Ankle connector for prosthetic foot
US5425781A · kind A · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Jan 14, 1994 |
| Grant date | Jun 20, 1995 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Jan 14, 2014 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC A)Human Necessities
- CPC primaryA61F2220/0041
- WIPO fieldMedical technology
- WIPO sectorInstruments
Abstract
An exoskeletal (or endoskeletal) ankle connector for use in fixedly securing a prosthetic foot to a prosthetic leg. The foot has an elongated cantilever spring type keel. The keel defines an elongated forefoot part, an ankle part and a heel part merging the ankle part with the forefoot part. The keel ankle part is provided with a cavity. The leg has a bottom end with an integral bolt with the bolt having a free projecting threaded stem. The ankle connector consists of a casing sized to conformingly engage into and snugly fit within the keel cavity; the casing is releasably anchored by bolts to the keel inside the keel cavity; an annular gear screw assembly within the casing is engaged threadingly by the leg bolt stem to progressively draw toward one another the casing and the leg bottom end along the bolt stem upon inducing rotation of the foot relative to the leg; and an endless screw meshes tangentially with the gear of the screw assembly to anchor the foot at a selected angular orientation relative to the leg upon the foot remaining rotationless relative to the leg. Operative access to the endless screw is enabled without there being required the piercing of an access bore neith…
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.