A prosthetic ankle includes a pair of prosthetic members movably coupled together to allow movement of the pair of prosthetic members with respect to one another. A hydraulic actuator or damper including hydraulic fluid in a hydraulic chamber is coupled to one of the pair of prosthetic members. A hydraulic piston is movably disposed in the hydraulic chamber and coupled to another of the pair of prosthetic members. A hydraulic flow channel is fluidly coupled between opposite sides of the chamber to allow hydraulic fluid to move between the opposite sides of the chamber as the hydraulic piston moves therein. A voice coil valve is coupled to the hydraulic flow channel to vary resistance to flow of hydraulic fluid through the flow channel, and thus movement of the piston in the chamber, and thus influencing a rate of movement of the pair of prosthetic members with respect to one another.

Systems and methods are described herein for a prosthetic device that includes a rigid outer shell socket with an inner surface contour. A prosthetic insert socket is manufactured via a manufacturing process, such as three-dimensional printing, to have an outer contour that corresponds to the inner surface contour of the premade outer shell socket. The prosthetic insert socket is manufactured to have an inner contour that corresponds to a residual limb surface contour of a patient.

The attachment plate for a prosthetic socket is fabricated into the distal end of a prosthetic socket. The attachment plate comprises a body with a peripheral seal, a valve, an air tunnel, and an exhaust port. When fastened in the distal end of a prosthetic socket, the peripheral seal creates a secure seal to the inner wall of the prosthetic socket and the exhaust port remains exposed to atmosphere. The valve is open to the cavity of the prosthetic socket for air to be removed to secure a prosthetic via vacuum or suction. Air from the cavity moves through the valve, through an air tunnel machined into the cylindrical body, and is expelled out of the exhaust port.

A limb prosthesis, including an inflatable lining (16), a pump assembly (19), for inflating and deflating the inflatable lining (16), a remote control (17), in data communication with the pump assembly (19), for instructing the pump assembly to inflate or deflate the lining (16) to a desired air pressure.

A prosthetic ankle includes a pair of prosthetic members movably coupled together to allow movement of the pair of prosthetic members with respect to one another. A hydraulic actuator or damper including hydraulic fluid in a hydraulic chamber is coupled to one of the pair of prosthetic members. A hydraulic piston is movably disposed in the hydraulic chamber and coupled to another of the pair of prosthetic members. A hydraulic flow channel is fluidly coupled between opposite sides of the chamber to allow hydraulic fluid to move between the opposite sides of the chamber as the hydraulic piston moves therein. A voice coil valve is coupled to the hydraulic flow channel to vary resistance to flow of hydraulic fluid through the flow channel, and thus movement of the piston in the chamber, and thus influencing a rate of movement of the pair of prosthetic members with respect to one another.

A method for controlling an orthopaedic joint device of a lower extremity. The joint device has an upper part and a lower part mounted in a hinged manner on the latter. Arranged between the upper part and the lower part is an energy converter by which, during walking, kinetic energy from the relative movement between the lower part and the upper part is converted or stored and supplied again to the joint in order to support the relative movement, wherein kinetic energy within one movement cycle is converted and/or stored and, within the same movement cycle, is supplied again as kinetic energy to the joint device in a controlled manner and staggered in time.

Apparatuses and methods of fabrication are provided which include a mechanical coolant pump to facilitate pumping a coolant through a coolant loop. The mechanical coolant pump is to couple to an individual and be physically powered by a specified movement of the individual to pump coolant. Coolant pumped by the mechanical coolant pump is circulated by the coolant pump through a device associated with the individual to cool the device.

A lower limb prosthesis comprises an attachment section (10), a shin section (12), a foot section (14), a knee joint (16) pivotally connecting the attachment section (10) and the shin section (12), and an ankle joint (22) pivotally connecting the shin section (12) and the foot section (14). The knee joint includes a dynamically adjustable knee flexion control device (18) for damping knee flexion. The prosthesis further comprises a plurality of sensors (52, 53, 54, 85, 87) each arranged to generate sensor signals indicative of at least one respective kinetic or kinematic parameter of locomotion or of walking environment, and an electronic control system (100) coupled to the sensors (52, 53, 54, 85, 87) and to the knee flexion control device (18) in order dynamically and automatically to modify the flexion control setting of the knee joint (16) in response to signals from the sensors. When the inclination sensor signals indicate descent of a downward incline, the damping resistance of the knee flexion control device (18) is set to a first level during a major part of the stance phase of the gait cycle and to a second, lower level during a major part of the swing phase of the gait cycle. During an interval including a latter part of the stance phase, the knee flexion control device (18) is adjusted so that the damping resistance to knee flexion is between the first and second levels.

An adjustable overlaying interface for adjusting a prosthesis to a liner worn over a residual limb of a user comprises a sleeve, an inflatable bladder and a fluid-providing device. The variations in volume of the residual limb is compensated by using the fluid-providing device to inflate and/or deflate the inflatable bladder. A kit for adjusting the prosthesis to the residual limb comprises a liner and the adjustable overlaying interface. A method for mounting the prosthesis to the residual limb of a user comprises installing the adjustable overlaying interface over a liner donned over the residual limb of the user, at least partially inserting the residual limb wearing the liner and the adjustable overlaying interface within a socket of the prosthesis and inflating or deflating the inflatable bladder of the adjustable overlay interface to compensate variations in volume of the residual limb.

An enveloping body for at least partly enveloping a limb, comprising an enclosed volume and a connection for supplying fluid to the volume and discharging it from the volume, wherein the enveloping body defines an inner circumference and an outer circumference, wherein the inner circumference of the enveloping body increases as the pressure of the volume increases.