Patent ID: 9028557
Filing Date: 2015-05-12
Classification: A61F

Abstract:
1. A prosthetic device, comprising: a) a pair of prosthetic members movably coupled together to allow movement of the pair of prosthetic members with respect to one another; b) a hydraulic actuator or damper including hydraulic fluid in a hydraulic chamber coupled to one of the pair of prosthetic members, and a hydraulic piston movably disposed in the hydraulic chamber and coupled to another of the pair of prosthetic members; c) a hydraulic flow channel fluidly coupled between opposite sides of the chamber to allow hydraulic fluid to move between the opposite sides of the chamber as the hydraulic piston moves therein; d) a voice coil valve coupled to the hydraulic flow channel to vary resistance to flow of hydraulic fluid through the flow channel, and thus movement of the piston in the chamber, and thus influencing a rate of movement of the pair of prosthetic members with respect to one another; and e) the voice coil valve having a pair of different, substantially linear control regions including a first region that provides a region of control during slow extension/retraction of the hydraulic actuator or damper between 1.5 to 2.5 inches per second, and a second region that provides for a region of control during fast extension/retraction of the hydraulic actuator or damper between 6 to 8 inches per second.