Abstract: An ankle brace for limiting flexing and pivoting movement of the ankle joint. The brace includes a soft resilient sock and a pair of brace panels positioned and retained over the sock on opposite sides of the ankle and foot. Each panel is formed by a pair of brace sections hinged together by a floating pivot axis hinge. The hinge includes a pair of juxtaposed hinge plates adapted to pivot and slide with respect to each other. One of the plates is secured to the ankle section of the brace and the other is secured to the foot section of the brace. Each plate defines a pivot face, with a concave groove defined in each face. The concave grooves are normally positioned at right angles with respect to each other when the pivot faces are juxtaposed. A single pivot bearing ball is positioned between the opposed pivot faces and retained in the concave grooves. A spring resiliently biases the hinge plates together against the ball pivot bearing. A second spring biases the plates for relative sliding movement.

Abstract: An ankle brace for limiting flexing and pivoting movement of the ankle joint. The brace includes a soft resilient sock and a pair of brace panels positioned and retained over the sock on opposite sides of the ankle and foot. Each panel is formed by a pair of brace sections hinged together by a floating pivot axis hinge. The hinge includes pair of juxtaposed hinge plates adapted to pivot and slide with respect to each other. One of the plates is secured to the ankle section of the brace and the other is secured to the foot section of the brace. Each plate defines pivot face, with a concave groove defined in each face. The concave grooves are normally positioned at right angles with respect to each other when the pivot faces are juxtaposed. A single pivot bearing ball is positioned between the opposed pivot faces and retained in the concave grooves. A spring resiliently biases the hinge plates together against the ball pivot bearing. A second spring biases the plates for relative sliding movement.

Abstract: A knee brace includes a thigh cuff having inner and outer spaced brace arms adapted to extend along the user's thigh toward the knee, a calf cuff including inner and outer spaced brace arms adapted to extend along the user's calf toward the knee, and floating pivot axis hinges rotatably connecting the inner and outer brace arms of each pair. The hinge is formed by a pair of juxtaposed hinge plates, each having a pivot face in opposition to a pivot face ont he juxtaposed plate, with a concave groove in each of the face. A pivot bearing ball is confined between the opposed faces and retained in the concave grooves. A spring, bellville spring, or disk spring biases the hinge plates together when the pivot bearing ball is positioned in the opposed grooves between.

Abstract: A knee brace includes a thigh cuff having inner and outer spaced brace arms adapted to extend along the user's thigh toward the knee, a calf cuff including inner and outer spaced brace arms adapted to extend along the user's calf toward the knee, and floating pivot axis hinges rotatably connecting the inner and outer brace arms of each pair. The hinge is formed by a pair of juxtaposed hinge plates, each having a pivot face in opposition to a pivot face on the juxtaposed plate, with a concave groove in each of the face. A pivot bearing ball is confined between the opposed faces and retained in the concave grooves. A spring, bellville spring, or disk spring biases the hinge plates together when the pivot bearing ball is positioned in the opposed grooves between.

Abstract: Apparatus and methods for use in performing surgical operations such as anterior or posterior cruciate ligament reconstructions wherein the apparatus has means for positioning a target area at the center of an arc of a circle so that when the target area is positioned at a location relative to the anatomical center of the original attachment of the cruciate ligaments on the tibia and femur bones, kirschner wires may be pushed through guide means having a longitudinal axis coinciding with a ray emanating from the center of the circle and indicate the proper location for holes in the tibia and femur for the proper attachment of a cruciate ligament graft substitute. The apparatus is also used in the placement of kirschner wires to serve as guide wires in the performance of an osteotomy.

Abstract: Apparatus and methods for use in performing surgical operations such as anterior or posterior cruciate ligament reconstructions wherein the apparatus has means for positioning a target area at the center of a an arc of a circle so that when the target area is positioned at a location relative to the anatomical center of the original attachment of the cruciate ligaments on the tibia and femur bones, kirschner wires may be pushed through guide means having a longitudinal axis coinciding with a ray emanating from the center of the circle and indicate the proper location for holes in the tibia and femur for the proper attachment of a cruciate ligament graft substitute. The apparatus is also used in the placement of kirschner wires to serve as guide wires in the performance of an osteotomy.