US 6,547,752 B2 · Orthotic device for treating contractures of either hand

Abstract

A universal hand orthotic device is provided for treating contractures in a patient's left or right hand. The device comprises a bendable metal splint having a central, wrist support region with a hand support region projecting sidewardly from an upper end of the central region. Ears projecting to opposite sides of a lower end of the splint central region are bendable to fit the splint at least partially around a patient's left or right wrist according to intended use of the device. The splint is installed between relatively soft plastic foam pads. The padded splint is received into a padded mitt at least hand regions of which are formed of a smooth, non-irritating fabric. Straps attached to the mitt enable its releasable attachment to a patient's wrist and hand. A plurality of resilient cylinders of increasing diameters detachably attach to a mitt finger-grip region.

Drawings

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Drawings

Claims26

Dependent claims

A universal orthotic device for treating contractures of either a patient's left hand or right hand, said universal hand orthotic device comprising:

a. a manually bendable single piece solid, flat splint element having an elongate central, wrist support region with an elongate slender hand support region projecting sidewardly from an upper end of said central region at an angle, α, of between about 75 and 80 degrees relative to a longitudinal axis of said central region, a first ear projecting outwardly relative to said longitudinal axis to one side of a lower end of said central region and a second ear projecting outwardly relative to said longitudinal axis to an opposite side of the lower end of said central region, said first and second ears being manually bendable relative to said central region to configure said splint element to fit at least partially around either a patient's left wrist or a patient's right wrist according to the intended use of said device;
b. a padded fabric mitt configured for receiving said splint element, said mitt having a hand region and including closure means for retaining the splint element in the mitt;
and
c. at least one strap attached to said fabric mitt for enabling the releasable attachment of the mitt to a patient's wrist and hand.

1 more element

A universal hand orthotic device for treating contractures in either a patient's left hand or right hand, said universal hand orthotic device comprising:

a. a bendable solid, flat splint element formed having an elongate central, wrist support region with an elongate hand support region projecting sidewardly from an upper end of said central region at an angle between about 75 and about 80 degrees, relative to a longitudinal axis of said central region, a first ear projecting outwardly relative to said longitudinal axis to one side of a lower end of said central region and a second ear projecting outwardly relative to said longitudinal axis to an opposite side of the lower end of said central region, said first and second ears each including an enlarged outboard end region joined to said central region by a necked-down region having a width parallel to said central region longitudinal axis of between about 0.5 inch and about 0.75 inch, and each being manually bendable relative to said central region to configure said splint element to fit at least partially around either a patient's left wrist or a patient's right wrist according to the intended use of said device;
b. first and second, relatively soft flat pads, said splint element being disposed between said first and second pads to thereby form a padded splint assembly, said first and second pads being contoured to generally follow the shape of the splint element;
c. a padded fabric mitt configured for receiving said padded splint assembly, said mitt having a hand region and including closure means for retaining the padded splint assembly in the mitt;
and
d. at least one strap attached to said fabric mitt for enabling the releasable attachment of the mitt to a patient's wrist and hand.

2 more elements

A universal hand orthotic device for treating contractures in either of a patient's left hand or right hand, said universal hand orthotic device comprising:

a. a solid, one piece, flat manually bendable splint element formed having an elongate central, wrist support region with an elongate hand support region projecting sidewardly from an upper end of said central region at an angle between about 75 and about 80 degrees, relative to a longitudinal axis of said central region, a first ear projecting outwardly relative to said longitudinal axis to one side of a lower end of said central region and a second ear projecting outwardly relative to said longitudinal axis to an opposite side of the lower end of said central region, said first and second ears each including an enlarged outboard end region joined to said central region by a necked-down region and each being manually bendable relative to said central region to configure said splint element to fit at least partially around either a patient's left wrist or a patient's right wrist according to the intended use of said device;
b. first and second, relatively soft flat pads constructed from a closed cell plastic foam material having a thickness of at least about 0.188 inches, said splint element being disposed between said first and second pads to thereby form a padded splint assembly, said first and second pads being contoured to generally follow the shape of the splint element and being cemented together around said splint element;
c. a padded fabric mitt configured for receiving said padded splint assembly, said mitt having a hand region and including closure means for retaining the padded splint assembly in the mitt, the exterior of said mitt hand region being formed of a smooth, non skin irritating fabric;
d. at least two straps attached to said fabric mitt for enabling the releasable attachment of the mitt to a patient's wrist and hand;
and
e. a plurality of resilient cylinders of increasing diameters configured for detachable attachment to a finger grip region of said mitt.

3 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Description4,679 words

Summary2,338 words

#1. Field of the Invention

#The present invention relates generally to the field of orthotic devices and appliances; more particularly to orthotic devices and appliances useful for restoring movement to a connective joint of a mammalian body; and still more particularly to orthotic devices and appliances used to reverse contractures due to immobility and neurological dysfunction of a human patient's hand and fingers.

#2. Background Discussion

Brief description of the drawings8 figures

#The present invention may be more readily understood when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings in which:

#FIG. 1 is a perspective drawing showing a universal hand orthotic device in accordance with the present invention, an attaching mitt portion being shown, by way of illustrative example, detachably attached to an individual's left hand and wrist and a representative hand bolster detachably attached to a hand-gripping region of a mitt portion of the device;

#FIG. 2 is a partially cutaway plan view of the orthotic device of FIG. 1, showing the device of FIG. 1 in an unformed, flat condition, showing part of a padded splint installed in the mitt portion and showing four attachment straps fixed to the mitt portion;

Detailed description1,994 words

#In the various FIGS. identical elements and features are given the same reference numbers.

#There is shown in FIG. 1, a universal hand orthotic device 10 in accordance with the present invention. Universal hand orthotic device 10 is easily adaptable (as more particularly described below) for use on either a left hand or a right hand of a wide range of sizes to treat contractures due to immobility.

#For descriptive purposes, with no limitation being intended or implied, device 10 is depicted in FIG. 1 installed on an individual's left wrist (including the lower forearm) 12 and left hand 14 for treating contractures of the individual's left hand (including the fingers thereof).

Facts

Application

09/746,920Filed 23 Dec 2000

Published

US 2002/0082538 A127 Jun 2002

Granted

15 Apr 2003

Term ended

2 Jan 2021

Estimated · how

20 years from earliest known nonprovisional domestic filing plus recorded patent term adjustment, including 10 days of adjustment. Maintenance-fee lapses, terminal disclaimers and statutory extensions have not been checked. The continuity chain may be incomplete; this is not an enforceability determination.

Classification3 codes

A61F 13/108
For wrist support ; Compression devices for tennis elbow: openable readjustable
A61F 5/0118
Without articulation: for the arms, hands or fingers
A61F
Filters implantable into blood vessels

Orthotic device for treating contractures of either hand

Life of this patent

Orthotic device for treating contractures of either hand

Life of this patent

Life of this patent

Abstract

Drawings

Drawings

Claims26

Description4,679 words

Drawings

Classification3 codes

Life of this patent

Description4,679 words