Brakes – Internal-resistance motion retarder – Using a rotary-type fluid damper
Patent
1997-04-07
1999-07-13
Schwartz, Chris
Brakes
Internal-resistance motion retarder
Using a rotary-type fluid damper
188293, 623 39, 623 44, A61F 264, F16D 5702
Patent
active
059213582
DESCRIPTION:
BRIEF SUMMARY
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention refers to a rotation damper for a so called swing phase control at toggle joint prosthesis. This swing phase control provides a dampening of the forward swing motion of a limited swing angle, which occurs when the lower part of the toggle joint prosthesis, after a finished step, is moved forward rapidly for initiation of the next step. Without such a rotation dampening of the joint the prosthesis bearer will get a bumpy walk, which is not only unnatural, but which also causes increased stress on the prosthesis and body parts cooperating therewith.
For such rotation dampening of toggle joint prostheses in more simple cases earlier have been used dampening rubber blocks and at more sophisticated embodiments, more or less complex hydraulic systems, with valves and pistons of rather small dimensions, which were manufactured with high precision. This means that such earlier rotation dampers have been expensive components, which have often meant intricate sealing problems, in order to prevent the hydraulic fluid from leaking out.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The purpose of the present invention is to provide such a rotation damper for a toggle joint prosthesis, which eliminates the above mentioned problems and provides a leak-proof, reliable mechanism, which is inexpensive to produce and can be manufactured in different embodiments. This has been achieved in that the rotation damper has been given the features defined in the accompanying claims.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
Hereinafter the invention will be further described with reference to an embodiment schematically shown in the accompanying drawings.
FIG. 1 shows in a side view a non-limiting embodiment of a toggle joint prosthesis, which can be equipped with a rotation damper according to the invention,
FIG. 2 is a corresponding view of the toggle joint prosthesis according to FIG. 1 with the joint in a rearwardly extended position,
FIG. 3 shows the toggle joint prosthesis according to FIG. 1 in a view straight from the front,
FIG. 4 shows schematically a cross section through a portion of the toggle joint prosthesis according to FIG. 1, with the rotation damper forming part thereof in a completely open position,
FIG. 5 is a view corresponding to FIG. 4 but with the rotation damper according to the invention in a completely closed position,
FIG. 6 shows another section through an upper attachment forming part of the toggle joint prosthesis with a rotation damper provided therein, and
FIG. 7 shows in side view a pivot axle forming part of the rotation damper according to FIG. 6.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
FIG. 1 shows in a side view a toggle joint prosthesis 1, which, without being a limitation for the invention, can be an appropriate mechanism for application of the rotation damper according to the invention. The prosthesis incorporates an upper attachment 2 and a lower attachment 3. The attachments 2 and 3 are mutually articulated by means of a system of links 4, 5, pivotably journalled to each other, and which permit that the upper and lower attachments 2, 3 can be angled relative to each other, so that the prosthesis gives a very natural walking pattern. Such a prosthesis is known e.g. from U.S. Pat. No. 5,314,498, and it therefore will not be described in detail in this specification.
The forward pair of links 4 is articulately attached to the upper attachment 2 via a pivot 6, whereas a rearward link 4a, in the same manner is articulated to the upper attachment in a pivot 6a. As can be seen from FIG. 2, the prosthesis is shown with the lower part in a rearwardly bent position, i.e., the link 4 at the swing motion has moved about the pivot 6. For this movement, and also during the consecutive forward swing motion to the stretched knee joint position it is required to promote a dampening device for reducing the stresses upon the joint system. For this purpose a rotation damper according to the invention can preferably be provided in this joint 6. The maneuvering of the ro
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Gramtec Innovation AB
Schwartz Chris
LandOfFree
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