Patents by Inventor Masahiko Okuda

Masahiko Okuda 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).

  • Publication number: 20230065882
    Abstract: A multi-articulated link knee joint includes a thigh joint part provided on a thigh part side, a lower leg part rotatably connected to the thigh joint part via at least one rotation shaft, a cylinder fixed to the lower leg part and filled with a working fluid, a piston provided movably between a first cylinder wall of the lower leg part side and a second cylinder wall of the thigh joint part side in the cylinder, a piston rod extending from the piston toward the thigh joint part and penetrating the second cylinder wall, and a connecting rod that connects the piston rod to the thigh joint part. The connecting rod is connected to the piston rod at a connecting part that is separated by a predetermined distance or more from an upper end toward a lower end of the piston rod.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 25, 2022
    Publication date: March 2, 2023
    Inventor: Masahiko OKUDA
  • Publication number: 20230060465
    Abstract: A multi-articulated link knee joint includes an upper link provided on a thigh part side, a lower link rotatably connected to the upper link via at least one rotation shaft, a bearing that rotatably supports the rotation shaft, an elastic body provided between an outer periphery of the rotation shaft and the upper link and elastically deformable in a radial direction of the rotation shaft, and a fixing member that presses and fixes a pair of left and right front links against both end portions of the rotation shaft. The upper link and the lower link are rotatably provided on the outer periphery of the rotation shaft in a non-contact manner with the pair of left and right front links.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 26, 2022
    Publication date: March 2, 2023
    Inventor: Masahiko OKUDA
  • Publication number: 20230053761
    Abstract: A both-leg artificial knee joint device includes a first artificial knee joint worn on a first leg of a user, a second artificial knee joint worn on a second leg of the user and capable of communicating with the first artificial knee joint, and a controller structured to control at least one of the first artificial knee joint and the second artificial knee joint based on information received from the other artificial knee joint. The first artificial knee joint and the second artificial knee joint communicate via a communication device communicable with the first artificial knee joint and the second artificial knee joint.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 22, 2022
    Publication date: February 23, 2023
    Inventors: Masakazu SAITO, Masahiko OKUDA
  • Publication number: 20220387194
    Abstract: A knee joint includes: a thigh connection portion that is provided on a thigh portion side; a lower leg portion that is connected to the thigh connection portion and rotatably provided around a knee shaft; a knee angle restrictor structured to restrict a relative rotation of the thigh connection portion and the lower leg portion such that a knee angle ? formed by the thigh connection portion with respect to the lower leg portion does not exceed a predetermined lock angle ?L; and an accommodation space that accommodates a rotational resistor applying resistance to the rotation around the knee shaft in a case where the knee angle ? is equal to or less than the lock angle ?L.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 3, 2022
    Publication date: December 8, 2022
    Inventor: Masahiko OKUDA
  • Patent number: 11413166
    Abstract: A prosthetic leg knee joint includes a thigh connection part that is provided on the thigh side, a lower leg part that is provided rotatably around a knee shaft connected to the thigh connection part, a four-bar link mechanism that sets an instant center S whose relative position with respect to the thigh connection part is substantially constant regardless of the relative position between the thigh connection part and the lower leg part, and a braking unit that brakes the movement of the lower leg part in accordance with the relative position between the instance center S set by the four-bar link mechanism and the lower leg part.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 23, 2019
    Date of Patent: August 16, 2022
    Assignee: NABTESCO CORPORATION
    Inventor: Masahiko Okuda
  • Publication number: 20220175557
    Abstract: A multi-articulated link knee joint includes: a knee unit in which an upper link unit rotates relative to a lower link unit by a multi-articulated link mechanism including a plurality of link units including the upper link unit and the lower link unit; a relative position detector for detecting a relative position of the upper link unit relative to the lower link unit; and an angle detector for obtaining a bending angle of the knee unit from the detected relative position.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 28, 2022
    Publication date: June 9, 2022
    Inventor: Masahiko OKUDA
  • Publication number: 20210401590
    Abstract: A prosthetic leg knee joint includes a thigh connection part that is provided on the thigh side, a lower leg part that is provided rotatably around a knee shaft connected to the thigh connection part, a four-bar link mechanism that sets an instant center S whose relative position with respect to the thigh connection part is substantially constant regardless of the relative position between the thigh connection part and the lower leg part, and a braking unit that brakes the movement of the lower leg part in accordance with the relative position between the instance center S set by the four-bar link mechanism and the lower leg part.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 13, 2021
    Publication date: December 30, 2021
    Inventor: Masahiko OKUDA
  • Publication number: 20210282942
    Abstract: A multi-articulated link knee joint includes: a knee unit in which an upper link unit rotates relative to a lower link unit by a multi-articulated link mechanism including a plurality of link units including the upper link unit and the lower link unit; a relative position detector for detecting a relative position of the upper link unit relative to the lower link unit; and an angle detector for obtaining a bending angle of the knee unit from the detected relative position.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 2, 2021
    Publication date: September 16, 2021
    Inventor: Masahiko OKUDA
  • Patent number: 11058558
    Abstract: A multi-articulated link knee joint includes: a knee unit in which an upper link unit rotates relative to a lower link unit by a multi-articulated link mechanism including a plurality of link units including the upper link unit and the lower link unit; a cylinder device for assisting the motion of the knee unit and moving in accordance with the rotation of the upper link unit; a position detector for detecting the distance from the lower link unit to the cylinder device; and an angle detector for obtaining the bending angle of the knee unit from the detected distance from the cylinder device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 11, 2019
    Date of Patent: July 13, 2021
    Assignee: NABTESCO CORPORATION
    Inventor: Masahiko Okuda
  • Publication number: 20210205101
    Abstract: A multi-articulated link knee joint includes: a knee unit in which an upper link unit rotates relative to a lower link unit by a multi-articulated link mechanism including a plurality of link units including the upper link unit and the lower link unit; a cylinder device for assisting the motion of the knee unit and moving in accordance with the rotation of the upper link unit; a position detector for detecting the distance from the lower link unit to the cylinder device; and an angle detector for obtaining the bending angle of the knee unit from the detected distance from the cylinder device.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 24, 2021
    Publication date: July 8, 2021
    Inventor: Masahiko OKUDA
  • Patent number: 10893958
    Abstract: A multi-articulated link knee joint includes: a knee unit in which an upper link member is structured to rotate relative to a lower link member by a multi-articulated link mechanism including a plurality of link members including the upper link member and the lower link member; a driven member to move in accordance with the rotation of the upper link member; a position detector for detecting the position of the driven member, the position detector provided at the lower link member; and an angle detector for obtaining the bending angle of the knee unit from the position of the driven member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 16, 2019
    Date of Patent: January 19, 2021
    Assignee: NABTESCO CORPORATION
    Inventor: Masahiko Okuda
  • Publication number: 20200397598
    Abstract: A prosthetic leg knee joint includes a thigh connection part that is provided on the thigh side, a lower leg part that is provided rotatably around a knee shaft connected to the thigh connection part, a four-bar link mechanism that sets an instant center S whose relative position with respect to the thigh connection part is substantially constant regardless of the relative position between the thigh connection part and the lower leg part, and a braking unit that brakes the movement of the lower leg part in accordance with the relative position between the instance center S set by the four-bar link mechanism and the lower leg part.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 23, 2019
    Publication date: December 24, 2020
    Inventor: Masahiko OKUDA
  • Publication number: 20190314172
    Abstract: A multi-articulated link knee joint includes: a knee unit in which an upper link unit rotates relative to a lower link unit by a multi-articulated link mechanism including a plurality of link units including the upper link unit and the lower link unit; a relative position detector for detecting a relative position of the upper link unit relative to the lower link unit; and an angle detector for obtaining a bending angle of the knee unit from the detected relative position.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 10, 2019
    Publication date: October 17, 2019
    Inventor: Masahiko OKUDA
  • Publication number: 20190314173
    Abstract: A multi-articulated link knee joint includes: a knee unit in which an upper link unit rotates relative to a lower link unit by a multi-articulated link mechanism including a plurality of link units including the upper link unit and the lower link unit; a cylinder device for assisting the motion of the knee unit and moving in accordance with the rotation of the upper link unit; a position detector for detecting the distance from the lower link unit to the cylinder device; and an angle detector for obtaining the bending angle of the knee unit from the detected distance from the cylinder device.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 11, 2019
    Publication date: October 17, 2019
    Inventor: Masahiko OKUDA
  • Publication number: 20190262144
    Abstract: A multi-articulated link knee joint includes: a knee unit in which an upper link member is structured to rotate relative to a lower link member by a multi-articulated link mechanism including a plurality of link members including the upper link member and the lower link member; a driven member to move in accordance with the rotation of the upper link member; a position detector for detecting the position of the driven member, the position detector provided at the lower link member; and an angle detector for obtaining the bending angle of the knee unit from the position of the driven member.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 16, 2019
    Publication date: August 29, 2019
    Inventor: Masahiko OKUDA
  • Publication number: 20160367385
    Abstract: A prosthetic knee joint includes a knee portion coupled to the socket, a cylinder that is coupled to the knee portion and limits or aids operation of the knee portion, a knee angle sensor that directly or indirectly detects a knee angle value, and a control unit that controls driving of the cylinder. The control unit may calculate a knee angular velocity value based on the knee angle value detected by the knee angle sensor. The control unit determines whether the knee portion is in a knee still state based on the knee angular velocity value and automatically restricts contraction of the cylinder based on a time duration in which the knee portion is in the knee still state.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 15, 2016
    Publication date: December 22, 2016
    Inventors: Hiroaki HASHIMOTO, Yoshiaki NAKAYA, Masakazu SAITO, Yoshihiro TADA, Taishiro MISAO, Masahiko OKUDA
  • Patent number: 9089443
    Abstract: A multi-articulated link knee joint capable of detecting a bending angle of a knee section without causing problems of an installation space and wiring of a sensor is provided. A four-link knee joint includes a knee section of a four-link mechanism, a fluid cylinder that restrains an action of the knee section, a position detecting device that detects a position of a piston rod with respect to a cylinder tube as an extension and contraction amount of the cylinder, and a computer that acquires a bending angle of the knee section by converting the position detected by the position detecting device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 9, 2012
    Date of Patent: July 28, 2015
    Assignee: NABTESCO Corporation
    Inventors: Takuya Shirata, Yoshiaki Nakaya, Masahiko Okuda
  • Publication number: 20150032228
    Abstract: A multi-articulated link knee joint capable of detecting a bending angle of a knee section without causing problems of an installation space and wiring of a sensor is provided. A four-link knee joint includes a knee section of a four-link mechanism, a fluid cylinder that restrains an action of the knee section, a position detecting device that detects a position of a piston rod with respect to a cylinder tube as an extension and contraction amount of the cylinder, and a computer that acquires a bending angle of the knee section by converting the position detected by the position detecting device.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 9, 2012
    Publication date: January 29, 2015
    Inventors: Takuya Shirata, Yoshiaki Nakaya, Masahiko Okuda
  • Patent number: 8529634
    Abstract: A technology for making the sensation at use of prosthetic limbs utilizing a hydraulic cylinder and a spring cylinder as comfortable as at use of those utilizing a pneumatic cylinder and further for improving walk following properties. In particular, the arrangement of a hydraulic cylinder or a spring cylinder, or the like, is specified. Accordingly, the resistance produced by the hydraulic cylinder or spring cylinder in accordance with an increase of knee angle is increased, The first torque T1 at the first stage of initial period of bend of the knee joint is made small, while the second torque T2 at the second stage of final period of the further advanced bend of knee joint is made large, thereby satisfying a relation of T1?T2, as different from conventional ones.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 16, 2007
    Date of Patent: September 10, 2013
    Assignee: Nabtesco Corporation
    Inventors: Masahiko Okuda, Yoshiaki Nakaya
  • Patent number: 8500824
    Abstract: The disclosure relates to a technology of a manual lock mechanism for manually switching over the oscillating motion of an upper member and a lower member at a knee joint between a locked condition and an unlocked condition. More particularly, the disclosure aims at a simple structure of the manual lock mechanism and a size reduction of the knee joint or an artificial leg including the manual lock mechanism. For these purposes, one of oscillating shafts for swingingly coupling the upper and lower members is regulated. Therefore, the manual lock mechanism includes an oscillating shaft including an irregular part and a lock member for regulating the movement of the oscillating shaft. The lock member can be switched over between a locked condition where the lock member is in contact with the irregular part of the oscillating shaft and the unlocked condition where it is separate from the irregular part.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 7, 2008
    Date of Patent: August 6, 2013
    Assignee: Nabtesco Corporation
    Inventors: Masahiko Okuda, Yoshiaki Nakaya