Shoulder and back support brace

• US 5,135,470 A
• Filed: 11/12/1991
• Issued: 08/04/1992
• Est. Priority Date: 05/25/1988
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Brian Reeves
• Original Assignee: Brian Reeves
• Inventors: Reeves, Bryan
• Primary Examiner(s): Apley, Richard J.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Dvorak, Linda C.
• Application Number:
  US07/793,278
• Time in Patent Office: 266 Days
• Field of Search: 602/19, 128/99.1, 128/101.1, 128/102.1, 2/44, 2/45, 606/241
• US Class Current: 602/19
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 5/026 Back straightening devices with shoulder braces to force back the shoulder to obtain a correct curvature of the spine for clavicle fractures A61F5/05808; restraining devices A61F5/37

Abstract

A back and shoulder brace comprising flexible elastic elements to apply a compliant pressure that holds the shoulders back and places the spine under mild compression. The brace has a waist strap as a principal anchor with an elastic spinal strap joining two shoulder straps.

Claims

1. A posture correction and support device consisting essentially of:

a first, single elongated, elastic, flexible support means adapted to lie along and be disposed in alignment with the spinal column from the cervical region to the lumbar region when said device is placed on the body, said support means being extensible in the direction of elongation to form an elastic and compliant spinal column support for providing continuous support and alignment of the spine during all stages of body movement;

a second support means extending laterally outwardly from and connected to the top of said first support means and adapted to fit over the shoulder, under the arm and connect back to said first support means, and a third support means detachably connected to the bottom of said first support means and adapted to fit around the waist.

2. A posture correction and support device according to claim 1 wherein the second support means are a matching pair adapted to fit over either shoulder, under the arms and connect together at about the thoracic region of the first support means.

3. A posture correction and support device according to claim 1 wherein said second and third support means are elastic straps with adjustable connection means.

4. A posture correction and support device according to claim 3 wherein the elastic strap comprising the first and second support means is about 2" wide and the elastic strap comprising third support means is about 4" wide.

5. A posture correction and support device according to claim 3 wherein the first support means comprises a dual laminated strip of 2" elastic stretchably joined together, the second support means comprises a dual lamination of a 2" and a 1" strip of elastic stretchably joined together and the third support means comprises a dual laminated strip of 4" elastic.

6. A posture correction and support device according to claim 5 wherein the first support means comprises 120% elastic joined together at either end and in the centre and having an unextended length of about 450 mm, the second support means comprises 120% elastic joined together at either end and in the centre, the third support means comprises 120% elastic joined together at either end and in the centre and wherein the adjustable connection means are hook-and-loop type fasteners.

7. A posture correction and support device according to claim 2 wherein said support means are elastic straps with adjustable connection means.