TECHNICAL ORTHOPAEDIC DEVICE FOR SUPPORTING AN EXTREMITY OF A PATIENT

Abstract

A technical orthopedic device for supporting an extremity of a wearer. The technical orthopedic device includes at least one support element, on which the extremity rests when the technical orthopedic device is applied. The support element features a support structure and a contact element. The contact element includes or is made of a flat, flexible, preferably elastic material. The contact element is fixed to the support structure in such a way that a gap is created between the contact element and the support structure.

Claims

1. A device for supporting an extremity of a wearer, the device comprising: at least one support element on which the extremity rests when the device is applied, the at least one support element comprising: a support structure; a contact element made of a flat, flexible material, wherein the contact element is fixed to the support structure in such a way that the contact element creates a gap between the contact element and the support structure.

2. The device according to claim 1, wherein the contact element is fixed to the support structure at at least three fixing points or at a circumferential fixing point of the support structure.

3. The device according to claim, wherein the contact element is made at least partially from a material that is permeable to air.

4. The device according to claim 1, wherein the contact element is at least partially made of a foil, a mesh, a textile such as an air-permeable fabric, a perforated padding material such as a foam or an elastomer, or an auxetic material.

5. The device according to claim 2, wherein the support structure is or comprises a plastic component, a metal component or a component made of a fiber composite, and the fixing points protrude from the rest of the support structure.

6. The device according to claim 1, wherein the contact element is fixed to the support structure such that the contact element can be detached.

7. The device according to claim 1, wherein a distance between different ones of the fixing points can be adjusted.

8. The device according to claim 1, wherein the device comprises at least one actuator operable to change a distance between the different fixing points.

9. The device according to claim 1, wherein the at least one support element includes first and second support elements, the second support element arranged on a side of the extremity that faces away from the first support element when the device is applied to the extremity.

10. The device according to claim 1, wherein the device is a technical orthopedic device, the technical orthopaedic device including at least one of an orthosis, a mounting device, a rehabilitation device, or an exoskeleton.

11. The device according to claim 2, wherein the at least three fixing points includes at least six fixing points

12. The device according to claim 3, wherein the contact element is made completely from a material that is permeable to air.

13. The device according to claim 4, wherein the contact element is completely made of a foil, a mesh, a textile, a perforated padding material, or an auxetic material.

14. The device according to claim 5, wherein the fixing points protrude from the rest of the support structure in the form of tabs.

15. The device according to claim 7, wherein the distance between different ones of the fixing points can be adjusted using a cable system or a traction system.

16. The device according to claim 8, wherein the actuator is a driven actuator.

17. A device for supporting an extremity of a wearer, comprising: at least one support element to support the extremity when the device is applied to the extremity, the support element comprising: a support structure; a contact element comprising a flat, flexible, elastic material, the contact element being coupled to the support structure; a gap provided between the contact element and the support structure.

18. The device according to claim 17, wherein the contact element is coupled to the support structure at at least three fixing points or at a circumferential fixing point on a circumferential edge of the support structure.

19. The device according to claim 11, wherein the contact element is made at least partially from a material that is permeable to air.

20. The device according to claim 11, wherein the contact element is at least partially made of a foil, a mesh, a textile, a perforated padding material, or an auxetic material.

Description

[0019] In the following, examples of embodiments of the present invention will be explained in more detail by way of the attached figures: They show

[0020] FIG. 1-the schematic depiction of a part of a device according to a first example of an embodiment of the present invention with two sectional representations,

[0021] FIG. 2-a device in the form of an arm orthosis,

[0022] FIG. 3-the schematic depiction of an applied device according to another example of an embodiment of the present invention,

[0023] FIGS. 4 and 5-the schematic representations of another embodiment in the opened and closed state,

[0024] FIGS. 6 and 7-schematic side and sectional representations of a part of a device according to a further example of an embodiment of the present invention,

[0025] FIGS. 8 and 9-schematic representations of a device according to another example of an embodiment of the present invention.

[0026] The upper part of FIG. 1 contains a schematic 3D view of a support element 2 for a device according to a first example of an embodiment of the present invention. The support element features a contact element 4 that is fixed to a support structure 8 at six fixing points 6. The individual fixing points 6 are arranged as separate components on the rest of the support structure 8. The lower part of FIG. 1 depicts the two sectional representations along the lines A-A and B-B.

[0027] The left-hand lower part of FIG. 1 depicts the sectional representation along the line A-A. The support structure 8, which is curved in this section, can be recognized; the fixing points 6 are situated at the upper ends of said support structure. The contact element 4 is arranged at these ends. The right-hand lower part of FIG. 1 depicts the sectional representation along the line B-B. The support structure 8 can also be recognized here; however, in this section representation, it is curved the other way. There are also two fixing points 6 at the end, on which the contact element 4 is arranged. If an extremity, such as an arm of a wearer, is now inserted into the support element 2 according to FIG. 1, the contact element 4 can optimally adapt to the geometric shapes and contours of the extremity. The fixing points 6 are preferably arranged on projections 10 of the support structure 8, such that an elasticity is achieved to at least a small extent; however, such an elasticity is preferably already achieved as a result of the material of the support structure 8 itself.

[0028] FIG. 2 features a representation of a device that is arranged on an arm 12 of a wearer 14. The device has two support elements 2, one of which is arranged on the upper arm and the other on the lower arm of the wearer 14. The two are connected to one another via splints 16 and a joint 18 between said splints.

[0029] The two contact elements 4 can be seen, which are again designed as mesh structures and rest on the arm 12 of the wearer 14. The support structure 8 features projections 10, on which the fixing points 6 are situated.

[0030] The outer contours of the upper arm and lower arm of the wearer 14 are depicted with a dashed line 20. It is clear that they are situated at a distance to the support structure 8, so that the arm 12 of the wearer 14 does not come into contact with any potentially rigid or stiff components of the support elements 2. The only contact on this side of the respective arm 12 is preferably with the contact element 4. The device is held on the wearer 14 via straps 22.

[0031] FIG. 3 shows another embodiment of a device, which has a support element 2 that again features the support structure 8 with the projections 10 and the fixing points 6, on which the actual contact element 4, again in the form of a mesh-like structure, is arranged. The device according to FIG. 3 comprises a lever element 24 that is connected via a joint 26 to a force transmission device 28, which transmits a force to be applied to a belt element 30 and thus to the wearer 14. A force application element 32 is situated between the lever element 24 and the force transmission element 28, wherein said force application element can be used to apply a force to the lever element 24 and therefore to the support element 2.

[0032] FIG. 4 depicts the support structure 8 with the attached contact element 4 in another configuration according to the present invention. The contact element 4 is arranged on the support structure 8 via the fixing points 6. The device also has two shell elements 36, between which an activation element 38 is arranged. An arm 12 of the wearer is also schematically depicted. This arm 12 can be inserted from above through the opening between the two shell elements 36. To this end, it is being moved downwards in FIG. 4, thereby coming into contact with the activation element 38, whose end zones 40 are attached to the shell element 36. If the arm 12 from the situation depicted in FIG. 4 is moved further downwards, a downward force is exerted on the activation element 38, this force ensuring that the two shell elements 36 swivel around about joints 42.

[0033] This results in the situation shown in FIG. 5. The arm 12 is almost completely surrounded by the activation element 38. As a result of its downward movement, it has swivelled the two shell elements 36 about the joints 42, thereby closing the arrangement.

[0034] FIGS. 6 and 7 depict the views of a device from FIG. 1 according to another example of an embodiment of the present invention, which is different to the configuration shown in FIG. 1. The contact element 4 is fixed to the support structure 8 at six fixing points 6. In the lower two sectional representations of FIG. 6 in particular, a brace element 44 can be seen, which connects the contact element 4 and the support structure 8 at another point. This changes the shape of the contact element 4 at this point and results in a relief of strain at the specific point.

[0035] FIG. 7 shows the same views of part of another configuration of the present invention. In the example of an embodiment shown, electrodes 46 are inserted into the contact element 4, wherein said electrodes come into contact with the skin of the wearer when the device is applied and can thus direct, for instance, electrical signals away from the skin or to the skin. Alternatively or additionally, sensors can be used that should come into contact with the skin. The electrical signals are directed to the electrode 46 or away from the electrode 46 via schematically depicted electrical lines 48.

[0036] FIGS. 8 and 9 show a configuration of the present invention, the width of which is adjustable. FIG. 8 features an arm 12 that is to be inserted into a support element 2 according to an example of an embodiment of the present invention. As in the previous examples of an embodiment shown, the contact element 4 is arranged on the support structure 8 via fixing points 6. In the example of an embodiment shown, the length of this support structure 8 is adjustable. A first component 50 comprises a row of teeth 52 with which a ratchet element 54 of a second component 56 can engage. While in FIG. 8 the distance between the two illustrated fixing points 6 is too small to accommodate the arm 12, this has been changed in FIG. 9. The arm 12 fits between the two fixing points 6, as the ratchet element 54 engages in another tooth of the row of teeth 52.

REFERENCE LIST:

[0037] 2 support element [0038] 4 contact element [0039] 6 fixing point [0040] 8 support structure [0041] 10 projection [0042] 12 arm [0043] 14 wearer [0044] 16 splint [0045] 18 joint [0046] 20 dashed line [0047] 22 strap [0048] 24 lever element [0049] 26 joint [0050] 28 force transmission device [0051] 30 belt element [0052] 32 force application element [0053] 36 shell element [0054] 38 activation element [0055] 40 end zone [0056] 42 joint [0057] 44 brace element [0058] 46 electrode [0059] 48 electrical line [0060] 50 first component [0061] 52 row of teeth [0062] 54 ratchet element [0063] 56 second component