Air assisted medical devices

• US 5,033,457 A
• Filed: 06/23/1989
• Issued: 07/23/1991
• Est. Priority Date: 06/23/1989
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: P TECH, LLC
• Original Assignee: Peter M. Bonutti
• Inventors: Bonutti, Peter M.
• Primary Examiner(s): Apley, Richard J.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Dvorak, Linda C. M.
• Application Number:
  US07/370,895
• Time in Patent Office: 760 Days
• Field of Search: 128/24 R, 128/25 R, 128/25 B, 128/33, 272/130, 272/900
• US Class Current: 601/33
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 5/01 Orthopaedic devices, e.g. splints, casts or braces
• CPC Class Codes: A61H 1/02 Stretching or bending or torsioning apparatus for exercising
• CPC Class Codes: A61H 2201/018 By limiting the applied torque or force
• CPC Class Codes: A61H 2201/1238 with hydraulic or pneumatic drive
• CPC Class Codes: A61H 2201/1246 by piston-cylinder systems

Abstract

An air assisted device for positioning or moving a limb or a joint uses compressed air as a motive force. In a first embodiment, the air assisted device is a one piece air bag with bellows or accordion-like construction to allow controlled variable degrees of abduction. The bag is placed between a limb to be positioned and a relatively fixed body part or other surface. As compressed air enters the bag, the bag expands and moves the limb away from the body part or other surface. If the bag is maintained in an expanded condition, it immobilizes the limb relative to the body part or other surface. As the bag deflates, the limb returns to its original position. In a second embodiment, the device utilizes a pneumatic piston and cylinder unit to provide the motive force for positioning two relatively movable parts. As compressed air is forced into the cylinder, the piston moves outwardly, moving one of the relatively movable parts away from the other part. Relative movement of the parts moves the limb toward or away from the body part or other surface. The air assisted device may also be used to resist motion of a limb.

Claims

1. Apparatus for assisting or resisting movement of a body part relative to a relatively fixed surface comprising a one-piece expandable air bag for placement between the body part and the relatively fixed surface and having first and second relatively movable surfaces, said first surface for contact with the body part, said second surface for contact with the relatively fixed surface, accordion-like expansion means interconnecting said first and second relatively movable surfaces for assisting or resisting movement of said first surface relative to said second surface upon varying the amount of air in said air bag, control means for controlling the amount of air in said air bag and means for supplying pressurized air into said air bag, wherein said means for controlling includes valve means for controlling flow of air into and out of said air bag and settable timer means for controlling the flow of air into and out of said airbag in accordance with a predetermined time sequence, and wherein said accordion-like expansion means includes a plurality of expansion means portions having differing degrees of flexibility to vary the rate of relative movement of separate portions of said air bag.

2. Apparatus for assisting or resisting movement of a body part relative to a relatively fixed surface comprising a one-piece expandable air bag for placement between the body part and the relatively fixed surface and having first and second relatively movable surfaces, said first surface for contact with the body part, said second surface for contact with the relatively fixed surface, and accordion-like expansion means interconnecting said first and second relatively movable surfaces for assisting or resisting movement of said first surface relative to said second surface upon varying the amount of air in said air bag, wherein said accordion-like expansion means includes first and second expansion means portions having differing degrees of flexibility to vary the rate of relative movement of separate portions of said air bag.

3. Apparatus as defined in claim 10 wherein said accordion-like expansion means defines a plurality of chambers in said air bag.

4. Apparatus as defined in claim 3 wherein at least two of said plurality of chambers have different rates of expansion.