Body joint liner

Abstract

A body joint liner comprising at least one divergent channel such that when in use on a persons body, tissue fluid flow is encouraged. A body joint liner comprising a first pressure gradient for tissue fluid flow when in use on a persons body. A body joint liner comprising a pressure gradient including a pattern of projections with a spacing that increases along the length of the liner.

Description

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

[0001] This invention relates to a body joint liner for an ankle brace for human use.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

[0002] There are a variety of known ankle brace designs of what are frequently called clamshell ankle braces. These braces consist of a pair of shells and body joint liners, that attach to either side of the ankle joint. They are fitted following common soft tissue ankle injuries, such as what is known as an inversion injury which is accompanied by oedema (swollen tissue). Following the injury regaining ones health and fitness as quickly as possible is very important. A factor influencing the healing process, is the ease with which tissue fluid drains from the injury site. Also the muscles surrounding the body joint may be damaged which may effect a person's balance.

[0003] Existing braces provide a moulded foam liner with a straight channel running up the middle of the liner. This channel provides an area of lesser pressure and so encourages drainage of tissue fluid following the common inversion injury. Some examples of prior art are U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,844,094, 5,389,065 and 5,630,792.

[0004] “Proprioception” refers to a sense of position for a body. In the soft tissues around joints there are “sense of position receptors” which provide information to the brain which then in a reflex fashion instructs muscle to move to control position or movement. Although ligaments stabilise joints in a static sense, it is the dynamic stabilisation of joints achieved by muscles that cross them, that is primary in control. After an injury there is a proprioceptive lag which makes the ankle more susceptible to a lack of stabilisation because the muscle reflex is less responsive.

[0005] It has been found that many of the known body joint liners fail to achieve satisfactory results in that the healing process which involves the movement of tissue fluids can be too slow and the liner can be too uncomfortable to wear due to high skin pressures.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

[0006] It is the object of the present invention to provide a body joint liner which will reduce such disadvantages or which will at least provide the public with a useful choice.

[0007] According to one aspect of the present invention there is provided a body joint liner having at least one divergent channel such that when in use on a persons body, tissue fluid flow is encouraged.

[0008] Preferably the channel is waist shaped.

[0009] Preferably the channel is centrally located.

[0010] Preferably the channel extends to a depressed area for a bone joint.

[0011] Preferably the liner has a first pressure gradient including a tapering thickness.

[0012] Preferably the liner has a second pressure gradient including a pattern of projections with a spacing pattern that increases along the liner.

[0013] Preferably the projections extend within the channel.

[0014] Preferably the liner is moulded from foam.

[0015] According to another aspect of the invention there is provided a body joint liner providing a first pressure gradient for tissue fluid flow when in use on a persons body.

[0016] Preferably the first pressure gradient comprises tapering liner thickness.

[0017] Preferably there is a channel.

[0018] Preferably the channel is waist shaped.

[0019] Preferably the channel is centrally located.

[0020] Preferably the channel extends to a depressed area for a bone joint.

[0021] Preferably the channel is a divergent channel.

[0022] Preferably the liner further includes a second pressure gradient such that when in use on a persons body tissue fluid flow is improved.

[0023] Preferably the second pressure gradient comprises a pattern of projections with a spacing pattern that increases along the length of the liner.

[0024] Preferably the projections extend within the channel.

[0025] Preferably the liner is moulded from foam.

[0026] According to another aspect of the invention there is provided a body joint liner providing a pressure gradient including a pattern of projections with a spacing that increases along the length of the liner.

[0027] Preferably the liner has a depressed area for a bone joint.

[0028] Preferably the liner has a divergent channel.

[0029] Preferably the liner is waist shaped.

[0030] Preferably the divergent channel is centrally located.

[0031] Preferably the projections extend within the length or the channel.

[0032] Preferably the liner has another gradient including a liner thickness which tapers or reduces in thickness.

[0033] Preferably the liner is moulded from foam.

[0034] To those skilled in the art to which the invention relates, many changes in construction and widely differing embodiments and applications of the invention will suggest themselves without departing from the scope of the invention as defined in the appended claims. The disclosures and the description herein are purely illustrative and are not intended to be in any sense limiting.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0035] An example of the invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings in which:

[0036] FIG. 1 is a plan view of the body joint liner according to the invention.

[0037] FIG. 2 is a cross-section of the body joint liner along a line “AA” of FIG. 1.

[0038] FIG. 3 is a cross-section of the liner along line “BB” of FIG. 1.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

[0039] In FIG. 1 the body joint liner 1 shown is planar and waist shaped and elongate with a longitudinal center line A-A and ends 2 and 3, Also shown is a depressed area called the body joint area or ankle support area 4 and channel area 5 leading from the ankle support area 4 to end 2. Channel 5 provides an area which in use applies less pressure to the body of the user. The channel area 5 can be a divergent channel centrally located in the liner. Ankle support area 4 is a depressed area or region which in use fits over any bone joint or in this case the malleollar or projection on the distal end of the tibia or fibular as shown in FIGS. 2 and 3 of the drawing. The ankle support area 4 provides a line i.e. transverse line “CC” as shown in the figures, indicating the deepest point in the area and which centers on the ankle in use. As shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, the liner is generally convex in shape with a long length and a short length on either side of transverse line “CC”. The long side forms a shallow valley shape (when compared to the depressed area on the opposite line side to the ankle support area 4.

[0040] Also shown in FIG. 1 are a series of different projections exhibiting different shapes and pattern configurations. A first projection pattern having projections 6, lies outside the central channel area 5 and may be regular in pattern. This pattern can be on an angle with respect to the longitudinal axis A-A or the transverse axis C-C of the liner as shown. Each projection 6 may comprise an elongate member.

[0041] As shown in FIGS. 2 and 3 a first pressure gradient is shown. The first pressure gradient is provided by a tapering thickness 8 to the liner which creates a pressure gradient to encourage the flow of body fluids away from the ankle. The channel area has a border of projections which may include larger projections progressively down to smaller projections, as shown in FIG. 1. Thus the smaller projections may have a diameter of about 30% of the diameter of the larger projections.

[0042] A second pressure gradient as shown in FIG. 1, is defined as a pattern of second projections 7 with a spacing that increases along the length of the lines.

[0043] The second projection pattern 7 lies in the ankle support area 4 which leads to the central channel area 5 extending to the far end 2. The second projection pattern 7 may not be regular in spacing and includes projections having a center spacing that increases from area 4 to the fat end 2. This means that the spacing of the projections becomes less dense. This increase in spacing or reduction of projection density further defines the second pressure gradient, to further encourage body fluid drainage. The projections are spread progressively so as to provide increasingly more channels for the fluid drainage. The projections can be called nipples or nubs or the like. In use the nipples will also absorb individual anatomy around the malleollar or the bone bumps on either side of the ankle. The grip on the individual ankle will therefore be improved. The nipples will exert a massaging effect as the wearer moves their ankle within the ankle brace. This will encourage greater movement of tissue fluids. The nipples will provide greater input to proprioceptive sensors in the soft tissue about the ankle and therefore enhance the stability imparted onto the ankle or subtalia joint by the surrounding muscles.

[0044] The liner may be constructed from moulded pressed foam and injection moulded materials or laminated materials or any combination thereof.

[0045] In use, the body joint liner is attached to the side of a body joint such as an ankle joint, after an injury.

[0046] Thus it can be seen from the foregoing that the present invention provides a body joint liner which when in use increases a persons tissue fluid flow and so improves the healing process.

Claims

1. A body joint liner comprising at least one divergent channel such that when in use on a persons body, tissue fluid flow is encouraged.

2. A body joint liner as claimed in claim 1 wherein the channel is waist shaped.

3. A body joint liner as claimed in claim 2 wherein the channel is centrally located.

4. A body joint liner as claimed in claim 3 wherein the channel extends to a depressed area for a bone joint.

5. A body joint liner as claimed in claim 4 wherein the liner has a second pressure gradient including a pattern of projections with a spacing pattern that increases along the liner.

6. A body joint liner as claimed in claim 5 wherein the liner has a first pressure gradient including a tapering thickness.

7. A body joint liner as claimed in claim 6 wherein the projections extend within the channel.

8. A body joint liner as claimed in claim 7 wherein the liner is molded from foam.

9. A body joint liner comprising a first pressure gradient for tissue fluid flow when in use on a persons body.

10. A body joint liner as claimed in claim 9 wherein the first pressure gradient comprises tapering liner thickness.

11. A body joint liner as claimed in claim 10 wherein there is a channel.

12. A body joint liner as claimed in claim 11 wherein the channel is waist shaped.

13. A body joint liner as claimed in claim 12 wherein the channel is centrally located.

14. A body joint liner as claimed in claim 13 wherein the channel extends to a depressed area for a bone joint to be located therein.

15. A body joint liner as claimed in claim 14 wherein the channel is a divergent channel.

16. A body joint liner as claimed in claim 15 wherein the liner further includes a second pressure gradient such that when in use on a persons body tissue fluid flow is improved.

17. A body joint liner as claimed in claim 16 wherein the second pressure gradient comprises a pattern of projections with a spacing pattern that increases along the length of the liner.

18. A body joint liner as claimed in claim 17 wherein the projections extend within the channel.

19. A body joint liner as claimed in claim 18 wherein the liner is moulded from foam.

20. A body joint liner comprising a pressure gradient including a pattern of projections with a spacing that increases along the length of the liner.

21. A body joint liner as claimed in claim 20 wherein the liner has a depressed area for a bone joint.

22. A body joint liner the liner as claimed in claim 21 wherein has a divergent channel.

23. A body joint liner as claimed in claim 22 wherein the liner is waist shaped.

24. A body joint liner as claimed in claim 23 wherein the divergent channel is centrally located.

25. A body joint liner as claimed in claim 24 wherein the projections extend within the length of the channel.

26. A body joint liner as claimed in claim 25 wherein the liner has another gradient including a liner thickness which tapers or reduces in thickness.

27. A body joint liner as claimed in claim 26 wherein the liner is moulded from foam.