# US 12,109,688 B2 · Mechanical hand > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 12,109,688 B2 - Document ID: US12109688B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 17/278,907 - Filed: 2019-09-13 - Published: 2022-02-17 - Granted: 2024-10-08 - Earliest claimed: 2018-09-25 - Assignees: Covvi Limited - Applicants: COVVI Limited - Inventors: Edward William Varley; Martin Wallace; Robert Spares; Paul Roger Smithson - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US12109688B2 ## CPC - A61F 2/585: {Wrist joints} - B25J 15/10: with three or more finger members {(B25J15/0009 takes precedence)} - A61F 2/586: {Fingers} - A61F 2/68: Operating or control means - A61F 2/70: electrical - A61F 2/583: {Hands; Wrist joints} - A61F 2002/5018: {for adjusting angular orientation} - A61F 2002/5043: {with rotation-limiting stops, e.g. projections or recesses} - A61F 2002/5079: {Leaf springs (A61F2002/6657 takes precedence)} - A61F 2002/587: {Thumbs} - A61F 2002/6854: {for locking or unlocking a joint} - A61F 2002/701: {operated by electrically controlled means, e.g. solenoids or torque motors} - A61F 2002/704: {computer-controlled, e.g. robotic control} - A61F 2002/762: {for measuring dimensions, e.g. a distance} - A61F 2002/7625: {for measuring angular position} - A61F 2002/7635: {for measuring force, pressure or mechanical tension} - A61F: FILTERS IMPLANTABLE INTO BLOOD VESSELS; PROSTHESES; DEVICES PROVIDING PATENCY TO, OR PREVENTING COLLAPSING OF, TUBULAR STRUCTURES OF THE BODY, e.g. STENTS; ORTHOPAEDIC, NURSING OR CONTRACEPTIVE DEVICES; FOMENTATION; TREATMENT OR PROTECTION OF EYES OR EARS; BANDAGES, DRESSINGS OR ABSORBENT PADS; FIRST-AID KITS (dental prosthetics A61C) - B25J: MANIPULATORS; CHAMBERS PROVIDED WITH MANIPULATION DEVICES ({manipulators specially adapted for use in surgery A61B34/70; manipulators used in cleaning hollow articles B08B9/04}; manipulators associated with rolling mills B21B39/20; manipulators associated with forging machines B21J13/10; {manipulators associated with picking-up and placing mechanisms B23P19/007}; means for holding wheels or parts thereof B60B30/00; {vehicles with ground-engaging propulsion means, e.g. walking members B62D57/02, B62D57/032; devices for picking-up and depositing articles or materials between conveyors B65G47/90, B65G47/91; manipulators with gripping or holding means for transferring packages B65H67/065}; cranes B66C; {manipulators used in the protection or supervision of pipe-line installations F17D5/00; walking equipment adapted for nuclear steam-generators F22B37/006}; manipulators specially adapted for, or associated with, nuclear reactors G21C; {apparatus used for handling wafers during manufacture or treatment of semiconductor H10P72/50}) ## Abstract The present application describes a mechanical hand comprising a plurality of finger assemblies each selectively moveable by a respective finger drive assembly about a finger pivot axis along a finger flexion/extension plane and between a finger open position and a finger closed position; a thumb assembly selectively rotatable by a first thumb drive assembly about a first thumb axis between an opposed position and a non-opposed position with respect to the finger assemblies, and selectively moveable by a second thumb drive assembly about a second thumb axis along a thumb flexion/extension plane and between a thumb open position and a thumb closed position; a controller operatively coupled to the finger and thumb drive assemblies; and a selector operatively coupled to the controller for selecting a desired thumb rotational position or a desired grip to be defined by the finger assemblies and the thumb assembly. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A mechanical hand comprising: a plurality of finger assemblies each selectively moveable by a respective finger drive assembly about a finger pivot axis along a finger flexion/extension plane and between a finger open position and a finger closed position; a thumb assembly selectively rotatable by a first thumb drive assembly about a first thumb axis between an opposed position and a non-opposed position with respect to the finger assemblies, and selectively moveable by a second thumb drive assembly about a second thumb axis along a thumb flexion/extension plane and between a thumb open position and a thumb closed position; a controller operatively coupled to the finger and thumb drive assemblies; and a selector operatively coupled to the controller for selecting a desired thumb rotational position or a desired grip to be defined by the finger assemblies and the thumb assembly, wherein: the selector comprises at least one switch or sensor configured to send an input signal to the controller responsive to a forced movement of the thumb assembly by a user; the thumb assembly is selectively moveable about a third thumb axis; and the thumb assembly is mounted on a thumb rocker member coupled to the first thumb drive assembly and rotatable about the third thumb axis. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The hand according to claim 1, wherein the third thumb axis is substantially perpendicular to the first thumb axis. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The hand according to claim 1, wherein the at least one switch or sensor is configured to send a respective input signal to the controller responsive to a forced movement of the thumb rocker member to either side of the third thumb axis. ### Claim 4 (depends on 3) The hand according to claim 3, wherein the thumb rocker member is urged by at least one resilient member towards a neutral position when no forced movement about the third thumb axis is applied to the thumb assembly. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The hand according to claim 1, wherein the thumb rocker member is rotatably mounted on a rocker shaft defining the third thumb axis. ### Claim 6 (depends on 5) The hand according to claim 5, wherein a rotatable hub element defining the first thumb axis comprises the rocker shaft. ### Claim 7 (depends on 6) The hand according to claim 6, wherein the hub element comprises a driven gear coupled to the first thumb drive assembly. ### Claim 8 (depends on 7) The hand according to claim 7, comprising a sensor coupled to the controller for sensing a rotational position of a tracked gear of the first thumb drive assembly to thereby determine a rotational position of the thumb assembly between the opposed and non-opposed positions. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The hand according to claim 1, wherein the selector is operatively coupled to the controller for selecting a desired thumb rotational position corresponding to a predetermined set of selectable grips stored in a memory of the controller. ### Claim 10 (depends on 9) The hand according to claim 9, wherein the desired thumb rotational position is the opposed position, the non-opposed position, or a position between the opposed and non-opposed positions. ### Claim 11 A method of operating a mechanical hand, the method comprising: applying a force to move a thumb assembly of the hand and send an input signal from a selector comprising at least one switch or sensor to a controller responsive to the forced movement of the thumb assembly; and selecting a desired thumb rotational position or grip to be defined by a plurality of finger assemblies and the thumb assembly of the hand responsive to the input signal; wherein: each finger assembly is selectively moveable by a respective finger drive assembly about a finger pivot axis along a finger flexion/extension plane and between a finger open position and a finger closed position; the thumb assembly is selectively rotatable by a first thumb drive assembly about a first thumb axis between an opposed position and a non-opposed position with respect to the finger assemblies, and is selectively moveable by a second thumb drive assembly about a second thumb axis along a thumb flexion/extension plane and between a thumb open position and a thumb closed position; the thumb assembly is selectively moveable about a third thumb axis; the thumb assembly is mounted on a thumb rocker member coupled to the first thumb drive assembly and rotatable about the third thumb axis; and the controller is operatively coupled to the finger and thumb drive assemblies. ### Claim 12 (depends on 11) The method according to claim 11, further comprising applying the force to selectively move the thumb assembly about the third thumb axis. ### Claim 13 (depends on 12) The method according to claim 12, further comprising selecting a desired thumb rotational position or a desired grip by applying the force to the thumb assembly in one of both perpendicular directions with respect to the thumb flexion/extension plane. ### Claim 14 (depends on 13) The method according to claim 13, wherein the desired thumb rotational position corresponds to a predetermined set of selectable grips. ### Claim 15 (depends on 14) The method according to claim 14, further comprising selecting the desired thumb rotational position from a one of the opposed position, the non-opposed position, and at least one position between the opposed and non-opposed positions. ### Claim 16 (depends on 11) The method according to claim 11, wherein selecting a desired grip comprises using the selector to cycle through a predetermined set of selectable grips. ### Claim 17 (depends on 11) The method according to claim 11, further comprising: receiving a gripping signal from the user to form the selected desired grip, and providing the gripping signal by an electrode located on the user's residual limb and operable by the user. ### Claim 18 (depends on 11) The method according to claim 11, further comprising: sensing a rotational position of a tracked gear of the first thumb drive assembly to thereby determine a rotational position of the thumb assembly between the opposed and non-opposed positions, and rotating the thumb assembly about the first thumb axis to the desired thumb rotational position responsive to comparing the rotational position of the thumb assembly with the selected desired thumb rotational position.