Prosthesis (i.e. – artificial body members) – parts thereof – or ai – Leg – Ankle
Patent
1997-10-15
1999-09-28
Yu, Mickey
Prosthesis (i.e., artificial body members), parts thereof, or ai
Leg
Ankle
623 50, 623 53, A61F 264, A61F 266
Patent
active
059579811
DESCRIPTION:
BRIEF SUMMARY
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention refers to an adjustable prosthesis joint, such as a prosthesis ankle or a prosthesis foot, of the type defined in the preamble of claim 1.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
From SE-A-9001184-2 is known an artificial foot, with which is obtained a rapid, step-less and smooth adjustment of the foot angle for a foot blade forming part of the foot, at the same time as the foot blade is resilient. The solution presented in that patent operates in a good manner, but incorporates a number of mechanical components, such as struts, rails, ball and nut mechanism, braking and arresting means, which together give the construction a rather large number of components, which make the foot according to the patent rather expensive and space-demanding.
The purpose of the present invention is to provide an adjustable prosthesis joint, such as a prosthesis foot or the like, which has the same high functionality as the artificial foot according to the above-mentioned patent, but which incorporates a smaller number of mechanical components and therefore can be made less space-demanding and less expensive to manufacture than the older solution, and this has been achieved in that the construction has been given the features defined in the characterizing part of claim 1.
Hereinafter the invention will be further described with reference to an embodiment schematically illustrated in the accompanying drawings.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
FIG. 1 shows in cross-section from the side an embodiment of an adjustable prosthesis ankle according to the invention,
FIG. 2 is a corresponding view of a prosthesis foot according to the invention in a locked neutral position for a valve incorporated therein, and with load applied on the heel portion thereof,
FIG. 3 shows a somewhat modified prosthesis foot according to the invention in a cross sectional view corresponding to
FIG. 1, in a position bent maximally backwards,
FIG. 4 is a corresponding view, which shows the foot prosthesis according to FIG. 3 in a position maximally bent forward and with the valve in open position,
FIG. 5 is a view corresponding to FIG. 4 with open valve and in a position bent maximally backwards,
FIG. 6 is an end view seen straight from the front of the valve housing according to FIG. 5,
FIG. 7 shows the valve housing in side view,
FIG. 8 illustrates the valve housing as seen straight from above,
FIG. 9 is a view of the lower side of the valve housing in FIGS. 6-8,
FIG. 10 shows an adjustable ankle joint according to the invention in side view,
FIG. 11 shows partially in cross-section how the ankle joint according to FIG. 10 can be used together with one of a number of different, earlier known foot prosthesis, and
FIGS. 12a-e illustrate schematically a further joint with which the prosthesis joint according to the invention can be built together for permitting lateral inclination.
In FIG. 1 is shown in cross-section an ankle joint prosthesis 1 according to the invention, which incorporates a housing 2 in the form of a substantially cylindrical, cross-sectionally circularly curved chamber 3 with a substantially straight socket 4 projecting essentially radially from the curved envelope surface thereof, which socket is intended to be attached to a not shown lower bone portion in a not further shown, e.g. conventional manner. In the middle portion of the cylindrical, curved chamber 3 there is provided a fixed, substantially radial intermediate wall 5, which subdivides the chamber 3 into two substantially equally big, circularly curved, partially circular cylinders 3a, 3b and which is connected to a hub 6 with a rotational axis coinciding with the axis of curvature 7 of the cylinders. In each one of those two cylinders 3a, 3b there are provided a piston 8, 9 each, which are curved in a manner corresponding to that of the cylinder, which pistons 8, 9 are interconnected in such a manner, that they form a continuous pair of pistons with a constant mutual spacing. The pistons are sealed off against the cylinder
REFERENCES:
patent: 5704945 (1998-01-01), Wagner et al.
Mauch Laboratories, Inc., Hydraulik Ankle Unit Manual, p. 2, Mar. 1988.
Gramtec Innovation AB
Stewart Alvin
Yu Mickey
LandOfFree
Adjustable prosthesis joint does not yet have a rating. At this time, there are no reviews or comments for this patent.
If you have personal experience with Adjustable prosthesis joint, we encourage you to share that experience with our LandOfFree.com community. Your opinion is very important and Adjustable prosthesis joint will most certainly appreciate the feedback.
Profile ID: LFUS-PAI-O-697327