SYSTEM MADE UP OF MULTIPLE ORTHOPEDIC COMPONENTS AND METHOD FOR CONTROLLING SUCH A SYSTEM

Abstract

A system made up of multiple orthopedic components which are coupled to one another, having a first electronic and/or electric device which has a first supply terminal via which the first electric and/or electronic device can be supplied with energy and/or data from a charging station via a plug. At least a second electric and/or electronic device is provided on one of the components which has a separate, second supply terminal and/or a plug connection which can be coupled to the first electronic and/or electric device for transmitting energy and/or data via the first supply terminal or a separate plug connection.

Claims

1. A system comprising: multiple orthopedic components which are coupled to one another; a first electronic unit, which comprises a first supply terminal, via which the first electronic unit can be supplied with at least one of energy and data from a charging station via a plug; at least one second electronic unit arranged on one of the orthopedic components, the at least one second electrical component comprises at least one of a separate supply terminal and a plug terminal, which can be coupled to the first electronic unit to transmit at least one of energy and data via the first supply terminal or a separate plug terminal.

2. The system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the first electronic unit and the at least one second electronic unit are coupled to one another via a plug connection between the plug terminals, the supply terminals, or one plug terminal and one supply terminal.

3. The system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the supply terminals of the first electronic unit and the at least one second electronic unit are compatible with the plug terminal.

4. The system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the supply terminal of the first electronic unit is compatible with the plug terminal of the at least one second electronic unit.

5. The system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the electronic units each comprise at least one of an actuator, a control unit, a processing circuit, a sensor, a data memory, a hydraulic damper, and an energy accumulator.

6. The system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the orthopedic components are at least one of mechanically and electrically coupled to one another.

7. The system as claimed in claim 1, wherein exclusively data, exclusively electric energy, or both are transmittable via the plug terminal.

8. The system as claimed in claim 1, further comprising an adapter connectable to the first or second supply terminal or plug terminal, wherein the adapter comprises an input terminal for different charging stations.

9. The system as claimed in claim 1, wherein at least one of the supply terminal and the plug terminal comprises a fastening unit for the fixation on the respective component.

10. The system as claimed in claim 1, further comprising a control unit having multiple electronic units is coupled to accumulators for electric energy, the control unit detects charge levels of the accumulators and distributes charging current from the supply terminal to the accumulators or electric energy among the accumulators in dependence on the charge levels of the accumulators.

11. The system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the electronic units are coupled to one another at least one of electrically and to transmit data.

12. The system as claimed in claim 11, wherein all electronic units are connected to a control unit, the control unit identifies all electronic units and prompts activation or deactivation thereof.

13. A method for controlling a system as claimed in claim 1, wherein all electronic units provided in the system and coupled to one another are triggered by a control unit, the status and functional scope thereof are queried, and at least one of energy and data signals are transmitted to the respective electronic units.

14. The method as claimed in claim 13, wherein charge levels of multiple accumulators of electric energy are detected and the charging energy is distributed on the basis of the detected charge levels during a charging procedure.

15. The method as claimed in claim 13, further comprising multiple accumulators of electric energy are combined to form a composite and a supply of the electronic units from the composite is distributed centrally by the control unit.

16. The method as claimed in claim 15, wherein the accumulator of electric energy having a highest charge level is first assigned to a consumer.

17. The method as claimed in claim 13, further comprising accumulators of electric energy operable to carry out a charge exchange with one another.

18. The method as claimed in claim 13, wherein functions of the electronic units are activated or deactivated due to the coupled orthopedic components.

19. The method as claimed in claim 13, wherein the electronic units are authenticated after the coupling of the orthopedic components and at least one of a functional scope and an energy release thereof is established in dependence on the electronic units combined with one another.

20. A system comprising: a plurality of orthopedic components coupled to one another; a first electronic unit comprising at least one of a first supply terminal and a first plug terminal, the first electronic unit being supplied with at least one of energy and data from a charging station via the first supply terminal; at least one second electronic unit arranged on one of the orthopedic components, the at least one second electrical component comprising at least one of a second supply terminal and a second plug terminal, the at least one second electronic unit being coupled to the first electronic unit to transmit at least one of energy and data via at least one of the first and second supply terminal or at least one of the first and second plug terminals.

Description

[0026] Exemplary embodiments of the invention are explained in greater detail hereafter on the basis of the appended figures. In the figures:

[0027] FIG. 1shows a first variant of the system; and

[0028] FIG. 2shows a second variant.

[0029] A prosthesis of a lower extremity having multiple orthopedic components 10, 11, 12, 15 is shown in a schematic illustration in FIG. 1. A femoral socket having a connecting adapter for fastening on an upper part of a prosthetic knee joint is shown as a first orthopedic component 10. A second orthopedic component 11 in the form of a transtibial part is arranged on the prosthetic knee joint so it is pivotable around a pivot axis 13. A third orthopedic component 12 in the form of a prosthetic ankle joint is fastened on the transtibial part as the second orthopedic component 11, on which ankle joint a prosthetic foot 15 is mounted so it is pivotable around a pivot axis 14 as the fourth orthopedic component. The femoral socket as the first orthopedic component 10 is a solely passive component and is used to accommodate a femoral stump, to be able to fix the prosthetic leg securely on the patient. Via the femoral socket and a prosthetic liner arranged therein, for example, a mechanical fixation of the prosthetic leg on the patient can be performed via a partial vacuum system. Alternatively to a multipart prosthesis, the system can be formed as an orthotic, a wheelchair or a prosthetic or orthotic unit for an upper extremity can also be used as an orthopedic component, for example, a prosthetic arm, an arm orthotic, or a shoulder orthotic. Combinations of prosthetics, orthotics, and wheelchairs or other mobility aids are also considered to be a system.

[0030] In the illustrated system, a first electrical and/or electronic unit 110 in the form of a hydraulic actuator is arranged in the second orthopedic component 11. The hydraulic actuator can be formed as a passive component and can comprise a hydraulic damper, which comprises positioning drives, via which valves are opened or closed to be able to set an extension resistance and/or flexion resistance. Moreover, an accumulator 115 for storing electric energy can be arranged on the hydraulic actuator or assigned thereto in order to supply the positioning drives with energy. In a design of the electrical and/or electronic unit 110 as an active actuator, a pump unit or a mechanical energy accumulator, for example, a spring or pressure accumulator, is assigned to the hydraulic damper, via which it is possible to effectuate or assist a movement of the femoral socket in relation to the lower leg. For this purpose, the energy from the energy accumulator 115 is converted into movement energy, so that, for example, a piston rod is moved out of the hydraulic actuator to assist or effectuate an extension movement. Vice versa, hydraulic fluid can be circulated by a pump or a pressure accumulator, so that a piston rod is retracted into a housing of the hydraulic actuator, in order that the distance between two fastening points of the hydraulic actuator on the upper part and the lower part of the prosthetic joint is shortened in order to execute a flexion movement.

[0031] The second electrical and/or electronic component 120 is arranged distal to the first electrical and/or electronic component 110 in the orthopedic component 12 in the form of a prosthetic ankle joint. An electrical and/or hydraulic actuator can also be arranged inside the prosthetic ankle joint, which can be supplied with electric energy via an accumulator 125 for electric energy. In addition to the accumulator 125 for electric energy, a control unit 126 is arranged in the prosthetic ankle joint, the control unit 116 is arranged in the first electrical and/or electronic unit 110, for example, to activate or deactivate a drive 118, 128, or to process data of a sensor 117, 127, to store sensor data, and to use these data further for the control. A data memory and a processing circuit can also be integrated into the control unit 116, 126.

[0032] A supply terminal 111, 121 is arranged in each case on both the second orthopedic component 11 and also on the third orthopedic component 12, via which energy and/or data can be supplied to the respective electrical and/or electronic unit 110, 120. The data and the electric energy can be transmitted from a charging station 20 to the respective supply terminal 111, 121. For this purpose, a plug 21, which is compatible with the respective supply terminal 111, 121, is arranged on the charging station 20. In the illustrated exemplary embodiment of FIG. 1, the plug 21 of the charging station 20 is coupled to a cascading plug system of a plug connection 30, which connects the two supply terminals 111, 121 to one another. Two plugs 31 are arranged on the plug connection 30, which comprise contacts on one side, which are formed compatibly with the contacts of the respective supply terminals 111, 121. On the side facing away from the supply terminals 111, 121, the plugs 31 comprise receptacles or sockets, which are compatible with the contacts of the plug 21 of the charging station 20.

[0033] If the plug 21 of the charging station 20 is plugged onto the rear side of a plug 31, which is connected via a cable to a corresponding plug 31, so that both supply terminals 111, 121 are connected to one another, energy and data can be transmitted from the charging station 20 both to the first and also to the second electronic and/or electrical unit 110, 120. The accumulators 115, 125 for storing electric energy are thus filled and also the control units 116, 126 are supplied with data such as programs, control data, software updates, or the like. Via the system made up of charging station 20 having plug 21, supply terminals 111, 121, and the plug connection 30 having the plugs 31, it is possible to provide an electrical connection system for orthopedic components 11, 12, in particular orthotics, prostheses, and/or wheelchairs, using which it is possible to charge the respective electrical and/or electronic units 110, 120, connect them to one another to distribute energy from the respective energy accumulators 115, 125 among one another, or to coordinate control sequences with one another. It is possible via the system not only to supply external data from the charging station 20 and electric energy to the orthopedic system, for example, the orthotic, prosthesis, or the wheelchair, but rather also to enable an energy and/or data exchange within the orthopedic unit between the respective orthopedic components 11, 12.

[0034] If different maximum required powers are present in the respective consumer, for example, drive 118, 128, or for charging the accumulators 115, 125 in the different components 11, 12 having the various electrical and/or electronic units 110, 120, the respective maximum required power of a consumer 118, 128 or a control unit 116, 126 can be coded via an electrical resistor. It is possible due to the compatibility of the supply terminals 111, 121 with the respective plugs 21, 31 to provide multiple charging terminals on an orthopedic component in order to facilitate coupling the orthopedic aid to a charging station 20 for a patient. The user can thus freely select the supply terminal 111, 121 to be reached best by him, so that one or more terminals are provided for the central charging of all electrical and/or electronic units 110, 120. The charging with electric energy and also the supply with data can take place simultaneously or sequentially. If, for example, the electrical and/or electronic units 110, 120 are not coupled to one another via the plug connection 30, data and energy can be transmitted in succession via the charging station 20 through the plug 21. The respective electronic and/or electrical unit 110, 120 is provided with a code, so that it is recognized via the charging station 20 which unit is presently supposed to be supplied with energy and/or data, so that both the correct quantity of energy and also the correct data are transmitted.

[0035] If the charging station 20 is not connected, a data and energy exchange can take place between the units 110, 120 via the plug connection 30. It is also possible to combine multiple orthopedic aids with one another via a plug connection 30, for example, an orthotic or a prosthesis with a wheelchair, which has, for example, a larger energy accumulator in the form of a battery, so that energy can be transmitted from the wheelchair into the orthotic or prosthesis to maintain the mobility of the patient.

[0036] Further charging stations 20 and energy accumulators are shown in FIG. 1, which provide different voltages, for example a 12 V voltage, a 5 V voltage, or various voltages via a special transformer or a producer-specific charging device. An energy accumulator can also be coupled via a USB terminal to a power supply unit of a charging station 20, so that a mobile accumulator for electric energy is provided. A terminal for a cigarette lighter can also be used as an energy supply, which can also be coupled to an external energy accumulator 50, for example, on which a corresponding adapter is arranged. The external energy accumulator 50, which can also be a computer or portable computer, can also be coupled to an orthopedic component independently of a cigarette lighter. Via one or more adapters 40, which are provided with a respective plug 41 which are compatible with the respective supply terminals 111, 121, it is possible to use greatly varying energy sources to supply the respective electronic and/or electrical unit with energy. The adapters 40 can connect different types of energy sources to the respective orthopedic components, wherein different voltage levels can be fed to the respective units within the adapter 40. The respective required voltage level can be configured within the adapter 40, for example, by increasing or reducing the voltage received from the respective energy accumulator. An input terminal 42 for the respective utilized charging station 20 or the respective utilized energy accumulator is provided in every adapter 40.

[0037] A control unit 60 is arranged on the prosthesis, which identifies all electrical and/or electronic units 110, 120 in a wireless or wired manner and prompts the activation or deactivation thereof. In an alternative design, the control unit 60 can be housed in one of the units 110, 120 and, as a main control unit or master, can identify, activate, and deactivate the remaining connected components. For this purpose, all electrical and/or electronic units 110, 120 are triggered by the control unit 60, the respective provided status and functional scope is queried, and energy and/or data signals are transmitted to the respective electrical and/or electronic unit 110, 120.

[0038] A variant of the invention is shown in FIG. 2, in which instead of a bridging coupling of the two supply terminals 111, 121 via the plug connection 30 to relay energy and data and to conduct through energy and data from the charging station 20 via the respective plug 31, separate plug terminals 112, 122 are arranged on the two electrical and/or electronic units 110, 120. These plug terminals 112, 122 are provided in addition to the supply terminals 111, 121. In FIG. 2, the second supply terminal 121 is provided on the second orthopedic component 12 as an additional or optional supply terminal. The option also exists that the second supply terminal 121 can be omitted. Therefore, the second charging station 20 is only shown by dashed lines. If multiple or all orthopedic components which comprise an electrical and/or electronic unit are equipped with supply terminals, the advantage is that the charging times can be shortened, and energy and data can be transmitted individually and faster to the respective electrical and/or electronic unit.

[0039] The coupling to an external unit, i.e., to a charging station 20, can take place at multiple supply terminals 111, 121. Separately from the supply terminals 111, 121, the plug terminals 112, 122 are arranged on the respective orthopedic component 11, 12, via which a data exchange and/or energy exchange is implemented between the individual electrical and/or electronic units 110, 120. The plug 31 of the plug connection 30 can be formed differently from the plugs 21 of the charging stations 20 or occupied with other contacts, alternatively thereto, the plug terminals 112, 121 can be coupled and are compatible with the supply terminals 111, 121 and thus also with the plugs 21 of the charging stations 20. The energy supply and possibly supply with data are produced via the supply terminals 111, 121, while the connection between the electrical and/or electronic components 110, 120 is produced via the plug connection 30.

[0040] If a further component is supposed to be internally connected, a third plug 31 would be arranged on the plug connection 30, in the case of further components to be connected, further plugs.

[0041] To be able to configure and control the system made of a plurality of electrical and/or electronic components 110, 120, all electrical and/or electronic units 110, 120 which are provided in the system and coupled to one another are triggered by the control unit 60, for example, via radio, or, if the control unit 60 on an orthopedic component is connected to an electrical and/or electronic unit, via cable, wherein the other electrical and/or electronic components are preferably triggered via the plug connection 30, which can also be laid inside the orthopedic component or components. The control unit 60 queries the status of the respective unit, i.e., whether it is activated, which software status it has, what the charge level is, and which functional scope is assigned to the respective unit. Energy and/or data signals are transmitted to the respective unit on the basis of the received items of information about status and functional scope. The control unit 60 can be coupled for this purpose to the respective charging station 20, for example, wirelessly or via a wired connection. It is also possible that the control unit 60 is part of the charging station 20 or is coupled to the supply terminal 111, 121, via which energy and/or data are introduced into the system from the outside.

[0042] The control unit 60, which is arranged in the exemplary embodiment of FIG. 2 in the second orthopedic component 11 to be able to dispense with a joint-spanning cable connection, is coupled to all energy accumulators and monitors which energy level the respective energy accumulator has. The charging energy can be distributed with different priorities on the basis of the importance of the energy accumulator for the functionality of the overall system. The electrical and/or electronic units absolutely necessary for the functionality are preferably supplied with electric energy, while auxiliary units, which ensure an elevated functional scope and possibly an elevated level of comfort, are supplied with energy later or with a smaller proportion of energy. During the charging procedure, the energy distribution can be changed via the control unit 60. If the supply of external energy is terminated, the internal energy distribution between the individual energy accumulators 115, 125 within the system is controlled via the control unit 60. The energy accumulator having the presently highest charge level can thus first be assigned to a consumer, alternatively or additionally a charge exchange or energy exchange can take place between the energy accumulators to either achieve a uniform energy distribution or to supply a prioritized consumer with an elevated quantity of energy using the respective assigned energy accumulator.

[0043] Due to the items of information about the status and the type of the electrical and/or electronic component obtained by the triggering, it is possible that in the case of specific combinations of different electrical or electronic units, specific functions are not desired or have to be omitted, so that in dependence on the respective detected electrical and/or electronic unit, a corresponding function is activated or deactivated on the respective orthopedic component.