Prosthetic knee joint shell and prosthetic

Abstract

The utility model discloses a kind of prosthetic knee joint shell and artificial limb, shell has the accommodation cavity for installing knee joint component, the cavity wall of accommodation cavity is equipped with weight reduction structure, weight reduction structure includes at least one recess provided in the cavity wall of accommodation cavity;And / or, at least one hollow hole through the inner surface and outer surface of the cavity wall of accommodation cavity.This application utilizes space structure optimization to replace the traditional material accumulation mode, recess realizes weight reduction by reducing the volume of local material of cavity wall, hollow hole further reduces weight by forming hollow structure through the cavity wall, the combination of both effectively reduces the overall weight of shell under the premise of ensuring that the accommodation cavity can normally install knee joint component.Meanwhile, the reasonable layout of recess and hollow hole can disperse stress concentration area, avoid the strength decline due to weight reduction, ensure that shell has good structural strength, provide reliable protection for internal components.In addition, due to the reduction of material usage, production manufacturing cost is reduced.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This utility model relates to the field of prosthetics technology, and in particular to a prosthetic knee joint shell and a prosthesis. Background Technology

[0002] In the field of prosthetics, the knee joint is a key component of prostheses, and its performance directly affects the mobility and comfort of prostheses users. The knee joint shell not only needs to provide reliable protection for the internal mechanical structure and electronic components, but also needs to meet the requirements of lightweight, high strength, and adaptability to human movement.

[0003] Currently, most prosthetic knee joint shells on the market adopt a traditional closed structure. While this type of structure provides space to accommodate knee joint components, the main body of the shell contains a significant amount of material to ensure strength and stability, resulting in a large overall weight. For prosthesis users, an excessively heavy knee joint shell not only increases their workload and reduces mobility but may also lead to increased fatigue, affecting long-term user experience. Furthermore, the high material consumption during the production of traditional knee joint shells results in high production costs, increasing the financial burden on patients. Utility Model Content

[0004] The main purpose of this utility model is to propose a prosthetic knee joint shell and a prosthesis, which aims to solve the technical problems of existing prosthetic knee joint shells, which are heavy, consume a lot of materials, and cause users to suffer from heavy movement burden, reduced flexibility, easy fatigue, and high production costs.

[0005] To achieve the above objectives, this utility model proposes a prosthetic knee joint shell, wherein the shell has a receiving cavity for mounting knee joint components, and the cavity wall is provided with a weight-reducing structure, the weight-reducing structure comprising:

[0006] At least one groove provided in the wall of the receiving cavity; and / or,

[0007] At least one perforated hole penetrating the inner and outer surfaces of the cavity wall.

[0008] In some embodiments, the housing includes a first half-shell and a second half-shell, which are joined together to form the receiving cavity and an opening for mounting the knee joint assembly;

[0009] The weight-reduction structure is provided in at least one of the first half-shell and the second half-shell.

[0010] In some embodiments, the weight-reducing structure includes a plurality of perforated holes penetrating the inner and outer surfaces of the cavity wall, the plurality of perforated holes being arranged at intervals along the edge of the opening.

[0011] In some embodiments, the prosthetic knee joint housing further includes a seal that is detachably connected to the housing and seals the perforated hole.

[0012] In some embodiments, the seal includes a first sealing portion and a second sealing portion disposed at intervals opposite to each other, the first sealing portion being detachably connected to the first half-shell to seal the perforated hole on the first half-shell, and the second sealing portion being detachably connected to the second half-shell to seal the perforated hole on the second half-shell.

[0013] In some embodiments, the seal further includes an elastic connection portion connecting the first sealing portion and the second sealing portion, the elastic connection portion being configured to allow the first sealing portion and the second sealing portion to elastically open and close.

[0014] In some embodiments, the seal is fixedly connected to the housing by screws; and / or,

[0015] The seal is made of a semi-transparent material.

[0016] In some embodiments, the first half-shell and the second half-shell are integrally formed or fixedly connected by a detachable connection structure.

[0017] In some embodiments, the inner wall of the receiving cavity is provided with a mounting structure for mounting the knee joint assembly, the mounting structure including at least one of a mounting boss, a positioning post, and a positioning groove; the mounting structure is disposed in the non-hollowed-out area between adjacent hollow holes.

[0018] This utility model also provides a prosthesis, including a knee joint assembly and a prosthesis knee joint shell, wherein the knee joint assembly is installed inside the prosthesis knee joint shell.

[0019] This application utilizes grooves and / or perforations in the cavity wall of the prosthetic knee joint housing to create a weight-reducing structure. This spatial structure optimization replaces traditional material stacking methods. The grooves reduce weight by decreasing the volume of material in certain areas of the cavity wall, while the perforations further reduce weight by creating a hollow structure through the cavity wall. The combination of these two methods effectively reduces the overall weight of the housing while ensuring the proper installation of knee joint components within the housing. Simultaneously, the rational layout of the grooves and perforations disperses stress concentration areas, preventing a decrease in strength due to weight reduction and ensuring the housing possesses good structural strength, providing reliable protection for internal components. Furthermore, the reduced material usage lowers manufacturing costs. This application not only meets the needs of prosthetists for lightweight, high-strength knee joint housings, reducing the burden of movement and improving mobility and comfort, but also reduces the economic costs for patients. Attached Figure Description

[0020] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of one embodiment of the housing of this utility model;

[0021] Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram of another embodiment of the housing of this utility model;

[0022] Figure 3 This is a disassembly diagram of another embodiment of the housing of this utility model;

[0023] Figure 4 This is a schematic diagram showing the installation of a knee joint assembly on the housing of this utility model.

[0024] Explanation of icon numbers:

[0025] label name label name 100 case 200 Knee components 10 Receiving cavity 20 Weight reduction structure 21 Hollow hole 11 First half-shell 12 Second half-shell 13 Opening 30 Seals 31 First sealing section 32 Second sealing section 33 Flexible connection part 14 Installation structure

[0026] The realization of the purpose, functional features and advantages of this utility model will be further explained in conjunction with the embodiments and with reference to the accompanying drawings. Detailed Implementation

[0027] The solutions in the embodiments of this utility model will be clearly and completely described below with reference to the accompanying drawings. Obviously, the described embodiments are only a part of the embodiments of this utility model, and not all of them. Based on the embodiments of this utility model, all other embodiments obtained by those of ordinary skill in the art without creative effort are within the protection scope of this utility model.

[0028] It should be noted that all directional indicators (such as up, down, left, right, front, back, etc.) in this utility model embodiment are only used to explain the relative positional relationship and movement of each component in a certain specific posture (as shown in the figure). If the specific posture changes, the directional indicator will also change accordingly.

[0029] It should also be noted that when a component is described as "fixed to" or "set on" another component, it can be directly on the other component or there may be an intervening component present. When a component is described as "connected to" another component, it can be directly connected to the other component or there may be an intervening component present.

[0030] Furthermore, the use of terms such as "first" and "second" in this utility model is for descriptive purposes only and should not be construed as indicating or implying their relative importance or implicitly specifying the number of technical features indicated. Therefore, a feature defined as "first" or "second" may explicitly or implicitly include at least one of that feature. Additionally, the technical solutions of the various embodiments can be combined with each other, but only on the basis of being achievable by those skilled in the art. When the combination of technical solutions is contradictory or impossible to implement, such a combination of technical solutions should be considered non-existent and not within the scope of protection claimed by this utility model.

[0031] Please refer to Figures 1 to 4 This application provides a prosthetic knee joint housing 100, which has a receiving cavity 10 for mounting a knee joint assembly 200. The cavity wall of the receiving cavity 10 is provided with a weight-reducing structure 20, which includes:

[0032] At least one groove provided in the wall of the receiving cavity 10; and / or,

[0033] At least one perforated hole 21 penetrating the inner and outer surfaces of the cavity wall 10.

[0034] The presence of grooves reduces material distribution in the cavity walls without compromising the strength of critical load-bearing components. For example, by placing grooves in areas primarily subjected to bending stress, and by rationally designing the shape (e.g., rectangular, trapezoidal) and distribution (e.g., uniform spacing) of the grooves, the amount of material used in that area can be reduced while still meeting certain strength requirements, thereby achieving weight reduction.

[0035] In some embodiments, the groove can be used as an assembly positioning groove. When installing the knee joint assembly 200, the groove can provide accurate positioning for the assembly, facilitating the installation operation and improving assembly accuracy and efficiency.

[0036] The perforations 21 penetrating the inner and outer surfaces of the cavity wall 10 directly reduce the solid portion of the housing 100 material. The placement of these perforations 21 is based on an analysis of the stress on the cavity wall after the knee joint assembly 200 is installed, avoiding critical stress paths. For example, circular, elliptical, or polygonal perforations 21 are placed in areas subject to lower shear forces, reducing the weight of the housing 100 while avoiding a decrease in structural strength. Furthermore, the perforations 21 increase the permeability of the housing 100, which is beneficial for heat dissipation in knee joint assemblies 200 with built-in electronic components, preventing performance degradation due to overheating.

[0037] In this embodiment, the weight-reducing structure 20 of the prosthetic knee joint shell 100 can be implemented in several ways: at least one groove can be provided separately in the cavity wall of the receiving cavity 10, and by changing the local structural shape of the shell 100, the material distribution can be reduced to achieve weight reduction without affecting the strength of the key load-bearing parts; at least one hollow hole 21 penetrating the inner and outer surfaces of the cavity wall can be provided separately to directly remove the solid part of the material, and at the same time, the convection channel formed by it can be used to assist the heat dissipation of the built-in electronic components; the groove and the hollow hole 21 can also be used in combination, the former optimizing stress distribution and assisting assembly, and the latter significantly reducing weight and enhancing breathability. Through complementary advantages, the lightweight, structural stability and functionality of the shell 100 can be further improved to meet the requirements of prosthetic users for mobility and comfort.

[0038] This application constructs a weight-reducing structure 20 by incorporating grooves and / or perforations 21 into the cavity wall of the receiving cavity 10 of the prosthetic knee joint shell 100. This spatial structure optimization replaces the traditional material stacking method. The grooves reduce weight by decreasing the volume of local material in the cavity wall, while the perforations 21 further reduce weight by forming a hollow structure through the cavity wall. The combination of these two methods effectively reduces the overall weight of the shell 100 while ensuring that the receiving cavity 10 can properly accommodate the knee joint component 200. Simultaneously, the rational layout of the grooves and perforations 21 disperses stress concentration areas, preventing a decrease in strength due to weight reduction and ensuring that the shell 100 possesses good structural strength, providing reliable protection for the internal components. Furthermore, the reduced material usage lowers manufacturing costs. This application not only meets the needs of prosthetists for a lightweight, high-strength knee joint shell 100, reducing the burden of movement and improving mobility and comfort, but also reduces the economic cost for patients.

[0039] In some embodiments, the housing 100 includes a first half-shell 11 and a second half-shell 12, which are joined together to form a receiving cavity 10 and an opening 13 for mounting the knee joint assembly 200.

[0040] At least one of the first half-shell 11 and the second half-shell 12 is provided with a weight reduction structure 20.

[0041] In this embodiment, the prosthetic knee joint shell 100 is formed by splicing a first half-shell 11 and a second half-shell 12 to form a receiving cavity 10 and a component installation opening 13. At least one of the two is provided with a weight reduction structure 20. The groove can directly reduce the material volume to achieve weight reduction. At the same time, as an assembly positioning auxiliary structure, it can also adjust the stiffness distribution of the half-shell and avoid stress concentration. The hollow hole 21 reduces weight by removing redundant material. The air convection channel formed can ensure heat dissipation of electronic components. Its diverse shape design can also meet personalized appearance requirements.

[0042] Furthermore, the weight-reducing structures 20 of the two half-shells work together to enhance the stability of the joints and optimize the fit between the shell 100 and the human lower limbs. Moreover, the lightweight half-shell structure effectively reduces the user's movement burden, improves mobility and reduces fatigue, better conforms to the characteristics of human movement, and enhances user comfort.

[0043] In some embodiments, the weight reduction structure 20 includes a plurality of perforated holes 21 penetrating the inner and outer surfaces of the cavity wall of the receiving cavity 10, and the plurality of perforated holes 21 are arranged at intervals along the edge of the opening 13.

[0044] The opening 13 is a key area for the assembly and disassembly of the knee joint component 200. It is not usually a major stress-bearing part. The perforated holes 21 are set at intervals in this area to remove redundant materials to the maximum extent without affecting the overall structural strength of the shell 100, so as to achieve weight reduction.

[0045] Furthermore, the spaced arrangement not only ensures the connection strength of the cavity wall at the edge of the opening 13, avoiding structural weakness caused by excessive hollowing, but also forms an air convection channel through reasonable layout, assisting in heat dissipation of the built-in electronic components.

[0046] Please refer to Figure 2 In some embodiments, the prosthetic knee joint housing 100 further includes a seal 30, which is detachably connected to the housing 100 and seals the perforated hole 21.

[0047] The sealing element 30 effectively isolates external moisture, dust and fine particles by tightly fitting the edge of the hollow hole 21, preventing them from entering the receiving cavity 10 and causing internal components to rust, short circuit or mechanical jamming, thus greatly improving the durability and reliability of the prosthesis in complex environments.

[0048] Furthermore, the detachable design makes the seal 30 a key component for the functional conversion of the perforation 21. When the prosthesis is in daily use, especially in water-related, humid, or dusty environments, the seal 30 can tightly fit the perforation 21 area, filling the gaps in the perforation 21 through the deformation of elastic materials (such as silicone or rubber), forming a physical barrier to prevent moisture, dust, and foreign objects from entering the receiving cavity 10, protecting the internal mechanical structure and electronic components from damage. When heat dissipation or assembly and debugging are required, the seal 30 can be easily removed, allowing the perforation 21 to restore its ventilation and positioning functions, achieving flexible functional conversion.

[0049] In this embodiment, the combined design of the seal 30 and the perforated hole 21 enables the prosthetic knee joint shell 100 to operate stably in various environments such as dry, humid, and dusty conditions, significantly expanding the application scenarios of the prosthesis and reducing the risk of failure due to environmental factors. Moreover, the dynamic switching of the function of the perforated hole 21 through the detachable seal 30 avoids the problem of sacrificing lightweight or strength in order to balance protection and heat dissipation in traditional designs, achieving efficient integration of multiple functions such as protection, heat dissipation, and weight reduction.

[0050] Please refer to Figure 2 and Figure 3 In some embodiments, the seal 30 includes a first sealing portion 31 and a second sealing portion 32 disposed at intervals opposite to each other. The first sealing portion 31 is detachably connected to the first half-shell 11 to seal the perforated hole 21 on the first half-shell 11, and the second sealing portion 32 is detachably connected to the second half-shell 12 to seal the perforated hole 21 on the second half-shell 12.

[0051] The first sealing part 31 and the second sealing part 32 are respectively adapted to the hollow holes 21 of the first half shell 11 and the second half shell 12. They can be used for targeted sealing according to the different structural characteristics and stress conditions of the two half shells, avoiding local sealing failure or excessive redundancy caused by uniform sealing design, effectively isolating moisture, dust and foreign objects, and protecting the internal components in all aspects.

[0052] In harsh environments such as water wading and dust, the first sealing part 31 fits tightly against the edge of the hollow hole 21 of the first half shell 11 through elastic deformation, and the second sealing part 32 simultaneously seals the hollow hole 21 of the second half shell 12, forming a double protective barrier to effectively prevent foreign objects from entering the receiving cavity 10.

[0053] In some embodiments, the seal 30 further includes an elastic connection 33, which connects the first sealing portion 31 and the second sealing portion 32, and is configured to allow the first sealing portion 31 and the second sealing portion 32 to elastically open and close.

[0054] The elastic connecting part 33 can be made of a highly elastic material (such as silicone or TPE thermoplastic elastomer) and connects the first sealing part 31 and the second sealing part 32 which are arranged at opposite intervals. The two parts have elastic opening and closing capabilities through their own elastic deformation.

[0055] During installation, the elastic connecting part 33 allows the first sealing part 31 and the second sealing part 32 to adaptively adjust their spacing, precisely fitting the edges of the perforated holes 21 of the first half-shell 11 and the second half-shell 12 to ensure a tight seal. When the prosthesis is in motion, the elastic connecting part 33 absorbs the relative displacement of the two half-shells caused by human movement, preventing hard friction or separation between the sealing part and the shell 100, and continuously maintaining the sealing effect. At the same time, the elastic opening and closing characteristics allow the sealing part 30 to be opened as a whole during disassembly without the need to disassemble the first sealing part 31 and the second sealing part 32 separately, improving the convenience of operation.

[0056] In this embodiment, the adaptive adjustment and motion buffering characteristics of the elastic connection 33 effectively solve the sealing failure problem caused by shell deformation in traditional seals. It can maintain excellent sealing performance even in dynamic use environments, reducing the risk of internal components being corroded by the environment. Moreover, the elastic adjustment capability of the elastic connection 33 allows it to adapt to different models and sizes of the first half-shell 11 and the second half-shell 12. When iterating products or diversifying designs, there is no need to redesign the overall structure of the seal 30; only local parameters need to be adjusted to achieve compatibility, improving design efficiency and product versatility.

[0057] In some embodiments, the seal 30 is fixedly connected to the housing 100 by screws; and / or,

[0058] The seal 30 is made of a semi-transparent material.

[0059] Specifically, by pre-setting screw holes on the edge of the seal 30, which precisely match the corresponding threaded holes in the housing 100, the axial force generated by tightening the screws ensures that the seal 30 fits tightly against the perforated hole 21 area, maintaining a reliable seal even under complex motion conditions. The screw fixing method allows for fine-tuning of the seal 30 after installation based on the actual sealing effect, enhancing assembly flexibility.

[0060] The sealing element 30 can be made of a high-transmittance polymer material such as polycarbonate (PC) or acrylic resin (PMMA). While maintaining the sealing performance, it allows users or maintenance personnel to directly observe the operating status of electronic components in the receiving cavity 10, whether there is abnormal wear or liquid intrusion, etc., so as to achieve rapid fault diagnosis without disassembly.

[0061] In this embodiment, the screw fixing connection improves the connection strength between the seal 30 and the housing 100. Compared with traditional snap-fit ​​or adhesive methods, this reduces the risk of the seal 30 falling off during long-term use and in high-dynamic motion environments, effectively ensuring the protective performance of the prosthesis in various scenarios. Moreover, the combination of the semi-transparent material's visual monitoring function and the convenient disassembly characteristics of the screw fixing shortens the troubleshooting time, makes maintenance operations simpler and more intuitive, reduces unnecessary disassembly and misjudgment, and lowers maintenance costs.

[0062] In some embodiments, the first half-shell 11 and the second half-shell 12 are integrally formed structures or are fixedly connected by a detachable connection structure.

[0063] The first half-shell 11 and the second half-shell 12 are manufactured using an integrated molding process (such as injection molding or die casting). Utilizing the integral structure of the mold, the raw materials are directly molded into a complete shell 100 component under high temperature and pressure. This eliminates any seams between the first half-shell 11 and the second half-shell 12, forming a continuous and uniform mechanical structure. When subjected to loads generated by human movement, stress can be evenly transmitted through the integrated shell 100, avoiding structural damage caused by stress concentration at joints. Simultaneously, integrated molding reduces assembly steps, lowers the risk of performance loss due to assembly errors, and ensures the consistency and stability of the shell 100 structure.

[0064] The first half-shell 11 and the second half-shell 12 are connected by a detachable method, such as snap-fit ​​connection, screw connection, or tenon and mortise connection. Taking snap-fit ​​connection as an example, by setting matching protrusions and grooves on the edges of the first half-shell 11 and the second half-shell 12, the elasticity of the material is used to achieve quick assembly and disassembly. Screw connection provides high-strength connection stability by fastening screws to pre-set threaded holes, and allows for disassembly at any time to inspect internal components when needed. The detachable connection structure allows the first half-shell 11 and the second half-shell 12 to have flexible disassembly capability while meeting overall mechanical performance requirements, facilitating maintenance, replacement of internal parts, or upgrading of functional modules.

[0065] In some embodiments, the inner side of the cavity wall of the receiving cavity 10 is provided with a mounting structure 14 for mounting the knee joint assembly 200. The mounting structure 14 includes at least one of a mounting boss, a positioning post, and a positioning groove. The mounting structure 14 is disposed in the non-hollow area between adjacent hollow holes 21.

[0066] The mounting boss provides a supporting surface for the component through its partially raised structure, dispersing the pressure on the installation part and enhancing the connection stability; the positioning post cooperates with the positioning hole on the component, or the positioning groove cooperates with the raised structure of the component, using the mechanical limiting principle to achieve precise positioning of the component and avoid installation deviation.

[0067] In this embodiment, the mounting structure 14 is located in a non-perforated area, making full use of the strength advantage of the intact cavity wall material. While achieving the weight reduction effect of the perforated hole 21, it avoids adding extra materials due to installation requirements, maintaining the balance between the overall lightweight and high strength of the shell 100, and reducing the user's burden of movement.

[0068] This application also provides a prosthesis, including a knee joint assembly 200 and a prosthesis knee joint housing 100 as described above, wherein the knee joint assembly 200 is installed within the prosthesis knee joint housing 100. Since the prosthesis employs all the technical solutions of all the embodiments of the above-described prosthesis knee joint housing 100, the prosthesis of this utility model also possesses at least all the beneficial effects brought about by the technical solutions of the above embodiments, which will not be elaborated upon here.

[0069] The above embodiments of this utility model are merely examples for clearly illustrating the present utility model, and are not intended to limit the implementation of the present utility model. Those skilled in the art can make other variations or modifications based on the above description. It is impossible to exhaustively list all possible implementations here. All obvious variations or modifications derived from the technical solutions of this utility model are still within the protection scope of this utility model.

Claims

1. A prosthetic knee joint housing, the housing having a receiving cavity for mounting a knee joint assembly, characterized in that, The cavity wall of the receiving cavity is provided with a weight-reducing structure, the weight-reducing structure including: At least one groove provided in the wall of the receiving cavity; and / or, At least one perforated hole penetrating the inner and outer surfaces of the cavity wall.

2. The prosthetic knee joint shell according to claim 1, characterized in that, The housing includes a first half-shell and a second half-shell, which are joined together to form the receiving cavity and an opening for installing the knee joint assembly. The weight-reduction structure is provided in at least one of the first half-shell and the second half-shell.

3. The prosthetic knee joint shell according to claim 2, characterized in that, The weight reduction structure includes multiple perforations penetrating the inner and outer surfaces of the cavity wall, with the multiple perforations arranged at intervals along the edge of the opening.

4. The prosthetic knee joint shell according to claim 3, characterized in that, The prosthetic knee joint housing also includes a seal, which is detachably connected to the housing and seals the perforated hole.

5. The prosthetic knee joint shell according to claim 4, characterized in that, The sealing element includes a first sealing portion and a second sealing portion disposed at intervals opposite to each other. The first sealing portion is detachably connected to the first half-shell to seal the perforated hole on the first half-shell, and the second sealing portion is detachably connected to the second half-shell to seal the perforated hole on the second half-shell.

6. The prosthetic knee joint shell according to claim 5, characterized in that, The seal further includes an elastic connection portion that connects the first sealing portion and the second sealing portion, and the elastic connection portion is configured to allow the first sealing portion and the second sealing portion to elastically open and close.

7. The prosthetic knee joint shell according to claim 4, characterized in that, The seal is fixedly connected to the housing by screws; and / or The seal is made of a semi-transparent material.

8. The prosthetic knee joint shell according to claim 3, characterized in that, The first half-shell and the second half-shell are integrally formed or fixedly connected by a detachable connection structure.

9. The prosthetic knee joint shell according to claim 3, characterized in that, The inner wall of the cavity is provided with an installation structure for installing the knee joint assembly. The installation structure includes at least one of a mounting boss, a positioning post, and a positioning groove. The installation structure is located in the non-hollow area between adjacent hollow holes.

10. A prosthesis, characterized in that, It includes a knee joint assembly and a prosthetic knee joint housing as described in any one of claims 1 to 9, wherein the knee joint assembly is mounted within the prosthetic knee joint housing.

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