Semi-actuated transfemoral prosthetic knee
First Claim
1. A semi-actuated prosthetic knee device, configured to be coupled to an above-knee remaining lower limb of an amputee and operable in both actuated and un-actuated modes, comprising:
- a shank link adapted to be coupled to an artificial foot;
a thigh link configured to be attached to an above-knee remaining lower limb of an amputee;
a knee mechanism interconnecting said thigh link and said shank link, said knee mechanism allowing flexion and extension movements of said thigh link and said shank link relative to each other;
a hydraulic torque generator interposed between said shank link and said thigh link;
a hydraulic power unit including a hydraulic valve circuit hydraulically coupled to said torque generator, a hydraulic pump, and an electric motor mechanically coupled to said hydraulic pump;
a power source for providing electric power to said electric motor;
at least one sensor for sensing an operation associated with one of said shank link, said thigh link and said knee mechanism; and
a signal processor connected to the power source and the hydraulic power unit for controlling operation of the hydraulic power unit based on signals received from the at least one sensor wherein, when said semi-actuated prosthetic knee operates in its actuated mode, electric power is transferred from said power source to said electric motor to drive the hydraulic pump to provide working fluid to said torque generator under control of the signal processor in order to create a torque between said shank link and said thigh link and, when said semi-actuated prosthetic knee operates in its un-actuated mode, said hydraulic valve circuit modulates a resistance of fluid flow in said torque generator such that said semi-actuated prosthetic knee operates without any transfer of electric power from said electric power source to said electric motor.
5 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A semi-actuated above knee prosthetic system, which is mostly passive in nature and includes a shank link coupled to an artificial foot, a knee mechanism connected to the shank link and a thigh link attached to an above-knee remaining lower limb of an amputee, is operable in either an actuated mode or an un-actuated mode controlled by a signal processor linked to various prosthetic mounted sensors. In the actuated mode, power is delivered to a torque generator connected to the knee mechanism to cause a forced movement between the thigh and shank links. In the un-actuated mode, a control circuit operates in a non-powered manner to allow operation of the knee mechanism with modulated resistance. Power is delivered through an electric motor connected to a battery source and employed to drive a hydraulic pump which is part of an overall hydraulic power unit including the torque generator.
-
Citations
66 Claims
-
1. A semi-actuated prosthetic knee device, configured to be coupled to an above-knee remaining lower limb of an amputee and operable in both actuated and un-actuated modes, comprising:
-
a shank link adapted to be coupled to an artificial foot; a thigh link configured to be attached to an above-knee remaining lower limb of an amputee; a knee mechanism interconnecting said thigh link and said shank link, said knee mechanism allowing flexion and extension movements of said thigh link and said shank link relative to each other; a hydraulic torque generator interposed between said shank link and said thigh link; a hydraulic power unit including a hydraulic valve circuit hydraulically coupled to said torque generator, a hydraulic pump, and an electric motor mechanically coupled to said hydraulic pump; a power source for providing electric power to said electric motor; at least one sensor for sensing an operation associated with one of said shank link, said thigh link and said knee mechanism; and a signal processor connected to the power source and the hydraulic power unit for controlling operation of the hydraulic power unit based on signals received from the at least one sensor wherein, when said semi-actuated prosthetic knee operates in its actuated mode, electric power is transferred from said power source to said electric motor to drive the hydraulic pump to provide working fluid to said torque generator under control of the signal processor in order to create a torque between said shank link and said thigh link and, when said semi-actuated prosthetic knee operates in its un-actuated mode, said hydraulic valve circuit modulates a resistance of fluid flow in said torque generator such that said semi-actuated prosthetic knee operates without any transfer of electric power from said electric power source to said electric motor. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23)
-
-
24. A prosthetic knee device, configured to be coupled to an above-knee remaining lower limb of an amputee having a trunk, comprising:
-
an artificial foot having a toe and a heel; a shank link coupled to the artificial foot; a thigh link configured to be attached to an above-knee remaining lower limb of an amputee; a knee mechanism interconnecting said thigh link and said shank link, said knee mechanism allowing flexion and extension movements of said thigh link and said shank link relative to each other; a torque generator configured to generate torque between said shank link and said thigh link; a knee angle sensor creating a knee angle signal representing the angle between said shank link and said thigh link; a stance sensor capable of identifying which part of said artificial foot is in contact with ground; a power source capable of providing electric power; and a signal processor connected to the power source, the torque generator and each of the knee angle and stance sensors, wherein said signal processor receives signals from the knee and stance sensors, determines an estimated location of the artificial foot with respect to the trunk of the amputee and establishes a swing state when said artificial foot leaves the ground based on the estimated location. - View Dependent Claims (25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 43, 44, 45, 46, 47, 48, 49, 50, 51, 52, 53, 54, 55, 56)
-
-
57. A semi-actuated prosthetic knee device, configured to be coupled to an above-knee remaining lower limb of an amputee and operable in both actuated and un-actuated modes, comprising:
-
a shank link adapted to be coupled to an artificial foot; a thigh link configured to be attached to an above-knee remaining lower limb of an amputee; a knee mechanism interconnecting said thigh link and said shank link, said knee mechanism allowing flexion and extension movements of said thigh link and said shank link relative to each other; a hydraulic torque generator including torque generator ports, said hydraulic torque generator being configured to generate torque between said shank link and said thigh link; a hydraulic power unit having first and second paths of connecting said torque generator ports, with the first path being through a hydraulic pump which is mechanically coupled to an electric motor and the second path being through a hydraulic valve circuit; a power source capable of providing electric power to said electric motor; a stance sensor capable of identifying which part of said artificial foot is in contact with the ground; and a signal processor receiving signals from the stance sensor and controlling said electric motor wherein, when said semi-actuated prosthetic knee operates in its actuated mode, said torque generator ports are coupled to said hydraulic pump and, when said semi-actuated prosthetic knee operates in an un-actuated mode, said semi-actuated prosthetic knee is configured such that the said torque generator ports are coupled to said hydraulic valve circuit. - View Dependent Claims (58, 59, 60, 61, 62, 63, 64, 65)
-
-
66. A semi-actuated prosthetic knee device, configured to be coupled to an above-knee remaining lower limb of an amputee having a trunk and operable in both actuated and un-actuated modes, comprising:
-
an artificial foot having a toe and a heel; a shank link coupled to the artificial foot; a thigh link configured to be attached to an above-knee remaining lower limb of an amputee; a knee mechanism interconnecting said thigh link and said shank link, said knee mechanism allowing flexion and extension movements of said thigh link and said shank link relative to each other; a hydraulic torque generator including torque generating ports, said hydraulic torque generator being interposed and configured to generate torque between said shank link and said thigh link; a hydraulic power unit including a hydraulic valve circuit hydraulically coupled to said torque generator, a hydraulic pump, and an electric motor mechanically coupled to said hydraulic pump, said hydraulic power unit having first and second paths of connecting said torque generating ports, with the first path being through the hydraulic pump which is mechanically coupled to the electric motor and the second path being through the hydraulic valve circuit; a power source for providing electric power to said electric motor; at least one sensor provided on one of said shank link, said thigh link and said knee mechanism for sensing operational parameters of the prosthetic knee, said at least one sensor including a knee angle sensor creating a knee angle signal representing the angle between said shank link and said thigh link and a stance sensor capable of identifying which part of said artificial foot is in contact with ground; and a signal processor connected to the power source, the torque generator, each of the knee and stance sensors and the hydraulic power unit for controlling operation of the hydraulic power unit based on signals received from the at least one sensor wherein; when said semi-actuated prosthetic knee operates in its actuated mode, electric power is transferred from said power source to said electric motor to drive the hydraulic pump to provide working fluid to said torque generator under control of the signal processor in order to create a torque between said shank link and said thigh link and, when said semi-actuated prosthetic knee operates in its un-actuated mode, said hydraulic valve circuit modulates a resistance of fluid flow in said torque generator such that said semi-actuated prosthetic knee operates without any transfer of electric power from said electric power source to said electric motor; said signal processor receives signals from the knee and stance sensors, determines an estimated location of the artificial foot with respect to the trunk of the amputee and establishes a swing state when said artificial foot leaves the ground based on the estimated location; and signal processor receives signals from the stance sensor and controls said electric motor wherein, when said semi-actuated prosthetic knee operates in its actuated mode, said torque generator ports are coupled to said hydraulic pump and, when said semi-actuated prosthetic knee operates in an un-actuated mode, said semi-actuated prosthetic knee is configured such that the said torque generator ports are coupled to said hydraulic valve circuit.
-
Specification