HAND ORTHOSIS AND SYSTEM HAVING A HAND ORTHOSIS

Abstract

A hand orthosis having a cuff for fixing the hand orthosis to a wrist joint or a lower arm of a wearer of the hand orthosis, at least one support brace that extends radially or ulnarly next to a hand of the wearer in the direction of an extension of the lower arm, at least one carrier element arranged on the support brace, and a functional element detachable fixed to the carrier element.

Claims

1. A hand orthosis comprising: a cuff for fixing the hand orthosis to a wrist joint or a lower arm of a wearer of the hand orthosis; at least one support brace, which extends radially or ulnarly next to a hand of the wearer in a direction of an extension of the lower arm; at least one carrier element, which is arranged on the at least one support brace; a functional element is fixed to the carrier element such that the functional element can be detached.

2. The hand orthosis according to claim 1, wherein the functional element is arranged on the carrier element in a positive-locking manner.

3. The hand orthosis according to claim 1, wherein the functional element is a volar support element or a dorsal support element.

4. The hand orthosis according to claim 1, wherein the at least one support brace can be fixed on a support element in a first position or a first orientation and in at least a second position or at least a second orientation.

5. The hand orthosis according to claim 1, wherein the functional element comprises at least one corrective device.

6. The hand orthosis according to claim 1, wherein the functional element comprises a hand shell or a hand brace.

7. The hand orthosis according to claim 1, wherein the functional element comprises a training device.

8. A system with a hand orthosis according claim 1, and at least a second functional element, which can be fixed to the carrier element such that the at least the second functional element can be detached.

9. The hand orthosis according to claim 2, wherein the positive-locking manner includes clipping or plugging the functional element onto the carrier element or connecting the functional element to the carrier element with at least one Velcro element.

10. The hand orthosis according to claim 7, wherein the training device is elastically deformable.

11. A hand orthosis comprising: a cuff configured to fix the hand orthosis to a wrist joint or a lower arm of a wearer of the hand orthosis; at least one support brace configured to extend radially or ulnarly next to a hand of the wearer in a direction along a length of the lower arm; at least one carrier element arranged on the at least one support brace; a functional element detachable mounted to the carrier element.

12. The hand orthosis according to claim 11, wherein the functional element is arranged on the carrier element in a positive-locking manner.

13. The hand orthosis according to claim 12, wherein the positive-locking manner includes clipping or plugging the functional element onto the carrier element or connecting the functional element to the carrier element with at least one Velcro element.

14. The hand orthosis according to claim 11, wherein the functional element is a volar support element or a dorsal support element.

15. The hand orthosis according to claim 11, wherein the at least one support brace is mounted on a support element in a first position or a first orientation or in at least a second position or at least a second orientation.

16. The hand orthosis according to claim 11, wherein the functional element comprises at least one corrective device.

17. The hand orthosis according to claim 11, wherein the functional element comprises a hand shell or a hand brace.

18. The hand orthosis according to claim 11, wherein the functional element comprises a training device.

19. The hand orthosis according to claim 18, wherein the training device is an elastically deformable ball.

20. A system comprising: a hand orthosis according to claim 11; at least a second functional element detachably mounted to the carrier element.

Description

[0022] In the following, examples of embodiments of the present invention will be explained in more detail by way of the attached figures: They show:

[0023] FIGS. 1 to 4schematic representations of a part of a hand orthosis according to examples of embodiments of the present invention,

[0024] FIG. 5schematic representations of a part of a hand orthosis and

[0025] FIGS. 6 to 8representations of an orthosis in the applied state.

[0026] FIG. 1 depicts a part of a hand orthosis according to a first example of an embodiment of the present invention.

[0027] There is a carrier element 4 with a support brace 2, which is arranged on a sleeve not depicted here; in the example of an embodiment shown, the carrier element has a circular cross-section. The carrier element 4 is arranged in a specially provided elongated hole 6 on the support brace 2 such that it can be displaced. This allows for an adjustment of the position of the carrier element 4 relative to the hand of the wearer of the hand orthosis.

[0028] A functional element 8 is plugged onto the carrier element 4, said functional element featuring a box-shaped fixing device 10 that comprises a recess 12 which extends through the fixing device 10 and also has a circular cross-section. The fixing device 10 can be fixed to the carrier element 4 via a locking element, not depicted here, such as a screw or a clamping device.

[0029] In the example of an embodiment shown, the functional element 8 has a hand brace 14, in which, for example, a part of the hand of the wearer can be laid. At its ends, which curve upwards, are two openings 16; a belt can be threaded through each of these openings to fix the hand to the hand brace 14. Due to the circular cross-section of both the carrier element 4 and the recess 12, the hand brace 14 can also be swivelled out of the depicted volar position, in which the hand in FIG. 1 is inserted into the hand brace 14 from above, into a dorsal position. This is shown via the dashed line 18. In this position, the functional element 8 can also be fixed to the carrier element 4 by means of the fixing device 10. In this case, the hand brace 14 is placed on the back of the hand of the wearer from above.

[0030] FIG. 2 shows an alternative configuration. Here, the carrier element 4 is also designed with a circular cross-section and can be displaced in the elongated hole 6 of the support brace 2. In this case, the functional element 8 is designed with corrective devices 20. Such a corrective device features a pin 22, which is arranged on a base plate 24; each pin acts as a carrier for one corrective wire 26. A corrective wire 26 does not necessarily refer to a wire made of metal, even though this represents one possible configuration. The corrective wire 26 may also be designed to be a thread or a cable or another tension element. The corrective wire 26 is preferably designed to be elastic. One end of the corrective wire is fixed to the base plate 24, while in the example of an embodiment shown a finger cap 28 is situated at the respective other end of the corrective wire 26, wherein said finger cap can be pulled over one of the fingers 30. In this case, a tensile force is exerted via the corrective wire 36 on the finger tip of the finger 30 on which the finger cap 28 is situated, thereby preventing or at least restricting a movement of the finger 30.

[0031] FIG. 3 shows another configuration. Here, the carrier element 4 is also designed with a circular cross-section and is positioned in the elongated hole 6 on the support brace 2 such that it can be displaced. The support brace 2 is arranged on a support element 32 and can be brought into different orientations via a swivel joint 34. In the example of an embodiment shown, the functional element 8 is designed as a support plate 36. It is arranged dorsally on the hand and comprises finger sleeves, through which the individual fingers can be arranged on the support plate 36.

[0032] FIG. 4 depicts a further example of an embodiment. In the example of an embodiment shown, the functional element 8 is a training ball 40, which is preferably designed to be elastic and serves to train the hand. The carrier element 4 and the support brace 2 are designed in the same way as in the other examples of embodiments.

[0033] Both representations in FIG. 5 depict a three-dimensional schematic view of a part of the hand orthosis. The carrier element 4 is arranged at the end of the support brace 2 in which the elongated hole 6 is situated. The carrier element is designed to be curved and can be completely removed from the elongated hole 6 and inserted in the reverse orientation. This renders it especially easy to distinguish between a hand orthosis for the right side and one for the left. The hand orthosis features a shell element 42, on which loops 44 are arranged, through which the beltsnot depicted hereare guided in order to attach the hand orthosis to the lower arm of the wearer. Together with the shell element, these form the cuff of the hand orthosis. In the example of an embodiment shown, the shell element 42 comprises two parts which can be displaced relative to one another. By displacing the two parts relative ro one another, the length can be adjusted.

[0034] FIGS. 6 to 8 show an orthosis in the applied state. It features a hand orthosis 46 according to an example of an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 6 shows that the orthosis comprises a shoulder section 48, which is arranged via a strap 50 on the torso of the wearer. The shoulder section features an upper arm cuff 52, at the lower end of which two connecting straps 54 are arranged on which the hand orthosis 46 is situated. Said hand orthosis comprises several straps 56, which are arranged on the shell element 42 and, together with this shell element, form the cuff. In the example of an embodiment shown, the support brace 2 extends ulnarly next to the hand in the direction of an extension of the lower arm of the wearer; the carrier element 4, not depicted in FIG. 6, is situated on said support brace. FIGS. 7 and 8 depict enlarged detailed representations from different perspectives. In FIG. 7, the two connecting straps 54 can be clearly recognized, by way of which the hand orthosis 46 is arranged on the upper arm cuff 52. The shell element 42 comprises a length adjustment unit 58 so as to enable the optimal length for the length of the lower arm of the wearer to be set. In the example of the embodiment shown, the support brace 2, which extends as an extension of the lower arm, is arranged on the shell element 42 via a hinge joint 60 in order to enable an optimal angular adjustment at this point as well. In FIG. 8, it is also clear that the shell element 42 is connected to the connecting straps 54 via a press stud 62. As a result, it is especially easy to detach the hand orthosis 46 from the upper arm cuff 52 of the shoulder section 48.

REFERENCE LIST

[0035] 2 support brace [0036] 4 carrier element [0037] 6 elongated hole [0038] 8 functional element [0039] 10 fixing device [0040] 12 recess [0041] 14 hand brace [0042] 16 opening [0043] 18 dashed line [0044] 20 corrective device [0045] 22 pin [0046] 24 base plate [0047] 26 corrective wire [0048] 28 finger cap [0049] 30 finger [0050] 32 support element [0051] 34 swivel joint [0052] 36 support plate [0053] 38 finger sleeve [0054] 40 training ball [0055] 42 shell element [0056] 44 loop [0057] 46 hand orthosis [0058] 48 shoulder section [0059] 50 strap [0060] 52 upper arm cuff [0061] 54 connecting strap [0062] 56 strap [0063] 58 length adjustment unit [0064] 60 hinge joint [0065] 62 press stud