Shoulder brace

• US 5,520,620 A
• Filed: 10/20/1994
• Issued: 05/28/1996
• Est. Priority Date: 04/26/1993
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Smith & Nephew Incorporated (Smith & Nephew PLC)
• Original Assignee: Lanny L. Johnson
• Inventors: Johnson, Lanny L.
• Primary Examiner(s): Apley, Richard J.
• Assistant Examiner(s): FLANAGAN, BEVERLY MEINDL
• Application Number:
  US08/326,337
• Time in Patent Office: 586 Days
• Field of Search: 602/4, 602/5, 602/19, 602/20, 128/95.1, 128/99.1, 128/869, 128/874, 128/878, 2/44, 2/45, 482/112, 482/113, 482/123, 482/124
• US Class Current: 602/5
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 5/3753 Abduction support

Abstract

A shoulder brace is provided with two support members each attached at one of its ends to a belt of adjustable length worn about the torso of the user. The support members extend diagonally upwardly across opposite sides of the body whereby their opposite ends are positioned outwardly and above the user'"'"'s torso. The support members pass through a sleeve adapted to rest on the shoulder of an arm to be supported by the brace. The respective opposite ends of the support members are joined to a support bar from which an arm-receiving sleeve is suspended. By adjustment of the lengths of the support members and by selective bending of said members, the shoulder brace is adapted to fit different body sizes and to suspend the user'"'"'s arm in a desired position.

Claims

1. A shoulder brace adapted to be secured to a user'"'"'s torso and configured to permit the suspension of an arm of the user therefrom, said brace comprising:

first and second substantially rigid elongated support members;

means for retaining each of said members, intermediate its ends, to the user'"'"'s torso at a location adjacent one side of the torso, said first and second members extending diagonally upwardly across respective front and back portions of the user'"'"'s torso to locations at which upper ends of said substantially rigid members are positioned above and laterally outwardly of the user'"'"'s torso on the opposite side thereof; and

means joined to said upper ends of the support members for suspending the user'"'"'s arm therefrom.

2. A shoulder brace according to claim 1, wherein said support members pass through a flexible sleeve located intermediate the ends of the respective members, said sleeve being adapted to rest on the shoulder of the user on said opposite side of the user'"'"'s torso, whereby the arm suspending means is supported in cantilevered fashion by the torso.

3. A shoulder brace according to claim 1, wherein said support members are retained in spaced relationship at said one side of the user'"'"'s torso and cross one another as they extend diagonally and upwardly, said retaining means comprising an adjustment device provided with passages to receive and selectively retain the respective support members where they cross.

4. A shoulder brace according to claims 1, 2 or 3 wherein said suspending means comprises:

a support bar connected to said upper ends of the support members, said support bar extending substantially perpendicular to longitudinal axes of the support members; and

an arm-receiving sleeve suspended from said support bar.

5. A shoulder brace according to claim 4, wherein said support bar is adjustable in length.

6. A shoulder brace according to claim 4, further comprising:

a handgrip joined to a free end of said support bar.

7. A shoulder brace according to claim 6, wherein said support bar is adjustable in length.

8. A shoulder brace according to claim 6, wherein said handgrip comprises a substantially U-shaped member positioned in a plane substantially normal to a longitudinal axis of said support bar, said U-shaped member having an upper leg joined to said support bar and a lower leg adapted to be grasped by a hand associated with the user'"'"'s suspended arm.

9. A shoulder brace according to claim 8, wherein said support bar is adjustable in length.

10. A shoulder brace according to claims 1, 2 or 3, wherein lower ends of each of the support members are secured to an adjustable length belt surrounding the user'"'"'s torso.

11. A shoulder brace according to claims 1, 2 or 3, wherein said support members are bendable.

12. A shoulder brace adapted to be secured to a user'"'"'s torso and configured to permit the suspension of an arm of the user therefrom, said brace comprising:

first and second substantially rigid elongated support members;

means for retaining each of said members, intermediate its ends, to the user'"'"'s torso at a location adjacent one side of the torso, said first and second members extending diagonally upwardly across respective front and back portions of the user'"'"'s torso to locations at which upper ends of said substantially rigid members are positioned above and laterally outwardly of the user'"'"'s torso on the opposite side thereof;

a flexible sleeve through which said members pass, said sleeve being located intermediate the ends of the respective members and being adapted to rest on the shoulder of the user on the opposite side of the user'"'"'s torso; and

means joined to said upper ends of the support members for suspending the user'"'"'s arm therefrom.

13. A shoulder brace according to claim 12, wherein said suspending means comprises:

a support bar connected to said upper ends of the support members, said support bar extending substantially perpendicular to longitudinal axes of the support members; and

an arm-receiving sleeve suspended from said support bar.

14. A shoulder brace according to claims 12 or 13, wherein said support members are retained in spaced relationship at said one side of the user'"'"'s torso and cross one another as they extend diagonally and upwardly, said retaining means comprising an adjustment device provided with passages to receive and selectively retain the respective support members where they cross.

15. A shoulder brace according to claim 13, wherein said support bar is adjustable in length.

16. A shoulder brace according to claim 14, wherein said support bar is adjustable in length.

17. A shoulder brace according to claim 13, further comprising:

a handgrip joined to a free end of said support bar.

18. A shoulder brace according to claim 17, wherein said support bar is adjustable in length.

19. A shoulder brace according to claim 17, wherein said handgrip comprises a substantially U-shaped member positioned in a plane substantially normal to a longitudinal axis of said support bar, said U-shaped member having an upper leg joined to said support bar and a lower leg adapted to be grasped by a hand associated with the user'"'"'s suspended arm.

20. A shoulder brace according to claim 19, wherein said support bar is adjustable in length.

21. A shoulder brace according to claims 12 or 13, wherein lower ends of each of the support members are secured to an adjustable length belt surrounding the user'"'"'s torso.

22. A shoulder brace according to claim 14, wherein lower ends of each of the support members are secured to an adjustable length belt surrounding the user'"'"'s torso.

23. A shoulder brace according to claims 12 or 13, wherein said support members are bendable.

24. A shoulder brace according to claim 14, wherein said support members are bendable.