Did You Know...
...that Charles Goodyear performed some of his experiments on rubber while in debtor's prison? He was there so often he referred to it as his "hotel". Chronically in debt because of poor business sense and ill health, Goodyear depended on the generosity of friends and family. Even after he unlocked the secret to vulcanizing rubber, he was unable to improve his financial situation. When he died, his estate was $200,000 in debt.
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| Number | Title | Issue Date |
| 8317874 | Orthopedic fluid damper and method The invention relates to an orthopaedic aid, in particular to a prosthesis (58) or orthosis comprising an orthopaedic fluid damper (10) with a displacement chamber (14) formed in a housing (12), with a piston (16) mounted in the di... | 11/27/2012 |
| 7828856 | Leg prosthesis system and method A prosthesis system can have an advantageous use over conventional prostheses in certain activities, including, but not limited to certain sports activities: The system includes, elastic member(s) that can store and release energy. The storing and releasing of energ... | 11/09/2010 |
| 7618463 | Energy returning prosthetic joint An energy returning prosthetic joint arranged for use as a knee joint in prosthetic limbs includes a biasing or spring member connected to upper and lower attachment members. The spring member includes a composite material having an energy returning property. A cush... | 11/17/2009 |
| 7288118 | Quadriceps control device for prosthetics/orthotics A quadriceps control device comprises an elongated, elastic member having a first end affixed at an anterior position above the knee and a second end affixed at an anterior position below the knee of the user. The quadriceps control device may be utilized with a pro... | 10/30/2007 |
| 7279010 | Prosthetic knee joint structure A prosthetic knee joint structure is provided herein. The knee join mainly contains an upper member for connecting to a prosthetic thigh, a lower member for connecting to prosthetic shin and foot, a linking device for connecting the upper and lower members, a cushio... | 10/09/2007 |
| 7066964 | Prosthetic knee and rotary hydraulic chamber An improved prosthetic knee joint utilizes a rotary hydraulic chamber with internal flow control and positioned with hydraulic chamber opposite the upper joint section. A polycentric knee joint is provided with a forward flexion bumper and a cable extension assist f... | 06/27/2006 |
| 7044983 | Positioning and buffering device for artificial knee joint A positioning and buffering device of a knee joint for artificial limb is disclosed. The device comprises a knee cap head, an interlinking device including two arch plates, a buffering device including an interlinking rod, an interlinking support and a hydraulic cyl... | 05/16/2006 |
| 6852131 | Artificial knee joint with a push rod biased to rotate a prosthetic lower leg rapidly to align with a residual thigh An artificial knee joint includes a joint seat, a support frame, a hydraulic device, a push rod, and a biasing member. The joint seat has a joint body and a rotatable member connected pivotally to the joint body and connected fixedly to a residual thigh. The support... | 02/08/2005 |
| 6673117 | Single axis knee joint assembly A prosthetic leg having a knee joint assembly that includes a plunger-activated, three-chamber cylinder body, a control valve, a control valve actuator, a pylon shaft and artificial foot. The knee joint assembly rotates in a single axis and provides two-s... | 01/06/2004 |
| 6508843 | Knee joint structure of artificial limb A knee joint structure has a five-joint link structure in which there are an upper link 1 to which a thigh support part of an artificial limb 10 is fixed; a lower link 4 with which a foot part 11 of the artificial limb is linked; a rear link 5 for linking... | 01/21/2003 |
| 6165226 | Orthosis joint An orthesis joint, in particular a knee joint for part of a leg, comprising a joint upper part (1) and a joint lower part (2), pivotably connected to the latter by means of a joint screw (3), as well as comprising a manually releasable wedge block (9, 10,... | 12/26/2000 |
| 5888236 | Pivot device between parts of an orthopedic aid The invention relates to a device producing a stance flexion. This goal is achieved according to the invention by virtue of the fact that in the initial position of the multi-element joint system one element (joint element) can execute two movements with ... | 03/30/1999 |
| 5800567 | Knee mechanism for an artificial limb A knee mechanism for a lower limb prosthesis which maintains knee stability over an initial range of flexion and includes an upper member for connection to or forming part of the thigh component of a prosthesis, a lower member for connection to or forming... | 09/01/1998 |
| 5746773 | C-shaped spring member for prosthetic limbs A stance phase flexion device for a prosthesis comprises a composite C-shaped spring member formed from a plurality of thermoset synthetic resin-impregnated high strength carbon filament sheets molded together in a compression mold. The spring member incl... | 05/05/1998 |
| 5728174 | Swing phase control for an artificial knee joint A swing phase control for an artificial knee joint is provided with a cylinder (1) having one end closed by a head member (2) and the other end closed by a base member (3), a piston reciprocally movable within the cylinder in axial direction thereof and h... | 03/17/1998 |
| 5728173 | Artificial knee joint An artificial knee joint includes a shank formed with a pair of upwardly extending first lugs and a pair of radially extending second lugs, and a thigh support formed with a pair of downwardly extending third lugs which are connected pivotally to the firs... | 03/17/1998 |
| 5704945 | Brake-action knee joint A brake-action knee joint for a leg prosthesis includes a closed displacer chamber which concentrically surrounds the joint pin over its circumference, at least partially, is preferably filled with hydraulic oil, and is arranged in the associated end of t... | 01/06/1998 |
| 5645590 | Pivot device between parts of an orthopedic aid The invention relates to a device producing a stance flexion. This goal is achieved according to the invention by virtue of the fact that in the initial position of the multi-element joint system one element (joint element) can execute two movements with ... | 07/08/1997 |
| 5545233 | Swing phase control device A swing phase control device for an artificial knee joint which is provided with different first and second throttle controls to permit more natural flexing and stretching of the knee joint.... | 08/13/1996 |
| 5405408 | Artificial knee having dual flexion action during locomotion An artificial knee having a dual flexion action during locomotion is disclosed. The knee comprises a femur part and a tibia part capable of rolling over each other in two different ways depending on whether or not the artificial leg is loaded. Pressure ex... | 04/11/1995 |
| 5376134 | Adjustable orthesis joint An orthesis joint comprises a first support plate, a thigh attachment part hingedly connected to the first support plate through a first bearing bush, a lower leg attachment part hingedly connected to the first support plate through a second bearing bush,... | 12/27/1994 |
| 5376137 | Artificial leg with hydraulic knee flexion resistance An artificial leg includes a knee mechanism having means for restricting knee flexing movement during the stance phase of the walking cycle. The restricting means includes a piston and cylinder assembly so coupled in the mechanism that the piston is movab... | 12/27/1994 |
| 5201776 | Orthopaedic and prosthetic joint An orthopaedic or prosthetic joint comprising a linkage having a number of fixed-length links and a spring link of variable length, wherein there are five fixed-length links which are pivotally connected together in a geometric pattern such that the sprin... | 04/13/1993 |
| 5181931 | Swivel connection between two parts of an orthopedic technical aid The invention relates to a swivel connection between two parts of an orthopedic technical aid, for example a prosthesis or orthotic device, with an adjustable, inherent articulation stability, consisting of a plane kinematic articulation chain with at lea... | 01/26/1993 |
| 5171325 | Hinge structure for prosthetic joint A prosthetic joint includes an anterior linking and support member and a posterior linking and support member, formed of a resilient material, which act as cantilever flat springs to provide an intrinsic extension bias while furnishing the rigid structure... | 12/15/1992 |
| 4997449 | Artificial knee joint An artificial knee joint (10) with a clamping member (13) is provided with a peg (11) for attachment to a thigh shaft (12). The clamping member is pivotable against a braking member or barrel (19) located inside the knee joint housing when a vertical load... | 03/05/1991 |
| 4911709 | Artificial knee with improved stable link-type knee joint An improved knee prosthesis of the four bar kind employing modified geometry of its links permitting the available degree of flexion to be increased to 143°. A resilient leaf spring provides for extension bias at low angles of flexion, and biases the joi... | 03/27/1990 |
| 4883493 | Leg prosthesis A leg prosthesis is disclosed which incorporates a novel spring-biased telescopic shank permitting amputees to run and take part in a variety of sports such as volleyball and basketball. The shank includes a spring and damper piston which absorb ground im... | 11/28/1989 |
| 4846842 | Body joint rotation support device Devices, especially orthotic, prosthetic and manipulative devices, articles of wear, and apparatus utilizing a coil spring are provided for self-adjustable support, flexion, and/or extension of limb members of a body joint. The devices have first and seco... | 07/11/1989 |
| 4685927 | Braked knee joint A braked knee joint having a thigh part and a lower leg part which are provided with braking surfaces adapted to one another and which, because of the capacity for axial movement of the thigh part relative to the lower leg part, are pressed against one an... | 08/11/1987 |
| 4619660 | Compressible rotational artificial joint An artificial knee has a shock casing and a hinge sheath. Plungers mounted in the shock casing bias the casing and sheath away from each other as a shock absorber mounted in the shock casing controls movement and absorbs shock of the casing and sheath as ... | 10/28/1986 |
| 4578083 | Artificial leg This invention relates to an artificial leg comprising an elongated lower leg portion, an ankle joint, an upper portion adapted to strap to the wearer's thigh, a knee joint comprising an upper and lower cam, the upper cam adapted to rotate around a pivot ... | 03/25/1986 |
| 4371990 | Thigh prosthesis A thigh prosthesis or artificial leg comprising an upper socket portion designed to be secured, in use, to an amputee's stump, a lower shin portion, an articulation frame joining the socket portion to the shin portion, resilient means for limiting and cus... | 02/08/1983 |
| 4268923 | Thigh prosthesis A thigh prosthesis or artificial leg comprising an upper socket portion designed to be secured, in use, to an amputee's stump, a lower leg portion, an articulation frame joining the socket portion to the leg portion, and resilient means for limiting and c... | 05/26/1981 |
| 4135254 | Prosthetic knee apparatus A prosthetic knee apparatus includes a pair of spaced side brackets depending from the upper leg prosthesis, and a housing disposed between the brackets. Extending through the housing to the brackets are anterior and posterior pivot shafts, the posterior ... | 01/23/1979 |
| 4051558 | Mechanical energy storage device for hip disarticulation An artificial leg includes a trunk socket, a thigh section hingedly coupled to the trunk socket, a leg section hingedly coupled to the thigh section and a foot section hingedly coupled to the leg section. A mechanical energy storage device, such as a spri... | 10/04/1977 |
| 4023215 | Locking prosthetic knee A prosthetic knee construction includes a single axis mechanism secured in a knee of rigid foam, wood, or similar material, and a leg shank pivotally secured to the lateral shaft of the mechanism. The shank is of hollow foam, wood, or similar construction... | 05/17/1977 |
| 3982279 | Mechanical prosthesis of the knee A mechanical prosthesis of the knee to be locked by a brake system, and formed by the thigh and a leg joined by a brake means pierced by a spindle. In the thigh a drum is integral with an inverted U-shaped support, the base of which is fixed to a rigid me... | 09/28/1976 |
