Articulated joint prosthesis

Claim 2

An articulated joint prosthesis comprising in combination: a first bone penetrating element for penetrating the marrow of a first bone associated with one side of said joint; a second bone penetrating element for penetrating the marrow of a second bone associated with the other side of said joint; articulation means having a normal plane of articulation comprising first hinge means on said first element and second hinge means on said second element, said first and second hinge means being operatively associated for articulation about a hinge axis; and elastic bias means in operative relation with said first and second hinge means, permitting therebetween a limited rotational movement in a plane perpendicular to the normal plane of articulation of the articulation means; said articulation means including a hinge pin defining said hinge axis and said bias means being positioned between said pin and said first hinge means; said first hinge means including a bearing at each end of said pin and said bias means comprising separate elastic means forming part of each of said bearings.

Claim 3

An articulated joint prosthesis according to claim 1 in which said first hinge means comprises a part integral with said first bone penetrating element, said part defining a pair of axially aligned spaced bearing cavities and said second hinge means comprises a crank arm on said second bone penetrating element and having a free end formed with a transverse bore, said bore being placed in axial alignment with and between said cavities and transversed by said hinge pin.

Claim 4

An articulated joint prosthesis comprising in combination: a first bone penetrating element for penetrating the marrow of a first bone associated with one side of said joint; a second bone penetrating element for penetrating the marrow of a second bone associated with the other side of said joint; articulation means having a normal plane of articulation comprising first hinge means on said first element and second hinge means on said second element, said first and second hinge means being operatively associated for articulation about a hinge axis; and elastic bias means in operative relation with said first and second hinge means, permitting therebetween a limited rotational movement in a plane perpendicular to the normal plane of articulation of the articulation means; said articulation means including a hinge pin defining said hinge axis and said bias means being positioned between said pin and said first hinge means; said first hinge means comprising a part integral with said first bone penetrating element, said part defining a pair of axially aligned spaced bearing cavities and said second hinge means comprising a crank arm on said second bone penetrating element and having a free end formed with a transverse bore, said bore being placed in axial alignment with and between said cavities and transversed by said hinge pin; said hinge pin being removably fixed in said bore and the ends of the said hinge pin being received with a tolerance in said cavities.

Claim 5

An articulated joint prosthesis comprising in combination: a first bone penetrating element for penetrating the marrow of a first bone associated with one side of said joint; a second bone penetrating element for penetrating the marrow of a second bone associated with the other side of said joint; articulation means having a normal plane of articulation comprising first hinge means on said first element and second hinge means on said second element, said first and second hinge means being operatively associated for articulation about a hinge axis; and elastic bias means in operative relation with said first and second hinge means, permitting therebetween a limited rotational movement in a plane perpendicular to the normal plane of articulation of the articulation means; said articulation means including a hinge pin defining said hinge axis and said bias means being positioned between said pin and said first hinge means; said first hinge means comprising a part integral with said first bone penetrating element, said part defining a pair of axially aligned spaced bearing cavities and said second hinge means comprising a crank arm on said second bone penetrating element and having a free end formed with a transverse bore, said bore being placed in axial alignment with and between said cavities and transversed by said hinge pin; said hinge pin being removably fixed in said bore and the ends of the said hinge pin being received with a tolerance in said cavities.

Claim 6

An articulated joint prosthesis comprising in combination: a first bone penetrating element for penetrating the marrow of a first bone associated with one side of said joint; a second bone penetrating element for penetrating the marrow of a second bone associated with the other side of said joint; articulation means having a normal plane of articulation comprising first hinge means on said first element and second hinge means on said second element, said first and second hinge means being operatively associated for articulation about a hinge axis; and elastic bias means in operative relation with said first and second hinge means, permitting therebetween a limited rotational movement in a plane perpendicular to the normal plane of articulation of the articulation means; said articulation means including a hinge pin defining said hinge axis and said bias means being positioned between said pin and said first hinge means; said first hinge means comprising a part integral with said first bone penetrating element, said part defining a pair of axially aligned spaced bearing cavities and said second hinge means comprising a crank arm on said second bone penetrating element and having a free end formed with a transverse bore, said bore being placed in axial alignment with and between said cavities and transversed by said hinge pin; each said elastic means comprising a spring loaded element forming part of the bearing surface of the corresponding said cavity.

Claim 7

An articulated joint prosthesis comprising in combination: a first bone penetrating element for penetrating the marrow of a first bone associated with one side of said joint; a second bone penetrating element for penetrating the marrow of a second bone associated with the other side of said joint; articulation means having a normal plane of articulation comprising first hinge means on said first element and second hinge means on said second element, said first and second hinge means being operatively associated for articulation about a hinge axis; and elastic bias means in operative relation with said first and second hinge means, permitting therebetween a limited rotational movement in a plane perpendicular to the normal plane of articulation of the articulation means; said articulation means including a hinge pin defining said hinge axis and said bias means being positioned between said pin and said first hinge means; said first hinge means comprising a part integral with said first bone penetrating element, said part defining a pair of axially aligned spaced bearing cavities and said second hinge means comprising a crank arm on said second bone penetrating element and having a free end formed with a transverse bore, said bore being placed in axial alignment with and between said cavities and transversed by said hinge pin; each said elastic means comprising a spring loaded element forming part of the bearing surface of the corresponding said cavity.

Claim 8

An articulated joint prosthesis according to claim 4 in which said hinge pin is fixed in said bore and the ends of the said hinge pin are received with a tolerance in said cavities so as to permit an oscillation of approximately 15° of said hinge pin in an axial plane thereof.

Claim 9

An articulated joint prosthesis comprising in combination; a first bone penetrating element for penetrating the marrow of a first bone associated with one side of said joint; a second bone penetrating element for penetrating the marrow of a second bone associated with the other side of said joint; articulation means having a normal plane of articulation comprising first hinge means on said first element and second hinge means on said second element, said first and second hinge means being operatively associated for articulation about a hinge axis; and elastic bias means in operative relation with said first and second hinge means, permitting therebetween a limited rotational movement in a plane perpendicular to the normal plane of articulation of the articulation means; said articulation means including a hinge pin defining said hinge axis and said bias means being positioned between said pin and said first hinge means; said first hinge means comprising a part integral with said first bone penetrating element, said part defining a pair of axially aligned spaced bearing cavities and said second hinge means comprising a crank arm on said second bone penetrating element and having a free end formed with a transverse bore, said bore being placed in axial alignment with and between said cavities and transversed by said hinge pin; said free end of said crank arm being generally spherical.

Claim 10

An articulated joint prosthesis comprising in combination; a first bone penetrating element for penetrating the marrow of a first bone associated with one side of said joint; a second bone penetrating element for penetrating the marrow of a second bone associated with the other side of said joint; articulation means having a normal plane of articulation comprising first hinge means on said first element and second hinge means on said second element, said first and second hinge means being operatively associated for articulation about a hinge axis; and elastic bias means in operative relation with said first and second hinge means, permitting therebetween a limited rotational movement in a plane perpendicular to the normal plane of articulation of the articulation means; said articulation means including a hinge pin defining said hinge axis and said bias means being positioned between said pin and said first hinge means; said first hinge means comprising a part integral with said first bone penetrating element, said part defining a pair of axially aligned spaced bearing cavities and said second hinge means comprising a crank arm on said second bone penetrating element and having a free end formed with a transverse bore, said bore being placed in axial alignment with and between said cavities and transversed by said hinge pin; said free end of said crank arm being generally spherical.

Claim 11

An articulated joint prosthesis comprising in combination: a first bone penetrating element for penetrating the marrow of a first bone associated with one side of said joint; a second bone penetrating element for penetrating the marrow of a second bone associated with the other side of said joint; articulation means having a normal plane of articulation comprising first hinge means on said first element and second hinge means on said second element, said first and second hinge means being operatively associated for articulation about a hinge axis; and elastic bias means in operative relation with said first and second hinge means, permitting therebetween a limited rotational movement in a plane perpendicular to the normal plane of articulation of the articulation means; said articulation means including a hinge pin defining said hinge axis and said bias means being positioned between said pin and said first hinge means; said first hinge means comprising a part integral with said first bone penetrating element, said part defining a pair of axially aligned spaced bearing cavities and said second hinge means comprising a crank arm on said second bone penetrating element and having a free end formed with a transverse bore, said bore being placed in axial alignment with and between said cavities and transversed by said hinge pin; said first hinge means member comprising a body part integral with said first bone penetrating element and a body cover part fixed to said body part, said cover part being formed with said spaced apart bearing cavities, said cavities opening towards said body part and said body part being formed with a pair of blind bores in communication, respectively, with said bearing cavities, each said blind bore containing a plunger means spring biased into the interior of said respective cavity in contact with said hinge pin.

Claim 12

An articulated joint prosthesis comprising in combination: a first bone penetrating element for penetrating the marrow of a first bone associated with one side of said joint; a second bone penetrating element for penetrating the marrow of a second bone associated with the other side of said joint; articulation means having a normal plane of articulation comprising first hinge means on said first element and second hinge means on said second element, said first and second hinge means being operatively associated for articulation about a hinge axis; and elastic bias means in operative relation with said first and second hinge means, permitting therebetween a limited rotational movement in a plane perpendicular to the normal plane of articulation of the articulation means; said articulation means including a hinge pin defining said hinge axis and said bias means being positioned between said pin and said first hinge means; said first hinge means comprising a part integral with said first bone penetrating element, said part defining a pair of axially aligned spaced bearing cavities and said second hinge means comprising a crank arm on said second bone penetrating element and having a free end formed with a transverse bore, said bore being placed in axial alignment with and between said cavities and transversed by said hinge pin; said first hinge means member comprising a body part integral with said first bone penetrating element and a body cover part fixed to said body part, said cover part being formed with said spaced apart bearing cavities, said cavities opening towards said body part and said body part being formed with a pair of blind bores in communication, respectively, with said bearing cavities, each said blind bore containing a plunger means spring biased into the interior of said respective cavity in contact with said hinge pin.

Claim 13

An articulated joint prosthesis according to claim 7 comprising an artificial knee joint.

Claim 14

An articulated joint prosthesis according to claim 8 in which said first element is a femur penetrating element and said second element is a tibia penetrating element.