SYSTEM FOR CONTROLLING ARTIFICIAL KNEE JOINT ACTION IN AN ABOVE KNEE PROSTHESIS

摘要

This invention relates to an above knee prosthesis which employs ahydraulic damper to passively regulate the angular velocity or rotation of the artificialknee joint. A programmed microprocessor recognizes common gait patterns frominformation received from bending moment strain and knee angle sensors on theprosthesis. The microprocessor, under the control of a rule-based program, reacts atvarious transition points in the gait by activating a motor which in turn adjusts a valveassembly in the damper. The valve assembly is capable of variably and separatelydamping the knee joint motion in each of flexion and extension at the same time. Gaitis improved because of the improved extent of control of knee action. In addition,distinct routines such as stair descending and sitting down can also be practised.