Prosthesis (i.e. – artificial body members) – parts thereof – or ai – Leg – Knee
Patent
1993-01-07
1994-12-27
Willse, David H.
Prosthesis (i.e., artificial body members), parts thereof, or ai
Leg
Knee
623 43, A61F 264
Patent
active
053761367
DESCRIPTION:
BRIEF SUMMARY
The present invention relates to an artificial leg having a femoral member; a lower-leg member articulated to said femoral member about a knee joint axis and adapted for connection to a prosthetic foot; and a locking mechanism adapted to releasably lock the pivotal movement of said lower-leg member about said knee joint axis and operable by means of an operating member.
In a prior art artificial leg of this type, the locking mechanism consists of a hydraulic device comprising a cylinder member which is articulated to the lower-leg member, and a piston rod which is articulated to the femoral member and which is operated by means of an operating rod adapted for connection to the prosthetic foot. Since the operating rod is to be connected to the prosthetic foot, the latter must be of a special design, and the artificial leg can thus only by mounted on a specific type of prosthetic feet available on the market. In addition, it is difficult to adapt the prior art artificial leg to the length of the user. A further disadvantage of the prior art artificial leg is that its locking mechanism (which serves to lock the knee joint, i.e. to prevent the lower-leg member from pivoting relative to the femoral member about the knee joint axis when the prosthetic foot is applied against the ground) does not release the locking until the prosthetic foot is lifted from the ground. Thus, the user must lift the artificial leg in a locked, stretched position when walking, thereby waddling like a duck.
The object of the present invention is to provide an artificial leg which is of the type described above and which is so designed that the above-mentioned disadvantages are obviated, i.e. designed in such a manner that it can easily be mounted on different types of prosthetic feet available on the market as well as be adapted to the length of the user, and that the user will not waddle like a duck.
According to the invention, this object is achieved by an artificial leg which is of the type described above and which is characterised in that the lower-leg member consists of an upper part which is articulated to the femoral member and supports the locking mechanism, and a lower part which is adapted for connection to the prosthetic foot and to which the operating member is connected, and that the upper part is articulated to the lower part about a pivot pin located in front of the knee joint axis to which it is parallel, to be pivoted relative to said lower part between a rear position in which the operating member connected to the lower part acts upon the locking mechanism for locking the pivotal movement of the upper part about the knee joint axis, and a frontal position in which the operating member acts upon the locking mechanism to release said locking.
The upper and the lower part are suitably tubular, the lower portion of the upper part being preferably inserted into the upper portion of the lower part, so that said upper part, when in its rear position, is applied against the rear wall of said lower part and, when in its frontal position, is applied against the front wall of said lower part.
The locking mechanism preferably is a hydraulic device having a cylinder member which is articulated to said upper part, and a piston rod which is articulated to said femoral member, said operating member being an operating rod.
The invention will now be described in more detail below, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, in which
FIG. 1 illustrates an artificial leg according to the invention in a longitudinal section parallel to the knee joint axis of the artificial leg, and
FIG. 2 illustrates the artificial leg in a longitudinal section perpendicular to the knee joint axis.
The artificial leg illustrated in the drawings has a femoral member 1, of which only the lower portion is shown, and a lower-leg member 2 which consists of a tubular upper part 2a and a tubular lower part 2b. The femoral member 1 extends a short distance down into the upper part 2a, and is articulated thereto by means of a transverse pivot pin 3 definin
REFERENCES:
patent: 2480856 (1949-09-01), Henschke et al.
patent: 3309715 (1967-03-01), Nader et al.
patent: 3551915 (1971-01-01), Woodall
patent: 3806958 (1974-04-01), Gusev
Abstract of Soviet Union Patent SU 1533-686-A Dec. 1989.
Vaxjo-Protes AB
Willse David H.
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