Foot prosthesis having cushioned ankle

A prosthetic foot comprising:

• a foot plate element having a length approximately equal to the length of a human foot, the foot plate element comprising a resilient material capable of flexing along its length;
• at least one ankle plate element having a length substantially shorter than the foot plate element;
• an ankle block comprising a relatively sot compressible material sandwiched between the ankle plate element and the foot plate element, the ankle block providing substantially the sole means of support and connection between the foot plate element and the ankle plate element;
• at least one opening extending trough the ankle block with a substantially transverse orientation relative to a forward walking motion;
• and
• a wedge cut-out in a rear portion of the ankle block, the wedge cut-out being spaced from the at least one opening;
• and
• a wedge piece disposed within the wedge cut-out;
• whereby the foot plate element and the ankle block flex in a cooperative manner to provide substantially smooth and continuous rollover transition from heel-strike to toe-off.

A prosthetic foot comprising:

• a foot plate element comprising a resilient material capable of flexing along its length;
• at least one ankle plate element;
• and
• an ankle block comprising a relatively soft, compressible material sandwiched between the ankle plate element and the foot plate element, the ankle block providing substantially the sole means of support and connection between the foot plate element and the ankle plate element, and wherein the ankle block includes a wedge cut-out in a rear portion of the ankle block, the wedge cut-out extending to a lower surface of the ankle block and to a rear surface of the ankle block.

A prosthetic foot comprising:

• a foot plate element comprising a resilient material capable of flexing along its length;
• at least one ankle plate element having a generally vertical upper attachment area;
• an ankle support member sandwiched between the ankle plate element and the foot plate element the ankle support member providing substantially the sole means of support and connection between the foot plate element and the ankle plate element;
• and
• a strap connecting the ankle plate element to the foot plate element, said strap positioned behind said ankle support member relative to a forward walking motion, said strap having a first attachment location in said upper attachment area of said ankle plate element, and said strap being capable of adjusting the relative flexing properties between said ankle plate element and said foot plate element.

A prosthetic foot comprising:

• a foot plate element;
• an ankle plate element disposed above the foot plate element;
• at least one ankle block positioned between the ankle plate element and the foot plate element, the ankle block including a cut-out portion in a rear portion of the ankle block, the cut-out portion extending to and opening to a rear surface of the ankle block;
• and
• a cut-out piece adapted to be inserted into the cut-out portion of the ankle block, the cut-out piece having desirable compliance characteristics to selectively adjust the performance characteristics of the prosthetic foot.

A prosthetic foot comprising:

• a foot plate element;
• an ankle plate element disposed above the foot plate element and being not in contact with the foot plate element;
• at least one ankle block positioned between the ankle plate element and the foot plate element such that an upper surface of the ankle block abuts a lower surface of the ankle plate element and a lower surface of the ankle block abuts an upper surface of the foot plate element;
• and
• a strap connecting the ankle plate element to the foot plate element rearward of the ankle block, the strap being attached at a first end to a rear surface of the ankle plate element.

A prosthetic foot, comprising:

• an ankle plate having a generally vertical upper attachment area and a curvilinear ankle section;
• a foot plate extending between a heel end and a toe end, the heel end of the foot plate being located in a heel portion of the prosthetic foot the foot plate being operably connected to the ankle plate;
• and
• a linking member attached to the upper attachment area of the ankle plate at a first attachment location and extending downward behind a rearward surface of the upper attachment area toward the heel portion of the prosthetic foot to a second attachment location, the linking member limiting the maximum distance between the first attachment location and the second attachment location;
• wherein the linking member includes a first substantially straight portion and a second substantially straight portion located above the first substantially straight portion the first and second portions converging to form an obtuse angle when the prosthetic foot is in an at rest configuration.