Surgery – Body protecting or restraining devices for patients or infants – Chafing shields
Reexamination Certificate
2000-09-18
2001-11-20
Brown, Michael A. (Department: 3764)
Surgery
Body protecting or restraining devices for patients or infants
Chafing shields
C602S030000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06318373
ABSTRACT:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a corrective supporter for correcting hallux valgus and digitus varus minimi deformities, and particularly to a corrective supporter having a pushing band to push against prominent first and fifth metatasopharangeal joints that protrude from the correct position on the foot, and resilient reinforcements for separating a first toe which might approach the second, from the latter, and the fifth which might approach the fourth, from the latter so as to reinforce the push force of the pushing band.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention is intended to eliminate problems with Hallux Vulgus and Toe Varus, which are shock waves and buckling waves that were found as a result of my study on human feet.
It is generally known that when people step paces, the weight is taken on three points of the heel, the first toe, and the fifth toe. It will be understood that the foot is subjected to the shock in response to the weight which is moved upward and downward during the contact with and the separation from the earth, but it must be known still that at the time buckling waves are also generated. The shock and buckling waves, which are generated by the severe vibrations of the foot are similar to waves of vertical and lateral shakes that are generated by earthquakes, and become harmful stresses traveling to the body over and over for Hallux Valgus and Digitus Varus Minimi.
The foot sole, which is protected from the shock buckling waves is formed with the plantar arch having three arches of the inner and outer vertical arches with respect to the median human body line, and the lateral arch. Upon steps of the walking people, the actions of absorbing the shock waves are comprised of separations of the first toe from the second toe, which are performed by the inner and outer vertical arches that prevent inward and outward displacements of the foot, respectively, while the actions of absorbing the buckling waves are performed by tightening a lateral metatatasal ligament, lateral arch which might be tensioned and constitutes the metatarsophalangeal joints. Thus, movements in the human weight are maintained by the actions from the lateral and vertical arches that make the harmful shock and buckling harmless and balance.
Referring to
FIG. 9
, a deformed right foot with Hallux Valgus and Digius Varus Minimi as seen from the top is shown. The first toe
4
(Hallux Valgus) is rotated about the first metatarasophalangeal joint
10
to abnormally approach the second, and the fifth toe
8
(Digitus Varus Minimi) is rotated about the fifth metatarsophalangeal joint
11
to abnormally approach the fourth.
As also understood from
FIG. 9
, the distance between the first metatarsophalangeal joint
10
and the fifth
11
is abnormally lengthened. The deformed metatarsophalangeal joints produce the lateral metatarsal ligament, which is completely stretched out to cause the vertical and lateral arches of the sole to be deformed or disappeared to lose the function to maintain the movements in the human weight while using toes, as well as the function to absorb the shock and buckling waves, as shown in FIG.
10
. (In FIG.
8
and
FIG. 11
, a foot, which is normally formed with the lateral arch is shown). The weight, which is applied to the deformed foot with Hallux Valgus is exerted on only the deformed or disappeared plantar arch. (In
FIG. 12
, a foot with a flat sole as seen from the front is shown). For this reason, the body is adversely affected by the foot which is susceptible to the shock and buckling waves (vertical and lateral waves as caused by earthquakes) that are generated strongly during walking of the walker.
In most of cases, Hallux Valgus and Digitus Varus Minimi deformities are caused by narrow fashion shoes such as high heeled shoes, sandals and the others that are worn by many women. These days, not so many young men than women walk with the narrow fashionable shoes. They also suffer from their deformed foot.
Referring to
FIG. 13
, a top view of a right foot with an abnormally deformed skeleton is shown. It is known that the rotations of the proximal phalanxes of phalanges about the metatarsophalangeal joints
10
act on the free inward and outward movements of the toes with respect to the median human body line.
Suppose, for example, that a wearer's foot is put in a narrow shoe. The side wall of the shoe forces against the first toe to hurt the wearer, and thereby the first toe is outwardly displaced with respect to the median human body line or approaches the second toe. As a result of the rotation of the first toe about the first metatarsophalangeal joint, leverage is produced, in which the first toe becomes the point where force is applied, while the proximal first toe end becomes its fulcrum, and thereby abnormal inward protrusion of the first metatarsophalangeal joint relative to that which is at the correct position results (Hallux Valgus).
The force, which is applied to the fulcrum is exerted next to the application point, which is at the fifth metatarsus to the outer ankle. The fifth metatarsus is outwardly rotated about the proximal joint by the outward force OF so that the fifth metatarsophalangeal joint
11
comes off the opposite side, and the fifth toe is inwardly rotated about the fifth metatarsophalangeal joint
11
to approach the fourth (Digitus Varus Minimi).
It can be said that the most serious problem with the Hallux Valgus is that the body is susceptible to the harmful buckling waves, which are strengthened by the outward force OF. When a foot with Hallux Valgus is brought into contact with and separation from the earth during walking, the body has a tendency to be outwardly laterally located to the earth with respect to the correct positions by the outward force, and the front foot has a tendency to be outwardly rotated about the ankle. Portions of the legs to the body of the person are also outwardly laterally forced with respect to the correct positions by the outward force, and thereby the body is distorted, or a pair of pelvis or legs are located at different heights from the earth relatively to each other. Thus, the buckling waves, which are generated in the foot with Hallux Valgus cause the right and left difference and are very injurious to the person.
The reproductions of the vertical and lateral arches minimizing generations of those shock and buckling waves are accomplished by curing processes which reduce the intermetatarsal distance such that the first toe and the fifth are separated from the second and the fourth, respectively.
Referring to
FIG. 5
, a top plan view of a known corrective supporter pertinent to the instant application is shown (Japanese publication No. 7-13699 of examined utility Model application, Registration No. 2097115, and Japanese publication No. 7-27926 of examined utility model application, Registration No. 2111081). The first to fifth metatarsi are tightly bandaged by a pushing band
204
forming a ring, which grips the foot. Thus, the intermetatarsal distance is reduced. In addition, the first toe
4
is separated from the second toe
5
by a resilient reinforcement
203
extending from the front edge of the pushing band
204
between the first toe and the second.
Referring to
FIG. 6
, a top plan view of a second known corrective supporter which is used to a sock, is shown (Japanese Utility Model Registration No. 2534781). The first to fifth metatarsi
10
to
11
are tightly bandaged by a pushing band
214
which is of high strength in contractions relatively to the other portions of the sock.
Referring to
FIG. 7
, a top plan view of a third known corrective supporter is shown (Japanese publication No. 7-12094 of examined patent application, Patent No. 158761). The first to fifth metatarsi are tightly bandaged by a pushing band
224
. The pushing band
224
is wound about the foot side to side and fastened by a pair of velvet faster, one of which is formed on the whole band surface and the other of which is formed on the distal band surface end. The first t
Brown Michael A.
Jordan and Hamburg LLP
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