ADD-ON CAPACITIVE TOUCHSCREEN AID

• US 20140236314A1
• Filed: 04/24/2014
• Published: 08/21/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 04/10/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC (Ford Motor Company)
• Original Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC (Ford Motor Company)
• Inventors: VAN WIEMEERSCH, JOHN ROBERT
• Granted Patent: US 10,433,984 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 2/583 Hands; Wrist joints
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2/586 Fingers
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2/588 Hands having holding devices shaped differently from human fingers, e.g. claws, hooks, tubes
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/5001 Cosmetic coverings
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/5061 the sense of touch
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/543 Lower arms or forearms
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 4/00 Methods or devices enabling patients or disabled persons to operate an apparatus or a device not forming part of the body operating or control means for prostheses A61F2/48, A61F2/68

Abstract

An apparatus that allows a glove wearer or the wearer of a prosthetic limb to operate a device having a capacitive touchscreen is disclosed. There are three solutions provided in the disclosed invention. The first embodiment of the disclosed invention is directed to a conductive finger sock that can be applied to a digit of a non-conductive artificial limb. The finger sock may cover the whole digit of the artificial limb or may cover only the tip. The second embodiment is an adhesive element having a conductive material such as a conductive thread or a conductive sponge material. The adhesive element can be attached to a glove or to a prosthetic limb or may be used as an actual bandage. The third embodiment of the disclosed invention is directed to a factory integrated conductive tip that is part of a digit of a non-conductive artificial limb. Regardless of the embodiment, the conductive element may be attached to the wearer'"'"'s skin by a conductive line or may be used without the conductive line and thus may function in isolation.

Claims

1. A prosthetic hand comprising:

a body portion including a forearm-attachment end;

a finger extending from the body portion;

a first conductive portion attached to the finger;

a conductive line attached at a first end to the conductive portion and at least partially embedded in the body portion; and

a second conductive portion attached to a second end of the conductive line.

2. The prosthetic hand of claim 1, wherein the first conductive portion includes a conductive foam.

3. The prosthetic hand of claim 1, wherein the first conductive portion includes a conductive thread.

4. The prosthetic hand of claim 1, wherein the second end of the conductive line includes an adhesive patch.

5. A prosthetic limb construction comprising:

a prosthetic finger having a tip; and

a conductive tip integrated with said prosthetic finger, said conductive tip defining a cap structure that encompasses said tip of said prosthetic finger.

6. The prosthetic limb construction of claim 5 wherein said conductive tip is a conductive foam.

7. The prosthetic limb construction of claim 5 wherein said conductive tip includes conductive thread.

8. The prosthetic limb construction of claim 5 further including a conductive line connected to said conductive tip and a skin-contacting adhesive patch connected to said conductive line.

9. The prosthetic limb construction of claim 8 wherein said skin-contacting adhesive patch includes a conductive portion, said conductive line being connected to said conductive portion.

10. A prosthetic hand comprising:

a body portion;

a finger portion extending from the body portion;

a conductive tip integrated with the finger portion by an attachment band;

a conductive line coupled to the conductive tip and at least partially embedded in the body portion and the finger portion; and

an adhesive patch that is coupled to the conductive line and that includes a conductive portion.