Cervical vertebrae orthosis

Details Cervical vertebrae orthosis Cervical vertebrae orthosis

2002-04-17

2004-05-11

Brown, Michael A. (Department: 3764)

Surgery: splint, brace, or bandage

Orthopedic bandage

Splint or brace

C602S019000

Reexamination Certificate

active

06733469

ABSTRACT:

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a cervical vertebrae orthosis, and more particularly to a cervical vertebrae orthosis which is attached to a human body so as to limit a motion of a troubled part in a portion between an upper portion of a thoracic vertebrae and cervical vertebrae, a skull bone and the like.
2. Description of the Conventional Art
In conventional, as this kind of cervical vertebrae orthosis, there has been known a cervical vertebrae orthosis previously disclosed by the inventor of the present application (Japanese Patent No. 2923559), and this will be described with reference to
FIGS. 6
to
8
.
That is, in the drawings, reference numeral
1
denotes a plastic thoracic cage body structured such as to be freely attached to a chest region of the human body, reference numerals
2
and
3
denote a front thoracic cage member and a rear thoracic cage member which constitute the thoracic cage body
1
and are formed in a substantially Y shape, reference numerals
4
and
5
denote a pair of attaching bands for shoulder and attaching bands for waist which are disposed in both sides and respectively fasten upper and lower portions of the front and rear thoracic cage members
2
and
3
, reference numeral
6
denotes a lower jaw holding body which is mounted in a standing manner to the front thoracic cage member
2
via a pair of connection arms
7
in both sides, and reference numeral
8
denotes an occipital region holding body mounted in a standing manner to the rear thoracic cage member
3
via a pair of connection arms
9
in both sides. Reference numerals
10
and
11
denote an upper connection arm member and a lower connection arm member which respectively constitute the front connection arms
7
in both sides, have desired lengths and are formed in a substantially link piece shape, reference numeral
12
denotes a substantially plate-like joint member which movably connects free ends of the upper and lower connection arm members
10
and
11
by pivot pins
13
, and reference numeral
14
denotes a desired number of angle adjusting holes which are formed on an outer peripheral edge of the joint member
12
around the respective pivot pins
13
at respective predetermined pitches on the same circumference. The structure is made such that not only a height of the lower jaw holding body
6
but also an angle of anteflexion and retroflexion can be freely adjusted by fixing free end sides of the upper and lower connection arm members
10
and
11
to the desired angle adjusting holes
14
via fastening screws
15
.
Reference numerals
16
and
17
denotes an upper portion connection arm member and a lower portion connection arm member which respectively constitute the rear connection arms
9
in both sides, have desired lengths and are formed in a substantially link piece shape, and reference numeral
18
denotes a substantially plate-like joint member which movably connects free ends of the upper and lower portion connection arm members
16
and
17
by the pivot pins
13
. Angle adjusting holes
19
are formed in an outer peripheral edge of the joint member
18
in the same manner as those of the joint member
12
, and the structure is made such that it is possible to freely adjust angles for anteflexion and retroflexion in addition to the height of the occipital region holding body
8
by suitably fixing the free end sides of the upper and lower portion connection arm members
16
and
17
to the desired angle adjusting holes
19
via the fastening screws
15
. Reference numeral
20
denotes a pair of attaching bands in both sides which fasten the lower jaw holding body
6
to the occipital region holding body
8
, and reference numeral
21
denotes a desired-shaped pad member mounted to inner surfaces of the thoracic vertebrae body
1
and the lower jaw and occipital region holding bodies
6
and
8
.
According to the conventional art structured in the manner mentioned above, the front portion thoracic cage member
2
and the rear portion thoracic cage member
3
are placed on the chest region of the human body in an outward fitting manner and then fastened to the chest region by the attaching bands
4
and
5
. Thereafter, by suitably fixing the respective upper and lower portion connection arm members
10
,
11
,
16
and
17
constituting the respective connection arms
7
and
9
in the front and rear portions to the angle adjusting holes
14
and
19
of the respective joint members
12
and
18
via the fastening screws
15
while moving the respective upper and lower portion connection arm members
10
,
11
,
16
and
17
in a predetermined direction, the lower jaw holding body
6
and the occipital region holding body
8
are suitably adjusted not only in the respective desired heights but also in the angles with respect to the anteflexion and the retroflexion. Next, the attaching band
20
is fastened while the lower jaw holding body
6
and the occipital region holding body
8
are placed on the lower jaw and the occipital region respectively. Further, a lower jawbone region and an occipital tubercle region are supported by a pair of front portion connection arms
7
and rear portion connection arms
9
in both sides via the lower jaw holding body
6
and the occipital region holding body
8
, whereby the angle limitation in the anteflexion, retroflexion, rotation and lateral fold of the cervical vertebrae, and a load applied to the cervical vertebrae due to a weight of the head region are preferably reduced.
In this case, according to the conventional art structured in the manner mentioned above, since the respective upper and lower portion connection arm members
10
,
11
,
16
and
17
constituting the respective connection arms
7
and
9
in the front and rear portions are suitably fixed to the angle adjusting holes
14
and
19
of the joint members
12
and
18
via the fastening screws
15
so as to adjust the lower jaw holding body
6
and the occipital region holding body
8
not only in the respective desired heights but also in the angles in the anteflexion and retroflexion directions, the angle adjusting operation is very troublesome and needs a lot of work, and further, not only it is impossible to suitably execute a fine adjustment but also it is hard to stably support the lower jaw holding body
6
and the occipital region holding body
8
.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
An object of the present invention is to provide a cervical vertebrae orthosis which can solve the problems in the conventional art mentioned above, can always easily, rapidly and securely adjust an angle, and can always stably support a lower jaw holding body and an occipital region holding body.
That is, in accordance with the present invention, there is provided a cervical vertebrae orthosis comprising:
a thoracic cage body
1
being freely attachable to a chest region of a human body in an outward fitting manner; and
a lower jaw holding body
6
and an occipital region holding body
8
respectively mounted to front and rear of an upper portion in the thoracic cage body
1
via a pair of connection arms
51
and
52
with angle adjusting means
53
in both sides,
wherein the angle adjusting means
53
is structured by coaxially pivoting a clutch member
54
with a radial pawl
56
fixed and attached to each of the thoracic cage body
1
, the lower jaw holding body
6
and the occipital region holding body
8
, a clutch portion
60
with the same shaped pawl
62
formed in the connection arms
51
and
52
so as to be engaged with the clutch member
54
, a stopper ring
63
with an operation pawl
66
attached to the connection arms
51
and
52
so as to engage the clutch member
54
with the clutch portion
60
and fix them, and a holding member
76
with an operation pawl
80
provided so as to engage with and press to operate the operation pawl
66
of the stopper ring
63
.
Then, in the cervical vertebrae orthosis in accordance with the present invention, the stopper ring
63
is rotated in a predetermined direct

Affiliated with

Also associated with

Rating

Cervical vertebrae orthosis does not yet have a rating. At this time, there are no reviews or comments for this patent.

If you have personal experience with Cervical vertebrae orthosis, we encourage you to share that experience with our LandOfFree.com community. Your opinion is very important and Cervical vertebrae orthosis will most certainly appreciate the feedback.

Rate now

Comments { 0 }

Profile ID: LFUS-PAI-O-3190941