Clutch module for prosthesis

• US 8,257,446 B2
• Filed: 12/13/2006
• Issued: 09/04/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 12/23/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Ottobock SE & Co. KGaA
• Original Assignee: Otto Bock HealthCare GmbH (OTTO BOCK Holding GmbH & Company KG)
• Inventors: Puchhammer, Gregor
• Primary Examiner(s): Snow, Bruce E
• Assistant Examiner(s): DUKERT, BRIAN AINSLEY
• Application Number:
  US12/158,812
• Publication Number:
  US 20080312753A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,092 Days
• Field of Search: 623 61- 64, 623/57, 623/21.15, 192/31, 192/54.1
• US Class Current: 623/64
• 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 2/70 electrical
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/30518 with possibility of relative movement between the prosthetic parts
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/30523 by means of meshing gear teeth
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/6845 Clutches
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2220/0025 Connections or couplings between prosthetic parts, e.g. between modular parts; Connecting elements
• CPC Class Codes: F16H 61/0295 Automatic gear shift control, e.g. initiating shift by centrifugal forces

Abstract

The invention relates to a clutch module for prostheses, in particular for prosthetic grippers, arm prostheses or hand prostheses that comprise a chassis to which at least one finger prosthesis is articulated, the clutch module including a drive element, a driven element and a clutch device, which shifts between two gear stages depending on the torques applied to the driven element.

Claims

1. A clutch module for a prosthesis including a chassis to which at least one finger prosthesis is articulated, the clutch module comprising:

a drive element;

a driven element;

a clutch device;

first and second clamping bodies, which couple the drive element to the driven element in a torque-controlled manner;

wherein the clutch device shifts between two gear stages depending on the torques applied to the driven element;

wherein the clutch device shifts between the gear stages with different increases in speed and independently of the direction of rotation of the drive element;

wherein the clutch device contacts the first and second clamping bodies.

2. The clutch module of claim 1, wherein the driven element is configured to be driven for a low torque with a high increase in speed and for a high torque with a low increase in speed.

3. The clutch module of claim 1, wherein the clutch device includes two switching elements, which are mounted to be pre-stressed and to turn in relation to each other, wherein the switching elements have switching webs or switching pins, which can be brought into contact with the clamping bodies in a torque-controlled manner.

4. The clutch module of claim 3, wherein the switching elements are kept pre-stressed by springs.

5. The clutch module of claim 1, wherein the drive element is coupled to a gear mechanism which has a contact ring, which contacts the first clamping bodies to transmit high torque.

6. The clutch module of claim 1, wherein the first and second clamping bodies are arranged on a common driver disk.

7. The clutch module of claim 6, wherein the driver disk includes a frame on which the first clamping bodies are arranged to provide a low increase in speed.

8. The clutch module of claim 6, wherein the driver disk includes a frame, in which the second clamping bodies are arranged for a high increase in speed.

9. The clutch module of claim 6, wherein gearwheels, which engage and turn a switching ring in relation to a switching disk and a switching element, are mounted on the driver disk.

10. A clutch module for a prosthesis including a chassis to which at least one finger prosthesis is articulated, the clutch module comprising:

a drive element;

a driven element;

a clutch device;

wherein the clutch device shifts between two gear stages depending on the torques applied to the driven element;

wherein the clutch device shifts between the gear stages with different increases in speed and independently of the direction of rotation of the drive element;

wherein the clutch device includes two switching elements, which are mounted to be pre-stressed and to turn in relation to each other, wherein the switching elements have switching webs or switching pins, which can be bought into contact with the clamping bodies in a torque-controlled manner.

11. The clutch module of claim 10, wherein the clutch device contacts first and second clamping bodies, which couple the drive element to the driven element in a torque-controlled manner.

12. The clutch module of claim 10, wherein the driven element is configured to be driven for a low torque with a high increase in speed and for a high torque with a low increase in speed.

13. The clutch module of claim 10, wherein the switching elements are kept pre-stressed by springs.

14. A clutch module for a prosthesis including a chassis to which at least one finger prosthesis is articulated, the clutch module comprising:

a drive element;

a driven element;

a clutch device;

wherein the clutch device shifts between two gear stages depending on the torques applied to the driven element;

wherein the clutch device shifts between the gear stages with different increases in speed and independently of the direction of rotation of the drive element;

wherein the clutch device contacts first and second clamping bodies, which couple the drive element to the driven element in a torque-controlled manner;

wherein the drive element is coupled to a gear mechanism which has a contact ring, which contacts the first clamping bodies to transmit high torque.

15. The clutch module of claim 14, wherein the first and second clamping bodies are arranged on a common driver disk.

16. The clutch module of claim 15, wherein the driver disk includes a frame on which the first clamping bodies are arranged to provide a low increase in speed.

17. The clutch module of claim 15, wherein the driver disk includes a frame, in which the second clamping bodies are arranged for a high increase in speed.

18. The clutch module of claim 15, wherein gearwheels, which engage and turn a switching ring in relation to a switching disk and a switching element, are mounted on the driver disk.