KR102326917B1 - Knee brace - Google Patents

Abstract

The knee orthosis device according to an embodiment of the present invention is worn on a patient's knee, shin, and thigh, and includes an upper frame worn on the thigh, a lower frame worn on the shin, and lower and lower portions of the upper frame. It is provided on the upper part of the frame and may include a joint unit for rotatably connecting the upper frame and the lower frame. The joint unit may be rotated in a form simulating the joint movement of the knee, and may be provided to limit the joint movement angle of the knee.

Description

Knee Braces{KNEE BRACE}

The present invention relates to a knee orthosis, and more particularly, to a knee orthosis capable of smoothly assisting a patient's knee rehabilitation such as a ligament injury, and further increasing the knee rehabilitation efficiency.

In general, a knee orthosis is a device for assisting or correcting a function of the knee, and is widely used for the purpose of preventing or rehabilitating damage to the knee. In particular, knee braces are essential in the process of rehabilitating ligament injuries that have been damaged or stretched due to accidents or intense exercise.

The knee orthosis as described above minimizes the movement of the damaged ligament by limiting the bending angle of the knee joint in order to rapidly rehabilitate the damaged part of the ligament. In general, the knee brace may be utilized in a way that gradually increases the angle of use of the knee brace or partially applies the weight bearing and then applies the full weight bearing later.

In addition, the knee orthosis can be worn on the knee where the cartilage is worn or damaged. At this time, since the knee orthosis restricts the movement angle of the knee and has the effect of supporting the load, it is possible to relieve pain and prevent strain on the knee.

The existing knee orthosis is worn in close contact with the patient's thigh and shin with an elastic band or strap, but responds to the joint movement of the knee through the hinge rotation structure provided in the knee area.

However, since the conventional knee orthosis is provided with a hinge rotation structure formed of one rotational axis, the rotational angle of the knee orthosis is different from the actual joint movement angle of the knee, so there is a limitation in appropriately assisting the joint movement of the knee.

In addition, in the case of rehabilitating a ligament injury using a conventional knee brace, the knee brace is worn in close contact with the patient at a predetermined size or more, and the rehabilitation of the knee is performed for a long time in that state. However, since the conventional knee orthosis has a structure that is worn with a plurality of elastic bands or straps, the wear may become loose due to structural limitations of the elastic band or strap when used for a long time, and the wearing position of the knee orthosis may also deviate from the original position. Therefore, in the past, there was a inconvenience of having to repeatedly wear the knee brace again, and it was very inconvenient for the patient to wear the knee brace alone.

In recent years, various efforts have been made to increase the ease of use and commercialization of the knee orthosis.

For example, Korean Patent Registration No. 10-1954028 (title of invention: joint assistive device, registration date: 2019.02.25) discloses a joint assistive device that protects the movement of a joint by being worn on a joint part of the human body. However, in Korea Patent Registration No. 10-1954028 (title of invention: joint auxiliary device, registration date: February 25, 2019), by including a structure for automatically adjusting the tightening strength for the joint portion, the wearer's joint portion It can be worn more easily, and it is possible to always keep the tightening strength of the band part constant.

As described above, the conventional knee orthosis does not perform joint movement in the same way as the actual joint movement of the knee, and it is very inconvenient to limit the knee posture to various desired angles, and it is strongly pressed with a desired pressure on a specific part of the patient. There are problems that are impossible to do.

Korean Patent No. 10-1954028 (Registration 2019.02.25)

An embodiment of the present invention provides a knee orthosis that can smoothly assist a patient's knee rehabilitation treatment, such as rehabilitation of ligament damage or rehabilitation of cartilage damage, and can further increase knee rehabilitation efficiency.

In addition, an embodiment of the present invention provides a knee orthosis that can simulate the joint motion of the knee orthosis in the same way as the actual joint motion of the knee, and can variously limit or change the joint motion angle and posture of the knee orthosis only by simple manipulation. to provide.

In addition, an embodiment of the present invention provides a knee orthosis capable of maximizing the rehabilitation effect of a ligament injury by strongly pressing a specific area with a desired pressure during rehabilitation of a ligament injury.

According to an embodiment of the present invention, there is provided a knee brace to be worn on a patient's knee, shin, and thigh.

The knee brace according to an embodiment of the present invention is provided on the upper frame worn on the thigh portion, the lower frame worn on the shin portion, and the lower portion of the upper frame and the upper portion of the lower frame, the upper frame and the lower portion It may include a joint unit for rotatably connecting the frame.

The joint unit may be rotated in a form simulating the joint movement of the knee, and may be provided to limit the joint movement angle of the knee.

Preferably, the joint unit may be provided to rotate the upper frame in a bending direction in which the knee is bent and simultaneously move the upper frame to the rear, and limit the rotation angle of the upper frame to a desired angle range Or it may be provided to fix the upper frame at a desired rotation angle.

Preferably, the joint unit is a first joint frame formed in the lower portion of the upper frame, a second joint frame formed in the upper portion of the lower frame to overlap with the first joint frame, the first joint frame and the Formed on the first joint frame and the second joint frame so as to rotatably connect the second joint frame, the rotation of the first joint frame and the second joint frame is provided to simulate the joint motion of the knee. It may include a rotation limiter provided on the first joint frame and the second joint frame to selectively limit and change the operating range of the eastern part and the frame pivoting part.

Preferably, the frame rotation unit, the first joint frame and the first joint frame and the second joint frame so that the central axis of rotation is rotatably disposed in the center of any one of the joint frames, the central axis of rotation is movably inserted. A central axis movement hole formed in the center of the other one of the second joint frames and provided to guide the movement of the central axis of rotation when the knee is bent, the first joint frame and the second joint frame on the edge of any one of the frames The rotation guide shaft disposed, and the rotation guide shaft is formed on the edge of the other one of the first joint frame and the second joint frame so that the rotation guide shaft is movably inserted, the movement of the rotation guide shaft when bending or unfolding the knee It may include a guide shaft moving hole provided to guide.

Preferably, the rotation limiting unit is formed in the other one of the locking jaw formed in any one of the first joint frame and the second joint frame, the first joint frame and the second joint frame, and bends or unfolds the knee A plurality of locking holes disposed along a path along which the locking jaw moves when the locking jaw is moved, and selectively inserted into any one of the locking holes so as to interfere with the locking jaw, and change the interference position with the locking jaw to change the frame rotation part It may include a locking pin for limiting the rotation angle of the frame or for fixing the frame rotation unit at a specific angle.

A pin connecting member for preventing loss and arbitrary removal of the locking pin may be connected to the locking pin and the rotation guide shaft.

Here, a shaft connection part movably connected to the rotation guide shaft may be formed at one end of the pin connection member to change the position of the locking pin. In addition, a hole for fixing a pin into which the locking pin is inserted may be formed at the other end of the pin connecting member to fix the locking pin.

The locking jaw is provided in a position spaced apart from the first locking jaw, and the first locking jaw for limiting the rotation angle in the bending direction of the knee, the second locking jaw for limiting the rotation angle in the unfolding direction of the knee may include.

The locking hole portion, the plurality of first locking holes provided to be spaced apart along the movement path of the first locking jaw when the knee is bent, and the plurality of spaced apart along the movement path of the second locking jaw when the knee is unfolded It may include a second locking hole provided.

The locking pin may include a first locking pin selectively inserted into any one of the first locking hole parts, and a second locking pin selectively inserted into any one of the second locking hole parts.

Preferably, the joint unit is a first position or a second position that exposes the frame rotation part and the rotation limiting part to the outside to cover the frame rotation part and the rotation limiting part to protect the frame rotation part and the rotation limiting part It may further include a joint unit cover that is optionally arranged.

The joint unit cover may be rotatably or movably connected to at least one of the first joint frame or the second joint frame.

Preferably, the second joint frame may be disposed to be spaced apart from each other in a pair to face each other, and the first joint frame may be rotatably inserted into the space formed between the pair of the second joint frames.

In this case, the locking jaw may be provided on the first joint frame, and the locking hole portion may be provided on a pair of the second joint frames.

On the other hand, the knee orthosis according to an embodiment of the present invention, a compression pad disposed on the front or rear portion of any one of the upper frame or the lower frame to strongly press the specific portion of at least one of the shin portion or the thigh portion. and a pad pressing means for pressing the compression pad to the specific region using a wire connected to the compression pad.

The pad pressing means may be provided as a wire tightening unit for pressing the pressing pad or releasing the pressing state of the pressing pad.

The wire tightening unit may be provided on either the upper frame or the lower frame and the pressure pad to transmit a wire tightening force to the pressure pad.

Here, the wire tightening unit includes a tightening operation unit disposed on the outer surface of the pressure pad, a wire member connected to the tightening operation unit to be tightened or loosened by the tightening operation unit, and the wire elongated in the left and right direction from the tightening operation unit. It may include a wire support for movably supporting both ends of the member.

The wire support part may be disposed on both sides of any one of the upper frame and the lower frame, respectively.

In addition, the wire tightening unit includes a plurality of wire guides provided on the outer surface of the pressure pad and guiding the movement of the wire member when the tightening operation part is tightened or loosened to prevent twisting and pulling of the pressure pad. may include more.

The knee orthosis according to an embodiment of the present invention rotates in a form in which the joint unit simulates the joint movement of the knee, but has a structure that limits the joint movement angle of the knee. It is possible to solve the discomfort, and it is possible to stably secure the rehabilitation performance of the knee by supporting the patient's knee in a more accurate posture.

In addition, the knee orthosis according to the embodiment of the present invention, since the joint motion of the first joint frame and the second joint frame by the frame rotating part of the joint unit equally simulates the actual joint movement of the knee, the joint angle of the knee With the optimal structure to fit, the knee brace can be worn stably, and the joint movement of the knee can be performed smoothly while wearing the knee brace.

In addition, the knee orthosis according to the embodiment of the present invention can variously limit and set the joint motion angle and posture of the knee orthosis by a simple method of manipulating the rotation limiting unit of the joint unit, and can be used in the process of knee rehabilitation of the patient. Accordingly, it is possible to properly respond to the joint angle of the knee orthosis.

In addition, since the knee orthosis according to the embodiment of the present invention has a structure that presses the compression pad to a specific part of the patient through the wire tightening mechanism of the wire tightening unit, it can be compressed with an appropriate pressure to the desired specific part during knee rehabilitation of the patient. Accordingly, it is possible to smoothly assist the patient's knee rehabilitation treatment, such as rehabilitation of ligament damage or rehabilitation of cartilage damage.

In addition, the knee orthosis according to the embodiment of the present invention, when rehabilitating a ligament injury in a patient such as an anterior ligament rupture or a posterior ligament rupture, strongly presses the front or back of the shin and thigh adjacent to the knee with a compression pad, It is possible to maximize the rehabilitation effect of a ligament rupture or a posterior ligament rupture, and the pressure of the compression pad can be appropriately adjusted by using a wire tightening unit.

1 and 2 are a side view and a front view showing a knee brace according to an embodiment of the present invention.
Figure 3 is a view showing the main part of the knee brace shown in Figures 1 and 2;
Figure 4 is a view showing the joint unit of the knee brace shown in Figure 1.
FIG. 5 is a view showing a cross-section taken along line AA shown in FIG. 4 .
6 is a view showing a state in which the locking pin of the rotation limiting unit is removed from the joint unit shown in FIG.
7 to 9 are views each showing the operating state of the main part of the joint unit shown in FIG.
10 is an exploded perspective view showing the joint unit shown in FIG.
11 is a view showing another example of the cuff of the knee orthosis shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 .

Hereinafter, embodiments according to the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. However, the present invention is not limited or limited by the examples. Like reference numerals in each figure indicate like elements.

1 and 2 are side and front views of the knee brace 100 according to an embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 3 is a view showing the main part of the knee brace 100 shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 . 11 is a view showing another example of the cuff of the knee orthosis shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 .

1 and 2 , the knee brace 100 according to an embodiment of the present invention includes an orthosis body 110 , a compression pad 120 , and a wire tightening unit 130 .

The knee orthosis device 100 of the present embodiment is a medical device for use in joint rehabilitation treatment of the knee, such as ligament damage or human bone injury, and may be worn on the knee, shin, and thigh of a patient. In particular, the knee orthosis 100 of the present embodiment can press a specific area of the patient with a desired size of pressure using the compression pad 120 during rehabilitation of an anterior ligament rupture or a posterior ligament rupture, and thereby anterior ligament rupture It can further enhance the rehabilitation effect of posterior ligament rupture.

Hereinafter, in this embodiment, for convenience of description, it will be described that the knee brace 100 is used to rehabilitate the ligament damage of the patient.

1 to 3 , the orthosis main body 110 of the present embodiment is a configuration for assisting knee rehabilitation of a patient, and may be worn on the patient's knee, shin, and thigh. The orthosis main body 110 as described above may be formed of a rigid material such as metal or plastic to withstand the weight load applied to the patient's knee and to firmly fix the patient's knee without moving. In addition, the orthosis main body 110 may be provided in a structure that is bent or stretched in response to the patient's knee joint motion.

For example, the orthosis body 110 may include an upper frame 112 , a lower frame 114 , and a joint unit 140 .

The upper frame 112 may be worn on the patient's thigh. For example, the upper frame 112 may be formed of a pair of metal bars in close contact with both sides of the thigh portion, and a plurality of fixing straps 116 may be provided along the metal bars. The fixing strap 116 is a member for firmly fixing the upper frame 112 to the patient's thigh, and may be provided with a detachable structure such as Velcro or a buckle. On the inner surface of the upper frame 112 as described above, a buffer pad 118 may be provided in close contact with the thigh to improve the fit of the upper frame 112 .

The lower frame 114 may be worn on the patient's shin. For example, the lower frame 114 may be formed of a pair of metal bars that are in close contact with both sides of the shin portion, and a plurality of fixing straps 116 may be provided along the metal bars. The securing strap 116 may be formed similarly to that disposed on the upper frame 112 . In addition, a buffer pad 118 may be provided on the inner surface of the lower frame 114 as well as the upper frame 112 to improve the fit of the lower frame 114 .

On the other hand, the upper cuff 113 may be provided on the upper portion of the upper frame 112 in a shape surrounding the thigh portion, and the lower cuff 115 may be provided on the lower portion of the lower frame 114 in a shape surrounding the shin portion. For example, the upper cuff 113 and the lower cuff 115 may be formed of a metal bar made of the same material as the upper frame 112 and the lower frame 114 , and may have a structure bent in an arc shape.

The upper cuff 113 and the lower cuff 115 shown in FIGS. 1 to 3 are provided in a structure securely fixed to the lower portions of the upper frame 112 and the lower frame 114 of the upper frame 112 .

Alternatively, as another example, the lower cuff 115 ′ shown in FIG. 11 is rotatably connected to the lower frame 114 at a set angle. The knee brace 100 may maintain a state in closer contact with the patient's knee and shin in response to the patient's movement, and accordingly, the wearability of the knee brace 100 may be further improved. For example, both ends of the lower cuff 115 ′ may be rotatably connected to the lower portion of the lower frame 114 by a fastening member 114a such as a rivet. At this time, the fastening member 114a may serve as a rotation axis of the lower cuff 115 ′, and also serve to fix the fixing strap 116 and the lower cuff 115 ′ to the lower frame 114 . can In addition, a guide pin 114b may be disposed on the lower frame 114 at a position spaced apart from the fastening member 114a by a predetermined distance, and the guide pin 114b is movably inserted into the lower cuff 115'. The rotation slit 115a may be provided in an arc shape. Accordingly, when the lower cuff 115' is rotated around the fastening member 114a, the guide pin 114b moves along the rotation slit 115a in response to the rotation angle of the lower cuff 115'. The rotation operation of 115' can be made very stably. Since the rotation slit 115a as described above has a structure that also serves to limit the movement distance of the guide pin 114b, the rotation angle of the lower cuff 115' may be set according to the length of the rotation slit 115a. . For reference, the rotation angle of the lower cuff 115 ′ is preferably set in an angular range of 15 degrees, but is not limited thereto, and may be changed to various angular ranges according to the design conditions of the knee orthosis 100 and the needs of the patient. have.

delete

delete

delete

delete

1 to 3 again, the upper cuff 113 and the lower cuff 115 may be disposed in any part of the front or rear of the upper frame 112 and the lower frame 114 depending on the patient's rehabilitation situation. have. For example, in the case of rehabilitating an anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) rupture, the upper cuff 113 may be convexly disposed from the rear of the upper end of the upper frame 112 to the rear, and the lower cuff 115 may be convexly disposed in the front part of the lower end of the lower frame 114 . In addition, in the case of rehabilitating rupture of the posterior cruciate ligament (PCL), the upper cuff 113 may be convexly disposed in the front of the upper end of the upper frame 112, and the lower cuff 115 ) may be arranged convexly rearwardly from the rear portion of the lower end of the lower frame 114 .

Hereinafter, in this embodiment, the knee orthosis 100 will be described as a type for rehabilitating the rupture of the posterior ligament (PCL, posterior cruciate ligament). That is, as shown in FIGS. 1 to 3 , the upper cuff 113 may be disposed at the front of the upper end of the upper frame 112 , and the lower cuff 115 may be disposed at the rear of the lower end of the lower frame 114 . can be placed in

The joint unit 140 is a configuration that rotatably connects the upper frame 112 and the lower frame 114, and connects the upper frame 112 and the lower frame 114 in response to the patient's knee bending or unfolding motion. Can be rotated relative. The joint unit 140 may be provided on the lower portion of the upper frame 112 and the upper portion of the lower frame 114 , and may be disposed on both sides of the patient's knee, respectively.

Here, the joint unit 140 may preferably mimic the patient's knee joint motion in the same way, and also selectively limit the joint motion angle of the knee as needed. The configuration and operation of the joint unit 140 as described above will be described in more detail below.

1 to 3 , the compression pad 120 of the present embodiment is configured to strongly press a specific part of the patient's shin or thigh with a desired pressure during knee rehabilitation. The compression pad 120 may be disposed on the front part or the rear part of at least one of the shin part or the thigh part, and may be in close contact with a specific part of the shin part or the thigh part by the tightening force of the wire tightening unit 130 .

The compression pad 120 may be disposed in the same direction as the upper cuff 113 or the lower cuff 115 according to the patient's knee rehabilitation situation. That is, in the case of rehabilitating an anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) rupture, the compression pad 120 is disposed adjacent to the upper cuff 113 in the rear portion of the upper frame 112 or the lower frame 114 . It may be disposed adjacent to the lower cuff 115 in the front portion of the. In addition, in the case of rehabilitating a rupture of the posterior ligament (PCL), the compression pad 120 is disposed adjacent to the upper cuff 113 in the front portion of the upper frame 112 or the lower frame 114 . It may be disposed adjacent to the lower cuff 115 in the rear portion of the.

Hereinafter, in the present embodiment, it will be described that the compression pad 120 is disposed on the rear portion of the lower frame 114 and spaced apart from the upper side of the lower cuff 115 . That is, the compression pad 120 may be disposed in a structure for rehabilitating a rupture of a posterior cruciate ligament (PCL).

For reference, the knee orthosis 100 of this embodiment may also be used in the case of rehabilitating a rupture of a medial collateral ligament (MCL) or a rupture of a lateral collateral ligament (LCL). At this time, the placement position of the compression pad 120 and the lower cuff 115 is used to rehabilitate a rupture of the medial collateral ligament (MCL) or to rehabilitate a rupture of the lateral collateral ligament (LCL). It may be appropriately changed depending on whether it is used.

When the tightening force of the wire tightening unit 130 is applied to the compression pad 120 in the state in which the compression pad 120 is disposed as described above, the compression pad 120 is moved to the patient's thigh by the tightening force of the wire tightening unit 130 . Alternatively, a specific portion of any one of the shins may be strongly pressed with a desired pressure. That is, the compression pad 120 does not perform the function of wearing the orthosis main body 110 on the patient's knee, shin, and thigh, like the fixing strap 116 , but applies an appropriate pressure to a specific part of the patient for rehabilitation purposes. It is characterized by performing the function of pressing with

Meanwhile, the pressure pad 120 may include a front pad 122 and a contact pad 124 .

The front pad 122 is a member forming the outer surface of the compression pad 120 , and may be connected to the wire tightening unit 130 to provide a tightening force of the wire tightening unit 130 . Although some components of the wire tightening unit 130 may be disposed on the front pad 122 as described above, a description thereof will be described in detail below. The contact pad 124 is a cushioning pad attached to the inner surface of the front pad 122 and may be in close contact with the patient's thigh or shin.

1 to 3 , the wire tightening unit 130 of this embodiment is configured to press the compression pad 120 or release the pressing state through the wire tightening mechanism. The wire tightening unit 130 may be provided in the compression pad 120 and the orthosis main body 110 to press the compression pad 120 to the front part of the shin part where the lower frame 114 is worn. For reference, in order to stably secure the compression effect of the compression pad 120 by the wire tightening unit 130 , a fixing strap 116 may be provided on the lower frame 114 at a position facing the compression pad 120 . can

The wire tightening unit 130 may perform a function of compressing the compression pad 120 to a desired pressure on the shin of the patient by winding or unwinding the wire. To this end, the wire tightening unit 130 may be connected to the pressure pad 120 and the lower frame 114 via a wire, and may be configured as a wire tightening mechanism for winding or unwinding the wire.

For example, the wire tightening unit 130 may include a tightening operation unit 132 , a wire member 134 , and a wire support unit 136 .

The tightening operation unit 132 is configured to wind and tighten the wire member 134 , and may be provided in a structure to wind or unwind the wire member 134 , and to fix the wire member 134 in an appropriately wound state. structure may be provided. The tightening manipulation unit 132 as described above may be disposed on the outer surface of the compression pad 120 . That is, the tightening operation unit 132 may be installed on the front pad 122 of the compression pad 120 .

The wire member 134 is configured to transmit a tightening force by manipulation of the tightening operation unit 132 , and may be connected to the tightening operation unit 132 . The wire member 134 may be wound around or unwound from the tightening operation unit 132 when the tightening operation unit 132 is operated. Here, both ends of the wire member 134 may extend long in the left and right directions from the tightening operation unit 132 .

The wire support part 136 is a configuration that movably supports both ends of the wire member 134 , and may be disposed on both sides of the lower frame 114 , respectively. The wire support 136 may be formed to support the tightening force of the wire member 134 when the tightening operation unit 132 is operated. The wire support 136 as described above may be mounted and fixed to both sides of the lower frame 114 , but is not limited thereto and may be connected to both sides of the lower frame 114 in a detachable structure.

Meanwhile, the wire tightening unit 130 may further include a wire guide 138 that smoothly guides the movement of the wire member 134 when the tightening operation unit 132 is tightened or loosened.

The wire guide 138 as described above can guide the wire member 134 to be smoothly tightened or loosened when the tightening operation unit 132 is operated, and thereby the wire member 134 acting on the pressure pad 120 . By constantly adjusting the tightening force of the pressure pad 120 , it is possible to prevent twisting and pulling of the compression pad 120 . That is, if there is no wire guide 138 , a difference occurs in the tightening force applied to both ends of the wire member 134 when the wire member 134 is tightened or loosened by manipulating the tightening operation unit 132 . The posture may be twisted or the position of the compression pad 120 may be tilted to one side.

Here, a plurality of wire guides 138 may be provided on the outer surface of the compression pad 120 . That is, the wire guide 138 is disposed at a position adjacent to the tightening operation unit 132 on the front pad 122 of the pressure pad 120 , and on both sides of the tightening operation unit 132 to guide both ends of the wire member 134 . Each can be arranged. For example, in this embodiment, the tightening operation unit 132 may be disposed in the center of the front pad 122 , and a pair of wire guides 138 may be provided to correspond to each other on the left and right sides of the tightening operation unit 132 . have.

In the wire guide 138 as described above, a wire hole portion 138a through which the wire member 134 movably passes may be formed. The wire guide 138 may be variously changed in the arrangement position and the number of installations according to the design conditions and circumstances of the knee brace 100 . For example, the wire guide 138 may be formed in the lower frame 114 , and two or more may be continuously disposed along the length direction of the wire member 134 .

Figure 4 is a view showing the joint unit 140 of the knee brace 100 shown in Figure 1, Figure 5 is a view showing a cross-section taken along the line A-A shown in Figure 4. 6 is a view showing a state in which the locking pins 165 and 166 of the rotation limiting unit 148 are removed from the joint unit 140 shown in FIG. 4, and FIGS. 7 to 9 are the joint unit shown in FIG. It is a figure showing the operating state of the main part of 140, respectively. 10 is an exploded perspective view showing the joint unit 140 shown in FIG.

4 to 10 , the joint unit 140 according to an embodiment of the present invention is configured to simulate the joint movement of the knee and limit the joint movement angle of the knee.

That is, the joint unit 140 may be provided to move the upper frame 112 to the rear while rotating the upper frame 112 in the bending direction (B) in which the knee is bent, and the upper frame 112 . It may be provided to limit the rotation angle of the to a desired angle range or to fix the upper frame 112 to a desired rotation angle.

For example, the joint unit 140 may include a first joint frame 142 , a second joint frame 144 , a frame rotation unit 146 , and a rotation limiting unit 148 .

4 to 10, the first joint frame 142 of this embodiment may be formed in the lower portion of the upper frame 112, and may be rotatably connected to the second joint frame 144 . The first joint frame 142 as described above may be provided on both sides of the lower portion of the upper frame 112 so as to be disposed on both sides of the knee. The first joint frame 142 may be integrally formed with the upper frame 112 or may be separately manufactured and then mounted on the lower portion of the upper frame 112 . Hereinafter, in this embodiment, the first joint frame 142 will be described as being integrally formed with the upper frame 112 .

4 to 10, the second joint frame 144 of this embodiment may be formed on the upper portion of the lower frame 114, and may be rotatably connected to the first joint frame 142 . The second joint frame 144 as described above may be provided on both sides of the upper portion of the lower frame 114 so as to be disposed on both sides of the knee. The second joint frame 144 may be integrally formed with the lower frame 114 or may be separately manufactured and then mounted on the lower frame 114 . Hereinafter, in this embodiment, it will be described that the second joint frame 144 is separately manufactured and then mounted on the lower frame 114 .

Here, the second joint frame 144 may be disposed to overlap with the first joint frame 142 . As an example, the second joint frame 144 may be provided in a structure in which a pair is spaced apart in a shape facing each other. At this time, the first joint frame 142 may be inserted into the space formed between the pair of second joint frames 144 , and may be rotated in a state disposed between the pair of second joint frames 144 . have. For reference, as shown in FIGS. 2 and 10 , a gap securing member 145 is disposed between the pair of second joint frames 144 to secure a gap for the first joint frame 142 to be inserted. can be

In addition, the first joint frame 142 is rotated relative to the center of the second joint frame 144, the knee of the patient wearing the knee brace 100 is bent in the bending direction (B) or the unfolding direction (C) ) can be rotated in either direction. When the first joint frame 142 is completely rotated in the unfolding direction (C), it may correspond to a state in which the patient's knee is fully unfolded, and accordingly the upper frame 112 and the lower frame 114 may be vertically disposed. have.

6 to 10, the frame rotating part 146 of this embodiment is configured to rotatably connect the first joint frame 142 and the second joint frame 144. The frame rotation unit 146 is to be provided on the first joint frame 142 and the second joint frame 144 so that the rotation of the first joint frame 142 and the second joint frame 144 simulates the joint motion of the knee. can

That is, the frame rotation unit 146 is not formed in a structure that simply rotates the first joint frame 142 and the second joint frame 144 on the basis of one axis of rotation, but the movement of the joint bending or unfolding the knee. When the first joint frame 142 and the second joint frame 144 rotate to simulate the rotation axis may be moved in the front-rear direction. For example, in this embodiment, when the first joint frame 142 is rotated in the bending direction (B), the rotation axis of the first joint frame 142 may be moved a certain distance backward, and the first joint frame 142 ) is rotated in the unfolding direction (C), the axis of rotation of the first joint frame 142 may be moved a predetermined distance forward.

As described above, the frame rotation unit 146 does not simply rotate the first joint frame 142 and the second joint frame 144, but simulates the joint movement of the knee to the first joint frame 142 and the second joint frame. While rotating the frame 144, it is possible to move the first joint frame 142 at the same time.

For example, the frame rotation unit 146 may include a rotation central shaft 151 , a central shaft movement hole portion 152 , rotation guide shafts 153 and 154 , and guide shaft movement hole portions 155 and 156 . .

The rotational central axis 151 is a member serving as a rotation axis of the first joint frame 142 and the second joint frame 144 , and is rotatable in the central hole 151a formed in the center of the first joint frame 142 . It may be arranged to be able to rotate and move in the central axis moving hole 152 formed in the second joint frame 144 may be arranged. That is, the first joint frame 142 may be rotated about the central axis of rotation 151 , and in the process, the central axis of rotation 151 may be moved along the central axis moving hole 152 .

Hereinafter, in this embodiment, the central axis of rotation 151 is a rivet disposed to penetrate the central hole 151a of the first joint frame 142 and the central axis movement hole 152 of the second joint frame 144. Explain. Both ends of the central axis of rotation 151 are disposed so as to be rotatable or movable in the central axis movement hole 152 formed in the pair of second joint frames 144 , and are centered so as not to be separated from the central axis movement hole portion 152 . A step portion having a larger diameter than the shaft movement hole portion 152 may be provided. For example, at one end of the rotational central shaft 151, the head of the rivet may serve as a step portion, and at the other end of the rotational central shaft 151, a central hole 151a and a central shaft moving hole 152 are formed. The end of the penetrating rivet may be plastic-processed in a stepwise manner to serve as a step portion.

The central axis movement hole part 152 is an arc-shaped slit elongated in the front and rear direction to guide the rear movement of the rotation central shaft 151 when the patient's knee is bent, and the end of the rotation central shaft 151 is movable. can be inserted. The central axis moving hole 152 as described above may be formed in the center of the pair of second joint frames 144, respectively.

The rotation guide shafts (153, 154) are members for guiding the rotation and movement of the first joint frame 142 and the second joint frame 144, and guide holes 153a formed in the pair of second joint frames 144. , 154a) may be rotatably arranged, and may be rotatably and movably arranged in the guide shaft moving holes (155, 156) formed in the first joint frame (142). That is, the first joint frame 142 can be moved along the central axis moving hole 152 together with the central axis of rotation 151 while rotating around the central axis of rotation 151, and in the process, the rotation guide shaft ( 153 and 154 may be moved along the guide shaft moving hole portions 155 and 156 .

Hereinafter, in this embodiment, the rotation guide shafts 153 and 154 penetrate the guide holes 153a and 154a of the second joint frame 144 and the guide shaft movement holes 155 and 156 of the first joint frame 142. It is explained that the rivets are arranged so as to be Both ends of the rotation guide shafts (153, 154) are disposed so as to be rotatable or movable in the guide shaft movement hole portions (155, 156) formed on the edge of the pair of second joint frames 144, the guide shaft movement hole portion ( A step portion having a larger diameter than the guide shaft moving hole portions 155 and 156 may be provided so as not to be separated from the 155 and 156 . For example, at one end of the rotation guide shafts 153 and 154, the head of the rivet may serve as a step portion, and at the other end of the rotation guide shafts 153 and 154, guide holes 153a and 154a and a guide shaft. The end portions of the rivets passing through the moving holes 155 and 156 may be plastically machined in a stepwise manner to serve as a step portion.

The guide shaft movement hole parts (155, 156) are slits formed in an arc shape along the circumference around the rotational central shaft (151) to guide the movement of the rotation guide shafts (153, 154) when bending or unfolding the patient's knee, Ends of the rotation guide shafts 153 and 154 may be movably inserted. The guide shaft moving hole portions 155 and 156 as described above may be formed on the edge of the first joint frame 142 .

On the other hand, the rotation guide shaft (153, 154) and the guide shaft movement hole (155, 156) are a plurality of corresponding to guide the rotation and movement of the first joint frame 142 and the second joint frame 144 more stably. can be provided. Hereinafter, in this embodiment, two guide shaft moving hole parts 155 and 156 are provided in the first joint frame 142, and the rotation guide shaft 153 and 154 are two guide shaft moving hole parts 155, 156. It will be described that two are provided so as to be disposed through the.

That is, the guide shaft moving hole portions (155, 156), the first guide moving hole portion 155 formed at a position spaced apart from the center hole (151a) of the first joint frame 142 to one side, and the first joint frame 142 ) may include a second guide moving hole 156 formed at a position spaced apart from the center hole 151a to the other side. In addition, the rotation guide shafts 153 and 154 are a first rotation guide shaft 153 disposed to pass through the first guide movement hole 155 , and a second guide shaft 153 disposed to pass through the second guide movement hole portion 156 . A rotation guide shaft 154 may be included.

4 to 10 , the rotation limiting unit 148 of the present embodiment is configured to selectively limit and change the operating range of the frame rotation unit 146 . Rotation limiter 148 is a first to restrict the rotation of the first joint frame 142 and the second joint frame 144 or to set the rotation range of the first joint frame 142 and the second joint frame 144 The joint frame 142 and the second joint frame 144 may be provided.

That is, the rotation limiting unit 148 may perform a function of supporting the knee at a desired angle by fixing the rotation angle of the joint unit 140 during knee rehabilitation of the patient, as well as the rotation angle of the joint unit 140 . By setting the range, you can perform the function of bending or straightening the knee within the desired angle range. For example, in this embodiment, the first joint frame 142 by the rotation limiter 148 is fixed in a state rotated at a certain angle in the bending direction (B), or the first joint by the rotation limiter 148 Rotation of the frame 142 in the bending direction (B) and the unfolding direction (C) within a predetermined angular range may be restricted.

For example, the rotation limiting part 148 includes a first locking jaw 161 and a second locking jaw 162 , a first locking hole 163 and a second locking hole 164 , and a first locking pin 165 . and a second locking pin 166 .

The first locking jaw 161 and the second locking jaw 162 may be formed in any one of the first joint frame 142 and the second joint frame 144, but in this embodiment, the first joint frame 142 ) is described as being formed in

The first locking jaw 161 may limit the angle of rotation in the bending direction (B) of the knee, and the second locking jaw 162 may limit the angle of rotation in the unfolding direction (C) of the knee .

The first locking jaws 161 and the second locking jaws 162 may be disposed at positions spaced apart from each other by a set angle along the circumference of the first joint frame 142 . The first locking jaw 161 and the second locking jaw 162 as described above may be provided in a manner that removes a portion of the circumference of the edge of the first joint frame 142 .

The first locking hole portion 163 and the second locking hole portion 164 may be formed in the other one of the first joint frame 142 and the second joint frame 144, but in this embodiment, a pair of second joints It will be described as being formed on the frame 144 . That is, the first locking hole 163 and the second locking hole 164 are formed to face each other in a plurality of the pair of second joint frames 144, the first locking jaw 161 when bending or unfolding the knee And a plurality of second locking protrusions 162 may be provided to be spaced apart along the movement path. The first locking pin 165 and the second locking pin 166 may be selectively inserted into the first locking hole part 163 and the second locking hole part 164 as described above.

For example, a plurality of the first locking hole 163 may be provided to be spaced apart along the movement path of the first locking jaw 161 when the knee is bent, and the second locking hole 164 may be formed when the knee is unfolded. A plurality of two locking jaws 162 may be provided to be spaced apart along the movement path.

The first locking hole parts 163 and the second locking hole parts 164 are arranged in a line along an arc-shaped path at the edge of the second joint frame 144, and rotate when the first joint frame 142 rotates. It may be provided to correspond to the movement of the central axis 151 . That is, the first locking hole portions 163 and the second locking hole portions 164 may be disposed at positions moved to the rear of the orthosis body 110 by a predetermined distance toward the bending direction (B).

The first locking pin 165 may be selectively inserted into the first locking hole portions 163 so as to interfere with the first locking jaw 161 , and the second locking pin 166 may be connected to the second locking jaw 162 and It may be selectively inserted into the second locking hole portions 164 to interfere. The interference position of the first locking pin 165 and the first locking jaw 161 and the interference position of the second locking pin 66 and the second locking jaw 162 are varied, thereby fixing the frame rotating part 146 . Alternatively, the rotation angle of the frame rotating unit 146 may be limited. That is, the first locking pin 165 and the second locking pin 166 are a configuration that serves to limit the joint motion of the joint unit 140, constraining the joint unit 140 to a desired joint angle, or The rotation angle of the joint unit 140 can be set in a range of a desired angle.

For example, the first locking pin 165 may be selectively inserted into any one of the first locking hole parts 163 , and the second locking pin 166 may be inserted into any one of the second locking hole parts 164 . can be optionally inserted into

The first locking pin 165 may be disposed to pass through the first locking hole 163 formed to face each other in the pair of second joint frames 144, and the second locking pin 166 is a pair of first locking pins 166. 2 may be disposed to penetrate through the second locking hole portion 164 formed to face each other in the joint frame (144). The first locking pin 165 and the second locking pin 166 as described above may be formed in a pin shape.

On the other hand, the first locking pin 165 and the first rotation guide shaft 153 may be connected to a first pin connecting member 167 for preventing loss and arbitrary removal of the first locking pin 165 , and the second A second pin connecting member 168 may be connected to the locking pin 166 and the second rotation guide shaft 154 to prevent loss and arbitrary removal of the second locking pin 166 .

At one end of the first pin connecting member 167 and the second pin connecting member 168, a first rotation guide shaft 153 to enable the position change of the first locking pin 165 and the second locking pin 166, respectively. ) and a first shaft connection part and a second shaft connection part movably connected to the second rotation guide shaft 154 may be formed. At the other ends of the first pin connecting member 167 and the second pin connecting member 168 , the first locking pin 165 and the second locking pin 165 are fixed to the first locking pin 165 and the second locking pin 166 , respectively. A first pin fixing hole and a second pin fixing hole into which the locking pin 166 is fitted may be formed. In this case, the first pin connecting member 167 and the second pin connecting member 168 may be made of a flexible material in order to improve handling convenience of the first locking pin 165 and the second locking pin 166 .

delete

Referring to Figures 1, 2, 4 and 6, the joint unit 140 of this embodiment, the frame rotation unit 146 and rotation limit to protect the frame rotation unit 146 and the rotation limiting unit 148. It may further include a joint unit cover 149 that is selectively disposed at a position to cover or expose the portion 148 to the outside.

The joint unit cover 149 is disposed in a first position to cover the frame rotation part 146 and the rotation limiting part 148, or a second to expose the frame rotation part 146 and the rotation limiting part 148 to the outside. may be placed in position. On the other hand, in this embodiment, the joint unit cover 149 may be provided in a shape that can cover the frame rotation part 146 and the rotation limiting part 148 as well as cover the second joint frame 144 .

To this end, the joint unit cover 149 may be rotatably or movably connected to at least one of the first joint frame 142 or the second joint frame 144 . Hereinafter, in this embodiment, the lower portion of the joint unit cover 149 is rotatably connected to the second joint frame 144 to be selectively rotated to the first position and the second position.

Looking at the wearing method and effect of the knee orthosis 100 according to an embodiment of the present invention configured as described above are as follows.

First, rotate the frame rotating portion 146 of the joint unit 140 at an angle suitable for knee rehabilitation of the patient in at least one of the bending direction (B) or the unfolding direction (C).

When the rotation angle of the frame rotation unit 146 is set to a desired joint angle, the joint unit cover 149 is rotated in the second direction to expose the rotation limiting part 148 of the joint unit 140 to the outside, and rotation limiting The rotation of the frame rotating part 146 is constrained by using the part 148 or the rotation range of the frame rotating part 146 is set.

That is, by inserting the first locking pin 165 of the rotation limiting part 148 into any one of the first locking hole parts 163, the first joint frame 142 of the frame rotation part 146 is bent in the bending direction (B). The first joint frame 142 of the frame rotation part 146 by inserting the second locking pin 166 of the rotation limiting part 148 into any one of the second locking hole parts 164 to limit the rotation angle to The angle of rotation in the unfolding direction C is limited.

It is possible to easily fix the joint angle of the orthosis body 110 by a simple operation of inserting the first locking pin 165 and the second locking pin 166, and the first locking pin 165 and the second locking pin 166. It is possible to quickly and easily change the joint angle of the orthosis body 110 by a simple operation of changing the fitting position of the.

As described above, when the joint unit 140 of the orthosis body 110 is set to a desired joint angle using the frame rotation unit 146 and the rotation limiting unit 148, the orthosis body 110 is set to the patient's knee and shin and worn on the thigh.

Accordingly, the patient may fix the knee at a desired joint angle by the orthosis main body 110 or, if necessary, make the knee usable only within the desired joint angle range.

In particular, when a patient is rehabilitating an anterior ligament injury, the compression pad 120 is strongly pressed on the rear portion of the patient's shin using the wire tightening unit 130 .

That is, when the tightening force is tightened to the wire member 134 by manipulating the tightening manipulation unit 132 of the wire tightening unit 130 , the compression pad 120 is positioned above the shin adjacent to the patient's knee by the tightening force of the wire member 134 . strongly adhered to

When the wire member 134 is wound or unwound by the tightening operation unit 132 by the manipulation of the tightening operation unit 132 as described above, the wire member 134 is smoothly moved by the plurality of wire guides 138 and the pressure pad It is possible to prevent twisting or tilting of (120).

The patient can easily adjust the compression force of the compression pad 120 or remove the pressure of the compression pad 120 by manipulating the tightening operation unit 132 .

As described above, the embodiments of the present invention have been described with specific matters such as specific components and limited embodiments and drawings, but these are provided to help a more general understanding of the present invention, and the present invention is limited to the above embodiments Various modifications and variations are possible from these descriptions by those of ordinary skill in the art to which the present invention pertains. Therefore, the spirit of the present invention should not be limited to the described embodiments, and not only the claims to be described below, but also all those with equivalent or equivalent modifications to the claims will fall within the scope of the spirit of the present invention.

100: knee brace
110: orthosis body
112: upper frame
114: lower frame
120: compression pad
130: wire tightening unit
132: tightening control unit
134: wire member
136: wire support
138: wire guide
140: joint unit
142: first joint frame
144: second joint frame
146: frame rotating part
148: rotation restriction unit
149: articulation unit cover
B: Bending direction in which the knee joint is bent
C: The direction in which the knee joint is extended

Claims (10)

A knee orthosis worn on a patient's knee, shin, and thigh, comprising:
an upper frame worn on the thigh;
a lower frame worn on the shin portion; and
A joint unit provided on the lower part of the upper frame and the upper part of the lower frame, the joint unit rotatably connecting the upper frame and the lower frame;
The joint unit is rotated in a form simulating the joint movement of the knee, and is provided to limit the joint movement angle of the knee,
The joint unit may include: a first joint frame formed under the upper frame; a second joint frame formed on the upper portion of the lower frame so as to overlap with the first joint frame; Formed on the first joint frame and the second joint frame to rotatably connect the first joint frame and the second joint frame, the rotation of the first joint frame and the second joint frame is the joint of the knee Frame rotation unit provided to simulate the movement; and a rotation limiting unit provided on the first joint frame and the second joint frame to selectively limit and change the operating range of the frame rotation unit.
The frame rotation unit, the first joint frame and the second joint frame, a central axis of rotation rotatably disposed in the center of any one of the frame; a central axis moving hole formed in the center of the other one of the first joint frame and the second joint frame so that the central axis of rotation is movably inserted, and provided to guide the movement of the central axis of rotation when the knee is bent; a rotation guide shaft disposed on the edge of any one of the first joint frame and the second joint frame; and a guide shaft formed on the edge of the other of the first joint frame and the second joint frame so that the rotation guide shaft is movably inserted, and provided to guide the movement of the rotation guide shaft when bending or unfolding the knee. It includes a moving hole;
The rotation limiting unit, the first joint frame and the second joint frame is formed in any one of the first locking jaw for limiting the rotation angle in the bending direction of the knee; a second locking jaw formed in any one of the first joint frame and the second joint frame and limiting the rotation angle in the unfolding direction of the knee; a first locking hole formed in the other one of the first joint frame and the second joint frame, a plurality of first locking holes spaced apart along a path along which the first locking jaw moves when the knee is bent; a second locking hole formed in the other one of the first joint frame and the second joint frame, a plurality of second locking holes spaced apart along a path along which the second locking jaw moves when the knee is unfolded; It is selectively inserted into any one of the first locking holes so as to interfere with the first locking protrusion, and limits the rotation angle of the frame pivoting part by changing the interference position with the first locking bump or the frame pivoting part a first locking pin for fixing at a specific angle; It is selectively inserted into any one of the second locking holes so as to interfere with the second locking protrusion, and limits the rotation angle of the frame pivoting part by changing the interference position with the second locking bump or the frame pivoting part Includes a second locking pin for fixing at a specific angle;
The rotation guide shaft includes a first rotation guide shaft and a second rotation guide shaft,
A first pin connecting member for preventing loss and arbitrary removal of the first locking pin is connected to the first locking pin and the first rotation guide shaft,
A second pin connecting member is connected to the second locking pin and the second rotation guide shaft to prevent loss and arbitrary removal of the second locking pin,
A first shaft connection portion movably connected to the first rotation guide shaft is formed at one end of the first pin connection member to change the position of the first locking pin, and the other end of the first pin connection member is formed. A hole for fixing a first pin into which the first locking pin is inserted is formed therein so as to fix the first locking pin,
A second shaft connection part movably connected to the second rotation guide shaft is formed at one end of the second pin connection member so as to change the position of the second locking pin, and the other end of the second pin connection member is formed. The knee orthosis, characterized in that the hole for fixing the second pin into which the second locking pin is fitted so as to fix the second locking pin is formed.
According to claim 1,
The joint unit is
It is provided to rotate the upper frame in a bending direction in which the knee is bent and at the same time move the upper frame to the rear,
Knee orthosis, characterized in that provided to limit the rotation angle of the upper frame to a desired angle range or to fix the upper frame to the desired rotation angle.
delete delete delete delete delete According to claim 1,
The joint unit is selectively disposed at a first position or a second position for exposing the frame rotation part and the rotation limiting part to the outside to cover the frame rotation part and the rotation limiting part to protect the frame rotation part and the rotation limiting part It further comprises a joint unit cover;
The joint unit cover is a knee orthosis, characterized in that it is rotatably or movably connected to at least one of the first joint frame and the second joint frame.
According to claim 1,
a compression pad disposed on the front or rear portion of any one of the upper frame and the lower frame to strongly press a specific portion of at least one of the shin portion or the thigh portion; and
a pad pressing means for pressing the compression pad to the specific region using a wire connected to the compression pad;
Knee orthosis, characterized in that it further comprises.
10. The method of claim 9,
The pad pressing means is provided as a wire tightening unit for pressing the pressing pad or releasing the pressing state of the pressing pad,
The wire tightening unit is provided on one of the upper frame or the lower frame and the pressure pad to transmit a wire tightening force to the pressure pad,
The wire tightening unit may include a tightening manipulation unit disposed on an outer surface of the pressure pad; a wire member connected to the tightening operation unit to be tightened or loosened by the tightening operation unit; And Knee orthosis comprising a; and a wire support for movably supporting both ends of the wire member extending in the left and right direction from the tightening operation part.

Images