Adjustment device for an articulated joint brace
First Claim
Patent Images
1. An adjustment device for a brace for an articulated limb, said brace including an upper arm and a lower arm, an end of each said arm being coupled together for pivoting about a joint axis, comprising:
- a face member and a back member;
at least two spacers located between said face member and back member separating said members, the space between said members being sufficient to receive therein said arms at said joint axis;
means for holding said face and back members releasably together, separated by said at least two spacers;
means for positioning said face and back members relative to said pivoting joint axis of said brace when said members are held together by said means for holding, separated by said spacers, and have said arms at said joint axis in said space between said face and back members;
a rim extending respectively from at least one of said face and back members;
a pair of slides for releasably clamping said rim at selectable positions along said rim, the angle formed between said pair of slides and said pivoting axis being a variable dependent upon the selected positions for clamping said slides on said rim, andinterengagement means on said rim and said slides for mechanically preventing motion of said slides along said rim when said slides are clamped to said rim, said interengagement means including teeth formed on the mating surface between said rim and said slides, said teeth intermeshing when said slides are clamped to said rim, said teeth being subject to disengagement when said slides are not clamped on said rim.
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Abstract
Two substantially planar discs sandwich pivoting joint elements therebetween. Slides, also between the discs, can move independently in a wide range of angular positions about the pivoting axis of the joint, and be fixed in any selected positions. Slides comprise two elements drawn together radially to clamp onto circumferential rims provided on the discs. Joint bending in each direction is independently controlled. Internal opposed teeth on the disc rims and slides engage when the slides are positioned.
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Citations
18 Claims
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1. An adjustment device for a brace for an articulated limb, said brace including an upper arm and a lower arm, an end of each said arm being coupled together for pivoting about a joint axis, comprising:
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a face member and a back member; at least two spacers located between said face member and back member separating said members, the space between said members being sufficient to receive therein said arms at said joint axis; means for holding said face and back members releasably together, separated by said at least two spacers; means for positioning said face and back members relative to said pivoting joint axis of said brace when said members are held together by said means for holding, separated by said spacers, and have said arms at said joint axis in said space between said face and back members; a rim extending respectively from at least one of said face and back members; a pair of slides for releasably clamping said rim at selectable positions along said rim, the angle formed between said pair of slides and said pivoting axis being a variable dependent upon the selected positions for clamping said slides on said rim, and interengagement means on said rim and said slides for mechanically preventing motion of said slides along said rim when said slides are clamped to said rim, said interengagement means including teeth formed on the mating surface between said rim and said slides, said teeth intermeshing when said slides are clamped to said rim, said teeth being subject to disengagement when said slides are not clamped on said rim. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16)
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17. An adjustment device for a brace for an articulated limb, said brace including an upper arm and a lower arm, an end of each said arm being connected together for pivoting about a joint axis, comprising:
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a face member and a back member, each said member having a planar surface; a pair of spacers located between said planar surfaces separating said face and back members by a fixed distance, the space between said members being sufficient to receive therein said arms at said joint axis; means for holding said face and back members releasably together, separated by said spacers; an individual rim extending from each of said planar surfaces, said rims extending toward each other, an open space being between said rims when said face and back members are held together separated by said spacers, said rims being portions of equal diameter circles and having teeth formed on the inner curved surfaces thereof, said teeth extending transversely to said planar surfaces; means for positioning said face and back members relative to said pivoting joint axis of said brace when said members are held together by means for holding, separated by said spacers, and have said joined arms in said space between said face and back members, said face and back members being positioned such that said rim circles are concentric with said pivoting joint axis; a pair of slides for releasabley clamping said rims at selectable positions along said rims, the angle formed between said slides and said pivoting axis being a variable dependent upon the selected positions for clamping said slides, each said slide includes an external slide element contoured to slide on the outside of said rims, and an internal slide element having teeth for mating with said teeth on said inner rim surfaces, said internal and external slide members being joined together by a set screw passing through said external slide member and engaging threads in said internal slide member, tightening said set screws clamping said slides to said rims with said teeth interlocked, a clamping force provided by said set screw acting radially to said rims, said set screw passing through said opening between said rims to join said internal and external slide members. - View Dependent Claims (18)
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Specification