Lockable hinge
AssigneeDjo, LLC
InventorsAlexis Doty, Richard Gildersleeve, Jennifer Sullivan
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A lockable hinge for use in orthopedic braces is provided. When used in a knee brace, the present hinge provides a knee-immobilizing brace that assists persons with standing and/or walking. The hinge is easily converted from a locked mode to a free range of motion mode and vice versa. When the hinge is in the locked mode, patients are better able to stand and walk. With the push of a button, the patient can bend his or her knee to sit or lie down more comfortably. When the hinge is in the free range of motion mode, patients are better able to participate in physical therapy activities without the hinge locking.
Claims20
A lockable hinge for use in an orthopedic brace, the hinge comprising:
- a hinge plate;
- an arm rotatably mounted to the hinge plate, the arm being rotatable about a hinge axis;
- and
- a flexion stop;
- wherein
- the flexion stop is movable in a direction substantially parallel to the hinge axis between a first position in which the flexion stop limits a range of flexion of the arm, and a second position in which the flexion stop does not limit a range of flexion of the arm.
A lockable hinge for an orthopedic brace, comprising:
- a hinge plate having a first aperture defining a first hinge axis and a second aperture defining a second hinge axis;
- a first arm secured to the hinge plate such that the first arm is rotatable about the first hinge axis;
- a second arm secured to the hinge plate such that the second arm is rotatable about the second hinge axis;
- and
- a flexion stop;
- wherein
- the flexion stop is selectively positionable within a recess in the hinge plate, but is biased outward of the recess, such that when the arms occupy a first flexion range the arms maintain the flexion stop within the recess, enabling the arms to reach a first maximum flexion angle, and when the arms occupy a second flexion range the flexion stop is expelled from the recess and limits the arms to a second maximum flexion angle that is less than the first maximum flexion angle.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.