Pyramid Receptacle Angular Adjustment Without Profile Length Increase
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional prosthetic-limb coupling-socket adapter assemblies face challenges in providing angular adjustment without significantly increasing the profile length, particularly for transfemoral and transtibial amputees, leading to potential gait deviations due to misalignment and length discrepancies between the prosthetic limb and natural knee or foot centers.
Innovation Solution
A prosthetic-limb coupling-socket adapter assembly that recesses the pyramid receptacle into the C-ring clamping collar, featuring a cylindrical neck with external screw-threads and internally threaded screw-holes, allowing for angular adjustment while minimizing the overall length of the interconnection components, and optionally incorporating a shock/torsion adapter for improved comfort and stability.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If a conventional pyramidal link-plate and pyramid receptacle assembly is used to provide angular adjustment, then the prosthetist can adjust the angular orientation of the prosthetic limb, but the combined length of the components between the socket and knee joint becomes too long, causing the knee center to be too low and resulting in gait deviation
Solution Approach 1:
The pyramid receptacle is nested within the C-ring clamping collar assembly. The receptacle fits inside the collar structure, with its threaded portion engaging the collar's internal threads. This nesting arrangement allows the angular adjustment functionality to be integrated within the existing collar volume, eliminating the need for separate external adjustment mechanisms that would increase the overall profile length.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention merges the angular adjustment function with the existing C-ring clamping collar structure. The pyramid receptacle is integrated into the collar assembly, combining the clamping function and angular adjustment function into a single unified component system. This merging eliminates the need for separate adjustment mechanisms that would add to the profile length.
2Adaptability or versatility
If the combined length of coupling components is increased to accommodate angular adjustment mechanisms, then angular orientation can be modified, but the knee center position shifts too low, causing gait deviation
Solution Approach 1:
The pyramid receptacle is nested within the C-ring clamping collar, allowing angular adjustment functionality to be contained within the existing collar volume. This prevents any increase in the overall profile length that would shift the knee center position and compromise gait stability.
Solution Approach 2:
The angular adjustment is achieved through rotational movement of the pyramid receptacle within the collar assembly, utilizing angular dimension rather than linear extension. This allows orientation modification without increasing the linear profile length, thereby maintaining proper knee center positioning and gait stability.
3Length of moving object
If a pyramid receptacle is screw-threaded into the C-ring clamping collar, then the profile length is minimized, but the ability to provide angular adjustment and shock/torsion control is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The invention combines multiple functions into the integrated pyramid receptacle assembly: angular adjustment through rotational capability, shock absorption through torsion control features, and secure mounting through screw-threaded engagement with the collar. This merging provides adaptability without increasing profile length.
Solution Approach 2:
The pyramid receptacle incorporates dynamic features including rotational capability for angular adjustment and torsion control mechanisms that allow controlled movement and shock absorption. These dynamic features enable the rigid threaded connection to provide both stability and adaptability for angular adjustment and shock control.
Data Source
AI summary
A pyramid receptacle for coupling a prosthetic limb to a socket, comprising a unitary machined component formed with an externally-threaded neck section flanged by a larger-diameter disk. The disk is formed with a concave face, and a central cavity. A plurality of threaded set screws are journalled into the hollow threaded neck section through the threads thereof and into communication with the central cavity. Machining the threaded holes for the plurality of set screws directly through the hollow threaded neck section, and ensuring that the set screws stay flush or recessed when fully tightened effectively halves the length of the pyramid receptacle and facilitates angular adjustment of the prosthetic limb before affixing it in place, but does not significantly increase the profile length of the interconnection between socket and knee joint.