US5249581A — Precision bone alignment

Claim 1

Independent Claim 127 words

Apparatus for precision bone alignment comprising a plurality of orthopaedic markers having means adapted for direct and fixed securement respectively to a plurality of bone portions to be aligned, each of said markers including a radiation emitting device thereon, radiation reception sensor means for detecting radiation emitted from said radiation emitting devices, means interconnected with said radiation emitting devices for sequentially causing said radiation emitting devices to emit radiation for a limited time, said devices otherwise not emitting radiation, said radiation reception sensor means outputing signals corresponding to positions of said radiation emitting devices, computer means connected to said sensor means for receiving said signals, and a monitor connected to said computer means for providing a visual display corresponding to the positions of said radiation emitting devices.

Claim 2

Dependent Claim 127 words

Apparatus for precision bone alignment comprising a plurality of orthopaedic markers having means adapted for direct and fixed securement respectively to a plurality of bone portions to be aligned, each of said markers including a radiation emitting device thereon, radiation reception sensor means for detecting radiation emitted from said radiation emitting devices, means interconnected with said radiation emitting devices for sequentially causing said radiation emitting devices to emit radiation for a limited time, said devices otherwise not emitting radiation, said radiation reception sensor means outputing signals corresponding to positions of said radiation emitting devices, computer means connected to said sensor means for receiving said signals, and a monitor connected to said computer means for providing a visual display corresponding to the positions of said radiation emitting devices.

Claim 3

Dependent Claim 26 words

Apparatus as set forth in claim 1 wherein the means adapted for direct and fixed securement includes means adapted to release said markers from said securement.

Claim 4

Dependent Claim 16 words

Apparatus as set forth in claim 1 wherein said radiation emitting devices comprise light emitting diodes.

Claim 5

Dependent Claim 17 words

Apparatus as set forth in claim 3 wherein said light emitting diodes are infrared light emitting diodes.

Claim 6

Dependent Claim 26 words

Apparatus as set forth in claim 1 wherein said sensor means comprises three-dimensional sensor means outputing signals corresponding to three-dimensional positions of said radiation emitting devices.

Claim 7

Dependent Claim 18 words

Apparatus as set forth in claim 5 wherein said three-dimensional sensor means comprises a plurality of light sensors.

Claim 8

Dependent Claim 23 words

Apparatus as set forth in claim 6 wherein each sensor provides an analog signal corresponding to the positions of said radiation emitting devices.

Claim 9

Dependent Claim 20 words

Apparatus as set forth in claim 7 wherein the monitor displays in coordinates of X,Y,Z and α,β,Ω for three-dimensional viewing.

Claim 10

Dependent Claim 16 words

Apparatus as set forth in claim 5 wherein the radiation emitting devices comprise light emitting diodes.

Claim 11

Dependent Claim 17 words

Apparatus as set forth in claim 9 wherein said radiation emitting devices comprise infrared light emitting diodes.

Claim 12

Dependent Claim 33 words

Apparatus as set forth in claim 5 and further including means for storing said signals prior to an orthopaedic/surgical procedure, and means for comparing signals after an orthopaedic/surgical procedure with the stored signals.

Claim 13

Dependent Claim 25 words

Apparatus as set forth in claim 1 wherein each marker includes means spacing a respective radiation emitting device outwardly away from a respective bone portion.

Claim 14

Independent Claim 78 words

A method for precision bone alignment which comprises securing markers directly and fixedly to bone portions to be aligned, optically sensing a position of each of said markers, providing electrical signals corresponding to the positions sensed, electrically connecting said electrical signals to a monitor to provide a visual display corresponding to the positions of said markers, and manipulating said bone portions while observing said display to attain optical indication of alignment of said bone portions on said monitor.

Claim 15

Independent Claim 78 words

A method for precision bone alignment which comprises securing markers directly and fixedly to bone portions to be aligned, optically sensing a position of each of said markers, providing electrical signals corresponding to the positions sensed, electrically connecting said electrical signals to a monitor to provide a visual display corresponding to the positions of said markers, and manipulating said bone portions while observing said display to attain optical indication of alignment of said bone portions on said monitor.

Claim 16

Dependent Claim 31 words

A method as set forth in claim 13 which comprises sensing the positions of each of said markers with three-dimensional sensing means to provide three-dimensional electrical signals for a three-dimensional display.

Claim 17

Dependent Claim 33 words

A method as set forth in claim 13 including providing radiation emitting devices on said markers, sequentially activating said radiation emitting devices, and sensing the position of said radiation emitting devices when activated.

Claim 18

Dependent Claim 35 words

A method as set forth in claim 15 and further including providing a three-dimensional sensing means comprising a plurality of sensors to provide a plurality of electrical signals for a three-dimensional display on said monitor.

Claim 19

Independent Claim 86 words

A method for precision bone alignment which comprises securing markers to bone portions to be aligned, optically sensing the position of each of said markers, providing electrical signals corresponding to the positions sensed, electrically connecting said electrical signals to a monitor to provide a visual display corresponding to the positions of said markers, retaining signals of the marker positions before an orthopaedic/surgical procedure, detecting the positions of said markers after said orthopaedic/surgical procedure, and comparing the positions of said markers before and after said orthopaedic/surgical procedure.

Claim 20

Independent Claim 86 words

A method for precision bone alignment which comprises securing markers to bone portions to be aligned, optically sensing the position of each of said markers, providing electrical signals corresponding to the positions sensed, electrically connecting said electrical signals to a monitor to provide a visual display corresponding to the positions of said markers, retaining signals of the marker positions before an orthopaedic/surgical procedure, detecting the positions of said markers after said orthopaedic/surgical procedure, and comparing the positions of said markers before and after said orthopaedic/surgical procedure.

Annuity Stage	Window Opens	Payment Deadline	Surcharge Period Until	Estimated Fee	Status
3.5 Years (Year 4)	1996-10-04	1997-04-05	1997-10-05	$2000.00	Window Closed / Lapsed
7.5 Years (Year 8)	2000-10-04	2001-04-05	2001-10-05	$3760.00	Window Closed / Lapsed
11.5 Years (Year 12)	2004-10-04	2005-04-05	2005-10-05	$7700.00	Window Closed / Lapsed

Precision bone alignment

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