Abstract:
A device is disclosed for self administration of adjustable lumbar traction by a user in a supine position upon a support. The device comprises an upper body harness releasably encircling the torso and anchored to the support spacedly outwardly of the user&#39;s head, a lower body harness releasably encircling the user&#39;s waist and anchored to a support spacedly outwardly of the user&#39;s feet and user adjustable elastically biased tensioning members extending between the lower body harness and the support to which it is anchored. The device is preferably carried on a bedstead or table.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF INVENTION 
   Related Applications 
   There are no applications related hereto heretofore filed in this or in any foreign country. 
   Field of Invention 
   This invention relates to traction apparatus, and more particularly to a bedstead associated apparatus for self administration of lumbar traction in a supine position. 
   IIC. Background and Description of Prior Art 
   Lower back problems, including pain and stiffness, are common forms of disability in humans that may be caused by disease, injury, genetic predisposition, aging or otherwise. Treatments for lower back problems range from topical ointments to surgical fusion of vertebrae and excision of disks. Between these extremes are a myriad of treatments and devices for alleviation of pain and stiffness. One recognized method to alleviate pain and stiffness in the lumbar spine is application of traction. Most known lumbar traction devices however are complicated, motorized, or non-transportable and may require athletic ability and flexibility or the presence of an assistant. 
   One common lumbar traction device is a compound mechanical bed wherein a headboard portion and a footboard portion of the mattress move in opposite directions while a user is secured to the mattress portions so that movement of the mattress portions applies traction to a user&#39;s lumbar spine. Mechanical beds however are generally expensive and are only practical in hospital or other professional treatment environments. 
   Another common device for lumbar traction is known as “gravity boots”. Gravity boots are bands releasably secured about a user&#39;s ankles with each band carrying a generally “U” shaped appendage to suspend a user in an inverted position from a suspension bar. Gravity acting upon an inverted user then tends to stretch the lumbar spine. Proper use of gravity boots however requires the user to have some athletic ability, strength, coordination, and dexterity all of which may be diminished by the lower back problems giving rise to the need for lumbar traction. The use of gravity boots may require the assistance of a second party or may be used in conjunction with mechanical apparatus, generally an inversion table, that moves the user from a supine position to a suspended inverted position without requiring the user to perform physically demanding athletic maneuvers. Inversion tables are large, complicated, immobile and expensive as well as having inherent risks of injury to the user. 
   There remains a need for a device that enables safe self administration of lumbar traction, is transportable, may be manipulated by the user alone, and does not require athletic ability to use. 
   The instant invention seeks to provide such a device and is distinguishable from the prior art by its simple construction, provision of lumbar traction while a user is in a supine position and small size that allows easy transportability. 
   My invention does not reside in any of the foregoing features individually but rather in the synergistic combination of all of its structures, which necessarily give rise to the functions flowing therefrom as herein specified and claimed. 
   SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
   A device for self administration of lumbar traction by a supine user provides an upper body harness encircling the chest and a lower body harness encircling the waist, both body harnesses being formed of flexible straps having buckles interconnecting strap portions to allow size adjustment of each harness. 
   The upper body harness is releasably interconnected to an upper body harness anchor immovably supported spacedly outwardly from a user&#39;s head. The lower body harness releasably carries similar opposed side straps, each having a buckle for length adjustment, that each interconnect an elongate elastic tensioning member. Each tensioning member interconnects an anchor connecting strap that extends to releasable interconnection with a crossmember supported by the vertical leg of the lower body harness anchor, which is immovably supported spacedly outwardly from the user&#39;s feet. Conveniently, but not necessarily, in using the device a user may be supported on a bed and both body harness anchors may be “L” shaped members having longer horizontal legs supported beneath the bed mattress, with shorter vertical legs projecting upwardly spacedly above the mattress for interconnection with the respective associated body harness. 
   In providing such a device it is: 
   A principal object to provide a device that permits self application of traction to the lumbar spine while the user is in a supine position as on a bed or similar support. 
   A further object is to provide such a device wherein the amount of traction being applied is adjustable by the user while using the device. 
   A further object is to provide such a device that is of relatively small compact configuration to make it readily transportable. 
   A still further object is to provide such a lumbar traction device that is of new and novel design, of a rugged and durable nature, of simple and economic manufacture and one that is otherwise well suited to the uses and purposes for which it is intended. 

   
     BRIEF DESCRIPTIONS OF DRAWINGS 
     In the accompanying drawings which form a part hereof and wherein like numbers of references refer to similar parts throughout: 
       FIG. 1  is an isometric right side view of my lumbar traction device showing the upper body harness connected to the upper body harness anchor, and the lower body harness connected to the lower body harness anchor in operative orientation to one another. 
       FIG. 2  is an orthographic right side view of a supine figure in phantom outline using the instant device for lumbar traction. 
       FIG. 3  is an orthographic plan view of the device of  FIG. 2 . 
       FIG. 4  is an enlarged orthographic plan view of the interconnection of the right side connecting strap with the right side elastic tensioning member. 
       FIG. 5  is an enlarged orthographic side view of the interconnection of the right side connecting strap with the right side elastic tensioning strap illustrated in  FIG. 4 . 
       FIG. 6  is an enlarged isometric view of an upper body harness fastening bracket configured for releasable connection to a treatment or examination table. 
       FIG. 7  is an enlarged isometric view of a lower body harness fastening bracket configured for releasable connection to a treatment or examination table. 
   

   DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
   My traction device generally provides upper body harness  5  and lower body harness  6  fastened to an external support by upper body harness anchor  7  and lower body harness anchor  8 , which in a species may take the form of upper body harness fastening bracket  50  and lower body harness fastening bracket  70  respectively. 
   As shown in  FIG. 1 , upper body harness anchor  7  is a rigid “L” shaped member having a first end portion  35   a  at the outer end of vertical leg  35  and a second end portion  36   a  at the outer end of horizontal leg  36 . An anti-rotation crossmember  38  is structurally carried to extend perpendicularly to horizontal leg  36  adjacent the second end portion  36   a . Orifice  37  is defined in first end portion  35   a  of vertical leg  35  and is sized to carry releasable anchor connector  11  to interconnect upper body harness  5  to upper body harness anchor  7 . The upper body harness  5  is comprised of chest encircling strap  10  having first end portion  10   a  and second end portion  10   b . Chest encircling strap  10  carries in its medial portion releasable anchor connector  11  and two adjustably positionable armpit pads  13 . The chest encircling strap  10  carries at its second end portion  10   b  compound buckle  14  having interlocking male portion  15  and female portion  16 . The female portion  16  of compound buckle  14  is carried at second end portion  10   b  of chest encircling strap  10  by a loop formed by folding the second end portion  10   b  of strap  10  over onto itself and securing the loop in place by stitching  12 . The male portion  15  of the compound buckle  14  is carried on strap  10  at the first end portion  10   a . The compound buckle  14  is positionable over the chest of the user. 
   The lower body harness  6  shown in  FIG. 1  is comprised of belt  20  having first end portion  20   a  and second end portion  20   b  carrying belt buckle  21  of known construction. Belt buckle  21  is secured at the second end portion  20   b  of belt  20  with a loop formed by passing second end portion  20   b  through orifice  19  in belt buckle  21  and thereafter folding the second end portion  20   b  over onto itself and securing the second end portion  20   b  in place by stitching  12 . Belt buckle  21  receives first end portion  20   a  of belt  20  in a releasably fastenable interconnection to permit length adjustability and secure the belt  20  about the user&#39;s waist. Two elongate side straps  22  each having first upper end portions  22   a  and second lower end portions  22   b  extend from belt  20 . A loop formed in the first upper end portion  22   a  of side strap  22  carries belt  20 . The loop is formed by folding the first upper end portion  22   a  over itself and securing the endmost portion in place with stitching  24 . A side strap buckle  25  is carried on each side strap  22  at a somewhat medial position and is movable along the length of the side strap  22 . 
   As shown in  FIGS. 4 and 5 , connecting straps  26  having first upper end portions  26   a  and second lower end portions  26   b  depend from each side strap buckle  25 . Connecting strap  26  is secured to side strap buckle  25  by passing upper end portion  26   a  through buckle  25  and folding the end portion  26   a  back upon itself to form a loop that is secured in place by stitching  34 . Connecting straps  26  carry at their second lower end portions  26   b  releasable snap connectors  29   a  in a loop formed similarly to the loop in the first end portions  26   a  of connecting straps  26 . 
   Snap connector  29   a  releasably engages in orifice  28   a  defined in first upper end portion  27   a  of elastic tensioning member  27  which also has a second lower end portion  27   b  defining orifice  28   b.    
   As shown in  FIGS. 2 and 3  orifice  28   b  of elastic tensioning member  27  carries releasable snap connector  29   b  which is carried at first upper end portion  30   a  of anchor connecting strap  30  in a loop formed in the upper end portion  30   a  and secured by stitching  32 . Anchor connecting strap  30  carries at its second lower end portion  30   b  releasable snap connector  29   c  in a loop formed in the second lower end portion  30   b  and secured in place by stitching  32 . Releasable snap connector  29   c  fastens to lower body harness anchor  8 . 
   As shown in  FIG. 3  side strap  22  is elongate and has excess length  33  so that after passing through side strap buckle  25  the excess length  33  is oriented upwardly toward belt  20  where it is within reach of a user&#39;s hands while user is supine. 
   As shown in  FIG. 1 , the lower body harness anchor  8  is a rigid “L” shaped member having first end portion  40   a  at the outer end of vertical leg  40  and a second end portion  41   a  at the outer end of horizontal leg  41 . An anti-rotation crossmember  42  is structurally fastened to horizontal leg  41  to extend perpendicularly therefrom adjacent second end  41   a . Anchor strap crossmember  43  having first end portion  43   a  defining orifice  44   a  and second end portion  43   b  defining orifice  44   b  is structurally attached in its medial portion to the first end portion  40   a  of vertical leg  40  and extends parallel to the anti-rotation crossmember  42 . Orifices  44   a  and  44   b  provide connection points for releasable snap connectors  29   c.    
     FIGS. 6 and 7  show a second species of means for securing my invention to a user support such as a treatment or examination table. The upper body harness fastening bracket  50  is comprised of three similar parallel rectilinear plates  61   a ,  61   b ,  61   c . Rectilinear plates  61   a ,  61   b ,  61   c  are spacedly adjacent one another and are structurally secured at a first edge to a perpendicular base plate  62  forming two parallel adjacent channels designated A and B. Two orifices  63  having threads on theirs internal circumferential surfaces are defined in rectilinear plate  61   c  in generally medial positions therein to carry threaded securing bolts  64  therein to extend into channel B. End piece  65  having a disk shape is carried at the outer end portion of each threaded securing bolt  64  after positioning within channel B. Orifice  66  is defined in rectilinear plate  61   a  medially between the lateral sides and spacedly adjacent the second edge for engagement with releasable anchor connector  11  carried by chest encircling strap  10 . 
   Lower body harness fastening bracket  70  is comprised of three similar parallel rectilinear plates  81   a ,  81   b ,  81   c  spacedly adjacent one another and structurally secured at a first edges to perpendicular base plate  82  forming two parallel adjacent channels designated X and Y. Plural horizontally aligned spaced orifices  83  are defined in rectilinear plate  81   c  in a generally medial positions. Each orifice  83  defines threads on its internal circumferential surface for engagement with threaded securing bolts  84  carried therein to extend into channel X. End pieces  85  having a disk shape are carried at the outer end portions of each threaded securing bolt  84  after positioning within channel X. 
   Fastening bracket crossmember  86 , having first end portion  86   a  defining orifice  87   a  and second end portion  86   b  defining orifice  87   b , is structurally attached to rectilinear plate  81   a  along the upper edge opposite perpendicular base plate  82  and extends parallel to channel Y. Orifices  87   a  and  87   b  receive releasable snap connectors  29   c  of anchor connecting straps  30 . 
   Having described the structure of my traction device its operation and use may be understood. 
   Upper body harness anchor  7  may be installed by placing the horizontal leg  36  between a box spring S and a mattress M at a first end of a bed formed thereby with vertical leg  35  oriented upwardly and adjacent the first vertical end of the mattress M. The lower body harness anchor  8  is positioned similarly between the box spring S and mattress M at the second end of the bed opposite the upper body harness anchor  7 . The upper body harness  5  is interconnected to the upper body harness anchor  7  by engaging releasable anchor connector  11  through orifice  37  defined in the first end portion  35   a  of vertical leg  35  of the upper body harness anchor  7 . The first end portion  10   a  and second end portion  10   b  of the chest encircling strap  10  respectively carrying the male portion  15  and female portion  16  of the compound buckle  14  are positioned to extend toward the previously positioned lower body harness anchor  8 . 
   Belt  20  of the lower body harness  6  is placed around the user&#39;s waist and secured in place with belt buckle  21 . Side straps  22  depend from belt  20  adjacent each of the user&#39;s hips and each interconnects side strap buckle  25 , connecting strap  26 , elastic tensioning member  27 , and anchor connecting strap  30  in the recited order. 
   The user sits on the mattress M, between the previously positioned upper body harness anchor  7  and lower body harness anchor  8  with feet proximate to the lower body harness anchor  8  and connects the releasable snap connectors  29   c  through orifices  44   a  and  44   b  defined in the first end portion  43   a  and second end portion  43   b  of anchor strap crossbar  43 . 
   The user reclines to a supine position and second end portion  10   b  of the chest encircling strap  10  carrying the female portion  16  of compound buckle  14  is positioned under the left arm pit, and the first end portion  10   a  carrying the male portion  15  of the compound buckle  14  is place under the right arm pit. The male portion  15  of compound buckle  14  is inserted into the female portion  16  to fasten the chest encircling strap  10  about the user&#39;s chest. Fit and position of the chest encircling strap  10  may be adjusted by pulling on the first end portion  10   a  of the chest encircling strap  10 . Arm pit pads  13  are positioned as desired by user for comfort. 
   While supine, the user grasps the excess length  33  of side straps  22  and by pulling the excess length  33  upwardly toward the user&#39;s chest draws a medial portion of side straps  22  through side strap buckles  25 . Responsive to the decreased length of side straps  22  extending between belt  20  and connecting strap  26 , the elastic tensioning straps  27  are stretched. The elasticity of tensioning members  27  pulls belt  20  secured about the user&#39;s waist toward the lower body harness anchor  8  applying traction primarily to the user&#39;s lumbar spine. 
   When a user wishes to discontinue the traction he or she may release the tension by disrupting the parallel alignment of the side strap buckles  25  with the side straps  22  and connecting straps  26 . Alternatively, tension may be released by disconnecting the belt buckle  21 , or by disengaging the male portion  15  from the female portion  16  of the compound buckle  14 . 
   In the preferred embodiment all straps and belt elements are formed of nylon strapping, however alternative materials may be used such as other natural or artificial fiber, leather, rubber or the like. Further, in my preferred embodiment the elastic tensioning members are a “bungee type” rubber strap, however alternative elastically biasing devices may be used, such as springs (or the like). 
   The foregoing description of my invention is necessarily of a detailed nature so that a specific embodiment of its best known mode may be set forth, as is required, but it is to be understood that various modifications of details, rearrangement and multiplication of parts may be resorted to without departing from its spirit, essence or scope. 
   Having thusly described my invention, what I desire to protect by Letters Patent, and