Actuator device for artificial leg
First Claim
1. An actuator device for moving an artificial leg of a person having a prosthesis for replacing an entire leg and hip joint including a trunk socket for positioning about the person'"'"'s waist for receiving the trunk portion of the removed leg and an artificial leg connected to said trunk socket by a pivotable hip joint, said artificial leg comprising an artificial thigh section, an artificial lower leg section, and an artificial foot section, connected together by pivotable joints, said actuation device comprising:
- a. a first articulated hip joint assembly for positioning adjacent a natural leg of the person'"'"'s body including;
i. a housing,ii. flexible bladder means carried within said housing containing a fluid,iii. compressing means carried within said housing adapted for connection to said natural leg for compressing said bladder means in response to the walking movement of said natural leg,b. a second articulated hip joint assembly carried by said trunk socket of said prosthesis including;
i. a housing,ii. flexible bladder means carried within said housing containing a fluid,iii. bladder engaging means carried within said housing connected to said artificial leg for moving said artificial leg in response to said bladder means being expanded,c. conduit means interconnecting said bladder means of said first and second hip joint assemblies;
whereby movement of said natural leg causes said compressing means to compress the bladder means and fluid therein of said first hip joint assembly forcing said fluid through said conduit means into said bladder means of said second hip joint assembly to expand said bladder means to engage and move said bladder engaging means causing said artificial leg connected thereto to move in a walking motion.
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Accused Products
Abstract
An actuator device is provided for moving an artificial leg of a person having a prosthesis replacing an entire leg and hip joint. The device includes a first articulated hip joint assembly carried by the natural leg and a second articulated hip joint assembly carried by the prosthesis whereby energy from the movement of the natural leg is transferred by a compressible fluid from the first hip joint assembly to the second hip joint assembly for moving the artificial leg.
87 Citations
12 Claims
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1. An actuator device for moving an artificial leg of a person having a prosthesis for replacing an entire leg and hip joint including a trunk socket for positioning about the person'"'"'s waist for receiving the trunk portion of the removed leg and an artificial leg connected to said trunk socket by a pivotable hip joint, said artificial leg comprising an artificial thigh section, an artificial lower leg section, and an artificial foot section, connected together by pivotable joints, said actuation device comprising:
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a. a first articulated hip joint assembly for positioning adjacent a natural leg of the person'"'"'s body including; i. a housing, ii. flexible bladder means carried within said housing containing a fluid, iii. compressing means carried within said housing adapted for connection to said natural leg for compressing said bladder means in response to the walking movement of said natural leg, b. a second articulated hip joint assembly carried by said trunk socket of said prosthesis including; i. a housing, ii. flexible bladder means carried within said housing containing a fluid, iii. bladder engaging means carried within said housing connected to said artificial leg for moving said artificial leg in response to said bladder means being expanded, c. conduit means interconnecting said bladder means of said first and second hip joint assemblies; whereby movement of said natural leg causes said compressing means to compress the bladder means and fluid therein of said first hip joint assembly forcing said fluid through said conduit means into said bladder means of said second hip joint assembly to expand said bladder means to engage and move said bladder engaging means causing said artificial leg connected thereto to move in a walking motion. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11)
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12. An actuator device for moving an artificial leg of a person having a prosthesis for replacing an entire leg and hip joint including a trunk socket for positioning about the person'"'"'s waist for receiving the trunk portion of the removed leg and an artificial leg connected to said trunk socket by a pivotable hip joint, said artificial leg comprising an artificial thigh section, an artificial lower leg section, and an artificial foot section connected together by pivotable joints, said actuation device comprising:
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a. a first articulated hip joint assembly for positioning adjacent a natural leg of the person'"'"'s body including; i. a housing, ii. a fixed lobe member, iii. a rotatable shaft carried within said housing, iv. a movable lobe member carried on said shaft for rotation therewith, and, v. flexible bladder means carried within said housing between said fixed and movable lobe members containing a fluid, b. a second articulated hip joint assembly carried by said trunk socket of the prosthesis including; i. a housing, ii. a fixed lobe member, iii. a rotatable shaft member carried within said housing, iv. a movable lobe member carried on said shaft for rotation therewith, v. flexible bladder means carried within said housing between said fixed and movable lobe members containing a fluid, c. conduit means interconnecting bladder means of said first and second hip joint assemblies; d. means adapted for connecting said rotatable shaft of said first hip joint assembly to said natural leg, and means connecting said rotatable shaft of said second hip joint assembly to said artificial leg for moving said leg about the pivotable artificial hip joint, whereby movement of said natural leg is adapted to rotate said shaft and movable lobe of said first hip joint assembly and cause compressing of said fluid in said bladder means therein and forcing of said fluid through said conduit means into said bladder means carried within said second hip joint assembly and expanding of said bladder means therein to engage said movable lobe member carried on said rotatable shaft within said second hip joint so as to move said entire artificial leg connected to said rotatable shaft in a walking motion.
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Specification