Joint for rehabilitation device

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10758390-B2
Application number	US-201715850423-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Dec 21, 2017
Priority date	Feb 7, 2012
Publication date	Sep 1, 2020
Grant date	Sep 1, 2020

Abstract

A joint for a rehabilitation device and a rehabilitation device are disclosed. The joint is defined for operation between an end of a first member and an end of a second member. The joint enables the second member to pivot at the joint with respect to the first member. The joint includes a positioning mechanism for defining a set position from which the second member pivots. The joint also includes a restriction mechanism for restricting the degree of pivoting of the second member, from the set position. The joint further includes a biasing mechanism for biasing the second member such that it returns to the set position when an opposing force applied to the second member is less than the bias of the biasing mechanism. When the joint is in the set position, the biasing mechanism is configured such that no bias is applied to the second member.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A shoulder brace comprising:
a torso plate;
a first arm secured along the torso plate;
a second arm;
a joint secured to a first end of the first arm, and to a first end of the second arm, such that the first and second arms are pivotable relative to one another about the joint;
an arm rest secured to a second end of the second arm wherein the joint includes a biasing mechanism for biasing the second arm relative to the first arm such that the second arm returns to a set position when an opposing force applied to the second arm is less than a bias of the biasing mechanism; a gearing mechanism connecting to the biasing mechanism such that adjustment of the gearing mechanism in a first direction increases the bias in the biasing mechanism, and adjustment of the gearing mechanism in a second direction decreases the bias in the biasing mechanism and wherein the biasing mechanism includes a spring having a first end engaging the gearing mechanism and a second end engaging a second member of the joint secured to the second arm, the spring passing through an aperture defined by a positioning mechanism.

2. The shoulder brace of claim 1 , further comprising a third arm extending from the arm rest and having a spherical rest.

3. The shoulder brace of claim 1 , further comprising at least one strap extending from the torso plate.

4. The shoulder brace of claim 1 , wherein the first arm is telescopically extendable or retractable.

5. The shoulder brace of claim 1 , wherein the second arm is telescopically extendable or retractable.

6. The shoulder brace of claim 1 , wherein the joint is arranged for being unclamped for articulating the first arm relative to the second arm, and for being clamped to position the first arm relative to the second arm in a range of motion.

7. The shoulder brace of claim 1 , wherein the joint includes a positioning mechanism for defining a set position from which the second arm pivots with respect to a first member of the joint secured to the first arm, the joint having a second member secured to the second arm.

8. The shoulder brace of claim 7 wherein the positioning mechanism comprises an intermediate component for location between ends of the first and second members, and a clamping mechanism for urging the ends of the first and second members together to secure the intermediate component therebetween to define the joint in use, the intermediate component being configured with an edge face, when the clamping mechanism defines the joint, to engage with the end of the first member to maintain the intermediate component to the first member in a stationary manner when the second member is pivoted from the set position, the intermediate component being further configured to interact with the second member at the set position when the second member is pivoted back to the set position relative to the intermediate component to prevent further pivoting beyond the set position.

9. The shoulder brace of claim 8 , wherein the joint is configured such that, when the clamping mechanism is released, the intermediate component is able to be disengaged from the first member and then rotated, together with a pivoting of the second member with respect to the first member, to define a different set position when the clamping mechanism is reclamped.

10. The shoulder brace of claim 9 , wherein the intermediate component comprises a projection that enables interaction between the second member and the intermediate component.

11. The shoulder brace of claim 10 , wherein the second arm comprises a groove, ends of which define extremes from a range of available set positions, the groove being arranged to receive the projection from the intermediate component and to move therealong.

12. The shoulder brace of claim 9 , wherein the clamping mechanism is one of a screw;
bolt and nut; or worm drive.

13. The shoulder brace of claim 8 , wherein the joint includes a restriction mechanism for restricting a degree of pivoting of the second member from a set position with respect to the first member.

14. The shoulder brace of claim 13 , wherein the restriction mechanism is positioned between the intermediate component and the second member such that a portion of the restriction mechanism abuts against a projection from the intermediate component to prevent further pivoting of the second member and to limit a range of pivoting of the second member with respect to the first member.

15. The shoulder brace of claim 13 , wherein a position of the restriction mechanism with respect to the second member is adjustable by an adjustable element that is movable with respect to the second member and so as to engage with the restriction mechanism.

16. A method for using a shoulder brace, comprising the steps of:
securing a torso plate against a user, the torso plate carrying a first member secured along the torso plate, a joint connecting a first arm to a second arm;
unclamping the joint to arrange a range of motion between the first and second arms;
clamping the joint once the range of motion is established between the first and second arms;
aligning the joint with a glenohumeral joint of a shoulder of the user by pivoting the first member of the joint at a pivot point of the user and then locking the joint the steps of: after a range of motion of the glenohumeral joint of the user's shoulder is increased, adjusting a biasing mechanism for biasing a second member of the joint such that it returns to a set position when an opposing force applied to the second member is less than a bias of the biasing mechanism; adjusting a gearing mechanism connecting to the biasing mechanism such that adjustment of the gearing mechanism in a first direction increases the bias in the biasing mechanism, and adjustment of the gearing mechanism in a second direction decreases the bias in the biasing mechanism and wherein the biasing mechanism includes a spring having a first end engaging the gearing mechanism and a second end engaging the second member, the spring passing through an aperture defined by a positioning mechanism.

Assignees

• Ossur Iceland Ehf

Inventors

• Sorrenti Mark
• Sorrenti Samiul
• Hughes Andrew
• Genga Richard

Classifications

• A63B23/1272

  Rotation around an axis perpendicular to the frontal body-plane of the user, i.e. moving the arms in the plane of the body, to and from the sides of the body · CPC title

• A63B21/4025

  Resistance devices worn on the user's body (A63B21/065 takes precedence) · CPC title

• A61F5/013

  for the arms, hands or fingers (A61F5/0118 takes precedence) · CPC title

• A61F2005/0167

  adjustable · CPC title

• A61F5/0102 Primary

  specially adapted for correcting deformities of the limbs or for supporting them; Ortheses, e.g. with articulations · CPC title