Patella alignment device

• US 7,985,194 B2
• Filed: 11/11/2010
• Issued: 07/26/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 11/12/2009
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Austin Mitchell, Daniel James Petit, Jessica Marie Northridge, Maxine Hoffman, Philip Doepker
• Original Assignee: Austin Mitchell, Daniel James Petit, Jessica Marie Northridge, Maxine Hoffman, Philip Doepker
• Inventors: Doepker, Philip, Hoffman, Maxine, Northridge, Jessica Marie, Petit, Daniel James, Mitchell, Austin
• Primary Examiner(s): Bianco; Patricia
• Assistant Examiner(s): PATEL, TARLA R
• Application Number:
  US12/944,613
• Publication Number:
  US 20110112454A1
• Time in Patent Office: 257 Days
• Field of Search: 602 61- 63, 602/27, 602/26, 602/20, 602/206, 602/75, 602/53, 602/60, 602/5, 602/6, 602/8, 2 2/2, 2 2/4, 2 6/2, 128/882, 128/112.1, 128/113.1, 128/114.1, 128/121.1
• US Class Current: 602/26
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2005/0176 supporting the patella
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 5/0106 for the knees

Abstract

One embodiment of the invention is a knee (or elbow) band assembly 100 that has a pocket assembly 106 containing a flexible pad 200 with rounded surfaces 112b, 116b separated by a valley 114b. The band assembly 100 is applied to a leg below the knee or to an arm above the elbow to improve body alignment and function and to relieve pain. The rounded surfaces 112a, 116a apply pressure to the limb to aid in alignment of the patellar or triceps tendons and to activate pressure points on the skin to stimulate the release of tension in the body and to stimulate the body'"'"'s natural self-curative abilities.

Claims

1. A band assembly for aligning a patellar tendon with a trochlear groove, the patellar tendon having a tendon width, the band assembly comprising:

a flexible strap made of neoprene;

a liner attached to the flexible strap;

a flexible pad made of expanding foam, the flexible pad having a length, the flexible pad residing between the flexible strap and the liner;

a reinforcement strip attached to the flexible strap, the reinforcement strip running the length of the flexible pad;

a hook fastener attached to one end of the flexible strap;

a loop fastener attached to an opposing end of the flexible strap;

elastic edging bordering the flexible strap;

a first rounded ridge located on the flexible pad, the first rounded ridge having a first peak, the first rounded ridge being configured to apply a first distribution of pressure to a soft-tissue area on a left side of the patellar tendon; and

a second rounded ridge located on the flexible pad, the second rounded ridge having a second peak, the second peak being separated from the first peak by a peak-to-peak distance, the peak-to-peak distance being approximately double the tendon width, the second rounded ridge being configured to apply a second distribution of pressure on a soft-tissue area on a right side of the patellar tendon, the application of the first distribution of pressure and the second distribution of pressure resulting in alignment of the patellar tendon with the trochlear groove.