DYNAMIC BODY PROTECTOR

• US 20080146981A1
• Filed: 07/19/2007
• Published: 06/19/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 07/21/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Simbex
• Original Assignee: Simbex
• Inventors: Bertoni, David W., Jessiman, Alexander W., Chu, Jeffrey J., Greenwald, Richard M., Gwin, Joseph T., Buck, Aaron T.
• Granted Patent: US 7,837,640 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 602/13
• CPC Class Codes: A41D 13/088 especially for the wrist
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 5/01 Orthopaedic devices, e.g. splints, casts or braces

Abstract

The present invention provides a novel means of joint and body protection using engineered textiles to provide dynamic kinematic control within the device itself and for the underlying body part. The apparatus may be used in apparel or orthosis wherein a textile is organized about the proximal and distal aspects of a joint or body part and uses the mechanical and material characteristics of the engineered textile to dynamically control the kinetics of the body part and more specifically to prevent the body part from reaching extremes in range of motion. The engineered textiles can be designed to provide non-uniform increases in stiffness in any direction. The engineered textile may incorporate strain or strain rate dependant materials in which case stiffness properties would vary non-uniformly with velocity and/or acceleration within the device allowing for protection from blunt trauma, blast, or ballistic events anywhere on the body. A further aspect of the present invention is to provide a novel means of dynamically fitting and anchoring apparel, orthosis, body protection devices or other objects that need to be securely fixed to the body anatomy during joint flexion or extension, by using motion at a body joint to actuate a closure mechanism and bracing system that actively closes upon the body anatomy surrounding the joint and transfers loads created during dynamic restraint of the joint to anchor zones on the body.

Claims

1. A joint and body protection device, comprising:

an engineered textile arranged about the proximal and distal aspects of a body joint;

the engineered textile being configured to provide dynamic kinematic control of the body joint.

2. The joint and body protection device of claim 1 wherein the engineered textile is organized about the proximal and distal aspect of a body joint such that the textile is tensioned and relaxed in response to movement at the body joint.

3. The joint and body protection device of claim 1 wherein the engineered textile is a braided fiber that provides non-linear increases in stiffness in response to applied load.

4. The joint and body protection device of claim 1 wherein the engineered textile is a high tenacity non-braided synthetic fiber.

5. The joint and body protection device of claim 1, further comprising:

a strain rate dependent damping material;

the engineered textile being in communication with a strain rate dependant damping material so that stiffness in the textile system is a non-linear function of displacement, velocity, or acceleration.

6. The joint and body protection device of claim 5 wherein the engineered textile is removably connected to the strain rate damping material.

7. The joint and body protection device of claim 1 wherein the engineered textile is organized about the proximal and distal endpoints of a human wrist and is engaged to absorb impact energy and/or prevent terminal wrist dorsiflexion.

8. The joint and body protection device of claim 1 wherein the engineered textile is connected to a cuff or other mechanism that anchors to the body anatomy surrounding the protected body joint.

9. The joint and body protection device of claim 8 wherein pressure between the cuff or other mechanism that anchors the protective device to the surrounding anatomy and the surrounding anatomy is dynamically and progressively changed in response to joint motion so that the device can be nominally loose and progressively tightened as needed for protection.

10. The joint and body protection device of claim 1 wherein the engineered textile is organized within a palm of a human hand and connected to a cuff or other mechanism that is affixed to the forearm as well as to a strap or other device that anchors the engineered textile to the dorsal side of the hand.

11. The joint and body protection device of claim 10 wherein the engineered textile is connected to a lacing system such that the forearm cuff tightens and loosens circumferentially in response to tension in the engineered textile caused by wrist dorsiflexion.

12. The joint and body protection device of claim 1 wherein the engineered textile is connected directly or indirectly to the dorsal forearm such that tension in the engineered textile is transferred to pressure on the dorsal forearm.

13. The joint and body protection device of claim 11 wherein the lacing system is directly or indirectly connected to the dorsal forearm so that tension in the engineered textile as well as in the lacing system is transferred to pressure on the dorsal forearm.