PROSTHETIC FOOT, AND PROSTHESIS FOR A LOWER EXTREMITY

Abstract

A prosthesis foot is provided with a structural component with proximal connecting device for fixing the prosthesis foot to a lower leg tube, lower leg shaft or a prosthesis knee joint, wherein the proximal connecting device is designed as a joint or comprises as at least one joint.

Claims

1. A prosthetic foot with a structural component having proximal connecting devices for fastening the prosthetic foot to a lower leg tube, lower leg shaft or prosthetic knee joint, wherein the proximal connecting device is designed as joint or comprises at least one joint, wherein the prosthetic foot comprises at least one elastic element or is connected thereto, wherein the elastic element is, in a first area thereof, connected to the structural component, in particular releasably, and wherein the elastic element comprises a second area for contacting the lower leg tube, lower leg shaft or prosthetic knee joint, in particular at a side, front side or rear side of the lower leg tube, lower leg shaft or prosthetic knee joint.

2. The prosthetic foot according to claim 1, wherein the structural component is, comprises or is connected to a foot sole.

3. The prosthetic foot according to claim 1, wherein the elastic element is, comprises or is connected to a leaf spring or bending spring.

4. The prosthetic foot according to claim 1, wherein the elastic element dorsally or ventrally rests on or abuts the lower leg tube, lower leg shaft or prosthetic knee joint.

5. The prosthetic foot according to claim 1, wherein an adjustable element is provided for releasably fastening a section of the elastic element to the lower leg tube, lower leg shaft or prosthetic knee joint.

6. The prosthetic foot according to claim 1, wherein the elastic element does not contact or touch the lower leg tube, lower leg shaft or prosthetic knee joint between the first area and the second area.

7. The prosthetic foot according to claim 1, with an adjusting device for varying or amending the height of the second area above the foot sole or for varying the distance between the first area and the second area.

8. The prosthetic foot according to claim 1, wherein the joint of the connecting device is connected to the structural component via a shifting device.

9. The prosthetic foot according to claim 1, wherein the first area is connected to the structural component via a shifting device.

10. The prosthetic foot according to claim 1, wherein the prosthesis or the prosthetic foot comprises a connector which, with at least an intermediate element thereof, is arranged between the lower leg shaft and the second area.

11. The prosthetic foot according to claim 10, wherein the connector is connected, in a further section lying distally to the intermediate element, to the structural component, in particular to the foot sole of said structural component.

12. The prosthetic foot according to claim 10, wherein the connector extends from the ventral side of the lower leg shaft in the area of the second section to the dorsal side of the lower leg shaft, where it is connected, in the section, to the foot sole.

13. A prothesis with a prosthetic foot according to claim 1, connected to a lower leg tube, lower leg shaft or prosthesis knee joint of the prosthesis.

14. The prosthetic foot according to claim 4, wherein the elastic element does not rest on or abut medially or laterally the lower leg tube, lower leg shaft or prosthetic knee joint.

Description

[0108] The present invention will be hereinafter exemplarily explained with reference to the accompanying drawings. The following applies in the partly highly simplified figures:

[0109] FIG. 1 shows a prosthesis according to the present invention with a prosthetic foot according to the present invention in a first embodiment in a longitudinal section view, exemplarily fastened to a lower leg shaft;

[0110] FIG. 2 shows a prosthesis according to the present invention with a prosthetic foot according to the present invention in a second embodiment in a lateral view, exemplarily fastened to a lower leg shaft;

[0111] FIG. 3 shows a prosthesis according to the present invention with a prosthetic foot according to the present invention in a third embodiment in a lateral view, exemplarily fastened to a lower leg shaft;

[0112] FIG. 4 shows a prosthesis according to the present invention with a prosthetic foot according to the present invention in a fourth embodiment in a lateral view, exemplarily fastened to a lower leg shaft;

[0113] FIG. 5a,b show a prosthesis according to the present invention with a prosthetic foot according to the present invention in a fifth embodiment in a lateral view (FIG. 5a) and in a view from the front (FIG. 5b) twisted about 90 degrees for this purpose;

[0114] FIG. 6a,b show a prosthesis according to the present invention with a prosthetic foot according to the present invention in a sixth embodiment with a further intermediate element; and

[0115] FIG. 7 shows a prosthetic foot according to the present invention in a further embodiment.

[0116] FIG. 1 shows in a purely exemplary embodiment, a prosthetic foot 100 according to the present invention in a first embodiment in a longitudinal section view, fastened to a lower leg shaft 200 (alternatively, to a lower leg tube, a lower leg shaft or prosthesis knee joint) of a prosthesis according to the present invention. The upward direction is proximal; downward is denoted as distal. Ventral is in FIG. 1 on the left; dorsal on the right.

[0117] The prosthetic foot 100 comprises a structural component 10 with a proximal connecting device 1 for fastening the prosthetic foot 100 to the lower leg shaft 200.

[0118] The structural component 10 defines or forms a forefoot section 9.

[0119] The proximal connecting device 1 is herein exemplarily designed as at least one joint. Alternatively, it optionally comprises at least one joint. The optional joint is herein exemplarily monoaxial or monocentric having one rotation axis which protrudes or projects into the drawing plane. Alternatively, the joint may be polycentric or polyaxial.

[0120] The structural component 10 exemplarily comprises a foot sole 2 or consists thereof.

[0121] The structural component 10 comprises an elastic element, herein exemplarily in the form of a ventrally arranged spring, herein exemplarily a leaf spring or bending spring.

[0122] The structural component 10 comprises a further elastic element, herein exemplarily in the form of a dorsally arranged bending spring 4.

[0123] According to the present invention, either the ventral or the dorsal elastic element is sufficient. However, the embodiment shown herein having two elements 3, 4 offers its particular advantages.

[0124] The elastic bending spring 3 is, in a first area 7a, connected to the structural component 10, herein to the foot sole 2. Alternatively, a plug-in solution is provided amongst others. In addition, it is advantageous if an elastic element like e.g. the ventrally arranged bending spring 3 or the dorsally arranged bending spring 4 is provided in a releasable manner thus being easily replaceable by the user. By said replaceability, the user may easily use elastic elements which appear to be optimal to the current requirement of the prosthesis (running, sport, walking, sightseeing, etc. due to their geometry or elasticity, spring effect or the like,).

[0125] According to the present invention, an adjusting device, by which the spring effect and/or the spring strength is adjustable for the prosthesis wearer, may be provided in several embodiments according to the present invention. The wearer may thus adapt the prosthesis according to his needs and activities temporarily or constantly.

[0126] Also the optionally provided elastic bending spring 4 is connected to the structural component 10, herein the foot sole 2, in a first area 7a. The same which herein applies to the bending spring 3 or its connection to the structural component 10 and/or to the lower leg shaft 200 may in several embodiments according to the present invention apply also to the bending spring 4.

[0127] The bending spring 3 ventrally contacts or abuts with a second area 7b of the bending spring 3 the lower leg shaft 200. It primarily serves for influencing the rolling dynamics of the prosthesis.

[0128] The bending spring 4 dorsally contacts with a second area 7b of the bending spring 4 the lower leg shaft 200. It primarily serves for influencing the damping or the dynamics of the prosthesis.

[0129] The second area 7b is optionally arranged to be shiftable relative to the lower leg shaft 200.

[0130] The second area 7b lies optionally in an end area of the elastic element, here the bending spring 3 or 4.

[0131] An optional intermediate element 8 may lie between the second area 7b and the lower leg shaft 200. The intermediate element 8 may be part of the elastic element, here the bending spring 3 or 4, or part of the lower leg shaft 200. The intermediate element 8 may be arranged to be shiftable relative to the second area 7b and/or to the lower leg shaft 200.

[0132] The intermediate element 8 may be designed as an adapter between the geometries of the second area 7b on the one hand and of the lower leg shaft 200 on the other.

[0133] An adjusting device which is not shown may be provided to define or fix the intermediate element 8 to the lower leg shaft 200 or to the elastic element in a predetermined or desired height of the lower leg shaft 200 or of the elastic element, here the bending spring 3 or 4.

[0134] The prosthetic foot 100 comprises an optional support element 5. With the latter, the bending spring 3 and the lower leg shaft 200 may be, e.g. directly or indirectly, connected to each other, for example in a form-fit and/or force-fit manner, preferably releasable adjustable. The supporting element 5 may advantageously render possible or contribute to the dispensability of the dorsal bending spring 3.

[0135] The supporting element 5 may optionally be shifted or adjusted by an optional height adjustment 6 (e.g. in the form of a plug-in opening and at least one plug-in pin) along the longitudinal direction of the lower leg shaft 200. Thus, the spring effect of the bending spring 3 may be advantageously adjusted.

[0136] The supporting element 5 may, in each case purely optionally, be available in each embodiment according to the present invention.

[0137] Optionally, the bending spring 3 and/or the bending spring 4 do not respectively contact (directly or indirectly) the lower leg shaft 200 between their first area 7a and second area 7b.

[0138] As can be seen in FIG. 1, the foot sole 2 of the prosthetic foot 100 of this embodiment optionally has no elastic element and/or no spring which would serve for its own elasticity. The space for mounting or constructing which is required in the prior art is advantageously not needed according to the present invention.

[0139] The structural component 10 is also not designed as a leaf spring by way of example and/or optionally does not comprise the same. This offers advantages in terms of manufacturing, fatigue strength and adjustability.

[0140] The first area 7a may be firmly connected to the structural component 10. It may be releasably connected thereto. In particular, the first area 7a may be connected to the structural component 10 by a latching, snapping, clamping or other kind of connection. The user of the prosthesis may thus deliberately disable or weaken the spring effect of the bending spring 3. This may be desired when sitting at a table; if the spring effect is disabled for sitting, this allows the prosthetic foot to go into a plantar extension, thus the prosthetic foot is on the ground like the healthy foot also. Optically, the prosthetic foot can no longer be distinguished from a healthy foot. The latching connection or another connection makes it possible, through or by a re-latching, which may be done before, during or after getting up from the chair, that the bending spring 3 is brought in position as a spring element with the a.m. effect.

[0141] The first area 7a may be connected to the structural component 10 in a predetermined angle. The angle may be changeable by a provided device or by a tool. The angle may be constant or unchangeable.

[0142] FIG. 2 shows in a purely exemplary embodiment of a prosthetic foot 100 according to the present invention in a second embodiment in lateral view, fastened to a lower leg shaft 200. The upward direction is denoted as towards proximal; downward as towards distal. Ventral lies like in FIG. 1 on the left; dorsal on the right. Lateral lies exemplarily behind the drawing plane; medial lies in front of it. These spatial indications or information apply as well to the embodiments shown in FIG. 3 and FIG. 4.

[0143] The proximal connecting device 1 is herein exemplarily designed as at least one joint, which is connected to an extension 11, e.g. being a tube or lower leg tube, thus ensuring the connection between the structural component 10 on the one hand and the lower leg shaft 200 on the other hand.

[0144] As indicated with double arrow in FIG. 2, the joint of the connecting device 1 may be connected to the structural component 10 via a shifting device and may be shifted or adjusted via the latter e.g. in the shown ventral-dorsal direction. Optionally, a shiftability in a lateral-medial direction is also or alternatively provided. This shiftability may be provided in each embodiment according to the present invention, e.g. also in that of FIG. 1.

[0145] As indicated with further double arrow in FIG. 2, the first area 7a may be connected via a shifting device to the structural component 10 and may be shifted or adjusted via the latter in e.g. the shown ventral-dorsal direction. A respective shifting or adjusting device is denoted with the reference numeral 12 in FIG. 2. This may be firmly fixed to the first area 7a or to the structural component 10, thus may either move or not when being shifted relative to the structural component 10. Optionally, a shiftability in a lateral-medial direction is likewise provided. This shiftability may in turn be provided in each embodiment according to the present invention, e.g. also in that of FIG. 1.

[0146] The shifting devices may be arranged to influence the spring effect of the bending spring 3, e.g. to increase it. The shifting devices may, therefore, serve as adjusting devices for the bending spring 3.

[0147] FIG. 3 shows in a purely exemplary embodiment a prosthetic foot 100 according to the present invention in a third embodiment in a lateral view, fastened to a lower leg shaft 200.

[0148] FIG. 3 shows the optional intermediate element 8, which is arranged between the lower leg shaft 200 and the second area 7b. The optional connector 13 may lie freely between the lower leg shaft 200 and the second area 7b, it may be form-fit connected to one or both components mentioned supra in a releasable or non-releasable manner.

[0149] The intermediate element 8 may be part of the connector 13, which may be designed as a rod or tube. The connector 13 may extend preferably from the structural component 10 to the lower leg shaft 200.

[0150] The intermediate element 8 may be understood as an intermediary or interlink between the lower leg shaft 200 and the bending spring 3. It may effect a, in particular geometrical, balance between the lower leg shaft 200 and the bending spring 3 in a lateral-medial direction. It may effect a balance between the curved surface of the lower leg shaft 200 and the optional straight surface of the bending spring 3. It may effect a protection of the lower leg shaft 200 against the mechanical load caused by the bending spring 3 being made, for example, of Carbon.

[0151] The intermediate element 8 may be understood as a guiding device for guiding the bending spring 3 at or along the lower leg shaft 200.

[0152] The optional connector 13 may be connected to the structural component 10, e.g. to its foot sole 2, in a further section 17 lying distally to the intermediate element 8.

[0153] As indicated in FIG. 3 with again a further double arrow, the further section 17 may also be connected to the structural component 10 via a shifting device, not shown, and may be shifted or adjusted by the latter in the indicated ventral-dorsal direction. Optionally, a shiftability in a lateral-medial direction is likewise provided. The shiftability may again be provided in each embodiment according to the present invention, e.g. also in that of FIG. 4.

[0154] The further section 17 may be mounted free of any spring or return effect, thus allowing a rotation or twisting of the connector 13 and/or of the second section 17 without having to overcome a spring effect needed thereto.

[0155] The connections between some components of the prosthesis according to the present invention which includes or consists of the prosthetic foot 100 and the lower leg shaft 200, may be such that the connections 1, 7a and/or 17 are mutually displaceable. In this, the respective distance between them, or preferably between some of them, is adjustable which may serve for the fitting or customization of the prosthesis to the user or to his/her activities.

[0156] FIG. 4 shows in a purely exemplary embodiment a prosthetic foot 100 according to the present invention in a fourth embodiment in a lateral view, fastened to a lower leg shaft 200.

[0157] FIG. 4 is based on FIG. 3. The exemplary embodiments shown in these two figures differ in that the optional connector 13 in FIG. 3 is connected to the structural component 10, e.g. its foot sole 2, via the section 17 on the ventral side of the connecting device 1, while the section 17 of FIG. 4 lies dorsally to the connecting device 1.

[0158] As can be seen in FIG. 4, the connector 13 extends, when seen from the side, from the ventral side of the lower leg shaft 200 (in the area of the second section 7b) to the dorsal side of the lower leg shaft 200, where it is connected to the foot sole 2 in section 17. In this, it may be concavely curved or both concavely and convexly. The latter design may be similar to a double curvature or an S-shape, as shown e.g. in FIG. 4.

[0159] An advantage associated with the particular shape of the connector 13 may be that when walking, there is an increasing spring effect with the increasing dorsal extension of the foot. The increasing spring effect results from the fact that the section 17, which may be configured or understood as a fulcrum, is arranged far dorsally in FIG. 4 in comparison with the embodiment of FIG. 3 and causes or effects the second section 7b moving towards the distal side (and correspondingly also back), as indicated by double arrow in FIG. 4. This may lead to an increased spring effect of the bending spring 3.

[0160] The intermediate element 8 may thus be designed as a height-shiftable or height-adjustable section with respect to the height of the bending spring 3.

[0161] It should be noted that also the bending spring 3 may have the course and shape of the connector 13. The advantages achieved with the connector 13 may thus be also achieved without the connector 13, but with a correspondingly designed and arranged bending spring 13.

[0162] In addition to (or instead of) the connector 13 shown in FIG. 4, which extends medially to the tube 11, it is also possible to provide a lateral connector, not shown in FIG. 4, which extends laterally to the tube 11. The connector which is not shown may for example be designed and connected like the connector 13.

[0163] FIG. 5a shows a prosthesis according to the present invention with a prosthetic foot 100 according to the present invention in a fifth embodiment in a lateral view, fastened to a lower leg shaft 200.

[0164] The illustration of FIG. 5a is based on FIG. 3 and FIG. 4. In FIG. 5a, a further embodiment of the intermediate element 8 and of the first area 7a is shown. For reason of simplicity and clarity, the optionally provided and arbitrarily designed connector 13 is not shown in FIG. 5a, even though it is or could be provided in an analogous arrangement to FIG. 4 in an exemplary embodiment.

[0165] The intermediate element 8 is designed aswith regard to the height (in y-direction) of the bending spring 3height-shiftable or height-adjustable section. The bending spring 3 may move within the intermediate element 8 and relative thereto, at least in the y-direction.

[0166] In the exemplary illustration of FIG. 5a, the intermediate element 8 optionally comprises at least one or, like herein, two (or more) curved surfaces or sections. At least one of the curved surfaces or sections is arranged such that the bending spring 3, depending on the motion direction of the lower leg shaft 200 relative to the bending spring 3, is guided along the curved surfaces, contacts them and/or is limited by them, in particular in a x-direction being perpendicular to the height direction.

[0167] With a movement of the lower leg shaft 200, the bending spring 3 may contact the curved surfaces or sections (herein in short: surfaces) or move relative thereto, and thus move relative to the intermediate element 8.

[0168] The curved surfaces or sections of FIG. 5a, which are optional, may, like in FIG. 5a, respectively be convex towards the bending spring 3. Their (at least one) radius of curvature may each lie in the x, y-plane or in a plane parallel thereto.

[0169] In case of a relative movement, the movement depends in particular on the surface conditions of the curved surfaces and the bending spring 3 due to frictional movement and/or is limited thereby.

[0170] The direction of the movement of the lower leg shaft 200 is indicted by the double-sided arrow next to the illustrated x, y axes coordination system (above the bending spring, with regard to FIG. 5a). The movement along this double-sided arrow may be denoted as tilting movement. Due to the intermediate element 8 connected to the lower leg shaft 200, the leaf spring 3 is guided in this intermediate element 8 along the curved surfaces.

[0171] With the curved surfaces of the intermediate element 8, an exact and reliable guiding of the leaf spring 3 in the intermediate element 8 may be advantageously ensured. This may lead to a reliable and more stable guiding of the lower leg shaft 200, in particular relative to the prosthetic foot 100.

[0172] At the same time, the curved form of the surfaces of the intermediate element 8 which possibly contact the bending spring 3, allow a relatively large freedom of movement. Thus, the intermediate element 8 as designed in FIG. 5a and/or FIG. 5b may advantageously prevent or reduce an unintentional twisting of the bending spring 3 and thus an uneven or unplanned bending of the bending spring 3 effected or caused by the movement sequences of the prosthesis wearer.

[0173] To the left of the intermediate element 8 (with respect to FIG. 5a) a further, double-sided arrow with a y, z plane spanned perpendicularly to the drawing plane is schematically illustrated. This arrow indicates a further possible movement direction of the leaf spring 3 guided in the intermediate element 8. This movement direction is shown and described more closely in FIG. 5b.

[0174] Optionally, the first area 7a is designed to be shiftable or adjustable in x-direction. This movement direction is illustrated by the double-sided arrow below the first area 7a. Thus, the position of the spanning of the leaf spring 3 in or at the prosthetic foot 100 may be changed, for example, to achieve an individual adjustment for the prosthesis wearer. Such a shiftability, which possibly requires tools and/or may be releasably limited by a clamping mechanism, spanning mechanism, etc. may be made possible, for example, by the shifting or adjusting device 12, which is shown in FIG. 2 and which may, as shown in FIG. 7, be optionally designed as guiding elements 21 on which a slide 23, 29 (see FIG. 7) may drive or move.

[0175] The first area 7a is optionally designed with a further degree of freedom of movement as compared with the embodiment from FIG. 4. This is shown by the circular shape of the first area 7a in FIG. 5a. This further degree of freedom of movement is in particular a rotation about the x-axis. By this rotation about the x-axis, the leaf spring 3 may be moved or tilted in the y, z-plane (perpendicular to the plane of the drawing). This movement is described in detail in FIG. 5b.

[0176] The first area 7a may be designed as a joint. The joint may be a polyaxial and/or polycentric joint. The first area 7a may be a hinge, a saddle joint, a ball joint, etc.

[0177] The first area 7a may optionally have a joint effect, for instance for tilting, about the x-axis or with the x-axis as a rotation axis (or in a left-right direction in FIG. 5b); preferably, the first area has only this joint effect and no other one.

[0178] FIG. 5b shows the view of FIG. 5a rotated about 90 degrees to the right. In other words, the view of FIG. 5b is a view from the front onto the prosthesis according to the present invention with a prosthetic foot 100 according to the present invention of FIG. 5a.

[0179] In this view of FIG. 5b, the leaf spring 3 and the intermediate element 8 are seen in top view from the front. This top view corresponds to an illustration in the y, z-plane.

[0180] A possible movement direction of the prosthesis according to the present invention with the lower leg shaft 200 is illustrated by the double-sided arrow above the leaf spring and above the intermediate element 8. With this movement, the leaf spring 3 is guided again in the intermediate element 8 along (herein optionally two) optionally curved surfaces. This movement of the bending spring 3 in the y, z-plane may be referred to as tilting movement of the leaf spring 3.

[0181] The lower leg shaft 200, the tube 11, the intermediate element 8 and the leaf spring 3 may thus be rotated or tilted relative to the foot sole 2 about the first area 7a and the connecting device 1. With this movement possibility, which may be referred to as degrees of freedom of movement, the walking or running movement of the prosthesis wearer may be improved, in particular by improved weight shifting of the prosthesis wearer relative to the footprint or base plane of the foot sole 2 on a ground or floor.

[0182] The curved surfaces illustrated in FIG. 5b may be designed to be identical, similar or different in comparison to those illustrated in FIG. 5a. For example, the curved surfaces in FIG. 5b may be either more curved or less curved in comparison to the curved surfaces of FIG. 5a. This may lead respectively to a different movement behavior of the prosthesis wearer when walking.

[0183] The leaf spring 3 may be removable from the intermediate element 8 and/or from the first area 7a. This may be advantageously used, depending on the prosthesis wearer (size, weight) and possible movement behavior, in order to use different materials for the leaf spring 3 and/or different leaf spring strengths. Possible materials for the leaf spring 3 are plastics, glass-fiber reinforced plastics, carbon-fiber reinforced plastic, composite materials, metallic materials or combinations of these materials.

[0184] Depending on the prosthesis wearer, predetermined parameters of the position of the intermediate element 8 at the lower leg shaft 200, of the size and/or of the materials of the leaf spring 3 and/or other parameters may be selected.

[0185] The curved surfaces of the intermediate element 8, illustrated in FIG. 5a in the x, y-movement plane, and on the other side in the y, z-movement plane in FIG. 5b, may allow together with the lower leg shaft 200 according to the present invention and the prosthetic foot 100 according to the present invention a stable and safe walking of the prosthesis wearer. The movements may be superimposed in both motion planes, depending on the movement direction, anatomical conditions of the prosthesis wearer, etc. Such complex movement sequences may advantageously be stable and safely implemented by the illustrated intermediate element 8 with the respective curved surfaces.

[0186] The curved surfaces or sections of FIG. 5b, which are optional, may, as in FIG. 5b, each be convex towards the bending spring 3. Their (at least one) curve radius may respectively lie in the y, z-plane or in a plane parallel thereto.

[0187] The curved surfaces or sections of FIGS. 5a and 5b are, as described supra, each convexly curved towards the bending spring 3. In FIG. 5a, the curved surfaces or sections are each arranged on the right and on the left of the drawing plane (x, y-plane), this corresponds to respective planes in front and behind the drawing plane (y, z-plane) in FIG. 5b. In FIG. 5b, the curved surfaces or sections are each arranged on the right and on the left of the drawing plane (y, z-plane), respectively corresponds to respective planes in front of and behind the drawing plane (x, y-plane) in FIG. 5a

[0188] The curved surfaces or sections may likewise be differently arranged. For example, the curved surfaces or sections within the intermediate element 8 may each be convex towards the bending spring 3, wherein the curves may be designed three-dimensionally in the x, y, z-space. Thus, the bending spring 3 may in particular no longer flatly contact or abut against the curved surfaces or sections of the intermediate element 8, rather only in a punctiform manner. This contacting may be referred to as saddle-shaped abutment to the three-dimensional surface. The bending spring 3 may abut against the three-dimensional surface at a plurality of saddle-shaped points, which may be referred to as point-shaped regions.

[0189] The design and configuration of the three-dimensional surface with surfaces convexly curved towards the bending spring 3 may be designed differently and individually. This advantageously makes it possible to configure respectively different three-dimensional surfaces for individual prosthesis wearers and/or specific embodiments of a lower leg shaft 200 according to the present invention and/or specific embodiments of a prosthetic foot 100 according to the present invention.

[0190] Furthermore, different three-dimensional surfaces having different, in particular interchangeable, bending springs 3 may be combined and adjusted or adapted individually.

[0191] The frontal, although optional, limitation of the second area 7b in the intermediate element 8 is not shown in FIG. 5b nor in FIG. 6b for better illustration.

[0192] FIG. 6a shows the embodiment of FIG. 5a, however with a further embodiment of the intermediate element 8. In this embodiment, the leaf spring 3 is fixed in or at the intermediate element 8. The fixing may be a releasable or a non-releasable connection, e.g. a material-fit or form-fit connection. The leaf spring 3 may be clamped, glued or differently fixed in the intermediate element 8.

[0193] The movement of the leaf spring 3 with respect to the intermediate element 8 which is described above in FIGS. 5a and 5b based on the curved surfaces of the intermediate element 8 is realized in the embodiment of FIGS. 6a and 6b by a further connecting device 14. The further connecting device 14 may movably carry the intermediate element 8, and thus also the leaf spring 3, during a movement of the lower leg shaft 200. The intermediate element 8 with the leaf spring 3 may make or follow the movement of the lower leg shaft 200 in whole or in part, depending on the design of the further connecting device 14.

[0194] The further connecting device 14 may be a joint, for example a polyaxial and/or a polycentric joint, and/or a hinge.

[0195] The further connecting device 14 may be releasably or non-releasably connected to the lower leg shaft 200 and/or to the intermediate element 8.

[0196] The connecting device 14 may be designed to be shiftable relative to the lower leg shaft 200 and/or to the intermediate element 8.

[0197] Moreover, the description of FIGS. 5a and 5b, in particular with regard to the first area 7a, analogously applies to FIGS. 6a and 6b.

[0198] FIG. 7 shows a prosthetic foot 100 according to the present invention in a further embodiment.

[0199] The proximal connecting device 1 is shiftably connected by a slide to a shifting or adjusting device 12, herein optionally to guiding elements 21 of the shifting or adjusting device 12. The connection shown in the example of FIG. 7 between the proximal connecting device 1 and the shifting or adjusting device 12 is secured by screws 19 which ensure the position of the proximal connecting device 1 on the shifting or adjusting device 12. Instead ofone or morescrews 19, a different joint connection or fastening between the proximal connecting device 1 and the shifting or adjusting device 12 may be provided. This may be a clamp connection, click connection, plug connection or the like. Preferably, the connection may be designed to be released and closed without using tools.

[0200] The shifting or adjusting device 12 exemplarily comprises two guiding elements 21 (e.g. guiding rails), one or more guiding elements 21 are likewise provided by the present invention.

[0201] The proximal connecting device 1 comprises optionally the slide 23 shown in FIG. 7, which is engaged to and/or contacts the guiding elements 21 or is optionally connected thereto.

[0202] The shifting or adjusting device 12 is itself connected to the structural component or, as here, to the foot sole 2 via screws 25. It could be connected to the structural component or to the foot sole 2 with a different way, like e.g. welded, glued, etc.

[0203] In the particular design of FIG. 7, the shifting or adjusting device 12 serves for connecting also the first area 7a of the bending spring 3 (as an elastic element) to the foot sole 2.

[0204] The arrangement of the first area 7a and/or the proximal connecting device 1 on the shifting or adjusting device 12 allows not only to adjust the distance between the proximal connecting device 1 and the first area 7a which in turn allows an adaptation of the prosthetic foot 100 to the activity of the prosthesis wearer, the selected shoe form, the desired spring effect, etc. Such an arrangement allows the cost-effective manufacturing of the prosthetic foot 100 with only one shifting or adjusting device.

[0205] As can be seen in FIG. 7, the first area 7a of the bending spring 3 is received in a receptacle 27 (e.g. screwed or glued therein). The receptacle 27 which is limited by the bending spring 3 at both the front side of the bending spring 3 and at its rear side 3a, is connected to the shifting or adjusting device 12 by one, two (as shown in FIG. 7) or more slides 29. The slides 29 are engaged to and/or contact the guiding elements 21. Using the slide 29, the first area 7a may be shifted along the guiding elements 21. The connection between the slides 29 and the guiding elements 21 may optionally be designed like the connection between the slides 23 and the guiding elements 21.

[0206] The receptacle 27 for the first area 7a of the bending spring 3 may optionally be two-piece and may touch the first area 7a from the front and from the back. In this, the front section 27a and the rear section 27b are closer to each other in a bottom area than in an upper area. This may be achieved by e.g. a rounding or chamfering of the upper area of the front section 27a and the rear section 27b. The bigger distance provided on top may grant or concede the bending spring 3 a tension-free bending movement and may help that the clamping length of the first area 7a in the receptacle 27 may be kept small and/or the durability of the bending spring 3 is advantageously increased.

[0207] The receptacle 27, or optionally the first area 7a directly, may be connected to the slide 29 by a rotating joint 31 as shown in FIG. 7, or may alternatively be directly connected to the shifting or adjusting device 12 or to the foot sole 2.

[0208] The rotating joint 31 advantageously allows a rotation or tilting movement of the bending spring 3 in a left-right direction of the foot sole 2.

[0209] The rotation axis of the rotating joint 31 may optionally be perpendicular to the rotation axis of the proximal connecting device 1 and/or parallel to a longitudinal direction of the foot sole 2.

[0210] The foot sole 2, as shown in FIG. 7, has optionally no joint that would connect single foot sole sections to each other. The particular design proposed herein, may supersede such a joint.

[0211] As shown in FIG. 7, the foot sole 2 may be directly or indirectly connected to the shoe sole 33, e.g. glued.

[0212] In the present invention, neither the proximal connecting device 1 nor the first area 7a must be shiftable and/or be connected via the shifting or adjusting device 12 to the structural component and/or the foot sole 2. Likewise, the proximal connecting device 1 on the one hand and the first area 7a on the other hand may, unlike in FIG. 7, be guided on separate shifting or adjusting devices.

[0213] The shifting or adjusting device 12 or the guiding elements 21 may be the elements mentioned supra, on which the bending spring 3 is already shiftably arranged. In this, the distance between the proximal connecting device 1 and the bending spring 3, in particular its first area 7a, may be varied simply. Alternatively, not only one but several shifting or adjusting devices 12 are provided, e.g. one shifting or adjusting device 12 for the bending spring 3, another one for the proximal connecting device 1.

LIST OF REFERENCE NUMERALS

[0214] 100 prosthetic foot [0215] 10 structural component [0216] 1 connecting device [0217] 2 foot sole [0218] 3 bending spring [0219] 3a rear side [0220] 4 bending spring [0221] 5 supporting element [0222] 6 height adjustment [0223] 7a first area [0224] 7b second area [0225] 8 intermediate element [0226] 9 forefoot section [0227] 11 tube, extension [0228] 12 shifting or adjusting device [0229] 13 connector [0230] 14 further connecting device [0231] 17 section [0232] 19 screws [0233] 21 guiding elements [0234] 23 slide [0235] 25 screws [0236] 27 receptacle [0237] 29 slide [0238] 31 pivoting or rotating joint [0239] 33 shoe sole [0240] 200 lower leg shaft [0241] x x-direction, x-axis [0242] y y-direction, y-axis [0243] z z-direction, z-axis