Patent ID: 8057414
Filing Date: 2011-11-15
Classification: A61F

Abstract:
1. A double upright member knee brace for treating osteoarthritis of a patient's knee, the knee brace comprising: a) a lateral polycentric hinge and a medial unicentric hinge positioned laterally and medially respectively, adjacent a knee joint affected by osteoarthritis, the lateral polycentric hinge attached at a lower portion to a lateral upright member integral with a shin cuff adapted to be circumscribable about a patient's lower leg, an upper arm of the lateral polycentric hinge attached to a thigh cuff, adapted to be circumscribable about a patient's thigh, b) the lateral polycentric hinge having a slotted plate with an upper first star gear rigidly attached to a back of the slotted plate, a second star gear movably attached at the back of the slotted plate by a transverse shaft through the slot, multiple threaded holes spaced apart and adjacent a front edge of the slotted plate, at least one corresponding block insertable within at least one of the threaded holes and an elastic band positioned on a front portion of the at least one corresponding block with a lower and upper fulcrum point terminating ends of the elastic band on an outside surface of the polycentric hinge, c) the lateral upright member, the polycentric hinge and the upper arm of the lateral polycentric hinge all defining a first lateral upright of the double upright member knee brace; and d) the medial hinge having an upper arm attached to the thigh cuff circumscribable about the patient's thigh and a bottom end attached to an integral upright member of the shin cuff circumscribable about the patient's lower leg, the integral upright member of the shin cuff, the medial hinge bottom end, the unicentric hinge and the upper arm of the medial unicentric hinge all defining a second medial upright of the double upright member knee brace.