PROSTHETIC FOOT WITH A PROCESSOR TO MANAGE ENERGY RETURN OF ADJUSTABLE HEEL AND KEEL SPRINGS

• US 20090105845A1
• Filed: 06/26/2008
• Published: 04/23/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 10/19/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: American Prosthetic Components Incorporated
• Original Assignee: American Prosthetic Components Incorporated
• Inventors: Curtis, Michael J.
• Granted Patent: US 7,766,974 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 623/55
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2/66 Feet; Ankle joints
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2/70 electrical
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2/74 fluid , i.e. hydraulic or pneumatic
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2/741 using powered actuators, e.g. stepper motors or solenoids
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/30433 using additional screws, bolts, dowels, rivets or washers e.g. connecting screws
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/5003 having damping means, e.g. shock absorbers for implantable joints A61F2002/30563
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/5009 having two or more elastomeric blocks
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/503 for adjusting elasticity, flexibility, spring rate or mechanical tension
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/6621 Toes
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/6642 Heels
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/6671 C-shaped
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/704 computer-controlled, e.g. robotic control
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/7635 for measuring force, pressure or mechanical tension
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2220/0041 using additional screws, bolts, dowels or rivets, e.g. connecting screws

Abstract

A keel is provided having a spring portion and a connecting portion. The spring portion can have a split section that is divided into two sections. Each section can have a top open channel formed therein. Each channel is compressible during compression of the keel. A variably adjustable compression member can be provided. The connecting portion is rigidly connected to a rigid center support. The top of the center support can have a threaded connector, which allows for vertically adjustable connection of an adjacent prosthetic component. A heel is also provided having a spring portion and a connecting portion. The spring portion can have a top open channel formed therein. The channel is compressible during compression of the heel. A variably adjustable compression member can be placed within the channel. A processor can be provided for controlling the amount of compression of each compression member.

Claims

1. A prosthetic foot comprising:

a rigid center support having a top with a connector, a bottom, a front and a rear;

a heel having an upward oriented heel channel formed therein, wherein said heel channel compresses during flexing of said heel at a selectably variable compression rate;

a keel having an upward oriented keel channel formed therein, wherein said keel channel compresses during flexing of said keel at a selectably variable compression rate.

2. The prosthetic foot of claim 1 further comprising:

a first compression member received within said heel channel for decreasing the amount and rate of flex of said heel; and

a second compression member received within said keel channel for decreasing the amount and rate of flex of said keel.

3. The prosthetic foot of claim 2 wherein said first compression member and said second compression member are variably compressible.

4. The prosthetic foot of claim 3 wherein said first compression member and said second compression member comprise electro-mechanically operated stiffeners.

5. The prosthetic foot of claim 4 wherein said first compression member and said second compression member are air-filled, whereby the amount of air within each of said first compression member and said second compression member determines compressibility of each of said first compression member and said second compression member.

6. The prosthetic foot of claim 5 wherein said foot further comprises a battery and a pump, said battery providing power to said pump to increase the amount of air in one of said first compression member and said second compression member.

7. The prosthetic foot of claim 1 further comprising:

a sensor; and

a processor,

wherein the processor delivers an output depending on input gathered from said sensor.

8. The prosthetic foot of claim 7 wherein said sensor is near said heel.

9. The prosthetic foot of claim 8 wherein said processor determines the time between successive heel strikes.

10. The prosthetic foot of claim 7 wherein said processor is selectably programmable to deliver an output.

11. A prosthetic foot comprising:

a rigid center support having a top with a connector, a bottom, a keel washer and a heel washer, wherein said top is removably connected to said bottom;

a keel connected to said rigid center support between said bottom and said keel washer, said keel having an adjustable flexibility;

a heel connected to said rigid center support between said bottom and said heel washer, said heel having an adjustable flexibility; and

a processor, wherein said processor selects the flexibility of said keel and said heel.

12. The prosthetic foot of claim 11 wherein:

said keel has a keel top and comprises a keel channel open to said keel top, wherein the flexibility of said keel is increased at said keel channel; and

said heel has a heel top and comprises a heel channel open to said heel top, wherein the flexibility of said heel is increased at said heel channel.

13. The prosthetic foot of claim 11 further comprising:

a first variably adjustable compression member received within said keel channel; and

a second variably adjustable compression member received within said heel channel.

14. The prosthetic foot of claim 13 wherein:

said keel comprises a first section and a second section, said first section comprising a first section channel and said second section comprising a second section channel, said first section channel receiving said variably adjustable first compression member, and said second section receiving a third variably adjustable compression member; and

said first variably adjustable compression member has a stiffness and said second variably adjustable compression member has a stiffness, said stiffness of said first variably adjustable compression member being independent of said stiffness of said second variably adjustable compression member.

15. The prosthetic foot of claim 14 wherein said first variably adjustable compression member, said second variably adjustable compression member and said third variably adjustable compression member are each inflatable.

16. The prosthetic foot of claim 15 wherein said foot comprises a sensor, said sensor communicating a condition to said processor whereby said processor determines the selected amount of inflation for each of first variably adjustable compression member, said second variably adjustable compression member and said third variably adjustable compression member.

17. The prosthetic foot of claim 16 wherein said sensor senses heel-strike of said prosthetic foot.

18. A prosthetic foot comprising for use with an adjacent prosthetic component:

a center support;

a heel, said heel receiving a first variably adjustable compression member;

a keel, said keel receiving a second variably adjustable compression member;

a sensor on one of said heel and said keel sensing any of a plurality of events;

a processor, said processor storing preselected adjustments to be made in response to each of a plurality of events, communicating with said sensor to receive indication of one of said plurality of events, and causing said first variably adjustable compression member and said second variably adjustable compression member to adjust to the preselected settings in relation to said sensed event.

19. The prosthetic foot of claim 18 wherein said sensed event is one of heel-strike and toe-off.

20. The prosthetic foot of claim 18 wherein said first variably adjustable compression member and said second variably adjustable compression member each comprise an inflatable compression member.