Donjoy Corporation

Jeff Mason

Bradley R Mason

Gregory R Nelson

Kenneth E Reed

A stabilizer to support and stabilize the knee joint of the wearer having a thigh shell and calf shell formed of high impact resistant plastic. The shells are removably mountable adjacent to the knee and conform to the contours of the leg, supporting the knee joint on both sides. The shells are joined together at their lateral and medial sides by polycentric selectable arc hinge assemblies to provide support and permit controlled natural flexion and extension of the joint. Each hinge assembly has a pair of parallel links connecting corresponding sides of the shells and rotatable about pivot pins which form the points of attachment. Meshing hinge gears positioned between the links rotate with their respective shells about the pivot pins to integrate the independent rotational movement of the shells about their pivot pin axes. A pinion stop gear meshes with and is selectably rotatable about the periphery of each hinge gear. The stop gears also rotate with the hinge gears with which they mesh so that their positioning controls the allowed integrated rotation of the shells, and thus establishes the selected amount of extension and flexion of the knee stabilizer.

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Cardiff by the Sea, CA, United States of America

Jeff Mason