A prosthetic foot comprises an attachment member and two or more flexible members. The attachment member can include a connector configured to connect the attachment member to a user or another prosthetic device. The two or more flexible members can be rotatably attached to the attachment member by rotatable joints such that the flexible members can both rotate and flex relative to the attachment member when the prosthetic foot contacts the ground.

In a powered actuator for supplying torque, joint equilibrium, and/or impedance to a joint, a motor is directly coupled to a low-reduction ratio transmission, e.g., a transmission having a gear ratio less than about 80 to 1. The motor has a low dissipation constant, e.g., less than about 50 W/(Nm).sup.2. The transmission is serially connected to an elastic element that is also coupled to the joint, thereby supplying torque, joint equilibrium, and/or impedance to the joint while minimizing the power consumption and/or acoustic noise of the actuator.

Prosthetic feet that provide for variable and adjustable stiffness are provided. A foot element can include a tongue portion defined or formed by a slot in the foot element that at least partially separates the tongue portion from a remainder of the foot element. The tongue portion can be operably connected to the remainder of the foot member to increase the stiffness of the foot member or operably disconnected from the remainder of the foot member to increase the flexibility of the foot member. The prosthetic foot further includes a mechanism for adjusting whether the tongue portion is operably connected or disconnected from the remainder of the foot member. The mechanism can be selectively actuated to adjust the stiffness of the foot element in dorsiflexion and/or plantarflexion and/or to adjust the degree to which the tongue portion is allowed to flex relative to the remainder of the foot member.

A prosthetic foot includes a foot portion and a switching adapter. The switching adapter includes a first member coupled to the foot portion, a second member, a third member interposed between the first member and the second member, and a locking mechanism. The third member has a first side wall and a second side wall larger in length than the first side wall. The third member is configured to rotate relative to the first member and the second member towards a first position, thereby placing the prosthetic device in a walking mode. The third member is further configured to rotate relative to the first member and the second member towards a second position, thereby placing the prosthetic device in a running mode. The locking mechanism is configured to rotate with the third member in response to rotation of the third member.

A variable stiffness spring assembly includes first and second members made of a first material and separated by a gap along at least a portion of their lengths, and one or more layers made of a second material disposed in the gap. The variable stiffness spring assembly can be incorporated into or take the form of a limb support assembly, such as a prosthetic foot. The second material disposed between the first and second members is rate-sensitive or speed-dependent, such that the material exhibits different properties when the user of the prosthetic foot is walking at high or fast walking speeds compared to low or slow walking speeds. The prosthetic foot can exhibit high damping and energy absorption, and therefore stability, at slow speeds, and high energy return at faster speeds.

A prosthetic foot can allow a user to engage in different activity levels, for example, walking and running using the same prosthetic foot. The prosthetic foot can have a generally C-shaped upper foot member coupled to a heel member near a toe portion of the prosthetic foot. The heel member can extend from a toe end to a heel end. The prosthetic foot can include a resilient member that can be split into a first component and a second component. The prosthetic foot can include a heel stiffening mechanism with different configurations to adjust a heel stiffness of the prosthetic foot.

A prosthetic foot comprises an attachment member and two or more flexible members. The attachment member can include a connector configured to connect the attachment member to a user or another prosthetic device. The two or more flexible members can be rotatably attached to the attachment member by rotatable joints such that the flexible members can both rotate and flex relative to the attachment member when the prosthetic foot contacts the ground.

The invention relates to a prosthetic foot component comprising: a. a proximal fastening system for securing the prosthetic foot component to a proximal component or to a patient; b. a retaining portion situated distally relative to the fastening system and connected to the latter; and c. a main spring extending in a front-foot region and coupled to the retaining portion, wherein: said retaining portion is mounted on the main spring to tilt on the sagittal plane; and a posterior limiting element, which limits the displacement of the retaining portion away from the main spring, is provided between the main spring and the retaining portion.

A prosthetic device includes a frame defining an output axis, a cantilever beam spring attached to the frame, a moment arm attached to the spring, and a rigid output arm coupled to the frame and rotatable about the output axis. A connector assembly is configured to apply a moment to the cantilever beam spring via the moment arm while applying a torque about the output axis via the output arm. An ankle-foot device includes foot and ankle members connected for two-degree of freedom movement relative to one another, allowing for rotation about an ankle axis and rotation about a subtalar axis. Two linear actuators, each coupled to corresponding series elastic element, link the foot and ankle members. Driving the actuators in the same direction causes rotation about the ankle axis and driving the actuators in opposing directions causes rotation about the subtalar axis. A processor receives sensory information from a sensor and drives the actuators to control an equilibrium position of the series elastic elements. A rotary actuator for a prosthetic device includes a housing frame, a motor mounted within the housing frame, and a cycloidal drive coupled to the motor within the housing frame. A torsion shaft can extend through the actuator to an output and provide a series elastic element.

A prosthetic foot can have an ankle unit with semi-active adjustable stiffness. In one example, the adjustable stiffness is in the sagittal plane. The ankle stiffness can be varied by the ankle unit in response a user input, which can be received via a wireless communication device. The ankle unit can include two load application locations for one or more cantilever springs so as to provide different stiffness in plantarflexion and dorsiflexion. The positions of the two load application locations can be varied in order to vary the stiffness.