Method and device for controlling an artificial orthotic or prosthetic knee joint

The method as claimed in one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the resistance is increased, or not reduced, if the knee angle is less than 15°.

The method as claimed in one of the preceding claims, characterized in that a knee torque is detected and the resistance is increased, or not reduced, if a knee torque acting in the direction of flexion is determined.

The method as claimed in one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the inertial angle of the lower leg part is determined either directly or from the inertial angle of another connection part and a joint angle.

The method as claimed in one of the preceding claims, characterized in that a changing of the inertial angle of a joint part is determined directly by way of a gyroscope or from the differentiation of an inertial angle signal of the joint part or from the inertial angle signal of a connection part and a joint angle.

The method as claimed in one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the resistance is reduced in the standing phase if an inertial angle of the lower leg part that is increasing in relation to the vertical is determined.

The method as claimed in one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the resistance is reduced if the movement of the dower leg part in relation to the upper leg part is not bending.

The method as claimed in one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the resistance is reduced if there is a stretching knee torque.

The method as claimed in one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the distance of the ground reaction force vector from a joint part is determined and the resistance is reduced if a threshold value of the distance is exceeded.

The method as claimed in one of the preceding claims, characterized in that, after a reduction, the resistance is increased again to the value for the standing phase if, within a fixed time after the reduction of the resistance, a threshold value for an inertial angle of a joint component, for an inertial angle velocity, for a ground reaction force, for a joint torque, for a joint angle or for a distance of a force vector from a joint component is not reached.

The method as claimed in one of the preceding claims, characterized in that, after a reduction, the resistance is increased again to the value for the standing phase if, after the reduction of the resistance and reaching a threshold value for an inertial angle of a joint component, an inertial angle velocity, a ground reaction force, a joint torque, a joint angle or a distance of a force vector from a joint component after the reduction, a further threshold value for an inertial anode, for an inertial angle velocity, for a ground reaction force, for a joint torque, for a joint angle or for a distance of a force vector from a joint component is not reached within a fixed time.

The method as claimed in one of the preceding claims, characterized in that, in the case of a failure of devices for detecting torques, forces and/or joint angles, alternative control algorithms on the basis of the remaining devices are used for changing the stretching and/or bending resistance.

A device for carrying out the method as claimed in one of the preceding claims, with a settable resistance device, which is arranged between two components of an artificial orthotic or prosthetic knee joint that are mounted one against the other in a jointed manner, with a control device and sensors that detect information pertaining to the state of the device, characterized in that a setting device is provided and in that a loading-dependent change in resistance can be activated and/or can be deactivated by way of the setting device.