Artificial Foot And Method For Controlling The Movement Thereof

• US 20090012630A1
• Filed: 01/16/2007
• Published: 01/08/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 01/27/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Ottobock SE & Co. KGaA
• Original Assignee: Otto Bock HealthCare GmbH (OTTO BOCK Holding GmbH & Company KG)
• Inventors: Mosler, Luder, Pusch, Martin, Zarling, Sven
• Granted Patent: US 8,945,238 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 623/55
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2/66 Feet; Ankle joints
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2/68 Operating or control means
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/5003 having damping means, e.g. shock absorbers
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/5009 having two or more elastomeric blocks
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/5018 for adjusting angular orientation
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/503 for adjusting elasticity, flexibility, spring rate or mechanical tension
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/5033 for adjusting damping
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/6614 Feet
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/6642 Heels
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/665 Soles
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/6664 Dual structures made of two connected cantilevered leaf springs
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/6678 L-shaped
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/6685 S-shaped

Abstract

An artificial foot having a longitudinal axis extending from a heel area to a toe area, a length, a width and a height is provided. The artificial foot includes a connection to a lower leg part, an upper supporting structure in the direction of height, an elastic sole structure extending from the heel area to the toe area, an elastic connecting element arranged between the upper supporting structure and the sole structure, and a coupling system. The upper supporting structure is connected to the sole structure approximately in a middle of the foot with respect to its length by means of the coupling system. The coupling system allows a relative tilting motion between the upper supporting structure and the sole structure while keeping a distance between the upper supporting structure and the sole structure in a middle of the coupling system constant, at least while a patient places weight on it when standing.

Claims

1. An artificial foot with a longitudinal axis extending from a heel area to a toe area, a length, a width and a height comprising:

a adapted to received a lower leg part;

an upper support structure;

an elastic sole structure extending from the heel area to the toe area;

an elastic element arranged between the upper supporting structure and the sole structure; and

a coupling system which connects

the upper support structure to the sole structure approximately in a middle of the length of the foot, by the coupling system providing a relative tilting motion between the upper supporting structure and the sole structure while maintaining a distance between the upper supporting structure and the sole structure in a middle of the coupling system constant, while a patient places weight on the coupling system when standing.

2. The artificial foot as claimed in claim 1, wherein the coupling system is formed by a material piece which can be compressed by tilting moments on a part of a cross-section of the material piece.

3. The artificial foot as claimed in claim 1, wherein the coupling system is compressed by higher force to lessen a distance in the middle of the coupling system.

4. The artificial foot as claimed in claim 1, wherein the elastic connecting element includes an elastic pad.

5. The artificial foot as claimed in claim 4, wherein the elastic connecting element includes a limiting device limiting a distance between the upper supporting structure and the sole structure.

6. The artificial foot as claimed in claim 5, wherein the limiting device includes a flexible band which is tensible with increasing distance between the upper supporting structure and the sole structure.

7. The artificial foot as claimed in claim 6, wherein the flexible band is guided with deflection by the elastic pad so that elastic displacement by material of the elastic pad is required to tense the band.

8. The artificial foot as claimed in claim 1, wherein the upper supporting structure is formed from a rigid material.

9. The artificial foot as claimed in claim 1, wherein the coupling system is arranged on a toe-side end of the upper supporting structure.

10. The artificial foot as claimed in claim 1, wherein the upper supporting structure has an underside which increases in distance from a toe-side end to a heel-side end relative to the sole structure so that at the heel-side end, the underside is at a greater distance from the sole structure than a region of the coupling system.

11. The artificial foot as claimed in claim 4, wherein the elastic pad has a horizontal slot through which the sole structure is pushed.

12. The artificial foot as claimed in claim 6 wherein the flexible band is looped around an underside of the sole structure.

13. The artificial foot as claimed in claim 12, wherein a lug which can be looped around by the flexible band on a top side of the lug is arranged on the upper supporting structure.

14. The artificial foot as claimed in claim 10, wherein the underside of the supporting structure has a roof-like heel area.

15. The artificial foot as claimed in claim 14, wherein an elastic pad with a roof-like top side rests on the roof-like heel area of the underside of the supporting structure.

16. The artificial foot as claimed in claim 1, wherein the elastic connecting element has a control spring with a heel-aligned arm.

17. The artificial foot as claimed in claim 1 wherein a toe-aligned arm of a control spring forms part of the sole structure, and wherein the toe-aligned arm is connected to a front end of a sole spring of the sole structure.

18. The artificial foot as claimed in claim 17, wherein the connection of the toe-aligned arm to the sole spring occurs via an elastic damper.

19. The artificial foot as claimed in claim 18, wherein flexible retaining straps limiting a distance between the sole spring and the toe-aligned arm are arranged in a longitudinal direction on both sides of the elastic damper.

20. The artificial foot as claimed in claim 4, wherein the elastic pad is arranged adjustably in a longitudinal direction.

21. The artificial foot as claimed in claim 1, wherein a lockable height-adjustment device having power flow in series with the elastic connecting element, with which a distance between the sole structure and the upper supporting structure can be adjusted.

22. A method for controlling movement of an artificial foot depending on a movement of a lower leg part of a patient, comprising the steps of moving the lower leg part multiaxially and flexibly by a supporting structure in an elastic sole structure at an introductory point in a middle region relative to a length of the foot, wherein when the patient is standing no change in distance between the supporting structure and the sole structure occurs at the introductory point, and wherein in a heel area of the foot, movement of the elastic sole structure is damped elastically in a direction of the supporting structure and is limited in a direction away from the supporting structure.

23. The method as claimed in claim 22, wherein a flexing action in a toe area of the foot is controlled by the elastic sole structure.

24. The method as claimed in claim 22, wherein a lessening of a distance is permitted between supporting structure and sole structure at the introductory point by higher weight forces for heel-toe walking as the patient walks.