US3604017A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Spring-actuated prosthetic hand with a frictional latching clutch means
Assignee: D W DORRANCE CO Inc
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Filing: 1969-11-10
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Granted: 1971-09-14
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Expires: 1989-11-10
Abstract
Abstract A prosthetic hand of lightweight construction having pivotally attached fingers including a forefinger, a middle finger proximal to the forefinger, and thumb which open and close simultaneously. The thumb is provided with an extension that is connected to a rotatable member which is spring biased to move the fingers into their closed position for gripping an object. The lever connecting the thumb extension to the rotatable member is provided with a frictional clutch surface that restrains moving of the fingers from their closed position. unless an excessive predetermined opening force is exerted on the fingers which could damage the hand. A cable-actuated lever is connected to the rotatable member for overcoming this restraining action and moving the fingers on their pivots to the open position to release their grip on said object. The frame holding these fingers and members is encased in a human-looking self-skin foam.
Inventors
- 👤 Robert N Brown
- 👤 Glenn E Brown
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-27 08:07
CPC Classifications
A; A61; A61F; A61F2/00; A61F2/50; A61F2/54; A61F2/58; A61F2/583
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 3
Claim 1
Independent Claim
265 words
A prosthetic hand comprising a hollow frame, a plurality of fingers including a thumb, a forefinger, and a middle finger, means pivotally attaching said forefinger and middle finger to the forward end of said frame, means pivotally attaching said thumb to a side of said frame, said thumb having an extension extending into said hollow frame past the pivot thereof, rotatable means, a shaft supporting said rotatable means in said frame, a lever having one end thereof pivotally connected to the inner end of said thumb extension and having the other end thereof connected by a pivot pin to said rotatable means, a forefinger-actuating lever connected between said forefinger and said thumb extension, spring means, means connecting said spring means between said frame and said rotatable means for rotating said rotatable means and causing said first-mentioned lever to move said thumb and said forefinger to their closed position, frictional means engaging a surface of said first-mentioned lever restraining movement of said first-mentioned lever to prevent said thumb and said forefinger from being moved away from each other on said pivoting means thereof when they are in their closed positions so that they do not lose their grip on an object unless the object is such as to exert and excessive predetermined force which is sufficient to overcome said frictional restraining means thereby allowing the spreading of said thumb and said forefinger, said predetermined force being insufficient to damage the prosthetic hand, cable-actuated means for rotating said rotatable means against the tension of said spring to move said thumb and said forefinger away from each other.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
265 words
A prosthetic hand comprising a hollow frame, a plurality of fingers including a thumb, a forefinger, and a middle finger, means pivotally attaching said forefinger and middle finger to the forward end of said frame, means pivotally attaching said thumb to a side of said frame, said thumb having an extension extending into said hollow frame past the pivot thereof, rotatable means, a shaft supporting said rotatable means in said frame, a lever having one end thereof pivotally connected to the inner end of said thumb extension and having the other end thereof connected by a pivot pin to said rotatable means, a forefinger-actuating lever connected between said forefinger and said thumb extension, spring means, means connecting said spring means between said frame and said rotatable means for rotating said rotatable means and causing said first-mentioned lever to move said thumb and said forefinger to their closed position, frictional means engaging a surface of said first-mentioned lever restraining movement of said first-mentioned lever to prevent said thumb and said forefinger from being moved away from each other on said pivoting means thereof when they are in their closed positions so that they do not lose their grip on an object unless the object is such as to exert and excessive predetermined force which is sufficient to overcome said frictional restraining means thereby allowing the spreading of said thumb and said forefinger, said predetermined force being insufficient to damage the prosthetic hand, cable-actuated means for rotating said rotatable means against the tension of said spring to move said thumb and said forefinger away from each other.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
57 words
A prosthetic hand as set forth in claim 1, further characterized in that said frictional restraining means comprises a pin attached to said rotatable means engaging said surface of said first-mentioned lever, said surface of said first-mentioned lever being an arcuate surface having a radius with its center located substantially at the center of said pivot pin.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1974-09-13 | 1975-03-15 | 1975-09-14 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1978-09-13 | 1979-03-15 | 1979-09-14 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1982-09-13 | 1983-03-15 | 1983-09-14 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |