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Prosthetic ankle and foot combination

  • US 7,985,265 B2
  • Filed: 02/22/2008
  • Issued: 07/26/2011
  • Est. Priority Date: 12/14/2006
  • Status: Active Grant
First Claim
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1. A prosthetic ankle and foot combination comprising a foot component and an ankle joint mechanism, the ankle joint mechanism including a shin component and being constructed to allow damped rotational movement of the foot component relative to the shin component about a medial-lateral joint flexion axis, wherein:

  • the ankle joint mechanism is arranged to provide a continuous hydraulically damped range of ankle motion during walking with dynamically variable damping resistances associated with ankle motion in the plantar-flexion and dorsi-flexion directions;

    the combination further comprises a control system coupled to the ankle joint mechanism having at least one sensor for generating signals indicative of at least one of a kinetic parameter of locomotion, a kinematic parameter of locomotion, and walking environment;

    the ankle joint mechanism and the control system are arranged such that the damping resistance effective over said range of motion and associated with motion in the dorsi-flexion direction is adapted automatically in response to said signals;

    wherein the control system is arranged to generate signals indicative of ground inclination and to cause the damping resistance in the direction of dorsi-flexion to be increased when the signals are indicative of walking down an incline and decreased when the signals are indicative of walking up an incline.

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