Patent Publication Number: US-2019192330-A1

Title: Single Pull Lumbar Support Brace

Description:
BACKGROUND 
     The present invention is directed to a single pull lumbar support brace. 
     Lumbar support braces are presently used to treat spine disorders, to heal from current conditions affecting the lumbar area of the spine, or to prevent injuries when conducting physical activities such as heavy lifting. 
     After a lower back injury is sustained by an individual, a lumbar support brace is used to control pain, reduce the chance of further injuries, allow healing to take place, or to compensate muscle weakness. 1    1 Available at http://www.umm.edu/programs/spine/health/guides/braces, BRACES, University of Maryland Medical Center, Dec. 2, 2017. 
     Braces have been around at least as early as 2000 BC, 2  and the present invention is a single pull lumbar support brace that allows a user to adjust the tension using a pulley system that can be manipulated by a two-finger ergonomic pull handle.  2 Id. 
     Lumbar supports are described in the following patents: U.S. Pat. Nos. 6,213,968, 8,663,141, 7,001,348, 9,393,149, 8,956,315, 8,142,377, and D725,786. The above referenced patents are used to provide a lumbar support, yet they do not accomplish the support in the manner of the present invention. 
     The present invention improves the manner of supporting the lumbar area of the spine by allowing the user to adjust the tension of the lumbar support brace by pulling a single ergonomic pull handle that is attached to cord that is connected to an improved pulley system that defines non-tangling system. 
     For the foregoing reasons there is a need for a single pull lumbar support brace that will allow a user to adjust the tension created within the lumbar support brace via a pulley system that is tangle proof. 
     SUMMARY 
     The present invention describes a single pull lumbar support brace that can be adjusted by pulling a pull handle with two fingers. The pull handle is connected to a pulley system that is mounted on the support brace. The pulley system defines a non-tangling tension mechanism. 
     The present invention comprises of a single pull lumbar support brace that comprises of: a molded plate that has a left, a right, an upper, a lower side, a front, and a rear side, the upper rear side; a left buckle, the left buckle defines a left linear aperture and has three linear gears that are parallel to the left linear aperture, the left buckle is attached to the left rear side of the molded plate so that the left linear aperture is adjacent to the left side of the molded plate; a right buckle, the right buckle defines a right linear aperture and has a first set and a second set of two linear gears that are parallel to the right linear aperture, the right buckle is attached to the right rear side of the molded plate so that the right linear aperture is adjacent to the right side of the molded plate; a rigid linear gear holder, the rigid linear gear holder defines six linear gears that evenly spaced on the rigid linear gear holder, the rigid linear gear holder is attached to the rear side of the molded plate so that it is centered between the left and right buckle and so that the six linear gears run from the upper to the lower side of the molded plate; a cord having two ends, the cord is looped through the gears of the left buckle, the rigid linear gear holder and the right buckle, and the ends of the cord are attached to pull handle; a left belt that has a left, a right, a rear and a front side, the right side of the left belt attaches to the left buckle at the left linear aperture, the left belt defines a linear hook and loop receiver on the rear side of the belt that runs from the left side of the left belt, for at least 6 inches, towards the right side the left belt, and a hook and loop end receiver that covers the left rear side of the left belt; and a right belt that has a left, a right, a rear and a front side, the left side of the right belt attaches to the right buckle at the right linear aperture, the right belt defines a linear hook and loop receiver on the rear side of the right belt that runs from the right side of the right belt, for at least 6 inches, towards the left side the right belt, and a hook and loop end connector that covers the right front side of the right belt. 
     The present invention is used by placing the single pull lumbar support brace around the lumbar area of a user. Then, connecting the hook and loop connector and receiver of the left and right belt of the brace to establish a first tension. Then pulling the pull handle of the brace with two fingers to establish a second tension along the central horizontal linear axis of the lumbar support brace. The tension is established when the left and right buckles are pulled inward by the cord when the pull handle is pulled outward from the left buckle. Upon obtaining the desired tension, then the pull handle is secured on to either the left or the right belt linear hook and loop receiver. 
     An object of the present invention is to provide a single pull lumbar support brace that uses pulley system to establish a certain tension. 
     Another object of the present invention is to provide a single lumbar support brace that uses a pulley system to establish tension that incorporates a tangle proof mechanism in its pulley system. 
     Yet another object of the present invention is to provide a single lumbar support brace that has an ergonomic two-finger pull handle. 
    
    
     
       DRAWINGS 
       These and other features, aspects, and advantages of the present invention will become better understood with regards to the following description, appended claims, and drawings where: 
         FIG. 1  is a perspective view of the present invention on a user; 
         FIG. 2  is a rear view of the present invention; 
         FIG. 3  is a front view of the present invention; 
         FIG. 4  is rear view of the present invention that shows how adjustable pads would be placed on the belts of the brace; 
         FIG. 5  is a rear view of the ergonomic two-fingered pull handle; 
         FIG. 6  is a rear view of the pulley system of the present invention in a first position; and 
         FIG. 7  is a rear view of the pulley system of the present invention is a second position. 
     
    
    
     DESCRIPTION 
     As seen in  FIGS. 1-6 , the present invention is a single pull lumbar support brace  100 , the brace  100  comprises of a molded plate  10  that has a left  10 A, a right  10 B, an upper  10 C, a lower side  10 D, a front  10 E, and a rear side  10 F, the upper rear side of the plate  10 C defines a flap  12  that has a hook and loop connector  12 A, and the lower rear side  100  defines a hook and loop receiver  12   b ; a left buckle  14 , the left buckle  14  defines a left linear aperture  14 A and has three linear gears  16 A,  16 B,  16 C that are parallel to the left linear aperture  14 A, the three linear gears  16 A,  16 B,  16 C are an upper  16 A a middle  16 B and a lower gear  16 C, the left buckle  14  is attached to the left rear side of the molded plate  10  so that the left linear aperture  14 A is adjacent to the left side of the molded plate  10 A; a right buckle  24 , the right buckle  24  defines a right linear aperture  24 B and has a first set  26 A, 26 B and a second set of two linear gears  28 A, 28 B that are parallel to the right linear aperture  24 B, each set of the two linear gears has an upper gear  26 A, 28 A and a lower gear  26 B, 28 B, the first set of linear gears  26 A, 26 B are closer to the right linear aperture  24 A and are positioned outward, when measured from the upper and lower side of the molded plate  10 , of the second set of linear gears  26 A, 26 B, the right buckle  24  is attached to the right rear side of the molded plate  10  so that the right linear aperture  24 A is adjacent to the right side of the molded plate  10 B; a rigid linear gear holder  30 , the rigid linear gear holder  30  defines six linear gears that evenly spaced on the rigid linear gear holder  30 , the rigid linear gear holder  30  is attached to the rear side of the molded plate  10 F so that it is centered between the left  14  and right buckle  24  and so that the six linear gears run from the upper  10 C to the lower side  10 D of the molded plate  10  and the gears are defined from the lower side to the upper side as gear a  32 A, gear b  32 B, gear c  32 C, gear d  32 D, gear e  32 E, and gear f  32 F; a cord  40  having two ends, the cord  40  is looped through the gears of the left buckle  14 , the rigid linear gear holder  30  and the right buckle  24 , and the ends of the cord  40  are attached to pull handle  50 ; a left belt  60  that has a left  60 A, a right  60 B, a rear  60 C and a front side  60 D, the right side  60 B of the left belt  60  attaches to the left buckle  14  at the left linear aperture  140 , the left belt  60  defines a linear hook and loop receiver  62  on the rear side of the belt that runs from the left side of the left belt  60 A, for at least 6 inches, towards the right side the left belt  60 B, and a hook and loop end receiver  64  that covers the left rear side of the left belt  60 ; and a right belt  70  that has a left  70 A, a right  70 B, a rear  70 D and a front side  70 C, the left side of the right belt  70 A attaches to the right buckle  24  at the right linear aperture  24 A, the right belt  70  defines a linear hook and loop receiver  72  on the rear side of the right belt that runs from the right side of the right belt  70 B, for at least 6 inches, towards the left side the right belt  70 A, and a hook and loop end connector  74  that covers the right  70 B front side  70 C of the right belt  70 . 
     As seen in  FIGS. 6-7 , in an embodiment, the cord loops  40  around the left buckle  14 , the rigid linear gear holder  30  and the right buckle  24  as follows: it first is passes through a lower side of middle gear  16 B of the left buckle  14 , then it passes through an upper side of the gear c  32 C of the rigid linear gear holder  30 , next it loops around the lower gear  28 B of second set of linear gears of the right buckle  24 , then it passes through an upper side of gear b  32 B of the rigid linear gear holder  30 , next loops around the lower gear  16 C of the left buckle  14 , then it passes through an upper side of gear a  32 A of the rigid linear gear holder  30 , next it passes through a lower side of the lower gear  26   b  of the first set of linear gears of the right buckle  24 , then it passes through a right side of the upper gear  26 A of the first set of linear gears of the right buckle  24 ; next it passes through a lower side of gear f  32 F of the rigid linear gear holder  30 , then it loops around the upper gear  16 A of the left buckle  14 , next it passes through a lower side of gear e  32 E of the rigid linear gear holder  30 , then it loops around the upper gear  28 A of the second set of linear gears of the right buckle  24 , next it passes through a lower side of gear d  32 D of the rigid linear gear holder  30 , and lastly it passes through an upper side of the middle gear  16 B of the left buckle  14 . 
     In another embodiment of the present invention, the pull handle  50  is a two-finger ergonomic pull handle, and the pull handle  50  has a hook and loop connector  50 A on one side. 
     In yet another embodiment of the present invention the front sides of the left and right belt define a hook and loop pad receiver (not shown in figures) and the lumbar support brace comprises of a pair of adjustable pads  80  that define a hook and loop connector (not shown in figures). The hook and loop connectors of each adjustable pad  80  attaches to each hook and loop pad receiver. 
     In still another embodiment of the present invention, the rear right belt defines a loop handle  90  that receives the pull handle. 
     In yet still another embodiment, the support brace comprises of a cover  38  that attaches to the linear rigid gear holder. 
     An advantage of the present invention is that it provides a single pull lumbar support brace that uses a pulley system to establish a certain tension. 
     Another advantage of the present invention is that it provides a single lumbar support brace that uses a tangle proof mechanism in its pulley system. 
     Yet another advantage of the present invention is that it provides a single lumbar support brace that has an ergonomic two-finger pull handle. 
     While the inventor&#39;s above description contains many specificities, these should not be construed as limitations on the scope, but rather as an exemplification of several preferred embodiments thereof. Many other variations are possible. Accordingly, the scope should be determined not by the embodiments illustrated, but by the appended claims and their legal equivalents.