US 12,263,130 B2
Therapeutic motion devices including artificial muscle drive units
Michael P. Rowe, Pinckney, MI (US); and Danil Prokhorov, Canton, MI (US)
Assigned to TOYOTA MOTOR ENGINEERING & MANUFACTURING NORTH AMERICA, INC., Plano, TX (US)
Filed by Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing North America, Inc., Plano, TX (US)
Filed on Jul. 17, 2020, as Appl. No. 16/931,589.
Prior Publication US 2022/0015977 A1, Jan. 20, 2022
Int. Cl. A61H 1/02 (2006.01); B25J 9/10 (2006.01)
CPC A61H 1/02 (2013.01) [A61H 1/024 (2013.01); A61H 1/0266 (2013.01); A61H 1/0277 (2013.01); A61H 1/0281 (2013.01); B25J 9/1075 (2013.01); A61H 2201/1207 (2013.01); A61H 2201/1238 (2013.01); A61H 2201/1409 (2013.01); A61H 2201/5097 (2013.01)] 19 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A therapeutic motion device comprising:
a support structure comprising a first support portion and a second support portion, wherein:
the first support portion rotatably coupled to the second support portion, and
at least one of the first support portion and the second support portion is movable relative to the other of the first support potion and the second support portion;
a first actuation arm extending from the first support portion;
a second actuation arm extending from the second support portion; and
an artificial muscle drive unit directly coupled to the first actuation arm and the second actuation arm, the artificial muscle drive unit comprising:
an outer casing defining a cavity; and
an artificial muscle assembly disposed within the cavity, the artificial muscle assembly comprising:
an actuation plate directly connected to the first actuation arm, the actuation plate movable within the cavity relative to the outer casing, the second actuation arm directly connected to the outer casing; and
one or more artificial muscles expandable in a movement direction to contact the actuation plate and provide a movement force to at least one of the first support portion and the second support portion by displacing at least one of the first actuation arm and the second actuation arm.