Hand rehabilitation glove

• US 20030054923A1
• Filed: 08/05/2002
• Published: 03/20/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 01/05/1998
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: John M. Brassil, Thomas Brassil
• Original Assignee: John M. Brassil, Thomas Brassil
• Inventors: Brassil, Thomas, Brassil, John M.
• Application Number:
  US10/212,485
• Publication Number:
  US 20030054923A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 482/49
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 21/008 using hydraulic or pneumatic force-resisters
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 21/02 using resilient force-resisters
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 21/4025 Resistance devices worn on the user's body A63B21/065 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2220/54 Torque
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 23/16 for hands or fingers for teaching typing G09B13/00

Abstract

A hand therapy system having a glove including a compressible substance coupled to a palm portion providing resistance to the closing motion of the hand and one or more elastic members spanning from the compressible substance to respective ones of one or more finger portions, the one or more elastic members provide resistance to the opening of the hand. Also included are a means for providing a signal proportional to the movement of the digits of the hand while opening and closing and a means for providing a signal proportional to the pressure applied by one or more of the digits of the hand on the compressible substance. A controller is coupled to the means for providing a signal proportional to the movement and the means for providing a signal proportional to the pressure and also a computer coupled to the controller via a computer link.

Claims

1. A hand therapy system comprising:

a glove including;

a compressible substance coupled to a palm portion for providing resistance to the closing motion of the hand;

one or more elastic members spanning from the compressible substance to respective ones of one or more finger portions, wherein the one or more elastic members provide resistance to the opening of the hand;

means for providing a signal representing the displacement of the digits of the hand while opening and closing the hand; and

means for providing a signal representing the force applied by one or more of the digits of the hand on the compressible substance;

a controller coupled to the means for providing a signal representing the movement and the means for providing a signal representing the force; and

a computer coupled to the controller via a computer link.

2. The method of claim 1 further comprising means for providing a signal representing the temperature changes of the hand during use of the glove coupled to said controller.

3. The system of claim 1 wherein said computer link comprises an internet link.

4. The system of claim 1 wherein said controller comprises:

a feedback controller coupled to an input/output module;

the input/output module coupled to said means for providing a signal proportional to the movement and said means for providing a signal proportional to the force.

5. A method of hand therapy comprising:

providing a glove including;

a compressible substance coupled to a palm portion for providing resistance to the closing motion of the hand;

one or more elastic members spanning from the compressible substance to respective ones of one or more finger portions, wherein the one or more elastic members provide resistance to the opening of the hand;

providing a signal representing an estimate of the displacement of one or more digits of a hand during opening and closing of the hand; and

providing a signal representing an estimate of the force exerted on a compressible substance by the one or more digits during the closing of the hand.

6. The method of claim 5 further comprising providing a signal representing an estimate of the temperature change of the users hand during use of said glove.

7. The method of claim 5 further comprising translating said signal representing said estimate of the displacement and said signal representing said estimate of the force into said estimate of the displacement and said estimate of the force.

8. The method of claim 7 further comprising transmitting said estimate of said displacement and said estimate of said force to a computer via a computer link.

9. The method of claim 8 wherein said computer link comprises an internet link, wherein a user of said computer can be used to monitor said estimate of said displacement and said estimate of said force.