FOOT PROSTHESIS WITH SPACED SPRING ELEMENTS Russian patent published in 2022 - IPC A61F2/60 A61F2/66 

FIELD: medicine.

SUBSTANCE: according to the first option, a foot prosthesis contains a base spring, an upper spring assembly, a connector and a heel pad. The base spring has a section of a finger end and a section of a heel end. The upper spring assembly contains the first and the second spring elements, the first and the second connectors, the first and the second sections, and a slot. The first spring element has a distal end and a proximal end. The second spring element passes essentially parallel, and it is spaced from the first spring element along essentially the entire length of the first spring element. The second spring element has a distal end and a proximal end. The first connection is provided between distal ends of the first and the second spring elements. The second connection is provided between the distal end of the second spring element and the upper surface of the base spring. The first section is located at the first angle to a horizontal plane. The second section passes from the first section. The slot extends from distal ends of the first and the second spring elements back along at least half the length of the first part of the upper spring assembly. The connector is connected to proximal ends of the first and the second spring elements and is made with the possibility of connection of the foot prosthesis to a lower limb prosthesis. The heel pad is mounted on the base spring in a position spaced forward from the heel end of the base spring. The heel pad is positioned to contact the lower surface of the second spring element during the use of the foot prosthesis. According to the second option, the foot prosthesis contains a connector, a base spring, an upper spring assembly, a distal end section, a proximal end section, and a heel pad. The connector is made with the possibility of connection of the foot prosthesis to the lower limb prosthesis. The base spring has a section of a finger end and a section of a heel end. The upper spring assembly contains the first and the second spring elements, the first and the second spacers. The first spring element has distal and proximal ends. The second spring element is located between the base spring and the first spring element. The second spring element has a distal end and a proximal end. The first spacer is located between distal ends of the first and the second spring elements. The second spacer is located between proximal ends of the first and the second spring elements. The first and the second spacers are made with the possibility of separation of the second spring element from the first spring element, when the foot prosthesis is at rest. During the use of the foot prosthesis, the section of the first spring element spaced between distal and proximal ends of the first spring element is moved relatively to the second spring element. The distal end section is connected to the base spring, and it passes essentially horizontally. The proximal end section is connected to the connector. The heel pad is mounted on the base spring in a position spaced forward from the heel end of the base spring. The heel pad is positioned to contact the lower surface of the second spring element during the use of the foot prosthesis. A method for the manufacture of a foot prosthesis is carried out, using a base spring, a connector, a heel pad, the first and the second spring elements, and a spacer. The method contains stages consisting in mounting of the first and the second spring elements parallel to each other, with sections of the second spring element located under the first spring element; distal ends of the first and the second spring elements are connected to each other; the spacer is mounted between proximal ends of the first and the second spring elements, while the first and the second spring elements are separated from each other, when the foot prosthesis is at rest; proximal ends of the first and the second spring elements are connected to the connector with at least one fastener; the distal end of the second spring element is connected to the section of the finger end of the base spring, while distal ends of the first and the second spring elements are located essentially parallel to the upper surface of the base spring; the heel pad is mounted on the base spring in a position spaced forward from the heel end of the base spring, while the heel pad is positioned to contact the lower surface of the second spring element.

EFFECT: inventions provide improvement of energy efficiency, damping and other properties that improve the operation of a prosthesis and user comfort, as well as increase stability.

21 cl, 14 dwg