Inflatable profile with high pneumatic rigidity

Claim 2

An inflatable shaped structure comprising an assembly of pneumatic tubular elements, characterized by the combination of a number of parallel inflatable tubes made from gas tight elastic material and a fabric casing forming adjacent elongated cells which contain the tubes, each pair of adjacent cells having plane sides joined along at least one side to the vicinity of a continuous wall which closes the cells characterized in that the cells have the form of square-section pipes, closed on one side by a sheet of air permeable fabric to which they are stitched, and by at least a second line of stitching which joins adjacent cells on the opposite side, forming plane sides in mutual contact between the cells, which act as braces after inflation.

Claim 3

An orthopedic brace of high pneumatic rigidity comprising: tubular wall structures of light, strong fabric for close-fitting wrap-around disposition with each lower extremity having a plurality of contiguous, tubular cells closed at their ends and extending lengthwise of each extremity; each said cell having radially extending sidewalls in contact with like sidewalls of each adjacent cell; means securing each said sidewall to said fabric to form elongated braces some of which are of double fabric thickness and all of which extend parallel to the long axes of said tubular wall structures; and means including gas-impervious wall structure for inflating said tubular cells to a pressure which produces rigidity of said tubular wall without increase in inward pressure upon said extremities sufficient to impede blood circulation.

Claim 4

An orthopedic brace of high pneumatic rigidity comprising: tubular wall structures of light, strong fabric for close-fitting wrap-around disposition with each lower extremity having a plurality of contiguous, tubular cells closed at their ends and extending lengthwise of each extremity; each said cell having radially extending sidewalls in contact with like sidewalls of each adjacent cell; means securing each said sidewall to said fabric to form elongated braces some of which are of double fabric thickness and all of which extend parallel to the long axes of said tubular wall structures; and means including gas-impervious wall structure for inflating said tubular cells to a pressure which produces rigidity of said tubular wall without increase in inward pressure upon said extremities sufficient to impede blood circulation.

Claim 5

The orthopedic brace of claim 2 in which said tubular cells are each of generally rectangular shape before inflation.

Claim 6

The orthopedic brace of claim 2 in which said tubular cells are each of generally rectangular shape before inflation, said fabric of said tubular enclosures forming corresponding wall portions of each said cell, and means securing each said sidewall to said fabric of said tubular enclosures.

Claim 7

An orthopedic brace of high pneumatic ridigity for an extremity of the body, comprising: enclosinG means of a light, strong, fabric for close contor-fitting of said extremity; tubular wall structure of light, strong, fabric having a plurality of contiguous, tubular cells closed at their ends and extending lengthwise of said extremity; an elastic tube coextensive in length with and disposed within each said cell; each said cell having a sidewall in contact with a like sidewall of each adjacent cell to form a plurality of elongated braces of double fabric thickness; and means for inflating said elastic tubes to a pressure which produces rigidity of said tubular wall structures without increase in circumferential pressure upon said extremity.

Claim 8

An orthopedic brace of high pneumatic ridigity for an extremity of the body, comprising: enclosinG means of a light, strong, fabric for close contor-fitting of said extremity; tubular wall structure of light, strong, fabric having a plurality of contiguous, tubular cells closed at their ends and extending lengthwise of said extremity; an elastic tube coextensive in length with and disposed within each said cell; each said cell having a sidewall in contact with a like sidewall of each adjacent cell to form a plurality of elongated braces of double fabric thickness; and means for inflating said elastic tubes to a pressure which produces rigidity of said tubular wall structures without increase in circumferential pressure upon said extremity.

Claim 9

An orthopedic bracing costume of high pneumatic rigidity adapted for use with at least one of the lower extremities, comprising: extremity enclosing means; adapted for close contor-fitting; tubular wall structures, on the outer surface of said enclosing means, at least one of which is adapted to be disposed in front of and another of which is adapted to be disposed behind the knee; each said tubular wall structure being a dimensionally stable fabric casing having therein at least a pair of elastic inflatable tubular cells closed at both ends and extending lengthwise of said extremity; each said cell having radially extending sidewalls in contact with the sidewalls of an adjacent cell; and means including gas-impervious wall structure for inflating said tubular cells to a pressure which produces rigidity of said tubular wall structures without increase in inward pressure upon said extremities sufficient to impede blood circulation.

Claim 10

An orthopedic bracing costume of high pneumatic rigidity adapted for use with at least one of the lower extremities, comprising: extremity enclosing means; adapted for close contor-fitting; tubular wall structures, on the outer surface of said enclosing means, at least one of which is adapted to be disposed in front of and another of which is adapted to be disposed behind the knee; each said tubular wall structure being a dimensionally stable fabric casing having therein at least a pair of elastic inflatable tubular cells closed at both ends and extending lengthwise of said extremity; each said cell having radially extending sidewalls in contact with the sidewalls of an adjacent cell; and means including gas-impervious wall structure for inflating said tubular cells to a pressure which produces rigidity of said tubular wall structures without increase in inward pressure upon said extremities sufficient to impede blood circulation.

Claim 11

An orthopedic bracing costume of high pneumatic rigidity adapted for use with at least one of the lower extremities, comprising: extremity enclosing means of flexible sheet material adapted for close contor-fitting; tubular wall structures of flexible sheet material on the outer surface of said enclosing means, at least one of which is adapted to be disposed in front of and another of which is adapted to be disposed behind the knee; each said tubular wall structure having therein at least two tubular cells closed at both ends and extending lengthwise of said extremity; each said cell having a radially extending sidewall in contact with a like sidewall of an adjacent cell; and means including gas-impervious wall structure for inflating said tubular cells to a pressure which produces rigidity of said tubular wall structures without increase of inward pressure upon said extremities sufficient to impede blood circulation.

Claim 12

An orthopedic bracing costume of high pneumatic rigidity adapted for use with at least one of the lower extremities, comprising: extremity enclosing means of flexible sheet material adapted for close contor-fitting; tubular wall structures of flexible sheet material on the outer surface of said enclosing means, at least one of which is adapted to be disposed in front of and another of which is adapted to be disposed behind the knee; each said tubular wall structure having therein at least two tubular cells closed at both ends and extending lengthwise of said extremity; each said cell having a radially extending sidewall in contact with a like sidewall of an adjacent cell; and means including gas-impervious wall structure for inflating said tubular cells to a pressure which produces rigidity of said tubular wall structures without increase of inward pressure upon said extremities sufficient to impede blood circulation.

Claim 13

The orthopedic bracing costume of claim 7 in which said enclosing means in the region of the crotch have openings somewhat greater than the regions in which the femoral arteries surface in avoidance of restrictive pressure upon said arteries.

Claim 14

A costume according to claim 7 in which the flexible sheet material of the extremity enclosing means is permeable to body fluids and vapors.