Purpose　The　purpose　of　this　paper　is　to　evaluate　three　categories　of　four-degrees　of　freedom　(4-DOFs)　upper　limb　rehabilitation　exoskeleton　mechanisms　from　the　perspective　of　relative　movement　offsets　between　the　upper　limb　and　the　exoskeleton,　so　as　to　provide　reference　for　the　selection　of　exoskeleton　mechanism　configurations.　Design/methodology/approach　According　to　the　configuration　synthesis　and　optimum　principles　of　4-DOFs　upper　limb　exoskeleton　mechanisms,　three　categories　of　exoskeletons　compatible　with　upper　limb　were　proposed.　From　the　perspective　of　human　exoskeleton　closed　chain,　through　reasonable　decomposition　and　kinematic　characteristics　analysis　of　passive　connective　joints,　the　kinematic　equations　of　three　categories　exoskeletons　were　established　and　inverse　position　solution　method　were　addressed.　Subsequently,　three　indexes,　which　can　represent　the　relative　movement　offsets　of　human-exoskeleton　were　defined.　Findings　Based　on　the　presented　position　solution　and　evaluation　indexes,　the　joint　displacements　and　relative　movement　offsets　of　the　three　exoskeletons　during　eating　movement　were　compared,　on　which　the　kinematic　characteristics　were　investigated.　The　results　indicated　that　the　second　category　of　exoskeleton　was　more　suitable　for　upper　limb　rehabilitation　than　the　other　two　categories.　Originality/value　This　paper　has　a　certain　reference　value　for　the　selection　of　the　4-DOFs　upper　extremity　rehabilitation　exoskeleton　mechanism　configurations.　The　selected　exoskeleton　can　ensure　the　safety　and　comfort　of　stroke　patients　with　upper　limb　dyskinesia　during　rehabilitation　training.