Splint for teaching paraplegics how to walk, comprises bracket with hinge parts in hip joint regions connected to supports and to each other via coupling mechanism

摘要

The splint comprises at least one bracket (1) for placing around the hip joints and securing to the body, a left hinge part (3b) rotatably secured to the bracket in the left hip joint region, a right hinge part rotatably secured to the bracket in the right hip joint region, a left support (5b) secured to the left hinge part and extending parallel to the left thigh bone, a right support secured to the right hinge part and extending parallel to the right thigh bone and a coupling mechanism linking the two hinge parts so that moving the left thigh bone backwards moves the right thigh bone forwards and vice versa. The coupling mechanism comprises at least one spring-actuated (7, 8) hydraulic cylinder, a gas spring or an expandable device and a steel cable (6) extending around the right hinge part and along the top of the bracket and then around the left hinge part and along the bottom of the bracket. The hinge parts are discs and the cable is secured to at least one point on each disc.