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US 10,238,520 B2Granted
Adjustable brace
Assignee3D Systems, Inc.
InventorsScott Summit, Kenneth B Trauner
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
An adjustable brace includes a first portion for supporting one surface of a patient and a plurality of adjustable portions that allow the internal cross section of the brace to be adjusted. When a limb is injured, a patient may have a swollen limb and the adjustable brace can be set to a large cross section. As the limb heals, the swelling decreases and the limb cross section also decreases due to atrophy. The adjustable couplings are adjusted to reduce the cross section to properly fit the limb of the patient and provide proper protection and support during the healing process.
Claims13
An adjustable brace comprising:
- a first rigid portion for supporting a first surface of a limb;
- an adjustable portion that is coupled to the first rigid portion for supporting an injured portion of the limb that is opposite the first surface of the limb;
- and
- adjustable couplings having a first plurality of fingers attached to the first rigid portion and a second plurality of fingers attached to the adjustable portion wherein the first plurality of fingers attached to the first rigid portion overlap and are offset from the second plurality of fingers attached to the adjustable portion;
- a locking mechanism for securing an elongated structure within a plurality of slots or holes formed in the first plurality of fingers attached to the first rigid portion and the second plurality of fingers attached to the adjustable portion to prevent a patient from adjusting the adjustable brace;
- wherein the first rigid portion inherently holds inner surfaces of the first rigid portion in a first shape that corresponds to a digital representation of the first surface of the limb and inner surfaces of the adjustable portion are adjustable to fit closely against the second surface of the limb in a swollen state and adjustable to fit closely against the second surface of the limb in a normal unswollen state and the first rigid portion and the adjustable portion are made entirely of a plastic material.
3 more elements
An adjustable brace comprising:
- a first rigid portion for supporting a first surface of a limb;
- an adjustable portion that is coupled to the first rigid portion for supporting a second surface of the limb that is opposite the first surface of the limb;
- and
- adjustable couplings having a first plurality of fingers attached to the first rigid portion and a second plurality of fingers attached to the adjustable portion wherein the first plurality of fingers attached to the first rigid portion overlap and are offset from the second plurality of fingers attached to the adjustable portion;
- wherein the first rigid portion inherently holds inner surfaces of the first rigid portion in a first shape that corresponds to a digital representation of the first surface of the limb and the adjustable portion inherently holds inner surfaces of the adjustable portion in a second shape that corresponds to a digital representation of the second surface of the limb and the first rigid portion and the adjustable portion are made entirely of a plastic material;
- a locking mechanism for securing an elongated structure within a plurality of slots or holes formed in the first plurality of fingers attached to the first rigid portion and the second plurality of fingers attached to the adjustable portion to prevent a patient from adjusting the adjustable brace.
3 more elements
An adjustable brace comprising:
- a first rigid portion for supporting a first surface of a limb;
- an adjustable portion that is coupled to the first rigid portion for supporting a second surface of the limb that is opposite the first surface of the limb;
- and
- adjustable couplings having a first finger attached to the first rigid portion and a second finger attached to the adjustable portion wherein the first finger overlaps and is offset from the second finger;
- a locking mechanism for securing an elongated structure within a plurality of slots or holes formed in the first finger and the second finger to prevent a patient from adjusting the adjustable brace;
- wherein the first rigid portion inherently holds inner surfaces of the first rigid portion in a first shape that corresponds to a digital representation of the first surface of the limb and the adjustable portion inherently holds inner surfaces of the adjustable portion in a second shape that corresponds to a digital representation of the second surface of the limb and the first rigid portion and the adjustable portion are made entirely of a plastic material.
3 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.