Prosthetic limb

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9333096-B2
Application number	US-201414257705-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Apr 21, 2014
Priority date	Apr 21, 2014
Publication date	May 10, 2016
Grant date	May 10, 2016

Abstract

A prosthetic limb includes a plurality of extendable segments configured to adjust the length of the prosthetic limb. Also included is a first end assembly operatively coupled to the plurality of extendable segments, wherein the first end assembly is radially adjustable to manipulate the thickness of the prosthetic limb. Further included is a second end assembly operatively coupled to the plurality of extendable segments, wherein the second end assembly is radially adjustable to manipulate the thickness of the prosthetic limb.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A prosthetic limb comprising:
a plurality of extendable segments configured to adjust a length of the prosthetic limb;
a first end assembly operatively coupled to the plurality of extendable segments, wherein the first end assembly is radially adjustable to manipulate a first end thickness of the prosthetic limb; and
a second end assembly operatively coupled to the plurality of extendable segments, wherein the second end assembly is radially adjustable to manipulate a second end thickness, the first end thickness and the second end thickness each adjusting an overall thickness of the prosthetic limb, wherein each of the first end assembly and the second end assembly comprises:
a plate member; and
a plurality of slider members operatively connected to the plate member, wherein a number of the plurality of slider members of each of the first end assembly and the second end assembly are lockable and corresponds to a number of the plurality of extendable segments, each of the first end assembly plate member and the second end assembly plate member comprising a T-shaped geometry and the number of the plurality of slider members of each of the first end assembly and the second end assembly is at least three.

2. The prosthetic limb of claim 1 , wherein each of the plurality of extendable segments comprises:
a first rod having a first end and a second end;
a second rod having a first end and a second end; and
a turnbuckle having a first end, a second end, a hole defined by an internal surface and extending axially therethrough from the first end to the second end of the turnbuckle, a first threaded region along the internal surface and proximate the first end of the turnbuckle, and a second threaded region along the internal surface and proximate the second end of the turnbuckle.

3. The prosthetic limb of claim 2 , wherein the second end of the first rod is in threaded engagement with the first threaded region of the turnbuckle and the first end of the second rod is in threaded engagement with the second threaded region of the turnbuckle.

4. The prosthetic limb of claim 2 , wherein the first end of the first rod is operatively coupled to the first end assembly and the second end of the second rod is operatively coupled to the second end assembly.

5. The prosthetic limb of claim 2 , wherein the turnbuckle comprises a turnbuckle length of at least 4.0 inches and the first threaded region and the second threaded region of the turnbuckle are each at least 2.0 inches in length.

6. The prosthetic limb of claim 2 , wherein the first rod, the second rod, and the hole of the turnbuckle each have a diameter of at least 0.25 inches.

7. The prosthetic limb of claim 1 , wherein the first end assembly, the second end assembly, and the plurality of extendable segments are formed of at least one plastic material and are injection molded components.

8. The prosthetic limb of claim 1 , wherein the plate member of each of the first end assembly and the second end assembly and the plurality of slider members of each of the first end assembly and the second end assembly are formed of at least one plastic material and are injection molded components.

9. The prosthetic limb of claim 1 , wherein each of the plurality of slider members of each of the first end assembly and the second end assembly is locked into position with compression of a pin arrangement.

10. The prosthetic limb of claim 1 , wherein the first end assembly is operatively coupled to an appendage assembly.

11. The prosthetic limb of claim 10 , wherein the appendage assembly comprises an appendage attachment and a hand assembly.

12. The prosthetic limb of claim 11 , wherein the hand assembly comprises reconfigurable fingers that includes an opposable thumb.

13. The prosthetic limb of claim 11 , wherein the hand assembly is rotatable about a 360 degree angle relative to the appendage attachment, wherein a first angle between the appendage attachment and the first end assembly is adjustable and a second angle between the appendage attachment and the appendage assembly is adjustable, wherein adjustment of at least one of the first angle and the second angle adjusts a torque of each of the plurality of extendable segments.

14. The prosthetic limb of claim 1 , wherein the second end assembly is operatively coupled to a joint assembly comprising a first member and a second member rotatable relative to each other and positionally lockable with a plunger configured to extend through apertures of the first member and the second member.

15. The prosthetic limb of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of extendable portions are configured to extend from an initial length to 200% of the initial length.

16. A prosthetic limb comprising:
a first limb portion assembly having a first plurality of extendable segments, a first end assembly, and a second end assembly;
a second limb portion assembly having a second plurality of extendable segments, a third end assembly, and fourth end assembly;
a joint assembly configured to join the first limb portion assembly and the second limb portion assembly; and
an appendage assembly operatively coupled to the first end assembly of the first limb portion, wherein the first plurality of extendable segments and the second plurality of extendable segments are extendable from an initial length to an extended length that is less than about three times the initial length, wherein each of the end assemblies comprises:
a plate member; and
a plurality of slider members operatively connected to the plate member, wherein a number of the plurality of slider members of each of the end assemblies are lockable and corresponds to a number of the plurality of extendable segments, each of the first end assembly plate member, the second end assembly plate member, the third end assembly plate member and the fourth end assembly plate member comprising a T-shaped geometry and the number of the plurality of slider members of each of the end assemblies is at least three.

17. The prosthetic limb of claim 16 , wherein the appendage comprises at least one appendage assembly operatively coupled to the first end assembly with an appendage attachment.

Assignees

• Univ Massachusetts

Inventors

• Perez De Alderete Jonathan Michael
• Keaney Erin Elizabeth
• Donoghue Brendan Charles

Classifications

• A61F2002/543

  Lower arms or forearms · CPC title

• A61F2002/608

  Upper legs · CPC title

• A61F2002/5039

  allowing only for single rotation · CPC title

• A61F2002/546

  Upper arms · CPC title

• A61F2002/5021

  for adjusting a position by translation along an axis · CPC title