GB1582622A - Measuring device for the width of human femur condyles - Google Patents

Description

(54) A MEASURING DEVICE FOR THE WIDTH OF HUMAN FEMUR CONDYLES (71) We, SERVIER NEDERLAND B.

V., a Dutch Company of Laan van Meerdervoort 4, The ague, The Netherlands, do hereby declare the invention, for which we pray that a Patent may be granted to us, and the method by which it is to be performed to be particularly described in and by the following statement:- The invention relates to a device for measuring the width of human femur condyles.

It is known already for a long time that at comparing the weight of the human body with its length and at considering the question whether the weight has a normal value or not, there is no simple connection between the weight and the length, because the weight of the skeleton has a great influence on the weight and may vary essentially at the same length.

The invention aims to provide a very simple measuring device which makes it possible for people working in health services to make at least a rough correction for the weight of the skeleton in a quick and easy way. This measuring device is based on the insight elaborated by Prof. Dr J. F. de Wijn in the Dutch journal "Nederlands Tiidschrift voor Geneeskunde", 119 (1975), page 492, as a continuation of articles in the same journal and of the same author published in 1968 and 1974. This insight comprises that the width of the knee-joint-rings (femur condyles) has in general a rather accurate direct connection with the weight of the skeleton. As there are many persons with unessential deviations in this dimension for the left and the right knee, a good solution seems to be to measure the widths of both knees and to look up the weight of the skeleton or the normal weight for a person of a known length having a certain measured width of both knees (the sum of these widths or the average) in a table.

According to the present invention there is provided a measuring device of a hard plastics material in the form of a sliding caliper gauge, for measuring the widths of human femur condyles, in which an elongate member with an external cross-section which is square with rounded corners is mounted to slide within a tube which has an internal cross-section which is square with rounded comers, said elongate member and said tube each have a measuring jaw projecting therefrom which comprises a measuring face which extends, perpendicularly to said elongate member and said tube, to a distance of at least 6 cm. from said member and said tube, and there being a scale on the elongate member so that that end of the tube nearer the jaw on the elongate member indicates a reading on the scale which is the distance between the measuring faces of the jaws.

Such a measuring device can be light and strong and can be used in simple way, while the total dimension is small. Moreover, the manufacture is simple and easy. Of course, sliding gauges are commonly known in practice. However, the sliding gauges normally obtainable as articles of commerce consist of metal and have a great reading precision, which is not necessary here. A precision of 1 mm is more than enough. The known sliding gauges are too expensive, too difficult to read for a person who is not an expert in technical respects and the jaws are usually too short for measuring the femur condyles.

There now follows a description with reference to the drawings which shows a preferred embodiment of the measuring device according to the present invention.

Fig. 1 is a side view of this device, and Fig. 2 is a cross-section on the line II-II of Fig.l.

The measuring device according to Fig. 1 and 2 comprises a tube 1 of which the internal and external cross-sections are squares with rounded corners. Mounted to slide within the tube 1 is an elongate member in the form of a bar 2, which is also tubular with internal and external cross-sections which are squares with rounded corners.

Both the bar and the tube are of hard plastics material such as a polyester, a hard polyvinylchloride or a high-impactpolystyrene, and may consist of pieces of tubes, obtainable as articles of commerce.

Near the free end of the bar 2 a measuring jaw 3 is fixed, which jaw has a measuring face with a length perpendicular to the bar of at least 6 cm.

A corresponding measuring jaw 4 projects from the tube 1. These jaws also consist of hard plastic and are connected with the tube 1 and the bar 2 by heat sealing or glueing.

The measuring face of the jaw 4 lies about half way along the length of the tube 1, so that the jaws 3 and 4 cannot approach each other closely. A minimum distance of at least 5 cm remains between the measuring faces of the jaws 3 and 4.

A scale division in mm's is arranged on the bar 2, whereby that end of the tube 1 nearer to the jaw on the bar 2 serves as a pointer to indicate a reading on the scale which is the distance between the measuring faces of the jaws. The scale division of course does not start at 0 mm, but for instance at 60 mm as shown.

In the completely inward position, when the jaws are a minimum distance apart, the ends of the tube 1 and the bar 2 remote from the jaws lie essentially in the same transverse plane.

When using the measuring device according to the invention the jaws 3 and 4 are pushed against the diametrically opposite points of the femur condyles of each knee.

The values are summated or an average is determined.

Together with the device according to the invention a table may be used indicating weights for a certain length of a person and a certain width of both femur condyles together or as an average.

In this way it may be easily determined whether the weight of the person corresponds to the normal weight.

It will be clear that within the scope of the following claims the embodiment of the device may be varied and may deviate from the device shown in the drawing.

WHAT WE CLAIM IS: 1. A measuring device of a hard plastics material in the form of a sliding caliper gauge, for measuring the widths of human femur condyles, in which an elongate member with an external cross-section which is square with rounded corners is mounted to slide within a tube which has an internal cross-section which is square with rounded corners, said elongate member and said tube each have a measuring jaw projecting therefrom which comprises a measuring face which extends, perpendicularly to said elongate member and said tube, to a distance of at least 6 cm from said member and said tube, and there being a scale on the elongate member so that that end of the tube nearer the jaw on the elongate member indicates a reading on the scale which is the distance between the measuring faces of the jaws.

2. A device according to Claim 1 in which said elongate member is tubular with an internal cross-section which is square with rounded corners.

3. A device according to either one of the preceding claims in which the tube extends so far beyond the jaw thereon towards the jaw on said elongate member that the minimum distance between the measuring faces of the jaws is at least 5 cm.

4. A device according to any of the preceding claims in which when the jaws are a minimum distance apart the ends of said elongate member and the tube remote from the jaws are essentially in one transverse plane.

5. A measuring device substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

**WARNING** end of DESC field may overlap start of CLMS **.

Claims (5)

**WARNING** start of CLMS field may overlap end of DESC **. with rounded corners. Mounted to slide within the tube 1 is an elongate member in the form of a bar 2, which is also tubular with internal and external cross-sections which are squares with rounded corners. Both the bar and the tube are of hard plastics material such as a polyester, a hard polyvinylchloride or a high-impactpolystyrene, and may consist of pieces of tubes, obtainable as articles of commerce. Near the free end of the bar 2 a measuring jaw 3 is fixed, which jaw has a measuring face with a length perpendicular to the bar of at least 6 cm. A corresponding measuring jaw 4 projects from the tube 1. These jaws also consist of hard plastic and are connected with the tube 1 and the bar 2 by heat sealing or glueing. The measuring face of the jaw 4 lies about half way along the length of the tube 1, so that the jaws 3 and 4 cannot approach each other closely. A minimum distance of at least 5 cm remains between the measuring faces of the jaws 3 and 4. A scale division in mm's is arranged on the bar 2, whereby that end of the tube 1 nearer to the jaw on the bar 2 serves as a pointer to indicate a reading on the scale which is the distance between the measuring faces of the jaws. The scale division of course does not start at 0 mm, but for instance at 60 mm as shown. In the completely inward position, when the jaws are a minimum distance apart, the ends of the tube 1 and the bar 2 remote from the jaws lie essentially in the same transverse plane. When using the measuring device according to the invention the jaws 3 and 4 are pushed against the diametrically opposite points of the femur condyles of each knee. The values are summated or an average is determined. Together with the device according to the invention a table may be used indicating weights for a certain length of a person and a certain width of both femur condyles together or as an average. In this way it may be easily determined whether the weight of the person corresponds to the normal weight. It will be clear that within the scope of the following claims the embodiment of the device may be varied and may deviate from the device shown in the drawing. WHAT WE CLAIM IS:

1. A measuring device of a hard plastics material in the form of a sliding caliper gauge, for measuring the widths of human femur condyles, in which an elongate member with an external cross-section which is square with rounded corners is mounted to slide within a tube which has an internal cross-section which is square with rounded corners, said elongate member and said tube each have a measuring jaw projecting therefrom which comprises a measuring face which extends, perpendicularly to said elongate member and said tube, to a distance of at least 6 cm from said member and said tube, and there being a scale on the elongate member so that that end of the tube nearer the jaw on the elongate member indicates a reading on the scale which is the distance between the measuring faces of the jaws.

2. A device according to Claim 1 in which said elongate member is tubular with an internal cross-section which is square with rounded corners.

3. A device according to either one of the preceding claims in which the tube extends so far beyond the jaw thereon towards the jaw on said elongate member that the minimum distance between the measuring faces of the jaws is at least 5 cm.

4. A device according to any of the preceding claims in which when the jaws are a minimum distance apart the ends of said elongate member and the tube remote from the jaws are essentially in one transverse plane.

5. A measuring device substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawings.