Prosthesis or orthosis comprising a hinge joint system for functionally assisting, enhancing and/or replacing a hinge joint of a human or animal subject

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10709583-B2
Application number	US-201515327277-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jul 8, 2015
Priority date	Jul 18, 2014
Publication date	Jul 14, 2020
Grant date	Jul 14, 2020

Abstract

A prosthesis or orthosis having a movement controlling mechanism (MCM) including a first MCM part, a second MCM part and one or more intermediate elements and biasing mechanism which, in a contacting mode of operation of the MCM, bias the intermediate elements against a MCM part. When a relative torque or force is applied in a blocking sense (U) transmission of torque is allowed and, on the other hand, when a torque or force is applied in the opposite sense (V) non-blocking relative movement is allowed.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A prosthesis or orthosis comprising:
an ankle hinge joint system for functionally assisting, enhancing and/or replacing an ankle hinge joint of a human or animal subject with the ankle hinge joint system pivotably oscillating in a controlled manner as the subject walks, the ankle hinge joint system comprising:
a first member and a second member interconnected to enable pivotably oscillating rotational movement in respect to one another;
a movement controlling mechanism (MCM) mounted between the first member and the second member comprising a first MCM part, a second MCM part and one or more intermediate elements in the form of a plurality of rollers provided between the two MCM parts for controlling the rotational movement between the first member and the second member, wherein, the first MCM part is connected to the first member or is part of the first member and the second MCM part is connected to the second member or is part of the second member; and
a resetting means comprising a plurality of rigidly interlinked bars for switching the MCM between a contacting and a released mode of operation, allowing a manipulation of the one or more intermediate elements of the MCM between a contacting status wherein the one or more intermediate elements are biased into direct contact with one of the first and second MCM parts, and a released status wherein the one or more elements is or are brought into a position out of contact with the concerned first MCM part or the concerned second MCM part, so that the resetting means unlock the MCM parts from one another, when the MCM is set into such a released mode of operation and so that in this mode of operation the MCM parts can also be moved in a sense (U) which corresponds to a blocking sense (U) when the MCM operates in the contacting mode of operation.

2. The prosthesis or orthosis according to claim 1 , wherein the second member consists of a body comprising two second member parts, which are interconnected by a relatively elastic interconnection part, the second MCM part being fixedly connected to one of the second member parts or forming an integral part of it.

3. The prosthesis or orthosis according to claim 1 , wherein the second MCM part is connected to the second member by a first passive elastic element which is directly or indirectly mounted on the second MCM part and in which energy can be stored by increasing the stress in the first elastic element, by compressing, stretching, bending or by twisting it, and which releases the stored energy when the stress accumulated in the first elastic element is decreased.

4. The prosthesis or orthosis according to claim 1 , wherein the MCM is provided with a lever arm which is mounted fixedly on the second MCM part and a first passive elastic element is mounted indirectly on the second MCM part, with one end on the lever arm and with another end on the second member.

5. The prosthesis or orthosis according to claim 1 , wherein the first MCM part is connected fixedly to the first member or is an integral part of it.

6. The prosthesis or orthosis according to claim 1 , wherein a passive or active mechanical or electromechanical system is mounted directly or indirectly between the first member and the second MCM part.

7. The prosthesis or orthosis according to claim 6 , wherein the mechanical or electromechanical system is a passive mechanical system consisting of a second passive elastic element, in which energy can be stored by increasing the stress in the second elastic element, either by compressing, stretching, bending or twisting it, and which releases the stored energy when the stress accumulated in the second elastic element is decreased.

8. The prosthesis or orthosis according to claim 6 , wherein the mechanical or electromechanical system comprises an electric motor driven ballscrew actuating system.

9. The prosthesis or orthosis according to claim 1 , wherein an actuating system comprises an electric motor driven ballscrew actuator put in series with a third elastic element in which energy can be stored by increasing the stress in the third elastic element, either by compressing, stretching, bending or twisting it, and which releases the stored energy when the stress accumulated in the third elastic element is decreased.

10. The prosthesis or orthosis according to claim 1 , wherein the bias mechanism further comprises an electric motor driven ballscrew system mounted between the first member and a lever arm of the MCM which is fixedly connected to the second MCM part or which forms an integral part with the second MCM.

11. The prosthesis or orthosis according to claim 1 , wherein the bias mechanism further comprises a ballscrew system mounted on a part of the second member which is connected fixedly to the second MCM part or which forms an integral part with the second MCM part.

12. The prosthesis or orthosis according to claim 1 , wherein the MCM controls a rotational movement in function of torque or force applied on the members of the prosthesis or orthosis.

13. The prosthesis or orthosis according to claim 1 , wherein the MCM controls a translational movement in function of torque or force applied on the members of the prosthesis or orthosis.

14. The prosthesis or orthosis according to claim 1 , wherein the MCM comprises an overrunning clutch assembly comprising an overrunning clutch comprising two concentrically arranged raceways, forming the first MCM part and the second MCM part, a plurality of rollers disposed between the two raceways, forming the one or more intermediate elements, and the resetting means comprising a plurality of biasing mechanisms which bias the plurality of rollers into a corresponding plurality of wedges formed between the two raceways such as to transmit torque between the two raceways through the plurality of rollers when the two raceways are rotating in a blocking sense (U) of direction with respect to each other and to decouple torque between the two raceways when the two raceways are rotating in a freewheel sense (F) of direction with respect to each other, and wherein the resetting means is adapted for moving the plurality of rollers out of the plurality of wedges such as to decouple torque between the two raceways when the two raceways are rotating in the blocking sense (U) of direction with respect to each other.

15. The prosthesis or orthosis according to claim 14 , wherein the resetting means comprises a plurality of rigidly interlinked bars mounted such as to enable coaxial rotation with respect to the two raceways, each bar of the plurality of rigidly linked bars extending in between the two raceways such as to push against a corresponding roller when the plurality of rigidly linked bars is rotated relative to the plurality of rollers.

16. The prosthesis or orthosis according to claim 1 , further comprising a resetting mechanism formed by an electric actuator for providing mechanical energy for moving the plurality of rollers.

17. The prosthesis or orthosis according to claim 16 , wherein the resetting mechanism further comprises a slider mechanism comprising a compression spring, the electric actuator being adapted for compressing the compression spring on the slider mechanism, the slider mechanism being adapted for moving the plurality of rollers out of a plurality of wedges when the torque between two raceways is smaller than a predetermined level and the compression spring is compressed.

18. The prosthesis or orthosis according to claim 1 , forming a foot-ankle prosthesis wherein the first member comprises a

Assignees

• Univ Brussel Vrije

Inventors

• Lefeber Dirk
• Cherelle Pierre

Classifications

• A61F2/70

  electrical · CPC title

• A61F2002/5075

  Multiple spring systems including two or more helical springs · CPC title

• A61F2005/0144

  Multibar · CPC title

• A61F2002/6845

  Clutches · CPC title

• A61F2002/507

  Roller bearings · CPC title