Source: http://www.google.ca/patents/US20050021154
Timestamp: 2017-01-21 19:33:09
Document Index: 31170988

Matched Legal Cases: ['art 2', 'art 2', 'art 2', 'art 2', 'art 2', 'arts 2', 'art 2']

Patent US20050021154 - Drive device for a finger prosthesis - Google PatentsSearch Images Maps Play YouTube News Gmail Drive More »Sign inPatentsDrive device (1) for a finger prosthesis (2) of substantially natural size designed to bend the finger prosthesis (2) about a shaft (A) relative to a fixing (3) e.g. in a human or artificial metacarpus (4). The drive device (1) comprises a motor (6) which can be connected to an energy source e.g. a battery,...http://www.google.ca/patents/US20050021154?utm_source=gb-gplus-sharePatent US20050021154 - Drive device for a finger prosthesisAdvanced Patent SearchTry the new Google Patents, with machine-classified Google Scholar results, and Japanese and South Korean patents.Publication numberUS20050021154 A1Publication typeApplicationApplication numberUS 10/488,008PCT numberPCT/SE2002/001511Publication date27 Jan 2005Filing date26 Aug 2002Priority date27 Aug 2001Also published asEP1427360A1, WO2003017876A1Publication number10488008, 488008, PCT/2002/1511, PCT/SE/2/001511, PCT/SE/2/01511, PCT/SE/2002/001511, PCT/SE/2002/01511, PCT/SE2/001511, PCT/SE2/01511, PCT/SE2001511, PCT/SE2002/001511, PCT/SE2002/01511, PCT/SE2002001511, PCT/SE200201511, PCT/SE201511, US 2005/0021154 A1, US 2005/021154 A1, US 20050021154 A1, US 20050021154A1, US 2005021154 A1, US 2005021154A1, US-A1-20050021154, US-A1-2005021154, US2005/0021154A1, US2005/021154A1, US20050021154 A1, US20050021154A1, US2005021154 A1, US2005021154A1InventorsStellan BrimalmOriginal AssigneeStellan BrimalmExport CitationBiBTeX, EndNote, RefManPatent Citations (9), Referenced by (25), Classifications (23), Legal Events (1) External Links: USPTO, USPTO Assignment, EspacenetDrive device for a finger prosthesis
US 20050021154 A1Abstract
Drive device (1) for a finger prosthesis (2) of substantially natural size designed to bend the finger prosthesis (2) about a shaft (A) relative to a fixing (3) e.g. in a human or artificial metacarpus (4). The drive device (1) comprises a motor (6) which can be connected to an energy source e.g. a battery, and a transmission (5, 7, 8) intended to transform a force from the motor (6) to the finger prosthesis (2) to perform the movement. The motor (6) and transmission (5, 7, 8) are placed in the finger prosthesis (2) so that the bending shaft (A) is contained in the finger prosthesis (2) or in its extension at the fixing (3). Images(5) Claims(6)
1. A drive device with a finger prosthesis of substantially natural size designed to bend a finger prosthesis about a shaft in relation to a fixing at a human or artificial metacarpus at a bending angle from an extended position towards a palm and out again to the extended position, where the drive device comprises a motor which can be connected to an energy source e.g. a battery, and a transmission designed to transform power from the motor to the finger prosthesis to perform the bending, wherein the motor and the transmission are placed in the finger prosthesis so that the bending shaft is contained in the finger prosthesis or its extension at the fastening. 2. The drive device according to claim 1, wherein the bending shaft is arranged within 15 mm from a center axis which extends along the center of the finger prosthesis. 3. The drive device according to claim 1, wherein the transmission a first drive wheel connected with the motor and a second drive wheel connected with the fastening, which drive wheel is designed under co-operation with others to transfer the force from the motor to the finger prosthesis to perform the movement, where the drive wheels are arranged on shafts which lie substantially in the same plane. 4. The drive device according to claim 1, wherein the finger prosthesis comprises a first and a second prosthesis part which are connected together by articulation, that the transmission furthermore comprises pivoting means to pivot the second finger prosthesis part relative to the first finger prosthesis part in towards the palm. 5. The drive device according to claim 4, wherein the pivoting means comprise a pantograph rod which has a first articulated fastening at the finger prosthesis fixing and extends past the first part of the finger prosthesis and has a second articulated fixing in the second part of the finger prosthesis at a point on this part which, on tension in the pantograph rod, causes bending in towards the palm. 6. The drive device according to claim 1, wherein the motor is an electric motor and that the energy source is arranged separately from the finger prosthesis e.g. in the metacarpus, that at the fixing is a contact for dividing the power supply arranged between the motor and the energy source.
TECHNICAL FIELD [0001] The present invention concerns a device for operating the movement of a finger prosthesis. The finger prosthesis has a natural size and is intended to be attached to a metacarpus prosthesis or a human hand. The finger prosthesis and metacarpus prosthesis are intended to replace a corresponding lost human body part. BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION AND PROBLEM [0002] When a hand or metacarpus and fingers are lost or amputated, they can be replaced by a corresponding prosthesis. This means a loss of a functioning body part with realistic appearance and a movement pattern which a prosthesis must simulate. [0003] The prosthesis to replace the lost body part should be simple to repair and also have a cost-effective construction so that e.g. the supply of spare parts can be improved. [0004] Some known finger prostheses have a drive device with means for transmitting energy from a motor arranged at the wrist to the finger prosthesis, which means e.g. contain wires to achieve a bending of the fingers. On failure of a finger prosthesis the fault must first be located in the wrist, finger prosthesis or transfer means, where upon the part concerned must be repaired or replaced. Arranging the motors and drive elements in an artificial metacarpus reduces the possibility of arranging other organs therein. [0005] The finger prosthesis must also have as natural a bending movement as possible and be gentle towards a prosthesis cover consisting of an elastic material and arranged finally over the finger prosthesis to simulate human skin. [0006] Specification U.S. Pat. No. 5,888,246 discloses a device for bending a finger prosthesis. The device has a motor and drive/gear elements designed to bend the entire finger prosthesis. The text also describes a worm gear to transform the motor rotation into the finger prosthesis movement. OBJECT OF THE INVENTION AND SOLUTION OF THE PROBLEM [0007] The object of the invention is to solve one or more of the above problems. [0008] This is achieved with a device according to claim 1. [0009] By integrating a drive device, comprising a motor and transmission intended to transform the motor movement into finger movement, in a finger prosthesis designed to bend the finger prosthesis about a shaft in relation to a fixing, e.g. in a metacarpus prosthesis or human hand, in a movement direction from an extended position towards a palm and out again to the extended position, a finger prosthesis with substantially natural size is obtained which is easy to replace and allows a simplified repair of the finger prostheses. The motor can be connected to an energy source e.g. a battery. [0010] Furthermore by placing the motor and transmission in the finger prosthesis, importantly space is created at other points e.g. in a metacarpus prosthesis, which means that the metacarpus prosthesis e.g. can be made smaller and/or contain other equipment e.g. control devices or batteries. [0011] Furthermore by dividing the finger prosthesis into two parts pivotable against each other and coupling the movement of these parts together, a simulation of a human finger in appearance and movement is achieved.
DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS [0012] The invention will be described further in an embodiment example with reference to the figures as follows. [0013] FIG. 1 shows a diagrammatic cross-section sketch from the side of a drive device according to the invention for a finger prosthesis. [0014] FIG. 2 shows a diagrammatic sketch of an angled gear according to the invention for a finger prosthesis. [0015] FIG. 3 shows a diagrammatic cross-section sketch from the side of a drive device according to the invention with a pantograph rod for a finger prosthesis in extended position. [0016] FIG. 4 shows a diagrammatic cross-section sketch from the side of a drive device according to the invention with a pantograph rod for a finger prosthesis in the bent position. [0017] FIG. 5 shows a diagrammatic sketch of a drive device according to the invention in a finger prosthesis attached to a hand prosthesis. [0018] FIG. 6 shows a hand prosthesis according to FIG. 5 b with the finger prostheses bent towards the palm. [0019] FIG. 7 shows a diagrammatic sketch, in a view towards a palm, of a drive device according to the invention in a finger prosthesis fastened to a hand prosthesis.
DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENT EXAMPLE [0020] A drive device for bending a finger prosthesis is referred to generally as 1, where the finger prosthesis is referred to as 2. A fixing 3 is designed to attach the finger prosthesis to a human or artificial metacarpus 4. Substantially the entire finger prosthesis is designed to bend relative to the fixing 3 to simulate a human finger movement. Furthermore the finger prosthesis has a first part 2 a and a second part 2 b which are connected at a finger joint 2 c so that the parts can move in relation to each other to further simulate a human finger movement. The finger prosthesis 2 is intended to bend about a shaft A placed at the fixing 3. A transmission 5 contains a gearbox 5 b and an angled gear 5 a. The angled gear 5 a is arranged at shaft A and preferably has two bevel gear wheels 7, 8, of which the first gear wheel 7 has teeth at least partly about shaft A, and the other gear wheel 8 has teeth around an outgoing shaft B from gearbox 5 b. The first gear wheel 7 in the preferred embodiment is designed as a bevel gear wheel describing a part smaller than a complete rotation. As the finger is to be turned/bent around shaft A through 70 to 100 degrees, the gear wheel 7 describes around 120 degrees. Shafts A, B are arranged substantially in the same plane but in an alternative embodiment of the angled gear 5 a, the second gear wheel 8 can be arranged slightly offset along the edge of the first gear wheel 7, e.g. by means of a hypold gear, where the planes of the shafts do not lie in the same plane but close to each other. At gearbox 5 b is also a motor 6. The motor 6 and gearbox 5 b are mounted together and housed in the finger prosthesis 2 between shaft A and the finger joint 2 c. The gearbox 5 b is advantageously of the trochoid type. The motor 6 is preferably an electric motor and can therefore be connected by means of a power supply lead to a battery. The central shaft of the motor coincides substantially with a central axis C for the finger which extends in the linear centre and along the extent of the finger. The gearbox 5 b and the two bevel gear wheels 7, 8 are designed to transform the energy of motor 6 into finger movement and hence force in the finger prosthesis. As the finger prosthesis 2 contains the motor 6 and the two bevel gear wheels 7, 8, the finger prosthesis 2 can quickly be detached from e.g. the metacarpus prosthesis 4 by opening the fixing and releasing an electrical contact 12 for the power supply, thus simplifying e.g. exchange of finger 2 for repair. [0021] The finger prosthesis 2 is substantially of natural size and is designed to give a natural movement pattern. Thus the finger prosthesis 2, referred to below in the description as the finger 2, is formed from a substantially circular tube, preferably of a light and strong material e.g. aluminium or reinforced plastic. Furthermore both shaft A and finger joint 2 c are arranged substantially in the centre of finger 2 at a central axis C or in an alternative embodiment at least within ±15 mm from the centre axis C to give a natural movement pattern. On use, finger 2 usually has a skin-simulating prosthesis cover (not shown). By arranging finger joint 2 c and/or shaft A substantially in the middle of the hollow tube or its extension, advantageously on finger movement the prosthesis cover stretches on the outside of the joint or fastening 3 i.e. at the knuckle and the cover is compressed on the inside i.e. on the side of finger 2 which on bending is on the inside on bending direction I. This reduces the maximum load on the prosthesis cover. [0022] A pantograph rod 9 is arranged preferably on each side of the finger prosthesis, see FIGS. 3 and 4. The pantograph rod 9 is attached pivotably at the first end 9 a to the fixing 3 of the prosthesis finger at a point 10 a which does not move with the prosthesis on bending. The other end 9 b of the pantograph rod 9 is pivotably connected to the other part 2 b of the finger prosthesis at a point on this part 2 b located before the finger joint on the inside viewed in the bend direction I for the finger prosthesis towards an artificial or human palm. On extension of the prosthesis finger 2 therefore the pantograph rod 9 has a compressive effect and presses the other finger prosthesis part 2 b towards an extended position, see FIG. 5 b. The bend movement between the first and second prosthesis parts 2 a and 2 b is thus controlled by the bending movement between the first part 2 a of the finger prosthesis relative to fixing 3, see FIGS. 3 to 6. Operating both these bending movements at the same time with a common motor 6, gearbox 5 b and angle gear gives a simple and robust prosthesis designed to simulate a human finger and its movement. In the preferred embodiment the finger prosthesis 2 has two pantograph rods which are arranged on either side of the finger prosthesis 2. [0023] The finger prostheses as above can be arranged next to each other e.g. to replace the lost human index, middle and ring fingers as shown in FIGS. 5 b and 6. [0024] The invention should not be regarded as limited to the examples described above but can vary within the scope of the claims. [heading-0025] List of References [0026] 1 drive device [0027] 2 finger prosthesis [0028] 2 a first part of finger prosthesis [0029] 2 b second part of finger prosthesis [0030] 3 fixing [0031] 4 metacarpus [0032] 4 a part of metacarpus [0033] 5 gearbox [0034] 6 motor [0035] 7 first gear wheel [0036] 8 second gear wheel [0037] 9 pantograph rod [0038] 9 a first part of pantograph rod [0039] 9 b second part of pantograph rod [0040] 10 a fixing point at fixing [0041] 10 b fixing point at other prosthesis parts [0042] 11 palm [0043] 12 contact [0044] I Bend angle [0045] A Bend shaft [0046] B Gearbox shaft [0047] C Centre axis Patent CitationsCited PatentFiling datePublication dateApplicantTitleUS2497493 *19 Aug 194614 Feb 1950Theodore Edwards HaroldArtificial armUS2549074 *5 Aug 194817 Apr 1951Northrop Aircraft IncArtificial hand with worm and gear drive to thumbUS3509583 *9 Sep 19655 May 1970Bendix CorpElectro-mechanical hand having tactile sensing meansUS3521303 *12 Jul 196721 Jul 1970Polyan Efim PinkhasovichArtificial hand for prostheses with bioelectrical controlUS3694021 *31 Jul 197026 Sep 1972Mullen James FMechanical handUS4377305 *20 May 198022 Mar 1983Otto Bock Orthopadische Industrie KgArtificial handUS5080682 *5 Jul 199014 Jan 1992Schectman Leonard AArtificial robotic handUS5888246 *10 Mar 199530 Mar 1999Royal Infirmary Of Edinburgh Nhs TrustMotor drive system and linkage for hand prosthesisUS5941914 *22 Oct 199724 Aug 1999Sarcos L.C.Articulated, stacked-plate artificial body part* Cited by examinerReferenced byCiting PatentFiling datePublication dateApplicantTitleUS7658119 *28 Mar 20079 Feb 2010University Of Southern CaliforniaBiomimetic tactile sensorUS78672877 Dec 200611 Jan 2011Otto Bock Healthcare GmbhHand prosthesis with fingers that can be aligned in an articulated mannerUS8181540 *2 Apr 200922 May 2012University Of Southern CaliforniaMeasurement of sliding friction-induced vibrations for biomimetic tactile sensingUS82722782 Apr 200925 Sep 2012University Of Southern CaliforniaEnhancements to improve the function of a biomimetic tactile sensorUS83432347 Dec 20061 Jan 2013Otto Bock Healthcare GmbhHand prosthesis comprising two drive devicesUS85799917 Dec 200612 Nov 2013Otto Bock Healthcare GmbhHand prosthesis and force transmission deviceUS8808397 *16 Jul 200619 Aug 2014Touch Emas LimitedProstheses with mechanically operable digit membersUS9072616 *10 Aug 20127 Jul 2015Stefan SchulzDevice for moving and holding of a finger tipUS9073216 *3 Oct 20127 Jul 2015Honda Motor Co., Ltd.Joint mechanism and robot having the sameUS9211200 *24 Jun 201315 Dec 2015Hdt Expeditionary Systems, Inc.One motor finger mechanismUS20070227267 *28 Mar 20074 Oct 2007Alfred E. Mann Institute For Biomedical Engineering At The Univ. Of Southern CaliforniaBiomimetic Tactile SensorUS20080262634 *7 Dec 200623 Oct 2008Otto Bock Healthcare Ip Gmbh & Co. KgHand Prosthesis Comprising Two Drive DevicesUS20080319553 *7 Dec 200625 Dec 2008Otto Bock Healthcare Ip Gmbh & Co. KgHand Prosthesis and Force Transmission DeviceUS20090018670 *12 Dec 200615 Jan 2009Ottto Bock Healthcare Ip Gmbh & Co. KgFinger and hand prosthesisUS20100036507 *16 Jul 200611 Feb 2010David James GowProstheses With Mechanically Operable Digit MembersUS20100139418 *2 Apr 200910 Jun 2010University Of Southern CaliforniaMeasurement of sliding friction-induced vibrations for biomimetic tactile sensingUS20130041476 *10 Aug 201214 Feb 2013Stefan SchulzMethod to move and hold a phalanxUS20130104686 *3 Oct 20122 May 2013Honda Motor Co., Ltd.Joint mechanism and robot having the sameDE102008056520A18 Nov 20082 Jun 2010Schulz, StefanFingerelementWO2007076763A27 Dec 200612 Jul 2007Otto Bock Healthcare Ip Gmbh & Co. KgHand prosthesis and force transmission deviceWO2007076764A27 Dec 200612 Jul 2007Otto Bock Healthcare Ip Gmbh & Co. KgHand prosthesis comprising two drive devicesWO2007076764A3 *7 Dec 200611 Oct 2007Bock Healthcare Ip GmbhHand prosthesis comprising two drive devicesWO2008030419A2 *4 Sep 200713 Mar 2008Mark HunterA modular mechanical device resembling a human arm and handWO2008030419A3 *4 Sep 200719 Jun 2008Mark HunterA modular mechanical device resembling a human arm and handWO2010051798A14 Nov 200914 May 2010Stefan SchulzFinger element* Cited by examinerClassifications U.S. Classification623/64, 623/24International ClassificationA61F2/70, A61F2/68, A61F2/00, A61F2/58Cooperative ClassificationA61F2002/30471, A61F2310/00047, A61F2002/30527, A61F2/68, A61F2220/0091, A61F2250/006, A61F2/585, A61F2/70, A61F2002/5001, A61F2220/0025, A61F2002/30523, A61F2002/701, A61F2002/30329, A61F2002/30604, A61F2/586European ClassificationA61F2/68, A61F2/58H4Legal EventsDateCodeEventDescription23 Sep 2004ASAssignmentOwner name: BERGOMED AB, SWEDENFree format text: ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNORS INTEREST;ASSIGNOR:BRIMALM, STELLAN;REEL/FRAME:015865/0275Effective date: 20040331RotateOriginal ImageGoogle Home - Sitemap - USPTO Bulk Downloads - Privacy Policy - Terms of Service - About Google Patents - Send FeedbackData provided by IFI CLAIMS Patent Services