Artificial knee joint having a swing phase control member
First Claim
1. An artificial knee joint, comprising:
- a thigh support (4);
a hollow cylinder (5) having upper and lower ends, a wall (500) extending between said upper and lower ends, an axial bore (50) defined by said wall (500), and a piston member (62) disposed movably in said axial bore (50), said piston member (62) dividing said axial bore (50) into upper and lower chambers (51,
52) that are adjacent respectively to said upper and lower ends of said cylinder (5) , said wall (500) of said cylinder (5) having a first through-hole (501) that is communicated with said upper chamber (51), and a second through-hole (502) that is communicated with said lower chamber (52); and
a link assembly (6) interconnecting pivotally said thigh support (4) and said cylinder (5) and joined to said piston member (62) in said cylinder (5) to reciprocate said piston member (62) when said thigh support (4) is actuated;
characterized by;
said wall (500) of said cylinder (5) further having a third through-hole (503) that is communicated with said lower chamber (52);
a swing phase control member (8) mounted on said wall (500) of said cylinder (5) and having first and second channels (80,
81) formed therein, and a fulcrumed lever member (82) bridging said first and second channels (80,
81) and having first and second ends (820,
823), said second channel (81) being communicated with said first and second through-holes (501,
502) in order to communicate said upper and lower chambers (51,
52), said first end (820) of said lever member (82) extending into said first channel (80) for movement in response to an air pressure in said first channel (80) , said second end (823) of said lever member (82) carrying a first throttle valve unit (83) for regulating a first air flow through said second channel (81) in response to a movement of said lever member (82), said first channel (80) having an outlet (801) that opens to the ambient, said swing phase control member (8) further having an inlet hole (802) that is communicated with said third through-hole (503) of said cylinder (5); and
a pump unit (7) associated operatively with said piston member (62) for pumping air from the ambient to said first channel (80) in response to a movement of said piston member (62) via said third through-hole (503) of said cylinder (5) and said inlet hole (802) of said swing phase control member (8) so as to create the air pressure in said first channel (80).
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
An artificial knee joint includes a hollow cylinder (5) in which a piston member (62) is disposed movably. The piston divides the cylinder (5) into upper and lower chambers (51, 52). The swing phase control member (8) has first and second channels (80, 81), a fulcrumed lever member (82) bridging the first and second channels (80, 81). The second channel (81) is communicated with the upper and lower chambers (51, 52). The first end of the lever member (82) extends into the first channel (80) for movement in response to an air pressure in the first channel (80). The second end of the lever member (82) has a first throttle valve unit (83) for regulating the air flow through the second channel (81) in response to a movement of the lever member (82). A pump unit (7) is associated operatively with the piston member (62) for pumping air from the ambient to the first channel (80) in response to a movement of the piston member (62).
75 Citations
7 Claims
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1. An artificial knee joint, comprising:
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a thigh support (4); a hollow cylinder (5) having upper and lower ends, a wall (500) extending between said upper and lower ends, an axial bore (50) defined by said wall (500), and a piston member (62) disposed movably in said axial bore (50), said piston member (62) dividing said axial bore (50) into upper and lower chambers (51,
52) that are adjacent respectively to said upper and lower ends of said cylinder (5) , said wall (500) of said cylinder (5) having a first through-hole (501) that is communicated with said upper chamber (51), and a second through-hole (502) that is communicated with said lower chamber (52); anda link assembly (6) interconnecting pivotally said thigh support (4) and said cylinder (5) and joined to said piston member (62) in said cylinder (5) to reciprocate said piston member (62) when said thigh support (4) is actuated; characterized by; said wall (500) of said cylinder (5) further having a third through-hole (503) that is communicated with said lower chamber (52); a swing phase control member (8) mounted on said wall (500) of said cylinder (5) and having first and second channels (80,
81) formed therein, and a fulcrumed lever member (82) bridging said first and second channels (80,
81) and having first and second ends (820,
823), said second channel (81) being communicated with said first and second through-holes (501,
502) in order to communicate said upper and lower chambers (51,
52), said first end (820) of said lever member (82) extending into said first channel (80) for movement in response to an air pressure in said first channel (80) , said second end (823) of said lever member (82) carrying a first throttle valve unit (83) for regulating a first air flow through said second channel (81) in response to a movement of said lever member (82), said first channel (80) having an outlet (801) that opens to the ambient, said swing phase control member (8) further having an inlet hole (802) that is communicated with said third through-hole (503) of said cylinder (5); anda pump unit (7) associated operatively with said piston member (62) for pumping air from the ambient to said first channel (80) in response to a movement of said piston member (62) via said third through-hole (503) of said cylinder (5) and said inlet hole (802) of said swing phase control member (8) so as to create the air pressure in said first channel (80). - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7)
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Specification