Hydraulic Prosthetic Joint With Internal Extension Assist
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing orthopedic joints require intensive maintenance, can catch on clothing, become worn, and may generate noise due to external extension assist mechanisms.
Innovation Solution
An orthopedic joint design where a pretensioning device is directly coupled to a pivot piston within the hydraulic fluid, eliminating external force transmission elements and reducing wear and noise by shielding against air contact and providing lubrication, allowing for high flexion angles and optimized space utilization.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If external extension assist mechanisms are used, then extension assistance is provided, but wear and noise increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces external mechanical extension assist mechanisms with a hydraulic force transmission system. The pivot piston transmits extension assistance forces hydraulically through the hydraulic fluid, eliminating the need for external mechanical linkages that are subject to wear and noise. This substitution of mechanical systems with hydraulic systems resolves the contradiction by providing extension assistance while minimizing wear and noise generation.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent utilizes hydraulic principles by employing a pivot piston and hydraulic fluid to transmit extension assistance forces. The hydraulic system allows force transmission through fluid pressure rather than mechanical contact, thereby providing the necessary extension assistance while eliminating wear and noise associated with external mechanical components. This direct hydraulic coupling resolves the technical contradiction effectively.
2Ease of operation
If external force transmission elements are used, then extension assistance is provided, but the device catches on clothing and becomes worn
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges the force transmission function directly into the hydraulic system by coupling the pretensioning device directly to the pivot piston. This integration eliminates the need for separate external force transmission elements that would protrude and catch on clothing. By combining these functions within the hydraulic system, the invention resolves the contradiction between providing extension assistance and avoiding contact with external environmental factors.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent nests the force transmission mechanism within the hydraulic system itself. The pretensioning device and pivot piston are integrated within the housing, with force transmission occurring through the hydraulic fluid rather than external elements. This nested arrangement protects the force transmission function from external contact while maintaining its effectiveness, thereby resolving the contradiction between providing assistance and avoiding harmful external contact.
3Ease of operation
If external extension assist mechanisms are used, then extension assistance is provided, but noise is generated
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces external mechanical extension assist mechanisms that generate noise through friction and impact with a hydraulic force transmission system. The hydraulic fluid transmits forces smoothly without the mechanical contact that generates noise, thereby providing extension assistance while eliminating noise generation. This substitution resolves the contradiction between operational assistance and noise reduction.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
Minimizes wear and noise while ensuring safe handling and efficient pivoting movements by integrating the pretensioning device within the hydraulic fluid, reducing the need for external components and maintaining a low-damping system.
Implementation Method 1
a rotation hydraulics unit, which has a housing with a chamber and with a pivot piston which is mounted pivotably in the latter and divides the chamber into a flexion chamber and an extension chamber, said chambers being connected hydraulically to each other via at least one channel
Implementation Method 2
The support, via which the pretensioning force is transmitted to the pivot piston, is located inside the wet region of the hydraulics, such that there is no need for an extension assist located outside the rotation hydraulics or for a force transmission element arranged outside the hydraulics. By virtue of the guiding inside the hydraulics, noise development is avoided or at least attenuated. Wear is minimized by the fact that the pretensioning or extension assist device is arranged inside the hydraulic fluid, which is generally a hydraulic oil, since the hydraulic fluid at the same time shields against contact with water and additionally ensures lubrication.
Implementation Method 3
a pivot piston which is mounted pivotably in the latter and divides the chamber into a flexion chamber and an extension chamber, said chambers being connected hydraulically to each other via at least one channel
Data Source
AI summary
An orthopedic joint for a prosthesis, includes an upper part, a lower part which is mounted on the upper part in a pivotal manner about a pivot axis, and a rotation hydraulic unit, which has a housing with a chamber and a pivot piston that is pivotally mounted in the chamber and divides the chamber into a flexion chamber and an extension chamber, the chambers being hydraulically connected together via at least one channel. The joint also includes a pretensioning device which supports a pivoting movement of the upper part relative to the lower part, wherein the pretensioning device is coupled directly to the pivot piston via a support.