Surgery: splint – brace – or bandage – Orthopedic bandage – Splint or brace
Reexamination Certificate
1999-11-10
2004-09-14
Lucchesi, Nicholas D. (Department: 3764)
Surgery: splint, brace, or bandage
Orthopedic bandage
Splint or brace
C128S102100
Reexamination Certificate
active
06790191
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a hyperextension back brace system and more particularly pertains to applying pressure to the pubic area below and to spaced pectoral areas above and to the back thereby tending to extend the spine of a user.
2. Description of the Prior Art
The use of brace systems of known designs and configurations is known in the prior art. More specifically, brace systems of known designs and configurations heretofore devised and utilized for the purpose of applying pressure to points of a wearer through known methods and apparatuses are known to consist basically of familiar, expected, and obvious structural configurations, notwithstanding the myriad of designs encompassed by the crowded prior art which has been developed for the fulfillment of countless objectives and requirements.
By way of example, U.S. Pat. No. Re. 31,564 to Hendricks discloses a hyperextension back brace. U.S. Pat. No. 2,582,930 to Jewett discloses a surgical brace. U.S. Pat. No. 2,808,050 to Ward discloses a surgical brace. U.S. Pat. No. 4,640,269 to Goins discloses a back brace having strap with widened middle portion for pad. U.S. Pat. No. 4,976,257 to Akin et al discloses a hyperextension brace. U.S. Pat. No. 5,135,471 to Houswerth discloses a cruciform anterior spinal hyperextension orthosis. U.S. Pat. No. 5,342,289 to Munny discloses a hyperextension orthosis with movable front pad. Lastly, U.S. Pat. No. 5,632,724 to Lerman et al. discloses a hyperextension thoraco-lumbar brace.
The hyperextension back brace system according to the present invention substantially departs from the conventional concepts and designs of the prior art, and in doing so provides an apparatus primarily developed for the purpose of applying pressure to the pubic area below and to spaced pectoral areas above and to the back thereby tending to extend the spine of a user.
Therefore, it can be appreciated that there exists a continuing need for a new and improved hyperextension back brace system which can be used for applying pressure to the pubic area below and to spaced pectoral areas above and to the back thereby tending to extend the spine of a user. In this regard, the present invention substantially fulfills this need.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
In view of the foregoing disadvantages inherent in the known types of brace systems of known designs and configurations now present in the prior art, the present invention provides an improved hyperextension back brace system. As such, the general purpose of the present invention, which will be described subsequently in greater detail, is to provide a new and improved hyperextension back brace system and method which has all the advantages of the prior art and none of the disadvantages.
To attain this, the present invention essentially comprises a cruciform structure. The cruciform structure has an integrally formed upper vertical arm, a lower vertical arm, an integrally formed left horizontal arm and a right horizontal arm, wherein all such arms are couple together in a central area. A longitudinal slot is provided through the upper and lower vertical arms. A pair of threaded apertures is provided in each of the horizontal arms. An extender arm is provided for each of the arms of the cruciform structure. The extender arms for the vertical arms have a pair of threaded apertures with a pair of bolts extending through the slot for adjustable coupling with respect to the vertical arms. The extender arms for the horizontal arms have longitudinal slots. Bolts extend through extender arms for adjustable coupling with respect to the horizontal arms. Next provided is a public pad formed of a rigid aluminum material. The public pad has an inwardly extender arm. A pair of diamond-shaped pectoral pads are fabricated of a rigid aluminum material. Resilient form extends inwardly from the pectoral pads. Each pectoral pad is adjustably couple to a free end of the intermediate support through a foam rubber disc. One surface of each foam rubber disc includes a pile fastener and another surface of each disc is glued to one of the pectoral pads for coupling the pectoral pads to the V-shaped intermediate plate and for enabling universal swiveling. The flexible sponginess and natural resiliency inhindered universal swiveling and natural self-centering of each of the pectoral pads relative to the V-shaped intermediate plate. A pair of side pads are formed of a rigid material. The side pads are fixedly coupled to the exterior end of the horizontal extender arms. The side pads have an inwardly facing resilient foam. Each of the side pads has a vertical slot at its free end. A belt of a pile type material is attached at one end through a slot in one of the side pads and a free end adapted to be adjustably threaded through the other vertical slot. In this manner the belt is releaseably secured around the torso of a wearer. A back pad is fabricated of a semi-rigid plastic material. A resilient foam is provided and faces inwardly from the back pad. Vertical slots are provided in(the back pad at laterally disposed end locations adjacent the edges of the back pad for the passage of an intermediate portion of the belt. The back pad also includes a pile type locking strip coupled at its free end to the back pad. An intermediate extent is adapted to be releaseably secured to a pile type fastener on the back pad for the releasable securement. In this manner lateral shifting of the back pad of the belt is precluded. Lastly, a supplemental keeper is secured to one horizontal extender arm. The supplemental keeper has a vertical aperture. The keeper is adapted to removably receive the free end of the belt for further adjustment purposes.
There has thus been outlined, rather broadly, the more important features of the invention in order that the detailed description thereof that follows may be better understood and in order that the present contribution to the art may be better appreciated. There are, of course, additional features of the invention that will be described hereinafter and which will form the subject matter of the claims appended hereto.
In this respect, before explaining at least one embodiment of the invention in detail, it is to be understood that the invention is not limited in its application to the details of construction and to the arrangements of the components set forth in the following description or illustrated in the drawings. The invention is capable of other embodiments and of being practiced and carried out in various ways. Also, it is to be understood that the phraseology and terminology employed herein are for the purpose of descriptions and should not be regarded as limiting.
As such, those skilled in the art will appreciate that the conception, upon which this disclosure is based, may readily be utilized as a basis for the designing of other structures, methods and systems for carrying out the several purposes of the present invention. It is important, therefore, that the claims be regarded as including such equivalent constructions insofar as they do not depart from the spirit and scope of the present invention.
It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a new and improved hyperextension back brace system which has all of the advantages of the prior art braces and supports and none of the disadvantages.
It is another object of the present invention to provide a new and improved hyperextension back brace system which may be easily and efficiently manufactured and marketed.
It is further object of the present invention to provide a new and improved hyperextension back brace system which is of durable and reliable constructions.
An even further object of the present invention is to provide a new and improved hyperextension back brace system which is susceptible of a low cost of manufacture with regard to both materials and labor, and which accordingly is then susceptible of low prices of sale to the consuming public, thereby making such hyperextension back brace system economically available to the
Lucchesi Nicholas D.
Myers Joel D.
Myers & Kaplan LLC
Pham Huong Q.
Sovinski Sandra M.
LandOfFree
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