System and method for motion-controlled foot unit

• US 20050192677A1
• Filed: 02/11/2005
• Published: 09/01/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 02/12/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Ossur hf
• Original Assignee: Ossur hf
• Inventors: Ragnarsdottir, Heidrun G., Jonsson, Helgi, Thorhallsdottir, Hjordis, Clausen, Arinbjorn V.
• Granted Patent: US 7,431,737 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 623/24
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2/66 Feet; Ankle joints
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2/6607 Ankle joints
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2/68 Operating or control means
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2/72 Bioelectric control, e.g. myoelectric
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/5018 for adjusting angular orientation
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/5073 Helical springs, e.g. having at least one helical spring
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/6642 Heels
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/6685 S-shaped
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/701 operated by electrically controlled means, e.g. solenoids or torque motors
• 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 2002/7635 for measuring force, pressure or mechanical tension
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/764 for measuring acceleration
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/7645 for measuring torque, e.g. hinge or turning moment, moment of force
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2013/00455 for protection of suture stitches protection of the body or articulation A61F2013/00272; safety barrier for protection of the operator A61F2013/00297; skin protection A61F2013/00387; protection of wound surround A61F2013/00825

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.

Claims

1. A method for controlling a device associated with the movement of a limb, the method comprising:

monitoring with at least one sensor the movement of an actuatable device associated with a limb;

generating data indicative of said movement;

processing the data with a processing module to determine a current state of locomotion of the actuatable device; and

adjusting the actuatable device based on the determined state of locomotion, wherein said adjusting comprises substantially mimicking the movement of a healthy ankle.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the actuatable device comprises an orthotic device.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the actuatable device comprises a prosthetic device.

4. The method of claim 1, additionally comprising determining a security factor, wherein adjusting the actuatable device occurs only if the security factor exceeds a pre-determined threshold.

5. The method of claim 1, additionally comprising substantially locking the actuatable device in a fixed position when a battery power level drops below a predetermined threshold.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the at least one sensor is located on the actuatable device.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein adjusting the actuatable device comprises extending and contracting an actuator.

8. The method of claim 1, additionally comprising adjusting a heel height of the actuatable device.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the at least one sensor is located on the limb.

10. A method for controlling a prosthetic ankle device, the method comprising:

monitoring with at least one sensor the movement of an actuatable prosthetic ankle device, wherein the at least one sensor generates data indicative of the movement of the prosthetic ankle device;

receiving and processing the data with a control module to determine a current state of locomotion of the actuatable prosthetic ankle device;

outputting with the control module at least one control signal based on the determined state of locomotion; and

adjusting the actuatable prosthetic ankle device based at least upon the control signal, wherein said adjusting comprises substantially mimicking the movement of a healthy ankle.

11. The method of claim 10, additionally comprising receiving and processing data indicative of at least one terrain variable.

12. The method of claim 10, wherein substantially mimicking the movement of a healthy ankle comprises movement of the actuatable prosthetic ankle device from approximately ten degrees dorsiflexion to approximately twenty degrees plantarflexion.

13. The method of claim 10, wherein the at least one sensor is positioned on the prosthetic ankle device.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein the at least one sensor comprises at least one accelerometer.

15. The method of claim 10, wherein monitoring the movement of an actuatable prosthetic ankle device comprises monitoring movement of the actuatable prosthetic ankle device in three different axes.

16. The method of claim 10, additionally comprising providing dampening to counteract unwanted movements of the actuatable prosthetic ankle device.

17. The method of claim 10, additionally comprising substantially locking the actuatable prosthetic ankle device at a fixed angle when a power source associated with the actuatable prosthetic ankle device falls below a particular threshold power level.

18. The method of claim 10, additionally comprising receiving from a user a second signal indicative of a heel height adjustment.

19. The method of claim 10, wherein adjusting the actuatable prosthetic ankle device comprises causing rotation about a pivot point of the prosthetic ankle device.

20. The method of claim 11, wherein the at least one terrain variable includes data indicative of a slope of the ground surface.