Patent ID: 7402148

Claim:
An orthotic device to be worn by a user, comprising: a base unit having an elongated support member, at least one support pad adjacently positioned on and attached to said support member, a fastener extending between said support member and said support pad, and a plurality of apertures in said support member each capable of receiving a connector therein; said base unit conforming substantially about a forearm of the user; a metacarpal unit having a metacarpal internal pad positioned on and attached to a casing and an attachment member between said casing and said metacarpal internal pad; and a hinge system connecting said base unit to said metacarpal unit, said hinge system having a shell with a shell interior pad positioned on said shell, said hinge system movably connecting the metacarpal unit to the base unit “by a plurality of connectors” when worn by the user, such that the metacarpal unit pivots vertically about a pair of connectors in a first direction relative to the base unit, and the hinge system further including another connector forming a swivel joint for movably connecting the metacarpal unit to the base unit when worn by the user, such that the metacarpal unit pivots laterally in a second direction substantially transverse to the first direction relative to the base unit.