초록 ▼

A patellofemoral brace including a buttress for supporting a wearer's patella is provided. The patellofemoral brace includes an elastic sleeve that is easy to apply to the wearer's leg and easy to remove from the wearer's leg. The sleeve includes distinct bands of material so that end bands are subs

A patellofemoral brace including a buttress for supporting a wearer's patella is provided. The patellofemoral brace includes an elastic sleeve that is easy to apply to the wearer's leg and easy to remove from the wearer's leg. The sleeve includes distinct bands of material so that end bands are substantially rotationally independent of a central band. The end bands resist translation along and rotation about the wearer's leg. The brace further includes a tensioning strap that lies across the buttress to further support the buttress and the wearer's patella. A portion of the tensioning strap is constructed of a thermoplastic elastomer, so that the strap provides firmer support to the buttress than a fabric strap, but is more comfortable and more evenly supports the buttress than a hard, inelastic strap.

대표청구항 ▼

What is claimed is: 1. A patellofemoral brace for supporting a wearer's patella, the brace comprising a substantially cylindrical sleeve subdivided into a plurality of bands, the bands including: a knee encircling band; a proximal spacer band secured to a proximal edge of the knee encircling band;

What is claimed is: 1. A patellofemoral brace for supporting a wearer's patella, the brace comprising a substantially cylindrical sleeve subdivided into a plurality of bands, the bands including: a knee encircling band; a proximal spacer band secured to a proximal edge of the knee encircling band; a distal spacer band secured to a distal edge of the knee encircling band; a proximal anchor band secured to a proximal edge of the proximal spacer band; and a distal anchor band secured to a distal edge of the distal spacer band. 2. The patellofemoral brace of claim 1, wherein the bands are substantially cylindrical. 3. The patellofemoral brace of claim 1, wherein the spacer bands are constructed of a material that is different from a material used to construct either the anchor bands or the knee encircling band. 4. The patellofemoral brace of claim 1, wherein the spacer bands are constructed of a stretchable and breathable mesh fabric. 5. The patellofemoral brace of claim 1, wherein the knee encircling band is constructed of an elastic material. 6. The patellofemoral brace of claim 1, wherein the anchor bands are constructed of an elastic material. 7. The patellofemoral brace of claim 1, wherein inner surfaces of the anchor bands are constructed of a material that does not slide easily against human skin. 8. The patellofemoral brace of claim 1, wherein the spacer bands are constructed of a material that is more elastic than a material used to construct at least one other of the bands. 9. The patellofemoral brace of claim 1, wherein the knee encircling band includes an aperture on an anterior portion thereof, and the aperture is adapted to encircle the wearer's patella. 10. The patellofemoral brace of claim 9, wherein the knee encircling band further includes a buttress bordering at least a portion of the aperture. 11. The patellofemoral brace of claim 10, wherein the buttress comprises an elongate strip of dense material. 12. The patellofemoral brace of claim 11, wherein the buttress comprises felt. 13. The patellofemoral brace of claim 11, wherein the buttress comprises neoprene foam. 14. The patellofemoral brace of claim 11, wherein the buttress comprises ethyl-vinyl acetate. 15. The patellofemoral brace of claim 11, wherein the buttress at least partially surrounds the aperture. 16. The patellofemoral brace of claim 11, wherein the buttress is substantially U-shaped. 17. The patellofemoral brace of claim 10, further comprising a tensioning strap secured to the sleeve. 18. The patellofemoral brace of claim 17, wherein the tensioning strap is secured to the knee encircling band adjacent the buttress. 19. The patellofemoral brace of claim 17, wherein the tensioning strap comprises a substantially V-shaped base portion and elongate arms extending from branches of the base portion. 20. The patellofemoral brace of claim 19, wherein the arms are securable about the sleeve in a spiral configuration such that the arms substantially encircle the sleeve and ends of the arms are securable to the anchor bands. 21. The patellofemoral brace of claim 20, wherein outer surfaces of the anchor bands comprise a loop portion of a hook-and-loop fastener, and the ends of the arms comprise a hook portion of a hook-and-loop fastener. 22. The patellofemoral brace of claim 20, wherein outer surfaces of the anchor bands comprise a hook portion of a hook-and-loop fastener, and the ends of the arms comprise a loop portion of a hook-and-loop fastener. 23. The patellofemoral brace of claim 19, wherein the base portion is constructed of a thermoplastic elastomer. 24. The patellofemoral brace of claim 23, wherein the base portion is constructed of thermoplastic urethane. 25. The patellofemoral brace of claim 23, wherein when the arms are wrapped around the sleeve, the base portion overlies the buttress and applies an amount of pressure thereto that varies according to an amount of tension in the strap. 26. The patellofemoral brace of claim 1, further comprising a buttress that is releasably secureable to a surface of the brace. 27. The patellofemoral brace of claim 1, wherein the buttress is constructed of medium density foam. 28. The patellofemoral brace of claim 1, wherein the buttress includes a hook portion of a hook-and-loop fastener on at least one surface. 29. The patellofemoral brace of claim 28, wherein the hook portion mates with a loop portion of a hook-and-loop fastener on the brace to secure the buttress to the brace. 30. A patellofemoral brace for supporting a wearer's patella, the patellofemoral brace comprising: a sleeve adapted to encircle a wearer's knee, the sleeve including a buttress on an anterior portion thereof; and a tensioning strap secured at a first end to the sleeve adjacent the buttress and having a free end; wherein at least a portion of the tensioning strap is constructed of a thermoplastic elastomer, and the thermoplastic elastomer lies across and applies pressure to the buttress when the free end of the strap is extended across the buttress and secured to the sleeve. 31. The patellofemoral brace of claim 30, wherein the tensioning strap is constructed of thermoplastic urethane. 32. The patellofemoral brace of claim 30, wherein the buttress comprises an elongate strip of dense material. 33. The patellofemoral brace of claim 32, wherein the buttress is substantially U-shaped. 34. The patellofemoral brace of claim 26, wherein the strap comprises a base portion constructed of a thermoplastic elastomer. 35. The patellofemoral brace of claim 33, wherein the base portion is substantially V-shaped, and a base of the V is secured to the sleeve such that branches of the V extend freely from the sleeve. 36. The patellofemoral brace of claim 35, wherein arms extend from the branches. 37. The patellofemoral brace of claim 36, wherein the arms are adapted to be wrapped around the sleeve and secured thereto, such that tension in the strap enables the base portion of the strap to apply pressure to the buttress. 38. The patellofemoral brace of claim 37, wherein the sleeve comprises a central band proximate the wearer's knee, a proximal spacer band secured to a proximal edge of the central band, a distal spacer band secured to a distal edge of the central band, a proximal anchor band secured to a proximal edge of the proximal spacer band, and a distal anchor band secured to a distal edge of the distal spacer band. 39. The patellofemoral brace of claim 38, wherein the arms are securable to the anchor bands. 40. The patellofemoral brace of claim 39, wherein outer surfaces of the anchor bands comprise a loop portion of a hook-and-loop fastener, and ends the arms comprise a hook portion of a hook-and-loop fastener. 41. The patellofemoral brace of claim 39, wherein outer surfaces of the anchor bands comprise a hook portion of a hook-and-loop fastener, and ends the arms comprise a loop portion of a hook-and-loop fastener. 42. A patellofemoral brace for supporting a wearer's patella, the patellofemoral brace comprising: a sleeve adapted to snugly encircle the wearer's leg, the sleeve including a buttress adapted to abut the wearer's patella; a tension strap secured at a first end to the sleeve adjecent the buttress, the strap first end being constructed of an elastic thermoplastic elastomer and being shaped substantially in the form of a V; an arm extends from each brach of the V, and the arms reach around the brace in a spirit fasion and are securable at end thereof to the sleeve such that tension in the arms maintains pressure between the strap first end and the buttress.