A vacuum suspension system includes a rigid socket defining a socket wall having exterior and interior surfaces. The socket defines an aperture extending between the exterior and interior surfaces, and has a closed distal end and an open proximal end with an interior cavity defined by the interior surface. A fluid regulator is provided at the aperture and operatively engages the fluid regulator. A pump system includes a pump and a covering for securing over the exterior surface of the socket and carrying the pump. The pump is configured for placement proximate to the fluid regulator and arranged for drawing air from the socket through the aperture. A chamber having a variable volume is formed by a space defined between the exterior surface and an inner surface of the covering proximate to the pump.

A prosthetic joint and a method of controlling dorsiflexion and plantarflexion of the hydraulic prosthetic ankle joint. The method includes generating ground reaction forces with a hydraulic prosthetic ankle, wherein the prosthetic hydraulic ankle comprises a first chamber and a second chamber, and the ankle is connected to a prosthetic foot; rotating the prosthetic foot in response to the ground reaction force; transferring fluid between the forward and rear chambers in response to rotation of the foot; providing a feature to occlude or partially occlude the fluid transfer between chambers; providing a non-electronic mechanism for controlling the flow responsive to both a position of the joint and a rate of change of position of the joint, and wherein the mechanism is arranged such that a dwell at a particular joint location or locations will occlude the flow path.

A prosthetic joint and a method of controlling dorsiflexion and plantarflexion of the hydraulic prosthetic ankle joint. The method includes generating ground reaction forces with a hydraulic prosthetic ankle, wherein the prosthetic hydraulic ankle comprises a first chamber and a second chamber, and the ankle is connected to a prosthetic foot; rotating the prosthetic foot in response to the ground reaction force; transferring fluid between the forward and rear chambers in response to rotation of the foot; providing a feature to occlude or partially occlude the fluid transfer between chambers; providing a non-electronic mechanism for controlling the flow responsive to both a position of the joint and a rate of change of position of the joint, and wherein the mechanism is arranged such that a dwell at a particular joint location or locations will occlude the flow path.

A prosthesis with a support part on which a pivot joint is secured or formed. A distal prosthesis component is secured to the support part via the pivot joint, and the pivot joint allows a flexion and extension of the distal prosthesis component about a pivot axis relative to the receiving element or to the support part. A damping device, spring device, and/or actuator is arranged between the distal prosthesis component and the support part, and the damping device, spring device, and/or actuator is mounted on the distal prosthesis component using a first bearing point and is mounted on a lever or an arm using a second bearing point. The lever is mounted on the distal prosthesis component in a pivotal manner about a pivot axis. A distal portion of the arm is mounted on the lever, and a proximal portion is mounted on the support part.

A soft buckling linear actuator is described, including: a plurality of substantially parallel bucklable, elastic structural components each having its longest dimension along a first axis; and a plurality of secondary structural components each disposed between and bridging two adjacent bucklable, elastic structural components; wherein every two adjacent bucklable, elastic structural components and the secondary structural components in-between define a layer comprising a plurality of cells each capable of being connected with a fluid inflation or deflation source; the secondary structural components from two adjacent layers are not aligned along a second axis perpendicular to the first axis; and the secondary structural components are configured not to buckle, the bucklable, elastic structural components are configured to buckle along the second axis to generate a linear force, upon the inflation or deflation of the cells. Methods of actuation using the same are also described.

The invention is related to an above-knee prosthesis knee-joint mechanism that is connected with a stump which enables the above-knee amputees to walk. The invention is a threaded prosthesis knee-joint or knee-joint prosthesis which has a moving cylinder joint that enables the movement of the tibia prosthesis that is matched with the femur that is connected with the shoe having a horizontal-angle thread and threads above the femur and the shoe.

The invention relates to prosthetic knee joint comprising an upper part, which has an upper connecting means, and a lower part, which is pivotably mounted on the upper part and which has a lower connecting means. A vacuum pump with an inlet and an outlet, said pump being driven by the relative movement of the upper part to the lower part, is associated with the prosthetic knee joint.

The invention relates to prosthetic knee joint comprising an upper part, which has an upper connecting means, and a lower part, which is pivotably mounted on the upper part and which has a lower connecting means. A vacuum pump with an inlet and an outlet, said pump being driven by the relative movement of the upper part to the lower part, is associated with the prosthetic knee joint.

A prosthetic joint system for users comprising a housing having an interior cavity, a center axis in said interior cavity, and an attachment means for fixedly connecting said housing to said user; an inner cylinder disposed in said housing interior cavity wherein said inner cylinder rotates around said center axis of said housing; an appendage attached to said inner cylinder; a sensor system attached to said appendage; and a dampening system, having a power source, in communication with said sensor system, said inner cylinder, and said housing for controlling dampening of the rotation of said inner cylinder around said center axis of said housing.

A prosthetic system includes first and second parts rotatable relative to one another about a joint. The first and second parts are adapted to form at least part of a weight bearing connection between a prosthetic foot and a socket. A pump system includes a pump mechanism operatively connected to the first and second parts. Rotation of the first part and/or the second part about the joint moves the pump mechanism between an original configuration in which the volume of a fluid chamber defined by the pump mechanism is zero or near-zero, and an expanded configuration in which the volume of the fluid chamber is increased.