Prosthetic angled locking coupler device

A method of attaching a residual limb socket to a lower limb prosthesis in which the residual limb socket is horizontally anteriorly offset from the lower limb prosthesis and the residual limb socket is posteriorly to anteriorly inclined relative to the lower limb prosthesis comprising:

• providing a coupler device comprising a coupler body having a top mounting surface including an aperture and a bottom mounting surface and having an anterior area and a posterior area;
• said top mounting surface being adapted to connect said top mounting surface to said residual limb socket at a defined location on said top mounting surface;
• and
• said bottom mounting surface being adapted to connect said bottom mounting surface to said lower limb prosthesis at a defined location on said bottom mounting surface;
• mounting the residual limb socket to the top mounting surface of said coupler;
• mounting the lower limb prosthesis to the bottom mounting surface of said coupler so that a longitudinal centerline of the residual limb socket is horizontally offset posteriorly from a longitudinal centerline of the lower limb prosthesis a distance in the range of from about 0.5 to about 4.0 inches and the residual limb socket is inclined at an angle in the range of from about 5° to about 20° from posterior to anterior relative to said lower limb prosthesis;
• and
• disposing a locking mechanism having a toothed plunger including a pinion and a shaft within a transverse aperture of the coupler body;
• inserting a pin comprising a shaft and a series of elevated rings along said shaft into the aperture on the top mounting surface:
• intersecting said transverse aperture with said aperture of said top mounting surface when said pin is inserted;
• and
• rotating said pinion such that the pinion mates with said elevated rings of said pin and said pin is drawn into said body or exits said body.

A coupler device for connecting a residual limb socket to a lower limb prosthesis comprising:

• a coupler body including a top mounting surface comprising an aperture sized to receive an alignment pin and a bushing, and a bottom mounting surface,
• said top mounting surface being adapted to connect said top mounting surface to said residual limb socket at a defined location on said top mounting surface;
• said bottom mounting surface being adapted to connect said bottom mounting surface to said lower limb prosthesis at a defined location on said bottom mounting surface;
• wherein said socket has a distal end and a proximal end and contains a sleeve having a distal end and a proximal end;
• wherein said distal end of said sleeve houses a receptacle;
• wherein said coupler body further comprises an aperture on the top mounting surface sized to receive an alignment pin and a bushing;
• wherein said pin is adapted to be inserted into said receptacle, to pass through said aperture into said alignment bushing and pull said sleeve enclosed residuum into said socket and further attach said sleeve to said coupler body;
• and
• wherein said distal end of said socket further includes an attachment ring that has an inner side and a keyway and said pin passes through said keyway to attach said sleeve to said coupler body.