1. An analog input device which comprises:
a key top part;
an analog sensor part for detecting an input to said key top part and obtaining an analog input, and
an input mode switching part for switching input modes by a change in the input to said key top part.
2. An analog input device according to claim 1, wherein
said analog sensor part outputs said analog input as a rectangular coordinate data.
3. An analog input device according to claim 1, wherein
4. An analog input device according to any of claim 1, wherein
said input mode switching part switches input modes by the strength or weakness of the input to said key top part.
5. An analog input device according to claim 1, wherein
said analog input device further comprises an analog input level judging part for judging whether the analog input obtained by said analog sensor part exceeds a prescribed value or not and
said input mode switching part switches input modes when the analog input is judged by said analog input level judging part to exceed the prescribed value.
6. An analog input device according to claim 1, wherein
said analog input device further comprises a switch part for detecting the input to said key top part and obtaining a switch input.
7. An analog input device according to claim 6, wherein
said input mode switching part switches input modes when a switch input is obtained by said switch part.
8. An analog input device according to claim 1, wherein
said analog input device is a portable telephone set, a PHS, a notebook personal computer, a portable game device, a PDA, an electronic pocketbook, a remote controller for an electronic device, a digital audio player, a camera, a digital camera, or a cam coder.
9. An analog input device according to claim 1, wherein
said analog input device is a peripheral device for use in a computer or a game device.
10. An analog input method which comprises:
an analog input obtaining step for detecting an input to a key top part and obtaining an analog input and
an input mode switching step for switching input modes by a change in the input to said key top part.
11. An analog input method according to claim 10, wherein
said analog input obtaining step outputs said analog input as a rectangular coordinate data.
12. An analog input method according to claim 10, wherein
said analog input obtaining step obtains said analog input by a capacitance-type force sensor.
13. An analog input method according to claim 10, wherein
said analog input obtaining step switches input modes by the strength or weakness of the input to said key top part.
14. An analog input method according to claim 10, wherein
said analog input method further comprises an analog input level judging step for judging whether the analog input obtained by said analog input obtaining step exceeds a prescribed value or not and
said input mode switching step switches input modes when the analog input is judged by said analog input level judging step to exceed the prescribed value.
15. An analog input method according to claim 10, wherein
said analog input method further comprises a switch input obtaining step for detecting an input to said key top part and obtaining a switch input.
16. An analog input method according to claim 15, wherein
said input mode switching step switches input modes when a switch input is obtained by said switch input obtaining step.
17. An analog input program which causes:
an analog input obtaining step for detecting an input to a key top part and obtaining an analog input and
an input mode switching step for switching input modes by a change in the input to said key top part
to be executed by an analog input device.
18. An analog input program according to claim 17, wherein
said analog input obtaining step outputs said analog input as a rectangular coordinate data.
19. An analog input program according to claim 17, wherein
said analog input obtaining step obtains said analog input by a capacitance-type force sensor.
20. An analog input program according to claim 17, wherein
said input mode switching step switches input modes by the strength or weakness of the input to said key top part.
21. An analog input program according to claim 17, wherein
said analog input program further causes an analog input level judging step for judging whether the analog input obtained by said analog input obtaining step exceeds a prescribed value or not to be executed by an analog input device and
said input mode switching step switches input modes when the analog input is judged by said analog input level judging step to exceed the prescribed value.
22. An analog input program according to claim 17, wherein
said analog input program further causes a switch input obtaining step for detecting an input to said key top part and obtaining a switch input to be executed by an analog input device.
23. An analog input program according to claim 22, wherein
said input mode switching step switches input modes when a switch input is obtained by said switch input obtaining step.
24. A computer readable recording medium which has recorded therein an analog input program set forth in claim 17.
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 apparatus for removing bone from the femur of a knee joint, comprising:
a structure mountable within the knee joint; and
a cutting device seated on the structure and configured to remove bone from the femur in a path of travel of the tibia during operation of the cutting device as the tibia is moved through at least a partial range of motion about the femur between flexed and extended positions.
2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the cutting device comprises an upperside, an opposite underside, and a guide member depending from the underside for insertion into a channel of the structure for thereby guiding insertion of the cutting device into the knee joint.
3. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the structure is a tibial trial or a tibial implant.
4. The apparatus of claim 3, wherein the cutting device is adapted for being mated with the tibial trial or tibial implant for maintaining the proper position of the cutting device relative to the tibial trial or tibial implant during the movement of the tibia about the femur.
5. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein the guide member is profiled for maintaining the proper position of the cutting device relative to the structure as the femur is moved through the range of motion about the tibia.
6. The apparatus of claim 2 wherein the guide member is a depending boss or longitudinally extending key.
7. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the cutting device comprises a rotatably mounted cutter.
8. The apparatus of claim 7 wherein the cutter is a cutter disk for resecting the bone from the femur.
9. The apparatus of claim 7 wherein the cutter has a concaved upper surface.
10. The apparatus of claim 8 wherein the cutter has a plurality of radially projecting blades for removing the bone from the femur.
11. The apparatus of claim 10 wherein each blade has a cutting edge defined on a leading side of the blade and a further cutting edge on an outer peripheral end of the blade.
12. The apparatus of claim 11 wherein each said blade has a thickness that decreases from the leading side of the blade to a trailing side of the blade.
13. The apparatus of claim 7 wherein the cutter is configured to cut a channel into the femur along the path of travel simultaneously with the removal of the bone.
14. The apparatus of claim 7 wherein the cutter incorporates an upstanding centrally located blade for cutting a channel into the femur along the path of travel simultaneously with the removal of the bone.
15. The apparatus of claim 7 wherein the cutter incorporates a toothed gear for being rotatably driven by a drive mechanism arranged within the cutting device.
16. The apparatus of claim 15 wherein the drive mechanism comprises an end drive that meshes with the toothed gear for driving rotation of the cutter.
17. The apparatus of claim 16 wherein the end drive comprises a screw drive.
18. The apparatus of claim 7, wherein the cutting device further comprises:
a head carrying the cutter and coupled to a body; and
the body attachable to a power tool for driving rotation of the cutter.
19. The apparatus of claim 15, wherein the cutting device further comprises:
a head carrying the cutter and detachably coupled to a body; and
the body attachable to a power tool for driving rotation of the cutter via the drive mechanism.
20. The apparatus of claim 19 wherein the drive mechanism is arranged in the head and the body incorporates a drive shaft for driving the drive mechanism.
21. The apparatus of claim 18 wherein the head is coupled with the body by a bayonet coupling.
22. The apparatus of claim 20 wherein the drive shaft is coupled with the drive mechanism of the head by a bayonet coupling.
23. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the cutting device is a head of a router.
24. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the cutting device is a router.
25. The apparatus of claim 3 wherein the cutting device is adapted to move through at least a partial range of motion between flexed and extended positions on the tibial trial or tibial implant to remove the bone from the femur.
26. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the cutting device is a rasp.
27. An apparatus for removing bone from the femur of a knee joint, comprising:
a cutting device;
a structure attachable to a bone of the knee joint and configured to receive the cutting device; and
a cutter rotatably mounted on the cutting device and configured to remove bone from the femur in a path of travel of the tibia as the tibia is moved through at least a partial range of motion about the femur between flexed and extended positions.
28. The apparatus of claim 27 wherein the cutter is a cutter disk.
29. The apparatus of claim 27 wherein the cutter has a concaved upper surface.
30. The apparatus of claim 27 wherein the cutter has a plurality of radially projecting blades for removing the bone from the femur.
31. The apparatus of claim 30 wherein each blade has a cutting edge defined on a leading side of the blade and a further cutting edge on an outer peripheral end of the blade.
32. The apparatus of claim 31 wherein each blade has a thickness that decreases from the leading side of the blade to a trailing side of the blade.
33. The apparatus of claim 27 wherein the cutter incorporates an upstanding centrally located blade for cutting a channel into the femur along the path of travel to a greater depth than the desired depth, simultaneously with the removal of the bone.
34. The apparatus of claim 33 wherein the cutter incorporates a cutter drive configured to engage with a drive mechanism for rotatably driving the cutter.
35. The apparatus of claim 34 wherein the drive is a toothed gear.
36. The apparatus of claim 27 wherein the structure is a tibial trial or a tibial implant.
37. A cutter for removing bone from the femur of a knee joint, comprising:
(a) one or more blades that resects bone from the femur to a desired depth along a path of travel of the tibia with movement of the tibia through at least a partial range of motion about the femur between flexed and extended positions; and
(b) a further blade that simultaneously cuts a channel into the femur to a greater depth along the path of travel.
38. A cutting device for removing bone to a desired depth from a femur, comprising:
(a) a body insertable into a knee joint between the femur and the tibia such that the cutting device is seated on a structure mounted within the knee joint;
(b) a drive mechanism carried by the body that drives rotation of a cutter; and
(c) the cutter rotatably mounted on the body and configured to remove bone from the femur in a path of travel of the tibia with movement of the tibia through at least a partial range of motion about the femur between flexed and extended positions.
39. A cutting device according to claim 38 wherein the structure is a tibial implant or a tibial instrument.
40. A cutting device according to claim 39 wherein the body mates with the tibial implant or instrument to facilitate alignment in the anterior to posterior direction of the knee joint.
41. A cutting device according to claim 39 wherein the body has an upperside from which the cutter protrudes and an opposite underside that is seated on the tibial implant or instrument.
42. A cutting device for removing bone from the tibia to a desired depth to form a recess in a condyle of the tibia for reception of a tibial implant, comprising:
(a) a body insertable between the tibia and the femur;
(b) a cutter rotatably mounted on and protruding from the body, the cutter having side and end cutting edges to remove bone from the tibia to form the recess; and
(c) a drive mechanism in the body that drives the cutter.
43. A cutting device according to claim 42 wherein the cutter protrudes from the body substantially perpendicularly with respect to a longitudinal axis of the body.
44. A cutting device according to claim 42 wherein the body is adapted for being supported by a support mounted in position about the knee joint, when the cutting device is located in the knee joint between the tibia and the femur.
45. A cutting device according to claim 44 wherein the body incorporates a guide pin for being received in a template disposed in the knee joint for guiding shaping of the recess.
46. An apparatus for removing bone from a femur, comprising:
a cutter device; and
a generally planar tibial instrument attachable to a resected surface of a condyle of the tibia and configured to locate the cutter device in a desired orientation relative to the femur as the femur is resected to a desired depth with travel of the tibia about the femur through at least a partial range of motion between the flexed and extended positions.
47. The apparatus of claim 46 wherein the tibial instrument mates with the cutter device to ensure proper positioning of the cutter device relative to the tibial instrument during the movement of the tibia about the femur.
48. The apparatus of claim 46 wherein the tibial instrument has an upperside and an opposite underside, and a feature in the upperside for receiving the cutter device and thereby aligning the cutter device.
49. The apparatus of claim 48 wherein the feature is profiled to ensure proper positioning of the cutter device relative to the tibial instrument during the movement of the tibia about the femur.
50. The apparatus of claim 48 wherein a further feature for aligning the cutter device is defined in the underside of the tibial instrument and which is substantially identical to the feature defined in the upperside of the tibial instrument.
51. The apparatus of claim 46 wherein the tibial instrument is substantially planar in form.
52. The apparatus of claim 46 wherein the tibial instrument is a tibial trial.