Orthotic device drive system and method

• US 9,889,058 B2
• Filed: 03/13/2014
• Issued: 02/13/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 03/15/2013
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: AlterG, Inc.
• Original Assignee: AlterG, Inc.
• Inventors: Horst, Robert W., Marcus, Richard R.
• Primary Examiner(s): Hawthorne, Ophelia A
• Application Number:
  US14/769,119
• Publication Number:
  US 20150374573A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,433 Days
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2005/0155 with actuating means
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2005/0188 having pressure sensors
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 5/0125 the device articulating around a single pivot-point
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 5/013 for the arms, hands or fingers A61F5/0118 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61H 1/024 Knee A61H1/0255 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61H 1/0277 Elbow
• CPC Class Codes: A61H 2201/0184 by raising an alarm
• CPC Class Codes: A61H 2201/1215 Rotary drive
• CPC Class Codes: A61H 2201/1463 Special speed variation means, i.e. speed reducer
• CPC Class Codes: A61H 2201/164 Feet or leg, e.g. pedal
• CPC Class Codes: A61H 2201/165 Wearable interfaces
• CPC Class Codes: A61H 2201/501 connected to external computer devices or networks
• CPC Class Codes: A61H 2201/5061 Force sensors
• CPC Class Codes: A61H 2201/5064 Position sensors
• CPC Class Codes: A61H 2201/5069 Angle sensors
• CPC Class Codes: A61H 2201/5071 Pressure sensors
• CPC Class Codes: A61H 2201/5092 Optical sensor
• CPC Class Codes: A61H 2230/605 used as a control parameter for the apparatus
• CPC Class Codes: A61H 3/00 Appliances for aiding patients or disabled persons to walk about apparatus for helping babies to walk A47D13/04; orthopaedic devices for correcting deformities of, or supporting, limbs A61F5/0102; exercising apparatus for the feet or toes A63B23/10; stairways or ramps E04F11/00
• CPC Class Codes: F16H 19/0628 the flexible member, e.g. a cable, being wound with one string to a drum and unwound with the other string to create reciprocating movement of the flexible member
• CPC Class Codes: F16H 2019/0695 : Generating pivoting movement of a joint

Abstract

An orthosis includes a first portion and a second portion configured to attach on opposite sides of a joint. An actuator is configured to apply a force between the first and second portions. The actuator includes a first spool and a second spool rotatably mounted to the first portion. An output pulley is mounted to the second portion. A belt has a first end wrapped around the first spool, a second end wrapped around the second spool, and a mid-portion wrapped around the output pulley. The actuator is configured to rotate the first and second spools. The rotation of the first spool pulls the belt a given length, and the rotation of the second spool feeds the belt less than the given length, so as to pull the output pulley towards the first portion to pull the second portion towards the first portion.

Claims

1. An active assistance orthosis comprising:

a first portion configured to attach to a patient on one side of a joint;

a second portion configured to attach to the patient on an opposite side of the joint; and

an actuator configured to apply a force between the first and the second portions of the orthosis, the actuator comprising;

a first spool rotatably mounted to the first portion;

a second spool rotatably mounted to the first portion;

an output pulley mounted to the second portion; and

a belt having a first end wrapped around the first spool, a second end wrapped around the second spool, and a mid-portion wrapped around the output pulley,

wherein the actuator is configured to rotate the first spool and the second spool, the rotation of the first spool pulling the belt a given length and the rotation of the second spool feeding the belt less than the given length so as to pull the output pulley towards the first portion, wherein pulling the output pulley towards the first portion pulls at least part of the second portion towards at least part of the first portion.

2. The orthosis of claim 1, wherein the actuator further comprises a belt tensioner configured to take up slack in the belt.

3. The orthosis of claim 2, wherein the belt tensioner comprises a rotatable disk separate from the first spool, the second spool and the output pulley.

4. The orthosis of claim 3, wherein the rotatable disk comprises at least one moving roller configured to interact with at least one fixed roller to increase a belt path length.

5. The orthosis of claim 3, wherein the belt tensioner comprises a rotational position sensor coupled to the rotatable disk, and wherein the sensor is configured to communicate with a controller to indicate a belt tension when there is no slack in the belt.

6. The orthosis of claim 1, further comprising a hinge coupling the first portion to the second portion, and wherein pulling at least part of the second portion towards at least part of the first portion comprises rotating the first portion relative to the second portion about the hinge.

7. The orthosis of claim 6, wherein the actuator is configured to provide a winch ratio between a rate of first spool rotation and a rate of orthosis hinge rotation, and wherein the winch ratio is higher when the orthosis is bent than when it is straight.

8. The orthosis of claim 6, wherein the actuator is configured to provide a first winch ratio when the orthosis is positioned at about a 90°

angle and a second winch ratio when the orthosis is positioned at about a 0°

angle, and wherein the first winch ratio is more than twice the second winch ratio.

9. The orthosis of claim 6, wherein the actuator is configured to apply a lower torque and higher speed as a hinge angle between the first portion and the second portion decreases.

10. The orthosis of claim 1, further comprising a polycentric hinge coupling the first portion to the second portion.

11. The orthosis of claim 10, further comprising a bell crank linkage coupling the first portion to the second portion, wherein the output pulley is located on the bell crank linkage.

12. The orthosis of claim 1, wherein rotating the first spool and the second spool to pull at least part of the second portion towards at least part of the first portion comprises rotating the first spool and the second spool in a first direction.

13. The orthosis of claim 12, wherein the actuator is further configured to rotate the first spool and the second spool in a second direction to allow the output pulley to move away from the first portion so as allow the at least part of the second portion to move away from the at least part of the first portion.

14. The orthosis of claim 1, wherein the second spool is configured to feed the belt less than the given length pulled by the first spool due to a diameter of belt turns on the first spool exceeding a diameter of belt turns on the second spool.

15. The orthosis of claim 1, wherein the first spool and the second spool are configured to rotate at a same speed.

16. The orthosis of claim 1, wherein the first spool and the second spool are configured to rotate in a same direction.

17. The orthosis of claim 1, wherein the first spool and the second spool are configured to rotate in opposite directions.

18. The orthosis of claim 1, wherein the belt has a thickness no greater than about 0.005 inches.

19. The orthosis of claim 1, further comprising:

a motor configured to drive rotation of the first spool and the second spool;

a drive sprocket connected to the motor; and

a driven sprocket connected to the first spool, the drive sprocket and the driven sprocket connected by a second belt, the driven sprocket having a larger diameter than the drive sprocket.

20. The orthosis of claim 1, wherein the first portion is configured to attach above the patient'"'"'s knee and the second portion is configured to attach below the patient'"'"'s knee.

21. The orthosis of claim 1, further comprising a rotational position sensor coupled to the actuator, wherein the rotational position sensor is configured to communicate with a controller to indicate a position of the first portion relative to the second portion.

22. The orthosis of claim 1, further comprising a belt tensioner, a tensioner position sensor, a spool rotation counter, and a controller, wherein a rotational position of the first portion relative to the second portion is determined by the controller based on the spool rotation counter and belt tensioner position.

23. A harmonic winch, comprising:

a first spool rotatably mounted to a first housing;

a second spool rotatably mounted to the first housing;

an output pulley mounted to a second housing;

a belt having a first end wrapped around the first spool, a second end wrapped around the second spool, and a mid-portion wrapped around the output pulley; and

a motor configured to rotate the first spool and the second spool, the rotation of the first spool pulling the belt a given length and the rotation of the second spool feeding the belt less than the given length so as to pull the output pulley and the second housing towards the first housing.

24. The harmonic winch of claim 23, wherein the actuator further comprises a belt tensioner configured to take up slack in the belt.

25. The harmonic winch of claim 24, wherein the belt tensioner comprises a rotatable disk separate from the first spool, the second spool and the output pulley.

26. The harmonic winch of claim 25, wherein the rotatable disk comprises at least one moving roller configured to interact with at least one fixed roller to increase a belt path length.

27. The harmonic winch of claim 25, wherein the belt tensioner comprises a rotational position sensor coupled to the rotatable disk, and wherein the sensor is configured to communicate with a controller to indicate a belt tension when there is no slack in the belt.

28. The harmonic winch of claim 23, wherein the second spool is configured to feed the belt less than the given length pulled by the first spool due to a diameter of belt turns on the first spool exceeding a diameter of belt turns on the second spool.

29. The harmonic winch of claim 23, wherein the first spool and the second spool are configured to rotate at a same speed.

30. The harmonic winch of claim 23, wherein the first spool and the second spool are configured to rotate in a same direction.

31. The harmonic winch of claim 23, wherein the first spool and the second spool are configured to rotate in opposite directions.

32. The harmonic winch of claim 23, wherein the belt has a thickness no greater than about 0.005 inches.

33. The harmonic winch of claim 23, further comprising:

a motor configured to drive rotation of the first spool and the second spool;

a drive sprocket connected to the motor; and

a driven sprocket connected to the first spool, the drive sprocket and the driven sprocket connected by a second belt, the driven sprocket having a larger diameter than the drive sprocket.

34. A method of assisting movement of a patient, comprising:

attaching a first portion of an orthosis to a patient on one side of a joint;

attaching a second portion of the orthosis to the patient on an opposite side of the joint;

detecting a residual intention of the patient to move the joint; and

assisting the patient with the intended movement by applying an assistive force to the patient with an actuator, the actuator comprising;

a first spool rotatably mounted to the first portion;

a second spool also rotatably mounted to the first portion;

an output pulley mounted to the second portion; and

a belt having a first end wrapped around the first spool, a second end wrapped around the second spool, and a mid-portion wrapped around the output pulley.

35. The method of claim 34, wherein the assisting step comprises rotating the first spool to pull the belt a given length and rotating the second spool to feed the belt less than the given length such that the output pulley on the second portion is pulled towards the first portion of the orthosis.

36. The method of claim 34, wherein the attaching a first portion step comprises attaching the first portion of the orthosis around a thigh of the patient, and the attaching a second portion step comprises attaching the second portion around a calf of the patient.

37. The method of claim 34, wherein the attaching a first portion step comprises attaching the first portion of the orthosis around an upper arm of the patient, and the attaching a second portion step comprises attaching the second portion around a lower arm of the patient.