Limb prosthesis

摘要

Disclosed are limb prostheses for use when normal use of the lower leg is temporarily or permanently lost due to lower leg injury or disease, including below-knee amputation. Disclosed prostheses provide full body weight support and allow a wearer to maintain the use of the hands and arms during ambulation. In addition, a wearer can maintain use of their own knee to flex and extend during ambulation, thereby better controlling the prosthesis during motion and providing a more normal gait as compared to previously known devices. In the event of permanent loss of the lower leg due to below-knee amputation, the disclosed prosthesis provides an alternative to socket-type prosthetic devices.

主权项

1. A prosthetic device comprising:
an upper portion, the upper portion having a top and a base that is opposite the top of the upper portion along a longitudinal length of the upper portion, the upper portion including one or more attachments for securing the thigh of a wearer to the upper portion; a lower leg support extending from the base of the upper portion, the lower leg support including a proximal end, the lower leg support including a distal end that is opposite the proximal end along a longitudinal length of the lower leg support, the proximal end being closer to the upper portion than the distal end, the lower leg support including one or more attachments for securing the lower leg of a wearer to the lower leg support; a hinge joining the upper portion and the lower leg support, the hinge allowing the upper portion and the lower leg support to flex and extend with respect to one another over the course of a step of a wearer such that an angle between the upper portion and the lower leg support varies during the step of a wearer and may attain a value of less than 90° over the course of the step; a lower portion extending from the base of the upper portion, the lower portion including a top and a base that is opposite the top of the lower portion along a longitudinal length of the lower portion; and a prosthetic foot at the base of the lower portion, the prosthetic foot being attached to the base of the lower portion at an attachment point; wherein the lower portion has a side view center line, the hinge and the attachment being aligned with this center line such that a side view alignment between the hinge of the device and the attachment point of the prosthetic foot of the device mimics a side view alignment of a natural knee and a natural ankle.