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US 2014/0173817 A1Published application
Cervical spine protection apparatus and methods of use
AssigneeDrexel University
InventorsSORIN SIEGLER, MARY MILONE, YOGANAND GHATI
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Abstract
The invention is directed to a cervical spine protection apparatus one or more composite bands attached to provide restraint of one or more motions of the cervical spine of a wearer. The apparatus is designed to protect a wearer from incurring cervical spinal injuries, and/or to reduce the severity of cervical spine injuries without substantially compromising the normal functional range of motion of the wearer's cervical spine.
Claims21
1-21. (canceled)
A protection apparatus to be worn by a wearer comprising:
- (i) a composite band, wherein the composite band comprises:
- (A) an elastic band having a modulus of elasticity of from about 20 psi to about 30,000 psi;
- (B) a second band having a substantially higher modulus of elasticity;
- and
- (C) a non-solid viscous material positioned relative to the elastic band and second band to enable dampening of movement of the composite band;
- and
- (ii) a structure selected from the group consisting of a brace, shoulder pads and a platform, attached to a proximal portion of the composite band,
- (iii) whereby there is sufficient slack in said second band to permit said elastic band to stretch a distance which corresponds to a desired range of motion for the wearer of the composite band,
- (iv) wherein the protection apparatus is at least part of protective sports or athletic gear.
6 more elements
A protection apparatus to be worn by a wearer comprising:
- an elastic band having a modulus of elasticity of from about 20 psi to about 30,000 psi and having a sufficient length to permit the elastic band to stretch at least a distance which corresponds to a desired range of motion for the wearer of said protection apparatus;
- a second band having a substantially higher modulus of elasticity than the modulus of elasticity of the elastic band and wherein the second band is adapted to be operatively associated with said elastic band in a manner whereby said second band provides increased resistance at an extreme position of the desired range of motion for the wearer;
- and
- a non-solid viscous material positioned relative to the elastic band and second band to enable dampening of movement of the composite band;
- and
- wherein the protection apparatus is at least part of protective sports or athletic gear.
3 more elements
A protection apparatus to be worn by a wearer comprising:
- (i) a composite band, wherein the composite band comprises:
- (A) an elastic band having a modulus of elasticity of from about 20 psi to about 30,000 psi, and
- (B) a second band having a substantially higher modulus of elasticity;
- and
- (ii) a structure, mountable onto shoulders of the wearer, to which a proximal portion of the composite band is removably fastened;
- (iii) wherein there is sufficient slack in said second band to permit said elastic band to stretch a distance which corresponds to a desired range of motion for the wearer of the composite band;
- and
- (iv) wherein the protection apparatus is at least part of protective sports or athletic gear.
5 more elements
A protection apparatus to be worn by a wearer comprising:
- an elastic band having a modulus of elasticity of from about 20 psi to about 30,000 psi;
- and
- a second band having a substantially higher modulus of elasticity than the modulus of elasticity of the elastic band and wherein the second band is adapted to be operatively associated with said elastic band in a manner whereby said second band provides increased resistance at an extreme position of the desired range of motion for the wearer;
- and
- wherein at least one of said elastic band and said second band is fastened to the wearer at a first point of attachment, and at least one of said elastic band and said second band is attached to the wearer at a second point of attachment for limiting a range of motion of the wearer;
- and
- wherein the protection apparatus is at least part of protective sports or athletic gear.
4 more elements
A protection apparatus to be worn by a wearer comprising:
- (i) a composite band, wherein the composite band comprises:
- (A) an elastic band having a modulus of elasticity of from about 20 psi to about 30,000 psi,
- (B) a second band having a substantially higher modulus of elasticity, and
- (C) a solid viscous material that dampens movement of the composite band;
- and
- (ii) a structure, mountable onto shoulders of the wearer, to which a proximal portion of the composite band is removably fastened;
- and
- (iii) wherein there is sufficient slack in said second band to permit said elastic band to stretch a distance which corresponds to a desired range of motion for the wearer of the composite band, and the solid viscous material comprises a viscous silly putty material;
- and
- (iv) wherein the protection apparatus is at least part of protective sports or athletic gear.
7 more elements
A spinal protection apparatus comprising:
- a composite band comprising:
- an elastic band having a modulus of elasticity of from about 20 psi to about 30,000 psi;
- and
- a substantially non-extendable band having a modulus of elasticity of from about 400,000 psi to about 7,500,000 psi attached to said elastic band in a manner whereby in a rest position of said composite band there is sufficient slack in said substantially non-extendable band to permit said elastic band to stretch a distance which defines a range of motion for a wearer of said composite band;
- and
- wherein the spinal protection apparatus is at least part of protective sports or athletic gear.
3 more elements
A method for spinal stabilization comprising the steps of:
- providing at least one composite band comprising an elastic band having a modulus of elasticity of from about 20 psi to about 30,000 psi, and a substantially non-extendable band having a modulus of elasticity of from about 400,000 psi to about 7,500,000 psi that is attached to the elastic band;
- and
- attaching the at least one composite band to first and second attachment structures located at different positions along a spine in a manner whereby, in a rest position of the attached composite band there is sufficient slack in the substantially non-extendable band to permit the elastic band to stretch a distance which defines a range of motion along a longitudinal axis of the elastic band for a wearer of the composite band;
- wherein the first and second attachment structures are at least part of protective sports or athletic gear.
1 more element
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.