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US 12,208,026 B2Granted
Prosthesis with powered ankle and toe joints
AssigneeUniversity of Utah Research Foundation
InventorsTommaso Lenzi, Lukas R. Gabert, Minh Tran
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
Disclosed herein is a robotic ankle foot prosthesis that replicates the key biomechanical functions of the biological ankle and toe joints while matching the weight, size, and battery life of passive microprocessor-controlled prostheses. A single actuator powers the ankle and toe joints. The mechanism maximizes the mechanical energy regeneration during walking while imitating the physiological features of energy injection by way of the ankle joint and energy dissipation by way of the toe joint.
Claims36
A powered assistive ankle and foot device, comprising:
- a shank assembly comprising an ankle joint and a shank pivot shaft offset from the ankle joint and mechanically connected to the ankle joint;
- a tarsal assembly comprising a proximal section and a distal section, the proximal section being mechanically connected to the shank pivot shaft of the shank assembly;
- a toe assembly mechanically connected to the distal section of the tarsal assembly, the toe assembly comprising a toe joint and a toe pivot shaft offset from the toe joint and mechanically connected to the toe joint, the toe pivot shaft being mechanically connected to the distal section of the tarsal assembly;
- and
- a linear actuator included in or associated with the tarsal assembly, wherein the linear actuator powers movement of both the ankle joint and the toe joint,
- when a distance between the shank pivot shaft and the toe pivot shaft is lessened, the ankle joint moves in plantarflexion and the toe joint moves in toe flexion;
- and
- when a distance between the shank pivot shaft and the toe pivot shaft is increased, the ankle joint moves in dorsiflexion and the toe joint moves in toe extension.
5 more elements
A powered assistive ankle and foot device, comprising:
- a shank assembly comprising an ankle joint and a shank pivot shaft offset from and mechanically connected to the ankle joint;
- a tarsal assembly comprising a proximal section and a distal section, the proximal section being mechanically connected to the shank pivot shaft;
- a toe assembly comprising a toe joint and a toe pivot shaft offset from and mechanically connected to the toe joint, the toe pivot shaft being mechanically connected to the distal section of the tarsal assembly;
- and
- a linear actuator associated with the tarsal assembly, the linear actuator being configured as linear series elastic actuator comprising a screw assembly and a spring,
- wherein an offset distance between the ankle joint and the shank pivot shaft is greater than an offset distance between the toe joint and the toe pivot shaft, and
- wherein the linear actuator is configured to adjust the distance between the shank pivot shaft and the toe pivot shaft to thereby provide simultaneous torque to both the ankle joint and the toe joint.
4 more elements
A powered assistive ankle and foot device, comprising:
- a shank assembly comprising an ankle joint;
- a tarsal assembly comprising a proximal section and a distal section, the proximal section being mechanically connected to the shank assembly;
- a toe assembly mechanically connected to the distal section of the tarsal assembly, the toe assembly comprising a toe joint;
- and
- a linear actuator included in or associated with the tarsal assembly, wherein the linear actuator powers movement of both the ankle joint and the toe joint, wherein the linear actuator comprises a screw assembly including a screw and a nut, and comprises a compliant element configured to move the toe joint toward a neutral position when no force is applied via the linear actuator
- wherein the compliant element is mechanically connected to the nut of the screw assembly and functions to move the nut toward a neutral position along the screw when the screw is not rotated.
3 more elements
A powered assistive ankle and foot device, comprising:
- a shank assembly comprising an ankle joint;
- a tarsal assembly comprising a proximal section and a distal section, the proximal section being mechanically connected to the shank assembly;
- a toe assembly mechanically connected to the distal section of the tarsal assembly, the toe assembly comprising a toe joint;
- and
- a linear actuator included in or associated with the tarsal assembly, wherein the linear actuator powers movement of both the ankle joint and the toe joint, wherein the linear actuator comprises a screw assembly including a screw and a nut, and comprises a compliant element configured to move the toe joint toward a neutral position when no force is applied via the linear actuator,
- wherein the compliant element is attached to and spans between a proximal anchor and a distal anchor, wherein the proximal anchor is connected to the nut of the screw assembly and the distal anchor is connected to the toe pivot shaft.
3 more elements
A powered assistive ankle and foot device, comprising:
- a shank assembly comprising an ankle joint;
- a tarsal assembly comprising a proximal section and a distal section, the proximal section being mechanically connected to the shank assembly;
- a toe assembly mechanically connected to the distal section of the tarsal assembly, the toe assembly comprising a toe joint;
- a linear actuator included in or associated with the tarsal assembly, wherein the linear actuator powers movement of both the ankle joint and the toe joint;
- and
- a motor mechanically connected to the linear actuator to power the linear actuator,
- wherein the motor is attached to or housed within the shank assembly and wherein the motor does not rotate relative to a shank frame during ankle joint movement of the device.
4 more elements
A powered assistive ankle and foot device, comprising:
- a shank assembly comprising an ankle joint;
- a tarsal assembly comprising a proximal section and a distal section, the proximal section being mechanically connected to the shank assembly;
- a toe assembly mechanically connected to the distal section of the tarsal assembly, the toe assembly comprising a toe joint;
- a linear actuator included in or associated with the tarsal assembly, wherein the linear actuator powers movement of both the ankle joint and the toe joint;
- and
- a motor mechanically connected to the linear actuator to power the linear actuator,
- wherein the motor is mechanically connected to the linear actuator via a power transmission assembly, wherein the power transmission assembly comprises multiple bevel gears.
4 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.