Articulating adjustabe condylar pad for knee brace

Abstract

An activity knee brace is disclosed in which the structural hinge axis of the brace moves to overlie the changing center of pivot of the condyle of the femur with respect to the plateau of the fibula-tibia. The brace consists of a thigh portion, a lower leg portion, and a structural hinge axis therebetween. The thigh portion supports the brace in the thigh; the lower leg portion supports the brace to the lower leg. The thigh portion is braced at the lower end at the medial supracondylar area by lateral and medial condylar pads in conjunction with an adjustable strap system. Provision is made to differentially adjust the lateral and medial condylar pads towards one another over the supracondylar hollow to affix and track the relative movement of the supracondylar hollow of the femur relative to the plateau of the fibula tibia. A pivot for the lateral and medial condylar pads is provided off axis with respect to the structural hinge of the brace. This pivot mates with a lineal cam on the pad, allowing towards and away movement of the condylar pads from the structural pivot of the brace. The towards and away movement of the condylar pads is in turn limited by arcuate cam which acts at approximate right angles to the lineal cam. Accordingly, dependent upon the angle of the condylar pads with respect to the thigh brace, dynamic adjustment of the structural hinge axis to overly the center of pivot of the knee occurs.