Dynamic splint

• US 5,749,840 A
• Filed: 10/31/1995
• Issued: 05/12/1998
• Est. Priority Date: 12/07/1989
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Ultraflex Systems, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Ultraflex Systems, Inc.
• Inventors: Mitchell, Andrew L., Patchel, Kenneth A.
• Primary Examiner(s): Brown, Michael A.
• Application Number:
  US08/550,603
• Time in Patent Office: 924 Days
• Field of Search: 128/846, 128/882, 602/5, 602/13, 602/23, 602/26, 602/27, 602/61, 602/62
• US Class Current: 602/5
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 5/0123 for the knees A61F5/0106 takes precedence

Abstract

A dynamic splint is provided which applies a bias force across a body joint with a magnitude which is adjustable at a pivot in the splint. At the pivot, a joint enclosure is provided to house a coiled leaf spring having one end connected to a movable adjustment mechanism. The relative magnitude of the bias is indicated by an indicator bearing numeric markings which moves with movement of the adjustment mechanism. A pin look mechanism is provided for locking pivoted strut members of the splint to prevent relative movement thereof about the pivot.

Claims

1. A bias adjustment assembly for an adjustable splint device having a first splint strut member, a second splint strut member, a joint assembly for mounting said first and second strut members for relative pivotal movement and a bias unit having a first end and a second end, the bias unit operating to oppose relative pivotal movement of said strut members in a first direction, the bias adjustment assembly comprising:

a mounting unit mounted at said joint assembly,

a rotatable adjustment unit including an elongate adjustment shaft mounted on said mounting unit, and a gear member having gear teeth mounted on said adjustment shaft for rotation, and

an elongate rotatable actuator mounted for rotation on said mounting unit, said rotatable actuator having threads which mesh with said gear teeth of said gear member to rotate said gear member to one of a plurality of rotational positions and to hold said gear member in a rotational position when said rotational actuator ceases to rotate,

the first end of said bias unit being attached to said rotatable adjustment unit and said bias unit being adapted to wrap around said adjustment shaft as said rotatable adjustment unit is rotated to increase the bias of said bias unit.

2. The bias adjustment assembly of claim 1 wherein said gear member includes an indica bearing face having a plurality of spaced indicia formed thereon, said mounting unit including at least one viewing opening to expose at least one of said spaced indicia, said spaced indicia being arranged to pass sequentially under said viewing opening as said gear member is rotated.

3. The bias adjustment assembly of claim 1 wherein said rotatable actuator is formed by an adjustment screw mounted to tangentially engage said gear member.

4. The bias adjustment assembly of claim 3 wherein said mounting unit includes an enclosure mounted on one of said strut members, said elongate adjustment shaft, gear member and adjustment screw being mounted within said enclosure.

5. The bias adjustment assembly of claim 4 wherein said gear member includes an indicia bearing face having a plurality of spaced indicia formed thereon, said enclosure including at least one viewing opening to expose at least one of said spaced indicia, said spaced indicia being arranged on said indicia bearing face to pass sequentially under said viewing opening as said gear member is rotated.

6. The bias adjustment assembly of claim 5 wherein said bias unit includes a spring.

7. The bias adjustment assembly of claim 4 wherein said elongate adjustment shaft is mounted for rotation with said gear member, the first end of said bias unit being attached to said elongate adjustment shaft.

8. An adjustable splint device for applying force across a body joint comprising:

a first strut member;

a second strut member;

a joint assembly connecting said first and second strut members for relative pivotal movement about a pivot axis;

a bias unit connected at said joint assembly to oppose relative pivotal movement of said first and second strut members in at least one direction, said bias unit having a first end connected to said joint assembly to move circumferentially around said pivot axis during relative pivotal movement of said first and second strut members; and

a bias adjustment assembly connected to said bias unit to adjust the bias thereof;

said bias adjustment assembly including a mounting unit, an elongate rotatable adjustment shaft mounted for rotation on said mounting unit, said rotatable adjustment shaft engaging said bias unit to vary the bias thereof upon rotation of said rotatable adjustment shaft, and an indicator unit having an indicia bearing face with a plurality of spaced indicia formed thereon, said indicia being arcuately arranged in sequence on said indicia bearing face, said indicator unit being secured to said rotatable adjustment shaft for rotation therewith.

9. The adjustable splint device of claim 8 which includes a gear mechanism mounted for rotation with said adjustment shaft and a gear engagement unit mounted on said mounting means to engage said gear.

10. The adjustable splint device of claim 9 wherein said joint assembly includes a locking mechanism spaced from said pivot axis and operable for preventing relative pivotal movement of said first and second strut members.

11. The adjustable splint device of claim 10 wherein said locking mechanism operates to lock said first and second strut members at a plurality of angular positions along an arc of pivotal rotation between said first and second strut members.

12. The adjustable splint device of claim 11 wherein said bias unit includes a spring.

13. An adjustable splint device for applying force across a body joint comprising:

a first strut member;

a second strut member;

a joint assembly connecting said first and second strut members for relative pivotal movement about a pivot axis;

a bias unit connected at said joint assembly to oppose relative pivotal movement of said first and second strut members in at least one direction, said bias unit having a first end connected to said joint assembly to move circumferentially around said pivot axis during relative pivotal movement of said first and second strut members;

said joint assembly including a connector unit connected to the first end of said bias unit and mounted for rotation about said pivot axis, and a gear secured to said connector unit for rotation therewith; and

a bias adjustment assembly to adjust the bias of said bias unit, said bias adjustment assembly being mounted on said first strut member and including a rotatable actuator mounted for rotation and having threads which mesh with said gear whereby rotation of said actuator rotates said gear and connector unit about said pivot axis,

said bias unit having a second end which is connected to said second strut member.

14. The adjustable splint device of claim 13 wherein said gear includes an indicia bearing face with a plurality of spaced indicia formed thereon, said indicia being arcuately arranged in sequence radially outwardly from said pivot axis on said indicia bearing face.

15. The adjustable splint device of claim 14 wherein said gear is circular in shape and includes peripheral gear teeth, said rotatable actuator being formed by an adjustment screw mounted to tangentially engage said gear.

16. The adjustable splint device of claim 15 wherein said joint assembly includes a locking mechanism spaced from said pivot axis and operable for preventing relative pivotal movement between said first and second strut members, said locking mechanism including at least one main locking aperture on said first strut member and a plurality of arcuately arranged, spaced locking apertures on said second strut member positioned to pass sequentially beneath said main locking aperture when relative rotation of said first and second strut members occurs about said pivot axis.

17. An adjustable splint device for applying force across a body joint comprising a first strut member having a longitudinal axis extending between opposed ends thereof, a second strut member having a longitudinal axis extending between opposed ends thereof, a joint assembly for mounting said first and second strut members for relative pivotal movement whereby at least one of said strut members pivots about a pivot axis which is transverse to the longitudinal axes of said first and second strut members, said joint assembly including a joint enclosure mounted at said pivot axis, a bias assembly mounted in said joint enclosure including a bias spring, connection means connecting said bias spring to one of said first and second strut members to provide a bias to oppose pivotal movement of said first and second strut members in a first direction and to aid said pivotal movement in a second direction opposite to said first direction, said bias spring having a first end and a second end, said second end being connected by means of said connection means to one of said first and second strut members, and a bias adjustment unit mounted within said joint enclosure, and an indicator connected to said bias adjustment unit to indicate bias provided by said bias spring,

said bias adjustment unit having a rotatable adjustment assembly including an elongate adjustment shaft mounted on said joint enclosure, a gear member having gear teeth, said gear member being mounted on said adjustment shaft for rotation and an elongate, rotatable actuator mounted for rotation on said joint enclosure, said rotatable actuator mounted for rotation on said joint enclosure, said rotatable actuator having threads which mesh with the gear teeth of said gear member to rotate said gear member to one of a plurality of rotational positions and to hold said gear member in a rotational position when said rotatable actuator is not rotating, the first end of said bias spring being attached to said rotatable adjustment assembly whereby the bias of said bias spring is varied by the rotation of said rotatable adjustment assembly and said indicator being connected for rotation with said rotatable adjustment assembly to provide a bias indication for said bias spring at different positions of said rotatable adjustment assembly.

18. The device of claim 17 which includes locking means for selectively preventing relative pivotal movement of said first and second strut members.

19. The device of claim 18 wherein said locking means is operative to lock said first and second strut members against relative pivotal movement at a plurality of spaced angular positions along an arc of pivotal rotation between said first and second strut members.

20. The device of claim 17 wherein said indicator is mounted within said joint enclosure and bears a plurality of spaced indicia, said joint enclosure including at least one viewing opening to expose at least one of said spaced indicia, said spaced indicia being arranged to pass sequentially under said viewing opening as said indicator is rotated.

21. The adjustable splint device of claim 17 wherein said rotatable actuator is mounted to tangentially engage said gear member, said indicator being mounted on said gear member.

22. The adjustable splint device of claim 21 wherein said bias spring is a spiral spring formed to provide a plurality of overlapping circular coils between the first and second ends thereof, said coils encircling said elongate adjustment shaft, said joint enclosure being mounted on a first strut member and the second end of said bias spring being connected by said connection means to said second strut member.

23. The adjustable splint device of claim 22 wherein said elongate adjustment shaft is mounted for rotation with said gear member, the first end of said bias spring being attached to said elongate adjustment shaft.

24. The device of claim 22 wherein said indicator is mounted within said joint enclosure and bears a plurality spaced indicia, said joint enclosure including at least one viewing opening to expose at least one of said spaced indicia, said spaced indicia being arranged to pass sequentially under said viewing opening as said indicator is rotated.