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US 8,945,035 B2Granted
Knee brace with improved gait swing assist
OwnerRichard A. Naceinventor
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A knee brace including a swing assist system for the storage and return of energy is disclosed. The knee brace optionally includes bladders for the application of pressure to the knee joint and/or shin of a patient. An optional swing assist mechanism is present at the hinge(s) of the brace, aiding in the extension of the patient's leg and, therefore, correcting the patient's gait.
Claims12
A knee brace comprising;
- a. an energy storage mechanism, the energy storage mechanism continuously gathering energy during leg flexion and releasing energy during leg extension;
- b. the energy storage mechanism is an energy storage member and an energy storage member groove, and the energy storage member groove restrains a center portion of the energy storage member during flexion of the knee brace, preventing the energy storage member from crossing a center of a hinge;
- and
- c. further comprising a pair of air bladders, wherein one of the air bladder is a knee air bladder located at a hinge, and the other air bladder is a shin air bladder located near a distal end of the brace.
1 more element
A knee brace comprising
- a. an energy storage mechanism, the energy storage mechanism continuously gathering energy during leg flexion and releasing energy during leg extension,
- b. wherein the energy storage mechanism is a first energy storage mechanism and a second energy storage mechanism, the first energy storage mechanism integral to a first hinge, the second energy storage mechanism integral to a second hinge;
- and
- c. wherein the first energy storage mechanism includes a first elastic band positioned within a first groove associated with the first hinge, and the second energy storage mechanism includes a second elastic band positioned within a second groove associated with the second hinge.
1 more element
A knee brace comprising:
- a first upper support arm, connected to a first lower support arm by a first hinge;
- a second upper support arm, connected to a second lower support arm by a second hinge;
- the first upper support arm connected to the second upper support arm by an upper cuff;
- the first lower support arm connected to the second lower support arm by a lower cuff;
- an energy storage member, the energy storage member attached to only the first upper support arm and the first lower support arm, the energy storage member encouraging the first upper support arm and the first lower support arm into a parallel arrangement;
- and
- wherein the energy storage member is a selected from one of (i) a looped elastic band, (ii) an o-ring, and (iii) an elastic band with an energy storage member groove.
4 more elements
A knee brace for the rehabilitation and correction of a patient's gait, the knee brace comprising:
- a first upper support arm;
- a second upper support arm;
- a first lower support arm;
- a second lower support arm;
- a upper cuff, the upper cuff connecting the first upper support arm and the second upper support arm;
- a lower cuff, the lower cuff connecting the first lower support arm and the second lower support arm;
- a first hinge, the first hinge joining the first upper support arm and the first lower support arm;
- a second hinge, the second hinge joining the second upper support arm and the second lower support arm;
- a first energy storage member attached to only the first upper support arm and the first lower support arm, the first energy storage member acting to bring the first upper support arm and first lower support arm into a linear arrangement;
- and
- a second energy storage member attached to only the second upper support arm and the second lower support arm, the second energy storage member acting to bring the second upper support arm and second lower support arm into a linear arrangement.
8 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.