Patent ID: 6869451

Claim:
A dynamic prosthetic foot having multiple load points and multiple upper sections, comprising: a sole having a heel end and a toe end that are substantially coplanar with one another; said sole having a first convexity formed in said heel end that performs the function of the bottom of a natural heel; said sole having a concavity longitudinally spaced from said first convexity, said concavity performing the function of a natural arch; said sole having a second convexity longitudinally spaced from said concavity, said second convexity performing the function of the ball of a natural foot; an inflection point being where a downward slope of said concavity meets an upward slope of said second convexity; an upper member that overlies said sole, said upper member having a heel end and a toe end; said upper member having a pair of flat, transversely spaced apart, pylon supports formed in its heel end; said upper member having a gradual ninety degree bend formed therein, said gradual ninety degree bend separating a toe end of said upper member from a heel end of said upper member, said pylon supports being disposed substantially perpendicular to said toe end of said upper member, said heel end of said upper member separating from said sole along a parting line that is transverse to a longitudinal axis of said prosthetic foot; said pylon supports including a lateral pylon support and a medial pylon support; an elongate, longitudinally extending slot formed in said upper member, said slot substantially coincident with a longitudinal axis of said prosthetic foot and said slot extending from an uppermost end of said heel end of said upper member to said inflection point; said elongate slot dividing said upper member into a pair of upper sections that respond substantially independently to forces acting upon said upper member; whereby forces acting on said lateral pylon support are substantially confined to said lateral pylon support and forces acting on said medial pylon support are substantially confined to said medial pylon support; whereby forces acting upon a lateral section of said upper member are substantially attenuated when transmitted to the medial section of said upper sections; and whereby forces acting upon a medial section of said upper member are substantially attenuated when transmitted to the lateral section of said upper member.