Abstract
An orthosis joint having a base body which comprises a receptacle for a proximal component, a bearing point for a distal component which is pivotally arranged on the base body, and for stops or spring elements which are acting on the distal component. The orthosis joint also includes at least one receiving element releasably fastened to the base body and in or on which a functional element that interacts with the distal component is arranged.
Claims
1. (canceled)
12. An orthosis joint, comprising: a base body having a bearing point configured to pivotally connect a component to the orthosis joint; a receiving element releasably secured to and extends over an outer surface of the base body, the at least one receiving element having a bore; a functional element arranged at least partially within the bore and configured to interact with the component; a spring configured to apply a force to the functional element.
13. The orthosis joint as claimed in claim 12, wherein the functional element and the receiving element are provided as an integrated, modular assembly.
14. The orthosis joint as claimed in claim 12, wherein the receiving element is reversibly secured to the base body with a form fit.
15. The orthosis joint as claimed in claim 14, wherein the receiving element comprises a sleeve with at least one thread, and the form fit is a threaded connection.
16. The orthosis joint as claimed in claim 12, wherein the functional element further includes a spring assembly, damper, sensor or limit stop.
17. The orthosis joint as claimed in claim 12, further comprising a cover arranged to surround the receiving element.
18. The orthosis joint as claimed in claim 17, wherein securing the receiving element to the base body concurrently connects the cover to the base body.
19. The orthosis joint as claimed in claim 12, wherein the base further includes a rail box, the rail box is configured to receive a rail, a rail box, a foot stirrup or a foot support.
20. The orthosis joint as claimed in claim 12, further comprising a stopper mounted to the receiving element and operable to adjust a pretension of the spring.
21. The orthosis joint as claimed in claim 12, wherein the receiving element includes first and second receiving elements arranged on opposite sides of the bearing point, and first and second functional element arranged at least partially within the first and second receiving elements, respectively.
22. The orthosis joint as claimed in claim 12, wherein the receiving element extends proximally beyond a proximal outer surface of the base body.
23. An orthosis joint system, comprising: a base body, comprising: a bearing point configured to provide a pivotable interface with a component arranged on the base body; a first receiving element and a second receiving element that are interchangeably and releasably secured to and extending over an outer surface of the base body, the first receiving element having a first bore and the second receiving element having a second bore; a first functional element arranged at least partially within the first bore and configured to interact with the distal component; a second functional element arranged at least partially within the second bore and configured to interact with the distal component; a first spring operable to apply a spring force to the first functional element; a second spring operable to apply a spring force to the second functional element.
24. The orthosis joint as claimed in claim 23, wherein the first and second receiving elements are reversibly secured to the base body with a form fit.
25. The orthosis joint as claimed in claim 23, wherein the first and second receiving elements each comprise a sleeve with at least one thread.
26. The orthosis joint as claimed in claim 23, wherein the first functional element and the first receiving element being provided as a first integrated, modular assembly, and the second functional element and the second receiving element being provided as a second integrated, modular assembly.
27. The orthosis joint as claimed in claim 23, wherein the first and second receiving elements have different lengths.
28. The orthosis joint as claimed in claim 23, wherein the first and second springs have different spring rates.
29. The orthosis joint as claimed in claim 23, wherein the base body further comprises: a recess; a channel; a form-fit element arranged in the recess; wherein one of the first and second receiving elements is insertable in the recess, the form-fit element secures the one of the first and second receiving elements in the recess, and the channel leads from the recess in a distal direction t.
30. The orthosis joint as claimed in claim 23, wherein the base body includes a rail box configured to receive a rail, a rail box, a foot stirrup or a foot support.
31. An orthosis joint, comprising: a base body comprising: a receptacle to receive a first component; a slot to receive a second component pivotably coupled to the base body; at least one receiving element releasably secured to and extending proximally beyond an outer surface of the base body that faces in a proximal direction, the at least one receiving element having a bore; a functional element arranged at least partially within the bore and configured to interact with the distal component, the functional element and the at least one receiving element being provided as an integrated, modular assembly; a spring configured to apply a force to the functional element.
Description
[0022] Illustrative embodiments of the invention are explained in more detail below with reference to the attached figures, in which:
[0023] FIGS. 1-5 show various views of a base body without receiving elements;
[0024] FIG. 6 shows a variant of FIG. 1, with a limit stop channel screwed in;
[0025] FIG. 7 shows a sectional view of FIG. 6;
[0026] FIG. 8 shows an exploded view of FIG. 6;
[0027] FIG. 9 shows FIG. 8 in a sectional view;
[0028] FIG. 10 shows a sectional view according to FIG. 7, with receiving elements screwed in on both sides;
[0029] FIG. 11 shows an exploded view of FIG. 10;
[0030] FIG. 12 shows a variant of FIG. 10, with spring receptacles screwed in;
[0031] FIG. 13 shows a sectional view of FIG. 12;
[0032] FIG. 14 shows a perspective view of a base body with a sensor screwed in;
[0033] FIGS. 15 to 21 show plan views and sectional views of variants of an orthosis joint.
[0034] FIG. 1 is a plan view showing a base body 10 of an orthosis joint with a receptacle 12 for a proximal component (not shown), for example an orthosis rail, and also a bearing point 13 for receiving a pivot shaft on which a distal component (not shown) can be secured pivotably.
[0035] FIG. 2 shows the base body 10 in a view turned to the right. It will be seen that a slit 11 is formed in the base body 10, which slit 11 serves to receive the distal component. The webs of the base body 10, which are arranged on both sides of the slit 11, each have the through-bore for the pivot shaft and form the bearing point 13 for the distal component.
[0036] FIG. 3 shows the base body 10 in a sectional view with the bearing point 13 and with the two upwardly directed arms of the lateral walls 121, 122 of the receptacle 12. The receptacle 12 is designed as a trough-shaped rail box and, on the bottom wall cut away, has recesses through which form-fit elements, for example screws, can be guided in order to secure an orthosis rail to the base body 10.
[0037] On both sides of the bearing point 13, recesses 16, 17 in the form of bores are present which, at the proximal end, have form-fit elements 160, 170 that can be designed as inner threads or locking elements for a bayonet catch. Alternatively to this, the form-fit elements 160, 170 can be designed as resiliently mounted locking units. At the end of the recesses 16, lying opposite the form-fit elements 160, 170, channels 163, 173 are provided which point in the distal direction, such that a free passage to the distal component (not shown) is possible.
[0038] The free passages on both sides of the bearing point 13 can be seen as channels 163, 173 in FIGS. 4 and 5. FIG. 4 also reveals the box-shaped design of the receptacle 12 with the bottom wall and the two forwardly protruding walls 121, 122. FIG. 4 likewise shows the form-fit elements 160, 170 in the form of threads. FIG. 5 shows the continuous channels 163, 173, and likewise the slit 11 on the distal portion of the base body 10.
[0039] In FIG. 6, the base body 10 of the joint is shown with a fitted proximal component 20 in the form of an orthosis rail. The orthosis rail 20 is secured to the base body 10 via screws. In the view in FIG. 6, two receiving elements 14, 15 are secured to the base body 10 on both sides of the proximal component 20. Cladding parts 40 are arranged around the receiving elements 14, 15 in order to allow the orthosis joint to have the smoothest possible walls and a compact structure.
[0040] In FIG. 7, the base body 10 according to FIG. 6 is shown in a rotated sectional view. Here too, the two recesses 16, 17 arranged symmetrically on both sides of the bearing point 13 can be seen, which recesses 16, 17 open into the channels 163, 173. The receiving elements 14, 15 are screwed into the threads 160, 170, as shown in FIG. 3. By means of the receiving elements 14, 15 being screwed in, the two claddings 40 are also fixed on the base body.
[0041] FIG. 8 shows the variant of FIG. 6 in an exploded view. It will be seen that the claddings 40 have a configuration matching the contour of the base body 10, such that the claddings 40 supplement the outer contour. As a result of the symmetrical structure, it is possible for the two receiving elements 14, 15 of different length to be secured either in the left-hand or the right-hand recess 16, 17. In order to secure the receiving elements 14, 15, the receiving elements designed as sleeves are screwed into the threads 160, 170. For this purpose, outer threads 140, 150 are arranged on the distal ends of the receiving elements 14, 15. Shoulders are arranged on the proximal ends and are designed such that they bear on the upper edges of the claddings 40, with the result that the claddings 40 are secured on the base body 10 as the receiving elements 14, 15 are screwed in.
[0042] FIG. 9 shows FIG. 8 in a sectional view. It will be seen that the sleeve-shaped receiving elements 14, 15 have outer threads 140, 150 at the distal end. In addition, the receiving elements 14, 15 are provided with inner threads 141, 151 such that functional elements (not shown) arranged in the receiving elements 14, 15 are fixed therein and, if appropriate, can be pretensioned in the direction of the distal component. The claddings 40 have through-openings, as do the receiving elements 14, 15, such that a continuous and direct connection is present from the upper edge of the receiving elements 14, 15 to the opening of the channels 163, 173. On account of the symmetrical configuration both of the base body 12 and also of the claddings 40, it is possible to secure the respective receiving elements 14, 15 on one of the two recesses 16, 17 and to use the orthosis joint both to the left and also to the right. In the illustrative embodiment shown, the shorter receiving element 15 is provided to receive a limit stop, while the longer receiving element 14 is provided to receive a spring assembly.
[0043] FIGS. 10 and 11 show variants of FIGS. 7 and 9, in which, instead of a long receiving element 14 serving as a spring channel, two receiving elements 14, 15 of equal length and in the form of sleeves are screwed into the base body 10. Both receiving elements 14, 15 serve in the present case as a limit stop channel.
[0044] FIGS. 12 and 13 show a variant of the invention in which, instead of two limit stops being screwed in as shown in FIGS. 10 and 11, two spring channels serving as receiving elements 14, 15 are screwed into the recesses 16, 17 on both sides of the bearing point 13.
[0045] FIG. 14 shows a further variant of the invention in which, in the base body 10, a sensor 70 serving as a functional element is screwed into a recess 16. The sensor housing serves here as receiving element and has an outer thread, which is screwed into the inner thread 160 of the receptacle 16. At the distal end of the sensor 70, a ball 71 is arranged as a contact element which takes up forces from the distal component (not shown) and transmits them to the actual sensor element, which is designed for example as a pressure sensor and has a piezoresistive or capacitive action. Alternatively, the functional element 70 can be affixed to a strain gauge in order to determine whether and with what force the distal component 30 presses against the ball 71. In principle, it is also possible for sensors 70 to be installed as functional elements on both sides, so as to record sensor data in each loading direction, in the case of an orthosis joint that is pivotable to both sides from an initial position. In the case of a KAFO or AFO, it is possible in addition to detect a ground contact, the strength of the ground contact, and also a toe-off.
[0046] FIG. 15 shows an orthosis joint in two views with a base body 10 as shown in FIG. 1. An orthosis rail serving as distal component 30 is mounted pivotably on the base body 10, such that a pivotability about the bearing point 13 is provided. In the right-hand view in FIG. 15, it will be seen that the distal component 30 forms, to both sides of the bearing point 13, support surfaces 36, 37 which are assigned to the channels 163, 173 of the recesses 16, 17. It is thereby possible for functional elements, screwed into or otherwise secured in the recesses 16, 17, to be brought into direct contact with the support surfaces 36, 37 of the distal component 30.
[0047] FIG. 16 shows an illustrative embodiment in which only one receiving element 15 is screwed into the recess 17. As functional element 50, a limit stop is provided which is modifiable in position on the limit stop 50 via the inner thread 150 (not shown for reasons of clarity) and via a corresponding outer thread. It is thereby possible to adjust the maximum attainable pivot angle of the base body 10 relative to the distal component 30.
[0048] FIG. 17 shows a side view and a sectional view of a variant of the invention which corresponds to the structure in FIG. 10 with two limit stops 50 screwed in. It will be seen that both limit stops 50 rest on the support surfaces 36, 37 of the distal element 30, such that the joint does not permit relative movement.
[0049] FIG. 18 shows the variant of FIG. 12 with two screwed-in spring channels as receiving elements 14, 15. In addition, springs 60 as functional elements are arranged in each of the receiving elements 14, 15 and act on the support surfaces 36, 37 of the distal component 30 via balls 61. The pretensioning of the springs 60 can be adjusted via stoppers 142, 152 that can be screwed in.
[0050] FIG. 19 shows the variant of FIGS. 6 to 9 in the assembled state. The receiving element 14 serves to receive a spring 60, while the opposite receiving element 15 serves to receive a limit stop 50. It is thereby possible to permit a rotation about the bearing point 13 in the direction of the spring element 60, while the limit stop 50 blocks a pivoting movement of the base body 10 in the clockwise direction.
[0051] FIG. 20 shows the receiving elements 14, 15 in a longer version compared to FIG. 18. It will be seen from this that, by virtue of the modular structure, different springs 60 can be easily screwed into the base body 10 and can be fixed thereon. It is thereby possible to fit longer or stronger springs 60, if so desired by the patients.
[0052] FIG. 21 shows a combination of the embodiments of FIGS. 18 and 20, where the left-hand receiving element 14 is shorter than the right-hand receiving element, springs 60 as functional elements are arranged in both receiving elements 14, 15, such that it is possible, in different pivoting directions starting from the initial position shown, to apply different spring forces against pivoting.
