputs a control signal to the actuator 103 based on the biological signal detected by the sensor, and when a person to be assisted operates a finger, Based on the generated myoelectric potential signal, the bending and stretching operation of the finger corresponding to the muscle may be assisted. Alternatively, the finger motion assisting device 70 may be directly operated using a controller (not shown).

  Next, a method of assisting the bending and stretching motion of the human finger f using the finger motion assisting device 70 of the present embodiment will be described. In the present embodiment, since the link member 80 and the tip member 78 are constantly biased inward by the leaf spring 101, the rod 103a of the linear actuator 103 is retracted against the biasing force of the leaf spring 101, It is preferable that the base end member 76, the link member 80, and the tip end member 78 have a posture in which the base end member 76, the link member 80, and the tip end member 78 are extended straight against the biasing force of the leaf spring 101 (FIG. 8). Note that the linear actuator 103 preferably has a self-locking function that holds the position of the rod 103a when there is no power feeding. According to this, the posture in which the link member 80 and the tip member 78 are straightened even when no power is fed. Can be maintained at. In this state, the finger movement assisting device 70 is installed on the back side of the hand with the curved concave portions 80b, 78b formed on the lower surfaces of the link member 80 and the tip member 78 facing the back of the finger f, and the link member 80 and the tip end are provided. The member 78 is bound and fixed to the finger at a plurality of places with a fixing tool such as a surface fastener so as to avoid the area of the pin 82. The base end member 76 and the drive unit 74 can also be fixed to the back of the hand with similar fixing tools.

  When the rod 103a of the linear actuator 103 of the drive unit 74 is gradually advanced forward from the state where the finger movement assisting device 70 is attached to the finger f and the operating unit 72 extends straight, as shown in FIG. The center and rearmost link members 80 connected to 103a via the transmission mechanism 105 swing forward and downward. This swing motion is transmitted to the central link member 80 adjacent to the front of the link member via the partial gear 98, and also to the laterally adjacent lateral and rearmost link members 80 as a connecting shaft. Is transmitted via the pin 82 of the. In this way, the swinging motion of the center and rearmost link members 80 is transmitted to the front via the partial gears 98, 98 of the link member 80 and the pin 82, and the tip member 78 is finally connected to the leg portion. Since it swings forward and downward around the pin 82 extending between 78c and 78d, it is possible to bend the finger f and hold a sphere, for example.

  When expanding the finger from the bent state of the finger f, the rod 103a of the linear actuator 103 is retracted against the biasing force of the leaf spring 101. Then, the link member 80 connected to the rod 103a of the linear actuator is caused to oscillate around the pin 82 inserted in the leg portions 76c and 76d of the base end member 76, and this oscillating motion is caused by the partial gears 98 and 99. And, it is sequentially transmitted to the other link member 80 and the tip member 78 via the pin 82, and the tip member 78 and the link member 80 are raised to the outside, so that the finger f can be deployed.

  Therefore, according to the finger movement assisting device 70 of the present embodiment, the plurality of link members 80 are provided between the base end member 76 and the tip end member 78, and the base end member 76, the tip end member 78, and the link member 80 are partially provided. Since the bending motion of the finger can be performed only by forming the gears 90, 94, 98, 99 and swinging at least one link member 80, the structure is simple and the size can be reduced. Furthermore, by transmitting the swing through the partial gears 90, 94, 98, 99, the swing angles can be made equal at all swing points, and the finger f can be uniformly bent and stretched over the entire finger. it can.

  Further, according to the finger movement assisting device 70 of the present embodiment, since the link members 80 are provided in three rows in the width direction of the finger f, the rigidity in the lateral direction (width direction) can be increased and more stable. It is possible to assist the bending and stretching motion of the finger f.

  In the present embodiment, the leaf spring 101 that constantly urges the operating portion 72 in the bending direction is provided, and the example in which the urging force of the leaf spring 101 assists the movement of the finger in the bending direction is shown. It is also possible to provide a leaf spring that constantly urges in the deployment direction above the pin 82 and bend the actuating portion 72 by an actuator against the urging force of the leaf spring. Alternatively, as shown in FIG. 12, at least one link member, preferably the rearmost link member 80, is rotated in the forward and reverse directions by an electric motor M and a gear G fixed to the tip of the rotary shaft of the motor without using a leaf spring. The actuating portion 72 may be bent and extended by rotating the actuating portion 72 in the direction.

  The present invention has been described above based on the illustrated examples, but the present invention is not limited to the ones shown in the above-described embodiments, and can be appropriately modified within the disclosure of the claims. For example, in the above-described embodiment, the connecting shaft is a pin, but it may be a protrusion protruding laterally. Further, in the illustrated example, the two pin accommodating holes formed in the front and rear of the link member are independent, but the two pin accommodating holes may be connected to each other in the front-rear direction. Further, in the first invention, the partial gears 30, 38, 50 and 56 can be omitted.

  Thus, according to the present invention, it is possible to provide a finger movement assisting device which has a simple structure and can be downsized.

10, 70 Finger movement assisting device 12, 72 Actuator 14, 74 Drive 16, 16, Base member 18, 78 Tip member 20, 80 Link member 22, 82 Pin 24 First linear member 26 Second linear member Members 28, 36, 44 Pin accommodation holes 30, 38, 50, 56, 90, 94, 98, 99 Partial gears 31, 42, 54 Inclined surfaces 58, 103 Linear actuator 60 Rack and pinion transmission mechanism 101 Leaf spring 105 Transmission mechanism G gear M motor

Claims (3)

A finger movement assisting device, which is arranged on the back side of a finger of a human hand and assists the bending and stretching movements of the finger of the hand,
A tip member arranged corresponding to the tip of the finger,
A base end member arranged corresponding to the finger part on the base side of the finger or the back of the hand than the tip part of the finger,
A plurality of link members arranged along the longitudinal direction of the finger between the base end member and the distal end member, the link members being provided in three rows in the width direction of the finger and being long between adjacent rows in the width direction. Link members arranged alternately in the direction,
A plurality of connecting shafts that connect the base end member, the link member, and the distal end member to each other in a swingable manner;
One link member in the central row of the three rows is swung with respect to the base end member around the connecting shaft in the inward direction in which the finger is bent or in the outward direction in which the finger is deployed. A drive unit,
The surfaces of the base member, the link member, and the tip member that face each other in the longitudinal direction are engaged with each other so that the swing motion of the one link member is adjacent to the other link in the longitudinal direction. A finger movement assisting device, wherein a partial gear that transmits to a member and the tip member is formed.   The finger movement assisting device according to claim 1, further comprising a biasing unit that constantly biases the link member and the tip member in the inward direction or the outward direction. It said biasing means from said proximal member to the distal member through said link member, said a longitudinal leaf spring extending along the finger motion assisting apparatus according to claim 1 or 2 wherein.

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