US 4,834,112 A · Device for producing incremental joint movement in a patient

Abstract

A device for providing precise incremental joint movement in a patient, includes first and second spaced retractors for engaging respective parts of the patient adjacent the joint. One of the retractors is mounted on a fixed support assembly and the other retractor is mounted on a movable actuation rod slidably mounted in the support assembly. The device is formed entirely on non-magnetic material and is readily operable by the patient, making the device especially useful in magnetic resonance imaging procedures. The retractors are of a construction such that they can be snapped onto the support assembly and the actuating rod, respectively, and then ruptured upon being removed therefrom, so as to prevent inadvertent use of the retractors on another patient. An operating mechanism for the actuating rod includes a handle-operable pawl, and a retaining mechanism for the actuating rod includes a spring-biased holding pawl, which can be pivoted to release the actuating rod so that it can be readily returned by hand by an initial closed position.

Claims36

Dependent claims

A device for producing precise incremental joint movement in a patient, which is adapted to be operable by one hand of a user and which comprises:

first and second spaced retractors for engaging respective body parts of the patient adjacent the joint;
support means having said first and second retractors mounted thereon for relative movement, said support means comprising a holder portion by which the device is adapted to be held by a user operating the device;
actuating means mounted on said support means for movement relative to said support means, said actuating means being movable to cause relative movement between said first and second retractors;
operating means movably mounted on said support means for causing a precise preselected incremental movement of said actuating means for a single stroke of said operating means, to cause relative movement between said first and second retractors into successive incremented positions relative to said support means and one another, said operating means being located adjacent said holder portion so that said holder portion and said operating means both can be grasped in one hand of the user and said operating means can be moved by the user on each stroke thereof from an initial position toward said holder portion to cause the precise incremental movement of said actuating means to cause the relative movement between said first and second retractors;
and
means on said support means for retaining said actuating means and said first and second retractors in their relative incremented positions.

3 more elements

A device for producing precise incremental joint movement in a patient, which comprises:

first and second spaced retractors for engaging respective body parts of the patient adjacent the joint;
support means having said first retractor mounted thereon, said support means comprising a holder portion by which the device is adapted to be held by a user operating the device;
actuating means mounted on said support means for movement relative to said support means, said actuating means projecting from said support means and having said second retractor mounted on said actuating means adjacent said first retractor;
operating means on said support means for causing a precise preselected incremental movement of said actuating means and said second retractor for a single stroke of said operating means, to move said second retractor into successive incremented positions relative to said support means and said first retractor;
said operating means comprising a pawl member engageable with teeth on said actuating means to precisely increment said actuating means and said second retractor on each stroke of said operating means, said pawl member being movable relative to said teeth as said operating means moves back to its initial position;
said operating means further comprising an operating handle pivotably mounted on said support means adjacent said holder portion and movable by the user on each stroke thereof from an initial position toward said holder portion to cause the precise incremental movement of said actuating means and said second retractor relative to said support means and said first retractor, said pawl member being pivotably mounted on said handle;
first resilient means disposed between said handle and said pawl member for holding said pawl member engaged with the teeth on said actuating means;
second resilient means disposed between said support means and said handle for biasing said handle to the open initial position with respect to said support means;
and
means on said support means for retaining said actuating means and said second retractor in their incremented positions.

7 more elements

A device for producing precise incremental joint movement in a patient, which comprises:

first and second spaced retractors for engaging respective body parts of the patient adjacent the joint;
support means having said first retractor mounted thereon;
actuating means mounted on said support means for movement relative to said support means, said actuating means projecting from said support means and having said second retractor mounted on said actuating means adjacent said first retractor;
each of said retractors including a pair of spaced parallel clamping legs mounting said retractor on a respective one of said support means and said actuating means, with said clamping legs having outer free ends and at least one of said clamping legs of each retractor being of resilient construction;
operating means on said support means for causing a precise preselected incremental movement of said actuating means and said second retractor for a single stroke of said operating means, to move said second retractor into successive incremented positions relative to said support means and said first retractor;
and
means on said support means for retaining said actuating means and said second retractor in their incremented positions.

4 more elements

A device for producing precise incremental joint movement in a patient, which comprises:

first and second spaced retractors for engaging respective body parts of the patient adjacent the joint;
support means having said first retractor mounted thereon, said support means being of elongated construction and including a U-shaped member having spaced side legs and a rod-confining means extending at least partially between ends of said legs;
actuating means mounted on said support means for movement relative to said support means, said actuating means including an elongated rod slidably mounted on said support means for longitudinal movement in said U-shaped member and said rod-confining means, with said rod having said second retractor mounted on said rod adjacent said first retractor;
operating means on said support means for causing a precise preselected incremental movement of said rod and said second retractor for a single stroke of said operating means, to move said second retractor into successive incremented positions relative to said support means and said first retractor;
and
means on said support means for retaining said rod and said second retractor in their incremented positions.

3 more elements

A device for producing precise incremental joint movement in a patient, comprises:

first and second spaced retractors for engaging respective body parts of the patient adjacent the joint;
support means having said first retractor mounted thereon, said support means comprising a holder portion by which the device is adapted to be held by a user operating the device;
actuating means mounted on said support means for movement relative to said support means, said actuating means having said second retractor mounted on said actuating means adjacent said first retractor;
operating means on said support means for causing a precise preselected incremental movement of said actuating means and said second retractor for a single stroke of said operating means, to move said second retractor into successive incremented positions relative to said support means and said first retractor;
said operating means comprising a pawl member engageable with teeth on said actuating means to precisely increment said actuating means and said second retractor on each stroke of said operating means, said pawl member being movable relative to said teeth as said operating means moves back to its initial position;
said operating means further comprising an operating handle pivotably mounted on said support means adjacent said holder portion and movable by the user on each stroke thereof from an initial position toward said holder portion to cause the precise incremental movement of said actuating means and said second retractor relative to said support means and said first retractor, said pawl member being mounted on said handle;
resilient means disposed between said support means and said handle for biasing said handle to the open initial position with respect to said support means;
and
means on said support means for retaining said actuating means and said second retractor in their incremented positions.

6 more elements

A device for producing precise incremental joint movement in a patient, which comprises:

first and second spaced retractors for engaging respective body parts of the patient adjacent the joint;
support means having said first retractor mounted thereon;
actuating means mounted on said support means for movement relative to said support means, said actuating means having said second retractor mounted on said actuating means adjacent said first retractor;
at least one of said retractors including a pair of spaced parallel clamping legs mounting said one retractor on at least one of said support means or said actuating means, with said clamping legs having outer free ends and at least one of said clamping legs of said one retractor being of resilient construction;
operating means on said support means for causing a precise preselected incremental movement of said actuating means and said second retractor for a single stroke of said operating means, to move said second retractor into successive incremented positions relative to said support means and said first retractor;
and
means on said support means for retaining said actuating means and said second retractor in their incremented positions.

4 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Device for producing incremental joint movement in a patient

Life of this patent

Device for producing incremental joint movement in a patient

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims36