Biomechanical motion device for human gait load replication
Inventors
WESTGARD, Samuel K. • Farris, Ryan J.
Assignees
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Publication Number
US-12329662-B2
Publication Date
2025-06-17
Expiration Date
Abstract
A biomechanical motion device employs a plurality of actuator cylinders to generate forces representative of human gait loading. The biomechanical motion device includes a crosshead that is manipulated vertically by a set of two vertical pneumatic cylinders, and the crosshead is mounted to two vertical shafts on linear bearings that guide the crosshead in the vertical direction. The biomechanical motion device further includes a horizontal slide system that incorporates a linear carriage rail mounted flush to the bottom of the crosshead. The linear carriage rail guides a sliding carriage, and a custom bracket is mounted to the sliding carriage. Attached to the bracket is a pivot shaft, and the shaft serves as a simulated knee joint about which a lower leg assembly can be rotated. Horizontal motion colinear with the carriage rail of the simulated knee joint connection is generated using a set of two horizontal pneumatic cylinders. This horizontal motion causes the lower leg assembly to pivot about where a prosthetic foot contacts a bottom contact plate during gait to rotate about the pinned knee joint.
Core Innovation
The invention provides a biomechanical motion device with a contact base, at least one upright shaft extending from the contact base, and a crosshead spaced apart from the contact base. The crosshead is moveable relative to the contact base along the at least one upright shaft between a first crosshead position and a second crosshead position, and a carriage rail is attached to the crosshead so as to be moveable with the crosshead.
A carriage is slidably moveable along the carriage rail between a first carriage position and a second carriage position. A prosthetic connection assembly is attached to the carriage so as to be moveable with the carriage as the carriage slides along the carriage rail, and the prosthetic connection assembly is configured to receive a prosthetic device.
An actuator assembly is configured to move the crosshead along the at least one upright shaft and the carriage along the carriage rail to move the prosthetic connection assembly through a plurality of stages that simulate a human motion. The document describes the device as part of a biomechanical motion testing system, including parallel placement within an environmental chamber and sensor data gathering from the prosthetic connection assembly and/or a connected prosthetic.
Claims Coverage
The document includes two independent claims: a device claim and a method claim, each centered on moving a prosthetic connection assembly through a plurality of stages that simulate a human motion.
Biomechanical motion device with crosshead and carriage rail
A biomechanical motion device comprising a contact base; at least one upright shaft extending from the contact base; a crosshead moveable relative to the contact base along the at least one upright shaft between a first crosshead position and a second crosshead position; a carriage rail attached to the crosshead so as to be moveable with the crosshead; and a carriage slidably moveable along the carriage rail between a first carriage position and a second carriage position.
Prosthetic connection assembly on a movable carriage
A prosthetic connection assembly attached to the carriage so as to be moveable with the carriage as the carriage slides along the carriage rail, the prosthetic connection assembly being configured to receive a prosthetic device.
Actuator assembly moving the prosthetic connection assembly through stages
An actuator assembly configured to move the crosshead along the at least one upright shaft and the carriage along the carriage rail to move the prosthetic connection assembly through a plurality of stages that simulate a human motion.
Testing method using biomechanical motion device stages
A method of testing a prosthetic device comprising providing a biomechanical motion device including a contact base, an upright shaft, a moveable crosshead, a carriage rail, a slidable carriage, and a prosthetic connection assembly attached to the carriage, attaching the prosthetic device to the prosthetic connection assembly, and actuating the actuator assembly to move the prosthetic connection assembly through a plurality of stages that simulate a human motion.
The claim set focuses on a biomechanical motion device architecture in which a crosshead-driven carriage rail carries a prosthetic connection assembly, and an actuator assembly moves the assembly through multiple stages that simulate human motion; the method claim covers testing by attaching a prosthetic device and actuating the device through those stages.
Stated Advantages
Not explicitly described in patent.
Documented Applications
Testing lower-limb prosthetics by replicating human gait load and simulating human motion stages.
Placing the biomechanical motion device in an environmental chamber to test temperature and humidity effects.
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