Digitally-controlled artificial hand
AssigneeThe Boeing Company
InventorGeorge T. Pinson
Life of this patent
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Abstract
An artificial forearm and hand having a fully-articulated wrist motion. The invention provides an integrated digitally-controlled remote manipulator device capable of reproducing all of the major motions of the human forearm, wrist and hand in a cmpact in-line package. This motion is accomplished without the requirement for feedback thereby making the invention ideally suited to digital computer control. The packaging of the device permits it to be sealed, meaning that it can be used as a remote manipulator that can reproduce human arm and hand motions. The packaging also produces a lightweight, cosmetically pleasing prosthetic device for use by humans.
Claims12
A prosthetic forearm and hand device comprising a forearm portion adapted for connection to the remainder of a severed arm, a palm portion connected to the lower end of said forearm portion through a ball and socket connection, means for manipulating said hand portion about the center of said ball and socket connection to achieve simultaneous movement along two vectors at right angles to each other, a thumb connected to said palm portion through a ball and socket connection, said thumb having a pivoted joint therein, fingers pivotally connected to said palm portion, each finger having two pivoted joints therein, spring devices normally holding said thumb and fingers in extended positions, motor devices in said forearm for manipulating said thumb and fingers about their pivoted joints, and cable means connecting the extremity of said thumb and each of said fingers to an associated one of said motor devices.
In a prosthetic device capable of reproducing motions of a human body member, the combination comprising a hollow prosthetic forearm, a prosthetic attachment to said forearm to which the reproduced motion is imparted, a shaft with said attachment secured to one end of said shaft, ball and socket joint means mounting said shaft to said forearm intermediate the ends of said shaft for pivoting said prosthetic attachment about an end of said forearm, means adapted to move the end of said shaft opposite said prosthetic attachment and within the interior of said forearm, and means to control said means of motion responsive to the prosthesis wearer.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.