Instrument for measuring the range of motion associated with a human body joint

The present invention relates to an instrument for measuring the range of angular displacement associated with two human body portions connected to a common joint. The instrument includes two pivotally connected, elongate rods, and separate supports for supporting each of the rods on a respective one of the body portions in spaced relationship with the body portion. Each of the supports includes a pair of ball and socket assemblies which are mounted on the respective body portions in spaced relation to one another. The ball of each ball and socket assembly has an aperture formed therethrough for receiving the associated elongate rod. Such a support arrangement enables the body portions to be rotated about the common joint without affecting the natural movements of the body portions. An encoder is utilized to pivotally connect the two elongate rods and to generate an electrical output signal representing the relative angular position between the two rods. A counter and display circuit is responsive to the encoder output signal for determining the change in angular position between the two rods and displaying this value in terms of angular degrees.
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Abstract/Description: The present invention relates to an instrument for measuring the range of angular displacement associated with two human body portions connected to a common joint. The instrument includes two pivotally connected, elongate rods, and separate supports for supporting each of the rods on a respective one of the body portions in spaced relationship with the body portion. Each of the supports includes a pair of ball and socket assemblies which are mounted on the respective body portions in spaced relation to one another. The ball of each ball and socket assembly has an aperture formed therethrough for receiving the associated elongate rod. Such a support arrangement enables the body portions to be rotated about the common joint without affecting the natural movements of the body portions. An encoder is utilized to pivotally connect the two elongate rods and to generate an electrical output signal representing the relative angular position between the two rods. A counter and display circuit is responsive to the encoder output signal for determining the change in angular position between the two rods and displaying this value in terms of angular degrees.
Subject(s): 600/595
600/587
Date Issued: 1984-03-13
Title: Instrument for measuring the range of motion associated with a human body joint.
Name(s): The University of Toledo, assignee
Raftopoulos, Demetrios D., inventor
Type of Resource: text
Genre: patent
Publisher: United States Patent and Trademark Office
Other Date: Date Filed: 1981-08-14
Date Issued: 1984-03-13
Physical Form: application/pdf
Extent: 10 p.
Abstract/Description: The present invention relates to an instrument for measuring the range of angular displacement associated with two human body portions connected to a common joint. The instrument includes two pivotally connected, elongate rods, and separate supports for supporting each of the rods on a respective one of the body portions in spaced relationship with the body portion. Each of the supports includes a pair of ball and socket assemblies which are mounted on the respective body portions in spaced relation to one another. The ball of each ball and socket assembly has an aperture formed therethrough for receiving the associated elongate rod. Such a support arrangement enables the body portions to be rotated about the common joint without affecting the natural movements of the body portions. An encoder is utilized to pivotally connect the two elongate rods and to generate an electrical output signal representing the relative angular position between the two rods. A counter and display circuit is responsive to the encoder output signal for determining the change in angular position between the two rods and displaying this value in terms of angular degrees.
Identifier(s): utpatents-US4436099 (IID)
Patent No.: US4436099 (patno)
Appl. No.: 06/292899 (appno)
Subject(s): 600/595
600/587
Held by: United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) Public Search Facility
Location: University of Toledo Digital Repository
Rights Statement: No Copyright - United States
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