Finger assist device

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9636270-B2
Application number	US-201414202686-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Mar 10, 2014
Priority date	Mar 25, 2013
Publication date	May 2, 2017
Grant date	May 2, 2017

Abstract

A finger assist device is formed by rotatably connecting a plurality of units in a finger bending direction and a finger spreading direction. The unit is worn on a finger by nipping the finger with a nipping part from the pad and the back of the finger, and a drive force is controlled by detecting a first contact force between the finger pad and the nipping part and a second contact force between the finger back and the nipping part. Since the intention of the wearer of the finger assist device appears in the first contact force and the second contact force, the drive force of the finger assist device is appropriately controlled according to the wearer's intention, and thereby, bending and spreading of the finger may be appropriately assisted.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A finger assist device assisting movement of a finger comprising:
a nipper adapted to be worn on the finger;
a plurality of units rotatably connected to one another in a bending direction, at least one of the units being coupled to the nipper;
a sensor provided in the nipper to detect a contact force generated toward the nipper;
a driver drivably connected to the plurality of units to impart relative rotation thereto; and
a drive force controller operatively associated with the sensor and driver, the controller being configured to control a drive force of the driver in response to the contact force detected by the sensor,
wherein the sensor includes a first sensor that detects a first contact force generated in the bending direction and a second sensor that detects a second contact force generated in a spreading direction opposite the bending direction, wherein the drive force controller being configured to increase the drive force for rotating the units in the bending direction if the first contact force is larger than the second contact force, and to decrease the drive force for rotating the units in the bending direction if the first contact force is smaller than the second contact force.

2. The finger assist device according to claim 1 , wherein,
the drive force controller is further configured to increase the drive force in the bending direction if the first contact force is larger than the second contact force by a first increase threshold value or more, and to decrease the drive force in the bending direction if the second contact force is larger than the first contact force by a first decrease threshold value, and
the drive force controller is also configured to maintain the drive force in the bending direction if the first contact force is larger than the second contact force and an excess amount of the first contact force with respect to the second contact force is less than the first increase threshold value or the second contact force is larger than the first contact force and an excess amount of the second contact force with respect to the first contact force is less than the first decrease threshold value.

3. The finger assist device according to claim 1 , wherein,
the drive force controller is configured to decrease the drive force in the spreading direction if the first contact force is larger than the second contact force, and to increase the drive force in the spreading direction if the second contact force is larger than the first contact force.

4. The finger assist device according to claim 3 , wherein,
the drive force controller is also configured to decrease the drive force in the spreading direction if the first contact force is larger than the second contact force by a predetermined second decrease threshold value or more, and to increase the drive force in the spreading direction if the second contact force is larger than the first contact force by a second increase threshold value, and
the drive force controller is also configured to maintain the drive force in the spreading direction if the first contact force is larger than the second contact force and an excess amount of the first contact force with respect to the second contact force is less than the second decrease threshold value, or the second contact force is larger than the first contact force and an excess amount of the second contact force with respect to the first contact force is less than the second increase threshold value.

5. The finger assist device according to claim 4 , wherein,
the second increase threshold value is a value smaller than the first increase threshold value, and
the second decrease threshold value is a value smaller than the first decrease threshold value.

6. The finger assist device according to claim 1 , wherein,
the first sensor and the second sensor are provided at a tip end side of the nipper.

7. The finger assist device according to claim 1 , wherein,
the nipper includes a first nipping member provided on a bending direction side of the nipper and a second nipping member provided on a spreading direction side of the nipper, and
the first nipping member is more deformable than the second nipping member.

8. The finger assist device according to claim 1 , wherein the driver is a vibrator containing a piezoelectric material.

9. A finger assist device assisting movement of a finger comprising:
a band adapted to be worn on the finger;
a pressure sensor on an inner periphery of the band;
a first link connected to the band;
a second link rotatably connected to the first link at a joint;
a driver connected to the joint and operable to selectively impart relative rotation between the first and second links; and
a controller communicating with the sensor and driver, the controller being configured to control a drive force of the driver in response to feedback from the sensor,
wherein the sensor includes a first sensor that detects a first contact force generated in the bending direction and a second sensor that detects a second contact force generated in a spreading direction opposite the bending direction, wherein the controller is configured to: increase the drive force for rotating in the bending direction if the first contact force is larger than the second contact force, and decrease the drive force for rotating in the bending direction if the first contact force is smaller than the second contact force.

10. The finger assist device according to claim 9 , wherein,
the controller is further configured to increase the drive force in the bending direction if the first contact force is larger than the second contact force by a first increase threshold value or more, and to decrease the drive force in the bending direction if the second contact force is larger than the first contact force by a first decrease threshold value, and
the controller is also configured to maintain the drive force in the bending direction if the first contact force is larger than the second contact force and an excess amount of the first contact force with respect to the second contact force is less than the first increase threshold value or the second contact force is larger than the first contact force and an excess amount of the second contact force with respect to the first contact force is less than the first decrease threshold value.

11. The finger assist device according to claim 9 , wherein, the controller is configured to:
decrease the drive force in the unbending direction if the first contact force is larger than the second contact force, and
increase the drive force in the unbending direction if the second contact force is larger than the first contact force.

12. The finger assist device according to claim 11 , wherein,
the controller is also configured to decrease the drive force in the spreading direction if the first contact force is larger than the second contact force by a predetermined second decrease threshold value or more, and to increase the drive force in the spreading direction if the second contact force is larger than the first contact force by a second increase threshold value, and
the controller is also configured to maintain the drive force in the spreading direction if the first contact force is larger than the second contact force and an excess amount of the first contact force with respect to the second contact force is less than the second decrease threshold value, or the second contact force is larger than the first contact force and an excess amount of the second contact force with respect to the first contact force is less than the second increase threshold value.

13. The finger assis

Assignees

• Seiko Epson Corp

Inventors

• Miyazawa Osamu

Classifications

• A61F2/70 Primary

  electrical · CPC title

• A61H2201/1635

  Hand or arm, e.g. handle · CPC title

• A61H2201/5061

  Force sensors · CPC title

• A61H2205/065

  Hands · CPC title

• A61H2205/067

  Fingers · CPC title