U.S. patent number RE37,209 [Application Number 08/406,772] was granted by the patent office on 2001-06-05 for extension deceleration orthosis.
Invention is credited to David Ellis Hensley, Bradley Russell Kielman.
United States Patent |
RE37,209 |
Hensley , et al. |
June 5, 2001 |
Extension deceleration orthosis
Abstract
An extension deceleration orthotic fulcrum for knee and elbow
braces, which simulates performance of the function of those
ligaments that control joint motion and .[.provide.].
.Iadd.provides .Iaddend.anteroposterior joint stability, comprising
a lightweight, external spring assembly, upper and lower elongated
arms, and a centric or polycentric fulcrum, which is adjustable for
its range of motion, adaptable for use on many different style
orthoses, and whose strength can be varied to suit corrective,
preventive, anthropomorphic, environmental, and usage requirements,
including means both for mechanically dampening the limb's angular
velocity on extension to prevent hyperextension and for
accelerating the limb's angular velocity on flexion to enable
quicker, smoother, less stressful motion. In one embodiment spring
rods are assembled medially and laterally to conventional pairs of
elongated orthotic brace arms to span the joint fulcrum point by
serpentinely engaging novel roller posts, the assemblage thus
serving to decelerate the limb during the last 15 to 20 degrees of
extension, to help prevent the striking of a stop with its
attendant risk of hyperextension, and thus serving to use the
stored energy of the spring to facilitate flexion of the limb.
Inventors: |
Hensley; David Ellis (Kirland,
WA), Kielman; Bradley Russell (Kirland, WA) |
Family
ID: |
27500123 |
Appl.
No.: |
08/406,772 |
Filed: |
March 16, 1995 |
Related U.S. Patent Documents
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Application
Number |
Filing Date |
Patent Number |
Issue Date |
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243554 |
May 16, 1994 |
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959452 |
Oct 8, 1992 |
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444782 |
Dec 1, 1989 |
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Reissue of: |
260943 |
Oct 21, 1988 |
04865024 |
Sep 12, 1989 |
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Current U.S.
Class: |
602/26 |
Current CPC
Class: |
A61F
5/0123 (20130101) |
Current International
Class: |
A61F
5/01 (20060101); A61F 501 () |
Field of
Search: |
;602/5,6,23,26-28 |
References Cited
[Referenced By]
U.S. Patent Documents
Foreign Patent Documents
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304059 |
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Jan 1982 |
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DE |
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2098490 |
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Nov 1982 |
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GB |
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37574 |
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Aug 1956 |
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PL |
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8400264 |
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Jun 1985 |
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WO |
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Primary Examiner: Peffley; Michael
Attorney, Agent or Firm: Multer; Richard D.
Parent Case Text
.Iadd.This application is a continuation of U.S. Ser. No.
08/243,554 filed May 16, 1994 (now abandoned), which is a reissue
of U.S. Ser. No. 08/099,249 filed Jul. 29, 1993(now abandoned),
which is a continuation of U.S. Ser. No. 07/959,452 filed Oct. 8,
1992(now abandoned), which is a continuation of U.S. Ser. No.
07/444,782 filed Dec. 1, 1989(now abandoned), which is a reissue of
U.S. Ser. No. 07/260,943 filed Oct. 21, 1988 and issued as U.S.
Pat. No. 4,865,024. .Iaddend.
Claims
We claim: .[.
1. An anatomical brace for applying a force for resisting extension
having a hinge comprising:
a. a pair of elongated arms, of equal thickness, with geared ends
engaging each other adjacently, said geared ends provided with
stopping means to limit the range of motion of the arms on
extension, said arms connected by inner and outer plates, said
plates overlapping the geared ends, said plates and arms fastened
together by at least one screw, said at least one screw passing
through busings, which act as hinge pivot points,
b. a lock screw which simultaneously clamps both the said plate
fastening screws into position so as to permit free extension and
flexion of the hinge, the improvement comprising:
c. a lightweight spring rod, which is assembled to said outer plate
with a pivot screw, said pivot screw having a shoulder, said
shoulder clamping the spring rod to the plate, with said spring rod
serpentinely engaging on one side said pivot screw, and engaging on
said rod's opposite side said at least one fastening screw,
d. said pivot screw being assembled to the outer plate on a line
tangential to the pitch diameter of the geared elongated arm ends
by passing through first roller means which serve as a pivot center
for the spring rod,
e. means for controlling the application of said force for
resisting extension comprising a friction reducing roller post
selectively positioned on each arm, each of said posts being
engaged by said spring rod on said one side as the arms are
extended so that said spring rod biases the post toward flexion and
therefore the arms toward flexion until the arms are in a
preselected flexed positioned wherein further bending of the arms
results in no force being applied by the rod against the posts;
f. the said friction reduction roller posts each comprising a screw
fastened to the said elongated arm and a bushing through which said
screw passes and which serves as second roller means to reduce
friction when engaged by the spring rod during extension and
flexion..]. .Iadd.
2. In an anatomical brace for applying a force for resisting
extension having a hinge comprising:
a. a pair of elongated arms, of equal thickness, with geared ends
engaging each other adjacently, said geared ends being provided
with stopping means to limit the range of motion of the arms on
extension, said arms being connected by inner and outer plates,
said plates overlapping the geared ends, said plates and said arms
being fastened together by at least one screw, said at least one
screw passing through bushings, which act as hinge pivot points,
and
b. a lock screw which simultaneously clamps both the said plate
fastening screws into position so as to permit free extension and
flexion of the hinge, the improvement comprising:
c. a lightweight spring road, which is assembled to said outer
plate with a pivot screw, said pivot screw having a shoulder, said
shoulder clamping the spring rod to the plate, with said spring rod
serpentinely engaging on one side said pivot screw, and engaging on
said rod's opposite side said at least one fastening screw,
d. said pivot screw being assembled to the outer plate on a line
tangential to the pitch diameter of the geared elongated arm ends
by passing through first roller means which serves as a pivot
center for the spring rod,
e. means for controlling the application of said force for
resisting extension comprising a friction reduction roller post
selectively positioned on each arm, each of said posts being
engaged by said spring rod on said one side as the arms are
extended so that said spring rod biases the post toward flexion and
therefore the arms toward flexion until the arms are in a
preselected flexed position wherein further bending of the arms
results in no force being applied by the rod against the posts,
and
f. the said friction reduction roller posts each comprising a screw
fastened to the said elongated arm and a bushing through which said
screw passes and which serves as a second roller means to reduce
friction when engaged by the spring rod during extension and
flexion. .Iaddend..Iadd.
3. An orthotic device for providing extension stability and
limiting hyperextension while providing flexion mobility, said
device including:
a. an array of elongated, first and second arms;
b. means for attaching said arms to the body of a user on opposite
sides of a joint that is to be protected by the device;
c. connector means at the apposite ends of said arms which connect
said arms together for relative angular movement limited to a plane
common to said arms; and
d. motion decelerating means for reducing the relative rate of
movement between said arms, said decelerating means including; an
elongated, energy-absorbing member capable of generating a reactive
force that is proportional to the displacement of one end of the
member relative to the other, means at a point intermediate the
ends of the elongated member for fixing said member against
movement relative to said connector means, and first and second
stop means so located on said first and second arms as to be
engageable only at particular times by opposite ends of said
elongated member, said stop means being so relatively located and
said elongated member being so contoured that both of said stop
means are engageable by said elongated member only with the
relative angle between said arms approaching a maximum, whereby:
(a) said deceleration means remains inoperative and said arms can
angularly move freely relative to each other as long as the
relative angular displacement of said arms remains small enough
that said elongated member does not simultaneously engage both of
said stop means, but (b) both of said stop means will be engaged
and the relative rate of angular movement between said arms
increasingly reduced as the angular displacement between said arms
is thereafter increased. .Iaddend..Iadd.
4. An orthotic device as defined in claim 3 wherein:
a. said connector means includes meshing gear means on the apposite
ends of said arms, connector members so disposed on opposite sides
of the array of arms as to prevent relative sideways movement of
said arms, and members which extend through and span said connector
members near the apposite ends of said arms to couple together said
members and said arms and to provide shafts about which said arms
can rotate; and
b. said decelerating means also includes means fixing said
elongated member at approximately its midpoint and as aforesaid to
one of said connector members. .Iaddend..Iadd.
5. An orthotic device as defined in claim 4 wherein:
a. the connector means comprises a headed member with a head that
is engageable with said shaft providing members to prevent rotation
of said shaft providing members;
b. said elongated member is trapped against one of said connector
members by said headed member; and
c. the means for fixing said elongated member to said one of said
connector members comprises a second headed member also confining
said elongated member against said one of said connector members,
said second headed member being so located on the opposite side of
the elongated member from the first headed member as to trap the
elongated member against the first headed member.
.Iaddend..Iadd.
6. An orthotic device as defined in claim 4 which includes bushings
supported from said one of said connector members and engageable by
said elongated member to increase the resistance to relative
angular movement of the arms afforded by said elongated member.
.Iaddend..Iadd.
7. An orthotic device as defined in claim 6 in which the
shaft-providing members extend through said bushings and fix said
bushings to said one of said connector members. .Iaddend..Iadd.
8. An orthotic device as defined in claim 5 in which said
shaft-providing members are threaded into a second of said
connector members whereby, with said members locked against
rotation, said one of and said second connector members can move
apart to an extent which is sufficient to prevent said one of and
said second members from frictionally restricting the relative
rotation of said arms. .Iaddend..Iadd.
9. An orthotic device as defined in claim 5 in which:
a. said first threaded member is located along a line extending
between the axes of elongation of the shaft-providing members and
approximately midway between said axes; and
b. the second threaded member is located along a second line
extending normally to the first-mentioned line and passing through
the axis of elongation of the first headed member.
.Iaddend..Iadd.
10. An orthotic device as defined in claim 4 in which:
a. the apposite end portions of said arms have parallel sides and
are of equal thickness; and
b. said connector members are flat plates. .Iaddend..Iadd.
11. An orthotic device as defined in claim 3 in which said
elongated member is fabricated of a resiliently deformable material
and has a serpentine configuration. .Iaddend..Iadd.
12. An orthotic device as defined in claim 3 in which:
a. the end portions of the elongated member are trained around the
stop means when they are engaged with said stop means as aforesaid;
and
b. said stop means comprise rollers so engageable by said elongated
element end portions as to minimize friction between said elongated
member and said stop means and thereby provide for flexion mobility
in said device. .Iaddend.
Description
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
This invention relates to .[.orthosis.]. .Iadd.orthoses
.Iaddend.for the prevention or rehabilitation of joint injuries. It
relates to an orthotic fulcrum, and for point design particularly
to decelerate in one direction eliminating instability and motion
problems with respect to joint extension, hyperextension, or
flexion.
DESCRIPTION OF THE PRIOR ART
Just as there are many indications for orthotic management of knee
and elbow joints so are there many varieties of braces for the leg
and arm. Joint extension in physically active individuals, such as
athletes, or in people having joint injuries, can introduce
instability and the risk of injury or further injury due to the
increased angular limb velocities associated with their activities
or relative to their disability. Joint flexion in these people can
also place severe energy and fatigue costs on their quadriceps or
triceps muscles. While prior art braces include desirable features
for providing extension stability, for limiting hyperextension and
for providing flexion mobility, they have the kinds of problems
described below.
Means for limiting hyperextension, such as pins abuting edges,
co-engaging recesses and shoulders, and stops near the fulcrum to
limit angular motion, themselves provide the fulcrum about which
accelerating and extending limbs can rotate into injurious
hyperextension. In other words, the braces themselves can do harm.
Free motion braces have similar problems. Friction control
arrangements, while slowing limb extension, have the disadvantage
of requiring force to overcome the designed-in friction forces when
the limb is flexed, a disadvantage to athletes needing quick
reaction and to patients needing to conserve energy stores and
avoid undue fatigue. Also, stops, pins, edges, shoulders and like
tend to add undesirable weight to a brace, increasing fatigue,
slowing motion, and adding discomfort. Finally, the kinds of
features described in .Iadd.the .Iaddend.prior art for
extension/flexion stability/mobility generally are uniquely built
into the knee or elbow brace design and are thus neither
economically adaptable to a wide variety of other braces nor easily
adjustable to wearer, medical or athletic needs.
The foregoing problems suggest the following minimal design
criteria for an orthotic device providing extension stability,
limiting hyperextension, and providing flexion mobility:
1. Should automatically decelerate the angular velocity of the limb
during the last fifteen to twenty degrees of design motion prior to
contact with any stop, pin, shoulder or similar stopping means.
2. Should not slow the speed of ranging of the joint other than as
specified in 1 above.
3. Should be lightweight.
4. Should be economically adaptable to a wide range of braces.
5. Should be economical of manufacture and assembly.
6. Should be adjustable with respect to the range of motion within
which it operates.
7. Should be adjustable with respect to the forces expected to be
encountered by the limb, as conditioned by the user's activity
level, state of health, weight, and usage environment, e.g.,
playing surface as in the case of athletics.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
It is the object of this invention to meet the foregoing design
requirements with features which solve the problems heretofore
described, which also renders it a vast improvement on .[.it's.].
.Iadd.its .Iaddend.original merits over .Iadd.the .Iaddend.prior
art.
An orthotic device with a particularly designed fulcrum point which
limits hyperextension, provides extension stability, and
facilitates flexion mobility is provided. The device includes
adjustable and adaptable spring rods attached near brace fulcrum
points(s) with a novel post and pivot arrangement, as depicted in
the drawings. As the hinge is rotated toward the fully extended
position, i.e., so that the arms form an angle of 180 degrees with
each other, twin posts engage the spring rods to cause deceleration
of the angular motion.
One embodiment includes conventional upper and lower rigid
elongated arms with geared ends and integral .[.stop.]. .Iadd.stops
.Iaddend.for limiting rotation beyond 180 degrees, together with
means for linking the arms adjacently and for rotating the arms in
the same plane about a pivot or pivot points. An assembly of
plates, spacers, bushings and screws is provided to secure the arms
and to insure they rotate in the same plane. The assembly is
designed both to permit the arms to be locked in any position
during manufacture, while fitting the orthotic fulcrum assembly to
an orthosis, and also to permit free motion of the arms during
usage so that the speed of motion of the ranging of the joint is
not reduced or impaired. In one embodiment a lightweight spring rod
is serpentinely assembled to the orthotic fulcrum's .Iadd.outer
.Iaddend.connecting plate by means of friction reduction roller
posts and central pivot screw. Placement of the roller posts
controls the point during limb extension when the spring rod is
activated, with roller post positioning being determined during
manufacture by the needs of the user with respect to limitation of
the range of motion, .Iadd.the .Iaddend.point at which deceleration
of limb angular motion is required and the like. Since the spring
rod mechanically dampens the rate of angular motion of the hinge,
adjustment of the rate of deceleration is controlled by adjusting
the material or cross-sectional area of the spring rod to change
the force required. Adjustment of the point at which deceleration
starts is controlled by the variable placement of the roller posts
so as to engage the spring rod sooner or later during the extension
process. As shown in the drawings.Iadd., .Iaddend.the spring
assembly can be easily adapted to a variety of different hinges and
braces.
These and other features and benefits of this invention will be
obvious from the drawings and disclosure which follow.
.Iadd.BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE .Iaddend.DRAWINGS
FIG. 1 is a perspective view of an extension deceleration orthotic
hinge according to .Iadd.the .Iaddend.principles of this
invention.[.:.]. .Iadd.; .Iaddend.
FIG. 2 is a front elevation view taken on line 2--2 of FIG.
1.[.:.]. .Iadd.; .Iaddend.
FIG. 3 is a side elevation view taken on line 3--3 of FIG. 2.[.:.].
.Iadd.; .Iaddend.
FIG. 4 is a fragmentary perspective view showing how the spring
rod, roller posts, and pivot screw assembly .[.is.]. .Iadd.are
.Iaddend.adapted to a centric, single axis hinge.[.:.]. .Iadd.; and
.Iaddend.
FIG. 5 is a complete overview of the .[.Extension Deceleration
Orthosis labeling.]. .Iadd.extension deceleration orthosis showing
.Iaddend.individual components of the orthosis.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION .Iadd.OF THE INVENTION .Iaddend.
An orthotic fulcrum 10 according to principles of this
.[.orthosis.]. .Iadd.invention .Iaddend.includes an elongated,
rigid, thin, flat lower bar 11 and an elongated, rigid, thin, flat
upper bar 12. The bars are also called arms in the art. These arms,
which should be of equal thickness, lie in the same plane and
engage each other adjacently by means of gear teeth on each of
their ends .Iadd.at 12a ( see FIG. 3 ) .Iaddend.in the polycentric
orthotic fulcrum design. The polycentric orthotic fulcrum is known
in the art. The arms are connected by rigid, inner plate 13 on the
inside of the orthotic fulcrum and rigid, outer plate 14 on the
outside of the orthotic fulcrum point so as to overlap the
.[.arms.]. .Iadd.arms' .Iaddend.engaged gear teeth. The arms and
plates are fastened together by screws 15 and 16. These screws pass
thru fulcrm point bushings 17 and 18 and fit into threaded holes in
inner plate 13.
The orthotic fulcrum bushings 17 and 18 serve as pivot points for
the orthotic fulcrum assembly. The length of hinge bushings 17 and
18 should be slightly shorter than the combined thickness of either
arm plus the outer plate 14, since such design permits locking of
the orthotic fulcrum in any position to facilitate manufacture,
assembly and fitting into a large assembly, such as, an orthosis.
When assembled for use the screws 15 and 16 are adjusted so as to
permit the fulcrum point 10 to move freely over its range of
motion, and then lock screw 19, which is positioned to
simultaneously clamp a shoulder on each of screws 15 and 16, is
tightened into a threaded hole in outer plate 14 so as to prevent
screws 15 and 16 from turning.
Stops are provided on the geared ends of arms 11 and 12 so as to
limit their range of motion. In order to prevent hyperextension of
the limb, which can be caused when the angularly moving arms strike
the stops, a deceleration means is provided, which is the
.[.principle.]. .Iadd.principal .Iaddend.improvement in the art, as
described below.
Post 20 passes through friction reduction roller 21 and into a
.[.variabley.]. .Iadd.variably .Iaddend.placed threaded hole in the
upper arm 12, to which it is tightened and adjusted so as to allow
the roller 21 to turn freely. Post 22 passes through friction
reduction roller 23 and into a variably placed hole in lower arm
11, to which it is tightened and adjusted so as to allow the roller
23 to turn freely. Pivot screw 24 passes through friction reduction
roller 25 and is tightened into a threaded hole in outer plate 14,
which hole is centered between assembled screws 15 and 16 on a line
tangential to the adjacent pitch diameters of the gears on the ends
of the assembled arms 11 and 12. A spring steel wire is formed
serpentinely to make spring rod 26, which is assembled to fit
around pivot screw 24 and roller 25. A shoulder on pivot screw 24
acts as a retainer to hold spring rod 26 against outer plate 14 and
against the edges of screws 15 and 16. Spring rod 26 is curved to
fit around screws 15 and 16 and is curved conversely to fit around
friction reduction roller posts 20 and 22. The ends of spring rod
26 contact rollers 21 and 23 during extension of the orthotic
fulcrum, resulting in deceleration of the angular velocity of the
orthotic fulcrum and parts. The material and cross-sectional area
of spring rod 26 can be varied to suit differences in the user's
activity level and state of health and to suit required rates of
deceleration of the angular motion of the hinge. The angle of
curvature of spring rod 26 can be varied to adjust the point when
deceleration occurs, which is a function of when rollers 21 and 23
first contact spring rod .Iadd.26 .Iaddend.during orthotic
extension.
Upright arms 12 are attached to each other by means of a thin metal
band 27, varying in thickness, width and length, each determined by
requirements of individual appendage size, usually one-half the
circumference of the appendage at the same length proximal to the
fulcrum point. The means of fastening is rivets 40 drilled and
pinned through both .Iadd.arm .Iaddend.12 and .Iadd.band
.Iaddend.27. Band 28 is fastened to medial and laterial lower arms
11 in the same method as band 27 .Iadd.is fastened to the upper
arms 12.Iaddend.. Together with the arms 11 and 12, .Iadd.bands
.Iaddend.27 and 28 make up the skeletal structure of the orthosis.
Proximal circumference strap 29 encapsulates the appendage to the
orthosis along with the distal circumference strap 30. These straps
are compressive and hold the appendage firmly inside the orthosis.
This is achieved by fastening .Iadd.strap .Iaddend.29 to .Iadd.a
band .Iaddend.27 at one end by permanent fixation to interface or
pad 39 and removable fastener 31 to .Iadd.fixed fastener
.Iaddend.32 at the other end for circumferential wrap. The same is
true for the attachment of .Iadd.strap .Iaddend.30 to .Iadd.band
.Iaddend.28.
Two more prehension straps are used to encapsulate the appendage
and they are the patella straps 33 and 36. .Iadd.Strap .Iaddend.33
is attached to .Iadd.pad .Iaddend.39 and .Iadd.arm .Iaddend.12 by
nylon thread on one end and .[.34.]. .Iadd.to .Iaddend.truss clip
.Iadd.34 .Iaddend.on the other. .Iadd.Truss clip .Iaddend.34 is
attached to .Iadd.member .Iaddend.35 with nylon thread in .Iadd.a
.Iaddend.reinforce stitch pattern completing the encapsulation of
the knee, and also providing suspension. .Iadd.Member .Iaddend.35
is a pelite thermo pad that acts as an attachment point for
.Iadd.patella strap .Iaddend.33 and .Iadd.strap .Iaddend.36.
.Iadd.Strap .Iaddend.36 attaches to .Iadd.pad .Iaddend.38 in the
same way .Iadd.patella strap .Iaddend.33 attaches to .Iadd.pad
.Iaddend.39. .[.37 strap.]. .Iadd.Strap 37 .Iaddend.is .Iadd.an
.Iaddend.anti-rotation strap and runs up through the orthosis and
around the medial or lateral or both sides of the knee in a
spiraling wrap attaching to the .[.27.]. band .Iadd.27
.Iaddend.with .Iadd.the .Iaddend.origin of the .[.28.]. band .[.,
this.]. .Iadd.28. This .Iaddend.resists rotary forces at the
fulcrum point of the orthosis when applied to .Iadd.a
.Iaddend.flexing and extending appendage.
Although this invention has been described in the context of an
orthotic device, it should be understood that .[.is.]. .Iadd.it
.Iaddend.also has application to any orthotic fulcrum contrivance,
such as .Iadd.an .Iaddend.orthotic power assisted arm, where it is
desirable to decelerate the angular momentum of the orthotics
fulcrum motion before a stop is contacted or before any restraining
devices are excessively stretched.
* * * * *