Adjustable Stiffness Prosthetic Foot for Growing Amputees
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Solution Overview
Problem
Amputees, especially children, face challenges with frequent changes in prosthetic devices due to rapid physical changes, leading to time-consuming and costly adjustments to maintain proper fit and performance.
Innovation Solution
A prosthetic foot with an adjustable length feature, incorporating a spring assembly, attachment member, and heel member, which allows for adjustable positioning along the length of the spring element, enabling adjustments in effective length and stiffness to accommodate growing amputees.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a fixed-size prosthetic device is used, then the initial fit and performance are good, but the device becomes mismatched as the amputee's body changes
Solution Approach 1:
The prosthetic foot incorporates adjustable components including a heel positioner that can be moved along the foot assembly and a stiffness adjuster with multiple positions, transforming a static device into a dynamic one that can adapt to the amputee's changing body characteristics over time
Solution Approach 2:
The invention enables modification of key parameters including heel position, effective length, and stiffness through adjustable mechanisms, allowing the prosthetic device to maintain optimal performance as the amputee's body changes without requiring complete replacement
2Reliability
If frequent prosthetic device changes are made to accommodate growth, then the fit and performance are maintained, but time and costs increase
Solution Approach 1:
The adjustable features allow the prosthetic foot to evolve with the child amputee, eliminating the need for frequent replacements and reducing the time spent on adjustment appointments while maintaining proper fit and performance
3Reliability
If frequent prosthetic device changes are made to accommodate growth, then the fit and performance are maintained, but costs increase
Solution Approach 1:
The adjustable mechanisms extend the usable life of the prosthetic foot by allowing modifications as the amputee grows, reducing the frequency of purchases and associated costs while maintaining optimal performance throughout the device's lifespan
4Ease of manufacture
If the prosthetic foot structure is simplified, then manufacturing is easier and costs are reduced, but adjustability is limited
Solution Approach 1:
The prosthetic foot is divided into distinct modular components including the foot assembly, heel positioner, stiffness adjuster, and attachment member, allowing each component to be manufactured separately using standard techniques while enabling complex adjustability through their combination
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The adjustable prosthetic foot allows for a single prosthetic device to be used for several years, reducing the need for frequent replacements and improving comfort and performance by accommodating changes in the amputee's body, thereby reducing costs and time associated with frequent adjustments.
Implementation Method 1
a spring element having a toe end portion, a heel end portion, an upper surface, and a lower surface
Data Source
AI summary
A foot prosthesis that includes at least one spring element, an attachment member, and a heel member. The at least one spring element has a toe end portion, a heel end portion, an upper surface, and a lower surface. The attachment member is mounted to the upper surface and is configured to connect the foot prosthesis to a lower limb prosthesis component. A position of the attachment member is adjustable along a length of the at least one spring element. The heel member is mounted below the lower surface of the at least one spring element, and a position of the heel member is adjustable along the length of the at least one spring element.