| 摘要 |
A hinge system for an orthopedic brace includes a distal section including a substantially circular pivot area including a ratchet having several angular saw-tooth teeth, each defined by alternating major and minor arms, intersections of the arms defining alternating outer and inner vertices, each of the inner vertices tilted in a counter-clockwise direction, the inner vertices each defining total included angles of between about 75 and about 95 degrees, in which a ratio of the length of each major to minor arm is in a range of about 2:1 to about 3.5:1, the inner vertices also defining a virtual inner radius (of the ratchet) between each inner vertex and an axis of rotation of the pivot area, and each of the outer vertices defining a virtual outer radius between the vertices and the axis of rotation, in which each major arm of each tooth intersects a tangent of a circle defined by the outer radius at an angle in a range of about 20 to about 40 degrees and in which each minor arm of each tooth intersects the outer circle at an angle in a range of about 60 degrees to about 80 degrees. Further included in the system is a control section having a rotatable pawl having at least three saw tooth teeth complemental in geometry to the teeth of the ratchet of the pivot area, the pawl teeth selectably interdigitatable with the teeth of the teeth of the ratchet. The system also includes a biasing element for effecting selectable engagement of the teeth of the pawl with the teeth of the ratchet, and a release mechanism for pivotally disengaging the respective teeth to permit free rotational movement of the distal section relative to the control section of the orthopedic brace when a change in relative position of the distal and control sections is desired.
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