Custom in situ formable brace
First Claim
1. A custom "in situ" formable back brace, comprising:
- a back assembly;
said back assembly including (a) a water impervious sealed first enclosure containing a matrix impregnated with an activatable hardenable material and (b) a water impervious sealed second enclosure containing a matrix impregnated with an activatable hardenable material; and
a belt assembly for securing said first and second enclosures against the patient'"'"'s back.
5 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A soft-goods type, custom "in situ" formable back brace for supporting a weakened or injured back and/or neck is disclosed having hardenable components which conform to the unique configuration of a patient'"'"'s torso. An initially flexible rear torso component, generally extending circumferentially around the patient'"'"'s back, is releasably coupled to the torso using a plurality of Velcro-type securing straps. Alternatively, an initially flexible front torso component in combination with a rear component may be releasably coupled to a patient'"'"'s torso. Once properly secured, liquid, preferably water, may be introduced into each component to activate the activatable, hardenable material encapsulated therein. Each component may be further comprised of a plurality of panels or pads with elasticized, resilient material interposing adjacent panels. The panels or pads may be permanently or removably integrated into each torso component. Additional supporting strut members may be provided to isolate and minimize upper neck and head movement for patient'"'"'s having severe neck and/or back injuries. The hardenable components may be activated by introduction of water or other suitable liquid through inlet port conduits provided on the exterior surface of each said component. Alternatively, activation of the included pre-polymer impregnated matrix may be accomplished by immersing the hardenable component in liquid. An inflatable pneumatic pad may also be included on one or more component interior surfaces to provide minor fitting adjustment. Additional padding may be included on each component for the patient'"'"'s comfort.
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Citations
51 Claims
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1. A custom "in situ" formable back brace, comprising:
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a back assembly; said back assembly including (a) a water impervious sealed first enclosure containing a matrix impregnated with an activatable hardenable material and (b) a water impervious sealed second enclosure containing a matrix impregnated with an activatable hardenable material; and a belt assembly for securing said first and second enclosures against the patient'"'"'s back. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14)
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15. A custom "in situ" formable back brace, comprising:
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a back assembly including a water impervious sealed enclosure containing a matrix impregnated with an activatable hardenable material; said back assembly being positionable in an operative position against a patient'"'"'s back; at least one belt securing said back assembly in the operative position; and said enclosure, with said back assembly in the operative position, extends up from the patient'"'"'s waist to the thoracic region of the patient just below the shoulders. - View Dependent Claims (16, 17)
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18. A custom "in situ" formable back brace, comprising:
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a brace frame securable in an operative position against a patient'"'"'s back, said back frame having an inward surface; a panel assembly securable to said inward surface in a secured position and unsecurable therefrom; said panel assembly including a water impervious sealed enclosure containing a matrix impregnated with an activatable hardenable material; and with said brace frame in the operative position, said material can be fluid activated to cause said material to harden and conform to the unique shape of the patient'"'"'s adjacent back. - View Dependent Claims (19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24)
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25. A custom "in situ" formable back brace, comprising:
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a back assembly adapted to wrap around a patient'"'"'s torso, and having a front torso portion and a back torso portion; said back assembly including a water impervious sealed first enclosure containing a matrix impregnated with an activatable hardenable material and a water impervious sealed second enclosure containing a matrix impregnated with an activatable hardenable material; said first enclosure is at said front torso portion and said second enclosure is at said back torso portion; and a belt assembly for securing said back assembly around the patient'"'"'s torso. - View Dependent Claims (26, 27, 28, 29, 30)
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31. A custom "in situ" formable back brace, comprising:
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a brushed nylon layer positionable against a patient'"'"'s body portion; a first cushioning foam layer adjacent said nylon layer; fluid-activatable, hardenable material which is encapsulated within a water impervious enclosure and which remains initially pliable until activating fluid is introduced to cause said material to harden and conform to the unique shape of the patient'"'"'s adjacent body portion; a second cushioning foam layer on a side of said enclosure opposite to that of said first cushioning foam layer; and an exterior shell covering said second cushioning foam layer. - View Dependent Claims (32)
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33. A support brace assembly, comprising:
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a supporting belt brace adapted to encircle and to be secured relative to a patient'"'"'s lower torso, said belt brace having an inward surface and through-opening through said inward surface; a pouch on said inward surface; a component pad containing a matrix impregnated with an activatable hardenable material, said pad being insertable into said pouch in an operative position with said fluid port operatively accessible, with said supporting belt secured around the lower torso, via said through-opening such that the activating fluid can be injected into said pad to cause the material therein to harden and conform to the unique shape of the patient'"'"'s adjacent lower back region; and securing tabs attached to said inward surface and releasably securing said pad in the operative position.
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34. A custom "in situ" formable back brace assembly, comprising:
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a back brace positionable against the patient'"'"'s back; a shoulder strap, a chest strap, and a waist strap, each attached to said back brace; and a water impervious sealed enclosure containing a matrix impregnated with an activatable hardenable material supported by said back brace. - View Dependent Claims (35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40)
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41. A custom "in situ" formable brace assembly, comprising:
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a front apron dimensioned to generally cover the middle chest and abdominal region of the front torso of a patient; at least one torso strap attached to said front apron and extendible about the patient'"'"'s torso; and a water impervious sealed enclosure containing a matrix impregnated with an activatable hardenable material and supported by said front apron to thereby be positioned adjacent to the patient'"'"'s front torso. - View Dependent Claims (42, 43)
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44. A custom "in situ" formable bracing assembly, comprising:
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a rear back brace component; a front apron; at least one securing strap interconnecting said rear back brace and said front apron around a patient'"'"'s torso; and fluid-activatable hardenable material contained in an enclosure held in said front apron. - View Dependent Claims (45, 46, 47)
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48. A head and neck brace assembly, comprising:
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a chin support; a jaw support member connected to said chin support; a rear skull component connected to said jaw support member; interconnected front and rear lower torso components; a front strut connecting said chin support to said front torso component; and a rear strut connecting said rear skull component to said rear torso component; wherein said rear skull component includes fluid-activatable hardenable material, hardenable to conform to a patient'"'"'s adjacent rear skull area.
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49. A head and neck brace assembly, comprising:
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a chin support; a jaw support member connected to said chin support; a rear skull component connected to said jaw support member; interconnected front and rear lower torso components; a front strut connecting said chin support to said front torso component; and a rear strut connecting said rear skull component to said rear torso component; wherein said front torso component includes fluid-activatable hardenable material, hardenable to conform to a patient'"'"'s adjacent front torso area.
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50. A head and neck brace assembly, comprising:
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a chin support; a jaw support member connected to said chin support; a rear skull component connected to said jaw support member; interconnected front and rear lower torso components; a front strut connecting said chin support to said front torso component; and a rear strut connecting said rear skull component to said rear torso component; wherein said rear torso component includes fluid-activatable hardenable material, hardenable to conform to a patient'"'"'s adjacent rear torso area.
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51. A head and neck brace assembly, comprising:
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a chin support; a jaw support member connected to said chin support; a rear skull component connected to said jaw support member; interconnected front and rear lower torso components; a front strut connecting said chin support to said front torso component; and a rear strut connecting said rear skull component to said rear torso component; wherein said chin support includes fluid-activatable hardenable material, hardenable to conform to a patient'"'"'s adjacent chin area.
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Specification