Nabco Limited

Kazuo Nakatani

Norio Shiraishi

Yasukazu Furuichi

Masahiko Okuda

Paying attention to the mechanical play between the first and second support members for supporting opposite end portions of a knee axis and a brake block located between the support members, the present invention chiefly aims at removing the play in the direction of an axis of the knee axis in an effective and a reliable manner. In order to achieve this object, according to the present invention, a plurality of spacer members are inserted between each support member and the brake block such that the spacer members may slide on the mutual abutment surface. Each spacer member is of a ring type. The spacer members are fitted to and supported by the knee axis in a state that the spacer members are overlaid one upon another in the axial direction of the knee axis. In order to enhance the smooth sliding on the abutment surface, the spacer members are preferably made of resin material. In order to enhance the smoother sliding, at least one spacer member having the abutment surface is more preferably made of resin of low friction, such as oil-contained resin or phenol resin. The remaining spacer member contacting the resin of low friction may be made of such resin as polyacetal, polyamide and tetraethylene fluoride. Most preferably, one spacer member is made of oil-contained polyacetal resin which is especially excellent in low friction, and the remaining spacer contacting the first-mentioned spacer member is made of non-oil contained polyacetal resin.

Artificial limb including knee joint

An artificial limb provides for positional relation between a first pin for rotatably connecting one end of an air cylinder device to a lower member and a second pin for rotatably connecting the other end of the air cylinder device to an upper member. The attaching position of the second pin is set to satisfy certain predetermined conditions when an artificial limb is in a completely extended state. The position of an air cylinder device (particularly, the attaching position of the second pin) is changed in conformity with a walking speed which is variable in phase such as normal walking, quick walking, and running with small steps. The artificial limb further comprises a pin position change capable of changing the position of a second pin rotatably connected to an upper member in conformity with variation of walking speed. A first example of the pin position change includes a plurality of attachment holes formed on the knee plate of the upper member and the position of the second pin is changed by attaching the second pin selectively to one of the attachment holes. If it is designed such that an elongate hole is formed along a circular arc so that the attaching position to the elongate hole can be changed, the position of the second pin can be changed steplessly or successively.

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Kobe, Japan

Kazuo Nakatani