US3338236A - Padded clavicle splint - Google Patents

Description

Aug. 29, 1967 J, MCLEOD, JR 3,338,236

PADDED GLAVICLE SPL-INT Filed July 6, 1964 INV E NTOR ATTORNEYS United States Patent Ofi ce 3,338,235 Patented Aug. 29, 1967 3,338,236 PADDED CLAVICLE SPLINT John J. McLeod, Jr., 217 27th Ave. S., Grand Forks, N. Dak. 58201 Filed July 6, 1964, Ser. No. 380,265 1 Claim. (Cl. 12S-87) This invention relates to orthopedic devices used to brace the upper body during healing following the fr-acture of the clavicle bone.

The clavicle is the bone at the upper front part of the shoulder joining the breastbone and shoulder blade. It is commonly called the -collarbone. A fracture of this bone allows the shoulder to drop downward, forward and inwardly, This in turn may cause an overlap of the bone portions. After the shoulder is raised toward its original position and the bone is properly set or immobilized for protection, the fracture will usually mend in between two to eight weeks.

For many years various devices have been used to accomplish this purpose of setting and holding the bone in place. Such devices are illustrated in United States Patents Nos. 1,585,341, 1,755,641, 1,880,946, 1,917,106 and 2,450,298.

None of the above devices possesses the unique features and attributes of the present invention. The present invention comprises a unitary preassembled clavicle splint which is adaptable to fit many dilferent sizes. Through combination of the proper materials it forms adequate bracing using far less material and causing less discomfort to the patient than prior devices.

The invention further performs necessary functions which the less bulky prior art devices are unable to d0. It provides elevation of shoulder, provides lateral traction and greater comfort due to its force being applied evenly over a larger area.

These features are illustrated in the accompanying drawmgs:

FIGURE 1 is a rear view of the splint on a patient;

FIGURE 2 is a front view of the splint on the same patient;

FIGURE 3 is a rear view of a modified form of the splint necessary for the larger size patients;

FIGURE 4 shows the three elements comprising the splint; while FIGURE 5 shows the elements in cross-section.

The frame of the splint is two web straps 10, 11 which are crossed over and sewn together at their crossover point 12 near their ends. These web straps when assembled form a ligure-eight brace running over the shoulders and under the axillae. The ends of the straps 10, 11 near the cross-over point 12 contain buckles 13, 14 to which are attached the opposite end of the strap. Attached to the under side of the strap is a piece of orthopedic felt 15 surrounded by a stockinet 16. The three elements are firmly attached by threads 17 passing entirely through the stockinet web Iand strap. The felt is at least 1A inch thick and between one and two and threefourths inches in width. It is lof suicient length to cover from behind and on top of the shoulder down the front of the shoulder and under the arm.

The splint forms a substantial bulk as it passes under the axilla at point 18. When the arm of the patient is lowered, this bulk will then act as a fulcrum pulling the top of the shoulder out and tending to hold the clavicle in the proper position.

As seen in FIGURE 1, the figure eight design of the splint also tends to hold the two shoulders at the same level. It therefore tends t0 raise the injured shoulder to its original level, not merely to pull it back at its lowered level as other splints do.

For the larger size patients a modied form is necessary. This is indicated in FIGURE 3 where the buckles do not attach to an end of the strap but are attached to the lower end of a vertical base strap 19 while the main straps 10 and 11 are attached to the upper end of this vertical strap.

The combination of the bulky orthopedic felt 15 and the rugged webbed straps 10 and 11 further insure that an adequate force can be maintained on the injured limb without either undue discomfort or loss of rigidity due to the cloth straps stretching.

Having described my invention, I claim:

In a clavicle splint the combination comprising (a) a non-elastic vertical base strap,

(b) two non-elastic shoulder straps of textile material joined to each other at one end of each and both these joined to the upper end of the vertical base strap,

(c) said shoulder straps each disposed at an acute equal angle to either side of the vertical,

(d) two buckles at the lower end of the vertical base strap for connection with the free ends of the shoulder-straps,

(e) a felt pad attached to each shoulder strap,

(f) said felt pad enclosed within a stockinet,

(g) said attachment of the felt pads, stockinets and shoulder straps being by stitching running the length of the pads,

(h) said felt pads being of a length suicient to pass over the nape lof the neck of the wearer past the clavicular region and through the aXilla to the back,

(i) said felt pad being of width and thickness sucient to supply the required force to the shoulder without excessive pressure and of suicient bulk through the axilla to form a fulcrum to supply lateral traction on the Louter end of the clavicle when the arm is lowered along the side.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 84,787 12/ 1868 Adamson 2-45 370,055 9/ 1887 Haley 2-45 3,141,456 7/1964 Meek 12S-87 3,189,026 6/ 1965 Barnett 12S-75 FOREIGN PATENTS 840,015 1/ 1939 France.

OTHER REFERENCES Zimmer Strap Clavical Splint, Zimmer Mfg. Co. Catalog, 1953, p. 505.

RICHARD A. GAUDET, Primary Examiner.

I. W. HINEY, Assistant Examiner.

Images