Knee orthosis

Claim 1

In a knee orthosis, the combination comprising (a) a first elongated rigid member attachable to the outer side of the upper leg while extending generally in the direction thereof, (b) a second elongated rigid member attachable to the outer side of the lower leg while extending generally in the direction thereof, (c) means pivotally coupling said members, proximate the knee location, (d) inter-meshed gear parts respectively carried by said members to relatively rotate as either of said members pivots relative to the other of said members, (e) first straps on and spaced along the first member and adapted to be wound about at least the upper leg, and second straps on and spaced along the second member and adapted to be wound about at least the lower leg, whereby the first and second members are held in position relative to the upper and lower legs with the gear parts located laterally proximate the knee location, and (f) pads on said members and shaped to fit against said upper and lower legs, at least two of said first and second straps associated with said pads to hold the pads in place, (g) said first straps including a relatively wide first strap having an end anchored to said first member and an opposite end adapted to wind about the upper leg, and said second straps including a relatively wide second strap having one end anchored to said second member and an opposite end adapted to wind about the lower leg, (h) said first straps including a relatively narrow primary strap having one end anchored to said upper member so as to extend at an angle to said wide first strap, and having a free opposite end adapted to wind about the rear of the knee for connection to the lower member, (i) said one end of the narrow primary strap anchored closer to said gear parts than said end of the wide first strap, said lower member having a connection thereon for receiving said free opposite end of the primary strap, said connection located closer to the gear parts than said end of the wide second strap, (j) said second straps including a relatively narrow secondary strap having one end anchored to said lower member so as to extend at an angle to said wide second strap, and having a free opposite end adapted to wind about the rear of the knee for connection to the upper member, (k) said one end of the narrow secondary strap anchored closer to said gear parts than said end of the wide second strap, said upper member having a connection thereon for receiving said free opposite end of the secondary strap, said connection located closer to said gear parts than said end of the wide primary strap, (l) whereby when said one ends of the primary and secondary straps move relatively toward one another as said gear parts relatively rotate, said opposite ends thereof move relatively apart.