Patent ID: 9724210
Date: 2017-08-08
CPC Classifications: A61B,A61F

Claim:
1. A method of using a prosthetic or orthotic device, comprising: coupling a shock absorption member to at least a portion of a human limb, the shock absorption member comprising one or more magnetorheological elastomer springs and a coil, the one or more magnetorheological elastomer springs and the coil both disposed circumferentially around a core, the coil disposed radially between the one or more magnetorheological elastomer springs and the core, wherein a central vertical axis of the shock absorption member is vertically aligned with a central vertical axis of a coupling mechanism for coupling the shock absorption member to the at least a portion of a human limb; moving the core only axially based on a first applied force; applying a magnetic flux to the one or more magnetorheological elastomer springs by magnitizing an upper disc coupled to the one or more magnetorheological elastomer springs to alter the stiffness of the one or more magnetorheological elastomer springs; and moving the core only axially based on a second applied force after altering the stiffness of the one or more magnetorheological elastomer springs.