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US 2006/0136072 A1Published application
Magnetorheologically actuated prosthetic knee
OwnerCharles Bisbee, Henry Hsu +1inventors
InventorsCharles Bisbee, Henry Hsu, Michael Palmer
Life of this patent
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Abstract
The invention in some embodiments relates to a magnetorheologically actuated prosthetic knee. The knee in one embodiment comprises an extension assist to facilitate knee extension. The knee in another embodiment comprises a dual-stage bumper system that limits the maximum knee rotation. The knee in yet another embodiment comprises a cover that includes a flexible skin and an exoskeleton.
Claims29
1-75. (canceled)
A prosthetic knee, comprising:
- a rotatable first portion, a rotatable second portion, an extension assist and a magnetorheological fluid to substantially control the rotation of said first and second portions, said first and second portions being operably connected to move relative to each other;
- wherein rotation of said first portion generally corresponds to rotation of a lower part of a limb and rotation of said second portion generally corresponds to rotation of an upper part of said limb;
- and
- wherein said extension assist comprises a torsion spring with an inner leg operatively coupled to said first portion and an outer leg operatively coupled to said second portion to store energy during rotation in a flexion direction and release energy during rotation in an extension direction to facilitate knee extension.
1 more element
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.