Abstract:
The knee support relates to a device for stabilizing movement of the patella and providing lateral support to a knee joint, and in particular, to a knee support device having independently adjustable openings at opposing ends thereof, wherein the adjustable openings accommodate various sized legs and permit a user to independently adjust the compression acting on the proximal and distal sections of the knee joint.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0001]    The invention relates to a device for stabilizing movement of the patella and providing lateral support to a knee joint. In particular, the invention relates to a knee support device having independently adjustable openings at opposing ends thereof, wherein the adjustable openings accommodate various sized legs and permit a user to independently adjust the compression acting on proximal and distal zones of the knee. 
         [0002]    The knee is one of the most overworked joints in the body. An individual uses the knee joint over one million times per year. As a result of such use, the knee is one of the most injured joints in the body. The knee is more vulnerable to injury because it is one of the most mobile and flexible joints. The more mobile a joint, the less stable the joint; thus, the more vulnerable it is to injury. 
         [0003]    The knee is kept in alignment by ligaments and tendons. The ligaments connect the bones and provide stability to joints. There are four main ligaments in the knee joint—anterior cruciate ligament (ACL), the posterior cruciate ligament (PCL), the medial collateral ligament (MCL), and lateral collateral ligament (LCL). 
         [0004]    The knee also includes the patellar tendon and the quadriceps tendon. These tendons are connected to the patella. The patellar tendon—located below the patella—is a ropelike structure that connects the bottom of the patella to the top of the tibia. The quadriceps tendon is located above the patella. 
         [0005]    The patella slides up and down in a groove in the femur that is referred to as the femoral trochlea or trochlear groove as the knee bends and straightens. Movement of the patella outside of the trochlear groove can result in a subluxation when the patella moves partially out of and back into the groove, or a total patellar dislocation when the patella moves completely out of the groove and remains so. 
         [0006]    Patellar subluxations are referred to as mild dislocations. Typically, the patella dislocates or subluxes laterally. One or more patellar subluxations or dislocations may cause the knee to feel unstable. This type of problem is referred to as patellar instability. This instability occurs because the muscles and ligaments are unable to keep the patella in the trochlear groove. Dislocation is the most severe form of patellar instability. Thus there is a need for a support device that is capable of stabilizing patellar movement and restricting movement of the patella out of the trochlear groove, while providing enhanced adjustability. 
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0007]    The invention  10  comprises in one embodiment a flexible sleeve  11  defining at least one opening  12 , first and second openings  13 ,  14  defined by opposing ends of the sleeve, vertical slits  15 ,  16  defined by proximal and distal sections of the sleeve, first and second tensioning flaps  20 ,  21  extending laterally from opposing ends of the sleeve, stiffening members  22 ,  23  having an upper part  22   a,    23   a  and a lower part  22   b,    23   b  connected at a pivot point  24 , a padded buttress  25  removably attachable to a side of the opening  12 , and corresponding fasteners  30 ,  32  positioned on the sleeve and tensioning straps for securing the sleeve to a knee. The tensioning flaps  20 ,  21  extend across a minimal portion of the front of the sleeve  11  proximal and distal of the knee. Advantageously, the first and second openings  13 ,  14  are independently adjustable to accommodate various sized legs and to permit a user to adjust the compression acting on the knee joint. The invention also includes an adjustable proximal zone  33 , a fixed (or non-adjustable) intermediate or central zone  34 , and an adjustable distal zone  35 . The first and second openings  13 ,  14  are located in the proximal and distal zones  33 ,  35  (with respect to the intermediate or central zone  34  of the sleeve  11  surrounding the knee joint) and are independently adjustable to accommodate various sized legs in the zones. The positioning of the zones  33 ,  35  (i.e., proximal and distal relative to the central zone  34 ) fundamentally relates to the uniqueness of the invention in that most importantly and foremost, appropriate compression can be provided via proper device sizing specifically for the central knee joint zone. Subsequently the proximal and distal zones  33 ,  35  can be independently adjusted to accommodate the typically widely varied human anatomies (for a given central zone size) above and below the knee joint. 
         [0008]    In another embodiment, the invention may include at least one tensioning strap (e.g., first and second tensioning straps  37 ,  38 ) that extends circumferentially around the sleeve  11  proximal and distal of the knee. The tensioning straps  37 ,  38  and tensioning flaps  21 ,  22  are secured to the sleeve  11  at one end. 
         [0009]    Advantageously, the invention  10  bears weight during both flexion and extension of the knee. Normal use of the invention  10  also accommodates stress and strain associated with rotation and lateral forces. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING 
         [0010]    The foregoing and other objects and advantages of the invention and the manner in which the same are accomplished will become clearer based on the following detailed description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawing in which various embodiments of the invention are depicted. 
           [0011]      FIG. 1  is a partial cross-sectional side view of one embodiment of the invention; 
           [0012]      FIG. 2  is a partial cross-sectional front view of one embodiment of the invention; 
           [0013]      FIG. 3  is a rear view of one embodiment of the invention; 
           [0014]      FIG. 4  is a partial top plan view of one embodiment of the invention taken along line  4 - 4  of  FIG. 2 ; 
           [0015]      FIG. 5  is a partial top plan view of one embodiment of the invention taken along line  5 - 5  of  FIG. 2 ; 
           [0016]      FIG. 6  is a partial enlarged side view of a portion of one embodiment of the present invention; 
           [0017]      FIG. 7  is a partial enlarged front view of a portion of one embodiment of the present invention taken along line  7 - 7  of  FIG. 6 ; 
           [0018]      FIG. 8  is a partial enlarged cross-sectional front view of one embodiment of the present invention; 
           [0019]      FIG. 9  is a top plan view of a support member of one embodiment of the invention; and 
           [0020]      FIG. 10  is a partial cross-sectional front view of another embodiment of the invention. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
       [0021]    The present invention will now be described more fully hereinafter with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which a preferred embodiment of the invention is shown. This invention may, however, be embodied in many different forms and should not be construed as limited to the embodiments set forth herein. Rather, these embodiments are provided so that this disclosure will be thorough and complete, and will fully convey the scope of the invention to those skilled in the art. Like numbers refer to like elements throughout. 
         [0022]    The invention  10  comprises in one embodiment a flexible sleeve  11  defining at least one opening  12  between opposing ends of the sleeve, first and second openings  13 ,  14  defined by opposing ends of the sleeve, first and second vertical slits  15 ,  16  defined by proximal and distal sections of the sleeve, first and second tensioning flaps  20 ,  21  extending laterally from opposing ends of the sleeve, first and second stiffening members  22 ,  23  having an upper part and a lower part connected at a pivot point  24 , a padded buttress  25  removably attachable to at least one side of the patellar opening  12 , and corresponding fasteners  30 ,  32  positioned on the sleeve and tensioning straps for securing the sleeve to a knee. The flexible sleeve may be formed from an elastomeric material. In one embodiment, the first and second tensioning flaps  20 ,  21  include free ends  28  that extend across and are releasably secured to a front portion of the sleeve. In another embodiment, the invention  10  includes tensioning straps  37 ,  38  that extend circumferentially around the sleeve  11  proximal and distal of the knee, and are releasably secured to a side portion of the sleeve. In both embodiments, the first and second tensioning flaps  20 ,  21  and first and second tensioning straps  37 ,  38  may be formed at least in part from an elastic material. 
         [0023]    The flexible sleeve  11  has an interior and exterior surface  17 ,  18 . The exterior surface  17  includes fasteners  30  for removably attaching at least a portion of the first and second tensioning flaps  20 ,  21  (and optionally the first and second tensioning straps  37 ,  38 ) to the sleeve. The interior surface  18  also includes fasteners  30  for removably attaching at least a portion of the padded buttress  25  to the sleeve. The fasteners  30  may include loops for engaging hooks secured to other portions of the device. 
         [0024]    The opening  12  positioned between opposing ends of the sleeve  11  is configured to receive the patella of the knee when the device is placed on the leg and knee joint. 
         [0025]    The first and second openings  13 ,  14  at opposing ends of the sleeve  11  are configured to receive portions of the leg and knee joint. The openings  13 ,  14  are adjustable to accommodate various sized legs and permit a user to adjust the compression acting on the knee joint (e.g., diameter L or D L  and diameter S or D S  may vary as depicted in  FIG. 2 ). In novel fashion, the openings  13 ,  14  are rendered adjustable by first and second vertical slits  15 ,  16  defined by proximal and distal zones or sections  33 ,  35  of the sleeve. It will be understood that the device may include one or more vertical slits  15 ,  16 . The vertical slits  15 ,  16  extend the length of at least a portion of the flexible sleeve  11  and are vertically offset from one another. Stated differently, the slits  15 ,  16  are offset with respect to one another as defined by a vertical axis extending the length of the sleeve. 
         [0026]    The first and second tensioning flaps  21 ,  21  extend laterally from the proximal and distal ends of the flexible sleeve  11 . The first and second tensioning flaps  20 ,  21  are secured to the flexible sleeve  11  substantially adjacent to the first and second slits  15 ,  16 . In other words, the first and second tensioning flaps  20 ,  21  are secured substantially adjacent to opposing edges of the first and second slits  15 ,  16 , respectively. Accordingly, the tensioning flaps  20 ,  21  are extended against the sleeve in opposing directions when fitted to the leg and knee, thereby enhancing a secure and adjustable fit. The first and second tensioning flaps  20 ,  21  have fasteners  32  at free ends for removably attaching at least a portion of the tensioning flaps to the flexible sleeve  11 . Likewise, the first and second tensioning straps  37 ,  38  have fasteners  32  at free ends for removably attaching at least a portion of the tensioning straps to the flexible sleeve  11 . 
         [0027]    The first and second stiffening members  22 ,  23  have an upper part  22   a,    23   a  and a lower part  22   b,    23   b  that are connected at a pivot point  24 . The first and second stiffening members  22 ,  23  are positioned against opposing sides of the flexible sleeve  11  (i.e., lateral and medial sides of the device). The stiffening members  22 ,  23  may be formed of semi-rigid plastic or similar material capable of providing lateral support to the knee joint. The stiffening members  22 ,  23  may be secured against the sleeve  11  in pockets  26  on the sleeve. The pivot point  24  permits the upper and lower parts  22   a,    23   a,    22   b,    23   b  of the stiffening members  22 ,  23  to move with the knee when the device is worn. 
         [0028]    The padded buttress  25  is removably attachable to at least one side of the patellar opening  12 . The padded buttress  25  has fasteners  31  for removably attaching at least a portion of the buttress to at least one side of the patellar opening  12 . The padded buttress  25  is substantially arcuate and concave with respect to the patellar opening  12 . 
         [0029]    The device  10  may also include at least one positioning strap  27  secured to a proximal end of the flexible sleeve  11 . The strap or straps  27  provide a point for a user to grasp the device and pull it up into position over the leg and knee joint during application. 
         [0030]    In the drawings and specification, there have been disclosed typical embodiments on the invention and, although specific terms have been employed, they have been used in a generic and descriptive sense only and not for purposes of limitation, the scope of the invention being set forth in the following claims.