TRANSFEMORAL PROSTHETIC SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR OPERATING THE SAME

• US 20120016492A1
• Filed: 09/23/2011
• Published: 01/19/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 02/12/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Ossur hf
• Original Assignee: Ossur hf
• Inventors: Clausen, Arinbjörn Viggo
• Granted Patent: US 10,195,057 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 623/24
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2/60 Artificial legs or feet or parts thereof
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2/64 Knee joints
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2/6607 Ankle joints
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2/70 electrical
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2/72 Bioelectric control, e.g. myoelectric
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/5004 operated by electro- or magnetorheological fluids
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/5006 Dampers, e.g. hydraulic damper
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/5018 for adjusting angular orientation
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/607 Lower legs
• 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 2002/7625 for measuring angular position
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/763 for measuring spatial position, e.g. global positioning system [GPS]
• 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 2002/768 for measuring battery status
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/7685 located on natural or sound-site limbs, e.g. comparison measuring means
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/769 Displaying measured values

Abstract

Certain embodiments of the invention relate to increasing the functionality of a transfemoral prosthetic device. In one embodiment, the transfemoral prosthetic device is configured such that the prosthetic knee maintains a load consistent with a healthy knee walking on level ground, while the prosthetic ankle adjusts for the incline or decline. In certain embodiments, adjustments, such as a toe lift function, are automatically performed after about three strides of the transfemoral prosthetic device user and/or when each of the strides has a stride speed of at least about 0.55 meters/second.

Claims

1. A transfemoral prosthetic device associated with a limb, comprising:

a foot unit;

a tibial member pivotally attached to the foot unit;

a first actuator operatively coupled to the foot unit and to the tibial member, the first actuator being configured to actively adjust an ankle angle between the foot unit and the tibial member;

a femoral member pivotally attached to the tibial member to define a knee joint;

a second actuator operatively coupled to the tibial member and to the femoral member, the second actuator being configured to actively adjust a knee angle between the tibial member and the femoral member;

at least one sensor, disposed on the transfemoral prosthetic device, configured to monitor at least one of position and movement of the transfemoral prosthetic device throughout at least one gait cycle and to generate data indicative of the at least one of position and movement throughout the at least one gait cycle;

a memory module; and

a processing module configured to determine when the data corresponds to at least one of a plurality of defined terrains, wherein information defining said plurality of terrains is stored in the memory module, the processing module being further configured to determine ankle-angle adjustments and knee-angle adjustments corresponding to the at least one defined terrain, and wherein the processing module is further configured to, based on the determined ankle-angle adjustments and knee-angle adjustments;

actuate the first actuator to adjust the foot unit relative to the tibial member in a manner substantially mimicking movement of a healthy ankle, said ankle-angle adjustments being applied over a swing phase of subsequent gait cycles until a terrain transition is detected, and

actuate the second actuator to adjust the femoral member relative to the tibial member in a manner substantially mimicking movement of a healthy knee.

2. The transfemoral prosthetic device of claim 1, wherein the second actuator actively adjusts the knee angle between the tibial member and the femoral member consistent with a healthy knee walking on level ground.

3. The transfemoral prosthetic device of claim 2, wherein the at least one sensor monitors a load on the knee joint, wherein the knee maintains a load consistent with a healthy knee walking on level ground.

4. The transfemoral prosthetic device of claim 3, wherein the first actuator actively adjusts the ankle angle between the foot unit and the tibial member to accommodate an incline or decline surface.

5. A transfemoral prosthetic system capable of mimicking the gait of a healthy leg, comprising:

a foot unit;

a tibial member having an upper end and a lower end, wherein the lower end is pivotably attached to the foot unit;

a first actuator operatively coupled to the foot unit and to the tibial member, wherein the first actuator is configured to actively adjust an angle between the tibial member and the foot unit;

a femoral member having an upper end and a lower end, wherein the lower end is pivotably attached to the upper end of the tibial member; and

a second actuator operatively coupled to the tibial member and to the femoral member, wherein the second actuator is configured to actively adjust an angle between the femoral member and the tibial member.

6. The transfemoral prosthetic system of claim 5, further comprising a processing module capable of calibrating data corresponding to a gait of a user of the transfemoral prosthetic system.

7. The transfemoral prosthetic system of claim 6, wherein the processing module processes the data from at least one sensor to dynamically determine a gait cycle phase.

8. The transfemoral prosthetic system of claim 5, wherein the first actuator is configured to adjust the angle between the tibial member and the foot unit, and the second actuator is configured to adjust the angle between the femoral member and the tibial member to reduce a load on a physiological member.

9. The transfemoral prosthetic system of claim 5, wherein the first actuator actively adjusts the angle between the tibial member and the foot unit in a toe lift after about three strides of a user of the transfemoral prosthetic system.

10. The transfemoral prosthetic system of claim 5, wherein the second actuator actively adjusts the angle between the femoral member and the tibial member consistent with a healthy knee walking on level ground.