SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR MOTION-CONTROLLED FOOT UNIT
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Abstract
A system and method associated with the movement of a limb. In one example, the system, such as a prosthetic or orthotic system, includes an actuator that actively controls, or adjusts, the angle between a foot unit and a lower limb member. A processing module may control movement of the actuator based on data obtained from a sensor module. For instance, sensing module data may include information relating to the gait of a user and may be used to adjust the foot unit to substantially mimic the movement of a natural, healthy ankle. The system may further accommodate, for example, level ground walking, traveling up/down stairs, traveling up/down sloped surfaces, and various other user movements. In addition, the processing module may receive user input or display output signals through an external interface. For example, the processing module may receive a heel height input from the user.
30 Citations
36 Claims
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1-23. -23. (canceled)
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24. A method of controlling operation of a prosthetic ankle device comprising a foot unit and a lower limb member rotatably connected to each other about a pivot location, the method comprising:
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collecting data with one or more sensors located on the prosthetic ankle device while the prosthetic ankle device is connected either to a tibial stump of a transtibial amputee or to a separate prosthetic knee device worn by a transfemoral amputee, while a user of the prosthetic ankle device is moving; processing data received from the one or more sensors to determine a current state of locomotion for the prosthetic ankle device; and when the prosthetic ankle device is determined to be in a stance position, actuating an actuator to input a mechanical motion to rotate the foot unit relative to the lower limb member such that an angle between the foot unit and the lower limb member increases toward a plantarflexion position toward the end of the stance phase. - View Dependent Claims (25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36)
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Specification