Surgery: splint – brace – or bandage – Orthopedic bandage – Splint or brace
Reexamination Certificate
1999-06-18
2001-03-13
Brown, Michael A. (Department: 3764)
Surgery: splint, brace, or bandage
Orthopedic bandage
Splint or brace
C602S014000, C602S027000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06200284
ABSTRACT:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention generally relates to devices and methods for stabilizing and supporting the foot, in particular the heel, of a human body.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
U.S. Pat. No. 5,489,259 to Jacobs et al. relates to a pressure-normalizing single-chambered static pressure device for supporting and protecting a body extremity, in particular a heel. That device has an inflatable member, a plurality of seams, and apertures along those seams. Those plurality of seams, according to Jacobs et al., “enhance the ability of that device to produce a cradling effect whereby [the] interior surface [of that device] can better engage and fully conform to the contour of the lower extremity.” Col 7, lines 6-9 (brackets added for clarity and deleted numbers.) Thus, without those seams that device, according to Jacobs et al., would not adequately cradle the extremity.
A problem with the device disclosed by Jacobs et al. are that it can be easily over-inflated or under-inflated. For example, if the device is properly filled when the outer atmosphere temperature and/or barometric pressure is at level A and these atmospheric events decrease to level A-
1
, which is lower than A, later that day, the device will appear under-inflated. And if the device appears “under-inflated,” the device fails to provide adequate support. And if the user notices the device is under-inflated, which it is not, when the atmospheric events revert to level A and the user inflates the device to appear when it was at level A, the resulting device will be over-inflated when the outer atmospheric temperature returns to level A. An over-inflated device provides too much pressure and can be deleterious to the body extremity.
The present invention solves these problems.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention is a protective and pressure normalizing device for a body extremity. The device has a gelastic material shaped to contour the desired body extremity, a cover for the gelastic material, and a releasable securing apparatus. The gelastic member and cover are designed to cradle the extremity. Thereby, the gelastic member applies a truly uniform interface pressure where it is applied to the extremity.
REFERENCES:
patent: 4964402 (1990-10-01), Grim et al.
patent: 5027801 (1991-07-01), Grim
patent: 5415624 (1995-05-01), Williams
patent: 5508334 (1996-04-01), Chen
patent: 5599283 (1997-02-01), Lindenmeyer et al.
patent: 5635201 (1997-06-01), Fabo
European Search Report.
Brown Michael A.
Gaymar Industries Inc.
Hamilton Lalita N.
Hodgson Russ Andrews Woods & Goodyear LLP
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