Medio-lateral control enhancing, cantilever-spring type prosthetic foot
US5116385A · kind A · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | May 6, 1991 |
| Grant date | May 26, 1992 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | May 6, 2011 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC A)Human Necessities
- CPC primaryA61F2002/6671
- WIPO fieldMedical technology
- WIPO sectorInstruments
Abstract
An improved prosthetic foot keel is proposed, based on the capability of the flexible keel to maintain the amputee's stability by means of medio-lateral forces and impulsions, while initially storing energy at heel strike and mid-stance, for restoring same at toe-off, in all planes. The keel is of the cantilever spring type, as generally disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,645,509 to Poggi et al.. The improvement is directed: firstly, to a medially-oriented heel curvature which, at heel strike, provides medio-lateral stability during the weight transfer from the contra-lateral limb to the prosthetic limb; and secondly, to an inward medio-lateral forefront portion extension thereof which, by extending the lever arm of the deformable keel, produces a medio-lateral propulsion capability at foot push off. Hence, this keel medio-lateral heel curvature and inward extension facilitates lateral back and forth swinging motion of the amputee's body center of gravity, typical of a normal gait.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.