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US 10,075,046 B2Granted
Steady ratio four-bar linkage for genuflective energy harvesting
AssigneeBionic Power Inc.
InventorJohn Scott Billings
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A mechanism has four connected links to mimic the motion of a knee joint. A lower link is oriented towards the vertical. A leverage ratio between flexion of the knee and relative angular displacement of certain links in the mechanism remains fairly steady over much of the range of motion of the mechanism. The mechanism may be used to drive an energy harvesting gearbox with steadier and more efficient energy harvesting at deep flexion, as well as with quieter operation.
Claims20
A four-bar linkage comprising:
- a tibia link having first and second pivots;
- a femur link having third and fourth pivots;
- an ACL (anterior cruciate ligament) link connected to the first pivot and the third pivot;
- and
- a PCL (posterior cruciate ligament) link crossed over the ACL link and connected to the second and fourth pivots;
- wherein:
- the distance between third and fourth pivots is one unit;
- the distance between first and second pivots is between 1.3 and 1.6 units, to one decimal place;
- the distance between first and third pivots is between 2.0 and 2.8 units, to one decimal place;
- the distance between second and fourth pivots is between 2.4 and 3.3 units, to one decimal place;
- and
- the sum of the distance between third and fourth pivots and the distance between second and fourth pivots is equal to the sum of the distance between first and third pivots and the distance between first and second pivots, to within a tolerance of 0.2 units.
9 more elements
A four-bar linkage comprising:
- a tibia link having first and second pivots;
- a femur link having third and fourth pivots;
- an ACL (anterior cruciate ligament) link connected to the first pivot and the third pivot;
- and
- a PCL (posterior cruciate ligament) link crossed over the ACL link and connected to the second and fourth pivots;
- wherein:
- the distance between third and fourth pivots is one unit;
- the distance between first and second pivots is between 1.3 and 1.4 units to one decimal place;
- the distance between first and third pivots is between 2.0 and 2.1 units to one decimal place;
- and
- the distance between second and fourth pivots is 2.4 units to one decimal place;
- and
- the sum of the distance between third and fourth pivots and the distance between second and fourth pivots is equal to the sum of the distance between first and third pivots and the distance between first and second pivots, to within a tolerance of 0.1 units.
10 more elements
A four-bar linkage comprising:
- a tibia link having first and second pivots;
- a femur link having third and fourth pivots;
- an ACL (anterior cruciate ligament) link connected to the first pivot and the third pivot;
- and
- a PCL (posterior cruciate ligament) link crossed over the ACL link and connected to the second and fourth pivots;
- wherein:
- the distance between third and fourth pivots is one unit;
- the distance between first and second pivots is between 1.3 and 1.4 units to one decimal place;
- the distance between first and third pivots is between 2.0 and 2.1 units to one decimal place;
- and
- the distance between second and fourth pivots is 2.4 units to one decimal place;
- and
- the sum of the distance between third and fourth pivots and the distance between second and fourth pivots is substantially equal to the sum of the distance between first and third pivots and the distance between first and second pivots.
10 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.