A mechanism to harvest the mechanical energy available during prosthetic leg use for the purpose of charging an electric battery operating a vacuum pump for a prosthetic leg residual limb mounting socket is disclosed. The present invention is intended to be applied with variations of leg prostheses equipped with prosthetic feet constructed with flexible heel and/or forefoot members in the sole. The present invention utilizes one or more electric generators to convert the mechanical energy occurring as bidirectional movement in the foot sole flexible members to electrical energy. The electrical energy is harvested by storage in capacitors, then subsequently used to charge the vacuum pump battery. The objective is to extend the useful operating time of the vacuum pump supporting vacuum socket mounting of the residual limb.

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.

Prostheses include a terminal device, a back-lock mechanism, a wrist, a limb-socket, and a harness system. The terminal device can be a five-fingered mechanical hand that provides a releasable adaptive grasp, and has independently flexible fingers. The limb socket can be 3D printed using a molded model of a remnant limb. The harness strap can encircle an unaffected limb and is coupled to the terminal device with a cable so that a user can control the terminal device. The harness system can include a 3D printed harness ring that couples to the cable.

The current document is directed to a two-way, by-passable, overrunning clutch incorporated within a mechanical prosthetic knee that provides functionality similar to a biological knee or incorporated in another articulated device, such as a robotic or orthotic articulated device or member. The currently disclosed two-way, by-passable, overrunning clutch allows for two-way free rotation when disabled, but, when enabled, prevents rotation in one direction while allowing free rotation in the other direction. In the mechanical prosthetic knee, the two-way, by-passable, overrunning clutch is enabled by application of a mechanical force and disabled by removal of the mechanical force.

A rotary drive member drives a driven member. A ring surrounding the driven member has two cam recesses containing lock members between cam surfaces of cam recesses and the ring. Each recess accommodates an associated lock member at different locations where the recess is shallower. Driving the driven member is permitted in a given rotation relative to the ring, but each lock member inhibits rotation of the driven member in the opposite sense. The recesses extend in opposite directions. Coupling between the driven members is free-play whereby reversal in the rotation disengages members and reengages. Protuberances extending into cam recesses retain a lock member associated with one recess at the deeper location permitting movement of the other lock member towards the shallower location. Upon reversal of the rotation, the protuberances retain another lock member at the deeper location permitting movement of one lock member.

A prosthetic foot has a frame, a forefoot keel, a heel keel, and an adjustable spring member. The frame couples to a prosthetic leg. The forefoot keel includes a first resilient substrate extending from the frame to the anterior end of the foot. The heel keel member includes a second resilient substrate extending from the frame to the posterior end. The first and second resilient substrates are load bearing substrates for a walking human. The adjustable spring member includes a third resilient substrate and a brake. The third resilient substrate has a first end directly or indirectly coupled to the brake, and a second end coupled to the forefoot keel proximate to the anterior end. The third resilient substrate extends through or around the first resilient member and the second resilient member. The brake provides resistance to the travel of the first end of the third resilient substrate in the superior direction.

An ankle prosthesis can have a base and an upper hinge component that is pivotably attached to the base about an axis. First and second biasing elements can bias the upper hinge component in first and second rotational directions, respectively. At least one selectively extendable and retractable locking element can extend from one of the base and the upper hinge component and engage the other of the base and the upper hinge component to limit the pivotable movement of the upper hinge component.

Powered limb prostheses with multi-stage transmissions are provided.

Disclosed herein is a leg exoskeleton configured to aid motion (e.g., walking) of a user in need thereof. In particular, the exoskeleton includes a belt configured to attach the exoskeleton to the waist of a user. The exoskeleton further includes a leg frame configured to attach to at least one leg of the user through a hip attachment mechanism on the belt. Finally, the exoskeleton includes an energy storage subsystem that is configured to store and release energy as the user walks, particularly aiding the user in the forward motion of the leg when walking. Methods of using the leg exoskeleton are also provided.

A method of mechanical-to-electrical energy conversion utilizes a mechanical spring in combination with a rapid-action variable inductance magnetic flux switch to convert a spring-loaded mechanical energy into a change in magnetic flux captured by an electrical coil element within the magnetic flux switch. The change in coil inductance and magnetic flux induces a current to flow through the electrical coil in the form of a a pulse of electrical energy that may be stored. The electrical coil is coupled to the mechanical spring so that each time the spring is released, the coil moves with respect to a magnetic core and a change in flux is created. The application of an external mechanical force (such as human locomotion) functions to compress and subsequently unlock the mechanical switch, allowing for the electrical energy associated with the application of aperiodic forces to be harvested.