Air-pressure splint

• US 4,157,713 A
• Filed: 05/11/1977
• Issued: 06/12/1979
• Est. Priority Date: 05/11/1977
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Michael T. Clarey
• Original Assignee: Michael T. Clarey
• Inventors: Clarey, Michael T.
• Primary Examiner(s): Yasko, John D.
• Application Number:
  US05/795,960
• Time in Patent Office: 762 Days
• Field of Search: 128/87 R, 128/84 R, 128/DIG. 20, 128/93, 128/89 R
• US Class Current: 602/13
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 5/05816 Inflatable splints
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 128/20 Inflatable splint

Abstract

An air-pressure splint sized to fully encase an injured human leg. The splint comprises inner and outer flexible wall members which are joined to each other by seaming about the perimeter to define an air-tight sealed relationship between the walls forming a double-walled, sealed, inflatable envelope. The envelope has separable air-tight margins adapted to be releasably connected to each other by a zipper-type fastener to hold the pressure splint in a surrounding position around the human leg. The upper end of the envelope has an uneven peripheral contour such that a portion of the envelope end extends upward above the leg for restraining the splint against rotation about the injured leg when the splint is in an inflated mode.

Claims

1. An air-pressure splint for fully encasing an injured human leg, said air-pressure splint comprising:

an outer flexible and relatively non-stretchable wall;

an inner flexible wall connected by seaming about its perimeter in air-tight, sealed relationship to said outer wall to coact with the latter and defining a double-walled and sealed, inflatable envelope, said envelope including an air chamber portion in position to surround the entire leg,

an inner flexible wall disposed between said inner wall, said outer wall intermittently connected to the outer wall by air-tight margins forming a plurality of longitudinally disposed laterally spaced air chambers, said air chambers releasably engaging said inner wall to hold said chamber portion in said surrounding position;

releasable, self-locking, slide fastener connecting means longitudinally disposed on said respective separate margins extending from the upper adjacent corresponding ends of the latter to the opposite lower margin ends at the foot portion of said air splint for releasably connecting the margins together with the chamber portion of the splint surrounding the injured leg, said slide fastener closing as the slide is moved toward the foot portion, the splint having a length to extend beyond the foot a distance, said slide adapted to come to rest against the upper portion of the foot and adapted to exert a slight force on the top of the foot and preventing rotation of said splint and longitudinal traction of the leg;

the upper ends of said envelope having uneven peripheral contours such that a portion of said envelope end extends upwardly above said leg for restraining said splint from rotating about said leg and exerting an upward pressure on the crotch when said envelope is inflated.

2. The air-pressure splint defined in claim 1 wherein said inner flexible wall is comprised of a plurality of longitudinally disposed and laterally spaced air chambers.