Handling: hand and hoist-line implements – Article carrier gripped and carried by hand – Having cord or bail accommodating groove or passage along...
Reexamination Certificate
1999-11-15
2002-04-30
Cherry, Johnny D. (Department: 3652)
Handling: hand and hoist-line implements
Article carrier gripped and carried by hand
Having cord or bail accommodating groove or passage along...
C294S137000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06378925
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a device or an orthosis for supporting and assisting the hand in the grasping of handled objects.
2. Description of Related Art
The grasping of bag handles, or handles of other containers for carrying materials, or other objects having handles, has been problematical for many people, as pressure generated on the hand by the load attached to the handles creates discomfort, and, sometimes, extreme discomfort and injury to users. Plastic film grocery bags, for example, have integral handles made of the same thin flexible material from which the bag is formed. These handles, when grasped, gather, contract, or compress such that the load is distributed over only a thin area within the grip of the user. Paper bags generally have thin, ropelike handles which similarly concentrate forces and pressure along only a thin strip within the user's grasp. Other containers or objects may employ wire metal handles, which similarly concentrate force and pressure at a narrow area.
As a result of load pressure, transferred by the handles, the handles cut into the surface of the hand. They cut deeply enough into the gripping surfaces of the hand to adversely impact the sensory nerves in many instances. The impact traumatizes the nerves and causes pain. The pain and attendant discomfort will, after a very short time, cause the grasping hand to collapse or deform from a position of function into a position of injury. In the position of injury, the hand assumes a hook or claw-like posture. In the hook or claw-like posture, the fingers of the hand are extended with the last phalanx of each curling into a hook or claw-like shape. It is this shape upon which the handles come to rest. Often the handles will rest upon only three of the four hooked fingers. This adds to the degree of trauma exerted upon the unprotected, unsupported hand.
Protecting the grasping hand is not a new problem. Many attempts have been made to solve this problem in the past. Perhaps the most common solution has been to use padding between the hand and the object gripped. A typical application of the padding solution is the glove. However, most gloves used in grasping or gripping applications serve only to protect the hand against abrasion. They are not intended to, nor do they, support, align, prevent or correct deformities of the gripping hand. Nor do they serve as isometric means.
Heretofore, orthoses have been used remedially for therapeutic purposes to support, align, prevent, or correct deformities or to improve the function of moveable parts of the body. Examples of the therapeutic use of orthoses to restore function to nonfunctional body parts such as the hand are: “Inflatable Palmar Bladder”, Mann and Mann, U.S. Pat. No. 5,531,668, and “Inflatable Hand Orthosis”, Stern, U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,382,837, and 5,593,369.
Other types of devices are used to protect and improve the function of the hand. An example is: “Hand protector,” Melone, U.S. Pat. No. 5,572,738. It is intended exclusively for the therapeutic restoration, support and protection of the injured nonfunctional hand. Physically, the device consists of an immobilizing cast surrounding the hand from the wrist to the knuckles.
The “Shopping Bag Handle Grip”, Eden, U.S. Pat. No. 5,507,542, is a device for carrying shopping bags. It is comprised of a handle upon which the handles of shopping bags are placed for carrying. However, it is bulky. It neither protects or supports the gripping hand. Nor does it serve otherwise to provide grip enhancing means.
The “Hand Saver”, Stauffer, U.S. Pat. No. 3,800,361, is a device for carrying shopping bags, cartons and the like having handles of cord-like material. It is comprised of a body of flexible, resilient material between which at least one pair of separated, confronting surfaces for grippingly receiving a cord like handle are located. It is not easy to use. Handles have to be forced into it, using both hands, for application or use. It is not safe to use because it depends solely upon the resiliency of the device, as opposed to bracing means and fasteners to retain handles therein. It has no fasteners and therefore cannot be affixed to objects trapped therein. Consequently, when it is released from the grip, when set down, the handles lodged therein will be pulled free by the weight of the bag load thereon. As a result, the bag will collapse. When the bag collapses, it will dump its contents. In addition, it does not provide means for bracing the transverse arch. It does not provide means for bracing the longitudinal arch. It does not provide means for bracing the thumb or for bracing the heel of the hand. Nor does it provide means for bracing the palm. It does not provide isometric means. This device does not provide stabilizing means. It does not provide trapping means. It does not provide means for either a lateral shield or an energy absorbent dome. Nor does it provide braking means or fastening means.
The “Isometric Hand Exercising System”, Blackmore, U.S. Pat. No. 5,611,755, is an apparatus that provides for isometric means and involves the hands. However, it is used as isometric means solely for exercise of the hand and forearms. It requires simultaneous movement of both hands to achieve isometric involvement. Isometric muscle involvement is focused on arm and forearm development as opposed to enhancement of the grip of the hand.
The “Plastic Bag Handle”, Halpin & Okuchi-Halpin, U.S. Pat. No. D367,817, is a design of a handle for carrying plastic bags. It is comprised of a tubular structure with a slit running lengthwise down the side. It most resembles a piece of garden hose split down the side. The slit is the means by which plastic bag handles are inserted therein. This device does not have braking means. Nor does it have isometric means or means for a thumb brace. It does not brace the heel of the hand nor does it have isometric means. This design does not provide for an energy absorbent dome nor does it have fastening means. Neither does it provide bracing means for the palm, the longitudinal arch nor the transverse arch.
“Handle”, Sweeney, U.S. Pat. No. D325,156, is a design of a handle for carrying plastic bags. “Plastic Bag Handle”, Salazar, U.S. Pat. No. D374,621, is also a design of a handle for carrying plastic bags. However, neither supports the gripping hand. Neither shields the hand from lateral forces. Neither provides a friction brake. Neither provides bracing means for the transverse arch or the longitudinal arch. Also neither provides bracing means for the heel of the hand or the thumb. Further, neither provides bracing means for the palm. Nor does either provide for isometric means or provide for an energy absorbent dome. Clearly, both designs possess the same deficiencies as “Plastic Bag Handle” cited previously.
Unpatented devices, used to solve the hand trauma problem, commonly use the solution consisting of the substitution of a larger handle for a smaller one. “Bag Grabber”, created by Andy Haynes of Nashville, Tenn. (N.Y. Times, May 15, 1996, P. c2) is one such device. It consists of a hard plastic handle that has carrying hooks protruding from the bottom. Another is “shipping Bag Carrier”, a product of Magic American Corp. of Cleveland, Ohio. It consists of a hard plastic handle with a single hook, for bag carrying, protruding from the bottom. Still another is the “Cardboard Tube Grip”. It is a device which includes a handle consisting of a piece of cardboard tube through which a heavy gauge wire has been run and turned down to form short arms at each tube end. These arms have hooks at their ends over which bag handles are placed.
The “Shopping Bag Carrier”, “Cardboard Tube Grip”, and “Bag Grabber”, all fail to provide means for bracing, the thumb, the longitudinal arch, the transverse arch, the palm, or the heel of the hand. None of the above mentioned has means for isometric engagement stabilization or an energy absorbent dome. Further, none of them provide trapping means or braking means.
The Handle Wra
Cherry Johnny D.
Kerins John C.
Miles & Stockbridge P.C.
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