Multifunctional De Quervain's brace
View Patent ↗A multifunctional De Quervain's brace is an apparatus that changes the angle of pull of the tendons to provide some release in tension at the musculotendinous junction, thereby providing pain relief. The apparatus includes a thumb spica, insert-receiving pockets, and reinforcing inserts. The thumb spica corresponds to the main structure of the apparatus that is wrapped around the user's hand and wrist to position the insert-receiving pockets and the corresponding reinforcing inserts on the radial side of the thumb spica. The insert-receiving pockets and the reinforcing inserts enable the adjustment of the restriction of the user's hand movements for different activities. In addition, the apparatus can be arranged into a static configuration for low-movement activities, such as sleeping or lifting, or into a dynamic configuration for high-movement activities, such as exercising and other daytime activities while still receiving the benefit of the release at the musculotendinous junction.
1 . A multifunctional De Quervain's brace comprising:
a thumb spica;
a plurality of insert-receiving pockets;
a plurality of reinforcing inserts;
the thumb spica comprising a thumb sleeve and a wrist-bracing wrap;
the wrist-bracing wrap comprising a proximal wrap edge, a distal wrap edge, a first lateral edge, a second lateral edge, an outer wrap surface, and an inner wrap surface;
each of the plurality of insert-receiving pockets comprising a pocket body, a pocket open end, a pocket closed end, a pocket-accessing tab, and a tab fastener;
the plurality of insert-receiving pockets comprising a plurality of remainder pockets and a last pocket;
the proximal wrap edge and the distal wrap edge being positioned opposite to each other across the wrist-bracing wrap;
the first lateral edge and the second lateral edge being positioned opposite to each other across the wrist-bracing wrap;
the first lateral edge and the second lateral edge being positioned in between the proximal wrap edge and the distal wrap edge;
the thumb sleeve being positioned adjacent to the distal wrap edge and the first lateral edge;
the thumb sleeve being integrated through the wrap body;
the plurality of insert-receiving pockets being distributed from the thumb sleeve to the proximal wrap edge;
the plurality of insert-receiving pockets being mounted onto the outer wrap surface, adjacent to the first lateral edge; and
each of the plurality of reinforcing inserts being positioned within a corresponding pocket of the plurality of insert-receiving pockets;
the pocket open end and the pocket closed end being positioned opposite to each other about the pocket body;
the pocket-accessing tab being externally connected to the pocket body, adjacent to the pocket open end;
the last pocket being positioned adjacent to the proximal wrap edge;
the plurality of remainder pockets being positioned in between the last pocket and the thumb sleeve;
the pocket-accessing tab of the last pocket being attached onto the outer wrap surface by the tab fastener of the last pocket; and
the pocket-accessing tab of an arbitrary pocket being attached onto an adjacent pocket by the tab fastener of the arbitrary pocket, wherein the arbitrary pocket is any pocket from the plurality of remainder pockets, and wherein the adjacent pocket is from the plurality of insert-receiving pockets.
2 . The multifunctional De Quervain's brace as claimed in claim 1 , wherein each of the plurality of reinforcing inserts is made of a thermoplastic material.
3 . The multifunctional De Quervain's brace as claimed in claim 1 , wherein each of the plurality of reinforcing inserts is made of a metal.
4 . The multifunctional De Quervain's brace as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the tab fastener is a hook-and-loop fastener.
5 . The multifunctional De Quervain's brace as claimed in claim 1 further comprising:
each of the plurality of insert-receiving pockets further comprising a pair of support wires;
the pair of support wires being integrated into the pocket-accessing tab; and
the pair of support wires being positioned opposite to each other about the pocket-accessing tab.
6 . The multifunctional De Quervain's brace as claimed in claim 1 comprising:
a tightening strap;
the wrist-bracing wrap further comprising a strap opening;
the tightening strap comprising a fixed strap end, a free strap end, a first strap surface, and a second strap surface;
the strap opening traversing through the wrap body, adjacent to the second lateral edge;
the fixed strap end being positioned adjacent to the thumb sleeve;
the fixed strap end being connected onto the inner wrap surface, adjacent to the first lateral edge;
the first strap surface being oriented towards the first lateral edge;
the second strap surface being oriented towards the second lateral edge;
the tightening strap being positioned through the strap opening; and
the free strap end being positioned adjacent to the outer wrap surface.
7 . The multifunctional De Quervain's brace as claimed in claim 6 further comprising:
a strap fastener;
the strap fastener comprising a first fastener piece and a second fastener piece;
the first fastener piece being mounted onto the second strap surface, adjacent to the free strap end;
the second fastener piece being positioned adjacent to the thumb sleeve; and
the second fastener piece being mounted onto the outer wrap surface, offset from the first lateral edge and offset from the second lateral edge.
8 . The multifunctional De Quervain's brace as claimed in claim 7 , wherein the strap fastener is a hook-and-loop fastener.
9 . The multifunctional De Quervain's brace as claimed in claim 6 further comprising:
a gripping feature;
a feature fastener; and
the gripping feature being attached onto the second strap surface by the feature fastener, adjacent to the fixed strap end.
10 . The multifunctional De Quervain's brace as claimed in claim 9 , wherein the gripping feature is made of a silicone material.
11 . The multifunctional De Quervain's brace as claimed in claim 9 , wherein the feature fastener is a hook-and-loop fastener.
12 . The multifunctional De Quervain's brace as claimed in claim 1 further comprising:
a wrap fastener;
the wrap fastener comprising a first fastening strip and a second fastening strip;
the first fastening strip being mounted onto the outer wrap surface along the first lateral edge; and
the second fastening strip being mounted onto the inner wrap surface along the second lateral edge.
13 . The multifunctional De Quervain's brace as claimed in claim 12 , wherein the wrap fastener is a hook-and-loop fastener.