Patella support brace

DETAILED DESCRIPTION Having thus described the invention and illustrated its use, what is claimed as new and is desired to be secured by Letters Patent is: 1.
A knee brace adapted to support the patella of a wearer comprising a patella pad, means for maintaining said pad laterally adjacent the patella of a wearer, and laterally shiftable force developing means operatively connected to said pad for urging said pad laterally in a medial direction thereby to exert progressively increasing, medially directed forces upon said pad responsive to articulating movements of the leg from a flexed to an extended condition.
2.
A brace in accordance with claim 1 wherein said force developing means comprises means for shifting said pad in a medial direction responsive to said articulating movements of the leg.
3.
A brace in accordance with claim 1 wherein said developing means comprises an elongate tension member having a first end portion secured to the leg of a wearer above the knee and posteriorly located with respect to the pivot axis of the knee, a second end portion secured to the leg at a position below the knee at a position posteriorly located with respect to the pivot axis of the knee, and a central, laterally outwardly directed bight portion, the combination including attachment means for connecting said bight portion to said patella pad.
4.
A brace in accordance with claim 3 wherein said attachment means is adjustably connectible to said pad.
5.
A brace in accordance with claim 4 wherein said tension member includes elastically extendible portions.
6.
A brace in accordance with claim 5 wherein said elastically extensible portions are disposed in the area between said bight portion and said adjustable attachment means.
7.
A brace in accordance with claim 6 wherein said adjustable attachment means comprises complemental Velcro components on said patella pad and said bight portion.




Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1.
Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a knee brace and is directed more specifically to the provision of a patella support brace which is characterized in that a progressively increasing medially directed force is applied against the patella as the leg of the wearer shifts from a flexed to an extended condition