A design concept for a swing-lock knee joint for whole-leg calipers

Whole-leg calipers, extending from the heel to the groin region, have traditionally employed knee joints that remain locked throughout the gait cycle, thereby imposing disadvantages in the dynamics, energy utilization and cosmesis of the resulting gait. A design concept is presented for a knee joint that will allow the knee joint to automatically unlock and relock at appropriate points in the gait cycle, to allow a swing-through gait style to be used.