Patent ID: 7364593
Filing Date: 2008-04-29
Classification: A61F,A61K

Abstract:
1. A calf shank for a prosthetic foot having a longitudinally extending foot keel, comprising: a monolithically formed elongated, semi-rigid, resilient member with a length which provides a lower portion for attachment to the foot keel defining an ankle joint area of the prosthetic foot, a middle portion extending substantially upward above human ankle joint height and the ankle joint area in a substantially curvilinear manner defining a lower prosthetic part of a leg, and a proximal portion for connection to a supporting structure on a person's residual leg, said lower portion being sagitally oriented and posteriorly terminating in a free end, and said lower portion curving upward anteriorly to said middle portion with increasing radius of curvature and being anterior facing continuous convexly curved, said ankle joint area and lower prosthetic part of a leg defined by the resilient member providing means for sagital, anterior dorsiflexion and posterior plantarfiexion motion capabilities in response to a ground reaction force created in a person's gait in the prosthetic foot; and fastening arrangement means for attaching and securely positioning the lower portion of the member to the foot keel to transfer a person's body weight through the resilient member throughout the stance phase of gait to oppose the ground reaction force of the prosthetic foot, the fastening arrangement means including means for selectively adjusting the position in the longitudinal direction of the foot keel that the lower portion of the resilient member is secured to the foot keel before an activity for tuning the performance of the prosthetic foot, wherein said fastening arrangement means includes a fastener for attaching and securely positioning the lower portion of the member to the foot keel, and wherein said means for selectively adjusting the position includes an opening through which said fastener extends through the member, the opening being elongated in the longitudinal direction of the foot keel along which said fastener can be slid.