Patent ID: 9724226
Date: 2017-08-08
CPC Classifications: A61F,Y10T

Claim:
1. An orthopedic brace comprising: a pliable pad fabricated from a laminate, said pliable pad having a first face and a second face and areally segmented into a first portion and a second portion, wherein said first portion of said pliable pad lacks any void spaces extending entirely through said first portion of said pliable pad from said first face to said second face of said pliable pad, thereby preventing free air flow through said first portion of said pliable pad from said first face to said second face of said pliable pad, and wherein said second portion of said pliable pad consists essentially of one or more mesh sections integrally formed in said laminate, each of said one or more mesh sections having a plurality of void spaces extending entirely through said second portion of said pliable pad from said first face to said second face of said pliable pad, thereby freely permitting air flow through said second portion of said pliable pad from said first face to said second face of said pliable pad; and a rigid support member having a first face and a second face and areally segmented into a first portion and a second portion, wherein said second portion of said rigid support member consists essentially of one or more open ventilation windows, each of said one or more open ventilation windows extending entirely through said second portion of said rigid support member from said first face to said second face of said rigid support member, thereby freely permitting air flow through said second portion of said rigid support member from said first face to said second face of said rigid support member, and wherein said first portion of said rigid support member lacks any ventilation windows extending entirely through said first portion of said rigid support member from said first face to said second face of said rigid support member, thereby preventing free air flow through said first portion of said rigid support member from said first face to said second face of said rigid support member, and further wherein said rigid support member overlays said pliable pad such that said second portion of said rigid support member is aligned with essentially the entirety of said second portion of said pliable pad to freely permit air flow through said second portion of said rigid support member and said second portion of said pliable pad in series and such that said first portion of said rigid support member is aligned with essentially the entirety of said first portion of said pliable pad to prevent free air flow through said first portion of said rigid support member and said first portion of said pliable pad in series.