Force grounding wristband for haptic glove

Abstract

Disclosed is a force ground device (e.g., a glove) including one or more tendons coupled to actuators for providing haptic feedback when worn by a user. The force ground device includes a wristband that couples to the tendons or to the actuators. The wristband grounds forces from the compressed tendons to the wrist of the user. The wristband may include two force grounding segments adjacent to the ulnar and radial sides of the wrist. The wristband may also include a tension adjustment mechanism (e.g., a ratchet) to adjust the tension of the wristband.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A force ground device comprising:
 a finger sheath configured to enclose a finger of a user of the force grounding device;   a tendon having a first end and a second end, the first end coupled to the finger sheath;   an actuator coupled to the second end of the tendon, wherein the actuator is configured to produce tension in the tendon;   a wristband coupled to the actuator and configured to ground forces from the actuator to a wrist of the user, the wristband comprising:
 a first force distribution segment inflexible in directions parallel to a surface of a wrist, the first force distribution band to distribute forces on the wristband from the actuator to a first side of the wrist; 
 a second force distribution segment inflexible in directions parallel to the surface of the wrist, the second force distribution band to distribute forces on the wristband from the actuator to a second side of the wrist. 
   
     
     
         2 . The force ground device of  claim 1 , wherein the wristband further comprises:
 a first adjustable strip coupled at a first end to a first end of the first force distribution segment;   a second adjustable strip coupled at a first end to a first end of the second force distribution segment; and   a tension adjustment mechanism, the tension adjustment mechanism coupled at a first end to a second end of the first adjustable strip and coupled at a second end to a second end of the second adjustable strip, the tension adjustment mechanism configured to adjust tension in the first adjustable strip and tension in the second adjustable strip.   
     
     
         3 . The force ground device of  claim 2 , wherein:
 the first adjustable strip comprises one or more first tendons, each of the one or more first tendons protruding from the tension adjustment mechanism and coupling to the first force distribution segment at a first end;   the second adjustable strip comprises one or more second tendons, each of the one or more second tendons protruding from the tension adjustment mechanism and coupling to the second force distribution segment at a first end;   the tension adjustment mechanism is configured to increase the tension in the first adjustable strip by partially withdrawing the one or more first tendons into itself; and   the tension adjustment mechanism is further configured to increase the tension in the second adjustable strip by partially withdrawing the one or more second tendons into itself.   
     
     
         4 . The force ground device of  claim 3 , wherein the tension adjustment mechanism withdraws the one or more first tendons and the one or more second tendons into itself with a ratcheting mechanism. 
     
     
         5 . The force ground device of  claim 2 , wherein the tension adjustment mechanism is adjacent to a posterior side of the wrist. 
     
     
         6 . The force ground device of  claim 1 , wherein the force ground device further comprises:
 a thumb sheath;   a thumb tendon having a first end and a second end, the first end coupled to the thumb sheath;   a thumb actuator coupled to the second end of the thumb tendon, wherein the thumb actuator is configured to produce tension in the tendon; and   a thumb tension adjustment mechanism, the thumb tension adjustment mechanism configured to adjust tension in the thumb tendon.   
     
     
         7 . The force ground device of  claim 1 , wherein the first force distribution segment is adjacent to an ulna bone of the wrist and the second force distribution segment is adjacent to a radius bone of the wrist. 
     
     
         8 . The force ground device of  claim 1 , wherein each of the first and second force distribution segments comprises a plurality of interconnected rigid links. 
     
     
         9 . The force ground device of  claim 1 , wherein each of the first and second force distribution segments comprises a mesh and an elastic strip, the elastic strip between the wrist and the mesh. 
     
     
         10 . The force ground device of  claim 9 , wherein the elastic strip of each of the first and second force distribution segments is neoprene. 
     
     
         11 . The force ground device of  claim 9 , wherein the mesh of each of the first and second force distribution segments is a Milanese mesh. 
     
     
         12 . The force ground device of  claim 1 , wherein the first force distribution segment is flexible in a first direction perpendicular to the surface of the wrist and the second force distribution segment is flexible in a second direction perpendicular to the surface of the wrist. 
     
     
         13 . The force ground device of  claim 1 , wherein the wristband further comprises an anterior strip coupled at a first end to a second end of the first force distribution segment and coupled at a second end to a second end of the second force distribution segment.