Brace system
AssigneeBoston Dynamics, Inc.
InventorsChristopher Everett Thorne, Steven D. Potter, Michael Patrick Murphy
Life of this patent
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Abstract
The present disclosure provides a brace system including an upper portion and a lower portion. The brace system may also include a first pulley rotatably coupling the upper portion to a first intermediate link positioned between the upper portion and the lower portion. The brace system may also include a second pulley rotatably coupling the first intermediate link to a second intermediate link positioned between the upper portion and the lower portion. The brace system may also include a third pulley rotatably coupling the second intermediate link to the lower portion. Further, the brace system may include at least one tension-bearing element substantially encircling each of the first pulley, the second pulley, and the third pulley.
Claims20
A brace system comprising:
- an upper portion;
- a lower portion;
- and
- a hinge assembly forming a parallel action mechanism for the lower portion with respect to the upper portion, the parallel action mechanism comprising at least two pulleys coupling at least one intermediate link between the upper portion and the lower portion, the hinge assembly comprising an extension tension-bearing element encircling each of the at least two pulleys, the extension tension-bearing element having a first end and a second end, the second end of the extension tension-bearing element anchored to the lower portion, wherein the upper portion and the lower portion are rotatably coupled to the hinge assembly.
A method of assembling a brace system, the method comprising:
- receiving an upper portion, a lower portion, a hinge assembly, and an extension tension-bearing element, the hinge assembly forming a parallel action mechanism for the lower portion with respect to the upper portion, the parallel action mechanism comprising at least three pulleys coupled to at least two intermediate links, the at least two intermediate links comprising at least a first intermediate link and a second intermediate link;
- rotatably coupling a first end of the first intermediate link of the hinge assembly to the upper portion;
- rotatably coupling a first end of the second intermediate link of the hinge assembly to the lower portion, each of the first end of the first intermediate link and the first end of the second intermediate link comprising at least one of the at least three pulleys;
- and
- encircling the extension tension-bearing element around each of the at least three pulleys in a first direction;
- and
- anchoring a first end of the extension tension-bearing element to the lower portion.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.