Knee and elbow brace

• US 4,433,679 A
• Filed: 09/29/1982
• Issued: 02/28/1984
• Est. Priority Date: 05/04/1981
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Deroyal Industries Incorporated, Driver Kenneth D Memphis Tn, Tx Stills, Melvin L. Lewisville
• Original Assignee: Driver Kenneth D Memphis Tn, Tx Stills, Melvin L. Lewisville
• Inventors: Jones, Richard E. III, Mauldin, Donald M.
• Primary Examiner(s): YASKO JR, JOHN D
• Application Number:
  US06/426,981
• Time in Patent Office: 517 Days
• Field of Search: 128/80 R, 128/80 C, 128/80 F, 128/80 E, 128/83, 128/87 R, 128/88
• US Class Current: 602/16
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 5/0102 specially adapted for correcting deformities of the limbs or for supporting them; Ortheses, e.g. with articulations
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 5/0125 the device articulating around a single pivot-point

Abstract

A knee brace (400) includes a first hinge portion (408) having a face (426) comprising a plurality of circumferentially equally spaced teeth (428). An adjusting disc (440) has a first circular face (442) comprising teeth (448) which mesh with the teeth (428) of the first hinge portion (408) to lock the component parts of the knee brace (400) in any desired angular relationship. A second hinge portion (418) has a face (436) comprising a plurality of slots (438a, 438b, 438c and 438d). The adjusting disc (440) has a second circular face (444) comprising a tooth (450) which is selectively engageable with one of the slots (438a, 438b, 438c or 438d) of the second hinge portion (418) to regulate angular movement between the component parts of the knee brace (400). A torsion spring (462) has projections (468, 470) which are selectively positionable in apertures (422, 432) of the first and second hinge portions (408, 418) to apply a predetermined torque to the component parts of the knee brace (400).

Claims

1. A hinge joint for a knee brace comprising:

an adjusting disc having opposed first and second circular faces;

the first circular face of the adjusting disc comprising a plurality of first teeth positioned at circumferentially equally spaced points;

the second circular face of the adjusting disc comprising a tooth having a predetermined circumferential dimension;

a first hinge portion comprising a face having a plurality of teeth positioned at circumferentially equally spaced points and dimensioned to mate with the teeth of the first circular face of the adjusting disc to lock the adjusting disc and the first hinge portion against rotational movement with respect to each other;

a second hinge portion comprising a face having a plurality of slots formed therein, each for selective mating engagement with the tooth of the second circular face of the adjusting disc and each characterized by a different circumferential dimension so that the tooth of the second circular face of the adjust disc and the slots of the face of the second hinge portion permit relative pivotal movement between the second hinge portion and the adjusting disc, depending upon which of the slots receives the tooth; and

fastening means extending through the first and second hinge portions and the adjusting disc for maintaining the teeth of the first circular face of the adjusting disc in mating engagement with the teeth of the face of the first hinge portion and for maintaining the tooth of the second circular face of the adjusting disc in engagement with a selected slot of the face of the second hinge portion.

2. The hinge joint for a knee brace according to claim 1 wherein one of the slots of the face of the second hinge portion has a circumferential dimension substantially identical to the circumferential dimension of the tooth of the second circular face of the adjusting disc so that engagement of the tooth with said one of the slots locks the second hinge portion against pivotal movement relative to the adjusting disc.

3. The hinge joint for a knee brace according to claim 1 wherein the face of the second hinge portion comprises at least three slots;

the first of said slots having a circumferential dimension substantially identical to that of the tooth of the second circular face of the adjusting disc so that engagement of the tooth with said first of the slots locks the second hinge portion against pivotal movement relative to the adjusting disc;

a second of said slots having a circumferential dimension substantially greater than that of the tooth of the second circular face of the adjusting disc so that engagement of the tooth with said second slot permits substantial pivotal movement of the second hinge portion relative to the adjusting disc; and

a third of said slots having a circumferential dimension substantially greater than that of said second slot so that engagement of the tooth of the second circular face of the adjusting disc with said third slot permits substantially lower pivotal movement of the second hinge portion relative to the adjusting disc than is permitted when the tooth is engaged with said second slot.

4. The hinge joint for a knee brace according to claim 3 wherein the fastening means comprises a bolt extending through the second hinge portion, the adjusting disc and the first hinge portion and a knob threadedly engaged with the bolt for maintaining engagement between the face of the first hinge portion and the first circular face of the adjusting disc and between the face of the second portion and the second circular face of the adjusting disc, and further including a bushing mounted in the second hinge portion and engaging the bolt to facilitate pivotal movement of the second hinge portion relative to the bolt.

5. The hinge joint for a knee brace according to claim 4 further characterized by:

a spring receiving aperture formed in the first hinge portion;

at least one spring receiving aperture formed in the second hinge portion;

a spring supporting bushing mounted on the bolt;

a torsion spring mounted on the spring supporting bushing and having projections extending axially from the opposite ends thereof;

one of the projections of the torsion spring engaging the spring receiving aperture of the first hinge portion and the other projection of the torsion spring engaging the spring receiving aperture of the second hinge portion.

6. The hinge joint for a knee brace according to claim 5 wherein at least one of the hinge portions has a plurality of spring receiving apertures formed therein so that the torque that is applied to the hinge joint by the torsion spring depends on the positioning of one of the projections of the torsion spring in a selected spring receiving aperture of one of the hinge portions.

7. A knee brace comprising:

a thigh plate shaped to conform to the thigh of the leg;

a calf plate shaped to conform to the calf of the leg;

said thigh plate and calf plate being positioned on the thigh and calf when the knee brace is mounted on the leg so that the center line of said thigh and calf plates lies on the mid lateral line of the leg;

a thigh stay secured to the thigh plate and extending to a first hinge portion adjacent the knee joint when positioned on the leg;

a calf stay secured to the calf plate and extending to a second hinge portion adjacent the knee joint when positioned on the leg;

said first hinge portion comprising a face including a plurality of circumferentially equally spaced teeth;

said second hinge portion comprising a face having a plurality of slots formed therein, each of said slots being characterized by a circumferential dimension which is substantially different from the circumferential dimension of the remaining slots;

an adjusting disc positioned between the first and second hinge portions and comprising first and second circular faces;

a first circular face of the adjusting disc having a plurality of circumferentially equally spaced teeth dimensioned and positioned for meshing engagement with the teeth of the face of the first hinge portion to lock the adjusting disc against pivotal movement relative to the first hinge portion;

the second circular face of the adjusting disc having a tooth formed thereon characterized by a predetermined circumferential dimension so that the engagement of the tooth of the second circular face of the adjusting disc with a predetermined slot of the second hinge portion regulates the pivotal movement of the second hinge portion relative to the adjusting disc; and

fastening means for maintaining the face of the first hinge portion in engagement with the first circular face of the adjusting disc and for maintaining the face of the second hinge portion in engagement with the second circular face of the adjusting disc.

8. The knee brace according to claim 7 wherein the slots of the face of the second hinge portion are further characterized by:

a first slot having a circumferential dimension which is substantially identical to that of the tooth of the second circular face of the adjusting disc so that engagement of the tooth with the first slot prevents pivotal movement of the second hinge portion relative to the adjusting disc;

a second slot having a circumferential dimension which is substantially greater than that of the tooth of the second circular face of the adjusting disc so that engagement of the tooth with the second slot permits a predetermined amount of pivotal movement of the second hinge portion relative to the adjusting disc; and

a third slot having a circumferential dimension which is substantially greater than that of the second slot so that engagement of the tooth of the second circular face of the adjusting disc with the third slot permits substantially greater pivotal movement of the second hinge portion relative to the adjusting disc than is permitted when the tooth is engaged with the second slot.

9. The knee brace according to claim 8 wherein each of the first and second hinge portions has at least one spring receiving aperture formed therein, and further including a torsion spring having projections extending axially from the opposite ends thereof, said projections of the torsion spring being received in the spring receiving apertures of the first and second hinge portions so that the torsion spring applies a predetermined torque to the knee brace, and wherein the fastening means also retains the projections of the torsion spring in engagement with the spring receiving apertures of the first and second hinge portions.

10. The knee brace according to claim 9 wherein the fastening means comprises:

a bolt extending through the first and second hinge portions and the adjusting disc;

a bushing mounted in the second hinge portion and engaging the bolt for pivotally supporting the second hinge portion thereon,

a spring supporting bushing mounted on the bolt;

said torsion spring being supported on the spring supporting bushing;

a knob threadedly engaging the bolt for retaining the face of the first hinge portion in engagement with the first circular face of the adjusting disc, for retaining the face of the second hinge portion in engagement with the second circular face of the adjusting disc, and for retaining the projections of the torsion spring in engagement with the spring receiving apertures of the first and second hinge portions.