Impact guard for knee brace
An impact guard for use with a knee brace includes a second shell secured to a padded liner, and a first shell disposed of over at least a portion of the second shell. The second shell is tethered to the first shell by an elastic cord, such that a second portion of the first shell slides over the first shell.
1 . An impact guard for mounting to a knee brace, the impact guard comprising:
a first shell having first and second ends;
a second shell having first and second ends;
at least one elastic cord connecting the first shell to the second shell;
wherein the first and second shells are configured to cover at least a portion of a user's knee, the second shell being maintained stationary relative to a hinge of the knee brace as the first shell is configured to articulate relative to the second shell,
wherein the at least one elastic cord extends along a front surface of the second shell and a rear surface of the first shell, such that the at least one elastic cord is attached to the first shell from the rear surface of the first shell.
2 . The impact guard of claim 1 , wherein a first portion of the at least one elastic cord is secured between opposed first and second sides of the second shell that extend generally perpendicular to the first and second ends of the second shell, and a second portion of the at least one elastic cord is secured to the second end of the first shell.
3 . The impact guard of claim 2 , wherein the first shell defines at least one mounting post proximate the second end and arranged for receiving the second portion of the at least one elastic cord.
4 . The impact guard of claim 3 , wherein the first shell defines a bottom vent, the first shell forms a central peg spaced apart from the at least one mounting post, the at least one mounting post including first and second mounting posts on opposed sides of the central peg.
5 . The impact guard of claim 4 , wherein the central peg is curved inwardly towards an inside concavity defined by the rear surface of the first shell, and the first and second mounting posts being curved outwardly relative to the central peg.
6 . The impact guard of claim 1 , wherein the second shell defines first and second posts on first and second sides about which the at least one elastic cord extends and is retained.
7 . The impact guard of claim 6 , wherein each of the first and second posts includes a latch retaining the at least one elastic cord from sliding off from the first and second posts.
8 . The impact guard of claim 1 , wherein the second end of the first shell is positionable over at least the first end of the second shell.
9 . The impact guard of claim 1 , wherein the second shell and the first shell are arranged asymmetrically relative to one another, as the first shell slides obliquely relative to a central axis of the second shell.
10 . The impact guard of claim 1 , wherein the second shell and the first shell are each arranged with a vertical ridge arranged to align with one another.
11 . The impact guard of claim 1 , wherein the second shell and the first shell are arranged with anchor points, the anchor points each define a hole configured to receive a fastener for securing to the knee brace.
12 . The impact guard of claim 1 , wherein the first shell defines a top vent forming posts or ribs arranged to prevent the first end of the second shell from blocking the top vent.
13 . The impact guard of claim 1 , further comprising an EVA liner located along an inside concavity of a rear of the second shell,
wherein a center pad portion of the EVA liner is separated from a ring of pad segments by a cooling channel.
14 . The impact guard of claim 1 , wherein the first shell is configured to be positioned in front or over of the second shell, such that at a full leg extension, a center of the first shell is positioned at a same height as a proximal end of the hinge of the knee brace, the second end of the first shell is arranged to align with a distal end of the hinge,
wherein at the full leg extension, the first end of the second shell reaches a top vent of the first shell.