Abstract:
A portable harness that wraps around the rib cage and thoracic spine is disclosed. Unlike other harnesses, the present invention has an extension allowing it to be suspended above the user&#39;s ribcage to apply an upward pull. This suspension strap provides a distracting/unloading force on the lower back by holding the upper torso in place while the weight of a patient&#39;s lower body creates traction on the lumbar spine. The harness can be used with any chair back, including office chairs, or vehicle seats. This allows people with lower back pain to sit more comfortably while sitting in a regular chair, driving a car, or flying in a plane. This will decrease low back pain since sitting for long periods will no longer compress the lumbar spine, it will actually be therapeutic by allowing a person to sit in an unloaded position.

Description:
[0001]    This application claims priority of U.S. Provisional Patent Application Ser. No. 61/298,019, filed Jan. 25, 2010 and U.S. Provisional Patent Application Ser. No. 61/374,908, filed Aug. 18, 2010, the disclosures of which are incorporated herein by reference in their entireties. 
     
    
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0002]    Lower back pain is one of the most common ailments among Americans. In fact, 8 out of 10 people will suffer from lower back pain (LBP) at some point in their life. At any point in time, over 30 million Americans suffer from lower back pain. 
         [0003]    To cope with this pain, a myriad of treatments have been devised. Physical therapists and chiropractors have long used traction (also referred to as unloading and decompression) to help treat patients with low back pain. 
         [0004]    One particular example uses a compound mechanical bed, where the head and foot ends move in opposite directions while the patient is secured to the moving parts. However, such beds are expensive. 
         [0005]    Another common technique is the use of gravity boots, which allow the user to hang, typically upside down, by attaching hooks on the boots to a horizontal rod. By hanging with the feet elevated and the head lowered, the spine is stretched. 
         [0006]    Other treatments serve to reduce the pressure on the lower back by reducing the load that the spine must support. However, most of these traction devices are meant to be used in the supine or standing position. 
         [0007]    Unfortunately, a major complaint of many people with LBP is the pain associated with sitting for extended periods of time. Sitting is one of the most compressive positions for the lumbar discs and joints. Compression of a disc causes irritation to disc bulges and herniations. 
         [0008]    However, there are few systems that relieve lower back pain while the person is in the seated position. Therefore, it would be beneficial if there were an apparatus and method to allow the unloading of the spine while in the sitting position. 
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0009]    A portable harness that wraps around the rib cage and thoracic spine is disclosed. Unlike other harnesses, the present invention has an extension allowing it to be suspended above the user&#39;s ribcage to apply an upward pull. This suspension strap provides a distracting/unloading force on the lower back by holding the upper torso in place while the weight of a patient&#39;s lower body creates traction on the lumbar spine. The harness can be used with any chair back, including office chairs, or vehicle seats. In the case of an office chair, the harness also includes a hanger, which wraps around the chair back and provides a mechanism to support the suspension strap. This allows people with lower back pain to sit more comfortably while sitting in a regular chair. In other embodiments, the suspension strap can fit over the head rest of a vehicle&#39;s seat. This allows people to sit more comfortably while driving a car, or flying in a plane. This harness will decrease low back pain since sitting for long periods will no longer compress the lumbar spine, it will actually be therapeutic by allowing a person to sit in an unloaded position. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0010]      FIG. 1A  is an illustration of the back view of one embodiment of the harness of the present invention; 
           [0011]      FIG. 1B  is an illustration of the front view of one embodiment of the harness of the present invention; 
           [0012]      FIG. 1C  is an illustration of one embodiment of the harness of the present invention with a car seat; 
           [0013]      FIG. 1D  is an outside view of the harness; 
           [0014]      FIG. 1E  is an inside view of the harness; 
           [0015]      FIG. 2  shows a rear view of a second embodiment of the harness of the present invention; 
           [0016]      FIG. 3  shows a second embodiment of the fasteners of the harness of the present invention; 
           [0017]      FIG. 4  shows the chair support device or hanger; 
           [0018]      FIG. 5  shows a front view of the chair support device, or hanger, installed on a chair; 
           [0019]      FIG. 6  shows a rear view of the chair support device, or hanger, installed on a chair; 
           [0020]      FIG. 7  shows the harness installed with the chair support device, or hanger; 
           [0021]      FIG. 8A  &amp;  FIG. 8B  show upward pull by means of a linear actuator for a chair with back support; 
           [0022]      FIG. 9A  &amp;  FIG. 9B  show upward pull by pushing up using a linear actuator for a chair without back support; and 
           [0023]      FIG. 10  shows a block diagram of a microcontroller based unit to generate cyclic decompression while sitting. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
       [0024]    The present invention addresses the problem of lower back pain that is so prevalent in the seated position. In fact, the intradiscal pressure is almost at its worst in this position. The only position more compressive than sitting is bending forward. By providing a way to give patients relief in this difficult sitting position allows them to sit for longer periods of time, and also perform more tasks that are done in the seated position, such as driving a motor vehicle or working in an office chair. 
         [0025]      FIGS. 1A-E  show one embodiment of the harness used in the present invention. The harness  10  is made up of a support  20  which wraps around the user&#39;s torso above the lumbar region.  FIG. 1E  shows a non-slip lining  39  is used on the user contact side or the inner side of the support  20 . The non-slip lining  39  provides necessary grip to hold the torso without slipping during gentle vertical movements caused on the user. The vertical movements may be the result of a combination of effects such as uneven road surface, turbulent winds, shock absorbers, etc. Turning to  FIG. 1D , the harness  10  has a first end and a second end. One or more clasps  30  which serve to hold the first and second ends of the support. Also attached to the support  10  is an upper suspension strap  40 , which is suspended at a point above the user&#39;s chest, such as around the head rest of a seat, or the top of a chair back. 
         [0026]    The support  20 , as seen in  FIGS. 1D and 1E , is about 11 inches wide, at its widest point. The support  20  is preferably constructed of polyester, although other suitable materials can also be used. The support  20  is preferably solid, and has a length of about 28-40 inches, although other dimensions are possible. For example, in some embodiments, the support  20  may be made available in a plurality of lengths based on a person&#39;s size. In some embodiments, as seen in  FIG. 1D , the support  20  tapers from 11 inches at its widest point to about 10 inches at its ends. This taper is intended to improve the comfort of the harness and may not exist in all embodiments. 
         [0027]      FIG. 1B  shows a front view of the support  20 , where one or more clasps  30  are used to attach the opposite ends of the support  20  together. Preferably, these clasps are attached to lateral straps  35 , 36  which are stitched to the support  20  using polyester thread, or other suitable material. In some embodiments, the lateral straps  35 , 36  are constructed from seat belt webbing and are each about 1.5 inches wide, although other widths are also possible. In one embodiment, two lateral straps  35 , 36  are used, each separated from the adjacent lateral strap  35 , 36  by about two inches. Thus, in the embodiment shown in  FIG. 1B , the clasps  30  connect the opposite ends of the support  20  in multiple locations, thereby offering maximum support for the rib cage and torso. As shown, the lateral straps  35 , 36  and clasps  30  may be connected in such a way as to be adjustable, as is common with other types of harnesses and seat belts. In one embodiment, one of a set of lateral straps, preferably the left strap  35 , is fixed in length, and may be about 1 inch in length. The other, preferably right, strap  36  is much longer, such as between 12 and 20 inches, and is adjustable. This allows the user to properly size the lateral straps  36  so that the support snugly surrounds the torso or rib cage. In some embodiments, the width of the support  20 , when clasped together varies from a circumference of 28 inches to 55 inches. 
         [0028]    The clasps  30  are preferably constructed from high strength plastic, so as to securely hold the support  20  together. The clasps are preferably of the snap-in variety, so that they can be easily engaged and disengaged, especially in the event of an emergency. In some embodiments, a dual side release buckle is used. Preferably, the clasps  30  are no harder to unsnap and release than a seat belt clasp in a motor vehicle. 
         [0029]    One advantage of using multiple clasps  30  is the ability to adjust to the user&#39;s body. For example, a large person may need to adjust the lower lateral strap to accommodate their stomach area, while keeping the upper lateral straps tighter. Conversely, others may need to loosen the uppermost lateral strap (or simply not clasp the uppermost lateral strap) to accommodate their chest area. 
         [0030]    Returning to  FIG. 1A , an upper suspension strap  40 , which includes a left portion  41  and a right portion  42 , is stitched to the support  20 , using polyester thread. The upper suspension strap  40  is preferably stitched to the outer side of the support  20 , so as to minimize the user&#39;s discomfort. The suspension strap  40  is attached to the support  20  in two locations, and extends upwardly from the support  20 . The left and right portions of the suspension strap are affixed to the support  20  approximately 12 inches apart, and are centered about the midpoint of the support  20 . The left portion  41  of the upper suspension strap  40  terminates at its distal end in a receptacle  44  into which a clasp  43  is attached. In some embodiments, an adjustment mechanism  47  is included on the left portion  41 . The right portion  42  of the upper strap  40  includes the clasp  43 . As described above, preferably the clasp  43  is attached to the right portion  42  in such a way that the length of the right portion  42  can be adjusted. In some embodiments, the entire length of the left portion  41  of the upper suspension strap  40  is between 5 and 16 inches. The adjustable right portion  42  can be as long as 20 inches or more in some embodiments. By including an adjustment mechanism  47  on the left portion  41 , it is possible to configure the upper suspension strap in a variety of configurations. For example, the clasp  43  can be positioned halfway between the two distal ends, as shown in  FIG. 1A . In another embodiment, the adjustment mechanism  47  on the left portion  41  is tightened, while the strap on the right portion  42  is adjusted so that the clasp is closer to where the left portion  41  is stitched to the support  20 . In yet another embodiment, the adjustment mechanism  47  on the left portion  41  is loosened, while the strap on the right portion  42  is adjusted so that the clasp  43  is closer to where the right portion  42  is stitched to the support  20 . By being able to adjust the position of the clasp  43 , the user is able to have the clasp  43  located at a position where it is easy to reach in the event of an emergency. For example, a right-handed user may want the clasp  43  located near the junction of the left portion  41  and the support  20 . In this way, the user can reach across their body with their right hand and unclasp the device. Conversely, a left-handed user may want the clasp  43  located near the junction of the right portion  42  and the support  20 . The clasp  43  is preferably used as an emergency release buckle. 
         [0031]    In other embodiments, an adjustment mechanism  47  is not used. In an alternate embodiment, both the clasp  43  and the receptacle  44  may be adjusted. Note that a dual adjustable buckle may be used to perform this function. In this embodiment and the previously described embodiment, dual adjustment mechanisms are provided on either side of the clasp  43  to allow the user to configure the position of the clasp  43 . 
         [0032]    In another embodiment, as shown in  FIG. 2 , the upper suspension strap  40  may have more than one clasp  43 . In this embodiment, clasps, or emergency release buckles,  43  may be conveniently located such that a left-handed or right-handed user may easily access at least one of the clasps  43 . 
         [0033]    To improve the safety of the harness  10 , there are multiple ways in which a driver, who is using the harness  10 , can extract themselves from the vehicle in the event of an emergency. The first way would be to unclamp the clasps located in the front of the harness. In this way, the harness  10  would remain attached to the vehicle seat, while the driver is free to exit. A second way is by releasing clasps  43  on the upper suspension strap  40 . In this way, the driver may exit the vehicle with the harness  10  still attached to their body. This method may be used if the driver cannot access the front clasps  30 , such as in an accident. 
         [0034]    The upper suspension strap  40  may be constructed of any suitable material, such as seat belt webbing. In some embodiments, the strap is 0.75 inches wide, although other widths are also possible. 
         [0035]      FIG. 3  shows another embodiment of the harness, in which the support  120  can be opened through the actuation of a single clasp or fastener  130 . In this embodiment, the support  120  still includes the lateral straps  35  and the clasps  30 , described above. The preferred method of using the support  120  still requires the tightening and loosening of lateral straps  35  to maintain the proper amount of compression. However, in the event of an emergency, single clasp  130  allows the user to exit immediately, by requiring only a single fastener to be actuated to release the user. 
         [0036]    Referring to  FIG. 3 , note that the clasps  30  may no longer be attached to the support  120 . Rather, they may be attached to strong polyester material  140 . The strong polyester material  140  is attached to a single fastener  130 , such as one with a center release. The single fastener  130  may be attached to the support  120  via more strong polyester material  141  and stitching. 
         [0037]    This embodiment offers yet another method for the driver to detach themselves from the device prior to exiting the vehicle in the event of an emergency. 
         [0038]    The upper suspension strap  40  may be held in place in a number of different ways. The upper suspension strap  40  is intended to be connected to a location above the user&#39;s lower back, preferably above the user&#39;s ribcage. In some embodiments, the strap formed by the left and right portions of the upper suspension strap surround the base of the head rest  60 , as can be seen in  FIG. 1C . The harness  10  is shown away from the seat back  50  for clarity of illustration. In use, the harness  10  will be against the seat back  50 . If properly adjusted, the harness  10  will hold the user&#39;s rib cage at a height greater than would be achieved without the harness  10 . In other words, the harness  10  actually supports at least a portion of the user&#39;s weight at a position above the lower back. This decompresses the spine. 
         [0039]    The harness  10  works in conjunction with the seatback  50  to perform this function. The upward force of the suspension straps  40  tends to lift the user. Since the suspension straps  40  are located only on the back side of the harness  10 , the straps  40  tend to pull more on the back of the user. Without the seatback, the user would tend to tip forward due to the location where the force is being applied. However, advantageously, the seatback  50  holds the user&#39;s back and torso from rotating forward, and therefore allows the two rear straps  40  to be able to gently lift the user without causing any rotation. 
         [0040]    Since the seatback  50  is important to the function of the harness, it is preferable that the seat back be in a substantially upright position. Defining 90° as completely vertical, it is preferable that the seatback  50  be at an angle of greater than 70°. 
         [0041]    The harness is used as follows. The user first performs an initial adjustment of the harness  10 . The driver adjusts the lengths of the left and right portions  41 , 42  of the upper suspension strap  40 . The straps should be adjusted so that the harness  10  supports the user&#39;s weight, while allowing the user&#39;s buttocks to contact the seat. The adjustment of the upper suspension strap  40  may also include adjusting the straps to position the clasp, or emergency release buckle,  43  in a convenient location. In addition, this initial adjustment may include establishing the proper lengths of the lateral straps  35 , 36  so that the harness  10  is snug around the user&#39;s rib cage. This adjustment can be performed similar to that done when fitting a life preserver or other similar device. 
         [0042]    Once this initial adjustment has been performed, the harness  10  is ready for everyday use. The harness  10  is preferably left in the seat, with the upper suspension strap  40  wrapped around the base of the seat&#39;s headrest. With the harness  10  open (i.e. the clasps  30  disengaged), the user then sits in the seat. The user lifts his/her buttocks from the seat by pressing their feet into the floor. While lifted off the seat, the user attaches the harness  10  around rib cage (preferably allowing 3 finger widths between axilla and brace to avoid pressing on axillary compartment). The base of the harness  10  is preferably just above beltline. The user then secures and tightens all of the lateral straps  35 , 36  so that the harness  10  is snug around rib cage. Once the harness  10  is secured, the user gently lowers their buttocks back down into seat. The user will then feel an upward force created by the harness  10  holding their torso slightly suspended. This will partially unweight the buttocks and provide a gentle traction on the lumbar spine while sitting. 
         [0043]    The harness and method described herein can be employed with any vehicle, such as but not limited to automobiles, trucks, SUVs, trains and airplanes. In addition, the figures herein show a detachable headrest, where the upper suspension strap  40  is placed at the base of that headrest. However, the harness is useable in other configurations as well. For example, some seats (such as that of a bus driver) have a headrest that is integral with the seat. However, often, the headrest is narrower than the shoulder part of the seat. This creates a small indentation (concavity) at the top of the seat. This indentation is sufficient to hold the harness in place. 
         [0044]      FIGS. 4-7  show an additional component that can be advantageously used with the harness to extend its utility to other chairs.  FIG. 4  shows the chair support device, or hanger,  200 . The chair support device  200  includes one or more hangar loops  210 , which are configured to rest on the top of the chair on which the chair support device  200  is placed. These hanger loops  210  are preferably adjustable. In some embodiments, such as in  FIG. 4 , clasps  220  are used both to attach and to adjust the length of the hanger loops  210 . In other ways, by adjusting the excess material  221  near the clasp  220 , the chair support device  200  can be moved up or down relative to the top of the chair. For a chair with a high back, the hanger loops  210  may have a greater length than the hanger loops used with a chair having a lower back. In this embodiment, the hanger loops  210  are attached to the lateral hanger strap  230  via loops  215  at either end of each hanger loop  210 . This allows the hanger loops  210  to be moved to the more stable position based on the shape of the chair back. 
         [0045]    While  FIG. 4  shows the adjustment mechanism as part of the clasp  220 , other embodiments are possible. For example, the hanger loop  210  may have a plurality of loops through its length. Any of these loops can be used to attach the hanger loop  210  to the lateral hanger strap  230 . 
         [0046]    The lateral hanger strap  230  is used to encircle the chair back and provide stability. The length of the lateral hanger strap  230  is adjustable, based on the girth of the chair back. In some embodiments, such as that shown in  FIG. 4 , the lateral hanger strap may also include a clasp  232  so that the chair support device  200  can be fastened and unfastened from the chair back. In other embodiments, the clasp  232  is not used. An alternate adjustment mechanism may be employed in this embodiment. 
         [0047]    Attached to the lateral hanger strap  230  are one or more support loops  240 . These support loops  240  are used to receive the upper suspension strap  40  of the harness. In other embodiments, a different mechanism may be used to receive the upper suspension strap  40 . 
         [0048]      FIG. 5  shows a front view of the chair support device, or hanger,  200  installed on a chair. Note that the support loops  240  are in the front, so as to be accessible to the user. 
         [0049]      FIG. 6  shows a rear view of the chair support device, or hanger,  200  installed on a chair. In this embodiment, all clasps  220 ,  232  are configured to be on the back side of the chair, away from the user. 
         [0050]      FIG. 7  shows the harness  10  installed with the chair support device, or hanger,  200 . The support loops  240  of the chair support device  200  are intended to emulate the vehicle headrest, in that the upper suspension strap  40  is attached to these support loops  240 . As was described earlier, the length of the upper suspension strap  40  can be adjusted based on the height of the chair back, and the height of the user.  FIG. 1A  shows the upper suspension strap attached near the top of the support  20 . However, in another embodiment, the upper suspension strap  40  may be attached to the support  20  at a different location. For example, if the upper suspension strap  40  is attached at the midpoint of the support  20 , the harness  10  may be used with a chair having a lower back than would otherwise be possible. 
         [0051]    In other embodiment, the harness  10  and hanger  200  may be combined with an automated cyclic decompression system to allow this activity on stationary chairs. Thus, the cyclic decompression effect can be extended to any chair with a back support including dining chair, office chair, conference room chairs, waiting room chairs by providing a linear actuator that can be programmatically controlled by microcontroller based unit as shown in  FIG. 8A ,  8 B and  FIG. 10 . 
         [0052]    In this configuration, the suspension mechanism includes a tension adjustment mechanism  129  to adjust the tension of the upper suspension strap  120  as needed. The tension adjustment mechanism  129  makes it convenient to adjust the tension after sitting. The tension adjustment mechanism  129  can be power driven mechanism by linear actuators, electric motors or pneumatic means  122 .  FIG. 8A  and  FIG. 8B  show a linear actuator  122  pulling the suspension straps  120  up over a set of rollers  124 . In this embodiment, the tension adjustment mechanism  129  slowly pulls in and releases the strap  128 , thereby causing suspension straps  120  to move correspondingly upward and downward. 
         [0053]    In another embodiment, a harness support to directly controlled by an actuator.  FIG. 9A  and  FIG. 9B  show upward force being applied to the harness support  130  by one or more linear actuators  132 . In this configuration, a chair back support is not necessary. This configuration can be adapted to several types of chairs with or without back support. The linear actuators  132  are coupled to the harness support  130  and are able to move the harness support  130  upward and downward. This embodiment does not require the suspension straps described earlier. 
         [0054]    In a power driven adjustment mechanism, the tension can be adjusted by a digitally controlled programmable adjustment mechanism to achieve the tension levels as needed. The force or tension levels can be periodically increased and decreased by a microprocessor program as needed to effect necessary cyclic decompression. The microcontroller can be programmed to cycle through two or more different tension or force settings. The microcontroller can also be programmed to control the rate of change to reach desired force levels as well as the duration to hold at each force setting. The microcontroller can also be programmed to adjust the height of the harness as needed. For example, it can have a starting height for a user, and change to different heights during different intervals. The height adjustment can also work in combination with force adjustments. For example, the device can be programmed to increase the current height to two more inches if the upward pull or force is less than 25 kilograms. The device can also have multiple user profiles stored in its memory so that the device can be programmed to use a selected profile for a user. 
         [0055]      FIG. 10  shows a block diagram of a microcontroller  142  based programmable unit. Signals from one or more load cells or load sensors are received by the load cell interface  144  which are converted from analog to digital form and presented to the microcontroller. The microcontroller then converts the load signals to associated load levels as measured in units such as pounds or kilograms. Using the current load levels and the program logic stored in the memory  148 , the microcontroller generates the necessary control data to the motor control interface  150 , which then converts the control data to necessary motor control signals suitable to operate the motor or linear actuator, which in turn can increase or decrease the upward pull on the suspension straps of the support  20 . The peripheral interface  146  such as USB serial interface is used to program, configure or interface with other computer systems such as personal computers or central computing systems. 
         [0056]    With this type of digital control, all the three types of decompression, namely static, intermittent and cyclic, can be achieved. 
         [0057]    The terms and expressions which have been employed herein are used as terms of description and not of limitation, and there is no intention in the use of such terms and expressions of excluding any equivalents of the features shown and described (or portions thereof). It is also recognized that various modifications are possible within the scope of the claims. Other modifications, variations, and alternatives are also possible. Accordingly, the foregoing description is by way of example only and is not intended as limiting.