Claims
- 1. A flexible tightening device, having an arm comprising several jointed elements moveable against one another, in which the arm may be locked in a chosen pivoted position of the jointed elements by means of a tightening element, wherein each jointed element comprises on one end a ball joint and at the opposite end a socket joint to receive a ball joint, and wherein each jointed element is constructed in two parts in the length direction, whereby the two parts can be adjusted against one another for locking purposes, and wherein the two parts of each jointed element are pivotable against each other about a common joint axis in such a way that by causing the socket joint of a jointed element to open, the ball joint of the same jointed element is also caused to open.
- 2. The tightening device of claim 1, wherein the two parts of the jointed elements are z-shaped in construction when viewed from the side so that with one of the two parts the upper part of the ball joint is connected with the lower part of the socket joint and with the other of the two parts the lower part of the ball joint is connected to the upper part of the socket joint.
- 3. The tightening device of claim 2, wherein the joint axis is disposed in the middle of the jointed element and in a plane of a length cut through the ball joint and the socket joint, such that the ball joint and the socket joint can be opened to an angle of aperture between the two parts.
- 4. The tightening device of claim 3, wherein the angle of aperture from the proximal jointed element to the distal jointed element from jointed element to jointed element is represented by αprox>αn>αn+1> . . . >αdist≅0.
- 5. The tightening device of claim 4, wherein at right angles to the length cut of the ball joint through the sphere equator of the ball joint of each jointed element is constructed a through bore, into which for each of the two parts of the ball joint a pin projecting from the exterior over the surface of the ball joint is arranged, which is guided in a groove constructed in the socket joint to guide and to limit an angle of pivot of the individual jointed elements against one another in the state when connected with another jointed element.
- 6. The tightening device of claim 5, wherein a handle acting as a tightening element can be locked to the jointed element at the proximal end of the arm for the adjustment and locking of the jointed elements.
- 7. The tightening device of claim 6, wherein a tool can be affixed to the jointed element at the distal end of the arm.
- 8. A flexible tightening device having an arm comprising several jointed elements moveable against one another, in which the arm may be locked in a chosen pivoted position of the jointed elements by means of a tightening element, wherein each jointed element comprises on one end a ball joint and at the opposite end a socket joint to receive a ball joint, wherein each jointed element is constructed in two parts in the length direction, whereby the two parts can be adjusted against one another for locking purposes, and wherein the two parts of the jointed elements are z-shaped in construction when viewed from the side so that with one of the two parts the upper part of the ball joint is connected with the lower part of the socket joint and with the other of the two parts the lower part of the ball joint is connected to the upper part of the socket joint.
Priority Claims (1)
Number |
Date |
Country |
Kind |
100 19 321 |
Apr 2000 |
DE |
|
Parent Case Info
This application is a continuation of pending International Application No. PCT/EP01/03883 filed Apr. 5, 2001, which designates the United States and claims priority from pending German Application No. 10019321 filed Apr. 19, 2000.
US Referenced Citations (23)
Foreign Referenced Citations (4)
Number |
Date |
Country |
437 461 |
Nov 1967 |
CH |
691 06 701 |
Jul 1995 |
DE |
297 20 250 |
Mar 1998 |
DE |
881 607 |
Apr 1943 |
FR |
Continuations (1)
|
Number |
Date |
Country |
Parent |
PCT/EP01/03883 |
Apr 2001 |
US |
Child |
10/273940 |
|
US |