Patent ID: 6706074
Filing Date: 2004-03-16
Classification: A61F

Abstract:
An artificial knee joint assembly adapted to be mounted on a residual thigh of a prosthesis wearer, said artificial knee joint assembly comprising:a knee seat adapted to be connected fixedly to the residual thigh; a linkage unit connected to said knee seat; a support frame connected to said linkage unit so as to permit change of a knee angle formed between said knee seat and said support frame, said support frame having a lower front portion and a lower rear portion; a prosthetic lower leg having an upper front portion connected pivotally to said lower front portion of said support frame, and an upper rear portion disposed under and adjacent to said lower rear portion of said support frame, said upper rear portion of said lower leg being disposed at a first position when said lower leg does not stand on the ground, and being rotatable toward said support frame to a second position when said lower leg stands on the ground; a biasing unit for biasing said upper rear portion of said lower leg to turn away from said lower rear portion of said support frame; a hydraulic cylinder unit disposed within said support frame and including a cylinder body defining an interior space; a piston member disposed movably within said cylinder body and dividing said interior space in said cylinder body into an upper oil chamber and a lower oil chamber, an oil passage formed in said support frame and in fluid communication with said upper and lower oil chambers in said cylinder body so as to permit hydraulic oil flow between said upper and lower oil chambers when said upper rear portion of said lower leg is disposed at said first position, and a resilience member for biasing said piston member to move upwardly within said cylinder body; and a valve assembly disposed within said support frame and having a portion that extends into a space between said support frame and said lower leg, said valve assembly being actuated by said support frame so as to stop the hydraulic oil flow between said upper and lower oil chambers in said cylinder body when said upper rear portion of said lower leg is disposed at said second position, thereby fixing position of said knee seat relative to said support frame.