Patent ID: 7544214

Claim:
An artificial multi-axis knee joint comprising an upper leg portion ( 1 ) and a lower leg portion ( 2 ), said upper leg portion and said lower leg portion being pivotally connected to each other by means of a front link ( 3 ), which front link ( 3 ) at one end thereof is pivotally connected to the upper leg portion ( 1 ) for pivoting the front link and the upper leg portion relative to each other around a first geometrical pivot axis ( 5 ) and at the other end thereof is pivotally connected to the lower leg portion ( 2 ) for pivoting the front link and the lower leg portion relative to each other around a second geometrical pivot axis ( 6 ), and by means of at least one rear link ( 4 ), which rear link ( 4 ) at one end thereof is pivotally connected to the upper leg portion ( 1 ) for pivoting said at least one rear link and the upper leg portion relative to each other around a third geometrical pivot axis ( 7 ) and at the other end thereof is pivotally connected to the lower leg portion ( 2 ) for pivoting said at least one rear link and the lower leg portion relative to each other around a fourth geometrical pivot axis ( 8 ), in addition to the front link ( 3 ) and said at least one rear link ( 4 ) the knee joint further comprising a further means ( 9 ) for controlling the bending characteristics of the knee joint, wherein the controlling means ( 9 ) is integrated in one of the front link ( 3 ) and said at least one rear link ( 4 ); wherein the controlling means ( 9 ) is arranged internally of the front link ( 3 ) or said at least one rear link ( 4 ); wherein the controlling means ( 9 ) includes pivot axes consisting of the first and second geometrical pivot axes.