Osteoarthritis knee brace apparatus and method
First Claim
Patent Images
1. A knee brace for coupling to a patient'"'"'s knee, the knee brace comprising:
- a flexion/extension joint;
a first arm coupled to the flexion/extension joint; and
a first ramp positioned to engage the first arm, the first ramp shaped to move the first arm towards the patient'"'"'s leg as the patient'"'"'s knee extends and away from the patient'"'"'s leg as the patient'"'"'s knee flexes.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A knee brace for coupling to a patient'"'"'s knee. The knee brace can include a flexion/extension joint, a first arm coupled to the flexion/extension joint, and a first ramp positioned to engage the first arm. The first ramp can be shaped to move the first arm towards the patient'"'"'s leg as the patient'"'"'s knee extends and away from the patient'"'"'s leg as the patient'"'"'s knee flexes. Alternatively, the first ramp can be shaped to move the first arm away from the patient'"'"'s leg as the patient'"'"'s knee extends and toward the patient'"'"'s leg as the patient'"'"'s knee flexes.
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Citations
63 Claims
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1. A knee brace for coupling to a patient'"'"'s knee, the knee brace comprising:
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a flexion/extension joint;
a first arm coupled to the flexion/extension joint; and
a first ramp positioned to engage the first arm, the first ramp shaped to move the first arm towards the patient'"'"'s leg as the patient'"'"'s knee extends and away from the patient'"'"'s leg as the patient'"'"'s knee flexes. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23)
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24. A knee brace for coupling to a patient'"'"'s knee, the knee brace comprising:
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a flexion/extension joint;
a first arm coupled to the flexion/extension joint; and
a first ramp positioned to engage the first arm, the first ramp shaped to move the first arm away from the patient'"'"'s leg as the patient'"'"'s knee flexes and towards the patient'"'"'s leg as the patient'"'"'s knee extends. - View Dependent Claims (25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 43, 44, 45, 46)
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47. A method of bracing a patient'"'"'s knee, the method comprising:
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securing a brace to the patient'"'"'s knee;
allowing the patient'"'"'s knee to flex and extend;
exerting a medial/lateral force on the patient'"'"'s leg as the patient'"'"'s knee flexes and extends, the medial/lateral force being exerted on at least one of a first point generally above the patient'"'"'s knee, a second point generally at the patient'"'"'s knee, and a third point generally below the patient'"'"'s knee;
increasing the medial/lateral force as the patient'"'"'s knee extends; and
decreasing the medial/lateral force as the patient'"'"'s knee flexes. - View Dependent Claims (48, 49)
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50. A knee brace for coupling to a patient'"'"'s knee, the knee brace comprising:
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a pair of arms for coupling to the patient'"'"'s knee; and
a joint between the arms to allow flexion and extension of the patient'"'"'s knee, a medial/lateral distance between at least one arm of the pair of arms and the patient'"'"'s leg being greater during flexion than during extension. - View Dependent Claims (51)
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52. A knee brace for attachment to a patient'"'"'s knee, the knee brace comprising:
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a pair of arms for coupling to the patient'"'"'s knee; and
a joint between the arms to allow flexion and extension of the patient'"'"'s knee, a medial/lateral distance between at least one arm of the pair of arms and the patient'"'"'s leg being greater during extension than during flexion. - View Dependent Claims (53)
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54. A knee brace for coupling to a patient'"'"'s knee, the knee brace comprising:
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a pair of arms for coupling to the patient'"'"'s knee;
a joint coupled to the pair of arms to allow flexion and extension of the patient'"'"'s knee, the joint positioned with respect to the patient'"'"'s knee and configured so that at least one arm of the pair of arms moves laterally as the patient'"'"'s knee flexes and medially as the patient'"'"'s knee extends.
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55. A knee brace for coupling to a patient'"'"'s knee, the knee brace comprising:
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a pair of arms for coupling to the patient'"'"'s knee;
a joint coupled to the pair of arms to allow flexion and extension of the patient'"'"'s knee, the joint positioned with respect to the patient'"'"'s knee and configured so that at least one arm of the pair of arms moves medially as the patient'"'"'s knee flexes and laterally as the patient'"'"'s knee extends.
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56. A knee brace for coupling to a patient'"'"'s knee, the knee brace comprising:
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a pair of arms for coupling to the patient'"'"'s knee;
a first joint coupled to the pair of arms to allow flexion and extension of the patient'"'"'s knee; and
a second joint in the brace for allowing controlled medial and lateral inclination relative to the first joint of at least one arm of the pair of arms, the medial/lateral inclination of the at least one arm being more lateral during flexion and more medial during extension.
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57. A knee brace for coupling to a patient'"'"'s knee, the knee brace comprising:
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a pair of arms for coupling to the patient'"'"'s knee;
a first joint coupled to the pair of arms to allow flexion and extension of the patient'"'"'s knee; and
a second joint in the brace for allowing controlled medial and lateral inclination relative to the first joint of at least one arm of the pair of arms, the medial/lateral inclination of the at least one arm being more medial during flexion and more lateral during extension.
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58. A knee brace for coupling to a patient'"'"'s knee, the knee brace comprising:
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a pair of arms for coupling to the patient'"'"'s knee;
means coupled to the pair of arms for allowing flexion and extension of the patient'"'"'s knee and for increasing a medial/lateral distance between at least one arm of the pair of arms and the patient'"'"'s knee during flexion and decreasing the medial/lateral distance during extension.
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59. A knee brace for coupling to a patient'"'"'s knee, the knee brace comprising:
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a pair of arms for coupling to the patient'"'"'s knee;
means coupled to the pair of arms for allowing flexion and extension of the patient'"'"'s knee and for decreasing a medial/lateral distance between at least one arm of the pair of arms and the patient'"'"'s knee during flexion and increasing the medial/lateral distance during extension.
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60. A knee brace for coupling to a patient'"'"'s knee, the knee brace comprising:
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a first shell substantially conforming to the patient'"'"'s thigh;
a second shell substantially conforming to the patient'"'"'s calf;
a first arm coupled to the first shell;
a second arm coupled to the second shell;
a flexion/extension joint coupled between the first arm and the second arm; and
a first ramp positioned to engage the first arm and a second ramp positioned to engage the second arm, the first and second ramps shaped to move the first and second arms toward the patient'"'"'s leg as the patient'"'"'s knee extends and away from the patient'"'"'s leg as the patient'"'"'s knee flexes.
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61. A knee brace for coupling to a patient'"'"'s knee, the knee brace comprising:
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a first shell substantially conforming to the patient'"'"'s thigh;
a second shell substantially conforming to the patient'"'"'s calf;
a first arm coupled to the first shell;
a second arm coupled to the second shell;
a flexion/extension joint coupled between the first arm and the second arm; and
a first ramp positioned to engage the first arm and a second ramp positioned to engage the second arm, the first and second ramps shaped to move the first and second arms toward the patient'"'"'s leg as the patient'"'"'s knee flexes and away from the patient'"'"'s leg as the patient'"'"'s knee extends.
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62. A method of bracing a patient'"'"'s knee, the method comprising:
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securing a brace to the patient'"'"'s knee;
allowing the patient'"'"'s knee to flex and extend;
directing a first force toward a first point generally above the patient'"'"'s knee;
directing a second force toward a second point generally below the patient'"'"'s knee;
directing a third force generally away from the patient'"'"'s knee;
increasing the first and second forces toward the patient'"'"'s leg as the patient'"'"'s knee extends; and
decreasing the first and second forces toward the patient'"'"'s leg as the patient'"'"'s knee flexes.
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63. A method of bracing a patient'"'"'s knee, the method comprising:
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securing a brace to the patient'"'"'s knee;
allowing the patient'"'"'s knee to flex and extend;
directing a first force away from a first point generally above the patient'"'"'s knee;
directing a second force away from a second point generally below the patient'"'"'s knee;
directing a third force generally toward the patient'"'"'s knee;
increasing the first and second forces away from the patient'"'"'s leg as the patient'"'"'s knee extends; and
decreasing the first and second forces away from the patient'"'"'s leg as the patient'"'"'s knee flexes.
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Specification