Process for the manufacture of orthotic joints

Details Process for the manufacture of orthotic joints Process for the manufacture of orthotic joints

1998-12-15

2001-01-09

Silbaugh, Jan H. (Department: 1732)

Plastic and nonmetallic article shaping or treating: processes

With severing, removing material from preform mechanically,...

Dividing work to form plural articles

C264S152000, C264S258000

Reexamination Certificate

active

06171535

ABSTRACT:

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention is related to orthotic joints of rigid braces and more particularly to a manufacturing process for manufacturing orthotic joints which do not include sidebars.
Many different types of orthotic joints (such as knee joints) are currently in use. Almost every one of such joints have some mechanical joint made to flex and extend with the anatomical knee joints.
Typically, knee joints incorporated into long term knee ankle foot orthoses (“KAFO”) (long leg brace) are made of steel with sidebars attached to thigh and calf cuffs. Individuals requiring long term braces generally obtain custom braces made from measurements and a casting of the affected limb. The braces are made by attaching sidebars to a steel joint that flexes and extends in the sagittal plane. A drop lock is pushed over the mechanical knee joint to lock the knee joint in place when the leg is fully extended so the knee will not buckle. Steel sidebars are, however, very heavy, and such weight limits the mobility of the brace wearer.
In U.S. Pat. No. 5,630,791 issued to Glynn, an orthotic joint is described which operates without the use of sidebars. In the joint described in the '791 patent a stop/locking lap joint is incorporated into a lap joint using a lamination. However, because separate steps are used with the calf sections (in the case of a knee joint) being laminated first and then laminating a thigh section over the calf section, the process for producing such a brace takes considerable time.
It is therefore a principal object of the present invention to provide a technique of fabricating an orthotic joint which does not utilize sidebars.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a method for producing an orthotic joint which is a laminated joint produced in a single laminating procedure.
Still another object of the present invention is to provide a method of producing a laminated orthotic joint without sidebars which does not display a significant decrease in rigidity when compared to joints with sidebars.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The process for fabricating an orthotic joint of the present invention involves creating a casting mold of the anatomical joint for which the brace is being fitted. Then layers of nylon and cross-link carbon composite grade and the PVA bag are placed over the mold as is done in typical laminating processees for such braces. Then, a series of reinforcing strips of nylon and composite are attached to the layup in the same location where the sidebars would normally be located. The bottom layer which is typically a layer of nylon stockinette is the longest of the layers and the nylon strips are alternated with the composite strips with each successive strip being shorter than the strip immediately below it. A dummy disk is then provided at the joint. A second set of strips is then positioned where the upper sidebar would be located. Additional laminating substrate materials of nylon and cross-link carbon composite braid and a PVA bag are then placed over the structure. An acrylic/epoxy resin, accelerant and other materials used in the laminating process are poured over the brace. Once the layup is dried the brace is cut around the dummy disk partially through the brace from the outside on the lower-end and from the inside on the upper-end so that the brace can then be separated into two units. The dummy disk is then removed and a range of motion disk is inserted.
These and other objects and features of present invention will be more fully understood from the following detailed description which should be read in light of the accompanying drawings in which corresponding reference numerals refer to corresponding parts throughout the several views.


REFERENCES:
patent: 5573501 (1996-11-01), Ruscito et al.
patent: 5766724 (1998-06-01), Tailor et al.
patent: 5772945 (1998-06-01), Brown
patent: 5817041 (1998-10-01), Bader

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