Abstract: A knee brace with a connection mechanism that enables quick and easy secure attachment and detachment of a plastic cuff shell to struts of the brace without the need for separate fasteners and the tools required for them via the use of a novel snap connector which will connect by a simple plug in motion, and which is configured to firmly hold the connected strut and prevent it from rotating relative to the cuff shell once connected while also enabling a quick and easy tool-free disconnection of the strut for exchanging of one cuff for another. The thigh and tibia shells can be interchange without removing any screws, rivets or traditional connectors providing a modular construction with the ability to mix and match different size thigh and calf shells, making it possible for a customer to order the product in kit form, or as separate components thereby enabling easy customization.

Abstract: A hinge joint for orthopedic knee braces that enable a wearer or medical professional to quickly and efficiently adjust the lateral corrective force placed on the knee joint so as to apply the force at heel strike (full extension) when it is most needed, but will relax the loading during flexion. The hinge joint, for use in a three point pressure system of a knee brace, has a first part that is connectable to a femoral arm of a knee brace and a second part that is mounted to be able to telescope out of the first part as the leg is extended and to telescope back into the first part as the leg flexes.

Abstract: An image alignment guide for producing images for producing a knee brace has an arm carrying a focal angle tube, a mechanism for positioning the arm against the lateral side of the leg of a patient, and a mechanism for setting the level of the brace. The guide is used in method of preparing such images involving taking images with the image alignment guide against the lateral side of a patient's leg at an anterior-posterior mid-line thereof with the focal angle tube at the side of the knee and at a distance therefrom, respectively, measuring the length of the patient's leg from the patella center to a position on the leg at which a shell of a brace to be produced is to be located, measuring the crest of the tibia using a tibial contour guide and sending all images, readings and measurements obtained to a knee brace manufacturer.

Abstract: A knee brace which allows the same bolster pad to be used for either the right or left leg, is adjustable to compensate for the differing angle between men and women and allows individual adjustment for each patient's comfort and brace rotation for proper fit and joint alignment. These characteristics are obtained by a contoured bolster that is selectively mountable at various positions on either side of the shin cross piece depending on whether the brace is for the left or right leg, the bolster always being on the medial side of the shin to contact the flat section on the front of the shin thereby minimizing unwanted rotation of the brace. The bolster pad has a front face with a curvature matched to a curvature of an inner side of the cross piece and a flat on a rear side to contact the front of the shin.

Abstract: A knee brace which allows the same bolster pad to be used for either the right or left leg, is adjustable to compensate for the differing angle between men and women and allows individual adjustment for each patient's comfort and brace rotation for proper fit and joint alignment. These characteristics are obtained by a contoured bolster that is selectively mountable at various positions on either side of the shin cross piece depending on whether the brace is for the left or right leg, the bolster always being on the medial side of the shin to contact the flat section on the front of the shin thereby minimizing unwanted rotation of the brace. The bolster pad has a front face with a curvature matched to a curvature of an inner side of the cross piece and a flat on a rear side to contact the front of the shin.

Abstract: An improved limb brace joint includes a band that operates in tension to rotationally bias first and second longitudinal members of the joint. The band of the joint biases the rotation of the members to provide a dorsiflexion and/or plantarflexion assist when used in an ankle foot orthosis.

Abstract: A joint assembly for an orthopedic knee brace has a femoral bar, a tibial bar, a pair of upper side plates including a lateral side plate and a medial side plate, the pair of upper side plates being fixedly connected to the femoral bar; a pair of lower side plates including a lateral side plate and a medial side plate, the pair of lower side plates being fixedly connected to said tibial bar and further includes hook portions extending at a distal end of said pair of lower support plates. The joint assembly further includes a knee pad support configured for fitting on the knee joint of the wearer and a linkage mechanism for providing torsional strength to the joint assembly, the linkage mechanism including a first clevis formed by a lower rear area of said upper side plates, a second clevis formed by an upper rear area of the lower side plates, and an inner link interconnecting the upper side plates to the lower side plates to thereby interconnect the femoral link to the tibial link.

Abstract: An orthopedic knee brace has a pair of femoral and tibial links, a hinge mechanism connecting the femoral and tibial links, a condylar knee pad support fixedly positioned on the lateral side of the brace and made adjustable by a spring-loaded ratchet mechanism featuring a series of interlocking teeth that allows for the axial displacement of the condylar pad to supply corrective force to the lateral knee joint and prevent of any unintended change in correction force. Moreover, in an effort to provide greater flexibility to the wearer in and enhance the stabilization of the design, the condylar pad is mounted for rotation about a point on the axis of the femoral condyle of the knee joint. The knee pad support may be adjusted by hand by rotating the ratchet mechanism to achieve the proper correction force or with an adjusting tool that engages a plurality of notches surrounding the periphery of the ratchet mechanism.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for forming a custom fit knee orthosis is disclosed that includes forming a flat pre-assembled knee orthosis in which upper and lower support blanks made of rigid carbon fiber and plastic resin composite materials are connected in a flat, rigid state by joint mechanisms, and the knee orthosis is shipped to a orthopedist or orthopedic assembly facility in a flat condition with the blanks of composite material still in their flat pre-cured state. The orthopedist or orthopedic assembly facility heat softens the blanks and reshapes them to conform to the contours of a particular patient's leg, with only minor finishing operations being required after the reshaped blanks have set.