Patent ID: 6878126

Claim:
A knee brace for supporting a knee joint, said knee brace having a substantially rigid upper member for attachment to a thigh, a substantially rigid lower member for attachment to a calf, and first and second hinges located about an axis of said knee joint for connecting said upper and lower members together, said upper member comprising: a substantially straight upper lateral segment having a top end and a bottom end, said upper lateral segment extending vertically along a lateral portion of the thigh, said bottom end of said upper lateral segment being coupled to said first hinge; a substantially straight upper medial segment having a top end and a bottom end, said upper medial segment extending vertically along a medial portion of the thigh, said bottom end of said upper medial segment being coupled to said second hinge, said upper medial segment being shorter in length than said upper lateral segment; an upper curved segment extending horizontally around a front portion of the thigh, said upper curved segment having a lateral end and a medial end, said lateral end being joined to said top end of said upper lateral segment; and an angled segment having an upper end joined to said medial end of said upper curved segment, said angled segment having a lower end joined to said upper end of said upper medial segment, said angled segment being configured for circumventing a medial superior region of the thigh; said lower member comprising: a substantially straight lower lateral segment having a top end and a bottom end, said lower lateral segment extending vertically along a lateral portion of the calf, said top end of said lower lateral segment being coupled to said first hinge; a substantially straight lower medial segment having a top end and a bottom end, said lower medial segment extending vertically along a medial portion of the calf, said top end of said lower medial segment being coupled to said second hinge; and a lower curved segment extending around the calf from said bottom end of said lower lateral segment to said bottom end of said lower medial segment.