Surgery – Instruments – External pressure applicator
Reexamination Certificate
1999-07-02
2001-04-10
Lewis, Kim M. (Department: 3764)
Surgery
Instruments
External pressure applicator
C602S019000, C602S021000, C602S027000, C602S064000, C602S065000, C606S204000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06214027
ABSTRACT:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
Generally, the present invention relates to a device using specific mechanical stimulation (external pressure) to control the reflex response of a muscle or muscular group articulating a living body joint. More specifically, the present Invention relates to such a device for continuously applying an external pressure to, in particular but not exclusively, the wrist, ankle or lumbar spine joints during articulating movements of these joints to thereby continuously facilitate or inhibit the reflex response of their associated muscles.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Often individuals having one or many joints or muscles which are over solicited suffer from repetition motion syndromes A method and a device using a specific mechanical stimulation (SMS) at an articulated body joint to facilitate or to inhibit the reflex response of the associated muscles, thus preventing these muscles from being over solicited or enabling them to relax is described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,769,810 granted to Brossard on Jun. 23, 1998.
The prior art teaches that the natural reflex mechanism of muscles associated with articulating joints such as the wrist, ankle and lumbar spine is guided by the respective mechano-receptors of these muscles. It was described that a light SMS pressure intensity (≲200 mmHg) stimulates only skin mechano-receptors (such as the Pacinian corpuscles) of the wrist ankle and lumbar spine joints, hence facilitating the reflex response of the muscles associated with these joints, improving the efficiency thereof On the contrary, a high SMS pressure intensity (≳400 mmHg) stimulates the above mentioned skin mechano-receptors and deeper joint mechano-receptors (such as Golgi tendons) of the wrist, ankle and lumbar spine joints to Inhibit the reflex response (reduction of the reflex response) of the respective muscles, thereby relaxing these muscles. Furthermore, it was observed that a medium pressure intensity (>200 mmHg but <400 mmHg) has substantially no effect. The information from the mechano-receptors is transmitted to many levels of the central nervous system. Mainly, the information from the mechano-receptors is transmitted to the spinal cord and brain. As the information is transmitted to the spinal cord, it influences the motor reflexes. Being transmitted to the brain it also influences central control of the joint movements.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,769,810 describes generally hemispherical pressure-applying protuberances for applyying either a low or high SMS pressure to specific external areas of the wrist, ankle and lumbar spine joints. These specific external areas correspond to the mechano-receptors, These pressure-applying members are mounted to support members adapted to be mounted to the wrist, ankle and lumbar spine joints.
The limitation with the prior art is that there are variations in distance between the body joint and the respective support member during certain articulating movements. These articulating movements further cause movements of the pressure-applying protuberance, causing variations in the SMS pressure intensity applied to the stimulated area(s). The disadvantages are that these variations sometimes fall within the middle pressure intensity (>200 mmHg but <400 mmHg) or that the protuberance Is no longer engaging the stimulated area, nullifying the effect of the prior art device.
OBJECTS OF THE INVENTION
The general object of the present invention is to obviate the above-mentioned disadvantages
Another object of the invention is to provide a device capable of continuously applying specific mechanical stimulation (SMS) to an articulated body joint during articulating movements of this joint.
A further object of the present invention is to provide a pressure-applying device comprising a pressure-applying body that can be mounted or integrated to a variety of support members adapted to be mounted to the wrist, ankle and lumbar spine joints.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
More particularly, in accordance with the present invention, there is provided a device for controlling the reflex response of a muscle or muscular group articulating a joint of a living body, the living body having mechano-receptors guiding a natural reflex mechanism of the muscle or muscular group. This device comprising:
a support member mounted to the joint of the living body;
a pressure-applying member mounted on the support member for applying pressure to an external area of the joint which corresponds to the mechano-receptors, submitting the mechano-receptors to a pressure intensity adequate to facilitate or inhibit the reflex response of the muscle or muscular group; and
a resilient member interposed between the support member and the pressure-applying member. This resilient member is deformable to compensate for variations of a distance between the support member and the external area during articulation movements of the joint and thereby enable the pressure-applying member to continuously submit the mechano-receptors to the pressure intensity.
In accordance with preferred embodiments:
the resilient member comprises a platform and an arm extending therefrom, the arm has a free end carrying the pressure applying member and the platform, the arm and the pressure-applying member are made of a single piece of resilient material;
the resilient member comprises a receptacle including resilient material, and the pressure-applying member comprises an arm mounted in the receptacle, the resilient material being deformable to bias the arm away from the receptacle;
the receptacle is substantially resilient and the arm is substantially rigid and the receptacle and arm have respective mutually mating arm-receiving and receptacle-engaging portions for preventing the arm from being disassociated from the receptacle;
the resilient member comprises a receptacle with a hole therein, the pressure-applying member is mounted to a first end of an arm, the arm is slidably mounted in the hole of the receptacle for longitudinal movement therein, a spring carried by the arm, between the receptacle and the pressure-applying member, to spring-bias the arm and the pressure-applying member away from the receptacle, a stopper is carried by a second end of the arm and the stopper abuts against the receptacle to prevent the arm from being disassociated from the receptacle; and
the pressure-applying member is a generally spherical-shaped protuberance.
In accordance with another preferred embodiment of the present invention:
the mechano receptors comprise skin mechano-receptors and the support and resilient members comprise means for applying the pressure-applying member to the external area to submit the mechano-receptors to a light pressure intensity ≲200 mmHg for stimulating only the skin mechano-receptors and thereby increasing the reflex response of the muscle or muscular group; and
the mechano-receptors comprise deeper joint mechano-receptors including at least one Golgi tendon, and the support and resilient members comprising means for applying the pressure-applying member to the area to submit the mechano-receptors to a high pressure intensity ≳400 mmHg for stimulating the joint mechano-receptors and thereby inhibiting the reflex response of the muscle or muscular group.
When the joint of the living body is a wrist joint the support member may comprise a wrist band with the pressure-applying and resilient members mounted thereto to apply pressure to the area of the dorsal radiocarpal ligament. Preferably, the wrist band comprises a main body and a fastener portion. The main body has one side facing the external area of the dorsal radiocarpal ligament, and the pressure applying and resilient members are enclosed within the main body with the pressure-applying member directed towards the side of the main body facing the external area.
When the joint of the living body is an ankle joint, the support member may comprise an ankle band or footwear with the pressure-applying and resilient members mounted thereon or in the latter case integrated thereto to apply pressure to the
Birch & Stewart Kolasch & Birch, LLP
Kirax International Inc.
Lewis Kim M.
LandOfFree
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