Bone fixated, articulated joint load control device
AssigneeMoximed, Inc.
InventorEdward Draper
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A load control device can be attached to bones on either side of an articulated joint in order to control the forces and loads experienced by the joint. The device comprises an apparatus for controlling the load on articular cartilage of a human or animal joint and includes: a first fixation assembly for attachment to a first bone; a second fixation assembly for attachment to a second bone; a link assembly coupled to the first fixation assembly by a first pivot and coupled to the second fixation assembly by a second pivot, the first and second fixation assembly thereby each being angularly displaceable relative to the link assembly. The apparatus enables a clinician to effectively control the environment of cartilage in a joint during a treatment episode.
Claims33
1-34. (canceled)
An apparatus for controlling the load on articular cartilage of a human or animal joint comprising:
- a first fixation assembly for attachment to a first bone;
- a second fixation assembly for attachment to a second bone;
- and
- a link assembly coupled to the first fixation assembly by a first pivot and coupled to the second fixation assembly by a second pivot, the link assembly including a compression spring configured to counteract the natural compressive forces experienced by the joint.
The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the first and second fixation assembly are each angularly displaceable relative to the link assembly.
The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the first and second pivots provide at least two degrees of rotational freedom.
The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the link assembly further comprises a mechanism for varying the distance of separation of the pivots according to the angular displacement of the joint.
The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the link assembly includes a variable separation member for permitting the first and second pivots to vary in their distance of separation.
The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the first and second fixation assemblies are configured to be fixed to first and second bones of a knee joint.
The apparatus of claim 1, comprising a pair of link assemblies each pivotally anchored to both the first and second fixation assemblies and laterally displaced from one another.
The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the link is configured to provide a variable distance of separation between the first and second pivots.
An apparatus for controlling the load on articular cartilage of a human or animal joint comprising:
- a first fixation assembly for attachment to a first bone;
- a second fixation assembly for attachment to a second bone;
- and
- a link assembly coupled to the first fixation assembly by a first pivot and coupled to the second fixation assembly by a second pivot, the link assembly including a set of two parallel springs.
An apparatus for controlling the load on articular cartilage of a knee joint comprising:
- a first fixation assembly for attachment to a first bone;
- a second fixation assembly for attachment to a second bone;
- and
- a link assembly coupled to the first fixation assembly by a first pivot and coupled to the second fixation assembly by a second pivot, the link assembly including a biasing structure configured to counteract the natural compressive forces experienced by the joint.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.