Abstract:
The invention is a slide lock for adjusting static progressive splints having a housing, a glide member, and a wheel whereby a monofilament can pass through the housing and be securely held in place by using the glide to force the wheel toward the floor of the housing.

Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
   The present invention relates to static progressive splinting. More particularly, the present invention relates to a monofilament slide lock that is used in connection with a splinting apparatus to allow for the adjustment of inelastic traction. 
   BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
   The use of splints in the treatment of certain injuries to joints and soft tissue is often an integral part of rehabilitation. Initially, following surgery or an injury, splinting can be used to immobilize and protect the injured area to allow healing. Unlike a cast, however, a splint can be removed for basic hygiene or wound care or to allow a patient to perform therapeutic exercises. Furthermore, depending on the injury and required treatment, a splint can be used to allow a range of motion to an injured joint. 
   Static progressive splinting, a technique using mobilization splinting with inelastic traction, is one of the most efficient methods for lengthening soft tissue with limited pliability and for increasing the progressive range of motion (PROM) of contracted joints. By splinting and maintaining tissue at the available end-range under low-load stress, the structures have time to grow new cells, and a new end-range is established. After the tissues lengthen, the inelastic mobilization component can be adjusted in small increments to maintain low-load prolonged stress at the newly established end-range. 
   Over the past twenty years, therapists have adjusted static progressive splints to produce low loads over a prolonged time. While rubber band traction was commonly used in the prior art, modern day static progressive splinting requires the use of devices that can be easily adjusted by the patient as muscles relax in the splint. Accordingly, therapists today typically construct static progressive splints by attaching turnbuckles or similar locking mechanisms to a thermoplastic brace and connect straps, strings, monofilaments, or click strips to the locking mechanism in order to position the splinted joint near the end range of motion. 
   While these modern day static progressive splinting techniques are effective for soft tissue rehabilitation, they are often heavy, bulky, or cumbersome. As a result, the devices can cause patient fatigue and catch on a patient&#39;s clothing. In addition, the large size and complexity of the devices precludes a therapist from using multiple units with a single splint and prevents a patient from easily adjusting the position of the splint. Accordingly, there is a demand for an improved mobilization device for use in static progressive splinting. 
   SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
   The present invention overcomes the deficiencies of the prior art by providing an improved immobilization device for static progressive splinting. In accordance with the present invention, the improved monofilament slide lock comprises a housing, a glide member, and a locking wheel. 
   One embodiment of the present invention provides for a housing having a low profile, streamlined design in order to prevent the device from snagging on a patient&#39;s clothes. It is another feature of the invention for the housing to accommodate and secure more than one monofilament, further reducing the overall size of the splint for a patient. 
   Yet another feature of the invention is to provide a glide member with a simple push button device for adjusting the tension of the splint along an unlimited range of motion. In addition, the overall size and weight of the slide lock is reduced to eliminate patient fatigue and compliance. 
   These and other features and advantages of the present invention will be apparent to those skilled in the art upon review of the following detailed description of the drawings and preferred embodiments. 

   
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       FIG. 1  is a perspective view of a static progressive splinting system utilizing the present invention. 
       FIG. 2  is a perspective view of the present invention. 
       FIG. 3  is a perspective view of the housing of present invention. 
       FIG. 4  is a perspective view of the glide member of the present invention. 
       FIG. 5  is a perspective view of an alternate embodiment of the wheel of the present invention. 
       FIG. 6  is a perspective view of an assembly of the present invention. 
   

   DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
   A monofilament slide lock made in accordance with the principles of the present invention is depicted in  FIGS. 2-6 . The present invention is to be used in a static progressive splinting system such as the one shown in  FIG. 1 . The system  1  includes a sling  2 , a plurality of monofilaments  4 , a splint  5 , and a monofilament slide lock  8  for securing the tension of the monofilaments  4 . The slide lock  8  of the present invention generally comprises a housing  10 , a glide member  70 , and a locking wheel  100 . 
   As shown in  FIG. 3 , the housing  10  has an upper ridge  20  and a lower ridge  30  positioned on a first sidewall  59 . The upper ridge  20  extends from the rear surface  50  of the first sidewall  59  to the front surface  40  and terminates at each end at a column  22 ,  24 . A second sidewall  60  has an upper ridge  66  and two posts  62 ,  64 . Both upper ridges  20 ,  66  are preferably equipped with a textured outer surface  200 ,  660 , and the second sidewall  60  is preferably linked to the lower ridge  30  on the first sidewall  59  with a connection strip  25 . While many methods of connecting the sidewalls  59 ,  60  are well known in the art, the connection strip  25  is preferred because it maintains the alignment of the first sidewall  59  and second sidewall  60  when the housing  10  is assembled. Assembly of the housing  10  is then preferably completed by inserting the posts  62 ,  64  into the holes  26 ,  28  in each respective column  22 ,  24 . 
   When the sidewalls  59 ,  60  are assembled as shown in  FIG. 2 , they define a slot  68  and a cavity (not shown) for the glide member  70 . The glide member  70 , shown in  FIG. 4 , has a button  80  and a base portion  90 . In a completely assembled slide lock  8  shown in  FIG. 2 , the button  80  preferably resides on the outside of the housing  10  and has a curved and textured top surface  82  to allow a patient to easily grip and move the device. The button  80  may also be equipped with a lip  81  that engages with the textured outer surfaces  200 ,  660  of the upper ridges  20 ,  66 . 
   The base portion  90  of the glide member  70  resides in the cavity of the housing  10 . In the preferred embodiment of the glide member  70  shown in  FIG. 4 , the base  90  has two legs  92 ,  95  that define a channel  99  and an arced open casing  97 . The channel  99  is preferably sized to receive the upper ridges  20 ,  66  of the housing  10  while the arced open casing  97  is preferably sized to receive a locking wheel  100  such as is shown in  FIG. 5 . 
   In  FIG. 6 , the assembly of the slide lock  8  is shown. The upper ridge  20  of the first sidewall  59  of the housing  10  fits loosely within the channel  99  of the glide member  70 , allowing the glide member  70  to slide on the upper ridge  20  between the two columns  22 ,  24 . The locking wheel  100  similarly fits loosely within the arced open casing  97  of the glide  70 , allowing the locking wheel  100  to rotate as the glide  70  slides between the two columns  22 ,  24 . 
   In the preferred embodiment of a fully assembled slide lock  8 , the wall of the lower ridge  30  defines the floor  36  of the housing cavity and the upper ridges  20 ,  66  slope downward from the rear surface  50  to the front surface  40 . In order to accommodate for the sloped upper ridges  20 ,  66 , the front leg  92  of the glide  70  is preferable shorter than the rear leg  95 . With this configuration, when the glide  70  abuts the rear column  24 , the locking wheel  100  is held above the floor  36 , and when the glide  70  abuts the front column  22 , the locking wheel engages the floor  36 . 
   In order to use the completely assembled slide lock  8  shown in  FIG. 2  as part of a static progressive splinting system  1  like that shown in  FIG. 1 , the slide lock  8  is simply attached to a thermoplastic splint  5  and the monofilaments  4  from the sling  2  are passed through a front opening  42 , under the locking wheel  100  in the cavity, and out a rear opening  52 . In order to control the tension in the monofilaments  4 , the button  80  can then slide into place against the front column  22 , forcing the locking wheel  100  against the monofilaments  4  and the floor  36 . In this way, the slide lock  8  allows patients to adjust the tension of the monofilaments  4  to an infinite number of positions and thereby precisely control adjustments and document progress in the range of motion of an injured limb. 
   One skilled in the art of splinting should recognize that the monofilaments can be locked in place more effectively by adding textured surfaces to the slide lock of the present invention. For example, while a flat floor  36  will provide an adequate surface to secure the tension of the monofilaments  4 , the floor  36  could also be equipped with a bump  34  to enhance the strength of the bond between the locking wheel  100  and the floor  36 . Similarly, while a smooth outer surface on the locking wheel  100  will provide adequate tension, a knurled or textured outer surface  102  provides enhanced tension and is preferred. Finally, while smooth upper ridges  20 ,  66  and a smooth button  80  are adequate, the interaction of a lip  81  on the button  80  with the textured outer surfaces  200 ,  660  of the upper ridges  20 ,  66  provide a more secure lock. 
   One skilled in the art of splinting should also recognize that the slide lock  8  of the present invention could be made of many different materials and in many different sizes. In the preferred design, however, the housing  10  and glide  70  are constructed from plastic while the locking wheel is made of metal since these materials are exceptionally economical and lightweight. Furthermore, a low-profile, streamlined design measuring 1 cm wide by 2.5 cm long and only 1.2 cm high has proven to be the most effective size for eliminating snagged clothing, minimizing bulk, and allowing multiple slide locks to be used on a single splint. 
   It should be understood that the illustrated embodiments are exemplary only and should not be taken as limiting the scope of the present invention. The claims should not be read as limited to the order or elements unless stated to that effect. Therefore, all embodiments that come within the scope and spirit of the following claims and equivalents thereto are claimed as the invention.