Patents Examined by George N Phillips
  • Patent number: 8388557
    Abstract: A portable compression device for compressing at least a portion of a mammal's limb is provided. The portable compression device can use mechanical compression to apply an external pressure to the portion of the limb to thereby propagate blood flow return in the direction of the mammal's heart. In at least one embodiment, the portable compression device can accomplish this mechanical compression through the use of at least one frame, actuator, drum, and flexible elongate member. The actuator can move the drum between a first position and a second position. The flexible elongate member can be engaged with at least a portion of the drum and can at least partially circumscribe a portion of the limb of the mammal, such that the movement of the drum between the first and second positions can apply tension to the flexible elongate member to thereby apply a compressive force to the limb.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 20, 2008
    Date of Patent: March 5, 2013
    Inventors: Remo Moomiaie-Qajar, Jonathan L. Pearlman
  • Patent number: 8356604
    Abstract: An immobilization device including an anterior component including a two-dimensional shaped section contoured to a shape of the human chest and an anterior outwardly bowed area relative to the two-dimensional shaped anterior section generally corresponding to the sternum of the wearer. The device also includes a posterior component including a two-dimensional shaped section contoured to a shape of the human back and a posterior outwardly bowed area relative to the two-dimensional shaped section corresponding to the spinal column of the wearer, with elongate cushion elements connected to and extending within a width of the posterior outwardly bowed area. A strapping system connects both the anterior and posterior components to one another.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 13, 2009
    Date of Patent: January 22, 2013
    Assignee: Ossur HF
    Inventor: Jeff Nemeth
  • Patent number: 8262594
    Abstract: This invention relates to a reinforced support device suitable for the protection of a body part against overextension. In particular, this invention relates to a device comprising at least one reinforcement spine used to protect a body part against overextension and a plate disposed below a portion of the spine used to provide additional support and comfort. The reinforcement spine can flex in direction of the body part's natural movement and is substantially inflexible in the direction of overextension. Together, the reinforcement spine and plate prevent overextension of the protected body part and disperse the incident forces by transferring those forces from the reinforcement spine to the plate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 12, 2009
    Date of Patent: September 11, 2012
    Assignee: Warrior Sports, Inc.
    Inventors: Donald A. Sandusky, Ryan Altenburger
  • Patent number: 8257285
    Abstract: A traction bed having a planar table on which a patient may lie with the head disposed at one end and the feet disposed at the other end. A vibration platform is disposed on the planar table for imparting vibration motion to the patient. A pelvic belt is fitted on the patient and a first strap is connected to one side of the pelvic belt and a second strap is connected to the second side of the pelvic belt. Apparatus is included for selectively applying a tension force to the first and second straps in a direction toward the foot end of the table. Further, a chest harness is fitted on the patient and includes a pair of shoulder straps extending toward the head end of the table. Apparatus is provided for selectively applying a tension force to both shoulder straps toward the head end of the table.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 6, 2009
    Date of Patent: September 4, 2012
    Inventor: Gerry Cook
  • Patent number: 8192378
    Abstract: A toe massage device is constructed from a rotating body while being supported on a base by a supporting shaft; a rotation drive device for rotating the rotating body in the normal and reverse directions; and toe fixation means provided on the rotating body and fixing toes of a subject. The toes are fixed on the rotating body by the toe fixation means and the rotating body is rotated in the normal and reverse directions. When the rotating body is rotated in the normal direction, the toes are pulled forward and downward. That is, the toes are pulled in the direction in which they are bent toward the sole. When the rotating body is rotated in the reverse direction, the toes are bent upward while being caused to move backward.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 28, 2005
    Date of Patent: June 5, 2012
    Assignee: Eiko Enterprise Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Takesaburou Ootani, Hisayuki Mori
  • Patent number: 8167827
    Abstract: The combined floor mat and continuous passive motion device may include a continuous passive motion device and a single and unitary floor mat preferably in continuous frictional contact with the ground surface. The floor mat may be laid end-to-end with the continuous passive motion device so that the proximal end of the continuous passive motion device is adjustably connected to a distal end of the floor mat. The continuous passive motion device may further include a mechanism for preventing the continuous passive motion device from shifting during the exercise so that the floor mat remains longitudinally aligned with the continuous passive motion device and continuously disposed at a flat and planar arrangement on the ground surface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 16, 2008
    Date of Patent: May 1, 2012
    Inventor: Dan E Du Bose
  • Patent number: 8162869
    Abstract: A hybrid compression garment comprises a sleeve adapted for placement on a limb of a person for applying static compression to the limb. A connecting device on the sleeve enables releasable connection of the sleeve to a machine. The machine is independent of the sleeve and operable to transmit, through the connecting device, a force to the sleeve that constricts the sleeve without inflating the sleeve to apply active compression to the limb. The connecting device is adapted for connection of the sleeve to the machine such that the sleeve can be used to apply active compression to the limb and adapted for disconnection of the sleeve from the machine such that the sleeve can be used to apply static compression to the limb. A method of applying compression to a limb of a person is also disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 10, 2009
    Date of Patent: April 24, 2012
    Assignee: Tyco Healthcare Group LP
    Inventor: Joseph A. Graham
  • Patent number: 8162860
    Abstract: A massaging shoe device for providing comfort to a user's feet comprising a base, a hollow foot covering component, a ring-shaped first massaging component disposed inside the foot covering component that can wrap around a users foot, and a second massaging component disposed in the base near the back of the shoe device. The massaging components are for massaging a user's feet.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 9, 2009
    Date of Patent: April 24, 2012
    Inventor: Naser Ali
  • Patent number: 8156939
    Abstract: In therapeutic apparatus, the combination comprising an adjustable cradle pressure exerting therapeutic cushion, a flexible sheath housing a cushion, an elongated support operatively connected to a sheath for maneuvering a sheath and cushion into selected position or positions for transmitting pressure between a person and a surface onto which a person's body weight is imposed via a cushion and sheath.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 26, 2009
    Date of Patent: April 17, 2012
    Inventor: Rachael Joelle Maddalena
  • Patent number: 8142381
    Abstract: A foot brace assembly for immobilizing a user's foot while providing some degree of flexibility through independent shock absorbers that avoid drastic application of loads to the user's foot. A top shoe assembly is coupled through spring members to a bottom shoe assembly that has slightly larger dimensions to receive the top shoe assembly. The underside of the bottom shoe assembly includes rear, middle, and front assemblies that are independent from each other and are compressed depending on the user's gait. The underside of the shoe assembly includes perpendicularly mounted upper tubular members that telescopically receive and guide corresponding lower tubular members that are perpendicularly mounted to the upperside of the sole assembly. The lower tubular members are mounted to depressed walls below the sole assembly's upperside to reduce the effective separation of the shoe and sole assemblies while providing a sufficient guiding distance.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 7, 2009
    Date of Patent: March 27, 2012
    Inventor: Bernardo Birnbaum
  • Patent number: 8123710
    Abstract: A limiting connector for a knee brace has a first arm, a second arm and an angle adjusting assembly. The second arm is connected pivotally to the first arm. The angle adjusting assembly is mounted between the first arm and the second arm, and has a positioning gear, a gear cap, two buttons and a rotating cap. The gear cap is mounted through the positioning gear and the second arm, and is mounted on the first arm to hold the positioning gear between the second arm and the gear cap. The buttons are selectively slid to engage the positioning gear and define a range of rotation between the first and second arms. The rotating cap is rotatably mounted through the gear cap, and pushes the positioning gear toward the first arm to disengage the positioning gear from the buttons for adjusting the range of rotation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 13, 2009
    Date of Patent: February 28, 2012
    Inventor: Shu-Chen Chan
  • Patent number: 8105255
    Abstract: An orthosis including arms held in place on body parts by a respective fastening member and interconnected by a pivot joint adjacent to a body joint. For bending of the body parts required during normal movement, the pivot joint is formed by a central adjusting ring bordered by both arms. One arm includes an axle ring which is coaxial to the adjusting ring. The other arm includes a ring bearing, which is eccentric to the axle ring. The ring bearing is pivotable with respect to a rotational plane of the axle ring by rotating the adjusting ring in such a way and at such an angle that the arm, supported by the ring bearing in conjunction with the body part retained by it, assumes a pivoting position of this body part depending on the rotation angle of the adjusting ring in relation to the arm connected to the axle ring.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 17, 2009
    Date of Patent: January 31, 2012
    Assignee: Bauerfeind AG
    Inventors: Dominique Panzer, Peter Sachs, Michel Vanfleteren
  • Patent number: 8105250
    Abstract: A vibration-exercising machine has a supporting frame, a main platform being mounted on the supporting frame, at least one additional platform being mounted on the supporting frame and multiple vibrators being mounted in each corresponding platform. The vibration-exercising machine allows different parts of a user to be vibrated and exercised efficiently at the same time with easy and comfortable poses.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 16, 2008
    Date of Patent: January 31, 2012
    Inventor: Mu-Chuan Wu
  • Patent number: 8100132
    Abstract: This invention relates to a fixation device for immobilizing a head of a patient relative a treatment unit or medical device during treatment of the head. The fixation device is provided with an interface unit adapted to be fixated in relation to an adaptor unit for connection to the treatment unit, or to a frame for connection to the medical device. Furthermore, the fixation device is further provided with a sliding plate being slidable in relation to said interface unit in an xz-plane of a coordinate system. The system is a Cartesian coordinate system defined by three orthogonal axis having an x-axis extending in the medial-lateral direction of the patient, an y-axis extending in the anterior-posterior direction, and a z-axis extending in the cranial-caudal direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 21, 2009
    Date of Patent: January 24, 2012
    Assignee: Elekta AB (Publ)
    Inventor: Marten Markstroem
  • Patent number: 7997276
    Abstract: A device for face-down, prone respiration comprising a head support made of resilient material having a facial cavity conformable to the contours of a person's face, a plenum cavity in fluid communication with the person's face, a substantially L-shaped support base removably engaged to the head support, a horizontal member of the base engaged underneath the head support and a vertical member of the base engaged to an end of the head support proximate to the facial cavity and in fluid communication with the plenum cavity, the vertical member having at least one air pump intake pathway and at least one exhalation discharge pathway integral to the base whereby air pumped through at least one air pump intake pathway creates a plenum in plenum cavity which is inhaled by person and air exhaled by person is discharged back into plenum cavity and out the at least one exhalation discharge pathway.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 26, 2009
    Date of Patent: August 16, 2011
    Inventor: James E. Goff