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:
Sep. 15, 1998
Filed:
Mar. 21, 1997
Patrick W Cawley, Carlsbad, CA (US);
Jeffrey T Mason, Escondido, CA (US);
Breg, Inc., Vista, CA (US);
Abstract
A hinge assembly is provided for an orthopedic knee brace that pivotally couples a first rotation member and a second rotation member. The hinge assembly includes a pad assembly, a hinge, and first and second adjustment members enabling adjustment of the normal force applied by the hinge assembly to the knee joint for the effective treatment of osteoarthritis. The hinge includes an end of the first rotation member, an end of the second rotation member, first and second hinge plates positioned on opposite sides of the ends, and first and second hinge fasteners. The first and second hinge fasteners each has a bore therethrough that is internally threaded. The first hinge fastener rotatably connects the end of the first rotation member to the first and second hinge plates and the second hinge fastener rotatably connects the end of the second rotation member to the first and second hinge plates. The first adjustment member has external threads that are received by the internal threads of the first hinge fastener to telescopically couple the first adjustment member to the first hinge fastener. The second adjustment member likewise has external threads that are received by the internal threads of the second hinge fastener to telescopically couple the second adjustment member to the second hinge fastener. Both the first and second adjustment members have ends that are substantially fixedly coupled to the pad holder. As a result selective displacement of the pad assembly toward or away from the hinge is enabled when the user selectively displaces the first and second adjustment members through the first and second bores of the first and second hinge fasteners.