Patent ID: 11931270
Assignee: TOUCH BIONICS LIMITED
Field: Medical technology (Instruments)
Classification: CPC A | IPC A

Claim 7:
8. An actuator for a prosthetic digit, the actuator comprising:
a gearbox housing;
a motor;
an output shaft having a worm gear that is unibody with the output shaft, the output shaft extending proximally along a rotation axis, wherein the motor is in mechanical communication with the output shaft and is configured to cause a rotation of the output shaft about the rotation axis, wherein the worm gear is located proximally of the gearbox housing, the worm gear comprising a threads, and wherein a first gap is defined between a distal-facing side of a distal end of the threads of the worm gear and a proximal-facing side of a proximal end of the gearbox housing;
a first bearing located at a proximal end of the output shaft proximally of the worm gear, wherein a second gap is defined between a distal-facing side of a distal end of the first bearing and a proximal-facing side of a proximal end of the threads of the worm gear;
a second bearing located within the gearbox housing at a distal end of the output shaft distally of the worm gear and distally of the first gap, the second bearing comprising at least one outer race and at least one inner race, wherein the at least one outer race contacts and rotates with the output shaft, and the at least one outer race is axially compressed by the gearbox housing and a preload ring, the preload ring being disposed within the gearbox housing proximally of the second bearing and contacting a proximal-facing surface of the second bearing; and
a worm wheel configured to be attached with a prosthetic hand, wherein the worm wheel is in mechanical communication with the threads of the worm gear such that rotation of the worm gear about the rotation axis causes the worm gear to travel along the worm wheel to cause the gearbox housing and motor to rotate about the worm wheel.