Patent ID: 7361197

Claim:
An anthropomorphic prosthetic hand or robotic manipulator comprising: (a) a base section forming the major frame, representing the carpal carpal-metacarpal section of the human hand, onto, or into, which other components are mounted; (b) four individual digits appearing to be fingers attached to said frame, each having three joints allowing full, but not hyper-extension, individual movement of all joints; (c) one digit appearing to be a thumb attached to said frame having three joints, one of which represents the metacarpal-carpal joint and allows the thumb to rotate into and out of opposition of said fingers, with all joints allowing full, but not hyper-extension, individual movement; (d) a mounting point intended for the purpose of attaching said hand to the socket of the prosthetic system allowing donning of the device by the amputee; (e) two actuation systems mounted within said frame and extending into said digits, that causes said fingers to flex, or said thumb to rotate into opposition and flex, with the first system actuating said four fingers, the second system actuating said thumb such that said fingers and thumb can be operated separately, yet simultaneously, these actuation systems providing a passive, self biasing, conformal grip for said digits, which also provides for movement of the digits in the direction of flexure compliant to any external force without such movement causing any damage or malfunction of said digits, or actuation systems, with the actuation systems comprising a combination of highly flexible cables, and sliding blocks which allow the cables to be self biasing, and provide for changes in direction of force; (f) means to provide operating power for said actuation systems from outside of said hand; (g) a resilient device in the form of a glove to return the digits to the extended position by the use of compression and tension within the resilient material of said glove, which by variations in thickness in specific points of the resilient material also controls the timing of the movement of said joints in relation to each other to provide natural appearing movement of said hand.