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US 8,012,113 B2Granted
Spinal brace
AssigneeDisc Disease Solutions, Inc.
InventorsBert T. Lee, John J. Lee
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A spinal brace includes a flexible air injectable band configured to be disposed about a torso of a user and to provide traction to a spine of the user, at least one support panel configured to provide support by compression to at least a region of the torso, the at least one support panel being less flexible than the air injectable band, and at least one means of associating the at least one support panel with the flexible air injectable band.
Claims19
A spinal brace comprising:
- a flexible air injectable band configured to be disposed about a torso of a user and to provide traction to a spine of the user;
- a support panel configured to provide support by compression to at least a region of said torso, said support panel being less flexible than said air injectable band;
- and
- means of associating said support panel with said flexible air injectable band;
- wherein the air injectable band is configured to expand in an axis generally parallel to the spine when inflated so as to apply a force at a rib area of the user via an upper edge and a force at a hip area via a lower edge to provide said traction comprising a decompression of vertebrae within the spinal column of the user;
- and
- wherein said means of associating comprise two association openings formed through the support panel, one association opening disposed at each of substantially opposite ends of said support panel, the air injectable band extending through the association openings, wherein the association openings traverse across the support panel in a direction generally parallel to the spine and wherein said association openings have a dimension in said direction that is greater than a corresponding dimension of the flexible air injectable band.
4 more elements
A spinal brace comprising:
- an air inflatable portion configured to be disposed generally around a torso of a user, the air inflatable portion including an upper edge and an opposing lower edge configured such that, when the brace is worn by the user, the upper edge generally contacts a rib area of the user and the lower edge generally contacts a hip area of the user;
- a support portion having a greater rigidity than the air inflatable portion and being configured such that, when the brace is worn by the user, the support portion is generally disposed at least at a back area of the user;
- and
- an associating element configured to associate the air inflatable portion with the support portion;
- wherein the inflatable portion is further configured to expand generally in a vertical axis when inflated so as to apply a force at the rib area via the upper edge and a force at the hip area via the lower edge to provide a decompression of vertebrae within a spinal column of the user;
- wherein the support portion, in combination with the air inflatable portion, is further configured to compress the torso when the brace is worn;
- and
- wherein said associating element comprises two association openings formed through the support portion, one association opening disposed at each of substantially opposite ends of said support portion, the air inflatable portion extending through the association openings, wherein the association openings traverse across the support portion in a direction generally parallel to the spine and wherein said association openings have a dimension in said direction that is greater than a corresponding dimension of the flexible air inflatable portion.
5 more elements
A method for bracing a spine of a user, the method comprising:
- providing a spinal brace that includes an air injectable band associated with a support panel, said air injectable band extending through two association openings formed through said support panel, said openings formed at opposite ends of said support panel and traversing across the support panel in a direction generally parallel to the spine, the openings having a dimension in said direction greater than a corresponding dimension of the air injectable band, said support panel being configured to conform to a desired region of a torso of the user;
- disposing said air injectable band about said torso of the user;
- securing said air injectable band about said torso of the user via a securing means;
- fitting said support panel to said desired region of said torso via said disposing and securing;
- providing support by compression to at least part of said torso via said fitting of said panel;
- injecting air into said air injectable band, and at least partially filling said air injectable band with air via said injecting;
- vertically expanding a substantial portion of said air injectable band within said association openings via said injecting;
- and
- providing decompression of vertebrae within a spinal column of the user via said expanding.
6 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.