Patent · US Active

Method and apparatus for finding the position of a mechanical axis of a limb

US7611520B2 · kind B2 · utility

58Cited by

32References

5Claims

0Family size

Assignee

SMITH & NEPHEW ORTHOPAEDICS AG · CH

Inventors

Holger Broers · Westerstede, DE
Werner Berner · Aarau, CH
Bernhard Hauri · Schweiz, DE
Thomas Hauri · Schweiz, DE

Key dates

Filing date	Aug 16, 2005
Grant date	Nov 3, 2009
Priority date	—
Expiry date	Oct 22, 2026

Classification

Technology area (CPC A)Human Necessities
CPC primaryA61B2090/3983
WIPO fieldMedical technology
WIPO sectorInstruments

Abstract

A method of finding the position of a mechanical axis running in the longitudinal direction through a limb that is rotatably supported by its first end in a center of rotation that is not fixed and is not accessible for the mechanical determination of coordinates, by means of an optical coordinate-measurement device with an indicator to detect measurement-point coordinates in one rotational position of the limb such that, for each rotational position, a multi-point indicator rigidly attached near the second end of the limb signals several measurement-point coordinates, and, from the sets of measurement-point coordinates detected in a plurality of rotational positions, at least one group is selected that can be assigned to the same site of the center of rotation, and the measurement-point-coordinate sets assigned to this site of the center of rotation are used to calculate the mechanical axis.

Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.