Knee laxity evaluator and motion module/digitizer arrangement
AssigneeOrthotronics Limited Partnership
InventorsGregory A. Fraser, Simon Raab
Life of this patent
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Abstract
The invention relates to a knee laxity evaluator which consists of an instrumented seat, a restraint means for restraining the thigh of a patient to the instrumented seat, a motion module for measuring motion of the unrestrained part of the leg relative to the thigh of the patient, and processor means for analyzing outputs of the instrumented seat and the motion module to provide indications of applied force and relative motion. The invention also relates to a specific motion module/digitizer combination which can be used as a part of the knee laxity evaluator, or which can be used independently or in alternate systems. The invention also relates to a novel dynanometer for use in the knee laxity evaluator which includes a triple beam arrangement.
Claims6
A motion module/digitizer combination comprising:
- an elongated member having a first end and a second end and comprising a first link arm and a second link arm and means movably connecting said first link arm to said second link arm so as to permit translational motion between said first end and said second end, said means for connecting being disposed intermediate said first and second ends, said means also including first transducer means for measuring said translational motion;
- first mounting means at said first end for mounting said first end at a first point, body or co-ordinate system;
- second mounting means at said second end for mounting said second end at a second point or body;
- second transducer means at said first end for measuring three dimensional rotational motion of said first link arm relative to said first point or body;
- third transducer means at said second end for measuring three dimensional rotational motion of said second link arm relative to said second point or body;
- characterized in that said second link arm comprises a detachable portion and a non-detachable portion, said detachable portion of said second link arm being detachable from the non-detachable portion of said second link arm and said second mounting means;
- means connectable to the non-detachable portion of said second link arm;
- whereby, the combination of said first link arm, the non-detachable portion of said second link arm and said means connectable, can be used to measure the position in space of third, fourth, fifth . . . nth points or combinations thereof;
- and whereby, when said non-detachable portion of said link arm is reattached to said detachable portion of said second link arm and said mounting means, measurements can be performed to determine the position or motion in space of said second point or body relative to the position of said first point, body or co-ordinate system or said third, fourth, fifth . . . nth points, or positions of the second body, or combinations thereof.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.