MODULAR AND LIGHTWEIGHT MYOELECTRIC PROSTHESIS COMPONENTS AND RELATED METHODS

• US 20150216681A1
• Filed: 02/04/2015
• Published: 08/06/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 02/04/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Rehabilitation Institute of Chicago (Tenet Healthcare Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Rehabilitation Institute of Chicago (Tenet Healthcare Corporation)
• Inventors: Lipsey, James, Sensinger, Jon
• Granted Patent: US 10,034,780 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2/54 Artificial arms or hands or parts thereof
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2/58 Elbows; Wrists ; Other joints; Hands
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2/582 Elbow joints
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2/583 Hands; Wrist joints
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2/585 Wrist joints
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2/586 Fingers
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2/72 Bioelectric control, e.g. myoelectric
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/5043 with rotation-limiting stops, e.g. projections or recesses
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/5072 having spring elements spring-biased locking means A61F2002/30505; for implantable joints A61F2002/30565; other elastic means A61F2002/5007
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/543 Lower arms or forearms
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/587 Thumbs
• 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 2002/6872 attached and mechanically operated by remaining muscle bioelectrical control A61F2/72
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/701 operated by electrically controlled means, e.g. solenoids or torque motors
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/704 computer-controlled, e.g. robotic control
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2310/00047 Aluminium or Al-based alloys
• CPC Class Codes: B25J 15/0009 comprising multi-articulated fingers, e.g. resembling a human hand
• CPC Class Codes: B25J 15/086 with means for synchronizing the movements of the fingers
• CPC Class Codes: B25J 17/0258 Two-dimensional joints
• CPC Class Codes: F16D 15/00 : Clutches with wedging balls or rollers or with other wedgeable separate clutching members freewheels, freewheel clutches F16D41/00
• CPC Class Codes: F16H 2035/005 : Gearings or mechanisms preventing back-driving braking or locking of screw actuators F16H25/2454
• CPC Class Codes: F16H 25/2252 : Planetary rollers between nut and screw
• CPC Class Codes: F16H 37/041 : for conveying rotary motion with constant gear ratio
• CPC Class Codes: H02K 7/116 : with gears
• CPC Class Codes: H02K 7/14 : Structural association with mechanical loads, e.g. with hand-held machine tools or fans with fan or impeller for cooling the machine H02K9/06

Abstract

Prosthetic devices and, more particularly, modular myoelectric prosthesis components and related methods, are described. In one embodiment, a hand for a prosthetic limb may comprise a rotor-motor; a transmission, comprising a differential roller screw; a linkage coupled to the transmission; and at least one finger coupled to the linkage. In one embodiment, a component part of a wrist of a prosthetic limb may comprise an exterior-rotor motor, a planetary gear transmission, a clutch, and a cycloid transmission. In one embodiment, an elbow for a prosthetic limb may comprise an exterior-rotor motor, and a transmission comprising a planetary gear transmission, a non-backdrivable clutch, and a screw.

Claims

1. A wrist of a prosthetic limb, comprising

a wrist rotator comprising a first exterior-rotor motor, a first planetary gear transmission, a first clutch and a first cycloid transmission, in a transmission arrangement such that actuation of the first exterior-rotor motor causes movement through the first planetary gear transmission, first clutch, and first cycloid transmission to cause rotation of the wrist;

a wrist flexor comprising a second exterior-rotor motor, a second planetary gear transmission, a second clutch and a second cycloid transmission, in a transmission arrangement such that actuation of the second exterior-rotor motor causes movement through the second planetary gear transmission second first clutch, and second cycloid transmission to cause flexion of the wrist;

the first clutch comprising a non-backdrivable mechanism for preventing output motion of the first clutch to be transmitted to the first cycloid transmission; and

the second clutch comprising a non-backdrivable mechanism for preventing output motion of the first clutch to be transmitted to the first cycloid transmission.

2. The wrist of claim 1, wherein at least one of the first planetary gear transmission and the second planetary gear transmission is a single-stage planetary gear transmission.

3. The wrist of claim 1, wherein the torque ratio of the first planetary gear transmission is about 3.71:

1 and the torque ratio of the first cycloid transmission is about 16;

1.

4. The wrist of claim 1, further comprising an interface on the wrist rotator for transmitting signals across an access of rotation of the wrist rotator.

5. The wrist of claim 4, wherein the interface comprises an interface for power signals and an interface for ground signals.

6. The wrist of claim 5, wherein the interface further comprises an interface for at least two communication signals.

7. The wrist of claim 1, further comprising a mechanical stop to limit motion of the wrist flexor.

8. The wrist of claim 1, wherein the wrist rotator and the wrist flexor are connected by a coupler that allows for the transmission of power from the wrist rotator to the wrist flexor.

9. The wrist of claim 1, wherein the wrist flexor is set on a rotation axis skewed by between about 10 to 30 degrees to provide radial/ulnar deviation.

10. The wrist of claim 1, wherein the non-backdrivable mechanism comprises a plurality of rollers and a plurality of springs.

19. A prosthetic limb comprising the wrist component of claim 1, the prosthetic limb further comprising an elbow, the elbow comprising:

an exterior-rotor motor;

a transmission comprising a planetary gear transmission, a non-backdrivable clutch, and a screw;

the screw adapted to receive a rotational force in a first direction from the clutch, and in response to the rotational force in the first direction, extend linearly with respect to the transmission so as to cause the elbow to flex.

20. A prosthetic limb comprising the wrist component of claim 1, the prosthetic limb further comprising:

a first limb portion and a second limb portion coupled together at an elbow joint;

a transmission comprising a screw, wherein a first end of the screw is coupled to the first limb portion at a bracket and the transmission is coupled to the second limb portion at a transmission joint;

wherein the screw and the hinge are adapted so that;

when the screw extends linearly in a direction away from the transmission, the screw applies a force on the bracket that causes the first limb portion to rotate about the elbow joint towards the second limb portion; and

when the screw retracts linearly in a direction towards the transmission, the screw applies a force on the bracket that causes the first limb portion to rotate about the elbow joint away from the second limb portion.

21. A prosthetic limb comprising the wrist component of claim 4, the prosthetic limb further comprising an elbow, the elbow comprising:

an exterior-rotor motor;

a transmission comprising a planetary gear transmission, a non-backdrivable clutch, and a screw;

the screw adapted to receive a rotational force in a first direction from the clutch, and in response to the rotational force in the first direction, extend linearly with respect to the transmission so as to cause the elbow to flex.

22. A prosthetic limb comprising the wrist component of claim 4, the prosthetic limb further comprising:

a first limb portion and a second limb portion coupled together at an elbow joint;

a transmission comprising a screw, wherein a first end of the screw is coupled to the first limb portion at a bracket and the transmission is coupled to the second limb portion at a transmission joint;

wherein the screw and the hinge are adapted so that;

when the screw extends linearly in a direction away from the transmission, the screw applies a force on the bracket that causes the first limb portion to rotate about the elbow joint towards the second limb portion; and

when the screw retracts linearly in a direction towards the transmission, the screw applies a force on the bracket that causes the first limb portion to rotate about the elbow joint away from the second limb portion.

11. A component part of a wrist of a prosthetic limb, comprising an exterior-rotor motor, a planetary gear transmission, a clutch, and a cycloid transmission.

12. The wrist component of claim 11, wherein the exterior-rotor motor, a planetary gear transmission, a clutch, and a cycloid transmission are in a transmission arrangement such that actuation of the exterior-rotor motor causes movement through the planetary gear transmission, clutch, and cycloid transmission to cause movement of the wrist.

13. The wrist component of claim 12, wherein the clutch comprises a non-backdrivable mechanism for preventing output motion of the clutch to be transmitted to the cycloid transmission.

14. The wrist component of claim 13, wherein the planetary gear transmission is a single-stage planetary gear transmission.

15. The wrist component of claim 14, wherein the movement of the wrist is a rotational movement.

16. The wrist of claim 15, wherein the torque ratio of the planetary gear transmission is about 3.71:

1 and the torque ratio of the cycloid transmission is about 16;

1.

17. The wrist component of claim 14, wherein the movement of the wrist is a flexion movement.

18. The wrist component of claim 17, wherein the wrist component is set on a rotation axis skewed by between about 10 to 30 degrees to provide radial/ulnar deviation.

23. A prosthetic limb comprising the wrist component of claim 11, the prosthetic limb further comprising an elbow, the elbow comprising:

an exterior-rotor motor;

a transmission comprising a planetary gear transmission, a non-backdrivable clutch, and a screw;

the screw adapted to receive a rotational force in a first direction from the clutch, and in response to the rotational force in the first direction, extend linearly with respect to the transmission so as to cause the elbow to flex.

24. A prosthetic limb comprising the wrist component of claim 11, the prosthetic limb further comprising:

a first limb portion and a second limb portion coupled together at an elbow joint;

a transmission comprising a screw, wherein a first end of the screw is coupled to the first limb portion at a bracket and the transmission is coupled to the second limb portion at a transmission joint;

wherein the screw and the hinge are adapted so that;

when the screw extends linearly in a direction away from the transmission, the screw applies a force on the bracket that causes the first limb portion to rotate about the elbow joint towards the second limb portion; and

when the screw retracts linearly in a direction towards the transmission, the screw applies a force on the bracket that causes the first limb portion to rotate about the elbow joint away from the second limb portion.