Automatic compression-distraction-torsion method and apparatus
First Claim
Patent Images
1. An orthopaedic apparatus, comprising:
- a plurality of support members;
a plurality of adjustable length rods interconnecting said support members, each of said rods having an associated adjustment means for enabling the rod length to be adjusted;
a plurality of pins attached to said support members, said pins being adapted to pass through bone of a patient; and
an automatic drive means for controlling each of said adjustment means to adjust the lengths of said rods and in turn the relative positions of said support members, said drive means comprising;
a plurality of motors corresponding to said plurality of rods for incrementally adjusting respective adjustment means to stepwise adjust said rod length; and
a controller means for providing pulses to said motors to control the amount of incremental adjustments of said rods and for storing information regarding (i) the stepwise adjustments of said rod length to be performed by said motors, and (ii) the instantaneous number of stepwise adjustments performed by said motors during an overall treatment procedure.
2 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
An orthopaedic system is provided which includes a plurality of support members, a plurality of rods interconnecting the support members, a plurality of pins attached to the support members for passing through bone of a patient, and an automatic drive mechanism to control an adjustment mechanism of the rods to adjust the rod length of the rods to alter the relative positions of the support members. The drive mechanism includes at least one motor for incrementally adjusting the adjustment mechanism of at least one of the rods and a controller mechanism for providing pulses to the motor and for storing information regarding the number of stepwise adjustments of the rod length by the motor.
-
Citations
31 Claims
-
1. An orthopaedic apparatus, comprising:
-
a plurality of support members; a plurality of adjustable length rods interconnecting said support members, each of said rods having an associated adjustment means for enabling the rod length to be adjusted; a plurality of pins attached to said support members, said pins being adapted to pass through bone of a patient; and an automatic drive means for controlling each of said adjustment means to adjust the lengths of said rods and in turn the relative positions of said support members, said drive means comprising; a plurality of motors corresponding to said plurality of rods for incrementally adjusting respective adjustment means to stepwise adjust said rod length; and a controller means for providing pulses to said motors to control the amount of incremental adjustments of said rods and for storing information regarding (i) the stepwise adjustments of said rod length to be performed by said motors, and (ii) the instantaneous number of stepwise adjustments performed by said motors during an overall treatment procedure. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17)
-
-
18. An orthopaedic apparatus, comprising:
-
plurality of support members; a plurality of rods interconnecting said support members, said rods comprising adjustment means for enabling the rod length to be adjusted; a plurality of pins attached to said support members, said pins comprising means for passing through bone of a patient; and an automatic drive means for controlling said adjustment means of at least one of said rods to adjust said rod length of said at least one of said rods, said drive means comprising at least one motor for incrementally adjusting said adjustment means of said at least one of said rods to stepwise adjust said rod length, and a controller means for providing pulses to said motor to control the incremental adjustments of said at least one of said rods and for storing information regarding the number of stepwise adjustments of said rod length of said at least one of said rods by said motor.
-
-
19. A method of controlling an orthopaedic apparatus which includes a plurality of support members, a plurality of rods interconnecting said support members, said rods comprising adjustment means for enabling the rod length to be adjusted, and a plurality of pins attached to said support members, said pins comprising means for passing through bone of a patient, said method comprising:
controlling said adjustment means of said rods to adjust said rod length of said rods to adjust the relative positions of said support members by employing a plurality of motors corresponding to said plurality of rods to incrementally adjust said adjustment means to stepwise adjust said rod length and employing a controller means to provide pulses to said digital motors to control the incremental adjustments of said rods and to store information regarding the number of stepwise adjustments of said rod length by said motors. - View Dependent Claims (20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26)
-
27. A method of controlling an orthopaedic apparatus which comprises a plurality of support members, a plurality of rods interconnecting said support members, said rods comprising adjustment means for enabling the rod length to be adjusted, a plurality of pins attached to said support members, said pins comprising means for passing through bone of a patient, said method comprising:
controlling said adjustment means of at least one of said rods to adjust said rod length of said at least one of said rods by employing at least one motor to incrementally adjust said adjustment means of said at least one of said rods to stepwise adjust said rod length, and employing a controller means to provide pulses to said motor to control the incremental adjustments of said at least one of said rods and to store information regarding the number of stepwise adjustments of said rod length of said at least one of said rods by said motor. - View Dependent Claims (28)
-
29. An orthopedic apparatus, comprising
a plurality of support members; -
a plurality of rods interconnecting said support members, said rods including adjustment means for enabling the rod length to be adjusted; a plurality of pins attached to said support members, said pins including means for attaching to bone of a patient; and an automatic drive means for controlling said adjustment means of said plurality of rods, said drive means comprising operating means for operating said adjustment means of said plurality of said rods to adjust the length of said rods, and a controller means for providing control signals to said operating means to control the adjustments of said plurality of said rods and for storing information regarding the adjustments of the length of said rods.
-
-
30. An orthopedic apparatus, comprising:
-
a plurality of support members; a plurality of rods interconnecting said support members and including adjustment means for enabling the rod length to be adjusted; a plurality of pins attached to said support members, said pins including means for attaching to bone of a patient; and an automatic drive means for controlling said adjustment means of said plurality of rods, said drive means comprising a plurality of motors for incrementally adjusting the adjustment means of said plurality of rods to adjust the length of said rods, said plurality of motors corresponding in number to said plurality of rods such that each one of said motors adjusts one of said rods in a one-to one relationship, and a controller means for providing pulses to said plurality of motors to control the incremental adjustments of said plurality of rods and for storing information regarding the number of stepwise adjustments of said rod length of said plurality of rods by said motors.
-
-
31. An orthopedic apparatus, comprising:
-
a pair of support members spaced apart from one another; interconnection means for interconnecting said support members; adjustment means for adjusting said interconnection means to enable the distance between said support members to be adjusted; a plurality of pins attached to said support members, said pins including means for attaching to bone of a patient; and an automatic drive means for controlling said adjustment means to adjust said distance between said support members, said drive means including a controller means for controlling adjustments of said adjustment means to adjust said distance between said support members and for storing information regarding the adjustments of said adjustment means.
-
Specification