Brace having inflatable support
First Claim
Patent Images
1. A brace for supporting an injured lower leg, comprising:
- a non-inflatable, rigid, lower housing for supporting the sole of a patient'"'"'s foot,wherein the lower housing is a rocker sole, andan inflatable load-bearing upper housing having a plurality of longitudinally-extending compartments that are affixed to the lower housing and, when combined with the lower housing, the upper housing is adapted to substantially envelop a patient'"'"'s lower leg,wherein the inflatable load-bearing upper housing, upon inflation, provides a rigid structural support by applying a sufficient pressure to the leg to support a leg fracture or other injury without using a stiff casing, andwherein the pressure applied to the leg is adjustable solely by inflation of the inflatable load-bearing upper housing.
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Accused Products
Abstract
The systems and methods provide or use a brace for patient'"'"'s limb that includes, among other things, a non-inflatable, rigid, lower housing for supporting the sole of a patient'"'"'s foot, and an inflatable load-bearing upper housing that is affixed to the lower housing. The brace may be adjustable and configured to be fitted to patients having limbs of differing sizes, to allow the patient to obtain a more closely fitted brace.
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Citations
29 Claims
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1. A brace for supporting an injured lower leg, comprising:
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a non-inflatable, rigid, lower housing for supporting the sole of a patient'"'"'s foot, wherein the lower housing is a rocker sole, and an inflatable load-bearing upper housing having a plurality of longitudinally-extending compartments that are affixed to the lower housing and, when combined with the lower housing, the upper housing is adapted to substantially envelop a patient'"'"'s lower leg, wherein the inflatable load-bearing upper housing, upon inflation, provides a rigid structural support by applying a sufficient pressure to the leg to support a leg fracture or other injury without using a stiff casing, and wherein the pressure applied to the leg is adjustable solely by inflation of the inflatable load-bearing upper housing. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23)
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24. A brace for supporting an injured lower leg, comprising:
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a non-inflatable, rigid, lower housing for supporting the sole of a patient'"'"'s foot, wherein the lower housing is a rocker sole, and an inflatable load-bearing upper housing having a plurality of longitudinally-extending compartments that are affixed to the lower housing and, when combined with the lower housing, is adapted to substantially envelop a patient'"'"'s lower leg, wherein the inflatable load-bearing upper housing, upon inflation, provides a rigid structural support by applying a sufficient pressure to the leg to support a leg fracture or other injury without using a stiff casing, and an internal bladder system that fits between the inflatable load-bearing upper housing and the patient'"'"'s lower leg and is separately removable from the upper housing. - View Dependent Claims (25, 26, 27)
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28. A brace for supporting an injured lower leg, comprising:
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a non-inflatable, rigid, lower housing for supporting the sole of a patient'"'"'s foot, wherein the lower housing includes a bottom portion that has a toe section, an arch section and a heel section, wherein the arch section is thicker than the heel section, and the heel section is thicker than the toe section, and an inflatable load-bearing upper housing having a plurality of longitudinally-extending compartments that are affixed to the lower housing and, when combined with the lower housing, the upper housing is adapted to substantially envelop a patient'"'"'s lower leg, wherein the inflatable load-bearing upper housing, upon inflation, provides a rigid structural support by applying a sufficient pressure to the leg to support a leg fracture or other injury without using a stiff casing, and wherein the pressure applied to the leg is adjustable solely by inflation of the inflatable load-bearing upper housing.
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29. A brace for supporting an injured lower leg, comprising:
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a non-inflatable, rigid, lower housing for supporting the sole of a patient'"'"'s foot, wherein the lower housing includes a bottom portion that has a toe section, an arch section and a heel section, wherein the arch section is thicker than the heel section, and the heel section is thicker than the toe section, and an inflatable load-bearing upper housing having a plurality of longitudinally-extending compartments that are affixed to the lower housing and, when combined with the lower housing, is adapted to substantially envelop a patient'"'"'s lower leg, wherein the inflatable load-bearing upper housing, upon inflation, provides a rigid structural support by applying a sufficient pressure to the leg to support a leg fracture or other injury without using a stiff casing, and an internal bladder system that fits between the inflatable load-bearing upper housing and the patient'"'"'s lower leg and is separately removable from the upper housing.
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Specification