Laterally applied orthosis
OwnerStephen A. Price, Mary P. Priceinventors
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A laterally applied orthosis has a dynamic flexible stiffener that is configured to extend across a joint and to impede joint movement caused by muscle contractions by resisting flexing but allowing some movement in the joint. The stiffener is elastic so that it rebounds to its original form under its inherent bias after flexing due to movement of the joint. The stiffener is housed within a brace having a plurality of adjustable straps extending from the brace. The straps can be fastened to one another or the brace itself to form a substantially tubular structure for securing the brace to a limb. At least one of the plurality of straps is semi-rigid and malleable.
Claims4
A method of applying an orthosis to an uncontrollably contracted joint, comprising the steps of:
- providing an elongate brace having a “C” shape in transverse section, said elongate brace adapted to receive a patient's limb having an uncontrollably contracted joint;
- providing a plurality of straps having respective first ends secured to said elongate brace and respective second ends releasably connected to said elongate brace so that said straps secure said patient's limb within said brace when said second ends are releasably connected to said brace;
- providing an elongate pocket in said elongate brace;
- positioning in said elongate pocket a dynamic flexible, elastic, flat stiffener having a uniform thickness and an inherent bias that returns said stiffener to a fat position of repose when an external force imparted to said stiffener to effect bending displacement of said stiffener from said flat position of repose is released;
- bending said elongate brace and said dynamic, flexible, elastic, flat stiffener along a preselected transverse axis to momentarily overcome said inherent bias so that said elongate brace and said stiffener are bent at an angle that corresponds to an angle of contraction of said uncontrollably contract joint;
- positioning said elongate brace over said uncontrollably contracted joint from a lateral direction after bending said elongate brace and said dynamic, flexible, elastic, flat stiffener along said preselected transverse axis;
- releasing said elongate brace after positioning said elongate brace over said uncontrollably contracted joint from a lateral direction so that said inherent bias of said stiffener provides a constant force to said uncontrollably contracted joint to straighten said uncontrollably contracted joint;
- forming said stiffener of tempered spring steel;
- said tempered spring steel having spring steel having a Unified Numbering System identifier of G10950;
- said tempered spring steel having a yield tensile strength between approximately 100 to 320 kilopounds per square inch;
- said tempered spring steel having a modulus of elasticity of between approximately 150 to 300 GPA;
- said tempered spring steel is generally planar when not flexed and having a thickness of between approximately 0.008 to 0.07 inches;
- and
- said tempered spring steel having a hardness of about 45 to 60 on the Rockwell C scale.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.