BIOMIMETIC JOINT ACTUATORS

• US 20150265427A1
• Filed: 06/09/2015
• Published: 09/24/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 03/11/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Otto Bock HealthCare LP (Nader Holding GmbH & Co. KG)
• Original Assignee: iWalk Incorporated (Ottobock SE & Co. KGaA)
• Inventors: Herr, Hugh Miller, Weber, Jeff Anthony, Casler, Richard James Jr.
• Granted Patent: US 9,872,782 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2/605 Hip joints
• 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 2002/6664 Dual structures made of two connected cantilevered leaf springs
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/6809 acoustic
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/6836 Gears specially adapted therefor, e.g. reduction gears
• 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 2002/7625 for measuring angular position

Abstract

In a powered actuator for supplying torque, joint equilibrium, and/or impedance to a joint, a motor is directly coupled to a low-reduction ratio transmission, e.g., a transmission having a gear ratio less than about 80 to 1. The motor has a low dissipation constant, e.g., less than about 50 W/(Nm)². The transmission is serially connected to an elastic element that is also coupled to the joint, thereby supplying torque, joint equilibrium, and/or impedance to the joint while minimizing the power consumption and/or acoustic noise of the actuator.

Claims

1-33. -33. (canceled)

34. A method for augmenting joint function using a powered human augmentation device, the method comprising:

sending a control signal to energize a motor to apply torque to a joint during a phase of a gait cycle to modulate at least one of joint augmentation torque, joint impedance, or joint equilibrium during the phase of the gait cycle, the applied torque normalized by weight to be between −

2.8 Nm/kg to 2.8 Nm/kg, the motor coupled directly to a transmission, the transmission being serially coupled to an elastic element, the elastic element coupled to the joint.

41. A method for supplying to a joint augmented by a powered human augmentation device at least one of an augmentation torque, joint equilibrium, or an impedance, the method comprising:

directly coupling a motor having a dissipation constant less than about 50 W/(Nm)² to a transmission; and

coupling an elastic element to the joint and to the transmission, whereby when the motor is energized to supply the augmentation torque, the torque applied to the joint normalized by weight is in a range from about −

2.8 Nm/kg up to about 2.8 Nm/kg.