Head and Neck Stabilizing Apparatus

Abstract

A physical therapeutic apparatus that has a table-stable base, upon which is mounted a fulcrum pivot point, and an occipital cradle engaged upon the pivot point for selectable and lockable angular motion about the pivot point. The apparatus also has an adjustable chin rest, the chin rest having left and right arms, each arm adjustable for length, each arm adjustably mounted for lateral motion at opposite ends of a pivot point, each arm terminating in releasably connectable ends. An optional dorsal wedge is engaged upon the occipital cradle.

Claims

1. A physical therapeutic apparatus comprising: a) a base, upon which is mounted a fulcrum pivot point member; b) an occipital cradle engaged upon the pivot point for selectable and lockable angular motion about the pivot point.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 further comprising an adjustable chin rest on a mount, the chin rest comprising: left and right arms, each arm adjustable for length, each arm adjustably engaged upon the mount for lateral motion at opposite ends of a pivot point, each arm terminating in releasably connectable ends.

3. The apparatus of claim 2 wherein the respective releasable ends are appropriately and oppositely poled magnets.

4. The apparatus of claim 1 further comprising a suboccipital wedge engaged upon the occipital cradle.

5. The apparatus of claim 4 wherein the wedge is adjustably engaged upon the occipital cradle for optimizing one or more of the group of therapeutic effects, the group consisting of a ‘see saw’ effect, a stretch of suboccipital area, and a recruiting of at least one of the group of muscles, the group consisting of the longus colli, the longus capitis, and the rectus capitis anterior.

6. The apparatus of claim 4 wherein the wedge is adjustably engaged upon the occipital cradle and can be adjustably made longer or shorter from projecting up out of the cradle to being all the way down and relatively flush with the cradle.

7. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the pivot point member is releasably movable beneath the cradle for optimizing position of the pivot point relative to a patient OA joint.

8. The apparatus of claim 2 wherein the pivot point member is a releasably lockable roller ball member adjustable for movement closer to the chin rest or farther away from it.

9. The apparatus of claim 2 wherein the chin rest mount is releasably adjustable upon the base for movement closer to the pivot point or farther away from it.

10. An adjustable chin rest mounted on a base, the chin rest comprising: left and right arms, each arm adjustable for length, each arm adjustably mounted for lateral motion at opposite ends of an arm pivot point, each arm terminating in releasably connectable ends.

11. The apparatus of claim 10 wherein the respective releasable ends are appropriately and oppositely poled magnets.

12. A physical therapeutic apparatus comprising: a) a base, upon which is mounted a fulcrum pivot point member; b) an occipital cradle engaged upon the pivot point for selectable and lockable angular motion about the pivot point; c) an adjustable chin rest on a mount, the chin rest comprising left and right arms, each arm adjustable for length, each arm adjustably engaged upon the mount for lateral motion at opposite ends of a pivot point, each arm terminating in releasably connectable ends; d) a suboccipital wedge engaged upon the occipital cradle.

13. The apparatus of claim 12 wherein the wedge is adjustably engaged upon the occipital cradle for optimizing one or more of the group of therapeutic effects, the group consisting of a ‘see saw’ effect, a stretch of suboccipital area, and a recruiting of at least one of the group of muscles, the group consisting of the longus colli, the longus capitis, and the rectus capitis anterior.

14. The apparatus of claim 13 wherein the therapeutic effect is a ‘see saw’ effect.

15. The apparatus of claim 12 wherein the wedge adjustably engaged upon the occipital cradle can be adjustably made longer or shorter from projecting up out of the cradle to being all the way down and relatively flush with the cradle.

16. The apparatus of claim 12 wherein the pivot point member is releasably movable beneath the cradle for optimizing position of the pivot point relative to a patient OA joint.

17. The apparatus of claim 12 wherein the pivot point member is a releasably lockable roller ball member adjustable for movement closer to the chin rest or farther away from it.

18. The apparatus of claim 12 wherein the chin rest mount is releasably adjustable upon the base for movement closer to the pivot point or farther away from it.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0026] FIG. 1 is a side elevation of a conventional head-securing means.

[0027] FIG. 2 is a side elevation of an aspect of the disclosed apparatus.

[0028] FIG. 3 is a perspective schematic view of an aspect of the disclosed apparatus.

[0029] FIG. 4 is a perspective schematic view of an aspect of the disclosed apparatus.

[0030] FIG. 5 is a schematic plan view of an aspect of the disclosed apparatus.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0031] Turning now to the drawings, the disclosed apparatus is described by reference to the numerals of the drawing figures wherein like numbers indicate like parts.

[0032] FIG. 1 shows a conventional head-securing means. The head is simply secured by a strap to a soft base, with the neck resting on a conventional neck support.

[0033] FIG. 2 shows a patient head engaged upon occipital cradle 2 and also engaged within closed adjustable chin rest arms 3. Cradle 2 is engaged upon fulcrum pivot point 1 for relative motion (shown for example by the directions of the arrows in the figure) of head and cradle about pivot point 1 relative to base 5.

[0034] FIG. 3 is a detail of open and adjustable chin rest arms 3. Each arm 3 is adjustable in length at adjustment clamp 8 (in the directions shown by the arrows near the clamp in the figure). Each arm 3 has one half of chin rest locking assembly 4. Each arm 3 is also swingable laterally (away from each other and from chin rest articulation joint 6 (in directions approximated schematically by the slanted arrows in the figure), as well as rotatably about chin rest articulation joint 6 (in directions in and out of the plane of the figure).

[0035] FIG. 4 is a detail of closed and locked chin rest arms 3 to form the chin rest. Each arm 3 has been adjusted in length at adjustment clamp 8; each arm 3 is shown locked to the other by respective halves of chin rest locking assembly 4. Each arm 3 is shown fixed with respect to chin rest articulation joint 6.

[0036] FIG. 5 is a plan view schematic of the disclosed apparatus. Base 5 holds occipital cradle 2 (by means of pivot point assembly 1 hidden and not shown). Dorsal wedge 7 is shown interengaged with cradle 2 (adjusting means not shown). Open and adjustable chin rest arms 3 and their adjustment clamps 8 are schematically shown interengaged upon (combined or independent) chin rest articulation joints 6 which in turn are interengaged upon cradle 2.

[0037] With regard to systems and components above referred to, but not otherwise specified or described in detail herein, the workings and specifications of such systems and components and the manner in which they may be made or assembled or used, both cooperatively with each other and with the other elements of the invention described herein to effect the purposes herein disclosed, are all believed to be well within the knowledge of those skilled in the art. No concerted attempt to repeat here what is generally known to the artisan has therefore been made.

[0038] In compliance with the statute, the invention has been described in language more or less specific as to structural features. It is to be understood, however, that the invention is not limited to the specific features shown, since the means and construction shown comprise preferred forms of putting the invention into effect. The invention is, therefore, claimed in any of its forms or modifications within the legitimate and valid scope of the appended claims, appropriately interpreted in accordance with the doctrine of equivalents.