Shock module prosthesis

An impact and torque absorbing prosthetic shock module comprising:

• an outer pylon;
• an inner pylon telescopingly engaged with said outer pylon through a first end of said outer pylon so that an annular interface is formed between an outer surface of said inner pylon and an inner surface of said outer pylon, said inner pylon adapted to move axially and rotationally with respect to said outer pylon;
• a resilient element resisting relative axial displacement of said pylons;
• and
• a torque-resisting cuff providing torsional resistance to relative rotational motion between said pylons;
• wherein
• said cuff is attached to said pylons such that said cuff at least partially encloses said first end of said outer pylon, and said cuff thus prevents atmospheric particles from entering said annular interface.

An impact and torque absorbing prosthetic shock module comprising:

• an outer pylon;
• an inner pylon telescopingly engaged with said outer pylon so that an annular interface is formed between said pylons, said inner pylon adapted to move axially and rotationally with respect to said outer pylon;
• a resilient element resisting relative axial displacement of said pylons;
• and
• a torque-resisting cuff providing torsional resistance to relative rotational motion between said pylons;
• wherein
• said resilient element comprises a compressible fluid;
• and
• said cuff is configured to provide increasing torsion resistance as the pressure of said fluid is increased.

An impact and torque absorbing prosthetic shock module comprising:

• an elongated upper pylon;
• an elongated lower pylon adapted to move axially and rotationally with respect to said upper pylon;
• a resilient element resisting relative axial displacement of said pylons;
• and
• a torque-resisting cuff providing torsional resistance to relative rotational motion between said pylons, said cuff having a generally tubular shape and being proximally attached to said upper pylon and distally attached to said lower pylon;
• wherein
• the longitudinal axis of said upper pylon and the longitudinal axis of said lower pylon are maintained in a generally colinear alignment.

An impact and torque absorbing prosthetic shock module comprising:

• an elongated upper pylon;
• an elongated lower pylon adapted to move axially and rotationally with respect to said upper pylon;
• a resilient element resisting relative axial displacement of said pylons;
• and
• a torque-resisting cuff providing torsional resistance to relative rotational motion between said pylons;
• wherein the longitudinal axis of said upper pylon and the longitudinal axis of said lower pylon are maintained in a generally colinear alignment;
• said resilient element comprises a compressible fluid;
• and
• said cuff is configured to provide increasing torsion resistance as the pressure of said fluid is increased.

An impact and torque-absorbing prosthetic shock module comprising:

• an elongated upper pylon;
• an elongated lower pylon adapted to move axially and rotationally with respect to said upper pylon,
• a resilient element resisting relative axial displacement of said pylons;
• and
• a torque resisting cuff providing torsional resistance to relative rotational motion between said pylons;
• wherein
• the longitudinal axis of said upper pylon and the longitudinal axis of said lower pylon are maintained in a generally colinear alignment;
• wherein
• said cuff has a generally tubular shape and is proximally attached to said upper pylon and distally attached to said lower pylon;
• and
• said proximal and distal attachments of said cuff to said pylons are provided by ring clamps that provide air-tight seals with respect to an entire circumference of said pylons.

An impact and torque-absorbing prosthetic shock module comprising:

• an elongated upper pylon;
• an elongated lower pylon adapted to move axially and rotationally with respect to said upper pylon;
• a resilient element resisting relative axial displacement of said pylons;
• and
• a torque resisting cuff providing torsional resistance to relative rotational motion between said pylons;
• wherein
• the longitudinal axis of said upper pylon and the longitudinal axis of said lower pylon are maintained in a generally colinear alignment;
• wherein
• said cuff has a generally tubular shape and is proximally attached to said upper pylon and distally attached to said lower pylon;
• and
• said cuff comprises an inner layer formed from a resilient material and an outer layer formed from a fabric.

A shock absorbing prosthesis, comprising:

• an upper support member,
• a lower support member, said upper and lower support members being coaxially supported relative to one another and capable of relative rotation and axial translation;
• and
• a flexible tubular member secured between said upper and lower support members so as to provide resistance to relative rotation between said upper and lower support members,
• wherein said tubular member comprises a rubber inner layer and an outer layer comprising fibers.

A shock absorbing prosthesis, comprising:

• an upper support member;
• a lower support member, said upper and lower support members being coaxially and slidably supported relative to one another and capable of relative rotation and axial translation;
• and
• a flexible tubular member secured between said upper and lower support members so as to provide resistance to relative rotation between said upper and lower support members;
• and
• an air tight region inside of said tubular member, said air tight region enclosing a compressible fluid whose pressure may be varied to increase/decrease the torsion-resistance of said tubular member.

An impact absorbing lower limb prosthesis, comprising:

• an outer tube having a longitudinal interior, a proximal end and a distal end, said longitudinal interior having a polygonal cross-section along at least a section of its span, said distal end being attachable to a prosthetic foot, said outer tube housing a support within the interior of said outer tube;
• an inner shaft having a proximal end, a distal end and a longitudinal cavity, said proximal end being attachable to a socket for receiving a stump of an amputee, said inner shaft having a polygonal outer cross-section that is closely enveloped by at least a portion of said section of said longitudinal interior of said outer tube, said inner shaft being mounted to move axially with respect to said outer tube;
• and
• a coil spring having an upper portion residing in said longitudinal cavity of said inner shaft and an upper end fixed in position relative to said inner shaft, said coil spring having a lower end attached such that said lower end is fixed in position relative to said outer tube, said coil spring capable of a smooth response to loading and unloading via compression and extension, said compression and extension of said coil spring controlling relative motion between said outer tube and said inner shaft;
• whereby, the loading/unloading characteristics of said prosthesis to vertical compressive loads may be adjusted according to the particular weight of said amputee by selectively varying the spring characteristics of said coil spring.

An impact absorbing lower limb prosthesis, comprising:

• an outer tube;
• an inner shaft having a hollow interior, said inner shaft reciprocatingly interfitted with said outer tube;
• and
• resilient means operatively attached or disposed between said outer tube and said inner shaft, said resilient means being provided by an internal coil spring, said coil spring being free of pre-loading stress so as to provide a smooth or non-jarring compression initiation and a smooth or non-jarring extension termination;
• whereby said prosthesis simulates a shock absorber when subjected to vertical compressive loads;
• and
• wherein communicating surfaces of said outer tube and said inner shaft have substantially mating polygonal cross-sections configured to prevent any relative rotational movement between said outer tube and said inner shaft.

A shock absorbing prosthesis, comprising:

• an upper support member;
• a lower support member, said upper and lower support members being coaxially and slidably supported relative to one another;
• a flexible tubular member secured between said upper and lower support members so as to provide resistance to relative rotation between said upper and lower support members;
• and
• an air tight region inside of said tubular member, said air tight region enclosing a compressible fluid whose pressure may be varied to increase/decrease the torsion-resistance of said tubular member.

An impact and torque absorbing prosthetic shock module comprising:

• an outer pylon;
• an inner pylon telescopingly engaged with said outer pylon so that an annular interface is formed between said pylons, said inner pylon adapted to move axially and rotationally with respect to said outer pylon;
• a resilient element resisting relative axial displacement of said pylons;
• and
• a member providing torsional resistance to relative rotational motion between said pylons;
• wherein
• said member is proximally attached to an outer surface of one of said pylons and distally attached to an outer surface of the other of said pylons.