Joints and connections – Articulated members – Lockable at fixed position
Reexamination Certificate
1998-09-25
2001-04-17
Browne, Lynne H. (Department: 3629)
Joints and connections
Articulated members
Lockable at fixed position
C403S321000, C403S128000, C403S131000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06217249
ABSTRACT:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The invention is directed to a joint and in particular, an angularly adjustable, releasably lockable joint mechanism for rigidly joining first and second parts at a selected orientation and apparatus for operating such a joint.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Ball Joint
A ball joint mechanism includes generally a ball within a housing. Often the ball has attached thereto a rod which extends out beyond the housing. An actuator acts between the housing and the ball to fix the position of the ball, and therefore the angle of the rod, relative to the housing. A ball joint mechanism is disclosed, for example, in U.S. Pat. No. 5,280,871 where a plurality of holes are orderly and equally spaced apart in the surface of the ball for accepting the functional end of an actuator pin. A dimpled ball and an actuator having a spherical tip are also shown in U.S. Pat. No. 3,433,510. U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,841,769 and 4,620,813 show a socket having protuberances and a ball having dimples or indentations which engage to fix the orientation of rods attached thereto. U.S. Pat. No. 3,691,788 shows a ball having a grooved surface and an actuator having a spherical tip which locks up by engaging a groove. U.S. Pat. No. 892,105 shows a ball and socket whose surfaces are both knurled.
Angularly adjustable, releasably lockable ball joints are commonly used as part of an umbrella assembly, to lock a suspended canopy locked at a selected angle. Assemblies of this type are shown in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,674,523 and 5,002,081. The frictional engagement of a ball and a socket, as well as a dimpled ball and spherical pin actuator, have been found to be insufficient when subjected to high torsional forces.
Prosthetic Terminal Device Locking Assembly
Terminal devices, such as artificial hands, swimming paddles, etc., are used in association with prosthetic limbs. Such terminal devices are attached by locking assemblies to the prosthetic limb. Known terminal device locking assemblies are difficult to operate, especially by persons who have only one hand.
A typical locking assembly includes a bore formed in the prosthetic limb which accepts and locks an adapted stem on the terminal device. The locking mechanism includes a button that must be actuated both to release the stem from the bore and to insert the stem into the bore. It will be appreciated that the operation of insertion is very difficult since it requires that the stem of the terminal device be inserted into the bore while actuating the button. The insertion operation is further complicated in some prior art embodiments having a stem, the end of which is shaped and must be aligned during the insertion operation with a mating shaped portion within the bore. Such stem/socket mating prevents undesirable rotation of the terminal device but complicates the insertion procedure.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
A ball joint mechanism has been invented which is particularly adapted for use with angularly adjustable, locking parts which are subject to high torsional forces.
In accordance with a broad aspect of the present invention there is provided an angularly adjustable, releasably lockable joint mechanism for rigidly joining first and second parts at a selected orientation, said mechanism comprising a rounded member secured to the first part and a socket secured to the second part, the rounded member being adapted to be rotatable within the socket, and a disengageable actuator acting between the rounded member and the socket, having a tip and means being operative to advance the tip to lock up by penetrating a concavity disposed on one of the rounded member or the socket and to retract the tip to remove it from the concavity, said actuator being connected to lock the positioning of the socket relative to the rounded member when penetrating the concavity, the concavity being formed by a spaced arrangement of engaging surfaces; the spaced arrangement having a polygonal configuration; and the engaging surfaces, actuator tip and spaced arrangement being dimensioned so that the tip can penetrate the concavity of the spaced arrangement and contact all of the engaging surfaces of the arrangement that it penetrates, whereby the tip and the arrangement of engaging surfaces lock together.
In accordance with a broad aspect of the present invention there is provided an angularly adjustable, releasably lockable joint mechanism for rigidly joining first and second parts at a selected orientation, said mechanism comprising a rounded member having a plurality of concavities in association therewith and being secured to the first part, a disengageable actuator having a tip and being operative to advance the tip to lock up with the rounded member by penetrating at least one concavity or to retract the tip to disengage it from the rounded member, said actuator being connected with the second part, and means for holding the first part, the second part, the rounded member and the actuator together, said means being operative to allow the first part and the second part to change relative orientation when the actuator tip is retracted, each concavity being formed by a spaced arrangement of engaging surfaces; the spaced arrangement having a polygonal configuration; and the engaging surfaces, actuator tip and spaced arrangement being dimensioned so that the tip can penetrate the concavity of each spaced arrangement and contact all of the engaging surfaces of the arrangement that it penetrates, whereby the tip, the arrangement of engaging surfaces and the rounded member lock together.
The rounded member can be formed in any suitable way to be rotatable within the socket, for example, the rounded member can be spherical, or have substantially spherical portions or be cylindrical in shapes. The first member is formed to be suitable to support the engaging surfaces.
The engaging surfaces can be in fixed position on the rounded member. As an example, the engaging surfaces can be protuberances formed integrally with the rounded member or separate therefrom and mounted on the rounded member. The protuberances which are mounted onto the rounded member can be in the form of, for example, a pin or ball bearing. In another embodiment, the engaging surfaces are members fixed in position on the surface of the rounded member but formed separately from the rounded member and not secured thereto. For example, in one such embodiment the engaging surfaces are formed by closely packed spherical members, for example ball bearings, maintained in position on the surface of the rounded member by limiting means such as depressions, recessed areas or ridges formed on the surface of the rounded member to limit the movement of the ball bearings over the surface of the rounded member. The ball bearings are maintained about the rounded member by a shell or housing.
By arranging the engaging surfaces in accordance with a regular polygonal configuration, the longitude and latitude of the concavity sites on a rounded member can be mathematically definable and the concavity sites can be regularly spaced from one another. The polygonal configuration can be, for example, a triangle, a square, polygons having greater than four sides or combinations thereof. The use of a triangular pattern yields the largest number of concavity sites on a rounded member that is spherical.
In accordance with another broad aspect of the present invention, there is provided an angularly adjustable, releasable lockable joint mechanism for rigidly joining first and second parts at a selected orientation, said mechanism comprising a first member secured to the first part and a shell secured to the second part, the first member being adapted to be rotatable about a single axis within the shell and a disengageable actuator acting between the first member and the shell, having at least one tip and means being operative to advance the tip to lock up with the first member by penetrating at least one concavity disposed on the first member and to retract the tip to remove it from the concavity, said actuator being connected to lock the positionin
Browne Lynne H.
Garcia Ernesto
Gernstein Terry M
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