US 12,070,407 B2
Upper extremity assistance device
Michael Goldfarb, Nashville, TN (US); Benjamin William Gasser, Nashville, TN (US); and Daniel Alvin Bennett, Nashville, TN (US)
Assigned to Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN (US)
Filed by Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN (US)
Filed on Nov. 30, 2022, as Appl. No. 18/060,029.
Application 18/060,029 is a division of application No. 16/614,935, granted, now 11,534,321, previously published as PCT/US2018/034607, filed on May 25, 2018.
Claims priority of provisional application 62/511,153, filed on May 25, 2017.
Prior Publication US 2023/0092096 A1, Mar. 23, 2023
Int. Cl. A61F 5/01 (2006.01)
CPC A61F 5/013 (2013.01) [A61F 2005/0134 (2013.01); A61F 2005/0151 (2013.01); A61F 2005/0155 (2013.01); A61F 2005/0158 (2013.01)] 7 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. An orthotic device, comprising:
an upper arm section;
a forearm section;
at least one elbow joint rotatably coupling the upper arm section and the forearm section; and
at least one electrically-actuated clutch mechanism comprised of at least one rotating member, at least one sliding member, and at least one bearing member wherein the at least one electrically-actuated clutch mechanism further comprises: the at least one rotating member includes at least one detent and is affixed to a first arm section; and the at least one sliding member slides through a second arm section, such that the at least one rotating member rotates relative to the at least one sliding member; the at least one sliding member is slidably configured within the second arm section into either a first slider position or a second slider position; wherein in the first slider position, the at least one sliding member forces the at least one bearing member into the at least one detent in the rotating member; and wherein in the second slider position, the sliding member releases the at least one bearing member from the at least one detent in the at least one rotating member and wherein the at least one sliding member is configured into the first slider position by a spring and configured into the second slider position by energizing a solenoid actuator.