Prosthetic foot having shock absorption
First Claim
1. A prosthetic foot comprising:
- an adaptor element securable to a residual limb;
a foot plate having a heel portion and a toe portion spaced along the length thereof;
a heel spring connected between said adaptor element and said heel portion;
at least one toe spring connected between said adaptor element and said toe portion of said foot plate; and
wherein at least one of the connection of the heel spring with the adaptor element and the connection of the heel spring with the heel portion of the foot plate is a pivotal connection having a pivot axis, wherein said foot plate is split at least at said toe portion to form first and second toe parts separated in a direction transverse to the length of the foot plate, and wherein said at least one toe spring comprises two toe springs, each of said two toe springs being secured to a different one of said first and second toe parts.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A prosthetic foot includes an adapter element securable to a residual limb, a foot plate having a heel portion and a toe portion along the length thereof, at least one toe spring connected between the adapter element and the toe portion of the foot plate, and a heel spring connected between the adapter element and the heel portion. The heel spring may be a leaf spring or a tube type shock absorber. The concave side of the leaf spring exhibits a plurality of transverse ribs. Alternatively, a tubular pylon may have a collar mounted thereon for movement along the length of the pylon. A toe spring and a heel spring extend from the collar to form toe and heel portions of the prosthetic foot. A further heel spring is connected between the heel portion and another end of the pylon, and a non-extensible band extends between the heel portion and the collar. As another alternative, a tubular pylon has one end securable to a residual limb, and a collar is mounted to the pylon for movement along the length of the pylon. At least one toe spring is connected between the collar and the toe portion of a foot plate, while a heel spring is connected between the heel portion of the foot plate and another end of the pylon.
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Citations
34 Claims
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1. A prosthetic foot comprising:
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an adaptor element securable to a residual limb;
a foot plate having a heel portion and a toe portion spaced along the length thereof;
a heel spring connected between said adaptor element and said heel portion;
at least one toe spring connected between said adaptor element and said toe portion of said foot plate; and
wherein at least one of the connection of the heel spring with the adaptor element and the connection of the heel spring with the heel portion of the foot plate is a pivotal connection having a pivot axis, wherein said foot plate is split at least at said toe portion to form first and second toe parts separated in a direction transverse to the length of the foot plate, and wherein said at least one toe spring comprises two toe springs, each of said two toe springs being secured to a different one of said first and second toe parts. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18)
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19. A prosthetic foot comprising:
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an adaptor element securable to a residual limb;
a resilient foot plate having a heel portion and a toe portion spaced along the length thereof;
at least one toe spring connected between said adaptor element and said toe portion of said foot plate;
a heel spring connected between said adaptor element and said heel portion, wherein said heel spring affects vertical stiffness, wherein at least one of the connection of the heel spring with the adaptor element and the connection of the heel spring with the heel portion of the foot plate is a pivotal connection; and
a shock absorber connected between said adaptor element and said heel portion, wherein said heel spring and said shock absorber are comprised by a tube shock absorber incorporating a fluid spring, and wherein said fluid spring has a user adjustable spring constant. - View Dependent Claims (20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26)
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27. A prosthetic foot comprising:
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an adaptor element securable to a residual limb;
a resilient foot plate having a heel portion and a toe portion spaced along the length thereof;
a heel spring connected between said adaptor element and said heel portion;
at least one toe spring connected between said adaptor element and said toe portion of said foot plate; and
wherein at least one of the connection of the heel spring with adaptor element and the connection of the heel spring with the heel portion of the foot plate is a pivotal connection having a pivot axis, wherein said foot plate is split at least at said toe portion to form first and second toe parts separated in a direction transverse to the length of the foot plate, and wherein said at least one toe spring is bifurcated to form two spring parts, each of said two toe spring parts being secured to a different one of said first and second toe parts.
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28. A prosthetic foot comprising:
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an adaptor element securable to a residual limb;
a foot plate having a heel portion and a toe portion spaced along the length thereof;
at least one toe spring connected between said adaptor element and said toe portion of said foot plate;
a heel spring connected between said adaptor element and said heel portion, wherein said heel spring affects vertical stiffness, wherein at least one of the connection of the heel spring with the adaptor element and the connection of the heel spring with the heel portion of the foot plate is a pivotal connection; and
a shock absorber connected between said adaptor element and said heel portion, wherein said heel spring and said shock absorber are comprised by a tube shock absorber incorporating a fluid spring, and wherein said fluid spring has a user adjustable spring constant.
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29. A prosthetic foot comprising:
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an adaptor element securable to a residual limb;
a foot plate having a heel portion and a toe portion spaced along the length thereof;
a heel spring connected between said adaptor element and said heel portion;
at least one toe spring connected between said adaptor element and said toe portion of said foot plate; and
wherein at least one of the connection of the heel spring with adaptor element and the connection of the heel spring with the heel portion of the foot plate is a pivotal connection having a pivot axis, wherein said at least one toe spring is a concave leaf spring, and wherein a concave side of the at least one toe spring exhibits a plurality of transverse ribs. - View Dependent Claims (30)
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31. A prosthetic foot comprising:
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an adaptor element securable to a residual limb;
a foot plate having a heel portion and a toe portion spaced along the length thereof;
a heel spring connected between said adaptor element and said heel portion;
at least one toe spring connected between said adaptor element and said toe portion of said foot plate, wherein at least one of the connection of the heel spring with adaptor element and the connection of the heel spring with the heel portion of the foot plate is a pivotal connection having a pivot axis, and wherein opposite ends of said at least one toe spring are respectively clamped to said adaptor element and to said toe portion of said foot plate. - View Dependent Claims (32)
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33. A prosthetic foot comprising:
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an adaptor element securable to a residual limb;
a resilient foot plate having a heel portion and a toe portion spaced along the length thereof;
a heel spring connected between said adaptor element and said heel portion; and
at least one toe spring connected between said adaptor element and said toe portion of said foot plate, wherein at least one of the connection of the heel spring with adaptor element and the connection of the heel spring with the heel portion of the foot plate is a pivotal connection having a pivot axis, wherein opposite ends of said at least one toe spring are respectively clamped to said adaptor element and to said toe portion of said foot plate. - View Dependent Claims (34)
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Specification