1. Device for sharpening a blade of a manual cutting tool, in particular a knife, comprising a support which is provided with a cut-out, sharpening elements being placed opposite each other and in a staggered arrangement in the region of the cut-out, being mounted so as to rotate about shafts which are fixed to the support and being provided with means for returning into position so as to define a sharpening zone which is variable in accordance with the position of the blade of a tool between the sharpening elements, characterised in that the sharpening elements comprise at least three identical levers (11; 11\u2032), each lever (11; 11\u2032) being angled and provided with two arms (13, 16; 13\u2032 16\u2032), of which one (13; 13\u2032) is generally curved and provided with an end (14; 14\u2032) having a substantially rectilinear edge whilst the other arm (16; 16\u2032) constitutes a means (16; 16\u2032) for returning the lever (11; 11\u2032) into position by means of gravity, the lever being mounted so as to be able to pivot, in the region of a junction zone (15) between the arms (13, 16; 13\u2032, 16\u2032), about a geometric axis (D10) which is generally perpendicular relative to the longitudinal direction (A-A\u2032) of the cut-out (4, 5).
2. Device according to claim 1, characterised in that each lever (11; 11\u2032) comprises an arm (13, 14; 13\u2032, 14\u2032), one edge (F) of which has a generally semi-cicular cross-section and is suitable for being in contact with a blade (18) of a tool.
3. Device according to claim 2, characterised in that the edge (F) of the arm (13; 13\u2032) of at least one lever (11; 11\u2032) is polished at least in the curved portion of the arm (13; 13\u2032) and is finely ribbed in the manner of a sharpening steel, at least in the region of the end (14; 14\u2032) of the same arm.
4. Device according to claim 1, characterised in that the levers (11; 11\u2032) are suitable for being blocked in a position referred to as the rest position, in which the spacing between the ends (14; 14\u2032) is at a maximum, by means of two stops (9; 9\u2032) which are fixed to the support (2) and which are produced from a material which attenuates impacts.
5. Device according to claim 4, characterised in that the support (2) is provided with a third stop (7) which is generally located half-way between the two stops (9; 9\u2032) of attenuating material and which is suitable for blocking the levers (11; 11\u2032) in a position in which the spacing between the ends (14; 14\u2032) is at a minimum.
6. Device according to claim 5, characterised in that the third stop (7) has a length and a shape suitable for retaining at least one of the levers (11; 11\u2032) in a position referred to as the cleaning position in which it is not free in terms of rotation.
7. Device according to claim 5, characterised in that the third stop (7) is provided with a protection means, in particular a sleeve of flexible material.
8. Device according to claim 1, characterised in that the levers (11; 11\u2032) are arranged so as to cover the periphery of the cut-out (4) which is arranged in the support (2) when the levers (11; 11\u2032) are in a rest position.
9. Device according to claim 1, characterised in that each arm (16, 16\u2032) which forms a return means is provided with a means (17) for fixing a supplementary gravity return means, in particular a weight.
10. Device according to claim 1, characterised in that the levers (11; 11\u2032) are retained with spacing from the support (2) andor from each other by means of removable discs (12).
11. Device according to claim 1, characterised in that the support (2) is provided with a gripping means (20) andor fastening means (21).
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. An ankle-foot orthosis to be worn by a user walking on a walking surface, the orthosis comprising:
a foot mold configured to be worn on at least a portion of the foot of the user, the foot mold having a sole, a proximal end configured to be positioned adjacent a heel of the user when the orthosis is worn, an opposed distal end configured to be positioned adjacent a toe of the user when the orthosis is worn, and a longitudinal axis:
a shank mold having a longitudinal axis and configured to be worn on at least a portion of a leg of the user, wherein the shank mold is spaced from the foot mold such that a gap is defined between the foot mold and the shank mold, and wherein the shank mold is connected to the foot mold by a connector;
a forefoot sensor coupled to the sole substantially adjacent the distal end of the foot mold;
a heel sensor coupled to the sole substantially adjacent the proximal end of the foot mold;
a stop movable about and between a closed stop position, in which at least a portion of the stop is positioned in the gap between the foot mold and the shank mold, and an open stop position, in which the stop is retracted from the gap, wherein in the closed stop position, the foot mold is substantially restricted from moving relative to the shank mold, and wherein in the open stop position, the foot mold is movable relative to the shank mold; and
a connecting mechanism coupled to the stop, the forefoot sensor and the heel sensor, wherein the connecting mechanism is configured to move the stop in response to a signal from at least one of the heel sensor and the forefoot sensor.
2. The orthosis of claim 1, wherein the connecting mechanism is configured to move the stop to the open stop position in response to a signal from the heel sensor, and wherein the connecting mechanism is configured to move the stop to the closed stop position in response to a signal from the forefoot sensor.
3. The orthosis of claim 1, wherein the connecting mechanism comprises a gear, a first linkage, and a second linkage, wherein the gear defines at least two teeth and is connected to the heel sensor by the first linkage, and wherein the gear is connected to the stop by the second linkage.
4. The orthosis of claim 3, wherein the first linkage and the second linkage are eccentrically connected to the gear.
5. The orthosis of claim 3, wherein the connecting mechanism further comprises a rotatable rotor and a third linkage, wherein the rotatable rotor is coupled to the gear, and wherein the rotatable rotor is connected to the forefoot sensor by the third linkage.
6. The orthosis of claim 5, wherein the connecting mechanism further comprises a gear latch, and wherein the rotatable rotor is coupled to the gear by the gear latch.
7. The orthosis of claim 6, wherein the gear latch is configured to engage the at least two teeth of the gear, and wherein the engagement of the gear latch and at least one tooth of the gear substantially prevents undesirable rotation of the gear.
8. The orthosis of claim 7, wherein the gear latch comprises a biasing member such that the gear latch is biased toward the at least two teeth of the gear.
9. The orthosis of claim 8, wherein the heel sensor comprises a heel pedal hingedly attached to the foot mold and a heel spring configured to bias the heel sensor from a closed heel position, in which a first and second end of the heel pedal are adjacent to the sole of the foot mold, to an open heel position, in which the second end of the heel pedal is spaced from the sole.
10. The orthosis of claim 9, wherein the forefoot sensor comprises a forefoot pedal hingedly attached to the foot mold and a forefoot spring configured to bias the forefoot sensor from a closed forefoot position, in which a first and second end of the forefoot pedal are adjacent to the sole of the foot mold, to an open forefoot position, in which the second end of the forefoot pedal is spaced from the sole.
11. The orthosis of claim 10, wherein when the heel sensor is in the closed heel position and the forefoot sensor is in the closed forefoot position, the stop is in the open stop position.
12. The orthosis of claim 10, wherein when at least one of the heel sensor and the forefoot sensor are in the respective closed position, the stop is in the open stop position.
13. The orthosis of claim 10, wherein when the heel sensor is in the open heel position and the forefoot sensor is in the open forefoot position, the stop is in the closed stop position.
14. The orthosis of claim 10, wherein the rotor comprises a biasing member, wherein movement of the forefoot pedal towards the closed forefoot position rotates the rotor, and wherein rotation of the rotor creates a store of mechanical energy in at least one of the forefoot spring and the rotor biasing member.
15. The orthosis of claim 14, wherein when the forefoot sensor moves to the open forefoot position, the store of mechanical energy is released and the gear latch releases the gear.
16. The orthosis of claim 1, wherein the orthosis is configured to be worn as a shoe of the user.
17. The orthosis of claim 1, wherein the orthosis is configured to be worn inside of a shoe of the user.
18. A method of selectively, substantially preventing movement of a foot of a user relative to a leg of the user when walking on a walking surface comprising:
providing an ankle-foot orthosis to be worn by the user comprising:
a foot mold configured to be worn on at least a portion of the foot of the user, the foot mold having a sole, a proximal end configured to be positioned adjacent a heel of the user when the orthosis is worn, an opposed distal end configured to be positioned adjacent a toe of the user when the orthosis is worn, and a longitudinal axis:
a shank mold having a longitudinal axis and configured to be worn on at least a portion of the leg of the user, wherein the shank mold is spaced from the foot mold such that a gap is defined between the foot mold and the shank mold, and wherein the shank mold is connected to the foot mold by a connector;
a forefoot sensor coupled to the sole substantially adjacent the distal end of the foot mold;
a heel sensor coupled to the sole substantially adjacent the proximal end of the foot mold;
a stop movable about and between a closed stop position, in which at least a portion of the stop is positioned in the gap between the foot mold and the shank mold, and an open stop position, in which the stop is retracted from the gap, wherein in the closed stop position, the foot mold is substantially restricted from moving relative to the shank mold, and wherein in the open stop position, the foot mold is movable relative to the shank mold; and
a connecting mechanism coupled to the stop, the forefoot sensor and the heel sensor, wherein the connecting mechanism is configured to move the stop in response to a signal from at least one of the heel sensor and the forefoot sensor.
19. The method of claim 18, wherein the connecting mechanism is configured to move the stop to the open stop position in response to a signal from the heel sensor, and wherein the connecting mechanism is configured to move the stop to the closed stop position in response to a signal from the forefoot sensor.
20. The method of claim 18, wherein the orthosis is configured to be worn inside of a shoe of the user.