Segmented Orthosis with Adjustable Leaf Spring Tension
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current orthotic joints are limited in their universality and adaptability, making them expensive and ineffective for a wide range of patients, as they are designed for specific purposes and cannot be easily adjusted to accommodate changes in a patient's progress during therapy or varying patient sizes and ages.
Innovation Solution
An orthosis design featuring a housing with rail receptacles and support elements, including leaf spring stacks and stop elements, which allows for adjustable spring tension and movement limitations, enabling universal use from childhood to adulthood and accommodating different therapeutic needs.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If orthotic joints are designed with specific functional elements for particular purposes, then they provide targeted therapeutic support, but they cannot be adapted to different patients or therapeutic stages
Solution Approach 1:
The orthotic joint is divided into separate functional elements (first and second functional elements) that can be independently adjusted. Each functional element can be positioned at different locations along the longitudinal axis, allowing customization for different patients and therapeutic needs while maintaining reliable therapeutic support.
Solution Approach 2:
The orthotic joint incorporates adjustable and reconfigurable functional elements that can be dynamically repositioned along the longitudinal axis. This dynamic adjustability allows the device to adapt to different patients, ages, and therapeutic stages while maintaining effective therapeutic support throughout the treatment process.
2Reliability
If orthotic joints are customized for individual patients, then they provide optimal therapeutic support, but production and application times increase
Solution Approach 1:
The orthotic joint consists of modular functional elements that can be independently adjusted and repositioned. This segmentation allows for rapid customization during application without requiring time-consuming custom manufacturing, as the elements can be configured for different patients using standardized components.
Solution Approach 2:
The functional elements can be repositioned to different locations along the longitudinal axis to change the mechanical parameters of the orthotic joint. This parameter adjustment capability allows optimal therapeutic support to be achieved through simple repositioning rather than custom manufacturing, significantly reducing production and application time.
3Stability of the object's composition
If orthotic joints use fixed spring tension, then they provide stable restoring forces, but they cannot be adjusted as patient condition changes during therapy
Solution Approach 1:
The orthotic joint incorporates functional elements with adjustable spring tension that can be reconfigured as the patient's condition changes. The first and second functional elements can be repositioned along the longitudinal axis to modify the restoring forces, providing both initial stability and ongoing adaptability throughout the therapeutic process.
4Reliability
If orthotic joints are designed for specific age groups, then they provide appropriate support, but they cannot be used universally from childhood to adulthood
Solution Approach 1:
The orthotic joint uses segmented functional elements that can be independently positioned along the longitudinal axis. This segmentation allows the same device to be configured for different age groups by adjusting the position and configuration of the functional elements, achieving both age-appropriate support and universal applicability.
Solution Approach 2:
The orthotic joint is designed as a universal device with functional elements that can be reconfigured for different age groups and patient needs. The first and second functional elements can be positioned at various locations to provide appropriate support for children, adolescents, and adults, eliminating the need for age-specific device variants.
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 orthosis provides adjustable support and mobility, allowing for customization to individual patient needs, extending its applicability and effectiveness across various ages and therapeutic stages.
Implementation Method 1
at least one leaf spring stack arranged on a rail receptacle or on the component... having a preset spring tension
Implementation Method 2
The functional elements are designed as a disc spring arrangement and arranged in channels... to form a resilient dorsal stop and a resilient plantar stop
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2
AI summary
The invention relates to the field of medical technology and concerns an orthosis that can be used, for example, for knee, ankle, elbow, or shoulder joints. The object of the present invention is therefore to provide an orthosis that is more universally applicable and adaptable to the patient's problems and their level of fitness.The problem is solved by an orthosis that contains at least: - a housing, - and two rail mounts or one or two components that take over the function of the rail mounts, - and two support elements that can be attached to the body areas, - and at least one leaf spring stack that has a preset spring tension, - and at least one component that at least partially cancels the spring tension of the leaf spring stack by applying pressure, - and at least one stop element that establishes contact for force transmission with one end of the at least one leaf spring stack, - and furthermore at least two limiting elements that limit the semi-circular movement of the stop element when the anatomical pivot point is moved.