Brace limiting range of motion and method of using same

Abstract

A brace is provided including an upper support arm, a lower support arm, and a hinge assembly. The hinge assembly includes an upper hinge plate coupled to the upper support arm and including a first plurality of teeth disposed along at least a portion of a perimeter of the upper hinge plate. The hinge assembly includes a lower hinge plate coupled to the lower support arm and including a second plurality of teeth disposed along at least a portion of a perimeter of the upper hinge plate. The hinge assembly includes an axle rotatably coupling the upper and lower hinge plates. The hinge assembly includes a locking element disposed on the upper hinge plate and including first and second protrusions configured to physically contact opposite sides of one of the second plurality of teeth in a first orientation, thereby prohibiting relative rotation between the upper and lower support arms.

1 . A brace configured to restrict a range of motion of a joint of a subject, the brace comprising:
 an upper support arm;   a lower support arm; and   a hinge assembly comprising:
 an upper hinge plate coupled to the upper support arm and comprising a first plurality of teeth disposed along at least a portion of a perimeter of the upper hinge plate; 
 a lower hinge plate coupled to the lower support arm and comprising a second plurality of teeth disposed along at least a portion of a perimeter of the lower hinge plate; 
 an axle rotatably coupling the upper hinge plate and the lower hinge plate; and 
 a locking element disposed on the upper hinge plate, the locking element comprising a first protrusion and a second protrusion configured to physically contact opposite sides of one of the second plurality of teeth in a first orientation, thereby prohibiting rotation of the upper support arm with respect to the lower support arm. 
   
     
     
         2 . The brace of  claim 1 , wherein the first protrusion and the second protrusion of the locking element are integrally formed as a single piece with the locking element. 
     
     
         3 . The brace of  claim 1 , wherein the first protrusion and the second protrusion of the locking element are integral portions of an insert of the locking element. 
     
     
         4 . The brace of  claim 1 , wherein the locking element is configured to shift from the first orientation to a second orientation in which the first protrusion and the second protrusion do not physically contact the second plurality of teeth, thereby allowing rotation of the upper support arm with respect to the lower support arm, the shift from the first orientation to the second orientation traversing a straight line extending from a center of the axle. 
     
     
         5 . The brace of  claim 1 , wherein the hinge assembly further comprises at least a first range of motion stop configured to limit a range of motion of the upper support arm with respect to the lower support arm in a first rotational direction about the axle. 
     
     
         6 . The brace of  claim 5 , wherein the first range of motion stop comprises a first protrusion and a second protrusion configured to physically contact opposite sides of one of the first plurality of teeth of the upper hinge plate when the first range of motion stop is in a locked position, thereby immobilizing the first range of motion stop at a first desired position along the perimeter of the upper hinge plate. 
     
     
         7 . The brace of  claim 5 , wherein the first range of motion stop comprises a plurality of retention arms configured to hold the first range of motion stop in a locked position. 
     
     
         8 . The brace of  claim 7 , wherein the first range of motion stop, including the plurality of retention arms, is a single integral part. 
     
     
         9 . The brace of  claim 7 , wherein the plurality of retention arms contact the axle such that pulling the at least a first range of motion stop in a radial direction with respect to the axle causes the axle to deflect the plurality of retention arms in an outward direction, thereby providing a restoring force that returns the first range of motion stop to the locked position. 
     
     
         10 . The brace of  claim 1 , the hinge assembly comprising:
 a hinge cover comprising a window configured to display at least a portion of the locking element when the locking element is configured to prohibit rotation of the upper support arm, wherein the portion of the locking element has a red or orange color.   
     
     
         11 . (canceled) 
     
     
         12 . (canceled) 
     
     
         13 . (canceled) 
     
     
         14 . (canceled) 
     
     
         15 . The brace of  claim 5 , wherein the at least a first range of motion stop comprises a backstop element configured to prevent hyperextension of the first range of motion stop in a radial direction with respect to the axle. 
     
     
         16 . The brace of  claim 10 , wherein the upper hinge plate further comprises a first spacing element configured to contact the hinge cover and the hinge cover further comprises a second spacing element configured to physically contact the upper hinge plate, thereby providing a predetermined spacing between the upper hinge plate and the hinge cover. 
     
     
         17 . The brace of  claim 1 , wherein:
 the portion of the perimeter of the upper hinge plate is substantially circular about a center of the axle; and   the portion of the perimeter of the lower hinge plate is substantially circular about a center of the axle.   
     
     
         18 . The brace of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 an upper slider configured to slidably couple to the upper support arm at any of a first plurality of incremental amounts of extension; and   a lower slider configured to slidably couple to the lower support arm at any of a second plurality of incremental amounts of extension.   
     
     
         19 . The brace of  claim 18 , wherein:
 the upper slider and the lower slider each comprise a respective locking element; and   the upper support arm and the lower support arm each comprise a respective plurality of indexing apertures configured to receive the respective locking element, thereby locking the upper slider at a first incremental degree of extension with respect to the upper support arm and locking the lower slider at a second incremental degree of extension with respect to the lower support arm.   
     
     
         20 . The brace of  claim 19 , wherein each of the upper support arm and the lower support arm comprises a plurality of indexing numerals disposed adjacent to the plurality of indexing apertures. 
     
     
         21 . The brace of  claim 20 , wherein an orientation of the plurality of indexing numerals corresponds to a correct orientation of the brace for attachment to the joint of the subject. 
     
     
         22 . The brace of  claim 18 , wherein the lower slider comprises at least one tab integrally formed with the lower slider and configured to contact the lower support arm at least when the lower slider is disposed at a greatest amount of extension with respect to the lower support arm. 
     
     
         23 . The brace of  claim 18 , further comprising a malleoli attachment configured to removably snap into a distal end of the lower slider, the malleoli attachment configured to abut a distal portion of an appendage of the subject when the brace is attached to the joint of the subject. 
     
     
         24 - 39 . (canceled) 
     
     
         40 . A method of manufacturing a brace configured to restrict a range of motion of a joint of a subject, the method comprising:
 providing an upper support arm;   providing a lower support arm; and   assembling a hinge assembly by:
 coupling an upper hinge plate to the upper support arm, the upper hinge plate comprising a first plurality of teeth disposed along at least a portion of a perimeter of the upper hinge plate, 
 coupling a lower hinge plate to the lower support arm, the lower hinge plate comprising a second plurality of teeth disposed along at least a portion of a perimeter of the lower hinge plate, 
 rotatably coupling the upper hinge plate and the lower hinge plate via an axle, and 
 disposing a locking element on the upper hinge plate, the locking element comprising a first protrusion and a second protrusion configured to physically contact opposite sides of one of the second plurality of teeth in a first orientation, thereby prohibiting rotation of the upper support arm with respect to the lower support arm.