Support device replacing the existence or function of a limb
View Patent ↗A prosthesis or orthosis (orthotic brace) includes at least two parts connected to each other by an artificial joint and a control device to brake or lock the joint. The prosthesis or orthosis includes a sensor which detects the position in relation to a fixed line of a part connected to the joint and which is connected to a control device arranged to influence the joint on the basis of position data given by the sensor. The prosthesis or orthosis is a lower limb prosthesis, such as a thigh prosthesis or a hip ex-articulation prosthesis, or a lower limb orthosis. The sensor is arranged to detect the position of the thigh part in relation to a vertical line. The control device is arranged to influence the movement resistance properties of the joint on the basis of data given by the sensor. The sensor is based on detecting the direction of earth's gravity.
1. A prosthetic or orthotic support device for replacing the existence or function of a limb of a body, comprising:
a first part and a second part connected to each other by an artificial knee joint including a pivot, of which parts the first part is a thigh part, which is configured to be fixed to a person's body or which is a part positioned to be closer to the body than the second part, seen from the artificial knee joint;
a control device for the artificial joint, and
a sensor arranged to detect the inclinational position in relation to a fixed line of said thigh part and placed on that side of the pivot of the artificial knee joint which is pivotable together with the movement of the thigh part;
said sensor being coupled to the control device, which is arranged to influence movement resistance properties of the artificial knee joint on the basis of data about said inclinational position given by said sensor in a predetermined inclinational position of said thigh part.
2. The support device according to claim 1 , wherein in a first inclinational position of the part, the control device is arranged to brake the artificial knee joint or to lock the artificial knee joint, and in a second position, the control device is arranged to release the locking of the artificial knee joint or to relieve the braking.
3. The support device according to claim 2 , wherein the first position comprises a first range of angles of inclination and the second position comprises a second range of angles of inclination, wherein a predetermined limit value between the first range and the second range is determined for the sensor or the control device, at which limit value the control device is arranged to change the movement resistance properties of the artificial knee joint.
4. The support device according to claim 3 , wherein the control device is arranged, on the basis of the inclinational position data given by the sensor, to release the locking of the artificial knee joint or to relieve its braking when the thigh part of the support device moves backward from a forwardly inclined position, and to lock the joint or to increase its braking when the thigh part of the support device moves forward from a backwardly inclined position.
5. The support device according to claim 3 , wherein the limit value can be changed in the support device.
6. The support device according to claim 1 , wherein the control device is a pump which is used as an attenuator between the pivotal halves of the artificial knee joint and which has an adjustable resistance to the flow of the medium.
7. The support device according to claim 1 , wherein, to determine the position of both parts connected to each other by means of the artificial knee joint, the support device also comprises a second sensor which is arranged to detect the position of the second part connected to the artificial knee joint.
8. The support device according to claim 1 , wherein the sensor is a sensor detecting along the direction of earth's gravity.
9. The support device according to claim 1 , wherein said part fixable to the body or closer to the body is a part movable by means of the body.