3210 results about "Hinge joint" patented technology

Methods, systems, and devices for replacement of a joint with a prosthetic system that replicates the natural kinematics of the joint is disclosed. A prosthetic system according to one embodiment includes a tibial component having a tibial plateau and a tibial stem portion, the tibial plateau having a top side and a bottom side, a tibial insert, with a bearing surface, adapted to be positioned on the top side of the tibial plateau, a femoral component having a base portion and a central housing, the femoral component having an axis of extension-flexion rotation, the base portion having a pair of condyles, a mechanical linkage component linking the tibial component with the femoral component and with the tibial insert in between the tibial component and the femoral component, so that there is a center of contact between the condyles and the bearing surface, the mechanical linkage component adapted to allow the center of contact to move posteriorly during flexion, provide for the movement of the axis of extension-flexion rotation in the superior-inferior direction, and allow rotation of the tibial component, the bearing surface, and the femoral component about a superior-inferior axis in order to provide and control the natural kinematics of the knee joint.

Exercise orthoses are described that include a frame, a fluid bladder held by the frame, a pressure sensor attached to the fluid bladder and a microprocessor receiving the pressure measurements. The microprocessor monitors variations in pressure and determines differences between the measured pressures and predetermined target values. The frame can be designed to support a hinge joint or at least one vertebra. Furthermore, corrective back orthoses are described that include a frame force applicators connected to the frame to apply force to the patient's spine, a sensor that measures forces associated with the force applicators and a control unit that monitors forces measured by the sensor. The corrective back orthosis can include fluid bladders as force applicators. The control unit can include a microprocessor.

Artificial disc replacements (ADRs), including ADRs with plate-like extensions, can be bent at the junction of the plate-like extension and the ADR Endplate (EP), which allows customization of the ADR to better fit a patient's vertebrae. A hinge joint allows customization of the ADR to fit a patient's vertebrae better. Other embodiments of the ADR contain telescoping components which allow customization of ADRs to replace two or more adjacent discs. Plate-like extensions that inter-digitate facilitate ADR insertion at two or more adjacent levels of the spine. Mechanisms to prevent screws from backing out of the plate-like projections are also disclosed. Nitinol or other shape-memory materials may be used for such purpose. Various other anti-back-out and anti-extrusion mechanisms are disclosed, all of which are applicable to non-spine applications, including long-bone plates, and total hip, knee and other joint prostheses.

A method of donning a potentiating support for a body's hinge joint includes: positioning a garment proximate an area of a body; positioning an expandable and recoverable framework in abutment with the area of the body such that the framework spans a hinge joint of the body, the framework defining a plurality of permanent openings extending there through regardless of whether the support is donned; applying tension at points of the framework such that the framework is expanded and the framework is tensioned in its abutment with the area of the body, said step of applying tension being performed by pulling on one or more fastening components that are attached at one or more points to said framework; and affixing each of the fastening components to the garment while applying tension to the framework to secure the expanded framework in its forced abutment with the area of the body.

An orthopedic device and method for correcting angular deformation of a bone structure having a growth plate. The device includes first and second hinge members connected together at a hinge joint. The device is adapted for mounting the orthopedic device to the bone structure with the pivot joint positioned over the growth plate. Alignment of the pivot joint with the growth plate promotes asymmetric growth of the growth plate to thereby correct the angular deformation.

Described is a mobile station for receiving/transmitting information of every kind including at least one auxiliary keyboard having a plurality of auxiliary input keys therein, whereby the information is received/transmitted through the auxiliary input keys when a user wants to transmit the information by the mobile station. For that purpose, provided are a main body (1) having a plurality of input keys mounted on an upper surface of the mobile station, a first and second assist keyboards (8 and 9) being folded or unfolded centering around hinge joints, the key boards hinge-jointed rotationally on the opposite portions of both sides of the body (1) to a horizontal direction, respectively, and a plurality of auxiliary input keys (10) and (11) on upper surfaces of the first and second auxiliary keyboards (8) and (9) for inputting characters and numbers when the first and second auxiliary keyboards are unfolded from the body (1).

A potentiating support for an area of a body includes: a framework having a surface for abutment with an area of a body including a hinge joint, said framework defining a plurality of permanent openings in said surface; and two strut members each attached to said framework such that each said strut member spans the hinge joint when said framework is disposed in abutment with the area of the body, said strut members providing a measure of rigidity to said framework in the direction of their respective lengths, each respective said strut member including an intermediate portion thereof spanning the hinge joint that is expandable and recoverable between a first initial state and extended states wherein, when expanded to a said extended state during flexing of the hinge joint, said respective strut member stores potential energy that is released as kinetic energy upon its return to said initial state.

A potentiating support for a hinge joint includes a framework having a surface for abutment with an area of a body's hinge joint. Furthermore, the framework defines a plurality of permanent openings in said surface regardless of whether said surface is in abutment with the area of the body, said openings extending completely through said framework and being bounded by said framework; said framework, along its entire boundary with an openings, is elastically stretchable between a first initial state and extended states and, when expanded to a said extended state, said framework stores potential energy that is released as kinetic energy upon its return to said initial state; and a particular said opening of said framework comprises an alignment opening that is dimensioned to receive therein a joint protuberance of the hinge joint, said alignment opening serving to maintain the support in a proper orientation when the support is worn.

The invention discloses a side- by- side combination electric refrigerator with moving centre sill. A moving centre sill is hinge jointed at vertical direction near opening side part in the one side of door body, and hinged with door frame via one side of the moving centre sill, a curve box with internal concave guiding slot or protrude sliding block is fixed at its upper or lower end , a camshaft or sliding slot is mounted at the fixing plate of the inner wall of the moving centre sill end; the guiding slot or sliding slot include a closing section, and a opening section connected with the closing section.

The suspended ceiling fan generates a sustained flow of air, which can be aimed at one spot, such as a person's face. In one embodiment, the suspended ceiling fan has an elongated member, a track connector, a swivel, and a fan unit. The elongated member has first and second opposing ends. The track connector is attached to the first end, and is adapted for attachment to an existing track, such as a track lighting system, or other support for a suspended lighting system. In one mode of operation the connector snaps into the track. In another embodiment, the ceiling fan comprises an adjustable arm having a hinged joint. The fan may be moved along the track and pivoted on the swivel to direct airflow in any desired direction.

Motor vehicle door lock comprising: a latch (1); a pawl (3) which can adopt an "escapement" position; an operating member which, on the one hand, can adopt either an active position in which it acts, during its actuating movement, on the pawl to place it in the "escapement" position, or an inhibited position in which it has no effect on the pawl and, on the other hand, may experience an actuating movement in response to actuation of the door handle; and an electric device (15-24) which responds at least to an unlock signal by moving the operating member from its inhibited position as far as its active position, characterized in that the operating member consists of a set of two links (7, 11) articulated together by a hinge joint (10), of which one (11) of the links comprises a thrust surface (11a) which is positioned in such a way that, in the active position, the thrust surface comes up against and carries along a peg (25) on the pawl (3), during the actuating movement, until the said pawl has been placed in the "escapement" position, and that in the inhibited position, the thrust surface at most comes into contact with the said peg, during the actuating movement so that the operating member has no action on the pawl, and of which the other link (7) is articulated to an opening lever (5), the electric device comprising a lock/unlock lever (15) co-operating with the hinge joint (10) to make it pivot about the articulation (8).

A method of donning a potentiating support includes: positioning a framework in abutment with an area of a body such that the framework spans a hinge joint, the framework defining a plurality of permanent openings extending completely through the framework and being bounded by the framework, wherein the framework, along its entire boundary with an opening, is elastically stretchable between a first initial state and extended states and, when expanded to a said extended state, the framework stores potential energy that is released as kinetic energy upon its return to the initial state such that the framework provides joint potentiation to the spanned hinge joint; applying tension proximate each of opposite sides of the framework such that the framework is expanded and the surface of the framework is tensioned in its abutment with the body; and securing the expanded framework in its forced abutment with the area of the body.

A medical device generally includes a structural member having a surface wherein at least a portion of the surface is coated with a nanostructured material to a thickness of at least about 25 micrometers, and wherein the nanostructured material comprises a ceramic, ceramic composite, ceramic metal composite, or a combination comprising at least one of the foregoing. The implants have increased service lifetimes owing in part to improved wear and abrasion resistance, and may be useful for partial or full replacement of articulating and flexible hinge joints.

The present invention relates to a hair iron adapted to reduce hair damage, strengthen hair and facilitate hair styling by blowing air toward the hair. The hair iron of the present invention is further adapted to provide hair with anions or moisture during hair styling. The hair iron includes a pair of cases hinge-jointed at each one end and being freely opened or closed, wherein each case has a heater plate for generating heat at the other end. A fan assembly for blowing air is coupled to the one end of one of the cases. An air passage through which the blown air is passed is formed inside the hair iron. An anion generator is located in the fan assembly, thereby mixing the anions with the air being transferred. Means for providing moisture is disposed adjacent to the heater plate and means for supplying the moisture-providing means with water is received in the recess formed in lower side of the case. Further, the present invention relates to a hair iron constructed without a power cord so as to be utilized without any spatial restriction while possessing all the functions of the hair iron.

A device of intensified heat exchange and automatic descaling in dual turbulation screw type includes screw tube, screw tie, connection rod, fixing frame and rotary rod as small end of the rotary rod sheathed into hole at exle liquid input end of fixing frame to form rotation cooperation, end point of small end of the rotary rod to be connected by connecting piece in hinge joint with end point of one end of the screw tie, the screw tube with external circle and intermediate internal hole being all the straight tube of screw shape and two end parts being round tube shape to be set on external cylindrical surface of cylinder shape end of the fixing frame. The present invention uses technique of combining the screw tube with the screw tie to bring the screw tie to rotate by flowing of fluid in the screw tube to make no fouling within the tube and heat conduction face can carry on desaling automatically under the dual turbulation of the screw tube and tie to enhance more the efficiency of heat exchange.

A stent device including a stent body having a plurality of adjacent rows and one or more interconnections or interlocking rings between rows. The interconnections have first and second connecting portions with first ends permanently and immovably coupled to the rows and second ends interlocked with each other, such that the second ends of each portion can move independently of the other. The interconnections include ball and socket joints, hinge joints or universal joints. Interlocking rings have indentations for receiving the other ring, such that when interlocked, the rings will lay flat against a body lumen wall.

A medical device in cardiac surgery for replacement of the diseased native heart valves in humans increases thromboresistance of heart valve prosthesis. A heart valve prosthesis comprising an annular housing with the inner surface defining the blood flow I through the valve prosthesis and leaflets mounted within the annular housing with the possibility to pivot around the reference axis between an open position which allows the passage of the direct blood flow I, and a closed position which restricts the blood backflow II. Each leaflet has an upstream surface facing the direct blood surface I, a downstream surface facing the blood backflow II, a coaptation surface, and a side surface. Console projections radially oriented are provided at the inner surface of the housing, and each leaflet has a slot which corresponds to the projection. The inner surface of the housing is mainly cylindrical, and the downstream surface of each leaflet is in the form of the crossing cylindrical and conical surfaces. The upstream surface of each leaflet is in the form of the cylindrical surface. Higher thromboresistance of the heart valve prosthesis is achieved through elimination of the elements which introduce disturbances into the blood flow and reduction of the number of hinged joints.