Patent ID: 6371932
Filing Date: 2002-04-16
Classification: A61F

Abstract:
A correction device for correcting the attitude of one or more digits of a hand from a curled position into a straight condition in which said digits extend away from the palm of said hand, said device comprising a base portion having means for securing the device to the hand behind the digits, said base portion having a front edge proximate the digits during use and a rear edge disposed at least partially around the hand behind the digits during use, a projection member pivotally attached to the base portion proximate the front edge of the base portion and having a longitudinal axis, a free end and a pivoting end;a flexible sling depending from the free end of said projection member and adapted to support a digit therein; a resilient member having a longitudinal axis, and being secured at a first end to said projection member at a position remote from the pivoting end of said projection member and at a second end to said base portion rearwardly of the pivotal attachment of said projection member to said base portion; wherein the free end of said projection member is rotateable both towards and away from the rear edge of said base portion, rotation away from said rear edge causing elastic extension of the resilient member which exerts a force on said projection member which both resists said rotation and gives rise to a force moment about the pivotal attachment of said projection member which progressively decreases in magnitude as said free end of said projection member rotates away from the rear edge of said base and a digit supported by the sling connected to said projection member adopts positions with a greater degree of curl; and wherein the point of attachment of said resilient member to said base portion, the pivotal attachment of said projection member to said base portion, and the point of attachment of said resilient member to said projection are substantially aligned when the sling supports a digit which assumes the curled position thus substantially eliminating the force moment acting on the projection member to rotate the projection member back towards the rear edge of said base portion.