Ankle joint for artificial limb

• US 3,196,463 A
• Filed: 05/23/1962
• Issued: 07/27/1965
• Est. Priority Date: 05/23/1962
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Clayton S. Farneth
• Original Assignee: Clayton S. Farneth
• Inventors: Farneth, Clayton S.
• Application Number:
  US04/196,976
• Time in Patent Office: 1,161 Days
• US Class Current: 623/49
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2/6607 Ankle joints
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/5073 Helical springs, e.g. having at least one helical spring
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/5098 with rotation-limiting means
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 403/32565 Ball and socket with restricted movement about one axis
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 403/32631 Universal ball and socket
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 403/32852 External of bearing assembly, e.g., antirattler, etc.

Claims

1. AN ARTIFICIAL LIMB INCLUDING ARTIFICIAL LEG AND FOOT MEMBERS AND AN ANKLE JOINT CONNECTING SAID MEMBERS FOR LIMITED FLEXIBILITY IN EACH OF TWO VERTICAL PLANES EXTENDING RESPECTIVELY LONGITUDINALLY AND TRANSVERSELY OF A FOOT MEMBER, A BODY WITH A VERTICALLY EXTENDING CHAMBER THEREIN, SAID BODY BEING MOUNTED IN AND FIXEDLY SECURED TO ONE OF SAID MEMBERS, A VERTICALLY EXTENDING ROD HAVING ONE END DISPOSED IN AND SECURED TO THE OTHER OF SAID MEMBERS AND HAVING ON ITS OTHER END A BALL SECURED WITHIN AND DISPOSED FOR JOURNALED MOVEMENT IN SAID CHAMBER, SAID BALL HAVING A PASSAGE THERETHROUGH WITH A SUBSTANTIALLY HORIZONTAL AXIS LYING IN SAID TRANSVERSE VERTICAL PLANE, AN ANKLE PIVOT PIN CARRIED BY SAID BODY AND EXTENDING TRANSVERSELY THEREOF AND THROUGH SAID PASSAGE AND SECURING SAID BODY AND THE ASSOCIATED MEMBER TO SAID ROD, SAID PASSAGE HAVING ITS MID-PORTION JOURNALED ON SAID PIN AND HAVING ITS OPPOSITE END PORTIONS OF PROGRESSIVELY INCREASING VERTICAL EXTENT FROM SAID MIDPORTION TOWARD ITS ENDS PROVIDING CLEARANCE AND LIMITING THE TILTING OF SAID BODY AND THE ASSOCIATED MEMBER ABOUT A SUBSTANTIALLY HORIZONTAL AXIS IN SAID LONGITUDINAL VERTICAL PLANE, SAID CHAMBER HAVING UPWARDLY DIVERGENT INNER SURFACES ENGAGEABLE BY SAID ROD AND LIMITING INCLINATION OF SAID BODY AND ITS ASSOCIATED MEMBER RELATIVE TO THE VERTICAL AXIS OF SAID ROD, SAID BODY HAVING THERETHROUGH A TRANSVERSE BORE INTERSECTING SAID CHAMBER AND COAXIAL WITH SAID PASSAGE HORIZONTAL AXIS, A PAIR OF PLUGS EACH MOVABLY RECEIVED IN AND BEING REMOVABLY THROUGH AN OPPOSITE END OF SAID TRANSVERSE BORE AND HAVING A BEARING SURFACE ENGAGING SAID BALL, SAID PLUGS JOURNALING AND RETAINING SAID BALL THEREBETWEEN AND RETAINING SAID PIVOT PIN IN SAID PASSAGE, A CLOSURE MEANS REMOVABLY RECEIVED EACH IN AN OUTER END OF SAID TRANSVERSE BORE AND EACH ENGAGING AND RELEASABLY RETAINING ONE OF SAID PLUGS IN SAID TRANSVERSE BORE.