Method for controlling an orthopedic foot

A method for controlling an orthopedic foot which has a connection part for a lower leg, a swivel joint which acts as an ankle joint, a foot part rotatably connected to said swivel joint configured to rotate in a direction of dorsiflexion and a direction of plantar flexion relative to said connection part, a damping arrangement influencing rotational movement of said foot part about said swivel joint, a sensor arrangement for detecting action states of said foot part, and a control unit connected to said sensor arrangement which controls said damping arrangement, comprising the steps of:

• measuring, in said orthopedic foot with said sensor arrangement, values proportional to
• i) torque occurring at said ankle joint by a moment or torque sensor,
• ii) ankle angle between said connection part and said foot part, by an angle sensor and
• iii) an absolute angle of said foot part with respect to a plumb line by an inclination or acceleration sensor which determines the inclination relative to the gravitational force relative to the perpendicular;
• and
• controlling said damping arrangement as a function of only said i) torque, ii) ankle angle, and iii) absolute angle measurements determined in said measuring step, during each of
• i) heel-toe motion of said foot part in a stance phase of walking,
• ii) positioning of said foot part in a swing phase of walking, and
• iii) positioning and movability of said foot part whilst standing,
• wherein said step of controlling is performed exclusively by passive control, and
• wherein at an outset of a swing phase of a gait cycle, a return spring effects a return in said direction of dorsiflexion by reducing a value of damping means of said damping arrangement in said direction of dorsiflexion such that there is a dorsiflexion of said foot part during a heel impact at an end of a swing phase.

A method for controlling an orthopedic foot which has a connection part for a lower leg, a swivel joint which acts as an ankle joint, a foot part rotatably connected to said swivel joint configured to rotate in a direction of dorsiflexion and a direction of plantar flexion relative to said connection part, a damping arrangement influencing rotational movement of said foot part about said swivel joint, a sensor arrangement for detecting action states of said foot part, and a control unit connected to said sensor arrangement which controls said damping arrangement, comprising the steps of:

• measuring, in said orthopedic foot with said sensor arrangement, values proportional to
• i) torque occurring at said ankle joint by a moment or torque sensor,
• ii) ankle angle between said connection part and said foot part, by an angle sensor and
• iii) an absolute angle of said foot part with respect to a plumb line by an inclination or acceleration sensor which determines the inclination relative to the gravitational force relative to the perpendicular;
• identifying a neutral position from measurements determined in said measuring step;
• and
• controlling, starting from said neutral position, said damping arrangement as a function of only said i)torque, ii) ankle angle, and iii) absolute angle measurements determined in said measuring step, during each of
• i) heel-toe motion of said foot part in a stance phase of walking,
• ii) positioning of said foot part in a swing phase of walking, and
• iii) positioning and movability of said foot part whilst standing.

A method for controlling an orthopedic foot which has a connection part for a lower leg, a swivel joint which acts as an ankle joint, a foot part rotatably connected to said swivel joint configured to rotate in a direction of dorsiflexion and a direction of plantar flexion relative to said connection part, a damping arrangement influencing rotational movement of said foot part about said swivel joint, a sensor arrangement for detecting action states of said foot part, and a control unit connected to said sensor arrangement which controls said damping arrangement, comprising the steps of:

• measuring, in said orthopedic foot with said sensor arrangement, values proportional to
• i) torque occurring at said ankle joint by a moment or torque sensor,
• ii) ankle angle between said connection part and said foot part, by an angle sensor and
• iii) an absolute angle of said foot part with respect to a plumb line by an inclination or acceleration sensor which determines the inclination relative to the gravitational force relative to the perpendicular;
• and
• controlling said damping arrangement as a function of only said i) torque, ii) ankle angle, and iii) absolute angle measurements determined in said measuring step, during each of
• i) heel-toe motion of said foot part in a stance phase of walking,
• ii) positioning of said foot part in a swing phase of walking, and
• iii) positioning and movability of said foot part whilst standing.

A method for controlling an orthopedic foot which has a connection part for a lower leg, a swivel joint which acts as an ankle joint, a foot part rotatably connected to said swivel joint configured to rotate in a direction of dorsiflexion and a direction of plantar flexion relative to said connection part, a damping arrangement influencing rotational movement of said foot part about said swivel joint, a sensor arrangement for detecting action states of said foot part, and a control unit connected to said sensor arrangement which controls said damping arrangement, comprising the steps of:

• measuring, in said orthopedic foot with said sensor arrangement, values proportional to
• i) torque occurring at said ankle joint by a moment or torque sensor,
• ii) ankle angle between said connection part and said foot part by an angle sensor, and
• iii) an absolute angle of said foot part with respect to a plumb line by an inclination or acceleration sensor which determines the inclination relative to the gravitational force relative to the perpendicular;
• and
• controlling, said damping arrangement as a function of only said i) torque, ii) ankle angle, and iii) absolute angle measurements determined in said measuring step, during each of
• i) heel-toe motion of said foot part in a stance phase of walking,
• ii) positioning of said foot part in a swing phase of walking,
• iii) positioning and movability of said foot part whilst standing, and
• wherein at an outset of a swing phase of a gait cycle, a return spring effects a return in said direction of dorsiflexion by reducing a value of damping means of said damping arrangement in said direction of dorsiflexion such that there is a dorsiflexion of said foot part during a heel impact at an end of a swing phase.