JP2019058485A - Knee brace - Google Patents

Abstract

To provide a knee brace in which the guidance of the knee brace can be transmitted to a body most effectively.SOLUTION: A knee brace includes: a thigh supporting part 10 and a lower leg supporting part 20 having a cylindrical shape; an outside leg side joint 30 having an upper end and a lower end being mounted to the thigh supporting part 10 and the lower leg supporting part 20, respectively, and arranged outside of a knee, and connecting the thigh supporting part 10 with the lower leg supporting part 20; an inside leg side joint 40 having the upper end and the lower end being mounted to the thigh supporting part 10 and the lower leg supporting part 20, respectively, and arranged inside of the knee, and connecting the thigh supporting part 10 with the lower leg supporting part 20; an upper position adjusting mechanism 50 capable of moving at least one of an installation position of the thigh supporting part 10 with the outside leg side joint 30 and the installation position with the inside leg side joint 40 along the circumference direction of the thigh supporting part 10; and a lower position adjusting mechanism 60 capable of moving at least one of an installation position of the lower leg supporting part 20 with the outside leg side joint 30 and the installation position with the inside leg side joint 40 along the circumference direction of the lower leg supporting part 20.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

  The present invention relates to a knee brace mounted on a knee, and in particular, enables circumferential adjustment of the mounting positions of an outer leg joint set and an outer leg joint set connecting a thigh support and a lower leg support. Related knee braces.

  Knee braces attached to the knees to assist walking are mainly intended for treatment and correction of patients with knee osteoarthritis and rehabilitation after injuries such as injuries after surgery on knees. Various knee braces have been conventionally proposed.

For example, Patent Document 1 discloses a knee brace that corrects movement of a knee joint for treatment of a patient with knee osteoarthritis.
The knee brace described in Patent Document 1 includes a substantially semi-cylindrical support portion made of a rigid material, and an upper cuff wound around a thigh and a lower cuff wound around a lower thigh. It comprises a belt fixed to the support. The free end side of the belt is provided with fixing means such as a button and a surface fastener, and by fixing the strap of the belt with this fixing means, the upper cuff and the lower cuff are respectively made of the thigh and the lower thigh It is configured to be adjusted and fitted to the circumferential diameter. The outer leg joint and the inner leg joint are fixed to the upper cuff and the lower cuff at the upper end and the lower end, respectively.

A knee brace intended for protection of a knee joint of a human body, in particular, suitable for rehabilitation (for training) is proposed in Patent Literature 2 for example.
The knee brace described in Patent Document 2 includes a thigh attachment member attached to the thigh, a lower thigh attachment member attached to the lower thigh, a thigh attachment member, and a lower thigh attachment member. A knee brace comprising a pair of movable members connected on the inside and the outside of the knee, wherein the movable members are respectively moved and adjusted in the width direction of the knee by a width adjusting mechanism.

  The width adjustment mechanism of this knee brace is disposed on the front side of the knee, and connects movable members extending vertically in the inside and the outside of the knee on the front side, that is, the center side of the knee. Thus, the end of the movable member extending vertically in the inside and outside of the knee extends further toward the front side of the knee and is connected via the width adjustment mechanism disposed on the front side of the knee, The width adjustment mechanism is configured to be adapted to the width of the knee.

  By the way, the knee brace used for any purpose also has a function of guiding the leg to assist the wearer's walking and bending of the knee. And the outer leg joint and the inner leg joint of the knee brace are respectively the outer side and the inner side of the wearer's leg, more specifically, the circumference of the wearer's thigh and lower leg When positioned on the same center line and just beside the center of the diameter (circumferential), the movement of the leg is most appropriately followed and the guiding effect of the knee brace is most easily transmitted to the leg.

However, the circumference of the thigh and the circumference of the lower leg may change due to a change in weight of the wearer using the knee brace and a change in the ratio of muscle mass to fat mass.
In the case of a therapeutic knee brace, when the knee brace is attached and walking is continued by exercise therapy, fat in the patient's leg usually turns into muscle and the leg becomes thinner.

  At this time, in the conventional knee brace as described in Patent Document 1, the upper and lower cuffs and the outer leg joint and the inner leg joint are fixed at their respective attachment positions, so By narrowing or widening the circumferential diameters of the cuff and lower cuff, the positions of the outer leg joint and the inner leg joint pass through the optimum position, more specifically, the center of the circumferential diameter of the leg of the patient There was a possibility of deviating back and forth from the position of the same center line and the side (right side).

  In the case of treatment knee braces, once medical insurance is applied and the knee brace is manufactured, it can not be manufactured with medical insurance for three years, so even if the circumference of the leg changes, thigh support during that time It is necessary to devise that the placement position of the outer leg side joint and the inner leg side joint should be placed at the same position as before changing the circumferential diameter of the leg by putting thick pads inside the lower part and the lower leg support. It is happening.

  On the other hand, in the case of postoperative knee braces, although they are not used as long as therapeutic knee braces, they have swelling in the upper and lower legs centering around the knee immediately after surgery, and the circumferential diameter of the legs As a result of the increase in the size, a scaled-up brace was used, and at the point of swelling, the scaled-down brace was used, and two sizes of knee braces were required.

In relation to this problem, the knee brace described in Patent Document 2 is capable of adjusting the knee width in one knee brace. However, in this knee brace, since the width adjustment of the movable member (joint) is performed on the front side of the knee, the outer circumference of the thigh and the lower thigh, more specifically, the thigh attachment and the lower thigh attachment The arrangement of the movable member with respect to the outer periphery is biased toward the front of the knee rather than the inner and outer sides of the knee. With such an arrangement, it is difficult to transmit the guidance given from the knee brace to the legs, and it is difficult to obtain the effect of wearing the knee brace.
Furthermore, the knee brace described in Patent Document 2 has a disadvantage that it has a large number of parts and has a complicated configuration.

  Further, in each of the knee braces described in Patent Document 1 and Patent Document 2, the thigh support portion and the lower leg support portion are composed of a belt member including a rigid member and a surface fastener, etc. The length is adjusted appropriately and wound around the leg and attached. However, adjustment of the length of the belt is time-consuming, and it is necessary to retighten several times in order to adjust tightening, which makes it difficult for the elderly to wear it.

International Publication No. 2012/098733 JP 2012-183277

The present invention has been made in view of the above circumstances, and its object is to provide a thigh support portion and a lower leg support portion, an outer leg joint and an inner leg joint with a simple structure with a small number of parts. It is an object of the present invention to provide a knee brace capable of circumferential position adjustment of the attachment position of the knee brace and capable of most effectively transmitting the guidance of the knee brace to the body.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a knee brace that is easy to wear.

  According to the knee brace relating to the present invention, the subject is attached to the thigh and the cylindrical thigh support, and the lower leg having the cylindrical lower support, and the upper end is the above An outer leg side joint attached to the thigh support portion, a lower end portion attached to the lower leg support portion, and disposed outside the knee to connect the thigh support portion and the lower leg support portion; an upper end portion is the thigh An inner leg side joint attached to the support portion, a lower end portion attached to the lower leg support portion, and disposed inside the knee to connect the thigh support portion and the lower leg support portion, the thigh support portion, and the thigh support portion An upper position adjusting mechanism capable of moving at least one of an attachment position with an outer leg joint and an attachment position between the thigh support and the inner leg joint along a circumferential direction of the thigh support; Lower thigh support A lower position adjusting mechanism capable of moving at least one of an attachment position with the outer leg joint and an attachment position between the lower leg support and the inner leg joint along the circumferential direction of the lower leg support; It is solved by having.

According to the knee brace thus configured, the attachment positions of the thigh support portion and the outer leg side joint, the attachment positions of the thigh support portion and the inner leg side joint, and the attachment positions of the lower leg support portion and the outer leg side joint The attachment positions of the lower leg support and the inner leg joint can be adjusted by moving along the circumferential direction of the cylindrical upper leg support and the cylindrical lower leg support, respectively. Depending on the size of the lower leg, i.e. the circumferential diameter, it can be arranged at an appropriate mounting position, and the guidance of the knee brace can be effectively transmitted to the leg of the wearer.
In particular, it is necessary to replace the knee brace with a new size because the mounting position can be adjusted to an appropriate position even if the circumferential diameter of the wearer's thighs and lower thighs changes due to the reasons described above. The same knee brace can be used. Further, when viewed from the manufacturer side, it is not necessary to manufacture knee braces of different sizes for a plurality of sizes, and parts can be made common, which has the advantage of being able to suppress manufacturing costs.

At this time, the attachment positions of the thigh support portion and the outer leg side joint and the attachment positions of the thigh support portion and the inner leg side joint are disposed at positions facing each other on the circumference of the thigh support portion. Is preferable.
The attachment positions of the thigh support portion and the outer leg side joint and the attachment positions of the thigh support portion and the inner leg side joint are disposed on the same central line passing through the center of the circle of the thigh support portion. And is more preferable.

  Thus, in the circumference of the cylindrical thigh support, the thigh support, the outer leg joint, and the inner leg joint on opposing positions, more preferably on the same center line passing through the center of the circle of the thigh support. When mounted, the joints are arranged laterally in line with the center of the circumferential diameter of the thigh on the lateral and medial sides of the wearer's thigh during mounting. As a result, the pivots of each joint and the center of the circumference of the knee of the wearer are aligned in a horizontal row. This allows the outer leg joint and the inner leg joint to most appropriately follow the movement of the wearer's leg and to most effectively transmit the knee brace guidance to the wearer's leg.

Furthermore, the attachment positions of the lower leg support portion and the outer leg side joint, and the attachment positions of the lower leg support portion and the inner leg side joint are disposed at opposing positions on the circumference of the lower leg support portion. Is preferred.
The attachment positions of the lower leg support portion and the outer leg side joint and the attachment positions of the lower leg support portion and the inner leg side joint are disposed on the same central line passing through the center of the circle of the lower leg support portion. And is more preferable.

  Thus, the lower leg support, the outer leg joint and the inner leg joint on the same position on the circumference of the cylindrical lower leg support, more preferably on the same center line passing through the center of the lower leg support circle. When the mounting position of the joint is arranged, the joints are arranged in a line with the center of the circumferential diameter of the lower leg on the outer side and the inner side of the lower leg of the wearer at the time of wearing. As a result, the pivots of each joint and the center of the circumference of the knee of the wearer are aligned in a horizontal row. This allows the outer leg joint and the inner leg joint to most appropriately follow the movement of the wearer's leg and to most effectively transmit the knee brace guidance to the wearer's leg.

Further, it is preferable that each of the thigh support portion and the lower leg support portion be formed of a single member made of a material having flexibility and being wound by a restoring force.
With such a configuration, the thigh support and the lower leg support are brought to the mounting position around the leg, and the leg naturally wraps around the leg simply by releasing the hand. It will be easier. In addition, since a belt such as a conventional knee brace is not required, adjustment of the length of the belt is not necessary, adjustment of tightening and easing becomes easy, and attachment and detachment becomes much easier. Such easy attachment and detachment can provide a device that is particularly gentle to the elderly.

In the above configuration, each of the thigh support portion and the lower leg support portion is formed of a long member, and both ends thereof are formed in a cylindrical shape by being joined with an overlap of a predetermined length. Is more preferable.
As described above, in the thigh support portion and the lower leg support portion consisting of a single long member, both ends are overlapped and joined by a predetermined length, and therefore the circumference of the leg is adjusted by adjusting the overlapping amount. It can absorb changes in diameter and can easily adapt to changes in circumferential diameter.

  At this time, the upper position adjusting mechanism includes an upper mounting hole provided in the thigh support portion, and at least one of the outer leg joint and the inner leg joint movable by the upper position adjusting mechanism. The lower position adjusting mechanism includes an upper connecting hole provided in a joint corresponding to a position, and an upper fixing means for detachably fixing the upper mounting hole and the upper connecting hole. A lower attachment hole provided, a lower connection hole provided in a joint corresponding to the at least one attachment position movable by the lower position adjustment mechanism among the outer leg joint and the inner leg joint; A lower fixing means for detachably fixing a lower mounting hole and the lower connection hole; and a plurality of the upper mounting holes are provided along the circumferential direction of the thigh support portion It is and the lower mounting hole, it is preferable that are provided along the circumferential direction of the lower leg support.

  Thus, a plurality of upper and lower attachment holes along the circumferential direction are provided in the thigh support portion and the lower leg support portion, and the upper and lower connection holes of the outer leg joint and the inner leg joint, and the upper and lower attachment holes The outer leg joint and the inner leg joint are simply replaced with mounting holes at different positions along the circumferential direction, because the upper leg and the lower leg fixing means are detachably attached via the upper and lower fixing means. The mounting positions of the leg joint and the inner leg joint can be adjusted by moving in the circumferential direction. Moreover, since it is comprised only with each hole and a fixing means, the change of the attachment position of an outer leg side joint and an inner leg side joint is attained by easy structure with few number of parts.

Furthermore, instead of the above configuration, the upper attachment hole is a long hole extending along the circumferential direction of the thigh support portion, and the lower attachment hole is along the circumferential direction of the lower leg support portion It may be configured to be an elongated hole extending.
With such a configuration, it is possible to move the attachment positions of the outer leg joint and the inner leg joint in the circumferential direction and adjust the attachment position with a simple configuration with a small number of parts.

Preferably, the upper position adjusting mechanism and the lower position adjusting mechanism are slide lock mechanisms using slide lock screws.
With such a configuration, it is possible to move the attachment positions of the outer leg joint and the inner leg joint in the circumferential direction and adjust the attachment position with a simple configuration with a small number of parts.

According to the knee brace of the present invention, the attachment positions of the thigh support portion and the lower leg support portion, and the outer leg side joint and the inner leg side joint are along the circumferential direction of the cylindrical thigh support portion and the lower leg support portion. Depending on the size of the wearer's thighs and lower legs, i.e., the circumferential diameter, it can be moved and adjusted, so that it can be placed at an appropriate attachment position, thereby effectively guiding the knee braces. It can be told to the legs.
Further, according to the knee brace of the present invention, it is not necessary to manufacture knee braces of different sizes for a plurality of sizes, and parts can be shared, so that the manufacturing cost can be suppressed.
Further, according to the knee brace of the present invention, the outer leg joint and the inner leg joint are provided on the lateral side and the inner side of the thigh and the lower thigh of the wearer, respectively. The outer leg side joint and the inner leg side joint can be arranged so that they can be arranged side by side with the center of the circumferential diameter, and can be arranged so that the rotation support shaft of each joint and the center of the peripheral diameter of the knee of the wearer are side by side. The movement of the wearer's legs can be most appropriately followed, and the guidance of the knee brace can be most effectively transmitted to the wearer's legs.
Further, according to the knee brace of the present invention, since it naturally wraps around the leg simply by releasing the hand from the thigh support portion and the lower leg support portion, it becomes easy to adapt to changes in the circumferential diameter of the leg and This eliminates the need for adjusting the height, makes it easy to adjust the tightening and makes the mounting much easier.
Further, according to the knee brace of the present invention, both ends of the thigh support portion and the lower leg support portion are joined with an overlap of a predetermined length, so that the circumferential diameter of the leg portion is adjusted by adjusting the overlap amount. It can absorb changes and can be easily adapted to changes in circumference.
Moreover, according to the knee brace of the present invention, the attachment positions of the outer leg joint and the inner leg joint can be changed with a simple configuration with a small number of parts.

It is a perspective view showing a knee brace concerning a first embodiment of the present invention. They are a top view, a longitudinal cross-sectional view, and a bottom view of a knee brace concerning a first embodiment of the present invention. They are a top view, a right side view, and a bottom view of a knee brace concerning a first embodiment of the present invention. They are a top view, a right side view, and a bottom view of a knee brace concerning a second embodiment of the present invention. It is explanatory drawing of the knee brace which concerns on 3rd embodiment of this invention. It is explanatory drawing of the knee brace concerning 4th embodiment of this invention. It is explanatory drawing of the knee brace which concerns on 5th embodiment of this invention.

Hereinafter, a first embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS. The members, arrangements, and the like described below do not limit the present invention, and, of course, various modifications can be made in accordance with the spirit of the present invention.
FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing a knee brace according to the first embodiment, FIG. 2 (a) is a plan view of the knee brace, and FIG. 2 (b) is a cross-sectional view of the knee brace of FIG. 2 (c) is a bottom view, FIG. 3 (a) is a plan view corresponding to the right side view of the knee brace of FIG. 2, FIG. 3 (b) is a right side view of the knee brace of FIG. c) is a bottom view corresponding to a right side view. 2 (a) and 3 (a) show only the thigh support, and FIGS. 2 (c) and 3 (c) show only the lower thigh support for ease of explanation.

  The knee brace 1 according to the present embodiment is a brace mounted around the knee, and as shown in FIGS. 1 to 3, the thigh support portion 10 wound around the thigh and the circumference of the lower thigh The upper end is fixed to the thigh support 10 and the lower end is fixed to the lower thigh support 20, and the legs are respectively disposed outside and inside of the region around the knee joint. Upper position adjusting mechanism 50 capable of adjusting the attachment positions of the outer leg side joint 30 and the inner leg side joint 40, the outer leg side joint 30 and the inner leg side joint 40, and the thigh support 10, the outer leg side joint A lower position adjusting mechanism 60 capable of adjusting the attachment position of each of the lower leg support portion 20 and each of the lower leg support 30 and the inner leg joint 40 is a main component. FIG. 1 shows a knee brace 1 for the left leg.

The thigh support 10 has a substantially cylindrical shape. In detail, one long, more specifically elongated, strip-shaped one member is annularly formed, and both ends in the longitudinal direction are free ends 11a and 11b. The free ends 11a and 11b are provided with bonding means such as surface fasteners or buttons, and overlap each other by a predetermined length to form a closed ring when they are joined to form a cylindrical shape. The free ends 11 a and 11 b constitute a joint 11.
At the time of wearing, the joint 11 is set so as to be located forward of the thigh, one free end 11a comes from the outside to the inside, is overlapped with the other free end 11b, and is joined at an appropriate position. As described above, simply by winding the thigh support portion 10 made of a single long member around the thigh and joining at the joint portion, it can be easily mounted.

  In the thigh support portion 10, a plurality of mounting holes 12 and 13 as upper mounting holes are substantially cylindrical at positions where they are connected to the upper end portions of the outer leg side joint 30 and the inner leg side joint 40 described later. It is formed along the circumferential direction. The plurality of mounting holes 12 and 13 constitute an upper position adjusting mechanism 50 described later. In addition, the pad of a material easy on the skin not shown is provided in the inner surface of the thigh support part 10. As shown in FIG.

The lower leg support portion 20 has a substantially cylindrical shape. In detail, one long, more specifically elongated, strip-shaped one member is annularly formed, and both ends in the longitudinal direction are free ends 21a and 21b. The free ends 21a and 21b are provided with bonding means such as surface fasteners or buttons, and overlap each other by a predetermined length to form a closed ring when they are joined to form a cylindrical shape. The free ends 21 a and 21 b constitute a joint 21.
At the time of wearing, the joint portion 21 is set to be positioned forward of the lower leg, and one free end 21a is brought from the outside to the inside, superimposed on the other free end 21b, and joined at an appropriate position. As described above, simply by winding the lower leg support portion 20 formed of a single long member around the lower leg portion and joining at the joint portion, it can be easily installed.

  In the lower leg support portion 20, a plurality of mounting holes 22 and 23 as lower mounting holes are substantially cylindrical at positions where they are connected with the lower ends of the outer leg side joint 30 and the inner leg side joint 40 described later. It is formed along the circumferential direction. The plurality of mounting holes 22 and 23 constitute an upper position adjusting mechanism 50 described later. In addition, the pad of a material easy on the skin not shown is provided in the inner surface of the lower leg support part 20. As shown in FIG.

  Each of the thigh support 10 and the lower thigh support 20 is made of a material that has flexibility and flexibility, is formed with stress in the direction of tightening, and has the property of being wound in a roll by recovery force, for example When the hand is released, it is formed of a resin that is wrinkled in the direction of being wound in a roll shape naturally. In addition, if the lower leg support part 20 is formed from the raw material whose rigidity is higher than the thigh support part 10, supporting force will improve and it is more preferable.

  As described above, since the thigh support 10 and the lower thigh support 20 are formed of a flexible resin, the joints 11 and 21 can be easily spread and attached and detached at the time of attachment and detachment. It becomes. In addition, because it is shaped so as to always maintain a cylindrical shape due to the nature of winding by the restoring force, it can be worn quickly because it naturally winds around the thighs and lower legs simply by releasing the hand. It becomes. In addition, since it can be easily adapted to the size (circumferential diameter) of the leg of the wearer, it is possible to adapt to changes in the circumferential diameter of the leg. When viewed from the manufacturer side, it is possible to provide a knee brace as a free size regardless of the size (circumferential diameter) of the wearer's thighs and lower thighs, and it is necessary to produce knee braces of different sizes. It has the advantage of disappearing.

In the conventional knee brace, the thigh support mechanism and the lower thigh support mechanism are each approximately semi-cylindrical, and a cuff portion made of a rigid material such as resin, and connected to the cuff portion to be connected to the thigh portion of the wearer A strap made of cloth or the like for winding around the lower leg and attaching the support portion. On the other hand, the thigh support portion 10 and the lower leg support portion 20 of the present embodiment have the above-described characteristics, and thereby combine the functions of both the cuff portion and the strap of the conventional knee brace with one member (single member). You can have it.
This eliminates the need for a belt as in the conventional knee brace, eliminates the need for adjusting the length of the belt, facilitates the adjustment of tightening, and greatly facilitates the mounting. Such easy installation makes it possible to provide a device that is particularly gentle to the elderly. In each of the thigh support 10 and the lower thigh support 20 consisting of a single long member, when the end portions are overlapped and joined, only by adjusting the overlapping amount, It can absorb changes and can be easily adapted to changes in circumference. In addition, it is possible to provide a knee brace that is easy to wear while reducing the number of parts.

  The outer leg joint 30 includes an outer leg upper arm 31, an outer leg lower arm 35, and a biasing member 38. The outer leg upper arm 31 and the outer leg lower arm 35 are made of a rigid material in which about 70% by weight of plastic and about 30% by weight of carbon are mixed.

  The outer leg side upper arm 31 is formed of a long plate-like member, and a connection hole 32 as an upper connection hole for attaching to the thigh support portion 10 is provided at the upper end portion, and a screw hole is provided at the lower end portion. It is rotatably connected by the outer leg side lower arm 35 and the rotation fulcrum shaft 34. The connection hole 32 provided at the upper end portion constitutes an upper position adjusting mechanism 50 described later.

The outer leg side lower arm 35 is formed of a long plate-like member, and a screw hole is provided at the upper end portion, and the outer leg side upper arm 31 and the pivoting fulcrum shaft 34 are rotatably connected. The part is provided with a connecting hole 36 as a lower connecting hole for being attached to the lower leg support 20. The connection hole 36 provided at the lower end portion constitutes a lower position adjusting mechanism 60 described later.
In addition, the rotation fulcrum shaft 34 which is a connection part of the outer leg side upper arm 31 and the outer leg side lower arm 35 is comprised using a well-known fixing tool, for example, the outer leg side upper arm 31 A screw and a washer are attached to screw holes respectively provided in the lower end portion of the lower end portion and the upper end portion of the outer leg side lower arm 35, and are rotatably engaged by locking.

  An urging member 38 is provided around the rotation fulcrum shaft 34 to apply an urging force in a direction in which the outer leg upper arm 31 and the outer leg lower arm 35 are separated with respect to the rotation fulcrum shaft 34. There is. Although the return spring is used for the biasing member 38 of this embodiment, it is not limited to this, A rubber spring, a compressed air pump, etc. can also be used. The biasing member 38 constitutes a power assist mechanism that assists the wearer of the knee brace 1 to stand up and step on the leg during walking.

  The inner leg side joint 40 includes an inner leg upper arm 41, an inner leg lower arm 45, and a biasing member 48. The inner leg upper arm 41 and the inner leg lower arm 45 are made of a rigid material in which about 70% by weight of plastic and about 30% by weight of carbon are mixed. The inner leg side joint 40 of the present embodiment has the same structure as the outer leg side joint 30 except that it is laterally (inside-out) symmetrical as described below.

  The inner leg side upper arm 41 is formed of a long plate-like member, and an upper end portion is provided with a connecting hole 42 as an upper connecting hole for attaching to the thigh support portion 10, and a lower end portion is provided with a screw hole. Thus, the inner leg side lower arm 45 and the pivot fulcrum shaft 44 are connected rotatably. The connecting hole 42 provided at the upper end portion constitutes an upper position adjusting mechanism 50 described later.

The inner leg side lower arm 45 is formed of a long plate-like member, and a screw hole is provided at the upper end portion and is rotatably connected by the inner leg side upper arm 41 and the rotation fulcrum shaft 44 The part is provided with a connecting hole 46 as a lower connecting hole for being attached to the lower leg support 20. The connection hole 46 provided at the lower end portion constitutes a lower position adjusting mechanism 60 described later.
The pivot fulcrum shaft 44, which is a connection portion between the inner leg upper arm 41 and the inner leg lower arm 45, is configured using a known fixing tool. For example, the inner leg upper arm 41 is used. A screw and a washer are attached to the screw holes respectively provided in the lower end portion of the lower arm portion and the upper end portion of the inner leg side lower arm 45, and the screw holes are rotatably engaged.

A biasing member 48 is provided around the pivot fulcrum shaft 44 to apply an urging force in a direction in which the inner leg upper arm 41 and the inner leg lower arm 45 are separated with respect to the pivot fulcrum shaft 44. There is. Although the return spring is used for the biasing member 48 of this embodiment, it is not limited to this, A rubber spring, a compressed air pump, etc. can also be used. The biasing member 48 constitutes a power assist mechanism that assists the wearer of the knee brace 1 to stand up and step on the leg during walking.
Although the embodiment provided with the biasing members 38 and 48 is shown in FIG. 1, a configuration without using the biasing member may be employed. 2 and 3 show a configuration without the biasing member.

  In addition, the knee brace 1 includes a popliteal belt (not shown) supported by being wound around the lower leg of the wearer and a through crown for inserting and locking the popliteal belt on the inner leg side lower arm 45 respectively. And the outer leg side lower arm 35. By mounting the popliteal belt on the lower leg, the knee brace 1 follows by movement of the leg.

The attachment of the thigh support 10 to the outer leg joint 30 and the inner leg joint 40 will be described.
An outer leg joint 30 is constituted by any one or a set of holes of a plurality of mounting holes 12 formed along the circumferential direction at a position on the outer leg side of the circumference of the thigh support portion 10 The connecting hole 32 formed at the upper end portion of the outer leg upper arm 31 is fastened together by a fastener 52 such as a screw as an upper fixing means. In the present embodiment, as shown in FIG. 1 and FIG. 3, the thigh support portion 10 is provided with two attachment holes 12 vertically arranged at the same circumferential position, and the two holes vertically arranged. Together with a pair of connecting holes 32 provided longitudinally at the upper end portion of the outer leg upper arm 31 in a row, and fastened by a pair of fasteners 52.
The number of attachment holes 12, connection holes 32, and fasteners 52 is not limited to this, and may be one each or three or more in a row. Alternatively, two connection holes 32 may be provided side by side in the upper end portion of the outer leg upper arm 31 and fastened with two attachment holes 12 arranged along the circumferential direction of the thigh support 10. .

  Similarly, any one or a set of holes (in the present embodiment, any one of a plurality of mounting holes 13 formed along the circumferential direction at a position on the inner leg side of the circumference of the thigh support portion 10) Fasteners such as screws as upper fixing means and two connecting holes 42 formed at the upper end of the upper leg 41 of the inner leg side upper arm 41 constituting the inner leg side joint 40) Sign together by 56 The number and arrangement of the attachment holes 13, the connection holes 42, and the fasteners 56 can be appropriately changed as in the case of the attachment to the outer leg joint 30 described above.

At this time, as shown in FIGS. 2 (a) and 3 (a), the attachment position t1 between the thigh support 10 and the outer leg upper arm 31 and the thigh support 10 and the inner leg upper arm 41. The mounting position t 2 is mounted so as to be disposed at the cylindrical circumferential opposite position on the thigh support 10.
More preferably, the attachment position t1 between the thigh support 10 and the outer leg upper arm 31 and the attachment position t2 between the thigh support 10 and the inner leg upper arm 41 are cylindrical. It is attached so as to be symmetrical with respect to the center point C1 of the circle. In other words, the attachment position t1 between the thigh support 10 and the outer leg upper arm 31 and the attachment position t2 between the thigh support 10 and the inner leg upper arm 41 are on the same central line passing through the center point C1 of the circle. Attached to be located at

The attachment of the lower leg support 20 to the outer leg joint 30 and the inner leg joint 40 will be described.
Any one or a set of holes of a plurality of attachment holes 22 formed along the circumferential direction at a position on the outer leg side of the circumference of the lower leg support portion 20 (in this embodiment, the holes are aligned vertically (A pair of holes) and a connecting hole 36 formed at the lower end of the outer leg lower arm 35 constituting the outer leg joint 30, both by means of a fastener 62 such as a screw as a lower fixing means To conclude.
Similarly, any one or a set of holes (in the present embodiment, any one of a plurality of mounting holes 23 formed along the circumferential direction at a position on the inner leg side of the circumference of the lower leg support portion 20) A fastener such as a screw as a lower fixing means, and a connecting hole 46 formed in the lower end portion of the inner leg side lower arm 45 constituting the inner leg side joint 40 and a pair of vertically arranged holes) Signed together by 66.

At this time, as shown in FIGS. 2C and 3C, the attachment position t3 between the lower leg support 20 and the outer leg side lower arm 35, and the lower leg support 20 and the inner leg lower arm 45. The mounting position t4 is mounted so as to be disposed at an opposing position on the cylindrical circumference of the lower leg support 20.
More preferably, the mounting position t3 of the lower leg support portion 20 and the outer leg side lower arm 35 and the mounting position t4 of the lower leg support portion 20 and the inner leg side lower arm 45 are cylindrical. It is attached so as to be symmetrical with respect to the center point C2 of the circle. In other words, the attachment position t3 of the lower leg support portion 20 and the outer leg side lower arm 35 and the attachment position t4 of the lower leg support portion 20 and the inner leg side lower arm 45 are on the same central line passing through the central point C2 of the circle. Attached to be located at

  Thus, the attachment positions of the thigh support 10 and the outer leg joint 30 and the inner leg joint 40, and the attachment positions of the lower leg support 20 and the outer leg joint 30 and the inner leg joint 40 are the respective circles. Since they are arranged on the same center line on the circumference, the rotation fulcrum shaft 34 of the outer leg joint 30 and the rotation fulcrum shaft 44 of the inner leg joint 40 are on the same rotation center line Will be placed in The rotation center line passing through the rotation fulcrum shafts 34 and 44 is indicated by L1 in FIGS. 1 and 2.

  The upper arms 31, 41, the lower arms 35, 45, and the pivot fulcrums 34, 44 respectively define the center of the circumference of the thigh, the circumference of the lower leg, and the circumference of the knee of the wearer. When it is on the same central line through which the knee brace 1 guides the legs, the force and action of the legs are transmitted most efficiently and effectively. Therefore, by attaching the outer leg joint 30 and the inner leg joint 40 to the thigh support 10 and the lower leg support 20 as described above, the guiding effect of the knee brace 1 is most easily transmitted to the wearer's body, The effect of the knee brace 1 can be maximized.

Next, the upper position adjusting mechanism 50 and the lower position adjusting mechanism 60 of the knee brace 1 of the present embodiment will be described.
The upper position adjusting mechanism 50 and the lower position adjusting mechanism 60 respectively have attachment positions t1 and t2 at the upper end of the thigh support 10 and the upper end of the outer leg joint 30 and the upper end of the inner leg joint 40, and the lower leg support 20 The mounting positions t3 and t4 of the lower end portion of the outer leg joint 30 and the lower end portion of the inner leg joint 40 can be adjusted.

The upper position adjustment mechanism 50 has an upper outer leg adjustment portion 51 and an upper inner leg adjustment portion 55.
The upper outer leg side adjustment portion 51 is provided at a plurality of attachment holes 12 as upper attachment holes provided along the circumferential direction on the outer leg side of the thigh support portion 10 and at the upper end portion of the outer leg side joint 30 Comprising a connecting hole 32 as the upper connecting hole, and a fastener 52 as the upper fixing means for co-fastening any one of the plurality of mounting holes 12 and the connecting hole 32; There is. The fastening of the fastener 52 does not come off at the time of normal installation, but is fastened by a fastening method that can be removed using a tool or the like. Thus, the fastener 52 detachably secures the thigh support portion 10 and the outer leg joint 30 via the mounting hole 12 and the connection hole 32.
When it is desired to change the mounting position t1, the fixture 52 is once removed, the outer leg joint 30 is removed from the thigh support 10, and the connection holes 32 are shifted to different mounting holes 12 by shifting the thigh support 10 in the circumferential direction. The mounting position t1 is changed by overlapping and fastening again with the fastener 52.

The upper inner leg side adjustment portion 55 is provided at a plurality of attachment holes 13 as upper attachment holes provided along the circumferential direction on the inner leg side of the thigh support portion 10 and at the upper end portion of the inner leg side joint 40 Comprising a connecting hole 42 as the upper connecting hole, and a fastener 56 as the upper fixing means for co-fastening any one of the plurality of mounting holes 13 and the connecting hole 42; There is. Similar to the fastener 52, the fastener 56 is fastened by a fastening method that does not come off at the time of normal installation but can be removed using a tool or the like. Thus, the fastener 56 detachably secures the thigh support portion 10 and the inner leg side joint 40 via the attachment hole 13 and the connection hole 42.
When it is desired to change the mounting position t2, the fastener 56 is once removed, the inner leg side joint 40 is removed from the thigh support 10, and shifted in the circumferential direction of the thigh support 10 to connect the connection holes 42 to different mounting holes 13. The attachment position t2 is changed by overlapping and fastening again with the fastener 56.

The lower position adjustment mechanism 60 has a lower outer leg side adjustment portion 61 and a lower inner leg side adjustment portion 65.
The lower outer leg side adjustment portion 61 is provided at a lower end portion of the outer leg side joint 30 and a plurality of attachment holes 22 as lower attachment holes provided along the circumferential direction on the outer leg side of the lower leg support portion 20. Comprising a connecting hole 36 as a lower connecting hole, and a fastener 62 as a lower fixing means for co-fastening any one of the plurality of mounting holes 22 and the connecting hole 36 There is.
The lower inner leg side adjustment portion 65 is provided at a plurality of attachment holes 23 as lower attachment holes provided along the circumferential direction on the inner leg side of the lower leg support portion 20 and at the lower end portion of the inner leg side joint 40 Comprising a connecting hole 46 as a lower connecting hole, and a fastener 66 as a lower fixing means for co-fastening any one of the plurality of mounting holes 23 and the connecting hole 46; There is.
The fastening method of the fasteners 62 and 66 and the changing method of the attachment positions t3 and t4 are the same as in the case of the upper position adjusting mechanism 50 described above, and thus the description thereof is omitted.

As described above, in order to most efficiently transmit the force of the knee brace 1 for guiding the leg, the attachment positions t1 and t2 and the attachment position t3 are provided on the circumference of the thigh support 10 and the lower leg support 20. It is necessary to arrange so that t4 is located on the same center line respectively.
Therefore, when the circumferential diameter of the leg of the wearer becomes smaller, the upper position adjusting mechanism 50 and the lower position adjusting mechanism 60 move the attachment positions t1, t2, t3 and t4 backward along the circumference. By moving to the position of the formed attachment hole, each joint can be disposed at an appropriate position while reducing the circumferential diameters of the thigh support portion 10 and the lower leg support portion 20. Conversely, when the circumferential diameter of the leg of the wearer increases, the upper position adjusting mechanism 50 and the lower position adjusting mechanism 60 move the attachment positions t1, t2, t3, and t4 forward along the circumference, respectively. Each joint can be disposed at an appropriate position while increasing the circumferential diameter of the thigh support portion 10 and the lower leg support portion 20 by moving to the position of the mounting hole formed in the above.
In the case of a slight change in size, the thigh support is achieved by moving one of the attachment positions t1 and t2 in the thigh support 10 and one of the attachment positions t3 and t4 in the lower leg support 20. The circumferential diameters of the portion 10 and the lower leg support portion 20 can be finely adjusted.

  In the upper position adjustment mechanism 50, only one of the upper outer leg adjustment portion 51 and the upper inner leg adjustment portion 55 can be provided. That is, only the attachment position t1 on the outer leg side of the thigh support portion 10 or the attachment position t2 on the inner leg side can be changed. Similarly, in the lower position adjustment mechanism 60, only one of the lower outer leg adjustment portion 61 and the lower inner leg adjustment portion 65 can be provided. That is, only the attachment position t3 on the outer leg side of the lower leg support 20 or only the attachment position t4 on the inner leg side can be changed. Even in such a configuration, it is possible to arrange each mounting position to be located on the same center line, and the same effect of the knee brace 1 can be obtained.

  The knee brace 1 of the present embodiment is provided with the upper position adjusting mechanism 50 and the lower position adjusting mechanism 60 so that each mounting position is optimum in accordance with the change (increase or decrease) of the surrounding size of the thigh or the lower thigh. The mounting position can be adjusted so that it is in position, i.e. the opposing mounting positions are arranged on the same central line as one another. With such a configuration, even when the size of the circumference of the wearer's thighs and lower legs changes, the knee brace 1 can be used in the most efficient and effective way of transmitting the guidance. .

Next, a second embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIG. The same members, mechanisms, and the like as those in the first embodiment described above are denoted by the same reference numerals, and descriptions thereof will be omitted.
Fig.4 (a) is a top view corresponding to the right view of the knee brace of this embodiment, FIG.4 (b) is a right view, FIG.4 (c) is a bottom view corresponding to a right view. In order to facilitate the explanation, only the thigh support portion is shown in FIG. 4 (a), and only the lower leg support portion is shown in FIG. 4 (c). Further, FIG. 4 (b) shows the outer leg side of the knee brace, and since the opposing inner leg side is not shown, only reference numerals indicating the corresponding members and mechanisms are shown in parentheses.

The knee brace 101 according to the second embodiment is different from the first embodiment in the upper position adjusting mechanism 150 and the lower position adjusting mechanism 160 as position adjusting mechanisms.
The thigh support portion 110 of the present embodiment has attachment holes 112 and 113 as upper attachment holes, each of which is an elongated hole extending along the substantially cylindrical circumferential direction on the outer leg side and the inner leg side. It is formed. The thigh support portion 110 has the same configuration, material, and the like as the thigh support portion 10 of the first embodiment except for the configuration of the attachment holes 112 and 113.

  Then, the connecting hole 32 as the upper connecting hole formed at the upper end portion of the outer leg side upper arm 31 of the outer leg side joint 30 and the mounting hole 112 of the thigh support portion 10 overlap each other, and a screw as an upper fixing means Etc. are fastened together with the fastener 52. Similarly, the connecting hole 42 as the upper connecting hole formed at the upper end portion of the inner leg side upper arm 41 of the inner leg side joint 40 and the mounting hole 113 of the thigh support portion 10 overlap each other as an upper fixing means It fastens with fasteners 56, such as a screw.

The upper position adjustment mechanism 150 of the present embodiment includes an upper outer leg adjustment portion 151 and an upper inner leg adjustment portion 155.
The upper outer leg side adjustment portion 151 has a mounting hole 112 formed of a long hole provided on the outer leg side of the thigh support portion 10, a connection hole 32 provided at the upper end portion of the outer leg side joint 30, and the mounting hole 112. And the connecting hole 32 together.
The upper inner leg side adjustment portion 155 has a mounting hole 113 formed of a long hole provided on the inner leg side of the thigh support portion 10, a connection hole 42 provided on the upper end portion of the inner leg side joint 40, and the mounting hole 113. And the connecting hole 42 are fastened together.

  When changing the mounting position t1, loosen the fastening of the fastener 52 and move or slide the outer leg joint 30 in the circumferential direction of the thigh support portion 10 along the mounting hole 112 made of a long hole. The fastener 52 is re-fastened at the fixed position to fix the outer leg joint 30. Also in the case of changing the mounting position t2, the change can be made by fixing the inner leg side joint 40 at an appropriate position of the mounting hole 113 which is also a long hole.

Further, the lower leg support portion 120 of this embodiment is an attachment hole 122, 123 as a lower attachment hole, which is an elongated hole extending along the substantially cylindrical circumferential direction on the outer leg side and the inner leg side. Are formed respectively. The lower leg support portion 120 has the same configuration, material, and the like as the lower leg support portion 20 of the first embodiment except for the configuration of the attachment holes 122 and 123.
Then, the connection hole 36 as a lower connection hole formed at the lower end of the outer leg side lower arm 35 of the outer leg side joint 30 and the attachment hole 122 of the lower leg support portion 20 are superimposed, and a screw as a lower fixing means And the like by means of the fasteners 62. Similarly, connecting hole 46 as a lower connecting hole formed at the lower end portion of inner leg side lower arm 45 of inner leg side joint 40 and mounting hole 123 of lower leg support portion 20 are superimposed to form a lower mounting hole. It fastens with fasteners 66, such as a screw.

The lower position adjustment mechanism 160 of the present embodiment has a lower outer leg side adjustment portion 161 and a lower inner leg side adjustment portion 165.
The lower outer leg side adjustment portion 161 has an attachment hole 122 formed of a long hole provided on the outer leg side of the lower leg support portion 20, a connection hole 36 provided at the lower end portion of the outer leg side joint 30, and an attachment hole 122. And the connecting hole 36 are fastened together.
The lower inner leg side adjustment portion 165 includes an attachment hole 123 formed of an elongated hole provided on the inner leg side of the lower leg support portion 20, a connection hole 46 provided at the lower end portion of the inner leg side joint 40, and the attachment hole 123. And the connecting hole 46 are fastened together.
The attachment positions t3 and t4 can be changed in the same manner as the attachment positions t1 and t2.

  In the position adjustment mechanism of the present embodiment, since the mounting holes 112 and 113 and the mounting holes 122 and 123 are long holes, the circumferential diameters of the thigh support portion 10 and the lower leg support portion 20 correspond to the thighs of the wearer and The fastener can be moved to an appropriate position in the long hole and fastened so as to conform to the respective circumferential diameters of the lower leg, and subtle size changes can be accommodated.

Next, a third embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIG. The same members, mechanisms, and the like as those in the first embodiment described above are denoted by the same reference numerals, and descriptions thereof will be omitted.
The knee brace 201 according to the third embodiment is different from the first embodiment and the second embodiment in the upper position adjusting mechanism 250 and the lower position adjusting mechanism 260 as position adjusting mechanisms.

  The outer leg upper arm 231 constituting the outer leg joint 230 of the present embodiment is provided at its upper end portion with an upper annular portion 232 which is annularly formed and through which the thigh support portion 210 can be inserted. Further, the outer leg side lower arm 235 constituting the outer leg side joint 230 of the present embodiment is provided at its lower end portion with a lower side annular portion 236 which is annularly formed and through which the lower leg support portion 220 can be inserted. .

  Similarly, the upper leg portion upper arm 241 constituting the inner leg side joint 240 of the present embodiment is provided at its upper end portion with an upper annular portion 242 which is annularly formed and through which the thigh support portion 210 can be inserted. . Further, the lower end portion of the inner leg side lower arm 245 constituting the inner leg side joint 240 of the present embodiment is provided with a lower annular portion 246 which is formed in an annular shape and through which the lower leg support portion 220 can be inserted. .

The thigh support portion 210, the outer leg joint 230 and the inner leg joint 240 are attached as follows.
With the thigh support 210 inserted through the upper annular portion 232 of the outer leg joint 230 and the upper annular portion 242 of the inner leg joint 240, the outer leg fastener 252 and the inner leg side are not shown. The outer leg joint 230 and the inner leg joint 240 are attached to the thigh support portion 210 by the fastener. The fastener 252 and the fastener (not shown) on the inner leg side in the present embodiment are slide lock screws, and when the slide lock screw is tightened in the fastening direction until rotation stops, the thigh support portion 210, the outer leg joint 230, and the thigh The support portion 210 and the inner leg joint 240 are respectively fixed. On the other hand, when the slide lock screw is rotated in the direction opposite to the fastening direction to loosen the fastening, the outer leg joint 230 and the inner leg joint 240 can slide along the circumferential direction with respect to the thigh support 210.

The attachment of the lower leg support 220 with the outer leg joint 230 and the inner leg joint 240 is the same as that of the thigh support 210.
In a state where the lower leg support 220 is inserted into the lower annular portion 236 of the outer leg joint 230 and the lower annular portion 246 of the inner leg joint 240, the outer leg fasteners 262 and the inner The outer leg side joint 230 and the inner leg side joint 240 are attached to the lower leg support 220 by a not-shown fastener on the leg side. The other attachment structure is the same as in the case of the thigh support portion 210, so the description will be omitted.

  The upper position adjustment mechanism 250 of the present embodiment has an upper outer leg side adjustment portion 251 and an upper inner leg side adjustment portion 255. The upper outer leg side adjustment portion 251 is composed of an upper annular portion 232 of the outer leg side joint 230 and a fixing member 252 made of a slide lock screw. The upper inner leg side adjustment part 255 is comprised from the upper annular part 242 of the inner leg side joint 240, and a fastener not shown on the inner leg side. With this structure, the slide lock mechanism slides the upper annular portion 232 of the outer leg joint 230 and the upper annular portion 242 of the inner leg joint 240 along the circumferential direction of the thigh support portion 210. Can be locked and locked in place. Thus, the attachment position t1 of the thigh support portion 210 and the outer leg joint 230, and the attachment position t2 of the thigh support portion 210 and the inner leg joint 240 can be appropriately adjusted.

Furthermore, as shown in FIG. 5, circumferentially on the outer leg side and the inner leg side of the thigh support portion 210, that is, on the upper surface or the side around the attachment positions of the outer leg joint 230 and the inner leg joint 240. It is more preferable to provide a plurality of regularly spaced ticks 212 and 213 such as equidistant intervals along the circumference. As described above, it is preferable that the mounting position t1 and the mounting position t2 be disposed on the same central line in the circumference of the thigh support portion 210. Therefore, it is possible to visually recognize that the attachment positions t1 and t2 are arranged on the same central line by providing the scales 212 and 213 regularly arranged at opposing positions on the outer leg side and the inner leg side of the thigh support portion 210. Can be attached to the appropriate position.
In the configuration in which the scales 212 and 213 are provided, the scales 212 and 213 can be included as one component of the upper position adjustment mechanism 250.

  The lower position adjustment mechanism 260 of the present embodiment has a lower outer leg side adjustment portion 261 and a lower inner leg side adjustment portion 265. The lower outer leg side adjustment portion 261 is configured of a lower annular portion 236 of the outer leg side joint 230 and a fastener 262 made of a slide lock screw. The lower inner leg side adjustment part 265 is comprised from the lower side annular part 246 of the inner leg side joint 240, and a fastener not shown on the inner leg side. Thus, the upper position adjusting mechanism 250 is configured by the slide lock structure, and by the same operation as the upper position adjusting mechanism 250 described above, the attachment position t3 of the lower leg support 220 and the outer leg joint 230, The attachment position t4 of the lower leg support 220 and the inner leg joint 240 can be appropriately adjusted.

Furthermore, similarly to the thigh support portion 210, a plurality of graduations 222 and 223 regularly arranged at equal intervals along the circumferential direction are provided on the upper surface or the side surface of the lower leg support portion 220 on the outer leg side and the inner leg side. It is provided. The functions and actions of the plurality of graduations 222 and 223 are the same as those of the graduations 212 and 213 of the thigh support portion 210, and thus the description thereof is omitted.
In the configuration in which the scales 222 and 223 are provided, the scales 222 and 223 can be included as one component of the lower position adjusting mechanism 260.

  In addition, as shown in FIG. 5, the knee brace 201 of the present embodiment is passed through the popliteal belt 270 and the popliteal belt 270 for winding the wearer's lower thigh from behind and supporting the lower thigh from behind. Through crowns 271 for locking are provided on the inner leg lower arm 245 and the outer leg lower arm 235, respectively. The popliteal belt 270 is used by the knee brace 201 to follow the movement of the leg.

  In the position adjustment mechanism of the present embodiment, the mounting position can be adjusted by sliding and moving each joint by the slide lock mechanism and fixing, so that the circumferential diameters of the thigh and the lower thigh of the wearer are obtained. This facilitates the operation of moving the mounting position so as to fit. Also, it can respond to subtle size changes.

Next, a fourth embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIG. The same members, mechanisms, and the like as those in the first embodiment described above are denoted by the same reference numerals, and descriptions thereof will be omitted.
The knee brace 301 according to the fourth embodiment has a configuration in which two thigh support portions 10A and 10B and two lower leg support portions 20A and 20B are vertically arranged.

The upper position adjusting mechanism 50 in the present embodiment includes two upper outer leg side adjustment portions 51A, 51B corresponding to the two thigh support portions 10A, 10B, and two upper inner leg side adjustment portions (not shown). Become.
In the outer leg side upper arm 31 of the outer leg side joint 30, upper outer leg side adjustment portions 51A, 51B for adjusting the attachment position of each of the thigh support portions 10A, 10B are more than the upper end and the upper end, respectively. It is provided in the connection position (two places) with thigh support part 10A, 10B of a downward position. Similarly, on the upper leg side arm 41 of the inner leg side joint 40, two upper inner leg side adjustment portions (not shown) for adjusting the attachment positions of the thigh support portions 10A and 10B, respectively. It is provided in the connection position (two places) with thigh support part 10A, 10B in a lower position than an upper end part and an upper end part.

The lower position adjustment mechanism 60 in the present embodiment includes two lower outer leg side adjustment portions 61A and 61B corresponding to the two lower leg support portions 20A and 20B, and two upper upper leg side adjustment portions (not shown). Become.
Lower outer leg side adjustment portions 61A, 61B for adjusting the attachment positions of the lower leg support portions 20A, 20B are provided on the outer leg side lower arm 35 of the outer leg side joint 30 respectively than the lower end portion and the lower end portion. It is provided in the connection position (two places) with lower thigh support parts 20A and 20B of an upper position. Similarly, in the lower leg 45 of the inner leg side joint 40, two lower inner leg adjustment portions (not shown) for adjusting the attachment positions of the lower leg support portions 20A and 20B are respectively provided. It is provided in the connection position (two places) with lower leg support parts 20A and 20B in a position higher than a lower end and a lower end.

  The configuration of each position adjusting mechanism (each adjusting portion) is the same as that of the knee brace 1 of the first embodiment, and by the same operation, the thigh support portions 10A and 10B and the lower leg support portions 20A and 20B and the outer leg joint 30 And the attachment position with the inner leg side joint 40 can be moved along the circumferential direction of thigh support part 10A, 10B and lower leg support part 20A, 20B.

Next, a fifth embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIG. The same members, mechanisms, and the like as those in the first embodiment described above are denoted by the same reference numerals, and descriptions thereof will be omitted.
In the knee brace 401 according to the fifth embodiment, the width in the short direction of the thigh support portion 10C and the lower leg support portion 20C, that is, the length in the vertical (upper and lower) direction in the wearing direction is higher than that in the first embodiment. It is formed large.

  The upper end and the lower end of the upper and lower width on the outer leg side of the thigh support portion 10C are attached to the upper end portion and the middle portion of the outer leg side upper arm 31 of the outer leg side joint 30, respectively. It is fixed to the leg side upper arm 31. Similarly, the upper end and the lower end of the inner leg side vertical width are attached to the upper end and the middle portion of the inner leg upper arm 41 of the inner leg joint 40 respectively, and the inner leg upper arm 41 is provided at two locations. It is fixed to

  The upper end and the lower end of the upper and lower width on the outer leg side of the lower leg support portion 20C are respectively attached to the lower end portion and the middle portion of the outer leg side lower arm 35 of the outer leg side joint 30 It is fixed to the leg side lower arm 35. Similarly, the upper end and the lower end of the upper and lower width of the inner leg side are respectively attached to the lower end and the middle portion of the inner leg lower arm 45 of the inner leg side joint 40. It is fixed to

  The upper position adjustment mechanism 50 in the present embodiment includes two upper outer leg side adjustment portions 51C, which correspond to the attachment positions of the upper end portion and the lower end portion of the upper and lower width of the thigh support portion 10C and the outer leg side upper arm 31, It consists of two upper inner leg side adjustment parts (not shown) corresponding to 51D, the upper and lower ends of the upper and lower width of the thigh support 10C, and the attachment positions of the inner leg upper arm 41, respectively.

  The lower position adjusting mechanism 60 in the present embodiment includes two lower outer leg side adjusting portions 61C corresponding to the attachment positions of the upper end and lower end of the upper and lower width of the lower leg support portion 20C and the outer leg side lower arm 35, 61 D, and two lower inner leg side adjustment parts (not shown) corresponding to the attachment positions of upper and lower ends of upper and lower width of lower leg support part 20C and inner leg lower arm 45 respectively.

  The configuration of each position adjusting mechanism (each adjusting portion) is the same as that of the knee brace 1 of the first embodiment, and by the same operation, the thigh support 10C and the lower leg support 20C, the outer leg joint 30, and the inner leg joint The attachment position of 40 is movable along the circumferential direction of the thigh support 10C and the lower leg support 20C.

  The knee braces 301 and 401 of the fourth and fifth embodiments shown in FIGS. 6 and 7 are suitable for knee braces that require vertical lengths, in particular, knee braces for rehabilitation. Thus, in the configuration in which the attachment positions are provided at the upper and lower two places of each of the thigh support and the lower thigh support, the knee brace can follow the movement of the leg without providing the popliteal belt, and a suitable knee brace can be provided. .

  In any of the knee braces according to the second to fifth embodiments, only one of the upper outer leg side adjustment portion and the upper inner leg side adjustment portion is provided in the upper position adjustment mechanism. In the lower position adjusting mechanism, only one of the lower outer leg side adjusting portion and the lower inner leg side adjusting portion can be provided, as in the knee brace of the first embodiment. .

  The position adjustment mechanism of the knee brace according to the present invention is any of knee braces used for correction of patients with knee osteoarthritis, knee braces used for walking assistance, and knee braces used for rehabilitation after injuries such as injuries after surgery for knees. Can also be applied. According to the knee brace of the present invention, the center of the circumference of the thigh and the lower thigh of the wearer, and the outer leg joint and the inner leg joint are disposed in a row on the same central line and rotated. Since the support shaft and the center of the circumference of the knee can be arranged in a line on the same center line, the knee brace guidance can be most effectively transmitted to the wearer's leg in any knee brace application be able to.

1, 101, 201, 301, 401 Knee braces 10, 10A, 10B, 10C, 110, 210 Thigh support 11 Joints 11a, 11b Free ends 12, 13, 112, 113 Mounting holes (upper mounting holes)
20, 20A, 20B, 20C, 120, 220 lower leg support 21 joint 21a, 21b free end 22, 23, 122, 123 mounting hole (lower mounting hole)
30, 230 Outer leg side joint 31, 231 Outer leg upper arm 32 Connection hole (upper connection hole)
34 Rotating fulcrum shaft 35, 235 Outer leg side lower arm 36 Connection hole (lower connection hole)
38 Biasing member 40, 240 Inner leg side joint 41, 241 Inner leg upper arm 42 Connection hole (upper connection hole)
44 Rotating fulcrum shaft 45, 245 Inner leg lower arm 46 Connection hole (lower connection hole)
48 Biasing members 50, 150, 250 Upper position adjusting mechanism 51, 51A, 51B, 51C, 51D, 151, 251 Upper outer leg side adjusting portion 52, 56, 252 Fastener (upper fixing means)
55, 155, 255 upper inner leg side adjusting portion 60, 160, 260 lower position adjusting mechanism 61, 61A, 61B, 61C, 61D, 161, 261 lower outer leg side adjusting portion 62, 66, 262 fastener (lower fixing means )
65, 165, 265 lower inner leg side adjustment part 212, 213, 222, 223 scale 232, 242 upper annular part 236, 246 lower annular part 270 popliteal belt 271 through crown

Claims (10)

A thigh support attached to the thigh and having a cylindrical shape;
A lower leg support attached to the lower leg and having a cylindrical shape;
An outer leg joint which has an upper end attached to the thigh support and a lower end attached to the lower thigh support and is disposed outside the knee to connect the thigh support and the lower thigh support;
An upper leg joint attached to the upper thigh support, an lower leg attached to the lower thigh support, and an inner leg joint disposed inside the knee to connect the upper thigh support and the lower thigh support;
An upper portion capable of moving at least one of an attachment position of the thigh support portion and the outer leg side joint and an attachment position of the thigh support portion and the inner leg side joint along a circumferential direction of the thigh support portion. Position adjustment mechanism,
A lower portion capable of moving at least one of the attachment positions of the lower leg support and the outer leg side joint and the attachment positions of the lower leg support and the inner leg side joint along the circumferential direction of the lower leg support. And a position adjusting mechanism.   The attachment positions of the thigh support portion and the outer leg side joint and the attachment positions of the thigh support portion and the inner leg side joint are arranged at positions facing each other on the circumference of the thigh support portion. The knee brace of claim 1, characterized in that:   The attachment positions of the lower leg support portion and the outer leg side joint, and the attachment positions of the lower leg support portion and the inner leg side joint are disposed at opposing positions on the circumference of the lower leg support portion. The knee brace according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that.   The attachment positions of the thigh support portion and the outer leg side joint and the attachment positions of the thigh support portion and the inner leg side joint are disposed on the same central line passing through the center of the circle of the thigh support portion. The knee brace according to any one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that:   The attachment positions of the lower leg support portion and the outer leg side joint and the attachment positions of the lower leg support portion and the inner leg side joint are disposed on the same central line passing through the center of the circle of the lower leg support portion. The knee brace according to any one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that:   The said thigh support part and the said lower leg support part are each formed by the single member which consists of a material which has flexibility and it winds by a recovery force. Knee brace described in the section.   Each of the thigh support portion and the lower leg support portion is formed of an elongated member, and both ends are formed in a cylindrical shape by being joined with an overlap of a predetermined length. A knee brace as claimed in claim 6. The upper position adjustment mechanism corresponds to the upper attachment hole provided in the thigh support portion, and the at least one attachment position of the outer leg joint and the inner leg joint movable by the upper position adjustment mechanism. And an upper fixing means for detachably fixing the upper attachment hole and the upper connection hole.
The lower position adjustment mechanism corresponds to the lower attachment hole provided in the lower leg support portion, and at least one of the outer leg side joint and the inner leg side joint movable by the lower position adjustment mechanism. A lower connecting hole provided in the joint to be fixed, and lower fixing means for detachably fixing the lower mounting hole and the lower connecting hole,
The upper attachment holes are provided in a plurality along the circumferential direction of the thigh support portion,
The knee brace according to any one of claims 1 to 7, wherein a plurality of lower attachment holes are provided along a circumferential direction of the lower leg support. The upper position adjustment mechanism corresponds to the upper attachment hole provided in the thigh support portion, and the at least one attachment position of the outer leg joint and the inner leg joint movable by the upper position adjustment mechanism. And an upper fixing means for detachably fixing the upper attachment hole and the upper connection hole.
The lower position adjustment mechanism corresponds to the lower attachment hole provided in the lower leg support portion, and at least one of the outer leg side joint and the inner leg side joint movable by the lower position adjustment mechanism. A lower connecting hole provided in the joint to be fixed, and lower fixing means for detachably fixing the lower mounting hole and the lower connecting hole,
The upper mounting hole is a long hole extending along the circumferential direction of the thigh support,
The knee brace according to any one of claims 1 to 7, wherein the lower attachment hole is an elongated hole extending along a circumferential direction of the lower leg support. The knee brace according to any one of claims 1 to 7, wherein the upper position adjusting mechanism and the lower position adjusting mechanism are slide lock mechanisms using slide lock screws.

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