Patent ID: 6402713
Filing Date: 2002-06-11
Classification: A61F

Abstract:
A knee join orthosis for supporting the tibia and femur while allowing the knee to perform movements involving displacement in sliding, rotating, tilting and lifting of the femur, when in use, comprising:an upper cuff adapted to be secured around the upper leg above a knee, said upper cuff defining front and side portions; a lower cuff adapted to be secured around the lower leg below a knee, said lower cuff defining front and side portions; upper attachment members secured on said upper cuff adjacent to either side of said knee when in use; lower attachment members connected to said lower cuff adjacent to either side of the knee when in use; swingable linkage members connected to said upper attachment members on either side of said respective cuff, by first pivotal connection members; lower connecting members secured to said swingable linkage members by second pivotal members adjacent either side of said knee when in use, and said second pivotal members defining a pivot axis, linear bearing members movably connected between said lower attachment members on said lower cuff on either side of said knee when in use, and said lower connecting members, said linear bearing members being adapted to permit movement of one of said upper and lower cuffs towards and away from the other of said upper and lower cuffs, thereby enabling free movement of said knee when in use both as to displacement and as tilting and twisting and rotation, wherein said linear bearing members define respective bearing axes, and wherein said linear bearing members are located offset rearwardly from said pivot axis of said second pivotal members, and strapping members being attached to said upper cuff and to said lower cuff by which the orthosis can be held to the leg when in use, and wherein said lower connecting member on one side of said orthosis defines a generally S-shaped bend to adapt to the shape of the lower leg when in use while allowing said linear bearing member to function accordingly and with parallelism to said linear bearing member on the opposite side of sad knee when in use.