Hydraulic flexion control device

Claim 2

A flexion control device, for use on human limb joints, connecting an upper brace with a lower brace, comprising: a flexion spring; a flexible cable passing through the center of said flexion spring; first connection means connected to one end of said flexion spring and one end of said cable for connecting the device to one of the braces; mechanical control means connected to the other end of said flexion spring and the other end of said flexible cable for allowing said flexible cable to be completely flexible when in one mode and causing said cable to be rigid when in another mode; and second connection means connected to said control means for connecting the device to the other one of the braces.

Claim 3

A flexion control device in accordance with claim 9 wherein said control means comprises: a main cylinder closed at one end thereof and connected at the open end thereof to said flexion spring; a piston within said cylinder connected to said flexible cable; a closure means within said cylinder near the open end thereof, said piston and said closure means forming a chamber within said cylinder; spring means connected to said piston for urging said piston away from said closure means; hydraulic fluid within said chamber; accumulator means for storing said fluid; fluid passage means connecting said chamber and said accumulator means for allowing fluid to pass therebetween; and a control valve in said fluid passage means for controlling the flow of said fluid.

Claim 4

A flexion control device in accordance with claim 1, further including: rigid spacers having an outside diameter approximately equal to the inside diameter of said flexion spring and having an inside diameter approximately equal to the outside diameter of said cable whereby said cable is held centered within said flexion spring.

Claim 5

A flexion control device in accordance with claim 1, wherein: said flexion spring is of a rectangular cross-section.

Claim 6

A hydraulic flexion control device in accordance with claim 1, further including: a one way check valve in said fluid passage means and bypassing said control valve whereby said fluid can pass through said check valve from said accumulator means to said chamber but cannot return.

Claim 7

A hydraulic flexion control device in accordance with claim 1, wherein said accumulator means includes: a cylinder, a sealed piston within said cylinder; an accumulator spring connected to said sealed piston for urging said sealed piston in the direction which forces said fluid out of said accumulator means.

Claim 8

A hydraulic flexion control device in accordance with claim 1, further including: needle valve means in said fluid passage means for restricting the flow of said fluid and thereby dampening the flexion of the device.

Claim 9

A hydraulic flexion control device in accordance with claim 1, further including; automatic control means connected to said control valve for closing said control valve when weight is applied to the device and opening said control valve when weight is released.

Claim 10

A hydraulic flexion control device in accordance with claim 8; wherein said automatic control means includes: a body connected to said main cylinder, and having an opening adapted to receive one of said connection means; a control spring connected to said body urging said connection means away from said body; control means connected to said connecting means for opening and closing said control valve in response to the relative motion between said connecting means and said body.