Other

Marquette University

ShuGuang Huang

Joseph M Schimmels

Alexander Folz

An ankle prosthesis comprises a foot prosthesis. A lower ankle is pivotably secured to the foot prosthesis at an ankle joint. An upper ankle is connected to the lower ankle in a manner that permits vertical movement of the upper ankle relative to the lower ankle. A coupling spring is biased in an extended condition. The coupling spring is connected at a first end to the upper ankle. A second end of the coupling spring is movable in a first condition which is engaged to the lower ankle and in a second condition engaged to the foot prosthesis. Energy is stored in compression of the coupling spring when the coupling spring is in the first condition and energy is released from the coupling spring when the coupling spring is in the second condition.

Passive ankle prosthesis with energy return

Disclosed are passive lower limb prosthetic devices comprising at least a two degree of freedom mechanism and a network of compression springs.

Passive ankle prosthesis with energy return simulating that of a natural ankle

A mechanism capable of achieving an arbitrarily specified spatial compliant behavior is presented. The mechanism is a parallel connection of multiple individual elastic components that connect a support body to a single compliantly floated body. Each elastic component is, in itself, a low friction 6 degrees of freedom (DOF) mechanism that provides compliant constraint along and/or about a single axis. The elastic components are of three functional types: 1) a &ldquo;line spring&rdquo; which resists only translation along its axis, 2) a &ldquo;torsional spring&rdquo; which resists only rotation about its axis, and 3) a &ldquo;screw spring&rdquo; which resists a specified combination of translation along and rotation about its axis. Through proper selection of the connection geometry, spring constant, and functional type of each elastic component, a spatial compliant mechanism capable of passive force guidance is realized.

Spatial parallel compliant mechanism

A mechanism capable of achieving an arbitrarily specified spatial compliant behavior is presented. The mechanism is a parallel connection of multiple individual elastic components that connect a support body to a single compliantly floated body. Each elastic component is, in itself, a low friction 6 degrees of freedom (DOF) mechanism that provides compliant constraint along and/or about a single axis. The elastic components are of three functional types: 1) a 'line spring' which resists only translation along its axis, 2) a 'torsional spring' which resists only rotation about its axis, and 3) a 'screw spring' which resists a specified combination of translation along and rotation about its axis. Through proper selection of the connection geometry, spring constant, and functional type of each elastic component, a spatial compliant mechanism capable of passive force guidance is realized.

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Milwaukee, WI, United States of America

ShuGuang Huang