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US 3,987,498 AGranted
Electric elbow
AssigneesSidney Samole, Myron M. Samole
InventorCarl Peter Mason
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
An electrical rotator designed as a prosthetic joint, useable as a remote manipulator and particularly suitable as an electric elbow providing very light weight, high strength, and low cost, incorporating among other features a planetary roller wave generator, totally enclosed motor, integral molding, and a planetary race to achieve desirable performance characteristics.
Claims21
An improved prosthetic joint comprising:
- a housing forming an internal rigid circular spline internally meshing with a flexible member, forming externally a spline and internally a circular cavity, said cavity containing a permanent magnet electric motor driving a planetary roller reduction harmonic drive wave generator, said flexible member, comprising an open cylindrical section closed on one end by a planar section (the bell end) forming a rigid output tang on the bell end coaxial with the axis of revolution of the flexible member (flexspline), and a limit assembly within the housing comprising two microswitches and four Diodes, whereby the motor may be shunted and power shut off at the limits wherein the improvement comprises:
- a raceway inserted between the planetary rollers and the flexspline whereby the torque load within the flexspline is distributed and the load concentration under the planetary rollers is decreased.
An improved prosthetic joint comprising:
- a housing forming an internal rigid circular spline internally meshing with a flexible member, forming externally a spline and internally a circular cavity, said cavity containing a permanent magnet electric motor driving a planetary roller reduction harmonic drive wave generator, said flexible member, comprising an open cylindrical section closed on one end by a planar section (the bell end) forming a rigid output tang on the bell end coaxial the axis of revolution of the flexible member (flexspline), and a limit assembly within the housing comprising two microswitches and four Diodes, whereby the motor may be shunted and power shut off at the limits wherein the improvement comprises:
- a raceway molded into the flexspline whereby the load concentration under the planetary rollers is decreased and the torque load is distributed by the flexspline.
An improved prosthetic joint comprising:
- a housing forming an internal rigid circular spline internally meshing with a flexible member, forming externally a spline and internally a circular cavity, said cavity containing a permanent magnet electric motor driving a planetary roller reduction harmonic drive wave generator, said flexible member, comprising an open cylindrical section closed on one end by a planar section (the bell end) forming a rigid output tang on the bell end coaxial with the axis of revolution of the flexible member (flexspline), and a limit assembly within the housing comprising two microswitches and four Diodes, whereby the motor may be shunted and power shut off at the limits wherein the improvement comprises:
- an overload release mounted between the bell end of the flexspline and the output tang.
An improved prosthetic joint comprising:
- a housing forming an internal rigid circular spline internally meshing with a flexible member, forming externally a spline and internally a circular cavity, said cavity containing a permanent magnet electric motor driving a planetary roller reduction harmonic drive wave generator, said flexible member, comprising an open cylindrical section closed on one end by a planar section (the bell end) forming a rigid output tang on the bell and coaxial with the axis of revolution of the flexible member (flexspline), and a limit assembly within the housing comprising two microswitches and four Diodes, whereby the motor may be shunted and power off at the limits wherein the improvement comprises:
- a. in part a quick disconnect section wherein is placed a battery pack;
- b. a thermal cut out switch is mounted on the battery pack;
- c. a resistor is attached in parallel with and in intimate contact with the thermal cut out causing it to act as a thermal holding relay;
- and
- d. the thermal cut out is connected to a battery charger socket in the improved prosthetic joint housing, whereby the battery may be rapidly charged and when fully charged can be maintained by a continuous trickle charge.
3 more elements
An improved prosthetic joint comprising:
- a housing forming an internal rigid circular spline internally meshing with a flexible member, forming externally a spline and internally a circular cavity, said cavity containing a permanent magnet electric motor driving a planetary roller reduction harmonic drive wave generator, said flexible member, comprising an open cylindrical section closed on one end by a planar section (the bell end) forming a rigid output tang on the bell and coaxial with the axis of revolution of the flexible member (flexspline), and a limit assembly within the housing comprising two microswitches and four Diodes, whereby the motor may be shunted and power shut off at the limits wherein the improvement comprises:
- a. attached to the output tang, externally to the joint a driven artificial limb such as a forearm:
- b. opposite to the output tang on the surface of the joint, a means of pivotally attaching said driven artificial limb, and
- c. a means to counterbalance the weight of the driven artificial limb mounted in the means for pivotally attaching said driven artificial limb.
1 more element
An improved prosthetic joint comprising:
- a housing forming an internal rigid circular spline internally meshing with a flexible member, forming externally a spline and internally a circular cavity, said cavity containing a permanent magnet electric motor driving a planetary roller reduction harmonic drive wave generator, said flexible member, comprising an open cylindrical section closed on one end by a planar section (the bell end) forming a rigid output tang on the bell and coaxial with the axis of revolution of the flexible member (flexspline), and a limit assembly within the housing comprising two microswitches and four Diodes, whereby the motor may be shunted and power shut off at the limits wherein the limit assembly further comprises:
- a. a lead from a battery to the first microswitch at a normally closed contact;
- b. a lead from a common contact of the first microswitch to the motor;
- c. a lead from the motor to a common contact of the second microswitch;
- d. a lead from a normally closed contact of the second microswitch to another terminal of the battery;
- e. a lead connecting a normally opened contact of the first microswitch to a normally opened contact of the second microswitch;
- f. a diode connecting the lead connecting the normally open contacts to each other to the leads connecting the normally closed contacts and the battery;
- and
- g. a diode connecting the lead connecting the normally open contacts to each other to each of the leads connecting the common contacts and the motor.
6 more elements
An improved prosthetic joint device comprising:
- a. a two piece housing of 40% fiberglass reinforced polycarbonate forming an internal rigid spline;
- b. a flexspline meshed within said housing with said rigid spline;
- c. two planetary roller bearings in contact with the interior of said flexspline;
- d. a shaft between said rollers and in intimate contact with each roller;
- e. a servo motor attached to said shaft whereby said shaft is driven;
- f. a bearing around said motor body at the shaft end;
- g. a collar around and on the shaft face of said bearing;
- h. screws for mounting said planetary rollers screwed into said collar whereby to constrain the planets to be at 180 degrees from each other and in intimate contact with said shaft;
- i. an output tang mounted axially on and perpendicular to the teeth of the flexspline;
- j. limit actuating screws mounted on the interior of said output tang;
- k. a limit actuating assembly comprising two microswitches and associated electronic circuitry mounted in said housing whereby said limit actuating screw may operate said microswitch;
- l. a thermal cut out and thermal resistor in parallel therewith mounted on a battery whereby said battery may be recharged and maintained on a trickle charge when fully charged, said battery connected to said limit activating switches;
- m. a charger receptical electrically connected to said thermal cut out whereby said battery may be charged;
- and
- n. a pivotal mounting on the housing opposite said output tang for pivoting a driven artificial extremity such as a forearm.
12 more elements
An improved prosthetic joint comprising:
- a housing forming an internal rigid circular spline internally meshing with a flexible member, forming externally a spline and internally a circular cavity, said cavity containing a permanent magnet electric motor driving a planetary roller reduction harmonic drive wave generator, said flexible member, comprising an open cylindrical section closed on one end by a planar section (the bell end) forming a rigid output tang on the bell end coaxial with the axis of revolution of the flexible member (flexspline), and a limit assembly within the housing comprising two microswitches and four Diodes, whereby the motor may be shunted and power shut off at the limits, wherein the planetary roller reduction harmonic drive wave generator further comprises a smooth surface shaft or sunroller in intimate contact with the planetary rollers constrained by a wave generator body whereby the forces between the sun and planets generated by the harmonic drive are balanced, wherein the wave generator body is further improved, comprising the formation within the wave generator body of a channel between the attachment of the shaft and the attachment of each planetary roller, said channel being perpendicular to the line between the attachments of the planets and shaft and sufficiently long to make the planets movable (preloaded) relative to the shaft whereby the planets and shaft can be kept in intimate contact throughout an extended lifetime.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.