Adjustable prosthesis leg

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9770347-B2
Application number	US-201314074323-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Nov 7, 2013
Priority date	Nov 7, 2012
Publication date	Sep 26, 2017
Grant date	Sep 26, 2017

Abstract

The adjustable prosthetic leg, which is connected between a thigh and an artificial foot, has a controller, a connecting mechanism, a hydraulic unit, and a shell. The connecting mechanism and the hydraulic unit are pivotally connected to the controller, and the shell is pivotally connected to the hydraulic unit. The connecting mechanism extends into a hydraulic cylinder of the hydraulic unit. The hydraulic cylinder is in communication with a reserve hydraulic cylinder and a brake hydraulic cylinder of the hydraulic unit. The prosthetic leg allows a user to climb up or go down the stairs and walk on uneven ground easily without falling down.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An adjustable prosthetic leg, adapted to be connected between a thigh and an artificial foot, comprising:
a controller provided with a first pivoting portion and a second pivoting portion, wherein said controller is adapted to be connected to the thigh;
a hydraulic unit provided with a third pivoting portion, a hydraulic cylinder, a reserve hydraulic cylinder, a brake hydraulic cylinder, an adjust-initiating compartment, and a flow system, wherein said hydraulic unit is pivotally connected to said controller so that said hydraulic unit pivots directly about said second pivoting portion, and said hydraulic cylinder, said reserve hydraulic cylinder, and said brake hydraulic cylinder are in communication with each other through said flow system,
said flow system having first and second flow paths in communication with both a lower hydraulic compartment of said hydraulic cylinder and said reserve hydraulic cylinder, said first flow path being in communication with said lower hydraulic compartment and said reserve hydraulic cylinder via said brake hydraulic cylinder, and said second flow path bypassing said brake hydraulic cylinder;
a connecting mechanism that is pivotally connected to said controller so that said connecting mechanism pivots directly about said first pivoting portion, and said connecting mechanism extends into said hydraulic cylinder of said hydraulic unit; and
a shell that is pivotally connected to said third pivoting portion and presses against said adjust-initiating compartment.

2. The adjustable prosthetic leg of claim 1 , wherein said brake hydraulic cylinder has a first spring, a second spring, and a brake-initiating valve provided therein, and said shell has a first screw hole, said first screw hole being screwed with a first adjusting screw, said first adjusting screw being corresponding in position to said brake-initiating valve.

3. The adjustable prosthetic leg of claim 2 , wherein said brake hydraulic cylinder further has an adjusting valve and a block valve provided therein; when said first adjusting screw pushes said brake-initiating valve, said brake-initiating valve pushes said adjusting valve, said adjusting valve compresses said second spring downwards, said first spring pushes said block valve, and said block valve blocks said first flow path; and when said first adjusting screw leaves said brake-initiating valve, said second spring starts to restore and pushes said adjusting valve, said adjusting valve pushes said block valve and said brake-initiating valve back to their original positions, and said block valve opens said first flow path.

4. The adjustable prosthetic leg of claim 2 , wherein when said first adjusting screw pushes said brake-initiating valve, said brake-initiating valve compresses said second spring, said first spring pushes a block valve, and said block valve blocks said first flow path; and when said first adjusting screw leaves said brake-initiating valve, said second spring starts to restore and pushes said block valve and said brake-initiating valve back to their original positions, and said block valve opens said first flow path.

5. The adjustable prosthetic leg of claim 1 , wherein an elastic element has one end connected to an inner side of said adjust-initiating compartment and the other end connected to a second adjusting screw, and said shell has a second screw hole corresponding to said adjusting-initiating compartment, said second adjusting screw being screwed into said second screw hole.

6. The adjustable prosthetic leg of claim 1 , wherein when said artificial foot is not bent and hangs relative to said thigh without being applied with a reactive force, a gap is defined between said hydraulic unit and said shell, a width of said gap being adjustable by said second adjusting screw; and when the center of gravity of a user is transferred to said thigh and said shell causes said first adjusting screw to push said brake-initiating valve, said gap is closed or decreased.

7. The adjustable prosthetic leg of claim 1 , wherein said connecting mechanism comprises a connecting rod and a piston rod, said piston rod having a head end and a tail end, said connecting rod having one end pivotally connected to said first pivoting portion and the other end pivotally connected to said head end.

8. The adjustable prosthetic leg of claim 7 , wherein said piston rod is provided with a first piston cup and a second piston cup, said first piston cup being sleeved at and fixed to said tail end, said second piston cup being movably sleeved between said head end and said first piston cap, said hydraulic cylinder having a first pressed surface, said second piston cup being clamped in said first pressed surface, said first piston cup dividing said hydraulic cylinder into an upper hydraulic compartment and a lower hydraulic compartment; and said reserve hydraulic cylinder is provided with a third piston cup, an auxiliary elastic body, and a fourth piston cup therein, said third piston cup being sleeved at one end of said auxiliary elastic body and being fixed to a top of said reserve hydraulic cylinder, said fourth piston cup being sleeved at and fixed to the other end of said auxiliary elastic body.

9. The adjustable prosthetic leg of claim 1 , wherein said first flow path is in communication with said lower hydraulic compartment, an upper hydraulic compartment of said hydraulic compartment, said reserve hydraulic cylinder, and said brake hydraulic cylinder, and said second flow path is in communication with said lower hydraulic compartment and said reserve hydraulic cylinder.

10. The adjustable prosthetic leg of claim 9 , wherein said first flow path has a third screw hole extending to the outside of said hydraulic unit, said third screw hole being screwed with a first valve needle and having a first internal conical surface, said first conical surface being located at an inter section where said first flow path connects said lower hydraulic compartment and said brake hydraulic cylinder, the shape of a top of said valve needle matching that of said first conical surface; and said second flow path has a fourth screw hole extending to the outside of said hydraulic unit, said fourth screw hole being screwed with a second valve needle and having a second internal conical surface, said second conical surface being located at an intersection where said second flow path connects said lower hydraulic compartment and said reserve hydraulic cylinder, the shape of a top of said second valve needle matching that of said second conical surface.

11. The adjustable prosthetic leg of claim 1 , wherein said controller includes a joining portion adapted to be connected to the thigh, and the first pivoting portion and the second pivoting portion are each disposed at respective fixed locations relative to the joining portion.

12. An adjustable prosthetic leg, adapted to be connected between a thigh and an artificial foot, comprising:
a controller provided with a first pivoting portion and a second pivoting portion, wherein said controller is adapted to be connected to the thigh;
a hydraulic unit provided with a third pivoting portion, a hydraulic cylinder, a reserve hydraulic cylinder, a brake hydraulic cylinder, an adjust-initiating compartment and a flow system, wherein said hydraulic unit is pivotally connected to said controller so that said hydraulic unit pivots directly about said second pivoting portion, and said hydraulic cylinder, said reserve hydraulic cylinder, and said brake hydraulic cylinder are in communication with each other through said flow system,
said flow system having first and second flow paths in communication with both a lower hyd

Assignees

• Ossur Iceland Ehf

Inventors

• Shen Hsin-Fa

Classifications

• A61F2002/6818

  for braking · CPC title

• A61F2002/5084

  telescopic · CPC title

• A61F2002/5075

  Multiple spring systems including two or more helical springs · CPC title

• A61F2002/5033

  for adjusting damping · CPC title

• A61F2002/502

  for adjusting length · CPC title