Control system and method for a prosthetic knee

• US 9,345,591 B2
• Filed: 11/15/2013
• Issued: 05/24/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 03/10/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: ssur hf
• Sponsoring Entity: ssur hf
• Inventors: Bisbee, Charles R III, Elliott, Scott B, Oddsson, Magnus
• Primary Examiner(s): STEWART, JASON-DENNIS NEILKEN
• APPLICATION: US 20140156025A1
• Time in USPTO: 921 Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2/64 : Knee joints
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2/68 : Operating or control means
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/5003 : having damping means, e.g. shock absorbers for implantable joints A61F2002/30563
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/5004 : operated by electro- or magnetorheological fluids
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/5033 : for adjusting damping damping means A61F2002/5003
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/6863 : magnetic magnetic prosthetic parts A61F2002/30079
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/704 : computer-controlled, e.g. robotic control
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/705 : Electromagnetic data transfer for implantable prostheses A61F2250/0002
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/7625 : for measuring angular position
• 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 2250/0034 : differing in viscosity

Abstract

A prosthetic or orthotic system including a magnetorheological (MR) damper. The MR damper may be configured to operate in shear mode. In one embodiment, the MR damper includes a rotary MR damper. A controller is configured to operate the damper. A mobile computing device may be adapted to intermittently communicate configuration parameters to the controller. A method of configuring a prosthetic or orthotic system is also disclosed.

Claims

1. A mobile computing device (MCD) configured to receive data from a prosthetic or orthotic device (P/O), the P/O having one or more moveable joints, a damper configured to control a resistance at the one or more moveable joints, an actuator associated with the damper to control movement or resistance at the one or more moveable joints, and a controller configured to operate the damper, the MCD comprising:

a network interface configured to establish a wireless communication link directly with the P/O at least while the P/O is attached to a limb of a user and to receive from the P/O a first configuration parameter value associated with an adjustable configuration parameter of the P/O; and

a processor communicatively coupled to the network interface and configured to;

cause a display associated with the MCD to display an indicia of the first configuration parameter value;

receive a second configuration parameter value based at least in part on a user interaction with the MCD; and

cause the network interface to communicate the second configuration parameter value to the P/O, wherein the controller adjusts the adjustable configuration parameter based at least in part on the second configuration parameter value.

2. The device of claim 1, wherein the P/O has at least one of an ankle joint and/or a knee joint.

3. The device of claim 1, wherein the MCD comprises at least one of:

a laptop, a phone, and or a personal digital assistant (PDA).

4. The device of claim 1, wherein the processor is further configured to:

receive the first configuration parameter value from a network computing device.

5. The device of claim 1, wherein the processor is further configured to:

calculate the second configuration parameter value for the P/O based at least in part on the one or more received P/O configuration parameters.

6. The device of claim 1, wherein the processor is further configured to cause the display to display a data entry control for the second configuration parameter value.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein the second configuration parameter value is a target value for the adjustable configuration parameter.

8. The system of claim 1, wherein the second configuration parameter value comprises one or more of:

a target flexion angle, a swing angle, or a stance flexion angle.

9. The system of claim 1, wherein the adjustable configuration parameter is associated with a state machine condition.

10. The system of claim 1, wherein the processor is further configured to cause the network interface to communicate the second configuration parameter value to the P/O at least while the P/O is attached to the limb of the user.