Force and torque sensor for prosthetic and orthopedic devices
AssigneeUniversity of Utah Research Foundation
InventorsTommaso Lenzi, Lukas Gabert
Life of this patent
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Abstract
The present disclosure describes sensor devices that can be readily integrated with prosthetic devices to provide sensing of force and torque applied to the prosthetic device during use. The sensor device includes an adaptor section that readily connects to standard prosthetic components and a base section. The base section has a deflectable portion and a fixed portion. Cantilevers in the deflectable portion house magnets and corresponding Hall effect sensors are housed in the fixed portion. When axial and/or torsional forces are applied, the cantilevers deflect relative to the fixed section and the Hall effect sensors provide a corresponding output that correlates to the axial and/or torsional forces applied.
Claims20
A sensor device configured for measuring applied force and torque, the sensor device comprising:
- a base section, the base section including
- a deflectable portion having an inner point and one or more cantilevers extending outward in a coplanar fashion from the inner point,
- a fixed portion spaced apart from the deflectable portion such that the one or more cantilevers of the deflectable portion are deflectable relative to the fixed portion, the fixed portion including at least one support bracket extending from or attached directly to the fixed portion, the support bracket comprising an aperture configured to receive an outer portion of a corresponding cantilever and to limit deflection of the corresponding cantilever in response to a torsional force imparted to the corresponding cantilever by movement of a user, and
- a pillar extending between the inner point of the deflectable portion and the fixed portion to mechanically couple the deflectable portion to the fixed portion;
- and
- a plurality of sensing components configured to measure deflection of the one or more cantilevers relative to the fixed portion.
A sensor device configured for measuring applied force and torque, the sensor device comprising:
- a base section, the base section including
- a deflectable portion having an inner point and one or more cantilevers extending outward in a coplanar fashion from the inner point,
- a fixed portion spaced apart from the deflectable portion such that the one or more cantilevers of the deflectable portion are deflectable relative to the fixed portion, wherein the fixed portion further includes at least one support bracket extending from or attached directly to the fixed portion, the support bracket comprising an aperture configured to receive an outer portion of a corresponding cantilever and to limit deflection of the corresponding cantilever in response to a torsional force imparted to the corresponding cantilever by movement of a user, and
- a pillar extending between the inner point of the deflectable portion and the fixed portion to mechanically couple the deflectable portion to the fixed portion;
- and
- a plurality of sensing components configured to measure deflection of the one or more cantilevers relative to the fixed portion, wherein the plurality of sensing components includes at least one magnet and at least one corresponding Hall effect sensor corresponding to the magnet and configured to measure magnetic field strength resulting from a distance between the Hall effect sensor and the corresponding magnet,
- wherein the sensing components are arranged such that output from the at least one Hall effect sensor relates to deflection of the one or more cantilevers relative to the fixed portion.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.