Knee brace

Claim 2

A knee brace comprising a stiff upper body for encircling a substantial portion of the thigh, said upper body having a downwardly extending leg adapted to extend along the medial cartilage or ligaments of the knee joint, a stiff lower body for encircling a substantial portion of a calf, said lower body having an upwardly extending leg which overlies said upper leg, hinge means joining said legs so that the legs may slide in all radial directions generally parallel to their zone of overlap and pivot with respect to each other about an axis generally perpendicular to their zone of overlap, said hinge means including a grommet on one leg, a rivetlike member having a shank extending through the grommet, the inner diameter of the grommet being at least twice the diameter of the shank.

Claim 3

A knee brace in accordance with claim 1 wherein said upper and lower bodies are made from a rigid polymeric plastic material, and a free end of each strip of flexible material being releasably coupled at an area juxtaposed to a surface of said bodies.

Claim 4

A knee brace in accordance with claim 1 wherein said upwardly extending leg is metal coated with a polymeric plastic.

Claim 5

A knee brace in accordance with claim 1 wherein one of said bodies has an end disposed within a pocket on the flexible material associated therewith.

Claim 6

A knee brace in accordance with claim 1 including a rubber lining on each body, and each of said strips of flexible material being elastomeric, and said bodies being made from a polycarbonate.

Claim 7

A knee brace in accordance with claim 4 wherein each body has a portion disposed within a pocket on each strip of flexible material for ease of assembly and replacement of the strips of material.

Claim 8

A knee brace comprising an upper body for encircling at least a substantial portion of a thigh, said upper body having a connecting portion adapted to extend along the medial cartilage or ligaments of the knee joint, a lower body for encircling at least a substantial portion of a calf, said lower body having a connecting portion which overlies said upper body connecting portion, hinge means joining said connecting portions so that they May slide in all radial directions generally parallel to their zone of overlap and pivot with respect to each other about an axis generally perpendicular to their zone of overlap, said hinge means including a grommet on one connecting portion, a pin having its shank extending through the grommet, the inner diameter of the grommet being at least twice the diameter of the shank so that the connecting portions may slide in all radial directions until said shank contacts the inner surface of said grommet, and said connecting portions being pivotable about the longitudinal axis of said pin.

Claim 9

A knee brace comprising an upper body for encircling at least a substantial portion of a thigh, said upper body having a connecting portion adapted to extend along the medial cartilage or ligaments of the knee joint, a lower body for encircling at least a substantial portion of a calf, said lower body having a connecting portion which overlies said upper body connecting portion, hinge means joining said connecting portions so that they May slide in all radial directions generally parallel to their zone of overlap and pivot with respect to each other about an axis generally perpendicular to their zone of overlap, said hinge means including a grommet on one connecting portion, a pin having its shank extending through the grommet, the inner diameter of the grommet being at least twice the diameter of the shank so that the connecting portions may slide in all radial directions until said shank contacts the inner surface of said grommet, and said connecting portions being pivotable about the longitudinal axis of said pin.