US2332119A - Orthopedic appliance and brace - Google Patents

Description

Oct. 19, 1943. L. SPRINGER ORTHOPEDIC APPLIANCE AND BRACE Filed May 2, 1942 Dn Y T N N o v .huf.. C m DA M p w w HA,... L M I 5 l p o m B Patented Oct. 19, 1943 UNITED. STATES PATENT OFFICE.

omi-rompio APPLIANCE. AND simon Leopold springer, Union city, N. J.

Application May 2, 194,2, serial No. 441,456

(ol. '12s-71) 3 Claims.

This invention relates to an orthopedic appliance, particularly a brace for supporting parts of the human body when support is required, and

for keeping neighbouring parts of the body in process is completed, some weakness is apt to re-` main, and a support is needed until the joint is perfectly restored, and for such purpose the brace according to the invention is of utility.

In the case of acute arthritis in or inflammation of a joint, particularly the hip-joint, a treatment is necessary after the acute phenomena have disappeared, and the joint is t0 be supported in which case the brace accordingr to the invention is also of utility. The same applies to habitual luxation of a joint, particularly the hip joint, where such a support according to the invention is useful.

There are other cases in which the brace of vthe invention is applicable to advantage, whenever weakness of a joint, such as a hip joint, exists or remains'from any disease or fracture, and either support yof the joint'or a limitation of the relative movement of the parts connected in the joint is advisable. This includes conditions resulting from diseases, such as tabes, where excessive relative movement or wobbling of the joined parts is to be prevented.

It is, therefore, an object of the invention to provide an orthopedic appliance or brace which is capable. of supporting parts of the human body connected in a joint and to permit a limited motion of those joined parts but prevent their loose motion.

It is another object of the invention to provide an orthopedic appliance or brace which aifords parts of the human body connected in a joint comfortable and suiiicient support Where such support is needed, permits a limited movement of the parts joined and also permits immobilization of these parts relative to one another.

It is still a further object of the invention to provide an orthopedic appliance or brace in Vwhich parts of the human body connected in a joint are comfortably supported, permit a limited movement of the supported parts but also their immobilization, and which can be easily adjusted from one condition to the other to meet the wearers comfort. A

This and other objects of the invention will be more clearly understood when the specification proceeds with reference to the drawing in which by way of exemplication Fig. 1 shows perspectively and with some parts broken away, the brace, and Fig. 2 a cross section along the line 2 2 in Fig. 1.

-In the drawing a brace is shown for use at the hip joint, for example the right hip joint. It comprises an upper girdle-like supporting member lil provided with a lining preferably of fabric and shaped to t the abdomen of the wearer and to be closed in front. It may include elastic portions, if desired, or be elastic throughout, giving however the body andybrace a rm support. The upper and lower edges may be reinforced 'with strips 0f leather or fabric ii, I2, and vertical stiffening means may be arranged at suitable places, as shown for instance at I3, I4 andv l5. The stiifening means may consist of fabric or leather strips sewn to the girdle-like support l0, and they may form casings to hold flexible bones.

The edges I6, il for closing the support IB are also reinforced and provided with eyelets I8 through which laces I9 are to be drawn. Any other way of closing the girdle-like support, such as by hooks and eyes or slide-fastener, may be used. A tongue 2i! is preferably arranged inside the closure.

A strap 2l is kfastened to the leftrear part lof the support le andl to be brought over the shoulder of the wearer, and its free end is passed through a metal loop 22y and fastened to a clasp 23 which is adjustableon the strap 2l. Metal loop 22 is held in place by strap 24 which is sewn to the outside of support IB.

Ano-therV part of the brace to lie on the back part of the upper thigh, in this exemplication of the right leg, consists of a flexible and preferably well padded portion 25 on which an upper and a lower belt-like tubular member or device is fastened. The upper device consists of an inner belt portion 26 and an outer belt portion 2l; the

lower belt-like device consists of an inside beltV portion 23 and an outside belt portion 29.

Portion 2'! ,may consist of leather with a lining onto which a cover 30 of leather or fabric is sewn within which a flat bar 3| of metal is held; the

bar is curved to fit the leg. At the end of portion 30 a buckle 32 is fastened by means of a sewn on loop 33 through which the tongue-like end 34 of the inner portion 26 can be passed. Portions 26 and 21 form together a tubular member which is placed around the leg and tightened by means of buckle 32 and tongue 34.

The lower tubular member or belt portion 29 consists preferably of leather lined inside, and the belt portion 28 ends in two tongues `35, 36 which can be passed through buckles 31, 38 fastened to belt portions 29 by a sewn on loop 39. On .the outside of belt-portion 29 a cover 40 of leather or fabric is sewn and inside the cover 40 a at metal piece 4I is inserted .Whichiisz curved to t the leg.

On the outside of the girdle-like support Y`Il) and above the hip of the wearer-.activerof leather or fabric 42 is sewn on and within the cover is arranged a at metal piece 43 curved to '-t the Wealers.bodyaroundand ,abovethe hip. To the flat metahpiecel ,theupper partof a-lat brace baris rigidlyfconnected, for instance .by means of ,rivets-45, having sunkcheads. `The bar jvpro- .iectsdownwardlywithin a casing of leather-or fabric .46, Vclosed `.bysevving .at 1&1. Within the lower end of the casing 43 a joint .meinber- 431s arranged :towhich `a Alower .hat .brace bar .4S is iournalled. Bar 49 'passes thev cover .30 on the upper support ...21 Land is .rigidly connected, .for instance ...by .means lof .rivets `50 having Lsunk heads, with .the-curved -latmetal :piece .3 I within casing-V30. Thecurved endof -bracebar-49 enters inside cover 40 and is rigidly connected withthe flat curved .metal ,piece-4l, preferably by rivets il, having-sunk fheads.

.Outside supportvlfand rigidlyrconnected with .the `curved fmetal piece V143, extending from the lateralffront totthe side .above the hipa curved bar: 52 jis arranged. and :riveted or screwed at iliand 54 ito thevmetalapiecei. .To .the upper support '2-'l,tin =this example on the iright side .of thewearer and behind the lbrace bars .46, 49, .a buckle -551is fastened -by :means of a loop 56. Another loop .51,.is lmovably attached to bar, 52 and .-its tongueflike end VV58 passed through buckleii. Y

:Inlusethe,girdle-likesupport -ID is put around the -lower part oifthe wearers `torso and ,laced .in front; the-.curvedametaltpiece 43 lesfaroundzand abovethe right hip and .the brace rbars I44, y49 yare on .the fright `side. .Strap .2l ris slung over .the u shoulder and V.adjusted so .that V.the ,support isfin its properfposition aroundthe `wearers body. .The upperfand .lower .belt-.like-.devices.21 and .25, respectively, are put around the legandtightened by means of tonguedaand buckle V32;.and- tongues 36,36 and .buckles .3.1, .38, respectively.

.It .will .be ,appreciated .that member l ofsubstantially tubular form canbeeasily applied to the 'body and tightened .by ,lacingto .any desired extent, without causing v,disccunfort-to the wearer. In the same way the tubular .members .2.6, .21 .and 29,.canbe ,placed .around .and tightened-on the `wearers legV so .esito .snugly embrace it without .discomfort 4to .him `and interference with the blood circulation. The ,parts .of lthe zbody. joined in .the hip joint .arethen kept in properrelation .hy.the.bars.46, ,49 .connected in the hinge 43 ,and

rigidly.attachedrespectvely .to .the tubular. memher I0` and themembersll .and 29.

`When .loop 15.1 Yis in the ...position shownin ,full lines, strapf58 can .be adjusted in buckle V5.5 so as .to .immobilize .the Vthus .supported parts .of the bodyi. e., ,thatthe `.leg ,cannot .be swungforward at all in the hip joint. If it is intended to also prevent swinging backwards of the leg, hinge 48 or the brace bars are to be provided with cooperating abutments in a manner Well known. If it is intended, however, to permit a limited movement of the leg relative to the other parts of the body, strap 58 is to be adjusted in buckle 55 so as to permit swinging the leg in the hip joint forward until the member consisting of the parts 5l, 53, ,55,and 561s stressed.

VIfit is intended to permit thezwearer to swing the leg quite freely in the hip joint so as to afford him relaxation and particularly facilitate 'his sitting in a chair, loop 51 is moved along bar Y:T52 .in the position shown in dotted lines at ii,

where the member constituted by the parts 5l, 58, 55,v 55 either crosses hinge 4B or lies even in front `of itand'where in any case the stress cn this member is released. It will be appreciated that bar 52 is curved in such a manner that the member constituted of the ,parts `5l, 53, 55. 5G is stressed or `nearly stressed in the position shown in full llines and thereby either immobilizes the'hip jointor permits .only a .predetermined little or limited movement in the latter, while inthe positionof thesame member indicated .by vdotted lines at V(ii), such .limitation is either removed entirely ora considerably greater movement or forward swing of the leg in the hip joint is permitted.

It is also understoodfthat the brace according to the inventionholds the `parts connected in the hip jointsecurely in their :proper-relative position and provides for proper functioning of the joint, supports the leg :in the hip'joint .whenthe wearer iswalking and delays his becoming tired, prevents excessive -or undesirable .movement in the joint and permitsany relaxation without readjusting any of the parts-of thebrace. All the wearer has to .fdo is to move loop `51 into one of the two Y,positions .on ybar 52 indicated :in full and dotted lines, respectively. VThis he .can .dn while `all the tubular-members Vof the brace are tightened. The ybrace -wil1 :not show under the wearerls clothing; bar '.52 can Vbe made of any suitable material and shaped so -as to lie as close as `possible to the `tubular .member l0. A few sizes :ofthe brace `are necessary only.

Any adjustment 'between buckle 55 kand tongue 58 :'canalso'bemade, vwhile `loop Slis in theposition 60 obviously without causing pains to the wearer.

YIt will also be nappreciated'that itis easy for the 4wearer to .change the position of loop 51 before lhesits down or starts to'walk and that the adjustment A.of vbuckle 5,5and tongue `5!! can be madeonce and`for all.

.'It -is understood that :the principles of Vthe invention can be fused in Ibraces for other ,joints lthan the hip joint,.such as the knee, if the dimensions of the tubularmembers,-etc.,are changed accordingly.

Whatl claim is:

1. An orthopedic appliance orbrace, comprising, in combination, two groups of tubular supporting members, each group comprised of at least one such member, two brace bars hingedly connected at .one of their ends `and `fastened at their other ends to oneofsaidgroups each, an adjustable member connected .with one of said groups, and a curved barXedto-a tubulaz1 member of theother one of said groups, saidadjustable .memberslidably connected with and movable into diierent positions Von said bar, said bar curvedso ,that `with a given adjustment of said adjustable member in one of the latters positions on said bar a swing of said groups and hinged brace bars to a greater extent is permitted than in another one of said positions.

2. An orthopedic appliance or brace, comprising, in combination, two groups of tubular supporting members, each group comprised of at least one such member, two brace bars hingedly connected at one of their ends and fastened at their other ends to one of said groups each, an adjustable and bendable member xedly oonnected with one of said groups, and a curved bar connected with one of said tubular members of the other one of said groups, said curved bar extending to both sides of the brace bar fastened to the same group, said adjustable member .slidably connected with and movable into diierent positions on said curved bar, the curvature of said bar being such that with a given adjustment of said adjustable member a swing of said groups relative to one another to a greater extent is permitted when said adjustable member is in position on one side of said last mentioned brace bar than if it is in position on the opposite side of said latter brace bar.

3. An orthopedic appliance or brace, comprising, in combination, two groups of tubular supporting members, each group comprised of at least one such member, two brace bars hingedly connected at one of their ends and fastened at their other ends to one of said groups each, an adjustable member connected with one of said groups, and a curved bar fixed to a tubular member oi the other one of said groups, said adjustable member slidably connected with and movable into diierent positions on said bar, said bar curved so that with a given adjustment of said adjustable member in one of the latters positions on said bar a swing of said groups and hinged brace bars to predetermined extent is permitted while they are substantially immobilized in another predetermined one of said positions.

LEOPOLD SPRINGER.

Images