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US 12,150,881 B2Granted
Apparatus for protecting finger, thumb, and hand
OwnerKenny Chidozie Anunikeinventor
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A finger brace device is disclosed herein. The finger brace device can comprise a first hinge component configured to connect a proximal component configured to fit around at least a first portion of a finger near a wrist, to an intermediate component located at a central portion of the apparatus, wherein the proximal component is located at a lateral portion of the apparatus. Also disclosed is a second hinge component configured to connect the intermediate component of the apparatus to a distal component. Furthermore, a ball and socket joint is configured to allow a broad range of motion between the proximal component of the apparatus and the plate component.
Claims20
An apparatus comprising:
- a ball joint proximal component connected to an intermediate component via a first hinge component,
- wherein a peg receiving portion extends from an end portion of the ball joint proximal component, and wherein a rod portion connected to a ball portion protrudes from another end portion of the ball joint proximal component;
- a distal component connected to the intermediate component via a second hinge component,
- a hand plate component comprising five socket portions;
- wherein five ball portions of five ball joint proximal components are configured to integrate with the five socket portions of the hand plate component configured to sit on a back portion of a user hand and allow for a three sixty degree pivoting motion of the five ball portions within the five socket portions respectively, wherein the hand plate component is configured as a stable anchor for the ball joint proximal component, wherein the five ball portions interlocked with the five socket portions are configured to inhibit a flexion of a user finger beyond a hyperextension range of motion,
- wherein the peg receiving portion is a first pivot element of the first hinge component,
- wherein a rounded semicircle outer edge of the peg receiving portion circumscribes a first peg protruding from the intermediate component,
- wherein the first peg is a second pivot element of the first hinge component,
- wherein a three-sided plate component protrudes from a side portion of the intermediate component,
- wherein the intermediate component comprises a first dome-shaped top portion configured to connect first side portions of the intermediate component,
- wherein the first dome-shaped top portion comprises a first outer edge wall,
- wherein the distal component comprises a second dome-shaped top portion configured to connect second side portions of the distal component,
- wherein the second dome-shaped top portion comprises a second outer edge wall
- wherein the first hinge component is a connection junction between the first peg of the intermediate component and the peg receiving portion of the ball joint proximal component,
- wherein the ball joint proximal component is configured to at least partially encase a bottom segment of the user finger, wherein the intermediate component is configured to at least partially encase a middle segment of the user finger,
- wherein the first hinge component is configured to:
- restrict a first bending motion beyond a first defined degree of bend based on an impact between the three-sided plate component and the rounded semicircle outer edge, wherein the first bending motion conforms to a first joint movement between the bottom segment and the middle segment of the user finger;
- and
- wherein the second hinge component is another connection junction between a second peg of the distal component and another peg receiving portion of the intermediate component,
- wherein the distal component is configured to at least partially encase a tip segment of the user finger, and
- wherein the second hinge is configured to:
- restrict a second bending motion beyond a second defined degree of bend based on an impact between the first outer edge wall and the second outer edge wall, wherein the second bending motion conforms to a second joint movement between the tip segment of the user finger and the middle segment of the user finger.
19 more elements
A method comprising:
- providing an apparatus comprising:
- a ball joint proximal component of a finger brace apparatus connected to an intermediate component of the finger brace apparatus via a first hinge component;
- wherein a peg receiving portion extends from an end portion of the ball joint proximal component, and wherein a rod portion connected to a ball portion protrudes from another end portion of the ball joint proximal component;
- a distal component of the finger brace apparatus connected to the intermediate component via a second hinge component;
- a hand plate component comprising five socket portions;
- wherein five ball portions of five ball joint proximal components are configured to integrate with the five socket portions of the hand plate component configured to sit on a back portion of a user hand and allow for a three sixty degree pivoting motion of the five ball portions within the five socket portions respectively, wherein the hand plate component is configured as a stable anchor for the ball joint proximal component, wherein the five ball portions interlocked with the five socket portions are configured to inhibit a flexion of a user finger beyond a hyperextension range of motion;
- connecting the ball joint proximal component to the intermediate component via the first hinge component;
- and
- connecting the intermediate component to the distal component via the second hinge component;
- wherein the peg receiving portion is a first pivot element of the first hinge component,
- wherein a rounded semicircle outer edge of the peg receiving portion circumscribes a first peg protruding from the intermediate component,
- wherein the first peg is a second pivot element of the first hinge component,
- wherein a three-sided plate component protrudes from a side portion of the intermediate component,
- wherein the intermediate component comprises a first dome-shaped top portion configured to connect first side portions of the intermediate component,
- wherein the first dome-shaped top portion comprises a first outer edge wall,
- wherein the distal component comprises a second dome-shaped top portion configured to connect second side portions of the distal component,
- wherein the second dome-shaped top portion comprises a second outer edge wall,
- wherein the first hinge component is a connection junction between the first peg of the intermediate component and the peg receiving portion of the ball joint proximal component,
- wherein the ball joint proximal component is configured to at least partially encase a bottom segment of a finger, wherein the intermediate component is configured to at least partially encase a middle segment of the users finger,
- wherein the first hinge component is configured to:
- restrict a first bending motion beyond a first defined degree of bend based on an impact between the three-sided plate component and the rounded semicircle outer edge, wherein the first bending motion conforms to a first joint movement between the bottom segment and the middle segment of the users finger;
- and
- wherein the second hinge component is another connection junction between a second peg of the distal component and another peg receiving portion of the intermediate component,
- wherein the distal component is configured to at least partially encase a tip segment of the users finger, and
- wherein the second hinge is configured to:
- restrict a second bending motion beyond a second defined degree of bend based on an impact between the first outer edge wall and the second outer edge wall, wherein the second bending motion conforms to a second joint movement between the tip segment of the users finger and the middle segment of the users finger.
23 more elements
A method comprising:
- providing an apparatus comprising:
- a ball joint proximal component of a finger brace apparatus connected to an intermediate component of the finger brace apparatus via a first hinge component;
- wherein a peg receiving portion extends from an end portion of the ball joint proximal component, and wherein a rod portion connected to a ball portion protrudes from another end portion of the ball joint proximal component;
- a distal component of the finger brace apparatus connected to the intermediate component via a second hinge component;
- a hand plate component comprising five socket portions;
- wherein five ball portions of five ball joint proximal components are configured to integrate with the five socket portions of the hand plate component configured to sit on a back portion of a user hand and allow for a three sixty degree pivoting motion of the five ball portions within the five socket portions respectively, wherein the hand plate component is configured as a stable anchor for the ball joint proximal component, wherein the five ball portions interlocked with the five socket portions are configured to inhibit a flexion of a user finger beyond a hyperextension range of motion;
- connecting the ball joint proximal component of the finger brace apparatus to the intermediate component of the finger brace apparatus using the first hinge component comprising a first pair of revolute joint hinges;
- and
- connecting the intermediate component to the distal component of the finger brace apparatus using the second hinge component that is a second pair of revolute joint hinges;
- and
- affixing a three-sided plate component to a first outer edge wall of the intermediate component and adjacent to a first revolute joint hinge of the first pair of revolute joint hinges;
- wherein the peg receiving portion is a first pivot element of the first hinge component,
- wherein a rounded semicircle outer edge of the peg receiving portion circumscribes a first peg protruding from the intermediate component,
- wherein the first peg is a second pivot element of the first hinge component,
- wherein a three-sided plate component protrudes from a side portion of the intermediate component,
- wherein the intermediate component comprises a first dome-shaped top portion configured to connect first side portions of the intermediate component,
- wherein the first dome-shaped top portion comprises a first outer edge wall,
- wherein the distal component comprises a second dome-shaped top portion configured to connect second side portions of the distal component,
- wherein the second dome-shaped top portion comprises a second outer edge wall,
- wherein the first hinge component is a connection junction between the first peg of the intermediate component and the peg receiving portion of the ball joint proximal component,
- wherein the ball joint proximal component is configured to at least partially encase a bottom segment of a finger, wherein the intermediate component is configured to at least partially encase a middle segment of the users finger,
- wherein the first hinge component is configured to:
- restrict a first bending motion beyond a first defined degree of bend based on an impact between the three-sided plate component and the rounded semicircle outer edge, wherein the first bending motion conforms to a first joint movement between the bottom segment and the middle segment of the users finger;
- and
- wherein the second hinge component is another connection junction between a second peg of the distal component and another peg receiving portion of the intermediate component,
- wherein the distal component is configured to at least partially encase a tip segment of the users finger, and
- wherein the second hinge is configured to:
- restrict a second bending motion beyond a second defined degree of bend based on an impact between the first outer edge wall and the second outer edge wall, wherein the second bending motion conforms to a second joint movement between the tip segment of the users finger and the middle segment of the users finger.
25 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.