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US 7,070,572 B2Granted
Dynamically adjustable stabilization brace
AssigneeAMEI Technologies Inc.
InventorsSteven M. Reinecke, Richard A. Thompson
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
In one embodiment, a stabilization brace includes an upper belt configured to be positioned around a portion of a user's body, a lower belt configured to be positioned around the portion of the user's body, and one or more supports coupled between the upper and lower belts. Each support includes a housing, a piston slidably engaged with the housing, and a motion limiter adjustably coupled to the housing in one of a plurality of predetermined positions, the support operable to limit flexion of the portion of the user's body to a predetermined range according to the position of the motion limiter.
Claims24
A stabilization brace, comprising:
- an upper belt configured to be positioned around a portion of a user's body;
- and
- a lower belt configured to be positioned around the portion of the user's body;
- and
- one or more supports coupled between the upper and lower belts, each support comprising:
- a housing:
- a piston slidably engaged with the housing;
- and
- a motion limiter adjustably coupled to the housing in one of a plurality of predetermined positions, the support operable to limit flexion of the portion of the user's body to a predetermined range according to the position of the motion limiter;
- wherein the housing comprises one or more pairs of motion limiter grooves for removably coupling the motion limiter to the housing, each pair of motion limiter grooves adapted to define a predetermined position of the motion limiter and thus a predetermined range of flexion of the portion of the user's body.
7 more elements
A stabilization brace, comprising:
- an upper belt configured to be positioned around a portion of a user's body;
- and
- a lower belt configured to be positioned around the portion of the user's body;
- and
- one or more supports coupled between the upper and lower belts, each support comprising:
- a housing;
- a piston slidably engaged with the housing;
- a motion limiter adjustably coupled to the housing in one of a plurality of predetermined positions, the support operable to limit flexion of the portion of the user's body to a predetermined range according to the position of the motion limiter;
- an elastic member coupled between the piston and the housing, the elastic member adapted to provide a predetermined resistance against flexion of the portion of the user's body;
- and
- one or more additional elastic members removably coupled between the piston and the housing such that one or more of the additional elastic members may be removed to decrease the resistance provided.
8 more elements
A stabilization brace, comprising:
- an upper belt configured to be positioned around a portion of a user's body;
- and
- a lower belt configured to be positioned around the portion of the user's body;
- and
- one or more supports coupled between the upper and lower belts, each support comprising:
- a housing:
- a piston slidably engaged with the housing;
- and
- a motion limiter adjustably coupled to the housing in one of a plurality of predetermined positions, the support operable to limit flexion of the portion of the user's body to a predetermined range according to the position of the motion limiter;
- wherein the stabilization brace further comprises a backplate coupled between the upper and lower belts, an upper portion of the backplate coupled to the upper belt using a first pair of canting mechanisms, a lower portion of the backplate coupled to the lower belt using a second pair of canting mechanisms, each pair of canting mechanisms operable to allow the corresponding upper or lower belt to adjust to conform to underlying structure and natural conical shapes of the user's body.
7 more elements
A stabilization brace, comprising:
- an upper belt configured to be positioned around a portion of a user's body and
- a lower belt configured to be positioned around the portion of the user's body;
- and
- one or more supports coupled between the upper and lower belts, each support comprising:
- a housing:
- a piston slidably engaged with the housing and
- a motion limiter adjustably coupled to the housing in one of a plurality of predetermined positions, the support operable to limit flexion of the portion of the user's body to a predetermined range according to the position of the motion limiter;
- wherein the stabilization brace further comprises a housing cover hingedly coupled to the housing to provide access for adjustment of the motion limiter to another one of the plurality of predetermined positions.
5 more elements
A stabilization brace, comprising:
- an upper belt configured to be positioned around a portion of a user's body;
- and
- a lower belt configured to be positioned around the portion of the user's body;
- and
- one or more supports coupled between the upper and lower belts, each support comprising:
- a housing comprising a plurality of pairs of motion limiter grooves;
- a piston slidably engaged with the housing;
- a motion limiter adjustably coupled to the housing in one of a plurality of predetermined positions using one of the plurality of pairs of motion limiter grooves, each pair of motion limiter grooves defining a predetermined position of the motion limiter and thus a predetermined range of flexion of the portion of the user's body, the support operable to limit flexion of the portion of the user's body to a predetermined range according to the position of the motion limiter;
- an elastic member removably coupled between the piston and the housing, the elastic member adapted to provide a predetermined resistance against flexion of the portion of the user's body, the elastic member able to be replaced with another elastic member having a different elasticity to adjust the resistance provided;
- and
- a housing cover hingedly coupled to the housing to provide access for adjustment of the motion limiter to another one of the plurality of predetermined positions.
8 more elements
A method for fitting a user for a stabilization brace, comprising:
- positioning a backplate of the stabilization brace on a user, the backplate having a first pair of canting mechanisms associated with a first side of the backplate and a second pair of canting mechanisms associated with a second side of the backplate;
- positioning an upper main belt and an upper secondary belt around a first portion of the user's body;
- positioning a lower main belt and a lower secondary belt around a second portion of the user's body;
- determining a desired length of each of the main belts based on the first and second portions of the user's body;
- conforming each of the main belts to their determined desired lengths;
- coupling a first end of each of the main and secondary belts to a corresponding canting mechanism;
- allowing the upper main and secondary belts to adjust to conform to an underlying structure and natural conical shape of the first portion of the user's body through rotation of the corresponding canting mechanisms;
- allowing the lower main and secondary belts to adjust to conform to an underlying structure and natural conical shape of the second portion of the user's body through rotation of the corresponding canting mechanisms;
- securing the canting mechanisms to prevent further rotation of the canting mechanisms;
- coupling a second end of the upper main belt to a second end of the upper secondary belt;
- and
- coupling a second end of the lower main belt to a second end of the lower secondary belt.
9 more elements
A canting system for a stabilization brace having two belts, comprising:
- a backplate configured to be coupled between opposing ends of each of the belts;
- and
- a plurality of canting mechanisms rotatably coupled to the backplate, each canting mechanism operable to couple an end of a corresponding belt to the backplate, each canting mechanism comprising:
- a buckle base rotatably coupled to the backplate, the buckle base operable to receive the end of the corresponding belt and to allow the end to rotate about an associated pivot to allow the belt to conform to a portion of the user's body;
- and
- a buckle lever coupled to the buckle base and operable to secure the end of the corresponding belt against the buckle base to prevent the buckle base from rotating once the belt has conformed to the portion of the user's body.
3 more elements
A stabilization brace, comprising:
- an upper belt configured to be positioned around a portion of a user's body;
- and
- a lower belt configured to be positioned around the portion of the user's body;
- and
- one or more supports coupled between the upper and lower belts, each support comprising:
- a housing having a first protuberance;
- a piston slidably engaged with the housing, the piston having a second protuberance;
- and
- an elastic member removably disposed about each of the first and second protuberances, the elastic member adapted to provide a resistance against flexion of the portion of the user's body.
6 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.