Alignable coupling assembly for connecting two prosthetic limb components

Abstract

An alignable coupling assembly embodiment for coupling distal and proximal prosthetic components includes a pair of parallel circular plates rotatably disposed in the circular receptacle of a support plate. The circular plates are configured such that they can be unpressed or a pressed. The unpressed condition allows rotation of the paired plates and the pressed condition prevents such rotation by way of a first friction lock. The paired circular plates further have a rectangular slot into which a longitudinal connector is slidably disposed, and which is subject to a second friction lock that prevents sliding when the connector is pulled distally. Rotational movement of the plates and sliding movement of the connector in the slot cooperate to allow its positioning at any point within an anterior-posterior/lateral medial grid centered on the longitudinal axis of the proximal prosthetic component. A distal pull on the longitudinal connector engages both first and second friction locks.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A method of aligning a distal prosthetic component with a proximal prosthetic component, the method comprising:
 coupling the distal prosthetic component and the proximal prosthetic component together, wherein the proximal prosthetic component comprises a distally directed alignable coupling assembly configured to couple to the distal prosthetic component, and wherein the alignable coupling assembly comprises:   a coupling assembly base comprising a pair of circular plates and a support plate, the support plate comprising a circular receptacle in which the pair of circular plates is rotatably supported; and   a longitudinal connector supported by the pair of circular plates, the longitudinal connector comprising a distal end with a distally-directed coupling feature for the distal prosthetic component; and   rotating the pair of circular plates within the support plate to position the longitudinal connector at a desired position within a medial-lateral/anterior-posterior circular grid centered at a center of the coupling assembly base.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the pair of circular plates comprises a through slot within which the longitudinal connector is aligned, the method further comprising sliding the longitudinal connector within the slot to position the longitudinal connector at a desired offset distance from a center of the coupling assembly base. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising rotating the distal prosthetic component with respect to the coupling assembly base to place it at a desired medial-lateral/anterior-posterior position. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising angularly orienting a longitudinal axis of the distal prosthetic component with to a longitudinal axis of the proximal prosthetic component. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising, prior to rotating the circular plates, sliding the longitudinal connector within a slot through the circular plates to position the longitudinal connector at a desired offset distance from a center of the coupling assembly base. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising, prior to rotating the circular plates, rotating the proximal prosthetic component relative to the distal prosthetic component. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising, prior to rotating the circular plates, angularly orienting the longitudinal axis of the distal prosthetic component with respect to longitudinal axis of the proximal prosthetic component. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the pair of circular plates comprises a proximal plate, a distal plate and a slot therethrough, wherein the longitudinal connector comprises a distal end comprising a distally narrowing wedge portion positioned to fit within the slot, the distal end of the longitudinal connector configured to pull the proximal plate and the distal plate toward each other when the longitudinal connector is pulled distally, the method further comprising pulling the longitudinal connector distally, thereby pulling the circular plates and their receptacle together to form a first friction lock therebetween, said first friction lock preventing rotation of the circular plates within the receptacle. 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 8 , wherein pulling the longitudinal connector distally further comprises forming a second friction lock between the distally narrowing wedge portion and the slot to form a second friction lock, said second friction lock preventing sliding of the wedge. 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein coupling the proximal and distal prosthetic components together comprises engaging a proximal prosthetic component coupling feature and a distal prosthetic component coupling feature, said coupling features being complementary to each other. 
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein prior to pulling the longitudinal connector distally, the method comprises at least one of the following steps:
 positioning an offset distance between a longitudinal axis of the distal prosthetic component a longitudinal axis of the prosthetic socket;   positioning a longitudinal axis of the distal prosthetic component within an AP/LM grid defined by a longitudinal axis of the prosthetic socket;   rotating the AP/LM orientation of the distal prosthetic component relative to an AP/LM orientation of the prosthetic socket; and   angularly adjusting the spatial orientation of the longitudinal axis of the distal prosthetic component with respect to the spatial orientation of the prosthetic socket.