Ergonomic exoskeleton system for the upper limb

Abstract

Exoskeleton kinematic chain arranged to pivotally connect a first element to a second element, said first element comprising two pivot points Aand Blocated at a distance, said second element comprising two pivot points Aand Blocated at a distance. The exoskeleton kinematic chain comprises a first external link pivotally connected to the first element at the pivot point Aand a first end link pivotally connected to the first external link at a pivot point D, said pivot point Dbeing located at a distanceby the pivot point A. The exoskeleton kinematic chain comprises then a second external link pivotally connected to the second element at the pivot point A, and a second end link pivotally connected to the second external link at a pivot point D, said pivot point Dbeing located at a distanceby the pivot point A. The exoskeleton kinematic chain also comprises a first intermediate link pivotally connected to the first element at the pivot point Band integrally connected to the second end link at a junction point C, a second intermediate link pivotally connected to the second element at the pivot point Band integrally connected to the first end link at a junction point C. The first and the second end link are pivotally connected to each other at a pivot point M. Defining==θ, for any value of θ, the projections of the pivot points A, B, A, Bin a plane π, lay in a circumference K having center O and radius r======, in such a way that decreasing the value of θ the first and the second element rotate with respect to each other about an axis z orthogonal to the plane π and passing through the center O in the direction for which the point Ais overlapped to the point B.