US2641761A - Knee brace or stabilizer - Google Patents

Description

June 16, 1953 n A, L, SCHULTZ 2,641,761

KNEE BRACE OR STABILIZER Filed April 6, 1951 INVENTOR :j ffm-SOA u zzz BY @MAM ATTORNEYS Patented June 16, 1953 UNITED vSTATES PATENT OFFICE KNEE BRACE OR STABILIZER August L. Schultz, Mitchell, S. Dak.

Application April 6, 1951, Serial No. 219,691

4 Claims.

This invention relates to a knee brace or support.

An object of this invention is to provide in an elastic sleeve or bandage adapted to engage about a knee, means fixed within the sleeve or bandage adapted to localize support and stability so as to aid in healing sprains, strainsy torn muscles, tendons and ligaments, and to prevent a re-occurrence of such injuries.

Another object of this invention is to provide a knee supporter which will not interfere with the normal movement of the limbs and will support an unstable knee resulting from injuries and damage to the semi-lunar cartilages.

A further object of this invention is to provide a knee supporter which can be readily applied or removed.

With the above and other objects in view, my invention consists in the arrangement, combination and .details of construction disclosed in the drawings and specification, and then more particularly pointed out in the appended claims.

In the drawings:

Figure 1 is a detailed side 'elevation of a new supporter constructed according to an embodiment of this invention.

Figure 2 is a sectional view taken on the line 2-2 of Figure 1.

Figure 3 is a plan view laid out at on the inner side of the supporter.

Figure 4 is a fragmentary sectional View taken on the line 4 4 of Figure 3.

Refering to the drawing the numeral I designates generally an elastic sleeve which is adapted to be disposed in encasing position about a knee K. The sleeve I0 is of such length as to extend above and below the knee joint, and the sleeve I0 has disposed therein a pair of confronting resilent or cushioned supporting members generally designated as II.

The supporting members I I are of substantially K shape, and each embodies an elongated longitudinal or vertical bar I3 extending substantially the full length of the sleeve I0, and the bar I3 has projecting from one edge thereof a pair of rearwardly divergent'bars I4 The bar I3 has extending from the opposite or forward edge thereof an arcuate projection I5 which is dis- .posed substantially midway between the ends of the bar I3.

A rearwardly projecting or lateral bar I6 projects right angularly from the edge of bar I3 opposite from arcuate projection I5 and projects from the inner angle formed by the divergent bars I4.

The outer edges of the several bars including the projection I5 are rounded oli' as indicated at I'I so that the edges of the cushion members II will not cut or bind the skin of the wearer. Each of the cushion members II is preferably formed of sponge rubber or other inherently resilent material which will localize the pressure applied to the limb by the elastic sleeve I0. The arcuate projection I5 and the rearward projection I6 will normally be disposed at substantially the joint between the leg members and the divergent bars I3 and I4 projecting from opposite sides of the horizontal or lateral bar I6 are adapted to exertv additional pressure on the ligaments and muscles and tendons disposed above and below the knee joint. Such arcuate projection I5 and the rearward projection I6 and the divergent bars I3 and Ill act as splints for the purpose of protecting and supporting specific muscles, ligaments and tendons involved in the knee joint and adjacent thereto.

The arcuate projection I5 is designed to apply localized pressure on the sides of the knee. This knee supporter is designed for the purpose of effecting an improved support for injured knees including strains, sprains, or other injuries to the knee of the individual.

While the brace or stabilizer is shown as being secured to the inside of an elastic sleeve with two races disposed in opposed relation, it will be understood that in certain cases these K-shaped cushion members may be used independently of the elastic sleeve, by being taped or otherwise secured in desired position, and then wrapped or supported with an ordinary elastic bandage, or other means; and where the bracing effect is to be applied on only one side of the knee, only one of the K-shaped cushion members may be used.

What is claimed is: y

1. A knee support comprising an elastic sleeve, and a pair of cushioned supporting members iixed in said sleeve in opposed relation, each member being formed of an elongated longitudinally disposed bar, and a pair of divergent bars extending from said rst named bar, and a laterally projecting bar extending right angularly from said rst-mentioned bar vbetween said divergent bars.

2. A knee support comprising an elastic sleeve,

' and a pair of cushioned supporting members xed in said sleeve in opposed relation, each member being :formed of an elongated longitudinally disposed bar, a pair of divergent bars extending from one edge of said first named bar, and an arcuate projection extending from the opposite edge of 3 said rst named bar at a point substantially mid- Way of the length of the latter.

3. A knee support comprising an elastic sleeve. and a pair of cushioned supporting members fixed in said sleeve in opposed relation, each member being formed of an elongated longitudinallyrdisposed bar, a pair of divergent bars extending from one edge of said rst named bar, an arcuate projection extending from the opposite edge of said rst named bar at a point substantially midway of the'length of the latter, and a laterally projecting bar extending right angularly from said first named bar cppositely from said arcuate projection. Y

4. A 'knee support comprising a pair ofA Number cushioned supporting members in opposed relation, each member being formed of an elongatedr longitudinally disposed bar, a pair of divergent bars extending from one edge of said first-named bar, an arcuate projection extending from the opposite edge of said rst-named bar at a point substantially midway of the length of the latter, and a laterally projecting bar extending right angularly from said rst-named bar oppositely from said arcuate projection, and means for securing said supporting members on opposite sides of the knee.

AUGUST L. SCHULTZ.

References Cited in thefle of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Name Date Jung Jan. 30, 1940 Manzeck Aug. 5, 1941 OTHER REFERENCES 1889 Catalog of Tiemann Co., New York., p. 662.

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