Patents by Inventor Eric A. Nickel

Eric A. Nickel has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).

  • Patent number: 11324612
    Abstract: A liner defines a pouch, an opening, a cup, and a first ring positioned on the pouch distal to the opening. The pouch is air-permeable and defines an internal volume for receiving a residual limb. The opening defined by the pouch provides access to the internal volume. The cup is air-impermeable and is positioned on the pouch distal to the opening. The liner is combined with an adapter for connecting a residual limb to a prosthetic limb. The adapter has a socket for receiving the cup, at least one hole positioned within the socket for drainage therefrom and sleeve extending from the socket and surrounding a central space. The adapter also has at least one vent positioned in the sleeve and overlies the air permeable material.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 18, 2020
    Date of Patent: May 10, 2022
    Assignee: United States Government as Represented by the Department of Veterans Affairs
    Inventors: Andrew H. Hansen, Eric A. Nickel, Billie Caris Savvas Slater, Stuart R. Fairhurst, Jennifer Leestma
  • Publication number: 20210401591
    Abstract: An ankle-foot prosthesis includes a foot plate, an ankle frame attached to the foot plate, a yoke pivotally connected to the ankle frame and including a member for attaching to a leg, a damper having a first end connected to the yoke and a second end connected to the ankle frame, and a control mechanism for switching the damper between low and high settings.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 14, 2021
    Publication date: December 30, 2021
    Inventors: Andrew H. Hansen, Eric A. Nickel
  • Patent number: 11129734
    Abstract: An ankle-foot prosthesis includes a foot plate, an ankle frame attached to the foot plate, a yoke pivotally connected to the ankle frame and including a member for attaching to a leg, a damper having a first end connected to the yoke and a second end connected to the ankle frame, and a control mechanism for switching the damper between low and high settings.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 7, 2019
    Date of Patent: September 28, 2021
    Assignees: U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, Regents of the University of Minnesota
    Inventors: Andrew H. Hansen, Eric A. Nickel
  • Publication number: 20210085493
    Abstract: A liner defines a pouch, an opening, a cup, and a first ring positioned on the pouch distal to the opening. The pouch is air-permeable and defines an internal volume for receiving a residual limb. The opening defined by the pouch provides access to the internal volume. The cup is air-impermeable and is positioned on the pouch distal to the opening. The liner is combined with an adapter for connecting a residual limb to a prosthetic limb. The adapter has a socket for receiving the cup, at least one hole positioned within the socket for drainage therefrom and sleeve extending from the socket and surrounding a central space. The adapter also has at least one vent positioned in the sleeve and overlies the air permeable material.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 18, 2020
    Publication date: March 25, 2021
    Inventors: Andrew H. Hansen, Eric A. Nickel, Billie Caris Savvas Slater, Stuart R. Fairhurst, Jennifer Leestma
  • Patent number: 10779612
    Abstract: A rocker shoe has a lower rocker surface extending across the plantar surface of the shoe sole from the heel and terminating short of the toe. A rocker shoe construction kit has a rigid or substantially rigid rocker piece having an upper surface for securing over a major portion of a lower plantar surface of the sole of a shoe upper and a lower surface of predetermined rocker shape, a cushioning layer for securing over the lower surface of the rocker piece, and a layer of tread material configured for securing over the lower surface of the cushioning layer and any exposed portion of the plantar surface of a shoe.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 14, 2019
    Date of Patent: September 22, 2020
    Assignee: United States Government as represented by the Department of Veterans Affairs
    Inventors: Andrew H. Hansen, Sara R. Koehler, Charles J. Schultz, Eric A. Nickel
  • Publication number: 20190261734
    Abstract: A rocker shoe has a lower rocker surface extending across the plantar surface of the shoe sole from the heel and terminating short of the toe. A rocker shoe construction kit has a rigid or substantially rigid rocker piece having an upper surface for securing over a major portion of a lower plantar surface of the sole of a shoe upper and a lower surface of predetermined rocker shape, a cushioning layer for securing over the lower surface of the rocker piece, and a layer of tread material configured for securing over the lower surface of the cushioning layer and any exposed portion of the plantar surface of a shoe.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 14, 2019
    Publication date: August 29, 2019
    Inventors: Andrew H. Hansen, Sara R. Koehler, Charles J. Schultz, Eric A. Nickel
  • Publication number: 20190254844
    Abstract: An ankle-foot prosthesis includes a foot plate, an ankle frame attached to the foot plate, a yoke pivotally connected to the ankle frame and including a member for attaching to a leg, a damper having a first end connected to the yoke and a second end connected to the ankle frame, and a control mechanism for switching the damper between low and high settings.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 7, 2019
    Publication date: August 22, 2019
    Inventors: Andrew H. Hansen, Eric A. Nickel
  • Patent number: 10376388
    Abstract: An ankle-foot prosthesis includes a foot plate, an ankle frame attached to the foot plate, a yoke pivotally connected to the ankle frame and including a member for attaching to a leg, a damper having a first end connected to the yoke and a second end connected to the ankle frame, and a control mechanism for switching the damper between low and high settings.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 16, 2017
    Date of Patent: August 13, 2019
    Assignee: The United States Government as represented by the Department of Veterans Affairs
    Inventors: Andrew H. Hansen, Eric A. Nickel
  • Patent number: 10292452
    Abstract: A rocker shoe has a lower rocker surface extending across the plantar surface of the shoe sole from the heel and terminating short of the toe. A rocker shoe construction kit has a rigid or substantially rigid rocker piece having an upper surface for securing over a major portion of a lower plantar surface of the sole of a shoe upper and a lower surface of predetermined rocker shape, a cushioning layer for securing over the lower surface of the rocker piece, and a layer of tread material configured for securing over the lower surface of the cushioning layer and any exposed portion of the plantar surface of a shoe.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 27, 2016
    Date of Patent: May 21, 2019
    Assignee: THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA AS REPRESENTED BY THE DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS AFFAIRS
    Inventors: Andrew H. Hansen, Sara R. Koehler, Charles J. Schultz, Eric A. Nickel
  • Patent number: 10105243
    Abstract: An ankle-foot prosthesis includes a foot plate, an ankle frame attached to the foot plate, a yoke pivotally connected to the ankle frame and including a member for attaching to a leg, a damper having a first end connected to the yoke and a second end connected to the ankle frame, and a control mechanism for switching the damper between low and high settings.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 22, 2016
    Date of Patent: October 23, 2018
    Assignees: U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, Regents of the University of Minnesota
    Inventors: Andrew H. Hansen, Eric A. Nickel
  • Publication number: 20180295936
    Abstract: A rocker shoe has a lower rocker surface extending across the plantar surface of the shoe sole from the heel and terminating short of the toe. A rocker shoe construction kit has a rigid or substantially rigid rocker piece having an upper surface for securing over a major portion of a lower plantar surface of the sole of a shoe upper and a lower surface of predetermined rocker shape, a cushioning layer for securing over the lower surface of the rocker piece, and a layer of tread material configured for securing over the lower surface of the cushioning layer and any exposed portion of the plantar surface of a shoe.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 27, 2016
    Publication date: October 18, 2018
    Inventors: Andrew H. HANSEN, Sara R. KOEHLER, Charles J. Schultz, Eric A. NICKEL
  • Patent number: 10058723
    Abstract: A foldable parallel bar apparatus includes generally U-shaped first and second end frames and a set of handrails connected to and extending between the first and second end frames, wherein the handrails are foldable so as to move the first and second end frames closer to one another thereby compacting the apparatus. When multiple modules of the end frames are connected, they provide an uninterrupted path between the handrails. An alternative embodiment provides base platforms that are foldable relative to each other and handrails that are vertically and horizontally adjustable.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 10, 2013
    Date of Patent: August 28, 2018
    Assignee: The United States of America as represented by the Department of Veterans Affairs
    Inventors: Eric A. Nickel, Andrew H. Hansen, Adam Stephen Breyette, Binghan Chen, Kristin Huber, Ross Klabon, Thomas C. LaSee, William Gunther Voss, Steven M. Morin
  • Publication number: 20170156894
    Abstract: An ankle-foot prosthesis includes a foot plate, an ankle frame attached to the foot plate, a yoke pivotally connected to the ankle frame and including a member for attaching to a leg, a damper having a first end connected to the yoke and a second end connected to the ankle frame, and a control mechanism for switching the damper between low and high settings.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 16, 2017
    Publication date: June 8, 2017
    Applicants: U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, Regents of the University of Minnesota
    Inventors: Andrew H. HANSEN, Eric A. NICKEL
  • Publication number: 20170071761
    Abstract: An ankle-foot prosthesis includes a foot plate, an ankle frame attached to the foot plate, a yoke pivotally connected to the ankle frame and including a member for attaching to a leg, a damper having a first end connected to the yoke and a second end connected to the ankle frame, and a control mechanism for switching the damper between low and high settings.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 22, 2016
    Publication date: March 16, 2017
    Applicants: U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, Regents of the University of Minnesota
    Inventors: Andrew H. HANSEN, Eric A. NICKEL
  • Patent number: 9549827
    Abstract: An ankle-foot prosthesis includes a foot plate, an ankle frame attached to the foot plate, a yoke pivotally connected to the ankle frame and including a member for attaching to a leg, a damper having a first end connected to the yoke and a second end connected to the ankle frame, and a control mechanism for switching the damper between low and high settings.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 10, 2013
    Date of Patent: January 24, 2017
    Assignees: U.S. DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS AFFAIRS, REGENTS OF THE UNIVERISTY OF MINNESOTA
    Inventors: Andrew H. Hansen, Eric A. Nickel
  • Patent number: 9101520
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a novel approach to improving the use of wheelchairs by offering the ability for the wheelchair to transition between accommodation for a seated position, and accommodation for a standing position, more particularly, wherein the inventive mobile manual standing wheelchair allows for a standing position during the course of mobile use, and which also permits the user to traverse narrow entrances and doorframes, and also allows the user to have improved access in front for elevated surfaces such as countertops and the like.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 24, 2014
    Date of Patent: August 11, 2015
    Assignees: The United States of America, as Represented by the Department of Veterans Affair, The Regents of the University of Minnesota
    Inventors: Gary D. Goldish, Andrew Hansen, Eric A. Nickel
  • Publication number: 20150084307
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a novel approach to improving the use of wheelchairs by offering the ability for the wheelchair to transition between accommodation for a seated position, and accommodation for a standing position, more particularly, wherein the inventive mobile manual standing wheelchair allows for a standing position during the course of mobile use, and which also permits the user to traverse narrow entrances and doorframes, and also allows the user to have improved access in front for elevated surfaces such as countertops and the like.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 24, 2014
    Publication date: March 26, 2015
    Inventors: Gary D. Goldish, Andrew Hansen, Eric A. Nickel
  • Patent number: 8696764
    Abstract: The present invention relates to an improved system for use in rehabilitation and/or physical therapy for the treatment of injury or disease to the lower limbs or extremities. The system can enable an amputee to proceed over any inclined or declined surface without overbalancing. The system is mechanically passive in that it does not utilize motors, force generating devices, batteries, or powered sources that may add undesirable weight or mass and that may require recharging. In particular the system is self-adapting to adjust the torque moment depending upon the motion, the extent of inclination, and the surface topography. An additional advantage of the improvement is that the system can be light and may also be simple to manufacture.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 20, 2012
    Date of Patent: April 15, 2014
    Assignee: Northwestern University
    Inventors: Andrew H. Hansen, Eric A. Nickel
  • Publication number: 20140087920
    Abstract: A foldable parallel bar apparatus includes generally U-shaped first and second end frames and a set of handrails connected to and extending between the first and second end frames, wherein the handrails are foldable so as to move the first and second end frames closer to one another thereby compacting the apparatus. When multiple modules of the end frames are connected, they provide an uninterrupted path between the handrails. An alternative embodiment provides base platforms that are foldable relative to each other and handrails that are vertically and horizontally adjustable.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 10, 2013
    Publication date: March 27, 2014
    Applicant: U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs
    Inventors: Eric A. NICKEL, Andrew H. HANSEN, Adam Stephen BREYETTE, Binghan CHEN, Kristin HUBER, Ross KLABON, Thomas C. LaSEE, William Gunther VOSS, Steven M. MORIN
  • Publication number: 20140088730
    Abstract: An ankle-foot prosthesis includes a foot plate, an ankle frame attached to the foot plate, a yoke pivotally connected to the ankle frame and including a member for attaching to a leg, a damper having a first end connected to the yoke and a second end connected to the ankle frame, and a control mechanism for switching the damper between low and high settings.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 10, 2013
    Publication date: March 27, 2014
    Applicant: U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs
    Inventors: Andrew H. Hansen, Eric A. Nickel