US3261352A - Hernia truss - Google Patents

Description

July 19, 1966 H. D. NAUM 3,261,352

HERNIA TRUSS Filed Nov. 20. 1963 FIG. 1 FIG. 2 FIG. 3

INVENTOR.

HARRY D. N A u M BY ,J/Ju AA;

ATTORNEY United States Patent 3,261,352 HERNIA TRUSS Harry D. Naum, 2744 Bedford Ave., Brooklyn, N.Y. Filed Nov. 20, 1963, Ser. No. 324,997 4 Claims. (Cl. 128-95) The object of the present invention is to provide a hernia truss which is particularly applicable for reducible inguinal rupture, which will be free from strain and the frequent induced pain which occurs with the use of the standard and customarily employed hernia support.

Further object of the invention is to provide a truss which will stay in position where it is needed, instead of shifting like present trusses do.

The primary characteristic of my truss is the use of a concave form carrying springy finger-like areas, conforming to body contour and enabling independent flexing in confirmation with the area to be supported along the groin. It has been recognized by physicians that the truss constructions commonly in use, are not comfortably adequate in the case of exercising and in lifting relatively heavy objects, and when the wearer is subjected to coughing. The truss of the present invention adequately meets such conditions in that its action is like holding the groin with the fingers of the hand or hands with yielding pressure controlled by the action of a springy finger-like primary member of the truss. The truss also is ideally adapted for application of a suspensory readily removeable for cleansing.

The invention will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is an isometric view of an embodiment of the invention employing a plurality of springy steel fingers projecting from a concave metal strip, the whole being covered with a pad facepiece.

FIG. 2 is a view in section on the line 2-2, FIG- URE 1.

FIG. 3 is a front face view of the springy concave metallic member suitable for use in the structure of FIG- URE 1.

FIG. 4 is a front face view of a modification which may be integrally formed of springy plastic, as, for example, polystyrene.

FIG. 5 is a rear face view showing two of my major truss elements, whether of FIG. 1 or FIG. 4, carried by a band secured by loops to a belt, and illustrating snap fastener connecting means between the belt and a suspensory.

FIG. 6 is an isometric view of a modified form of the invention, in that the primary truss members are carried by an integral springy band, or rigid band, the ends of the band being spaced from each other.

FIG. 7 has reference to FIG. 5, it showing two of the primary truss members carried by a curved strip perforated to receive rivets or the like for attachment of the strip to a belt or a strap, such as shown in FIG. 5.

Referring to the drawing, I have shown in FIG. 3 the primary member of my truss, it consisting of a curved, relatively thin piece of springy material, preferably stainless steel, and having an area at 1 preferably shaped like the palm of a hand, from which area I integrally projected finger-like extensions 1*, independently curved, to correspond somewhat with the area 1 in conjoint shape. The springy resistance of each finger 1 is preferably from 16 to 24 ounces.

In FIGURES 1 and 2 I have shown the springy piece 1 covered with the pad 2, which may be of any rela- .tively soft and yielding material such as felt or a casing which receives foam rubber or the like. Such padfacing may be cemented to the metallic member 1, or may be secured in any suitable manner. In the embodi- 3,261,352 Patented July 19, 1966 ice ment shown in FIGURES l and 2, the rear face of the metallic member 1 has riveted thereto a strap 3, rivet holes at 17 being provided in the metallic element for such purpose. The strap may be fitted upon a holding element such as the curved strip 4 of FIG. 5, and the latter preferably will be of metal, such as stainless steel. In FIG. 5, the strip 4 is held in position by loops 5 carried by a belt 6. By securing the belt to the waist of the user, the fingered primary truss members will be brought under pressure of their fingers upon the groin at the area of the rupture and with yielding pressure.

In the structure, FIG. 4, the truss member 7 is shown as unitary, and it may be a molded plastic member, as for example polyethylene, the fingers being springy and having spring resistance such as that of the previously described structure, and this spring resistance of the fingers can be controlled by the hardness plus the thickness, of the structure.

As an alternative to the truss member holding means, shown at 4 in FIG. 5, the usual belt may be discarded and the primary truss members secured as by rivets, to a metallic split-belt member 10 at the ends thereof, as shown in FIG. 6.

In some cases it may be desirable to impose the weight of the normally exposed male organs upon the belt 6, and in such case the belt lends itself to the releasable attachment of suspensory 11, FIG. 5. From the belt 6 are downwardly led a web or preferably two webs 12, having snap fastener elements at the lower end for receiving complementary snap fastener elements 14, carried by the suspensory, all as shown in FIG. 5.

In FIG. 7 the primary truss members are shown as of the same structure illustrated in FIG. 4, and they are attached to the curved strip 15 having apertures at 16 by which they may be attached to holding means secured to the torso of the wearer, such as a belt.

It is realized that an inguinal hernia is of the most frequent type, and that while it will be relieved and temporarily disappear when the patient is reclined, it will reappear on standing of the patient, unless held by a truss or similar device. The present invention is particularly applicable to such cases of moderate hernia since the holding fingers are yielding and yet adapted to better hold the ruptured area than with the customary form of truss. In the structure of FIGURES 5, 6 and 7, balance support is provided, although the hernia appears on one side only. This support provides greater comfort and, of course, provides means on the other side of the groin for preventing the occurence of a hernia. When the belt is applied, the springy pressure is the same on each side of the groin.

It will be understood that various modifications may be made in the form and arrangement of the elements illustrated in the embodiments without departing from the spirit of the invention.

Having described my invention, what I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is as follows:

1. A hernia truss comprising a supporting member adapted to be positioned at the groin of a wearer, a split metal belt-like member having its ends mutually separated, said metal belt-like member being adapted to be positioned and held at the waist area of a wearer and firmly carrying said supporting member at an end area thereof, the said supporting member consisting of a relatively thin piece of concavo-convex springy material simulating in form the palm of a human hand and carrying downwardly projecting and mutually spaced finger-like members approximating in width and length the fingers of an adult human hand, which finger-like members are flexible at least in directions transversely of said supporting member, and pad-means of soft and yielding material carried by the supporting member at its concave face.

2. A hernia truss comprising a supporting member adapted to be positioned at the groin of a wearer, means adapted to be positioned and held at the waist area of a wearer and carrying said supporting member, the said supporting member consisting of a relatively thin piece of concavo-convex springy material and carrying downwardly projecting concavo-convex and mutually spaced finger-like members approximating in form the fingers of a human hand, which finger-like members are flexible at least in directions transversely of said supporting member, and pad-means of soft and yielding material carried by the supporting member at its concave face and each finger-like member, leaving spaces between said fingerlike members.

3. A hernia truss comprising a supporting member adapted to be positioned at the groin of a wearer, the supporting member being of concavo-convex form including downwardly projecting finger-like members conforming to body contour, said finger members being flexible, at least in opposite directions and relatively to the body of said supporting member, a belt carrying said supporting member with its finger-like members depending from said supporting members, spaced webs connected to and said belt webs holding the suspensory below said supporting member and its finger-like members leading downwardly from the belt and carrying fastener elements and a suspensory carrying complementary fastening elements adapted for connection with the belt webs, said belt Webs holding the suspensory below said supporting member and its finger-like members.

4. A hernia truss constructed in accordance with claim 3 in which the supporting member is rigidly connected to a curved strip, substantially resistant to stretching, and means releasably holding said strip to the underface of the belt.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 928,485 7/1909 West 132-146 2,117,621 5/1938 Mills 128-96 2,527,205 10/1950 Zaras 128100 ADELE M. EAGER, Primary Examiner.

Claims (1)

1. A HERNIA TRUSS COMPRISING A SUPPORTING MEMBER ADAPTED TO BE POSITIONED AT THE GROIN OF A WEARER, A SPLIT METAL BELT-LIKE MEMBER HAVING ITS ENDS MUTUALLY SEPARATED, SAID METAL BELT-LIKE MEMBER BEING ADAPTED TO BE POSITIONED AND HELD AT THE WAIST AREA OF A WEARER AND FIRMLY CARRYING SAID SUPPORTING MEMBER AT AN END AREA THEREOF, THE SAID SUPPORTING MEMBER CONSISTING OF A RELATIVELY THIN PIECE OF CONCAVO-CONVEX SPRINGY MATERIAL SIMULATING IN FORM THE PALM OF A HUMAN HAND AND CARRYING DOWNWARDLY PROJECTING AND MUTUALLY SPACED FINGER-LIKE MEMBERS APPROXIMATING IN WIDTH AND LENGTH THE FINGERS OF AN ADULT HUMAN HAND, WHICH FINGER-LIKE MEMBERS ARE FLEXIBLE AT LEAST IN DIRECTIONS TRANSVERSELY OF SAID SUPPORTING MEMBER, AND PAD-MEANS OF SOFT AND YIELDING MATERIAL CARRIED BY THE SUPPORTING MEMBER AT ITS CONCAVE FACE.

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