WO2025120381A1

WO2025120381A1 - Elbow brace for children with hemiplegic cerebral palsy focused on prevention and treatment

Info

Publication number: WO2025120381A1
Application number: PCT/IB2024/058020
Authority: WO
Inventors: Esfandiar MALI
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2024-08-18
Filing date: 2024-08-18
Publication date: 2025-06-12
Anticipated expiration: 2027-02-18

Abstract

This invention pertains to rehabilitation products aimed at correcting the upper limb position of children with hemiplegic cerebral palsy. Due to spasticity, affected children unconsciously flex the forearm towards the arm, exacerbating their disability. As they perform daily tasks with their healthy hand, the affected upper limb is often neglected. The brace fastens with Velcro and detects abnormal positioning through a processor that receives data from an inclinometer. If the elbow remains in this position for an extended period, a vibrating motor alerts the child to change their posture. Additionally, a dedicated app connects via a Wi-Fi module, allowing therapists to monitor the child's use of the brace and adjust warning parameters based on angle and duration. Over time, using this elbow brace contributes to improving the child's upper limb condition.

Description

Elbow Brace for Children with Hemiplegic Cerebral Palsy Focused on Prevention and Treatment

This invention is related to the field of wearable rehabilitation products and is specific to children with mild hemiplegic cerebral palsy. When these children unconsciously bend the elbow joint of the affected side of their body due to spasticity and this joint remains in this state for some time, the proposed orthotic elbow brace is able to detect this state using sensor and processors. Subsequently, the child feels the sensory vibration alert and changes the angle of their elbow joint.

The material and the design of the present invention is specifically curated for the comfort of the user. The material is chosen with care so that It provides a pleasant experience and does not hinder daily activities while offering therapeutic aid. For instance, the fabrics are selected and assembled in a manner that protects the electronic module, provides durable results and fascilitates maintenance.

There is user friendly interface that connects the electronic processor to a smart phone or computer, wherein the settings concerning the time and number of the warnings, the deactivation of certain parts and visual features can be customized by a healthcare professional. The parents will also have access to data in order to monitor the progress of the child's orthotic treatment.

A61H1/00 – A63B24/00

CN214049260

ELBOW JOINT BRACE FOR SPASTIC CEREBRAL PALSY CHILDREN

An elbow joint brace for spastic cerebral palsy children comprises a forearm brace, a big arm brace and a hinge portion, and the forearm brace and the big arm brace each comprise a left arc-shaped protective plate, a right arc-shaped protective plate and a fixing plate arranged between the left arc-shaped protective plate and the right arc-shaped protective plate; one side edge of the left arc-shaped protective plate is hinged to one side of the fixed plate, and one side edge of the right arc-shaped protective plate is hinged to the other side of the fixed plate; connecting lugs are arranged on the other side edge of the left arc-shaped protective plate and the other side edge of the right arc-shaped protective plate, and through holes allowing screws to penetrate through are formed in the connecting lugs; a sliding rail in the arm direction is arranged on a fixing plate of the small arm supporting tool, a sliding block is installed on the sliding rail in a sliding mode, and a locking bolt is arranged on the sliding block. A convex block is arranged on a fixing plate of the big arm support; a supporting rod is arranged between the fixing plate of the small arm supporting tool and the fixing plate of the large arm supporting tool, one end of the supporting rod is hinged to the protruding block, and the other end of the supporting rod is fixed to the sliding block. The utility model can effectively relieve the symptoms of high muscular tension and the like of the child patient, and meet the daily exercise and correction requirements of the child patient.

The mentioned device is designed for the special needs of childen with cerebral palsy, which is related to the same field as our claimed patent. However, there are differences between the two inventions in comprising elements and function, as this device focuses on immobilizing the joint while ours allows movement and encourages regular angle changes for therapeutic purposes. Moreover, this device, unlike ours, does not include an electronic module that would allow remote monitoring and programming.

CN206261587

INTELLIGENCE JOINT REHABILITATION TEMPERS SYSTEM

The utility model relates to the field of medical equipment, a intelligence joint rehabilitation tempers system is disclosed, it includes knee joint brace or elbow joint brace or finger brace to and the control unit, patient's smart mobile phone, distal end server and doctor terminal, the rotating part of knee joint brace or elbow joint brace is equipped with angle sensor, be equipped with bending sensor in the finger brace, angle sensor or bending sensor in proper order with the control unit, patient's smart mobile phone, distal end server and doctor terminal communication connect, with realize recovered angle and the number of times real -time recording who takes exercise of patient and save in the control unit to pass to on showing through patient's smart mobile phone the distal end server to feed back to the doctor. The utility model discloses can quantify angle and the number of times that the all joint rehabilitation of patient's knee joint, elbow joint, finger took exercise, and with data storage, feed back to the doctor, make the doctor can supervise and guide the patient to carry out the rehabilitation training.

This device share some qualities with our claimed device. They both feature an electronic module that can connect to a smart phone and allow communication and monitoring. They also feature angle sensor that detect movement. However, their overall functions are different, as our device is designed specifically for the elbow joint and provides feedback for correction, while this one is a rehabilitation elercise monitor for several joints and merely collects data.

US20220117823

PATIENT-RESPONSIVE ORTHOSIS

Orthoses, which are recommended for those suffering from spastic cerebral palsy to wear during sleep, may require manual adjustment and can cause discomfort while the wearer is trying to fall asleep. Accordingly, a patient-responsive orthosis is provided that includes a forearm splint, a hand actuator, a motor that extends the hand of the wearer by moving the hand actuator, memory that stores instructions, and a processor that extends the hand of the wearer in response to the instructions by causing the motor to move the hand actuator. The orthosis may include a sleep sensor and may be programmed to extend the hand of the wearer while the wearer is asleep. The patient-responsive orthosis may be programmed (e.g., by a clinician specifying a treatment schedule) using a remote device. The patient-responsive orthosis may also store and output usage data (e.g., for review by a clinician).

This orthotic device resembles our claimed method in their use of sensor and remote processing unit but the function is specific to sleeping patients while ours can be worn at all times. Moreover, this device actually moves the user's arm while ours provides vibrational alarm for the user to move the joint and overcome spasicty.

CN219109904

WEARABLE ELBOW AND WRIST JOINT FIXING BRACE

The utility model relates to the technical field of protectors, in particular to a wearable elbow and wrist joint fixing brace which comprises an elbow joint fixing support and a wrist joint fixing support, a plurality of fixing straps are arranged on the rear side of the elbow joint fixing support, a fixing plate is arranged at one end of the elbow joint fixing support, and a fixing plate is arranged at the other end of the wrist joint fixing support. Bandages are detachably pasted to the upper end and the lower end of the fixing plate through hook-and-loop fasteners correspondingly, fixing blocks are fixedly installed at the ends, away from the fixing plate, of the two bandages, and inserting grooves are formed in the right ends of the fixing blocks. The wearable elbow and wrist joint fixing brace solves the problems that most patients clinically do not only have the problem of single elbow or wrist and finger joints and often have the problem of multiple joints at the same time, especially stroke patients, and the problems that the elbow joint fixing support and the wrist joint fixing support are combined in the prior art due to hemiplegia and the like are solved. The problems of flexor spasm of the whole hemiplegic upper limb, buckling deformity of the elbow, the wrist and the finger joints in different periods and limited stretching are caused.

This mentioned invention, like our design, involves a wearable brace for people with cerebral apoplexy or hemiplegia symptoms, however the similarities end there, since this brace extends to the wrist joint and does not contain an electronic processing board, while ours focuses on the elbow joint and provides feedback and alarm that fascilitate the correction process. Also, our design targets children with specific needs and allows monitoring and remote control on a daily basis, whereas this one focuses on immobilization and does not offer such options.

CN220309258

ELBOW JOINT BRACE CAPABLE OF ADJUSTING ROTATION ANGLE OF FOREARM

The elbow joint brace capable of adjusting the rotation angle of the forearm comprises an upper arm fixing frame, a rotation adjuster is arranged at one end of the upper arm fixing frame, a telescopic sleeve is arranged on the rotation adjuster, and a first forearm liner is arranged at one end of the telescopic sleeve; the telescopic sleeve rotates relative to the rotary adjuster and can stretch out and draw back. The telescopic sleeve rotates in the rotary adjuster to help a patient with fracture or hemiplegia at the elbow joint to better place the elbow joint at a functional position in the early stage. A neutral position or a supination state of the forearm can be maintained at an early stage, so that a good condition is provided for elbow joint function training, and the risk that a fracture part suffers from rotation stress in the flexion and extension training process is also avoided. The telescopic sleeve slides in the rotation regulator, so that the forearm rotation dysfunction and the pronation contracture state in the postoperative recovery period are avoided.

This mentioned invention performs a similar function on the forearm and helps put the elbow in a functional position for correction purposes. However, this device is not a daily wearable gadget and focuses on post-surgery recovery while ours allows for monitoring, remote control and is specifically designed for children with cerebral palsy or hemiplegia.

United States Patent 4237873

Cerebral palsy arm and hand brace

An arm and hand brace for persons afflicted with the neuro-muscular tremors of cerebral palsy; a bracing device framing the shoulders, upper arm, forearm and hand which, in application, damps and controls involuntary neuro-muscular spasms and permits the performance of controlled, willed actions of these members by cerebral palsy victims; an articulated frame comprised of a support, a train of linked arms, a sleeve clasping the hand, wrist and forearm, a series of double and single element joints and a piston-piston rod extension-retraction system, all for establishing and maintaining control of gross and fine arm and hand movements in the cerebral palsy patient.

This mentioned device is similar to our claimed patent in providing help with neuro-muscular symptoms that people with cerebral palsy experience. However, this device includes an elaborate hand and arm brace while ours specifically addresses the elbow joint, and is desined for children's daily use. Furthermore, this brace unlike ours, does not contain an electronic processor that allows monitoring and remote control and does not feature a feedback alarm system.

This invention involves a smart orthotic elbow brace for children with cerebral palsy or hemiplegia, which focuses on feedback and correction and includes a central processor, sensor, WiFi module, USB port, battery, power buton and LED light. This adjustable brace is a therapeutic aid product made of three dimensional fabric, elastic and foam layers, cotton stiching and thermal adhesive tape. The electronic parts are secured using soft material so that the wires stay in place and the user feels comfortable. The hygiene and repair maintenance has been considered when choosing the material so that the electronic module is waterproof. The brace is fastened on the arm by two pairs of velcro bands and can accomadate different arm sizes. The angle sensor, connected to the processor, detect changes in the position of the forearm and if it has been bent for a certain amount of time, the vibration alarm warns the child to put their arm in neutral position. The settings regarding the duration and amount of vibration alarms and disabling electronic modules can be customized according to the child's needs using the interface application on a smart phone or by connecting the USB port to a computer. Through the user interface application, it is also possible for the parents and the therapist to remotely monitor the usage and the treatment process. Over time, the affected limb will benefit from neurophysiological impact of this process and the spasicity will be manageable.

Children with cerebral palsy and hemiplegia unconsciously put their elbow joint of the affected side of the body in a long-term contraction due to the brain damage they have suffered. This condition happens in such a way that the forearm of these children is bent towards their arm, which over time leads to further weakening of the muscles involved in the upper limb and worsening of disability. In fact, by doing daily tasks with the healthy hand, the bent shape of the elbow on the affected side of the body is forgotten.

In order to improve this complication, the present invention is designed so that when the elbow joint of the affected side of the body is in the mentioned position and remains in this position for a while, the child can be warned to remove the affected limb from this position. Hence the working focus of the designed elbow brace is called the feedback-corrective process. This product will help to improve the condition of the involved joint over time by habit-forming and affecting the child's subconscious and the results in neurophysiological treatment.

The existing art in this field are more suited towards adults or their design lack any attraction to children with these conditions. The material could be too restricting and hinder the treatment. The feedback process in prior art is also less effective and cannot be monitored. In this presented design the focus is on the reactive-corrective process for children and there is a wifi module that connects to a software application that allows better observation.

Solution of Problem

In the design of this smart orthotic elbow brace for children with cerebral palsy and hemiplegia, the focus has been on the feedback and correction process. In addition to technical issues and theconsideration of the basic needs of the target group, other issues such as the attractiveness of the shape, form and color of this product for children and its ease of use and cleaning has also been noted. In order to determine the features of the present invention, in addition to studying written sources and field research, interviews with the beneficiaries of this product were also conducted. In this way, with the help of several questionnaires, 30 children, families and occupational therapists were interviewed. The product features mentioned below are the result of these scientific surveys.

The main body of the product is made of three-dimensional fabric, and the colors selected for the product are created using color printing technology on the white surface of this fabric. The characteristics of this fabric, which are derived from its structural nature, were the reason for choosing this type of fabric. The three-dimensional fabric and its properties are described as follows: Fabrics with a typically circular structure that consists of connecting two separate fabrics by means of connecting threads (threads that create a gap between two fabrics) with a different bending stiffness than the thread used in the surface fabrics are created. The thickness between the two surface layers including the middle layer in these fabrics is usually 3 mm.

Usually, the material of monofilament connecting threads is polyester or polyamide, and the material of the surface fabric thread can be polyester, nylon or polypropylene depending on the final use of the fabric. Both sides of the fabric can be similar or different in terms of density, design, material, etc. Due to the three-dimensional structure and also the empty space between the two surfaces of the fabric, these fabrics have various characteristics such as sufficient air circulation inside the fabric, unique reversibility after applying force, the ability to absorb moisture into the fabric structure, flexibility and softness. Air permeability, the ability to transfer water vapor from the surface of the fabric, excellent strength and malleability, the possibility of easy cleaning and lightness are some of their other desired characteristics. This type of fabric is used in technical fields such as sportswear, medical textiles, protective clothing, automobile industry and composites. This fabric forms the main body of the present invention and laser cutting and atom press can be used to cut it according to the designed pattern.

According to , after cutting the main body, the white band around the product (05) and the colored strips of the inside part (07 , 08) are also connected to the fabric of the main body of the product using cotton stitching (06, 09, 10). In order to adjust the size of this invention around the arm of the target children with different body dimensions, two pairs of fabric or velcro clips have been used. The soft part of the velcro that is placed on the arm (11) using thread stitching (12). The other soft part is placed on the forearm (13) and is also attached to the outer surface of the main body using thread stitching (14). According to , the velcro that is placed on the arm (15) is attached using thread stitching (16) to the other velcro that is placed on the forearm (17). They are also connected to the inner surface of the main body of the product by using cotton stitches (18).

The electronic part of the designed invention consists of several parts. One of its parts is used to detect when the forearm is folded towards the arm. According to map No. 3, in order to detect this issue, an angle-meter module (19) is used, which is placed on the inner surface of the product, which is placed on the forearm. The protractor unit is connected to the central board and its accompanying parts (21) by means of a thin and flexible wire (20) that passes through the inner layer of the product.

The central board comprises the electrical parts of the alarm system, a processor or CPU, a Wi-Fi communication module and the micro USB port that is used to enter the charging cable and connect it to the electricity transmission parts and the battery. The battery, which is a rechargeable lithium polymer type with a capacity of 700 milliamps and a voltage of 4.2, is connected to the back of the central board and is charged through a USB2.0 cable. The micro USB cable input port (22) is installed in the lower part of the board and is covered by a rubber cap. The three-dimensional fabric of the product is cut to accommodate the size and shape of this port. In addition to charging the battery of the brace, the USB cable input port can be used to change the settings and the initial setup of its communications by connecting to a computer. The central board and the parts connected to it (21) are placed on a part of the inner body of the product that is placed on the back of the child's arm.

The alarm unit consists of a coin vibration motor that is located on the central board. When the product's processor detects that the forearm is in a folded or bent position for a certain period of time, based on the information received from the built-in protractor (19); The built-in vibration motor starts emitting vibration with the command it receives from the processor so that the child notices the abnormal state of the involved elbowand changes its state.

In order to adjust the setting remotely, the Wi-Fi module on the central board (21) has been used to connect the processor with the user interface application. The processor or CPU plays a fundamental role in recognizing when to warn the child. This detection is done based on the angular value that is transmitted to it from the angle sensor (19). The angle of the arm and the time for the warning can be adjusted through the user interface application by the occupational therapist using Wi-Fi connection. This setting can also be done through the product's computer software when it is connected to a computer with a USB2.0 cable.

Another electronic part of the present invention is a power module to turn it on and off (23). This module includes an LED indicator lamp and a push button. To turn the product on and off, the button is pressed for 5 seconds. Considering such a time to turn the product on and off is to prevent the product from turning off unintentionally due to children playing with this key. It is possible to temporarily disable the LED indicator lamp through user interface application, and the reason for this option is that in social situations, if the child's family or himself does not like the product lamp to be active, they can turn it off. turn off without disabling the product. The Wi-Fi communication module can also be temporarily disabled through the application, in case the user is sensitive to exposure to wireless devices. The deactivated modules will be reset when the device is turned off and on again.

The push button and its LED lamp (23) are connected to the central board (21) by a flexible wire (24). The lamp indicates the different states of the product using colors. Blue means the brace is active. Red means that the battery level is low or the charger is connected to it. And green means the battery is fully charged. Monitoring the usage and the battery status can be done through the application. The application will feature two parts: one is related to the parents and the other is related to the occupational therapist. The therapist has exclusive access to various features in this software with the password that he defines for himself during the launch and the first use of the product by the child, which include: monitoring the child's use of this elbow brace, the number of warnings given to the child and setting the amount of time and angle based on which the warning is announced to the child.

All the electronic parts of the product are of SMD type, which are placed on the PCB board, and in order to provide water resistance, single-component EVA based resin casting is used. This feature makes it possible to repair the electronic part of the product. Among the other features of this resin are the better transmission of the vibration to the skin, the strengthening of the bases of the parts on the central board, as well as the waterproof, shockproof and anti-static qualities.

As a way of preventing any skin irritation, a layer of 3mm foam equal to each area (19, 21, 23) is used to cover the surface. On top of the foam, a layer of elastic fabric is cut to cover the electronics and wires. This fabric can be easily cut by laser cutting or atom press according to the design pattern shown in . According to , the elastic fabric is connected to the main body of the product by thread stitching (25), (26) and (27). It is possible to perform all the stitches of the present invention using a sewing machine to prevents the movement of these parts and the foam on it under the elastic fabric. It is also possible to put some double-sided thermal adhesive tape on wires (20) and (24) that are stretched from parts (19) and (23) to the central board (21); so that after sewing the elastic fabric to the main body of the product, the heat of the iron which activates these adhesive tapes, helps the elastic fabric to stick better to the underside. This also prevents the wires (20) and (24) from moving under the surface of the fabric. This fabric is the innermost layer of the present invention and is in contact with the surface of the child's skin.

In order to check the overall design, a prototype of the present invention was produced. To create this prototype in a manner that saves time and cost, instead of the protractor unit, a cylindrical mercury key was used, which was placed at the bottom of the product and under the forearm, and connected to other parts through a wire. It should be noted that in this initial sample, the coin vibration motor was placed below the central board, and the reason for the differences in some parts, their position and the appearance of the product compared to the final design is that the initial sample is only a prototype for the review of the overall plan and its overall efficiency.

The mercury key is a key that has a cylindrical structure and has metal bases on one side. In order to protect it and the central board in this sample, black electrical adhesive cover is also used. In this prototype, when the forearm is folded towards the arm; the mercury inside the glass bubble of thr key moves towards the bases located at the end of the key, and upon reaching it, a pulse is sent to the central board with the help of wires. In the central board, when the processor receives the sent pulse for a certain period of time, it issues an order to the vibration motor to emit vibration.

This prototype was tested on a child from the target group. After learning about the function of the product, the child declared that this product is generally comfortable and interesting. When this child's forearm was placed towards his arm at an angle of less than 90 degrees for a period of 20 seconds, the elbow brace started to emit a laser warning, as a result of which the child realized that he should change the position of his involved upper limb. In this sample, a blue lamp was used on the board so that when the vibration motor was activated, its light indicated this to the team. The main body of this prototype was made of white three-dimensional fabric, and a layer of white elastic fabric was glued on the electronic parts of the inner part of the body, which was in contact with the child's skin.

Since a mercury key was used in this prototype, the laser warning was activated only when the child's forearm was at an angle of 90 degrees or less, and its accuracy was average. But in the final product, this angle can be adjusted according to the improvement of the child during the time of using the elbow brace through the user interface application settings by the occupational therapist. The use of the protractor unit and sensor in the final product will also make the angle detection a lot more accurate.

Of course, for people without disabilities, using a protractor to determine the angle of the forearm relative to the arm is more complicated. Because people who do not have physical problems have freedom of movement and the product would need two protractors to measure the angle of the forearm in relation to the arm. But in children with hemiplegia, there is no need for this because their limbs are limited in movement and their arm can be considered static. However, to increase the accuracy of the product when the child bends down or sleeps on a surface, two protractors can be used for these children, so that the warnings can be customized in more detail.

In this invention, the design is curated in a way that would be pleasant for children to use on a daily basis. To achieve this, the form of cartoon characters that are familiar to children is used in the design of the upper edge is made to resemble animal ears. The suggested colors have also been chosen to suit children and the rules of color association. The white background intrigues children, has a calming affect and blends well in social situation. To create an emotional connection between the child and the product, personalization is also made possible through customizable drawing cards, stickers and pins. Furthermore, two gaps have been embedded on the front and back of the elbow brace to accommodate joint movement and proper air circulation. They also help create the abstract of animal ears as part of the ergonomic shape design that fascilitates daily wear.

Based on relevant research and a tested prototype, a 700 mAh flat lithium polymer battery is needed for the device's launch and activity. The battery is connected to the central board and uses 500 milliamps of energy per hour to start up and operate the electronic parts of the product. Even if part of the battery capacity is wasted, it will need charging once every 9 days. In addition, sleep mode can be available so only when a pulse is received from the protractor, the electronic parts are activated to send the alarm.

Advantage Effects of the Invention

• Innovative rehabilitation aid with remote monitoring

• Flexibility of material that allows free movement of the upper limbs

• Increasing mobility of the elbow joint overtime

• Helping with function and correction of the upper limbs

• Increasing subconscious awareness of the arm position

• Built-in warning system that helps with correction and treatment

• Customizable warning settings regarding duration and angle

• Affecting the child's confidence and self-esteem and reducing stress

• Low maintenance chargeable battery life

• Creating the possibility of further follow-up of treatment

• Self-reliant daily treatment through warnings and reminders

• Relatively low price in mass production

• Lightness, ease of use and softness of the product surfaces

• High accuracy of the sensor in detecting the abnormal position of limbs

• Washable and repairable componnts

• Improving supervision and increasing efficiency of occupational therapy sessions

• Helping the development of products in the treatment of similar diseases

• Unoptrusive yet interesting and customizable design for children

Shows a general view of the exterior of the elbow brace.

Displays the inner layer of the main body of the product.

Captures the placement of the electronic module and its componants.

Demonstrates the dimensions of the elastic fabric that covers the electronic parts and wires inside the product.

Shows the placement of the stitching that connects the elastic and the 3D fabric.

Exhibits the overall dimensions of the product and a view of the inner layer of the elbow brace.

Exhibits the overall dimensions of the product and a view of the exterior of the elbow brace.

Shows a general view of the outer layer of the brace which includes these componants:

05) White sealing strips around the edges of the product

06) Cotton stitching sewn around the white strips

07) Colored sealing stripe around the gap which is placed on inner side of the elbow

08) Colored sealing stripe around the gap which is placed on outer side of the elbow

09) Cotton stitching sewn around stripe number 07

10) Cotton stitching sewn around stripe number 08

11) The soft part of the velcro that is placed on the arm

12) Cotton stitching sewn around the soft part of the velcro that is placed on the arm

13) The soft part of the velcro that is placed on the forearm

14) Cotton stitching sewn around the soft part of the velcro that is placed on the forearm

Shows a view of the inner part of the main body of the elbow brace which includes these subparts:

15) The rough part of the velcro, which is placed on the soft part that is in contact with the arm

16) Cotton stitching sewn around the rough part of the velcro, which is placed on the soft part that is in contact with the arm

17) The rough part of the velcro, which is placed on the soft part that is in contact with the forearm

18) Cotton stitching sewn around the rough part of the velcro, which is placed on the soft part that is in contact with the forearm

Displays the location of the electronic board and the parts that are connected to it through wires, which include:

19) The protractor module containing angle sensor

20) The wire connecting the protractor to the central electronic board of the product

21) The central electronic board of the product

22) MicroUSB port to connect the charging cable

23) The on/off push button and three-color LED lamp connected to It

24) The wire connecting the push button and lamp to the electronic board of the product

Shows the detailed dimensions of the elastic fabric which covers and secures the electronic parts and their connecting wires

Displays the placement of the cotton stitches that connect the elastic fabric to the three-dimensional fabric, which include the following details:

25) Cotton stitching sewn around the elastic fabric to connect it to the main body

26) Cotton stitches sewing the elastic fabric around the gap placed on inner side of the elbow

27) Cotton stitches sewing the elastic fabric around the gap placed on outer side of the elbow

28) Cotton stitches sewing the elastic fabric around the electronic board of the product and its connecting parts

29) Cotton stitches sewing the elastic fabric around the on/off push button of the product and the accompanying LED lamp

30) Cotton stitches sewing the elastic fabric around the angle sensor of the product

Shows the products's dimensions and offers an overall view of the innermost surface of the elbow brace.

Shows the products's dimensions and offers an overall view of the outer surface of the elbow brace.

Examples

The invention is helpful in overcoming spasicity and other related symotoms of children with cerebral palsy or hemiplegia. They can use this product from the age of 5 with the prescription of their occupational therapist. After the mass production and supply of such a special elbow brace, the family can obtain this product with the recommendation of the occupational therapist, and the occupational therapist can activate this elbow brace based on the instructions and explain the process to the family and the child. The elbow strap is fastened via velcro tapes around the upper arm and forearm of the target group children and is tightened to the required extent. When it is turned on, if the child's forearm is folded towards the arm and this situation continues for some time, the built-in vibration motor starts emitting a vibration warning to inform the child about this issue, and this warning will continue until the affected organ is put in a neutral position.

This product, by affecting the child's subconscious mind, helps him to avoid the aforementioned abnormal situation. As the condition of the child's upper limb improves, the occupational therapist can change the angle and the time at which the child is warned. Over time, wearing this brace will help in improving the condition of the upper limbs of the affected side of the child's body.

Orthoses and braces are made by medical equipment manufacturing industries and are offered to the market or the customers of these products. The present invention also has the capacity to be mass produced by these manufacturers. Furthermore, it is possible to create an organization for customer support, repairs and after-sales services. In all stages of the design of this elbow brace, in addition to observing the scientific points and the expectations of the beneficiaries, special attention has been paid to the feasibility of its production and the ease of this matter. All the small parts proposed for this invention are available in the market and the science of production, regulation and assembly of this product is not a complex issue. Therefore, the relevant industries can not only produce and supply this elbow brace; Rather, by researching the development of such products, they can produce similar equipment to help treat similar physical diseases. Also, there is a possibility of developing an elbow brace designed for other age groups. In addition to hemiplegic cerebral palsy children, this product can also be used for other cerebral palsy children who are trainable and have similar problems in their upper limbs.

Children with disabilities are an important part of the resources of our society. In case of mass production of the described final model of this product, it is also possible to create an donation center that after the complete recovery of the child, their elbow braces will be given to the children of underprivileged families who cannot afford such a product. This will help spread the effects of occupational therapy and rehabilitation to the disadvantaged classes of the society.

Claims

A smart wearable and adjustable orthotic elbow brace for children with hemiplegia or cerebral palsy with a focus on feedback and correction process is designed that features an angle sensor, a central board, a coin vibration motor, a WiFi module, a USB port, a battery and a power button with LED lights.
According to claim 1, the wearable orthodic elbow brace is made of 3D fabric and white and colored sealing strips are sewn around the edge of it's main body and the inner cut part.
According to claim 1, this product is fastened and secured around the upper limbs of the target group children by two pairs of adjustable velcro strips, one on the arm and the other on the forearm.
According to claim 1, the product features a angle sensor that detect changes in the position of the joint, and are connected to the central electronic board by a thin and flexible wire, covered with a protective foam layer.
According to claim 1, the central electronic board located in the inner layer of the product is directly connected to the processor, coin vibration motor, Wi-Fi communication module, battery and MicroUSB port and is covered with protective foam fabric.
According to claims 1 and 5, the vibration motor used in this product, receives data from the angle sensor on the child's bent forearm and starts emitting vibration to make the child aware of the abnormal condition of the involved limb, until the child's elbow joint changes to a neutral position.
According to claim 1 and 5, a flat lithium polymer rechargeable battery with a capacity of 700 milliamps is connected to the back of the product's electronic board to provide the electrical energy required for this elbow brace to function.
According to claim 1 and 5, the central board features a MicroUSB port which is used to charge the battery and connect the processor of the product with the computer to customize the settings.
According to claim 1 and 5, a Wi-Fi module is placed on the electronic board, which provides the processor's communication with the Internet and the user interface application, and is used to remotely monitor the child's use of the brace and adjust the vibration alarm settings.
According to claim 1, there is a power button embedded in the side that is in contact with the back of the child's forearm, which needs to be pressed for 5 seconds to turn on and off the electronic module.
According to claim 1 and 10, next to the on and off push button, there is a three-color LED lamp whose colors each indicate different states of this product, and both the button and the lamp are connected to the electronic board through wires which are covered with protective foam.
According to claim 9 and 11, the Wi-Fi connection module and the LED lamp used in the product can be permanently or temporarily disabled.
According to claim 1 and 2, after assembling the electronic parts on the main body of the product and covering them with foam, a layer of elastic fabric is placed on the inner surface of the brace, which is connected to the three-dimensional fabric with thread stitching.
According to claim 13, the electronic board is covered with protective foam and elastic fabric and seamed with thermal tape adhesives to secure the wired connections.
According to claim 1, this product can be washed or cleaned by hand due to the use of waterproof resins in the electronic modules.