Title of Invention

"PRAYAGRAJ BAMBOO B.E. PROSTHESIS"

Abstract

The invention is customized and fabricated from bamboo and having prehension device which can be fitted on a disabled person to enable him or her to regain some of the functions of the hand amputated. It uses bamboo as the material for fabrication and has vastly improved prehension ability. It consists of a knitted bamboo socket with the forearm piece made of finely knitted bamboo matching the healthy forearm which is attached proximally to the socket and distally, to the wrist hand assembly. The wrist hand assembly consists of five bamboo fingers and each finger has two segments of phalanges and they are joined together with the help of steel links to enable flexion and extension. Four of the fingers are attached to a curved steel stud supported by bamboo wrist piece. The thumb, which is also fabricated from bamboo, has two segments and its base is attached to the wrist piece by help of a steel pin on which it pivots. When the residual arm is stretched, the harness pulls a wire connected to the string wheel which opens out the fingers and the thumb. When the residual arm is relaxed, the spiral spring of the string wheel assists in bringing about prehension of the fingers and the thumb.

Full Text

4. Description:- In our country there are a large number of disabled persons who have lost their forearm and hand below the elbow due amputation caused by multifarious reasons. For such disabled persons a below elbow prosthesis (disability aid) has been invented by the applicant which is basically customized and fabricated from bamboo and having prehension device which can be fitted on such a disabled person to enable him or her to regain some of the functions of the hand amputated. For the benefit and convenience of the users, the present invention on the below elbow prosthesis has incorporated mechanical inventions that cause this prosthesis to be used by the user after proper ambulation training. BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION Amputees of below elbow and above wrist require a mechanical device as a substitute for immediate removal of phantom feeling to help the healing process of amputated stump to prevent undesirable contractures and to start early mobilization. All below elbow prosthesis that are being manufactured in India at present have a very restricted prehension ability which is due to the rigid and non-bending ability of the phalanges of the fingers of such a prosthesis and the prosthesis is manufactured from fiber glass, aluminum and plastic. This has its disadvantages because many a times the user feels discomfort due to sweating of the stump in the socket resulting in the frequent removal of the prosthesis and, moreover, the prehension ability being restricted, the user experiences great difficulty in grasping items. The present invention removes these disadvantages due to the material for fabrication (bamboo) and due to vastly improved prehension ability of the prosthesis, and due to customized prosthesis being fabricated for the user. SUMMARY OF INVENTION The below elbow prosthesis consists of a knitted bamboo socket with provision for non-interference of flexion movement of the prosthesis. The socket is lined by any sponge or foam material. Posteriorly, it is extended to the end of the elbow joint upto the olecranon process of ulna. The forearm piece is made of finely knitted bamboo matching the healthy forearm which is attached proximally to the socket and distally, to the wrist hand assembly. The wrist hand assembly consists of five bamboo fingers and each finger has two segments of phalanges and they are joined together with the help of steel links to enable flexion and extension. Four of the fingers are attached to a curved steel stud supported by two side plates of bamboo. The thumb, which is also fabricated from bamboo, has two segments and its base is attached to the side plates by the help of a steel pin on which it pivots. STATEMENT OF INVENTION A below elbow prosthesis comprising a knitted bamboo socket lined by suitable cushioning material having provision for noninterference of flexion movement of the prosthesis; a forearm piece is made of finely knitted bamboo matching the healthy forearm which is attached proximally, to the bamboo socket and, distally, to the wrist hand assembly; a wrist hand assembly consisting of four bamboo fingers and one thumb and each of them has two segments of phalanges and the phalanges are joined together with the help of steel links to enable flexion and extension; a curved steel radial stud inserted through the holes provided in the four fingers supported by two side plates of bamboo; a steel radial pin inserted through the holes provided in the four fingers near the radial stud; four fingers made from bamboo having two phalanges and these phalanges are connected to each other using steel links; a bamboo lever linking the middle finger to the string wheel which enables the prehension movement of all the fingers; spacers of mild steel for keeping the fingers in position and separate from each other; a thumb fabricated from bamboo and its base is attached to the side plates by the help of a steel pin on which it pivots; the thumb having two phalanges and these phalanges are connected to each other using steel links; a bamboo lever linking the thumb to the string wheel which enables the prehension movement of the thumb; sleeves made of mild steel for keeping the thumb in position; a harness for the prosthesis which attaches the prosthesis to the residual limb consisting of straps some of which are positioned in relation to the shoulder girdle to enable the amputee to control the prosthetic device; a bamboo string wheel mounted on a steel pin which goes through its axis and that string wheel is kept in place with spacers and the pin is supported by the bamboo side plates; a spiral spring placed and attached with the string wheel in the seating provided therein with the outer part of the spring connected to a steel pin fixed on a side plate of the wrist assembly; a bamboo wrist piece which is attached to the forearm piece and on which the fingers and thumb are attached; BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE ACCOMPANYING DRAWINGS Further features and advantages of the invention become clear from the following description and drawings: FIGURE NO.1 shows the side view of the thumb. FIGURE NO.2 shows the side view of the index finger. FIGURE NO.3 shows the side view of the middle finger. FIGURE NO.4 shows the side view of the ring finger. FIGURE NO.5 shows the side view of the little finger. FIGURE NO.6 shows the steel radial stud. FIGURE No.7 shows the radial pin. FIGURE NO.8 shows the side and top view of the string wheel. FIGURE NO. 9 shows the pin FIGURE No.10 shows the bamboo spacer for the string wheel shown on Figure no.8. FIGURE NO. 11 shows the side view of the wrist piece. FIGURE NO.12 shows the top view of the wrist piece. FIGURE NO.13 shows the sleeve for the thumb FIGURE No.14 shows the lever connecting the thumb with the string wheel. FIGURE NO.15 shows the lever for connecting the middle finger with the string wheel. FIGURE No.16 shows the steel links for connecting the phalanges of the fingers and the thumb. FIGURE NO.17 shows the Bamboo spacer that is placed on the radial stud in between the middle and ring fingers. FIGURE No.18 shows the Bamboo spacers that are placed on the radial stud in between all other fingers and also between wrist piece and fingers. FIGURE NO.19 shows the side view of the below elbow prosthesis. FIGURE NO.20 shows the top view of the below elbow prosthesis. DETAILED DESCRIPTION The below elbow prosthesis consists of a knitted bamboo socket 21 (Figure 19) which is prepared over a positive plaster cast mould of the residual stump. While preparing the negative plaster cast, care is taken so that anteriorly, sufficient pressure is given on the two sides of the biceps tendon and posteriorly, gentle pressure is given beyond the olecrenon and on the two sides of the lower end of the humerus. The bamboo socket is knitted over the positive cast taking care to provide for the necessary depressions beyond the olecrenon on the two sides of the lower end of the humerus which also acts as an anchor for the socket to help supination and pronation. The prosthesis has provision for non-interference of flexion movement of the prosthesis by cutting part of the knitted bamboo socket (in the form of a 'V') which is on the anterior face of the elbow. The socket is lined by any sponge or foam material. The forearm piece 22 (Figure 19) is made of finely knitted bamboo matching the healthy forearm which is attached proximally to the socket by knitting the bamboo with the socket, and distally, to the wrist hand assembly. The forearm piece towards the wrist assembly is covered by the bamboo knitting and steel plate 24 (Figure 19) with a hole is inserted inside the forearm piece towards the wrist assembly and a steel bolt (stud) 23 (Figure 19) is inserted. This steel stud is connected to the wrist piece through a hole in it and then tightened by a nut. The wrist hand assembly (Figure 20) consists of four bamboo fingers (Figures 2, 3, 4 and 5) and one thumb (Figure 1) and each of them has two segments of phalanges and they are joined together with the help of steel links (Figure 16) to enable flexion and extension. A curved steel radial stud (Figure 6) is inserted through the holes provided in the four fingers. These fingers are separated by spacers (Figure 17 and 18) and supported on the two sides by the wrist piece (Figure 1.1 and 12) which is made from of bamboo. A steel radial pin (Figure 7) is inserted in the holes provided in the four fingers near the radial stud. The thumb, which is also fabricated from bamboo, has two segments and its base is attached to the side of the wrist piece by the help of a steel pin passing through a steel sleeve (Figure 13) in the thumb on which it pivots and is kept in place by bamboo spacer (Figure 10). The string wheel (Figure 8) is placed behind the thumb and fingers' assembly by the help of a steel pin (Figure 9) and is kept in place by two spacers placed on its sides. A lever (Figure 15) connects the middle finger to the string wheel and another lever (Figure 14) connects the thumb to the string wheel. A spiral spring is placed and attached within the string wheel in the round socket provided therein with the outer part of the spring connected to a steel pin fixed on a side of the wrist piece. A harness is provided for the prosthesis which attaches the prosthesis to the residual limb, consisting of straps some of which are positioned in relation to the shoulder girdle to enable the amputee to control the prosthetic device. When the residual arm is stretched, the harness pulls a wire connected to the string wheel which opens out the fingers and the thumb. When the residual arm is relaxed, the spiral spring of the string wheel assists in bringing about prehension of the fingers and the thumb. 5. I CLAIM: 1. A bamboo below elbow prosthesis comprising: a knitted bamboo socket lined by suitable cushioning material having provision for non-interference of flexion movement of the prosthesis; a forearm piece is made of finely knitted bamboo matching the healthy forearm which is attached proximally, to the bamboo socket and, distally, to the wrist hand assembly; a wrist hand assembly consisting of four bamboo fingers and one thumb and each of them has two segments of phalanges and the phalanges are joined together with the help of steel links to enable flexion and extension; a curved steel radial stud inserted through the holes provided in the four bamboo fingers supported by two side plates of bamboo; a steel radial pin inserted through the holes provided in the four bamboo fingers near the radial stud; four fingers made from bamboo having two phalanges and these phalanges are connected to each other using steel links; a bamboo lever linking the middle finger to the string wheel which enables the prehension movement of all the fingers; spacers of mild steel for keeping the fingers in position and separate from each other; a thumb fabricated from bamboo and its base is attached to the side plates by the help of a steel pin on which it pivots; the thumb having two phalanges and these phalanges are connected to each other using steel links; a bamboo lever linking the thumb to the string wheel which enables the prehension movement of the thumb; sleeves made of mild steel for keeping the thumb in position; a harness for the prosthesis which attaches the prosthesis to the residual limb consisting of straps some of which are positioned in relation to the shoulder girdle to enable the amputee to control the prosthetic device; a bamboo string wheel mounted on a steel pin which goes through its axis and that string wheel is kept in place with spacers and the pin is supported by the bamboo side plates; a spiral spring placed and attached with the string wheel in the seating provided therein with the outer part of the spring connected to a steel pin fixed on a side plate of the wrist assembly; a bamboo wrist piece which is attached to the forearm piece and on which the fingers and thumb are attached. 2. A bamboo below elbow prosthesis as herein described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

Documents:

2524-del-2004-abstract.pdf

2524-del-2004-claims.pdf

2524-del-2004-correspondence-others.pdf

2524-del-2004-correspondence-po.pdf

2524-del-2004-description (complete).pdf

2524-del-2004-drawings.pdf

2524-del-2004-form-1.pdf

2524-del-2004-form-19.pdf

2524-del-2004-form-2.pdf

2524-del-2004-form-3.pdf

2524-del-2004-form-5.pdf