Finger splint

• US 6,575,925 B1
• Filed: 05/18/2000
• Issued: 06/10/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 05/18/2000
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Apothecary Products Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Apothecary Products Incorporated
• Inventors: Noble, Terrance O.
• Primary Examiner(s): Brown, Michael A.
• Application Number:
  US09/573,858
• Time in Patent Office: 1,118 Days
• Field of Search: 602/20, 602/21, 602/22, 128/877, 128/878, 128/879
• US Class Current: 602/20
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 5/05875 for fingers

Abstract

The disclosure provides a finger splint comprising a supporting shell and at least one securing member affixed to the supporting shell. In one embodiment, the securing member is affixed to the supporting shell using an adhesive. In another embodiment, the supporting shell further comprises a retaining member extending from the supporting shell wherein the retaining member is configured to anchor the securing member to the supporting shell. In a preferred embodiment, the securing member is constructed from a hook and loop material such as VELCRO®.

Claims

1. A finger splint constructed in a baseball configuration comprising:

an elongate unitary shell configured to extend along a palm surface of a finger, said shell having distal and proximal ends, an extender at the distal end and a lateral flange between the distal and proximal ends, wherein said extender is configured to fold over a tip of the finger and to extend to cover a dorsal surface of a distal phalanx, or distal phalanx and distal joint, of the finger, the extender having first and second tabs configured to extend laterally and medially from the extender, said first and second tabs constructed of malleable material such that they can be manipulated to encircle the distal phalanx or distal phalanx and distal joint, of the finger, wherein said lateral flange extends laterally from the shell and is constructed of malleable material such that it can be folded over to encircle a middle phalanx of the finger, the middle phalanx and proximal joint of the finger or the middle phalanx and distal joint of the finger;

a securing member sized and configured to encircle a finger, the securing member comprising a hook and loop material; and

a retaining member on the palm surface of the shell at the proximal end, wherein said

retaining member defines a passage through which the securing member extends, the retaining member having distal and proximal ends corresponding to the distal and proximal ends of the shell, wherein the proximal end of the retaining member is connected to the shell and the distal end of the retaining member is free, such that the retaining member releasably attaches the securing member to the proximal end of the shell such that the securing member encircles the proximal phalanx of the finger.

2. The splint according to claim 1, wherein said retaining member is integral with said supporting shell.

3. The splint according to claim 1, wherein said retaining member is mounted on said supporting shell.

4. The splint according to claim 1, wherein said shell is constructed from a material selected from the group consisting of plastic, metal, cardboard, wood, fabric and foam.

5. The splint according to claim 1, wherein said shell further comprises a padding layer.

6. The splint according to claim 5, wherein said padding layer is constructed from a resilient material selected from the group consisting of knit material, woven material, nonwoven material, and foam.

7. The finger splint according to claim 1, wherein said securing member is constructed from a hook and loop closure material.

8. The splint according to claim 1, wherein said elongate shell has a longitudinal axis extending from the proximal end to the distal end, and said retaining member is connected to the shell such that the retaining member extends along the longitudinal axis of the shell.

9. A finger splint for immobilizing an injured finger comprising:

a unitary supporting shell sized and configured to extend past at least one finger joint adjacent an injury, said shell having distal and proximal ends and a longitudinal axis extending from the proximal end to the distal end;

at least one securing member sized and configured to encircle a finger, the securing member comprising a hook and loop material; and

at least one retaining member extending from the supporting shell, said retaining member having distal and proximal ends corresponding to the distal and proximal ends of the shell, wherein the proximal end of the retaining member is connected to the supporting shell and the distal end of the retaining member is free, wherein the retaining member is connected to the shell such that the retaining member extends along the longitudinal axis of the shell, the retaining member configured to removably attach said securing member to said supporting shell, said retaining member forming a passage through which the securing member extends, wherein each securing member is removably attached to the supporting shell by a single retaining member.

10. The splint according to claim 9, wherein said shell configuration is selected from the group consisting of spoon, cot, four sided finger protector, baseball and ventilated open nail finger protector.

11. The splint according to claim 9, wherein said supporting shell is constructed from material selected from the group consisting of plastic, metal, cardboard, wood, fabric and foam.

12. The splint according to claim 9, wherein said supporting shell further comprises a padding layer.

13. The splint according to claim 9, comprising two securing members and two retaining members, wherein the retaining members are connected to the shell in a tandem arrangement.