Patent ID: 6645252
Filing Date: 2003-11-11
Classification: A61F,F02G

Abstract:
A drive unit for a prosthetic limb, adapted to bendably and/or stretchably drive first and second prosthetic limb bodies, which are connected to each other via a joint, relative to each other comprising:a Stirling engine including a displacer unit which is not mounted on said prosthetic limb bodies and a power cylinder unit mounted between said prosthetic limb bodies for bending and/or stretching said prosthetic limb bodies relative to each other; a compression chamber of said displacer unit operatively connected to an operation chamber of said power cylinder unit via a flexible pressure conduit; a combustor for heating an expansion chamber disposed in a displacer cylinder of said displacer unit, said combustor being provided around a head portion of said displacer cylinder; fuel supply means operatively connected to said combustor; and an actuator for selectively driving a displacer piston of said displacer unit, said actuator being connected to said displacer piston.