PROSTHETIC JOINT

• US 20070260328A1
• Filed: 05/02/2007
• Published: 11/08/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 05/03/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Ottobock SE & Co. KGaA
• Original Assignee: Otto Bock Healthcare Products GmbH (Albatros Son Holding BV)
• Inventors: Gross, Tobias, Bertels, Thomas
• Granted Patent: US 8,900,327 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 623/38
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2/585 Wrist joints
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2/70 electrical
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2/76 Means for assembling, fitting or testing prostheses, e.g. for measuring or balancing, e.g. alignment means
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/30433 using additional screws, bolts, dowels, rivets or washers e.g. connecting screws
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/5009 having two or more elastomeric blocks
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/5018 for adjusting angular orientation
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/5043 with rotation-limiting stops, e.g. projections or recesses
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/5075 Multiple spring systems including two or more helical springs
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/6818 for braking
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/6854 for locking or unlocking a joint
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/7875 with releasable ratchets or pegs
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2220/0041 using additional screws, bolts, dowels or rivets, e.g. connecting screws

Abstract

A prosthesis joint including a base, a coupling element for attachment to a body part or a prosthesis section, which is attached to the base, and an attachment device for attachment to a prosthesis device, which is coupled to the base and pivotable around at least one axis. A locking device is coupled to the coupling element and operates to selectively block and enable movement of the attachment device with respect to the base providing locked and unlocked positions, respectively. A retention element is carried by at least one of the base and coupling elements and is elastically pre-stressed against the attachment device to provide a retention force for the attachment device so as to resist undesired pivoting movement.

Claims

1. A prosthesis joint comprising:

a base;

a coupling element for attachment to a body part or a prosthesis section, the coupling element attached to the base;

an attachment device for attachment to a prosthesis device, the attachment device coupled to the base and pivotable around at least one axis;

a locking device coupled to the coupling element and operative to selectively block and enable pivoting movement of the attachment device with respect to the base, providing locked and unlocked positions, respectively; and

a retention element carried by at least one of the base and coupling element, the retention element elastically pre-stressed against the attachment device to provide a retention force for the attachment device so as to resist undesired pivoting movement.

2. The prosthesis joint of claim 1, wherein the pre-stressing of the retention element is sufficient to hold the attachment device in the unlocked position against the force of gravity.

3. The prosthesis joint of claim 1, wherein the attachment device has rest elements to which the retention element can grip.

4. The prosthesis joint of claim 3, wherein the rest elements are formed as indentations.

5. The prosthesis joint of claim 1, wherein the retention element is a pair of elastic cords or rods.

6. The prosthesis joint of claim 1, wherein the retention element is an elastic band.

7. The prosthesis joint of claim 1, wherein the retention element is a dimensionally stable contact part, which abuts the attachment device and is elastically positioned in a direction toward the attachment device.

8. The prosthesis joint of claim 7, wherein the retention element comprises a contact part in the form of a positioning pin.

9. The prosthesis joint of claim 8, wherein the positioning pin is formed of steel.

10. The prosthesis joint of claim 1, wherein the locking mechanism includes an element that engages the attachment device with a positive fit.

11. The prosthesis joint of claim 10, wherein the locking mechanism is positioned parallel to the swivel axis in a moveable manner.

12. The prosthesis joint of claim 1, wherein the locking device is moveable relative to a spring force, such that movement of the locking device against the spring force results in the unlocked position of the attachment device and release of the locking device and spring force returns the attachment device to the locked position.

13. The prosthesis joint of claim 12, wherein the locking device comprises locking guides that engage the attachment device in the locked position and disengage from the attachment device in the unlocked position.

14. The prosthesis joint of claim 1, wherein the locking device comprises a plurality of stop positions distributed over an angular range of pivoting movement of the attachment device, the stop positions providing a plurality of locked positions at predetermined angles with respect to the base.

15. The prosthesis joint of claim 14, wherein the attachment device comprises rest elements to which the retention element can grip and wherein the rest elements are aligned with the stop positions of the locking device, such that the attachment device resists undesired movement when the locking device is unlocked at the stop positions.

16. The prosthesis joint of claim 1, wherein the retention force is radial.

17. The prosthesis joint of claim 1, wherein the retention force is axial.

18. The prosthesis joint of claim 1, in combination with a prosthetic hand attached to the attachment device.

19. The prosthesis joint of claim 1, in combination with a prosthesis section coupled to the coupling element.

20. A prosthesis joint comprising:

a base;

a coupling element for attachment to a body part or a prosthesis section, the coupling element attached to the base;

an attachment device for attachment to a prosthesis device, the attachment device coupled to the base and pivotable around at least one axis, the attachment device including a gear piece having a plurality of recesses formed around a portion of the circumference of the gear piece and a plurality of indentations formed around another portion of the gear piece circumference;

a locking device coupled to the coupling element and operative to selectively block and enable pivoting movement of the attachment device with respect to the base, providing locked and unlocked positions, respectively, the locking device including locking guides that engage the gear piece recesses in the locked position creating stop positions and disengage from the gear piece recesses in the unlocked position; and

a retention element carried by at least one of the base and coupling element, the retention element elastically pre-stressed against the attachment device to provide a retention force for the attachment device so as to resist undesired pivoting movement, the retention device including a pair of elastic cords or rods that engage a pair of the plurality of indentations, gripping the gear piece,

wherein the indentations are aligned with the recesses, such that the attachment device resists undesired movement when the locking device is unlocked at the stop positions.