Formed resilient orthopaedic support

• US 5,334,135 A
• Filed: 02/16/1993
• Issued: 08/02/1994
• Est. Priority Date: 02/16/1993
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Ossur hf
• Original Assignee: Royce Medical Company (Ossur hf)
• Inventors: Grim, Tracy E., Bobroff, Alec D.
• Primary Examiner(s): Apley, Richard J.
• Assistant Examiner(s): FLANAGAN, BEVERLY MEINDL
• Application Number:
  US08/018,004
• Time in Patent Office: 532 Days
• Field of Search: 602/26, 602/60, 602/61, 602/62, 602/77, 602/900, 602/901, 2/22, 2/24
• US Class Current: 602/26
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2005/0176 supporting the patella
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 5/0102 specially adapted for correcting deformities of the limbs or for supporting them; Ortheses, e.g. with articulations
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 5/0106 for the knees
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 5/0111 for the feet or ankles
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 5/012 inflatable
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 5/0123 for the knees A61F5/0106 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 5/028 Braces for providing support to the lower back, e.g. lumbo sacral supports
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 44/0446 by increasing the density locally by compressing part of the foam while still in the mould
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 59/026 of layered or coated substantially flat surfaces
• CPC Class Codes: B29K 2105/04 cellular or porous
• CPC Class Codes: B29L 2031/753 Medical equipment; Accessories therefor bloodbags, medical bags B29L2031/7148; artificial eyes B29L2011/0008

Abstract

An orthopaedic support includes a sheet of foam material that has been compression molded in specific areas. These areas have a thickness and density that is different from other areas of the support and serve to better fit the support to the body. The support may include compression molded grooves or cavities to accommodate straps, struts, gel-filled pads, inflatable bladders, pumps, and other accessories. The support may be compression molded into a shape that conforms to the general contour of the part of the human anatomy that it supports. The support may also include compression molded grooves that reduce bunching when the support is bent, and may include molded edges to minimize skin irritation during activity.

Claims

1. An orthopaedic knee brace comprising:

foam rubber sheet material for extending around the knee area;

means for orienting the knee brace with a front side accommodating the patella and a rear popliteal side;

said popliteal side being provided with a plurality of compression molded, substantially transverse, linearly extending grooves of reduced thickness, constituting means for reducing bunching of the knee brace when the leg is bent at the knee; and

said foam rubber sheet material having a surface and a predetermined thickness in major areas of said brace away from the ribbed area on the rear of the knee brace opposite the patella, said grooves extending inward from said surface, and the thickness of said brace at the bottom of said grooves being substantially less than said predetermined thickness.

2. An orthopaedic knee brace as defined in claim 1, wherein the knee brace further comprises straps for securing the knee brace, and one or more compression molded strap grooves to accommodate the straps.

3. An orthopaedic knee brace as defined in claim 1, wherein the knee brace further comprises strut means for additional limb support and compression molded grooves to receive the strut means.

4. An orthopaedic knee brace as defined in claim 1, wherein the knee brace further comprises an integral, raised patellar buttress portion on said front side for providing additional support and protection for the patella.

5. An orthopaedic knee brace as defined in claim 1, wherein the knee brace further comprises gel-filled pads and one or more compression molded cavities to accommodate the gel-filled pads.

6. An orthopaedic knee brace as defined in claim 1, wherein the knee brace further comprises an inflatable bladder, a compression molded cavity to accommodate the bladder, and a pump for inflating the bladder.

7. An orthopaedic knee brace as defined in claim 1, wherein the knee brace further comprises a plurality of integral regions, some of said regions having a thickness and density that is different from one or more other regions, for the purpose of providing additional support or padding in some of the regions.

8. An orthopaedic knee brace as defined in claim 1, wherein the foam rubber sheet comprises a thin outer layer of nylon, a thin inner layer of nylon, and a layer of neoprene in between said inner and outer layers.

9. An orthopaedic knee brace as defined in claim 1 including a compression molded area extending around the knee brace, and an uncompressed ring of said foam rubber sheet material extending around the knee brace at upper and lower edges of said knee brace, said uncompressed rings being substantially thicker than said compression molded area.

10. An orthopaedic support comprising:

means for supporting a portion of the anatomy;

foam material in sheet form constituting at least a part of said support;

said foam material being molded in specific areas to vary the thickness and density of the material to improve the function of said support; and

said foam rubber sheet material having a surface, a predetermined thickness in major areas of said support, and grooves extending inward from said surface, the thickness of said brace at the bottom of said grooves being substantially less than said predetermined thickness.

11. The orthopaedic support as defined in claim 10, wherein the support further comprises straps for securing the support, and one or more compression molded strap grooves to accommodate said straps.

12. The orthopaedic support as defined in claim 10, wherein the support further comprises strut means for additional limb support and compression molded grooves to receive said strut means.

13. The orthopaedic support as defined in claim 10, wherein the support further comprises gel-filled pads and one or more compression molded cavities to accommodate said gel-filled pads.

14. The orthopaedic support as defined in claim 10, wherein the support further comprises an inflatable bladder, one or more cavities to accommodate said inflatable bladder, and a pump for inflating the bladder.

15. The orthopaedic support as defined in claim 10, wherein the support further comprises compression molded edges for minimizing skin irritation during activity.

16. The orthopaedic support as defined in claim 10, wherein the support is compression molded into a shape that conforms to the general contour of the portion of the human anatomy that it supports.

17. The orthopaedic support as defined in claim 10, wherein the foam rubber sheet comprises a thin outer layer of nylon, a thin inner layer of nylon, and a layer of neoprene in between said inner and outer layers.

18. The orthopaedic support as defined in claim 10, wherein said support comprises a plurality of compression molded, transverse, linearly extending grooves of reduced thickness, constituting means for reducing bunching of the support when the support is bent.

19. An orthopaedic support comprising:

means for supporting a portion of the anatomy;

foam material in sheet form constituting at least a part of said support;

said foam material in sheet form being molded in specific areas to vary the thickness and density of the material to improve the function of said support; and

said support including areas subject to greater flexing in a first area in the immediate vicinity of said joint and lesser flexing at other areas away from the immediate vicinity of said joint, said foam material being compressed in said first area to be generally thinner and to give greater flexibility and resiliency, and being substantially thicker in said other areas.

20. An orthopaedic support as defined in claim 19, wherein the orthopaedic support further comprises straps for securing the support, and one or more compression molded strap grooves to accommodate said straps.

21. An orthopaedic support as defined in claim 19, wherein the orthopaedic support further comprises strut means for additional limb support, and compression molded grooves to receive said strut means.

22. An orthopaedic support comprising:

means for supporting a portion of the anatomy;

foam material in sheet form constituting at least a part of said support;

said foam material being molded in specific areas to vary the thickness and density of the material to improve the function of said support;

said support including areas subject to greater flexing in a first area and lesser flexing at other areas, said foam material being varied in thickness to give greater flexibility and resiliency in said first area than in said other areas; and

said foam rubber sheet material having a surface, a predetermined thickness in major areas of said support, and grooves extending inward from said surface, the thickness of said brace at the bottom of said grooves being substantially less than said predetermined thickness.

23. An orthopaedic knee brace comprising:

foam rubber sheet material for extending around the knee area;

means for orienting the knee brace with a front side accommodating the patella and a rear popliteal side; and

said popliteal side being provided with a plurality of compression molded, substantially transverse, linearly extending grooves of reduced thickness, constituting means for reducing bunching of the knee brace when the leg is bent at the knee; and

said front side having an aperture to allow a user to flex her or his knee with relative freedom.

24. An orthopaedic knee brace comprising:

foam rubber sheet material for extending around the knee area;

means for orienting the knee brace with a front side accommodating the patella and a rear popliteal side; and

said popliteal side being provided with a plurality of compression molded, substantially transverse, linearly extending grooves of reduced thickness, constituting means for reducing bunching of the knee brace when the leg is bent at the knee; and

the knee brace further comprising compression molded edges for minimizing skin irritation during activity.

25. An orthopaedic support comprising:

means for supporting a portion of the anatomy;

foam material in sheet form constituting at least a part of said support;

said foam material being molded in specific areas to vary the thickness and density of the material to improve the function of said support; and

said foam material being foam rubber.

26. An orthopaedic knee brace comprising:

foam rubber sheet material for extending around the knee area;

means for orienting the knee brace with a front side accommodating the patella and a rear popliteal side;

said popliteal side being provided with a plurality of compression molded, substantially transverse, linearly extending grooves of reduced thickness, constituting means for reducing bunching of the knee brace when the leg is bent at the knee; and

said knee brace being compression molded into a shape that conforms to the general contour of the leg and the knee.