US 4,790,853 AGranted

Knee joint prosthesis

AssigneesGMT Gesellschaft fur Medizinische Technik mbH, Waldemar Link GmbH & Co. KG

InventorsEckart Engelbrecht, Elmar Nieder, Arnold Keller

Life of this patent

Estimating the term…

Abstract

A knee joint prosthesis wherein a first component which is partially embedded in the femur carries a pivotably mounted tubular guide for a pin-shaped second guide mounted on a second component which is partially embedded in the tibia. The second guide is rotatable and reciprocable in the tubular guide, and the extent of the reciprocatory movement is limited by two abutments one of which is mounted on the first component and the other of which is mounted on the second component.

Claims19

Dependent claims

An artificial prosthesis, particularly an internal prosthesis, comprising elongated first and second components designed to engage with the respective parts of the anatomy which are normally connected to each other by a joint, such as a knee joint, said components being reciprocable with reference to each other in the directions of elongation thereof, said first component having a first extension receivable in a femur and said second component having a second extension receivable in a tibia;

stop means for limiting the extent of reciprocability of said components with reference to each other in said directions of elongation thereof;
and a first hinge defining a pivot axis extending substantially transversely of the directions of elongation of said components and arranged to permit relative pivotal movements of said components about said pivot axis, said first hinge comprising a first portion on said first component and a complementary second portion having a first guide, said first guide being pivotable with said second about said pivot axis and said second component having a second guide cooperating with said first guide to define therewith a second hinge for clockwise and counterclockwise angular movement of said components relative to each other about a second axis which is at least substantially normal to said pivot axis, one of said components being reciprocable relative to the other of said components in the direction of said second axis, said stop means comprising a first abutment provided on said first component and at least partially surrounding said first guide, and a second abutment provided on said second component and arranged to engage said first abutment in response to movement of said one component in the direction of said second axis and transversely of said pivot axis, said second guide extending into said first guide and being rigid with said second component, said first guide surrounding said second guide and being coupled to said first component for movement about said pivot axis, said first guide having an end portion which is adjacent to said second component and said first abutment being provided on such end portion of said first guide.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

patentgrep

Loading patent…

Abstract

stop means for limiting the extent of reciprocability of said components with reference to each other in said directions of elongation thereof;
and a first hinge defining a pivot axis extending substantially transversely of the directions of elongation of said components and arranged to permit relative pivotal movements of said components about said pivot axis, said first hinge comprising a first portion on said first component and a complementary second portion having a first guide, said first guide being pivotable with said second about said pivot axis and said second component having a second guide cooperating with said first guide to define therewith a second hinge for clockwise and counterclockwise angular movement of said components relative to each other about a second axis which is at least substantially normal to said pivot axis, one of said components being reciprocable relative to the other of said components in the direction of said second axis, said stop means comprising a first abutment provided on said first component and at least partially surrounding said first guide, and a second abutment provided on said second component and arranged to engage said first abutment in response to movement of said one component in the direction of said second axis and transversely of said pivot axis, said second guide extending into said first guide and being rigid with said second component, said first guide surrounding said second guide and being coupled to said first component for movement about said pivot axis, said first guide having an end portion which is adjacent to said second component and said first abutment being provided on such end portion of said first guide.