ARM PROSTHETIC DEVICE

• US 20100274365A1
• Filed: 02/16/2010
• Published: 10/28/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 02/06/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Deka Products Limited Partnership
• Original Assignee: Deka Products Limited Partnership
• Inventors: Violette, Keith David, Muller, Alexander H., Nickson, Steven W., Langenfeld, Christopher C., Smith, Stanley B. III, Coulter, Stewart M., Perry, N. Christopher, Evans, Christopher O., Schnellinger, Thomas S., Guay, Gerald Michael, van der Merwe, Dirk Albertus, Kerwin, John Matthew
• Granted Patent: US 8,449,624 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 623/57
• 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, straps for connecting prosthetic parts A61F2002/30462
• 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 shoulder unit for a prosthetic arm apparatus comprising:

a harness mount adapted to connect the shoulder unit to a prosthetic support apparatus;

a shoulder housing pivotally coupled to the harness mount, the shoulder housing having a first portion and a second portion, the first portion being rotatably coupled to the second portion;

an abduction drive disposed within the shoulder housing for driving the shoulder housing in pivotal motion about a first axis; and

a flexion drive disposed within the shoulder housing for driving the first portion in rotational motion about a second axis.

2. The shoulder unit according to claim 1 further comprising wherein the abduction drive includes an abduction motor and the flexion drive includes a shoulder flexion motor and wherein the abduction motor and the flexion motor are coaxial.

3. The shoulder unit according to claim 2 further comprising wherein the abduction drive includes a screw shaft driven by the abduction motor and wherein the screw shaft actuates a four bar linkage coupled to the harness mount.

4. The shoulder unit according to claim 3 further comprising wherein the screw shaft is slideably disposed on a splined shaft between first and second compliance springs.

5. The shoulder unit according to claim 1 further comprising wherein the flexion drive includes a non-backdriving clutch having substantially no backlash.

6. A wrist assembly for a prosthetic arm apparatus comprising:

an input support structure;

an output arm pivotally coupled to the input structure and adapted to mount a prosthetic hand assembly thereto; and

a differential drive for driving the output arm in pivotal motion,

wherein the output arm is drivable in pivotal motion in a first degree of freedom about a flexion axis and is drivable in pivotal motion in a second degree of freedom about a deviation axis.

7. The wrist assembly according to claim 6 further comprising wherein the differential drive includes a first motor and a second motor capable of being driven independently of one another.

8. The wrist assembly according to claim 7 further comprising wherein the differential drive includes a bevel gear coupling the first motor and the second motor to the output arm, and wherein the bevel gear is adapted to be driven by the first motor, the second motor or a combination thereof.

9. A prosthetic wrist assembly for imparting fixed path motion to a prosthetic hand assembly, the prosthetic wrist assembly comprising:

an input support structure having a hand interface for coupling the hand assembly to the input support structure;

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

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

wherein 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.

10. The prosthetic wrist assembly according to claim 9 further comprising:

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 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.

11. The prosthetic wrist assembly according to claim 10 further comprising wherein the wrist 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.

12. The prosthetic wrist assembly according to claim 11 further comprising wherein each of the first and second slider blocks includes a cam follower engaging one of the first or second cam profiles.

13. The prosthetic wrist assembly according to claim 9 further comprising wherein the hand assembly is angled away from the wrist pivot axle.

14. The prosthetic wrist assembly according to claim 13 further comprising wherein the hand assembly is angled approximately 30 degrees.

15. A hand assembly for a prosthetic arm apparatus comprising:

a hand support;

a thumb structure movably coupled to the hand support;

an index finger structure movably coupled to the hand support; and

an MRP structure having a middle finger, a ring finger and a pinky finger movably coupled to the hand support,

wherein the thumb structure includes a compliance spring providing a thumb tip portion of the thumb structure with compliance.

16. The hand assembly according to claim 15 further comprising wherein the hand support includes a removable common finger shaft passing therethrough to couple the index finger structure, middle structure, ring structure and pinky structure to the hand support.

17. The hand assembly according to claim 15 further comprising wherein the thumb structure, index finger structure, middle finger, ring finger and pinky finger are each removably attached to the hand support.

18. The hand assembly according to claim 15 further comprising wherein the thumb structure additionally includes a sensor detecting compliance of the tip portion of the thumb structure.

19. The hand assembly according to claim 15 further comprising at least one temperature sensor disposed on at least one of the thumb structure, index finger structure, middle finger, ring finger or pinky finger.

20. The hand assembly according to claim 15 further comprising a cosmesis covering the hand support, thumb structure, index finger structure, middle finger, ring finger and pinky finger.

21. The hand assembly according to claim 20 further comprising wherein the cosmesis includes at least two separate sections.

22. The hand assembly according to claim 21 further comprising wherein the cosmesis includes a palm section covering the hand support and finger sections covering the thumb structure, index finger structure, middle finger, ring finger and pinky finger.

23. The hand assembly according to claim 20 further comprising:

wherein the thumb structure, index finger structure, middle finger, ring finger and pinky finger each includes a geometric feature formed on an outer surface, and

wherein an inner surface of the cosmesis includes geometric interlocks engaging the geometric features of each of the thumb structure, index finger structure, middle finger, ring finger and pinky finger.

24. The hand assembly according to claim 20 wherein the cosmesis further comprising a first tacky inner surface and a second slippery inner surface.

25. The hand assembly according to claim 20 further comprising wherein the cosmesis is formed from a temperature sensitive polymer.

26. The hand assembly according to claim 15 further comprising a status indicator having a plurality of light emitting diodes for communicating status information to the user.

27. A rotator for a prosthetic arm apparatus comprising:

a first interface for connecting the rotator to a first segment of the prosthetic arm apparatus;

a second interface for connecting the rotator to a second segment of the prosthetic arm apparatus;

a rotator motor having an armature and a rotor, the armature being connected to the first interface, and the rotator having a proximate portion disposed within the armature and a distal portion extending axially therefrom; and

a gearing system driven by the rotor and connected to the second interface, the gearing system being disposed around the distal portion of the rotor,

wherein the rotor of the rotator motor includes an electronics channel passing axially therethrough.

28. The rotator according to claim 27 further comprising wherein the second interface includes a yolk.

29. The rotator according to claim 27 further comprising:

a magnetic position sensor disposed within the electronics channel of the rotor; and

at least one magnetic strip disposed circumferentially around an inner surface of the rotor,

wherein the magnetic position sensor detects a magnetic field generated by the at least one magnetic strip.

30. The rotator according to claim 29 further comprising:

a second magnetic position sensor disposed within the electronics channel of the rotor; and

a second magnetic strip disposed circumferentially around the inner surface of the rotor,

wherein the second magnetic position sensor detects a second magnetic field generated by the second magnetic strip.

31. A breakaway mechanism for a prosthetic device having a plurality of segments, the breakaway mechanism comprising:

an input ring connectable to a first segment of the plurality of segments, the input ring having an inner surface with a plurality of input detents arranged circumferentially therein;

an output ring connectable to a second segment of the plurality of segments, the output ring having an outer surface with a plurality of spring fingers radiating therefrom, each spring finger having at least one output detent formed therein and an output pin at a distal end; and

a detent ring rotatably connecting the input structure to the output structure, the detent ring having a plurality of detent pins arranged between the inner surface of the input ring and the outer surface of the output ring,

wherein the output pins of the spring fingers engage the input detents of the input ring and the output detents of the spring fingers engage the detent pins of the detent ring to prevent relative movement between the input ring and the output ring until an overtorque occurs.

32. The breakaway mechanism according to claim 31, wherein the each of the input structure, output structure and detent ring includes an alignment marker.