Therapeutic Elbow Support System

1. Field of Invention

This invention relates to support devices for the prevention treatment of repetitive strain injuries, specifically to a prevention and therapeutic support system for body parts susceptible to repetitive strain injury, comprising a four piece assembly consisting of gel-pack sandwiched between an upper foam layer and a lower foam layer, and an outer envelope of non-abrading material into which the gel-pack and foam layer sandwich is positioned during its support of a body part such as the elbow of a nail technician. The foam layers each have an extended perimeter edge which when positioned against the other extended perimeter edge forms a cavity therebetween the gel-pack substantially filling the cavity, and the foam layers substantially filling the outer envelope so that the gel-pack will be optimally retained under the supported body part during prolonged use. The outer envelope also has an opening therethrough of sufficient dimension for easy access to removal of the the gel-pack and foam layers so that the gel-pack can be separated from the foam layers for individual heating in a microwave oven or chilling in a freezer the gel-pack comprising a viscous non-hardening gel substance able to maintain hot and cold temperatures for extended periods of time. Applications may include, but are not limited to, use in preventing and treating cumulative trauma, such as the pain, muscle spasm, and inflammation of joints associated with the repetitive strain injury experienced by nail technicians in their elbows after several hours of professional work.

2. Description of Prior Art

The number of people suffering from repetitive strain injury has continually increased, so much so that repetitive strain injury has recently surpassed back pain as a leading cause of disability. The widespread use of the computer mouse and computer keyboards, and the need of mouse and keyboard operators to maintain their hands in relatively unvarying positions for extended periods of time during such use, is largely responsible for the noted increase in repetitive strain injury disability. However, nail technicians and others also experience elbow pain as a result of the unvarying hand and arm positions they must use to perform their work functions. The present invention provides both preventative and therapeutic relief to such persons by providing a non-abrading cushioned surface that substantially maintains its shape during prolonged use so that it can evenly distribute the downward pressure exerted by the body part it supports during the entire period of its use. The advantages of the present invention over known prior art is that the present invention is able to provide a removable non-hardening viscous core which can be expediently and repeatedly heated or chilled in combination with upper and lower foam layers which define a space within which the centrally located gel-pack must be confined during use. Thus, even if the upper foam layer becomes somewhat compressed during prolonged use, the gel-pack would maintain a sufficient depth dimension and configuration for continued even support of a body part of the present invention positioned upon it since the foam layers would not allow the viscous gel to move laterally away from its contact point with the body part needing support. It is contemplated for the four-piece assembly to have a variety of sizes, shapes, and thicknesses dimensions to satisfy the support needs of differing body parts.

Several wrist supports for computer keyboard operators are known which comprise foam padding or gel. However, all known prior art supports have one or more disadvantages which do not allow them to function as effectively as the present invention in support of other body parts. Wrist supports for keyboard operator use must only support a portion of the weight of the attached operator hand and arm, since during use the operator's arm is generally placed in a horizontal position and the operator's shoulders support much of the weight load. In contrast, when supporting an elbow, the present invention must have sufficient thickness dimension and resiliency to evenly support the entire weight of the user's arm, a portion of the user's shoulder and upper body, as well as anything the user may be holding in his or her hand. The invention in U.S. Pat. No. 5,385,322 to Kim (1995) discloses an elbow rest which clamps to the edge of a work surface and helps an operator maintain a fatigue-resistant posture. The Kim invention also helps to steady the operator's hands. However, the Kim invention contemplates only a self-skinned foam polymer pad to support a worker's elbows, and its function is preventative, not therapeutic. It is not known in this field to have a system for the support of body parts susceptible to repetitive strain injury comprising a four-piece assembly having a gel-pack sandwiched between upper and lower foam layers and an envelope of non-abrading material into which the gel-pack and foam layer sandwich is positioned during use, with the gel-pack substantially filling a cavity formed between the foam layers and the foam layers substantially filling the outer envelope into which they are inserted for optimal retention of the gel-pack beneath the supported body part during prolonged use, the gel-pack being separable from the foam layers and envelope, capable of being repeatedly bested and chilled, and able to maintain hot and cold temperatures for extended periods of time.

It is the primary object of this invention to provide a prevention and therapeutic device for the repetitive strain injury experienced by nail technicians in their elbows after several hours of professional work. A further object of this invention is to provide a prevention and therapeutic device for body parts susceptible to repetitive strain injury which uses a viscous core of gel that does not harden upon chilling to ensure that even pressure will be applied to the supported body parts under all temperature condition. It is also an object of this invention to provide a therapeutic device which can be repeatedly heated or chilled for use reducing the pain, muscle spasm, and inflammation of joints which results from repetitive strain injury. A further object of this invention is to provide a prevention and therapeutic device for body parts susceptible to repetitive strain injury which is made from materials which can withstand repeated heating in a microwave oven and repeated chilling in a freezer without rupture for convenient workplace use. It is also an object of this invention to provide a prevention and therapeutic device for body parts susceptible to repetitive strain injury which has structure that allows a wide range of configurations and dimensions. A further object of this invention is to provide a prevention and therapeutic device for body parts susceptible to repetitive strain injury which has a removable gel-pack so that the gel-pack can be more quickly heated and chilled than if it remained surrounded by its foam layer support structure, and so that the cleanliness of the outer envelope can be more easily maintained.

As described herein, properly manufactured and used, the present invention would provide a preventative and therapeutic sandwiched gel and foam support assembly for use with body parts susceptible to repetitive strain injury, such as the elbow of a nail technician. The foam layers would each have downwardly depending perimeter edges so that when the foam layer edges are placed against one another, they form a cavity to completely encompasses and supports the viscous gel core. It is contemplated for the cavity that gel-pack to be nearly identical in size to the cavity so that the gel-pack substantially fills it. The centrally positioned gel-pack is made from a non-hardening viscous gel material which can be repeatedly heated and chilled, and which can be chilled in a freezer without becoming rigid. It is also contemplated for the gel-pack to be able to withstand heating in a microwave oven, or other heating device, without rupture so that the present invention can be conveniently used in the workplace. The combination of two foam layers supporting a central gel core better distributes the pressures applied to a user's body parts when the body parts must remain in a substantially unvarying position during prolonged periods of time. The combination of gel and foam provides better cushioning than a gel core alone which can either be too inflexible or too resilient depending on the amount of gel placed into the envelope designed to contain it. Also, the combination of gel and foam provides for better cushioning than one or more foam layers which can become compressed during prolonged periods of use. The present invention also has an outer envelope made from washable material which has an opening therethrough to allow the gel-pack to be easily removed for rapid heating or chilling prior to therapeutic use. It is contemplated for the viscous core of the present invention to be heated for therapeutic relief from pain resulting from chronic repetitive strain injury and chilled for preventative treatment, as well as for treatment of acute symptoms, including pain, muscle spasm, and inflammation of joints, occurring as a result of new or renewed repetitive strain injury. It is also contemplated for the sandwiched structure of the present invention to be made into devices of differing surface dimension and thickness for different body part support needs. Although not critical and not limited thereto, it is contemplated for commonly used sizes of the present invention to include those having a rectangular configuration with width and length dimensions ranging between approximately three inches by three inches square and, approximately six inches square, such as that proposed by six inches for nail technician use.

The description herein provides preferred embodiments of the present invention but should not be construed as limiting the scope of the present repetitive strain injury prevention and treatment device. For example, variations in the length, width, and height dimensions of the gel-pack, the length, width, and height dimensions of each of the foam layers which does not have to be identical in thickness to the other foam layer, the type of foam material used as long as it is sufficiently resilient to resist compression and recover its original shape promptly after being compressed, the rigidity of the foam material used, the type of gel used as long as it will not harden when chilled and as long as it is non-toxic in the event of accidental rupture, the type of non-abrasive material used for the outer envelope, and the type of fastening means used to close the opening in the outer envelope which allows easy removal of the gel-pack therefrom for heating and chilling, other than those shown and described herein, may be incorporated into the present invention. Thus the scope of the present invention should be determined by the appended claims and their legal equivalents, rather than the examples given.

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the invention having an outer envelope with two foam layers and a centrally positioned gel-pack positioned for insertion through a hidden opening in the back surface of outer envelope.

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the bottom surface of the invention showing an opening therein for use in insertion and removal of the foam layers and the gel-pack from the outer envelope.

FIG. 3 is a sectional view of the invention having foam layers and a gel-pack positioned within an envelope covering.

FIG. 4 is a perspective view of the invention in use supporting a human elbow.

FIG. 1 shows repetitive strain injury prevention and therapeutic device 2 having an outer envelope 12, two foam layers 10, and a centrally located gel-pack 8. Foam layers 10 each have a perimeter with downwardly depending edges for defining an interior cavity within which to encompass gel-pack 8 during use. FIG. 1 shows gel-pack 8 sandwiched between the two foam layers 10 and positioned for insertion into envelope 12 through an opening, shown as number 6 in FIG. 2, through back surface 24 of covering 12. The height of the upper and lower foam layers 10 is not critical, and it is contemplated for them to have the same height dimension, or different height dimensions depending upon the use required. Also not critical is the type of foam material to be used for foam layers 10, as long as it is sufficiently resilient to resist compression and recover its original shape promptly after being compressed. Further, it is contemplated to have differing amounts of gel material within gel-pack 8, the thickness of gel-pack 8 during use being determined by the configuration of foam layers 10.

FIG. 2 shows repetitive strain injury prevention and treatment device 2 having opening 6 therethrough, with opening 6 secured by hooking fasteners 14 and pile fasteners 16. In the preferred embodiment it is contemplated for opening 6 to be longitudinally oriented and to extend substantially the full length of envelope 12. Although the use of hooking fasteners 14 and pile fasteners 16 is preferred, it is also contemplated to have other means of closure for opening 6 in envelope 12. Opening 6 must be of sufficient size and dimension for foam layers 10 and gel-pack 8 to be easily inserted and removed from envelope 12. Although not shown and not critical to the present invention, it is contemplated for hooking fasteners 14 and pile fasteners 16 to he attached to envelope 12 by conventional means, such as stitching, and for the portion of envelope 12 adjacent to opening 6 to be secured to prevent unraveling of its fabric, again by stitching or other conventional means. FIG. 3 shows gel-pack 8 positioned between two foam layers 10 and the sandwiched gel-pack 8 and foam layers 10 being positioned within envelope 12. Envelope 12 has a dimension and configuration sufficient to completely contain gel-pack 8 and foam layers 10, with gel-pack 8 and foam layers 10 substantially filling covering 12 during use. FIGS. 1 and 3 show foam layers 10 having an arcuate inside surface adjacent to the proximal end of each downwardly depending perimeter edge. FIG. 4 shows repetitive strain injury prevention and therapeutic device 2 in use under a human elbow 4.

Although not critical to the present invention, it is contemplated for envelope 12 to be made from washable material. Also, hooking fasteners 14 and pile fasteners 16 can each be one continuous strip attached to opposite sides of opening 6, or several hooking fasteners 14 and one or more pile fasteners 16 can be attached adjacent to opening 6 to close it to retain gel-pack 8 and foam layers 10 within envelope 12. Also, although the type of gel used is not critical to the present invention as long as it can be chilled without hardening and as long as it can retain heat and cold for extended periods of time, it is contemplated for gel-pack 8 to be made from materials which can be heated in a microwave oven (not shown), or other heating device, and chilled in a freezer (not shown) without rupture. Further, the length of opening 6 is not critical to the present invention as long as gel-pack 8 and foam layers 10 can be easily inserted into, and removed from, envelope 12. Also, the foam used for foam layers 10 must be resilient, but at the same time have sufficient rigidity to be able to retain its shape during extended use.

A person using repetitive strain injury prevention and therapeutic device 2, would first remove gel-pack 8 and foam layers 10 from envelope 12 through opening 6. Then after separating gel-pack 8 from foam layers 10, the person would heat gel-pack 8 in a microwave oven (not shown) or other heating device, or in the alternative chill gel-pack 8 in a freezer (not shown), as needed. When sufficiently hot or cold, the person would then sandwich gel-pack 8 between both foam layers 10 so that the downwardly depending perimeter edges of foam layers 10 form a cavity into which gel-pack 8 is placed, gel-pack 8 substantially fills the cavity, and foam layers 10 completely surround gel-pack 8. The sandwiched gel-pack 8 and foam layers 10 would then be re-inserted through opening 6 into envelope 12 and positioned to substantially fill covering 12 so that envelope 12 maintains gel-pack 8 and foam layers 10 in their sandwiched configuration during use. Repetitive strain injury prevention and therapeutic device 2 would then be positioned directly under a body part subject to repetitive strain injury to support it. After gel-pack 8 reassumes room temperature, it can be removed from envelope 12, again heated or chilled depending upon the need of the person using it, and then reinserted into envelope 12 for continued use. Since gel-pack 8 can be heated in a microwave oven or chilled in a freezer, both appliances being commonly available in today's workplace, repetitive strain injury preventative and treatment device 2 can be easily used to treat and prevent repetitive strain injury in the workplace. Also, since covering 12 can be made from a wide variety of colored fabrics and those having decorative designs, the present invention is not unattractive for workplace use.