Mechanical joint for an orthopedic brace or prosthesis

Claim 2

In an orthopedic brace having portions attachable to parts of a wearer''s body on opposite sides of a body joint, a mechanical joint comprising a bearing plate on an end of each brace portion near the body joint, a link extending across the body joint and having a bearing plate on each opposite end thereof, said bearing plates of the link overlapping the bearing plates of the brace portions to provide dual bearings, and pivot means interconnecting the bearing plates of each of the dual bearings, said pivot means providing each of the dual bearings with a plurality of transverse axes of pivot which are shiftable to accommodate the natural pivotal movement of the body joint whereby one of said brace portions is movable away from and towards the other of said brace portions as the body joint is flexed and straightened.

Claim 3

A joint as claimed in claim 1, in which said bearing plate of each of the dual bearings have opposing concave-convex faces whereby one of the brace portions is rotatable about the longitudinal axis thereof and with respect to the other brace portion and the link when the body joint is flexed.

Claim 4

A joint as claimed in claim 1, and including stop means for limiting folding movement of the mechanical joint in one direction beyond a position assumed when the body joint substantially is straight.

Claim 5

A joint as claimed in claim 3, and including locking means for securing the mechanical joint against folding movement in the opposite direction.

Claim 6

A joint as claimed in claim 1, in which said bearing plates are flat whereby to move parallel to one another and substantially in the vertical planes of the brace portions.

Claim 7

In an orthopedic brace having upper and lower brace portions securable to a leg above and below the knee joint, a mechanical joint comprising a bearing plate on each of the upper and lower brace portions near the point of pivot of the knee joint, a link extending across the knee joint and having a bearing plate overlapping a bearing plate of each upper and lower brace portions to provide dual bearings, said bearing plates having opposing faces, one opposing face of each of the dual bearings being convex and the other opposing face of said bearing being concave, one bearing plate of each of the dual bearings having pivot pins spaced apart thereon and the other bearing plate of said joint having correspondingly spaced arcuate guide slots through which said pivot pins project, said pivot pins and arcuate guide slots providing each of the dual bearings with a plurality of transverse axes of pivot which are shiftable to accommodate the natural pivotal movement of the knee joint and whereby the link and the lower brace portion are rotatably about their longitudinal axes and are movable away from the upper brace member when the knee joint is flexed.

Claim 8

In an orthopedic brace having upper and lower brace portions securable to a leg above and below the knee joint, a mechanical joint comprising a bearing plate on each of the upper and lower brace portions near the point of pivot of the knee joint, a link extending across the knee joint and having a bearing plate overlapping a bearing plate of each upper and lower brace portions to provide dual bearings, said bearing plates having opposing faces, one opposing face of each of the dual bearings being convex and the other opposing face of said bearing being concave, one bearing plate of each of the dual bearings having pivot pins spaced apart thereon and the other bearing plate of said joint having correspondingly spaced arcuate guide slots through which said pivot pins project, said pivot pins and arcuate guide slots providing each of the dual bearings with a plurality of transverse axes of pivot which are shiftable to accommodate the natural pivotal movement of the knee joint and whereby the link and the lower brace portion are rotatably about their longitudinal axes and are movable away from the upper brace member when the knee joint is flexed.

Claim 9

A mechanical joint as claimed in claim 6, and including stop means for limiting swinging movement of the lower brace portion beyond the position assumed thereby when the wearer''s leg is straightened and the upper and lower brace portions are substantially aligned.

Claim 10

A mechanical joint as claimed in claim 7, and including locking means for securing the bearing plates of the dual bearings against relative movement when the upper and lower brace portions are in the substantially aligned position.

Claim 11

A mechanical joint as claimed in claim 8, wherein said locking means comprises a hinged flap carried by the link, said bearing plates of the upper and lower brace portions each haaving a hole adapted to register with a guide slot when said portions are substantially aligned, and dowels carried by the hinged flap adapted to project through the registering guide slots to enter the holes.