Ft. Wayne, IN –Trelleborg Sealing Solutions worked with Freedom Innovations to supply five components for a computer-controlled damper inside Freedom’s PliƒÂ©‚â„¢ MPC knee. Components included a Zurcon‚® AS Wiper, Zurcon‚® L-Cup, bushing, Turcon‚® Slydring‚® and custom FKM (fluoroelastomer) bladder, ensuring leak-free performance.
The damper is a monotube, with air on one side and oil on the other. Inside, the Zurcon‚® AS Wiper keeps contamination out. The Zurcon‚® L-Cup is the main rod seal, and the Turcon‚® Slydring‚® is the main piston seal. Absorbing side load, the bushing keeps the rod from hitting the sides of the damper, while the custom FKM bladder forms a barrier between the oil and the air. The end result is low friction, no stick-slip and no leakage.
An industry-leading Actuator Response Time (A.R.T.) supported by advanced microprocessor programming, allows the knee to make nearly instantaneous adjustments to knee position and velocity. With a reaction time ten times faster than the blink of an eye, the device provides a precise response to actual gait dynamics as they occur, rather than a step behind. The result is a prosthetic knee that requires less cognitive effort, freeing the user to look beyond the next step and enjoy what lies ahead, even including water sports, since the PliƒÂ©‚â„¢ is completely water-resistant.
::Design World::
Filed Under: Seals • gaskets • O rings, Medical-device manufacture, Materials • advanced