Inflatable shaped structures

Claim 2

An orthopaedic device comprising, in combination, (i) an inflatable structure having at least two elongated fabric pipes of substantially square cross-section disposed in parallel relationship, each pipe including opposed plane side walls and having a base constituted by a portion of a sheet of airpermeable fabric to which said side walls are secured along their one longitudinal edge, the adjacent respective side walls of each adjacent pair of pipes being secured together substantially along their other longitudinal edge, and an inflatable tube of gastight resilient material in each said pipe, and (ii) at least one removable cushion secured on a face of said structure and at right angles thereto for presenting towards an emaciation of the leg.

Claim 3

The orthopaedic device of claim 1 comprising a movable flap secured along an inner lateral vertical line of said shaped structure, at least one self adhesive strip on said flap, a corresponding number of other adhesive strips secured to said removable cushion, said flap strips and said cushion strips being adapted to coact with each other for securing said cushion removably in position

Claim 4

The orthopaedic device of claim 2, wherein said removable cushion has a felt core surrounded by synthetic foam enclosed between two layers of fabric forming two sides of the cushion.

Claim 5

An orthopaedic device comprising in combination, (i) an inflatable structure having at least two elongated fabric pipes of substantially square cross-section disposed in parallel relationship, each pipe including opposed plane side walls and having a base constituted by a portion of a sheet of airpermeable fabric to which said side walls are secured along their one longitudinal edge, the adjacent respective side walls of each adjacent pair of pipes being secured together substantially along their other longitudinal edge, and an inflatable tube of gastight resilient material in each said pipe, and (ii) a boot, and means for connection between a lower part of said structure and said boot to maintain the sole of said boot in a direction substantially at right angles thereto, whereby when the device is fitted to the leg the boot is maintained substantially at right angles to the tibia and opposes transverse rocking of the ankle.

Claim 6

An orthopaedic device comprising in combination, (i) an inflatable structure having at least two elongated fabric pipes of substantially square cross-section disposed in parallel relationship, each pipe including opposed plane side walls and having a base constituted by a portion of a sheet of airpermeable fabric to which said side walls are secured along their one longitudinal edge, the adjacent respective side walls of each adjacent pair of pipes being secured together substantially along their other longitudinal edge, and an inflatable tube of gastight resilient material in each said pipe, and (ii) a boot, and means for connection between a lower part of said structure and said boot to maintain the sole of said boot in a direction substantially at right angles thereto, whereby when the device is fitted to the leg the boot is maintained substantially at right angles to the tibia and opposes transverse rocking of the ankle.

Claim 7

The orthopaedic device of claim 4 further comprising a strap secured on said boot to pass about the ankle, said strap being connected to the lower part of said inflatable structure, and a belt fixed on the sole and passed through loops of said strap, in the centre of the foot, and to fasten above the boot.

Claim 8

An inflatable structure having at least two elongated fabric pipes of substantially square cross-section disposed in parallel relationship, each pipe including opposed plane side walls and having a base constituted by a portion of a sheet of airpermeable fabric to which said side walls are secured along their one longitudinal edge, the adjacent respective side walls of each adjacent pair of pipes being secured together substantially along their other longitudinal edge, and an inflatable tube of gastight resilient material in each said pipe, the pipes having at least one discontinuity disposed in the vicinity of a zone of articulation of a limb on which the structure is provided, said discontinuity resulting in at least two distinct sub-assemblies of pipes which are each inflatable and deflatable independently of the other, each pipe of one of the sub-assemblies being an extension of an associated pipe of the other sub-assembly, and the portion where two associated pipes are separated being, for each pair of associated pipes, offset longitudinally of the structure with respect to the position of separation of each alternate pair of associated pipes.

Claim 9

An inflatable structure having at least two elongated fabric pipes of substantially square cross-section disposed in parallel relationship, each pipe including opposed plane side walls and having a base constituted by a portion of a sheet of airpermeable fabric to which said side walls are secured along their one longitudinal edge, the adjacent respective side walls of each adjacent pair of pipes being secured together substantially along their other longitudinal edge, and an inflatable tube of gastight resilient material in each said pipe, the pipes having at least one discontinuity disposed in the vicinity of a zone of articulation of a limb on which the structure is provided, said discontinuity resulting in at least two distinct sub-assemblies of pipes which are each inflatable and deflatable independently of the other, each pipe of one of the sub-assemblies being an extension of an associated pipe of the other sub-assembly, and the portion where two associated pipes are separated being, for each pair of associated pipes, offset longitudinally of the structure with respect to the position of separation of each alternate pair of associated pipes.

Claim 10

The structure of claim 6 wherein the section to be secured along a limb has two adjacent discontinuitIes one at each side of the zone of articulation of the limb, the pipes between the said discontinuities forming an intermediate section whose inflation imparts rigidity to the entire assembly of sections and whose deflation permits the bending of the structure about the articulation of the limb whilst the outermost sections remain inflated.

Claim 11

The structure of claim 7 wherein the intermediate section and the outermost sections are each formed by three contiguous pipes, the central pipe of the intermediate section being longer than the two pipes at each side of it.

Claim 12

The structure of claim 8, wherein the two outermost sections are coupled pneumatically by an external flexible conduit, only one of said sections being fed with fluid under pressure.

Claim 13

An inflatable structure having at least two elongated fabric pipes of substantially square cross-section disposed in parallel relationship, each pipe including opposed plane side walls and having a base constituted by a portion of a sheet of airpermeable fabric to which said side walls are secured along their one longitudinal edge, the adjacent respective side walls of each adjacent pair of pipes being secured together substantially along their other longitudinal edge, and an inflatable tube of gastight resilient material in each said pipe, there being provided on the fabric adapted to surround the limb on which the structure is secured, about the zone of articulation of the limb, a first section of said structure for disposing on that side of said zone on which the limb is attached to the body, a second section extending the first section towards the extremity of the limb, inside the zone of articulation a third section disposed on that side of the zone on which the limb is attached to the body, a fourth section disposed as an extension of the third section and positioned towards the extremity of the limb, the first section overlapping the zone of articulation of the limb and the fourth section extending beyond the zone of articulation and not being stitched at its upper part, means being provided to enable the ends of the first and fourth sections to be secured together and released at each side of zone of articulation of the limb.

Claim 14

An inflatable structure having at least two elongated fabric pipes of substantially square cross-section disposed in parallel relationship, each pipe including opposed plane side walls and having a base constituted by a portion of a sheet of airpermeable fabric to which said side walls are secured along their one longitudinal edge, the adjacent respective side walls of each adjacent pair of pipes being secured together substantially along their other longitudinal edge, and an inflatable tube of gastight resilient material in each said pipe, there being provided on the fabric adapted to surround the limb on which the structure is secured, about the zone of articulation of the limb, a first section of said structure for disposing on that side of said zone on which the limb is attached to the body, a second section extending the first section towards the extremity of the limb, inside the zone of articulation a third section disposed on that side of the zone on which the limb is attached to the body, a fourth section disposed as an extension of the third section and positioned towards the extremity of the limb, the first section overlapping the zone of articulation of the limb and the fourth section extending beyond the zone of articulation and not being stitched at its upper part, means being provided to enable the ends of the first and fourth sections to be secured together and released at each side of zone of articulation of the limb.

Claim 15

The inflatable structure of claim 10, wherein the securing means are two straps, arranged one at each side of the zone of articulation of the limb, secured on the inner side of the zone of articulation and fastenable outside the zone of articulation.

Claim 16

The inflatable structure of claim 11 wherein each of said straps pass through at least one slide and to fasten in front by a buckle.

Claim 17

the inflatable structure of claim 11 wherein each of the straps is adapted to fasten by means of a velcro surface.