1. An apparatus for receiving and supporting respective femoral and tibial portions of a person’s leg and flexing the knee joint thereof comprising:
(a) a pair of elongated femoral and tibial support members each being pivotally connected to the other at one end, said femoral support member at its opposite end being pivotally mounted at a fixed position on a base and said tibial support member at its opposite end having a drive connection;
(b) a first rigid cantilevered cradle mounted on said femoral support member for reciprocally moving alongside, lengthwise of and along a path parallel to and outwardly of said femoral support member and adapted while so moving for supporting said femoral portion of said leg;
(c) a second rigid cantilevered cradle mounted on said tibial support member for reciprocally moving alongside, lengthwise of and along a path parallel to and outwardly of said tibial support member and adapted while so moving for supporting said tibial portion of said leg; and
(d) a drive source connected to said tibial support member drive connection and operative for cyclically reciprocating said drive connection and thereby forcing said support members to cyclically contract and expand around the axis of the said pivotal connection therebetween and in coordination therewith to flex said knee joint; and
wherein said cradles in response to and during said contraction and expansion reciprocate each along its respective said path as required to maintain the respective femoral and tibial portions in substantially fixed positions on said respective cradles.
2. An apparatus as claimed in claim 1 including a foot rest structure providing a plate against which the sole of the foot of said leg can rest, wherein said foot rest structure is mounted on, forwardly of and movable with said second cradle and in a manner which permits the angle of the plane of said plate with respect to the vertical, and the tilt of said plate around an axis perpendicular to the plane of said plate at the base thereof to be manually adjusted.
3. An apparatus as claimed in claim 1 wherein said apparatus includes a motor control mount on said femoral support member in a position accessible to the user of said apparatus.
4. An apparatus as claimed in claim 1 wherein said apparatus includes a housing on said femoral support member and a control mounted in said housing in a position accessible to the user of said apparatus.
5. An apparatus as claimed in claim 1 wherein said femoral support member at its said opposite end contains an electrical sensor for producing an electrical signal responsive to the angular relation of said femoral support member to said base.
6. An apparatus as claimed in claim 1 wherein the connection between said drive connection and said drive source comprises a link pivotally connected at one end to said drive source and at an opposite end fixedly connected to said drive connection whereby to maintain said tibial support member and link in a fixed angular relation.
7. An apparatus as claimed in claim 1 wherein each of said cradles in addition to being mounted for reciprocally moving along its respective said path alongside its respective said support member is also mounted in a manner which enables each said cradle to be rotatively positioned on either side of its respective said support member and thereby adapt said apparatus for use by either the right or left leg of the user of said apparatus.
8. An apparatus as claimed in claim 1 wherein said drive source comprises an internally threaded drive member mounted on a motor driven threaded shaft, said drive member being connected to said drive connection and including a control for remotely controlling the motor which drives said shaft.
9. An apparatus as claimed in claim 1 wherein at least one of said support members includes a housing, said apparatus includes a manually positionable control for controlling the operation of said drive source and said control is mounted on said housing at a location accessible to an individual using said apparatus.
10. An apparatus as claimed in claim 1 wherein said second cradle in addition to being mounted for moving along its respective said path alongside its respective said tibial support member is also mounted in a manner which permits said second cradle to rotate around an axis transverse of said tibial support member.
11. An apparatus as claimed in claim 4, wherein said second cradle in addition to being mounted for moving along its respective said path alongside its respective said support member is also mounted in a manner which permits said second cradle to rotate around an axis transverse of said tibial support member.
12. An apparatus as claimed in claim 7, wherein said second cradle in addition to being mounted for moving along its respective said path alongside its respective said support member is also mounted in a manner which permits said second cradle to rotate around an axis transverse of said tibial support member.
13. An apparatus as claimed in claim 1 including a footrest structure mounted on and extending forwardly of said second cradle.
14. An apparatus as claimed in claim 1 wherein said drive source includes a reversible drive motor, a drive screw driven by said motor, an internally threaded drive member mounted on said screw and connected to said drive connection for thereby forcing said support members to cyclically retract and expand.
15. An apparatus as claimed in claim 1 including a footrest structure mounted on and extending forwardly of said second cradle, said second cradle being mounted in a manner which permits said second cradle to rotate around an axis transverse of said tibial support member in coordination with flexing of said joint.
16. A method for flexing a knee joint comprising:
(a) supporting respective femoral and tibial portions of the leg in respective substantially rigid femoral and tibial cantilevered support cradles slidably mounted on respective elongated femoral and tibial support members connected by a pivotal joint; and
(b) forcing the support members to cyclically pivot around the axis of said pivotal joint and, as a consequence, to cause said respective femoral and tibial portions of said leg to cyclically extend and contract by extending and contracting the support members about said axis.
17. A method, as claimed in claim 16 including the step of controlling said extending and contracting of the support members by use of a manually adjustable control mounted on one of said support members.
18. An apparatus for flexing a knee joint, together with femoral and tibial portions of a leg bounding said joint, comprising:
(a) means for supporting respective femoral and tibial portions of the leg in respective substantially rigid femoral and tibial supports cradles slidably mounted on respective elongated femoral and tibial support members connected by a pivotal joint; and
(b) means for forcing the support members to cyclically pivot around the axis of said pivotal joint and, as a consequence, to cause said respective femoral and tibial portions of said leg to cyclically contract and expand about said pivotal joint and in doing so to cause said knee joint to be flexed.
19. An apparatus, as claimed in claim 18, wherein said femoral and tibial support cradles are both slidably mounted on and cantilevered outwardly from said respective support members.
20. An apparatus as claimed in claim 18 wherein at least one of said support members includes a housing and including a control mounted on said housing for controlling said means for forcing said support members to cyclically pivot around the axis of said pivotal joint.
21. An apparatus for applying motion to a jointed limb, such as a leg of a patient’s body, comprising:
(a) a stationary base structure;
(b) a drive assembly providing a drive member and associated timed drive means for reciprocating said drive member on said base structure;
(c) an elongated femoral support member extending between a first end pivotally connected to said base structure and a second end;
(d) an elongated tibial support member extending between a first end pivotally connected to the second end of said femoral support member and a second end;
(e) a first sliding element connected to slide on said femoral support member and having rigidly mounted and cantilevered outward therefrom a rigid femoral cradle;
(f) a second sliding element connected to slide on said tibial support member and having rigidly mounted and cantilevered outwardly therefrom a rigid tibial cradle; and
(g) connector means connecting said second end of said tibial support member to said drive member whereby to cause respective femoral and tibial portions of said limb when supported in the respective said femoral and tibial cradles to extend and flex said limb while permitting said respective femoral and tibial cradles to slide along said respective support members in coordination with flexing of the joint between said portions.
22. An apparatus as claimed in claim 21 wherein said femoral support member includes a housing and including a control mounted on said housing for controlling said drive assembly.
23. A method for flexing a knee joint, together with femoral and tibial portions of the leg bounding said joint, comprising;
(a) creating an apparatus for applying motion to a leg of a patient’s body, comprising:
(i) a stationary base structure;
(ii) a drive assembly providing a drive member and associated timed drive means for reciprocating said drive member on said base structure along a fixed linear path;
(iii) an elongated femoral support member extending between a first end pivotally connected to said base structure and a second end;
(iv) an elongated tibial support member extending between a first end pivotally connected to the second end of said femoral support member and a second end;
(v) a first sliding element connected to slide on said femoral support member and having rigidly mounted and cantilevered outward therefrom a rigid femoral support cradle;
(vi) a second sliding element connected to slide on said tibial support member end having rigidly mounted and cantilevered outwardly therefrom a rigid tibial support cradle;
(vii) a connecting member fixedly connected at an upper end thereof to said second end of said tibial support member and at a lower end thereof pivotally connected to said drive member; and
(viii) a footrest structure supported on and extending forwardly of said second sliding element and providing a pivotal rest for the foot of said leg;
(b) mounting the femoral portion of said leg on said rigid femoral support cradle;
(c) mounting the tibial portion of said leg on said rigid tibial support cradle;
(d) resting the sole of the foot of said leg on said footrest structure; and
(e) activating said drive assembly such that said drive assembly, when in operation, causes flexing and extension of said limb, and which thereby tends to flex the joint between femoral and tibial portions of said limb in response to reciprocation of said drive member.
24. An apparatus for applying motion to a leg of a patient’s body, comprising:
(a) a stationary base structure;
(b) an elongated femoral support member extending between a first end pivotally connected to said base structure and a second end;
(c) an elongated tibial support member extending between a first end pivotally connected to the second end of said femoral support member and a second end;
(d) a first sliding element connected to slide on said femoral support member and having rigidly mounted and cantilevered outward therefrom a rigid femoral support cradle and wherein said femoral support cradle is pivotally attached to said femoral support member in a manner which allows said femoral support cradle to pivot about said femoral support member and stop on either side of said femoral support member so as to accommodate either a right or left leg;
(e) a second sliding element connected to slide on said tibial support member and having rigidly mounted and cantilevered outwardly therefrom a rigid tibial support cradle;
(f) a drive assembly mounted on said base structure, comprising:
(i) a drive screw extending lengthwise of said base structure;
(ii) a controlled drive source for driving said drive screw; and
(iii) an internally-threaded nut mounted on said screw;
(g) a first link pivotally mounted at a lower end thereof on said nut and at an upper end thereof fixedly connected to the said second end of said tibial support member;
(h) a second link extending forwardly of said second sliding element having an outer end mounting a footrest thereon, an inner end mounted on said second sliding element;
(i) a mounting structure attaching said tibial support cradle to said tibial support member which enables tibial support cradle to pivot about said tibial support member and stop on either side of said tibial support member so as to accommodate either a right or left leg;
(j) an auxiliary support mounted on said second drive link outer end for supporting, in a fixed position, a heel portion of said leg; and
(k) wherein said support members, sliding elements, links, and auxiliary support are arranged such that said drive assembly, when in operation, tends to flex the joint between femoral and tibial portions of said leg.
25. An apparatus for applying therapeutic motion to a leg of a patient’s body, comprising:
(a) a stationary base member;
(b) a drive assembly providing a drive member and associated timed drive means for reciprocating said drive member on said base structure along a fixed linear path;
(c) an elongated femoral support member extending between a first end pivotally connected to said base structure and a second end;
(d) an elongated tibial support member extending between a first end pivotally connected to the second end of said femoral support member and a second end;
(e) a first sliding element connected to slide on said femoral support member and having rigidly mounted and cantilevered outward therefrom a rigid femoral support cradle;
(f) a second sliding element connected to slide on said tibial support member and having rigidly mounted and cantilevered outwardly therefrom a rigid tibia support cradle;
(g) a connecting member having an upper end fixedly connected to said tibial support member second end and a lower end pivotally connected to said drive member;
(h) a footrest structure mounted on and forwardly of said second sliding element and providing a footrest for the foot of said leg; and
(i) wherein said support members, sliding elements, connecting member, and footrest structure are arranged such that said limb is cyclically flexed and extended in response to the reciprocation of said drive member.
26. An apparatus, as claimed in claim 25, which, during flexing, is operative to produce negative rotation of said tibia support member and tibial cradle and by reason of said negative rotation being operative to produce positive rotation of said femoral support member and femoral cradle.
The claims below are in addition to those above.
All refrences to claim(s) which appear below refer to the numbering after this setence.
1. A puncture needle cartridge, comprising:
a bottom case in which a plurality of puncture needles are arranged in parallel such that respective puncture needles are provided independently of each other in said bottom case, said bottom case having an inner wall and an upper opening, and each of said puncture needles having an end that is fixed to said inner wall of said bottom case;
a slide cover that is slidable with respect to said bottom case so as to close said upper opening of said bottom case; and
a puncture needle support that is integrated with said slide cover so as to move together with said slide cover and support said puncture needles, said puncture needle support comprising a convex portion that is positioned and arranged such that when said slide cover is slid in a direction of sliding, said convex portion moves together with said slide cover and engages said puncture needles to push up said puncture needles one by one to a predetermined angle in response to said slide cover sliding with respect to said bottom case.
2. The puncture needle cartridge of claim 1, wherein said bottom case has a mechanism for holding a used puncture needle at a side surface of said bottom case.
3. The puncture needle cartridge of claim 2, wherein said puncture needles are arranged within one plane on a surface of said bottom case that is perpendicular to said side surface.
4. The puncture needle cartridge of claim 3, wherein said mechanism for holding a used puncture needle is configured to have a lancet holding a used puncture needle pressed against said mechanism and, after said mechanism holds the used puncture needle, have holding of the used puncture needle by the lancet released when the lancet moves backward such that said mechanism holds the used puncture needle.
5. The puncture needle cartridge of claim 3, and further comprising a waste box, wherein said mechanism for holding a used puncture needle is configured so that when one used puncture needle is held by said mechanism and the one used puncture needle is pressed by another used puncture needle held by a lancet, the one used puncture needle is dropped into said waste box.
6. The puncture needle cartridge of claim 5, wherein said bottom case has an insertion slot connected to said waste box configured to have a used biological data measurement sensor that has been used for measurement of biological data from collected blood dropped there through.
7. The puncture needle cartridge of claim 5, wherein said bottom case and said puncture needles are integrally plastic-molded, said puncture needles having respective flexible junctions with said bottom case.
8. The puncture needle cartridge of claim 1, wherein said puncture needle support is positioned to slide below said puncture needles and said slide cover is positioned to slide above said puncture needles such that as said slide cover slides over said upper opening and said puncture needles, said puncture needle support engages and pushes up one of said puncture needles that is not covered by said slide cover.
9. The puncture needle cartridge of claim 1, wherein said convex portion comprises a protrusion having a sloping surface for engaging said puncture needles.
10. A puncture needle cartridge, comprising:
a case having a plurality of puncture needles that are arranged in parallel in said case, said case having an inner wall and an upper opening, and each of said puncture needles having an end that is fixed to said inner wall of said case;
a slide cover that is mounted on said case so as to be able to slide to open and close said upper opening of said case; and
a puncture needle support that is fixed with respect to said slide cover so as to move together with said slide cover, said puncture needle support comprising a convex portion that is positioned and arranged such that when said slide cover is slid in a direction of sliding, said convex portion moves together with said slide cover and engages said puncture needles to push up said puncture needles one by one in response to said slide cover sliding with respect to said bottom case.
11. The puncture needle cartridge of claim 10, wherein said puncture needles extend in said case at a position between said puncture needle support and said slide cover.
12. The puncture needle cartridge of claim 11, wherein said puncture needles are flexibly connected to said inner wall of said case such that said convex portion tilts up said puncture needles one by one in response to said slide cover sliding with respect to said case.
13. The puncture needle cartridge of claim 10, wherein said puncture needles comprise a groove that enables separation thereof from said case.
14. The puncture needle cartridge of claim 10, wherein said puncture needle support is positioned to slide below said puncture needles and said slide cover is positioned to slide above said puncture needles such that as said slide cover slides over said upper opening and said puncture needles, said puncture needle support engages and pushes up one of said puncture needles that is not covered by said slide cover.
15. The puncture needle cartridge of claim 10, wherein said convex portion comprises a protrusion having a sloping surface for engaging said puncture needles.