Abstract
An adjusting device for adjustably securing at least two orthotic components to each other. The adjusting device includes a first holder which has a first fastening element for securing a first orthotic component, and a second holder which has a second fastening element for securing to a second orthotic component. The holders are mounted such that they can be moved in relation to each other and secured to each other in at least two orientations.
Claims
1. An adjusting device for adjustably securing at least two orthotic components to one another, the adjusting device comprising: a first holder which has a first fastening device for securing a first orthotic component; a second holder which has a second fastening device for securing to a second orthotic component, the first and second holders being mounted to be mutually displaced and mutually fixed in at least two orientations.
2. The adjusting device as claimed in claim 1, wherein each holder has a main support on which at least one coupling portion is in each case disposed or configured, wherein and the at least one coupling portion protrudes from the main support.
3. The adjusting device as claimed in claim 2, wherein the at least one coupling portion protrudes orthogonally or at an obtuse angle from the main support.
4. The adjusting device as claimed in claim 2, wherein the at least one coupling portion for each holder includes two mutually opposite coupling portions that are in each case configured on or fastened to the main support.
5. The adjusting device as claimed in claim 4, wherein the coupling portions of the first holder have mutually facing internal faces having a clearance therebetween, and the coupling portions of the second holder have external sides facing away from one another, and a spacing of the external sides of the second coupling portions of the second holder correspond to the clearance between the internal faces.
6. The adjusting device as claimed in claim 4, wherein the coupling portions for each holder are mounted on the main support so as to be able to be at least one of mutually displaced and/or fixed in terms of their mutual spacing.
7. The adjusting device as claimed in claim 6, wherein the coupling portions for each holder are preloaded in a direction toward one another.
8. The adjusting device as claimed in claim 2, wherein at least one of slots or recesses are configured in the coupling portions and guides are disposed on the coupling portions, the respective other coupling portion being mounted so as to be displaceable in the slots or recesses or on the guides.
9. The adjusting device as claimed in claim 8, wherein at least one of the recesses, slots and guides are oriented in a longitudinal extent or transverse extent of the coupling portions.
10. The adjusting device as claimed in claim 9, characterized in wherein the at least one of the recesses, slots and/or guides of each holder are aligned in only one orientation, and the at least one of the recesses, slots or guides on different coupling portions are mutually oriented in a different manner.
11. The adjusting device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the holders are mounted on one another so as to be mutually rotatable.
12. The adjusting device as claimed in claim 2, wherein the coupling portions have curvatures which are configured so as to be mutually corresponding.
13. The adjusting device as claimed in claim 12, wherein the coupling portions are configured as lateral sub-surfaces, or comprise lateral sub-surfaces, and the main supports are mounted so as to be rotatable about a common axis.
14. The adjusting device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the fastening device is configured as a form-fit element or as a force-fit element.
15. The adjusting device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the fastening device is mounted on the main support so as to be displaceable in at least one of recesses, slots and/or guides.
16. The adjusting device as claimed in claim 1, wherein one of the components is configured as an orthotic brace.
17. The adjusting device as claimed in claim 1, wherein one of the components is configured as a support shell or a receptacle for a limb or the torso.
18. The adjusting device as claimed in claim 2, further comprising alignment markings or graduations are disposed or configured on at least one of the coupling portions and on the main support.
19. The adjusting device as claimed in claim 1, further comprising locking elements which mutually fix the holders and are disposed on the holders.
20. The adjusting device as claimed in claim 19, wherein the locking elements are configured as at least one of screws, a thread with a nut, a clamping element, a toggle, and a wedge.
21. The adjusting device as claimed in claim 19, wherein the locking elements are guided in the guides, slots or recesses of the coupling elements.
22. An orthosis having at least two orthotic components and an adjusting device as claimed in claim 1.
Description
[0020] Exemplary embodiments of the invention will be explained in more detail by means of the appended figures. The same reference signs refer to identical components. In the figures:
[0021] FIG. 1shows a lateral view and a plan view of an adjusting device in an initial position;
[0022] FIG. 2shows a lateral view according to FIG. 1, having an adjusting device which is repositioned along an orthotic brace;
[0023] FIG. 3shows a lateral view and a plan view of an orthotic component displaced along a main support;
[0024] FIG. 4shows a lateral view and a plan view of an adjusting device according to FIG. 3 which has been adjusted in terms of depth;
[0025] FIG. 5shows a lateral view and a plan view of an adjusting device which has been adjusted in terms of angle;
[0026] FIG. 6shows a frontal view of a leg orthosis;
[0027] FIG. 7shows a lateral view of an orthosis according to FIG. 6;
[0028] FIG. 8shows a plan view of an orthosis according to FIG. 6;
[0029] FIG. 9shows three illustrations of a first variant of an adjusting device;
[0030] FIG. 10shows three illustrations of a variant of FIG. 9 having a displaced first component;
[0031] FIG. 11shows a variant of FIG. 9 having a displaced fastening device;
[0032] FIG. 12shows a variant of FIG. 11 having displaced holders; and
[0033] FIG. 13shows a variant of FIG. 12 having mutually rotated holders.
[0034] FIG. 1 shows two views of an adjusting device for adjustably securing two orthotic components of which only a first orthotic component 1 is shown in the form of an orthotic brace. The adjusting device has two holders 10, 20 and in FIG. 1 is shown in a lateral view in the upper illustration and shown in a plan view in the lower illustration. The first holder 10 is constructed in two parts and has a main support 11 which is configured so as to be substantially rectilinear and from which two coupling portions 12 protrude orthogonally. The main support 11 of the first holder 10 is configured in two parts and has a first part 11a in which guides 110, for example pins, of the second part 11b are received. The second part 11b is guided along said guides 110 so as to be longitudinally displaceable relative to the first part 11a such that the spacing between the two coupling portions 12 of the first holder 10 can be set. The two parts 11a, 11b can be preloaded toward one another by way of magnets, springs, or similar devices (not illustrated) such that the two parts 11a, 11b are at all times moved back to an initial position and are loaded with a force in the direction toward the initial position. The first holder 10 is configured so as to be U-shaped in plan view and on the main support 11 has fastening devices 11 in the forms of bores for screw receptacles. The fastening devices 31 serve for securing a second orthotic component on the first holder 10.
[0035] It can be seen in the lower illustration of FIG. 1 that the second holder 20 is constructed so as to correspond substantially to the first holder 10 and has a main support 21 as well as two coupling portions 22 which protrude orthogonally from said main support 21. The second support 20 is embodied in one part and disposed within the first holder 10 between the coupling portions 12 thereof. The two main supports 11, 21 bear on one another; the respective coupling portions 12, 22 being aligned in the same direction. The second holder 20 is also configured so as to be U-shaped and is likewise produced from a metallic material. The two coupling portions 22 protrude orthogonally from the main support 21. A fastening device 32 for the orthotic brace 1 is disposed on the main support 21 between the coupling elements 22. The fastening device 32 is mounted so as to be longitudinally displaceable within two recesses 210 along the longitudinal extent of the main support 21, only one recess 210 of said two recesses 210 being visible. The second recess 210 is obscured by the second fastening device 32. Two guide pins 210 are mounted in the respective slot-shaped guides 210 and can be fixed in a clamping manner in the guides 210 by way of hex socket screws 326.
[0036] The brace 1 per se is held in a force-fitting manner between a U-shaped holder 320 and a clamping plate 321 by way of two screws 328, and within the second fastening device 32 can be displaced in a stepless manner along the longitudinal extent of the brace 1. The displacement capability is indicated by the double arrow in the upper illustration of FIG. 1. On account of the clamping fastening, the position of the adjusting device having the two holders 10, 20 can be set in a stepless manner along the longitudinal extent of the brace 1.
[0037] It can be seen in the upper illustration of FIG. 1 that the coupling portions 12, 22 have a curved shape. The coupling portions 12, 22 are shaped as lateral sub-surfaces such that the two holders 10, 20 can be pivoted in a mutually relative manner about a central pivot axis. To this end, guides in the form of recesses are disposed within the second holder 20 in the exemplary embodiment illustrated, the longitudinal extent of said recesses running orthogonally to the longitudinal extent of the coupling portions 22. This functional mode will be explained in more detail later. Locking elements 40 in the form of threaded bolts are disposed within the guides, mutual securing of the holders 10, 20 in a clamping manner being able to take place by way of said locking elements 40.
[0038] FIG. 2 shows the locking device according to FIG. 1 in a height-adjusted state in which the brace 1 has been displaced upward within the fastening device 32. The adjusting device is thus repositioned downward relative to the first orthotic component 1 and is fixed therein in a clamping manner by way of the screws 328. It can be seen in FIG. 2 that a clearance 14 is configured between the outer coupling portions 12, the second holder 20 by way of the coupling portions 22 being disposed within said clearance 14. The curved external surfaces or external sides 23 of the coupling portions 22 of the second holder 10 bear on the correspondingly curved internal surfaces or internal sides 13 of the coupling portions 12 of the first holder, specifically such that the holders 10, 20 in a state not fixed by a locking element 40 can slide into one another and along one another.
[0039] The locking elements 40 have a bolt with a head 41 and a nut 42, by way of which the coupling portions 12, 22 of the holders 10, 20 can be mutually fixed in a clamping manner.
[0040] The adjusting device in FIG. 3 is illustrated in a lateral view in the upper illustration and in a plan view in the lower illustration. The second fastening device 32 is displaced from the position according to FIG. 2 to the right along the guides 210. It can be seen in FIG. 3 that a second guide 210 is guided in the main support 21 of the second holder 20. The two guides 210 are disposed on different levels and so as to be mutually offset in the main support 21 such that a displacement can take place across the entire length of the main support 21. The fastening device 32 can thus be displaced across the entire internal spacing of the coupling portions 22 between the two coupling portions 22 of the second holder 20. The double arrow on the first holder 10 indicates the displacement capability of the second part 11b. The locking elements 40 can be permanently secured on the second holder 20 by way of the nut 42 and the bolt with the screw head 41.
[0041] FIG. 4 shows a further variant of the invention in which longitudinal guides 121 are incorporated within the first coupling portions 12 of the first holder 10 such that the second holder 20 can be displaced along the longitudinal extent of the coupling portions 12. The displacement capability is indicated by the double arrow.
[0042] The spacing between the main supports 11, 12 can be varied and set on account of the mounting of the second holder 20 in the longitudinal guides along the coupling portions 12 in the first holder 10. It is possible for the desired mutual position of the holders 10, 20, and thus also of the two orthotic components 1, 2 in each case to be set by tightening the locking elements 40.
[0043] FIG. 5 in a lateral view in the upper illustration and in a plan view in the lower illustration shows the adjusting device in a position in which the holders 10, 20 are mutually rotated. Guides which cannot be seen and in which the screw heads 41 slide along are incorporated within the coupling portions 22 of the second holder 20 so as to be perpendicular to the longitudinal extent of said coupling portions 22. The screw heads 41 are guided in grooves within the coupling portions 22 such that said screw heads 41 do not project beyond the internal surfaces of the coupling portions 22. It can be seen in the upper illustration of FIG. 5 that the two holders 10, 20 are mutually pivoted about a pivot axis A. The surfaces 23, 13 of the respective coupling portions 22, 12 that are provided with an identical radius and slide on one another bear on one another; the main supports 11, 21 are mutually tilted on account of which the first holder 10 can be pivoted relative to the second support 20 and thus also relative to the orthotic brace 1 which is assembled on the second holder 20. The longitudinal guides 121 within the first coupling portions 12 of the first holder 10 can be seen in the lower illustration of FIG. 5, the locking elements 40 being able to be guided along said longitudinal guides 121. The guides 121 are configured as slots and have encircling depressions within which the nuts 42 are guided along.
[0044] The adjusting device according to FIGS. 1 to 5 by way of the longitudinal guides 121 in the first coupling portions 12 thus enables a mutual adjustment of the two holders 10, 20 along the longitudinal extent of the respective coupling portions 11, 21, and by way of the guides within the coupling portions 22 of the second holder 20 rotation about the pivot axis A, said guides within the coupling portions 22 running so as to be orthogonal to the longitudinal extent of the first guides 121 and orthogonal to the longitudinal extent of the coupling portions 22. Moreover, a displacement capability of the first component 1 within the two coupling portions 22 of the second holder 20 along the guides 210 is possible by way of the fastening device 32. Additionally, the orthotic brace 1 can be displaced within the clamping mounting of the fastening device 32 so that a total of three translatory degrees of freedom and one rotary degree of freedom are covered by the adjusting device such that manifold mutual setting possibilities of the components, for example between an orthotic brace and a receptacle shell, are enabled by the adjusting device.
[0045] A leg orthosis having a thigh brace, a lower leg brace, and a foot part is illustrated in a frontal view in FIG. 6. The foot part by way of an artificial ankle joint is pivotably mounted on the lower leg brace; the lower leg brace is pivotably mounted on the thigh brace by way of an orthotic knee joint. The respective orthotic brace represents the first orthotic component 1 which has already been illustrated in FIGS. 1 to 5 and explained in the context thereof. The adjusting device having the two holders 10, 20 can be displaced along the longitudinal extent of the respective orthotic brace 1 by releasing the screws of the second fastening device 32 and subsequently fixed again in a stepless manner at the desired height. The two longitudinal guides 121 in the first holder 10, by way of which a spacing of the in each case second component 2 from the orthotic brace 1 can be set, can be seen in the frontal view. The second orthotic component 2 in the exemplary embodiment illustrated is in each case a receptacle shell for a limb, here a thigh receptacle shell and a lower leg receptacle shell. The respective receptacle shell 2 is secured on the thigh, or on the lower leg, respectively, by way of fastening devices (not illustrated) such as belts or buckles such that a coupling between the limb and the functional component of the orthosis, specifically the guide rails 1 having the joints and optionally a resistance device, the latter being electronically controlled, can be established. The in each case second component 2 is coupled to and secured on the first holder 10 by way of the first fastening device 31 in the form of screws or screw bores. It can be gathered from FIG. 6 that the holders 10, 20 are mutually tilted. The tilting is more clearly shown in FIG. 7. The first holder 20 is oriented so as to be substantially horizontal, that is to say that the main support 10 has an upper edge which runs so as to be substantially horizontal. To this end, the upper edge of the first main support 11 of the first holder 10 is tilted in a counter-clockwise manner by approx. 20, this corresponding approximately to the maximum tilting angle about the common axis A. Two adjusting devices having in each case two holders 10, 20 are disposed in the orthosis so as to align the receptacle shells 2 relative to the orthotic braces 1 and to one another, and to enable optimized adapting to the patient.
[0046] The orthosis having the thigh brace 1, a total of four holders 10, 20, as well as the two second orthotic components 2 in the form of receptacle shells, is illustrated in a plan view in FIG. 8.
[0047] FIG. 9 shows three illustrations of a variant of the invention in a frontal view, a plan view, and a rear view. The same reference signs refer to identical components. The fundamental construction of the adjusting device corresponds to that illustrated in FIG. 1. To this extent, the explanations pertaining to the latter apply in analogous manner. As opposed to the embodiment according to FIG. 1, the holders 10, 20 are not equipped with coupling portions 12, 22 which are oriented at a right angle to a main support 11, 21, but between the main support 11, 21 and the coupling portions 12, 22 have an angle which is larger than 90 and forms an obtuse angle. The angle between the main support 11, 21 and the respective coupling portions 12, 22 is preferably configured in an angular range between 91 and 130. By virtue of the design embodiment of the first holder 10 in two parts it is possible for the main support 11 of the first holder 10 to be varied in terms of the length thereof. The main support 11 of the first holder 10 is illustrated at the maximum length thereof in FIG. 9; the second holder 10 by way of the main support 21 thereof bears on the main support 11 of the first holder 10. The second fastening device 32, when viewed in the frontal view and in the plan view, is situated to the extreme left within the recesses 210 in the second holder 20. The first orthotic component 1 in the form of a brace is held in a clamping manner in the second fastening device 32. The screws 328 prevents a displacement capability of the first orthotic component 1 in the longitudinal extent thereof, toward the top or the bottom in the upper illustration of FIG. 9. This is indicated by the double arrows at the screws 328. The screws 326 secure the second fastening device 32 on the second holder 20. The second fastening device 32 is mounted so as to be displaceable to the right and the left in the recesses 210 and by releasing and tightening the screws 326 can be displaced and fixed in a clamping manner in any arbitrary position between the extreme left position, as illustrated in FIG. 9, and an extreme right illustration, as shown in FIG. 11.
[0048] The distance between the main supports 11, 21 can be realized by repositioning the second holder 20 relative to the first holder 10 along the recesses 121 in the two coupling portions 12 of the first support 10. Releasable and stepless setting along the recesses 121 can be performed by way of the locking elements 40 having the head 41 and the nut 42. The second holder 20 in the illustration according to FIG. 9 is in a position of maximum proximity to the first holder 10.
[0049] FIG. 10 shows a variant of FIG. 9, in which the first orthotic component 1 in the form of an orthotic brace is displaced within the second fastening device 32. For example, setting the height of the second orthotic component, which is not illustrated, relative to the first orthotic component 1 is possible by way of this displacement and fixing by the screws 326.
[0050] FIG. 11 shows a further variant of the invention in which the second fastening device 32 has been displaced to the extreme right, when viewed in the frontal view and the plan view. It can be seen that the left recess 210 is disposed above the first recess 210 which can be seen in FIGS. 9 and 10.
[0051] FIG. 12 shows a variant of FIG. 11, in which it can be seen, in particular in the plan view, thus in the illustration in the center of FIG. 12, that the second holder 20 is in a position of maximum remoteness with respect to the main supports 11, 21. The two parts 11a, 11b of the holder 10, by virtue of the inclined position of the coupling portions 12, 22 relative to the respective main support 11, 21 are moved toward one another in a longitudinal displacement of the second holder 20 along the recess 121 in the coupling portions 12 of the first support 10, and said two parts 11a, 11b at a maximum distance of the main supports 11, 21 are situated in a state of maximum proximity and may bear on one another. The first fastening device 31 can thus be adjusted in terms of depth relative to the second fastening device 32; the first orthotic component 1 can thus be repositioned in a second direction or orientation in relation to the second orthotic component 2. The directions of movement are indicated by the double arrows in FIG. 12. The two orthotic components 1, 2 can be mutually displaced or repositioned in different directions which are oriented so as to be mutually perpendicular.
[0052] An adjusting device which has been adjusted in angular terms similar to that in FIG. 5 is shown in FIG. 13. Recesses 221 in the form of tips which, conjointly with the radiused design embodiment of the external side 23 of the coupling portions 22 and the radiused internal side 13 of the coupling portions 12, enable a pivoting movement about an axis which is perpendicular to the sheet plane are configured in the second holder 20 in the two coupling portions 22. The potential pivoting movement is indicated by the curved double arrow in the upper illustration. When the second orthotic component 2 is firmly fastened to the first fastening device 31, repositioning in all three translatory degrees of freedom and rotating about one degree of freedom can thus be overall achieved such that the orthotic components 1, 2 can be rapidly, simply and steplessly mutually aligned and adapted to the respective patient. As an alternative to a stepless and clamping adjustment of the holders 10, 20 or of the fastening devices 31, 32 relative to one another, graduated repositioning movements having form-fitting locking mechanisms by way of latching devices can also be configured.
