Prosthetic knee joint measurement system including energy harvesting and method therefor

• US 9,492,116 B2
• Filed: 12/08/2015
• Issued: 11/15/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 06/30/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Howmedica Osteonics Corp. (Stryker Corporation)
• Original Assignee: OrthoSensor, Inc (Stryker Corporation)
• Inventors: Stein, Marc
• Primary Examiner(s): THOMPSON, JEWEL VERGIE
• Application Number:
  US14/963,046
• Publication Number:
  US 20160089079A1
• Time in Patent Office: 343 Days
• Field of Search: 733/790.1, 600/424
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2090/3782 transmitter or receiver in catheter or minimal invasive instrument
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2560/0219 of externally powered implanted units
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/0008 Temperature signals
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/0022 Monitoring a patient using a global network, e.g. telephone networks, internet
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/0084 for introduction into the body, e.g. by catheters A61B5/1459 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/01 Measuring temperature of body parts ; Diagnostic temperature sensing, e.g. for malignant or inflamed tissue clinical contact thermometers G01K13/20
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/076 Permanent implantations telemetry using implanted circuitry A61B5/0031; implanted stimulators for therapy A61N1/3605, A61N1/362, A61N1/372
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/4509 Bone density determination
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/4528 Joints A61B5/4533, A61B5/4538 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/4851 Prosthesis assessment or monitoring
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/6846 specially adapted to be brought in contact with an internal body part, i.e. invasive
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/6861 Capsules, e.g. for swallowing or implanting
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2/32 for the hip
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2/3877 Patellae or trochleae
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2/389 Tibial components A61F2/3868 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2/4657 Measuring instruments used for implanting artificial joints for surgical instruments A61B90/06
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2/468 Testing instruments for artificial joints for testing non-implantable prostheses A61F2/76
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/3067 for data transfer
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/4666 for measuring force, pressure or mechanical tension
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/469 electrical
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2250/0093 : Ultrasound system, e.g. for inducing coagulation during eye surgery
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 40/67 : for remote operation

Abstract

An orthopedic implant having an energy-harvesting device is disclosed. In one embodiment the orthopedic implant is a prosthetic component of a joint of the muscular-skeletal system. The orthopedic implant can include electronic circuitry, a power source, and one or more sensors for measuring a parameter of the muscular-skeletal system or a parameter of in proximity to the implant. The energy-harvesting device generates charge for powering the electronic circuitry using movement of the muscular-skeletal system. The energy-harvesting device comprises a piezo-electric element that converts changes in force into charge that is stored onto a storage device. The energy-harvesting device is coupled to the patella of a knee joint. Movement of the knee joint changes a force applied to the energy-harvesting device thereby generating charge that is coupled to circuitry in a prosthetic component of the knee joint.

Claims

1. An orthopedic measurement system comprising:

an energy-harvesting device configured to couple to the musculoskeletal system;

a storage device coupled to the energy-harvesting device wherein the energy-harvesting device is configured to produce energy via movement of the musculoskeletal system and where the storage device is configured to store energy generated by the energy-harvesting device; and

electronic circuitry coupled to the storage device wherein the electronic circuitry couples to at least one sensor and wherein the electronic circuitry and the at least one sensor is configured to measure a parameter using energy from the energy-harvesting device.

2. The system of claim 1 wherein the energy-harvesting device comprises a piezo-electric element responsive to an applied force.

3. The system of claim 2 wherein movement of the musculoskeletal system is configured to produce a changing force on the piezo-electric element.

4. The system of claim 1 wherein the storage device is housed in a prosthetic component.

5. The system of claim 4 wherein the piezo-electric element is encapsulated.

6. The system of claim 5 wherein the piezo-electric element is configured to couple to a surface of a second prosthetic component of a prosthetic joint.

7. The system of claim 1 wherein the storage device comprises a battery, capacitor, inductor, or a charge storage device and wherein a voltage regulator couples to the storage device.

8. The system of claim 1 wherein the electronic circuitry includes a transmitter configured to transmit quantitative measurement data from the at least one sensor and further including a remote system comprising a processor configured to receive the quantitative measurement data transmitted by the electronic circuitry wherein the remote system includes a display.

9. An orthopedic measurement system comprising:

a prosthetic component comprising;

an energy-harvesting device;

a storage device coupled to the energy-harvesting device wherein the storage device is configured to store energy generated by the energy-harvesting device; and

electronic circuitry coupled to the storage device wherein the electronic circuitry couples to at least one sensor and wherein the electronic circuitry and the sensor is configured to measure a parameter using energy from the energy-harvesting device.

10. The system of claim 9 wherein the energy-harvesting device comprises a piezo-electric element responsive an applied force.

11. The system of claim 10 wherein movement of the musculoskeletal system is configured to produce a changing force on the piezo-electric element and wherein charge generated by the piezo-electric element is stored on the storage device.

12. The system of claim 10 wherein the piezo-electric element is encapsulated.

13. The system of claim 12 wherein the piezo-electric element is configured to couple to a surface of a second prosthetic component.

14. The system of claim 9 wherein the storage device comprises a battery, capacitor, inductor, or a charge storage device and wherein a voltage regulator couples to the storage device.

15. The system of claim 9 wherein the electronic circuitry includes a transmitter configured to transmit quantitative measurement data from the at least one sensor and further including a remote system comprising a processor configured to receive the quantitative measurement data transmitted by the electronic circuitry wherein the remote system includes a display.

16. An orthopedic measurement system comprising:

a piezo-electric element;

a storage device coupled to the piezo-electric element wherein the piezo-electric element is configured to generate electric charge in response to applied mechanical stress, and wherein the storage device is configured to store energy generated by the piezo-electric element; and

electronic circuitry coupled to the storage device wherein the piezo-electric element is configured to couple to a musculoskeletal system or a prosthetic component and wherein movement of the musculoskeletal system or the prosthetic component supports charge generation of the piezo-electric element.

17. The system of claim 16 wherein the storage device comprises a battery, capacitor, inductor, or a charge storage device and wherein a voltage regulator couples to the storage device.

18. The system of claim 16 further including at least one sensor configured to measure a parameter wherein the at least one sensor couples to the electronic circuitry and wherein the electronic circuitry controls a measurement process.

19. The system of claim 17 wherein the electronic circuitry includes a transmitter configured to transmit quantitative measurement data from the at least one sensor and further including a remote system comprising a processor configured to receive the quantitative measurement data transmitted by the electronic circuitry wherein the remote system includes a display.

20. The system of claim 16

wherein the piezo-electric element is encapsulated.