Ankle stress machine
First Claim
1. An ankle stress machine comprising:
- a planar base;
calf restraining means mounted on said base for supporting a calf spaced from said planar base and restraining movement thereof in one direction in a predetermined plane;
a turntable, said turntable including a large cylindrical bearing mounted on said planar base so as to lie proximal to the ankle, when a calf is supported by said calf restraining means, said large cylindrical bearing having an axis of rotation lying orthogonal to said predetermined plane;
a foot support and stress assembly mounted on said turntable, said foot support and stress assembly including a foot cup positioned to receive a foot attached to a calf supported by said calf restraining means, said foot cup including a heel region for receiving the heel of said foot, a planar region for receiving the bottom of said foot and side walls for impinging on the sides of said foot, said planar and said side walls extending from said heel to the end of the metatarsal bones of said foot, said foot support and stress assembly also including an arm connected to said foot cup for rotating said turntable and, thus, said foot cup about the axis of rotation of said large cylindrical bearing; and
,stress measuring means connected to said arm for measuring the stress on said arm when said arm is stressed during the rotation of said turntable and, thus, said foot cup.
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Accused Products
Abstract
An ankle stress machine particularly suited for use in the X-ray examination of ankles is disclosed. The ankle stress machine includes a planar base (11) having an aperture (12) near one end suitable for receiving a standard X-ray cassette (14). Mounted on the base (11) is a calf restraining mechanism (13). The calf restraining mechanism (13) supports the calf of a patient in a horizontal position and includes braces for preventing lateral horizontal movement in at least one direction. Mounted on the base (11) above the cassette aperture (12) is a turntable (15). Mounted atop the turntable (15) is a foot support and stress assembly (17) that includes a foot cup (93) and a radial arm (75). The foot cup (93) is vertically oriented and receives the foot of a patient. The foot cup conforms to the heel of the patient'"'"'s foot, and encloses the bottom and sides of the foot between the heel and the end of the metatarsal bones of the largest foot to be accommodated. The radial arm (75) is attached to the foot cup and rotates it with respect to the base via the turntable (15). The radial arm (75) is connected to a measuring device (19) that measures the stress applied to the arm when it is used to rotate the foot cup and stress the ankle of a patient. After the ankle is stressed, an X-ray source (111) mounted above the ankle exposes the portion of an X-ray cassette (14) mounted in the cassette aperture (12) in the base and, thereby, creates an image of the stressed ankle. Two side-by-side comparison images can be created by exposing one-half the cassette (14) when an injured ankle is stressed and exposing the other half when the uninjured ankle is stressed.
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Citations
16 Claims
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1. An ankle stress machine comprising:
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a planar base; calf restraining means mounted on said base for supporting a calf spaced from said planar base and restraining movement thereof in one direction in a predetermined plane; a turntable, said turntable including a large cylindrical bearing mounted on said planar base so as to lie proximal to the ankle, when a calf is supported by said calf restraining means, said large cylindrical bearing having an axis of rotation lying orthogonal to said predetermined plane; a foot support and stress assembly mounted on said turntable, said foot support and stress assembly including a foot cup positioned to receive a foot attached to a calf supported by said calf restraining means, said foot cup including a heel region for receiving the heel of said foot, a planar region for receiving the bottom of said foot and side walls for impinging on the sides of said foot, said planar and said side walls extending from said heel to the end of the metatarsal bones of said foot, said foot support and stress assembly also including an arm connected to said foot cup for rotating said turntable and, thus, said foot cup about the axis of rotation of said large cylindrical bearing; and
,stress measuring means connected to said arm for measuring the stress on said arm when said arm is stressed during the rotation of said turntable and, thus, said foot cup. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16)
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Specification