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US 7,618,464 B2Granted
Prosthetic foot with variable medial/lateral stiffness
AssigneeFreedom Innovations, LLC
InventorRoland J. Christensen
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A foot plate for a prosthetic foot includes a sole plate and a layer with laterally variable stiffness disposed above the sole plate. The layer has a medial portion and a lateral portion. The lateral portion has a stiffness different than a stiffness of the medial portion, such as a greater stiffness to provide a relatively softer instep and a relatively stiffer out-step.
Claims21
A prosthetic foot device having a layer with laterally variable stiffness, the device comprising:
- a) a foot member, configured to be coupled to an amputee, including an upper member having an attachment section configured to be coupled to a socket, and extending downwardly therefrom;
- b) a heel member, disposed adjacent the foot member, including an upper member and extending downwardly and forwardly to a location corresponding to an approximate arch location of the user and rearwardly from the approximate arch location to an approximate heel location of the user;
- c) a sole plate, disposed below the foot member, and having a heel section disposed at a natural location of a heel of a user and a toe section disposed at a natural location of a toe of the user;
- and
- d) a layer with laterally variable stiffness, disposed above sole plate and having a medial portion, a lateral portion, and an intermediate portion between the medial and lateral portions;
- e) the lateral portion and the medial portion having different stiffness;
- and
- f) the intermediate portion having a greater stiffness than the medial and lateral portions.
5 more elements
A prosthetic foot device having a layer with laterally variable stiffness, the device comprising:
- a) a foot member, configured to be coupled to an amputee, including an upper member having an attachment section configured to be coupled to a socket, and extending downwardly and forwardly therefrom to an approximate toe location of a user;
- b) a heel member, disposed adjacent the primary foot member, including an upper member extending downwardly and forwardly to a location corresponding to an approximate arch location of the user and rearwardly from the approximate arch location to an approximate heel location of the user;
- c) a secondary heel member disposed adjacent the heel member, including an upper member and extending downwardly therefrom to a location above the approximate heel location, the secondary heel member being engageable by the heel member at the approximate heel location to provide additional resistance to the heel member;
- and
- d) a sole plate, disposed below the foot member and the heel member, and having a heel section disposed at the approximate heel location of the user and a toe section disposed at the approximate toe location of the user;
- and
- i) a layer with laterally variable stiffness, disposed above sole plate and having a medial portion, a lateral portion, and an intermediate portion between the medial and lateral portions;
- ii) the lateral portion having a stiffness greater than the stiffness of the medial portion to provide a relatively softer instep and a relatively stiffer out-step;
- and
- iii) the intermediate portion having a greater stiffness than the medial and lateral portions.
7 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.