Shoulder Orthosis

Abstract

A shoulder orthosis is utilized to effect relative movement between bones in a body of a patient. The orthosis includes a base section which is connected with a trunk of a patient's body, an upper arm section which is connected with an upper portion of an arm of the patient, and a lower arm section which is connected with a lower portion of the arm of a patient. An interconnection between the base section and upper arm section of the orthosis is disposed beneath an axilla between the trunk and arm of the patient. A main drive assembly is operable to rotate the lower arm section of the orthosis relative to the upper arm section of the orthosis to pivot a humerus bone in the upper arm of the patient relative to a scapula bone in a shoulder of the patient. A secondary drive assembly is operable to move the lower arm section and upper arm section relative to the base section of the orthosis to move the upper arm of the patient into alignment with the shoulder of the patient

1 - 23 . (canceled) 
     
     
         24 . A shoulder orthosis configured to move an upper portion of an arm of a patient, the shoulder orthosis comprising:
 an upper arm section configured to be coupled to the upper portion of the arm of the patient;   a lower arm section coupled to the upper arm section, the lower arm section configured to be coupled to a lower portion of the arm of the patient;   a drive assembly configured to rotate the lower arm section with respect to the upper arm section about a longitudinal axis of the upper arm section to effect at least one of internal and external rotation of the upper portion of the arm of the patient at the shoulder joint   a base section configured to be coupled to a trunk of the patient, wherein the upper arm section is rotatable relative to the base section to adjust an angle defined between the upper arm section and the base section.   
     
     
         25 . A shoulder orthosis in accordance with  claim 24 , wherein the lower arm section is oriented to be substantially orthogonal to the upper arm section. 
     
     
         26 . A shoulder orthosis in accordance with  claim 24 , wherein the drive assembly comprises a drive gear that is substantially parallel to the upper arm section. 
     
     
         27 . A shoulder orthosis in accordance with  claim 24 , wherein the drive assembly comprises an arcuate array of gear teeth. 
     
     
         28 . A shoulder orthosis in accordance with  claim 24 , wherein the drive assembly comprises a drive gear that is rotatable to adjust an angle defined between the drive assembly and the base section. 
     
     
         29 . A shoulder orthosis in accordance with  claim 24 , further comprising a second drive assembly interconnecting the upper arm section and the base section and configured to rotate the upper arm section relative to the base section.