Rotational Hinge Assembly for Knee Brace Osteoarthritis Treatment
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional knee braces do not effectively address the treatment of osteoarthritis by providing a balanced loading solution to reduce pain in the knee joint, as they lack a mechanism to apply adjustable treatment forces to the affected compartments.
Innovation Solution
A rotational hinge assembly for a knee brace featuring screw seats, screw seat gears, adjustment screws, and an actuator gear system that allows for adjustable telescoping of the condyle engagement member, enabling the application of a dynamic treatment force to the knee joint by altering the alignment and pressure distribution across the joint compartments.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If a conventional knee brace with rigid support members and rotational hinges is used, then the knee joint is supported and stabilized, but the brace cannot apply adjustable treatment forces to reduce osteoarthritis pain in affected compartments
Solution Approach 1:
The hinge assembly incorporates adjustment screws that can be rotated to dynamically change the position of the condyle engagement member, allowing the treatment force to be adjusted from static to dynamic. This enables the brace to adapt to different treatment requirements while maintaining structural support.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention changes the positional parameter of the condyle engagement member relative to the femoral condyle by using threaded adjustment screws. By rotating the screws, the engagement member's position is precisely adjusted, thereby changing the treatment force applied to the knee joint compartments.
2Reliability
If the condyle engagement member is made adjustable to apply treatment force, then osteoarthritis pain is alleviated, but the hinge assembly becomes more complex with additional components
Solution Approach 1:
The invention introduces screw seat gears as intermediary components that translate rotational motion of an actuator into linear displacement of the condyle engagement member. This intermediary mechanism provides precise control over the treatment force while organizing the complexity into modular, manageable components.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention replaces direct manual adjustment mechanisms with a gear-based mechanical system. The screw seat gears convert rotational input into controlled linear motion, substituting a simpler direct-adjustment concept with a more refined mechanical transmission system that offers better control and reliability.
3Force
If the adjustment screw telescopes outward to increase treatment force, then the load on affected compartments is reduced, but the structural integrity of the hinge assembly may be compromised
Solution Approach 1:
The adjustment screw is designed to telescope dynamically between extended and retracted positions within the screw seat. This dynamic positioning allows the treatment force to be varied as needed while the screw remains constrained within the structural boundaries of the hinge assembly, maintaining integrity at all positions.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The rotational hinge assembly provides a customizable treatment force that reduces the load on affected compartments, thereby alleviating osteoarthritis pain and improving joint stability through adjustable displacement and force application.
Implementation Method 1
Each screw seat has a bore with an internal thread in the bore. The first adjustment screw is positioned in the bore of the first screw seat with the external thread threaded into the internal thread, thereby enabling outward or inward telescoping of the first adjustment screw within the bore
Implementation Method 2
enabling the application of a dynamic treatment force to the knee joint by altering the alignment and pressure distribution across the joint compartments
Data Source
AI summary
A hinge assembly for a knee brace includes a screw seat, a screw seat gear, an adjustment screw, a condyle engagement member, and an adjustment actuator gear. The screw seat has a bore with an internal thread. The screw seat gear is positioned at an end of the screw seat and the screw seat rotates in response to rotation of the screw seat gear. The adjustment actuator gear engages the screw seat gear and the screw seat gear rotates in response to rotation of the adjustment actuator gear. The adjustment screw has an external thread that is threaded into the internal thread of the screw seat, thereby enabling outward or inward telescoping of the adjustment screw within the bore in response to rotation of the adjustment actuator gear. The adjustment screw is connected to the condyle engagement member, thereby enabling proximal displacement of the condyle engagement member in response to outward telescoping of the adjustment screw and enabling distal displacement of the condyle engagement member in response to inward telescoping of the adjustment screw.