Apparatus for assisting in finger motion
Inventors
PARK, Byeong Geol • Yoo, Kyung Hwan • Choi, Young Geun
Assignees
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Publication Number
US-11318063-B2
Publication Date
2022-05-03
Expiration Date
Abstract
A finger-motion assisting apparatus. The apparatus includes a wearing part, a first cover extending from the wearing part to one side, first and second wires pulling the first cover, a pulley around which the first and second wires are wound, and a motor rotating the pulley. The first and second wires are arranged from a first point to a second point of the first cover along the extension direction of the first cover and arranged along at least part of a periphery of the first cover in opposite directions at the second point of the first cover.
Core Innovation
The invention relates to a glove-type apparatus for assisting in finger motion. The apparatus includes a wearing part and a finger cover that substantially covers an entire finger of a user, where the finger cover has an interior surface facing a palm side surface and an exterior surface facing an external side. The finger cover is provided with first and second openings formed along the palm side surface, with the first opening corresponding to a proximal phalanx and the second opening positioned at a distal phalanx.
A first wire and a second wire are configured to pull the finger cover. The wires pass into the first opening at a first point, run along the interior surface of the finger cover, and exit to the exterior of the finger cover via the second opening. At the second point, the first wire and the second wire extend along circumferential portions of the exterior surface in opposite directions relative to each other.
The apparatus further includes a pulley and a motor configured to rotate the pulley. The wires are wound around the pulley, and the motor rotation causes the wound wires to reroute according to the proximal and distal opening structure, thereby producing assisted finger motion by applying traction while arranging the wires along the cover exterior in opposite circumferential directions. Additional embodiments and dependent features specify further structures, including receiving space and additional strap mechanisms for adjusting finger-related tension and shaping areas for another finger.
Claims Coverage
The document provides three independent claims: clm-00001, clm-00008, and clm-00009. Across these claims, the coverage is anchored by finger covers with proximal and distal openings secured by rivets, motor-driven pulleys, and wire arrangements that extend along circumferential portions of the exterior surface in specified directions.
Glove finger-motion wearing part with a covered finger having proximal and distal openings secured by rivets
A wearing part; a first cover extending from the wearing part to one side and configured to substantially cover an entire finger, the first cover having a first opening corresponding to a proximal phalanx and a second opening positioned at a distal phalanx, wherein the first and second openings are formed along a palm side surface of the finger; a first rivet disposed on the first opening and a second rivet disposed on the second opening, each rivet having a circular face facing the palm side surface at the respective phalanx.
Opposite-direction circumferential routing of first and second wires about the exterior surface via proximal and distal openings
A first wire and a second wire configured to pull the first cover, arranged from a first point corresponding to the first opening to a second point corresponding to the second opening along a direction in which the first cover extends, passing into the first opening to run along an interior surface of the first cover and exiting via the second opening to the exterior of the first cover, wherein at the second point the first wire extends along at least part of a circumference of the exterior surface in a second direction and the second wire extends along at least another part of a circumference in a third direction, the second direction being an opposite direction to the third direction.
Motor-rotated pulley winding for driving the wire-applied finger cover traction
A pulley around which the first wire and the second wire are wound and a motor configured to rotate the pulley, such that the first wire and the second wire are routed to and from the pulley in the specified manner.
Multi-portion wire path including wound-and-withdrawn end portion and circumferential winding on the exterior surface
A first cover wire configured to pull the first cover, comprising a first end portion wound around the pulley; a first portion directly connected with the first end portion and withdrawn from the pulley; a second portion extending along a first direction in which the first cover extends, passing into the first opening, running along the interior surface, exiting via the second opening to an exterior of the first cover; a third portion directly connected with the second portion and arranged on the exterior after the second portion has exited the second opening, the third portion wound along at least part of a circumference of the exterior surface; a fourth portion directly connected with the third portion and arranged on the exterior and extending along an opposite direction to the first direction; and a second end portion directly connected with the fourth portion and wound around the pulley.
Dual finger cover adjacent arrangement with motor and pulley positioned between thumb and index finger
A first cover and a second cover disposed adjacent to each other, each configured to substantially cover an entire finger and each having a first opening corresponding to a proximal phalanx and a second opening positioned at a distal phalanx; a first cover wire and a second cover wire configured to pull the respective cover; a pulley around which the first cover wire and the second cover wire are wound; and a motor configured to rotate the pulley, wherein the motor and the pulley are configured to be positioned between a thumb and the second finger that is an index finger of the user.
The claim set primarily covers finger-motion assisting apparatus that use one or more finger covers with proximal and distal palm-side openings secured by rivets, motor-driven pulley systems that wind and reroute cover-pulling wires through those openings, and a wire arrangement on the exterior surface that extends along circumferential portions in specified directions. Additional independent claim coverage specifies a multi-portion wire path and a dual-cover arrangement with a positional constraint placing the motor and pulley between the thumb and index finger.
Stated Advantages
Not explicitly described in patent.
Documented Applications
Not explicitly described in patent.
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