IP Library › Granted Patent US 12,257,170
Granted Patent B2
US 12,257,170 · App. 17/291,710 · Granted Mar 25, 2025

Functional joint assist apparatus

Inventor: Jae Gyoon Kim (Seoul, KR)
Assignee: KOREA UNIVERSITY RESEARCH AND BUSINESS FOUNDATION
A61F5/05816A61F7/02A61F2007/0062A61F2007/0231
View Patent ↗
Loading inventors, assignments & file history…
Monitor This Case
Get email alerts when status or documents change.
Order Certified Copies
Most orders are placed with the USPTO same day — all within 24 business hours.
Order via The Patent Place →
Pre-filled with this patent's details
Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 12,257,170
App. No.
17/291,710
Granted
Mar 25, 2025
Kind
B2
Abstract

The present disclosure relates to a functional joint assist apparatus including an air bladder having a cut hole and divided into a plurality of air cells so that air is injected into at least one of the air cells; and a fixing unit coupled to a front surface or a rear surface of the air bladder to attach or detach the air bladder to/from the joint.

Claims (33)

1. A functional joint assist apparatus disposed inside a joint assister for assisting the joint assister, comprising:

an air bladder comprising:

a front surface;

a rear surface;

a cut hole passing through a thickness of the air bladder from the front surface to the rear surface, and

a plurality of air cells partitioned so that air does not communicate between the air cells, wherein air is injected into at least one of the plurality of air cells, the plurality of air cells comprising:

a first air cell formed at an upper side based on the cut hole and configured to surround and compress an upper side of a user's joint;

a second air cell formed at a lower side based on the cut hole and configured to surround and compress at least a portion of a lower side of the user's joint; and

a third air cell formed at a lower side based on the cut hole and configured to surround and compress at least a portion of the lower side of the patient's joint different from the portion that the second air cell is configured to surround and compress,

wherein at least one air cell is divided into a left portion and a right portion,

wherein a flow path connects the left portion and the right portion; and

a fixing unit coupled to either the front surface or the rear surface of the air bladder for attaching the air bladder to the joint.

2. The functional joint assist apparatus of claim 1 , wherein a width of the second air cell is narrower than a width of a lower side of the first air cell, and the third air cell extends outward from the width of the second air cell.

3. The functional joint assist apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the fixing unit comprises a plurality of hook and loop fasteners.

4. The functional joint assist apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of air cells are integrally formed in the air bladder.

5. The functional joint assist apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the first air cell comprises a first air injection hole, the second air cell comprises a second air injection hole, and the third air cell comprises a third air injection hole.

6. The functional joint assist apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the joint of the user is any one of a knee, an elbow, a wrist, an ankle, a neck, a shoulder and a waist in which two or more bones are connected in contact with each other.

7. The functional joint assist apparatus of claim 1 , further comprising:

a steam pack for providing cold steaming or hot steaming.

8. A functional joint assist apparatus disposed inside a joint assister for assisting the joint assister, comprising:

an air bladder having a cut hole and divided into a plurality of air cells partitioned so that air does not communicate between the air cells and so that air is injected into at least one of the air cells, the air bladder comprising:

a first air cell formed at an upper side based on the cut hole and having a first air injection hole;

a second air cell formed at a lower side based on the cut hole and having a second air injection hole and formed narrower than a width of a lower side of the first air cell; and

a third air cell formed at a lower side based on the cut hole and having a third air injection hole and extending outward from both side surfaces of the second air cell and located at the rear of the joint when surrounding the joint of a user,

wherein the second air cell compresses a front side of the joint of the user when air is injected therein,

wherein both side surfaces of the third air cell compresses a rear side of the joint of the user when air is injected therein,

wherein at least one air cell is divided into a left portion and a right portion,

wherein a flow path connects the left portion and the right portion; and

a fixing unit coupled to a front surface or a rear surface of the air bladder for attaching the air bladder to the joint.

9. The functional joint assist apparatus of claim 8 , wherein the joint of the user is any one of a knee, an elbow, a wrist, an ankle, a neck, a shoulder and a waist in which two or more bones are connected in contact with each other.

10. The functional joint assist apparatus of claim 8 , wherein the first air cell, the second air cell and the third air cell are integrally formed.

11. The functional joint assist apparatus of claim 8 , wherein a steam pack providing cold steaming or hot steaming is further provided at an opposite side of the air bladder to which the fixing unit is attached.

12. The functional joint assist apparatus of claim 8 , wherein the fixing unit is made of a strip-shaped hook and loop fastener material and coupled to upper and lower sides of the air bladder based on the cut hole.

Assignments (1)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded May 6, 2021
From: KIM, JAE GYOON
To: KOREA UNIVERSITY RESEARCH AND BUSINESS FOUNDATION
Reel/Frame 056155/0496 →
Priority Claims (1)
KR 10-2018-0135953 · Nov 7, 2018 · national
Continuity (1)
Related Publication 20220000650A1 · Jan 6, 2022
References Cited (13)
US 3901225A · Sconce · 1975 [cited by examiner]
US 5314455A · Johnson, Jr. et al. · 1994 [cited by applicant]
US 5466250A · Johnson, Jr. et al. · 1995 [cited by applicant]
US 5489259A · Jacobs · 1996 [cited by examiner]
US 5752927A · Rogachevsky · 1998 [cited by examiner]
US 7468048B2 · Meehan · 2008 [cited by applicant]
US 20070161932A1 · Pick et al. · 2007 [cited by applicant]
US 20130331753A1 · Farrow · 2013 [cited by examiner]
US 20180000626A1 · Deren · 2018 [cited by examiner]
KR 1020100005505 · 2010 [cited by applicant]
WO WO0219954 · 2002 [cited by applicant]
International Search Report mailed Jan. 29, 2020 for PCT/KR2019/012901. [cited by applicant]
Office Action dated Apr. 27, 2020 corresponding to Korean Application No. 10-2018-0135953, 3 pages. [cited by applicant]