Classifications

• • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
  • A61—MEDICAL OR VETERINARY SCIENCE; HYGIENE
  • A61F—FILTERS IMPLANTABLE INTO BLOOD VESSELS; PROSTHESES; DEVICES PROVIDING PATENCY TO, OR PREVENTING COLLAPSING OF, TUBULAR STRUCTURES OF THE BODY, e.g. STENTS; ORTHOPAEDIC, NURSING OR CONTRACEPTIVE DEVICES; FOMENTATION; TREATMENT OR PROTECTION OF EYES OR EARS; BANDAGES, DRESSINGS OR ABSORBENT PADS; FIRST-AID KITS
  • A61F2/00—Filters implantable into blood vessels; Prostheses, i.e. artificial substitutes or replacements for parts of the body; Appliances for connecting them with the body; Devices providing patency to, or preventing collapsing of, tubular structures of the body, e.g. stents
  • A61F2/50—Prostheses not implantable in the body
  • A61F2/60—Artificial legs or feet or parts thereof
  • A61F2/64—Knee joints
• • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
  • A61—MEDICAL OR VETERINARY SCIENCE; HYGIENE
  • A61F—FILTERS IMPLANTABLE INTO BLOOD VESSELS; PROSTHESES; DEVICES PROVIDING PATENCY TO, OR PREVENTING COLLAPSING OF, TUBULAR STRUCTURES OF THE BODY, e.g. STENTS; ORTHOPAEDIC, NURSING OR CONTRACEPTIVE DEVICES; FOMENTATION; TREATMENT OR PROTECTION OF EYES OR EARS; BANDAGES, DRESSINGS OR ABSORBENT PADS; FIRST-AID KITS
  • A61F2/00—Filters implantable into blood vessels; Prostheses, i.e. artificial substitutes or replacements for parts of the body; Appliances for connecting them with the body; Devices providing patency to, or preventing collapsing of, tubular structures of the body, e.g. stents
  • A61F2/50—Prostheses not implantable in the body
  • A61F2/60—Artificial legs or feet or parts thereof
• • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
  • A61—MEDICAL OR VETERINARY SCIENCE; HYGIENE
  • A61F—FILTERS IMPLANTABLE INTO BLOOD VESSELS; PROSTHESES; DEVICES PROVIDING PATENCY TO, OR PREVENTING COLLAPSING OF, TUBULAR STRUCTURES OF THE BODY, e.g. STENTS; ORTHOPAEDIC, NURSING OR CONTRACEPTIVE DEVICES; FOMENTATION; TREATMENT OR PROTECTION OF EYES OR EARS; BANDAGES, DRESSINGS OR ABSORBENT PADS; FIRST-AID KITS
  • A61F2/00—Filters implantable into blood vessels; Prostheses, i.e. artificial substitutes or replacements for parts of the body; Appliances for connecting them with the body; Devices providing patency to, or preventing collapsing of, tubular structures of the body, e.g. stents
  • A61F2/50—Prostheses not implantable in the body
  • A61F2/68—Operating or control means
• • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
  • A61—MEDICAL OR VETERINARY SCIENCE; HYGIENE
  • A61F—FILTERS IMPLANTABLE INTO BLOOD VESSELS; PROSTHESES; DEVICES PROVIDING PATENCY TO, OR PREVENTING COLLAPSING OF, TUBULAR STRUCTURES OF THE BODY, e.g. STENTS; ORTHOPAEDIC, NURSING OR CONTRACEPTIVE DEVICES; FOMENTATION; TREATMENT OR PROTECTION OF EYES OR EARS; BANDAGES, DRESSINGS OR ABSORBENT PADS; FIRST-AID KITS
  • A61F2/00—Filters implantable into blood vessels; Prostheses, i.e. artificial substitutes or replacements for parts of the body; Appliances for connecting them with the body; Devices providing patency to, or preventing collapsing of, tubular structures of the body, e.g. stents
  • A61F2/50—Prostheses not implantable in the body
  • A61F2/68—Operating or control means
  • A61F2002/6818—Operating or control means for braking
• • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
  • A61—MEDICAL OR VETERINARY SCIENCE; HYGIENE
  • A61F—FILTERS IMPLANTABLE INTO BLOOD VESSELS; PROSTHESES; DEVICES PROVIDING PATENCY TO, OR PREVENTING COLLAPSING OF, TUBULAR STRUCTURES OF THE BODY, e.g. STENTS; ORTHOPAEDIC, NURSING OR CONTRACEPTIVE DEVICES; FOMENTATION; TREATMENT OR PROTECTION OF EYES OR EARS; BANDAGES, DRESSINGS OR ABSORBENT PADS; FIRST-AID KITS
  • A61F2/00—Filters implantable into blood vessels; Prostheses, i.e. artificial substitutes or replacements for parts of the body; Appliances for connecting them with the body; Devices providing patency to, or preventing collapsing of, tubular structures of the body, e.g. stents
  • A61F2/50—Prostheses not implantable in the body
  • A61F2/68—Operating or control means
  • A61F2002/6854—Operating or control means for locking or unlocking a joint
• • Y—GENERAL TAGGING OF NEW TECHNOLOGICAL DEVELOPMENTS; GENERAL TAGGING OF CROSS-SECTIONAL TECHNOLOGIES SPANNING OVER SEVERAL SECTIONS OF THE IPC; TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER USPC CROSS-REFERENCE ART COLLECTIONS [XRACs] AND DIGESTS
  • Y10—TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER USPC
  • Y10T—TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER US CLASSIFICATION
  • Y10T403/00—Joints and connections
  • Y10T403/32—Articulated members
  • Y10T403/32254—Lockable at fixed position
  • Y10T403/32262—At selected angle
  • Y10T403/32319—At selected angle including pivot stud
  • Y10T403/32409—Members locked in axial alignment

Definitions

• the present invention relates to the technical field of devices used to achieve a controlled motion articulation between two elements movable in rotation relative to each other, along an axis ⁇ .
• the invention relates to controlled movement joints used in leg prostheses to form an artificial knee ensuring the articulation between an adapter element on a thigh stump and an element, called tibial, having, at its distal end, an artificial foot.
• the artificial joint or knee of such a prosthesis must then be able to provide two functions corresponding to different phases of walking for the user of the prosthesis. Firstly, the movement-controlled articulation must be able to be locked in the phases, said support of the step, during which the weight of the body of the user is on the prosthesis. Then, the joint must be unlockable in order to allow a pendulum movement of the tibial segment during a phase of walking during which the user of the prosthesis has transferred its weight to its valid leg.
• the motion-controlled articulation must include means for locking and unlocking, allowing a transition to these two modes of operation of free rotation and locked rotation.
• a French patent FR 2 261 742 has proposed to implement a joint comprising a pivot and a pneumatic actuated cylinder, in order to block or allow the pendular movements of the tibial segment.
• Such articulation gives satisfaction with regard to its functions of blocking the rotational movement and unblocking of the latter, but nevertheless has the disadvantage of involving relatively heavy components and, in particular, relatively complex and expensive pneumatic cylinder control systems, so that the entire prosthesis has, on the one hand, a relatively large weight and, on the other hand, a cost of placing which may seem unacceptable.
• the weight it must also be noted that its importance makes such a prosthesis not usable by age subjects.
• Such an embodiment has the particular disadvantage of requiring friction surfaces or friction parts that weigh down the joint.
• This embodiment also has the disadvantage of not always ensuring effective locking of the joint.
• it appears the need to have a new articulation which, while offering the possibility of locking and blocking its rotational movement, has a simplified design that allows to limit or even eliminate the accessories and devices necessary for its blocking , so that it is possible to reduce the weight, both as regards the joint itself as the control means necessary to ensure its temporary locking, while ensuring the effectiveness of locking.
• the invention relates to a movement-controlled articulation between two elements movable in rotation with respect to each other about an axis ⁇ , comprising: A hub which is provided with a cylindrical bore of axis ⁇ and which is intended to be fixed to the first element
• the inner surface of the bore and the outer surface of the shaft are in contact and have a complementary shape and the hub and the shaft are elastically deformable so that: at rest, the inner surface of the bore and the outer surface of the shaft have a cylindrical shape of revolution of axis ⁇ which allows a rotation about the axis ⁇ ,
• the joint deformation of the hub and the shaft causing the locking of the rotational movement about the axis ⁇ can take different forms insofar as it is reversible so that when the stress ceases the hub and the 'tree find their original conformation allowing rotation around the axis ⁇ .
• the joint deformation must allow the reversible passage of the contacting or guiding surfaces of the hub and the shaft, from a form of revolution allowing rotation, to a shape which is no longer revolution and causes braking or locking geometric rotation.
• the hub and the shaft are made in such a way that the internal surface of the cylindrical bore and the external surface of the shaft counteract by maintaining a complementary shape under the effect of the constraint.
• the hub and the shaft can be made in different ways in that the inner surface of the hub bore and the outer surface of the shaft are capable of reversible joint deformation allowing locking of the rotation. around the axis ⁇ , and insofar as there is complementarity of the shapes of the inner surfaces of the hub and outer of the axis throughout the operation of the joint.
• the hub comprises a cylindrical sleeve provided at its outer surface with fixing means for the first element, while the shaft comprises a cylindrical sleeve which is concentric and fitted inside the hub sleeve.
• This hollow shaft comprises at its inner surface means for fixing the second element.
• the cylindrical sleeves can be made of any material having the necessary mechanical characteristics.
• the inner surface of the hub sleeve and / or the outer surface of the shaft sleeve are covered or made of a low friction material.
• the articulation comprises abutment means prohibiting any relative translation of the hub and the shaft along the axis ⁇ .
• the invention also relates to a prosthetic leg or artificial leg comprising at least one adapter element on a stump of thigh, an artificial tibial element and connecting means articulated between the adapter element and the tibial segment.
• the articulated connection means then comprise at least one articulation according to the invention connecting the adaptation element and the tibial element.
• fîg. 1 is an elevation, partially broken away, in side view of a total leg prosthesis according to the invention.
• Fig. 2 is an axial section of the articulation with controlled movements according to the invention implemented on the prosthetic leg, as illustrated in FIG. 1.
• Fig. 3 is a cross section, along the line III-III of FIG. 2, showing the controlled motion joint according to the invention in a non-deformed state allowing free rotation of the joint.
• the fg. 4 is a cross section, similar to FIG. 3, showing the articulation according to the invention in a state deformed under load, locking any rotation of the joint along the axis ⁇ .
• a controlled motion joint as illustrated in FIGS. 1 and 2 and generally designated by the reference 1, is, in a preferred application, intended to ensure the articulation of a leg prosthesis 2, as schematically illustrated in FIG. 1.
• a prosthesis leg 2 comprises, firstly, a matching element 3, intended to be fixed on the stump, not shown, of the thigh of a user.
• the prosthesis 2 also comprises a tibial segment 4, connected to the adaptation element 3 by the articulation 1 and provided, opposite the articulation 1, an artificial foot 5.
• the adapter element 3, the tibial segment 4 and the artificial foot 5 may be made in any suitable manner and known to those skilled in the art.
• the embodiment of the adaptation element 3 of the tibial segment 4 and the artificial foot 5 are not within the scope of the present invention, which more particularly concerns the movement-controlled articulation 1, so that that it is not necessary to describe them further.
• the hinge 1 is intended to form an artificial knee allowing a relative rotation, about an axis ⁇ , of the adaptation element 3 and the tibial element 4.
• the controlled articulation 1 is designed to allow a blocking of the rotation around the axis ⁇ , to allow a support or a transfer of the weight of the user of the prosthesis 2 on the foot 5.
• the controlled-motion articulation 1 firstly comprises a hub 6 which is provided with a cylindrical bore 7 of axis ⁇ .
• the hub 6 is intended to be fixed to the adaptation element 3.
• the hub 6 comprises a tubular sleeve 8 which has, at rest and without external stress, at least at its bore or wall internal 7 a cylindrical form of revolution of an axis ⁇ .
• the cylindrical sleeve 8 is equipped at its outer surface with fastening means 9 on the adapter element 3.
• the hinge 1 then comprises a shaft 10 which engages in the bore 7 of the hub 6 to be movable relative to the hub in rotation axis ⁇ .
• the shaft 10 is intended to be fixed to the tibial element 4.
• the shaft 10 comprises a tubular sleeve 11 which has, at rest and without external stress, at least at its outer wall a cylindrical form of revolution of axis ⁇ .
• the tubular sleeve 11 has a shape complementary to that of the tubular sleeve 8 so that the outer wall of the sleeve 11 is in contact with the inner wall of the sleeve 8 defining the bore 7.
• the tubular sleeve 11 finally comprises means 12 for fixing on the tibial element 4, the fastening means 12 being connected to the sleeve 11 at its inner surface.
• the cylindrical sleeves 8 and 11 are made of a material allowing a reversible elastic deformation of the sleeves as will appear later.
• the hinge 1 according to the invention thus constituted operates in the following manner.
• one or other of their contacting surfaces may be covered with a material with a low coefficient of friction such as, for example, a material based on Teflon®. It could also be envisaged to interpose between the hub and the shaft a thin ring Teflon ® or other low friction material material.
• the hinge 1 comprises abutment means 15 preventing any relative translation, along the axis ⁇ , of the hub and the shaft.

Applications Claiming Priority (2)

Publications (1)

Family

ID=36592865

Family Applications (1)

Country Status (10)

Families Citing this family (2)

Family Cites Families (7)

• 2005
  • 2005-09-30 FR FR0510014A patent/FR2891595B1/fr active Active
• 2006
  • 2006-09-22 WO PCT/EP2006/066651 patent/WO2007039495A1/fr active Application Filing
  • 2006-09-22 BR BRPI0616587A patent/BRPI0616587A2/pt not_active IP Right Cessation
  • 2006-09-22 ZA ZA200802766A patent/ZA200802766B/xx unknown
  • 2006-09-22 CA CA002624009A patent/CA2624009A1/fr not_active Abandoned
  • 2006-09-22 US US11/992,770 patent/US20090216340A1/en not_active Abandoned
  • 2006-09-22 JP JP2008534974A patent/JP2009509720A/ja active Pending
  • 2006-09-22 AU AU2006298800A patent/AU2006298800A1/en not_active Abandoned
  • 2006-09-22 EP EP06793765A patent/EP1942842A1/de not_active Withdrawn
  • 2006-09-22 CN CNA2006800360053A patent/CN101282695A/zh active Pending

Non-Patent Citations (1)

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