Segmented dynamic splint
AssigneeMotus Co., Ltd.
InventorsDan Goor, Tammy C. Luttrell
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A dynamic splint which braces any joint and particularly any body joint, and which is capable of cyclically moving the joint through a programmable range of motion while accommodating normal joint component motion and triplanar motion. In a preferred embodiment, a set of inner joint segments nest within a set of outer joint segments and are pivotally attached thereto. An extendable cable slidably attached to the outer joint segments causes a pivoting of the outer joint segments with respect to the inner joint segments and a consequent flexing and extending of the joint.
Claims11
An apparatus for manipulating a joint including a body joint, comprising;
- a plurality of joint manipulation segments adjacent to each other from a proximal end to a distal end on a joint, each said segment having a forward portion toward the distal end and an end portion toward the proximal end, the forward portion of each said segment being pivotally attached to the end portion of the distally adjacent segment, and an interior surface in contact with the joint, said interior surface at least partially surrounding said joint;
- means to attach at least one of said plurality of manipulation segments to the joint;
- and
- means for pivoting said manipulation segments with respect to one another whereby said plurality of manipulation segments urges the joint to flex or extend, the pivoting means including an extendable cable, one end of said extendable cable being threaded through a threaded bracket mounted on one end of said plurality of manipulation segments, and the other end of said extendable cable being mounted to rotation drive means, whereby the rotation of said drive means threads the extendable cable through the threaded bracket to adjust the cable length between the drive means and threaded bracket, thereby urging a pivoting of said manipulation segments with respect to one another to flex or extend the joint.
An apparatus for manipulating a joint including a body joint, comprising:
- a plurality of joint manipulation segments adjacent to each other from a proximal end to a distal end on a joint, each said segment having a forward portion toward the distal end and an end portion toward the proximal end, the forward portion of each said segment being pivotally attached to the end portion of the distally adjacent segment;
- means to attach at least one of said plurality of manipulation segments to the joint;
- and
- means for pivoting said manipulation segments with respect to one another whereby said plurality of manipulation segments urges the joint to flex or extend, wherein said pivoting means includes an extendable cable, one end of said extendable cable being threaded through a threaded bracket mounted on one end of said plurality of manipulation segments, and the other end of said extendable being mounted to rotation drive means, whereby the rotation of said drive means threads the extendable cable through the threaded bracket to adjust the cable length between the drive means and threaded bracket, thereby urging a pivoting of said manipulation segments with respect to one another to flex or extend the joint;
- and
- a spring disposed between said drive means and said cable to limit the amount of flexing and extending force applied to the joint.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.