Patent · US Expired

Piezoelectric motivator for prosthetic devices

US4895574A · kind A · utility

28Cited by
4References
16Claims
0Family size

Inventor

Key dates

Filing dateJun 6, 1984
Grant dateJan 23, 1990
Priority date
Expiry dateJun 6, 2004

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC A)Human Necessities
  • CPC primaryA61F2002/0894
  • WIPO fieldMedical technology
  • WIPO sectorInstruments

Abstract

The invention embodies the construction and implementation of synthetic muscle elements into numerous prosthetic devices. The aforesaid synthetic muscle elements consist of piezoelectric Gels; which function to motivate artificial limbs, rotate artificial joints, institute peristaltic motion in synthetic muscle systems and perform other activities consistant with the operation of organic muscle tissue. Sensory elements and ancillary systems embodied within said synthetic muscle means are responsive to evoked potentials generated by the neurons or other impulse conducting structures of the user. The aforesaid synthetic muscle has the additional capacity to sense, measure and act in a compensatory fashion to adjust their operation to biochemicals emitted by the user including, neural humoral secretions, endocrine levels, the formation of metabolites and the tension or partial pressures of gases such as CO.sub.2, O.sub.2, or other substances.

Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.