Source: http://www.google.com/patents/US8236062?dq=3984803
Timestamp: 2014-12-22 16:50:11
Document Index: 477812563

Matched Legal Cases: ['Application No. 2', 'Application No. 2005', 'Application No. 2005', 'Application No. 2006', 'Application No. 02', 'Application No. 506340', 'Application No. 2007', 'Application No. 2007']

Patent US8236062 - Prosthetic foot with tunable performance - Google PatentsSearch Images Maps Play YouTube News Gmail Drive More »Sign inAdvanced Patent SearchPatentsA prosthetic foot and lower part of leg has a semi-rigid, resilient foot keel extending in a longitudinal direction and a semi-rigid, resilient leg portion attached at a lower end to the foot keel. The leg portion includes a plurality of resilient leaf spring type members which are spaced apart in the...http://www.google.com/patents/US8236062?utm_source=gb-gplus-sharePatent US8236062 - Prosthetic foot with tunable performanceAdvanced Patent SearchPublication numberUS8236062 B2Publication typeGrantApplication numberUS 10/594,798PCT numberPCT/US2005/011291Publication dateAug 7, 2012Filing dateApr 1, 2005Priority dateMar 30, 2001Also published asUS20080281436Publication number10594798, 594798, PCT/2005/11291, PCT/US/2005/011291, PCT/US/2005/11291, PCT/US/5/011291, PCT/US/5/11291, PCT/US2005/011291, PCT/US2005/11291, PCT/US2005011291, PCT/US200511291, PCT/US5/011291, PCT/US5/11291, PCT/US5011291, PCT/US511291, US 8236062 B2, US 8236062B2, US-B2-8236062, US8236062 B2, US8236062B2InventorsBarry W. Townsend, Byron K. ClaudinoOriginal AssigneeBioquest Prosthetics LlcExport CitationBiBTeX, EndNote, RefManPatent Citations (101), Non-Patent Citations (26), Referenced by (1), Classifications (37), Legal Events (1) External Links: USPTO, USPTO Assignment, EspacenetProsthetic foot with tunable performanceUS 8236062 B2Abstract A prosthetic foot and lower part of leg has a semi-rigid, resilient foot keel extending in a longitudinal direction and a semi-rigid, resilient leg portion attached at a lower end to the foot keel. The leg portion includes a plurality of resilient leaf spring type members which are spaced apart in the sagittal plane intermediate their upper and lower ends and which are coupled together at their upper and lower end portions. The members are anterior facing convexly curved at their lower ends forming an ankle joint area and extend upwardly above in a substantially anterior facing convexly curve to a substantially vertically oriented upper end which is displaced substantially in the longitudinal direction in amputee gait for improved dynamic response.
RELATED APPLICATIONS This application is a U.S. national phase under 35 U.S.C. �371 of international application no. PCT/US2005/011291 filed Apr. 1, 2005 which is a continuation in part of U.S. application Ser. No. 10/814,260 filed Apr. 1, 2004, now U.S. Pat. No. 7,611,534 issued Nov. 3, 2009, and which claims priority of U.S. provisional application Ser. No. 60/558,119 filed Apr. 1, 2004, and which is a continuation in part of U.S. application Ser. No. 10/814,155 filed Apr. 1, 2004, now U.S. Pat. No. 7,410,503 issued Aug. 12, 2008. This application is also a continuation in part of U.S. application Ser. No. 10/473,682 filed Mar. 29, 2002, now U.S. Pat. No. 7,507,259 issued Mar. 24, 2009.
BACKGROUND ART A jointless artificial foot for a leg prosthesis is disclosed by Martin et al. in U.S. Pat. No. 5,897,594. Unlike earlier solutions wherein the artificial foot has a rigid construction provided with a joint in order to imitate the function of the ankle, the jointless artificial foot of Martin et al. employs a resilient foot insert which is arranged inside a foot molding. The insert is of approximately C-shaped design in longitudinal section, with the opening to the rear, and takes up the prosthesis load with its upper C-limb and via its lower C-limb transmits that load to a leaf spring connected thereto. The leaf spring as seen from the underside is of convex design and extends approximately parallel to the sole region, forward beyond the foot insert into the foot-tip region. The Martin et al. invention is based on the object of improving the jointless artificial foot with regard to damping the impact of the heel, the elasticity, the heel-to-toe walking and the lateral stability, in order thus to permit the wearer to walk in a natural manner, the intention being to allow the wearer both to walk normally and also to carry out physical exercise and to play sports. However, the dynamic response characteristics of this known artificial foot are limited. There is a need for a higher performance prosthetic foot having improved applied mechanics design features which can improve amputee performances involving activities such as walking, running, jumping, sprinting, starting, stopping and cutting, for example.
DISCLOSURE OF INVENTION In order to allow the amputee to attain a higher level of performance, there is a need for a high function prosthetic foot having improved applied mechanics, which foot can out perform the human foot and also out perform the prior art prosthetic feet. It is of interest to the amputee athlete to have a high performance prosthetic foot having improved applied mechanics, high low dynamic response, and alignment adjustability that can be fine tuned to improve the horizontal and vertical components of activities which can be task specific in nature.
FIG. 49 is a side view of another embodiment of the prosthetic foot wherein a posterior calf device has a posterior spring in the shape of an �S� connected between an upper portion of the calf shank and a coupling element which connects the lower end of the calf shank to a foot keel, and wherein a second spring having a �J� shape is located between the S shaped spring and an upper portion of the calf shank.
FIG. 50 is a side view of another embodiment wherein the posterior calf device has a �J� shaped spring connected between an upper portion of the calf shank and a proximal edge of a coupling element connecting the calf shank to a foot keel of the prosthesis.
The parabolic shaped calf shank angular velocity is affected by the aforementioned compression and expansion modes of operation. As the parabolic shaped calf shank expands to late mid-stance forces, the size of the radii which make up the contour of the shank become larger. This increase in radii size has a direct relationship to an increase in angular velocity. The mathematical formula for ankle joint sagittal plane kinetic power, KP, of the prosthesis is KP=moment�angular velocity. Therefore, any increase in the mechanical form's angular velocity will increase the kinetic power. For example, the calf shanks of FIGS. 19-22, each have a portion above the anterior facing convexly curved lower portion thereof which is reversely curved, i.e. posterior facing convexly curved. If these shank's mechanical forms where made with the same materials with the same widths and thicknesses, the reversely curved upper portion would compress as the lower portion of the shank would expand�canceling the potential for an increase in angular velocity, and as a consequence, the angular velocity would be negatively affected which in turn would negatively affect the magnitude of ankle joint sagittal plane kinetic power which is generated in gait.
The human foot, ankle and shank with soft tissue support is a machine which has two primarily biomechanical functions in level ground walking. One is to change a vertically oriented ground reaction force into forward momentum and, second, to create the rise and restrict the fall of the body's center of mass. A prosthetic foot, ankle and shank with posterior calf device, also referred to as an artificial muscle device of the present invention must also accomplish these two biomechanical functions. The coiled spring calf shanks 55 of FIGS. 25, 72 of FIGS. 28-30, 106 of FIGS. 32-34, and 122 of FIGS. 35-53 have increased elastic energy storage capacity as compared to calf shank 6 of FIGS. 3-5. The coiled spring lower portion of the shank 122 more accurately represents a functional ankle joint. The resilient posterior calf devices on the prostheses of the invention also add elastic energy storage capacity to the prosthetic system. This increase in elastic energy storage capacity increases the magnitude of the kinetic power generated during gait to very near normal (human foot) values. The biomechanical functional operation of the prosthetic ankle joint as represented by 74, FIG. 30, and those having a coiled spring lower portion as in the embodiments of FIGS. 32-52 will be discussed. As mentioned above, the first biomechanical function of the �machine� made up of the human foot, ankle and shank is to change the direction of a vertically oriented ground reaction force into forward momentum. It accomplishes this at the ankle joint by a heel rocker effect. To create the highest magnitude of forward momentum between initial contact and mid-stance phases of gait, an ankle moment must be created. Prior art prosthetic feet that utilize a solid ankle cushion heel and/or a posterior facing convexly curved design as in U.S. Pat. No. 6,071,313 to Phillips (the Phillips design) for example, have an ankle joint that does not create this moment. As a consequence, they have a vertically oriented initial loading ground reaction response. Since momentum is governed by vector rules, only a small horizontal displacement occurs in comparison to a large vertical displacement. In contrast, with the present invention the coiled spring ankle of the calf shanks 105 and 122 of FIGS. 28-30, 32-34 and 35-52 respectively, for example, create a 45� initial loading displacement angle, which creates equal vertical and horizontal displacements. This 45� displacement angle preserves forward momentum and inertia and improves the efficiency of the prosthetic foot, ankle and shank machine. In this initial loading phase of gait, the body's center of mass is at its lowest point, so any increase in this lowering of the body's center of mass decreases the efficiency of the overall machine.
The forefoot, midfoot and hindfoot portions of the foot keel 2 are formed of a single piece of resilient material in the example embodiment. For example, a solid piece of material, elastic in nature (resilient), having shape-retaining characteristics (semi-rigid) when deflected by the ground reaction forces can be employed. More particularly, the foot keel and also the calf shank can be formed of a semi-rigid, resilient metal alloy or a laminated composite material having reinforcing fiber laminated with polymer matrix material. In particular, a high strength graphite, Kevlar, or fiberglass laminated with epoxy thermosetting resins, or extruded plastic utilized under the tradename of Delran, or degassed polyurethane copolymers, may be used to form the foot keel and also the calf shank. The functional qualities associated with these materials afford high strength with low weight and minimal creep. The thermosetting epoxy resins are laminated under vacuum utilizing prosthetic industry standards. The polyurethane copolymers can be poured into negative molds and the extruded plastic can be machined. Each material of use has its advantages and disadvantages. It has been found that the laminated composite material for the foot keel and the calf shank can also advantageously be a thermo-formed (prepreg) laminated composite material manufactured per industry standards, with reinforcing fiber and a thermoplastic polymer matrix material for superior mechanical expansion qualities. A suitable commercially available composite material of this kind is CYLON� made by Cytec Fiberite Inc. of Havre de Grace, Md.
Another foot keel 33 of the invention, especially for sprinting, may be used in the prosthetic foot of the invention, see FIGS. 6 and 7. The body's center of gravity in a sprint becomes almost exclusively sagittal plane oriented. The prosthetic foot does not need to have a low dynamic response characteristic. As a consequence, the 15� to 35� external rotation orientation of the longitudinal axis of the forefoot, midfoot concavity as in foot keel 2 is not needed. Rather, the concavity's longitudinal axis D-D orientation should become parallel to the frontal plane as depicted in FIGS. 6 and 7. This makes the sprint foot respond in a sagittal direction only. Further, the orientation of the expansion joint holes 34 and 35 in the forefoot and midfoot portions, along line E-E, is parallel to the frontal plane, i.e., the lateral hole 35 is moved anteriorly and in line with the medial hole 34 and parallel to the frontal plane. The anterior terminal end 36 of the foot keel 33 is also made parallel to the frontal plane. The posterior terminal heel area 37 of the foot keel is also parallel to the frontal plane. These modifications effect in a negative way the multi-use capabilities of the prosthetic foot. However, its performance characteristics become task specific. Another variation in the sprint foot keel 33 is in the toe, ray region of the forefoot portion of the foot where 15� of dorsiflexion in the foot keel 2 are increased to 25-40� of dorsiflexion in foot keel 33. The foot keel in this and the other embodiments could also be made without the expansion joints, expansion joint holes and expansion joint struts disclosed herein. This would reduce the ground compliance of the foot keel on uneven surfaces. However, in such case ground compliance can be achieved by the provision of a subtalar joint in the prosthesis as disclosed in commonly owned U.S. patent application Ser. No. 10/473,465, now U.S. Pat. No. 7,429,272 issued Sep. 30, 2008, and related international application, International Publication No. WO 02/078567 A2.
The stance phase of walking/running activities can be further broken down into deceleration and acceleration phases. When the prosthetic foot touches the ground, the foot pushes anteriorly on the ground and the ground pushes back in an equal and opposite direction�that is to say the ground pushes posteriorly on the prosthetic foot. This force makes the prosthetic foot move. The stance phase analysis of walking and running activities begins with the contact point being the posterior lateral corner 18, FIGS. 5 and 8, which is offset more posteriorly and laterally than the medial side of the foot. This offset at initial contact causes the foot to evert and the calf shank ankle area to plantar flex. The calf shank always seeks a position that transfers the body weight through its shank, e.g., it tends to have its long vertical member in a position to oppose the ground forces. This is why it moves posteriorly-plantar flexes to oppose the ground reaction force which is pushing posteriorly on the foot.
The ground forces cause calf shanks 44, 45, 46, 47, 50 and 51 to compress with the proximal end moving posterior. With calf shanks 48, 49 the distal � of the calf shank would compress depending on the distal concavities orientation. If the distal concavity compressed in response to the GRF's the proximal concavity would expand and the entire calf shank unit would move posteriorally. The ground forces cause the calf shank to compress with the proximal end moving posteriorly. The calf shank lower tight radius compresses simulating human ankle joint plantar flexion and the forefoot is lowered by compression to the ground. At the same time the posterior aspect of keel, as represented by hindfoot 4, depicted by 17 compresses upward through compression. Both of these compressive forces act as shock absorbers. This shock absorption is further enhanced by the offset posterior lateral heel 18 which causes the foot to evert, which also acts as a shock absorber, once the calf shank has stopped moving into plantar flexion and with the ground pushing posteriorly on the foot.
In the later stages of heel rise, toe off walking and running activities, the ray region of the forefoot portion is dorsiflexed 15�-35�. This upwardly extending arc allows the anteriorly directed ground forces to compress this region of the foot. This compression is less resisted than expansion and a smooth transition occurs to the swing phase of gait and running with the prosthetic foot. In later stages of stance phase of gait, the expanded calf shank and the expanded midfoot long arch release their stored energy adding to the propulsion of the amputee's soon to be swinging lower extremity
FIGS. 48, 49, 51 and 52 shows double spring configurations. In FIG. 48, springs 410 and 411 are arranged between flexible elongated member 412 connected between an upper portion of the calf shank 122 and a lower portion of the prosthesis, e.g. component 130 of fastener arrangement 128 as in FIGS. 35-44. In FIG. 49 the posterior spring 415 is �S� curved, wherein a second �J� spring 416 is located proximally. During initial contact force heel loading, the �S� spring compresses; however, during heel to toe loading the �S� spring straightens and engages the �J� spring, which increases the rigidity of the prosthetic system. The use of the two springs 415 and 416 thus results in a progressive spring rate during heel to toe loading. Other forms of springs such as asymmetric springs and multiple leaf spring arrangements could also be used to provide a progressive spring rate or spring constant with higher loading forces. FIG. 50 shows a single �J� spring (360) attached to the proximal edge of the shank and the upper edge of the coupling element. This spring could be made with a plurality of spring elements, such as a plurality of curvilinear springs of different lengths. As shown in FIG. 51, the anterior convexly curved spring 372 and calf shank 122 are connected at the upper and lower ends and spaced from one another between their ends to form a resilient leg portion of the prosthesis connected to the foot keel via the coupling element as described above.
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McClenathenDevice for flattening corn stalk stubbles* Cited by examinerClassifications U.S. Classification623/52, 623/47, 623/53International ClassificationA61F2/66Cooperative ClassificationA61F2002/6614, A61F2002/5033, A61F2002/7615, A61F2002/6621, A61F2002/747, A61F2002/704, A61F2002/6657, A61F2002/5032, A61F2002/503, A61F2002/665, A61F2002/30434, A61F2002/5079, A61F2002/30464, A61F2002/6642, A61F2/60, A61F2002/6664, A61F2220/0075, A61F2002/6671, A61F2220/0041, A61F2002/5009, A61F2002/30466, A61F2002/5007, A61F2/76, A61F2002/6678, A61F2002/5075, A61F2/66, A61F2002/745, A61F2002/6685, A61F2/6607, A61F2002/5003, A61F2002/30438European ClassificationA61F2/60, A61F2/66Legal EventsDateCodeEventDescriptionMar 26, 2007ASAssignmentFree format text: ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNORS INTEREST;ASSIGNORS:TOWNSEND, BARRY W.;CLAUDINO, BYRON KENT;REEL/FRAME:19147/637Effective date: 20070319Owner name: BIOQUEST PROSTHETICS LLC,CALIFORNIAFree format text: ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNORS INTEREST;ASSIGNORS:TOWNSEND, BARRY W.;CLAUDINO, BYRON KENT;REEL/FRAME:019147/0637Owner name: BIOQUEST PROSTHETICS LLC, CALIFORNIARotateOriginal ImageGoogle Home - Sitemap - USPTO Bulk Downloads - Privacy Policy - Terms of Service - About Google Patents - Send FeedbackData provided by IFI CLAIMS Patent Services©2012 Google