Soft-goods type, custom "in situ" formable back support

A custom in situ formable back support comprising:

• a lower rear component including a water impervious sealed enclosure containing a gas or liquid permeable matrix impregnated with an activatable, hardenable material, said lower rear component adapted to generally extend along the lower back region of a patient;
• an upper rear component including a water impervious sealed enclosure containing a gas or liquid permeable matrix impregnated with an activatable, hardenable material, said upper rear component adapted to generally extend along the middle back region below the shoulder of a patient;
• a pair of support struts adapted to extend along opposite sides of a patient's spine;
• said struts being mounted to said upper and lower components respectively;
• fastening means for releasably coupling said lower rear component and said upper rear components to a patient's back;
• and
• at least one inlet port on each of said components for introducing liquid into said water impervious sealed enclosures to activate the activatable, hardenable material contained therein;
• whereby said back support may be coupled on the back of a patient and subsequently activated to maintain the desired configuration of said lower and upper rear components.

An orthopaedic soft-goods "in situ" formable neck support assembly comprising:

• a front component generally dimensioned to extend circumferentially around the chin and the front of a patient's neck;
• a rear component generally dimensioned to extend circumferentially around the back of a patient's neck;
• fastening means for releasably coupling said front and rear components together;
• a water impervious sealed enclosure containing a gas or liquid permeable matrix impregnated with an activatable, hardenable material included within at least one of said front and rear components;
• and
• means for introducing liquid into said water impervious sealed enclosure to activate said activatable, hardenable material contained therein:
• whereby said orthopaedic neck support may be mounted about the chin and neck of a patient and subsequently activated to maintain the desired configuration of said neck support.

A custom in situ formable back support comprising:

• a front component generally dimensioned for application to a patient's front torso;
• a rear component generally dimensioned for application to a patient's back;
• fastening means for releasably coupling said front and rear components to a patient's torso;
• a matrix impregnated with an activatable, hardenable material contained within a water impervious sealed enclosure included within said rear component;
• means for activating said activatable, hardenable material contained within said water impervious sealed enclosure;
• whereby said back support may be coupled on the torso of a patient and subsequently activated to maintain the desired configuration of said rear component;
• a pair of rear support struts having upper and lower ends and adapted to extend generally along opposite sides of the spine, said lower ends mounted to said rear component;
• at least one front strut having upper and lower ends and adapted to extend generally along the sternum, said lower end mounted to said front component;
• a chin support connected to the upper end of said front strut and adapted to extend along the chin and at least a portion of the jaw;
• a rear skull component mounted to the upper ends of said rear support struts and adapted to provide support to the lower rear skull region of a patient, said rear skull component including a water impervious sealed enclosure containing a matrix impregnated with an activatable, hardenable material;
• and
• a pair of jaw support connecting members connected to and extending between said chin support and said rear skull component.

A custom in situ formable back support comprising:

• a front component generally dimensioned fox application to a patient's front torso;
• a rear component generally dimensioned for application to a patient's back;
• fastening means for releasably coupling said front and rear components to a patient's torso;
• a matrix impregnated with an activatable, hardenable material contained within said water impervious sealed enclosure;
• whereby said back support may be coupled on the torso of a patient and subsequently activated to maintain the desired configuration of said rear component;
• and
• wherein said rear component is comprised of a plurality of component panels coupled together with interposed elasticized material, each of said component panels including a water impervious sealed enclosure containing a matrix impregnated with an activatable, hardenable material.

A custom in situ formable back support comprising:

• a front component generally dimensioned for application to a patient's front torso;
• a rear component generally dimensioned for application to a patient's back;
• fastening means for releasably coupling said front and rear components to a patient's torso;
• a matrix impregnated with an activatable, hardenable material contained within a water impervious sealed enclosure included within said rear component;
• means for activating said activatable, hardenable material contained within said water impervious sealed enclosure;
• whereby said back support may be coupled on the torso of a patient and subsequently activated to maintain the desired configuration of said rear component;
• and
• wherein said rear component is comprised of a plurality of detachably securable component panels, each of said component panels including a water impervious sealed enclosure containing a matrix impregnated with an activatable, hardenable material.

A custom in situ formable back support comprising:

• a rear component generally dimensioned for application to a substantial portion of a patient's back, said rear component including a water impervious sealed enclosure containing a matrix impregnated with an activatable, hardenable material;
• a plurality of belt members coupled to said rear component and extending generally circumferentially around the sides and front of the torso;
• means for introducing liquid into said water impervious sealed enclosure to activate said activatable, hardenable material contained therein;
• and
• a front apron component, said front apron component being detachably coupled to said plurality of belt members and securable on the front of the torso, and said front apron including a water impervious sealed enclosure containing a matrix impregnated with an activatable, hardenable material.

A custom in situ formable back support comprising:

• a rear component generally dimensioned for application to a substantial portion of a patient's back, said rear component including a water impervious sealed enclosure containing a matrix impregnated with an activatable, hardenable material;
• a plurality of belt members coupled to said rear component and extending generally circumferentially around the sides and front of the torso;
• and
• means for introducing liquid into said water impervious sealed enclosure to activate said activatable, hardenable material contained therein;
• wherein said rear component is comprised of a plurality of component panels, each of said component panels including a water impervious sealed enclosure containing a matrix impregnated with an activatable, hardenable material, and said component panels being coupled together with interposed elasticized material.

A custom in situ formable back support comprising:

• a rear component generally dimensioned for application to a substantial portion of a patient's back, said rear component including a water impervious sealed enclosure containing a matrix impregnated with an activatable, hardenable material;
• a plurality of belt members coupled to said rear component and extending generally circumferentially around the sides and front of the torso;
• and
• means for introducing liquid into said water impervious sealed enclosure to activate said activatable, hardenable material contained therein;
• wherein said rear component is comprised of a plurality of detachably securable component panels, each of said component panels including a water impervious sealed enclosure containing a matrix impregnated with an activatable, hardenable material.

A custom in situ formable back support comprising:

• a rear component generally dimensioned for application to a substantial portion of a patient's back, said rear component including a water impervious sealed enclosure containing a matrix impregnated with an activatable, hardenable material;
• a plurality of belt members coupled to said rear component and extending generally circumferentially around the sides and front of the torso;
• means for introducing liquid into said water impervious sealed enclosure to activate said activatable, hardenable material contained therein;
• and
• wherein said means for introducing liquid into said water impervious sealed enclosure include at least one inlet port provided on said rear component for introducing liquid to said activatable, hardenable material.