Patent ID: 7837635

Claim:
Device for determining at least one characteristic point of a joint which joins together two limbs and is to be measured orthopedically, said device compromising: a first coupling element adapted to be attached to a first limb adjoining the joint, a second coupling element adapted to be pivoted and shifted relative to the first coupling element and adapted to be positioned on a second limb adjoining the joint, and a measuring device for determining the position of the first coupling element relative to the second coupling element, wherein the measuring device has at least one reference point which is rigidly connected to one of the first and second coupling elements, and also has a reference point detection device which is rigidly connected to the respective other coupling element of the first and second coupling elements, the reference point detection device having a detector integrated therein for detecting a plurality of positions of the reference point relative to the reference point detection device by an optical, electronic, and/or electromagnetic measurement during a pivoting and shifting movement of the first and second limbs with respect to one another and determining therefrom the at least one characteristic point, and wherein the measuring device includes an indicating device positioned on one of the first and second coupling elements that indicates the at least one determined characteristic point of the joint directly on the joint.