Patent ID: 7608051
Filing Date: 2009-10-27
Classification: A61F

Abstract:
1. An offset double upright knee brace for treating osteoarthritis comprising: 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 rigid shin cuff adapted to be circumscribable about a patient's anterior lower leg, an upper arm of the lateral polycentric hinge attached to a semi-rigid thigh cuff, adapted to be aligned with a back of a patient's thigh, the lateral polycentric hinge having a slotted plate with an upper first star gear rigidly attached to a back of the slotted plate, and 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, corresponding blocks insertable in the threaded holes with an elastic band positioned on a front portion of the blocks with a lower and upper fulcrum point terminating ends of the elastic band on an outside surface of the polycentric hinge, 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 knee brace; the medial hinge having an upper arm attached to the thigh cuff, the upper arm of the unicentric hinge being longer than the upper arm of the lateral polycentric hinge, the medial hinge having a bottom end attached to an integral upright member of the rigid shin cuff around the lower leg, the medial hinge having an extension and a flexion setting on a central plate, the integral upright member of the rigid 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 knee brace; and the brace offset configuration resulting from the semi-rigid thigh cuff having one side positioned at a height higher than its opposed side, such that the semi-rigid thigh cuff and the rigid shin cuff have different horizontal axis and wherein the upper arm of the unicentric hinge is angled backwardly from a vertical axis of the second medial upright.