Patent Publication Number: US-2018049491-A1

Title: Pillar pad system and method

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION 
     The present application is related to and claims priority to U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 62/376,838 filed Aug. 18, 2016, which is incorporated by reference herein in its entirety. 
    
    
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     The following includes information that may be useful in understanding the present disclosure. It is not an admission that any of the information provided herein is prior art nor material to the presently described or claimed inventions, nor that any publication or document that is specifically or implicitly referenced is prior art. 
     1. Field of the Invention 
     The present invention relates generally to the field of medical equipment and more specifically relates to wrist braces. 
     2. Description of Related Art 
     Carpal tunnel can be an extremely painful condition for some people. Those with severe cases may opt for having surgery. Pain and tenderness in the wrist and hand area will occur after surgery, and people may need to wear a brace or protective covering for an extended period of time. These braces are often extremely uncomfortable and difficult to apply, especially only using one hand. It can take a considerable amount of time for a person&#39;s hand to heal if he/she accidentally injures it after surgery. 
     Carpal tunnel surgery divides the transverse carpal ligament. This surgery is necessary for those that suffer from carpal tunnel syndrome and exhibit constant pain, numbness, muscle weakness, and atrophy in the muscle at the base of the thumb. Carpal tunnel syndrome can be caused by repetitive wrist work such as typing, working with vibrating tools such as a jackhammer, and work that requires a strong grip. 
     The two major types of surgery are open carpal tunnel release and endoscopic carpal tunnel release. Open surgery involves an incision on the palm about an inch or two in length. Through this incision, the skin and subcutaneous tissue is divided, followed by the palmar fascia, and ultimately the transverse carpal ligament. The time frame for recovery after carpal tunnel surgery generally lasts for one year. During recovery, splints are not recommended; however, pain can continue if the surgery site is not protected in some way. 
     U.S. Pat. No. 4,617,684 to Paul G. Green et al. relates to a protective palm-pad. The described protective palm-pad includes a hand mounted player&#39;s protective palm pad that has a palm configured two-piece pad and two fastening loops secured to the pad, one small loop and one much larger. The one small loop encircles the base of the user&#39;s forefinger; the much larger loop extends about the back of the user&#39;s hand. These two loops hold the player&#39;s protective palm pad constantly and securely in the desired position on the user&#39;s palm, remote from the user&#39;s thumb. In other embodiments, the pad can be made larger or smaller; the configuration can be made different to provide more palm or finger protection; additional finger loops and/or hand loops may be secured to the pad; and the protective palm pad can be made to be worn on either hand. 
     BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     In view of the foregoing disadvantages inherent in the known wrist brace art, the present disclosure provides a novel pillar pad system. The general purpose of the present disclosure, which will be described subsequently in greater detail, is to provide a pillar pad system. 
     Carpal tunnel surgery is a surgery in which the transverse carpal ligament is divided. It is a treatment for carpal tunnel syndrome and recommended when there is static (constant, not just intermittent) numbness, muscle weakness, or atrophy, and when night-splinting no longer controls intermittent symptoms of pain in the carpal tunnel. Gloves are often worn post-surgery to assist in healing. 
     A protective garment is disclosed herein. The protective garment may generally comprise a uniquely-designed glove capable of supporting the hand and wrist after carpal tunnel surgery. It includes an insertable palm pad which helps prevent contact from external objects and hard surfaces. This allows fingers to move freely without any restriction. It provides a way to prevent additional injury after wrist surgery. The present invention eliminates the need to wear uncomfortable post-surgery braces which may feature hard plastic or metal inserts. 
     In one embodiment, the protective garment comprises a fingerless glove having a pocket, and a pad. The pocket may be fixedly joined to a palm-side of the fingerless glove, and the pad may be configured to fit inside the pocket so that the pad may act as a buffer for protecting a palm of a hand of a user. The fingerless glove may integrally comprise a sleeve enveloping a wrist of the user, and may be constructed from compression material for preventing unwanted movement of the fingerless glove and the sleeve while worn by the user. 
     A flap may be fixedly attached to the pocket, configured to position the pad about the palm of the user, and adjust the fingerless glove on the hand of the user. The pocket of the fingerless glove may be open and closeable by hook and loop fasteners, at least one snap fastener, or a zipper. Further, the pocket may be sewn shut after the pad is inserted into the pocket. The pocket may be positioned between a middle of the palm and the wrist of the user. 
     The fingerless glove may allow freedom of movement of the fingers and thumb, and may be configured to be worn by the right hand, or the left hand. The sleeve may be configured to compress and inhibit movement of the wrist of the user, while the pad may alleviate contact force against the palm of the hand of the user. 
     According to another embodiment, a method of wearing the protective garment is also disclosed herein. The method of wearing the protective garment includes pulling a fingerless glove with integral sleeve onto a hand and wrist of a user, adjusting a flap on the fingerless glove to fit the user, and positioning a pad of the fingerless glove about a palm of the user. 
     For purposes of summarizing the invention, certain aspects, advantages, and novel features of the invention have been described herein. It is to be understood that not necessarily all such advantages may be achieved in accordance with any one particular embodiment of the invention. Thus, the invention may be embodied or carried out in a manner that achieves or optimizes one advantage or group of advantages as taught herein without necessarily achieving other advantages as may be taught or suggested herein. The features of the invention which are believed to be novel are particularly pointed out and distinctly claimed in the concluding portion of the specification. These and other features, aspects, and advantages of the present invention will become better understood with reference to the following drawings and detailed description. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       The figures which accompany the written portion of this specification illustrate embodiments and methods of use for the present disclosure, a pillar pad system, constructed and operative according to the teachings of the present disclosure. 
         FIG. 1A  is a palm-side view of the protective garment during an ‘in-use’ condition, according to an embodiment of the disclosure. 
         FIG. 1B  is a top-side view of the protective garment during an ‘in-use’ condition, according to an embodiment of the disclosure. 
         FIG. 2  is a perspective view of the protective garment of  FIG. 1  comprising a fingerless glove, according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. 
         FIG. 3  is a perspective view of the protective garment of  FIG. 1  showing a pad insertable into a pocket of the fingerless glove, according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. 
         FIG. 4  is another perspective view of the protective garment of  FIG. 1  showing the fingerless glove comprising a sleeve, according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. 
         FIG. 5  is a flow diagram illustrating a method of use for wearing the protective garment, according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. 
     
    
    
     The various embodiments of the present invention will hereinafter be described in conjunction with the appended drawings, wherein like designations denote like elements. 
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     As discussed above, embodiments of the present disclosure relate to a wrist brace and more particularly to a pillar pad system as used to improve the pain from contacting objects after carpal tunnel surgery. 
     Generally, after carpal tunnel surgery, pillar pain may become problematic because of the surfaces that the palm of the hand contact on a daily basis, such as closing a car door or exiting a bath tub. The protective garment of the present disclosure provides a uniquely designed glove capable of supporting the hand and wrist after carpal tunnel surgery. Advantageously, the protective garment includes an insertable palm pad made of shock absorbent material to prevent contact from external objects and hard surfaces. This may provide a way to prevent additional injury after carpal tunnel, or wrist surgery, and may eliminate the need to wear uncomfortable post-surgery braces with hard plastic or metal inserts. The glove may be fabricated in different sizes, be made for left hands and right hands, and fit both men, women, elderly, and children. 
     Referring now more specifically to the drawings by numerals of reference, there is shown in  FIGS. 1-4 , various views of a protective garment  100 .  FIGS. 1A-1B  show a protective garment during an ‘in-use’ condition  150 , according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. Here, the protective garment  100  may be beneficial for use by a user  140  to reduce pillar pain following carpal tunnel surgery. 
     As illustrated, the protective garment  100  may include a fingerless glove  110 , a pocket  112  fixedly joined to a palm-side of the fingerless glove  110 , and a pad  114  configured to fit inside the pocket  112  so that the pad  114  acts as a buffer for protecting a palm  15  of a hand  25  of a user  140 . Specifically, the pad  114  may be deformable and useful for preventing hand contact against external objects and hard surfaces, thereby controlling pillar pain after carpal tunnel surgery. 
     In one embodiment, the fingerless glove  110  may integrally include a sleeve  116  which may envelope a wrist  35  of the user  140 . The fingerless glove  110  and sleeve  116  may be constructed from compression material for preventing unwanted movement of the fingerless glove  110  and the sleeve  116  while the protective garment  100  is worn. Further, the sleeve  116  may be configured to inhibit movement of the wrist  35  of the user  140  thereby decreasing pressure within the carpal tunnel and alleviating strain of the carpal tunnel after surgery. 
     According to one embodiment, the protective garment  100  may be arranged as a kit  105 . In particular, the protective garment  100  may include the fingerless glove  110  having the pocket  112  and the pad  114  and may further include a set of instructions  155 . The instructions  155  may detail functional relationships in relation to the structure of the protective garment  100  (such that the protective garment  100  can be used, maintained, or the like, in a preferred manner). 
       FIG. 2  shows the protective garment  100  of  FIG. 1 , according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. As above, the protective garment  100  may include a fingerless glove  110 , a pocket  112  fixedly joined to a palm-side of the fingerless glove  110 , and a pad  114  configured to fit inside the pocket  112 . In one embodiment, the pocket  112  of the fingerless glove  110  may be openable and closeable via hook and loop fasteners so that pad(s)  114  of differing materials may be used. In other embodiments, the pocket  112  may be openable and closeable via snap fasteners, clips, a zipper, mating magnetic members, clasps, draw strings or ties, and the like. 
     In a preferred embodiment, the pocket  112  may comprise a material that is deformable and is configured to absorb shock from an impact against a hard surface. The pocket  112  is further configured for comfort to the user  140 . Materials may include, but are not limited to, gel, foam, fabric, feathers, polyester, cotton, plastics, or the like. 
       FIG. 3  is a perspective view of the protective garment  100  of  FIG. 1 , according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. The hand  25  of the user  140  may be inserted through the sleeve  116  and fingerless glove  110  so that freedom of movement may be achieved for the fingers and thumb. The pocket may be positioned between a middle of the palm  15  and the wrist  35  of the user  140 . 
       FIG. 4  is a perspective view of the protective garment  100  of  FIG. 1 , according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. Once the pad  114  has been positioned within the pocket  112 , the protective garment  100  may alleviate contact force against the palm  15  of the hand  25  of the user  140 . 
     As shown, the fingerless glove  110  may comprise a flap. The flap may be attached to the pocket  112 . The flap may be useful for adjusting the pocket  112  comprising the pad  114  such that the pad  114  is optimally and comfortably positioned about the palm  15  of the hand  25  of the user  140 . The flap may be sewn to the pocket  112 , or may be attached to the pocket  112  by other means. 
     As may be appreciated, the fingerless glove  110  may be constructed in different sizes to accommodate men, women, children, and elderly users  140 . Further, the fingerless glove  110  may be constructed to fit the left hand or the right hand of the user  140 . In some embodiments, the fingerless glove  110  may comprise indicia (such as a logo, instructions, or other phrases or verbiage) based on user preference. 
       FIG. 5  is a flow diagram  550  illustrating a method of use  500  for wearing the protective garment  100 , according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. In particular, the method  500  for wearing the protective garment  100  may include one or more components or features of the protective garment  100  as described above. As illustrated, the method  500  for wearing the protective garment  100  may include the steps of: step one  501 , pulling a fingerless glove  110  with an integral sleeve  116  onto a hand  25  and wrist  35  of a user  140 ; step two  502 , adjusting a flap on the fingerless glove  110  to fit the user  140 ; and step three  503 , positioning a pad  114  of the fingerless glove  110  about a palm  15  of the user  140 . 
     It should also be noted that the steps described in the method of use can be carried out in many different orders according to user preference. The use of “step of” should not be interpreted as “step for”, in the claims herein and is not intended to invoke the provisions of 35 U.S.C. § 112(f). It should also be noted that, under appropriate circumstances, considering such issues as design preference, user preferences, marketing preferences, cost, structural requirements, available materials, technological advances, etc., other methods for wearing the protective garment (e.g., different step orders within above-mentioned list, elimination or addition of certain steps, including or excluding certain maintenance steps, etc.), are taught herein. 
     The embodiments of the invention described herein are exemplary and numerous modifications, variations and rearrangements can be readily envisioned to achieve substantially equivalent results, all of which are intended to be embraced within the spirit and scope of the invention. Further, the purpose of the foregoing abstract is to enable the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office and the public generally, and especially the scientist, engineers and practitioners in the art who are not familiar with patent or legal terms or phraseology, to determine quickly from a cursory inspection the nature and essence of the technical disclosure of the application.