The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Oct. 17, 1995
Filed:
Feb. 03, 1994
Theodore V Tillinghast, III, Cardiff, CA (US);
Charles A Bastyr, San Diego, CA (US);
Richard E Gildersleeve, Escondido, CA (US);
Smith & Nephew Donjoy Inc., Carlsbad, CA (US);
Abstract
An osteoarthritic knee brace is provided having flexible upper and lower arm members rotatably connected to each other by a rotary hinge assembly. A selectively inflatable or deflatable fluid-containing pad is positionable between the hinge assembly and a side of the knee joint. In operation, the brace is mounted on the leg with the pad engaging both the hinge assembly and the side of the knee joint, the hinge assembly aligned with the knee joint, and the upper and lower arm members aligned with the upper and lower legs, respectively. The upper and lower arm members are stressed away from the knee joint, thereby applying a restoring force to the knee joint across the hinge assembly and the pad that effectively treats the osteoarthritic knee joint. The restoring force is adjustable by selective inflation or deflation of the pad.