Auto-Accommodating Therapeutic Brace

Abstract

The current invention is an accommodating apparel or brace. It is intended to be convenient and comfortable. When the brace wearer is at rest, the brace exerts only modest forces against the body. When the brace wearer is active, the brace tightens and diverts load to protect the body part. The brace accommodation may include application of stronger fixation when activity begins and which persists as long as the activity does. It may also include application of forces around the body part to shift load away from the target part. The accommodation also includes relaxation of forces applied to the wearer when the wearer relaxes.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 - 19 . (canceled) 
     
     
         20 . A brace apparatus for at least partial unloading of a joint of a body part of a person, wherein the joint bears a compressive load during use, and wherein the compressive load is substantially smaller when the joint is at rest than when the joint is active, the apparatus comprising:
 a first collar positioned anatomically below the joint;   a second collar positioned anatomically above the joint;   an electronic sensor;   a fixation apparatus within at least one of the collars, responsive to input from the sensor, and configured to at least semi-automatically increase a fixation force of the collar about the body part;   a brace structure configured to support a compressive load, and having (a) a first end coupled to the first collar, and (b) a second end coupled to the second collar; and   an unloading mechanism coupled to the brace structure, and configured at least semi-automatically to divert a portion of the compressive load from the joint to the brace structure when the joint bears the load.   
     
     
         21 . The brace apparatus of  claim 20 , wherein the fixation apparatus is selected from the group consisting of a fixation bladder, a mechanical latch, an electromechanical latch, a motorized cable apparatus, and a strap. 
     
     
         22 . The brace apparatus of  claim 20 , wherein the joint is a knee joint, and wherein the first collar is positioned on the calf, and the second collar is positioned on the thigh. 
     
     
         23 . The brace apparatus of  claim 20 , wherein the joint is a vertebral joint, and wherein the first collar is positioned on the hips, and the second collar is positioned on the rib cage. 
     
     
         24 . The brace apparatus of  claim 20 , wherein the joint comprises at least one of the following: an ankle joint, a knee joint, a hip joint, a vertebral joint, an elbow joint, a neck joint, a wrist joint, a shoulder joint, and a finger joint. 
     
     
         25 . The brace apparatus of  claim 20 , wherein the sensor is configured to detect a change in one of the following: a position of the body part, an angle of the body part, acceleration of the body part, force on the body part, and pressure on the body part. 
     
     
         26 . The brace apparatus of  claim 25 , wherein the sensor is further configured to cause a proportional response to the change. 
     
     
         27 . The brace apparatus of  claim 26 , wherein the unloading mechanism is configured to apply counter tension to the joint upon the proportional response to the change. 
     
     
         28 . The brace apparatus of  claim 20 , wherein the unloading mechanism is selected from the group consisting of a piston, a cylinder, a rack and pinion, and a viscoelastic insole. 
     
     
         29 . The brace apparatus of  claim 20 , further comprising a source of energy comprising at least one of the following: a battery, a capacitor, energy harvested from a compression of a collapsible hydraulic container, a spring, a stored pressurized fluid, and a flywheel. 
     
     
         30 . The brace apparatus of  claim 29 , wherein the energy transfers using a transfer mechanism selected from one of the following: a hydraulic line, a flexible cable, and an electromagnetic device. 
     
     
         31 . The brace apparatus of  claim 20 , wherein the unloading mechanism is further configured to reduce the diversion of the compressive load when the sensor detects a change indicative of relaxation of the joint. 
     
     
         32 . The brace apparatus of  claim 20 , wherein the fixation apparatus is further configured to automatically increase the fixation force when the joint bears the compressive load, and automatically reduce the fixation pressure when the compressive load is removed. 
     
     
         33 . The brace apparatus of  claim 20 , further comprising a controller, wherein the controller is configured to activate the unloading mechanism to cause the first collar and the second collar to be alternatively inflated and deflated, 
     
     
         34 . The brace apparatus of  claim 20 , wherein the sensor is configured to allow semi-automatic repositioning of the brace. 
     
     
         35 . The brace apparatus of  claim 20 , wherein the unloading mechanism is further configured to transfer the portion of the compressive load from the joint to the brace structure after the increase of the fixation pressure of the collar about the body part. 
     
     
         36 . A brace apparatus for at least partial unloading of an ankle joint of a leg of a person, when the person stands on a surface, wherein the ankle joint bears a compressive load during use, and wherein in the compressive load is substantially smaller when the joint is at rest than when the joint is active, the apparatus comprising:
 a collar positioned anatomically above the joint;   an electronic sensor;   a fixation apparatus within the collar, responsive to input from the sensor, and configured to at least semi-automatically increase a fixation force of the collar about the leg;   a brace structure configured to support a compressive load, and having (a) a first end attached to the collar, and (b) a second end that is positioned to contact the surface; and   an unloading mechanism attached to the brace structure configured at least semi-automatically to divert a portion of the compressive load from the joint to the brace structure when the joint bears the load.   
     
     
         37 . The brace apparatus of  claim 36 , wherein the fixation apparatus is selected from the group consisting of a fixation bladder, a mechanical latch, an electromechanical latch, a motorized cable apparatus, and a strap. 
     
     
         38 . The brace apparatus of  claim 36 , further comprising an automatic closure mechanism having an open state and a closed state, wherein the automatic closure mechanism is configured to provide an opening large enough to readily insert a foot into the brace apparatus in the open state, wherein the automatic closure mechanism is configured to be closed around the leg in the closed state, and wherein the automatic closure mechanism is triggered by the electronic sensor.