JPH0319864Y2 - - Google Patents

Description

[Detailed description of the invention] [Field of industrial application] The present invention relates to a knee joint for a lower limb orthosis used in the process of treating diseases such as lower limb fractures and paralysis. This invention relates to a knee joint for a lower limb orthosis in which the bending restriction angle can be changed.

[Prior Art] FIG. 3 is an explanatory diagram showing a long leg orthosis as an example of a leg orthosis. Lower leg 15 has thigh shell 2
a. Attach the lower leg shell 2b and band 3, etc.
A thigh support arm 5a and a lower leg support arm 5b are attached to each shell 2a, 2b, and both support arms 5
a and 5b are joined by a knee joint 4. Note that the support arms 5a, 5b, etc. are arranged not only on the outside of the lower leg 15 but also on the inside.

A typical example of the knee joint 4 is shown in FIG. 4. A fitting hole 7b is formed at the end of the lower leg support arm 5b on the knee joint side, and a fitting hole 7a is formed at the end of the thigh support arm 5a on the knee joint side, as well as a bifurcated holding part 14. The fitting holes 7a and 7b of both strut arms are aligned, a nipple 8 is fitted in a direction passing through these holes, and a screw 9 is screwed into the nipple 8 to connect both strut arms 5a and 5b. When both strut arms 5a and 5b are in the extended posture, the distal end surface 10b of the lower leg strut arm 5b is in close contact with the end surface 13 of the thigh strut arm 5a, and the lower leg strut arm 5b is in the dorsal direction (arrow) with respect to the thigh strut arm 5a. The lower leg support arm 5b is pivoted to the thigh support arm 5a so that it can bend only in the direction of arrow A from the extended position.

A locking ring 6 that can slide in the direction of arrow C←→D is arranged at the end of the thigh support arm 5a.
The sliding movement of the ring 6 is stopped by the fitting of a locking ball 11 provided on the thigh support arm 5a (which moves forward and backward in the direction penetrating the plane of the drawing) into a fitting recess (not shown) in the inner wall of the ring 6. Note that this fitting recess may be of a penetrating type. That is, when the locking ring 6 is in the position moved in the direction C, the lower leg support arm 5b can be bent within the above range around the nipple 8, and the ring 6 is in the position moved in the direction D. At times, the back surface 10a of the lower leg support arm 5b is restricted by the inner wall surface of the ring 6, so that the lower leg support arm 5b is maintained fixed in the extended position. That is, when the knee is not to be bent, the ring 6 is moved in the direction D to make it in an extended and fixed state, and when it is necessary to bend the knee, such as when sitting, the ring 6 is moved in the direction C to make it in a bendable state.

[Problems to be solved by the invention] With the knee joint 4 shown in Fig. 4, there are only two modes to choose from: fixed extension state and free flexion state, so the bendable range can be adjusted according to the progressing stage of treatment. It is not possible to select an appropriate range of joint motion for gait training, etc. by changing the range of motion of the joint, and it is also not possible for the wearer to select a range of bending that is appropriate for the wearer's posture.

Therefore, the present inventors developed a knee joint that can change the bending limit angle between the strut arms (setting a specific bending limit angle between a position where the bending is completely restricted and a position where the bending is completely unlimited), and 1986 - A request was made for a knee joint that could be freely bent within the body.
It was previously proposed as No. 178100. In this invention, a notch is provided in the back surface 10a of the joint part of the lower leg support arm 5b to form a step, and by changing the stopping position of the locking ring 6, the regulating position of the step is changed and the gap between the support arms is changed. It is possible to change the bending limit angle of the

However, the inventor of the present invention was not satisfied with this result, and as a result of conducting various researches with the aim of providing a knee joint that can set the bending restriction angle of the support arms to a free position using other means, he developed the present invention. It was completed.

[Means for Solving the Problems] In the knee joint of the present invention that has achieved the above object, a stopper member that projects toward the second support arm is integrally formed on the locking ring, The gist is that a fixing mechanism is provided that can hold the ring at a position slightly retracted toward the first support arm from the extended posture fixing position.

[Function] The present invention integrally forms a stopper member for setting the intermediate bending limit angle on the conventional locking ring, and also provides a fixing mechanism that allows the locking ring to be set at at least three sliding stop positions. It is set up. In other words, in order to set an intermediate state in which the support arm member can be freely bent within a certain angle between the extended position fixed state and the completely free bending state, the locking ring is moved to the extended position fixed position by the above-mentioned fixing mechanism. The second support arm (lower leg support arm) is stopped at a position slightly retracted toward the first support arm (thigh support arm), and the bending motion of the second support support arm (lower leg support arm) in the back direction is restricted by the stopper member.

Therefore, the orthosis wearer selects the above-mentioned ring stop position from above his/her clothing, and adjusts the bending restriction state of the knee joint to the above-mentioned 3.
You can freely select and change any of the following states.

[Embodiment] Fig. 1a is a partially cutaway explanatory view showing a typical embodiment of the present invention, and Fig. 1b is a perspective explanatory view showing an example of a locking ring 6. The joint structure of the strut arms 5a, 5b in the knee joint 4 of the present invention is almost the same as that shown in FIG.
uses the structure shown below. The locking ring 6 consists of a rectangular cylindrical ring body 17 and a stopper member 16 formed to protrude from the ring body 17 toward one opening side, and has a first regulating surface 17a and a second regulating surface on the inner wall surface side. 16a is formed.
The locking ring 6 is fitted onto the thigh support arm 5a as shown in FIG. 1, and is slid and stopped along each stop position shown in FIGS. 2a to 2c. The ring 6 is maintained at its stopped position by the fitting recess 18 and the locking ball 11.

FIG. 2a shows a state in which the locking ring 6 is fully moved toward the lower leg support arm 5b, and the locking ball 11 is attached to the end 17 of the locking ring 6.
located outside b. In this state, the back surface 10a of the lower leg support arm 5b is held in contact with the first regulating surface 17a, and the support arms 5a, 5b are maintained in a fully extended state. In addition, FIG. 2b shows that the locking ring 6 is slid from the state shown in FIG.
A state in which the fitting recess 18 is fitted into the fitting recess 18 is shown. At this time, the lower leg support arm 5b has the back surface 10a in the second position.
It can be bent until it comes into contact with the regulating surface 16a, and can be bent between the arrows E←→F around the nipple 8. Further, as shown in FIG. 2c, move the locking ring 6 to the right side of the figure and lock the locking ball 11.
When positioned more outwardly, the lower leg support arm 5b
There is no restriction on the back surface 10a of the body, and the fully extended state can be freely bent. Therefore, by changing the stopping position of the locking ring 6 as described above, the bending range of the support arms 5a, 5b can be selectively changed from the above three states.

The structure of the locking ring 6 described above is not limited to that shown in FIG. 3 may be additionally formed, or a stopper member may be formed on the bent ventral side of the support arm.
Further, the mechanism for regulating the stop position of the ring 6 may be one using a locking ball or a leaf spring or other ratchet mechanism.

[Effects of the invention] By using the knee joint of the invention, in addition to a fixed extension state and a completely free extension/extension state, it is now possible to set one or more intermediate states that can limit the bending angle. The wearer can now easily select one of the above conditions according to the treatment stage, etc.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

FIG. 1a is a partially cutaway explanatory view showing a typical embodiment of the present invention, FIG. 1b is a perspective explanatory view showing an example of a locking ring used in the present invention, and FIGS. 2a to c
3 is an explanatory diagram showing the operating state of the knee joint of the present invention, FIG. 3 is an explanatory diagram showing the entire long leg orthosis, and FIG. 4 is an explanatory diagram showing the conventional knee joint. 1...Long leg orthosis, 2a, 2b...Ciel, 3...
... Band, 4 ... Knee joint, 5a, 5b ... Support arm, 6 ... Locking ring, 7a, 7b ... Fitting hole, 8 ... Nipple, 9 ... Screw, 10a ...
Back surface, 10b... end face, 11... locking ball, 12... stopper, 13... end face, 14...
... Clipping part, 15 ... Lower limb, 16 ... Stopper member, 17 ... Ring body, 18 ... Fitting recess.

Claims (1)

[Scope of utility model registration request] two strut arms pivotally connected to each other so as to be able to bend in one direction from an extended position, and a second strut arm that is slidable in the longitudinal direction on the first strut arm; In the knee joint for a lower limb orthosis, the knee joint includes a locking ring that holds the pivot portion of the knee joint to maintain an extended posture, and the locking ring is integrally formed with a stopper member that protrudes toward the second support arm. A knee joint for a lower limb orthosis, comprising: a fixing mechanism capable of holding the ring at a position slightly retracted toward the first support arm from a fixed position in an extended posture.