Lower limb orthosis and joint member for lower limb orthosis

Abstract

To provide a lower limb orthosis further improved to enable walking closer to that of a healthy person by smoothing a regulated state of rocking movement of a foot part and a lower limb part.SOLUTION: Provided is a lower limb orthosis having a foot fixing part on the ground side, a lower leg fixing part, and a support part 13 connecting the foot fixing part and the lower leg fixing part, wherein the foot fixing part and the support part 13 are pivotally connected, one of the foot fixing part and the support part 13 is provided with a cylindrical resin elastic member 1, and an abutment part that can abut against the resin elastic member 1 is provided on the other side thereof, the support part 13 has an upright state in which the abutment part and the resin elastic member 1 do not abut, and an inclined state in which the abutment part and the resin elastic member 1 abut, causing the resin elastic member 1 to receive a compressive force in a longitudinal direction, the lower limb orthosis further has a guide part 9 provided with a guide passage for arranging the resin elastic member 1, and when a load of 300N is applied to a top part 1A on the abutment part side of the resin elastic member 1, the top part 1A is displaced by 0.2 mm or more and 3.0 mm or less.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 2

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a lower limb brace and a joint member used therein, which is used as an aid when walking by disabled persons who are unable or have difficulty in moving their ankle joints freely at will. [Background technology]

[0002] Cerebral hemorrhage, cerebral infarction, or peroneal nerve paralysis due to trauma can cause a disability in which the ankle joint cannot be moved freely at will. Patients with this disability cannot move their weight smoothly because their toes drop when walking, and their toes get caught on the floor, making it difficult to walk, so lower limb braces are generally used to assist them.

[0003] Conventional lower limb orthoses have evolved from fixed orthoses that fix the ankle in a bent state at approximately 90 degrees, and generally allow plantar flexion (bending the toes in the direction that the toes hang down) and dorsiflexion (bending the toes in the direction that the toes lift up) of the ankle when walking. As such, as orthoses that allow the foot and lower leg to swing relative to each other, for example, the short leg orthoses and long leg orthoses shown in Patent Document 1 (see Figs. 5 and 6) are known.

[0004] The structure that allows the foot and the lower leg to swing relative to each other has the advantage that even the disabled person can move the foot in a manner similar to that of a healthy person when walking. In this case, if the swing angle in the plantar flexion side and the dorsiflexion side is unlimited, the foot will become unsteady and walking will become more difficult, so it is important to restrict the angle within a certain range. The short leg brace disclosed in Patent Document 2 has connecting parts (4) and (5) that restrict the swing (rotation) angle in both the dorsiflexion side and the plantar flexion side.

[0005] The joints (4) and (5) disclosed in Patent Document 2 are designed so that when they swing to a certain extent, the protruding parts made of set screws come into contact with each other, restricting the swinging from going any further. However, because the metal parts suddenly come into contact with each other after a small swing, the movement tends to become unsmooth, and it is often difficult for ordinary disabled people to use them to their full potential. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0006] [Patent Document 1] JP 2015-217124 A [Patent Document 2] Patent Publication No. 2021-78962 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0007] An object of the present invention is to provide an improved lower limb orthosis and a joint member for a lower limb orthosis that smoothly regulates the swinging movement of the foot and lower leg, enabling walking closer to that of a healthy person. [Means for solving the problem]

[0008] [1] The present invention relates to a lower limb orthosis, A lower limb orthosis having a foot fixing part on the ground side, a lower leg fixing part, and a support part connecting the foot fixing part and the lower leg fixing part, The foot support portion and the support portion are pivotally connected to each other, a resin elastic member having a width direction and a length direction is provided on one of the foot fixing portion and the support portion, and an abutment portion capable of directly or indirectly abutting against the resin elastic member is provided on the other of the foot fixing portion and the support portion; the support portion has an upright state in which the abutment portion and the resin elastic member do not abut against each other, and an inclined state in which the abutment portion and the resin elastic member abut directly or indirectly against each other, so that the resin elastic member receives a compressive force in a length direction, The lower limb orthosis further includes a guide portion having a guide passage in which the resin elastic member is disposed, The resin elastic member is characterized in that, when a load of 300 N is applied to the top of the contact portion, the top of the contact portion is displaced by 0.2 mm or more and 3.0 mm or less.

[0009] [2] The second aspect of the present invention is the lower limb orthosis according to [1], The present invention is characterized in that there is a gap between the widthwise outer side of the resin elastic member and the inner wall of the guide passage, and the inner diameter of the guide passage is 102% or more and 115% or less of the widthwise outer diameter of the resin elastic member.

[0010] [3] The third aspect of the present invention is the lower limb orthosis according to [1] or [2], The foot support portion and the support portion are pivotally connected to each other with a single pivot axis, The resin elastic member is characterized in that it is compressed by the relative arc movement of the resin elastic member and the abutment portion around the pivot axis between the foot fixing portion and the support portion.

[0011] [4] The fourth aspect of the present invention is the lower limb orthosis according to any one of [1] to [3], The radius of the contact center between the resin elastic member and the contact portion from the pivot axis is 10 to 30 mm.

[0012] [5] The fifth aspect of the present invention is the lower limb orthosis according to any one of [1] to [4], The resin elastic member is provided at a location near the pivot axis of the support column, and the abutment portion is provided at a location near the pivot axis of the foot fixing portion, The resin elastic member is characterized in that it has a cylindrical shape that is elongated in a direction in which it abuts against the abutting portion.

[0013] [6] The sixth aspect of the present invention is a lower limb orthosis according to any one of [1] to [5], The tilted state is characterized in that it occurs when the support column is tilted in a dorsiflexion direction from an upright state.

[0014] [7] The seventh aspect of the present invention is the lower limb orthosis according to any one of [1] to [5], The resin elastic member is made of rubber or synthetic resin, and the contact portion is made of metal.

[0015] [8] The eighth aspect of the present invention is a lower limb orthosis according to any one of [1] to [5], The present invention is characterized in that the amount of displacement of the top of the contact portion of the resin elastic member when the load applied to the top of the contact portion of the resin elastic member is increased from 300N to 350N is less than the amount of displacement of the top of the contact portion of the resin elastic member when the load is increased from 1500N to 1550N.

[0016] [9] The ninth aspect of the present invention is the lower limb orthosis according to any one of [1] to [5], a set screw is screwed into one of the foot fixing portion and the support portion, the set screw being capable of adjusting the position of the end of the resin elastic member on the contact portion side in a direction away from the contact portion, The present invention is characterized in that a connecting portion is provided that connects the set screw and the resin elastic member so as to be non-rotatable relative to each other.

[0017]

[10] The tenth aspect of the present invention is the lower limb orthosis according to [9], The connecting portion is characterized in that the end of the set screw on the resin elastic member side and the end of the resin elastic member on the set screw side are configured to engage and disengage by relative movement in a direction intersecting the near-far direction.

[0018]

[11] The eleventh aspect of the present invention is a lower limb orthosis according to any one of [1] to [5], The present invention is characterized in that a hydraulic damper is provided to provide resistance to the relative swinging movement between the foot fixing portion and the support portion.

[0019]

[12] The twelfth aspect of the present invention is the lower limb orthosis according to

[11] , The hydraulic damper is characterized in that it is configured to provide resistance only to the relative swinging movement between the foot support part and the support part in the plantar flexion direction.

[0020]

[13] The thirteenth aspect of the present invention is a joint member for a lower limb orthosis that connects a foot support part on a ground-contact side to a support part that connects a lower leg support part and the foot support part so as to be able to swing relative to each other, a resin elastic member provided on one of the foot fixing portion and the support portion in a state having a width direction and a length direction, and capable of directly or indirectly contacting an abutment portion provided on the other of the foot fixing portion and the support portion; and a guide portion having a guide passage in which the resin elastic member is disposed, The resin elastic member is characterized in that, when a load of 300 N is applied to the top of the contact portion, the top of the contact portion is displaced by 0.2 mm or more and 3.0 mm or less. Effect of the Invention

[0021] According to the lower limb orthosis of the present invention, the support part and the foot support part of the lower leg support part can swing freely relative to each other in the standing state without the contact part and the resin elastic member coming into contact, and when the standing state is changed to the leaning state from the tilted state, the contact part or the support part and the resin elastic member come into elastic contact with each other, so that the swinging is restricted more gently with less impact than when metal parts come into contact with each other. And, when a load of 300N is applied to the top of the resin elastic member on the contact part side, it is compressed and displaced by 0.2 mm or more and 3.0 mm or less, so that in the leaning state, a braking force is applied smoothly and with less impact to the relative swinging between the support part and the foot support part.

[0022] Since the resin elastic member is disposed in the guide passage formed in the guide section, the resin elastic member that receives compressive force in the length direction is well compressed while being guided so as not to buckle. As a result, by devising a method for restricting the swinging movement of the support section and the foot fixing section by appropriate elastic contact, it is possible to provide an improved lower limb prosthesis that enables a more natural walking style, for example, similar to that of a healthy person. [Brief description of the drawings]

[0023] [Figure 1] FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing an example of a lower limb brace for a right foot and a joint member for the lower limb brace, as viewed obliquely from above and in front; [Diagram 2] A perspective view of the shock absorbing mechanism (joint member for lower limb orthosis) and its internal structure. [Diagram 3] A partially cutaway side view showing the structure of the shock absorbing mechanism on one side (plantar flexion side) [Figure 4] A partially cutaway rear view taken along the arrow A in FIG. 3 [Diagram 5] A bottom view of the joint body, etc. taken along arrow B in FIG. 3. [Figure 6] FIG. 1 is a side view of a lower limb brace showing an upright state of the support and each of the tilted states of the dorsiflexion side and the plantar flexion side. [Figure 7] Plot diagram showing the "load value-displacement" characteristics of plastic elastic material [Figure 8] A side view of the main part showing a shock absorbing mechanism with a different structure. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0024] The embodiment of the lower limb orthosis according to the present invention will be specifically described below with reference to the drawings, but the present invention is not limited to the illustrated examples, and can be modified appropriately within the scope of the above and below, and all of these are included in the technical scope of the present invention. Furthermore, the drawings are focused on making the structure and function easy to understand, and the dimensions, shapes, proportions, etc. of each part may not necessarily be the same as the actual ones.

[0025] As shown in Fig. 1, the leg brace F according to the present invention is a leg brace, so-called short leg brace, having a foot fixing part 11 on the ground side, a lower leg fixing part 12, and a support part 13 connecting the foot fixing part 11 and the lower leg fixing part 12. The foot fixing part 11 and the support part 13 are pivotally connected, and a resin elastic member 1 (see Fig. 2) having a width direction and a length direction is provided on one of the foot fixing part 11 and the support part 13, and an abutment part 2 (see Fig. 3) that can directly or indirectly abut against the resin elastic member 1 is provided on the other. It is preferable to pivotally connect the foot fixing part 11 and the support part 13 at a single pivot axis P in the left-right direction, and it is also preferable to provide the resin elastic member 1 on the support part 13 and provide the abutment part 2 on the foot fixing part 11.

[0026] The foot support part 11 has a foot rest (also called stirrup) 14, and preferably has a shoe part 15 fixed to the foot rest 14. The foot rest 14 has left and right lower support parts 16, 17 extending from a body part (not shown and not marked) in the left and right center part relatively fixed to the shoe part 15. A right connector part 19 with the upper right support part 13R of the support part 13 is provided at the upper end part of the right lower support part 17, and a left connector part 18 with the left upper support part 13L of the support part 13 is provided at the left lower support part 16. The shoe part 15 can be in various forms such as a slipper-like or a shoe-like one. The foot rest 14 is preferably made of an aluminum alloy such as a plate-like one, but various materials such as other metals and reinforced plastics such as FRP are also possible.

[0027] The support column 13 has the above-mentioned left upper support column 13L, the above-mentioned right upper support column 13R, and a semicircular crescent frame 22 that connects and integrates the upper ends of the left and right upper support columns 13L, 13R. The crescent frame 22 is provided on the support column 13 so as to support the calf, which is the rear part of the lower leg. A left connecting part 18 is provided at the lower end of the left upper support column 13L, and a right connecting part 19 is provided at the lower end of the right upper support column 13R. These left and right connecting parts 18, 19 pivotally connect the foot fixing part 11 and the support column 13 so that they can swing back and forth around the pivot axis P. The left and right upper support columns 13L, 13R and the crescent frame 22 are preferably made of aluminum alloy, which is lightweight while having strength and rigidity, but various other materials such as metals and reinforced plastics such as FRP are also possible.

[0028] The crus fixing part 12, which is attached and supported on the crus, has a cuff band 20 that encircles the calf and shin, i.e., a part of the crus, and a fastening belt 21 for closing and fastening the cuff band 20. The crus fixing part 12 is attached to the inner periphery of the left and right upper supports 13L, 13R and the crescent frame 22, and is integrated with the support part 13. The crus fixing part 12 may include the crescent frame 22, and the support part 13 may consist of the left and right upper supports 13L, 13R.

[0029] The right connecting part 19 shown in FIG. 1 is equipped on the outer side (right side) of the foot support part 11, and has a hydraulic damper [e.g., Gait Solution (registered trademark)] 3 that functions to provide resistance to plantar flexion. Plantar flexion is the movement of bending the ankle joint toward the plantar direction, and the side that moves the foot support part 11 downward relative to the support part 13 is the plantar flexion side. The right connecting part 19 is attached at its lower part (notation omitted) to the lower right support part 17 and at its upper part (notation omitted) to the upper right support part 13R using fixing means such as screws. The hydraulic damper 3 is a known part known in JP 2004-166811 A (see FIG. 5) and the like, and a detailed description thereof will be omitted here.

[0030] Next, the left connecting part 18 will be described. As shown in Fig. 1 and Fig. 2, the left connecting part 18 is provided on the medial side (left side) of the foot support part 11, and is configured as a shock absorbing mechanism 4 that functions on the plantar flexion side and the dorsiflexion side. Dorsiflexion is the movement of bending the toes of the foot toward the back of the foot (top of the foot), and the side on which the foot support part 11 moves upward relative to the support part 13 is the dorsiflexion side. Fig. 2 shows a perspective view of the main part of the shock absorbing mechanism 4 seen from the side and a see-through view showing the internal structure, arranged vertically on the paper. The shock absorbing mechanism 4 preferably has a joint body 5 attached to the lower end of the left upper support part 13L by means of bolt fastening or the like, stoppers 6, 6 provided at the front and rear of the joint body 5, and a support shaft 7 provided at the lower part of the joint body 5.

[0031] As shown in Fig. 2 to Fig. 5, the joint body 5 has a main body 5A into which a set screw 8 is screwed at the front and rear, and a pair of legs 5B, 5B extending downward (towards the abutment part) from the left and right sides of the main body 5A, and is formed as a bifurcated member that is flat and has a downward opening when viewed in the front-rear direction. The main body 5A preferably has a recessed part (not shown and not marked) from the right end of the front-rear center area to the left, and it is preferable to fit the left upper support 13L into the recessed part to reduce the left-right width of the joint body 5 including the left upper support 13L. The thick plate-shaped abutment part 2 is inserted into the flat space surrounded by the boundary part 5b between the left and right legs 5B, 5B and the main body 5A and the left and right legs 5B, 5B, and it is preferable that the upper part of the abutment part 2 and the lower part of the joint body 5 are pivotally connected by the support shaft 7. The joint body 5 is provided with a guide portion 9 into which the stopper 6 is inserted and is mounted, and the guide portion 9 has a female thread portion 5a and a guide passage 9A.

[0032] As shown in FIG. 3, the contact part 2, which is the upper end of the left lower support part 16 (see FIG. 1), is preferably formed in a substantially arcuate shape with the pivot axis P protruding maximally toward the left upper support part 13L in the front-rear direction, and has contact surfaces 2a, 2a for the resin elastic member 1 at the front and rear. Each contact surface 2a, 2a is a gently inclined surface that becomes slightly lower in height as it moves away from the pivot axis P in the front-rear direction. The resin elastic member 1 and the contact part 2 are structured so that they come into contact with each other only when the support part 13 and the foot rest part 14 are inclined at a relative angle a toward the dorsiflexion side or the plantar flexion side. The angle a (predetermined angle a) is preferably set to, for example, 0 to 10 degrees, but is not limited to 0 to 10 degrees, such as 0 to 8 degrees or 0 to 5 degrees. In a tilted state (see FIG. 6) in which the support portion 13 is tilted at an angle a toward the dorsiflexion or plantarflexion side with respect to the foot support portion 14, it is preferable that the axis of the stopper 6, i.e., the stopper axis 6a, is slightly inclined (for example, 2 to 10 degrees, preferably 3 to 9 degrees, and more preferably 4 to 8 degrees) toward the support axis S toward the foot supporting portion 11 side (lower side) so that the top 1A of the resin elastic member 1 and the contact surface 2a come into face-to-face contact.

[0033] As shown in Figs. 2 to 5, the front and rear stoppers 6, 6 have the same structure and are symmetrical with respect to the axis S of the support column. The structure of the stopper 6 will be described with respect to the rear stopper. The stopper 6 has a set screw 8 screwed into the female threaded portion 5a of the joint body 5, a lock nut 10 screwed onto the set screw 8, and a resin elastic member 1 connected to the set screw 8. The set screw 8 preferably has a male threaded portion 8A screwed into the female threaded portion 5a, a straight groove 8a formed at the upper end of the male threaded portion 8A, and a connecting end portion 8T with a smaller diameter than the lower side (resin elastic member side) of the male threaded portion 8A. The connecting end portion 8T of the set screw 8 is preferably the same diameter as the diameter of the resin elastic member 1, and the connecting end portion 8T of the set screw 8 is a portion connected to the end portion of the upper side (set screw side) of the resin elastic member 1.

[0034] The resin elastic member 1 is preferably cylindrical, and its upper end is preferably formed with a connecting end 1T that cooperates with a connecting end 8T of the set screw 8 to form a connecting portion e. Each connecting end 1T, 8T has a lateral protruding portion 1t, 8t and a lateral recessed portion 1h, 8h that engage with and disengage from each other by relative movement in a direction intersecting (preferably perpendicular to) the stopper axis 6a along the longitudinal direction (the approach direction described later) of the stopper 6. In other words, the engaging of the connecting end 1T of the resin elastic member 1 and the connecting end 8T of the set screw 8, which are shaped like a square, forms a connecting portion e that connects the set screw 8 and the resin elastic member 1 so that they cannot rotate relative to each other around the stopper axis 6a and cannot be separated relative to each other in the direction along the stopper axis 6a.

[0035] The stopper 6 constructed as described above has an adjustment mechanism that allows the position of the apex 1A of the resin elastic member 1 on the contact side to be adjusted in the direction away from the contact portion 2, i.e., in the direction along the stopper axis 6a, by turning the set screw 8 to tighten or loosen it relative to the joint body 5. This adjustment mechanism using the set screw 8 makes it possible to increase or decrease the distance (see Fig. 3 and angle a in Fig. 3) between the apex 1A, which is the lower end of the resin elastic member 1, and the contact surface 2a of the contact portion 2 within a predetermined range. As shown in Figs. 3 and 4, the contact portion 2 is formed by the upper end of the left lower support portion 16 of the footrest portion 14, and is fitted onto the support shaft 7 between the left and right legs 5B, 5B.

[0036] As shown in Figs. 3 to 5, the joint body 5 has a guide section 9 with a circular hole-shaped guide passage 9A in which the resin elastic member 1 is arranged with a loose fit. The guide passage 9A is a hole (hole surface) 9a in the main body 5A, and a pair of left and right peripheral surfaces 9b in the leg 5B, but this is not limited thereto. The guide section 9 is formed by the peripheral portion of the guide passage 9A, that is, the periphery of the hole 9a in the main body 5A, and the peripheral wall of the peripheral surface 9b in the leg 5B. In other words, there is a gap s between the outside of the resin elastic member 1 in the width direction and the inner wall of the guide passage 9A, and the diameter (inner diameter) D of the guide passage 9A is preferably 102% or more and 115% or less of the diameter (outer diameter) d in the width direction of the resin elastic member 1, and more preferably 103% or more and 112% or less, or 106% or more and 110% or less.

[0037] 6 and 3, in the lower limb orthosis F, the support part 13 has an upright state in which the contact part 2 and the resin elastic member 1 are not in contact with each other, and an inclined state in which the contact part 2 and the resin elastic member 1 are in direct or indirect contact with each other, causing the resin elastic member 1 to receive a compressive force in the length direction. That is, the posture in which the lower support axis k (perpendicular to the ground surface) of the foot fixing part 11 and the support part axis center S of the support part 13 are aligned on a straight line is defined as the basic posture of dorsiflexion 0 degrees (or plantar flexion 0 degrees) (the one in the center in the left-right direction of the paper surface of FIG. 6).

[0038] As shown on the left side of Fig. 6, the posture in which the support part 13 falls forward with respect to the foot support part 11 and the included angle between the lower support axis k and the support part axis S is angle a, is called the dorsiflexion a degree posture, and as shown on the right side of Fig. 6, the posture in which the support part 13 falls backward with respect to the foot support part 11 and the included angle between the lower support axis k and the support part axis S is angle a, is called the plantar flexion a degree posture. Note that the lower limb orthosis F shown on the right side of Fig. 6 represents a state in which the foot support part 11, whose rear part is raised by heel elevation (notation omitted) or the like, is raised backward at angle a with respect to the ground surface.

[0039] The upright state of the support part 13 means a state between the dorsiflexion a degree posture shown on the left side of the page in Fig. 6 and the plantar flexion a degree posture shown on the right side of the page in Fig. 6 (including the basic posture). The tilted state of the support part 13 means a state in which the support part 13 is in a posture including the dorsiflexion a degree posture shown on the left side of the page in Fig. 6 and further tilted forward with respect to the foot support part 11, and a state in which the support part 13 is in a posture including the plantar flexion a degree posture shown on the right side of the page in Fig. 6 and further tilted backward with respect to the foot support part 11. Note that a in the dorsiflexion a degree posture and a in the plantar flexion a degree posture may be the same value or may be different values.

[0040] When the support column 13 is inclined, the resin elastic member 1, which comes into contact with the abutment portion 2 by the arc movement about the pivot axis P, is compressed by a compressive force in its longitudinal direction (the direction of the stopper axis 6a), and the amount of compression of the resin elastic member 1 increases as the angle of inclination increases. In Fig. 6, the lower limbs of a human body are also depicted, although notations are omitted, for the purpose of making the configuration easier to understand. When the support column 13 is inclined from the upright state to the dorsiflexion side or plantar flexion side by a predetermined angle a, the abutment portion 2 and the resin elastic member 1 come into direct or indirect contact with each other, so that the resin elastic member 1 receives a compressive force in the longitudinal direction.

[0041] Here, the basic posture depicted in the center of the left and right of the paper in Fig. 6 means that the ankle joint is at 0 degrees (perpendicular to the fibula), and is generally referred to as 0 degrees dorsiflexion (or 0 degrees plantar flexion). In the lower limb orthosis F having the structure according to this embodiment, in the basic posture of 0 degrees dorsiflexion, the support column axis S and the lower support column axis k are aligned exactly in a straight line. Therefore, the explanation regarding the upright state and inclined state of the support column 13 is given by replacing the basic posture, the dorsiflexion a degree posture, and the plantar flexion a degree posture with the angle formed by the support column axis S and the lower support column axis k.

[0042] Next, the characteristics of the resin elastic member 1 will be described. As shown in FIG. 7, the resin elastic member 1 is preferably set to have elasticity such that the top 1A of the resin elastic member 1 on the contact portion 2 side is displaced by 0.2 mm or more and 3.0 mm or less when a load of 300 N is applied to the top 1A. More preferably, the displacement of the top 1A is 0.5 mm or more and 3.0 mm or less, or 0.5 mm or more and 2.5 mm or less. It is preferable that the amount of compression displacement of the top 1A when the load applied to the top 1A of the resin elastic member 1 on the contact portion side is increased from 300 N to 350 N is smaller than the amount of compression displacement of the top 1A when the load is increased from 1500 N to 1550 N. In other words, it is preferable that the resin elastic member 1 has a characteristic that the elasticity is harder (stronger) when the amount of compression displacement in the longitudinal direction is larger than when the amount of compression displacement is smaller, in other words, a gentle progressive characteristic in which the apparent spring constant is slightly larger.

[0043] As shown in the plot diagram of Fig. 7, the shape of each plot of the resin elastic member 1 is a curve that is slightly convex upward, and it is preferable that the resin elastic member 1 has a nonlinear characteristic in which the displacement (unit: mm), more specifically the displacement per unit load value, decreases as the load value (unit: N) increases, but this is not limited to this. For example, it may have a linear characteristic, or a nonlinear characteristic in which the displacement (displacement per unit load value) increases slightly as the load value increases. The resin elastic member 1 is preferably made of rubber or synthetic resin, and the contact portion 2 is preferably made of a non-ferrous metal such as an aluminum alloy, or a metal such as stainless steel or steel.

[0044] As shown in FIG. 3, the resin elastic member 1 and the contact portion 2 are configured to move in a relative arc around the pivot axis P between the foot fixing portion 11 and the support portion 13. Therefore, the radius r of the contact center c between the resin elastic member 1 and the contact portion 2 from the pivot axis P is preferably 10 to 30 mm, and more preferably 15 to 25 mm. The radius r of the contact center c is preferably set to a value within an appropriate range in consideration of the specifications of the lower limb orthosis F (such as the weight range of the user and the movable range of the support portion 13 relative to the foot fixing portion 11) and the elastic strength of the resin elastic member 1 (see FIG. 7). If the radius r of the contact center c is made small, the elasticity of the resin elastic member 1 must be made hard, but the advantage of making the shock absorbing mechanism 4 including the joint body 5 compact can be expected. On the other hand, if the radius r of the contact center c is made large, it becomes difficult to make the shock absorbing mechanism 4 compact, but the advantage of reducing the elasticity of the resin elastic member 1 and obtaining a fine and stable shock absorbing effect can be expected.

[0045] In the lower limb orthosis F according to the present invention, the shock absorbing mechanism 4 and / or the hydraulic damper 3 may be arranged in various combinations on the inside and outside of the foot, the dorsiflexion side, and the plantar flexion side of the foot. However, the nine patterns (specifications) shown in Table 1 are preferable. In the nine combinations shown in Table 1, the hydraulic damper 3 is used only on the outside of the foot and on the plantar flexion side, but the shock absorbing mechanism 4 using the resin elastic member 1 is used on all of the inside and outside of the foot, the dorsiflexion side, and the plantar flexion side. The lower limb orthosis F shown in FIG. 1 has the hydraulic damper 3 arranged on the outside of the foot so as to act only on the plantar flexion side, and the shock absorbing mechanisms 4, 4 arranged on the inside of the foot so as to act on the dorsiflexion side and the plantar flexion side, and is a configuration of a pattern not shown in Table 1. In the lower limb orthosis F shown in FIG. 1, if the stopper 6 on the plantar flexion side is removed from the joint body 5 to form a shock absorbing mechanism 4 acting only on the dorsiflexion side, it corresponds to pattern 1 in Table 1. The shock absorbing mechanism 4 can also be applied to a Gait Solution Design (GSD). The Gait Solution Design is a semi-finished ankle foot orthosis, and is preferably equipped with a Gait Solution (GS) or an improved version of it at the ankle joint.

[0046] [Table 1]

[0047] 2 to 5, the cylindrical resin elastic member 1 having a diameter (outer diameter) d is arranged in the guide passage 9A with a small gap s on its outer periphery, so that even if the support column 13 comes into contact with the contact portion 2 in the tilted state and receives a force in the longitudinal direction (the direction of the stopper axis 6a), the resin elastic member 1 is guided by the guide passage 9A and smoothly undergoes compressive deformation without buckling. When the support column 13 further swings relative to the foot fixing portion 11, the resin elastic member 1 expands due to the Poisson effect of the resin elastic member 1 as the amount of compression in the longitudinal direction increases, and the diameter d increases, but the expansion cannot exceed the diameter (inner diameter) D of the guide passage 9A.

[0048] Therefore, when the diameter d of the resin elastic member 1 expands in the radial direction until it hits the hole 9a or the peripheral surface 9b, it cannot expand any further (diameter D), so it becomes more difficult to compress compared to the state before it hits the guide passage 9A, and the apparent spring constant in the length direction of the resin elastic member 1 increases sharply. In other words, when the resin elastic member 1 is compressed until it hits the guide passage 9A, the rocking of the foot fixing part 11 and the support part 13 is suddenly braked with elasticity.

[0049] In this way, in the shock absorbing mechanism 4, the resin elastic member 1 is arranged in the guide passage 9A with an appropriate gap s, and the displacement amount of the resin elastic member 1 per unit load is obtained as a property that the amount of displacement per unit load decreases rapidly when the tilted state of the support portion 13 becomes deep (large) to a certain extent. As an example, an image of a case where the resin elastic member 1 expands in the radial direction when the load value acting on the resin elastic member 1 becomes about 1000 N and starts to abut against the guide passage 9A is shown by a virtual line in FIG. 7. When the diameter of the guide passage 9A is sufficiently large, as shown in the plot in FIG. 7, the displacement is a nonlinear characteristic that decreases gently even if the load value exceeds 1000 N, whereas in the case of a configuration in which the resin elastic member 1 that receives a compressive force in the length direction expands in the radial direction and abuts against the guide passage 9A, the displacement decreases rapidly when the load value exceeds about 1000 N, as shown by the virtual line in FIG. 7.

[0050] Therefore, when the shock absorbing mechanism 4 is set on the dorsiflexion side, when the body swings further from the dorsiflexion a degree posture (see FIG. 6) to the dorsiflexion side, the resin elastic member 1 exerts a gentle progressive characteristic (may be linear) cushioning action, and at a certain angle, the apparent spring constant increases rapidly, and braking is applied, so that further swing to the dorsiflexion side is effectively prevented. This series of actions is also exerted when the shock absorbing mechanism 4 is set on the plantar flexion side.

[0051] In conventional lower limb orthoses in which the rocking motion of the dorsiflexion side and plantar flexion side is restricted by the contact of metal parts with each other, the rocking motion of the support part and the foot fixing part is suddenly stopped without elasticity from the standing state in which the support part and the foot fixing part can rock freely, which makes the movement unsmooth and makes it difficult to use. In contrast, in the lower limb orthosis F of the present invention, the damping force due to the elasticity increases as the tilting state progresses, and even at the rocking stop position where the support part 13 and the foot fixing part 11 cannot rock any further, a hard elasticity acts to brake the rocking motion. Therefore, the tilting state of the support part 13 and the rocking damping are performed smoothly and with less shock, and it is possible to provide a lower limb orthosis F that is easy to use and can be closer to the walking state of a healthy person.

[0052] When the diameter D of the guide passage 9A is set to 102% or more and 115% or less (1.02d≦D≦1.15d) of the diameter d in the width direction of the resin elastic member 1, the effect of the resin elastic member 1 being smoothly compressed and deformed without buckling due to the contact with the contact portion 2 can be more stably exhibited. By increasing or decreasing the diameter D of the guide passage 9A within the above range, the expansion limit of the diameter d due to the Poisson effect of the resin elastic member 1 can be adjusted, and the starting point of sudden braking (the starting point of the virtual line in FIG. 7) and the sudden braking location associated with the swing can be variably set. For example, if the swing limit angle, which is the swing stop position to the dorsiflexion side in the tilted state when D=1.12d, is 18 degrees, then when D=1.08d, the swing limit angle becomes 15 degrees.

[0053] In addition, since the Poisson's ratio may change with the selection of the material of the resin elastic member 1, it is possible to perform an appropriate design by considering the diameter d (width dimension) and material of the resin elastic member 1 and the diameter D of the guide passage 9A. Of course, it is also possible to adjust the position of the apex 1A of the resin elastic member 1 on the contact side by turning the set screw 8 and the lock nut 10 in the direction away from the contact portion 2 (the direction of the stopper axis 6a). By this adjustment, it is possible to adjust and set the range of the upright state (see FIG. 6) to the dorsiflexion side or the plantar flexion side, and to adjust and set the actual swing limit angle. Furthermore, it is also possible to variably set the position of the boundary portion 5b (see FIGS. 3 and 4) between the main body 5A and each leg portion 5B, 5B in the joint body 5 in the direction of the support axis S (up and down direction) to change the ratio of the hole portion 9a and the peripheral surface 9b, 9b in the guide passage 9A, and thereby to change the elastic properties of the resin elastic member 1 due to the Poisson's effect.

[0054] As shown in Figs. 4 and 5, when the width of the abutment portion 2 is smaller than the diameter of the cylindrical resin elastic member 1, there are portions at the left and right ends of the top 1A that do not come into contact with the abutment surface 2a of the abutment portion 2. Therefore, if the set screw 8 and the resin elastic member 1 are connected by the connecting portion e so as not to rotate relative to each other, the resin elastic member 1 also rotates by turning the set screw 8, and the portions that did not come into contact with the abutment surface 2a until then come into contact, which is advantageous in that the top 1A is used as evenly as possible. If the set screw 8 and the resin elastic member 1 are connected by the connecting portion e so as not to be separated relative to each other, the resin elastic member 1 does not move on its own in the direction of the stopper axis 6a, and the position of the top 1A of the resin elastic member 1 can be adjusted and held in position by turning the set screw 8. In addition, when the stopper 6 is inserted into the joint body 5, the resin elastic member 1 and the set screw 8 can be operated in a united state, which is advantageous in that they can be easily assembled and removed.

[0055] 3, the resin elastic member 1 and the set screw 8 are fitted and disengaged by relative lateral movement in a first direction that intersects or is perpendicular to both the stopper axis 6a and the direction of the arrow A, or in a second direction that is the direction of the arrow A. However, the connection part e may be configured to be fitted and disengaged only in the first direction or only in the second direction. Also, the connection part e may be configured by the respective connection ends 1T, 8T having a shape other than the above-mentioned approximately U-shape, such as an E-shape or a Z-shape, and the respective connection ends 1T, 8T may be press-fitted into each other.

[0056] The resin elastic member 1 is preferably cylindrical, but may be a polygonal prism such as a square prism or a triangular prism, a block, or any other shape having a width direction and a length direction. The resin elastic member 1 and the contact portion 2 may be in direct contact with each other as shown in Fig. 3, or indirectly contact with each other via a ball or the like.

[0057] [Another embodiment] The lower limb brace F may have a shock absorbing mechanism 4 shown in Fig. 8. In the shock absorbing mechanism 4 with this different structure, the resin elastic member 1 and the contact portion 2 are arranged separately on the foot fixing portion 11, preferably the left lower support portion 16, and the support portion 13, preferably the joint body 5 (or a portion having a shape similar to the joint body 5). In a preferred structure, the resin elastic member 1 is provided on the lower stay 23 and its protruding piece 23a which are screwed to the left lower support portion 16, and the contact portion 2 is provided on the upper stay 24 which is screwed to the joint body 5. The contact portion 2 preferably has, for example, a screw body 25 which is screwed onto the upper stay 24 so that the axial position can be adjusted, and a stop piece 26 which is attached to the lower end of the screw body 25.

[0058] FIG. 8 shows a basic posture of 0 degrees of dorsiflexion (or plantar flexion) in which the lower support axis k and the support axis S are aligned in a straight line. When the foot support part 11 and the support part 13, i.e., the lower support axis k and the support axis S, are inclined at an angle a toward the dorsiflexion side, the upper end of the resin elastic member 1 comes into contact with the lower end of the stop piece 26, and the support part 13 goes from an upright state to a tilted state. The value of the angle a can be increased or decreased by adjusting the position of the stop piece 26 by turning the screw body 25 to tighten or loosen the upper stay 24. The shock absorbing device 4 with this structure may also be provided on the plantar flexion side. The stop piece 26 may be made of metal, synthetic resin, or other materials.

[0059] [Other Alternative Embodiments] The leg brace F according to the present invention can be applied to short leg braces and long leg braces. The contact surfaces at the contact point c between the resin elastic member 1 and the contact portion 2 may be surfaces perpendicular to the radial direction of the pivot axis P. The contact surface 2a of the contact portion 2 may be formed to have a diameter equal to or larger than the diameter d of the top portion 1A of the resin elastic member 1. The foot support portion 11 and the support portion 13 may be connected to each other so as to be capable of swinging relative to each other by a connecting portion having a multi-joint structure with a plurality of pivot axes. The lower limb orthosis F according to the present invention can be applied to a medical treatment or rehabilitation orthosis. A medical treatment orthosis is used for the purpose of improving symptoms, and a rehabilitation orthosis is used for the purpose of supporting daily life after symptoms have been fixed (such as the lower limb orthosis shown in FIG. 1).

[0060] [About joint parts for lower limb orthosis] 1 to 6, the shock absorbing mechanism 4, which is the left connecting part 18, can be said to be a joint member (joint member for a lower limb orthosis) 4 as follows. That is, it is a joint member for a lower limb orthosis 4 that connects the foot fixing part 11 on the ground side and the support part 13 that connects the lower leg fixing part 12 and the foot fixing part 11 so as to be able to swing relative to one another, and has a resin elastic member 1 that is provided on one of the foot fixing part 11 and the support part 13 (e.g., the support part 13) in a state having a width direction and a length direction and can directly or indirectly come into contact with the contact part 2 provided on the other (e.g., the foot fixing part 11), and a guide part 9 with a guide passage 9A in which the resin elastic member 1 is arranged, and when a load of 300 N is applied to the apex 1A on the contact part side of the resin elastic member 1, the apex 1A on the contact part side is displaced by 0.2 mm or more and 3.0 mm or less. It is preferable that the displacement of the top portion 1A is 0.5 mm or more and 3.0 mm or less, or 0.5 mm or more and 2.5 mm or less.

[0061] 2, the joint member 4 is preferably configured to include a joint body 5 and a pair of stoppers 6, 6, but may also include a joint body 5 and one stopper 6, or a joint body 5 (not shown) including a guide passage 9A whose upper end is closed and a guide portion 9, and a resin elastic member 1. Also, a support shaft 7 may be added to each of the above joint members 4, and a member equivalent to the abutment portion 2 (a member equivalent to the upper end of the left lower support portion 16) may be further included.

[0062] The joint body 5 and the resin elastic member 1 may have shapes and sizes other than those shown in Fig. 2, and the shapes of the set screw 8 and the lock nut 10 can also be changed as desired. Furthermore, the resin elastic member 1 may be configured so that it may come out of contact with the contact portion 2 to produce an upright state when the joint member 4 is attached to the lower limb orthosis, as shown in Fig. 6, or may be configured so that it always comes into contact with the contact portion 2. Furthermore, the joint member 4 can be used as a shock absorbing mechanism 4 not only for the inside and outside of the ankle joint, but also for any other part that swings relative to another, such as a knee joint. [Explanation of symbols]

[0063] 1 Resin elastic material 1A Top 1T Setscrew end 2 Contact part 3 Hydraulic Damper 4. Shock Absorption Mechanism 8 Setscrew 8T End of resin elastic material 9 Guide section 9A Guide passage 11 Foot fixing part 12 Lower leg fixation part 13 Post section D Inner diameter of guide passage F. Lower limb orthosis P Pivot center c Center of contact d Outer diameter of plastic elastic member e Connecting part r Radius from pivot axis P s void

Claims

1. A lower limb orthosis having a foot fixing part on the ground side, a lower leg fixing part, and a support part connecting the foot fixing part and the lower leg fixing part, The foot support portion and the support portion are pivotally connected to each other, a resin elastic member having a width direction and a length direction is provided on one of the foot fixing portion and the support portion, and an abutment portion capable of directly or indirectly abutting against the resin elastic member is provided on the other of the foot fixing portion and the support portion; the support portion has an upright state in which the contact portion and the resin elastic member do not contact each other, and an inclined state in which the contact portion and the resin elastic member directly or indirectly contact each other, causing the resin elastic member to receive a compressive force in a length direction, The lower limb orthosis further includes a guide portion having a guide passage in which the resin elastic member is disposed, In the lower limb orthosis, when a load of 300 N is applied to the apex of the resin elastic member on the contact portion side, the apex of the contact portion side is displaced by 0.2 mm or more and 3.0 mm or less.

2. 2. The lower limb orthosis according to claim 1, wherein there is a gap between the widthwise outer side of the resin elastic member and the inner wall of the guide passage, and the inner diameter of the guide passage is 102% or more and 115% or less of the widthwise outer diameter of the resin elastic member.

3. The foot support portion and the support portion are pivotally connected to each other with a single pivot axis, The lower limb orthosis according to claim 1 , wherein the resin elastic member is compressed by relative arc movement between the resin elastic member and the contact portion around the pivot axis between the foot fixing portion and the support portion.

4. The lower limb orthosis according to claim 3, wherein a radius of a contact center between the resin elastic member and the contact portion from the pivot axis is 10 to 30 mm.

5. The resin elastic member is provided at a location near the pivot axis of the support column, and the abutment portion is provided at a location near the pivot axis of the foot fixing portion, The lower limb orthosis according to claim 3 , wherein the resin elastic member has a cylindrical shape that is long in a direction in which the resin elastic member abuts against the abutting portion.

6. The lower limb orthosis according to any one of claims 1 to 5, wherein when the support portion tilts in a dorsiflexion direction from an upright state, the abutment portion and the resin elastic member abut directly or indirectly, thereby causing the resin elastic member to receive a compressive force in the length direction.

7. The lower limb orthosis according to any one of claims 1 to 5, wherein the resin elastic member is made of rubber or synthetic resin, and the contact portion is made of metal.

8. The amount of displacement of the apex when the load applied to the apex on the contact side of the resin elastic member is increased from 300N to 350N is less than the amount of displacement of the apex when the load is increased from 1500N to 1550N. The lower limb orthosis according to any one of claims 1 to 5.

9. a set screw is screwed into one of the foot fixing portion and the support portion, the set screw being capable of adjusting the position of the end of the resin elastic member on the contact portion side in a direction away from the contact portion, The lower limb orthosis according to any one of claims 1 to 5, further comprising a connecting portion that connects the set screw and the resin elastic member so as to be non-rotatable relative to each other and / or non-separable relative to each other.

10. The lower limb orthosis according to claim 9, wherein the connecting portion is configured to engage and disengage by relative movement between an end of the set screw on the resin elastic member side and an end of the resin elastic member on the set screw side in a direction intersecting the near-far direction.

11. The lower limb orthosis according to any one of claims 1 to 5, further comprising a hydraulic damper for providing resistance to the relative swinging movement between the foot support part and the support part.

12. The lower limb orthosis according to claim 11, wherein the hydraulic damper applies resistance only to relative pivotal movement between the foot support part and the support part in a plantar flexion direction.

13. A joint member for a lower limb orthosis that connects a foot fixing part on a ground contact side and a support part that connects a lower leg fixing part and the foot fixing part so as to be able to swing relative to each other, a resin elastic member provided on one of the foot fixing portion and the support portion in a state having a width direction and a length direction, and capable of directly or indirectly contacting an abutment portion provided on the other of the foot fixing portion and the support portion; and a guide portion having a guide passage in which the resin elastic member is disposed, When a load of 300 N is applied to the apex of the resin elastic member on the contact portion side, the apex of the resin elastic member on the contact portion side is displaced by 0.2 mm or more and 3.0 mm or less.

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