[0001] This invention was made with government support under

HD080349 awarded by the National Institutes of Health. The government has certain rights in this invention.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION

[0002] This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application Serial No. 62/504,757, filed on May 11, 2017, entitled "POWERED ORTHOSIS WITH COMBINED MOTOR AND GEAR TECHNOLOGY, " commonly assigned with this application and incorporated herein by reference.

TECHNICAL FIELD

[0003] This application is directed, in general, to limb powered orthoses and, more specifically, to limb powered orthoses with combined motor and gear technology.

BACKGROUND

[0004] Physical training is often needed for patients to relearn how to walk after a stroke. However, finite medical resources limit the frequency and availability of physical training. To address this, researchers are investigating powered lower-limb rehabilitation orthoses to relieve the repetitive and physically tasking duties of therapists, as well as to improve patient recovery efficacy. Currently, most lower- limb rehabilitation orthoses are stationary and only available in a small number of hospitals, due to high cost and large size. Personal mobile lower-limb orthoses that can be used in the clinic, at home or at work, among other places, are desirable for a variety of different reasons.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION

[0005] Reference is now made to the following descriptions taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which:

[0006] Fig. 1 is an orthosis device manufactured and designed in accordance with the present disclosure attached to a leg of a user ;

[0007] Figs. 2a and 2b illustrate various different stator core and winding designs;

[0008] Fig. 3 illustrates the gear system contained within the electric motor;

[0009] Fig. 4 illustrates an additional view of the gear system;

[0010] Fig. 5 illustrates one embodiment of a forced air cooling system;

[0011] Figs. 6a-6c illustrate an orthosis device manufactured in accordance with another embodiment of the disclosure; [0012] Fig. 7 illustrates a substantially complete orthosis device with a top case removed;

[0013] Fig. 8 illustrates a test motor in accordance with the disclosure ;

[0014] Figs. 9a-9c illustrate thermal images of the test motor of Fig. 8 during operation;

[0015] Fig. 10 illustrates one example of measured actuator torque in accordance with the disclosure; and

[0016] Fig. 11 illustrates one embodiment of an electrical system that might be used for an orthosis device manufactured in accordance with the disclosure.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0017] Due to the high torque requirements of lower-limb joints, past research has focused on increasing the torque density of powered orthoses to provide enough output torque within an acceptable weight. Consequently, the combination of a high-speed motor and a high-ratio transmission, e.g., ball screw or harmonic drive, is common in traditional powered lower-limb orthoses. The present disclosure has recognized that the use of a high-ratio transmission results in high mechanical impedance, which means that the user cannot move their joints without help from the orthosis. [0018] An orthosis is said to be backdrivable if users can drive their joints without a high resistive torque from the orthosis. Backdrivability may not be necessary for patients who cannot contribute to their walking gait, e.g., patients with spinal cord injuries. However, for patients who still have some control of their legs, a backdrivable orthosis can promote user participation and provide comfort during physical therapy. In particular, a mobile powered lower-limb orthosis for stroke rehabilitation purposes should be as mechanically transparent as possible. The present disclosure has further recognized that certain mobile powered lower-limb orthosis may be used to augment entirely healthy users, such as employees in the workforce or soldiers on a battlefield, among others.

[0019] The present disclosure, for the first time, details the design of a novel powered limb (e.g., knee) orthosis that achieves 1) high output torque with a low-ratio transmission (e.g., without a high-ratio transmission) and 2) precise torque control and backdrivability, entirely powered and contained within a single package. The present disclosure, again for the first time, achieves high continuous torque with low backdrive torque in a compact package by integrating several individual and combined technologies: 1) motor encapsulation technology, 2) a single stage gearbox built into the inner diameter of the motor, 3) a forced air cooling system, and 4) a heat sink. All the above features dramatically improve the powered orthosis performance in clinic application and daily life use.

[0020] For the purpose of the present disclosure and claims, a high output torque motor has a peak output torque (e.g., measured over a 1 second time period) of at least about 1.0 Nm. Similarly, for the purpose of the present disclosure and claims, a very high output torque motor has a peak output torque (e.g., measured over a 1 second time period) of at least about 1.5 Nm, and an extremely high output torque motor has a peak output torque (e.g., measured over a 1 second time period) of at least about 2.0 Nm. Also, for the purpose of the present disclosure and claims, an excessively high output torque motor has a peak output torque (e.g., measured over a 1 second time period) of at least about 4.0 Nm.

[0021] For the purpose of the present disclosure and claims, a high torque density motor has a torque density (e.g., a measure of the peak torque output divided by the motor's stator and rotor weight) of at least about 3.3 Nm/kg. Similarly, for the purpose of the present disclosure and claims, a very high torque density motor has a torque density (e.g., a measure of the peak torque output divided by the motor's stator and rotor weight) of at least about 5.0 Nm/kg, and an extremely high torque density motor has a torque density (e.g., a measure of the peak torque output divided by the motor's stator and rotor weight) of at least about 6.7 Nm/kg. Also, for the purpose of the present disclosure and claims, an excessively high torque density motor has a torque density (e.g., a measure of the peak torque output divided by the motor's stator and rotor weight) of at least about 13.3 Nm/kg.

[0022] Additionally, for the purpose of the present disclosure and claims, a low-ratio transmission is a transmission with a ratio of 32:1 or less. Similarly, for the purpose of the present disclosure and claims, a very low-ratio transmission is a transmission with a ratio of 24:1 or less, and an extremely low-ratio transmission is a transmission with a ratio of 16:1 or less. Additionally, for the purpose of the present disclosure and claims, an excessively low-ratio transmission is a transmission with a ratio of 12:1 or less.

[0023] Similarly, for the purpose of the present disclosure and claims, a device that is user backdrivable is a device wherein its static torque (e.g., minimum backdrive torque to begin motion of the motor shaft) is less than about 20 Nm. Likewise, for the purpose of the present disclosure and claims, a device that is very user backdrivable is a device wherein its static torque (e.g., minimum backdrive torque to begin motion of the motor shaft) is less than about 5 Nm, and a device that is extremely user backdrivable is a device wherein its static torque (e.g., minimum backdrive torque to begin motion of the motor shaft) is less than about 2.5 Nm. Also, for the purpose of the present disclosure and claims, a device that is excessively backdrivable is a device wherein its static torque (e.g., minimum backdrive torque to begin motion of the motor shaft) is less than about 2.0 Nm.

[0024] Turning to Fig. 1, illustrated is a depiction of an orthosis device 100 manufactured and designed in accordance with the present disclosure attached to a leg of a user. As can be seen, the orthosis device is entirely self-contained. The term self-contained, as used in this context, means that all the parts (e.g., including the necessary controllers and power) necessary for the orthosis to operate are contained within the same unit. Thus, to be self-contained, there are no external power supplies, control devices, etc. Accordingly, the orthosis device 100, such as that shown in Fig. 1, is collectively cheaper to manufacture, more effective, more comfortable (e.g., backdrivable), more user friendly, and lighter than all previously known related orthosis devices.

[0025] In accordance with the disclosure, electrical motor encapsulation technology may be used in the orthosis design. For example, to increase the electric motor's torque density, a high thermal conductivity material may be used to fill the gap between the windings and core of the stator. As a result, the heat from the winding can transfer to the environment easier. As is only now known, the orthosis' continuous torque output and peak torque output are improved by using this technology.

[0026] Turning briefly to Fig. 2a, illustrated is a portion of a motor design 200 with and without the aforementioned encapsulation technology. In the left most illustration (e.g., the one without the encapsulation technology) , the heat generated in the stator windings 210 has to transfer from the stator windings 210 to the stator cores 220 though a gap filled with insulation. The insulation normally has very poor thermal conductivity, which is detrimental to the ability of the stator cores 220 and stator windings 210 to dissipate heat. However, in the right most illustration, the stator cores 220 and the stator windings 210 are covered by an encapsulation 230 (e.g., high thermal conductivity material in one embodiment) . In this instance, the heat generated from the stator windings 210 is more easily transferred to the environment. Turning briefly to Fig. 2b, illustrated is an alternative view of the motor design 200 with the encapsulation technology 230.

[0027] In accordance with another aspect of the disclosure, the motor/gear system 300 is formed as a single unit. For example, as shown in Fig. 3, the gear system 310 (e.g., entire gear system in one embodiment, including the ring gear 315, sun gear 320, planetary gear 325 and planetary gear carrier 330) may be contained within the electric motor 350 (e.g., motor housing 355, rotor 360 and stator 365) . By using the outer electric rotor motor 350, a single stage planetary gear may be built inside the motor stator. In this example, the sun gear 320 is directly connected to the rotor 360, and the ring gear 315 is built inside the stator 365. Accordingly, the motor/gear system 300 illustrated in Fig. 3, or at least the outer diameter of the rotor 360, is under 150 mm (e.g., under 110 mm in one embodiment ) .

[0028] Turning briefly to Fig. 4, illustrated is an additional view of the gear system 310. As can be readily noticed, the gear system 310 may be a planetary gear system. Additionally, in one embodiment, the electric motor 350 is designed to have a peak torque of approximately 4.2 Nm, resulting in an excessively high output torque motor.

[0029] In accordance with another aspect of the disclosure, a forced air cooling system may be used to assist in removing any heat from the orthosis device. Turning to Fig. 5, illustrated is one embodiment of a forced air cooling system 510 that might be used in an orthosis device 500. As is illustrated in Fig. 5, the forced air cooling system 510 of the orthosis device 500 may include one or more fans 520 and an actuator 525 that draw and/or push ambient air across the electric motor 530 and/or gear system 540, thereby cooling the orthosis device 500. In one embodiment, the air is drawn substantially upward (e.g., as it relates to gravity) , thereby taking advantage of convection to assist with any heat removal.

[0030] Turning to Figs. 6a, 6b, and 6c, illustrated is an alternative embodiment of an orthosis device 600 manufactured in accordance with the disclosure employing a heat sink 610 (e.g., a fin based heat sink) to further remove the necessary heat. In the illustrated embodiment, the fins of the heat sink are designed to run substantially upward (e.g., as it relates to gravity) , thereby again taking advantage of convection to assist with the heat removal. The orthosis device 600 illustrated in Figs. 6a-6c further illustrates the electric motor 620 being surrounded by the heat sink 610, and furthermore the gear system 630 being surrounded by the electric motor 620, as discussed above .

[0031] Turning to Fig. 7, illustrated is a depiction of a substantially complete orthosis device 700, with a top case 710 removed from the enclosure 715, thereby exposing the various different features thereof. As can be readily viewed, each of the electric motor 720 (e.g., actuator), gear system 725, heat removal system (e.g., fans 730 and/or heat sink 735), motor driver 740, electrical controller 745, encoder 750 and power source 755 (e.g., batteries) are housed within the same enclosure 715 under the top case 710. The orthosis device 700 further includes a body attachment (e.g., shank attachment) 760. Accordingly, the orthosis device 700 illustrated in Fig. 7 is a self-contained unit.

[0032] One example of an assembled actuator was validated with several experiments to demonstrate its continuous current, torque step response, torque bandwidth, and backdrive torque. The actuator was mounted to a test platform that comprised a rotational torque sensor (TRS605, FUTEK Advanced Sensor Technology, Inc. in the example test) coupled to a magnetic powder brake (351 Eleflex, Re Controlli Industriali in the example test) . A thermal camera (C2 Compact Thermal Imaging System, FLIR in the example test) monitored the surface temperature of the actuator's motor. The first three properties were tested with the actuator's output shaft mechanically fixed by the powder brake with the Futek torque sensor in the middle. The backdrivability test was conducted with the actuator's output shaft coupled to a torque wrench (03727A 1/4-inch Drive Beam Style, Neiko, in the example test) .

[0033] The test motor 800 shown in Fig. 8 was designed to accommodate a continuous active current of about 13 Amps, which relates to the output torque of the actuator. The continuous current can be held over long periods of time and therefore relates to the steady-state thermal dissipation properties of the test motor 800. During this test, the test motor 800 was driven with an active current of about 13 Amps for 30 min while the thermal camera measured the surface temperature of the actuator. Surface temperature measurements were taken at 3 min (about 45.3 degrees C) , 15 min (about 53.9 degrees C) , and 30 min (about 57.2 degrees C) , which were below the safety specifications for protecting the motor's windings (preferably less than about 100 deg. C) . The thermal images for 3 min., 15 min., and 30 min., respectively, are shown in Figs. 9a, 9b, and 9c.

[0034] The torque step response demonstrates the high output torque of the actuator as well as its bandwidth. With the output shaft mechanically fixed, the actuator was commanded to output a step torque profile going from a preload of about 0.5 Nm to about 15 Nm, maintaining 15 Nm for about 2 seconds, and then going back to about 0.5 Nm. Note that an actuator output torque of about 15 Nm may correspond to a motor torque of about 2.14 Nm (before the transmission) . One example of the measured actuator torque 1000 is shown in Fig. 10. These test results were imported into the MATLAB System Identification Toolbox to generate a model of the system. From this model the torque bandwidth frequency was estimated to be greater than about 61 Hz, which greatly exceeds the bandwidth of human walking.

[0035] The term static backdrive torque, as used herein, means the minimum torque required to overcome the static friction of the actuator to initiate motion of its output shaft. A torque was manually applied to the output shaft of the actuator through a torque wrench and gradually increased until rotation began. At this point the torque wrench measured less than about 0.5 Nm of static backdrive torque.

[0036] Turning briefly to Fig. 11, illustrated is one embodiment of an electrical system 1100 that might be used for an orthosis device, such as any of those discussed above.

[0037] Those skilled in the art to which this application relates will appreciate that other and further additions, deletions, substitutions and modifications may be made to the described embodiments.