Intelligent orthosis
First Claim
1. An orthosis for biomechanical evaluation and functional compensation of ambulatory disorders, comprising:
- an orthotic frame having a proximal frame adapted for fitting to a user'"'"'s upper leg, a distal frame adapted for fitting to the user'"'"'s lower leg, a foot support, a knee joint coupling a distal end of said proximal frame to a proximal end of said distal frame, and an ankle joint coupling a distal end of said distal frame to said foot support;
a knee actuator disposed on the orthotic frame and configured to control flexion of the knee joint according to a variable resistance, the knee actuator having a selector having at least a first position wherein said knee actuator provides a first resistance and a second position wherein said knee actuator provides a second resistance;
an ankle actuator coupled between said distal frame and said foot support providing a dorsal bias to position said foot support against dorsal flexion and a plantar bias to position said foot support against plantar flexion, whereby the ankle actuator controls flexion of said ankle joint; and
a control element connected to said selector and configured to move said selector between said first and second position according to at least one aspect of an ambulatory or related activity.
6 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
An orthotic frame has proximal and distal frame members joined by a knee joint, and a foot support joined by an ankle joint to a distal end of the distal frame. A knee actuator connected between the proximal and distal frame members has a selective stiffness allowing selection of a relatively rigid stiffness during stance and a relatively flexible stiffness during swing. The stiffness of the knee actuator is selected according to the gait cycle, either mechanically according to dorsal flexion of the ankle joint or electronically according to gait cycle phases recognized based on read sensor data. An ambulatory unit gathers data from sensors located on the orthotic frame. Sensor data may be provided to a base unit for diagnostic and biomechanical evaluation, or evaluated by the ambulatory unit to control active components of the orthotic frame according to the recognized gait cycle phases for functional compensation.
223 Citations
27 Claims
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1. An orthosis for biomechanical evaluation and functional compensation of ambulatory disorders, comprising:
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an orthotic frame having a proximal frame adapted for fitting to a user'"'"'s upper leg, a distal frame adapted for fitting to the user'"'"'s lower leg, a foot support, a knee joint coupling a distal end of said proximal frame to a proximal end of said distal frame, and an ankle joint coupling a distal end of said distal frame to said foot support; a knee actuator disposed on the orthotic frame and configured to control flexion of the knee joint according to a variable resistance, the knee actuator having a selector having at least a first position wherein said knee actuator provides a first resistance and a second position wherein said knee actuator provides a second resistance; an ankle actuator coupled between said distal frame and said foot support providing a dorsal bias to position said foot support against dorsal flexion and a plantar bias to position said foot support against plantar flexion, whereby the ankle actuator controls flexion of said ankle joint; and a control element connected to said selector and configured to move said selector between said first and second position according to at least one aspect of an ambulatory or related activity. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20)
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21. An orthosis for biomechanical evaluation and functional compensation of ambulatory disorders, comprising:
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an orthotic frame having a proximal frame, a distal frame, a foot support, a knee joint coupling a distal end of said proximal frame to a proximal end of said distal frame, and an ankle joint coupling a distal end of said distal frame to said foot support; a knee actuator disposed on said orthotic frame, said actuator having at least a stance state wherein the knee actuator supports said knee joint in an extended position and a swing state wherein the knee actuator allows said knee joint to swing freely, said first and second states being selectable according to an electronic control signal; at least one kinematic sensor disposed on said orthotic frame and adapted to generate at least one data signal according to at least one kinematic aspect of said orthotic frame; and a control element electrically connected to said at least one kinematic sensor and configured to generate said electronic control signal according the data signal of said at least one kinematic sensor; wherein said control program includes a first set of computer instructions to cause said microprocessor to read said data signal of said at least one kinematic sensor; wherein said control element comprises a microprocessor, a memory in communication with the microprocessor, and computer code defining a control program stored in said memory for execution by said microprocessor; wherein said at least one kinematic sensor comprises a knee angle or angular velocity sensor, and said first set of computer instructions comprises instructions to cause said microprocessor to read a knee angle or angular velocity from said knee angle or angular velocity sensor. - View Dependent Claims (22, 23, 24, 25)
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26. An orthosis for biomechanical evaluation and functional compensation of ambulatory disorders, comprising:
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an orthotic frame having a proximal frame, a distal frame, a foot support, a knee joint coupling a distal end of said proximal frame to a proximal end of said distal frame, and an ankle joint coupling a distal end of said distal frame to said foot support; a knee actuator disposed on said orthotic frame, said actuator having at least a stance state wherein the knee actuator supports said knee joint in an extended position and a swing state wherein the knee actuator allows said knee joint to swing freely, said first and second states being selectable according to an electronic control signal; at least one kinematic sensor disposed on said orthotic frame and adapted to generate at least one data signal according to at least one kinematic aspect of said orthotic frame; and a control element electrically connected to said at least one kinematic sensor and configured to generate said electronic control signal according the data signal of said at least one kinematic sensor; wherein said control element comprises a microprocessor, a memory in communication with the microprocessor, and computer code defining a control program stored in said memory for execution by said microprocessor; wherein said control program includes a first set of computer instructions to cause said microprocessor to read said data signal of said at least one kinematic sensor; wherein said at least one kinematic sensor comprises an ankle angle or angular velocity sensor, and said first set of computer instructions comprises instructions to cause said microprocessor to read an ankle angle or angular velocity from said ankle angle or angular velocity sensor.
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27. An orthosis for biomechanical evaluation and functional compensation of ambulatory disorders, comprising:
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an orthotic frame having a proximal frame, a distal frame, a foot support, a knee joint coupling a distal end of said proximal frame to a proximal end of said distal frame, and an ankle joint coupling a distal end of said distal frame to said foot support; a knee actuator disposed on said orthotic frame, said actuator having at least a stance state wherein the knee actuator supports said knee joint in an extended position and a swing state wherein the knee actuator allows said knee joint to swing freely, said first and second states being selectable according to an electronic control signal; at least one kinematic sensor disposed on said orthotic frame and adapted to generate at least one data signal according to at least one kinematic aspect of said orthotic frame; and a control element electrically connected to said at least one kinematic sensor and configured to generate said electronic control signal according the data signal of said at least one kinematic sensor; wherein said control element comprises a microprocessor, a memory in communication with the microprocessor, and computer code defining a control program stored in said memory for execution by said microprocessor; wherein said control program includes a first set of computer instructions to cause said microprocessor to read said data signal of said at least one kinematic sensor; wherein said at least one kinematic sensor comprises at lest one foot contact sensor, and said first set of computer instructions comprises instructions to cause said microprocessor to read foot contact information from foot the contact sensor.
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Specification