Support means applicable to the hands of sufferers from arthritis and the like

Claim 2

A support means applicable to a portion of the human hand to alleviate misalignment and pain brought about by arthritis and the like, said support means comprising a twisted, substantially U-shaped body, one leg of said U-shaped body being short and terminating in an upper end, the other leg of said U-shaped body being elongated and terminating in a lower end below said upper end, a pressure-applying bearing surface at each of said ends, said body of said support being adapted to extend partially about and engage the fleshy part of the hand surrounding the metacarpal bone of the thumb, said short leg being of such length as to position said bearing surface at said upper end of said support means at the distal metacarpal joint of the thumb, said elongated leg being of such length as to position said bearing surface at said lower end of said support means at the proximal metacarpal joint of the thumb, the axis of said bearing surface at said upper end of said support means lying in a pLane substantially normal to the axis of said bearing surface at said lower end of said support means, whereby said upper bearing surface will apply pressure to the distal metacarpal joint of the thumb in a substantially lateral direction and said lower bearing surface will apply pressure to the proximal metacarpal joint of the thumb in a substantially medial direction when the device is placed on the human hand.

Claim 3

The structure claimed in claim 1 wherein said upper and lower ends are of looplike configuration, said bearing surfaces comprising integral portions of said ends.

Claim 4

The structure claimed in claim 1 wherein said body of said support means is made of resilient material.

Claim 5

The structure claimed in claim 1 wherein said bearing surfaces comprise integral surface portions of said upper and lower ends.

Claim 6

A support means applicable to a portion of the human hand to alleviate misalignment and pain brought about by arthritis and the like, said support means comprising a twisted, substantially U-shaped body terminating in an upper end and lower end, a pressure-applying bearing surface in association with each of said ends, said body being configured to extend partially about and engage said portion of said hand, said end portions being located on substantially opposite sides of said portion of said hand, said bearing surfaces being oriented to apply pressure in substantially parallel, substantially opposite directions, each of said bearing surfaces comprising a surface portion of an element operatively connected to one of said ends of said support means, means for moving said element toward and away from its respective end of said support means along an axis substantially parallel to the direction of said pressure to be applied by its respective bearing surface and means for maintaining said element in adjusted position along said axis whereby to adjust the pressure applied by said bearing surfaces.

Claim 7

A support means applicable to a portion of the human hand to alleviate misalignment and pain brought about by arthritis and the like, said support means comprising a twisted, substantially U-shaped body terminating in an upper end and lower end, a pressure-applying bearing surface in association with each of said ends, said body being configured to extend partially about and engage said portion of said hand, said end portions being located on substantially opposite sides of said portion of said hand, said bearing surfaces being oriented to apply pressure in substantially parallel, substantially opposite directions, each of said bearing surfaces comprising a surface portion of an element operatively connected to one of said ends of said support means, means for moving said element toward and away from its respective end of said support means along an axis substantially parallel to the direction of said pressure to be applied by its respective bearing surface and means for maintaining said element in adjusted position along said axis whereby to adjust the pressure applied by said bearing surfaces.

Claim 8

A support means applicable to a portion of the human hand to alleviate misalignment and pain brought about by arthritis and the like, said support means comprising a twisted, substantially U-shaped body terminating in an upper end and a lower end, a pressure-applying bearing surface in association with each of said ends, said body being configured to extend partially about and engage the fleshy part of the hand surrounding the metacarpal bone of the thumb, said bearing surface associated with said upper end of said support being so located and oriented as to apply pressure to the distal metacarpal joint of the thumb in a substantially lateral direction, said bearing surface associated with said lower end of said support being so located and oriented as to apply pressure to the proximal metacarpal joint of the thumb in a substantially medial direction whereby to return said joints to a more normal position and to relieve pain therein, each of said bearing surfaces comprising a surface portion of an element operatively connected to one of said ends of said support means, means for moving said element toward and away from its respective end of said support means along an axis substantially parallel to the direction of said pressure to be applied by its respective bearing surface and means for maintaining said element in adjusted position along said axis whereby to adjust the pressure applied by said bearing surfaces.

Claim 9

A support means applicable to a portion of the human hand to alleviate misalignment and pain brought about by arthritis and the like, said support means comprising a twisted, substantially U-shaped body terminating in an upper end and a lower end, a pressure-applying bearing surface in association with each of said ends, said body being configured to extend partially about and engage the fleshy part of the hand surrounding the metacarpal bone of the thumb, said bearing surface associated with said upper end of said support being so located and oriented as to apply pressure to the distal metacarpal joint of the thumb in a substantially lateral direction, said bearing surface associated with said lower end of said support being so located and oriented as to apply pressure to the proximal metacarpal joint of the thumb in a substantially medial direction whereby to return said joints to a more normal position and to relieve pain therein, each of said bearing surfaces comprising a surface portion of an element operatively connected to one of said ends of said support means, means for moving said element toward and away from its respective end of said support means along an axis substantially parallel to the direction of said pressure to be applied by its respective bearing surface and means for maintaining said element in adjusted position along said axis whereby to adjust the pressure applied by said bearing surfaces.

Claim 10

A support means applicable to a portion of the human hand to alleviate misalignment and pain brought about by arthritis and the like, said support means comprising a twisted, substantially U-shaped body terminating in an upper end and a lower end, a pressure-applying bearing surface in association with each of said ends, said body being configured to extend partially about and engage a digit, said end portions being located on substantially opposite sides of said digit, said bearing surfaces being so located and oriented as to apply substantially oppositely directed pressures to the distal end of one phalanx of said digit and the proximAl end of an adjacent phalanx of said digit, each of said bearing surfaces comprising a surface portion of an element operatively connected to one of said ends of said support means, means for moving said element toward and away from its respective end of said support means along an axis substantially parallel to the direction of said pressure to be applied by its respective bearing surface and means for maintaining said element in adjusted position along said axis whereby to adjust the pressure applied by said bearing surfaces.

Claim 11

A support means applicable to a portion of the human hand to alleviate misalignment and pain brought about by arthritis and the like, said support means comprising a twisted, substantially U-shaped body terminating in an upper end and a lower end, a pressure-applying bearing surface in association with each of said ends, said body being configured to extend partially about and engage a digit, said end portions being located on substantially opposite sides of said digit, said bearing surfaces being so located and oriented as to apply substantially oppositely directed pressures to the distal end of one phalanx of said digit and the proximAl end of an adjacent phalanx of said digit, each of said bearing surfaces comprising a surface portion of an element operatively connected to one of said ends of said support means, means for moving said element toward and away from its respective end of said support means along an axis substantially parallel to the direction of said pressure to be applied by its respective bearing surface and means for maintaining said element in adjusted position along said axis whereby to adjust the pressure applied by said bearing surfaces.