Abstract: A polycentric variable axis pivotal hinge system especially designed and adaptable to follow the complex movement of the knee when incorporated in orthotic devices, having an upper and a lower extension overlying a central linking member and pivotally connected thereto wherein each extension moves in a relative angular motion determined by the coaction of a guide pin follower slidably and pivotally interacting with slots in the angular terminal portions of the extensions and the guide pin follower moving in a vertical slot in the central member; with provision for motion limiting stops.

Abstract: A device that can be ridden for recreation and exercise. The device has an upright annular spring body member with a seat and a handle on the upper segment of the body annulus. In use, the rider straddles the device and with his feet planted on the riding surface, flexes his legs to impose his weight on the device to store energy therein. This cycle is followed by the rider extending his legs to release the stored energy. This jouncing sequence is repeated and the rhythmic build up of energy causes the device and its rider to be bouncingly propelled across the riding surface. In a second embodiment, stirrups are provided in the lower segment of the body annular for the rider's feet. In a third embodiment, the body member has supports for the rider's feet suspended from the seat.

Abstract: A double pump adapted for use as an artificial heart includes two ventricle-simulating chambers that are provided with respective inlets and outlets having valves incorporated therein and that are separated by a common partitioning wall structure. The wall structure has sections that are driven away from each other to reduce the volumes of respective ventricle chambers and expel liquid from the chambers through the outlets. The wall structure can also move laterally in response to differences in pressure between the chambers and hence change the volumetric ratio between them. This ensures a balanced action between the two halves of the heart-simulating pump during a systole phase and a diastole phase. The link mechanism is actuated by a cord through a motor, although only in one direction in the pressure phase, and hence the aforementioned changed volumes are readjusted primarily through the pressure exerted by the inflowing fluid.

Abstract: A prosthetic device for a temporomandibular joint comprising a prosthetic condyle and a prosthetic meniscus. The prosthetic condyle conprises two plates that are clamped about the ramus of the mandible wherein one of the plates extends upwardly into a convex surface thereby forming the condyle. The prosthetic meniscus comprising a resilient insert which is inserted into the joint capsule and has a reinforcing mesh embedded therein, and an extension for attaching the meniscus to the temporal bone.

Abstract: A heart valve prosthesis with an annular body portion and at least one valve leaflet moveable between open, closed, and intermediate positions. The body includes leaflet ear support formations, each with a contoured recess having spaced apart, tapered arcuate guide wall surfaces and spaced apart convex ear support surfaces. Each valve leaflet includes mounting ears with upper and lower support surfaces of generally trapezoidal outline, a generally flat end face portion, and two spaced apart guide surface portions tapered so as to lie in closely spaced apart relation to the tapered guide walls in the recess.

Abstract: A heart valve prosthesis comprising an annular support frame for a plurality of flexible tissue valve components. The support frame has a plurality of spaced posts defining openings therebetween to permit a portion of each valve element to flex from an open position to a closed position. An annular sleeve, concentric with said support frame, is adapted to clamp a non-flexing portion of each valve element in operative position between the support frame and said sleeve.

Abstract: An artificial arm capable of being used as a prosthesis on a human body and controlled through activating sensors secured to the human body adjacent the attachment site of the artificial arm and operating a plurality of drive motors. Three independent drive motors are mounted between foundation bases including an upper arm base, forearm base and hand base wherein the latter two move relative to one another and to the forearm base and each of the three drive motors are positioned and structured to cause relative movement of one foundation base relative to the other, thereby adding strength and simplicity to an artificial arm structure having a high degree of versatility and range of movements.

Abstract: A hand prosthesis or artificial hand with soft gripping having a palmar part made from a flexible material, and an attached dorsal part formed from a rigid material having a base plate having a dorsal face, and a palmar face forming a palm of the hand, and fingers detachably attached to the base plate on its dorsal face, with each finger having ball joint elements; a return spring is connected to a hook and passes internally through the joints over dorsal facing sides of pins, tubular guides are supportedly mounted and attached to the internal walls of the joints, traction spring segments in the tubular guides have spaced portions between ends of succeeding segments with the spaced portions occurring in zones of the ball joint elements, a traction cable is connected to the hook and guided internally of the joints and passes through the tubular guides within the traction spring elements, a yoke is connected to a single traction cable to balance forces and divide the force from the single traction cable into fo

Abstract: A prosthesis of the hand and including a thumb and at least one finger, and other fingers as may be required, and a forearm socket, and comprised of at least said one finger articulated and biased in opposition to an adjustably fixed thumb, thereby providing a grip adapted to yield to forcible entry of an object therein and released by angular movement of the upper arm relative to the lower arm through a pull cord that operates to withdraw said finger or fingers from prehensile grasp with an object held against the thumb by said bias.

Abstract: An arrestable knee joint, comprising a thigh member; a lower leg member; rotatably articulated on the thigh member to form a knee joint; and a mechanism for releasably arresting the members in the extended position, comprising a spring-loaded arresting element mounted in the lower leg member, structure associated with the thigh member for engaging the arresting element when the members are in the extend position, a rocker arm assembly having a first arm attached to the arresting element and a second arm extending away from a rotational axis of the rocker arm assembly on a side opposite from the first arm, and a Bowden wire inserted into the lower leg member and attached to the second arm of the rocker arm assembly. A release mechanism is provided in the thigh member.

Abstract: An improved pelvic restraint is provided for use in association with an exercise apparatus which is most suitably a low back exercise apparatus. The pelvic restraint comprises a seat having laterally adjustable hip restraints provided with a belt for extending therebetween across the abdomen of a user. An adjustable back restraint is also provided for engagement with the lower back. In this fashion, the pelvic restraint prevents lifting or lateral shifting of the hips and forward or rearward pitching of the pelvic area so that more accurate evaluation may be conducted on an exercise apparatus to which the pelvic restraint is secured.

Abstract: An intraocular lens having an optic with a positioning hole therein in the form of a through-bore adapted to selectively receive therein either the working tip of a surgical instrument used to manipulate the lens for seating in the eye or a plug for closing the bore. The plug is colored, frosted, or otherwise formed to be at least partially opaque to the passage of light therethrough to thereby substantially reduce the glare-effect which would otherwise be perceived by the user. Means are provided for releasably retaining the plug in the bore.The method of inhibiting the passage of light rays through a positioning hole in an intraocular lens, after the lens is seated in the eye, to substantially reduce the glare-effect.

Abstract: An apparatus and method for making one or more grooves in the medullary canal surface of a bone to secure and reduce the risk of rotational failure of implanted orthopedic endoprostheses. The apparatus includes a head and, attached thereto, a body adapted for insertion into the medullary canal of a bone. The apparatus also includes a channel therethrough that is enclosed in the head and open in the body. One or more grooves is made in the medullary canal surface of a bone by placing the body of the apparatus in the medullary canal, inserting a cutting device in the channel, and then using the cutting device to remove an amount of bone tissue sufficient to form a groove or grooves. The risk of rotational failure of implanted orthopedic endoprostheses is reduced by implanting prostheses that engage and are secured in place by the groove or grooves.

Abstract: An improved adjustable device for artificial limbs includes: a cylindrical member having an open section at an upper end for being fixedly coupled with a lower stump portion of an artificial limb, and an annular recess with a plurality of cavities and through openings formed at a lower end; and a coupling member with a mounting piece for being connected to an upper joint portion of an artificial limb and a circular convex protrusion provided on top of the mounting piece with a plurality of screw holes formed in the circular convex protrusion for being coupled with the cylindrical member through a plurality of screw bolts; so that, by adjusting the screw bolts adjustably fixed in the through openings of the cylindrical member, the gravitational equilibrium of the adjustable device can be easily obtained without taking apart the artificial limb incorporated therewith.

Abstract: Bileaflet biconical heart valve which duplicates the hemodynamics of a natural heart valve in the human heart where tips of biconical halves of the heart valve pivot outwardly in a manner representing that of natural heart valve tissue. In one embodiment of the present invention, biconical halves move about outflow pivots while in two other embodiments, the biconical halves pivot on outflow pivots where each biconical half pivots about or on two spaced pivots extending inwardly from an orifice ring at adjacent lower ends of each biconical half.

Abstract: A colored ringed or rimmed edge intraocular lens for implant in either the anterior chamber, the posterior chamber or the cornea of the eye. The lens has a colorless or clear central region of a material such as polymethylmethacrylate (PMMA) and a peripheral surrounding portion of a dark material such as blue PMMA. Polysulfone can also be utilized. The lens can be fabricated by passing a clear rod of optical quality PMMA through an extrusion orifice and coating the circumference of the rod with a layer of predetermined thickness of colored, preferably blue PMMA or other compatible material. Other methods of fabrication can include the introduction of a suitable dye into the outer regions of the rod, or joining the clear central region to a ring of colored material by thermal or adhesive bonding or other known processes.

Abstract: The prosthesis as replacement for an amputated breast consists of a shell modelled to the shape of the breast made of elastic material, in which, apart from a filled, slowly flowing mass, at least one elastically deformable, porous molding is provided. The slowly flowing mass advantageously consists of a gel-like or partially vulcanized silicone rubber, due to which the porous molding is substantially fixed in its position in the shell.

Abstract: A facial exercise mask includes an externally convex mask body made of strong, lightweight plastic or acrylic. A central face portion has holes for eyes, nose, and mouth of the wearer. An inflatable lining for the inner surface of the mask at brow, temple, cheek, chin, and central portions, and having corresponding holes for the eyes, nose, and mouth is provided. Air is pumped between the lining and the inner surface of the mask body to inflate the lining which provides the resistive force for the facial muscles to work against. The entire mask may be held in place by two sets of adjustable head strap assemblies or by a single broad adjustable head strap assembly.

Abstract: The instant invention refers to a clamp to be used by persons whose hand has been amputated and use hand protheses actuating fingers by means of electrical or mechanical command mechanisms. Since in most cases these elements do not permit grasping or seizing a great variety of sizes and shapes of objects, this clamp constitutes an auxiliary element widening the range of possibilities of said hand protheses.

Abstract: An intraocular lens for patients having macular degeneration. The intraocular lens comprises a first portion including a diverging lens, and a second portion including a converging lens. The converging lens provides the patient with substantially the same vision he or she had prior to implantation of the intraocular lens, i.e., the decreased visual acuity normally associated with macular degeneration, while providing unmagnified and unrestricted peripheral vision. The diverging lens, when combined with converging lens means located outside the eye (e.g. a spectacle lens), provides a magnified retinal image of a given object with increased visual acuity but a restricted visual field. Thus, the intraocular lens of the invention provides the patient with the choice of unmagnified but peripherally unrestricted vision or magnified but peripherally restricted vision.