Assistive glove for artificial hands

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2018235293-A1
Application number	US-201815902039-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Feb 22, 2018
Priority date	Feb 22, 2017
Publication date	Aug 23, 2018
Grant date	—

Abstract

Electronic assistive gloves for covering artificial prosthetic or robotic hands. The glove includes a base layer formed to fit on the artificial hand, a plurality of sensors carried by the base layer, and an encapsulation layer covering the base layer and formed of a material that mimics human skin.

First claim

1 . An electronic assistive glove for covering an artificial hand, the glove comprising:
a base layer formed to fit on the artificial hand; a plurality of sensors carried by the base layer; and an encapsulation layer covering the base layer and formed of a material that mimics human skin.

2 . The electronic assistive glove according to claim 1 , further comprising serpentine patterns of conductive traces that interconnect the sensors.

3 . The electronic assistive glove according to claim 2 , wherein the serpentine patterns of conductive traces are formed on the base layer, formed on the encapsulation layer, or embedded in the base or encapsulation layers.

4 . The electronic assistive glove according to claim 2 , wherein the base layer defines a base glove having a wrist region, fingers, and a palm therebetween, and the serpentine patterns of conductive traces comprise individual serpentine trace patterns each defining a path that starts adjacent the wrist region of the base glove, has an outbound portion routed to a location adjacent a tip of one of the fingers of the base glove, and an inbound portion that is routed back to form a terminus of the path at the wrist region of the base glove.

5 . The electronic assistive glove according to claim 4 , wherein the start and terminus of each path defines electrical leads for a corresponding one of the individual serpentine trace patterns at the wrist region of the base glove.

6 . The electronic assistive glove according to claim 4 , wherein the individual serpentine trace patterns are electrically isolated from each other by the base layer.

7 . The electronic assistive glove according to claim 4 , wherein at least one of the sensors is located within a corresponding one of the individual serpentine trace patterns and bridges and is connected to the outbound and inbound portions of the corresponding individual serpentine trace pattern.

8 . The electronic assistive glove according to claim 4 , wherein the base glove comprises a plurality of the sensors located within a finger portion of each of the individual serpentine trace patterns located on the fingers of the base glove

9 . The electronic assistive glove according to claim 8 , wherein the base glove comprises a plurality of the sensors located within a palm portion of each of the individual serpentine trace patterns located on the palm of the base glove.

10 . The electronic assistive glove according to claim 1 , wherein the sensors comprise a plurality of pressure sensors.

11 . The electronic assistive glove according to claim 1 , wherein the sensors comprise a plurality of temperature sensors.

12 . The electronic assistive glove according to claim 1 , wherein the sensors comprise a plurality of hydration sensors.

13 . The electronic assistive glove according to claim 1 , further comprising at least one heating element configured to maintain an exterior surface of the electronic assistive glove at a temperature of about 34 to about 39° C.

14 . The electronic assistive glove according to claim 1 , further comprising an electronic control and display unit that receives output signals from the sensors and displays information derived from the output signals.

15 . The electronic assistive glove according to claim 14 , further comprising serpentine patterns of conductive traces that interconnect the sensors and form leads that are connected to the electronic control and display unit.

16 . The electronic assistive glove according to claim 1 , wherein the sensors are added to the base layer by transfer printing.

17 . The electronic assistive glove according to claim 1 , wherein the artificial hand is a prosthetic hand.

18 . The prosthetic hand covered by the electronic assistive glove according to claim 17 .

19 . The electronic assistive glove according to claim 1 , wherein the artificial hand is a robotic hand.

20 . The robotic hand covered by the electronic assistive glove according to claim 16 .

Assignees

• Purdue Research Foundation

Inventors

• Lee Chi Hwan
• Kim Min Ku

Classifications

• B32B2250/02

  2 layers · CPC title

• A41D19/0058

  Three-dimensional gloves · CPC title

• A61F2/76

  Means for assembling, fitting or testing prostheses, e.g. for measuring or balancing, {e.g. alignment means} · CPC title

• G01N27/223

  for determining moisture content, e.g. humidity (rain detectors on vehicle windows B60S1/0825) · CPC title

• B32B25/042

  of natural rubber or synthetic rubber · CPC title