This invention relates to improvements in the field of wrist supports. More specifically, this invention involves wrist support devices for individuals who routinely engage in activities that involve repetitive movements of the wrist and hands such as directing a computer mouse and typing.
As increased amounts of work, education and recreation incorporate the use of computers, repetitive strain and stress injuries to the hands, wrists and arms and related conditions, such as carpal tunnel syndrome, become more prevalent. Generally, these injuries result from the use of computer mice and keyboards and often occur from repeated physical movements, damaging tendons, nerves, muscles and other soft body tissues. These injuries present a serious and very painful condition that is far easier to prevent than to cure once onset occurs, and can crop up even in young, physically fit individuals. Often times, these injuries cause people to leave computer dependent careers, or even to be disabled and unable to perform mundane tasks which are generally taken for granted.
Many support devices are commercially available to alleviate or prevent injuries associated with repetitive stress and strain to the wrist area. In particular, wrist rests and supports used in conjunction with keyboards and computer mice are widely available, whereon a user's wrists rest on a soft elongated pad which provides support while redirecting pressure points in the area. Devices of this type are further designed with the structure for keeping the wrist in a given position at all times in order to prevent injury while using a personal computer and other desktop devices.
Despite some of the advantages offered by these products, conventional wrist rests have certain shortcomings. For instance, prior art wrist supports are not capable of being customized to a desired height relative to the keyboard or mouse adjacent to which it is positioned. The lack of customization often prevents the effective positioning of a hand and wrist for purposes of using a mouse and typing thus making it harder for individuals to work effectively without pain, discomfort and the prospect of enduring a repetitive stress injury. Further, individuals with relatively smaller or larger hands and fingers find it particularly difficult, uncomfortable and inefficient to rest their hands on a standard wrist rest in the course of using a mouse or typing since they have difficulty positioning and repositioning repeatedly their hands effectively when laying their hands on these types of conventional support devices. Prior wrist supports also prevent micromovements when the full weight of the hand, wrist and arm rest on these supports. These drawbacks inevitably force users to refrain from fully releasing the full weight of their arms and hands on the rest and thus utilizing and taking advantage of the wrist rest or, in many cases, simply cause users to abandon use of the wrist rest entirely.
Further, prior art wrist supports are generally designed to rest in a stationary position, preventing them from freely moving with the wrist of a user along a surface. For example, computer mouse wrist supports, which may be formed as an integral section of a conventional mouse pad, are often intended to rest in a single fixed position once in use. The support section, much like a conventional keyboard wrist support, does not provide for any significant movement since the padded area is secured in a single position and the material comprising the bottom of the support produces friction between the material and surface upon which it is resting and prevents movement along a surface without the application of a significant amount of force.
Additionally, in the context of wrist supports which are capable of limited movement, these supports fail to provide users with a wide range of motion that is natural to a user. For example, when assuming a more relaxed position the hand and wrist of a user may tend to roll outwardly. Conventional wrist supports are not capable of this type of movement and may bias the wrist against such movement. Also, the hand and wrist of a user may tend to assume other physical positions that are comfortable to the user but which are not possible to attain with conventional supports that are not capable of particular movements such as rolling inwardly, outwardly, front to back and combinations thereof.
Likewise, computer mouse and keyboard wrist supports that are capable of limited movement along a surface, lack the means for attaching to the wrist of a user. Thus, for example, if a user must lift his hands to move them to a different area on the desk, the wrist support simply remains in place, obliging the user to manually lift the support and place it on another area of the desk.
Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide an improved wrist support device that reduces tension and pain to the carpal tunnel region of the wrist.
It is a another object of the present invention to provide a wrist support device that may be customized to a desired height relative to the keyboard or mouse adjacent to which it is positioned.
It is a further object of the present invention to provide a wrist support device that has a wide range of motion that is natural to a user, allowing a user's wrist to assume positions that were not achievable with conventional wrist supports.
It is yet another object of the present invention to provide a wrist support device that is selectively attachable to the wrist of a user.
It is still another object of the present invention to provide a wrist support device that facilitates micromovements of the wrist and hand area of a user.
Additional objectives will be apparent from the description of the invention that follows.
In its broadest aspects, the inventive wrist support comprises features beyond those found in prior art wrist supports, thereby providing a greater degree of effectiveness and versatility to users. A preferred embodiment of the wrist support comprises a glide member, a comfort support and attachment means for selectively attaching the device to the wrist of a user. The glide member or head is preferably made of polyurethane, hard plastic, Teflon coated or other similarly performing materials which provide for reduced friction between the glide member and a desktop or surface upon which the device is utilized.
The comfort support may comprise many different types of materials which are capable of providing support to the wrist of a user yet are soft and comfortable such as conventional gel pads, specialized pads incorporating displaceable gel, foam, rubber or other soft materials. The comfort support is preferably curvilinear, however, the dimensions may vary as desired and can be configured in a number of shapes and degrees of thickness. Significantly, the comfort support preferably includes a plurality of pillow elements which are spaced apart to provide for a gap or space directly below the carpal tunnel region of the wrist so that no pressure or at least a reduced amount of pressure is placed against the wrist in that area.
In a preferred embodiment, the attachment means selectively maintains the device around the wrist of a user and comprises at least one projection extending upwardly from the glide member. Optionally, the projection does not proceed entirely around a user's wrist, but in conjunction with said comfort support surrounds approximately 300 degrees of the wrist. Other attachment means comprise a strap and/or hook and loop fasteners which are utilized independently or in conjunction with the projection extending from the glide member.
With reference to the figures,
Referring to a preferred embodiment of the present invention, there is shown in
As shown in
Preferably, the glide member 22 comprises polyurethane, Teflon coated material, hard plastic or other known substances which produce a reduced amount of friction between the bottom surface 22 of the glide member 20 and the surface 12 upon which the wrist support 10 is utilized, thereby limiting the drag of the wrist support 10 during use. The glide member 20 is also constructed of non-abrasive materials at the bottom surface 22 thereby minimizing scratching, wear or other forms of damage to the surface 12.
As shown in
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Significantly, the wrist support 10 is not necessarily limited to use on a strictly planar surface 12 and may be used on desk containing papers and other items scattered about. Particularly, when utilizing a domed bottom 22, the wrist support 10 has the inherent ability to simply glide over these materials without greatly affecting the utility of the wrist support. In addition, while the support 10 is depicted on the left wrist W of a user, it may be utilized interchangeably on the left or right hand. Furthermore, the glide member 20 and frame 40 may optionally include magnets 51 for users who want to employ magnetic therapy during the course of use.
The wrist support 10 is fitted with and holds a comfort support 30 disposed in a cradle area 46 located at the lower portion of the frame 40 of the wrist support 10. Preferably, the comfort support 30 is firmly implanted (although not necessarily permanently set) in the cradle 46 in order to minimize movement of the comfort support 30 during use. Significantly, the comfort support 30 comprises a plurality of opposed, upstanding pillow elements 32, 34 upon which the wrist W rests. These pillow elements 32, 34 are spaced apart to provide for a gap or space 36 directly below the carpal tunnel region of the wrist W when the wrist W is appropriately propped up by the pillow elements 32, 34. When utilized properly, the presence of the gap 36 below the carpal tunnel region ensures that no pressure, or a significantly reduced amount of pressure, is placed against the wrist in that particular area. In order to ensure that the gap 36 does not completely collapse under the weight of a user's wrist, the comfort support 30 is constructed of materials that can provide the needed support yet are pliable and comfortable. Thus, the comfort support 30 may comprise conventional gel pads, specialized pads incorporating displaceable gel, foam, rubber or other soft materials.
While the side and bottom dimensions of the comfort support 30 are generally limited to the dimensions of the cradle area 46 of the frame 40 within which the comfort support 30 is disposed, the upper contour of the comfort support 30 and the pillow elements 32, 34 thereof may be varied to assume a number of shapes and degrees of thickness. Also, the comfort support 30 may be configured to have limited and designated points of contact with the wrist of a user, limiting irritation to the skin of a user.
The configuration of the comfort support 30 in connection with the gliding ability of the gliding member 20 permits the wrist support 10 to turn or rotate in conjunction with the wrist W of the user. Accordingly, the wrist support 10 provides a greater sense of stability while simultaneously allowing for an increased range of motion than conventional wrist support devices. Similarly, the result is less friction and irritation caused by the comfort region rubbing against the skin of the wrist W when the wrist W seeks to assume a more natural relaxed position.
As shown in
The projections 42, 44 are preferably formed of a material that is somewhat elastic and provides at least a minimal degree of flexibility in order accommodate a user when the device initially engages the wrist. Thus, the projections 42, 44 can be forced apart into an open or tensed position when the wrist is inserted to engage the comfort support 30, after which the projections 42, 44 assume the closed or relaxed position.
In another, second embodiment, shown in
The comfort support 130 is of the same general configuration as that shown in the embodiment of
In addition, in this embodiment, the projections 142, 144 extend entirely around the wrist of a user and overlap, and are secured with a hook and loop fastener 148 at their ends. The device may also incorporate strap and quick-release mechanisms for selectively unfastening the wrist support from the wrist of a user quickly and efficiently. With such attachment means a user presses a button or squeezes a flexible insert-type fastener. When utilizing a strap and release mechanism, the projections may extend only partially around the wrist and incorporate a somewhat stiffer material to provide additional support. Other means for attaching include clips, elastomeric bands, tension bands, projections with holes to accommodate a strap or combinations of all of the foregoing discussed above.
In yet another embodiment, shown in
The comfort support 230 is of a curvilinear shape and includes pillow elements 232, 234 which provide for a gap 236 therebetween. As shown in
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In a further and fourth embodiment of the wrist support 310, shown in
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Referring to
The wrist support 710 incorporates an air actuated inflatable bladder 731 as the one described above, that is adapted to suit the dimensions of the wrist support frame 740. In this embodiment, a pair of inflatable bladders 731 is located beneath a left side 733 and a right side 735, respectively, of the comfort support 730. Thus, the height of the comfort support 730 on both the left side 733 and right side 735 may be individually raised as air is pumped into the bladder 731 by pressing actuator buttons 747, 748 which each control a separate side 733, 735 of the wrist support 710. Air is continuously forced into the bladders, limited only by the capacity of the bladders that are utilized. As in other embodiments, air is individually released from the bladders by pressing buttons 749, 750 that control release valves. Using multiple air bladders within a wrist support 710 allows a degree of customization for the wrist support. Thus, a left side 733 of the support 710 may be inflated to one height and the right side 735 may be inflated to another height or not at all. Optionally, as in the other glidable embodiments, the inflatable bladder 731 may be disposed within the comfort support rather than directly beneath it.
As in other embodiments, the comfort support 730, 830 comprises materials that are supportive yet soft. Preferably, the comfort support 730, 830 comprises a soft gel that displaces as the wrist rests on the surface of the comfort support 730, 830 thereby conforming to the wrist of a particular user. Other materials, such as conventional gel, foam, rubber or conventional soft, elastomeric materials may be utilized as well.
A baffle-chambered inflatable support may also incorporate a translucent “window” comprising a section of colored plastic. One end of the section of plastic is connected to the comfort support, preferably at the top thereof, while the other end of the section of plastic is connected to the frame of the wrist support. In the deflated position, the top and bottom surface of the wrist support are in contact with one another and the plastic is folded therebetween. As the device is filled with air and the top surface of the comfort support is raised, the plastic disposed between the comfort support and frame extends vertically, allowing a user to see into the interior of the support. Further, the design of the device permits the support to rock back and forth and side to side (when inflated), further adding a degree of comfort and entertainment. The presence or absence of a separate translucent window, does not preclude the baffled chamber from itself being translucent and allowing users to see into the interior of the device.
Other embodiment of a stationary support, incorporating varied placements of the comfort support and actuator and release buttons are shown in
Although the invention is described in terms of particular embodiments, it is to be understood that the embodiments are merely illustrative of an application of the principles of the invention. Numerous modifications may be made and other arrangements may be devised without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention.
This application claims the priority date of U.S. provisional patent application Ser. No. 60/627,498 filed on Nov. 12, 2004 which is hereby incorporated herein by reference.
Number | Date | Country | |
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60627498 | Nov 2004 | US |