Multi-purpose prosthetic knee component

Abstract

A prosthetic knee component for an above knee prosthesis having a frame member and a bracket member pivotally connected to the frame member, thereby creating a center of rotation for the knee component. The knee component further including a gait control unit pivotally positioned between the frame member and the bracket member by flanges extending from a rear portion of the bracket member. A flexion bumper is positioned through the frame member away from the center of rotation and is sufficiently compressible in a flexion phase of the knee component to provide controlled energy absorbing compliance under force exerted on the bumper by the rear flanges. The knee component further includes an optional running gait flexion limiter positioned on an interior surface of the frame member for limiting flexion and providing inertia to the lower leg component during a running gait. The running gait flexion limiter provides inertia to the lower leg component by being sufficiently resilient in a flexion phase of the knee component to provide a controlled spring rate to the flanges on the bracket member to quickly return the lower leg component to an extension phase.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.