US 12,290,451 B2
Apparatus and method for evaluating knee geometry
J. Dean Cole, Orlando, FL (US); Franz W. Kellar, Gastonia, NC (US); Michael D. Bissette, Belmont, NC (US); Franz Austen Kellar, Gastonia, NC (US); and Harold L. Crowder, Concord, NC (US)
Assigned to DYNAMIC BALANCER SYSTEMS LLC, Belmont, NC (US)
Filed by Little Engine, LLC, Belmont, NC (US)
Filed on Mar. 8, 2022, as Appl. No. 17/689,008.
Application 17/689,008 is a continuation of application No. 17/145,326, filed on Jan. 9, 2021, granted, now 11,298,246.
Claims priority of provisional application 63/027,101, filed on May 19, 2020.
Prior Publication US 2022/0183859 A1, Jun. 16, 2022
Int. Cl. A61F 2/46 (2006.01); A61B 5/00 (2006.01); A61B 34/10 (2016.01); A61B 34/20 (2016.01); G01L 5/16 (2020.01); G16H 10/60 (2018.01); G16H 20/40 (2018.01); G16H 40/20 (2018.01); G16H 40/67 (2018.01); G16H 50/20 (2018.01); A61B 17/02 (2006.01); A61B 34/00 (2016.01); A61B 90/00 (2016.01)
CPC A61F 2/4657 (2013.01) [A61B 5/4533 (2013.01); A61B 5/4585 (2013.01); A61B 34/10 (2016.02); A61B 34/20 (2016.02); A61F 2/461 (2013.01); G01L 5/16 (2013.01); G16H 10/60 (2018.01); G16H 20/40 (2018.01); G16H 40/20 (2018.01); G16H 40/67 (2018.01); G16H 50/20 (2018.01); A61B 5/6847 (2013.01); A61B 2017/0268 (2013.01); A61B 2034/105 (2016.02); A61B 2034/256 (2016.02); A61B 2090/064 (2016.02); A61B 2090/3983 (2016.02); A61F 2002/4633 (2013.01); A61F 2002/4666 (2013.01)] 10 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A method of evaluating a human knee joint which includes a femur bone, a tibia bone, a patella bone, and ligaments, wherein the ligaments are under anatomical tension to connect the femur and tibia together, creating a load-bearing articulating joint, the method comprising:
without making a tibial plateau cut, inserting into the knee joint a gap balancer that includes a tibial interface surface, an opposed femoral interface surface, and at least one force sensor, wherein the force sensor has at least a two-axis array resolution, with the gap balancer in a retracted position;
moving the gap balancer towards an extended position, so as to urge the tibia and the femur apart and apply tension to ligaments of the knee joint;
providing an electronic receiving device;
moving the knee joint through at least a portion of its range of motion;
while moving the knee joint, using the electronic receiving device to collect data from the at least one force sensor;
processing the collected data to produce a digital geometric model of at least a portion of the knee joint; and
storing the digital geometric model for further use.