Orthotic bracing device

1. A customizable orthotic bracing device, comprising:

an exoskeletal quasi-spinal column extendable along the back of a patient and attachable to a body portion of said patient by means of a plurality of belt means substantially surrounding said body portion at different points thereof, with said quasi-spinal column being comprised of a plurality of stackable and interlinkable segmental units, each unit consisting of a number of interlinkable sub-units,

wherein the position of said interlinkable sub-units relative to one another can be adjusted in at least three degrees of freedom.

2. The orthotic device as claimed in claim 1 , further comprising a plurality of elastically deformable means extending along said column and capable of acting on at least some of the sub-units of said segmental units.

3. The orthotic device as claimed in claim 1 , wherein said belt means consists of pairs of belt halves, each comprised of a plurality of belt elements hingedly articulated to one another, each belt half having a first end and a second end, said first end being to a front part of said device, the second end being attached to a rear part of said device.

4. The orthotic device as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the sub-units making up said segmental units are comprised of a first sub-unit, to which are hingedly attached the second ends of said belt halves, a second sub-unit which facilitates lateral tilt and linear translational movement, a third sub-unit co-acting with said second sub-unit in facilitating linear translational movement and co-acting with at fourth sub-unit in facilitating tilt in a median plane, said fourth sub-unit also facilitating a relative twisting movement involving said first sub-unit.

5. The orthotic device as claimed in claim 1 , wherein said second sub-unit is provided with two counteracting screws which, between them, produce and define a position of lateral tilt of its own and all higher segmental units.

6. The orthotic device as claimed in claim 4 , wherein said third sub-unit is provided with a screw which produces and defines a linear, translational movement of next-higher segmental units of said column.

7. The orthotic device as claimed in claim 4 , wherein said fourth sub-unit is provided with two counteracting screws which produce and define a twisting movement of the next-higher segmental units of said column.

8. The orthotic device as claimed in claim 4 , wherein said fourth sub-unit is further provided with a single screw which produces and defines a tilt in the median plane of all next-higher segmental units of said column.

9. The orthotic device as claimed in claim 2 , wherein said plurality of elastically deformable means are threaded through holes provided in said first sub-units, being anchored in the upper-most of said first sub-units and being clamped fast below the lower-most of said first sub-units.

10. The orthotic device as claimed in claim 3 , wherein said belt elements have male and female ends which are interlinked by hinge pins.

11. The orthotic device as claimed in claim 2 , wherein said elastically deformable means are in the form of rubber cords or helical tension springs.

12. The orthotic device as claimed in claim 1 , further comprising a split breast plate made of a textile material.

13. The orthotic device as claimed in claim 11 , wherein said split breast plate is joinable by a zipper-type fastener.

14. The orthotic device as claimed in claim 1 , wherein said half belts are tightened around the patient's torso by means of buckles and straps.

15. The orthotic device as claimed in claim 11 , wherein the integrity of said zipper when closed is secured by a plurality of clasps extending across said zipper and adapted to absorb lateral forces tending to pull apart said zipper joint.

16. The orthotic device as claimed in claim 3 , wherein rear faces of said belt elements are provided with a padding layer.