LOWER LIMB PROSTHESIS

摘要

A prosthetic ankle has an ankle joint body (10A) constituting a shin component and a foot component (12). The ankle joint body (10A) is pivotally connected to the foot component (12) by a first pivotal connection (14) defining a medial-lateral ankle joint flexion axis. The ankle joint body (10A) also forms the cylinder of an ankle joint piston and cylinder assembly with a superior-inferior central axis, the cylinder housing a piston (16) with upper and lower piston rods (16A, 16B). The lower piston rod (16B) is pivotally connected to the foot component (12) at a second pivotal connection (18). As the ankle joint body (10A) pivots about the ankle joint flexion axis, the piston (16) moves substantially linearly in the cylinder formed by the ankle joint body. The cylinder is divided into upper and lower chambers (20A, 20B). These chambers are linked by an hydraulic circuit (22) incorporating passages (22A, 22B) in the ankle joint body (10A), and an energy conversion device in the form of a slave piston and cylinder assembly (24) having a piston (24P) and piston rods (24R) which project beyond the cylinder (24C) of the assembly (24).

主权项

1. A lower limb prosthesis comprising at least first and second interconnected load-bearing members which are moveable relative to each other when the prosthesis is loaded, and a movement control system, wherein the movement control system comprises:
a movement control device interconnecting the first and second structural members and constructed and arranged to control the said relative movement; an energy storage element; at least one sensor for sensing a kinetic or kinematic parameter of locomotion; and coupled to the sensor and the movement control device, a processor arranged to control operation of the movement control device in response to signals received from the sensor or sensors so as to control the storage in the storage element of energy associated with relative movement of first and second structural members arising from the application of a load to the prosthesis and the release of energy from the storage element to urge relative movement of the structural members.