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Hybrid orthosis

  • US 5,121,747 A
  • Filed: 08/11/1988
  • Issued: 06/16/1992
  • Est. Priority Date: 11/06/1985
  • Status: Expired due to Fees
First Claim
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1. A floor reaction hybrid orthosis for assisting locomotion in neurologically impaired patients, said orthosis comprising:

  • a floor reaction foot ankle orthosis located on each paralysed leg of a patient for enforcing knee extension;

    sensing means coupled to each leg for sensing a resultant knee extending force acting on a respective paralysed leg by a floor reaction force acting through each respective floor reaction orthosis in the weight bearing condition;

    stimulation means for providing a free knee during walking and necessary knee-locking only by stimulating the leg muscle, said stimulation means coupled to said sensing means and being arranged so that when the respective resultant knee extending force is sensed to be inadequate to extend the respective knee, said stimulation means stimulates leg extension muscles of at least that leg to stabilize the leg in the extended positions without a separate mechanical knee lock and when the resultant knee extending force is sensed as being adequate due to the patient restoring posture, said stimulation is removed, thereby providing a free knee during walking and necessary knee-locking by stimulating the leg muscle in response to the resultant knee extending force as sensed.

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