Abstract:
A knee brace for use by athletes or others requiring protection and support of the knee. The knee brace includes a base and a spider member. The base is comprised of elastic material and configured to closely fit around portions of the knee and adjacent leg portions. A spider member having upper and lower pairs of tensioning straps is fastened to the interior surface of the base, with the tensioning straps extending through upper and lower apertures in the base for detachable attachment to the exterior surface of the base.

Description:
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
     This application claims priority to provisional application No. 61/770,926 filed Feb. 28, 2013, the disclosure of which is incorporated by reference. This application claims priority to provisional application No. 61/771,228 filed Mar. 1, 2013, the disclosure of which is incorporated by reference. 
    
    
     FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
     This invention relates generally to the field of articles worn by persons to reduce the likelihood, severity, or exacerbation of injury to the body, and more specifically to the field of braces worn on the knee. 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     Flexible knee braces are used by athletes and other persons engaged in vigorous physical activity to protect the knee from injury and to avoid exacerbation of existing injury. The knee is one of the most heavily used joints of the body, as it is used in any activity that involves walking or running. The knee is also a common subject of injury, due to the relatively high levels of stress it must bear. During normal ambulation, in occupations involving physical labor, and especially during strenuous sports, the knee can undergo abnormal motions as a result of quick changes in direction, fatigue, uneven surfaces, or impacts. These abnormal motions can cause sprains or more serious injuries, including dislocation, stretching, or tearing of the tissues that make up the knee. 
     Several different types of abnormal motion can cause injury to the knee. First, hyperextension of the knee joint can occur, wherein the knee flexes in its normal front to back fashion but beyond its normal range of motion. A second type of abnormal motion is axial rotation, wherein the lower leg is twisted rotationally relative to the thigh about the knee joint. A third type of abnormal motion is lateral flexure of the lower leg relative to the thigh, wherein the knee joint flexes from side to side instead of the normal front to back motion. In addition, abnormal motion of the patella (kneecap) can result in injuries such as chondromalacia patella, which is a softening or degeneration of the undersurface of the patella, and dislocation of the patella, also known as subluxation of the patella. 
     Devices to protect the knee against abnormal motions have been used for many years, in a variety of specific embodiments which vary in their abilities to protect against the different types of abnormal motions. Besides protecting the knee against abnormal motions, the devices sometimes provide additional benefits such as insulating the knee to keep it warm, protecting the knee against impact, or compressing the knee to reduce discomfort. However, the protections afforded by these devices against abnormal motion are often accompanied by a reduction in range or ease of normal motion. These devices can also have other undesirable aspects such as added weight on the leg, potential for self-injury or injury to others caused by rigid components, difficulty of application and removal, cost, appearance, and irritation or chafing of the skin. 
     For these reasons, there has long been motivation to find an improved knee brace which can protect the knee from abnormal motions without affecting the range or ease of normal motion, while avoiding the undesirable aspects of prior art devices. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     In a preferred embodiment, a knee brace according to the present invention includes a base and a spider member having pairs of upper and lower tensioning straps, wherein the spider member is permanently fastened to the interior surface of the base. 
     According to another aspect of the invention, a knee brace according to the present invention includes a base and a spider member having pairs of upper and lower tensioning straps, wherein the spider member is permanently fastened to the base by a plurality of stitches through the mid-line axes of the base and spider member. 
     According to another aspect of the invention, a knee brace according to the present invention includes a base with pairs of upper and lower apertures, and a spider member positioned between the base and the leg of the person when worn and having pairs of upper and lower tensioning straps, wherein the tensioning straps extend through the apertures in the base when the brace is worn. 
     Further objects, features, and advantages of the invention will be apparent from the following detailed description when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       In the drawings: 
         FIG. 1A  is a plan view of a prior art knee brace, laid flat to expose the exterior surface of the brace; 
         FIG. 1B  is a plan view of the prior art knee brace of  FIG. 1A , laid flat to expose the interior surface of the brace; 
         FIG. 2A  is a plan view of a knee brace according to the present invention, laid flat to expose the exterior surface of the brace; 
         FIG. 2B  is a plan view of the knee brace of  FIG. 2A , laid flat to expose the interior surface of the brace; 
         FIG. 3A  is a front view of the knee brace of  FIGS. 2A-2B , applied to the leg of a person with the base mounting straps fastened, but with the spider straps unfastened; 
         FIG. 3B  is a front view of the knee brace of  FIGS. 2A-2B , applied to the leg of a person with the base mounting straps fastened, and with the spider straps fastened as well; 
         FIG. 4A  is a side view of the knee brace of  FIGS. 2A-2B , applied to the leg of a person with the base mounting straps fastened, but with the spider straps unfastened; and 
         FIG. 4B  is a side view of the knee brace of  FIGS. 2A-2B , applied to the leg of a person with the base mounting straps fastened, and with the spider straps fastened as well. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
     Referring to the drawings,  FIGS. 1A and 1B  show a prior art knee brace  20 , similar to the design taught in U.S. Pat. No. 5,472,413, the contents of which are hereby incorporated by reference. The prior art knee brace  20  includes a base member  22  and a spider member  24 , each made by cutting planar sheets  26  of an elastomeric material into the desired shapes. The exterior surface  31  of the base member  22  is preferably covered with fabric bearing fiber loops  28  that adheres to hook-type material when the fiber loops and hook-type material are pressed together. 
     The base  22  of the prior art knee brace  20  has a base central portion  30  extending vertically from an upper edge  36  to a lower edge  38 , and has a mid-line axis  40  running vertically down the middle of base central portion  30 . The base  22  includes a first upper mounting strap  32 A, a second upper mounting strap  32 B, a first lower mounting strap  34 A, and a base second lower mounting strap  34 B extending from the central portion  30 . 
     As perhaps best shown in  FIG. 1B  which shows the interior surface  39  of the base  22 , the first upper mounting strap  32 A and first lower mounting strap  34 A terminate in hook-type strap fastening tabs  46  suitable for detachable attachment to the fabric bearing fiber loops  28  on the exterior surface  31  of the base member  22 . The strap fastening tabs  46  are sewn to the mounting straps with stitches  48 . 
     The base also has a kneecap opening  52  to receive the kneecap when the brace is worn, it may be formed to include a recess  74  to prevent bunching when the brace is worn, and the base preferably includes edge binding  76 , although none of these features are required. 
     As perhaps best shown in  FIG. 1A  which shows the exterior surface  31  of the base  22 , the prior art knee brace  20  includes a spider member  24 . The spider member  24  has a spider member central portion  54  extending vertically from an upper edge  56  to a lower edge  58 , and has a mid-line axis  60  running vertically down the middle of the spider member central portion  54 . The spider member  24  is permanently attached to the exterior surface  31  of the base  22  by stitches  72  that extend around the periphery of the spider member central portion  54 . 
     The spider member  24  includes a first upper tensioning strap  62 A, a second upper tensioning strap  62 B, a first lower tensioning strap  64 A, and a second lower tensioning strap  64 B extending from the central portion  54 . Each of the tensioning straps  62 A,  62 B,  64 A,  64 B terminates in hook-type fastening tabs  66  suitable for detachable attachment to the fabric  28  on the exterior surface of the base  22  and sewn to the tensioning straps with stitches  68 . The spider member  24  also has a kneecap opening  70  to receive the kneecap when the brace is worn. 
       FIGS. 2A and 2B  show exterior and interior plan views, respectively, of a knee brace  120  according to the present invention laid flat. The knee brace  120  includes a base member  122  and a spider member  124 , each made by cutting planar sheets  126  of an elastomeric material into the desired shapes. The outer surface of the base member  122  is preferably covered with fabric bearing fiber loops  128  that adheres to hook-type material when the fiber loops and hook-type material are pressed together. 
     The base  122  of the knee brace  120  has a base central portion  130  extending vertically from an upper edge  136  to a lower edge  138 , and has a mid-line axis  140  running vertically down the middle of base central portion  130 . The base  122  includes a first upper mounting strap  132 A, a second upper mounting strap  132 B, a first lower mounting strap  134 A, and a base second lower mounting strap  134 B extending from the central portion  130 . 
     As perhaps best shown in  FIG. 2B  which shows the interior surface  139  of the base  122 , the first upper mounting strap  132 A and first lower mounting strap  134 A terminate in hook-type strap fastening tabs  146  suitable for detachable attachment to the fabric bearing fiber loops  128  on the external surface  131  of the base  122 . The hook-type strap fastening tabs  146  are sewn to the mounting straps with stitches  148 . 
     As best shown in  FIGS. 4A and 4B , when the base  122  of the knee brace  120  is applied to the leg of a person, the first upper mounting strap  132 A overlaps the second upper mounting strap  132 B at the rear of the leg, allowing the hook-type fastening tab  146  at the end of the first upper mounting strap  132 A to adhere to the fabric bearing fiber loops  128  on the exterior surface of the second upper mounting strap  132 B in order to fasten the knee brace  120  about the upper leg  142  of the wearer. Similarly, the first lower mounting strap  134 A overlaps and adheres to the second lower mounting strap  134 B at the rear of the leg in order to fasten the knee brace  120  about the lower leg  144  of the wearer. 
     The base  122  also preferably has a kneecap opening  152  to receive the patella (kneecap) when the brace is worn. The kneecap opening  152  can match the size of the kneecap, so that the kneecap of the wearer extends from the kneecap opening  152  when the brace  120  is worn, although this is not necessary. The kneecap opening  152  is preferably circular in shape, but this is not necessary and other shapes such as a diamond, oval, rectangle, or square shape may be used. In addition to providing direct patella stabilization, the kneecap opening  152  may help to locate the brace  120  with respect to the kneecap during application of the brace  120 . 
     The base  122  may be formed to include a recess  174  between the upper mounting straps  132 A,  132 B and the lower mounting straps  134 A,  134 B, so that when the knee brace  120  is fitted upon the leg the gaps on each side form an opening at the rear of the knee, although this is not required. The recess  174  can help to avoid chafing, it can provide ventilation, and it can help avoid bunching or undue restriction of movement. 
     The base  122  is preferably formed, as shown in  FIGS. 2A-2B , as a reclosable sleeve made from a sheet of elastic material that provides generalized support and compression to the knee area, along with therapeutic warming, but other materials may be used. The base  122  may also be formed, for example, as a tubular elastic sleeve shaped to fit snugly about the knee and adjacent leg portions. The base preferably includes edge binding  176 , although none of these features are required. 
     As perhaps best shown in  FIG. 2B  which shows the interior surface  139  of the base  122 , the knee brace  120  includes a spider member  124 . The spider member  124  has a spider member central portion  154  extending vertically from an upper edge  156  to a lower edge  158 , and has a mid-line axis  160  running vertically down the middle of the spider member central portion  154 . The central portion  154  of the spider member  124  is permanently attached to the interior surface  139  of the base  122  by stitches  171  that extend along the mid-line axis  160  of the spider member central portion  54 . 
     The spider member  124  includes a first upper tensioning strap  162 A, a second upper tensioning strap  162 B, a first lower tensioning strap  164 A, and a second lower tensioning strap  164 B extending from the central portion  154 . Each of the tensioning straps  162 A,  162 B,  164 A,  164 B terminates in hook-type fastening tabs  166  suitable for detachable attachment to the fabric bearing fiber loops  128  on the exterior surface of the base  122  and sewn to the tensioning straps with stitches  168 . The spider member  124  also has a kneecap opening  170  to receive the kneecap when the brace is worn. 
     While there are some similarities between the prior art knee brace  20  and a knee brace  120  according to the present invention, there are (without limitation) at least three important differences. First, the spider member  24  of the prior art knee brace  20  is fastened to the exterior surface  31  of the base  22 . In contrast, the spider member  124  of the knee brace  120  according to the present invention is fastened to the interior surface  139  of the base  122 . 
     Second, the spider member  24  of the prior art knee brace  20  is fastened to the base  22  by stitches  72  that extend around the periphery of the spider member central portion  54 . In contrast, the spider member  124  of the knee brace  120  is fastened to the base  122  by stitches  171  that extend along the mid-line axis  160  of the spider member central portion  54 . 
     Third, both the central portion  54  and the tensioning straps  62 A,  62 B,  64 A,  64 B of the spider member  24  of the prior art knee brace  20  are on the exterior surface  31  of the base  22  during normal use. In contrast, in the knee brace  120  the central portion  154  of the spider member  124  is on the interior surface  139  of the base  122 , and the tensioning straps  162 A,  162 B,  164 A, and  164 B extend through apertures  133 A,  133 B,  135 A,  135 B to reach the exterior surface  131  of the base  122 . 
     There are various possibilities with regard to alternative embodiments of a knee brace according to the invention. 
     Although in a preferred embodiment the knee brace includes a base which is formed as a reclosable sleeve made from a sheet of elastic material, this is not required. For example, the base may also be formed of a tubular elastic sleeve shaped to fit snugly about the knee and adjacent leg portions. The base does not need to include a kneecap opening, and the kneecap opening, if present, could have a variety of shapes, e.g. circular, square, rectangular, elliptical, diamond, trapezoidal, or any substantial equivalent. All such alternative embodiments will be referred to herein as a base. 
     Although in a preferred embodiment the lateral sides of the base each terminate in upper and lower fastening straps, with a side recess between the upper and lower fastening straps, this is not required. For example, the sides of the base, or portions thereof, could be straight. 
     Although in a preferred embodiment the base is detachably fastened about the leg of the wearer using hook and loop material of the type which adheres when pressed together, this is not required. For example, other fasteners such as buttons, clasps, buckles, pins, zippers, straps, buttons or other substantial equivalents may be substituted for the hook and loop type fastener material. 
     Although in a preferred embodiment, various components are permanently fastened together using stitches, this is not required. For example, other means such as glue, thermal bonding, or other substantial equivalents could be used. 
     One or more upright support members may be provided on one side, or on both sides, of the base of the knee brace, to provide support and protect the knee against abnormal motions, although this is not required. The upright support members may be formed, for example, by placing a resilient stay member in an elongated side pocket. The resilient stay members may be comprised of a flattened spiral core of stainless steel or other flexible material of conventional construction commonly used in various types of braces. 
     The elongate side pocket may be formed, for example, between vertical sewn seams that fix a side pocket cover strip to the base. The side pocket cover strip may be made of the same elastic sheet material as the base, although this is not necessary. Edge binding may be fastened to the edges of the side pocket cover strips, although this is not necessary. 
     The exact number, location, and construction of the upright support members may vary if provided. For example, there may be a single elongated side pocket forming only one upright support member, or there may be one or more elongated side pockets on each side of the knee with a resilient stay in each elongated side pocket. The elongated side pockets may be openable at one end to allow removal of the resilient stays, so that the brace may be washed or so that different resilient stays may be inserted to adjust the amount and type of support provided. The upright support members may include mechanical hinges, plastic rods, metal rods, narrow strips of reinforcing sheet material, or other substantial equivalents, or a combination of these various alternatives. 
     Advantageously, the external surface of the front of a knee brace according to the invention does not bear any structure, and can be smooth except for any stitches that secure the spider member to the inside of the base. The smooth external surface can be maintained, for example to provide an attractive and clean appearance that will not snag or obstruct motion during use. Alternatively other structures such as thick knee pads for use in contact sports like football or in trades like concrete or floor tile work, or slippery material for use in sports like volleyball, could be positioned on the external surface for particular applications. 
     It is understood that the invention is not confined to the embodiments set forth herein as illustrative, but embraces all such forms thereof that come within the scope of the following claims.