US 12,220,331 B1
Bi-directional adjustable prosthetic limb connection with linear adjustability
Michael Hitchcock, Mesa, AZ (US)
Assigned to JERMEC Engineering, LLC, Mesa, AZ (US)
Filed by JERMEC Engineering, LLC, Mesa, AZ (US)
Filed on Jun. 19, 2024, as Appl. No. 18/747,781.
Application 18/747,781 is a continuation in part of application No. 18/621,453, filed on Mar. 29, 2024.
Int. Cl. A61F 2/76 (2006.01); A61F 2/80 (2006.01); A61F 2/50 (2006.01)
CPC A61F 2/80 (2013.01) [A61F 2/76 (2013.01); A61F 2002/5021 (2013.01)] 20 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. An adjustable prosthetic limb connection, comprising:
a mounting plate configured to attach to a prosthetic limb socket of a user;
an alignment mechanism configured to couple with the mounting plate, the alignment mechanism comprising:
a base plate in contact with and secured against the mounting plate, the base plate having a first row of elongated teeth, a second row of elongated teeth arranged perpendicular to the first row of elongated teeth, and a central aperture extending through the base plate, wherein a center of the central aperture is offset from a center of the base plate, wherein the central aperture is positioned at an intersection between the first row of elongated teeth and the second row of elongated teeth, and wherein the first row of elongated teeth and the second row of elongated teeth are positioned adjacent to an outer circumference of the base plate; and
a linear slide positioned between the base plate and the mounting plate, the linear slide shaped as a cross, the linear slide having at least one first ridge and at least one second ridge configured to interface with the first row of elongated teeth of the base plate and with the second row of elongated teeth of the base plate, respectively, such that the at least one first ridge is configured to interlock with the first row of elongated teeth and the at least one second ridge is configured to interlock with the second row of elongated teeth, wherein a total number of ridges of the at least one first ridge and a total number of ridges of the at least one second ridge are respectively less than a total number of teeth of the first row of elongated teeth and a total number of teeth of the second row of elongated teeth; and
a lower connector configured to attach to the linear slide of the alignment mechanism through the central aperture of the base plate, and configured to attach to a prosthetic limb;
wherein the alignment mechanism is configured to allow adjustment of the alignment of the lower connector with respect to the mounting plate within a first quadrant of an available adjustment space with at least two linear degrees of freedom through adjustment of the at least one first ridge with respect to the first row of elongated teeth and the at least one second ridge with respect to the second row of elongated teeth; and
wherein the alignment mechanism is configured to rotate to a plurality of positions, wherein in each of the plurality of positions, the adjustment of the alignment of the lower connector with respect to the mounting plate occurs in a different quadrant of the available adjustment space due to the central aperture offset.