Dynamic mp joint extension splint

• US 4,949,711 A
• Filed: 03/08/1989
• Issued: 08/21/1990
• Est. Priority Date: 03/08/1989
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: North Coast Medical, Inc.
• Original Assignee: North Coast Medical, Inc.
• Inventors: Biehl, Mark E., Gyovai, James E., Jennings, Michael A.
• Primary Examiner(s): NOT, DEFINED
• Assistant Examiner(s): Owens, Kerry
• Application Number:
  US07/321,630
• Time in Patent Office: 531 Days
• Field of Search: 128/77, 128/85, 128/87 A, 128/878, 128/879, 128/87 R
• US Class Current: 602/21
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 5/0118 for the arms, hands or fingers
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 21/00069 Setting or adjusting the resistance level; Compensating for a preload prior to use, e.g. changing length of resistance or adjusting a valve
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 21/023 Wound springs
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 21/0442 Anchored at one end only, the other end being manipulated by the user
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 21/055 extension element type
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 21/154 using special pulley-assemblies
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 21/4017 to the upper limbs
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 21/4019 to the hand
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 21/4021 to the wrist
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 21/4025 Resistance devices worn on the user's body A63B21/065 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 23/16 for hands or fingers for teaching typing G09B13/00

Abstract

A low-profile dynamic hand splint including a rigging which is attached to a finger sling and which uses a single extendable coil spring to generate a variable tension force in the rigging. The tension force in the rigging is adjusted over a range of up to approximately 400 grams by attachment of one end of the rigging to various points on the base of the hand splint using releasable hook and loop fasteners. Use of a single extendable coil spring with an adjustable attachment point for the end of the rigging permits the rigging to be short in length and to be conveniently attached to the splint near a patient'"'"'s wrist.

Claims

1. An improved low-profile dynamic splint for a hand, comprising:

a splint base of moldable material for embracing a wrist and forearm, said splint base including an attachment area near a patient'"'"'s wrist for adjustable attachment of a rigging to said splint base;

an outrigger means fixed to said splint base for guiding a rigging connected to a finger loop means attached to one end of said rigging for engaging a finger;

said rigging comprising;

a line guided by said outrigger means and attached at one end to said finger loop means;

coil spring means for applying a range of tension forces to said rigging, one end of said coil spring means attached to the other end of said line; and

loop-and-hook means for releasably fastening a second end of said spring means to various points of said attachment area of said splint base near a patient'"'"'s wrist to adjust the tension force provided by said coil spring means, wherein said releasable fastening means includes a detachable fastener element which is attached to said rigging and also includes a fastener pad which is fixed to said splint base for engaging said detachable fastener element, wherein said detachable fastener element includes a strip of fastening material which is releasably positionable at various points on said fastener pad to stretch said coil spring means to various lengths to provide corresponding tension forces to said rigging.

2. The dynamic splint of claim 1 wherein the coil spring means includes a calibrated coil spring which is stretched out to various lengths to provide a number of tension forces to said rigging.

3. The dynamic splint of claim 2 wherein the coil spring fails when it is stretched beyond a predetermined limit.

4. The dynamic splint of claim 1 wherein said coil spring exerts a tension force up to approximately 400 grams.

5. The dynamic splint of claim 1 wherein the rigging includes stop means fixed to said rigging for stopping flexure of a finger beyond a predetermined limit and wherein said stop means includes a stop member crimped to said rigging and engageable with a stop on said outrigger means.

6. A method of providing adjustable tensioning to a rigging of a dynamic hand splint, which includes a forearm piece, comprising the steps of:

engaging a finger with a finger loop which is attached to a line portion of a rigging, said rigging including a coil spring for providing tension force to said rigging;

guiding said line portion of said rigging through an outrigger means, which is fixed to said hand splint;

releasable attaching one end of the rigging to the forearm piece near the wrist portion thereof by using hook-and-loop fastener means; and

adjustably tensioning said rigging to exert a predetermined force by adjusting the position of attachment of one portion of the hook-and-loop fastener means to various positions on the forearm piece to stretch said spring to provide a predetermined tension force for said rigging.