Design and Development of a Transhumeral Prosthetic Mounting System

摘要

For those with amputations, prostheses are important tools which are needed to perform many activities of daily living. Ideally, a prosthesis enables the user to perform activities with the same freedom as a physically able person. For those with trans-humeral amputations, however, effective prosthesis use is often hindered by the complexity of the glenohumeral joint. Current methods of prosthesis attachment for those with trans-humeral amputations severely limit load bearing capability. The goal of this project was to design, analyze, manufacture, and test a device that increases current axial and torsional load bearing capability without limiting the range of motion in the shoulder. The design incorporates a harness system which distributes the loads over the user’s torso, an exoskeletal shoulder joint which mimics the range of motion in the shoulder, and an interface which links the prosthesis to the device. Analysis confirms that the device can withstand axial loads of up to 70 points and torsional loads of up to 12 foot-pounds applied at the terminal end of the prosthesis. These loads can be applied throughout a range of motion which includes 116 degrees of horizontal adduction/abduction and 75 degrees of vertical adduction/abduction. While these limits do not reach actual maximums attainable by able-bodied individuals, they do allow for the successful execution of activities of daily living.