Orthosis

• US 20110066095A1
• Filed: 09/14/2009
• Published: 03/17/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 09/14/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Blake Manufacturing Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Blake Manufacturing Incorporated
• Inventors: Price, Mary P., Price, Stephen A.
• Granted Patent: US 9,066,788 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 602/16
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 5/0102 specially adapted for correcting deformities of the limbs or for supporting them; Ortheses, e.g. with articulations
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 5/0104 without articulation
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 5/0106 for the knees
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 5/0118 for the arms, hands or fingers
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 5/05841 for the limbs A61F5/05816, A61F5/05833 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 21/02 using resilient force-resisters
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 21/055 extension element type
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 21/4001 Arrangements for attaching the exercising apparatus to the user's body, e.g. belts, shoes or gloves specially adapted therefor weights worn on the user's body A63B21/065; exoskeletons in general B25J9/0006, for aiding patients or disabled persons to walk about A61H3/00
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 21/4023 the user operating the resistance directly, without additional interface A63B21/072 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 23/035 for limbs, i.e. upper or lower limbs, e.g. simultaneously

Abstract

An orthosis comprising a dynamic, flexible, elastic stiffener that is configured to extend across a joint. The stiffener is configured to extend across a joint in a first configuration, wherein the stiffener is preferably substantially planar, and a second configuration when a patient'"'"'s muscle is under contraction such that the stiffener allows some joint movement but resists flexion of the joint to impede joint movement. The stiffener rebounds to its first configuration after the muscle contraction has terminated. The orthosis may be used to impede the movement of any joint, including a wrist joint and finger joints, an elbow joint, a knee joint, and an ankle joint and toe joints. Preferably, the flexible stiffener is made from a heat treated and tempered spring steel so that is has desirable dynamic and elastic properties.

Claims

1. An orthosis comprising:

a dynamic, flexible, elastic stiffener, wherein said stiffener is configured to extend across a joint in a first configuration, and wherein said stiffener is configured to extend across said joint in a second configuration when a patient'"'"'s muscle is under contraction such that the stiffener allows some joint movement but resists flexion of the joint to impede joint movement, and wherein said stiffener rebounds to its first configuration after said contraction has terminated.

2. The orthosis of claim 1, wherein said stiffener comprises tempered spring steel.

3. The orthosis of claim 2, wherein said spring steel has a Unified Numbering System identifier of G10950.

4. The orthosis of claim 1, wherein said stiffener comprises steel having a yield tensile strength of between approximately 100 to 320 kilopounds per square inch.

5. The orthosis of claim 4, wherein said stiffener has a modulus of elasticity of between approximately 150 to 300 GPa.

6. The orthosis of claim 4, wherein said stiffener is generally planar when not flexed due to joint movement and has a thickness of between approximately 0.008 to 0.07 inches.

7. The orthosis of claim 6, wherein said stiffener comprises heat treated and tempered steel comprising between approximately 0.9 to 1.05% carbon, wherein said steel has a hardness on the Rockwell C scale of between approximately 45 to 60.

8. The orthosis of claim 1, wherein said stiffener is configured to extend from a forearm to a finger on a hand for impeding movement of a wrist joint or finger joint, said stiffener comprising:

an elongate midportion having a forearm end configured to be positioned adjacent to the forearm and an opposite wrist end configured to be positioned adjacent to the wrist;

a palm portion extending distally from the wrist end of said midportion; and

a finger portion extending distally from said palm portion.

9. The orthosis of claim 8, wherein a distal end of said finger portion has an angular displacement of between 20 to 60 degrees when a force of 20 pounds is applied to said distal end of said finger portion.

10. The orthosis of claim 8, wherein said stiffener further comprises:

a forearm stabilizer comprising first and second forearm stabilizer sections extending medially and laterally from opposing sides of the forearm end of said midportion, said forearm stabilizer sections bent upward with respect to said midportion to form a generally C-shaped channel for retaining the forearm; and

a hand stabilizer comprising first and second hand stabilizer sections extending medially and laterally from opposing sides of said palm portion, said hand stabilizer sections bent upward with respect to said palm portion for retaining the hand.

11. The orthosis of claim 10, wherein said midportion, palm portion, and finger portion comprise a first material that is elastic such that it rebounds to its original form after flexing due to joint movement, and said forearm and hand stabilizers comprise a second material that plastically deforms when bent upward to retain the forearm and hand respectively.

12. The orthosis of claim 10, wherein said stiffener further comprises a thumb abductor extending from said palm portion, said thumb abductor configured to be bent downward with respect to said palm portion for supporting a thumb.

13. The orthosis of claim 8, wherein said finger portion comprises a plurality of elongate finger sections each extending distally from said palm portion, wherein said finger sections flex independently of each other.

14. The orthosis of claim 8, further comprising a cover enclosing said stiffener, a wrist strap coupled to said cover and configured to secure said cover to the wrist, and a hand strap coupled to said cover and configured to secure said cover to the hand.

15. The orthosis of claim 1, further comprising:

an L-shaped splint having one end configured to be positioned adjacent to a posterior lower leg and an opposite heel end configured to be positioned underneath a heel,

wherein said stiffener comprises a first end that is coupled to said heel end of said splint and a second end configured to be positioned adjacent to a toe for impeding downward movement of the toe or an ankle.

16. The orthosis of claim 15, wherein said second end of said stiffener has an angular displacement of between 20 to 45 degrees when a force of 20 pounds is applied to said second end of said stiffener.

17. The orthosis of claim 15, further comprising a cover enclosing at least a portion of said splint and said stiffener, a leg strap coupled to said cover and configured to secure said cover to the lower leg, and a foot strap coupled to said cover and configured to secure said cover to a foot.

18. The orthosis of claim 15, wherein said stiffener is coupled to said heel end of said splint by a U-shaped retaining clip having an opening for receiving said stiffener.

19. The orthosis of claim 1, further comprising:

a substantially tubular brace configured to receive an arm having a medial side and a lateral side, and extend from an upper arm to a forearm; and

a retainer coupled to said brace on said medial side of said arm, said retainer configured to retain said stiffener such that said stiffener extends from said medial side of said upper arm to said medial side of said forearm for impeding movement of an elbow joint.

20. The orthosis of claim 19, wherein said stiffener comprises an upper end adjacent said upper arm and a lower end adjacent said forearm, and wherein said lower end of said stiffener has an angular displacement of between 20 to 60 degrees when a force of 20 pounds is applied to said lower end of said stiffener.

21. The orthosis of claim 19, wherein said retainer is removably coupled to said brace.

22. The orthosis of claim 1, further comprising:

a substantially tubular brace configured to receive a leg having a posterior side, and extend from an upper leg to a lower leg; and

a retainer coupled to said brace on said posterior side of the leg, said retainer configured to retain said stiffener such that said stiffener extends from the posterior side of said upper leg to the posterior side of said lower leg for impeding movement of a knee.

23. The orthosis of claim 22, wherein said stiffener comprises an upper end adjacent said upper leg and a lower end adjacent said lower leg, and wherein said lower end of said stiffener has an angular displacement of between 20 to 60 degrees when a force of 20 pounds is applied to said lower end of said stiffener.

24. The orthosis of claim 22, wherein said retainer is removably coupled to the brace.

25. A method for impeding joint movement, comprising:

extending a dynamic, flexible, elastic stiffener across a joint, wherein said stiffener is configured to extend across a joint in a first configuration, and wherein said stiffener is configured to extend across said joint in a second configuration when a patient'"'"'s muscle is under contraction such that the stiffener allows some joint movement but resists flexion of the joint to impede joint movement, and wherein said stiffener rebounds to its first configuration after said muscle contraction has terminated.

26. The method of claim 25, wherein said extending step comprises placing said stiffener from a forearm to a finger on a hand for impeding movement of a wrist joint or finger joint, said stiffener comprising:

an elongate midportion having a forearm end positioned adjacent to the forearm and an opposite wrist end positioned adjacent to the wrist;

a palm portion extending distally from the wrist end of said midportion; and

a finger portion extending distally from said palm portion.

27. The method of claim 26, wherein a distal end of said finger portion has an angular displacement of between 20 to 60 degrees when a force of 20 pounds is applied to said distal end of said finger portion.

28. The method of claim 25, wherein said extending step comprises placing an L-shaped splint having one end positioned adjacent to a posterior lower leg and an opposite heel end positioned underneath a heel, and said stiffener comprises a first end coupled to the heel end of said splint and a second end that is positioned adjacent to a toe for impeding downward movement of the toe or an ankle.

29. The method of claim 28, wherein said second end of said stiffener has an angular displacement of between 20 to 45 degrees when a force of 20 pounds is applied to said second end of said stiffener.

30. The method of claim 25, wherein said extending step further comprises placing a substantially tubular brace receiving an arm having a medial side and a lateral side and extending from an upper arm to a forearm, and providing a retainer coupled to said brace on said medial side of said arm, said retainer configured to retain said stiffener such that said stiffener extends from said medial side of said upper arm to said medial side of said forearm for impeding movement of an elbow joint.

31. The method of claim 30, wherein said stiffener comprises an upper end adjacent said upper arm and a lower end adjacent said forearm, and wherein said lower end of said stiffener has an angular displacement of between 20 to 60 degrees when a force of 20 pounds is applied to said lower end of said stiffener.

32. The method of claim 25, wherein said extending step further comprises placing a substantially tubular brace receiving a leg having a posterior side and extending from an upper leg to a lower leg, and providing a retainer coupled to said brace on said posterior side of said leg, said retainer configured to retain said stiffener such that said stiffener extends from said posterior side of said upper leg to said posterior side of said lower leg for impeding movement of a knee.

33. The method of claim 32, wherein said stiffener comprises an upper end adjacent said upper leg and a lower end adjacent said lower leg, and wherein said lower end of said stiffener has an angular displacement of between 20 to 60 degrees when a force of 20 pounds is applied to said lower end of said stiffener.