COMBINED ACTIVE AND PASSIVE LEG PROSTHESIS SYSTEM AND A METHOD FOR PERFORMING A MOVEMENT WITH SUCH A SYSTEM

• US 20150320573A1
• Filed: 06/18/2015
• Published: 11/12/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 04/19/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Ossur hf
• Original Assignee: Ossur hf
• Inventors: Gramnaes, Lisa
• Granted Patent: US 9,717,606 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• 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 2/66 Feet; Ankle 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 2/74 fluid , i.e. hydraulic or pneumatic
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2/741 using powered actuators, e.g. stepper motors or solenoids
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2/748 Valve systems
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/5038 Hinged joint, e.g. with transverse axle restricting the movement
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/607 Lower legs
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/6614 Feet
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/6818 for braking
• 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 2002/764 for measuring acceleration
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/7655 for measuring fluid pressure

Abstract

A lower limb prosthesis system and a method of controlling the prosthesis system to replace a missing lower extremity of an individual and perform a gait cycle are disclosed. The prosthesis system has a controller, one or more sensors, a prosthetic foot, and a movable ankle joint member coupled to the prosthetic foot. The movable ankle joint member comprises a hydraulic damping system that provides the ankle joint member damping resistance. The controller varies the damping resistance by providing volumetric flow control to the hydraulic damping system based on sensor data. In one embodiment, the hydraulic damping system comprises a hydraulic piston cylinder assembly, hydraulic fluid, and a valve to regulate the fluid. In one embodiment, the controller alters the damping resistance by modulating the valve to vary the hydraulic fluid flow within the hydraulic piston cylinder assembly of the movable ankle joint member based on sensor data.

Claims

1. (canceled)

2. A lower limb prosthesis for replacing a missing lower extremity of an individual, said lower limb prosthesis comprising:

a prosthetic foot member;

a lower limb member; and

an ankle module interposed between the prosthetic foot member and the lower limb member, the ankle module comprising a hydraulic assembly comprising a hydraulic cylinder and a piston configured to move axially within the hydraulic cylinder as the prosthetic foot member moves relative to the lower limb member such that movement of the piston within the cylinder adjusts an angle of the prosthetic foot relative to the lower limb member,

wherein the hydraulic assembly imparts a force onto the piston during a swing phase in gait to thereby dorsiflex the prosthetic foot relative to the lower limb member.

3. The lower limb prosthesis of claim 2, wherein the ankle module comprises a proximal portion coupled to a distal portion, the proximal portion configured to move relative to the distal portion during a phase in gait.

4. The lower limb prosthesis of claim 2, wherein the hydraulic assembly consists of a single piston configured to move axially within a single cylinder.

5. The lower limb prosthesis of claim 2, wherein the ankle module comprises a pyramid connector configured to couple the ankle module to the lower limb member.

6. The lower limb prosthesis of claim 2, further comprising one or more sensors configured to sense one or more parameters associated with the motion of the lower limb prosthesis during ambulation.

7. The lower limb prosthesis of claim 6, further comprising a controller configured to receive input data from the one or more sensors corresponding to the one or more sensed parameters, the controller configured to control the operation of a valve in the ankle module to selectively actuate the valve to vary a damping resistance of the hydraulic assembly based at least in part on the one or more sensed parameters.

8. A lower limb prosthesis for replacing a missing lower extremity of an individual, said lower limb prosthesis comprising:

a prosthetic foot member; and

an ankle module coupled to the prosthetic foot member, the ankle module having a proximal portion movably coupled to a distal portion thereof that is coupled to the prosthetic foot member, the ankle module comprising a hydraulic assembly comprising a hydraulic cylinder and a piston configured to move axially within the hydraulic cylinder as the prosthetic foot member moves relative to the proximal portion such that movement of the piston within the cylinder adjusts an angular orientation of the prosthetic foot relative to the proximal portion,

wherein the hydraulic assembly imparts a force onto the piston during a swing phase in gait, thereby causing the prosthetic foot and the proximal portion to move toward each other during said swing phase.

9. The lower limb prosthesis of claim 8, wherein the hydraulic assembly consists of a single piston configured to move axially within a single cylinder.

10. The lower limb prosthesis of claim 8, wherein the proximal portion comprises a pyramid connector configured to couple the ankle module to a prosthetic component.

11. The lower limb prosthesis of claim 8, further comprising one or more sensors configured to sense one or more parameters associated with the motion of the lower limb prosthesis during ambulation.

12. The lower limb prosthesis of claim 9, further comprising a controller configured to receive input data from the one or more sensors corresponding to the one or more sensed parameters, the controller configured to control the operation of a valve in the ankle module to selectively actuate the valve to vary a damping resistance of the hydraulic assembly based at least in part on the one or more sensed parameters.

13. A hydraulic prosthetic ankle module for use with a prosthetic foot member, comprising:

a body having a proximal portion and a distal portion, where the proximal portion is configured to move relative to a distal portion to change an angular orientation of said proximal portion relative to the distal portion; and

a hydraulic assembly housed in the body comprising a hydraulic cylinder and a piston configured to move axially within the hydraulic cylinder as the distal portion move relative to the proximal portion such that movement of the piston within the cylinder adjusts an angle of the proximal portion relative to the distal portion,

wherein the hydraulic assembly imparts a force onto the piston during a swing phase in gait of the prosthetic foot member such that the proximal portion and distal portions move toward each other during said swing phase.

14. The hydraulic prosthetic ankle module of claim 13, wherein the hydraulic assembly consists of a single piston configured to move axially within a single cylinder.

15. The hydraulic prosthetic ankle module of claim 13, wherein the proximal portion comprises a pyramid connector configured to couple the ankle module to a prosthetic component.

16. The hydraulic prosthetic ankle module of claim 13, further comprising a motor operated valve in the body actuatable by a controller to vary a damping resistance of the hydraulic assembly based at least in part on one or more sensed parameters associated with a motion of the prosthetic ankle module during ambulation.

17. A prosthetic foot member, comprising.

a prosthetic foot member;

a movable ankle joint member coupled to the prosthetic foot member, the ankle joint member comprising

a hydraulic assembly comprising

a hydraulic cylinder,

a piston configured to move axially within a hydraulic chamber in the hydraulic cylinder, and

a hydraulic actuator configured to impart a hydraulic force on the piston, causing the piston to move within the hydraulic cylinder to dorsiflex the prosthetic foot member during at least a portion of a swing phase of ambulation.

18. The prosthetic foot member of claim 17, further comprising a valve selectively actuatable to regulate hydraulic fluid flow in and out of the hydraulic chamber so as to vary a damping resistance of the hydraulic assembly.

19. The prosthetic foot of claim 18, further comprising one or more sensors configured to sense one or more parameters associated with the motion of the prosthetic foot.

20. The prosthetic foot of claim 19, further comprising a controller configured to receive input data from the one or more sensors corresponding to the one or more sensed parameters, the controller configured to control the operation of the valve to allow an adjustment in said angular orientation of the ankle joint member based at least in part on the one or more sensed parameters.

21. A prosthetic foot member, comprising.

a prosthetic foot member;

a movable ankle joint member coupled to the prosthetic foot member, the ankle joint member comprising

a hydraulic assembly comprising

a hydraulic cylinder,

a piston configured to move axially within a hydraulic chamber in the hydraulic cylinder,

a valve selectively actuatable to regulate hydraulic fluid flow in and out of the hydraulic chamber; and

a hydraulic actuator configured to impart a hydraulic force on the piston, causing the piston to move within the hydraulic cylinder to vary the angular orientation of at least a portion of the ankle joint member relative to the prosthetic foot member during at least a portion of a phase in a gait cycle;

one or more sensors configured to sense one or more parameters associated with the motion of the prosthetic foot; and

a controller configured to receive input data from the one or more sensors corresponding to the one or more sensed parameters, the controller configured to control the operation of the valve to selectively actuate the valve to allow a change in said angular orientation of the ankle joint member based at least in part on the one or more sensed parameters.

22. The prosthetic foot of claim 21, further comprising an electric motor configured to operate the valve.

23. The prosthetic foot of claim 21, wherein the one or more sensed parameters are selected from the group consisting of acceleration, speed, angular velocity, position, ground inclination angle, and pressure.

24. The prosthetic foot of claim 21, wherein the movement of the piston results in an adjustment of an angle between the ankle joint member and the prosthetic foot member.