Ankle foot orthosis

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2019298564-A1
Application number	US-201616465098-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Dec 22, 2016
Priority date	Dec 22, 2016
Publication date	Oct 3, 2019
Grant date	—

Abstract

An ankle foot orthosis having a lower leg element, a foot element being pivotably coupled to the lower leg element around a pivot axis, and a first energy storing unit being adapted such that moving the foot element relative to the lower leg element in dorsiflexion direction from a position in which the amount of energy stored in the first energy storing unit is minimal loads the first energy storing unit with energy. The first energy storing unit is adapted such that the amount of energy stored in the first energy storing unit is increased by moving the foot element relative to the lower leg element in a plantar flexion direction from a first position in which the amount of energy stored in the first energy storing unit is minimal into a second position and moving the foot element relative to the lower leg element in dorsiflexion direction from the second position back into the first position.

First claim

1 . An ankle foot orthosis comprising:
a lower leg element; a foot element being pivotably coupled to the lower leg element around a pivot axis; a first energy storing unit being adapted such that moving the foot element relative to the lower leg element in a dorsiflexion direction from a position in which an amount of energy stored in the first energy storing unit is minimal loads the first energy storing unit with energy; wherein the first energy storing unit is adapted such that the amount of energy stored in the first energy storing unit is increased by:
first moving the foot element relative to the lower leg element in a plantar flexion direction from a first position in which the amount of energy stored in the first energy storing unit is minimal into a second position; and
afterwards moving the foot element relative to the lower leg element in the dorsiflexion direction from the second position back into the first position.

2 . The ankle foot orthosis according to claim 1 , wherein the first energy storing unit is adapted such that the amount of energy stored in the first energy storing unit after the foot element is moved from the first position into the second position is still minimal.

3 . The ankle foot orthosis according to claim 1 , further comprising a second energy storing unit adapted such that moving the foot element relative to the lower leg element in the plantar flexion direction from a position in which the amount of energy stored in the second energy storing unit is minimal loads the second energy storing unit with energy.

4 . The ankle foot orthosis according to claim 3 , wherein the second energy storing unit is adapted such that moving the foot element relative to the lower leg element in the dorsiflexion direction from a position in which the amount of energy stored in the second energy storing unit is minimal does not change the amount of energy stored in the second energy storing unit.

5 . The ankle foot orthosis according to claim 1 , further comprising a first uncoupling unit adapted to uncouple the first energy storing unit from movement of the foot element relative to the lower leg element, such that moving the foot element relative to the lower leg element does neither load nor unload the first energy storing unit, wherein the first energy storing unit is adapted to release the stored energy when the first uncoupling unit uncouples the first energy storing unit.

6 . The ankle foot orthosis according to claim 1 , further comprising a second uncoupling unit adapted to uncouple the second energy storing unit from the movement of the foot element relative to the lower leg element, such that moving the foot element relative to the lower leg element does neither load nor unload the second energy storing unit, wherein the second energy storing unit is adapted to release the stored energy when the second uncoupling unit uncouples the second energy storing unit.

7 . The ankle foot orthosis according to claim 3 , wherein at least one of the first energy storing unit and the second energy storing unit comprises at least one spring element.

8 . The ankle foot orthosis according to claim 3 , wherein each of the first and second energy storage units includes at least one spring element, the at least one spring element of the first energy storing unit has a higher stiffness than a stiffness of the at least one spring element of the second energy storing unit.

9 . The ankle foot orthosis according to claim 6 , wherein at least one of the first uncoupling unit and the second uncoupling unit comprises a pawl and a ratchet.

10 . The ankle foot orthosis according to claim 5 , further comprising at least one sensor to identify a swing phase of a gait cycle at a control unit to uncouple the first energy storing unit from the movement of the foot element relative to the lower leg element when a swing phase is identified.

11 . The ankle foot orthosis according to claim 10 , wherein the at least one sensor includes two pressure sensors.

12 . The ankle foot orthosis according to claim 3 , wherein at least one of the first energy storing unit and the second energy storing unit comprises at least one pneumatic or hydraulic pressure chamber.

13 . The ankle foot orthosis according to claim 5 , further comprising a second energy storing unit, wherein the first uncoupling unit comprises at least one valve, which can be activated in order to release pressure from at least one pressure chamber of the first energy storage unit or the second energy storage unit.

14 . The ankle foot orthosis according to claim 1 , wherein the first energy storing unit is adapted such that moving the foot element relative to the lower leg element in the plantar flexion direction from the first position to the second position increases the amount of energy stored in the first energy storing unit.

15 . The ankle foot orthosis according to claim 14 , wherein the first energy storing unit comprises at least one pressure chamber wherein the pressure inside the pressure chamber is increased when the foot element is moved relative to the lower leg element in the plantar flexion direction from the first position to the second position.

16 . The ankle foot orthosis according to claim 15 , wherein the pressure inside the pressure chamber is increased when the foot element is moved relative to the lower leg element in the dorsiflexion direction from the second position to the first position.

17 . A method for controlling an ankle foot orthosis comprising:
providing the ankle foot orthosis with a lower leg element, a first uncoupling unit, a foot element pivotably coupled to the lower leg element around a pivot axis, a first energy storing unit adapted such that moving the foot element relative to the lower leg element in a dorsiflexion direction from a position in which an amount of energy stored in the first energy storing unit is minimal loads the first energy storing unit with energy, wherein the first energy storing unit is adapted such that the amount of energy stored in the first energy storing unit is increased by first moving the foot element relative to the lower leg element in a plantar flexion direction from a first position in which the amount of energy stored in the first energy storing unit is minimal into a second position, and afterwards moving the foot element relative to the lower leg element in the dorsiflexion direction from the second position back into the first position; during a complete controlled dorsiflexion phase of a gait cycle the first uncoupling unit does not uncouple the first energy storing unit from the movement of the foot element so that the amount of energy stored in the first energy storing unit increases; and during a swing phase of the gait cycle the first uncoupling unit does uncouple the first energy storing unit from the movement of the foot element.

18 . The method according to claim 17 , wherein the first uncoupling unit uncouples the first energy storing unit from movement of the foot element when the swing phase is detected.

19 . The method according to claim 17 , wherein the first uncoupling unit couples the first energy storing unit to movement of the foot element when a heel strike is detected.

20 . An ankle foot orthosis comprising:
a lower leg element; a foot element pivotably coupled to the lower leg element; a first energy storing unit storing additional energy in response to:
moving the foot element relative to the lower leg element in a plantar flexion direction from the

Assignees

• Ottobock Se & Co Kgaa

Inventors

• Van Der Wilk Anna Sibylla Dymphna
• Reints Roy
• Verkerke Gijsbertus Jacob
• Hijmans Juha Markus
• Postema Klaas

Classifications

• A61F2005/0155

  with actuating means · CPC title

• A61F2005/0188

  having pressure sensors · CPC title

• A61F5/0111

  for the feet or ankles · CPC title

• A61F2005/0179

  with spring means · CPC title

• A61F2005/0158

  with locking means · CPC title