A vacuum assisted suspension system includes a prosthetic foot and a pump mechanism connected to the foot and fluidly couplable to a prosthetic socket. The pump mechanism includes an elongate pivoting member rotatable relative to the prosthetic foot about a joint and including a distal recess. A piston is connected to the foot and is movably received in the recess. A fluid chamber is defined between the piston and the interior of the recess. When no weight is placed on the foot a volume of the fluid chamber is zero or near-zero and when weight of a user is placed on the prosthetic foot the pivoting member rotates away from the piston and expands the volume of the fluid chamber to draw fluid into the fluid chamber from the prosthetic socket.

A vacuum assisted suspension system includes a prosthetic foot and a pump mechanism connected to the foot and fluidly couplable to a prosthetic socket. The pump mechanism includes an elongate pivoting member rotatable relative to the prosthetic foot about a joint and including a distal recess. A piston is connected to the foot and is movably received in the recess. A fluid chamber is defined between the piston and the interior of the recess. When no weight is placed on the foot a volume of the fluid chamber is zero or near-zero and when weight of a user is placed on the prosthetic foot the pivoting member rotates away from the piston and expands the volume of the fluid chamber to draw fluid into the fluid chamber from the prosthetic socket.

A lower limb prosthesis comprises a knee chassis (10), a shin carrier (20) pivotally connected to the knee chassis (10) and a piston and cylinder assembly (30, 40) pivotally connected to the knee chassis (10) and the shin carrier (20). The piston and cylinder assembly (30, 40) comprises a piston assembly (40) comprising a piston (40) mounted on a piston rod (42), a cylinder body (32B) having a cavity (46) defining a cylinder within which the piston (44) is arranged to reciprocate along the piston and cylinder assembly axis, and a foot component attachment means (36) for attaching a foot component to the piston and cylinder assembly (30, 40).

A hydraulic ankle assembly to be used by a user, wherein the ankle assembly includes a base configured to be attached to a spring assembly, a hydraulic cylinder rotatably attached to the base and configured to dampen rotation of the hydraulic ankle assembly, and a prosthetic adapter portion rotatably attached to the base and the hydraulic cylinder and configured to be attached to a prosthetic worn by the user. The base, the hydraulic cylinder, and the prosthetic adapter portion define a force triangle that defines an axis of rotation of the hydraulic ankle assembly. The axis of rotation is positioned in line with the center of mass of the user when the user is standing. The force triangle reduces forces on the hydraulic cylinder.

A hydraulic ankle assembly to be used by a user, wherein the ankle assembly includes a base configured to be attached to a spring assembly, a hydraulic cylinder rotatably attached to the base and configured to dampen rotation of the hydraulic ankle assembly, and a prosthetic adapter portion rotatably attached to the base and the hydraulic cylinder and configured to be attached to a prosthetic worn by the user. The base, the hydraulic cylinder, and the prosthetic adapter portion define a force triangle that defines an axis of rotation of the hydraulic ankle assembly. The axis of rotation is positioned in line with the center of mass of the user when the user is standing. The force triangle reduces forces on the hydraulic cylinder.

Prosthetic feet that provide improved rollover and performance are provided. A prosthetic foot can include a lower foot member extending from a heel end to a toe end, a second foot member disposed above the lower foot member, and an optional third foot member disposed above the second foot member. The second foot member is tapered such that its thickness decreases toward the proximal end. Optionally, the second foot member can taper toward its distal end as well as toward its proximal end from an intermediate location on the second foot member. The third foot member can be tapered such that its thickness decreases toward the distal end. There can be a gap between a distal end of the third foot member and the second foot member that closes during dorsiflexion of the prosthetic foot during use and provides dynamic stiffness control to the prosthetic foot.

Prosthetic feet that provide improved rollover and performance are provided. A prosthetic foot can include a lower foot member extending from a heel end to a toe end, a second foot member disposed above the lower foot member, and an optional third foot member disposed above the second foot member. The second foot member is tapered such that its thickness decreases toward the proximal end. Optionally, the second foot member can taper toward its distal end as well as toward its proximal end from an intermediate location on the second foot member. The third foot member can be tapered such that its thickness decreases toward the distal end. There can be a gap between a distal end of the third foot member and the second foot member that closes during dorsiflexion of the prosthetic foot during use and provides dynamic stiffness control to the prosthetic foot.

Systems, devices and methods for detecting ground contact with a lower-limb POD. A sensor array for the POD on a first or second body may include two or more sensors in an array that each detect a distance to a respective target on the other of the first or second body. The first and second bodies may move relative to each other thereby changing an offset distance or distances between the two bodies which is detected by the sensors. In some embodiments, the sensors may include Hall Effect sensors that detect distances to respective magnets. Load data based on the detected distances may be generated for control of the POD, such as for stance phase control.

Systems, devices and methods for detecting ground contact with a lower-limb POD. A sensor array for the POD on a first or second body may include two or more sensors in an array that each detect a distance to a respective target on the other of the first or second body. The first and second bodies may move relative to each other thereby changing an offset distance or distances between the two bodies which is detected by the sensors. In some embodiments, the sensors may include Hall Effect sensors that detect distances to respective magnets. Load data based on the detected distances may be generated for control of the POD, such as for stance phase control.

A separated prosthetic foot with a transverse arch belongs to the technical field of manufacturing of artificial limbs. The characteristics of the transverse arch of the human foot are combined into the previous transverse-straight carbon fiber foot design to improve the stiffness of the prosthetic foot and reduce the weight of the prosthetic foot. A forefoot part employs a separated curved plate design, and two simple curved plates with different curvatures are used for simulating a complex curved surface of the transverse arch of the human, such that the manufacturing cost is reduced, and the various parts of the sole are non-uniform in stiffness distribution: the outer side of the foot is a single-layer forefoot plate with a smaller curvature and minor stiffness; and the inner side of the foot is a double-layer stacked forefoot plate, and the lower layer plate has a large radius in curvature and stiffness.