Patent ID: 11969364
Assignee: TENDO AB
Field: Handling (Mechanical engineering)
Classification: CPC A  B | IPC A  B

Claim 10:
11. A device for pivoting a distal portion of an elongated body member around a joint, said joint being included in the elongated body member, said elongated member comprising a proximal portion and the distal portion, which are arranged on opposite sides of the joint in a longitudinal direction of the elongated body member, the device comprising:
a driving mechanism configured for arrangement at the proximal portion of the elongated body member;
a motor for driving the driving mechanism;
an actuation device, which is connected to the driving mechanism and operable to generate a torque around the joint;
wherein the actuation device comprises a first artificial tendon that has a proximal end and a distal end, the distal end being configured for arrangement at the distal portion of the elongated body member, and the proximal being attached to the driving mechanism, the first artificial tendon thereby extending in a first path along the elongated body member across the joint;
wherein the actuation device comprises a second artificial tendon that has a proximal end and a distal end, the distal end being configured for arrangement at the distal portion of the elongated body member, and the proximal end being is attached to the driving mechanism, the second artificial tendon thereby extending in a second path along the elongated body member across the joint; and
wherein the driving mechanism comprises a driving wheel operatively coupled to the motor, the driving wheel being operatively arranged between the motor and each proximal end of the first and second artificial tendons;
wherein the driving mechanism is arranged, when operated by the motor to move the driving wheel, to pull the first artificial tendon to generate a first torque in a first direction around the joint and perform a first movement while simultaneously enabling the second artificial tendon to follow the first movement of the first artificial tendon, and to pull the second artificial tendon to generate a second torque in a second direction around the joint and perform a second movement while simultaneously enabling the first artificial tendon to follow the second movement of the second artificial tendon;
wherein the driving mechanism is arranged to provide a bi-directional pivoting movement of the distal portion of the elongated body member around the joint with the first artificial tendon and the second artificial tendon, respectively, being kept taut when it follows the movement of the second artificial tendon and the first artificial tendon, respectively;
wherein a biasing member is arranged between the driving wheel of the driving mechanism and each proximal end of the first and second tendons,
wherein the driving mechanism comprises at least one pulley or rotary arm to which the proximal end of at least the first artificial tendon is attached,
wherein the at least one pulley or rotary arm is operatively arranged between the biasing member and the proximal end of the first artificial tendon,
wherein the first artificial tendon is non-elastic;
wherein the device further comprises a free wheel member, which is arranged such that when the first artificial tendon is pulled, the at least one pulley or rotary arm is moved freely without engaging the biasing member until a certain magnitude of free movement is reached; and
wherein the free wheel member has a first end in engagement with the biasing member and a second end arranged to be in engagement with the at least one pulley or rotary arm only in two separated angular positions for the at least one pulley or rotary arm, said separated angular positions resulting from movement of at least one of the first and second artificial tendons in the first and second directions.