Truss

Abstract

A truss that has a pair of spaced folds at the back of the body portion with flexible fabric extending across the space between the folds and adjusting means that are each connected with the body portion at one of the folds and extends across the other fold. Adjusting straps are each fastened at one end permanently to the body portion and each extends through a loop that is part of the connection for the strap with the back of the body portion. The adjusting straps and the front of the body portion have Velcro fasteners that detachably fasten each strap independently in adjusted position at the front of the truss. The rupture pad is slidably mounted on a strap that runs up and down on the front side of the body portion and has one end fastened in fixed position to the front of the body portion. A Velcro fastener strip runs lengthwise of the strap and cooperates with a Velcro fastener strip that runs lengthwise of the front of the body portion and thus crosswise of the strap. The pad has a ply on the back side having spaced slots through which the strap slidably extends.

Description

While trusses have been made for many years, that are provided with a pair of spaced folds at the back thereof with flexible fabric, which is a continuation of the body portion, extending between them, and adjusting means, that is connected each with one of said folds and extends across the other fold and comprises a loop through which a strap extends that is fastened to the body portion at one end thereof at a point between the detachably connected forward end portions of the truss and one of said folds, the adjusting straps extended to the front of the body of the wearer and were adjustably connected together. The adjustment thus obtained is only of the overall length of the truss. Also, while various means have been provided for adjustably mounting a rupture pad on a truss, the adjusting means was not capable of providing the exact desired position of the pad entirely independent of any other adjustments of the truss.

It is a purpose of my invention to provide a truss with a transverse fold on each side of the middle of the rear portion, a flexible portion between the folds to provide for adjustment of the overall length of the truss to snugly fit the body of the wearer, and to provide a pair of adjusting straps each of which is connected to the body portion at one of the folds at the rear thereof at one side of the middle of the rear back engaging portion of the truss, the connection extending across the fold at the other side of the middle of the rear portion, and means for independently adjusting the position of each of the folds. The adjusting means each comprises a strap that extends slidably through a loop provided on the connection thereof with the fold with which it is associated, which strap is secured in fixed position to the body portion of the truss near the front portion thereof and which is independently adjustably connected with the front portion adjacent the other end thereof, thus providing two independent means each for adjusting the position of one of the folds. By providing such an independent adjustment of the position of each of the folds at the back of the truss, the forward or front portion of the truss can be exactly located relative to the body to place the rupture pad in proper position.

In order to provide for a very accurate location of the pad, which is comfortable and helpful for the wearer thereof, means is also provided for adjusting the position of the pad both up and down relative to the body portion of the truss and lengthwise thereof, and also at the same time angularly, such means comprising a strap on which the pad is mounted, the mounting for the pad comprising a loop which slidably receives the strap for up and down adjustment of the pad, the strap being permanently connected with the body portion at its lower end and detachably connected at the upper end thereof by means of Velcro fastening devices that are so positioned that the position of the upper end of the strap is adjustable relative to the body portion of the truss both lengthwise of the body portion and up and down relative thereto, said Velcro fastening means comprising cooperating strips one of which extends lengthwise of the body portion of the truss and the other one extends lengthwise of the strap. The pad and its mounting is thus not only adjustable relative to the body portion, but is also detachably connected therewith, due to the detachable connection between the fastening elements on the strap and on the body portion.

Other objects and advantages of my invention will appear as the description of the drawings proceeds. I desire to have it understood, however, that I do not intend to limit myself to the particular details shown or described except as defined in the claims.

In the drawings:

FIG. 1 is a face view partly in prespective of my improved truss, as viewed from the front thereof.

FIG.2 is a view in elevation thereof, partly in perspective, as viewed from the rear thereof.

FIG. 3 is a fragmentary detail view.

FIG. 4 is a section taken on the line 4--4 of FIG. 3 on a slightly enlarged scale.

FIG. 5 is a fragmentary section taken on the line 5--5 of FIG. 2.

FIG. 6 is a fragmentary section on an enlarged scale taken on the line 6--6 of FIG. 1 and

FIG. 7 is a similar view taken on the line 7--7 of FIG. 1.

Referring in detail to the drawings, my improved truss shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 is made up of a body portion 10, which is made of strong inextensible fabric. The body portion 10 is provided with a cushioning lining 11, which is secured thereto by binding strips 12 along the longitudinal edges thereof. The body portion is provided with a pair of folds 13 and 14 between which extends a flexible fabric portion 15, which is made up of the body portion 10 and the inner cushioning ply 11. One of the folds 13 is shown in detail in FIG. 6. The body portion 10, as well as the lining 11, have the ends thereof secured together by stitching as at 16, and a pair of pockets is provided at the fold 13 by means of a cover ply 17 which is stitched down so as to provide the pair of pockets in which stays 18 are provided. The other fold 14 is made in the same manner except that the plys 10 and 11 are continuous at said fold instead of having ends thereof stitched together. Thus, while a body portion fixed length, which is inextensible, is provided, the flexible fabric bridging portion 15, between the folds is provided for adjustment of the effective length of the truss by movement of the folds 13 and 14 toward or away from each other.

The stiffened folds 13 and 14 are each provided with means for adjusting the position thereof, the fold 14 having a central strap 19 secured in fixed position substantially midway between the top and bottom edges of the body portion at one end thereof and secured to a loop mounting member 20 at the other end thereof. Another strap 21 is provided which has diverging portions extending from the loop mounting member 20 to points near the top and bottom edges of the body portion where the ends of the strap 21 are secured, the mid portion thereof being stitched to the loop mounting member 20. An elongated metal loop 22 is mounted on the mounting member 20. The loop 22, mounting member 20 and straps 19 and 21 constitute a connection between the adjusting strap 23 and the fold 14. The adjusting strap 23 is secured in fixed position, at the one end 24 thereof, to the body portion, the body portion being stiffened at the connection of the strap therewith by means of a pair of stays 25 which are mounted in pockets formed by means of the cover ply 26 stitched to the body portion, as shown in FIG. 7, the end 24 being secured by means of one of the rows of stitching 27. Said strap extends through the loop 22 and has the free end 28 thereof provided with a strip of Velcro contact bonding material, which is adapted to engage adjustably with a cooperating strip of Velcro contact bonding material 29 mounted on the body portion of the truss and extending substantially lengthwise of said body portion. Thus, the strap 23 can be adjusted relative to the body portion so as to adjust the position of the fold 14 in a great variety of locations thereof due to the fineness of adjustment thereof by means of the Velcro bonding material. Velcro is a product made by American Velcro Inc., Manchester, New Hampshire, and consists of one strip that is provided with a multiplicity of extremely small loops of thread and a cooperating strip of multiplicity of equally small hooks of thread that are adapted to engage with said loops upon said cooperating strips being pressed into engagement with each other to hold said cooperating strips from relative movement thereof, in a direction parallel to the surfaces of the strips.

The means for adjusting the position of the fold 13 comprises a strap 30 which is secured at the midportion thereof to the loop mounting member 31 which is provided with a loop 32 which is of the same character as the loop 22 previously described. The midportion of the strap 30 is secured to the loop mounting member 31 and has the ends thereof secured to the stiffened fold 13 in a similar manner to that in which the strap 21 is secured to the stiffened fold 14, the ends of the strap 30 being secured in spaced relation to the midportion of the fold 13, but further from the top and bottom ends thereof than the strap 21, thus providing for the passage of the strap 30 between the straps 19 and 21 for adjustment thereof. The loop 32 and the strap 30 constitute a connection between the adjusting strap 33 and the fold 13. The adjusting strap 33 is secured in fixed position at the one end thereof in a similar manner to that in which the strap 23 is secured at 24 to the body portion of the truss, but on the opposite side of the front thereof from the fixed connection of the strap 23 therewith, the body portion being stiffened at the connection of the strap therewith in the same manner to that previously described. The said strap 33 extends through the loop 32 and has its free end 35 provided with a strip of Velcro contact bonding material 36, which is adapted to engage adjustably with a cooperating strip of Velcro contact bonding material 37, provided for the adjustment of the position of the fold 13 in a great variety of locations thereof due to the fineness of adjustment thereof by means of the bonding material.

It will be noted that the strip 36 and the strip of bonding material on the strap 23 extend lengthwise thereof and that the strips 37 and 29 extend generally lengthwise of the body portion of the truss. The body portion of the truss, it will be noted, is cut so as to curve downwardly toward the center 38 of the front portion of the truss thus placing the front of the truss at a lower level on the body of the wearer than the rear portion thereof, and thus below the abdominal bulge. The two contact bonding material strips 29 and 37 extend at an oblique angle to each other and meet at the center of the truss, as will be obvious from FIG. 1.

The truss is provided with a downwardly extending tapering extension 39 from which a leg strap 40 extends. The leg strap is provided with adjusting means 41 and is secured to the back of the truss in fixed position at a point spaced widely from the fold 14. A covering ply of cushioning material 42 may be provided on the leg strap. The front of the truss may be provided with a finishing ply 43 which extends from the permanently secured end of the strap 23 to the permanently secured end of the strap 33 and extends into the tapering downward extension 39.

The rupture pad comprises a flat faced body portion 44 of foam rubber or similar cushioning material, which is of slightly modified oval shape, having a wider top end and a more gradually tapering bottom end. A ply of cushioning material 45 and a cover ply 46 enclose the pad body portion 44 and are secured together by a binding strip 47 extending around the same, which is stitched to the cushioning ply 45 and the cover ply 46. The cover ply is provided with a pair of slots 48 through which a mounting strap 49 passes, the mounting strap and the slots being of such relative size that the mounting strap will pass slidably through the slots with a portion thereof located between the body portion 44 of the pad and the ply 45.

The mounting strap 49 is secured at one end 50 thereof in fixed position on the tapering downward extension 39 and is adjustably secured to the body portion of the truss by a strip of Velcro contact bonding material 51 which extends transversely to the direction in which the strap 49 extends with which a cooperating strip of said bonding material 52, that extends lengthwise of the strap 49, cooperates to provide for the adjustment of the strap 49 relative to the body portion of the truss both angularly and lengthwise of the strap. In addition to that, because of the slidable connection between the pad and the strap 49, the pad can be adjusted lengthwise of the strap 48 to the desired position thereof. The pad is accordingly shown in FIG. 3 in one position thereof in full lines and in a different position thereof in dotted lines.

It will, accordingly, be seen that the location of the pad at the proper place to benefit the wearer of the truss can be determined by means of the adjusting straps 23 and 33, and for a finer adjustment of the location of the pad by means of the slidable connection between the pad and the strap 49 and the adjustable connection between the strap 49 and the body portion of the truss by means of the Velcro fastening devices.

While a pad is shown in the drawings as being on the left side of the truss, obviously the pad can be similarly mounted on the right side of a truss that has an extension 39 on the right side of the body portion or two pads can be similarly mounted for a person having a double hernia.

Claims

What I claim is:

1. A truss comprising a body encircling body portion of strong flexible inextensible fabric having a rear portion adapted to be positioned across the back of the body of the wearer and a front portion adapted to be positioned across the front of the body of the wearer, said body portion having a transverse fold on each side of the middle of said rear portion thereof to provide a flexible portion between said folds, a pair of adjusting straps, means connecting each of said straps with said body portion at said fold on one side of the middle of said rear portion, said connecting means extending across said fold at the other side of the middle of said rear portion, each of said straps being secured in fixed position at one end thereof to said body portion adjacent said front portion thereof, said means connecting said strap with said fold including a loop, said strap extending slidably through said loop, means independently longitudinally adjustably connecting the other end of each of said straps to said front portion, to independently adjust the effective length of each of said straps, and a pad adjustably mounted on said front portion.

2. The truss claimed in claim 1 which is provided with means for permanently connecting the opposite ends of said body portion together at one of said folds.

3. The truss claimed in claim 1 in which the mounting for said pad comprises a strap adjustably mounted on said front portion and means mounting said pad on said strap for guided slidable movement longitudinally of said strap.

4. The truss claimed in claim 1 in which said means for independently adjustably connecting said straps to said front portion each comprises a cooperating pair of strips of contact bonding material mounted on said strap to extend lengthwise thereof and on said front portion to extend lengthwise thereof.

5. The truss claimed in claim 1 in which said means for independently adjustably connecting said straps to said front portion each comprises a cooperating pair of strips of Velcro material one of which is mounted lengthwise on said strap and the other of which is mounted on said front portion to extend lengthwise thereof, said strips mounted on said front portion inclining downwardly toward the forward ends thereof.

6. The truss claimed in claim 1 in which the mounting for said pad comprises a strap fixed to said front portion at one end thereof and detachably adjustably connected with said front portion in spaced relation to said end and means mounting said pad on said strap for slidable movement longitudinally of said strap.

7. Means for adjustably mounting a rupture pad on the body portion of a truss comprising a rupture pad, a strap fixed to said body portion at one end thereof and detachably adjustably connected with said body portion in spaced relation to said end, and means provided on the back of said pad slidably engaging said strap for permitting slidable movement of said pad longitudinally of said strap.

8. The means for adjustably mounting a rupture pad claimed in claim 7 in which said detachable adjustable connection comprises a cooperating pair of strips of Velcro material one of which is mounted on said strap to extend lengthwise thereof and the other of which is mounted on said body portion to extend transversely of the length of said strap.

9. The means for adjustably mounting a rupture pad claimed in claim 7 in which said pad has a ply on the back thereof provided with a pair of spaced slots and said strap extends slidably through said slots.