DEVELOPMENT OF AN IMPROVED PROSTHETIC FOOT ANKLE SYSTEM ANDA KNEE JOINT FOR ORTHOPEDIC BRACES

TECHNICAL ABSTRACT: TWO (2) VERY COMMONLY USED COMPONENTS IN PROSTHESES AND ORTHOSES ARE THE SUBJECT OF THIS PROPOSAL:CONCEPTS EMPLOYED FOR PROSTHETIC FEET AND ORTHOPEDIC BRACE KNEE JOINTS CURRENTLY IN PRODUCTION ARE SIGNIFICANTLY MODIFIED BY THE PROPOSED DESIGNS. FOR THE PROSTHETIC FOOT, WE PROPOSE A "USER FRIENDLY" LIGHT-WEIGHT SYSTEM FOR DISCONNECTING THE FOOT FROM THE SHANK OF THE PROSTHESIS TO ALLOW CHANGING SHOES WITH DIFFERENT HEEL HEIGHTS. FOR CERTAIN KNEE-ANKLE-FOOT ORTHOSES (KAFO'S), WE PROPOSE A WEIGHT-ACTUATED SYSTEM FOR LOCKING OR BRAKING A BRACE KNEE JOINT. IN PHASE I, DESIGNS WILL BE ESTABLISHED, IN DRAWINGSAND IN PROTOTYPES, TO REPRESENT THE TWO (2) SYSTEMS. THE CONCEPTS UNDERLYING THE DESIGNS, THEIR USEFULNESS, AND THEIRMARKETABILITY WILL BE ASSESSED. STRESS AND FUNCTIONAL TESTSWILL BE USED TO GAUGE THEIR POTENTIALS IN PREPARATION FOR PHASE II CONSTRUCTION OF PROTOTYPES TO BE TESTED FURTHER AND EVALUATED IN PATIENT FITTINGS.