Artificial human limbs and joints employing actuators, springs and variable-damper elements

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10588759-B2
Application number	US-201615098725-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Apr 14, 2016
Priority date	Mar 31, 2005
Publication date	Mar 17, 2020
Grant date	Mar 17, 2020

Abstract

It is to be understood that the methods and apparatus which have been described above are merely illustrative applications of the principles of the invention. Numerous modifications may be made by those skilled in the art without departing from the true spirit and scope of the invention.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A device comprising:
a mechanical joint;
an actuator comprising:
a motor adapted to impart a torque on the joint;
a spring coupled in series with the motor; and
a variable damper or clutch coupled parallel to the motor, wherein the variable damper or clutch is a motor-parallel variable damper or clutch, coupled parallel to the motor and not to the spring coupled in series with the motor;

a sensory system comprising at least one sensor selected from the group consisting of a position sensor, a force sensor, and a velocity sensor; and
a processor connected to the actuator and the sensory system for outputting control signals to control operation of the actuator;
wherein the processor outputs control signals that modulate damping or clutching by the variable damper or clutch to cause the spring coupled in series with the motor to store energy during a portion of a gait cycle and release the stored energy in another portion of the gait cycle.

2. The device of claim 1 , wherein the device includes a mechanical knee joint.

3. The device of claim 2 , wherein the portion of the gait cycle is stance knee flexion and the another portion of the gait cycle is stance knee extension.

4. The device of claim 1 , wherein the device includes a mechanical knee joint, and wherein the motor-parallel damping or clutching occurs during stance extension of the gait cycle to store the energy in the spring for later release of the energy during early pre-swing.

5. The device of claim 1 , wherein the device includes a mechanical knee joint and wherein the damping or clutching occurs during swing flexion to store the energy for later release of the energy during swing extension.

6. The device of claim 1 , wherein the device includes a mechanical hip joint.

7. The device of claim 6 , wherein the portion of the gait cycle is terminal hip extension, and the another portion of the gait cycle is active hip flexion.

8. A device comprising:
at least one of a mechanical knee joint and a mechanical hip joint;
an actuator comprising:
a motor adapted to impart a torque on the joint;
a spring coupled in series with the motor; and
a variable damper or clutch coupled parallel to the motor, wherein the variable damper or clutch is a motor-parallel variable damper or clutch, coupled parallel to the motor and not to the spring coupled in series with the motor;

a sensory system comprising at least one sensor selected from the group consisting of a position sensor, a force sensor, and a velocity sensor; and
a processor connected to the actuator and the sensory system for outputting control signals to control operation of the actuator;
wherein the processor outputs control signals that modulate damping or clutching by the variable damper or clutch to cause the spring coupled in series with the motor to store energy by flexion of the joint in the case of the mechanical knee joint, and extension of the joint in the case of the mechanical hip joint, during a portion of a gait cycle and release the stored energy in another portion of the gait cycle.

9. The device of claim 8 , wherein the spring coupled in series with the motor releases the stored energy in the another portion of the gait cycle by extension in the case of the mechanical knee joint and by flexion in the case of the mechanical hip joint.

10. The device of claim 9 , wherein the portion of the gait cycle is terminal hip extension, and the another portion of the gait cycle is active hip flexion.

11. The device of claim 8 , wherein the device includes the mechanical knee joint.

12. The device of claim 9 , wherein the portion of the gait cycle is stance knee flexion and the another portion of the gait cycle is stance knee extension.

13. The device of claim 8 , wherein the device includes the mechanical knee joint, and wherein the motor-parallel damping or clutching occurs during stance extension of the gait cycle to store the energy in the spring for later release of the energy during early pre-swing.

14. The device of claim 8 , wherein the device includes the mechanical knee joint and wherein the damping or clutching occurs during swing flexion to store the energy for later release of the energy during swing extension.

15. The device of claim 8 , wherein the device includes the mechanical hip joint.

Assignees

• Massachusetts Inst Technology

Inventors

• Herr Hugh M
• Paluska Daniel Joseph
• Dilworth Peter

Classifications

• A61F2/604 Primary

  Joints for artificial legs (A61F2/605, A61F2/64, A61F2/6607 take precedence) · CPC title

• A61F2002/5033

  for adjusting damping · CPC title

• A61F2002/704

  computer-controlled, e.g. robotic control · CPC title

• A61F2/70

  electrical · CPC title

• A61F2002/5072

  having spring elements · CPC title