Spinal brace for correcting lordosis

• US 5,824,013 A
• Filed: 12/27/1994
• Issued: 10/20/1998
• Est. Priority Date: 12/27/1994
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Vardon Golf Company Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Vardon Golf Company Incorporated
• Inventors: Allen, Dillis V.
• Primary Examiner(s): Dvorak, Linda C.
• Application Number:
  US08/364,667
• Time in Patent Office: 1,393 Days
• Field of Search: 128/845, 601/121, 606/237, 606/240, 482/130, 482/133, 5/491, 5/643, 5/636, 5/470, 5/471, 5/481, 5/490, 206/397, 206/401, 206/410, 206/417
• US Class Current: 606/240
• CPC Class Codes: A47C 7/425 Supplementary back-rests to be positioned on a back-rest or the like
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 5/01 Orthopaedic devices, e.g. splints, casts or braces

Abstract

A spinal brace and exercise implement for the human spine, and particularly its cervical, thoracic and lumbar regions, including a rigid cylindrical base surrounded by a high deflection factor foam material.

Claims

1. An orthopedic brace, comprising:

a rigid base member having a generally circular outer surface, said rigid base member having a length substantially greater than its average diameter, said rigid base member being tubular in shape and having open ends substantially equal in diameter to the internal diameter of the rigid base member permitting free communication with the base member interior, resilient layer means completely encircling the base member and having portions thereof extending over and into the base member open ends, adhesive means for attaching the resilient layer means portions extending over the base member open ends to the base member open ends, said layer means having an outer body engaging generally circular surface whereby the brace may be positioned between the human body and a relatively fixed support to assist in correcting skeletal abnormalities or inadequacies, said layer means portions extending radially inwardly a substantial distance over the open ends of the rigid base, cover means surrounding the layer means and having ends that are slitted to form strips, said strips extending over the layer means portions and into the open ends of the rigid bases, said cover means holding the foam in the desired configuration.

2. An orthopedic brace as defined in claim 1, wherein the layer is synthetic foam material having a deflection factor in the range of 50 to 75.

3. An orthopedic brace as defined in claim 1, wherein the ratio of the average diameter of the base member to the overall diameter of the brace is in the range of 0.40 to 0.60.