TECHNICAL FIELD

This disclosure relates anatomical support devices such as sleeves, braces, and suits that include hydrostatic fluid conduits.

BACKGROUND

Conventional anatomical supports include braces, immobilization casts, and exoskeletal members. These supports can be worn by patients recovering from injuries, elderly persons and others with chronic muscle weakness, and athletes in training. These conventional supports resist deformation, thereby providing supportive resistance to motion around particular joints. As such, the supports can be used to treat acute injury and address chronic joint weakness and irreparable damage.

SUMMARY

This disclosure features anatomical support devices that provide adjustable resistance to deformation via an array of conduits that contain hydrostatic fluid. The fluid pressure within individual conduits can be controlled to change the resistance, and changes can occur adaptively based on the requirements of the user and the user's environment. Multiple support devices can be worn by a single user, and can be linked together to form more complex support devices such as a suit that extends over the user's legs, arms, mid-section, and upper body.

In general, the disclosure features wearable anatomical devices that include a sleeve formed of a first material, one or more conduits connected to the sleeve, where each conduit is formed of a second material and at least partially filled with a third material, and one or more adjustable members connected to the one or more conduits and oriented so that at least some of the one or more adjustable members are connected at multiple locations to the one or more conduits, where the one or more conduits are oriented along a longitudinal direction of the sleeve, where each adjustable member extends in a circumferential direction of the sleeve, and where each adjustable member can be selectively controlled to modify a deformation of the one or more conduits.

Embodiments of the device can include any one or more of the following features.

The sleeve can include an inner surface configured to contact a user's body, and an outer surface to which the one or more conduits are connected. The sleeve can include at least two openings positioned so that the sleeve can be worn over a portion of a patient's body.

Each of the one or more conduits can include a tubular member, and the second material can be a deformable material, e.g., a deformable material having a Poisson ratio of between 0 and 0.5. The second material can include a polymeric hydrocarbon material and/or rubber.

The third material can include a fluid, e.g., a fluid with a viscosity of at least 0.1 cP. The third material can include a solid particulate material. The solid particulate material can include sand.

The one or more conduits can include a plurality of conduits that are not in communication with one another. Alternatively, the one or more conduits can include a single conduit having a first plurality of conduit sections extending along the longitudinal direction of the sleeve, and a second plurality of conduit sections, each of which extends between a pair of the first plurality of conduit sections.

Each of the one or more conduits can include an exterior layer formed from a plurality of interleaved fibers. The plurality of interleaved fibers can be oriented helically with respect to the longitudinal direction of the sleeve.

The devices can include a constrictive fastening mechanism positioned proximal to at least one of the openings. The one or more conduits can be oriented helically with respect to the longitudinal direction of the sleeve.

The one or more adjustable members can include one or more adjustable straps. Alternatively, or in addition, the one or more adjustable members can include a single adjustable strap oriented helically with respect to the longitudinal direction of the sleeve. Alternatively, or in addition, the one or more adjustable members can include one or more electrical actuators.

The devices can include a controller electrically connected to each of the one or more electrical actuators and configured to apply an electrical potential to the one or more electrical actuators to selectively control deformation of the one or more conduits. The controller can be configured so that during operation of the devices, the controller receives information about at least one of a user of the device and an environment surrounding the devices, and adjusts the one or more electrical actuators based on the information.

Embodiments of the sleeves can also include any of the other features disclosed herein, including combinations of features disclosed in connection with different embodiments, in any combination as appropriate.

Unless otherwise defined, all technical and scientific terms used herein have the same meaning as commonly understood by one of ordinary skill in the art to which this disclosure belongs. Although methods and materials similar or equivalent to those described herein can be used in the practice or testing of the subject matter herein, suitable methods and materials are described below. All publications, patent applications, patents, and other references mentioned herein are incorporated by reference in their entirety. In case of conflict, the present specification, including definitions, will control. In addition, the materials, methods, and examples are illustrative only and not intended to be limiting.

The details of one or more embodiments are set forth in the accompanying drawings and the description below. Other features and advantages will be apparent from the description, drawings, and claims.

