Dynamic low profile splint

• US 4,765,320 A
• Filed: 05/11/1987
• Issued: 08/23/1988
• Est. Priority Date: 05/11/1987
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Patterson Medical Products Incorporated (Madison Dearborn Partners LLC)
• Original Assignee: Smith and Nephew Rolyan Inc (Smith & Nephew PLC)
• Inventors: Ungemach, Robert R., Lindemann, Peer
• Primary Examiner(s): Hafer, Robert A.
• Assistant Examiner(s): BROWN, MICHAEL A
• Application Number:
  US07/048,088
• Time in Patent Office: 470 Days
• Field of Search: 128/26, 128/77, 128/84 C, 128/87 A
• US Class Current: 602/22
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 5/0118 for the arms, hands or fingers

Abstract

A dynamic low profile splint to support an injured hand and allow movement of the fingers and assist extension of the fingers to overcome stiffness and immobility in the hand.

Claims

1. A dynamic low profile splint for a hand, comprising:

a forearmpiece for embracing an arm and hand;

a low profile outrigger formed integral with said forearmpiece, including a frame carrying an elongated bendable rigging guide to provide lateral guide adjustment,

said rigging guide having a pulley means for guiding a rigging;

a fastening clamp adjustably fastening said rigging guide for rotational and axial movement on said frame to vary the force and direction of force in the longitudinal and vertical direction applied by the rigging on a finger loop;

a rigging connected to said forearmpiece and extending over said frame and outrigger guide;

at least one finger loop on said rigging for engaging a finger on a hand;

a pulley means on the outrigger,

said pulley means and said rigging thereby providing an adjustable tensioning device to provide low amplitude of force over a period of time to influence the synthesis of tissue in the finger.

4. A dynamic low profile splint as set forth in claim 1, wherein said fastening clamp defines a cylindrical sleeve having screw locking adjustments.

7. A dynamic low profile splint as set forth in claim 1, wherein said outrigger includes a wire frame and a wire rigging guide.

8. A dynamic low profile splint as set forth in claim 1, wherein said forearmpiece includes a fastening strap for embracing a forearm.

10. A dynamic low profile splint as set forth in claim 1, wherein said clamp fastener includes means to provide a slidable rigging guide with a rotatable clamp to vary the force on said finger loop.

2. A dynamic low profile splint for a hand, comprising:

a forearmpiece for embracing a forearm and hand;

a low profile outrigger having a frame fastened integrally with said forearmpiece, including an elongated laterally adjustable rigging guide;

a clamp fastener adjustably connecting said rigging guide for rotational and axial adjustment in the longitudinal and vertical direction on said outrigger;

means fastening said outrigger to said forearmpiece;

a rigging fastened to said forearmpiece and extending through said rigging guide;

a finger loop on the end of said rigging for engaging a finger,

said rigging thereby applying a force to said finger loop;

said clamp fastener including adjustable means to rotatably and axially adjustably position said rigging guide and the direction of force on said finger loop and the degree of force applied to said finger loop.

5. A dynamic low profile splint as set forth in claim 2, wherein said clamp fastener extends and retracts the rigging guide to vary the direction and force applied to a finger loop.

6. A dynamic low profile splint as set forth in claim 2, wherein said clamp fastener includes means for rotating and axially adjusting said rigging guide on said frame to vary the direction of force applied to said finger loop and said finger loop can be positioned at any point along the length of the finger.

9. A dynamic low profile splint as set forth in claim 2, wherein said claim fastener defines a cylindrical element with screw means to allow rotatable movement of the clamp fastener and axial movement of the rigging guide to adjust the force applied to said finger loop.

3. A dynamic low profile splint for a hand, comprising:

a forearmpiece of low temperature moldable material for embracing a forearm and a hand;

a low profile outrigger including a frame integral with the forearmpiece;

a pulley system on said outrigger including an elongated laterally adjustable rigging guide operating as a pulley for changing the direction and the force applied by a rigging;

a fastening clamp adjustable fastening said rigging guide on the outrigger for rotational and axial adjustment and selectively locking said rigging guide in a locked position;

means on said fastening clamp adjusting the rigging guide for varying the rigging direction vertically and longitudinally and the tension;

at least one rigging fastened to the forearmpiece having an elastic band for generating a force;

a strand connected to said elastic band and extending through said rigging guide;

a finger loop on the end of said strand for engaging a finger;

said outrigger thereby providing infinite adjustable tension and direction of said rigging force applied to the finger loop to vary the influence of synthesis in said finger.