Patent Application
20250073110
This disclosure pertains to the utilization of a traction device. More specifically, the current invention is predominantly focused on a cervical traction device designed for addressing various medical conditions, such as radiculopathy or nerve compression, vertebral fractures, spinal stenosis, degenerative disc disease, cervical spondylosis, and scoliosis.
Cervical spinal traction is a well-established non-surgical and drug-free treatment method widely acknowledged for its safety and effectiveness in managing chronic neck conditions associated with disc herniation and joint degeneration. This therapeutic approach involves gently elongating the cervical spine to alleviate disc pressure and promote an optimal healing environment.
While various traction apparatuses have been developed to facilitate cervical spine traction, existing options at hospitals tend to be cumbersome and require the assistance of trained professionals, making them expensive and time-consuming for most patients. On the other hand, some home therapy apparatuses are overly simplistic, relying on manual force or counterforce applied by patients using their hands or legs. Furthermore, these apparatuses often lack the capability to easily adjust traction strength, limiting their efficacy.
Additionally, most existing apparatuses require patients to assume a sitting or lying position, resulting in unfamiliar stretching of the associated muscles while undergoing cervical spine traction. This unfamiliar stretching frequently leads to muscle spasms, undermining the therapy's effectiveness. Therefore, there is a significant demand for a simple yet effective therapy apparatus that allows patients to adjust the traction strength based on their preference and body weight. Moreover, the apparatus should enable patients to proactively stretch the associated muscles while undergoing traction, promoting natural movement, and ensuring a more comfortable and effective cervical spinal traction therapy experience.
Accordingly, it can be seen that needs exist for the cervical traction apparatus disclosed herein. It is to the provision of a cervical traction apparatus that is configured to address these need and others, that the present invention is primarily directed.
These and other features and advantages of various embodiments disclosed herein will be better understood with respect to the following description of drawings, wherein,
Common reference numerals are used throughout the drawings and the detailed description to indicate the same elements.
The following detailed description, in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, presents the currently preferred embodiments of the invention. It should be noted that these embodiments are not the exclusive forms in which the apparatus can be developed or utilized. It is understood that various other embodiments capable of achieving the same or equivalent functions are also intended to be encompassed within the spirit and scope of the invention.
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According to an aspect of the invention, there is provided the cervical traction apparatus 100 for use with the patient 120 and the anchor point 110. The apparatus 100 incorporates the adjustable chain130, which consists of multiple carabiner clips 131 and an interlocked chain segment 132. These components can be joined in a flexible manner. Each carabiner clip 131 has the capability to be inserted or detached independently, either with or without utilization of the interlocked chain 132, thereby enabling effortless adjustment of the overall length of adjustable chain130. The apparatus 100 further includes a cohesive framework 140 comprising a plurality of parallel extension springs 141, two of connection panels 142, where each of the connection panel 142 incorporates a swivel hook 143. The apparatus 100 further includes a spreader bar150 with one lifting point 151 located at the top middle portion, being seized, and configured to be attached to the bottom size of the cohesive framework 140, along with two of pick points 152 positioned at the opposing ends of the bottom. The cervical traction apparatus 100 further includes the head halter 160 comprising two cross straps wherein a back strap 161 being fastened and attached to the backside of the patient 120 in alignment with their occiput, as well as a front strap 162 being seized and attached to the chin of the patient 120, two of loop straps 164 and two of hooks 165 to ensure stability, with two of attachment points 163 suspended from the spread bar150.
The cervical traction apparatus 100 further includes a positioning mat 170. The positioning mat 170 is placed on the floor. A printed dot 171, positioned at the centre of the positioning mat 170, serving as a visual reference point, is intended to align with the anchor point 110, forming a vertical line perpendicular to the floor. Two of foot outlines 172 are printed on either side of the printed dot 171. The patient 120 stands on the positioning mat 170 and ensures that their feet 122 are cantered on the foot outlines 172 throughout the entire traction session.
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As an illustrative example, the extension springs 141, constructed from SUS304 stainless steel material with specific dimensions including a wire diameter of 0.8 mm, a centre diameter of 7.2 mm, 293 active coils, and a free length height of 250 cm, demonstrate their ability to generate unique forces when subjected to various levels of deflection.
When the patient 120 applies a downward force to move the head halter 160 from the top of the head 121 to the position of the neck 123, subsequently securing it to the head 121, the resulting vertical distance corresponds to the measurement from Menton (the bottom of the chin) to the top of the head 121. This measurement, referred to as “Menton to top of head,” typically falls within the range of 19.8 cm to 25.5 cm for both men and women, as reported in Wikipedia.
For a comprehensive understanding, the forces generated by different combinations of parallel extension springs 141 at deflections of 20 cm, 23 cm, 25 cm, 30 cm, and the maximum deflection length of 37 cm are meticulously documented in the accompanying spreadsheet.
Considering the load exerted by the spread bar 150 and the head halt 160 loading under the cohesive framework 140, the traction force must be precisely calibrated by subtracting the combined weight of these two components. Consequently, the adjusted traction force, factoring in the weight of both items as one pound, will be presented in the spreadsheet provided below for your reference.
It has been noted that to attain substantial cervical traction, the traction force should equal or exceed the weight of the head 121, which typically constitutes around 8.2% of the patient's 120 total body weight. We are employing this 8.2% factor to retroactively determine the corresponding body weight for which the aforementioned traction force can be applied, as outlined below.
Based on the aforementioned sample, it becomes clear that the traction force generated by the parallel extension springs 141 within the cohesive framework 140 can be customized by altering the quantity of parallel extension springs 141 and the extent of deflection. This adaptability is designed to meet the specific requirements of the majority of patient groups, accommodating variances in weight and individual preferences, thereby ensuring effective cervical traction and the attainment of optimal outcomes. It is noteworthy, however, that alternative materials, varying wire sizes, and free extension height options for the springs can also be employed to cater to diverse weight variations and individual preferences.
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In specific embodiments, the adjustable chain 130, the spread bar 150, and all constituents of the cohesive framework 140 are fabricated from stainless steel. The head halter 160 straps are crafted from nylon material, enveloped in leather, and cushioned with memory foam, while the two attachment points 163 are constructed from stainless steel. The positioning mat 170 is manufactured using foam rubber material, featuring a printable textured surface. It is important to acknowledge that alternative materials, recognized by those skilled in the field, could also be employed for these components.
The specific examples shown herein are provided solely as illustrative discussions of the embodiments of the present invention, serving the purpose of presenting what is believed to be the most useful and readily understandable description of the underlying principles and conceptual aspects. Accordingly, the intention is not to depict more details than necessary to comprehend the disclosure fundamentally. The description, in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, makes it evident to those skilled in the art how various forms of the presently disclosed invention can be embodied in practice.
While the operations are presented in a specific order in the drawings, it should be understood that this does not mandate performing the operations in the exact order shown or in a sequential manner, nor does it imply that all illustrated operations must be executed to achieve the desired results.
