Adjustable scoliosis orthosis

Abstract

The present application relates to the technical field of scoliosis orthopedic apparatus, and specifically discloses an adjustable scoliosis orthopedic brace, which comprises a brace main body, a partitioned force applying unit, a monitoring unit, a control unit and a safety protection unit, and further comprises a communication unit. The brace main body is a supporting shell adapted to the human body trunk, and the partitioned force applying unit can apply differentiated orthopedic force to different scoliosis segments. The monitoring unit integrates multiple sensors and can collect data such as pressure, posture, belt tension, brace internal temperature and humidity in all directions. The control unit relies on a scene adaptive control algorithm, can automatically adjust the orthopedic force according to the different postures of the wearer, and can automatically adjust or alarm in case of abnormal conditions such as overpressure, insufficient stress and brace slip. The present application realizes precise scoliosis orthopedic treatment, takes into account the safety and comfort of wearing, can monitor the wearing state in real time and upload data, is convenient for doctors to follow up and optimize parameters, and effectively improves the orthopedic effect and wearing compliance.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the field of scoliosis correction devices, specifically an adjustable scoliosis correction brace. Background Technology

[0002] Scoliosis, a common spinal disorder, especially early-onset scoliosis (EOS), severely impacts children's growth and development. Treatment for adolescent idiopathic scoliosis (AIS) is determined based on the severity of the curvature and may include observation, exercise, bracing, or surgical intervention. The goals of scoliosis treatment are early correction of spinal deformities, prevention of curvature progression, pain relief, and improvement of the patient's quality of life.

[0003] Existing scoliosis orthotics mostly rely on fixed support shells and manually adjustable structures, applying external force to the thoracic, lumbar, and pelvic regions to achieve correction. While existing solutions have proposed adjustable scoliosis orthotics based on intelligent pressure control using multi-chamber airbags, and have combined finite element analysis to determine the optimal pressure zone, this approach involves placing a main pressure airbag on the convex side and an auxiliary support airbag on the concave side, using a micro-pump, solenoid valve, pressure sensor, and microcontroller to achieve closed-loop control.

[0004] However, existing technologies still mainly focus on the pressure regulation within the airbag, and do not adequately consider the changes in orthopedic force caused by changes in posture such as standing, sitting, walking, and leaning forward during daytime use. Furthermore, it is difficult to accurately determine whether the brace has slipped, whether the fit has failed, whether there is excessive pressure in a local area, and whether the patient is wearing it correctly, thus affecting the orthopedic effect and wearing comfort.

[0005] In addition, traditional personalized braces usually need to be replaced frequently as the patient grows and the orthodontic progresses, resulting in high treatment costs and making them unsuitable for long-term continuous use.

[0006] Therefore, a daytime adjustable scoliosis brace based on multi-chamber airbags and intelligent monitoring closed-loop control has become an urgent problem to be solved. Summary of the Invention

[0007] The technical problem to be solved by this invention is to provide a daytime monitorable and adjustable scoliosis brace. By constructing a closed-loop system of "zonal force application - status monitoring - intelligent judgment - execution adjustment", the corrective force can be dynamically optimized under different activity scenarios during the day, thereby improving the corrective effect, wearing comfort and treatment compliance.

[0008] To solve the above-mentioned technical problems, the technical solution provided by the present invention is: an adjustable scoliosis correction brace, comprising a brace body, a zoned force application unit, a monitoring unit, a control unit, and a safety protection unit; The main body of the brace adopts a support shell that matches the shape of the patient's thoracolumbar trunk; The partitioned force application unit is provided in several locations, which are respectively located in the convex side pressure zone of the thoracic cavity, the convex side pressure zone of the lumbar spine, and the concave side reaction support zone, and are used to apply differentiated orthopedic forces to different scoliosis segments. The monitoring unit includes several sensors for collecting various data during the use of the brace; The control unit receives data from each sensor and runs a control algorithm; The safety protection unit is used to adjust the pressure applied by the zoned force application unit when the local pressure exceeds the safety threshold.

[0009] Furthermore, the partitioned force application unit includes a fixing part, an adjusting part, a control part, and a pressure application part; The fixing part is connected to the inner wall of the support body. The fixing part is ring-shaped and has a spiral adjustment slide rail inside. The adjustment part is connected to the spiral adjustment slide rail and moves or is fixed along it. The control part is fixedly connected to the adjustment part. The control unit and the safety protection unit are located in the control part. The pressure application part is connected to the control part and fits against the human skin.

[0010] Furthermore, the adjusting part includes a sliding sleeve, a fixing bolt, a universal joint seat, a universal joint, and an adjusting bolt; the sliding sleeve is fitted onto the spiral adjusting slide rail and locked by the fixing bolt; the universal joint seat is connected to the sliding sleeve, the universal joint is located inside the universal joint seat and connected to the control part, and the adjusting bolt passes through the universal joint seat, extends into its interior, contacts the universal joint, and locks it.

[0011] Furthermore, the pressure application part adopts a multi-chamber airbag assembly, an elastic pressure pad, or a mechanically adjustable pressure component.

[0012] Furthermore, the support shell is made of thermoplastic molded sheet, composite polymer material or modular support frame; the front side of the support shell is provided with a strap for adjusting the tightness.

[0013] Furthermore, the inner side of the support shell is provided with a buffer bonding layer, which adopts a medical foam, elastic pad, silicone pad or thermoplastic polyurethane airbag structure.

[0014] Furthermore, the monitoring unit includes: Air pressure sensors are used to monitor the internal pressure of each airbag chamber; Interface pressure sensor is used to monitor the actual force on the contact area between the brace and the human body; Posture sensors are used to monitor whether the wearer is standing, sitting, walking, or leaning forward, and to determine whether the brace has slipped or deviated in posture. A belt tension sensor is used to detect the tension of the belt. Temperature and humidity sensors are used to monitor the internal microenvironment of the brace and assess stuffiness and skin risks.

[0015] Furthermore, the control unit receives data from each sensor and runs a control algorithm; The control algorithm calls the corresponding control parameter group according to different daytime scenarios, so that the brace maintains the corresponding target orthopedic force in different states such as standing, sitting, and walking. When insufficient force, local overpressure, brace slippage, loose straps, or abnormal wearing are detected, the control unit automatically triggers the pressure application unit to perform compensation adjustment or outputs an alarm prompt.

[0016] Furthermore, it also includes a communication unit for data interaction with a mobile terminal or a doctor management terminal.

[0017] The advantages of this invention compared to the prior art are: This invention achieves differentiated and precise orthopedic correction for different lateral curvature segments through a multi-chamber airbag and a zoned force application structure; This invention improves the authenticity and reliability of orthopedic force assessment by simultaneously monitoring the airbag internal pressure and the interface contact pressure. This invention uses posture recognition and scene adaptive control to enable the brace to adapt to standing, sitting and walking postures during the day, thereby improving the actual use effect; This invention uses strap tension monitoring and slippage detection to determine whether the strap is worn correctly, thereby improving compliance management capabilities. This invention improves comfort and safety through temperature and humidity monitoring, overpressure protection, and quick unlocking design; This invention facilitates follow-up by doctors and optimization of individualized orthopedic parameters through wireless communication and data recording functions. Attached Figure Description

[0018] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of an adjustable scoliosis correction brace according to the present invention.

[0019] Figure 2 This is a side view of an adjustable scoliosis correction brace according to the present invention.

[0020] Figure 3 This is a perspective reference diagram showing the usage status of an adjustable scoliosis correction brace according to the present invention.

[0021] Figure 4 This is a structural diagram of a zoned force application unit. Figure 1 .

[0022] Figure 5 This is a structural diagram of a zoned force application unit. Figure 2 .

[0023] Figure 6 This is a side view of the zoned force application unit.

[0024] Figure 7 This is a system control flowchart of an adjustable scoliosis orthotic brace according to the present invention.

[0025] As shown in the figure: 1. Support body, 2. Zoned force application unit, 3. Fixing part, 4. Spiral adjusting slide rail, 5. Sliding sleeve, 6. Fixing bolt, 7. Universal joint seat, 8. Universal joint, 9. Adjusting bolt, 10. Control part, 11. Pressure application part, 12. Strap. Detailed Implementation

[0026] Various exemplary embodiments of the present invention will now be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. It should be noted that, unless otherwise specifically stated, the relative arrangement, numerical expressions, and values ​​of the components and steps set forth in these embodiments do not limit the scope of the present invention.

[0027] The following description of at least one exemplary embodiment is merely illustrative and is in no way intended to limit the invention or its application or use.

[0028] Techniques, methods, and equipment known to those skilled in the art may not be discussed in detail, but where appropriate, such techniques, methods, and equipment should be considered part of the specification.

[0029] In all examples shown and discussed herein, any specific values ​​should be interpreted as merely exemplary and not as limitations. Therefore, other examples of exemplary embodiments may have different values.

[0030] In the description of this invention, it should be understood that the terms "upper", "lower", "front", "rear", "left", "right", "inner", "outer", "vertical", "circumferential", etc., indicate the orientation or positional relationship based on the orientation or positional relationship shown in the accompanying drawings. They are only for the convenience of describing this invention and simplifying the description, and do not indicate or imply that the device or element referred to must have a specific orientation, or be constructed and operated in a specific orientation. Therefore, they should not be construed as limitations on this invention.

[0031] In this invention, unless otherwise explicitly specified and limited, the terms "installation," "connection," "linking," and "fixing," etc., should be interpreted broadly. For example, they can refer to a fixed connection, a detachable connection, or an integral connection; they can refer to a mechanical connection or an electrical connection; they can refer to a direct connection or an indirect connection through an intermediate medium; and they can refer to the internal connection of two components. Those skilled in the art can understand the specific meaning of the above terms in this invention according to the specific circumstances.

[0032] The adjustable scoliosis brace of the present invention will be further described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0033] Combined with appendix Figure 1-7 This invention will be described in detail below.

[0034] The specific implementation process of the adjustable scoliosis orthotic brace of the present invention is as follows: An adjustable scoliosis correction brace comprises a brace body 1, a zoned force application unit 2, a monitoring unit, a control unit, a safety protection unit, and a communication unit.

[0035] The main body 1 of the brace is a support shell that perfectly matches the curved shape of the patient's thoracolumbar trunk. In this embodiment, the support shell is made of composite polymer material through thermoplastic molding, resulting in a lightweight structure, high support strength, and strong plasticity, adaptable to different patients' trunk shapes. An adjustable strap 12 is fitted to the front of the support shell for fixing and adjusting the overall tightness after wearing. A cushioning layer is fully covered on the inner side of the support shell. The cushioning layer is made of medical-grade elastic silicone pad material, combining breathability and cushioning to effectively reduce the pressure and friction of the brace on the human trunk and improve wearing comfort.

[0036] The zoned force application unit 2 is configured in three groups, corresponding to the convex pressure zone of the thoracic cavity, the convex pressure zone of the lumbar spine, and the concave reaction support zone of the main body 1, respectively, to achieve zoned targeted correction of the upper and lower segments of the spine and the support position. Each zoned force application unit 2 includes a fixing part 3, an adjustment part, a control part 10, and a pressure application part 11. The fixing part 3 is a ring structure, fixedly bonded to the inner wall of the main body 1, and has a spiral adjustment slide rail 4 inside. The sliding sleeve 5 of the adjustment part slides onto the spiral adjustment slide rail 4, and the position of the sliding sleeve 5 can be locked by the fixing bolt 6 to achieve precise adjustment of the force application point. A universal joint seat 7 is fixed to the outside of the sliding sleeve 5, and a universal joint 8 is installed inside the universal joint seat 7. The end of the universal joint 8 is fixedly connected to the control part 10, and the deflection angle of the universal joint can be locked by the adjustment bolt 9 to achieve multi-angle posture adaptation of the pressure application part 11 and conform to the irregular torso curve of the human body.

[0037] Each zone force application unit 2 uses an independent or linked multi-chamber airbag assembly, elastic pressure pad, or mechanically adjustable pressure component to form a differentiated orthopedic force for different scoliosis segments.

[0038] In this embodiment, the pressure application unit 11 uses a multi-chamber airbag assembly, which can achieve flexible force application through air pressure adjustment, providing uniform force and good cushioning, making it suitable for long-term wear by adolescent patients. The control unit and safety protection unit are integrated and installed inside the control unit 10, resulting in a compact structure that does not require additional external space.

[0039] All sensors in the monitoring unit are integrated and installed on the inner side of the pressure application part 11, the inner wall of the brace body 1, and the straps 12. Among them, the air pressure sensor is installed inside each chamber of the multi-chamber airbag assembly to monitor the airbag pressure in real time; the interface pressure sensor is set to fit the human skin to collect the actual pressure data on the body surface; the posture sensor is built into the control part 10 to collect the patient's body posture and brace offset data in real time; the strap tension sensor is installed at the connection of the strap 12 to monitor the tension of the strap 12; and the temperature and humidity sensor is embedded in the surface of the inner buffer layer of the brace body 1 to monitor the internal microenvironment of the brace.

[0040] The control unit incorporates an adaptive control algorithm and pre-stores standard orthopedic force parameter sets for four common body postures: standing, sitting, walking, and forward leaning. During wear, the posture sensor identifies the patient's posture in real time, and the control unit automatically retrieves the corresponding parameters to dynamically adjust the inflation volume of the multi-chamber airbag assembly, maintaining optimal orthopedic force for the corresponding posture. When the interface pressure sensor detects that the local pressure exceeds the preset safety threshold, the safety protection unit immediately triggers pressure relief adjustment to reduce the local force applied. When abnormalities such as insufficient pressure, brace slippage, or loosening of the strap 12 are detected, the control unit automatically performs pressure compensation and triggers an audible and visual alarm to remind the patient to adjust the wearing position.

[0041] The communication unit uses wireless Bluetooth, Wi-Fi or other wireless communication modules and is electrically connected to the control unit. It can synchronize information such as wearing time, orthodontic pressure in each area, body posture data, and abnormal alarm records to the patient's mobile terminal and the doctor's back-end management terminal in real time. This facilitates daily self-examination by the patient and remote monitoring of the correction effect by the doctor. The correction parameters can be dynamically adjusted according to the recovery status to achieve personalized and precise treatment.

[0042] The present invention and its embodiments have been described above. This description is not restrictive, and the accompanying drawings are only one embodiment of the present invention; the actual structure is not limited thereto. In conclusion, if those skilled in the art are inspired by this description and design similar structures and embodiments without departing from the spirit of the invention, such designs should fall within the protection scope of the present invention.

Claims

1. An adjustable scoliosis orthotic brace, characterized in that: It includes the main body of the support (1), the zoned force application unit (2), the monitoring unit, the control unit, and the safety protection unit; The main body of the brace (1) adopts a support shell that matches the shape of the patient's thoracolumbar trunk; The partitioned force application unit (2) is provided with several units located in the convex side pressure zone of the thoracic cavity, the convex side pressure zone of the lumbar spine, and the concave side reaction support zone, respectively, for applying differentiated orthopedic forces to different scoliosis segments of the spine; The monitoring unit includes several sensors for collecting various data during the use of the brace; The control unit receives data from each sensor and runs a control algorithm; The safety protection unit is used to adjust the pressure applied by the partition force application unit (2) when the local pressure exceeds the safety threshold.

2. The adjustable scoliosis orthotic brace according to claim 1, characterized in that: The partitioned force application unit (2) includes a fixing part (3), an adjustment part, a control part (10), and a pressure application part (11). The fixing part (3) is connected to the inner wall of the support body (1). The fixing part (3) is ring-shaped and has a spiral adjustment slide rail (4) inside. The adjustment part is connected to the spiral adjustment slide rail (4) and moves or is fixed along it. The control part (10) is fixedly connected to the adjustment part. The control unit and the safety protection unit are located in the control part (10). The pressure application part (11) is connected to the control part (10) and fits against the human skin.

3. The adjustable scoliosis orthotic brace according to claim 2, characterized in that: The adjustment unit includes a sliding sleeve (5), a fixing bolt (6), a universal joint seat (7), a universal shaft (8), and an adjusting bolt (9); the sliding sleeve (5) is fitted on the spiral adjustment slide rail (4) and locked by the fixing bolt (6); the universal joint seat (7) is connected to the sliding sleeve (5), the universal shaft (8) is located inside the universal joint seat (7) and connected to the control unit (10), and the adjusting bolt (9) passes through the universal joint seat (7) and extends into its interior to contact the universal shaft (8) and lock it.

4. An adjustable scoliosis corrective brace according to claim 3, characterized in that: The pressure application part (11) adopts a multi-chamber airbag assembly, an elastic pressure pad, or a mechanically adjustable pressure component.

5. An adjustable scoliosis corrective brace according to any one of claims 1-4, characterized in that: The support shell is made of thermoplastic molded sheet, composite polymer material or modular support frame; the front side of the support shell is provided with a strap (12) for adjusting the tightness.

6. An adjustable scoliosis corrective brace according to claim 5, characterized in that: The inner side of the support shell is provided with a buffer bonding layer, which is made of medical foam, elastic pad, silicone pad or thermoplastic polyurethane airbag structure.

7. An adjustable scoliosis corrective brace according to claim 6, characterized in that: The monitoring unit includes: Air pressure sensors are used to monitor the internal pressure of each airbag chamber; Interface pressure sensor is used to monitor the actual force on the contact area between the brace and the human body; Posture sensors are used to monitor whether the wearer is standing, sitting, walking, or leaning forward, and to determine whether the brace has slipped or deviated in posture. A tension sensor for the strap (12) is used to detect the tension of the strap (12); Temperature and humidity sensors are used to monitor the internal microenvironment of the brace and assess stuffiness and skin risks.

8. An adjustable scoliosis corrective brace according to claim 7, characterized in that: The control unit receives data from each sensor and runs a control algorithm; The control algorithm calls the corresponding control parameter group according to different daytime scenarios, so that the brace maintains the corresponding target orthopedic force in different states such as standing, sitting, and walking. When insufficient force, local overpressure, brace slippage, loose strap (12) or abnormal wearing is detected, the control unit automatically triggers the pressure application part (11) to perform compensation adjustment, or outputs an alarm prompt.

9. An adjustable scoliosis corrective brace according to claim 1, characterized in that: It also includes a communication unit, which is used to interact with a mobile terminal or a doctor management terminal.

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