초록 ▼

A wrist brace of the present invention for supporting a wrist of the wearer. The wrist brace includes a sheet of flexible material that overlies and supports a wearer's wrist. Defined in the sheet is an opening between a pair of lateral edges, wherein the opening is sized to accommodate a thumb of a

A wrist brace of the present invention for supporting a wrist of the wearer. The wrist brace includes a sheet of flexible material that overlies and supports a wearer's wrist. Defined in the sheet is an opening between a pair of lateral edges, wherein the opening is sized to accommodate a thumb of a wearer. A thumb strap of the wrist brace is defined by a break extending between a distal edge of the sheet of material and the thumb opening. A fastener on one end of the thumb strap allows the thumb strap to be extended between a thumb and index finger so as to secure the wrist brace. Optionally, the thumb opening can have a non-circular shape, such as a triangular shape, with an axis extending in the proximal-distal direction when the wrist brace is worn to promote a better fit around a base of the thumb.

대표청구항 ▼

That which is claimed: 1. A wrist brace comprising: a sheet of flexible material having a distal edge configured to extend at least partially around a hand of a wearer, a proximal edge configured to extend at least partially around a forearm of a wearer, and a pair of opposing lateral edges configu

That which is claimed: 1. A wrist brace comprising: a sheet of flexible material having a distal edge configured to extend at least partially around a hand of a wearer, a proximal edge configured to extend at least partially around a forearm of a wearer, and a pair of opposing lateral edges configured to at least partially overlap each other so that the sheet of material extends around the wrist of the wearer, wherein the distal edge extends between the lateral edges; at least one lateral edge fastener attached at one end to the sheet of material and configured to extend over one of the lateral edges and attach at another end to the sheet of flexible material so as to secure the sheet of material about the wrist; a thumb opening defined within the sheet of flexible material between the lateral edges and having a distal thumb opening edge proximate the distal edge; and a break defined in the sheet of flexible material and extending within the sheet of material from the distal edge towards the proximal edge to the thumb opening, wherein the break, the distal edge, and the distal thumb opening edge define a thumb strap, said thumb strap having a thumb strap fastener and being configured to extend between a thumb and an index finger of the wearer, and over the break, to attach to the sheet of material via the thumb strap fastener so as to enclose the thumb of the wearer within the thumb opening. 2. A wrist brace of claim 1, further comprising another lateral edge fastener configured to extend over said lateral edge, wherein the lateral edge defines a radial portion extending inwardly between said fasteners. 3. A wrist brace of claim 2, wherein said radial portions have a radius of approximately one-half of an inch. 4. A wrist brace of claim 1, wherein said thumb opening has a non-circular shape. 5. A wrist brace of claim 4, wherein the thumb opening is generally elliptical in shape. 6. A wrist brace of claim 5, wherein a major axis of the generally elliptical shape extends in a proximal-distal direction. 7. A wrist brace of claim 1, wherein the thumb opening has a generally triangular shape. 8. A wrist brace of claim 7, wherein the generally triangular shape includes a base and an apex, wherein the base extends distally and the apex extends proximally. 9. A wrist brace of claim 8, wherein said thumb opening has a length of approximately 2�� inches from its apex to its base and a length of about 1�� inches along its base. 10. A wrist brace of claim 1, wherein said distal edge is generally parallel to said distal thumb opening edge. 11. A wrist brace of claim 10, wherein both the distal edge of the sheet of material and the distal edge of the thumb opening arc distally. 12. A wrist brace of claim 1, wherein said distal edge defines a continuous edge extending between said lateral edges when the thumb strap fastener is attached to said sheet of flexible material. 13. A wrist brace of claim 1, wherein said lateral edge fastener has a rounded free end. 14. A wrist brace of claim 13, wherein the lateral edge fastener has a flared end secured to said sheet of material. 15. A wrist brace of claim 1, wherein each of said fasteners includes a fastening element and said sheet of flexible material supports at least one complementary fastening element configured to allow attachment of the fastening elements. 16. A wrist brace of claim 15, further comprising two elongated patches of material attached to said sheet of flexible material and supporting said complementary fastening element, said elongated patches of material extending from said proximal edge to said distal edge of said sheet of material and defining pockets sized to receive a splint. 17. A wrist brace of claim 16, wherein the thumb opening is defined by the sheet of flexible material between the elongated patches of material. 18. A wrist brace of claim 16, wherein said fastening element on the lateral edge fastener and the fastening element on the fastener of the thumb strap attach to the same elongated patch of material. 19. A wrist brace of claim 16, wherein said fastening element on the lateral edge fastener and the fastening element on the fastener of the thumb strap attach to different elongated patches of material. 20. A wrist brace comprising: a sheet of flexible material having a distal edge configured to extend at least partially around a hand of a wearer, a proximal edge configured to extend at least partially around a forearm of a wearer, and a pair of opposing lateral edges configured to at least partially overlap each other so that the sheet of material extends around the wrist of the wearer, wherein the distal edge extends between the pair of opposing lateral edges; at least one lateral edge fastener attached at one end to the sheet of material and configured to extend over one of the lateral edges and attach at another end to the sheet of flexible material so as to secure the sheet of material about the wrist; a thumb opening defined within the sheet of flexible material between the distal, proximal, and lateral edges and having a distal thumb opening edge proximate the distal edge, the thumb opening having a generally triangular shape, wherein said generally triangular shape includes a base and an apex, wherein the base extends distally and the apex extends proximally; and a break defined by excising one edge of the base between the distal edge and the distal thumb opening edge, wherein the break, the distal edge, and the distal thumb opening edge define a thumb strap. 21. A wrist brace of claim 20, further comprising a plurality of undulations defined along one of the lateral edges, wherein the lateral fastener attaches at a peak of one of the undulations. 22. A wrist brace of claim 21, further comprising another lateral edge fastener attached to an adjacent peak of said undulations so that a radial portion extends inwardly between said fasteners. 23. A wrist brace of claim 21, wherein said undulations have a radius of approximately one-half of an inch. 24. A wrist brace of claim 20, wherein said thumb opening has a length of approximately 2�� inches from its apex to its base and a length of about 1�� inches along its base. 25. A wrist brace of claim 20, wherein said distal edge is generally parallel to said distal thumb opening edge. 26. A wrist brace of claim 25, wherein both the distal edge of the sheet of material and the distal edge of the thumb opening arc distally. 27. A wrist brace of claim 20, wherein said lateral edge fastener has a rounded free end. 28. A wrist brace of claim 27, wherein the lateral edge fastener has a flared end secured to said sheet of material. 29. A wrist brace of claim 20, wherein each of said fasteners includes a fastening element and said sheet of flexible material supports at least one complementary fastening element configured to allow attachment of the fastening elements. 30. A wrist brace of claim 29, further comprising two elongated patches of material attached to said sheet of flexible material and supporting said complementary fastening element, said elongated patches of material extending from said proximal edge to said distal edge of said sheet of material and defining pockets sized to receive a splint. 31. A wrist brace of claim 30, wherein the thumb opening is defined by the sheet of flexible material between the elongated patches of material. 32. A method of positioning a wrist brace on a hand of a wearer, said method comprising: extending a thumb strap over a break defined in a sheet of flexible material of the wrist brace, said break extending within the sheet of flexible material from a distal edge of the sheet of flexible material towards the proximal edge to a thumb opening defined by the sheet of flexible material adjacent the distal edge, wherein the distal edge extends between a first lateral edge and a second lateral edge; attaching a fastener of the thumb strap to the sheet of flexible material; positioning the thumb strap between a thumb and index finger of the wearer so that the thumb extends through the thumb opening; extending a proximal edge of the sheet of flexible material at least partially around a forearm of the wearer; extending the distal edge of the sheet of flexible material at least partially over the hand of the wearer; extending the first lateral edge of the sheet of flexible material over the second lateral edge of the sheet of flexible material so that the sheet of flexible material extends around the wrist; and extending at least one fastener attached to the sheet of material at one end, over the first lateral edge and attaching another end of the fastener to the sheet of flexible material so as to secure the wrist brace about the wrist. 33. A method of claim 32, wherein positioning the thumb strap includes orienting a long axis of the thumb opening in a proximal-distal direction at a base of the thumb. 34. A method of claim 32, wherein attaching the thumb strap includes closing the break extending between the distal edge and thumb opening so that the distal edge extends continuously around the hand of the wearer.