Abstract: The present invention relates to an improved system for use in rehabilitation and/or physical therapy for the treatment of injury or disease to the lower limbs or extremities. The system can enable an amputee to proceed over any inclined or declined surface without overbalancing. The system is mechanically passive in that it does not utilize motors, force generating devices, batteries, or powered sources that may add undesirable weight or mass and that may require recharging. In particular the system is self-adapting to adjust the torque moment depending upon the motion, the extent of inclination, and the surface topography. An additional advantage of the improvement is that the system can be light and may also be simple to manufacture.

Abstract: Pump systems for use in suspension of a prosthetic device from a residual limb and methods of suspending a prosthetic device from a residual limb are disclosed. The pump systems include a mechanically activated pump having a first compression member coupled to a second compression member, a compressible bladder disposed between the first and second compression members, and coupling elements that engage and couple together the first and second compression members. The mechanically activated pump may be connected with an electrically activated pump within a fluid circuit of a hybrid pump system to provide vacuum engagement between a prosthetic device and a residual limb.

Abstract: The present invention relates to an improved system for use in rehabilitation and/or physical therapy for the treatment of injury or disease to the lower limbs or extremities. The system can enable an amputee to proceed over any inclined or declined surface without overbalancing. The system is mechanically passive in that it does not utilize motors, force generating devices, batteries, or powered sources that may add undesirable weight or mass and that may require recharging. In particular the system is self-adapting to adjust the torque moment depending upon the motion, the extent of inclination, and the surface topography. An additional advantage of the improvement is that the system can be light and may also be simple to manufacture.

Abstract: A prosthetic foot is made by machining or molding a prosthetic foot profile to have a plurality of slots in and along the length of the forefoot region of the foot shape to achieve the appropriate roll-over shape during walking, and slotting the heel region of the machined foot shape to provide shock absorption in early stance phase of walking.

Abstract: The present invention relates to an improved system for use in rehabilitation and/or physical therapy for the treatment of injury or disease to the lower limbs or extremities. The system can enable an amputee to proceed over any inclined or declined surface without overbalancing. The system is mechanically passive in that it does not utilize motors, force generating devices, batteries, or powered sources that may add undesirable weight or mass and that may require recharging. In particular the system is self-adapting to adjust the torque moment depending upon the motion, the extent of inclination, and the surface topography. An additional advantage of the improvement is that the system can be light and may also be simple to manufacture.

Abstract: A method is provided for providing a shoe sole profile shape for an individual who has a prescribed ankle angular motion for at least a partial heel-to-toe foot motion of the individual. A shoe sole geometry is determined that provides a substantially invariant roll-over shape for level ground walking that accommodates the prescribed ankle angular motion of the individual. The shoe sole geometry then is imparted to a shoe sole by machining, molding or other shaping operation.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a system for use in rehabilitation and/or physical therapy for the treatment of injury or disease. The system can enable an amputee to proceed over any surface without overbalancing. In particular the system is self-adapting to adjust the torque moment depending upon the motion, the extent of inclination, and the surface topography.

Abstract: A bi-modal ankle-foot device that provides a curved effective shape appropriate for walking and a flattened effective shape for standing. The bi-modal ankle-foot device includes a foot piece and a lockable ankle joint connected to the flat foot piece, the ankle joint and foot piece cooperating to provide a curved shape for walking when the ankle joint is unlocked and to provide a flattened shape for standing when the ankle joint is locked.

Abstract: A prosthetic foot device has a foot piece having a forefoot region wherein the forefoot region has one or more adjusting elements for adjusting the length of a flat region of the foot piece for stability in standing.

Abstract: Prosthetic foot is provided having at least one flexible sole element that is deflected under load during a gait cycle of a user of the foot and a plurality of constraining elements that constrain deflection of the at least one flexible sole element such that it assumes an appropriate roll-over shape during a gait cycle of the user. The constraining elements dictate the roll-over shape assumed by the flexible sole element, while the at least one flexible sole element stores and returns energy during the gait cycle of the user to promote a natural “feel” to the foot.

Abstract: A system for pyrolysis of hydrocarbon constituents of waste material including a treatment unit featuring a retort with a ellipsoidal cross-section forming a first retort half and a second retort half, the material to be treated being selectively deposited in only one half of the retort at a time during any given period of system operation, to avoid abrasion and wear of the half not in use, thus effectively doubling the life of the retort component. Another feature of a treatment unit according to the invention is a heat reclamation arrangement that introduces gases that have first been combusted to supply heat energy to the retort through a conduit directly into the interior of the retort, to improve the efficiency with which pyrolysis takes place. Further, the treatment unit has an exhaust and cleaning arrangement to render gases produced during pyrolysis substantially free of pollutants such that the gases can be vented to the atmosphere.

Abstract: A system for pyrolysis of hydrocarbon constituents of waste material including a treatment unit featuring a retort with a ellipsoidal cross-section forming a first retort half and a second retort half, the material to be treated being selectively deposited in only one half of the retort at a time during any given period of system operation, to avoid abrasion and wear of the half not in use, thus effectively doubling the life of the retort component. Another feature of a treatment unit according to the invention is a heat reclamation arrangement that introduces gases that have first been combusted to supply heat energy to the retort through a conduit directly into the interior of the retort, to improve the efficiency with which pyrolysis takes place. Further, the treatment unit has an exhaust and cleaning arrangement to render gases produced during pyrolysis substantially free of pollutants such that the gases can be vented to the atmosphere.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for decontaminating soil which has been contaminated with hazardous hydrocarbons. The apparatus includes a blending or scrubbing unit for mixing the contaminated soil with water and a suitable surfactant to form a slurry; screening apparatus operably interconnected with the blending unit for removing from the slurry particles larger than a predetermined size to form a small particle slurry; a reactor unit operably interconnected with the screening apparatus for reacting the slurry with ozone to form an ozone enriched slurry; an ultraviolet radiation generator for irradiating the ozone enriched slurry with ultraviolet radiation; a static mixer operably interconnected with the reactor unit for mixing a floculating material with the slurry to form a floculated slurry; and a belt-forming press for receiving the floculated material from the static mixer and for forming the floculated slurry into contamination free blocks.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for use in processing waste materials of various kinds and for reclaiming useable by-product materials from the pyrolized waste materials. The waste materials to be pyrolized are efficiently dehydrated prior to their introduction into the pyrolysis retort using microwaves generated by a large microwave generator. After the waste material is dried, initial ignition is accomplished using a very high intensity laser beam. Laser ignition is continued until sufficient methane and other volatile gases are produced for burning in a burner unit to sustain the pyrolysis reaction.