FR3057157A1 - ORTHESE FOR EAR - Google Patents

Abstract

The orthosis (1) comprises a body (2) forming: an elongate central portion (2a); - A first end portion (2b), connected to a longitudinal end of the central portion (2a), which is shaped to form a receiving housing of the upper part of the roof of an ear; a second end portion (2c), connected to the other longitudinal end of this central portion (2a), which is shaped to constitute a housing for receiving the branch (100) of a pair of spectacles, the length said elongated central portion being such that said orthosis (1), when worn on one ear and said second end portion (2c) receives the limb (100) of a pair of spectacles, makes it possible to maintain the flag of the ear in a close position of the user's skull.

Description

© Publication no .: 3,057,157 (to be used only for reproduction orders)

©) National registration number: 16 59709 ® FRENCH REPUBLIC

NATIONAL INSTITUTE OF INDUSTRIAL PROPERTY

COURBEVOIE © Int Cl ⁸ : A 61 F11 / 00 (2017.01), A 61 F 5/01

A1 PATENT APPLICATION

©) Date of filing: 07.10.16. (© Priority: © Applicant (s): CAMUS JEAN-MICHEL - FR. @ Inventor (s): CAMUS JEAN-MICHEL. ©) Date of public availability of the request: 04/13/18 Bulletin 18/15. ©) List of documents cited in the preliminary search report: See the end of this booklet (© References to other related national documents: ® Holder (s): CAMUS JEAN-MICHEL. ©) Extension request (s): © Agent (s): CAMUS JEAN-MICHEL.

ORTHESIS FOR EAR.

FR 3 057 157 - A1

The orthosis (1) comprises a body (2) forming:

- an elongated central portion (2a);

- A first end portion (2b), connected to a longitudinal end of this central portion (2a), which is shaped to constitute a housing for receiving the upper part of the roof of an ear;

- A second end portion (2c), connected to the other longitudinal end of this central portion (2a), which is shaped to constitute a housing for receiving the branch (100) of a pair of glasses, the length of said elongated central portion being such that said orthosis (1), when worn on an ear and that said second end portion (2c) receives the branch (100) of a pair of glasses, makes it possible to maintain the pavilion of the ear in a position close to the skull of the user.

The present invention relates to an ear orthosis for use by a person with a protruding ear. Two of these orthotics are used when the person has both ears off.

Many people (about 5% of the population) suffer from a deformation of one or both ears, more or less accentuated, which is characterized by detachment of one or both ears from the skull. Although not causing any medical problem, this kind of deformation can cause mockery, especially among children, and cause complexes, embarrassment in society, harassment at school, etc.,

To remedy this problem, it is possible to perform a surgical operation, called otoplasty. The lack of such a solution is specific to all surgical operations: more or less complex to implement, need to move to a hospital, need for convalescence, possible postoperative complication, intervention not feasible before the age of seven years, operation variously reimbursed by Social Security, among others.

To overcome these difficulties, several orthoses have been devised, for example the product marketed under the name Otostick, which takes the form of two small suction cups connected to one another, one placed on the ear and the 'other on the skull, and which are glued with an hypoallergenic glue so as to maintain the ear in a position pressed against the skull. This orthosis has the advantage of being very invisible and therefore discreet. However, a major drawback lies in the temporary nature of this solution. The orthosis must indeed be changed regularly, such as after a shower. This makes it an expensive and non-ecological solution. Other disadvantages are the relatively high cost of this solution and the difficulty of use for people wearing glasses.

The present invention aims to overcome these drawbacks by proposing a solution requiring no operation, discreet, simple and inexpensive.

The ear orthosis according to the invention comprises a body forming:

- an elongated central portion;

- A first end portion, connected to a longitudinal end of this central portion, which is shaped to constitute a housing for receiving the upper part of the roof of an ear

- A second end portion, connected to the other longitudinal end of this central portion, which is shaped to constitute a housing for receiving the branch of a pair of glasses, the length of said elongated central portion being such that said orthosis, when worn on an ear and that said second end portion receives the branch of a pair of glasses, allows to maintain the flag of the ear in a position close to the skull of the user.

Said first end portion is thus able to be placed around the edge of the pinna of one ear and said second end portion is able to receive the branch of a pair of glasses worn by the user, such so that the orthosis according to the invention bears against this branch is that it makes it possible to maintain the pinna of the ear in a position close to the skull of the user.

Said central portion and said end portions could be formed from separate parts assembled together to form said body; preferably, however, the body is in one piece.

At least one of said first and second end portions is preferably of curved shape. Such a curved shape allows a distribution of the forces exerted on the orthosis and avoids constituting one or more protruding parts capable of forming aggressive contact points for the skin of the user.

When said first end portion and said second end portion are curved, the body of the orthosis therefore has the shape of an irregular sinusoid, that is to say of which the loops are of different dimensions.

Preferably, said first end portion forms a free end portion remote from said central portion, intended to come into abutment against the external face of the pinna, at the hollow of the helix.

Said free end part can come to bear directly against the external face of the pinna; preferably, this free end part comprises a pad for contact with the external face of the pinna.

This pad allows a broad support against the pavilion of an ear, and avoids the orthosis to be irritating to the skin of the user.

This pad is advantageously made of a flexible material, for example an elastomer, flexible PVC, silicone, allowing soft contact with the skin of the user.

The pad can have several shapes, either round, oval, bean-shaped, according to the choice of the user but also according to the degree of detachment of the ears. Its thickness can also be chosen according to whether the user has more or less fleshy ears; this possibility of adjustment makes it possible to optimize the holding of the orthosis on the ear and provides a gain of precision in the desired positioning of the ear.

Preferably, the pad is connected to said free end portion by a central point of articulation.

This central point of articulation allows a perfect adaptation of the position of the cushion relative to the external face of the pinna of the ear, which ensures the comfort of the user.

According to a preferred embodiment of the invention, the pad forms a stud having a latching zone at its free end, which snaps inside a hole provided in said free end part.

The mounting of the pad on the body of the orthosis is thus carried out in a simple manner.

The free end of said free end part may be rounded in shape, or be bevelled, so as to eliminate the presence of too sharp an angle and thus avoid that the orthosis risks being irritating for the skin of the user.

Said second free end portion may also form a free end portion remote from said central portion, the free end of which may be of rounded shape or be beveled, for the same reason.

The invention will be clearly understood, and other characteristics and advantages thereof will appear, with reference to the appended schematic drawing, representing, by way of nonlimiting example, a preferred embodiment of the orthosis concerned.

Figure 1 is a perspective view of this orthosis; Figure 2 is a side view; and Figure 3 is a front view of the orthosis, while it is placed on the roof of one ear and while it is in a state of engagement with the branch of a pair of glasses worn by the user.

Figures 1 and 2 show an ear brace 1 for use by people with a protruding ear and wearing a pair of glasses. Two of these orthotics are used when the person has both ears off.

As can be seen in these figures, the orthosis 1 comprises a body 2 and a pad 3.

The body 2 is produced by a single piece of relatively rigid synthetic material, for example polypropylene, and has an irregular sinusoid shape defining:

- An elongated central portion 2a, in particular of rectilinear shape in the example shown;

- A first end portion 2b, of curved shape, connected to a longitudinal end of this central portion 2a, which is dimensioned to extend around the edge of the pinna of one ear and which forms a straight end portion , distant from said central portion 2a; this free end part comprises the pad 3;

- A second end portion 2), also of curved shape, connected to the other longitudinal end of this central portion 2a, which is dimensioned to receive the branch 100 of a pair of glasses and which forms an end portion free rectilinear, distant from said central portion, intended to bear against this branch of glasses,

The pad 3 is intended to come into contact with the external face of the pinna, as visible in FIG. 3. It is made of a slightly flexible material, for example an elastomer, and forms a central stud with an enlarged head , this enlarged head being intended to be snapped through a corresponding hole that forms the free end part of said portion 2b.

This central stud forms a single piece with the pad 3 and therefore has flexibility allowing a slight articulation of the pad 3 relative to this free end part.

With particular reference to FIG. 2, it is understood that the face of the pad 3 intended to come into abutment against the external face of the pinna is, in a direction transverse to the longitudinal direction of the central portion 2a (therefore according to a horizontal direction in this figure 2), separated from the face of the free end part intended to come into abutment against the branch of glasses, from a distance of three to eight millimeters, most generally of the order of five to six millimeters. The orthosis 1 thus makes it possible, when worn in a visible manner in FIG. 3, to maintain the pinna of the ear in a position close to the skull of the user.

The pad 3 allows an enlarged support of the orthosis 1 against the pavilion of one ear, has a soft contact with the skin of the user, and, thanks to the central point of articulation formed by the central stud which it comprises , is able to take a position that adapts perfectly to the external face of the pinna. The orthosis 1 is thus comfortable and non-irritating for the user.

Claims (10)

1. Orthosis (1) for the ear, characterized in that it comprises a body ( 2) forming: - an elongated central portion (2a); 5 - a first end portion (2b), connected to a longitudinal end of this central portion (2a), which is shaped to constitute a housing for receiving the upper part of the roof of an ear; - a second end portion (2c), connected to the other longitudinal end of this central portion (2a), which is shaped to constitute a receiving housing 10 of the branch (100) of a pair of glasses, the length of said elongated central portion being such that said orthosis (1), when worn on an ear and that said second end portion (2c) receives the branch (100) of a pair of glasses, keeps the pinna in a position close to the skull of the user. 15 2. Orthosis according to claim 1, characterized in that the body (2) is in one piece. 3. Orthosis according to claim 1 or claim 2, characterized in that at least one of said first and second end portions (2b, 2c) is of curved shape. 20 4. Orthosis according to any one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that said first end portion (2b) forms a free end portion remote from said central portion (2a), intended to bear against the external face of the pinna, at the level of the hollow of the helix. 5. Orthosis according to claim 4, characterized in that the part 25 of the free end of said first end portion (2b) intended to come opposite the pavilion of the ear comprises a pad (3) for contact with the external face of the pavilion of the ear. 6. Orthosis according to claim 5, characterized in that the pad (3) is made of a flexible material, for example an elastomer, a flexible PVC, silicone. 7. Orthosis according to claim 5 or claim 6, characterized in that the pad (3) is connected to said free end portion by a central point of articulation. 8. Orthosis according to any one of claims 5 to 7, characterized in that the pad (3) forms a stud having a latching zone at its free end, which snaps inside a hole fitted in said free end part. 9. Orthosis according to any one of claims 4 to 8, characterized in that the free end of said free end part is of rounded shape or is 10 beveled. 10. Orthosis according to any one of claims 4 to 9, characterized in that said second free end portion (2c) forms a free end portion remote from said central portion (2a), whose free end is rounded or be beveled. 1/1 1 FIG. 2