Abstract:
A prosthetic ankle-foot system and a method for operating a prosthetic ankle-foot system are described. The prosthetic ankle-foot system comprises a forefoot element, a heel element and a shin element. A forefoot hinge joint rotatably connects the forefoot element to the heel element. A heel hinge joint rotatably connects the heel element to the shin element. The prosthetic ankle-foot system further comprises a damper for exerting a dampening force for resisting a rotation of said heel hinge joint and a transducer for adjusting the dampening force of said damper as function of an angular position of said shin element with respect to said forefoot element.
Abstract:
A prosthetic foot (70) incorporates a foot keel (77) and a calf shank (72) connected to the foot keel to form an ankle joint area of the prosthetic foot. The foot keel has forefoot and hindfoot portions and an upwardly arched midfoot portion extending between the forefoot and midfoot portions. The calf shank includes a downward convexly curved lower end which is adjustably attached at a portion thereof to the foot keel by way of a releasable fastener arrangement. The upper end of the calf shank is movable longitudinally of the foot keel in response to force loading and unloading the calf shank during use of the prosthetic foot. A device (71) connected between the ends of the calf shank limits the extent of the motion of the upper end of the calf shank relative to the lower end and foot keel. The upper end of the calf shank can include an alignment coupler device (92) thereon having adjustable slide mechanisms to adjust the media/lateral and anterior/posterior position of the calf shank relative to a supporting structure on the leg of the person using the prosthetic foot.
Abstract:
A prosthetic foot (70) incorporates a foot keel (71) and a calf shank (72) connected to the foot keel to form an ankle joint area of the prosthetic foot. The foot keel has forefoot and hindfoot portions and an upwardly arched midfoot portion extending between the forefoot and midfoot portions. The calf shank includes a downward convexly curved lower end which is adjustably attached at a portion thereof to the foot keel by way of a releasable fastener arrangement which includes a coupling element (73) intermediate the calf shank and foot keel. The coupling element includes a resilient material forming a joint permitting subtalar joint-like motion of the prosthetic foot in gait.
Abstract:
A prosthetic foot (190) incorporates a foot keel (192) and a resilient calf shank (193) with its lower end connected to the foot keel to form an ankle joint of the prosthetic foot. The calf shank extends upward from the foot keel by way of an anterior facing convexly curved portion (195) of the shank, and is secured to the foot keel by way of a coupling element (194). The lower end of the shank is reversely curved (196) and housed by a reversely curved portion of the coupling element. A posterior calf device (191) has a cable (204) which is untensioned in a normal gait cycle but tensioned by a force loading on the prosthesis greater than 120% of body weight of the user to limit, e.g. stop, further anterior motion of the upper end of the shank.
Abstract:
A resilient lower extremity prosthesis comprising a foot, an ankle and a shank above the ankle is provided with an artificial muscle (190) on the shank (191) of the prosthesis for storing energy during force loading of the prosthesis in the active propulsion phase of a person's gait and in the later stages of stance-phase of gait releasing the stored energy to aid propulsion of the person's trailing limb and body.
Abstract:
The present foot prosthesis includes various structural features that provide the foot with advantageous rollover properties. In certain embodiments, the foot guides rollover toward the medial side. For example, an asymmetrical upper element and a correspondingly shaped resilient ankle member support more of the wearer's weight on the lateral side as the foot rolls over. In another embodiment, stiffeners added to the resilient ankle member increase the stiffness on the lateral side relative to the medial side. In certain other embodiments, the foot provides progressively increasing support from mid stance through toe off. For example, a gap between the resilient ankle member and the lower element closes during the later portion of the wearer's gait. The closing gap increases a contact area between the resilient ankle member and the lower element, providing progressively increasing support. In another embodiment, the foot includes a gap between a lower front edge of an attachment adapter and the upper element. The gap may be filled with a resilient material.
Abstract:
The present foot prosthesis includes various structural features that provide the foot with advantageous rollover properties. In certain embodiments, the foot guides rollover toward the medial side. For example, an asymmetrical upper element and a correspondingly shaped resilient ankle member support more of the wearer's weight on the lateral side as the foot rolls over. In another embodiment, stiffeners added to the resilient ankle member increase the stiffness on the lateral side relative to the medial side. In certain other embodiments, the foot provides progressively increasing support from mid stance through toe off. For example, a gap between the resilient ankle member and the lower element closes during the later portion of the wearer's gait. The closing gap increases a contact area between the resilient ankle member and the lower element, providing progressively increasing support. In another embodiment, the foot includes a gap between a lower front edge of an attachment adapter and the upper element. The gap may be filled with a resilient material.
Abstract:
Embodiments of the invention relate to a prosthetic, orthotic, or robotic foot having at least two joints (8003, 8004). One joint is located in a position analogous to the human MTP joint (8003), and the other is located in a position analogous to the human subtalar joint (8004). Motions of these two joints are mechanically couples. Furthermore, these joints (8003, 8004) are created using "tensegrity" design principals, where connections between the compression members are made by a network of tension members. These tension members create axes of motion, and limitations on those axes of motion. Actuators or linear elastic "springs" are use to alter the torque/angular deflection response curve of these joints, so that the rollover profile of the human foot can be duplicated by this invention.
Abstract:
A prosthetic foot (1) incorporate a foot keel (2) and a calf shank (6) connected to the foot keel (2) to form an ankle joint area of the prosthetic foot (1). The foot keel (2) has forefoot (3) and hindfoot portions (4) and a relatively long midfoot portion (5) extending between and upwardly arched from the forefoot (3) and midfoot portions (5). The calf shank (6) includes a downward convexly curved lower end (7) which is attached at a portion thereof to the keel midfoot portion (5) by way of an adjustable fastener (8) arrangement. The adjustable fastener (8) arrangement permits adjustment of the alignment of the calf shank (6) and the foot keel (2) with respect to one another in the longitudinal direction of the foot keel (2) for tuning the performance of the prosthetic foot (1). The upwardly arched midportion of the foot keel (2), in addition to absorbing energy from vertical loading by expansion, can be formed with a spring which is compressed to absorb and expanded to return vertical load during use of the prosthetic in wide range of activities from walking to running and jumping.
Abstract:
A prosthetic foot (1) incorporates a foot keel (2) and a calf shank (6) connected to the foot keel to form an ankle joint area of the prosthetic foot (1). The foot keel (2) has forefoot (3) and hindfoot (4) portions and a relatively long midfoot portion (5) extending between and upwardly arched from the forefoot (3) and midfoot hindfoot (4) portions. The calf shank (6) includes a downward convexly curved lower end (7) which is attached at a portion thereof to the keel midfoot portion (5) by way of an adjustable fastener (8) arrangement. The foot has biplanar motion capability and, in a preferred form, also has high low dynamic response characteristics. The adjustable fastener (8) arrangement permits adjustment of the alignment of the calf shank (6) and the foot keel (2) with respect to one another in the longitudinal direction of the foot keel (2) for tuning the performance of the prosthetic foot (1).