The present application claims priority under 35 USC 119 to German Patent Application No. 10 2008 009 273.8 filed on Feb. 15, 2008 the entire contents of which are hereby incorporated by reference.
1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to an orthosis for correcting the position of a two-jointed body joint, which extends across the two body parts interconnected by the body joint, the orthosis being provided with two arms, which are held in place on the body parts by a respective fastening means and are interconnected by a pivot joint adjacent to the body joint.
2. Description of Background Art
For bending of the body parts required during normal movement, the pivot joint is formed by a central adjusting ring bordered by both arms, which for the one arm has an axle ring, which is coaxial to the adjusting ring, and for the other arm has a ring bearing, which is eccentric to the axle ring. The rotational plane of the ring bearing is pivotable with respect to the rotational plane of the axle ring by rotating the adjusting ring in such a way and at such an angle that the arm, supported by the ring bearing in conjunction with the body part retained by it, assumes a pivoting position of this body part as opposed to the stretched normal position, depending on the rotation angle of the adjusting ring in relation to the arm connected to the axle ring,
An orthosis such as this is illustrated and described in EP 1 568 337 B1. The object of this orthosis is to correct and stabilize the position of the body joint, the joint being a big toe or a knee joint, for example.
In the known orthosis, the two joints connecting the body joint are connected to the arms forming the orthosis, which are interconnected in the pivot joint. More specifically, the pivot joint is formed by the central adjusting ring, which includes the axle ring for the one arm and the ring bearing for the other arm. An orthosis design is thereby, used, wherein the ring bearing is mounted eccentrically with respect to the axle ring and coaxially with respect to the adjusting ring. As a result, the rotational plane of the ring bearing and the rotational plane of the axle ring are pivoted in relation to one another, depending on the adjustment of the adjusting ring.
It is the object of an embodiment of the present invention to form the joint of the orthosis such that with respect to its angle, the respective rotational plane of the two arms is selectively adjustable, and that the adjustment of the arms in relation to one another can be executed in a simple and clearly laid out manner.
The objective of an embodiment of the present invention is achieved such that the adjusting ring is attached in a rotationally fixed connection to an end plate covering the ring bearing toward the outside via a coupling feeding through the ring bearing. The end plate allowing the adjustment of the rotational plane of one arm to the rotational plane of the other arm.
Due to this design, by merely rotating the end plate, the pivot joint as such is adjusted in a way that is most beneficial and/or necessary for a particular patient to correct and stabilize the body joint in question. The arms of the orthosis, with the movement in the desired rotational planes enforced by the setting of the adjusting ring, are aligning the body joint correspondingly during movement. The adjustment of the pivot joint can thereby be done in a simple way such that the end plate is put in the desired and/or required rotational position with the result that via the adjusting ring, the two bearings for the two arms of the orthosis, that is, the axle ring and the ring bearing, are properly adjusted.
In order to allow the maximal adjustment of the two arms, and thus the afflicted body parts, the pivot joint as described above can be provided with a special design. In this design, the end plate for accommodating driving pins is provided with a plurality of openings, which are aligned with corresponding openings in the arm end and in the adjusting ring, and the driving pins inserted in the openings extend into an elongated hole, which partially surrounds the axis of the axle ring in a circular arc, the ends of which form stops for the driving pins to avoid further rotation of the adjusting ring.
To rotate the two arms with respect to one another, the end plate is rotated with respect to the ring bearing, which is restricted with respect to the maximal rotation angle by inserting driving pins such that the pins, which extend through the entire pivot joint, roam to the elongated hole surrounding the axis of the axle ring in a circular arc to terminate at the ends of the elongated hole, which thus serve as stops for the maximal rotation of the arms.
More specifically, the end plate is provided with a removable annular dial scale, which makes it possible to read the leeway the arms have for moving, which is determined by the inserted driving pins.
The rotational angle of one arm in relationship to the other is hereby determined by the pins inserted in the adjusting ring, which extend all the way to the axle ring area of the adjusting ring, and which then extend into the elongated hole, where at the ends of the elongated hole they encounter stops, which define the rotation angle of the respective arm. As a result of this design, a fixed angular connection between the axle ring and the end plate via the pins is achieved. Thus, the design is a sturdy design.
Further scope of applicability of the present invention will become apparent from the detailed description given hereinafter. However, it should be understood that the detailed description and specific examples, while indicating preferred embodiments of the invention, are given by way of illustration only, since various changes and modifications within the spirit and scope of the invention will become apparent to those skilled in the art from this detailed description.
The present invention will become more fully understood from the detailed description given hereinbelow and the accompanying drawings which are given by way of illustration only, and thus are not limitative of the present invention, and wherein:
a and 4b are perspective and exploded views of the pivot joint and its components as illustrated in
a, 5b, 5c are sectional views of the basic components of the pivot joint in its first extreme position;
a, 6b, 6c illustrate the same pivot joint in its intermediate position;
a, 7b, 7c illustrate the same pivot joint in its other extreme position;
As a result of this construction, the arm 7 is pivotable with respect to the adjusting ring 12 (see
The required structural cohesion of the pivot joint 6 illustrated in
On the side of the adjusting ring 12 that supports the axle ring 14 for bearing the arm 7, the end plate 33 is fastened by screw 44, the screw extends coaxially to axis 25. With the end plate 33 screwed down, the arm 7 is securely positioned at the adjusting ring 12, that is, maintaining a minimal play in relation to the adjusting ring 12, so that the arm 7 is easily pivotable around the axle ring 14, and thus around the axis 25.
On the side opposite the adjusting ring 12, the arm end 32 of arm 8 is solidly pressed against the curved surface of the adjusting ring 12 by an additional end plate 35, whereby the curved surface forms the ring bearing 13 for the rotation of arm 8, which allows the rotation of the arm end 32 due to the conical shape of the curved surface. The end plate 35 is pressed by the screw 36 in the direction of the adjusting ring 12, whereby the screw 36 is adjusted such that with a minimal friction of the arm end 32, the arm 8 is easily rotated with respect to the screw 36 extending coaxially with axis 28.
On the end plate 35, the annular dial scale 27 is fastened, that is, mounted, which is described in more detail therebelow in connection with
The adjusting ring 12 is provided with a circle of openings 20, which are described in more detail in connection with
To more clearly illustrate the design of adjusting ring 12, it is illustrated separately in an uncut side view in
In
Mounted on the axle ring 14 is the arm end 41 having a hole 29, which fits the axle ring 14, whereby the ball bearing illustrated in
On the other side of the adjusting ring 12, the projection 34 is provided, which, with the exception of the flat section 18, includes a cylindrical part, the axis of which is formed by the axis 28. The arm end 32 of arm 8 is mounted on the projection 34 by way of hole 46 made to fit the projection 34, whereby the lateral surface of the arm end 32 facing the curved surface of the adjusting ring 12 as illustrated in
By rotating the end plate 35, the adjusting ring 12 is also rotated around its axis 25, which results in a displacement of the ring bearing 13, as is necessary for the adjustment of the two arms 7 and 8 to one another, and which will be described in more detail in connection with
In order for one of the two arms 7 or 8 to receive an optional fixed adjustment to the adjusting ring 12, the end plate 35, the arm end 32, and the adjusting 12, are respectively provided with a circle of openings 20, 23 and 24, which, when properly adjusted, align these three components of the pivot joint 6 with one another, and can thus be interlocked by the driving pins 21 inserted in the openings. This locking mechanism is shown in
As illustrated in
a also shows the protective cap 39, which is made of transparent material, can be snapped onto the end plate 35, and through which the annular dial scale 27 located therebelow is readable.
In
The invention being thus described, it will be obvious that the same may be varied in many ways. Such variations are not to be regarded as a departure from the spirit and scope of the invention, and all such modifications as would be obvious to one skilled in the art are intended to be included within the scope of the following claims.
Number | Date | Country | Kind |
---|---|---|---|
10 2008 009 273 | Feb 2008 | DE | national |
Number | Name | Date | Kind |
---|---|---|---|
5885235 | Opahle et al. | Mar 1999 | A |
5938629 | Bloedau | Aug 1999 | A |
5997493 | Young | Dec 1999 | A |
6254559 | Tyrrell | Jul 2001 | B1 |
7322951 | Reinhardt | Jan 2008 | B2 |
Number | Date | Country |
---|---|---|
10 2004 008 909 | Sep 2005 | DE |
20 2005 010 491 | Dec 2006 | DE |
1 568 337 | Aug 2005 | EP |
Number | Date | Country | |
---|---|---|---|
20090216164 A1 | Aug 2009 | US |