Chest brace to prevent collapse of a chest wall and method of using same
First Claim
Patent Images
1. A chest brace comprising:
- an anterior member adapted to overlie a patient'"'"'s chest;
an adhesive mechanism adapted to operatively couple the anterior member to a surface of such a patient;
supporting means for supporting the anterior member at least a first distance from a fixed reference point during use of the chest brace over a plurality of respiratory cycles of such a patient, wherein the first distance corresponds to a distance in which the chest of such a patient is in a non-collapsed position, and for allowing expansion of such a patient'"'"'s chest beyond a second distance from the fixed reference point by enabling the anterior member to move with the patient responsive to expansion of such a patient'"'"'s chest beyond the second distance; and
locking means, associated with the supporting means, for preventing the anterior member from moving closer than the first distance from the fixed reference point over the plurality of respiratory cycles, thereby preventing collapse of such a patient'"'"'s chest over the plurality of respiratory cycles.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A chest brace and method of using same that prevents the chest wall from buckling inwards during patient breathing by providing a distending force on the patient'"'"'s thorax. The chest brace also restores the normal anterior-to-posterior chest dimensions by providing a distending force in this direction. The chest brace includes an anterior member adapted to overly a patient'"'"'s chest. An adhesive mechanism secures the anterior member to a surface of such a patient. A support structure is coupled to the anterior member such that, in use, the support structure imparts a force on the anterior member in a manner so as to distend a thorax of such a patient.
60 Citations
29 Claims
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1. A chest brace comprising:
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an anterior member adapted to overlie a patient'"'"'s chest;
an adhesive mechanism adapted to operatively couple the anterior member to a surface of such a patient;
supporting means for supporting the anterior member at least a first distance from a fixed reference point during use of the chest brace over a plurality of respiratory cycles of such a patient, wherein the first distance corresponds to a distance in which the chest of such a patient is in a non-collapsed position, and for allowing expansion of such a patient'"'"'s chest beyond a second distance from the fixed reference point by enabling the anterior member to move with the patient responsive to expansion of such a patient'"'"'s chest beyond the second distance; and
locking means, associated with the supporting means, for preventing the anterior member from moving closer than the first distance from the fixed reference point over the plurality of respiratory cycles, thereby preventing collapse of such a patient'"'"'s chest over the plurality of respiratory cycles. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15)
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16. A method of preventing collapse of a chest of a patient during spontaneous respiration, comprising:
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adhesively securing an anterior member to a patient'"'"'s chest;
supporting the anterior member at least a first distance from a fixed reference point during use of the chest brace over a plurality of respiratory cycles of such a patient, wherein the first distance corresponds to a distance in which the chest of such a patient is in a non-collapsed position;
allowing expansion of such a patient'"'"'s chest beyond a second distance from the fixed reference point by enabling the anterior member to move with the patient responsive to expansion of such a patient'"'"'s chest beyond the second distance; and
preventing the anterior member from moving closer than the first distance from the fixed reference point over the plurality of respiratory cycles. - View Dependent Claims (17, 18, 19, 20)
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21. A chest brace comprising:
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an anterior member having a first side and a second side, wherein the anterior member is adapted to overlie a patient'"'"'s chest such that the first side is proximate a first side of such a patient and the second side is proximate a second side of such a patient;
a first adhesive mechanism adapted to operatively secure the anterior member to a surface of such a patient;
a posterior member having a first side and a second side, wherein the posterior member is adapted to overlie a patient'"'"'s back such that the first side is proximate the first side of such a patient and the second side is proximate the second side of such a patient;
a first mechanical linkage coupling the first side of the posterior member to the first side of the anterior member such that the anterior member is maintained at least at a first distance relative to the posterior member during use of the chest brace by such a patient, and wherein the first distance is a distance sufficient to prevent collapse of such a patient'"'"'s thorax during inspiration, and for allowing expansion of such a patient'"'"'s chest beyond a second distance from the posterior member by enabling the anterior member to move with the patient responsive to expansion of such a patient'"'"'s chest beyond the second distance; and
a second mechanical linkage coupling the second side of the posterior member to the second side of the anterior member such that the anterior member is maintained at least at the first distance relative to the posterior member during use of the chest brace by such a patient, and for allowing expansion of such a patient'"'"'s chest beyond the second distance from the posterior member by enabling the anterior member to move with the patient responsive to expansion of such a patient'"'"'s chest beyond the second distance. - View Dependent Claims (22, 23, 24, 25)
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26. A chest brace comprising:
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(a) an anterior member adapted to overlie a patient'"'"'s chest;
(b) a chest plate adapted to adhere to a surface of a patient (c) an adhesive mechanism adapted to operatively couple the chest plate to a surface of such a patient;
(d) coupling means for securing the chest plate to the anterior member, wherein the coupling means includes;
(1) a stem provided on a surface of the chest plate, and (2) a channel defined in the anterior member so as to selectively receive the stem for engaging the chest plate to the anterior member;
(e) supporting means for supporting the anterior member at least a first distance from a fixed reference point during use of the chest brace over a plurality of respiratory cycles of such a patient, wherein the first distance corresponds to a distance in which a chest of such a patient is in a non-collapsed position; and
(f) locking means, associated with the supporting means, for preventing the anterior member from moving closer than the first distance from the fixed reference point over the plurality of respiratory cycles, thereby preventing collapse of such a patient'"'"'s chest over the plurality of respiratory cycles.
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27. A chest brace comprising:
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an anterior member adapted to overlie a patient'"'"'s chest;
a chest plate adapted to adhere to a surface of a patient an adhesive mechanism adapted to operatively couple the chest plate to a surface of such a patient;
coupling means for securing the chest plate to the anterior member;
supporting means for supporting the anterior member at least a first distance from a fixed reference point during use of the chest brace over a plurality of respiratory cycles of such a patient, wherein the first distance corresponds to a distance in which a chest of such a patient is in a non-collapsed position;
locking means, associated with the supporting means, for preventing the anterior member from moving closer than the first distance from the fixed reference point over the plurality of respiratory cycles, thereby preventing collapse of such a patient'"'"'s chest over the plurality of respiratory cycles; and
a posterior member adapted to overlie a patient'"'"'s back, wherein the locking means comprises at least one mechanical linkage coupling the posterior member to the anterior member such that the anterior member is selectively moveable relative to the posterior member in a ratchet-like fashion, and wherein a portion of the posterior member defines the fixed reference point.
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28. A chest brace comprising:
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an anterior member adapted to overlie a patient'"'"'s chest;
an adhesive mechanism adapted to operatively couple the anterior member to a surface of such a patient;
supporting means for supporting the anterior member at least a first distance from a fixed reference point during use of the chest brace over a plurality of respiratory cycles of such a patient, wherein the first distance corresponds to a distance in which a chest of such a patient is in a non-collapsed position, wherein the supporting means comprises a posterior member adapted to overlie a patient'"'"'s back, and wherein a portion of the posterior member defines the fixed reference point; and
locking means, associated with the supporting means, for preventing the anterior member from moving closer than the first distance from the fixed reference point over the plurality of respiratory cycles, thereby preventing collapse of such a patient'"'"'s chest over the plurality of respiratory cycles, and where the locking means comprises at least one mechanical linkage coupling the posterior member to the anterior member such that the anterior member is selectively moveable relative to the posterior member in a ratchet-like fashion.
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29. A method of providing support for a thorax of a patient, comprising:
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(a) adhesively securing an anterior member to a patient'"'"'s chest;
(b) supporting the anterior member at least a first distance from a fixed reference point during use of the chest brace over a plurality of respiratory cycles of such a patient, wherein the first distance corresponds to a distance in which a chest of such a patient is in a non-collapsed position, and wherein supporting the anterior member at least a first distance from a fixed reference point includes;
(1) providing a posterior member adapted to overlie such a patient'"'"'s back, (2) coupling the posterior member to the anterior member via a mechanical linkage, and (3) moving the anterior member relative to the posterior member in a ratchet-like fashion using the mechanical linkage; and
(c) preventing the anterior member from moving closer than the first distance from the fixed reference point over the plurality of respiratory cycles.
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Specification