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Publication Number
US-8414512-B2
Publication Date
2013-04-09
Expiration Date
Abstract
A shoulder orthosis is provided having an arm support and an optional arm spacer connected to the arm support. The arm support includes an arm retainer and a supportive strapping system. One optional arm spacer includes a pair of individual pillows which are attachably combinable with one another at a first face of the first individual pillow and a face of the second individual pillow to form one combined pillow having a first shape. The individual pillows are alternately attachably combinable with one another at a second face of the first individual pillow and the face of the second individual pillow to form another combined pillow having a second shape different from the first shape.
Core Innovation
A shoulder orthosis is provided that includes an arm retainer having a front side and a rear side, configured to engage an arm associated with an affected shoulder opposite an unaffected shoulder. The orthosis further includes an over-the-shoulder strapping segment and an under-the-arm strapping segment that support the arm retainer and extend across the torso relative to the unaffected shoulder. The over-the-shoulder strapping segment has an anterior end and a posterior end and is adjustable to a first adjusted over-the-shoulder length, extendable across the anterior of the torso, over the unaffected shoulder, and across the posterior of the torso. The under-the-arm strapping segment similarly has an anterior end and a posterior end and is adjustable to a first adjusted under-the-arm length, extendable across the anterior of the torso, under the arm associated with the unaffected shoulder, and across the posterior of the torso.
The orthosis includes a buckle coupling system in which a first buckle coupling and a second buckle coupling define a buckle selectively transitionable between a closed buckled condition and an open unbuckled condition. When the buckle is in the closed buckled condition, the under-the-arm strapping segment and the over-the-shoulder strapping segment are connected to the arm retainer. When the buckle is transitioned to the open unbuckled condition, the under-the-arm strapping segment and the over-the-shoulder strapping segment are disconnected from the arm retainer while maintaining the under-the-arm strapping segment and the over-the-shoulder strapping segment anteriorly connected to one another and maintaining the adjustable length settings.
An anterior connector assembly and an anterior unitary ring are provided and positionable between the arm retainer and the over-the-shoulder strapping segment on the anterior of the torso. The under-the-arm strapping segment and the over-the-shoulder strapping segment are engagingly attached to the anterior unitary ring, thereby anteriorly connecting the under-the-arm strapping segment and the over-the-shoulder strapping segment. The arm retainer is engagingly attached to the anterior connector assembly proximal to the front side of the arm retainer, thereby connecting the under-the-arm strapping segment and the over-the-shoulder strapping segment to the arm retainer.
Claims Coverage
The document provides three independent claims covering a shoulder orthosis. Across the independent claims, the main inventive features are adjustable over-the-shoulder and under-the-arm strapping segments, a selective buckle transition that connects and disconnects the strapping relative to the arm retainer while maintaining anterior connection and adjustable lengths, and an anterior connector assembly with an anterior unitary ring and anterior attachment points.
Adjustable over-the-shoulder strapping across torso relative to unaffected shoulder
An over-the-shoulder strapping segment supporting the arm retainer with an anterior end and a posterior end, selectively set to a first adjusted over-the-shoulder length and extendable across the anterior of the torso, over the unaffected shoulder, and across the posterior of the torso
Adjustable under-the-arm strapping across torso relative to unaffected shoulder
An under-the-arm strapping segment having an anterior end and a posterior end, selectively set to a first adjusted under-the-arm length and extendable across the anterior of the torso, under the arm associated with the unaffected shoulder, and across the posterior of the torso
Selective buckle transition connecting and disconnecting strapping relative to the arm retainer while maintaining anterior connection and adjustable lengths
A first buckle coupling and a second buckle coupling define a buckle selectively transitionable between a closed buckled condition and an open unbuckled condition, where the arm retainer is anteriorly connected to the second buckle coupling proximal to the front side of the arm retainer so that the under-the-arm strapping segment and the over-the-shoulder strapping segment connect to the arm retainer when buckled, and disconnect from the arm retainer when unbuckled while remaining anteriorly connected to one another and maintaining the adjustable length settings
Anterior connector assembly and anterior unitary ring engagingly attaching under-the-arm and over-the-shoulder segments on the anterior of the torso
An anterior connector assembly positionable between the arm retainer and the over-the-shoulder strapping segment on the anterior of the torso and an anterior unitary ring engagingly attached to the anterior connector assembly, where the under-the-arm strapping segment and the over-the-shoulder strapping segment are engagingly attached to the anterior unitary ring and the arm retainer is attached to the anterior connector assembly proximal to the front side of the arm retainer to connect the strapping segments to the arm retainer
Attachment to first and second anterior attachment points on an anterior unitary ring
The over-the-shoulder strapping segment is engagingly attached to a first anterior attachment point on the anterior unitary ring and the under-the-arm strapping segment is engagingly attached to a second anterior attachment point on the anterior unitary ring, thereby anteriorly connecting the under-the-arm strapping segment and the over-the-shoulder strapping segment to one another and to the arm retainer
The independent claims define a shoulder orthosis with an arm retainer and torso-extending adjustable over-the-shoulder and under-the-arm strapping segments. They further define how those segments are connected to and selectively disconnected from the arm retainer, either via a buckle selectively transitionable between closed and open conditions or via an anterior connector assembly and an anterior unitary ring with specific anterior attachment points.
Stated Advantages
Documented Applications
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