WATERPROOF CUSTOMIZABLE APPENDAGE SPLINTING KIT

Abstract

Customizable split kits are provided including a plurality of components that may be assembled into a waterproof and breathable wrist splint. The splint assembled from the kit can fit multiple size/shaped arms or other appendages, is moldable for custom positioning, protective, immobilizing, and locks-on for compliance.

Description

Claims

1. A kit for assembling a waterproof wrist splint, comprising: a back spine, configured to extend along a back side of a wearer’s forearm and hand;a front spine, configured to extend along a front side of the wearer’s forearm and hand;each of the back spine and the front spine respectively including a plurality of attachment structures therein on an outer surface thereof;a pair of palm beads, configured to fit on opposite sides of the wearer’s hand;a pair of wrist beads, configured to fit on opposite sides of the wearer’s wrist;at least one pair of forearm beads, each of the pair of forearm beads configured to fit on opposite sides of the wearer’s forearm;each of the palm beads, wrist beads, and forearm beads including a through-hole extending from a first side to a second side thereof; anda plurality of cable ties, each of the plurality of cable ties being configured to extend through the through-hole in one of the respective palm beads, wrist beads, and forearm beads and into the attachment structures on one or more of the back spine and the front spine, so as to form a customizable sized splint.

2. The kit of claim 1, wherein each of the back spine and the front spine consist essentially of a thermoplastic polymer.

3. The kit of claim 1, wherein each of the back spine and the front spine consist essentially of thermoplastic polylactide, such that the back spine and the front spine may be changed in shape by a user through the application of heat.

4. The kit of claim 1, wherein the customizable size splint is configured to be adjusted in size by tightening the plurality of cable ties around the wearer’s forearm and hand.

5. The kit of claim 1, wherein each of the back spine and the front spine respectively include an attachment area, each attachment area including a first orientation through-hole and recessed area and a second orientation through-hole and recessed area;wherein the first orientation is configured to allow the pair of palm beads to fit a wearer’s right hand, and the second orientation is configured to allow the pair of palm beads to fit a wearer’s left hand.

6. The kit of claim 1, wherein the back spine includes a back spine upper portion, a back spine lower portion, and a back spine bend between the back spine upper portion and the back spine lower portion;the back spine bend being an angle of approximately 15 degrees;the front spine includes a front spine upper portion, a front spine lower portion, and a front spine bend between the front spine upper portion and the front spine lower portion;the front spine bend being an angle of approximately 15 degrees; andthe back spine bend and the front spine bend being configured so as to accommodate a wearer’s wrist being immobilized at an vertical angle relative to the wearer’s forearm.

7. A customizable sized splint for immobilizing a portion of a wearer’s body, comprising: a first spine, configured to extend along a first side of the wearer’s limb;a second spine, configured to extend along a second side of the wearer’s limb, the second side of the wearer’s limb being opposite the first side of the wearer’s limb;each of the first spine and the second spine respectively including a plurality of attachment structures therein on an outer surface thereof;a plurality of sets of beads, each set of beads being configured to partially surround a portion of the wearer’s limb, each bead in the plurality of sets of beads including a through-hole therein; anda plurality of cables ties, each cable tie connecting the bead in each respective set of beads to the first spine and the second spine by extending through the through-hole in each bead and connecting to another cable tie at the attachment structure, the plurality of cable ties thereby connecting the first spine to the second spine so as to immobilize the wearer’s limb therebetween.

8. The splint of claim 7, wherein each of the first spine and the second spine consist essentially of a thermoplastic polymer, such that the first spine and the second spine may be changed in shape by a user through the application of heat.

9. The splint of claim 7, wherein the customizable size splint is configured to be adjusted in size by tightening the plurality of cable ties around the wearer’s limb.

10. The splint of claim 7, wherein the wearer’s limb is an arm, and the splint is configured to fit around the wearer’s forearm, wrist, and hand.

11. The splint of claim 7, wherein the wearer’s limb is selected from the group consisting of: an arm, a wrist, an elbow, a finger, a thumb, a leg, a knee, an ankle, and a foot.

12. The splint of claim 7, wherein each cable tie includes a head end including a one-way ratchet mechanism, and each attachment area includes a recessed area configured to allow the head end of a cable tie to fit therein.

13. The splint of claim 7, wherein each bead in the plurality of sets of beads includes a foam layer on an inner side thereof.

14. A kit for assembling a waterproof splint, comprising: a back spine, the back spine including a first waterproof closed-cell foam layer on an inner surface thereof;a front spine, the front spine including a second waterproof closed-cell foam layer on an inner surface thereof;each of the back spine and the front spine respectively including a plurality of attachment structures therein on an outer surface thereof;a plurality of sets of beads, each set of beads being configured to partially surround a portion of the wearer’s limb, each bead in the plurality of sets of beads including a through-hole therein and each bead in the plurality of sets of beads including a waterproof closed-cell foam layer on an inner surface thereof; anda plurality of cable ties, each of the plurality of cable ties being configured to extend through the through-hole in one of the beads in each of the plurality of sets of beads and into the attachment structures on each of the back spine and the front spine, so as to form a customizable sized splint.

15. The kit of claim 14, wherein a first cable tie in the plurality of cable ties extends through a first bead in a first set of beads of the plurality of sets of beads;a length of the first cable tie between the attachment structures on each of the back spine and the front spine is customized in order to position the first bead adjacent to a first side of a wearer’s limb;a second cable tie in the plurality of cable ties extends through a second bead in the first set of beads of the plurality of sets of beads; anda length of the second cable tie between the attachment structures on each of the back spine and the front spine is customized in order to position the second bead adjacent to a second side of a wearer’s limb, the second side of a wearer’s limb being opposite the first side of the wearer’s limb;the length of the first cable tie and the length of the second table tie thereby customizing a size of the splint when worn on a wearer’s limb.

16. The kit of claim 14, wherein each of the waterproof closed-cell foam layers comprises an adhesive-backed closed-cell polyethylene foam.

17. The kit of claim 14, wherein each of the beads in the plurality of sets of beads consists essentially of ABS.

18. The kit of claim 14, wherein each bead in a first set of beads of the plurality of sets of beads has a curved inner surface with a first radius of curvature configured to conform to a first portion of a wearer’s appendage; andeach bead in a second set of beads of the plurality of sets of beads has a curved inner surface with a second radius of curvature, the second radius of curvature being different from the first radius of curvature, such that the second set of beads is configured to confirm to a second portion of a wearer’s limb that is different from the first portion of the wearer’s appendage.

19. The kit of claim 14, wherein the kit includes a first set of beads, a second set of beads, and a third set of beads;each bead in the first set of beads having a first radius of curvature on an inner surface thereof;each bead in the second set of beads having a second radius of curvature on an inner surface thereof;each dead in the third set of beads having a third radius of curvature on an inner surface thereof;the second radius of curvature being larger than the first radius of curvature; andthe third radius of curvature being larger than the second radius of curvature.

20. The kit of claim 14, wherein each of the back spine and the front spine consist essentially of a thermoplastic polymer, such that the back spine and the front spine may be changed in shape by a user through the application of heat.