Patent US4856501A successfully refreshed from Google Patents.
US4856501A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Knee brace having adjustable width frame pivoted to cuffs
Assignee: Ossur hf
•
Filing: 1987-06-29
•
Granted: 1989-08-15
•
Expires: 2007-06-29
Abstract
Abstract A hinge (21) for use in an orthopaedic knee brace, said hinge comprising: a generally flat base plate member (85); a generally flat second plate member (86) having a camming edge (111); first (87) and second (89) hinge members pivotally mounted upon the second plate member (86); a guide block (91) affixed to said base plate (85) and having at least one guide slot (109) formed therein, said guide slot having first and second end stops (107,109) formed therein; at least one generally elongate stopping lever (103); and whereby said hinge is rotatable in a first direction to a point where the second end of said stopping lever abuts against the first end of said guide slot and is alternatively rotatable in a second direction to a point where the second end of said stopping lever abuts against the second end of said guide slot. <IMAGE>
Inventors
- 👤 Edward L. Castillo
- 👤 James D. Castillo
- 👤 Michael S. Castillo
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-08 21:57
CPC Classifications
A; A61; A61F; A61F5/00; A61F5/01; A61F5/0102; A61F5/0123; A61F2005/0132; A61F2005/0165; A61F2005/0167
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 13
Claim 1
Independent Claim
175 words
A knee brace comprising: a pair of generally U-shaped frame members positioned in an inverted relative orientation above and below the knee joint of a user with the end portions of said frame members disposed laterally on opposide sides of the knee joint and the central portion of said frame members disposed adjacent the front of the user's leg; a pair of hinge members disposed substantially adjacent the knee joint and connected to the end portions of said frame members to pivot said frame members about the knee joint; a pair of cuffs removably attachable to the front of the user's leg above and below the knee joint; and a clamping member rotatably mounted to each of said pair of cuffs and engageable with the central portion of a respective one of said frame members to affix and permit rotational movement of each of said frame members about an axis generally perpendicular to the front of the user's leg, said rotational movement allowing said knee brace to accomodate bowlegged and knock-kneed conditions of the user.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
175 words
A knee brace comprising: a pair of generally U-shaped frame members positioned in an inverted relative orientation above and below the knee joint of a user with the end portions of said frame members disposed laterally on opposide sides of the knee joint and the central portion of said frame members disposed adjacent the front of the user's leg; a pair of hinge members disposed substantially adjacent the knee joint and connected to the end portions of said frame members to pivot said frame members about the knee joint; a pair of cuffs removably attachable to the front of the user's leg above and below the knee joint; and a clamping member rotatably mounted to each of said pair of cuffs and engageable with the central portion of a respective one of said frame members to affix and permit rotational movement of each of said frame members about an axis generally perpendicular to the front of the user's leg, said rotational movement allowing said knee brace to accomodate bowlegged and knock-kneed conditions of the user.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
25 words
The knee brace as recited in claim 1 wherein the pair of hinge members include means for regulating the relative movement of the frame members.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
38 words
The knee brace as recited in claim 2 wherein said regulation means comprises means for pivoting one of said pair of frame members about the joint more rapidly than the other one of said pair of frame members.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
32 words
The knee brace as recited in claim 1 wherein said pair of hinge members include means for limiting the rotation of movement of at least one of said pair of frame members.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
37 words
The knee brace as recited in claim 1 wherein said pair of hinge members include means for regulating the extension and flexion of the frame members and means for regulating the relative movement of the frame members.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
42 words
The knee brace of claim 1 wherein at least one of said pair of frame members is formed of a pair of frame segments engageable with one another to vary the effective width of said at least one of said frame members.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
27 words
The knee brace of claim 6 wherein said pair of cuffs each comprise a semirigid plastic member contoured to conform to the front of a user's leg.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
92 words
The knee brace of claim 7 wherein said pair of cuffs comprise a first pair of cuffs and a second pair of cuffs removably mountable to said clamping member, said first pair of cuffs having a longer length than said second pair of cuffs; said first pair of cuffs being mounted to said clamping member when said knee brace is utilized for post-surgical recovery of the knee joint and said second pair of cuffs being mounted to said clamping member when said knee brace is utilized for rehabilitation of the knee joint.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
35 words
The knee brace of claim 6 wherein said pair of frame segments are formed to be slidably engageable with one another to vary the effective width of said at least one of said frame members.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
25 words
The knee brace of claim 9 wherein said clamping member includes means for locking said pair of frame segments in a selected slidably engaged orientation.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
205 words
A knee brace comprising: a pair of generally U-shaped frame members positioned in an inverted relative orientation above and below the knee joint of a user with the end portions of said frame member disposed laterally on opposite sides of the knee joint and the central portion of said frame members disposed adjacent the front of a user's leg; a pair of hinge members connected to the end portions of said frame members to pivot said frame members about the knee joint; a pair of cuffs having means for attaching said pair of cuffs to the front of the user's leg above and below the knee joint; and a clamping member rotatably mounted to each of said pair of cuffs and engageable with the central portion of a respective one of said frame members to permit rotational movement of each of said frame members about an axis generally perpendicular to the front of a user's leg; each of said pair of frame members being formed from a pair of frame segments engageable with one another to vary the effective width of said frame members and said rotational movement of said frame members allowing said knee brace to accomodate bowlegged and knock-kneed conditions of the user.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
205 words
A knee brace comprising: a pair of generally U-shaped frame members positioned in an inverted relative orientation above and below the knee joint of a user with the end portions of said frame member disposed laterally on opposite sides of the knee joint and the central portion of said frame members disposed adjacent the front of a user's leg; a pair of hinge members connected to the end portions of said frame members to pivot said frame members about the knee joint; a pair of cuffs having means for attaching said pair of cuffs to the front of the user's leg above and below the knee joint; and a clamping member rotatably mounted to each of said pair of cuffs and engageable with the central portion of a respective one of said frame members to permit rotational movement of each of said frame members about an axis generally perpendicular to the front of a user's leg; each of said pair of frame members being formed from a pair of frame segments engageable with one another to vary the effective width of said frame members and said rotational movement of said frame members allowing said knee brace to accomodate bowlegged and knock-kneed conditions of the user.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
US1390915A
Cited
US2883982A
Cited
DE1491569A1
Cited
US3779654A
Cited
US3817244A
Cited
US3785372A
Cited
DE2432766A1
Cited
US3902482A
Cited
US3958569A
Cited
US4241730A
Cited
US4428369A
Cited
USD269379S
Cited
US4407276A
Cited
US4361142A
Cited
US4494534A
Cited
US4489718A
Cited
US4493316A
Cited
US4487200A
Cited
US4503846A
Cited
US4523585A
Cited
US4554913A
Cited
US4599998A
Cited
US4628916A
Cited
US4603690A
Cited
US4723539A
Cited
US4681097A
Cited
US4665905A
Cited
US4699129A
Cited
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1992-08-14 | 1993-02-13 | 1993-08-15 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1996-08-14 | 1997-02-13 | 1997-08-15 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2000-08-14 | 2001-02-13 | 2001-08-15 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |