GB2281862A - Finger splint - Google Patents

Abstract

The splint comprises a plastic strip, preferably of high impact polystyrene, having a rounded end 12 and a square end 13, the splint in use being manually bent up over and back along the finger. It may be held in place by a tubular bandage or appropriate dressing and may have plastic foam bonded to one surface. An assembly of splints attached together may be provided from which a single flat splint may be snapped off. <IMAGE>

Description

FINGER SPLINT Field of the Present Invention THIS PRESENT INVENTION RELATES TO A FINGER SPLINT MANUFACTURED FROM HIGH IMPACT POLYSTYRENE PLASTIC - OR OTHER APPROPRIATE MATERIAL FOR APPLICATION TO ALL FINGERS OF A HAND.

Background to the Invention Bones may break in many different ways depending on the type of injury and on the age and general health of the person.

Children have relatively soft,elastic bones which often break on one side only - a greenstick fracture.

Elderly people have brittle bones which tend to be fractured by trivial forces. The inured parts should be supported to prevent further damage.

As fingers vary in length on each hand and on each person it is not easy to provide a splint which is dimensionally suitable for every finger.

The first aspect of the present invention comprises a flat elongate splint manufactured from high impact polystyrene plastic or other suitable material.

The second aspect presents the splint singly or in multiples of two, threes, fours or fives. Each splint would be dimensionally similar but could be cut to suit any finger which was dimensionally smaller.

The anticipated dimensions would approximate to 203 millimetres in length and 20 millimetres in width with a general thickness of approximately 1.5 millimetres. These are the preferred dimensions but in other embodiments different dimensions might apply. At one end of the longitudinal dimension the extremity is rounded while at the other it is straight. When more than one splint is provided it may be separated and removed by snapping it apart from the other. Should it need shortening it may be cut by a scissors.

In certain cases broken fingers may require to be protected by placing a soft padding over the finger and inside the splint. Similar circumstances may arise when fingers have been burnt and may require a firmer or stronger protection.

The third aspect of the preset invention comprises an upper support which is spaded from the original length of material. The length of each element may be cut by scissors to match the finger being supported.

Several embodiments of the present invention will now be more particularly described by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings in which Figure 1 illustrates the ganged assembly of a plurality of FINGER SPLINTS.

Figure 2 shows a FINGER SPLINT in working form.

Figure 3 illustrates a single FINGER SPLINT.

Descristion of the Preferred Embodiments.

According to Figure 1 there is shown an assembly of FINGER SPLINTS 10 attached together which can be easily mahually snapped off to separate any one splint 10 from the assembly.

(See scrap view la) One distal end 12 is rounded.

The other end 13 is at right angles to the longitudinal dimension of the splint 10. All edges of the splint 10 are smoothly rounded.

The surfaces of the splints 10 are smooth and flat.

The preferred material of which the splints 10 are constructed is high impact polystyrene plastic but in any other embodiment any other appropriate material could be used.

It would be anticipated that the splint 10 would be held in place around a finger by a tubular bandage wound about the splint and the finger with an appropriate dressing - should such a dressing be required.

Alternatively a layer of plastic or other material foam could be bonded to one surface of the splint 10 as shown in scrap view lb.

Dimensionally each splint in the five-splint assembly would be similar and would approximate to 203 millimetres long by 20 millimetres wide and 1.5 millimetres thick. The material comprising each splint 10 is such that it may be cut to the length deemed to be necessary to give adequate support to a damaged finger.

Referring now to Figure 2 there is shown a FINGER SPLINT 14 which is formed by first snapping a FINGER SPLINT 10 from the ganged assembly (Figure 1) and spreading it up over the damaged finger. The rounded end 12 is placed pointing towards the palm of the hand beneath the finger and the square end 13 extending beyond it. The splint 14 is then formed by manually bending the surplus material up over and back along the finger. The square end is then trimmed to suit the length of the finger by scissors.

Reference is now made to Figure 3 which illustrates a single splint 10 to and for which no additional description is necessary.

Claims (9)

1 A finger splint comprising of a plastic strip, cut singularly or in an assembly of up to five or more, which can be easily manually snapped off to seperate any one splint from the assembly, one end is rounded and the other is at right angles to the longitudinal of the splint, the splint to be cold bent around the injuired finger in a U shape.

2 A finger splint as claimed in Claim 1 wherein a ganged assembly of up to five or more splints.

3 A finger splint as claimed in Claim 1 or Claim 2, wherein a single splint is snapped from the ganged assembly.

4 A finger splint as claimed in Claim 1 or Claim 3, wherein one end is rounded and the other is at right angles to the splint.

5 A finger splint as claimed in Claim 1 or Claim 3, to be made of high impact polystyrene plastic.

6 A finger splint as claimed in Claim 1 or Claim 3 or Claim 5, wherein can be cut to prescribed length with scissors.

7 A finger splint as claimed in Claim 1 or Claim 2 or Claim 3, wherein a layer of plastic or other material foam could be bonded to one surface.

8 A finger splint as claimed in any preceding claim, can be in any other embodiment any other appropriate material.

9 A finger splint substantially as described herein with reference to figures 1-3 of the accompanying drawing.