Patents Assigned to Nichols Therapy Systems, LLC
  • Patent number: 11273089
    Abstract: A physical medicine table for treating a patient's spine that is capable of providing precise, repeatable, and effective traction force treatment to a patient in multiple dimensions to adjust an unhealthy spinal structure towards a normal, healthy structure. Generally, the spinal structure treatment can be applied to a patient using the described traction device to secure the patient to the adjustable support portions and selectively impart a combination of longitudinal Y-axis traction forces, lateral X-axis traction forces and/or sagittal Z-axis traction forces to the patient using a control system in accordance with a prescribed treatment regimen.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 13, 2019
    Date of Patent: March 15, 2022
    Assignee: Nichols Therapy Systems, LLC
    Inventors: Jarrod L. Nichols, Galen R. Ackerman
  • Publication number: 20190262202
    Abstract: A physical medicine table for treating a patient's spine that is capable of providing precise, repeatable, and effective traction force treatment to a patient in multiple dimensions to adjust an unhealthy spinal structure towards a normal, healthy structure. Generally, the spinal structure treatment can be applied to a patient using the described traction device to secure the patient to the adjustable support portions and selectively impart a combination of longitudinal Y-axis traction forces, lateral X-axis traction forces and/or sagittal Z-axis traction forces to the patient using a control system in accordance with a prescribed treatment regimen.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 13, 2019
    Publication date: August 29, 2019
    Applicant: Nichols Therapy Systems, LLC
    Inventors: Jarrod L. Nichols, Galen R. Ackerman
  • Patent number: 10335338
    Abstract: A physical medicine table for treating a patient's spine that is capable of providing precise, repeatable, and effective traction force treatment to a patient in multiple dimensions to adjust an unhealthy spinal structure towards a normal, healthy structure. Generally, the spinal structure treatment can be applied to a patient using the described traction device to secure the patient to the adjustable support portions and selectively impart a combination of longitudinal Y-axis traction forces, lateral X-axis traction forces and/or sagittal Z-axis traction forces to the patient using a control system in accordance with a prescribed treatment regimen.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 2, 2015
    Date of Patent: July 2, 2019
    Assignee: Nichols Therapy Systems LLC
    Inventors: Jarrod L. Nichols, Galen R. Ackerman
  • Publication number: 20170196744
    Abstract: An apparatus has conforming arms each respectively attached to a support surface in a pattern for cooperatively receiving an object. Actuators respectively position the plurality of conforming arms between a disengaged state to receive the object and an engaged state to contact the object at a respective contact area to immobilize the object. A control system selectively controls each of the actuators to cause the respective one of the conforming arms to curve inwardly toward the object to cooperatively exert a grasping force upon the object such that only a fraction of total force required to immobilize the object is applied to the object by each individual conforming arm. A selected grasping force of a selected one of the conforming arms corresponds to a relative fragility of the respective contact area.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 22, 2017
    Publication date: July 13, 2017
    Applicant: Nichols Therapy Systems, LLC
    Inventors: Galen Ralph Ackerman, Jarrod L. Nichols
  • Patent number: 9636267
    Abstract: An apparatus has conforming arms each respectively attached to a support surface in a pattern for cooperatively receiving an object. Actuators respectively position the plurality of conforming arms between a disengaged state to receive the object and an engaged state to contact the object at a respective contact area to immobilize the object. A control system selectively controls each of the actuators to cause the respective one of the conforming arms to curve inwardly toward the object to cooperatively exert a grasping force upon the object such that only a fraction of total force required to immobilize the object is applied to the object by each individual conforming arm. A selected grasping force of a selected one of the conforming arms corresponds to a relative fragility of the respective contact area.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 18, 2015
    Date of Patent: May 2, 2017
    Assignee: Nichols Therapy Systems, LLC
    Inventors: Galen Ralph Ackerman, Jarrod L Nichols
  • Publication number: 20160193098
    Abstract: A physical medicine table for treating a patient's spine that is capable of providing precise, repeatable, and effective traction force treatment to a patient in multiple dimensions to adjust an unhealthy spinal structure towards a normal, healthy structure. Generally, the spinal structure treatment can be applied to a patient using the described traction device to secure the patient to the adjustable support portions and selectively impart a combination of longitudinal Y-axis traction forces, lateral X-axis traction forces and/or sagittal Z-axis traction forces to the patient using a control system in accordance with a prescribed treatment regimen.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 2, 2015
    Publication date: July 7, 2016
    Applicant: Nichols Therapy Systems, LLC
    Inventors: Jarrod L. Nichols, Galen R. Ackerman
  • Patent number: 9060907
    Abstract: An apparatus has conforming arms each respectively attached to a support surface in a pattern for cooperatively receiving an object. Actuators respectively position the plurality of conforming arms between a disengaged state to receive the object and an engaged state to contact the object at a respective contact area to immobilize the object. A control system selectively controls each of the actuators to cause the respective one of the conforming arms to curve inwardly toward the object to cooperatively exert a grasping force upon the object such that only a fraction of total force required to immobilize the object is applied to the object by each individual conforming arm. A selected grasping force of a selected one of the conforming arms corresponds to a relative fragility of the respective contact area.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 24, 2013
    Date of Patent: June 23, 2015
    Assignee: Nichols Therapy Systems, LLC
    Inventors: Galen Ralph Ackerman, Jarrod L Nichols
  • Publication number: 20130269110
    Abstract: An apparatus has conforming arms each respectively attached to a support surface in a pattern for cooperatively receiving an object. Actuators respectively position the plurality of conforming arms between a disengaged state to receive the object and an engaged state to contact the object at a respective contact area to immobilize the object. A control system selectively controls each of the actuators to cause the respective one of the conforming arms to curve inwardly toward the object to cooperatively exert a grasping force upon the object such that only a fraction of total force required to immobilize the object is applied to the object by each individual conforming arm. A selected grasping force of a selected one of the conforming arms corresponds to a relative fragility of the respective contact area.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 24, 2013
    Publication date: October 17, 2013
    Applicant: NICHOLS THERAPY SYSTEMS, LLC
    Inventors: Galen Ralph Ackerman, Jarrod L. Nichols
  • Patent number: 7601132
    Abstract: A traction force is applied at an angle to the longitudinal axis of the patient's spine and progressively increased over a period of time. A fulcrum member is applied against the posterior portion of the cervical region of a person's spine while the traction force pulls the cervical region and bends it rearwardly about the fulcrum member to stretch the soft tissues of the spine. In preferred embodiments the fulcrum member applies a progressively increasing fulcrum force, and the traction force likewise progressively increases during the treatment period. An electronic control system may be used to automatically control application of the fulcrum and traction forces.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 14, 2006
    Date of Patent: October 13, 2009
    Assignee: Nichols Therapy Systems, LLC
    Inventors: Jarrod L. Nichols, Galen R. Ackerman