초록 ▼

A knee brace functions to extensionally center and thereby enhance patellar function. The brace comprises an upper bracket assembly, a lower bracket assembly, and certain torsional spring assemblies. The upper and lower bracket assemblies comprise leg-receiving bracket portions and certain axial sup

A knee brace functions to extensionally center and thereby enhance patellar function. The brace comprises an upper bracket assembly, a lower bracket assembly, and certain torsional spring assemblies. The upper and lower bracket assemblies comprise leg-receiving bracket portions and certain axial support structure extending from the bracket portions to bracket junctions. Each spring assembly comprises a torsional spring element and an elastically compressible core element. The torsional spring elements compressibly receive the core elements. The torsional spring elements are actuable for imparting restorative resistance forces, and the core elements function to damp the restorative resistance forces. The damped restorative resistance forces function to safely enhance quadriceps muscle contraction during knee extension. The enhanced quadriceps muscle contraction functions to center the patella during knee extension, and thereby enhance patellar function. The brace may be attached to an anchored leg-covering garment for further restricting axial displacement relative to the leg.

대표청구항 ▼

I claim: 1. A knee bracing system, the knee bracing system for extensionally centering and enhancing patellar function, the knee bracing system comprising, in combination: a knee brace, the knee brace comprising an upper bracket assembly, a lower bracket assembly, and laterally-medially opposed spr

I claim: 1. A knee bracing system, the knee bracing system for extensionally centering and enhancing patellar function, the knee bracing system comprising, in combination: a knee brace, the knee brace comprising an upper bracket assembly, a lower bracket assembly, and laterally-medially opposed spring assemblies, the upper bracket assembly comprising a leg-receiving proximal bracket portion and laterally-medially opposed proximal support arms, the proximal support arms extending distally from the proximal bracket portion, the lower bracket assembly comprising a leg-receiving distal bracket portion and laterally-medially opposed distal support arms, the distal support arms extending proximally from the distal bracket portion, each spring assembly comprising a torsional spring element, a core element, and spring assembly-fastening means, the torsional spring elements receiving the core elements, the spring assembly-fastening means fastening the spring assemblies to the support arms of the upper and lower bracket assemblies at laterally-medially opposed bracket junctions, the proximal bracket portion for receiving an upper leg, the distal bracket portion for receiving a lower leg, the upper and lower leg being coaxially alignable to define a leg axis; a leg-covering garment, the leg-covering garment comprising an inner garment surface, a garment axis, and means for preventing axial garment displacement, the inner garment surface being juxtaposable in superficial adjacency to the knee brace, the garment axis being coaxially alignable with the leg axis; and garment-attachment means, the garment attachment means for removably attaching the knee brace to the inner garment surface and for restricting axial brace displacement relative to the garment axis, the means for preventing axial garment displacement and the garment attachment means for axially positioning the knee brace upon the upper and lower leg, the torsional spring elements being actuable for imparting restorative resistance forces, the restorative resistance forces for enhancing quadriceps muscle contraction during knee extension, the enhanced quadriceps muscle contraction for centering the patella during knee extension and for coaxially aligning the upper and lower leg, the knee bracing system thus for extensionally centering and enhancing patellar function. 2. The knee bracing system of claim 1 comprising strap means for retaining the upper and lower legs in the proximal and distal bracket portions. 3. The knee bracing system of claim 2 wherein the strap means for retaining the upper and lower legs in the proximal and distal bracket portions are defined by adjustable retaining straps, the adjustable retaining straps comprising a proximal-leg-retaining strap and first and second distal-leg-retaining straps, the lower bracket assembly comprising a distal end and a proximal end, the first distal-leg-retaining strap being cooperable with the proximal end and the second distal-leg-retaining strap being cooperable with the distal end, the adjustable retaining straps for enhancing retention of the upper and lower legs in the proximal and distal bracket portions. 4. The knee bracing system of claim 3 wherein the first distal-leg-retaining strap comprises tendon-retaining means, the tendon-retaining means for restricting movement of a patellar tendon and thus for further enhancing patellar function. 5. The knee bracing system of claim 1 wherein the torsional spring elements each comprise a proximal end and a distal end, the proximal ends being angled from the distal ends at a variable spring angle and interconnecting the proximal and distal support aims via end-receiving posts, the end-receiving posts being fixedly attached to the proximal and distal support arms. 6. The knee bracing system of claim 1 wherein the core elements comprise an elastic material, the elastic material comprising a select spring stiffness, the select spring stiffness for restoring the core elements to a relaxed core equilibrium state, the torsional spring elements compressibly receiving the core elements thereby radially displacing the core elements and imparting spring core restorative forces, the spring core restorative forces for modifying the restorative resistance forces and reducing knee stress during knee extension. 7. The knee bracing system of claim 6 wherein the core elements are interchangeable with secondary core elements, the secondary core elements comprising varied spring stiffness coefficients, the varied spring stiffness coefficients for enabling the user to selectively modify the restorative resistance forces. 8. A knee brace, the knee brace for extensionally centering and enhancing patellar function, the knee brace comprising: an upper bracket assembly, the upper bracket assembly comprising a proximal-anterior-leg-receiving bracket portion, a medial proximal support arm, and a lateral proximal support arm; a lower bracket assembly, the lower bracket assembly comprising a distal-posterior-leg-receiving bracket portion, a medial distal support arm, and a lateral distal support arm; and first and second spring assemblies, the spring assemblies each comprising a torsional spring element, a core element, and assembly-fastening means, the torsional spring elements each comprising a proximal end and a distal end, the proximal end being variably angled from the distal end intermediate a relaxed spring angle and a fully actuated spring angle, the assembly-fastening means fastening the proximal and distal ends to the proximal and distal support arms such that the proximal support arms are variably angled relative to the distal support arms intermediate a relaxed arm angle and a fully actuated arm angle, the torsional spring elements receiving the core elements, the proximal-anterior-leg-receiving portion for receiving an upper leg, the distal-posterior-leg-receiving portion for receiving a lower leg, the torsional spring elements being actuable for imparting restorative resistance forces, the restorative resistance forces for enhancing quadriceps muscle contraction during knee extension, the enhanced quadriceps muscle contraction for centering the patella during knee extension, the knee brace thus for extensionally centering and enhancing patellar function. 9. The knee brace of claim 8 wherein the core elements comprise an elastic material, the elastic material comprising a select spring stiffness, the select spring stiffness for restoring the core elements to a relaxed core equilibrium state, the torsional spring elements compressibly receiving the core elements thereby radially displacing the core elements and imparting core restorative forces, the core restorative forces for modifying the restorative resistance forces and for reducing knee joint stress during knee extension. 10. The knee brace of claim 9 wherein the core elements are interchangeable with secondary core elements, the secondary core elements comprising varied spring stiffness coefficients, the varied spring stiffness coefficients for enabling the user to selectively modify the restorative resistance forces. 11. The knee brace of claim 10 wherein the upper and lower bracket assemblies comprise means for retaining the upper and lower bracket assemblies upon the upper and lower leg. 12. The knee brace of claim 11 wherein the means for retaining the upper and lower bracket assemblies upon the upper and lower leg are defined by adjustable retaining straps, the adjustable retaining straps comprising a proximal-posterior retaining strap and a distal-anterior retaining strap, the upper bracket assembly being cooperable with the proximal-posterior retaining strap and the lower bracket assembly being cooperable with the distal-anterior retaining strap. 13. The knee brace of claim 12 wherein the adjustable retaining straps comprise a proximal-anterior retaining strap, the lower bracket assembly comprising a distal end and a proximal end, the proximal-anterior retaining strap being cooperable with the proximal end and the distal-anterior retaining strap being cooperable with the distal end, the proximal-anterior and distal-anterior retaining straps for enhancing retention of the lower bracket assembly upon the lower leg. 14. The knee brace of claim 13 wherein the proximal-anterior retaining strap comprises tendon-retaining means, the tendon-retaining means for restricting movement of a patellar tendon and thus for further enhancing patellar function. 15. The knee brace of claim 9 comprising garment attachment means, the garment attachment means for removably attaching the knee brace to a separately anchored, leg-covering garment, the removably attached knee brace being restricted from axial displacement relative to the upper and lower leg, the garment attachment means thus for axially positioning the knee brace upon the upper and lower leg. 16. A knee brace, the knee brace for extensionally centering and enhancing patellar function, the knee brace comprising: an upper bracket assembly, the upper bracket assembly comprising a leg-receiving proximal bracket portion and proximal axial support structure, the proximal axial support structure extending distally from the proximal bracket portion; a lower bracket assembly, the lower bracket assembly comprising a leg-receiving distal bracket portion and distal axial support structure, the distal axial support structure extending proximally from the distal bracket portion; and a spring assembly, the spring assembly comprising a torsional spring element and an elastically compressible core element, the torsional spring element compressibly receiving the core element and comprising proximal and distal ends, the proximal and distal ends being attached to the proximal and distal axial support structures, the proximal and distal bracket portions for receiving an upper and lower leg, the torsional spring element being actuable for imparting restorative resistance forces, the core element for damping the restorative resistance forces, the damped restorative resistance forces for enhancing quadriceps muscle contraction during knee extension, the enhanced quadriceps muscle contraction for centering the patella during knee extension, the knee brace thus for extensionally centering and enhancing patellar function. 17. The knee brace of claim 16 wherein the core element is interchangeable with at least one secondary core element, the secondary core element comprising a varied spring stiffness coefficient, the varied spring stiffness coefficient for enabling the user to selectively damp the restorative resistance forces. 18. The knee brace of claim 16 comprising garment attachment means, the garment attachment means for removably attaching the knee brace to a separately anchored, leg-covering garment, the removably attached knee brace being restricted from axial displacement relative to the upper and lower leg, the garment attachment means thus for axially positioning knee brace upon the upper and lower leg. 19. A method for extensionally centering a patella and thus enhancing patellar function, the method comprising the steps of: damping a coil-shaped torsional spring element assembly via a centrally and coaxially received disc-shaped elastomeric member; bracing an upper and lower leg against proximal and distal ends of the coil-shaped torsional spring element assembly; and actuating the damped coil-shaped torsional spring element assembly via knee extension, the actuated and damped coil-shaped torsional spring element assembly providing damped resistance for enhancing quadriceps muscle contraction and reducing patellar joint stress during knee extension. 20. The method of claim 19 wherein the step of damping the coil-shaped torsional spring element is defined by selectively choosing a damping element, the damping element being cooperably associated with the coil-shaped torsional spring element for damping said coil-shaped torsional spring element. 21. The method of claim 20 wherein the damping element is selectively chosen from a damping element group, the damping element group comprising damping elements, the damping elements being fanned from varied elastic materials, the elastic materials comprising varied stiffness coefficients, the varied stiffness coefficients for selectively damping the coil-shaped torsional spring element. 22. The method of claim 21 wherein the damping element group comprises core elements, the core elements being compressibly and interchangeably receivable by the coil-shaped torsional spring element for damping the coil-shaped torsional spring element. 23. The method of claim 19 wherein the step of bracing the upper and lower leg against proximal and distal ends of the torsional spring element assembly comprises the steps of anchoring a leg-covering garment in superficial adjacency to the coil-shaped torsional spring element assembly and anchoring the coil-shaped torsional spring element assembly to the leg-covering garment.