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US 8,474,067 B2Granted
Spinal protective device
OwnerMilton D. Reimerinventor
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A spinal protective device includes a plurality of support members abutted in series with one another along a spine of a user. Each adjacent pair of support members has a respective pair of forward fulcrum contact areas where the support members abut one another for relative pivotal movement in a hyperflexion direction and a respective pair of rearward fulcrum contact areas where the support members abut one another for relative pivotal movement in a hyperextension direction. A rear tension member connected between the support members limits relative movement in the hyperflexion direction and a front tension member connected between the support members limits relative movement between the support members in the hyperextension direction. Straps about the torso secure the support members along the spine of the user.
Claims19
A spinal protective device comprising:
- a plurality of support members arranged to be abutted in series with one another in a longitudinal direction so as to extend longitudinally along a spine of a user;
- each support member including a supportive inner surface at a front side of the support member which spans in a lateral direction so as to be arranged to extend laterally across a back of the user;
- each adjacent pair of support members further comprising a respective pair of forward fulcrum contact areas where the support members abut one another for relative pivotal movement in a hyperflexion direction about a forward lateral axis;
- and
- a rear tension member arranged to be connected under tension between the support members at a location spaced rearwardly from the forward fulcrum contact areas so as to be arranged to limit relative movement between the support members in the hyperflexion direction;
- and
- a plurality of straps arranged to be extended about a torso of a user so as to secure the support members extending longitudinally along the spine of the user;
- wherein the support members include an uppermost support member at a top end, a lowermost support member at a bottom end and at least one intermediate support member between the uppermost and lowermost support members, the rear tension member being anchored at opposing ends on the uppermost and lowermost support members respectively and extending through said at least one intermediate support member.
5 more elements
A spinal protective device comprising:
- a plurality of support members arranged to be abutted in series with one another in a longitudinal direction so as to extend longitudinally along a spine of a user;
- each support member including a supportive inner surface at a front side of the support member which spans in a lateral direction so as to be arranged to extend laterally across a back of the user;
- each adjacent pair of support members further comprising a respective pair of forward fulcrum contact areas where the support members abut one another for relative pivotal movement in a hyperflexion direction about a forward lateral axis;
- and
- a rear tension member arranged to be connected under tension between the support members at a location spaced rearwardly from the forward fulcrum contact areas so as to be arranged to limit relative movement between the support members in the hyperflexion direction;
- and
- a plurality of straps arranged to be extended about a torso of a user so as to secure the support members extending longitudinally along the spine of the user;
- wherein the rear tension member is received through respective bores extending in the longitudinal direction through respective ones of the support members, the bores being elongate in the lateral direction.
5 more elements
A spinal protective device comprising:
- a plurality of support members arranged to be abutted in series with one another in a longitudinal direction so as to extend longitudinally along a spine of a user;
- each support member including a supportive inner surface at a front side of the support member which spans in a lateral direction so as to be arranged to extend laterally across a back of the user;
- each adjacent pair of support members further comprising a respective pair of forward fulcrum contact areas where the support members abut one another for relative pivotal movement in a hyperflexion direction about a forward lateral axis;
- and
- a rear tension member arranged to be connected under tension between the support members at a location spaced rearwardly from the forward fulcrum contact areas so as to be arranged to limit relative movement between the support members in the hyperflexion direction;
- and
- a plurality of straps arranged to be extended about a torso of a user so as to secure the support members extending longitudinally along the spine of the user;
- wherein each adjacent pair of support members further comprises a respective pair of rearward fulcrum contact areas where the support members abut one another for relative pivotal movement in a hyperextension direction about a rearward lateral axis and wherein there is provided a front tension member arranged to be connected under tension between the support members at a location spaced forwardly from the rearward fulcrum contact areas so as to be arranged to limit relative movement between the support members in the hyperextension direction.
5 more elements
A spinal protective device comprising:
- a plurality of support members arranged to be abutted in series with one another in a longitudinal direction so as to extend longitudinally along a spine of a user;
- each support member including a supportive inner surface at a front side of the support member which spans in a lateral direction so as to be arranged to extend laterally across a back of the user;
- each adjacent pair of support members further comprising a respective pair of forward fulcrum contact areas where the support members abut one another for relative pivotal movement in a hyperflexion direction about a forward lateral axis;
- and
- a rear tension member arranged to be connected under tension between the support members at a location spaced rearwardly from the forward fulcrum contact areas so as to be arranged to limit relative movement between the support members in the hyperflexion direction;
- and
- a plurality of straps arranged to be extended about a torso of a user so as to secure the support members extending longitudinally along the spine of the user;
- wherein each adjacent pair of support members abuts one another at respective ends faces and each end face further comprises a first lateral fulcrum and a second lateral fulcrum spaced apart in laterally opposed directions from the rear tension member, each adjacent pair of support members being arranged to abut one another at the first lateral fulcrums respectively for relative pivotal movement in a first lateral direction up to a first lateral limit when the rear tension member is under tension, and each adjacent pair of support members being arranged to abut one another at the second lateral fulcrums respectively for relative pivotal movement in a second lateral direction up to a second lateral limit when the rear tension member is under tension.
5 more elements
A spinal protective device in combination with neck protective device, the spinal protective device comprising:
- a plurality of support members arranged to be abutted in series with one another in a longitudinal direction so as to extend longitudinally along a spine of a user;
- each support member including a supportive inner surface at a front side of the support member which spans in a lateral direction so as to be arranged to extend laterally across a back of the user;
- each adjacent pair of support members further comprising a respective pair of forward fulcrum contact areas where the support members abut one another for relative pivotal movement in a hyperflexion direction about a forward lateral axis;
- and
- a rear tension member arranged to be connected under tension between the support members at a location spaced rearwardly from the forward fulcrum contact areas so as to be arranged to limit relative movement between the support members in the hyperflexion direction;
- and
- a plurality of straps arranged to be extended about a torso of a user so as to secure the support members extending longitudinally along the spine of the user;
- wherein the neck protective device comprises a pair of shoulder portions arranged to extend over respective shoulders of a user, a rear collar portion joined between the shoulder portions to extend upwardly therefrom so as to be arranged to limit rearward movement of a head of the user, and a depending portion arranged to extending downwardly from the rear collar portion along a back of the user;
- and
- wherein an uppermost one of the support members includes a channel at a rear side of the support member arranged to receive the depending portion of the neck protective device therein.
7 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.