U.S. patent number RE36,521 [Application Number 08/730,210] was granted by the patent office on 2000-01-18 for connecting part between leg prosthesis components.
This patent grant is currently assigned to Otto Bock Orthopaedische Industrie Besitz - und Verwaltungs KG. Invention is credited to Christian Hiemisch.
United States Patent |
RE36,521 |
Hiemisch |
January 18, 2000 |
Connecting part between leg prosthesis components
Abstract
A connecting part of a ball joint between leg prosthesis
components with a flange intended to fasten to the one component,
the flange having an adjusting element position on it, consisting
of a cup and a four-sided pyramid positioned centrally upon its
point. To improve the adjustability of the connecting part, the
flange is a rectangular flange with four holes, upon which the
adjusting element is eccentrically positioned.
Inventors: |
Hiemisch; Christian
(Duderstadt, DE) |
Assignee: |
Otto Bock Orthopaedische Industrie
Besitz - und Verwaltungs KG (Duderstadt, DE)
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Family
ID: |
6877995 |
Appl.
No.: |
08/730,210 |
Filed: |
October 15, 1996 |
Related U.S. Patent Documents
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Application
Number |
Filing Date |
Patent Number |
Issue Date |
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Reissue of: |
041242 |
Apr 1, 1993 |
05405406 |
Apr 11, 1995 |
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Foreign Application Priority Data
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Apr 1, 1992 [DE] |
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92 04 448 U |
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Current U.S.
Class: |
623/38;
403/90 |
Current CPC
Class: |
A61F
2/76 (20130101); A61F 2002/30276 (20130101); A61F
2002/30507 (20130101); A61F 2002/5018 (20130101); A61F
2002/5096 (20130101); A61F 2220/0025 (20130101); A61F
2230/0086 (20130101); Y10T 403/32311 (20150115) |
Current International
Class: |
A61F
2/50 (20060101); A61F 2/76 (20060101); A61F
2/00 (20060101); A61F 2/60 (20060101); A61F
002/62 () |
Field of
Search: |
;623/39-42,38,43,44-46
;403/84,90,362 |
References Cited
[Referenced By]
U.S. Patent Documents
Foreign Patent Documents
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0497686 |
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Aug 1992 |
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EP |
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1584288 |
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Dec 1969 |
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FR |
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2630641 |
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Nov 1989 |
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FR |
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1922619 |
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Oct 1976 |
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DE |
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2617075 |
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Nov 1976 |
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DE |
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499982 |
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Dec 1970 |
|
CH |
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1217404 |
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Mar 1986 |
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SU |
|
1553115 |
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Mar 1990 |
|
SU |
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2087727 |
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Jun 1982 |
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GB |
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Other References
Fillauer Inc. Parts: Fillauer Inc., product brochure, Durr-Fillauer
Orthoic, Inc. product brochure, and sale invoice dated Jan. 31,
1992..
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Primary Examiner: Willse; David H.
Attorney, Agent or Firm: Foley & Lardner
Claims
What is claimed is: .[.1. A connecting part of a ball joint for
connecting first and second leg prosthesis components
comprising:
a flange adapted to be fastened to the first leg prosthesis
component; and
an adjusting element positioned on the flange, the adjusting
element including a cup and a four-sided pyramid having an apex,
the pyramid being positioned centrally upon the cup on the apex
defining a central axis;
wherein the flange is a rectangular flange having a central axis
and four holes; and
wherein the adjusting element is eccentrically set upon the flange,
that
is, wherein the central axes are substantially parallel and
offset..].2. The connecting part according to claim .[.1.].
.Iadd.5.Iaddend., wherein the adjusting element includes a central
skew
notch. 3. The connecting part according to claim 2, wherein the
central skew notch provides compensatory pre-positioning in
forward, outward,
backward, and inward directions. 4. The connecting part according
to claim 2, wherein the central skew notch provides compensatory
pre-positioning in forward/outward, outward/backward,
backward/inward, and inward/forward
directions. 5. .[.The.]. .Iadd.A .Iaddend.connecting part
.[.according to claim 1,.]. .Iadd.of a ball joint for connecting
first and second leg prosthesis components comprising:
a flange adapted to be fastened to the first leg prosthesis
component; and
an adjusting element positioned on the flange, the adjusting
element including a cup and a four-sided pyramid having an apex,
the pyramid being positioned centrally upon the cup on the apex
defining a central axis;
wherein the flange is a rectangular flange having a central axis
and four holes;
wherein the adjusting element is eccentrically set upon the flange,
that is, wherein the central axes are substantially parallel and
offset; and.Iaddend.
wherein the adjusting element and the flange are one piece. 6. The
connecting part according to claim .[.1.]. .Iadd.5.Iaddend.,
wherein each of the four holes has a central longitudinal axis
parallel to the central
axis of the flange. 7. .[.The.]. .Iadd.A .Iaddend.connecting part
.[.according to claim 6,.]. .Iadd.of a ball joint for connecting
first and second leg prosthesis components comprising:
a flange adapted to be fastened to the first leg prosthesis
component; and
an adjusting element positioned on the flange, the adjusting
element including a cup and a four-sided pyramid having an apex,
the pyramid being positioned centrally upon the cup on the apex
defining a central axis;.Iaddend.
wherein the flange .Iadd.has a central axis and four holes, and
.Iaddend.is rectangular in a plane orthogonal to the central axis
of the flange.[...]..Iadd.;.Iaddend.
.Iadd.wherein the adjusting element is eccentrically set upon the
flange, that is, wherein the central axes are substantially
parallel and offset;
wherein each of the four holes has a central longitudinal axis
parallel to the central axis of the flange; and
wherein the flange and the adjusting element are
monolithic..Iaddend..Iadd.8. A connecting part of a ball joint for
connecting first and second leg prosthesis components
comprising:
a flange having a central axis and four holes, the holes extending
through the flange; and
an adjusting element set upon the flange, the adjusting element
including a cup and a four-sided pyramid having an apex, the apex
being positioned centrally upon the cup to define an adjusting
element central axis that is substantially parallel to and offset
from the central axis of the flange;
wherein the flange and the adjusting element are contiguous;
wherein the four holes are positioned in the flange at corners of a
rectangular pattern that lies orthogonal to the central axis of the
flange..Iaddend..Iadd.9. The connecting part according to claim 8,
wherein the flange and at least a portion of the adjusting element
comprise the same material..Iaddend..Iadd.10. The connecting part
according to claim 8, wherein each of the four holes has a central
longitudinal axis parallel to the central axis of the
flange..Iaddend.
Description
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The invention relates to the connecting part of a ball joint
between leg prosthesis components with a flange, intended to attach
to one of the components, on which there is an adjusting element,
which consists of a cup and four-sided pyramid set on its point on
the center of the cup.
A corresponding embodiment can be derived from German Patent No. 19
22 619. In this case, the adjusting element composed of the cup and
the pyramid is placed exactly in the middle of the attachment
flange. By adjusting either of the two positional screws placed
opposite each other, the ball joint can be adjusted in only two
defined levels. This makes it possible, for example, to position a
leg prosthesis advantageously on the load axis.
This previously known adaptor is generally used to connect the
prosthetic substitute system to the prosthetic shaft for lower leg
stumps and short to medium-long upper leg stumps. In the case of
poor stump positioning, for example in the flexing and/or splaying
direction, which can be found in particular in the constantly
growing group of geriatric patients with amputated legs, in some
circumstances it may be necessary in designing the prosthesis to
use most of the adjustment area which is available in each
direction but which is limited by its construction, so that the
remaining adjustable area is no longer sufficient for adjustment
according to bio-mechanical criteria.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
One purpose of the invention is to improve the adjustability of the
initially described connecting part.
This purpose is accomplished in accordance with the invention by
making the flange a rectangular flange with four holes, to which
the adjusting element is eccentrically attached.
In accordance with the invention, as embodied and broadly described
herein, a connecting part of a ball joint for connecting first and
second leg prosthesis components comprises a flange adapted to be
fastened to the first leg prosthesis component; and an adjusting
element positioned on the flange, the adjusting element including a
cup and a four-sided pyramid positioned centrally upon the cup on
its point; wherein the flange is a rectangular flange having four
holes; and wherein the adjusting element is eccentrically set upon
the flange.
By rotating the rectangular four-holed flange in 90.degree.
segments around its central axis defined by the circular centering
collar, it is now possible to make a center skew notch in the
adjusting element in various directions for compensatory
pre-positioning, without having to make use of the
direction-specific adjusting field to any noticeable degree.
Various possible embodiments of the principle in accordance with
the invention, as well as the implementation will be explained in
greater detail using the explanatory examples.
Additional objects and advantages of the invention will be set
forth in the description which follows and in part will be obvious
from the description, or may be learned by practice of the
invention. The objects and advantages of the invention may be
realized and obtained by means of the instrumentalities and
combinations particularly pointed out in the appended claims.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
The accompanying drawings, which are incorporated in and constitute
a part of the specification, illustrate a presently preferred
embodiment of the invention, and, together with the general
description given above and the detailed description of the
preferred embodiment given bellow, serve to explain the principles
of the invention.
The drawings show two embodiments of the invention which serve as
examples and a state-of-the-art embodiment. The following are
shown:
FIG. 1--a connecting part in cross-section;
FIG. 2--the connecting part as in FIG. 1, from above;
FIG. 3--a modified embodiment illustrated as in FIG. 1;
FIG. 4--a top view of the embodiment illustrated in FIG. 3; and
FIG. 5--a ball joint connection between two leg prosthesis
components, known from the prior art, shown schematically in side
view and partly in longitudinal view.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
FIG. 5 shows an illustration from the previously published German
Patent No. 19 22 619. Attached to a leg prosthesis component 1 is a
flange (not illustrated in greater detail) on which an adjusting
element is placed, composed of cup 2 and a four-sided pyramid 3
positioned centrally on the cup on its point. A bushing 5 is
attached to the upper end of a second leg prosthesis component 4 in
FIG. 5 and its upper free end is constructed as ball socket 6,
which rests on cup 2 and has four boreholes in its surrounding
shell, set at 90 degrees to each other and threaded on the inside,
each with set screw 7 threaded into it, the inner end of which lies
against the attached wall of the four-sided pyramid 3.
By loosening one set screw 7 and correspondingly tightening the
opposing set screw, the adjustable ball joint can be swung in one
defined plane and, upon corresponding adjustment of the two other
set screws 7, in a second swinging plane perpendicular to the first
plane. Adjustment of the two set screws 7 illustrated in FIG. 5
thus brings about a swinging of the second leg prosthesis component
4, illustrated in the diagram, within the plane of projection in
accordance with the dot and dash illustrations. In this way, for
example, the adjustment of a leg prosthesis can be set to the load
axis. By loosening two adjacent set screws 7, the two leg
prosthesis components 1,4 can be separated, during which process
the two unloosened set screws 7 ensure that when the two components
are reconnected, the previously set angular position can be found
again. The advantage of this construction is thus that the angle of
the two leg prosthesis components 1,4 to one another is adjusted by
swinging in only two defined planes each, and that each desired
angle position can be fixed and can be found again even after the
two components have been separated.
FIGS. 1 and 2 show an embodiment in accordance with the invention
for one connecting part of the ball joint described above. The
design provides for a rectangular four-holed flange 8 on which the
adjusting element composed of the cup 2 and the pyramid 3 is
eccentrically positioned. This also applies to the modified
embodiment in accordance with the invention, as shown in FIGS. 3
and 4.
In the embodiment as in FIGS. 1 and 2, the central skew notch of
the adjusting element 2,3 which is opposite the central axis 9
defined by the circular centering collar of the flange 8, is made
on a central line parallel to two flange edges, whereas in the
embodiment in accordance with FIGS. 3 and 4 the central skew notch
is made on one of the flange diagonals 10.
By rotating the rectangular four-holed flange 8, which is identical
in the two embodiments in accordance with the invention, in
90.degree. segments around its central axis 9, it is possible to
set a central skew notch of the adjusting element 2,3 for
compensatory pre-positioning; specifically, this is forward,
outward, backward or inward in the embodiments in accordance with
FIGS. 1 and 2 and forward/outward, outward/backward,
backward/inward and inward/forward in the embodiment in accordance
with FIGS. 3 and 4. In this regard, it is especially the
flexibility of the backward and inward positions (embodiment in
accordance with FIGS. 1 and 2) or the backward/inward positions
(embodiment in accordance with FIGS. 3 and 4) that is of particular
importance for the usual treatment.
Additional advantages and modifications will readily occur to those
skilled in the art. Therefore, the invention in its broader aspects
is not limited to the specific details, and representative devices,
shown and described herein. Accordingly, various modifications may
be made without departing from the spirit or scope of the general
inventive concept as defined by the appended claims and their
equivalents.
* * * * *