System for control of a prosthetic device

• US 10,369,022 B2
• Filed: 08/24/2015
• Issued: 08/06/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 02/06/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Deka Products Limited Partnership
• Original Assignee: Deka Products Limited Partnership
• Inventors: van der Merwe, Dirk Albertus, Lanier, Gregory R., Kerwin, John M., Guay, Gerald M., Perry, N. Christopher, Dastous, Susan D.
• Primary Examiner(s): Watkins, Marcia L
• Application Number:
  US14/833,781
• Publication Number:
  US 20150351939A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,443 Days
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/1036 Measuring load distribution, e.g. podologic studies
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/389 Electromyography [EMG]
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/4528 Joints A61B5/4533, A61B5/4538 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2/54 Artificial arms or hands or parts thereof
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2/581 Shoulder joints
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2/582 Elbow joints
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2/583 Hands; Wrist joints
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2/585 Wrist joints
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2/586 Fingers
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2/70 electrical
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2/72 Bioelectric control, e.g. myoelectric
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/5018 for adjusting angular orientation
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/5021 for adjusting a position by translation along an axis
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/543 Lower arms or forearms
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/546 Upper arms
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/587 Thumbs
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/6827 Feedback system for providing user sensation, e.g. by force, contact or position
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/701 operated by electrically controlled means, e.g. solenoids or torque motors
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/704 computer-controlled, e.g. robotic control
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/705 Electromagnetic data transfer for implantable prostheses A61F2250/0002
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/707 : Remote control
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/762 : for measuring dimensions, e.g. a distance
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/7625 : for measuring angular position
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/7635 : for measuring force, pressure or mechanical tension
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/764 : for measuring acceleration
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/7645 : for measuring torque, e.g. hinge or turning moment, moment of force
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/7685 : located on natural or sound-site limbs, e.g. comparison measuring means

Abstract

A control system for control of a prosthetic device having a plurality of actuators receives an orientation signal indicative of a desired movement. The control system evaluates whether the prosthetic device may move as desired with a current angle of rotation and commands at least one actuator to move the prosthetic device as desired by maintaining the current angle of rotation or by adjusting the angle of rotation if the prosthetic device cannot move as desired with the current angle. The control system may alternate between commanding a first subset of actuators and a second subset of actuators each time the orientation signal is indicative of a neutral position. The control system may include a position sensor and a compliance sensor and may command at least one actuator based on a combination of positional control using the position sensor and force control using the compliance sensor.

Claims

1. An arm prosthetic device having a plurality of actuators each configured to control the prosthetic arm and a control module for commanding the plurality of actuators, the control module in communication with at least one sensor module housed separately from the prosthetic device and independently movable relative thereto, the at least one sensor module adapted to detect orientation changes of the at least one sensor module, the control module configured to perform operations comprising:

receiving at least one orientation signal from the sensor module, the orientation signal being indicative of a commanded direction of movement of the prosthetic device;

evaluating whether the prosthetic device may move in the commanded direction based on a current angle of rotation of the prosthetic device; and

commanding at least one actuator of the plurality of actuators to move the prosthetic device in the commanded direction.

2. The prosthetic device according to claim 1, wherein the control module maintains the current angle of rotation of the prosthetic device when commanding the at least one actuator to move the prosthetic device in the commanded direction.

3. The prosthetic device according to claim 1, wherein the control module is further configured to perform operations comprising:

adjusting the angle of rotation of the prosthetic device if the prosthetic device cannot move in the commanded direction based on the current angle of rotation.

4. The prosthetic device according to claim 3, wherein, each actuator of the plurality of actuators includes joint limits defining a movement range of the actuator, and wherein the control module adjusts the angle of rotation of the prosthetic device in accordance with the joint limits of the plurality of actuators.

5. The prosthetic device according to claim 4, wherein the control module adjusts the angle of rotation of the prosthetic device in accordance with at least one position limiting boundary of the prosthetic device.

6. An arm prosthetic device comprising a plurality of actuators each configured to control the prosthetic arm, each actuator of the plurality of actuators including actuation limits defining an actuation range for the actuator, and a control module for commanding the plurality of actuators, the control module in communication with at least one sensor module, the at least one sensor module housed separately from the prosthetic device and independently movable relative thereto, the at least one sensor module adapted to detect orientation changes of the at least one sensor module, the control module configured to perform operations comprising:

receiving at least one orientation signal from the sensor module, the orientation signal being indicative of a commanded direction of movement of the prosthetic device;

evaluating whether the prosthetic device may move in the commanded direction based on a current angle of rotation of the prosthetic device;

commanding at least one actuator of the plurality of actuators to move the prosthetic device in the commanded direction; and

adjusting the angle of rotation of the prosthetic device in accordance with the actuation limits of the plurality of actuators.

7. The prosthetic device according to claim 6, wherein the control module maintains the current angle of rotation of the prosthetic device when commanding the at least one actuator to move the prosthetic device in the commanded direction.

8. The prosthetic device according to claim 6, wherein the control module is further configured to perform operations comprising:

adjusting the angle of rotation of the prosthetic device in accordance with the actuation limits of the plurality of actuators if it is evaluated that the prosthetic device cannot move in the commanded direction based on the current angle of rotation.

9. The prosthetic device according to claim 8, wherein the control module adjusts the angle of rotation of the prosthetic device in accordance with at least one position limiting boundary of the prosthetic device.