Prosthesis brake joint
First Claim
1. A brake joint for a prosthesis, comprising:
- an upper joint part and a lower joint part;
an indexing wedge mounted to the upper joint part;
a joint shaft pivotally connecting the upper and lower joint parts; and
a plurality of inner needle rollers and a plurality of outer needle rollers surrounding the joint shaft;
wherein each outer needle roller is engaged between two of the plurality of inner needle rollers; and
wherein an axis of each needle roller is parallel to an axis of the joint shaft.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
The invention relates to a brake joint for a prosthesis, in particular, to a brake-action knee joint for a leg prosthesis. There is an upper joint part, a lower joint part, and a joint shaft for pivotally connecting the upper and lower joint parts. The joint shaft is connected to the lower joint part in a rotatably fixed manner and is designed as a brake shaft. The joint shaft is surrounded by a brake arrangement, which bears upon the joint shaft it and is arranged in a cylindrical recess, which, together with the joint shaft, forms an annular chamber in a clamping part forming a central joint part. The upper joint part is mounted to the clamping part in an articulated manner via a pivot pin in such a way that the upper joint part, when loaded, impacts on the clamping part and thus the brake arrangement and thereby exerts a braking action on the joint shaft. To improve the brake arrangement, the invention proposes that the brake arrangement be formed by needle rollers, which are arranged with their axes parallel to the joint shaft. The needle rollers surround the joint shaft about its entire circumference and comprise an inner needle-roller ring, which bears on the joint shaft, and an outer needle-roller ring, which bears on the outer circumferential surface of the annular chamber and whose needle rollers engage like teeth between the inner needle rollers, and by an indexing wedge which sits on the upper joint part. When the upper joint part is loaded, in an approximately radial direction of action relative to the joint shaft, the indexing wedge presses apart two adjacent inner needle rollers in the circumferential direction of the joint shaft.
46 Citations
21 Claims
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1. A brake joint for a prosthesis, comprising:
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an upper joint part and a lower joint part; an indexing wedge mounted to the upper joint part; a joint shaft pivotally connecting the upper and lower joint parts; and a plurality of inner needle rollers and a plurality of outer needle rollers surrounding the joint shaft; wherein each outer needle roller is engaged between two of the plurality of inner needle rollers; and wherein an axis of each needle roller is parallel to an axis of the joint shaft. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15)
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16. A brake joint for a prosthesis, comprising:
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an upper joint part; a lower joint part pivotally connected to the upper joint part by a joint shaft; a clamping part surrounding the joint shaft and forming an annular chamber; an inner needle-roller ring acting on the joint shaft and having a plurality of inner needle rollers of equal diameter; an outer needle-roller ring acting on an inner surface of the annular chamber and having a plurality of outer needle rollers; and an indexing wedge contacting the upper joint part and projecting downward; wherein a diameter of the outer needle rollers is equal to the diameter of the inner needle rollers; and wherein each outer needle roller engages between adjacent inner needle rollers. - View Dependent Claims (17, 18)
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19. A brake joint for a prosthesis, comprising:
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an upper joint part; a lower joint part pivotally connected to the upper joint part by a joint shaft; a clamping part surrounding the joint shaft and forming an annular chamber; an inner needle-roller ring acting on the joint shaft and having a plurality of inner needle rollers of alternate small and large diameters; an outer needle-roller ring acting on an inner surface of the annular chamber and having a plurality of outer needle rollers; and an indexing wedge contacting the upper joint part and projecting downward; wherein a diameter of the outer needle rollers is equal to the diameter of the small diameter inner needle rollers; wherein the large diameter inner needle rollers act on the inner surface of the annular chamber; and wherein each outer needle roller engages between a large diameter needle roller and a small diameter needle roller. - View Dependent Claims (20, 21)
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Specification