US 12,329,662 B2 · Biomechanical motion device for human gait load replication

Abstract

A biomechanical motion device employs a plurality of actuator cylinders to generate forces representative of human gait loading. The biomechanical motion device includes a crosshead that is manipulated vertically by a set of two vertical pneumatic cylinders, and the crosshead is mounted to two vertical shafts on linear bearings that guide the crosshead in the vertical direction. The biomechanical motion device further includes a horizontal slide system that incorporates a linear carriage rail mounted flush to the bottom of the crosshead. The linear carriage rail guides a sliding carriage, and a custom bracket is mounted to the sliding carriage. Attached to the bracket is a pivot shaft, and the shaft serves as a simulated knee joint about which a lower leg assembly can be rotated. Horizontal motion colinear with the carriage rail of the simulated knee joint connection is generated using a set of two horizontal pneumatic cylinders. This horizontal motion causes the lower leg assembly to pivot about where a prosthetic foot contacts a bottom contact plate during gait to rotate about the pinned knee joint.

Claims20

Dependent claims

A biomechanical motion device comprising:

a contact base;
at least one upright shaft that extends from the contact base;
a crosshead spaced apart from the contact base and that is moveable relative to the contact base along the at least one upright shaft between a first crosshead position and a second crosshead position;
a carriage rail attached to the crosshead so as to be moveable with the crosshead as the crosshead moves along the at least one upright shaft;
a carriage that is slidably moveable along the carriage rail between a first carriage position and a second carriage position;
a prosthetic connection assembly that is attached to the carriage so as to be moveable with the carriage as the carriage slides along the carriage rail, the prosthetic connection assembly being configured to receive a prosthetic device;
and
an actuator assembly configured to move the crosshead along the at least one upright shaft and the carriage along the carriage rail to move the prosthetic connection assembly through a plurality of stages that simulate a human motion.

5 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Biomechanical motion device for human gait load replication

Life of this patent

Biomechanical motion device for human gait load replication

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims20