US3762404A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Positioning aid
Assignee: Olympic Surgical Co Inc
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Filing: 1971-07-22
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Granted: 1973-10-02
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Expires: 1991-07-22
Abstract
Abstract A positioning aid for restraining or immobilizing a part of the body of a medical patient comprising an air-tight bag of flexible, impervious material; a charge of elastically deformable spherulic beads of expanded polystyrene confined within the bag; and a self-closing valve communicating with the interior of said bag for evacuating air therefrom. Material proportions of the beads are of respectively different diameters. The bag is divided into a plurality of compartments by partitions extending obliquely between opposing walls of the bag. The partitions, which maintain the particles evenly distributed in the bag, are adapted to permit air-flow between the compartments and to prevent passage of the beads therebetween. When the positioning aid is evacuated after having been conformed to a portion of a patient''s body, the aid becomes rigid while maintaining its preevacuation shape.
Inventors
- 👤 T Sakita
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-25 16:28
CPC Classifications
A; A61; A61B; A61B6/00; A61B6/04; A61B6/0407; A61B6/0421; A43; A43B; A43B17/00; A43B17/02; A43B17/03; A43B17/035; A61G; A61G7/00; A61G7/05; A61G7/057; A61G7/05738; A61G7/05753; Y; Y10; Y10S; Y10S128/00; Y10S128/20; Y10S5/00; Y10S5/911; Y10S5/913; Y10T; Y10T137/00; Y10T137/7722; Y10T137/7837; Y10T137/7879; Y10T137/7888; Y10T137/7891
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 15
Claim 1
Independent Claim
16 words
The positioning aid of claim 1 wherein said beads are comprised of an expanded plastic material.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
19 words
The positioning aid of claim 1 wherein said beads are comprised of an expanded plastic material containing an elastomer.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
14 words
A positioning aid of claim 1 wherein said beads are comprised of expanded polystyrene.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
40 words
The positioning aid of claim 1 wherein said charge is comprised of a mixture of beads with predetermined fractional proportions of the charge being of beads having different diameters distributed substantially across the range of from 1 to 5 millimeters.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
19 words
The positioning aid of claim 5 wherein by volume the proportions of beads of low- and mid-range diameters predominate.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
19 words
The positioning aid of Claim 1 wherein by volume the proportions of beads of low- and mid-range diameters predominate.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
22 words
The positioning aid of claim 1 wherein said flexible, impervious material is comprised of a mixture of polyvinyl chloride and synthetic rubber.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
74 words
The positioning aid of claim 1 wherein said bag includes a pair of opposing walls and a partition secured to and extending obliquely between said walls, said partition dividing the interior of said bag into two, overlapping compartments, portions of said charge of beads being confined within each of said compartments, and said partition being adapted to permit the flow of air and prevent the flow of beads from one bag compartment to another.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
16 words
The positioning aid of claim 9 wherein said beads are comprised of an expanded plastic material.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
40 words
The positioning aid of claim 9 wherein said charge is comprised of a mixture of beads with predetermined fractional proportions of the charge being of beads having different diameters distributed substantially across the range of from 1 to 5 millimeters.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
232 words
A vacuum-actuated positioning aid comprising a flexible, impervious bag; a charge of elastically deformable spherulic beads confined within said bag, said beads having diameters of from about 1 to about 5 millimeters and specific gravities of from about 0.1 to about 0.6, said charge being comprised of a mixture of at least two substantial portions of beads having materially different diameters; and a valve communicating with the interior of said bag for evacuating air therefrom whereupon said beads interengage to form a rigid structure, said valve comprising a soft, flexible cylindrical valve body having first and second ends, means for opening and closing said first end, a soft flexible inner cylinder extending within said valve body and having first and second ends respectively proximate said first and second ends of said valve body, said second end of said inner cylinder communicating with the interior of said bag, a lid secured to a segment of the periphery of said first end of said inner cylinder, said lid being resiliently movable about said segment between a closed position abutting against and closing said first end of said inner cylinder and an open nonabutting position, movement of said lid being responsive to pressure differentials on opposite sides thereof, and means for forming an air-tight seal between the inside of said valve body and the outside of said inner cylinder proximate the respective second ends thereof.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
113 words
A vacuum-actuated positioning aid comprising a flexible, impervious bag, said bag having first and second opposing walls; a charge of elastically deformable spherulic beads confined within and partially filling said bag; a partition secured to and extending obliquely between said walls, said partition dividing the interior of said bag into two, overlapping compartments, portions of said charge of beads being disposed within each of said compartments, and said partition being adapted to permit the flow of air and prevent the flow of said beads from one bag compartment to another; and a valve communicating with the interior of said bag for evacuating air therefrom whereupon said beads interengage to form a rigid structure.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
186 words
A vacuum-actuated positioning aid comprising an air-tight bag of flexible, impervious sheet material; a charge of elastically deformable spherulic beads disposed within said bag; and a valve communicating with the interior of said bag for evacuating air therefrom, said valve comprising a soft, flexible cylindrical valve body having first and second ends; means for opening and closing said first end; a soft flexible inner cylinder extending within said valve body and having first and second ends respectively proximate said first and second ends of said valve body; said second end of said inner cylinder communicating with the interior of said bag; a lid secured to a segment of the periphery of said first end of said inner cylinder, said lid beIng resiliently movable about said segment between a closed position abutting against and closing said first end of said inner cylinder and an open non-abutting position, movement of said lid being responsive to pressure differentials on opposite sides thereof; and means for forming an air-tight seal between the inside of said valve body and the outside of said inner cylinder proximate the respective second ends thereof.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
16 words
The positioning aid of claim 14 wherein said valve is of a substantially one-piece molded construction.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
148 words
A positioning aid comprising a substantially flat, flexible, impervious bag comprised of first and second opposing walls secured together about their respective peripheries, and a flexible partition extending across the interior of said bag, said partition being secured along its length to each of said walls and being oriented obliquely to each of said walls so as to divide the interior of said bag into first and second compartments, which compartments are mutually overlapping along said partition; a charge of elastically deformable spherulic beads confined within said bag, portions of said charge of beads being disposed within and partially filling each of said compartments, said partition being adapted to permit the flow of air and prevent the flow of beads from one compartment to another; and a valve communicating with the interior of said bag for evacuating air therefrom, whereupon said beads interengage to form a rigid structure.
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USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1976-10-01 | 1977-04-02 | 1977-10-02 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1980-10-01 | 1981-04-02 | 1981-10-02 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1984-10-01 | 1985-04-02 | 1985-10-02 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |