Hydraulic Ankle Joint with Automatic Fluid Refill
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional prosthetic ankle joints, despite advancements to hydraulic mechanisms, face challenges in convenient maintenance, potential safety issues due to magnetic components, and the need for user-manual fluid refilling, which complicates impact absorption and walking simulation.
Innovation Solution
A novel hydraulic ankle joint design featuring a main member with a fluid supply chamber, first and second pressure regulating chambers, and a space connected by an axle element, where the extension piece and fluid block partition the space into front and back chambers, automatically refilling hydraulic fluid and balancing pressures to reduce walking impact and enhance natural gait.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If conventional prosthetic joints use multiple connection mechanisms to simulate healthy joints, then flexible and buffering capability is provided, but impact from walking cannot be completely eliminated and walking style remains rigid
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs a hydraulic mechanism with a piston, hydraulic fluid, and pressure-regulating chambers to create a fluid-based damping system. The piston moves within a cylinder containing hydraulic fluid, and pressure-regulating chambers with one-way valves control fluid flow to provide progressive resistance during ankle movement, effectively absorbing impact while enabling natural walking motion.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the physical parameters of the damping system by using hydraulic fluid pressure and volume displacement instead of fixed mechanical connections. The pressure-regulating chambers modify the resistance characteristics dynamically based on the direction and speed of piston movement, allowing the system to adapt to different phases of the walking cycle.
2Reliability
If artificial ankle joint uses magnetic valve and magnetic environment, then impact buffering is improved, but safety concerns arise due to potential interference
Solution Approach 1:
The patent removes the magnetic valve component from the system and replaces it with a purely mechanical pressure-regulating chamber design using one-way valves and hydraulic principles. This extraction of the magnetic element eliminates the safety concerns associated with magnetic interference while preserving the impact buffering function through alternative mechanical means.
3Device complexity
If user manually refills hydraulic fluid in artificial ankle joint, then system simplicity is maintained, but maintenance convenience deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements a self-contained hydraulic system where the ankle joint automatically manages its own hydraulic fluid levels and pressure regulation without requiring user intervention for refilling or maintenance. The sealed design with integrated pressure-regulating chambers enables the system to self-maintain optimal hydraulic conditions throughout operation.
4Reliability
If artificial ankle joint uses complicated structure with magnetic valve, then impact absorption is improved, but maintenance and repair convenience worsens
Solution Approach 1:
The patent removes complex magnetic valve components and replaces them with simpler mechanical pressure-regulating chambers using one-way valves and hydraulic principles. This simplification maintains effective impact absorption while dramatically improving maintenance convenience by eliminating fragile magnetic elements and complex control mechanisms.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent divides the hydraulic system into distinct pressure-regulating chambers with individual one-way valves, allowing each chamber to function independently. This segmentation enables easier maintenance and repair by isolating specific functional units, reducing the need to service the entire system when minor adjustments or repairs are needed.
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 solution effectively buffers walking impact, simplifies maintenance by automatic fluid refilling, and improves the naturalness of walking style while avoiding the complexity and safety concerns of magnetic systems.
Implementation Method 1
a hydraulic mechanism with a piston, a hydraulic fluid and two pressure-regulating chambers... The piston moves within a cylinder containing a hydraulic fluid... pressure-regulating chambers with one-way valves control fluid flow
Implementation Method 2
pressure-regulating chambers with one-way valves control fluid flow to provide progressive resistance during ankle movement
Implementation Method 3
The spring mechanism stores and releases mechanical energy to assist in ankle joint movement and impact absorption
Implementation Method 4
The damping mechanism dissipates kinetic energy from impact forces to reduce shock transmission
Data Source
AI summary
The hydraulic ankle joint includes a main member having a fluid supply chamber storing a hydraulic fluid, a first pressure regulating chamber, a second pressure regulating chamber, and a space connecting the chambers. The space houses an axle element rotatably joined to the main member. The main member is rotatably mounted on a U-shaped hinge seat. An extension piece is extended radially from the circumference of the axle element. A fluid block penetrates through the main member and into the space. The extension piece and the fluid block jointly partition the space into a front chamber and a back chamber. The first and second pressure regulating chambers adjust the back and front chambers' pressure so that impact from walking may be effectively buffered. The fluid supply chamber automatically refills hydraulic fluid into the front and back chambers so as to reduce user maintenance overhead.