Patent ID: 9393147
Filing Date: 2016-07-19
CPC Classification: A61F

Claim Text:
1. A bandage for knee joints comprising: an elastic textile tubular stocking, an elastic profiled insert arranged in the elastic textile tubular stocking, wherein the elastic profiled insert comprises an annular window or material reduction that encompasses at least a lateral (fibula-side) section of a patella of a knee joint, and at least one flexible, inelastic tensile strap that extends generally a longitudinal direction of the bandage around the knee joint and is guided laterally in the elastic profiled insert, wherein: the longitudinal direction extends between a portion above the knee joint and a portion below the knee joint; the elastic textile tubular stocking includes at least one upper anchoring point and at least one lower anchoring point; the at least one flexible, inelastic tensile strap is a continuous single-piece extending from an upper end above the knee joint to a lower end below the knee joint; the upper end of the at least one flexible, inelastic tensile strap is attached to the at least one upper anchoring point and, when the bandage is worn, the upper end is located above the knee joint on a first side of the patella; the lower end of the at least one flexible, inelastic tensile strap is attached to the at least one lower anchoring point and, when the bandage is worn, is located below the knee joint on the first side of the patella; when the bandage is worn, a central portion of the at least one flexible, inelastic tensile strap curves around a second side of the patella that is opposite the first side of the patella such that the at least one flexible, inelastic tensile strap applies a centering force to the patella due to the upper and lower anchoring points moving apart when the knee joint is bent; an effective length of the at least one flexible, inelastic tensile strap is adjustable at one or both of the anchoring points in order to control the centering force applied by the at least one flexible, inelastic tensile strap; the at least one flexible, inelastic tensile strap passes through at least one penetration to exit an inside of the elastic textile tubular stocking to its outside; the at least one flexible, inelastic tensile strap extends inside a cushioning cover arranged between the elastic profiled insert and the patella; and either the at least one flexible, inelastic tensile strap is guided in a gliding channel arranged within the elastic profiled insert or the at least one flexible, inelastic tensile strap is welded, adhered to, or sewn to the cushioning cover.