High gripping and non-slip belts for pneumatic lumbar traction device

The pneumatic lumbar traction device comprises two separable parts, namely an upper hollow part and a lower frame, the frame having a pneumatically operated piston and cylinder mechanism fixed in and located centrally therein with a piston rod extending outwardly to engage a bar positioned to engage and move a loop fixed to a pelvic traction belt outwardly of a foot end of the device; the upper hollow part having an upper surface on which a user will lie during use; a generally elongate chest belt having opposite end portions with a strap fixed on each end portion with a first clip on said strap and a mating second clip fixed on the opposite end portion, each strap, after said mating clips are fixed together, being capable of being pulled through said first clip to tighten it on the first clip against said fixed mating second clip thereby to tighten the chest belt around a users chest; two, spaced apart, elongate strips of hook or loop material fixed to a central area of the upper surface for engaging with an outer surface of the chest belt for fixing the chest belt to the upper surface.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to a pneumatic lumbar traction device which can be placed on the floor or any other horizontal surface, such as a table, and the user thereof can strap himself or herself to an upper surface of the device and then, by pumping a hand pump, can cause a lower pelvic traction belt strapped around the pelvic area of a body to be pulled outwardly from a foot end of the device with a chest belt fixed on the chest of the body holding the user to the upper surface of the device. More specifically, the present invention relates to improved pelvic and chest belts which improve fixing of the belts on the body to minimize slippage of the belts on the body and improve traction on the body with lubricious material on the outer surface of the pelvic traction belt to enhance sliding of the pelvic traction belt on the upper surface of the device.

2. Description of the Prior Art

Heretofore various traction belts and traction devices have been proposed where a user can exert a stretching force on the lumbar area of the back. Examples of previously proposed traction belts and traction devices are disclosed in the following U.S. patents.

These prior art lumbar traction devices used wide belts which are fixed around a body using hook and loop fastening material sold under the trademark VELCRO®. The thinking at the time of the invention of these lumbar traction devices was to use a simple fastening structure, e.g., VELCRO® between the end portions of the belts or straps. While this worked well, there was still slippage of the belts or straps on the torso of the body which reduced the effectiveness of the stretching of the lumbar area.

As will be described in greater detail hereinafter, the pneumatic lumbar traction device of the present invention differs from the various devices disclosed in the prior art patents and literature described above by providing a pelvic belt and a chest belt which are fastened about and fixed to a body with two pairs of straps and male and female clips or buckles.

For years, the simplicity of hook and loop fastening structure on chest belts and pelvic traction belts in lumbar traction devices has overlooked the slippage of such belts because of their inability to effect sufficient tightness of the belts around a user's body. Through trial and error, applicants have determined that the use of a pair of straps on each belt fixed together with male and female clips (like on airplane seatbelt buckles) on each belt where each strap can be tightened against fixed male and female clips and provides much more tightness of the belts around a user's body resulting in much better lumbar/back/spinal stretching.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

According to the present invention there is provided a pneumatic lumbar traction device of the type disclosed in the Chitwood U.S. Pat. No. 6,045,525 which has an upper smooth surface on which a user will lie, the improvement residing in a chest belt having a pair of straps and clips or buckles for fixing the belt around the chest of a body. The outer surface of the chest belt has hook or loop material for fixing the chest belt to two elongate spaced apart strips of loop or hook material fixed on and to the upper smooth surface of the device. The chest belt has opposite end portions with two first straps fixed on each end portion with a male clip or female clip slidable on the strap and received around a bar in a transverse slot in the clip and an opposed second short strap or tab on the opposite end portion with a female or male clip at an outer end thereof and the first strap can be pulled around the bar in the transverse slot in the first named clip, after the opposed clips are fixed together, thereby to tighten the chest belt around a users chest. The improvement also resides in a pelvic traction belt that is adapted to be received around the pelvic area of a user and has a loop fixed thereto and extending outwardly transversely of the pelvic traction belt toward a foot end of the device and the belt having opposite end portions with two first straps fixed on each end portion with a male clip or female clip slidable on the strap and received around a bar in a transverse slot in the clip and an opposed second short strap or tab on the opposite end portion with a female or male clip at an outer end thereof and the first strap can be pulled around the bar in the transverse slot in the first named clip, after the opposed clips are fixed together, to thereby the pelvic traction belt around a users pelvic area and with the outer surface of the pelvic belt being made of a low friction lubricious material to facilitate sliding of the pelvic traction belt on the smooth upper surface of the lumbar traction device. The loop is adapted to be fixed on a bar or lug at the end of a piston rod extending from a pneumatic piston and cylinder mechanism which is actuated by a hand pump to pull the pelvic area from the chest area of the user to exert traction on the lumbar area of the user.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT(S)

Referring now to the drawings in greater detail, there is illustrated inFIG. 1a pneumatic lumbar traction device10constructed according to the teachings of the present invention. The device10includes an upper, hollow shell part12and a lower board, plate or framework part14.

The upper, hollow shell part12is generally rectangular and constructed and arranged to fit over the lower plate part14and has an upper surface16which can be a slippery surface, such as by being coated with a lubricous material, i.e., with Teflon®.

It is important to note that on the upper surface16there are provided two elongate patches18and19of hook material sold under the trademark Velcro®. The patches18and19are adapted to engage with loop fabric material20on the outside of a chest belt22for holding the chest belt22to the upper surface16of the upper, hollow shell part12.

As will be described in detail hereinafter in connection with the description ofFIGS. 5 and 6, the chest belt22further has a pair of straps23and24, spaced apart in the elongate direction of the belt22, and a pair of buckles or female clips25and26, spaced apart in the elongate direction of the belt22. One strap23and one male clip25are fixed on the surface20on one end portion27of the belt22and the other strap24and the other female clip26are fixed on the surface20on the other end portion28of the chest belt22for enabling a tight and secure fastening of the chest belt22around the chest of a user.

The end portions27and28shown inFIGS. 5 and 6, have a length between 8 and 12 inches, preferably about 11 inches. The overall length of the chest belt22is between 46 and 52 inches, and preferably about 50 inches. The width of the end portions27and28is between 5 and 7 inches, and preferably 6 inches.

Each strap23or24has an inner end29or30that is fixed, such as by stitching to the chest belt22. Also, each strap23,24has a male clip31or32fixed to the outer end thereof for being clipped in one of the female clips25or26. The female clips25,26are mounted to rectangular tabs33or34which are fixed, such as by stitching, to the chest belt22.

The straps23and24have a length of between 13 and 20 inches, preferably between 15 and 18 inches from the inner end29or30to the male clip and are adjustably fixed in a particular position, like in an airplane seat belt clip.

The inner edge of each tab33or34is fixed to an outer surface of the end portion27or28. The distance between the tab33or34and the outer end27′ or28′ of the end portions27and28is between 15 and 17 inches, and preferably about 16 inches. The width of each strap23,24and tab33,34is between 1 and 2 inches, preferably about 1.5 inches wide with a spacing between them of between 1 and 2 inches, preferably about 1.5 inches.

Finally, the chest belt22has a mid portion35having a width between 8 and 10 inches, preferably about 9 inches wide.

As shown, the upper, hollow shell part12has an opening36at a foot end37of the upper, hollow shell part12through which a guided bar/piston rod38can extend for connection to a T-bar39.

The lower plate part14comprises a generally rectangularly shaped board, plate or frame having centrally mounted thereon, a pneumatic piston and cylinder mechanism40comprising a cylinder41and a piston (hidden from view) which acts upon the guided bar/piston rod38extending outwardly out of the piston and cylinder mechanism40for engagement with the T-bar39.

A track or guideway46is formed on the board or plate14for holding the guided bar/piston rod38against lateral movement during use of the device10.

Extending from an inner end47of cylinder40is a tubing48which extends to a hand pump50and an air gauge52. The pump50can be of any suitable construction such as a cylindrical air pump as shown, or a T handle bicycle tire pump, or it can be a bulb type pump with a check valve, as is known in the art.

The pneumatic lumbar traction device10further includes a pelvic traction belt54, as shown inFIGS. 1,7and8, including end portions56and57each having on the bottom surface thereof a pair of spaced apart straps58and59and a pair of spaced apart female clips or buckles60and61.

As shown inFIG. 8, the pelvic traction belt54has a central body portion64. Then, extending from a bottom side65of the central body portion64of the pelvic traction belt54is a loop66which is adapted to be connected to the T-bar39. The loop66has a bight portion which is received around the T-bar39.

If desired, the outer surface of the pelvic traction belt54can be coated with or made from a lubricous material, such as polytetraflourethylene, commonly sold under the trademark Teflon® to facilitate sliding of the user and the pelvic traction belt54on the upper surface16of the upper part12.

Note that the loop66is mounted to the bottom side65of the pelvic traction belt to prevent the loop66from irritating the user. Also note, fromFIGS. 2 and 3, that the thighs of the user extend900upward from the horizontal and the feet of a user rest on a raised foot support68such that loop66does not impede sliding movement of the user's pelvis on the upper surface16.

Further note that the raised foot support68, such as a chair seat or a raised foot rest80supports the feet81of a user with the user's knees bent 90° as best shown inFIGS. 2,3and4.

Returning toFIGS. 7 and 8, the end portions56and57have a length between 8 and 12 inches, preferably about 11 inches. The overall length of the pelvic traction belt54is between 46 and 52 inches, preferably about 50 inches. The width of the end portions56and57is between 5 and 7 inches, preferably 6 inches.

Each strap58or59has an inner end71or72which is fixed, such as by stitching to the pelvic traction belt54. Also, each strap58,59has a male clip73or74fixed to an outer end thereof for being clipped into one of the female clips60or61. The female clips60,61are mounted to rectangular tabs76or77which are fixed, such as by stitching, to the pelvic traction belt54.

The straps58and59have a length of between 13 and 20 inches, preferably 15 to 18 inches from the inner end71or72to the male clip60or61and are adjustably fixed in a particular position, like an airplane seat belt.

The inner edge of each tab76,77to an outer edge78,79of the end portion56or57is between 15 and 17 inches, preferably about 16 inches. The width of each strap58,59and tab76,77is between 1 and 2 inches, preferably about 1.5 inches wide with a spacing between them of between 1 and 2 inches, preferably about 1.5 inches.

Finally, the pelvic traction belt22has the mid portion64having a width between 8 and 10 inches, preferably about 9 inches wide.

The chest belt22and pelvic traction belt54are made by a flame lamination process with loop3610knitted nylon, hook compatible fabric and loop 3900 brushed nylon, hook compatible fabric, black polyurethane foam, starting thickness 0.090 and latex free.

From the foregoing description, it will be appreciated that a simple improved pneumatic lumbar traction device10is provided where a chest belt22is fixed to the upper surface16of the hollow shell part14by hook and loop material, as described above, and the chest belt22can then be fastened tightly around the chest of a user using the pair of straps23and24with male clips31,32and the female clips or buckles25,26fixed with tabs to the end portions on the chest belts. Then, with the user held to the upper hollow shell part12by the chest belt22, the pelvic traction belt54is fixed tightly around the user's pelvis using the pair of straps58,59with male clips73,74and female clips or buckles60,61fixed to the end portions of the pelvic belt. The straps23,24or58,59are pulled tight after the male clips31,32or73,74are fixed in the female clips25,26or60,61. The pulling of the straps23,24or58,59against the fastened clips31,32or73,74and25,26or60,61, such as around a locking bar in a slot in the male clip (like in an airplane seat belt buckle), enables the user to obtain a tighter fixing of the belts22and54to the user's body than with belt end portions fixed together with mating hook and loop material on the end portion, thereby to provide enhanced stretching of the lumbar region.

Next, the user's pelvic area can be pulled outwardly from the foot end82of the device10for stretching and placing traction on the lumbar area of the users back with minimal or no slipping of the chest belt22on the chest of the user or of the pelvic traction belt54on the pelvis of the user.

Desirably, the upper surface16is inclined slightly, 1 to 15 degrees, from a foot end82of the device10to a head end86of the device10, as shown inFIGS. 2 & 3, to facilitate sliding movement of the user on the upper surface16.

Further, as best shown inFIG. 1, the T-bar39engages the belt loop66and the user, by operating the pump50, cause the rod/piston rod38to push the T-bar39and loop66and pelvic traction belt54away from the shell part12to stretch the users back as shown inFIG. 3.

The male and female clips are standard 1.5 inch acetal male and female buckles distributed by Wirewright Manufacturing of Anniston, Ala.

From the foregoing description, it will be apparent that the pneumatic lumbar traction device10of the present invention has a number of advantages, some of which have been described above and others which are inherent in the invention, and particularly better tightening of the chest belt and the pelvic belt around the torso, thereby providing better stretching of the lumbar region.

Also from the foregoing description, it will be apparent that obvious modifications can be made to the chest belt or pelvic belt without departing from the teachings of the invention. Accordingly, the scope of the invention is only to be limited by the accompanying claims.