Multi-part support device for an orthosis
AssigneeBauerfeind AG
InventorsDominique Panzer, Oliver Marx, Hans B. Bauerfeind
Life of this patent
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Abstract
The present invention relates to orthopaedic products, in particular orthoses and support devices for orthoses. The invention provides an improved support device for an orthosis, a method of producing the same and an orthosis containing a support device according to the invention.
Claims10
A multi-part support device for an orthosis which is brace-shaped or shell-shaped and configured to predominantly encompass a body part in its total circumference and comprises two single shell elements which each extend over less than half of a total circumference of the body to be encompassed, wherein the two single shell elements of the multi-part support device are positively connected to one another via at least two snap-in connections,
- wherein each of the two single shell elements, or a first part and a second part of a multi-part connecting element arranged between the two single shell elements, has at least one snap-in hook and at least one retaining element,
- wherein the at least one snap-in hook and the at least one retaining element of the snap-in connections suitable for positively receiving the at least one snap-in hook are integral components of the two shell elements or the first part and the second part of the multi-part connecting element, and wherein a first snap-in connection is configured by engagement of at least one snap-in hook of a first shell element or the first part of the mu1ti-part connecting element in the at least one retaining element of a second shell element or the second part of the multi-part connecting element;
- and
- a second snap-in connection is configured by engagement of at least one snap-in hook of the second shell element or the second part of the multi-part connecting element in the at least one retaining element of the first shell element or the first part of the multi-part connecting element.
A method for producing a multi-part support device for an orthosis, comprising:
- a) injection moulding two shell elements comprising a first shell element and a second shell element, wherein each of the two shell elements has at least one snap-in hook and at least one retaining element suitable for positively receiving the snap-in hook, and wherein the at least one snap-in hook and the at least one retaining element are integral components of the two shell elements;
- and
- b) positively connecting the two shell elements via at least two snap-in connections to obtain a brace-shaped or shell shaped multi-part support device for an orthosis, wherein a first snap-in connection is configured by engagement of at least one snap-in hook of the first shell element in the at least one retaining element of the second shell element and a second snap-in connection is configured by engagement of at least one snap-in hook of the second shell element in the at least one retaining element of the first shell element.
A curved multi-part support device for an orthosis configured to predominantly encompass a body part in its total circumference comprises:
- two shell elements, including a first shell element and a second shell element, each of the two shell elements extending over less than half of a total circumference of the body part to be encompassed, wherein the two shell elements of the support device are positively connected to one another via at least two snap-in connections,
- wherein each of the two shell elements, or a first part and a second part of a multi-part connecting element arranged between the two shell elements, has at least one snap-in hook and at least one retaining element,
- wherein the at least one snap-in hook and the at least one retaining element of the snap-in connections suitable for positively receiving the at least one snap-in hook are integral components of the two shell elements or the first part and the second part of the multi-part connecting element, and wherein a first snap-in connection is configured by engagement of at least one snap-in hook of the first shell element or the first part of the multi-part connecting element in the at least one retaining element of the second shell element or the second part of the multi-part connecting element;
- and
- a second snap-in connection is configured by engagement of at least one snap-in hook of the second shell element or the second part of the multi-part connecting element in the at least one retaining element of the first shell element or the first part of the multi-part connecting element.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.