SHOULDER TRANSFER WEIGHT SUPPORT SYSTEM AND FACE SHIELD

Abstract

A shoulder transfer weight support generally having a hip or waist belt, a back support, and one or more shoulder extensions. The back support has an upper back plate attached to the shoulder extensions and a lower back plate attached to one or more hip belts. The lower back plate features a bracket shaped to receive an end of the attachment bar that joins it to the upper back plate. A spring-loaded plunger can be inserted into the attachment bar to allow for height adjustment of the device. A face shield at least partially made of a radiopaque material and can attach to the back support. One attachment option is a yoke mount with vertical sections at either end of the yoke mount. A second option involves a mount that attaches to the shoulder extension(s). The device can use a full face shield or a face shield with an open front.

Claims

1. A weight transfer device configured to transfer weight to the pelvis of a user comprising: one or more shoulder extensions, comprising rigid bars extending above the user's shoulders, an upper back plate connected to each of the one or more rigid bars extending above the wearer's shoulders, a lower back plate, an attachment bar comprising a rigid bar with a first end and a second end, wherein the first end is connected to the upper back plate and the second end is attached to the lower back plate; at least one belt attached to the lower back plate and configured to encircle a portion of the user's body; and a face shield containing a radiopaque material.

2. The weight transfer device of claim 1 further comprising: complementary holes extending entirely through a lower end of the attachment bar and the lower back plate; and a fastener configured to be inserted and removed from the complementary holes; wherein the height of the weight transfer device can be adjusted by removing the fastener, aligning different holes on the attachment bar and the lower back plate and inserting the fastener back into the complementary holes.

3. The weight transfer device of claim 2 wherein the fastener is a spring-loaded plunger.

4. The weight transfer device of claim 1 further comprising a second belt positioned to be worn inside the at least one belt.

5. The weight transfer device of claim 1 further comprising a bracket featured by the lower back plate; said bracket being sized and positioned to receive an end of the attachment bar.

6. The weight transfer device of claim 1 further comprising a non-slip material featured by a portion of the at the at least one of the one or more shoulder extensions.

7. The weight transfer device of claim 1 further comprising: a yoke mount having at least one vertically oriented section to which the transparent face shield is releasably attached wherein the position of the face shield relative to the yolk mount is adjusted by releasably attaching the face shield to different portions of the yoke mount.

8. The weight transfer device of claim 7 wherein the yoke is a bent rod that has vertical sections at each of two opposing ends and a horizontal section joining the two vertical sections.

9. The weight transfer device of claim 8 further comprising a back attachment bar comprising an elongated length of material that is attached at a first end to the upper back plate and at a second end to the horizontal portion of the yoke mount.

10. The weight transfer device of claim 9 wherein the first end of the back attachment has a machined fitting to accommodate at least a portion of the horizontal section of the yoke mount such that the yoke mount can rotate around a longitudinal axis of the at least a portion of the horizontal section of the yoke mount.

11. The weight transfer device of claim 1 further comprising: at least one vertically oriented mounting bar releasably attached to the face shield; at least one horizontally oriented slide bar attached to the vertically oriented mounting bar and a mount featuring a channel; wherein the position of the face shield relative to the user can be adjusted by releasably attaching the face shield to different parts of the vertical mount bar; and wherein the position of the face shield relative to the user can also be adjusted by releasably attaching the horizontal slide bar to different parts of the mount.

12. The weight transfer device of claim 11 wherein the channel featured on the mount is engaged with one of the one or more shoulder extensions.

13. A weight transfer device configured to transfer weight to the pelvis of a user comprising: at least one shoulder extension, comprising a rigid bar extending above the user's shoulders; an upper back plate connected to the at least one shoulder extension; a non-slip material featured by a portion of the at least one shoulder extension; a lower back plate featuring a bracket; said bracket being sized and positioned to receive an end of an attachment bar; the attachment bar comprising a rigid bar with a first end and a second end, wherein the first end is connected to the upper back plate and the second end is attached to the lower back plate and engaged with the bracket; complementary holes extending entirely through a lower end of the attachment bar and the lower back plate; and a spring-loaded plunger configured to be inserted and removed from the complementary holes; wherein the height of the weight transfer device can be adjusted by removing the plunger, aligning different holes on the attachment bar and the lower back plate and inserting the fastener back into the complementary holes; a first belt attached to the lower back plate and configured to encircle a portion of the user's body; a second belt positioned to be worn inside the first belt and a face shield containing a radiopaque material.

14. The weight transfer device of claim 13 further comprising: a yoke mount comprising a bent rod that has vertical sections at each of two opposing ends and a horizontal section joining the two vertical sections; wherein the transparent face shield is releasably attached to the vertical sections and the position of the face shield relative to the yolk mount is adjusted by releasably attaching the face shield to different portions of the yoke mount.

15. The weight transfer device of claim 14 further comprising a back attachment comprising an elongated length of material that is attached at a first end to the upper back plate and at a second end to the horizontal portion of the yoke mount.

16. The weight transfer device of claim 15 wherein the first end of the back attachment has a machined fitting to accommodate at least a portion of the horizontal section of the yoke mount such that the yoke mount can rotate around a longitudinal axis of the at least a portion of the horizontal section of the yoke mount.

17. The weight transfer device of claim 13 further comprising: at least one vertically oriented mounting bar releasably attached to the face shield; at least one horizontally oriented slide bar attached to the vertically oriented mounting bar abd ti a mount featuring a channel; wherein the position of the face shield relative to the user can be adjusted by releasably attaching the face shield to different parts of the vertical mount bar; and wherein the position of the face shield relative to the user can also be adjusted by releasably attaching the horizontal slide bar to different parts of the mount featuring the channel.

18. The weight transfer device of claim 17 wherein the channel featured on the mount is engaged with one of the one or more shoulder extensions.

19. The weight transfer device of claim 13 wherein the face shield extends along a side of the user's head, but does not extend in front of the user's mouth.

20. The weight transfer device of claim 13 wherein the face shield is entirely flat and extends only laterally along the side of the user's head.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWING(S)

[0029] FIG. 1 is a left side perspective view of a preferred embodiment of the shoulder transfer weight support system;

[0030] FIG. 2 is rear right side perspective view thereof;

[0031] FIG. 3 is a back perspective view thereof;

[0032] FIG. 4 is a front perspective view thereof;

[0033] FIG. 5 is a left side perspective view thereof;

[0034] FIG. 6A is a top perspective view of an embodiment of the weight transfer support system featuring a first embodiment of the face shield;

[0035] FIG. 6B is a right side perspective view thereof;

[0036] FIG. 6C is a front perspective view thereof;

[0037] FIG. 6D is a rear perspective view thereof;

[0038] FIG. 7A is a top perspective view of an embodiment of the weight transfer support system featuring a second embodiment of the face shield;

[0039] FIG. 7B is a right side perspective view thereof;

[0040] FIG. 7C is a front perspective view thereof;

[0041] FIG. 7D is a rear perspective view thereof;

[0042] FIG. 8A is a top perspective view of an embodiment of the weight transfer support system featuring a third embodiment of the face shield;

[0043] FIG. 8B is a right side perspective view thereof;

[0044] FIG. 8C is a front perspective view thereof;

[0045] FIG. 8D is a rear perspective view thereof;

[0046] FIG. 9A is a top perspective view of an embodiment of the weight transfer support system featuring a fourth embodiment of the face shield;

[0047] FIG. 9B is a right side perspective view thereof;

[0048] FIG. 9C is a front perspective view thereof;

[0049] FIG. 9D is a rear perspective view thereof;

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0050] FIGS. 1-5 show a preferred embodiment of the weight transfer support device 10 without a face shield attached. More specifically, FIGS. 1-5 show a weight transfer support device that has two shoulder extensions 11 extending upward and away from the upper back plate 12 to which they are attached. The shoulder extensions 11 can be attached to the front (ventral) side of the upper back plate 12 or to the back (dorsal) side of the upper back plate 12. The shoulder extensions 11 have an outer surface that faces upward and away from the user's shoulders when the device 10 is worn. The outer surface of the shoulder extensions can feature nonslip pads 15 to help hold a garment (not shown) in place. Additional padding 16 is attached to either the upper back plate 12 or the shoulder extensions 11 depending on how the shoulder extensions 11 are attached to the upper back plate 12. The pads 16 need to be positioned so they will contact the wearer when the device 10 is worn. The upper back plate 12, the attachment bar 14 and the pads 16 all feature complementary holes that allow for the insertion of fastening devices to connect the various parts as described above.

[0051] These figures also show the attachment bar 14 that is attached to the upper back plate 12 at a first end and the lower back plate 13 at a second end. The lower end of the attachment bar 14 features a plurality of holes 17 that are complementary in size and shape and align with one or more holes that pass through the portion of the lower back plate 13. The height of the upper back plate 12 and shoulder extensions 11 can be adjusted as follows. The attachment bar 14 can be held in place using a fastener 18 inserted through the holes 17 in the lower back plate 13 and the lower end of the attachment bar 14. With the fastener 18 removed, the attachment bar 14 can be positioned such that different holes in the attachment bar 14 are aligned with the hole(s) in the lower back plate 13 thereby adjusting the overall height of the device 10. In preferred embodiments and the inventors' anticipated best mode of the device 10, the fastener 18 is a retractable plunger, i.e. a spring-loaded plunger such as a twist-to-lock pull-ring retractable spring plunger.

[0052] The lower back plate 13 has a section that is configured to accept or accommodate a lower end of the attachment bar 14. In the embodiment shown in these figures, the upper edge of the lower back plate 13 is shaped like an open-faced channel or bracket 19 into which the lower end of the attachment bar 14 inserts. Note, in the pictured embodiment, the portion of the attachment bar 14 that features the holes 17 is recessed a little bit, i.e. the attachment bar is not flush with the inner surface of the lower back plate 13. This allows for the insertion of the plunger 18 without the end of the plunger 18 sticking the person wearing the device 10 in the back. It also helps to create distance between the user and the garment being worn so that air can circulate near the user's body.

[0053] The lower back plate 13 also features one or more belts. This embodiment has two belts—a hip belt 20 and a stretch belt 21. The hip belt 20 is directly attached to the lower back plate 13 while the stretch belt is connected to the hip belt 20 either using the same fasteners inserted through the lower back plate 13 and the two belts 20, 21 or using separate fasteners attached to the hip belt 20. The inventors' anticipated best mode uses hook and loop fasteners (not shown) to attach the stretch belt 21 to the hip belt 20.

[0054] Referring now to the invention in more detail, in FIGS. 6A through 6D there is shown an example of a preferred embodiment of the first embodiment of the disclosed face shield. This particular embodiment includes a face shield 22 that extends from one side of the user's head to the other, providing coverage for the user's entire facial area. The face shield 22 includes a shield mount 23 that is fixed to the face shield 22. The shield mount 23 in this example is a block featuring bores or holes into which fasteners can be inserted to attach the shield mount 23 to the face shield 22. In preferred embodiments, the shield mount is constructed of Delrin plastic (Acetal). This embodiment of the shield mount 23 also features a thumb screw 24 or other means of releasably attaching the shield mount 23 to a vertical section 26 of a yoke mount 25. In this embodiment, the yoke mount 25 is a cylindrical tube or bar featuring a vertically oriented section 26 at each of the two ends of the yoke mount 25 and a horizontally oriented section 27 connecting the two vertical sections 26. The yoke mount 25 is positioned such that the horizontal section 28 wraps around the back of the user's head as it extends from one vertical section 26 to another.

[0055] The user can adjust the position of the face shield 22 relative to their face or the vertical section 26 of the yoke 25 by loosening the thumb screw 24, moving the face shield 22 up or down on the vertical section 26 and then manipulating the thumb screw 24 to tighten the connection between the yoke mount 25 and the face shield 22.

[0056] In these embodiments, the face shield 22 attaches to the weight transfer device 10 described above through the horizontally oriented section 27 of the yoke mount 25 attached to a back attachment bar 28. The back attachment bar 28 is a flattened structure that is attached to and extends upward away from the upper back plate 12 of the weight transfer device 10 described above. It terminates in a machined fitting 29 that accommodates and holds a portion of the horizontal section 27 of the yoke mount 25. In the pictured embodiment, the machined fitting 29 consists of two plates 30 joined together by a fastener that form a small channel or groove 31 into which the yoke mount 25 fits. The plates 30 are tightened together to encircle a portion of the horizontal section 27 of the yoke mount 25. This configuration also allows the yoke mount to rotate around the longitudinal axis of the horizontal section 27 of the yoke mount 25, specifically the longitudinal axis of the portion of the yoke mount 25 that is attached to the back attachment bar 28. This rotational movement allows the face shield 22 to tilt when the user tilts their head forward. It also allows the user to move the face shield 22 out of their way by lifting the face shield 22 up and over their head, allowing the face shield 22 to rest against the back of the weight transfer device 10 when not needed.

[0057] FIGS. 7A through 7D show another set of embodiments of the face shield 22. In this embodiment, the yoke mount is replaced with a vertical mount bar 32 attached to a horizontal slide bar 33 with a mount configured to attach to the shoulder extensions 11 of the weight transfer device 10. The face shield 22 is attached to the vertical mount bar 32 in much the same way as the face shield in the embodiments above was attached to the vertical section 26 of the yoke mount 25, i.e. the shield mount 23 in this embodiment works the same way as it does for the above embodiment. The mount or shoulder extension mount 34 is releasably attached to the horizontal slide 33 using a thumbscrew 24 or other attachment means. The position of the face shield 22 relative to the user can be adjusted up and down the vertical mount bar 32 as described above with the vertical section 26 of the yoke mount 25 and the horizontal position of the face shield 22 can be adjusted in a similar manner. The thumb screw 24 on the shoulder extension mount 34 can be loosened to allow for repositioning of the horizontal slide bar 33 relative to the shoulder extension mount 34 thereby adjusting the position of the face shield 22. In this particular embodiment, there are vertical mounts 32, horizontal slide bars 33 and shoulder extension mounts 34 on either side of the user/weight transfer device 10 to allow for the positioning of face shield 22 on both sides of the user.

[0058] FIGS. 8A through 8D show alternate versions of the face shield 22 as used with the above described embodiments; however, these face shields can be used with either the yoke mount 25 or the shoulder extension mount 34. Because it is common for medical professionals to have difficulty communicating with other people in the room while they are wearing a face shield that covers a significant portion of their mouth and the source of radiation in an operating room is often located to the side of the surgeon, the inventors have devices other face shields that do not cover their entire mouth. For example, FIG. 8A shows a partial lead acrylic shield 22 that is open in the front and bends toward the other side of the user as it extends past the user's face. FIGS. 9A through 9B show another embodiment in which the face shield is a flat piece of material extends along the side of the user's head only. These iterations of the face shield allow the surgeon to more easily communicate with others in the room while staying shielded from a radiation source that is not directly in front of them.

[0059] Reference throughout the specification to features, advantages, or similar language does not imply that all of the features and advantages that may be realized with the present invention should be or are in any single embodiment of the invention. Rather, language referring to the features and advantages is understood to mean that a specific feature, advantage, or characteristic described in connection with an embodiment is included in at least one embodiment of the present invention. Thus, discussion of the features and advantages, and similar language, throughout the specification may, but do not necessarily, refer to the same embodiment.

[0060] Furthermore, the described features, advantages, and characteristics of the invention may be combined in any suitable manner in one or more embodiments. One skilled in the relevant art will recognize that the invention can be practiced without one or more of the specific features or advantages of a particular embodiment. In other instances, additional features and advantages may be recognized in certain embodiments that may not be present in all embodiments of the invention.

[0061] It is understood that the above described embodiments are only illustrative of the application of the principles of the present invention. The present invention may be embodied in other specific forms without departing from its spirit or essential characteristics. The described embodiment, including the best mode, is to be considered in all respects only as illustrative and not restrictive. The scope of the invention is, therefore, indicated by the appended claims, if any, in conjunction with the foregoing description.

[0062] While the foregoing written description of the invention enables one of ordinary skill to make and use what is considered presently to be the best mode thereof, those of ordinary skill will understand and appreciate the existence of variations, combinations, and equivalents of the specific embodiment, method, and examples herein. The invention should therefore not be limited by the above described embodiment, method, and examples, but by all embodiments and methods within the scope and spirit of the invention.