TWI835416B - Spinal assisting equipment - Google Patents

Abstract

The present invention provides a spinal assisting equipment, comprising a lumbar support member and a fixation assembly to set and secure the lumbar support member to be in contact with a user’s lumber at a certain degree of tightness wherein the lumbar support member includes a carrier, the carrier has at least one support block at a plurality specified positions, the support blocks are polymer resins formed on the surfaces of the carrier, and the fixation assembly includes one length adjustment member to adjust the tightness of the lumbar support member surrounding the lumbar of the user.

Description

spinal assist device

The present invention relates to a spinal assist device.

For example, various types of spinal orthotics, spinal assist devices or support devices such as belts and back braces are widely used to limit activities, support the trunk, correct posture, increase abdominal pressure, assist muscle support or prevent the deterioration of injured parts, etc. It is an important assistive device for people with osteoporosis, spinal injuries or post-surgery patients.

Due to technological advancements in microspine surgery, orthotics such as braces used after spine surgery have gradually changed from completely rigid to semi-rigid, that is, from supporting the need for fixation devices to having a certain degree of flexibility or elasticity. Auxiliary devices. However, in traditional correction of spinal deformities or fixation of fractures, aluminum metal strips coated with foam materials or soft plastics are mostly used as the main component to support or correct the spine. For example, the spinal orthosis disclosed in U.S. Patent No. 9,572,705 uses aluminum. A metal frame is used to support the spine. Since the human body changes posture and the spine bends when it hits the metal bar, causing discomfort, the aluminum metal frame needs to avoid the middle spine, and cannot only be worn with an aluminum metal frame. Therefore, in the spinal orthopedics disclosed in the aforementioned US patent The surface of the aluminum frame in the device must be covered with soft plastic or foam material, or most commercially available spinal orthoses use foam-coated metal brackets.

Moreover, in addition to products using aluminum metal strips in waistbands or back braces, there are also products using hard plastic plastic plates or products using three-dimensional fabric composite materials. These products still need to be covered with foam cloth or soft plastic. etc. However, most of these are used for very short-lived postoperative periods. During this period, since the human body cannot remain rigidly in one posture, long-term fixation of assistive devices or orthotics may have negative effects. Therefore, there is a need to provide spinal assistive devices with a certain degree of mobility and adjustable support strength.

Furthermore, in order to adapt to different body shapes and different supporting parts, traditional assistive devices or orthotics generally use elastic bands or use pre-shaping of materials, that is, they are provided to the wearer in a customized manner to achieve the best results. Best results. However, if the elastic band is simply used, if it is too tight, it will have adverse effects on the limbs, such as poor blood circulation. If it is too loose, the assistive device or orthosis will fall out of its proper position, and the degree of support will change with the degree of tightness, that is, Too loose and less supportive. Using pre-shaped materials, the production process is complicated and timely supply is difficult.

On the other hand, for purposes of increasing abdominal pressure, assisting muscle support, or preventing the deterioration of injured areas, spinal assist devices that do not require shaping, have a certain degree of mobility, are highly compliant, breathable, lightweight, and simple are expected. The so-called high compliance refers to the property of being flexible and resilient, deforming to a certain extent after applying force, and recovering after the force disappears.

The present invention is based on the above-mentioned issues of supporting and assisting the spine. In order to improve the fixation, support and assisting functions of the spine, it is found that through the characteristics of the novel materials for making the spinal assist device, it can provide a simple design, no need for shaping, and a certain degree of stability. The invention provides a spinal assist device with a high degree of mobility, high compliance, breathability and light weight. Moreover, the spine assist device of the present invention is a spinal assist device with an adjustable degree of support. Furthermore, the support member of the spinal assist device of the present invention has repairable characteristics. The spine assist device of the present invention can be used as a heavy training belt, a sports belt, a belt support, a spine support, etc.

The present invention includes the following items.

According to an embodiment of the present invention, a spinal auxiliary device is disclosed, which is provided with: a lumbar auxiliary component, including a carrier, the carrier has at least one support block at a plurality of designated positions, and the support block of the carrier is high The molecular resin layer is directly formed on the surface of the carrier; and a fixing component is used to fix the lumbar auxiliary component to a user's lumbar vertebra. The fixing component includes an adjustable length adjustment component so that the lumbar auxiliary component can be adjusted to an appropriate position. The tightness surrounds the area of the user that is to be assisted.

According to another embodiment of the present invention, the above-mentioned spinal auxiliary device further includes: a thoracic auxiliary component, the thoracic auxiliary component includes a support plate that supports the user's thoracic spine and a connecting component that connects the support plate to the lumbar auxiliary component. .

The connecting member may have an adjustable length, and may be composed of at least one selected from the group consisting of fasteners, fleece belts, fleece pads, hook pads, buckles, and elastic bands. The above-mentioned support plate may be thermoplastic. The above-mentioned support plate may include a thermoplastic plate or a composite material plate, and the above-mentioned support plate may have a mesh structure.

The above-mentioned carrier can be a long strip of plain woven fabric, three-dimensional fabric or elastomer, preferably a three-dimensional fabric. The carrier has at least one support block at a plurality of designated positions, usually multiple support blocks. The support block of the carrier is composed of a polymer resin layer directly formed on the surface of the carrier. The so-called "support area" refers to an area where a polymer resin layer is formed on the surface of the carrier. The support strength in this area is significantly greater than the support strength in the area (soft area) without a polymer resin layer around it. Specifically, for example, when a three-dimensional fabric is used as a carrier, the support blocks are spaced apart from the soft areas containing only the fibrous tissue of the original carrier. The polymer resin of the polymer resin layer may include polyester or polyurethane. The above contains The body may have a mesh structure, and the above-mentioned support block may have a mesh structure. The above-mentioned support block may include two or more types of polymer resin layers. The surface hardness of the above-mentioned support block may be below 90A (Shore hardness).

According to the present invention, a spinal assistive device with a simple design, no need for shaping, a certain degree of mobility, high compliance, breathability, and light weight can be provided, and a spinal assistive device with an adjustable support level and a support member with repairable characteristics can be provided. .

10,11,12,11’,13: Spinal assist device

20, 40, 40’, 40”: Lumbar auxiliary components

21,41,41’,41”: carrier

22, 42, 42’, 42”: support block

44a, 44b: with components

31,51: Fixed components

31a:Buckle

31b: fur belt

31c: elastic band

60: Thoracic spine auxiliary components

61a, 61b, 61c, 61d, 61e: Connecting components

62a, 62b: connecting components

63:Shoulder strap

66:Support board

[Fig. 1] is a schematic diagram showing an example of the spinal assist device according to the first embodiment of the present invention.

[Fig. 2] is a schematic diagram showing an example of the spinal assist device according to the second embodiment of the present invention.

[Fig. 3] is a schematic diagram showing an example of the spinal assist device according to the third embodiment of the present invention.

[Fig. 4] is a schematic diagram showing an example of the thoracic spine assisting member of the spinal assisting device according to the third embodiment of the present invention.

[Fig. 5] is a schematic diagram showing an example of the support block on the carrier of the spinal assist device according to the first embodiment of the present invention.

[Fig. 6] is a schematic diagram showing an example of the support block on the carrier of the spinal assist device according to the second embodiment of the present invention.

[Fig. 7] is a schematic diagram showing the front and back of a user wearing the spinal assist device according to the third embodiment of the present invention.

[Fig. 8] is a schematic diagram showing an example of the spinal assist device according to the fourth embodiment of the present invention.

[Fig. 9] is a schematic diagram showing a modified example of the spinal assist device according to the present invention.

The aforementioned and other technical contents, features and effects of the present invention will be clearly presented in the following detailed description of a preferred embodiment with reference to the drawings. Directional terms mentioned in the following embodiments, such as up, down, left, right, front or back, etc., are only for reference to the directions in the attached drawings. Accordingly, the directional terms used are illustrative and not limiting of the invention. In addition, the term "A layer (or component) is disposed on B layer (or component)" is not limited to the state in which layer A directly contacts the surface of layer B. For example, there are other layers between layer A and layer B. Layers are also covered by this term. In the figures, the same components are represented by the same symbols.

According to an embodiment of the present invention, a spinal auxiliary device is disclosed, which includes: a lumbar auxiliary component and a fixation component. The lumbar auxiliary component includes a carrier. The carrier has a mesh structure and has at least one support block at a plurality of designated positions. The support block of the carrier is composed of a polymer resin layer directly formed on the surface of the carrier. The structure of the support block It is also consistent with the original structure of the carrier. Since the polymer resin layer is combined with the structure of the carrier, the support block formed with the polymer resin layer has support strength. The fixing component fixes the lumbar auxiliary component to a user's lumbar spine. The fixing component includes an adjustment component with an adjustable length, so that the lumbar auxiliary component can surround the user's desired area (usually the lumbar spine) with appropriate tightness. .

According to another embodiment of the present invention, the above-mentioned spinal auxiliary device further includes: a thoracic auxiliary component, the thoracic auxiliary component includes a support plate that supports the user's thoracic spine and a connecting component that connects the support plate to the lumbar auxiliary component. .

The carrier has at least one support block at a plurality of designated positions, usually multiple support blocks. The support block of the carrier is composed of a polymer resin layer directly formed on the surface of the carrier. The so-called "support area" refers to the area where a polymer resin layer is formed on the surface of the carrier. The support area in this area The strength is significantly higher than the support strength of the area (soft area) without a polymer resin layer around it. Specifically, for example, when a three-dimensional fabric is used as a carrier, the support blocks are spaced apart from the soft areas containing only the fibrous tissue of the original carrier. The polymer resin of the polymer resin layer may include polyester or polyurethane. The above-mentioned carrier may have a mesh structure, and the above-mentioned support block may have a mesh structure. The above-mentioned support block may include two or more types of polymer resin layers. The surface hardness of the above-mentioned support block may be below 90A (Shore hardness).

Hereinafter, the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings.

FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram showing an example of the spinal assist device according to the first embodiment of the present invention. The spinal assist device 10 includes a lumbar assist member 20 and a fixation assembly 31 .

The fixing component may be composed of at least one member selected from the group consisting of fasteners, fleece tapes, fleece pads, hook pads, buckles, and elastic bands. The fixing component 31 shown in Figure 1 is a labor-saving fastener with adjustable length, which is composed of a buckle 31a, a fleece belt 31b, an elastic belt 31c and a hook pad (not shown) on one end of the elastic belt. The fastening component of the fastener. The fleece belt 31b is connected to the other end of the elastic belt 31c (the end without the hook pad). Furthermore, the spinal auxiliary device 10 can have fur-surface pads and hook-surface pads respectively at both ends of the lumbar auxiliary component 20 to form a set of fasteners connected to each other, serving as the first fixing component, and through the fixing component 31 ( 2nd fixed member) to adjust the tightness.

The lumbar auxiliary component 20 includes a carrier 21. The carrier 21 has a mesh structure and has a plurality of support blocks 22 on the carrier 21. As shown in FIG. 1, along the length direction of the carrier 21, at unequal intervals or at the same interval. Arranged, the shapes of the plurality of support blocks 22 can be different, and their lengths can also be different. For example, the length near the lumbar vertebrae can be about the length of the lumbar vertebrae, for example, about 10 to 12 centimeters. Specifically, the spacing distance of the support blocks 22 and the area size of the support blocks 22 can be designed according to the desired support strength. The support block 22 of the carrier 21 is composed of a polymer resin layer directly formed on the surface of the carrier. become. The polymer resin of the polymer resin layer is, for example, polyester or polyurethane. By changing the type or number of layers of polymer resin, the mechanical properties of the support block 22 can also be adjusted.

The support block 22 can be formed by various conventional coating methods, such as microgravure coating, dip coating, flow coating, spin coating, cast transfer printing, spray coating, and dispensing coating. cloth method or various printing methods, etc., and then heated and baked. Furthermore, when the support block 22 has a structure that protrudes from the main plane of the carrier, it can be formed by printing with a three-dimensional printer (or 3D printer). Furthermore, when the support block 22 includes two or more types of polymer resins, the polymer resin layer may be two or more layers, or may be a layer formed by mixing two or more types of polymer resins. Furthermore, when the support block 22 is composed of two or more polymer resin layers, the above-mentioned methods of forming the support block 22 can be combined, that is, the coating method and the printing method. Each polymer resin layer can be Different shapes, mechanical strengths. Specifically, for example, a polymer resin with high hardness is first used to form a first polymer resin layer with high mechanical strength and high toughness, and then a polymer resin with low hardness is used to form a second polymer resin layer as a soft surface layer thereon. . In addition, for example, a three-dimensionally soft third polymer resin layer may be formed at a position corresponding to the lumbar vertebrae. The surface hardness of the low-hardness polymer resin layer may be, for example, 90A or less (Shore hardness), 80A or less, 70A or less, or 65A or less.

As mentioned above, the plurality of support blocks 22 directly formed on the carrier 21, due to the staggered arrangement of soft areas and hard areas on the carrier 21, improves the overall compliance of the lumbar auxiliary component 20, that is, no need for shaping, can be achieved Combines support and high mobility. Compared with the support member (support block 22) of the spinal assist device 10 of this embodiment, the traditional support belt uses aluminum strips or hard plastic strips as the support member. The traditional support belt has a hard member (aluminum strip or hard plastic strip). There is a feeling of discomfort (or dissonance) between the soft member (elastic band), but the support block 22 of the present invention is relatively light and is integrally formed with the carrier 21, and is seamlessly connected at the interface between the soft area and the hard area of the present invention. ,Tool There is plenty of comfort. In addition, the aluminum strip or hard plastic strip cannot be restored when broken due to bending or long-term use. Since the support block 22 of the present invention is a polymer resin layer directly formed on the carrier 21, the polymer resin of the polymer resin layer When it is a thermoplastic resin, it can be repaired by reheating.

FIG. 5 is a schematic diagram showing an example of the support block 22 on the carrier 21 of the spinal assist device 10 according to the first embodiment of the present invention.

On the other hand, the carrier 21 can be, for example, a long strip of plain woven fabric, a three-dimensional fabric or an elastomer, preferably a three-dimensional fabric. The thickness of the carrier 21 is not particularly limited and can be 1 to 10 mm. The width of the carrier 21 is also not limited. , varies according to use and purpose. The material, thickness and structure of the carrier 21 will affect the support, protection and other functions of the spinal assist device. The carrier 21 may have a mesh structure, and the support block 22 may have a mesh structure like the carrier. The spinal assist device 10 shown in Figure 1 is particularly suitable for various sports and leisure activities such as tennis, golf, mountain climbing, jogging, etc. due to its simple design, no need for shaping, high mobility, high compliance, breathability, and light weight. when used.

FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram showing an example of the spinal assist device according to the second embodiment of the present invention. Hereinafter, only the differences between the spinal assist device 11 shown in FIG. 2 and the spinal assist device 10 shown in FIG. 1 will be described. The spinal assist device 11 shown in FIG. 2 includes a lumbar assist member 40 and a fixation assembly 51. The fixing component 51 in FIG. 2 may have the same structure as the fixing component 31 in FIG. 1 , or may be different. The lumbar auxiliary component 40 includes a carrier 41 having a plurality of support blocks 42 on the carrier 41 . FIG. 6 is a schematic diagram showing an example of the support block 42 on the carrier 41 of the spinal assist device 11 in FIG. 2 . The lumbar auxiliary member 40 includes belt assemblies 44a and 44b as members for adjusting the overall length of the lumbar auxiliary member 40. The above is just an example. In other embodiments, the carrier 41 may include belt components 44a and 44b, that is, the belt components 44a and 44b and the carrier 41 are integrated into a long strip of three-dimensional fabric or woven fabric, elastic belt, etc. . Support blocks 42 have a different shape, size, number, etc. than support blocks 22 . Belt assemblies 44a and 44b may, for example, comprise It is composed of at least one member selected from the group consisting of fasteners, fleece belts, fleece pads, hook pads, buckles, and elastic bands. The carrier 41 and the support block 42 can be made of the same materials as the carrier 21 and the support block 22 shown in FIG. 1 , and their thickness, width, length, mechanical strength, etc. can be adjusted according to the purpose. The structure of the fixing component 51 can be the same as that of the fixing component 31 , and conventional parts can also be used.

FIG. 3 is a schematic diagram showing an example of the spinal assist device according to the third embodiment of the present invention. The spinal auxiliary device 12 in FIG. 3 is composed of a lumbar auxiliary component 40 and a thoracic auxiliary component 60 . FIG. 4 is a schematic diagram showing an example of the thoracic spine assist member 60 of the spinal assist device 12 in FIG. 3 . The thoracic auxiliary member 60 includes a support plate 66 that supports the user's thoracic vertebrae, and connecting members 61a, 61b (left and right shoulder straps), 61c (buckle), 61d (hairy pad), 61e that connect the support plate 66 to the lumbar auxiliary member 60. (Hook surface strap), 62a, 62b (lower connecting strap). The support plate 66 may include a thermoplastic plate or a composite material plate, and the support plate 66 may have a mesh structure. FIG. 7 is a schematic diagram showing the front and back of a user wearing the spinal assist device 12 shown in FIG. 3 . Since the spinal auxiliary device 12 in FIG. 3 further includes the thoracic auxiliary component 60, it is suitable as a thoracolumbar and abdominal support device (TLSO) and is suitable for use by patients after spinal surgery or osteoporosis.

FIG. 8 is a schematic diagram showing an example of the spinal assist device according to the fourth embodiment of the present invention. The spinal assist device 11' is a modification of the spinal assist device 11. The spinal assist device 11' includes a lumbar assist member 40' and a fixation assembly 31. The lumbar auxiliary component 40' includes a carrier 41' having a plurality of support blocks 42'. The appearance shape of the carrier 41' is similar to the lumbar auxiliary component 40', and the plurality of support blocks 42' can be distributed more widely. The number of support blocks 42' is different from the support blocks provided by the spinal assist device 11' shown in Figure 3, and can be at different positions.

According to the present invention, a spinal assist device with a simple design, no need for shaping, a certain degree of mobility, high compliance, breathability, and light weight can be provided, and the support level and support can be adjusted. A spinal assist device with a repairable supporting member. The spinal auxiliary device of the present invention is suitable for restricting activities, supporting the trunk, correcting posture, increasing abdominal pressure, assisting muscle support or preventing the deterioration of injured parts, etc., and is a useful auxiliary for osteoporosis, spinal injuries or post-operative patients. device.

Although the present invention is described above with specific embodiments, it does not limit the scope of the present invention. As long as it does not deviate from the gist of the present invention, those skilled in the art will understand that various modifications or changes can be made without departing from the intention and scope of the present invention. For example, the spinal auxiliary device 11 shown in Figure 2 can change the shape of its lumbar auxiliary component to become a thoracoback, lumbar and abdominal support device (TLSO), such as the spinal auxiliary device 13 shown in Figure 9, the lumbar auxiliary component 40" includes a carrier 41 ", the carrier 41" has a plurality of support blocks 42", and the shoulder strap 63 is connected to the fixed component. By changing the shape of the support blocks, the type and thickness of the polymer resin layer, etc., the support location and support strength can be adjusted. In addition, for example, if the type of polymer resin layer is thermoplastic, the spinal assist device also has thermoplasticity. In addition, any embodiment or patentable scope of the present invention does not need to achieve all the purposes, advantages or features disclosed in the present invention. In addition, the abstract section and title are only used to assist in searching patent documents and are not intended to limit the scope of the invention.

10: Spinal assist device

20: Lumbar auxiliary components

21: Carrier

22:Support blocks

31: Fixed components

31a:Buckle

31b: fur belt

31c: elastic band

Claims (10)

A spinal auxiliary device, equipped with: a lumbar auxiliary component, including a carrier, the carrier has a mesh structure and at least one support block at a plurality of designated positions, the carrier has soft areas and hard areas staggered, the carrier The soft area is an area without a support block. The support block of the carrier is composed of a polymer resin layer directly formed on the surface of the carrier; and a fixing component to fix the lumbar auxiliary component to a user's lumbar spine. , the fixation component includes an adjustment member with an adjustable length, so that the lumbar auxiliary member can surround the user's desired area with appropriate tightness. The spinal auxiliary device of claim 1 further includes: a thoracic auxiliary component, the thoracic auxiliary component includes a support plate that supports the user's thoracic vertebrae and a connecting component that connects the support plate to the lumbar auxiliary component. The spinal assist device according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the carrier is a strip of plain woven fabric, three-dimensional fabric or elastic body. The spinal assist device according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the polymer resin of the polymer resin layer contains polyester or polyurethane. The spinal assist device according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the support plate includes a thermoplastic plate or a composite material plate, and the support plate has a mesh structure. The spinal assist device according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the carrier has a mesh structure, and the support block has a mesh structure. The spinal assist device according to claim 2, wherein the connecting member has an adjustable length adjustment member, and the connecting member is selected from the group consisting of fasteners, fleece belts, fleece pads, hook cushions, buckles, The elastic band is composed of at least one member of the group. The spinal assist device according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the support plate has thermoplasticity. The spinal assist device according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the support block contains more than two types of polymer resin layers. The spinal assist device according to claim 9, wherein the surface hardness of the support block is below 90A (Shore hardness).

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