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:
Jun. 16, 1998
Filed:
May. 01, 1996
Theodore V Tillinghast, III, Carlsbad, CA (US);
Richard E Gildersleeve, Escondido, CA (US);
Smith & Nephew Donjoy, Inc., Carlsbad, CA (US);
Abstract
An angular compensation hinge for a human joint brace, as well as the brace into which the hinge is incorporated, are described. The hinge's hinge pin and leaves cooperate with an arch bar through guide pins and a bi-threaded screw to provide angular compensation adjustment of the brace. The hinge can be easily operated by the user without assistance and by rotation of a single screw, either with a simple tool or through a knob, and provides for infinite angular adjustment over the entire adjustment range. Adjustments can be easily made while the user is wearing the brace. There is positive locking of the hinge at any angle within the range of adjustment. A few standard sizes of the brace will be sufficient to provide essentially customized fitting braces for virtually any person because of the 'fine tuning' capability provided. The hinge may be used with many different types of braces, including those intended for knee, wrist, elbow, ankle, hip and shoulder joints. It is of particular utility with braces intended to relieve osteoarthritis pain, especially for those braces in which an adjustable condyle pad is used to provide the pain- and pressure-relieving force against the joint.