Prosthetics and orthotics
First Claim
1. A prosthesis comprising:
- a moveable component having a motor operable to drive a worm gear;
a worm gear wheel fixedly mounted on a support member of the prosthesis; and
a position sensing encoder for sensing the position of the moveable component relative to the worm gear wheel or the support member, the position sensing encoder including at least one electrical contact member and first and second electrical contact surfaces, each electrical contact surface comprising a plurality of electrical contact elements;
wherein the moveable component extends generally tangentially with respect to the worm gear wheel and is mounted for rotation about the worm gear wheel, the worm gear being in engagement with the worm gear wheel such that, when the motor is operated in use of the prosthesis, the moveable component rotates about the worm gear wheel,wherein one of the moveable component and the worm gear wheel or the support member includes the at least one electrical contact member and the other of the moveable component and the worm gear wheel or the support member includes at least one of the first or second electrical contact surfaces, the at least one electrical contact member and at least one of the first or second electrical contact surfaces being arranged to slidably contact one another as the moveable component rotates about the worm gear wheel to thereby provide a plurality of output pulses indicative of the position of the movable component.
6 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A prosthesis or an orthosis such as a hand prosthesis (10) comprises a moveable component (12). The moveable component (12) has a motor (14) operable to drive a worm gear (16). The hand prosthesis (10) also comprises a worm gear wheel 18 fixedly mounted on a support member (20). The moveable component (12) extends generally tangentially with respect to the worm gear wheel (18) and is mounted for rotation about the worm gear wheel (18). The worm gear (16) is in engagement with the worm gear wheel (18) such that, when the motor (14) is operated in use of the hand prosthesis (10), the moveable component (12) rotates about the worm gear wheel 18. The moveable component (12) includes two electrical contact members (50a) and (50b) and the worm gear wheel (18) includes two electrical contact surfaces (52a) and (52b). The electrical contact members (50a), (50b) and the electrical contact surfaces (52a), (52b) are arranged to slidably contact one another as the moveable component (12) rotates about the worm gear wheel (18).
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Citations
34 Claims
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1. A prosthesis comprising:
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a moveable component having a motor operable to drive a worm gear; a worm gear wheel fixedly mounted on a support member of the prosthesis; and a position sensing encoder for sensing the position of the moveable component relative to the worm gear wheel or the support member, the position sensing encoder including at least one electrical contact member and first and second electrical contact surfaces, each electrical contact surface comprising a plurality of electrical contact elements; wherein the moveable component extends generally tangentially with respect to the worm gear wheel and is mounted for rotation about the worm gear wheel, the worm gear being in engagement with the worm gear wheel such that, when the motor is operated in use of the prosthesis, the moveable component rotates about the worm gear wheel, wherein one of the moveable component and the worm gear wheel or the support member includes the at least one electrical contact member and the other of the moveable component and the worm gear wheel or the support member includes at least one of the first or second electrical contact surfaces, the at least one electrical contact member and at least one of the first or second electrical contact surfaces being arranged to slidably contact one another as the moveable component rotates about the worm gear wheel to thereby provide a plurality of output pulses indicative of the position of the movable component. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34)
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- 25. A prosthesis according to claim wherein the position sensing encoder includes at least one magnetic reading member and at last one magnetically readable surface.
Specification