Prosthetic foot with an adjustable ankle and method

• US 20060041321A1
• Filed: 10/19/2005
• Published: 02/23/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 10/21/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Freedom Innovations LLC (Ottobock SE & Co. KGaA)
• Original Assignee: Freedom Innovations LLC (Ottobock SE & Co. KGaA)
• Inventors: Christensen, Roland J.
• Granted Patent: US 7,520,904 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 623/38
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2/6607 Ankle joints
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2/70 electrical
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/30172 T-shaped
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/30354 Cylindrically-shaped protrusion and recess, e.g. cylinder of circular basis
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/30359 Pyramidally- or frustopyramidally-shaped protrusion and recess
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/30405 made by screwing complementary threads machined on the parts themselves
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/30428 made by inserting a protrusion into a slot
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/30433 using additional screws, bolts, dowels, rivets or washers e.g. connecting screws
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/30471 connected by a hinged linkage mechanism, e.g. of the single-bar or multi-bar linkage type
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/30525 Worm gears
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/5018 for adjusting angular orientation
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/502 for adjusting length
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/5021 for adjusting a position by translation along an axis
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/5039 allowing only for single rotation
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/6621 Toes
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/6642 Heels
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/6664 Dual structures made of two connected cantilevered leaf springs
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/6685 S-shaped
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/707 : Remote control
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/7615 : Measuring means
• 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 2002/765 : for measuring time or frequency
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2220/0025 : Connections or couplings between prosthetic parts, e.g. between modular parts; Connecting elements
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2220/0033 : made by longitudinally pushing a protrusion into a complementary-shaped recess, e.g. held by friction fit
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2220/0041 : using additional screws, bolts, dowels or rivets, e.g. connecting screws
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2220/0091 : connected by a hinged linkage mechanism, e.g. of the single-bar or multi-bar linkage type
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2230/0052 : T-shaped

Abstract

A prosthetic foot with an adjustable ankle includes an upper portion coupled to a socket of an amputee. A lower portion is adjustably coupled to the upper portion, and is attached to a foot member with heel and toe sections. A movable coupling is disposed between the upper and lower portions, and includes a displacement member slidably coupled to a displacement track. The movable coupling allows the toe section to pivot downward and the heel section to simultaneously displace forward. The adjustable ankle can be adjusted with an actuator coupled to a tractor bolt coupled between the upper and lower portions. A sensor is associated with the upper portion or the lower portion to sense frequency of contact, force of contact, or orientation of the upper portion or the lower portion, and to output a corresponding output signal.

Claims

1. An adjustable ankle device for a prosthetic foot, comprising:

a) an upper portion configured to be coupled to a socket of an amputee;

b) a lower portion, adjustably coupled to the upper portion, configured to be attached to a foot member; and

c) a movable coupling, disposed between the upper and lower portions, having a projection slidable in an arcuate slot oriented fore and aft, and defining an arcuate displacement path, such that the projection is constrained to slide fore and aft along the arcuate movement path, to restrict movement to;

i) simultaneously in a downward and forward direction in which the lower portion simultaneously pivots downward and displaces forward relative to the upper portion; and

ii) simultaneously in a rearward and upward direction in which the lower portion simultaneously pivots upward and displaces rearward relative to the upper portion.

2. A device in accordance with claim 1, further comprising:

a) an actuator, coupled to the movable coupling, to move the upper and lower portions with respect to one another;

b) a sensor, associated with the, upper or lower portions, to sense frequency of contact, force of contact, or orientation of the upper portion or the lower portion, and to output a corresponding output signal; and

c) a controller, coupled to the actuator and the sensor, to process the output signal of the sensor and engage the actuator in response to the output signal.

3. A device in accordance with claim 2, wherein the controller automatically drives the actuator to move the lower portion to a predetermined initial position in response to a predetermined signal from the sensor.

4. A device in accordance with claim 2, wherein the controller further comprises:

a user input interface, configured to allow a user to program the controller to adjust the lower portion to a position corresponding to changes in slope.

5. A device in accordance with claim 2, wherein the controller has a walk mode to respond to a relatively lower frequency and force of impact on the lower portion, and a run mode to respond to a relatively higher frequency and force of impact on the lower portion.

6. A device in accordance with claim 2, wherein the controller has:

i) a downhill mode to move the lower portion to a forward and downward position corresponding to walking downhill;

ii) an uphill mode to move the lower portion to a rearward and upward position corresponding to walking up hill; and

iii) a level mode to move the lower portion to a relatively level position for walking on relatively level terrain.

7. A device in accordance with claim 2, further comprising:

means for a user to manually control the actuator.

8. A device in accordance with claim 1, wherein the lower portion is constrained to fore and aft arcuate displacement with respect to the upper portion between at least two fixed positions, including:

a) a low position, in which the heel section is disposed at a lower elevational position, and in which the heel section is disposed in a rearward position; and

b) a high position, in which the heel section is disposed at a higher elevational position, and in which the heel section is disposed in a forward position.

9. A device in accordance with claim 1, wherein the arcuate slot has a T-shaped cross-sectional shape;

and wherein the arcuate projection has a T-shaped cross-sectional shape.

10. A device in accordance with claim 1, wherein the projection is an arcuate projection.

11. A device in accordance with claim 10, wherein the arcuate projection includes a convex bearing surface.

12. A prosthetic foot device with an adjustable ankle, comprising:

a) an attachment member configured to be coupled to a socket of an amputee;

b) a foot member, coupled to and adjustable with respect to the attachment member, and being constrained to fore and aft arcuate displacement with respect to the upper portion, simultaneously in;

i) a downward and forward direction in which the toe section pivots downward and the heel portion simultaneously displaces forward with respect to the attachment member; and

ii) a rearward and upward direction in which the toe section pivots upward and the heel portion simultaneously displaces rearward with respect to the attachment member;

c) an actuator, coupled to the movable coupling, to move the upper and lower portions with respect to one another;

d) a sensor, associated with the upper portion or the lower portion, to sense frequency of contact, force of contact, or orientation of the upper portion or the lower portion, and to output a corresponding output signal; and

e) a controller, coupled to the actuator and the sensor, to process the output signal of the sensor and engage the actuator in response to the output signal.

13. A device in accordance with claim 12, wherein the controller automatically drives the actuator to move the lower portion to a predetermined initial position in response to a predetermined signal from the sensor.

14. A device in accordance with claim 12, wherein the controller further comprises:

a user input interface, configured to allow a user to program the controller to adjust the lower portion to a position corresponding to changes in slope.

15. A device in accordance with claim 12, wherein the controller has a walk mode to respond to a relatively lower frequency and force of impact on the lower portion, and a run mode to respond to a relatively higher frequency and force of impact on the lower portion.

16. A device in accordance with claim 12, wherein the controller has:

i) a downhill mode to move the lower portion to a forward and downward position corresponding to walking down hill;

ii) an uphill mode to move the lower portion to a rearward and upward position corresponding to walking up hill; and

iii) a level mode to move the lower portion to a relatively level position for walking on relatively level terrain.

17. A device in accordance with claim 12, further comprising:

means for a user to manually control the actuator.

18. A device in accordance with claim 12, wherein the lower portion is constrained to fore and aft arcuate displacement with respect to the upper portion between at least two fixed positions, including:

a) a low position, in which the heel section is disposed at a lower elevational position, and in which the heel section is disposed in a rearward position; and

b) a high position, in which the heel section is disposed at a higher elevational position, and in which the heel section is disposed in a forward position.

19. A device in accordance with claim 12, wherein the arcuate slot has a T-shaped cross-sectional shape;

and wherein the arcuate projection has a T-shaped cross-sectional shape.

20. A device in accordance with claim 12, wherein the arcuate projection includes a convex bearing surface.