Powered leg prosthesis and control methodologies for obtaining near normal gait

Abstract

A powered leg prosthesis includes powered knee joint comprising a knee joint and a knee motor unit for delivering power to the knee joint. The prosthesis also includes a prosthetic lower leg having a socket interface coupled to the knee joint and a powered ankle joint coupled to the lower leg opposite the knee joint comprising an ankle, joint and an ankle motor unit to deliver power to the ankle joint. The prosthesis further includes a prosthetic foot coupled to the ankle joint, at least one sensor for measuring a real-time input, and at least one controller for controlling movement of the prosthesis based on the real-time input.

1 - 25 . (canceled) 
     
     
         26 . A powered leg prosthesis, comprising:
 a powered knee joint comprising a knee joint and a knee motor unit for delivering power to the knee joint;   a powered ankle joint coupled to the knee joint comprising an ankle joint and an ankle motor unit to deliver power to the ankle joint;   a prosthetic foot coupled to the ankle joint;   a plurality of sensors for measuring a real-time input; and   at least one controller for controlling movement of the prosthesis based on the real-time input,   wherein at least one of the knee motor unit or the ankle motor unit is configured to deliver power to a corresponding one of the knee joint and the ankle joint using at least one of a cable drive or a friction drive.   
     
     
         27 . The leg prosthesis of  claim 26 , wherein the one of the knee motor unit and the ankle motor unit comprises a motor having a drive shaft for generating torque, an output stage comprising the corresponding one of the knee joint and the ankle joint and an output gear for providing the power to the corresponding one of the knee joint and the ankle joint based on the torque, and a drive stage comprising a pinion and at least one drive gear for transmitting the torque between the drive shaft and the output stage. 
     
     
         28 . The leg prosthesis of  claim 27 , wherein the friction drive comprises at least one roller preloaded against at least one drive gear for transmitting the torque between the drive shaft and the output stage. 
     
     
         29 . The leg prosthesis of  claim 27 , wherein the pinion is preloaded against the output gear to define the friction drive and to transmit the torque between the drive stage and the output stage. 
     
     
         30 . The leg prosthesis of  claim 27 , wherein a drive cable is wrapped around the pinion and the at least one drive gear to define the cable drive and to transmit the torque between the pinion and the at least one drive gear. 
     
     
         31 . The leg prosthesis of  claim 27 , wherein a drive cable is wrapped around the output gear and the pinion to define the cable drive and to transmit the torque between the drive stage and the output stage. 
     
     
         32 . The leg prosthesis of  claim 27 , wherein a drive cable wrapped around the output gear and the one of the knee joint and the ankle joint to define the cable drive and to transmit the torque between the output gear and the one of the knee joint and the ankle joint. 
     
     
         33 . A powered leg prosthesis, comprising:
 a powered knee joint comprising a knee joint and a knee motor unit for delivering power to the knee joint;   a prosthetic lower leg having a socket interface above the knee joint;   a powered ankle joint coupled to the lower leg opposite the knee joint comprising an ankle joint and an ankle motor unit to deliver power to the ankle joint;   a prosthetic foot including a ball and a heel;   a plurality of sensors for providing a sagittal plane moment, and ground interaction forces at the ball and at the heel, and   at least one controller coupled to the plurality of sensors for extracting real-time input from the user based on data from the plurality of sensors for controlling movement of the prosthesis,   wherein at least one of the knee motor unit or the ankle motor unit delivers power to a corresponding one of the knee joint and the ankle joint using at least one of a cable drive or a friction drive.   
     
     
         34 . The leg prosthesis of  claim 33 , wherein the one of the knee motor unit and the ankle motor unit comprises a motor having a drive shaft for generating torque, an output stage comprising the corresponding one of the knee joint and the ankle joint and an output gear for providing the power to the corresponding one of the knee joint and the ankle joint based on the torque, and a drive stage comprising a pinion and at least one drive gear for transmitting the torque between the drive shaft and the output stage. 
     
     
         35 . The leg prosthesis of  claim 34 , wherein the friction drive comprises at least one roller preloaded against at least one drive gear for transmitting the torque between the drive shaft and the output stage. 
     
     
         36 . The leg prosthesis of  claim 34 , wherein the pinion preloaded against the output gear to define the friction drive and to transmit the torque between the drive stage and the output stage. 
     
     
         37 . The leg prosthesis of  claim 34 , wherein a drive cable is wrapped around the pinion and the at least one drive gear to define the cable drive and to transmit the torque between the pinion and the at least one drive gear. 
     
     
         38 . The leg prosthesis of  claim 34 , wherein a drive cable is wrapped around the output gear and the pinion to define the cable drive and to transmit the torque between the drive stage and the output stage. 
     
     
         39 . The leg prosthesis of  claim 34 , wherein a drive cable wrapped around the output gear and the one of the knee joint and the ankle joint to define the cable drive and to transmit the torque between the output gear and the one of the knee joint and the ankle joint. 
     
     
         40 . A powered leg prosthesis, comprising:
 a powered knee joint comprising a knee joint and a knee motor unit for delivering power to the knee joint;   a powered ankle joint coupled to the knee joint comprising an ankle joint and an ankle motor unit to deliver power to the ankle joint;   a prosthetic foot coupled to the ankle joint;   a plurality of sensors for measuring a real-time input; and   at least one controller for controlling movement of the prosthesis based on the real-time input,   wherein at least one of the knee motor unit or the ankle motor unit is configured to deliver power to a corresponding one of the knee joint and the ankle joint using at least one cable drive and at least one friction drive.   
     
     
         41 . The leg prosthesis of  claim 40 , wherein the one of the knee motor unit and the ankle motor unit comprises a motor having a drive shaft for generating torque, an output stage defining the cable drive and comprising the corresponding one of the knee joint and the ankle joint and an output gear for providing the power to the corresponding one of the knee joint and the ankle joint based on the torque, and a drive stage defining the friction drive and comprising a pinion and at least one drive gear for transmitting the torque between the drive shaft and the output stage. 
     
     
         42 . The leg prosthesis of  claim 41 , wherein the friction drive comprises at least one roller preloaded against at least one drive gear for transmitting the torque between the drive shaft and the output stage. 
     
     
         43 . The leg prosthesis of  claim 41 , wherein the pinion is preloaded against the output gear to define the friction drive and to transmit the torque between the drive stage and the output stage. 
     
     
         44 . The leg prosthesis of  claim 41 , wherein a drive cable wrapped around the output gear and the one of the knee joint and the ankle joint to define the cable drive and to transmit the torque between the output gear and the one of the knee joint and the ankle joint.