# US 11,307,103 B2 · Method and device for determining a mechanical load

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- Number: US 11,307,103 B2
- Document ID: US11307103B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 16/615,790
- Filed: 2018-05-18
- Published: 2020-06-11
- Granted: 2022-04-19
- Earliest claimed: 2017-05-22
- Assignees: Ottobock SE & Co. Kgaa
- Applicants: Ottobock SE & Co. KGaA
- Inventors: Sebastian Betz; André Mueller
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US11307103B2

## CPC

- G01L 1/16: using properties of piezoelectric devices
- A61F 2/76: Means for assembling, fitting or testing prostheses, e.g. for measuring or balancing
- A61F 5/01: Orthopaedic devices, e.g. long-term immobilising or pressure directing devices for treating broken or deformed bones such as splints, casts or braces
- G01L 5/00: Apparatus for, or methods of, measuring force, work, mechanical power, or torque, specially adapted for specific purposes
- G01L 5/0052: {measuring forces due to impact (G01L5/0061, G01L5/14 take precedence; impact testing of structures G01M7/08; impact testing of material G01N3/00)}
- G01M 5/0033: {by determining damage, crack or wear}
- A61F 2/488: {Means for detecting or monitoring wear}
- A61F 2/70: electrical
- A61F 2002/7635: {for measuring force, pressure or mechanical tension}
- A61F 2005/0188: {having pressure sensors}
- G01L: MEASURING FORCE, STRESS, TORQUE, WORK, MECHANICAL POWER, MECHANICAL EFFICIENCY, OR FLUID PRESSURE (weighing G01G)
- A61F: FILTERS IMPLANTABLE INTO BLOOD VESSELS; PROSTHESES; DEVICES PROVIDING PATENCY TO, OR PREVENTING COLLAPSING OF, TUBULAR STRUCTURES OF THE BODY, e.g. STENTS; ORTHOPAEDIC, NURSING OR CONTRACEPTIVE DEVICES; FOMENTATION; TREATMENT OR PROTECTION OF EYES OR EARS; BANDAGES, DRESSINGS OR ABSORBENT PADS; FIRST-AID KITS (dental prosthetics A61C)
- G01M: TESTING STATIC OR DYNAMIC BALANCE OF MACHINES OR STRUCTURES; TESTING OF STRUCTURES OR APPARATUS, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR

## Abstract

A method for determining a mechanical load to which a component was exposed. The component comprises at least one sensor that is arranged in a force flow of the mechanical load and that emits a measurement signal in the event of a mechanical load. The method comprises providing an increase function, which establishes a relationship between the measurement signal and the mechanical load for an increasing load, providing a decrease function, which establishes a relationship between the measurement signal and the mechanical load for a decreasing load, identifying reversal points at which a change in the measurement signal changes a sign, saving the measurement value and the corresponding increase functional value or decrease functional value at the reversal point, providing a new increase function or a new decrease function by displacing and compressing the increase function or the decrease function, wherein the compression is executed with regards to both the measurement signal and the mechanical load, and determining the mechanical load at least also using the saved values.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A method for determining a mechanical load to which a component was exposed, wherein the component comprises at least one sensor that is arranged in a force flow of the mechanical load and that emits a measurement signal in the event of a mechanical load, wherein the method comprises:
providing an increase function, which establishes a relationship between the measurement signal and the mechanical load for an increasing load;
providing a decrease function, which establishes a relationship between the measurement signal and the mechanical load for a decreasing load;
identifying reversal points at which a change in the measurement signal changes a sign, wherein the reversal points comprise a first local maximum point and a first local minimum point;
storing the measurement value and a corresponding increase functional value or decrease functional value at the reversal points;
providing a new increase function or a new decrease function by displacing and compressing the increase function or the decrease function, wherein the compressing is executed with regards to both the measurement signal and the mechanical load, and wherein the increase function is displaced and compressed such that the new increase function extends between the first local maximum point and the first local minimum point; and
determining the mechanical load at least also using the stored values.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The method according to claim 1, wherein the increase functional value is stored if the reversal point is a local load maximum and the decrease functional value is saved if the reversal point is a local load minimum.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The method according to claim 1, wherein the new increase function or the new decrease function is calculated from the previous increase function or the current decrease function and the reversal point and the previous two reversal points.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

The method according to claim 1, wherein a base increase function and a base decease function are provided prior to the first load, and the base values are identified using measurement data from the at least one sensor.

### Claim 5 (depends on 1)

The method according to claim 1, wherein the values are stored once a reversal point has been reached and are deleted if the reversal point is reached again or passed.

### Claim 6 (depends on 1)

The method according to claim 1, wherein the sensor is adjusted by allocating, under pre-determined conditions, a corresponding measurement value to a known load and providing a previously known increase function and a previously known decrease function.

### Claim 7 (depends on 6)

The method according to claim 6, wherein the load and the allocated measurement value are both zero, and the increase function is the base increase function and the decrease function is the base decrease function.

### Claim 8 (depends on 6)

The method according to claim 6 wherein the reversal points that were saved prior to the adjustment of the sensor are not used to calculate a new increase function or a new decrease function.

### Claim 9 (depends on 1)

The method according to claim 1, wherein at every reversal point, a difference between the functional value to be saved and the functional value saved for the previous reversal point is also saved, as well as a mean value between these two functional values.

### Claim 10 (depends on 1)

The method according to claim 1, wherein the component is an orthosis or a prosthesis or a component thereof.

### Claim 11 (depends on 1)

A component of an orthopedic device, which includes the component and at least one sensor of claim 1, and an electronic data processing device with at least one processor, which is configured to conduct the method according to claim 1.

### Claim 12 (depends on 11)

The component according to claim 11, wherein the at least one sensor has at least one piezoelectric element.

### Claim 13 (depends on 11)

The component according to claim 11, wherein the at least one sensor comprises several piezoelectric elements.

### Claim 14 (depends on 11)

The component according to claim 11, wherein the component features at least one memory, in which the values are stored.

### Claim 15 (depends on 11)

The component according to claim 11, wherein the component is an orthosis or a prosthesis or a component thereof.

### Claim 16 (depends on 1)

The method according to claim 1, wherein the decrease function is displaced and compressed such that the new decrease function extends between the first local maximum point and a zero point.

### Claim 17

A method to determine a mechanical load applied to a component ofan orthopedic device, the component comprising at least one sensor that emits a measurement signal in the event of the mechanical load, the method comprising:
providing an increase function, which establishes a relationship between the measurement signal and the mechanical load for an increasing load;
providing a decrease function, which establishes a relationship between the measurement signal and the mechanical load for a decreasing load;
identifying at least one reversal point at which a sign of the measurement signal changes, wherein the at least one reversal point comprises a first local maximum point and a first local minimum point;
storing the measurement value and a corresponding increase functional value or decrease functional value at the at least one reversal point;
providing a new increase function or a new decrease function by displacing and compressing the increase function or the decrease function, wherein the compressing is executed for both the measurement signal and the mechanical load, and wherein the increase function is displaced and compressed such that the new increase function extends between the first local maximum point and the first local minimum point; and
determining the mechanical load using the stored values.

### Claim 18 (depends on 17)

The method according to claim 17, wherein the increase functional value is stored if the at least one reversal point is a local load maximum and the decrease functional value is saved if the at least one reversal point is a local load minimum.

### Claim 19 (depends on 17)

The method according to claim 17, wherein the new increase function or the new decrease function is calculated from the previous increase function or the current decrease function, and the at least one reversal point and the previous two reversal points.

### Claim 20 (depends on 17)

The method according to claim 17, wherein a base increase function and a base decease function are provided prior to the first load, and the base values are identified using measurement data from the at least one sensor.

### Claim 21 (depends on 17)

The method according to claim 17, wherein the values are stored once a reversal point has been reached and are deleted if the reversal point is reached again or passed.

### Claim 22 (depends on 17)

The method according to claim 17, wherein the decrease function is displaced and compressed such that the new decrease function extends between the first local maximum point and a zero point.