JOINT FOR AN ORTHOPEDIC DEVICE

Description

[0001] The invention relates to a joint for an orthopaedic device, wherein the joint comprises a first element, at least one elastic element on a support mounted on the first element, and a second element pivotably arranged on the first element and pivotable in a direction from a first engagement angle between the first element and the second element against a force applied by the at least one elastic element. The invention further relates to a support for such a joint.

[0002] Such a joint is known, for example, in the form of an ankle joint for a leg orthosis from DE 10 2010 014 334 A1 or DE 10 2013 011 382 A1. Such ankle joints can be used in leg or lower leg orthoses. For therapeutic reasons, it can be advantageous to limit the length of the pivoting movement, i.e., the maximum possible pivoting angle of the second element relative to the first element, and, for example, to provide a stop in one or both directions of pivoting. To prevent excessively hard impacts against these stops, they are generally spring-loaded and thus dampened. This spring action also ensures that pivoting of the joint is only possible for the orthotic device if the force exerted by the spring is overcome. This, too, can be useful for rehabilitation and training purposes.

[0003] From WO 2016 / 201318 A1, it is known to adjust the zero position of an ankle joint, i.e., the angle between the lower leg and the foot at which force equilibrium is achieved, by making the lower leg itself adjustable relative to the first element of the joint in the form of a splint. Document US 2016 / 361189 A1 also shows a joint for an orthotic device.

[0004] In such joints, it is often advantageous if, when pivoting the second element relative to the first element in one direction, a force does not need to be applied over the entire pivoting path to overcome the force exerted by the elastic element. It can be quite beneficial if no spring force needs to be overcome until a first engagement angle is reached, and only upon further pivoting is the spring compressed, for example, so that it exerts an opposing force.

[0005] An elastic element can be, in particular, a single elastic element or a plurality of elastic elements. Examples of usable elastic elements include coil springs, disc springs, or stacks of disc springs or coiled disc springs. Other elastic elements include, for example, rubber-elastic elements such as elastomer blocks. All these elements can be provided with a preload, which is preferably adjustable. In the following, when an elastic element is mentioned, this also includes other elastic elements.

[0006] Particularly when the joint is used as an ankle joint, but also in other applications, the elastic element must have a sufficiently high spring force and spring constant while requiring as little installation space as possible. It is therefore known from the prior art to use a stack of disc spring elements arranged one above the other. These exhibit a high spring force and relatively small installation space. From DE 10 2015 112 238 A1, it is known to use a helical disc spring instead of such an arrangement of several disc springs. This offers significantly higher safety, especially in the event of spring breakage, than the disc spring stack known from the prior art.

[0007] The first engagement angle is typically reached when a contact element of the support comes into contact with a corresponding contact surface of the second element, so that any further pivoting of the second element relative to the first inevitably leads to tensioning of the spring, for example, compression of a compression spring. Conventionally, the contact element is, for example, a screw that is screwed into the end of the support opposite the second element, with its end forming the stop surface. Depending on how far the screw or contact element is screwed into the support, the position of the first engagement angle can be determined and adjusted. However, a disadvantage is that the joint must be disassembled for this purpose.

[0008] The first angle of engagement is set by adjusting the contact element. A corresponding joint often has two preferably identically designed supports with elastic elements, each with a contact element that is adjustable in the manner described. This makes it possible to set a "zero position" of the joint. The "zero position" is understood to be the position in which the first element is located relative to the second element when no external forces act on the joint and the position of the two elements is determined at least almost completely, but preferably completely, by the forces exerted by the elastic elements. This is advantageous, for example, for adapting an ankle or leg orthosis to a change in the heel height of a shoe.

[0009] A joint is known in the prior art in which this "zero position" is determined by the two forces of the elastic elements acting on the second joint component. This has the disadvantage that preloading the elastic elements inevitably results in a change in the "zero position" of the joint unless the preload of the second elastic element is also adjusted accordingly. Furthermore, joints are known in which a contact surface of the second joint component is modified to change the "zero position" and thus the relative position of the second element relative to the first element. The disadvantage here is that the joint must be completely disassembled for this purpose, since structural modifications must be made to the second element, whose contact surface is being changed, which are only possible with the joint disassembled.

[0010] The invention is based on the objective of further developing a joint for an orthopaedic device in such a way that this adjustment and setting is easier.

[0011] The invention solves the stated problem by means of a joint for an orthopaedic device according to the preamble of claim 1, which is characterized in that the support has a contact element which rests against the second element when the first engagement angle is reached, wherein the contact element is adjustable when the joint is mounted in such a way that the first engagement angle and a preload of the elastic element can be adjusted independently of each other.

[0012] This design eliminates the need to disassemble the joint to adjust the initial angle of intervention. Even disassembling the support from the first element is no longer necessary. This means that an orthotic device, such as an orthosis or prosthesis, can be easily adjusted while being worn. In a particularly simple design, this can even be achieved by the wearer of the orthosis or prosthesis, eliminating the need for an orthotist. This is especially advantageous if the wearer of the orthosis, prosthesis, or other orthotic device owns several pairs of shoes with varying heel heights.

[0013] In a preferred embodiment of the joint, the carrier has an adjustment channel through which an adjusting element of the carrier for adjusting the contact element is accessible. The adjusting element is advantageously a positive locking element, in particular an internal hexagon. Of course, other positive locking elements are also possible.

[0014] With a suitable tool, such as an Allen key or other positive-locking counterpart, the mounting element can therefore be adjusted even when installed. This is done by inserting the tool into the adjustment channel and, for example, engaging the positive-locking element of the adjusting element at the end of the tool furthest from the entrance. The resulting positive lock allows the tool to adjust the adjusting element and thus align the mounting element.

[0015] Preferably the support has a prestressing element by which a prestress of the at least one elastic element can be adjusted, wherein the prestressing element is preferably a positive locking element, particularly preferably an internal hexagon.

[0016] The preload of the elastic element allows, on the one hand, the magnitude of the force exerted by the elastic element to be adjusted. In this way, the damping with which the stop, which defines the maximum pivoting range of the first element relative to the second element, is reached can be adjusted. If the elastic element is designed, for example, as a coil spring, a disc spring, or a stack of disc springs, the support has two spring mounting elements between which the elastic element is positioned. In this case, the preload can be adjusted particularly easily by moving these two spring mounting elements towards or away from each other to increase or decrease the preload in the spring. This can be implemented in a particularly simple way by arranging one of the two spring mounting elements on an element that can be screwed into, for example, a base body of the support.The element can be screwed into or unscrewed from the base body of the carrier, so that the spring mounting element located on it is moved towards or away from the other spring mounting element.

[0017] This is preferably done by means of a positive locking element into which a suitable tool can be inserted and which is screwed in or out in this way.

[0018] Preferably, the adjustment channel runs through this preloading element. Particularly if the preloading element itself is a positive locking element, it has therefore proven advantageous if the diameter of the positive locking element forming the preloading element is larger than the diameter of the positive locking element forming the adjustment element.

[0019] Advantageously, the carrier can be screwed into or removed from a thread provided for this purpose on the first element without changing any set preload and / or set first engagement angle. For this purpose, a further positive locking element can be provided, which is contained in the adjustment channel and preferably has a diameter that lies between the diameter of the positive locking element forming the preload element and the diameter of the positive locking element forming the adjustment element.

[0020] In this case, the adjustment channel can be designed as a stepped channel, the diameter of which decreases in steps from its opening, which preferably faces away from the second element of the joint, to the opposite end. A positive locking element is present at each step, into which a corresponding tool with a correspondingly designed positive locking counter-element can be inserted and actuated to perform a specific function. In a particularly preferred embodiment, the largest positive locking element is located at the entrance of the adjustment channel. This is preferably usable for adjusting the preload of the elastic element. If a tool penetrates deeper into the adjustment channel, it is evidently not suitable for interacting with this positive locking element, which forms the preload element.For example, it can engage with the next smaller positive locking element, which can be used, for instance, to screw the carrier into the designated and existing thread. An even smaller tool, whose counter-positive locking element has a diameter too small to interact with this second positive locking element on its way into the adjustment channel, can, for example, have a counter-positive locking element for a positive locking element that forms the adjustment element. The tool with the counter-positive locking element thus engages with the positive locking element that forms the adjustment element and can therefore be used to move the contact element and thus set the first engagement angle.

[0021] In a preferred embodiment, the carrier has a base body that can be mounted on or is mounted on the first element, and a slide that is displaceable relative to the base body and on which the contact element is located. The slide preferably also has a spring contact element, such that a displacement of the slide relative to the base body of the carrier results in compression or relaxation of the spring.

[0022] Advantageously, the slide has a stop that rests against a stop surface on the base body when maximum displacement relative to the base body is reached. This prevents the stop, which forms the maximum pivoting of the joint, from being reached by a coil spring or a disc spring being compressed. Preferably, this stop is adjustable.

[0023] Preferably, the maximum displacement is adjustable. This is preferably achieved by moving the slide relative to the base body and / or the stop relative to the slide.

[0024] In a preferred embodiment, such a joint has two supports, each with at least one elastic element, through which forces can be applied to the second element in different directions. Such a joint can, for example, be used in an ankle or leg orthosis or prosthesis and thus apply a force in both the plantar flexion and dorsiflexion directions. Different forces for each direction of movement can also be achieved by selecting different springs or different preload settings for the different springs.

[0025] The invention also solves the stated problem by providing a support for such a joint as described here.

[0026] With the aid of the accompanying figures, an embodiment of the present invention will be explained in more detail below. It shows Figures 1a and 1b - two sectional views through a support according to an embodiment of the present invention in two different sectional planes, Figure 2 - a schematic side view and a sectional view through a joint according to a first embodiment of the present invention, Figure 3 - the representations from Figure 2 in a different position of the joint, Figure 4 - the representations from Figure 2 for a joint according to a further embodiment, Figure 5 - the schematic sectional views through a joint according to a further embodiment of the present invention, Figure 6 and 7- schematic cross-sectional views through the joint Figure 5 and Figure 8 - Schematic cross-sectional views through a beam in different positions.

[0027] The Figures 1a and 1b show a support 2 in two sectional views, where the support 2 is shown in the Figures 1a and 1b relative to each other by 90° around its longitudinal axis, which is in the Figures 1a and 1b The support 2 runs from top to bottom and is rotated. An elastic element 4, designed in this case as a helical spring, is arranged on each support 2. The elastic element rests against upper spring contact surfaces 6 and lower spring contact surfaces 8, with the lower spring contact surfaces 8 being arranged on a slide 10. This slide 10 is in Figure 1a Its lower portion is cut and shown in a side view above, and in Figure 1b As shown, it has two legs 12 in the illustrated embodiment, which are arranged offset from each other by 180°.

[0028] The slide 10 is connected to a plunger 14, on which a contact element 16 is located. When pressure is applied to the contact element 16, Figures 1a and 1b When pressure is exerted upwards, it is transferred via the slider 10 and its leg 12 to the lower spring support surface 8, thereby compressing the elastic element 4.

[0029] The slide 10 has a stop 18 which, when a maximum displacement is reached, rests against a stop surface 20 of a base body 22, thus defining the maximum pivoting. The base body 22 is also called a spring dome.

[0030] The carrier 2 has an opening 24 leading to an adjustment channel 26, which is used for various functions. In Figure 1a, the adjustment channel 26 has a cross-section that decreases from top to bottom. In the lower region, there is an adjustment element 28, which in the illustrated embodiment is designed as a positive-locking element. A tool, inserted through the opening 24 into the adjustment channel 26 and having a matching positive-locking counterpart, can interact with the adjustment element 28. When this tool is rotated, the contact element 16, which is mounted on the slide 10 via a thread 30, can be turned out of or into the slide 10. This adjusts the initial engagement angle.

[0031] The support 2 can be screwed into a component of a joint (not shown) via a fastening element 32.

[0032] A tool having a different positive locking element at its end can interact with a positive locking element 34 that is connected to the base body 22 of the carrier 2. A tool with the matching positive locking element, which engages with the positive locking element 34, can be used to displace the base body 22 relative to the fastening element 32. In this way, the distance between the stop surface 20 and the stop 18 can be adjusted, and thus the maximum displacement can be determined.

[0033] In the area of ​​the opening 24, the support 2 has a prestressing element 36, which is also designed as a positive locking element. A tool with a suitably designed positive locking counterpart can engage with the prestressing element 36 and thus move the component with the upper spring contact surfaces 6 into or out of the base body 22. In this way, the prestress of the elastic element 4 can be changed.

[0034] If, for example, the beam is to be removed from one joint and inserted into another, only the fastening element 32 needs to be unscrewed from the designated threaded opening of the joint element. In this way, the entire beam can be removed from the joint without having to change the preload setting via the preload element 36, the maximum displacement setting via the positive locking element 34, or the first engagement angle setting via the contact element 16. However, it is also possible to adjust all these parameters while the beam is in place, without having to remove the beam 2.

[0035] Figure 2 The left section shows a schematic 3D view of a joint 38 according to an embodiment of the present invention. The right section of the Figure 2The same representation is shown as a sectional view. The joint 38 has a first element 40 and a second element 44 arranged therein about a pivot axis 42. One can see in the right part of the Figure 2 The mounting element 16 rests on the plunger 14 against a shoulder 46 of the second element 44. The elastic element 4 is not fully tensioned, allowing movement of the second element 44 about the pivot axis 42 in both directions. The first element 30 has a further threaded insert 48 into which another support 2 can be inserted.

[0036] Figure 3 shows the two representations from Figure 2 , whereby the second element 44 is now pivoted about the pivot axis 42 relative to the first element 40. In doing so, the elastic element 4 is strongly compressed, so that it exerts a force via the [unclear text] in the Figures 1a and 1bThe lower spring contact surfaces 8 shown exert force on the slide 10 and thus on the plunger 14 and the contact element 16. This can be seen in the right part of the Figure 3 , that the stop 18 rests against the stop surface 20. The maximum displacement path is thus reached. Furthermore, it can be seen that the support element 16, which is arranged on the plunger 14, is, in comparison to the illustration in Figure 3 has been moved upwards.

[0037] Figure 4 shows the representation from Figure 2 for a joint 38 according to another embodiment of the present invention. The main difference is that a sleeve 50 is placed over the support 2, so that the elastic element 4 is no longer visible from the outside. This reduces the risk of contamination of the elastic element 4 and at the same time reduces the risk of injury for, for example, the wearer of an orthosis equipped with the joint.

[0038] Figure 5Another section view shows a joint 38, which now has two supports 2. They are identical in construction and essentially correspond to those in the Figures 1a and 1b In the illustrated embodiments, a sleeve 50 is again placed over the respective carrier 2. The joint 38 is in the neutral or rest position in both illustrations, so that the first engagement angle is shown on both sides. These angles are chosen such that the joint assumes these angles for both sides simultaneously in the respective position shown. Comparing the two illustrations of the Figure 5 , thus one can see that the stop and the first engagement angle were changed in each case, without having to change the preload of any of the elastic elements.

[0039] Figure 6Figure 1 shows two representations of the joint 38, each with two supports 2, where in turn a contact element 16 rests against the two shoulders 46 of the second element 44. The position in which the first engagement angles are simultaneously assumed on both sides is also shown. The comparison of the two representations in Figure 6 However, it makes clear that one of the two components with the upper spring contact surfaces 6 in the right-hand illustration is in Figure 6 In both carriers 2, the screws were turned significantly further inwards than shown in the left-hand illustration. This increases the preload of the elastic element 4 without changing the first pressure angle.

[0040] The same applies to Figure 7 It shows the two representations from Figure 6However, in a different equilibrium position. Here too, the element with the upper spring contact surfaces 6 in the right-hand illustration is screwed significantly further inwards than in the left-hand illustration, which means that the preload of the respective elastic elements 4 in the right-hand illustration has increased considerably compared to the left-hand illustration.

[0041] Figure 8Figure 2 shows the carrier 2 in four different positions. The leftmost position shows a starting position in which the plunger 14 with its attached contact element 16, the upper spring contact surface 6, the lower spring contact surface 8, and the elastic element 4 are depicted. The second illustration from the left has been modified compared to the leftmost illustration in that the plunger 14 and, with it, the attached contact element 16 have been repositioned relative to the slide 10 by engaging a corresponding tool with the adjusting element 28 and actuating it accordingly. Neither the maximum displacement nor the preload of the elastic element 4 were changed in this process.

[0042] In the second illustration from the right, compared to the second illustration from the left, the preload of the elastic element 4 was changed by displacing the component with the upper spring contact surfaces 6 relative to the base body 22 by engaging a corresponding tool with the preload element 36. This did not change either the maximum displacement path, which is determined by the distance between the stop surface 20 and the stop 18, or the position of the first engagement angle, which is determined by the position of the contact element 16.

[0043] In the far right representation of the Figure 8 In comparison to the second illustration from the right, the plunger 14 and thus the attachment element 16 were moved upwards again, in which a tool with the adjusting element 28 was engaged. Reference symbol list:

[0044] 2 Carrier 4 Elastic element 6 Upper spring contact surface 8 Lower spring contact surface 10 Slider 12 Leg 14 Plunger 16 Contact element 18 Stop 20 Stop surface 22 Base body 24 Opening 26 Adjustment channel 28 Adjustment element 30 Thread 32 Fastening element 34 Positive locking element 36 Preloading element 38 Joint 40 First element 42 Swivel axis 44 Second element 46 Shoulder 48 Threaded insert 50 Sleeve 52 dashed line

Claims

1. A joint (38) for an orthopedic device, wherein the joint (38) comprises - a first element (40), - at least one elastic element (4) on a support (2), which is mounted on the first element (40), and - a second element (44) which is pivotally arranged on the first element (40) and can be swivelled in a direction against a force applied by the at least one elastic element (4) starting from a first angle of engagement between the first element (40) and the second element (44), characterized by the fact that the support (2) comprises a contact element (16) which rests against the second element (44) upon reaching the first angle of engagement, wherein the contact element (16) can be adjusted when the joint (38) is assembled such that the first angle of engagement and a preload of the elastic element (4) can be adjusted independently of one another.

2. The joint (38) according to claim 1, characterized by the fact that the support (2) features an adjustment channel (26), by way of which an adjustment element (28) of the support (2) can be reached in order to adjust the contact element (16).

3. The joint (38) according to claim 1 or 2, characterized by the fact that the adjustment element (28) is a positive-locking element, especially a hexagon socket.

4. The joint (38) according to one of the above claims, characterized by the fact that the support (2) comprises a pre-loading element (36), by way of which a preload of the at least one elastic element (4) can be adjusted, wherein the pre-loading element (36) is preferably a positive-locking element, especially preferably a hexagon socket.

5. The joint (38) according to claim 4, characterized by the fact that the adjustment channel (26) extends through the pre-loading element (36).

6. The joint (38), in particular according to one of the preceding claims, characterized by the fact that the support (2) can screwed into or removed from a specially provided thread on the first element (40), without having to alter a set preload and / or a set first angle of engagement.

7. The joint (38) according to claim 6, characterized by the fact that the support (2) has a base body (22), which can be or is assembled on the first element (40), and a slide (10), which can be displaced relative to the base body (22), wherein the contact element (16) is arranged on the slide (10).

8. The joint (38) according to claim 7, characterized by the fact that the slide (10) comprises an end stop (18), which rests on an end stop surface (20) on the base body (22) upon reaching a maximum displacement relative to the base body (22).

9. The joint (38) according to claim 8, characterized by the fact that the maximum displacement can be adjusted, preferably by displacing the slide (10) relative to the base body (22) and / or the end stop (18) relative to the slide (10).

10. The joint (38) according to one of the above claims, characterized by the fact that the joint (38) features two supports (2), each of which has at least one elastic element (4), by way of which the forces can be applied to the second element (44) in different directions.