Joint device, hydraulic unit and method for controlling a joint device

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11602444-B2
Application number	US-201716339682-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Oct 6, 2017
Priority date	Oct 6, 2016
Publication date	Mar 14, 2023
Grant date	Mar 14, 2023

Abstract

A joint device with an upper part and a lower part which are mounted on each other so as to be pivotable about a pivot axis, a hydraulic unit secured on the upper part and the lower part, and a housing in which a cylinder is arranged. A working piston is arranged in the cylinder and is coupled to at least one spring mechanism which transmits tensile forces and compressive forces and which engages on at least one abutment arranged displaceably inside the cylinder.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A joint device comprising:
an upper part and a lower part which are mounted on each other so as to be pivotable about a pivot axis;
a hydraulic unit secured on the upper part and the lower part;
a housing;
a cylinder arranged in the housing;
a working piston arranged in the cylinder, connected to a piston rod, mounted displaceably, and arranged to divide the cylinder into two chambers;
at least one spring device coupled to the working piston and configured to transmit tensile forces and compressive forces and engage on at least one abutment which is arranged inside the cylinder.

2. The joint device according to claim 1 , wherein the abutment is mounted as a displaceably mounted separating element or piston in the chamber and separates at least one subchamber from the chamber.

3. The joint device according to claim 2 , wherein the chambers and at least one subchamber are hydraulically connected to one another via channels in which adjustable valves are arranged.

4. The joint device according to claim 2 , wherein the chambers are hydraulically coupled to one another via channels in which adjustment valves are arranged.

5. The joint device according to claim 1 , wherein the abutment limits the chambers on the outside and a non-displaceable barrier wall separates at least one subchamber from the chambers.

6. The joint device according to claim 5 , wherein in each case the chambers and the at least one subchamber are connected to one another via the adjustable valves arranged in the barrier wall.

7. The joint device according to claim 1 , wherein the spring device is arranged within one of the chambers.

8. The joint device according to claim 2 , wherein the at least one spring device comprises at least two spring devices, wherein the at least one subchamber comprises at least two subchambers, and wherein the at least two spring devices are each arranged in a different subchamber of the at least two subchambers.

9. The joint device according to claim 1 , wherein the spring device holds the upper part in an adjustable starting position relative to the lower part.

10. The joint device according claim 1 , wherein the joint device is arranged in a prosthetic or orthotic foot or a prosthetic or orthotic knee joint.

11. The joint device according to claim 1 , wherein two abutments are present in the hydraulic device, and are arranged on opposite sides of the working piston from one another.

12. A method for setting and operating a joint device, the method comprising:
providing the joint device having an upper part and a lower part, which are mounted on each other so as to be pivotable about a pivot axis, with a hydraulic unit secured on the upper part and the lower part, with a housing in which a cylinder is arranged, in which a working piston connected to a piston rod is mounted displaceably and divides the cylinder into two chambers, wherein the working piston is coupled to at least a spring device which transmits tensile and compressive forces and which engages on at least one abutment mounted displaceably in a chamber of the chambers;
opening or adjusting valves in channels to set a zero position of the working piston or control a pivoting movement of the upper part relative to a lower part.

13. The method according to claim 12 , wherein each abutment separates a subchamber from the respective chamber of the chambers, and the chambers and the respective subchambers are hydraulically coupled to one another via the lines and valves and the valves are closed to block the joint device.

14. The method according to claim 13 , wherein the abutment limits the chambers on the outside and a non-displaceable barrier wall separates the at least one subchamber from the chambers, and the chambers are hydraulically coupled to one another via the lines and the chambers and the corresponding subchambers are connected by adjustment valves and the valves are closed to block the joint device.

15. The method according to claim 13 , wherein oscillation of the joint device about an adjustable zero point opens the hydraulic connection between two subchambers lying on opposite sides of the working piston and closes the connection between the chambers.

16. The method according to claim 12 , wherein the abutment separates each of the chambers into two subchambers, and the chambers and the subchambers are hydraulically coupled to one another via lines and valves, and the valves allocated to the chambers are opened to release the joint device.

17. The method according to claim 13 , wherein the abutment limits the respective chamber of the chambers on the outside and a non-displaceable barrier wall separates the at least one subchamber from the respective chamber of the chambers, and the chambers are hydraulically coupled to one another via lines and each chamber and a corresponding one of the subchambers are connected via adjustment valves arranged in the barrier wall, and the valves are opened to release the joint device.

18. The method according to claim 12 , wherein the valves are only partially opened for damping the pivoting movement.

19. The method according to claim 12 , wherein the abutment limits the chambers on the outside, each abutment separates a sub-chamber from the respective chamber of the chambers and a non-displaceable barrier wall separates the at least one subchamber from the chambers, and the chambers are hydraulically coupled to one another via lines and each chamber and the corresponding subchamber are connected via the adjustment valves arranged in the barrier wall, wherein oscillation about an adjustable zero point, closes the hydraulic connection between the two chambers lying on opposite sides of the working piston, and at least partially opens the valves between the chambers opposite the working piston and the at least one sub-chamber.

20. The method according to claim 12 , wherein at least one sensor is allocated to the joint device and is coupled to a control device, and adjustment of the abutment takes place on the basis of sensor values.

Assignees

• Bock Otto Healthcare Prod Gmbh

Inventors

• Seyr Martin
• Sima Harald
• Auberger Roland

Classifications

• A61F2002/5006

  Dampers, e.g. hydraulic damper · CPC title

• A61F2/748

  Valve systems · CPC title

• A61F2/70 Primary

  electrical · CPC title

• A61F2002/503

  for adjusting elasticity, flexibility, spring rate or mechanical tension · CPC title

• A61F2002/5073

  Helical springs, e.g. having at least one helical spring · CPC title