Prosthetic foot with reinforcing member

• US 6,241,776 B1
• Filed: 07/07/1999
• Issued: 06/05/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 08/04/1997
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Freedom Innovations LLC (Ottobock SE & Co. KGaA)
• Original Assignee: Roland Christensen
• Inventors: Christensen, Roland J.
• Primary Examiner(s): Willse, David H.
• Application Number:
  US09/348,431
• Time in Patent Office: 699 Days
• Field of Search: 623/50-56
• US Class Current: 623/52
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2/66 Feet; Ankle joints
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/30462 retained or tied with a rope, string, thread, wire or cable
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/6657 having a plate-like or strip-like spring element, e.g. an energy-storing cantilever spring keel
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/6664 Dual structures made of two connected cantilevered leaf springs
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/6671 C-shaped
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/6678 L-shaped
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2220/0075 sutured, ligatured or stitched, retained or tied with a rope, string, thread, wire or cable

Abstract

A prosthetic foot has a forefoot reinforcement member extending from an attachment section, through a curvilinear spring and arch section, to a toe end. A forefoot reinforcement member extends from the arch section above the forefoot member to a free end proximal the attachment section, and within an extreme range of movement of the forefoot member. A heel member may extend from the arch section to a heel end. A heel reinforcement member may extend from the arch section under the forefoot member to a free end proximal the attachment section, and within an extreme range of movement of the forefoot member. A secondary forefoot reinforcement member may extend from the arch section to a free end proximal the toe end.

Claims

1. A prosthetic foot comprising:

a resilient forefoot member having a base end coupled proximal an attachment location and extending forward to a toe end at a toe location, the forefoot member defining a curvilinear spring portion located at an ankle location of a natural foot and extending from the base end, and an arch section located at an arch location of a natural foot and extending from the spring portion to the toe end, and having a range of motion with multiple stages of advancement including at least a normal range and an extreme range and having a resistance response to an applied force; and

a forefoot reinforcement member having a base section coupled to the arch section of the forefoot member and extending to a free end at a location between the arch section and the attachment location and spaced from the forefoot member, the free end being disposed within the extreme range of motion of the forefoot member and having a range of motion within the extreme range of motion of the forefoot member, such that the forefoot reinforcement member influences the range of motion and resistance response of the forefoot member.

2. The prosthetic foot of claim 1, further comprising:

a flexible restraint coupled to and between the free end of the forefoot reinforcement member and the forefoot member, the restraint being flexible in a direction towards the forefoot reinforcement member to allow the forefoot member to move towards the forefoot reinforcement member, but substantially non-flexible in a direction away from the forefoot reinforcement member to couple the forefoot member to the forefoot reinforcement member in movement away from the forefoot reinforcement member.

3. The prosthetic foot of claim 1, further comprising:

a resilient heel member having a base end coupled to the resilient forefoot member and extending rearward to a heel end at a heel location, the heel member having a range of motion including a normal range and an extreme range and having a resistance response to an applied force.

4. The prosthetic foot of claim 1, wherein a flexible cushion is disposed between the free end of the forefoot reinforcement member and the forefoot member.

5. The prosthetic foot of claim 1, wherein an air bag containing air is disposed between the free end of the forefoot reinforcement member and the forefoot member.

6. The prosthetic foot of claim 5, wherein the air bag has an opening;

and further comprising means for varying the pressure of the air in the air bag coupled to the opening.

7. The prosthetic foot of claim 1, further comprising:

a secondary forefoot reinforcement member having a base section coupled to the forefoot member at the arch section and extending to a free end proximal the toe location and spaced above the toe end of the forefoot member, the free end of the secondary forefoot reinforcement member being disposed within the extreme range of motion of the forefoot member and having a range of motion within the extreme range of motion of the forefoot member, such that the secondary forefoot reinforcement member influences the range of motion and resistance response of the forefoot member.

8. The prosthetic foot of claim 1, further comprising:

a heel reinforcement member having a base section coupled to the forefoot member at the arch section and extending under the forefoot member to a free end proximal the attachment location, the free end being disposed within the extreme range of motion of the forefoot member and moveable with respect to the forefoot member, the heel reinforcement member having a range of motion within the extreme range of motion of the forefoot member, such that the heel reinforcement member influences the range of motion and resistance response of the forefoot member.

9. The prosthetic foot of claim 1, further comprising:

a flexible and resilient wedge member disposed between the forefoot member and the forefoot reinforcement member at a location proximal to the attachment.

27. The prosthetic foot of claim 1, further comprising:

a resilient heel member having a base end coupled to the resilient forefoot member and extending rearward to a heel end at a heel location, the heel member having a range of motion including a normal range and an extreme range and having a resistance response to an applied force; and

wherein both the forefoot reinforcement member and the resilient heel member are coupled to the forefoot member at substantially the same location at the arch section.

10. A prosthetic foot comprising:

a resilient forefoot member having a base end coupled proximal an attachment location and extending forward to a toe end at a toe location, the forefoot member defining an arch section between the base and toe ends, and having a range of motion with multiple stages of advancement including at least a normal range and an extreme range and having a resistance response to an applied force;

a resilient heel member having a base end coupled to the resilient forefoot member and extending rearward to a heel end at a heel location, the heel member having a range of motion including a normal range and an extreme range and having a resistance response to an applied force; and

a heel reinforcement member having a base section coupled to the forefoot member at the arch section and extending to a free end proximal to a location between the arch section and the attachment location, the free end being disposed within the extreme range of motion of the forefoot member and moveable with respect to the forefoot member, the heel reinforcement member having a range of motion within the extreme range of motion of the forefoot member, such that the heel reinforcement member influences the range of motion and resistance response of the forefoot member and the heel member.

11. The prosthetic foot of claim 10, wherein the heel reinforcement member forms an arcuate section extending near the heel location and within the extreme range of motion of the heel member.

12. The prosthetic foot of claim 10, further comprising:

a flexible restraint coupled to and between the free end of the heel reinforcement member and the forefoot member, the restraint being flexible in a direction towards the heel reinforcement member to allow the forefoot member to move towards the heel reinforcement member, but substantially non-flexible in a direction away from the heel reinforcement member to couple the forefoot member to the heel reinforcement member in movement away from the heel reinforcement member.

13. The prosthetic foot of claim 10, wherein a flexible cushion is disposed between the free end of the heel reinforcement member and the forefoot member.

14. The prosthetic foot of claim 10, wherein an air bag containing air is disposed between the free end of the heel reinforcement member and the forefoot member.

15. The prosthetic foot of claim 14, wherein the air bag has an opening;

and further comprising means for varying the pressure of the air in the air bag coupled to the opening.

16. The prosthetic foot of claim 10, further comprising:

a forefoot reinforcement member having a base section coupled to the forefoot member at the arch section and extending above the forefoot member to a free end proximal the attachment location and spaced from the forefoot member, the free end being disposed within the extreme range of motion of the forefoot member and having a range of motion within the extreme range of motion of the forefoot member, such that the forefoot reinforcement member influences the range of motion and resistance response of the forefoot member.

17. The prosthetic foot of claim 10, further comprising:

a secondary forefoot reinforcement member having a base section coupled to the forefoot member at the arch section and extending to a free end proximal the toe location and spaced above the toe end of the forefoot member, the free end of the secondary forefoot reinforcement member being disposed within the extreme range of motion of the forefoot member and having a range of motion within the extreme range of motion of the forefoot member, such that the secondary forefoot reinforcement member influences the range of motion and resistance response of the forefoot member.

18. The prosthetic foot of claim 10, further comprising:

a flexible and resilient wedge member disposed between the forefoot member and the heel member at a location proximal to the attachment.

19. A prosthetic foot comprising:

a resilient forefoot member having a base end coupled proximal an attachment location and extending forward to a toe end at a toe location, the forefoot member defining an arch section between the base end and the toe end, each of the base end and the toe end having a range of motion with multiple stages of advancement including at least a normal range and an extreme range and having a resistance response to an applied force;

a forefoot reinforcement member having a base section coupled to the forefoot member at the arch section and extending over the forefoot member to a free end at a location between the arch section and the attachment location and spaced from the forefoot member, the free end being disposed within the extreme range of motion of the base end of the forefoot member and having a range of motion within the extreme range of motion of the base end of the forefoot member, such that the forefoot reinforcement member influences the range of motion and resistance response of the base end of the forefoot member; and

a resilient heel member having a base end coupled to the resilient forefoot member and extending rearward to a heel end at a heel location, each of the base end and the heel end having a range of motion including a normal range and an extreme range and having a resistance response to an applied force.

20. The prosthetic foot of claim 19, further comprising:

a heel reinforcement member having a base section coupled to the forefoot member at the arch section and extending under the forefoot member to a free end proximal to a location between the arch section and the attachment location, the free section being disposed within the extreme range of motion of the base end of the forefoot member and moveable with respect to the base end of the forefoot member, the heel reinforcement member having a range of motion within the extreme range of motion of the base end of the forefoot member, such that the heel reinforcement member influences the range of motion and resistance response of the forefoot member.

21. The prosthetic foot of claim 20, wherein the heel reinforcement member forms an arcuate section extending near the heel location and within the extreme range of motion of the heel member.

22. The prosthetic foot of claim 19, further comprising:

a flexible restraint coupled to and between the free end of the forefoot reinforcement member and the forefoot member, the restraint being flexible in a direction towards the forefoot reinforcement member to allow the forefoot member to move towards the forefoot reinforcement member, but substantially non-flexible in a direction away from the forefoot reinforcement member to couple the forefoot member to the forefoot reinforcement member in movement away from the forefoot reinforcement member.

23. The prosthetic foot of claim 19, wherein a flexible cushion is disposed between the free end of the forefoot reinforcement member and the forefoot member.

24. The prosthetic foot of claim 19, further comprising:

a secondary forefoot reinforcement member having a base section coupled to the forefoot member at the arch section and extending to a free end proximal the toe location and spaced above the toe end of the forefoot member, the free end of the secondary forefoot reinforcement member being disposed within the extreme range of motion of the forefoot member and having a range of motion within the extreme range of motion of the forefoot member, such that the secondary forefoot reinforcement member influences the range of motion and resistance response of the forefoot member.

25. The prosthetic foot of claim 19, further comprising:

a flexible and resilient wedge member disposed between the forefoot member and the heel member at a location proximal to the attachment between the forefoot member and the heel member.

26. The prosthetic foot of claim 19, further comprising:

a flexible and resilient wedge member disposed between the forefoot member and the forefoot reinforcement member at a location proximal to the attachment between the forefoot member and the forefoot reinforcement member.