Patent classifications
A61F2002/6678
Artificial ankle-foot system with spring, variable-damping, and series-elastic actuator components
An artificial foot and ankle joint consists of a curved leaf spring foot member having a heel extremity and a toe extremity, and a flexible elastic ankle member that connects the foot member for rotation at the ankle joint. An actuator motor applies torque to the ankle joint to orient the foot when it is not in contact with the support surface and to store energy in a catapult spring that is released along with the energy stored in the leaf spring to propel the wearer forward. A ribbon clutch prevents the foot member from rotating in one direction beyond a predetermined limit position. A controllable damper is employed to lock the ankle joint or to absorb mechanical energy as needed. The controller and sensing mechanisms control both the actuator motor and the controllable damper at different times during the walking cycle for level walking, stair ascent, and stair descent.
COMPRESSION HEEL PROSTHETIC FOOT
A mounting bracket for a prosthetic foot configured to attach to a residual limb, comprising an upper member, a lower member and compression torsion joint. The upper member comprises an upper flange, a mating post, and mounting portion configured to attach to the residual limb. The lower member comprises a mating portion, a lower flange, and a mounting portion configured to attach to the prosthetic foot. The compression torsion joint couples the upper member to the lower member and is configured to limit the vertical movement and torsional movement of the upper member with respect to the lower member.
PROSTHETIC FOOT INSERT
The invention relates to a prosthetic foot insert comprising: a proximal connection device (10) for fastening to a lower-leg tube or lower-leg shank; at least one base element (20), which is coupled or connected to the connection device (10) and has a forefoot region (21); the base element (20) has a heel region (22) or is connected to a heel region (22), which is formed from a first material and extends from the forefoot region (21) in the posterior direction: wherein the forefront region (21) is formed from a second material, which has a lower modulus of elasticity than the first material and projects forwards beyond the anterior end of the heel region (22).
ACTUATOR AND ARTIFICIAL LEG
To propose a novel and improved actuator and artificial leg capable of miniaturizing an apparatus.
An actuator (320) includes: a leaf spring (322) whose one end (322a) is cantilevered, the leaf spring being capable of deflection deformation in a plate thickness direction in accordance with torque by transmitting the torque; and a support member (324) configured to support a part of the leaf spring on a deflection direction side in a case where the torque transmitted by the leaf spring is greater than a predetermined value.
PROSTHETIC FOOT WITH SPACED SPRING ELEMENTS
A prosthetic foot includes a base spring, a top spring assembly, a connector assembly, and a heel cushion. The top spring assembly includes first and second spring members, and first and second bond connections. The second spring member extends parallel with and spaced apart from the first spring member. The first bond connection is between distal ends of the first and second spring members, and the second bond connection is between a distal end of the second spring member and a top surface of the base spring. The top spring assembly has a first portion arranged horizontally, and a second portion arranged vertically. The connector is connected to a proximal end of the top spring assembly to connect the prosthetic foot to a lower limb prosthesis. The heel cushion is mounted to the base spring at a location spaced forward of a heel end of the base spring.
PROSTHETIC SPORT FEET
Various features for improving the performance of prosthetic sport feet are provided. A fairing for a prosthetic sport foot can include foam components that are coupled to the foot and an elastane cover. The fairing is configured to alter the cross-sectional profile of the foot to produce a more aerodynamic shape. A prosthetic sport foot can include a hollow foot member that can be lighter weight and provide improved performance. A prosthetic sport foot can include an adjustable tension strap extending between and coupled to two portions of the foot member. A prosthetic sport foot, such as a prosthetic running foot or prosthetic cycling foot, can include an aerodynamic fairing and a cover. A prosthetic sport foot can have a varying-width profile such that a mid-section of the foot is narrower and a toe portion flares outward.
Sole of athletic prosthetic leg
In a sole which is attached to a ground contact region of an athletic prosthetic leg which has a leaf-spring-like leg portion extending to a side of a toe via at least one curved portion, the ground contact region extending from the toe to a side of the curved portion in an arc, the sole includes a bottom surface having a shape conforming to an extending shape of the ground contact region, and, in the bottom surface, a region at the side of the curved portion, which is defined by a border as a line extending in a width direction of the leg portion through a contact point with a road surface in a standing state of a wearer who wears the athletic prosthetic leg, has a higher drainage performance compared with a region other than the region at the side of the curved portion.
LOWER LIMB PROSTHESIS
A prosthetic ankle has an ankle joint body (10A) constituting a shin component and a foot component (12). The ankle joint body (10A) is pivotally connected to the foot component (12) by a first pivotal connection (14) defining a medial-lateral ankle joint flexion axis. The ankle joint body (10A) also forms the cylinder of an ankle joint piston and cylinder assembly with a superior-inferior central axis, the cylinder housing a piston (16) with upper and lower piston rods (16A, 16B). The lower piston rod (16B) is pivotally connected to the foot component (12) at a second pivotal connection (18). As the ankle joint body (10A) pivots about the ankle joint flexion axis, the piston (16) moves substantially linearly in the cylinder formed by the ankle joint body. The cylinder is divided into upper and lower chambers (20A, 20B). These chambers are linked by an hydraulic circuit (22) incorporating passages (22A, 22B) in the ankle joint body (10A), and an energy conversion device in the form of a slave piston and cylinder assembly (24) having a piston (24P) and piston rods (24R) which project beyond the cylinder (24C) of the assembly (24).
VARIABLE STIFFNESS PROSTHETIC FOOT
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.
Clearance enhancer for lower limb prosthesis
A lower limb prosthesis for a person is provided that comprises a foot prosthesis having a heel plate for contacting the ground and an ankle plate extending vertically from the heel plate when the heel plate is in ground contact, a leg prosthesis having an upper end portion mountable to the body of the person and a lower end portion, and a clearance enhancer. The clearance enhancer is in the form of a generally L-shaped plate, the plate including a base plate and an upper plate extending generally perpendicularly from the base plate. The base plate is configured to be connected to the lower end of the leg prosthesis. The upper plate includes a number of mounting openings to receive a corresponding number of fasteners for connecting the upper plate to the ankle plate of the foot prosthesis so that the lower portion of the leg prosthesis overlaps the ankle plate of the foot prosthesis.