Scoliosis Brace Having Angle Adjustment Unit

• US 20090137934A1
• Filed: 11/14/2008
• Published: 05/28/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 11/16/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Dong Yun Seon
• Original Assignee: Dong Yun Seon
• Inventors: SEON, Dong Yun
• Granted Patent: US 8,066,653 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 602/19
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2005/0137 with two parallel pivots
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2005/0167 adjustable
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 5/0123 for the knees A61F5/0106 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 5/022 consisting of one or more shells
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 5/024 having pressure pads connected in a frame for reduction or correction of the curvature of the spine

Abstract

Disclosed is a scoliosis brace having an angle adjustment unit and a plurality of support units connected to one another so that the relative position can be changed to support different parts of a human body. The body is pressurized according to the relative position of respective support units so that the spinal column is corrected precisely.

Claims

1. A scoliosis brace comprising:

a plurality of support units for supporting different parts of a human body, the support units being connected to one another so that relative positions can be changed, wherein

the human body is pressurized according to relative positions of respective support units to correct the spinal column.

2. The scoliosis brace as claimed in claim 1, wherein the plurality of support units comprises:

an upper support unit for receiving and supporting the upper part of the body;

a middle support unit for receiving and supporting the middle part of the body; and

a lower support unit for receiving and supporting the lower part of the body,

wherein respective support units are connected to one another so that relative positions can be modified, and the upper, middle, and lower parts of the body are pressurized according to relative positions of respective support units, to generate pressurization force for correcting the spinal column.

3. The scoliosis brace as claimed in claim 2, further comprising:

at least one first rod having a first end rotatably connected to the upper support unit;

at least one second rod having a first end rotatably connected to the lower support unit; and

an angle adjustment unit attached to the middle support unit, second ends of the first and second rods being rotatably connected to the angle adjustment unit, respectively, so that rotation angles of the first and second rods can be adjusted.

4. The scoliosis brace as claimed in claim 3, wherein the angle adjustment unit comprises:

a base member having at least one insertion hole formed thereon, the second ends of the first and second rods being rotatably connected to the base member, respectively; and

an adjustment member inserted into the insertion hole to adjust the angle of at least one of the first and second rods.

5. The scoliosis brace as claimed in claim 4, wherein the adjustment member is screw-coupled to the insertion hole to move linearly in a leftward/rightward direction according to the direction of rotation thereof, and at least one of the first and second rods is pressurized by the leftward/rightward movement of the adjustment member so that the angle is adjusted.

6. The scoliosis brace as claimed in claim 5, wherein the first and second rods are coupled to and interlocked with each other.

7. The scoliosis brace as claimed in claim 5, wherein the adjustment member is coupled to the insertion hole so that rotation of the first and second rods in a predetermined direction is allowed but rotation in other directions is limited.

8. The scoliosis brace as claimed in claim 4, wherein the adjustment member comprises:

at least one male screw member coupled to the insertion hole so that translation is limited and only rotation is allowed; and

at least one female screw member screw-coupled to the male screw member to move linearly leftward/rightward as the male screw member rotates,

wherein the female screw member is connected to and interlocked with the first and second rods so that, as the female screw member moves linearly, the first and second rods rotate and the angle is adjusted.

9. The scoliosis brace as claimed in claim 3, wherein the angle adjustment unit comprises:

a base member, the second ends of the first and second rods being rotatably connected to the base member, respectively;

a dial handle rotatably installed on the base member via a shaft member;

a gear fixed to the shaft member;

a reduction gear unit selectively connected to the gear; and

a fixing member for selectively fixing the dial handle to the base member,

wherein the second end of at least one of the first and second rods is gear-coupled to the gear fixed to the shaft member or to the reduction gear unit.

10. The scoliosis brace as claimed in claim 3, wherein the angle adjustment unit comprises a ball joint and a fixing screw for fixing the ball joint.

11. The scoliosis brace as claimed in claim 3, wherein the angle adjustment unit comprises:

a first adjustment plate provided on the second end of the first rod, first teeth being formed on a surface of the first adjustment plate in a radial direction;

a second adjustment plate provided on the second end of the second rod, second teeth being formed on a surface facing the surface of the first adjustment plate, the second teeth corresponding to the first teeth; and

a fixing member for selectively fixing the first and second adjustment plates.

12. The scoliosis brace as claimed in claim 3, wherein the angle adjustment unit comprises:

a hinge shaft for rotatably connecting the first and second rods;

a first male screw member having a first end rotatably connected to a first extension extending from a first side of the first rod;

a second male screw member having a first end rotatably connected to a second extension extending from a first side of the second rod; and

a female screw member screw-coupled to the first and second male screw members,

wherein the first and second screw members are moved away from or toward each other according to the direction of rotation of the female screw member to adjust the angle of the first and second rods.

13. The scoliosis brace as claimed in claim 3, further comprising:

a fixing unit base member attached to at least one of the upper and lower support units, the first end of the first or second rod being rotatably connected to the fixing unit base member, at least one insertion hole being formed on the fixing unit base member; and

a fixing unit inserted into the insertion hole formed on the fixing unit base member to fix the first or second rod.

14. The scoliosis brace as claimed in claim 3, wherein the first rod, the second rod, and the angle adjustment unit are made of a carbon material.

15. A scoliosis brace comprising:

an upper support unit;

a middle support unit;

a lower support unit;

an angle adjustment attached to the middle support unit to adjust the angle of the upper and lower support units with regard to the middle support unit;

a first rod having a first side rotatably connected to the upper support unit, a first length adjustment means being positioned on a second side of the first rod;

a second rod having a first side rotatably connected to the angle adjustment unit and a second side coupled to the first rod via the first length adjustment means so that the length can be adjusted;

a third rod having a first side rotatably connected to the lower support unit, a second length adjustment means being positioned on a second side of the third rod; and

a fourth rod having a first side rotatably connected to the angle adjustment unit and a second side coupled to the third rod via the second length adjustment means so that the length can be adjusted.

16. The scoliosis brace as claimed in claim 15, further comprising:

a fixing unit base member attached to at least one of the upper and lower support units, the first end of the first or third rod being rotatably connected to the fixing unit base member, at least one insertion hole being formed on the fixing unit base member; and

a fixing unit having a fixing member inserted into the insertion hole to fix the first or third rod.

17. A scoliosis brace comprising:

an upper support unit for receiving and supporting an upper body of a person;

a first middle support unit for receiving and supporting a first side of an upper middle body of the person, the first middle support unit being connected to the upper support unit so that the relative position can be changed;

a second middle support unit for receiving and supporting a second side of a lower middle body of the person, the second middle support unit being connected to the first middle support unit so that the relative position can be changed; and

a lower support unit for receiving and supporting a lower body of the person, the lower support unit being connected to the second middle support unit so that the relative position can be changed, wherein

the upper body, the upper middle body, the lower middle body, and the lower body of the person are pressurized according to the relative position of the upper support unit, the first middle support unit, the second middle support unit, and the lower support unit, respectively, to generate pressurization force for correcting the spinal column of the person.

18. The scoliosis brace as claimed in claim 17, wherein the first middle support unit is connected to the upper support unit so that the relative position can be changed in the leftward/rightward and upward/downward directions,

the second middle support unit is connected to the first middle support unit so that the relative position can be changed in the leftward/rightward and upward/downward directions, and

the lower support unit is connected to the second middle support unit so that the relative position can be changed in the leftward/rightward and upward/downward directions.

19. The scoliosis brace as claimed in claim 18, further comprising:

a first rod having a first end rotatably installed on the upper support unit;

a second rod having a first end connected to a second end of the first rod so that the length can be adjusted in the longitudinal direction;

a first angle adjustment unit attached to the first middle support unit, a second end of the second rod being rotatably connected to the first angle adjustment unit so that the rotation angle of the second rod can be adjusted;

a third rod having a first end rotatably connected to the first angle adjustment unit so that the rotation angle can be adjusted;

a fourth rod having a first end connected to a second end of the third rod so that the length can be adjusted in the longitudinal direction;

a second angle adjustment unit attached to the second middle support unit, a second end of the fourth rod being rotatably connected to the second angle adjustment unit so that the rotation angle of the fourth rod can be adjusted;

a fifth rod having a first end rotatably connected to the second angle adjustment unit so that the rotation angle can be adjusted; and

a sixth rod having a first end connected to a second end of the fifth rod so that the length can be adjusted in the longitudinal direction and a second end rotatably connected to the lower support unit.