Patents by Inventor Jeff Anthony Weber
Jeff Anthony Weber 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).
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Publication number: 20220387205Abstract: A powered device augments a joint function of a human during a gait cycle using a powered actuator that supplies an augmentation torque, an impedance, or both to a joint. A controller estimates terrain slope and modulates the augmentation torque and the impedance, according to a phase of the gait cycle and the estimated terrain slope to provide at least a biomimetic response. The controller may also modulate a joint equilibrium. Accordingly, the device is capable of normalizing or augmenting human biomechanical function, responsive to a wearer's activity, regardless of speed and terrain, and can be used, for example, as a knee orthosis, prosthesis, or exoskeleton.Type: ApplicationFiled: August 19, 2022Publication date: December 8, 2022Inventors: Zhixiu Han, Christopher Williams, Jeff Anthony Weber, Christopher Eric Barnhart, Hugh M. Herr, Richard James Casler, JR.
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Patent number: 11419747Abstract: A powered device augments a joint function of a human during a gait cycle using a powered actuator that supplies an augmentation torque, an impedance, or both to a joint. A controller estimates terrain slope and modulates the augmentation torque and the impedance according to a phase of the gait cycle and the estimated terrain slope to provide at least a biomimetic response. The controller may also modulate a joint equilibrium. Accordingly, the device is capable of normalizing or augmenting human biomechanical function, responsive to a wearer's activity, regardless of speed and terrain, and can be used, for example, as a knee orthosis, prosthesis, or exoskeleton.Type: GrantFiled: November 27, 2019Date of Patent: August 23, 2022Assignee: Otto Bock Healthcare LPInventors: Zhixiu Han, Christopher Williams, Jeff Anthony Weber, Christopher Eric Barnhart, Hugh M. Herr, Richard James Casler, Jr.
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Patent number: 11382773Abstract: In a powered actuator for supplying torque, joint equilibrium, and/or impedance to a joint, a motor is directly coupled to a low-reduction ratio transmission, e.g., a transmission having a gear ratio less than about 80 to 1. The motor has a low dissipation constant, e.g., less than about 50 W/(Nm)2. The transmission is serially connected to an elastic element that is also coupled to the joint, thereby supplying torque, joint equilibrium, and/or impedance to the joint while minimizing the power consumption and/or acoustic noise of the actuator.Type: GrantFiled: November 2, 2018Date of Patent: July 12, 2022Assignee: Otto Bock Healthcare LPInventors: Hugh Miller Herr, Jeff Anthony Weber, Richard James Casler, Jr.
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Patent number: 10835408Abstract: A method for controlling a powered device to augment a joint function of a human during a gait cycle using a powered actuator that supplies an augmentation torque, an impedance, or both to a joint is disclosed. In some embodiments, the method modulates the augmentation torque, the impedance, and a joint equilibrium according to a phase of the gait cycle to provide at least a biomimetic response. Accordingly, the actuator is capable of normalizing or augmenting human biomechanical function, responsive to a wearer's activity, regardless of speed and terrain.Type: GrantFiled: July 19, 2017Date of Patent: November 17, 2020Assignee: Otto Bock HealthCare LPInventors: Zhixiu Han, Christopher Williams, Jeff Anthony Weber, Christopher Eric Barnhart, Hugh M. Herr, Richard James Casler, Jr.
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Publication number: 20200107951Abstract: A powered device augments a joint function of a human during a gait cycle using a powered actuator that supplies an augmentation torque, an impedance, or both to a joint. A controller estimates terrain slope and modulates the augmentation torque and the impedance according to a phase of the gait cycle and the estimated terrain slope to provide at least a biomimetic response. The controller may also modulate a joint equilibrium. Accordingly, the device is capable of normalizing or augmenting human biomechanical function, responsive to a wearer's activity, regardless of speed and terrain, and can be used, for example, as a knee orthosis, prosthesis, or exoskeleton.Type: ApplicationFiled: November 27, 2019Publication date: April 9, 2020Inventors: Zhixiu HAN, Christopher Williams, Jeff Anthony Weber, Christopher Eric Barnhart, Hugh M. Herr, Richard James Casler, JR.
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Publication number: 20190175366Abstract: In a powered actuator for supplying torque, joint equilibrium, and/or impedance to a joint, a motor is directly coupled to a low-reduction ratio transmission, e.g., a transmission having a gear ratio less than about 80 to 1. The motor has a low dissipation constant, e.g., less than about 50 W/(Nm)2. The transmission is serially connected to an elastic element that is also coupled to the joint, thereby supplying torque, joint equilibrium, and/or impedance to the joint while minimizing the power consumption and/or acoustic noise of the actuator.Type: ApplicationFiled: November 2, 2018Publication date: June 13, 2019Inventors: Hugh Miller Herr, Jeff Anthony Weber, Richard James Casler, JR.
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Patent number: 10143570Abstract: In a powered actuator for supplying torque, joint equilibrium, and/or impedance to a joint, a motor is directly coupled to a low-reduction ratio transmission, e.g., a transmission having a gear ratio less than about 80 to 1. The motor has a low dissipation constant, e.g., less than about 50 W/(Nm)2. The transmission is serially connected to an elastic element that is also coupled to the joint, thereby supplying torque, joint equilibrium, and/or impedance to the joint while minimizing the power consumption and/or acoustic noise of the actuator.Type: GrantFiled: January 23, 2018Date of Patent: December 4, 2018Assignee: Bionx Medical Technologies, Inc.Inventors: Hugh Miller Herr, Jeff Anthony Weber, Richard James Casler, Jr.
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Publication number: 20180153713Abstract: In a powered actuator for supplying torque, joint equilibrium, and/or impedance to a joint, a motor is directly coupled to a low-reduction ratio transmission, e.g., a transmission having a gear ratio less than about 80 to 1. The motor has a low dissipation constant, e.g., less than about 50 W/(Nm)2. The transmission is serially connected to an elastic element that is also coupled to the joint, thereby supplying torque, joint equilibrium, and/or impedance to the joint while minimizing the power consumption and/or acoustic noise of the actuator.Type: ApplicationFiled: January 23, 2018Publication date: June 7, 2018Inventors: Hugh Miller Herr, Jeff Anthony Weber, Richard James Casler, JR.
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Patent number: 9872782Abstract: In a powered actuator for supplying torque, joint equilibrium, and/or impedance to a joint, a motor is directly coupled to a low-reduction ratio transmission, e.g., a transmission having a gear ratio less than about 80 to 1. The motor has a low dissipation constant, e.g., less than about 50 W/(Nm)2. The transmission is serially connected to an elastic element that is also coupled to the joint, thereby supplying torque, joint equilibrium, and/or impedance to the joint while minimizing the power consumption and/or acoustic noise of the actuator.Type: GrantFiled: June 9, 2015Date of Patent: January 23, 2018Assignee: BIONX MEDICAL TECHNOLOGIES, INC.Inventors: Hugh Miller Herr, Jeff Anthony Weber, Richard James Casler
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Publication number: 20170354529Abstract: A powered device augments a joint function of a human during a gait cycle using a powered actuator that supplies an augmentation torque, an impedance, or both to a joint. A controller estimates terrain slope and modulates the augmentation torque and the impedance according to a phase of the gait cycle and the estimated terrain slope to provide at least a biomimetic response. The controller may also modulate a joint equilibrium. Accordingly, the device is capable of normalizing or augmenting human biomechanical function, responsive to a wearer's activity, regardless of speed and terrain, and can be used, for example, as a knee orthosis, prosthesis, or exoskeleton.Type: ApplicationFiled: May 22, 2017Publication date: December 14, 2017Inventors: Zhixiu HAN, Christopher Williams, Jeff Anthony Weber, Christopher Eric Barnhart, Hugh M. Herr, Richard James Casler, JR.
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Publication number: 20170319369Abstract: A powered device augments a joint function of a human during a gait cycle using a powered actuator that supplies an augmentation torque, an impedance, or both to a joint, and a controller that modulates the augmentation torque, the impedance, and a joint equilibrium according to a phase of the gait cycle to provide at least a biomimetic response. Accordingly, the device is capable of normalizing or augmenting human biomechanical function, responsive to a wearer's activity, regardless of speed and terrain.Type: ApplicationFiled: July 19, 2017Publication date: November 9, 2017Inventors: Zhixiu Han, Christopher Williams, Jeff Anthony Weber, Christopher Eric Barnhart, Hugh M. Herr, Richard James Casler, JR.
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Patent number: 9149370Abstract: A knee prosthesis comprises an agonist-antagonist arrangement of two series-elastic actuators in parallel, including a knee joint, flexion and extension actuators connected to the joint in parallel with a leg member, and a controller for independently energizing the actuators to control the movement of the knee joint and leg. The flexion actuator comprises the series combination of a flexion motor and a flexion elastic element and the extension actuator comprises the series combination of an extension motor and an extension elastic element. Sensors provide feedback to the controller. The flexion actuator and the extension actuator may be unidirectional, with the flexion and extension elastic elements being series springs. The extension actuator may alternatively be bidirectional, with the extension elastic element being a set of pre-compressed series springs. Alternatively, the flexion elastic element may be a non-linear softening spring and the extension elastic element may be a non-linear hardening spring.Type: GrantFiled: August 5, 2013Date of Patent: October 6, 2015Assignee: Massachusetts Institute of TechnologyInventors: Hugh M. Herr, Ernesto C. Martinez-Villalpando, Jeff Anthony Weber
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Publication number: 20150265427Abstract: In a powered actuator for supplying torque, joint equilibrium, and/or impedance to a joint, a motor is directly coupled to a low-reduction ratio transmission, e.g., a transmission having a gear ratio less than about 80 to 1. The motor has a low dissipation constant, e.g., less than about 50 W/(Nm)2. The transmission is serially connected to an elastic element that is also coupled to the joint, thereby supplying torque, joint equilibrium, and/or impedance to the joint while minimizing the power consumption and/or acoustic noise of the actuator.Type: ApplicationFiled: June 9, 2015Publication date: September 24, 2015Inventors: Hugh Miller Herr, Jeff Anthony Weber, Richard James Casler, JR.
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Publication number: 20140046455Abstract: A knee prosthesis comprises an agonist-antagonist arrangement of two series-elastic actuators in parallel, including a knee joint, flexion and extension actuators connected to the joint in parallel with a leg member, and a controller for independently energizing the actuators to control the movement of the knee joint and leg. The flexion actuator comprises the series combination of a flexion motor and a flexion elastic element and the extension actuator comprises the series combination of an extension motor and an extension elastic element. Sensors provide feedback to the controller. The flexion actuator and the extension actuator may be unidirectional, with the flexion and extension elastic elements being series springs. The extension actuator may alternatively be bidirectional, with the extension elastic element being a set of pre-compressed series springs. Alternatively, the flexion elastic element may be a non-linear softening spring and the extension elastic element may be a non-linear hardening spring.Type: ApplicationFiled: August 5, 2013Publication date: February 13, 2014Applicant: Massachusetts Institute of TechnologyInventors: Hugh M. Herr, Ernesto C. Martinez-Villalpando, Jeff Anthony Weber
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Patent number: 8500823Abstract: A knee prosthesis comprises an agonist-antagonist arrangement of two series-elastic actuators in parallel, including a knee joint, flexion and extension actuators connected to the joint in parallel with a leg member, and a controller for independently energizing the actuators to control the movement of the knee joint and leg. The flexion actuator comprises the series combination of a flexion motor and a flexion elastic element and the extension actuator comprises the series combination of an extension motor and an extension elastic element. Sensors provide feedback to the controller. The flexion actuator and the extension actuator may be unidirectional, with the flexion and extension elastic elements being series springs. The extension actuator may alternatively be bidirectional, with the extension elastic element being a set of pre-compressed series springs. Alternatively, the flexion elastic element may be a non-linear softening spring and the extension elastic element may be a non-linear hardening spring.Type: GrantFiled: February 1, 2010Date of Patent: August 6, 2013Assignee: Massachusetts Institute of TechnologyInventors: Hugh M. Herr, Ernesto C. Martinez-Villalpando, Jeff Anthony Weber
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Publication number: 20100312363Abstract: A knee prosthesis comprises an agonist-antagonist arrangement of two series-elastic actuators in parallel, including a knee joint, flexion and extension actuators connected to the joint in parallel with a leg member, and a controller for independently energizing the actuators to control the movement of the knee joint and leg. The flexion actuator comprises the series combination of a flexion motor and a flexion elastic element and the extension actuator comprises the series combination of an extension motor and an extension elastic element. Sensors provide feedback to the controller. The flexion actuator and the extension actuator may be unidirectional, with the flexion and extension elastic elements being series springs. The extension actuator may alternatively be bidirectional, with the extension elastic element being a set of pre-compressed series springs. Alternatively, the flexion elastic element may be a non-linear softening spring and the extension elastic element may be a non-linear hardening spring.Type: ApplicationFiled: February 1, 2010Publication date: December 9, 2010Applicant: Massachusetts Institute of TechnologyInventors: Hugh M. Herr, Ernesto C. Martinez-Villalpando, Jeff Anthony Weber