# US 4,393,542 A · Polycentric hinge for cast-braces

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- Number: US 4,393,542 A
- Document ID: US4393542A
- Status: Granted
- Kind: A
- Application number: 06/170,485
- Filed: 1980-07-21
- Granted: 1983-07-19
- Earliest claimed: 1980-07-21
- Inventors: Gonzalo Martinez
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US4393542A

## CPC

- A61F 13/048: {Braces for connecting two cast parts, e.g. hinged cast braces (ortheses A61F5/0102)}
- A61F 5/0123: {for the knees (A61F5/0106 takes precedence)}
- A61F: FILTERS IMPLANTABLE INTO BLOOD VESSELS; PROSTHESES; DEVICES PROVIDING PATENCY TO, OR PREVENTING COLLAPSING OF, TUBULAR STRUCTURES OF THE BODY, e.g. STENTS; ORTHOPAEDIC, NURSING OR CONTRACEPTIVE DEVICES; FOMENTATION; TREATMENT OR PROTECTION OF EYES OR EARS; BANDAGES, DRESSINGS OR ABSORBENT PADS; FIRST-AID KITS (dental prosthetics A61C)

## Abstract

A hinge for a knee joint comprising two complimentary elements. One of said elements is a plurality of interconnected links. The links are interconnected in zig-zag manner. The other of said elements is a cable. The linkage and the cable are secured at the respective opposite ends to plates or like elongated elements.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A hinge for a knee brace including an elongated element attachable to a leg above the knee and a further elongated element attachable to the leg below the knee, said element being interconnected by a multi-flexible linkage comprising individual links pivotally interconnected in zig-zag manner and a cable anchored at one end to one of said elongated elements and threaded through the zig-zag links.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

A hinge according to claim 1, wherein the cable is threaded through a space extending centrally through zig-zag linkage.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

A hinge according to claim 1, wherein one end of the cable is fixed with respect to its associated elongated element and the other end is slidably retained within the zig-zag arrangement of the links by a wide head attached to the end of the cable.