Soft exoskeleton wearable device for temporomandibular disorder (TMD) rehabilitation

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12564531-B2
Application number	US-202217687717-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Mar 7, 2022
Priority date	Mar 18, 2021
Publication date	Mar 3, 2026
Grant date	Mar 3, 2026

Abstract

Disclosed is an exoskeleton wearable device configured to push a condyle out from a glenoid structure of a skull made of two bellows shaped actuators each having an elliptical cross-section; an upper part configured to be fixed on a forehead of a patient and provide a base for the two bellows shaped actuators; and a lower part configured to be fixed on a mandible of the patient and substantially static to the mandible but moveable in a horizontal plane and a vertical plane with respect to the upper part.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . An exoskeleton wearable device configured to push a condyle out from a glenoid structure of a skull, comprising:
two bellows shaped actuators each having an elliptical cross-section; an upper part configured to be fixed on a forehead of a patient and provide a base for the two bellows shaped actuators; and a lower part configured to be fixed on a mandible of the patient and substantially static to the mandible but moveable in a horizontal plane and a vertical plane with respect to the upper part.

2 . The exoskeleton wearable device according to claim 1 , wherein the two bellows shaped actuators are pneumatic actuators.

3 . The exoskeleton wearable device according to claim 1 , with the proviso that the two bellows shaped actuators do not have a circular cross-section.

4 . The exoskeleton wearable device according to claim 1 , wherein the upper part has a ring shape and configured to be substantially static during mandibular movement.

5 . The exoskeleton wearable device according to claim 1 , further comprising a pneumatic control system.

6 . The exoskeleton wearable device according to claim 5 , wherein the pneumatic control system comprises a pressure sensor, a solenoid valve, and a driver board.

7 . The exoskeleton wearable device according to claim 1 , having a weight of 340 grams or less.

8 . A method of treating a temporomandibular disorder, comprising:
attaching the exoskeleton wearable device according to claim 1 to the skull of a patient; and using the exoskeleton wearable device according to claim 1 to facilitate at least one of opening or closing a jaw of the patient.

9 . The method according to claim 8 , wherein using the exoskeleton wearable device comprises actuating at least one of the two bellows shaped actuators.

10 . The method according to claim 8 , wherein using the exoskeleton wearable device comprises actuating both of the two bellows shaped actuators.

11 . An exoskeleton wearable device configured to push a condyle out from a glenoid structure of a skull, comprising:
two bellows shaped actuators each having an elliptical cross-section; an upper part configured to be fixed on a forehead of a patient and provide a base for the two bellows shaped actuators; a lower part configured to be fixed on a mandible of the patient and substantially static to the mandible but moveable in a horizontal plane and a vertical plane with respect to the upper part; and a pneumatic controller configured to generate pressure command output according to a desired motion trajectory to facilitate moving the lower part relative to the upper part.

12 . The exoskeleton wearable device according to claim 11 , wherein the two bellows shaped actuators are pneumatic actuators.

13 . The exoskeleton wearable device according to claim 11 , with the proviso that the two bellows shaped actuators do not have a circular cross-section.

14 . The exoskeleton wearable device according to claim 11 , wherein the upper part has a ring shape and configured to be substantially static during mandibular movement.

15 . The exoskeleton wearable device according to claim 11 , wherein the pneumatic controller comprises a pressure sensor, a solenoid valve, and a driver board.

16 . The exoskeleton wearable device according to claim 11 , having a weight of 340 grams or less.

Assignees

• Univ Hong Kong

Inventors

• Zhang Runzhi
• Lam James
• Wang Zheng

Classifications

• A61H2201/5056

  pneumatically controlled · CPC title

• A61H2201/1607

  Holding means therefor · CPC title

• A61H2201/5071

  Pressure sensors · CPC title

• A61H2201/165

  Wearable interfaces · CPC title

• A61H2201/1409

  Hydraulic or pneumatic means · CPC title