Abstract:
A glider consisting preferably of a silicone molded platform with eight roller balls strategically placed on the undersurface of the platform. The glider provides a mobile cushion to support a wrist, elbow or forearm while actively mousing, drawing, or performing other tasks. The glider can be used independently or with a cushion positioned on the top of the platform. It can be placed under the wrist to help alleviate repetitive stress injuries such as carpal tunnel by maintaining the wrist in a neutral position. Versatility is offered by allowing use of the glider alone, cushioning alone, or combinations of glider and cushioning with various cushions.

Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
     This invention relates to improvements in the field of ergonomic supports for wrist, palm, forearm and/or elbow. It is primarily for avoidance of repetitive movement injuries, such as occur at a computer with constant computer mousing and typing and/or as occur at engineering drawing boards, etc. 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     As increased amounts of work, education and recreation incorporate the use of computers, repetitive strain and stress injuries to the hands, wrists and arms and related conditions, such as carpal tunnel syndrome, become more prevalent. Generally, these injuries result from the use of computer mice and keyboards and often occur from repeated physical movements, damaging tendons, nerves, muscles and other soft body tissues. These injuries present a serious and very painful condition that is far easier to prevent than to cure once onset occurs, and can crop up even in young, physically fit individuals. Often times, these injuries cause people to leave computer dependent careers, or even to be disabled and unable to perform mundane tasks which are generally taken for granted. 
     While the above description of the background problems is normally given in the context of repetitive stress injury caused by computer usage, it should be mentioned that there are other common occupations that involve similar repetitive stress injuries and even stress injuries to the elbow. Notable among those are artists that use drawing boards and such occupations as engineers, architects, cartoonists, etc. 
     Many support and wrap devices are commercially available to alleviate or prevent injuries associated with repetitive stress and strain to the wrist area. In particular, wrist rests and supports used in conjunction with keyboards and computer mice are widely available, whereon a user&#39;s wrists rest on a soft elongated pad which provides support while redirecting pressure points in the area. Devices of this type are further designed with the structure for keeping the wrist in a given position at all times in order to prevent injury while using a personal computer and other desktop devices. 
     A primary shortcoming of the many wrist support devices referenced above includes the fact that they lack versatility, that is to say, most are specific to one activity. There is a need for a versatile unit which can be used to provide frictionless movement of the forearm, elbow, wrist, etc. across a stationary surface, and which can be used to provide cushioning support to help keep the wrist in a neutral position and/or alleviate the stress at the forearm or the elbow caused by constant movement across a stationary surface. 
     Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide an improved versatile glider and support usable in a variety of configurations, including use with a variety of different type of cushions. 
     It is another objective of the present invention to provide a support device that may be individually customized for a particular job by use of various configurations, such as pad, no pad, glider, no glider, and pillows or cushions filled with different materials to provide different cushioning affects. 
     The method and manner for achieving the above recited objects, as well as others, will be apparent from the detailed description of the invention that follows. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     A glider consisting preferably of a silicone molded platform with eight roller balls strategically placed on the undersurface of the platform. The glider provides a mobile cushion to support a wrist, elbow or forearm while actively mousing, drawing, or performing other tasks. The glider can be used independently or with a cushion positioned on the top of the platform. It can be placed under the wrist to help alleviate repetitive stress injuries such as carpal tunnel by maintaining the wrist in a neutral position. Versatility is offered by allowing use of the glider alone, cushioning alone, or combinations of glider and cushioning with various cushions. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  is a perspective view of a versatile glider support with a pad attached to its top. 
         FIG. 2  is a bottom view of the versatile glider support with a pad attached to its top. 
         FIG. 3  is a top view of the pad and glider. 
         FIG. 4  is a bottom view of the glider and pad combination. 
         FIG. 5  is a side elevation view of the pad showing with more particularity the protruding bearings. 
         FIG. 6  shows a perspective view of the pad cover, with its attached strap and its open slit to allow insertions of various cushions. 
         FIG. 7  is a picture of an exemplary cushion, in this case filled with ergo beads. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
     Referring to the drawings, particularly  FIGS. 1-5 , there is shown the glider support with its pad  10 , comprised of a polymeric molded platform  12 , preferably a silicon molded platform  12 , having an upper surface  14  and a lower surface  16 . The preferred shape of the platform  12  is shown in the bottom view of  FIG. 2 , as this conforms better to hand grasping, that is to say a configuration that has an indent curve on one side thereof. 
     The lower surface  16  of the platform  12  has an intentionally cut groove  18  along its longitudinal axis which is spaced between the two rows of strategically placed ball bearings, as pictured there is shown eight ball bearings more or less evenly spaced on each side of the groove  18  at  20 ,  22 ,  24 ,  26 ,  28 ,  30 ,  32 , and  34  to define two balanced rows of four ball bearings. As best seen in  FIG. 5 , each of the ball bearings  20 - 34  protrude outwardly below the lower surface  16  of platform  12  and reside in bearing housings  36 ,  38 ,  40 ,  42 ,  44 ,  46 ,  48  and  50 . Ball bearings  20 - 34  are positioned in the bearing housings  36 - 50  so that they are rotatably mounted therein. Preferably, the bearing housings  36 - 50  are made of ABS (Acrylonitrile butadiene styrene). They therefore provide near frictionless ball bearing rollers for allowing the platform  12  to glide over any surface, such as a desktop surface. 
     Positioned on the upper surface  14  of platform  12  is a removable cushion  52  which may be attached to the platform  12  by placing cushion  52  inside of cover  54  through the insert slot  55  and attaching it to the platform  12  by a strap  56  nesting in groove  18  as depicted in  FIGS. 1 and 2 . In this way, the strap  56  does not interfere with gliding movement. 
     It is important to remember that cushion  52  is filled with resiliently deformable material  58  (see  FIG. 7 ). The cover  54  and cushion  52  can each be made of stretchable material, such as cotton and spandex material, preferably 92% cotton and 8% spandex. 
     Deformable insert pad  52  is filled with a granular filling material  58  that may be a plurality of small, tightly packed pellets or beads, hereinafter referred to collectively as beads. The deformable material  58 , such as beads, is shown in the cut-away portion of  FIG. 7  that shows filling material  58 . Beads of filling material  58  may be oval, elliptical, round, disc or egg-shaped, without sharp or rough edges and with a completely smooth exterior. The exemplary beads  58  or other filling material  58  is tightly packed in a corresponding cushion  52  that forms deformable insert pad  52 , to a sufficiently high density so that deformable insert pad  52  is moldable as the beads smoothly redistribute responsive to the underlying structure and the position of the wearer&#39;s hand, arm, etc. The packing and configuration may be so as to provide a resiliency to deformable insert pad  52 . 
     Filling material  58  may be tightly or loosely packed within the cushion to provide complete and smooth moldability. Filling material  58  may be advantageously formed of thermal storage material capable of maintaining a reduced temperature for an extended period of time. By reduced temperature, it is meant that the temperature of the thermal storage material is lower than that of the ambient environment. The reduced temperature may be a temperature at or below 32° F., a temperature at or below 40° F., or any temperature that is less than room temperature. In one exemplary embodiment, ergoBeads™ may be used as filler material  58 . Since filling material  58  is advantageously formed of a population of small beads  58  with tiny air pockets between the beads, it provides a more comfortable soothing feel. The beads  58  may be warmed, if desired. Deformable insert pad  52  has a smooth conformal nature that is more comfortable than the lumpy surface of other fill materials which includes sharp or hard edges. According to the embodiment in which filling material  58  is a thermal storage material, the thermal storage material may additionally or alternatively be chosen to retain heat and provide soothing warmth. Various thermal storage materials may be used. 
     Exemplary beads  58  of filling material  58  have smooth exterior surfaces. In an exemplary embodiment, beads  58  may be formed of low density polyethylene (“LDPE”) and may be natural or semi-clear white in color. They may be injection molded or extrusion type LDPE particles. Beads  58  are free of sharp edges and include a surface that has an average surface roughness of less than 100 nanometers in one exemplary embodiment enabling the beads to slide easily and freely against each other. The beads&#39; surface may advantageously be polished to enhance smoothness. A coating may optionally be added to filling material  58 , in particular coating the surfaces of beads  58 . The coating may be a powdery coating formed of a mold-release agent such as an amide, or other materials that provide lubrication. Beads  58  maintain their surface smoothness and the easy deformability of deformable insert pad  52  is retained at a range of temperatures. 
     Exemplary illustrated disc shaped beads  58  may include a pair of opposed round or oval surfaces and a length chosen to be less than or equal to 4.5 millimeters in one exemplary embodiment. Beads  58  may include dimensions of 3 millimeters.times.4.5 millimeters.times.2 millimeters and a density of 0.910 to 0.935 grams per cubic centimeter but other sizes and densities may be used in other exemplary embodiments, however. In another exemplary embodiment, beads  58  may include dimensions of about 6 millimeters.times.4 millimeters.times.3 millimeters. The exemplary dimensions provided are illustrative but not restrictive of the bead dimensions as other dimensions may be used in other exemplary embodiments. The beads may optionally include at least one dimple. Filler material  58  is packed tightly enough so that deformable insert pad  52  is deformable or moldable as the beads redistribute responsive to contact surfaces and positioning by the wearer. When deformable insert pad  52  is in contact with a wearer, a gentle massaging action is created by filling material  58  when pressure such as a gentle rolling action is applied to the opposed side of deformable insert pad  52 . 
     Other filling material other than the preferred ergo beads may be used if desired, for example, even some fine grains of sand, etc. 
     It can be seen that the versatile glider support  10  can be used in a variety of combinations. For example, it can be used with a pad, without a pad, the pad can be of ergo beads, a pad of silicone or visco-elastic polymer, a pad of sand, or with a pad of other filler material, even sawdust. It can also be used with a glider, or without a glider and with a pillow cover or without a pillow cover all at the option of the user. This facilitates support and customized adjustment for support of the wrist, support of the palm, support at the forearm, and support at the elbow, again all at the option of the user. Therefore, it can be seen that the invention accomplishes all of its stated objectives.