Knee brace
First Claim
1. A knee brace, comprising:
- a femoral cuff having opposed sides and being adapted to mount onto the thigh of a patient;
a tibial cuff having opposed sides and being adapted to mount onto the calf of a patient;
a pair of linkage means for interconnecting said femoral cuff and said tibial cuff, each of said linkage means having a first link element mounted to one side of said femoral cuff and a second link element mounted to one side of said tibial cuff;
a pair of hinge means for pivotally connecting said first and second link elements of each of said linkage means, each of said hinge means having a hinge axis which is not aligned with the flexion-extension axis of the knee during at least some portion of the range of motion of the knee with the knee brace mounted to the leg of a patient;
mounting means, cooperating with said femoral cuff and said tibial cuff, for causing a brace force to be applied to the lower leg of the patient having a force component which resists anterior or posterior movement of the lower leg relative to the upper leg of the patient;
slider means associated with said second link element of each said linkage means for permitting axial movement of at least a portion of said second link element relative to the tibia along an axis substantially parallel to the longitudinal axis of the tibia with the knee brace mounted to the leg of the patient, said slider means substantially preventing a force component of said brace force from acting along said longitudinal axis of said tibia.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A knee brace for preventing abnormal anterior or posterior movement, and abnormal internal or external rotations, of the tibia relative to the femur includes a femoral cuff adapted for attachment to the thigh, a tibial cuff adapted for attachment to the calf and a pair of linkage assemblies interconnecting the cuffs. Each linkage assembly comprises a pair of link elements pivotally connected to one another, one of which is mounted to the femoral cuff and the other of which is slidable relative to the tibial cuff along an axis substantially parallel to the longitudinal axis of the tibia of the leg of a patient to prevent forces from being applied to the knee by the brace except in the anterior-posterior direction. The location of the hinge axis of the brace is adjustable relative to the flexion axis of the knee to impose an anterior or posterior force of variable magnitude on the tibia depending upon the ligament injury or deficiency.
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Citations
23 Claims
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1. A knee brace, comprising:
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a femoral cuff having opposed sides and being adapted to mount onto the thigh of a patient; a tibial cuff having opposed sides and being adapted to mount onto the calf of a patient; a pair of linkage means for interconnecting said femoral cuff and said tibial cuff, each of said linkage means having a first link element mounted to one side of said femoral cuff and a second link element mounted to one side of said tibial cuff; a pair of hinge means for pivotally connecting said first and second link elements of each of said linkage means, each of said hinge means having a hinge axis which is not aligned with the flexion-extension axis of the knee during at least some portion of the range of motion of the knee with the knee brace mounted to the leg of a patient; mounting means, cooperating with said femoral cuff and said tibial cuff, for causing a brace force to be applied to the lower leg of the patient having a force component which resists anterior or posterior movement of the lower leg relative to the upper leg of the patient; slider means associated with said second link element of each said linkage means for permitting axial movement of at least a portion of said second link element relative to the tibia along an axis substantially parallel to the longitudinal axis of the tibia with the knee brace mounted to the leg of the patient, said slider means substantially preventing a force component of said brace force from acting along said longitudinal axis of said tibia. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9)
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10. The knee brace of claim 24 in which said slider means associated with each of said second link elements comprises:
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a cam mounted to said first link element, said cam being formed with a circumferential groove in its peripheral edge; a bar having a distal end pivotally mounted to said tibial cuff, and a proximal end slidable along said circumferential groove in said peripheral edge of said cam; an arm pivotally mounted at one end to said cam, said arm having an opposite end which engages said bar to retain said bar within said circumferential groove. - View Dependent Claims (11, 12)
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13. A knee brace, comprising:
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a femoral cuff having opposed sides and being adapted to mount onto the thigh of a patient; a tibial cuff having opposed sides and being adapted to mount onto the calf of a patient; a pair of linkage means for interconnecting said femoral cuff and said tibial cuff, each of said linkage means having a femoral link element and having a tibial link element mounted to one side of said tibial cuff; a pair of hinge means for pivotally connected said femoral link element and said tibial link element of each said linkage means, each of said hinge means having a hinge axis; means for mounting said femoral link element of each of said linkage means to one side of said femoral cuff, said means permitting misalignment of the position of said hinge axis of said hinge means with respect to the flexion-extension axis of the knee with the brace mounted to the leg of a patient along an axis generally perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the tibia when the knee is at 0°
flexion;mounting means, cooperating with said femoral cuff and said tibial cuff, said causing a brace force to be applied to the lower leg of the patient having a force component which resists anterior or posterior movement of the lower leg relative to the upper leg of the patient; slider means associated with said second link element of each said linkage means for permitting axial movement of at least a portion of said second link element relative to the tibia along an axis substantially parallel to the longitudinal axis of the tibia with the knee brace mounted to the leg of the patient, said slider means substantially preventing a force component of said brace force from acting along said longitudinal axis of said tibia. - View Dependent Claims (14, 15, 16)
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17. A knee brace, comprising:
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a femoral cuff having opposed sides and being adapted to mount onto the thigh of a patient; a tibial cuff having opposed sides and being adapted to mount onto the calf of a patient; a pair of linkage means for interconnecting said femoral cuff and said tibial cuff, each of said linkage means including a femoral link element having a proximal end anda distal end, and a tibial link element having a proximal end and a distal end; a pair of hinge means for pivotally interconnecting said distal end of said femoral link element and said proximal end of said tibial link element of each said linkage means, each of said hinge means having a hinge axis; means for mounting said proximal end of said femoral link element of each said linkage means to one side of said femoral cuff; means associated with said femoral link element of each said linkage means for varying the position of said hinge axis of said hinge means in a direction toward or away from said femoral cuff; means associated with said tibial link element of each said linkage means for varying the position of said proximal end of said tibial link elements along an axis substantially perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the tibia; mounting means, cooperating with said femoral cuff and said tibial cuff, for causing a brace force to be applied to the lower leg of the patient having a force component which resists anterior or posterior movement of the lower leg relative to the upper leg of the patient; slider means associated with said second link element of each said linkage means for permitting axial movement of at least a portion of said second link element relative to the tibia along an axis substantially parallel to the longitudinal axis of the tibia with the knee brace mounted to the leg of the patient, said slider means substantially preventing a force component of said brace force from acting along said longitudinal axis of said tibia. - View Dependent Claims (18, 19, 20, 21)
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22. A knee brace, comprising:
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a femoral cuff adapted to mount onto the thigh of a patient; a tibial cuff adapted to mount onto the calf of a patient; linkage means for interconnecting said femoral cuff and said tibial cuff, said linkage means having a first link element mounted to said femoral cuff and a second link element mounted to said femoral cuff; hinge means for pivotally connected said first and second link elements of said linkage means, said hinge means having a hinge axis which is not aligned with the flexion-extension axis of the knee during at least some portion of the range of motion of the knee with the knee brace mounted to the leg of a patient; mounting means, cooperating with said femoral cuff and said tibial cuff, for causing a brace force to be applied to the lower leg of a patient having a force component which resists anterior or posterior movement of the lower leg relative to the upper leg of the patient; slider means associated with said second link element of each said linkage means for permitting axial movement of at least a portion of said second link element relative to the tibia along an axis substantially parallel to the longitudinal axis of the tibia with the knee brace mounted to the leg of the patient, said slider means substantially preventing a force component of said brace force from acting along said longitudinal axis of said tibia.
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23. A knee brace, comprising:
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a femoral cuff having opposed sides and being adapted to mount onto the thigh of a patient; a tibial cuff having opposed sides and being adapted to mount onto the calf of a patient; a pair of linkage means for interconnecting said femoral cuff and said tibial cuff, each of said linkage means having a femoral link element, and a tibial link element mounted to one side of said tibial cuff; a pair of hinge means for pivotally connecting said femoral and tibial link elements of each of said linkage means, each of said hinge means having a hinge axis; means for mounting said femoral link element of each of said linkage means to one side of said femoral cuff, said means permitting variation of the position of said hinge axis of said hinge means along an axis generally perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the tibia with the brace mounted to the leg of the patient and when the knee is at 0°
of flexion;mounting means, cooperating with said femoral cuff and said tibial cuff, for causing a brace force to be applied to the lower leg of the patient having a force component which resists anterior or posterior movement of the lower leg relative to the upper leg of the patient; slider means associated with said second link element of each said linkage means for permitting axial movement of at least a portion of said second link element relative to the tibia along an axis substantially parallel to the longitudinal axis of the tibia with the knee brace mounted to the leg of the patient, said slider means substantially preventing a force component of said brace force from acting along said longitudinal axis of said tibia.
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Specification