Mechanical joint with switchable, rotation-constraining clutch
OwnerPaul Pomeroyinventor
Life of this patent
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Abstract
The current document is directed to a two-way, by-passable, overrunning clutch incorporated within a mechanical prosthetic knee that provides functionality similar to a biological knee or incorporated in another articulated device, such as a robotic or orthotic articulated device or member. The currently disclosed two-way, by-passable, overrunning clutch allows for two-way free rotation when disabled, but, when enabled, prevents rotation in one direction while allowing free rotation in the other direction. In the mechanical prosthetic knee, the two-way, by-passable, overrunning clutch is enabled by application of a mechanical force and disabled by removal of the mechanical force.
Claims20
A mechanical joint comprising:
- a lower-leg block;
- a yoke assembly;
- and
- a clutch-element member of the yoke assembly that mechanically prevents rotation of the lower-leg block relative to the yoke assembly in one rotational direction when the mechanical joint is weighted and that mechanically permits free rotation of the lower-leg block relative to the yoke assembly when the mechanical joint is unweighted.
A method that mechanically interconnects an upper prosthetic leg to a lower prosthetic leg to allow limited rotation of the upper prosthetic leg with respect the lower prosthetic leg, the method comprising:
- connecting the lower prosthetic leg to a lower-leg block of a mechanical joint that additionally includes a yoke assembly and a clutch-element member of the yoke assembly that mechanically prevents rotation of the lower-leg block relative to the yoke assembly in one rotational direction when the mechanical joint is weighted and that mechanically permits free rotation of the lower-leg block relative to the yoke assembly when the mechanical joint is unweighted;
- and
- connecting the upper prosthetic leg to the yoke assembly.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.