Patella Alignment Device

• US 20110112454A1
• Filed: 11/11/2010
• Published: 05/12/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 11/12/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Austin Mitchell, Daniel James Petit, Jessica Marie Northridge, Maxine Hoffman, Philip Doepker
• Original Assignee: Austin Mitchell, Daniel James Petit, Jessica Marie Northridge, Maxine Hoffman, Philip Doepker
• Inventors: Hoffman, Maxine, Northridge, Jessica Marie, Petit, Daniel James, Mitchell, Austin, Doepker, Philip
• Granted Patent: US 7,985,194 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 602/26
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2005/0176 supporting the patella
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 5/0106 for the knees

Abstract

One embodiment of the invention is a knee (or elbow) band assembly 100 that has a pocket assembly 106 containing a flexible pad 200 with rounded surfaces 112b, 116b separated by a valley 114b. The band assembly 100 is applied to a leg below the knee or to an arm above the elbow to improve body alignment and function and to relieve pain. The rounded surfaces 112a, 116a apply pressure to the limb to aid in alignment of the patellar or triceps tendons and to activate pressure points on the skin to stimulate the release of tension in the body and to stimulate the body'"'"'s natural self-curative abilities.

Claims

1. A band assembly for aligning a patellar tendon with a trochlear groove, the patellar tendon having a tendon width, the band assembly comprising:

a flexible strap made of neoprene;

a liner attached to the flexible strap;

a flexible pad made of expanding foam, the flexible pad having a length, the flexible pad residing between the flexible strap and the liner;

a reinforcement strip attached to the flexible strap, the reinforcement strip running the length of the flexible pad;

a Velcro hook attached to one end of the flexible strap;

a Velcro loop attached to an opposing end of the flexible strap;

elastic edging bordering the flexible strap;

a first rounded surface located on the flexible pad, the first rounded surface having a first peak, the first rounded surface being configured to apply a first distribution of pressure to a soft-tissue area on a left side of the patellar tendon; and

a second rounded surface located on the flexible pad, the second rounded surface having a second peak, the second peak being separated from the first peak by a peak-to-peak distance, the peak-to-peak distance being approximately double the tendon width, the second rounded surface being configured to apply a second distribution of pressure on a soft-tissue area on a right side of the patellar tendon, the application of the first distribution of pressure and the second distribution of pressure resulting in alignment of the patellar tendon with the trochlear groove.

2. A device comprising:

a flexible strap;

a liner attached to the flexible strap;

a flexible pad with rounded surfaces, the rounded surfaces being separated by a valley, the flexible pad residing between the flexible strap and the liner;

a reinforcement strip attached to the flexible strap, the reinforcement strip running the length of the flexible pad; and

a fastener attached to an end of the flexible strap.

3. The device of claim 2:

the flexible strap being made of neoprene;

the flexible pad being made of expanding foam;

the fastener comprising a Velcro hook attached to and extending from the one end of the flexible strap, the fastener further comprising a Velcro loop attached to an opposing end of the flexible strap; and

elastic edging bordering the flexible strap.

4. A band assembly for aligning a patellar tendon with a trochlear groove, the patellar tendon having a tendon width, the tendon further having a left side, the tendon further having a right side, the band assembly comprising:

a first rounded surface having a first peak, the first rounded surface being configured to apply a first distribution of pressure on an area corresponding to the left side of the patellar tendon; and

a second rounded surface having a second peak, the second peak being separated from the first peak by a peak-to-peak distance, the peak-to-peak distance being approximately double the tendon width, the second rounded surface being configured to apply a second distribution of pressure on an area corresponding to the right side of the patellar tendon, the application of the first distribution of pressure and the second distribution of pressure resulting in alignment of the patellar tendon with the trochlear groove.

5. The system of claim 4, wherein the peak-to-peak distance is approximately 2.2 inches.

6. The system of claim 4, wherein the peak-to-peak distance is approximately 1.25 inches.

7. The system of claim 4, wherein the peak-to-peak distance is approximately 1.1 inches.

8. The system of claim 4, wherein the peak-to-peak distance is approximately 0.95 inches.

9. The system of claim 4, wherein the peak-to-peak distance is approximately 0.8 inches.

10. The system of claim 4, wherein the peak-to-peak distance is between approximately 150 percent of the tendon width and approximately 280 percent of the tendon width.

11. The system of claim 4, further comprising a valley located between the first rounded surface and the second rounded surface, the valley having a depth between approximately 15 percent of the tendon width and approximately 30 percent of the tendon width.