# US 2018/0021162 A1 · Protective limb brace > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 2018/0021162 A1 - Document ID: US20180021162A1 - Status: Published application - Kind: A1 - Application number: 15/548,644 - Filed: 2016-02-03 - Published: 2018-01-25 - Earliest claimed: 2015-02-03 - Inventors: Scott BLACKBURN; Charles BRUNNTHALER - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20180021162A1 ## CPC - A61F 5/05825: {Strips of substantially planar form} - A61F 5/05841: {for the limbs (A61F5/05816, A61F5/05833 take precedence)} - A61F 5/0585: {for the legs (toe correcting devices A61F5/019)} - A61F 5/05858: {for the arms (restraining devices, e.g. slings A61F5/37)} - A61F: FILTERS IMPLANTABLE INTO BLOOD VESSELS; PROSTHESES; DEVICES PROVIDING PATENCY TO, OR PREVENTING COLLAPSING OF, TUBULAR STRUCTURES OF THE BODY, e.g. STENTS; ORTHOPAEDIC, NURSING OR CONTRACEPTIVE DEVICES; FOMENTATION; TREATMENT OR PROTECTION OF EYES OR EARS; BANDAGES, DRESSINGS OR ABSORBENT PADS; FIRST-AID KITS (dental prosthetics A61C) ## Abstract A portable splint assembly for fixation to a limb. The splint assembly comprises at least one elongated member having first and second fee ends; and at least one fastener which enables fastening of the splint to a limb. The at least one elongated member has a long axis along its longitudinal extent extending between the free ends and at least one transverse shorter axis. The elongated member is resiliently deformable to allow folding and/or or rolling about at least one said axes. The least one elongated member moves between a first state in which the elongated member is completely folded and/or rolled up and a second state in which the at least one elongated member is unfolded and/or unrolled to enable working engagement with a limb. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A portable splint assembly for fixation to a limb; the splint assembly comprising at least one elongated member having first and second free ends; and at least one fastener which enables fastening of the splint to a limb; wherein the at least one elongated member has a long axis along its longitudinal extent extending between said free ends and at least one transverse shorter axis; and wherein the elongated member is resiliency deformable to allow folding and/or or rolling about at least one said axes. ### Claim 2 (depends on 2) A splint assembly according to claim 2 wherein the at least one elongated member moves between a first state in which the elongated member is completely folded or rolled up and a second state in which the at least one elongated member is unfolded or unrolled to enable working engagement with a limb. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) A splint assembly according to claim 2 wherein the at least one elongated member is foldable about long and shorter transverse axes ### Claim 4 (depends on 3) A splint assembly according to claim 3 wherein the at least one elongated member has multiple fold lines disposed transversely to a longitudinal axis. ### Claim 5 (depends on 4) A splint assembly according to claim 4 wherein the at least one elongated member has at least one longitudinal fold line about which the elongated member is folded. ### Claim 6 (depends on 5) A splint assembly according to claim 5 wherein the elongated member comprises a plurality of struts. ### Claim 7 (depends on 6) A splint assembly according to claim 6 wherein the plurality of struts are connected by fastening straps which secure the struts against a limb. ### Claim 8 (depends on 7) A splint assembly according to claim 7 wherein opposing ends of each fastening strap overlap and engage by a releaseable connection. ### Claim 9 (depends on 8) A splint assembly according to claim 8 wherein hoop tension is generated about the limb when each fastening strap is secured. ### Claim 10 (depends on 9) A splint assembly according to claim 9 wherein the hoop tension is adjustable by adjusting an extent of overlap of the ends of the fasteners. ### Claim 11 (depends on 10) A splint assembly according to claim 10 wherein the fasteners are formed from a flexible material which is capable of conformity to a variety of limb sizes and shapes. ### Claim 12 (depends on 11) A splint assembly according to claim 11 wherein the assembly when unfolded comprises a plurality of parallel and spaced apart struts connected by a plurality of transversely disposed fastening members. ### Claim 13 (depends on 12) A splint assembly according to claim 12 wherein extremities of each fastener extend beyond the outermost of the parallel struts. ### Claim 14 (depends on 13) A splint assembly according to claim 13 wherein the transversely disposed fasteners are spaced apart along the longitudinal extent of the struts. ### Claim 15 (depends on 14) A splint assembly according to claim 14 wherein the fasteners engage via hook and loop connection. ### Claim 16 (depends on 15) A splint assembly according to claim 15 wherein the elongated member is capable of being rolled up about an axis transverse to a longitudinal axis of the elongated member. ### Claim 17 (depends on 16) A splint assembly according to claim 16 wherein fasteners are tied around the rolled up elongated member to secure the elongated member in its rolled up form. ### Claim 18 (depends on 17) A splint assembly according to claim 17 wherein the elongated member is foldable multiple times about at least one long fold line and multiple times about transverse fold lines. ### Claim 19 (depends on 5) A splint assembly according to claim 5 wherein the elongated member is formed from a planar sheet of flexible material which is resiliently deformable. ### Claim 20 (depends on 19) A splint assembly according to claim 19 wherein the planar sheet includes a plurality of fold lines, at least one of which runs longitudinally along a long dimension and at east one of which runs transverse across a shorter dimension. ### Claim 21 (depends on 20) A splint assembly according to claim 20 wherein the planar sheet when partially unfolded defines a space which forms a saddle and receives and retains a limb. ### Claim 22 (depends on 21) A splint assembly according to claim 21 wherein the space is formed by folding opposing edges of the planar sheet inwardly toward each other about one or more of the long fold lines. ### Claim 23 (depends on 22) A splint assembly according to claim 22 wherein the elongated member includes associated therewith at least one fastening strap. ### Claim 24 (depends on 23) A splint assembly according to claim 23 wherein when the assembly is fully folded, its outside dimensions are at least 50% less than outside dimensions of the elongated member when fully unfolded. ### Claim 25 (depends on 24) A splint assembly according to claim 24 wherein when folded the planar member is secured and retained in the folded state by at least one of said fasteners. ### Claim 26 (depends on 25) A splint assembly according to claim 25 wherein the fasteners wrap about the outside of the folded planar member when the assembly is fully folded. ### Claim 27 (depends on 26) A splint assembly according to claim 26 wherein the elongated member includes a plurality of slots which receive and releasably retain cooperating tabs which align with the slots. ### Claim 28 (depends on 27) A splint assembly according to claim 27 wherein when the tabs engage the slots, the splint defines an internal space which accommodates a limb of a patient. ### Claim 29 (depends on 28) A splint assembly according to claim 28 wherein, the splint includes at least one retaining clamp which each retain a cooperating fastening strap. ### Claim 30 (depends on 29) A splint assembly according to claim 29 wherein, each said retaining clamp is securely attached to a wall of the splint and includes a hook which receives and retains an end of the fastener. ### Claim 31 (depends on 30) A splint assembly according to claim 30 wherein, each fastening strap terminates in an end which includes openings which oppose corresponding openings in the splint to facilitate anchorage to a wall of the splint. ### Claim 32 (depends on 31) A splint assembly according to claim 31 wherein, the retaining clamp includes tabs which penetrate respective openings in the fastener and a wall of the splint to effect said anchorage. ### Claim 33 (depends on 32) A splint assembly according to claim 32 wherein, the retaining clamps each includes hook formations which retain the fasteners to secure a limb. ### Claim 34 (depends on 33) A splint assembly according to claim 33 wherein the hook formations each receive an opposite end of one said straps to retain winding tension about the splint. ### Claim 35 (depends on 34) A splint assembly according to claim 34 wherein, the internal space defines one of a channel, half cylindrical dome, circle, rectangle, U shape. ### Claim 36 (depends on 35) A splint assembly according to claim 35 wherein the splint is manufactured from a plastics material. ### Claim 37 (depends on 32) A splint assembly according to claim 32 wherein, the splint includes edge cuts which enable releasable engagement and disengagement of the fastening straps.