Arm prosthetic device

• US 10,292,838 B2
• Filed: 07/18/2016
• Issued: 05/21/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 02/06/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Deka Products Limited Partnership
• Original Assignee: Deka Products Limited Partnership
• Inventors: Evans, Christopher O., Perry, N. Christopher, van der Merwe, Dirk Albertus, Langenfeld, Christopher C., Kerwin, John Matthew, Coulter, Stewart M., Smith, III, Stanley B., Violette, Keith David, Nickson, Steven W., Schnellinger, Thomas S., Muller, Alexander H., Guay, Gerald Michael
• Primary Examiner(s): Watkins, Marcia L
• Application Number:
  US15/212,843
• Publication Number:
  US 20160317326A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,037 Days
• Field of Search: 623 57, 623 61, 623 62, 623 63, 623 64, 901 11, 901 12, 901 27, 901 28, 901 29
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2/54 Artificial arms or hands or parts thereof
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2/581 Shoulder joints
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2/582 Elbow joints
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2/585 Wrist joints
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2/586 Fingers
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2/70 electrical
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/30462 retained or tied with a rope, string, thread, wire or cable
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/5001 Cosmetic coverings
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/5061 the sense of touch
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/5083 modular
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/587 Thumbs
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/6827 Feedback system for providing user sensation, e.g. by force, contact or position
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/6836 Gears specially adapted therefor, e.g. reduction gears
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/6845 Clutches
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/6854 for locking or unlocking a joint
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/689 Alarm means, e.g. acoustic
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/701 operated by electrically controlled means, e.g. solenoids or torque motors
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/7625 for measuring angular position
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/7635 for measuring force, pressure or mechanical tension
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/764 for measuring acceleration
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/7645 : for measuring torque, e.g. hinge or turning moment, moment of force
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/769 : Displaying measured values
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/7862 : Harnesses or straps
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2220/0075 : sutured, ligatured or stitched, retained or tied with a rope, string, thread, wire or cable

Abstract

A prosthetic arm apparatus including a plurality of segments that provide a user of the prosthetic arm apparatus with substantially the same movement capability and function as a human arm. The segments are connectable to one another and connectable to a prosthetic support apparatus that may be adorned by the user. Each segment of the plurality of segments provides a portion of the movement capability, enabling the plurality of connected segments connected to the harness mount to provide substantially the same movement capability as that lacking in the user.

Claims

1. A method for imparting fixed path motion to a prosthetic hand assembly using a prosthetic wrist assembly connected to the prosthetic hand assembly through a wrist pivot axle, the method comprising:

providing the prosthetic wrist assembly including an input support structure and a hand interface disposed at a distal end of the input support structure for coupling the hand assembly to the input support structure;

providing the wrist pivot axle passing through the input support structure and extending outwardly therefrom to engage the hand interface; and

providing a motor for driving the wrist pivot axle in rotary motion,

wherein the rotary motion of the wrist pivot axle drives the hand interface to move the hand assembly along a fixed flexion-deviation movement path having a component of flexion about the wrist pivot axle and a component of deviation about a deviation axis that is perpendicular to the wrist pivot axle;

wherein the wrist pivot axle includes a flattened end portion at each end extending outwardly from the input support structure into the hand interface;

wherein the hand interface includes first and second slider blocks slidably coupled to the flattened end portions of the pivot axle and adapted to attach the hand assembly thereto;

wherein the hand interface includes first and second cam bearings attached to the input support structure about each flattened end portion of the pivot axle, the first and second cam bearings having first and second cam profiles formed therein defining the fixed flexion-deviation movement path; and

wherein each of the first and second slider blocks includes a cam follower engaging one of the first or second cam profiles.

2. The method according to claim 1, further comprising wherein the hand assembly is angled away from the wrist pivot axle.

3. The method according to claim 1, further comprising wherein the hand assembly is angled 30 degrees away from the wrist pivot axle.

4. A method for imparting fixed path motion to a prosthetic hand assembly using a prosthetic wrist assembly connected to the prosthetic hand assembly, the method comprising:

providing the prosthetic wrist assembly including an input support structure;

providing a hand interface for coupling the prosthetic hand assembly to the prosthetic wrist assembly, the hand interface including first and second cam profiles attached to the input support structure and defining a fixed flexion-deviation movement path, the fixed flexion-deviation movement path having a first component of movement about a first axis and a second component of movement about a second axis that is perpendicular to the first axis, and first and second cam followers engaging the first and second cam profiles;

providing a wrist pivot axle pivotally coupled to the input support structure and extending outwardly therefrom to engage the hand interface; and

providing an actuator for driving the wrist pivot axle in rotary motion relative to the input support structure;

wherein the wrist pivot axle includes a flattened end portion at each end extending outwardly from the input support structure into the hand interface; and

wherein the hand interface further includes first and second slider blocks slidably coupled to the flattened end portions of the pivot axle and adapted to attach the hand assembly thereto.

5. The method according to claim 4, wherein the rotary motion of the wrist pivot axle drives the hand interface to move the hand assembly along the fixed flexion-deviation movement path defined by the first and second cam profiles.

6. The method according to claim 4, wherein the first component of movement about the first axis of the fixed flexion-deviation movement path is a component of flexion about the wrist pivot axle and the second component of movement about the second axis of the fixed flexion-deviation movement path is a component of deviation about a deviation axis that is perpendicular to the wrist pivot axle.

7. The method according to claim 4, wherein the first and second cam profiles are formed in first and second cam bearings attached to the input support structure.

8. The method according to claim 7, wherein the first and second cam bearings are attached to the input support structure about each flattened end portion of the pivot axle.

9. The method according to claim 4, wherein the hand assembly is angled away from the wrist pivot axle.

10. The method according to claim 9, wherein the hand assembly is angled 30 degrees away from the wrist pivot axle.