Modular Prosthetic Digits with Slot Interfaces
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing prosthetic devices require lengthy repair times, often necessitating shipment back to the manufacturer, which leads to inconvenience and expense for users, as well as frequent replacement of entire devices rather than just damaged components.
Innovation Solution
A modular prosthetic device design featuring a unitary main body with slots containing electrical interfaces, allowing for detachable and easily replaceable digits, including those with motors and connectors, facilitating quick repair and replacement without requiring extensive disassembly.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of repair
If the entire prosthetic device is opened at a service centre for repairs, then the damaged components can be accessed and repaired, but the user has to wait a long period of time and incur considerable inconvenience and expense
Solution Approach 1:
The prosthetic device is divided into modular components (digits, main body, connector assemblies) that can be independently removed and replaced. Each digit can be detached from the main body through the connector assemblies, allowing individual components to be serviced separately without disassembling the entire device. This segmentation enables quick replacement of damaged parts at user locations rather than requiring centralized service center repairs.
2Stability of the object's composition
If the prosthetic device is designed as a unified structure, then structural integrity is maintained, but repair requires extensive disassembly and shipping back to the manufacturer
Solution Approach 1:
The connector assemblies are designed to nest within recesses of the main body, with digits nesting into the connector assemblies. This nested structure maintains a compact, integrated appearance and preserves structural integrity during use, while allowing easy hierarchical disassembly for repair. The nested design ensures that components fit precisely together, maintaining stability while enabling modular replacement.
Data Source
AI summary
Disclosed is a prosthetic device. The prosthetic device includes a unitary main body having a plurality of slots, wherein each of the plurality of slots includes an electrical interface; and a plurality of digits configured to be detachably connected to the main body, wherein each of the plurality of digits includes a motor having one or more connectors configured to make a contact with the electrical interface when a digit is accommodated in a respective slot.