Patent ID: 9610103
Date: 2017-04-04
CPC Classifications: A61B

Claim:
1. An apparatus for controlling the load on articular cartilage of a knee joint, the apparatus comprising: a first fixation assembly for attachment to a first bone of the knee joint; a second fixation assembly for attachment to a second bone of the knee joint; and a link assembly including a biasing structure, a first pivot having at least two degrees of rotational freedom, a second pivot, and a rigid central shaft defining an axis, the first and second pivots being axially displaceable along the shaft, the link assembly being coupled to the first fixation assembly by the first pivot and coupled to the second fixation assembly by the second pivot; wherein the first and second fixation assemblies are angularly displaceable relative to the link assembly to allow relatively full mobility of the knee joint in the at least two degrees of freedom when mounted thereto, and wherein the link assembly controls the load on the articular cartilage during articulation of the knee joint while the first and second pivots are freely pivotable during articulation of the knee joint.