Magnetic locking mechanism for prosthetic or orthotic joints

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10722386-B2
Application number	US-201815923625-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Mar 16, 2018
Priority date	Sep 18, 2015
Publication date	Jul 28, 2020
Grant date	Jul 28, 2020

Abstract

A magnetic locking actuator for a prosthetic or orthotic device is provided. The actuator includes a first component including one or more magnets and a second component including one or more magnets. The first and second components are coupled to separate portions of the device. The magnets allow for adjustment of a length of the actuator to adjust an angular orientation of the first and second portions of the device. When magnets in the second component are aligned with magnets in the first component having an opposite polarity, a position of the second component is fixed relative to the first component, locking the actuator. When magnets in the second component are not aligned with magnets in the first component having the opposite polarity, the position of the second component is adjustable relative to the first component, thereby allowing adjustment of the height of the actuator.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A prosthetic foot having an adjustable heel height, comprising:
a first plate extending between a proximal end and a distal end;
a second plate disposed below the first plate and extending between a proximal end and a distal end, the first and second plates coupled at the distal ends of the first and second plates;
an adapter pivotally coupled to the proximal end of the first plate at a first joint of the adapter; and
a mechanical actuator assembly having an adjustable length configured to adjust the heel height of the prosthetic foot, the actuator assembly comprising:
a first actuator subassembly having at least one magnet, the first actuator subassembly pivotally coupled to the adapter at a second joint of the adapter disposed rearward of the first joint, the first actuator subassembly having a housing that comprises an opening along an axis of the housing, the at least one magnet secured within the housing about the axis of the housing, and
a second actuator subassembly having at least one magnet, the second actuator subassembly having a first portion terminating at a first end and a second portion terminating at a second end, the first end sized to allow the first portion to partially extend into the opening of the housing of the first actuator subassembly, the second end at least operably coupled to the proximal end of the second plate, wherein the first portion is rotatable relative to the second portion and to the housing of the first actuator subassembly, the at least one magnet of the second actuator subassembly extending circumferentially about a longitudinal axis of the second actuator subassembly and coupled to the first portion,

wherein the first and second actuator subassemblies are movable between first relative positions where the first and second actuator subassemblies are substantially locked relative to each other by an attractive magnetic force exerted between the at least one magnet of the first actuator subassembly and the at least one magnet of the second actuator subassembly to maintain the heel height of the prosthetic foot, and second relative positions where the first and second actuator subassemblies are adjustable relative to each other along a longitudinal axis of the actuator assembly to adjust the heel height by moving the at least one magnet of the first actuator subassembly having a first polarity out of alignment with the at least one magnet of the second actuator subassembly having a second polarity, the second polarity being opposite to the first polarity.

2. The prosthetic foot of claim 1 , wherein the first portion of the second actuator subassembly is rotatable relative to the opening of the housing of the first actuator subassembly so as to overcome the attractive magnetic force.

3. The prosthetic foot of claim 1 , wherein the at least one magnet of the first actuator subassembly and/or the at least one magnet of the second actuator subassembly is cylindrical.

4. The prosthetic foot of claim 3 , wherein the at least one magnet of the first actuator subassembly and/or the at least one magnet of the second subassembly comprises split polarities or adjacent sections of alternating polarities.

5. The prosthetic foot of claim 1 , wherein in the first relative positions, the first and second actuator subassemblies are substantially locked by the attractive magnetic force between the at least one magnet of the first actuator subassembly having the first polarity aligned with the at least one magnet of the second actuator subassembly having the second polarity.

6. The prosthetic foot of claim 1 , wherein moving the at least one magnet of the first actuator subassembly having the first polarity out of alignment with the at least one magnet of the second actuator subassembly having the second polarity further comprises moving of the at least one magnet of the first actuator subassembly having the first polarity into alignment with another one of the at least one magnet of the second actuator subassembly having the first polarity.

7. The prosthetic foot of claim 1 , wherein the second actuator subassembly comprises a shaft at the first end and a connector at the second end, the shaft configured to be at least partially received in the opening of the housing of the first actuator subassembly, and the connector coupled to the proximal end of the second plate.

8. The prosthetic foot of claim 7 , wherein the shaft and the at least one magnet of the second actuator subassembly comprise a single piece.

9. The prosthetic foot of claim 7 , wherein the shaft and the connector are threadedly engaged.

10. The prosthetic foot of claim 9 , wherein rotating the shaft relative to the housing of the first actuator subassembly and the connector is configured to adjust the heel height of the prosthetic foot.

11. The prosthetic foot of claim 1 , wherein the mechanical actuator assembly comprises numerical identifiers indicative of the heel height of the prosthetic foot.

12. The prosthetic foot of claim 1 , wherein the second actuator subassembly comprises a stopper preventing disconnection of the second actuator subassembly from the first actuator subassembly.

13. The prosthetic foot of claim 1 , wherein the second actuator subassembly comprises a connector coupled to the proximal end of the second plate at the second end, wherein the connector is threadedly coupled to a rotatable portion of the second actuator subassembly that is closer to the first end than the connector.

14. The prosthetic foot of claim 13 , wherein the rotatable portion of the second actuator subassembly comprises numerical identifiers indicative of the heel height of the prosthetic foot.

15. The prosthetic foot of claim 1 , comprising a third foot plate located below the second foot plate, an anterior end of the third foot plate defining a toe end of the prosthetic foot, and a posterior end of the third foot plate defining a heel end of the prosthetic foot.

16. The prosthetic foot of claim 15 , wherein the third foot plate is coupled to the distal ends of the first and second foot plates, the distal ends of the first and second foot plates being more posterior than the anterior end of the third foot plate.

17. The prosthetic foot of claim 15 , wherein the third foot plate comprises a generally U-shaped cut-out portion at the anterior end, the cut-out portion dividing the anterior end of the third foot plate into a medial toe portion and a lateral toe portion.

Assignees

• Oessur Iceland Ehf

Inventors

• Clausen Arinbjörn Viggo

Classifications

• G05G7/12

  specially adapted for actuating a member on a system in motion with respect to the controlling member, e.g. on a rotating shaft · CPC title

• A61F2002/6614

  Feet · CPC title

• A61F2002/5084

  telescopic · CPC title

• A61F2/76

  Means for assembling, fitting or testing prostheses, e.g. for measuring or balancing, {e.g. alignment means} · CPC title

• G05G7/00

  Manually-actuated control mechanisms provided with one single controlling member co-operating with one single controlled member; Details thereof (controlling members G05G1/00) · CPC title