Patent ID: 8048173

Claim:
A prosthetic foot comprising a unitary member including (a) a ground engaging bottom resilient flexion member ( 11 ) having (i) a front end ( 13 ), (ii) a back end ( 12 ), (iii) an intermediate section spanning between and connecting said front end and said back end, and (iv) a bottom ground engaging surface ( 24 ) extending substantially continuously from said front end to said back end, (v) an upper surface ( 25 ), and (vi) a convex curvature; (b) a heel resilient flexion member ( 20 ) (i) having a rear end ( 21 ) connected to said back end ( 12 ) of said bottom resilient flexion member ( 11 ), (ii) extending upwardly from said back end ( 12 ) and over said intermediate section toward said front end ( 13 ), (iii) having a forward end spaced apart from said back end ( 12 ) and said bottom resilient flexion member ( 11 ), and (iv) having a heel contact surface ( 32 ) on said forward end; (c) a toe resilient flexion member ( 14 ) (i) having a proximate end ( 15 ) connected to said front end ( 13 ) of said bottom resilient flexion member ( 11 ), (ii) extending upwardly from said front end ( 13 ), over said intermediate section toward said back end ( 12 ), and over said forward end and said heel contact surface ( 32 ) of said heel resilient flexion member ( 20 ), (iii) having a distal end ( 16 ) spaced apart from said proximate end ( 15 ), spaced apart from said front end ( 13 ), spaced above said heel resilient member ( 20 ), and (iv) including a toe contact surface ( 33 ) spaced above said heel contact surface ( 32 ), said bottom resilient flexion member, heel resilient flexion member, and toe resilient flexion member being shaped and dimensioned and having a resistance response to a compressive applied force such that when the compressive applied force compresses said prosthetic foot and said bottom resilient flexion member ( 11 ) against the ground (d) said bottom resilient flexion member ( 11 ) flexes upwardly; (e) said convex curvature of said bottom resilient flexion member 11 flattens; (f) said toe resilient flexion member (i) resiliently downwardly deflects toward the ground, (ii) contacts said heel resilient flexion member, and (iii) deflects said heel resilient flexion member toward the ground and toward said bottom resilient flexion member; and, (g) said toe contact surface ( 33 ) slides over said heel contact surface ( 32 ).