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Title:
SPINAL CURVATURE TREATMENT BAG AND METHOD OF CURING SPINAL CURVATURE USING SUCH BAG
Document Type and Number:
WIPO Patent Application WO/1998/047450
Kind Code:
A1
Abstract:
A spinal curvature treatment bag (1) and method of curing a spinal curvature using such a bag (1) is disclosed. The bag (1) consists of a bag body with horizontal and vertical belts (2, 3). In the method, a user wears the bag (1) for about 10 to 40 days during awake hours, with the bag body having a gross weight of about 1 kg and being positioned on a part of the body to be cured. In such a case, the horizontal belt (2) is worn around the waist, while the vertical belt (3) passes over the neck, thus causing a tensile force due to the gross weight of the bag body to be applied to the cervical and dorsal vertebras. Second to fifth remedy stages are sequentially performed after the first remedy stage. Each of the second to fifth remedy stages is continued for about 7 to 10 days during asleep hours, with the bag being free from any contents or having the contents of about 3 mm, 6 mm or 9 mm in thickness.

Inventors:
KIM YONG-HWAN (KR)
Application Number:
PCT/KR1998/000097
Publication Date:
October 29, 1998
Filing Date:
April 22, 1998
Export Citation:
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Assignee:
KIM YONG HWAN (KR)
International Classes:
A61F5/02; A63B21/065; (IPC1-7): A61F5/00; A61H1/02
Foreign References:
EP0174179A21986-03-12
US4120297A1978-10-17
US5405313A1995-04-11
Attorney, Agent or Firm:
Cho, Yong-shik (Kwang Hwa Moon P.O. Box 1308, Seoul 110-613, KR)
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Claims:
WHAT IS CLAIMED IS:
1. A method of curing a spinal curvature using a bag consisting of a bag body with horizontal and vertical belts, comprising: a first step of wearing the bag on one's body for about 10 to 40 days during awake hours, with said bag body having a gross weight of about 1 kg due to the controlled weight of the contents and being positioned on a part of the body to be cured, said horizontal belt being worn around the waist, and said vertical belt passing over the neck, thus causing a tensile force due to the gross weight of the bag body to be applied to the cervical and dorsal vertebras; a second step of wearing the bag, with said bag body being free from any contents, on the body in the same manner as that described for the first step for about 7 to 10 days during asleep hours, said second step being started within about 1 to 15 days after the first step; a third step of repeating the second step with the contents of about 3 mm in thickness being received in said bag body; a fourth step of repeating the second step with the contents of about 6 mm in thickness being received in said bag body; and a fifth step of repeating the second step with the contents of at least 9 mm in thickness being received in said bag body.
2. The method according to claim 1, wherein said contents are selected from thin, flat books and cloth.
3. A spinal curvature treatment bag, comprising: a bag body provided with means for selectively closing a top opening, said bag body being selectively positioned on a convexly curved part of one's body having a spinal curvature; a horizontal belt attached to a middle portion of a bag body's front wall at its middle part with both ends extending in opposite directions, and adapted for being worn around one's waist; and a vertical belt attached to a top portion of each side wall of said bag body at each end and adapted for passing over one's neck, said vertical belt cooperating with the horizontal belt so as to apply a tensile force due to the gross weight of the bag body to the curved spine.
4. The spinal curvature treatment bag according to claim 3, wherein a tieing band is vertically attached to the bag body, with a top end of said band being fixed to the bag body and a lower end being provided with one strip of a velcro fastener so as to be attached to another strip of the velcro fastener on the bag body when pressed together, said tieing band being adapted for selectively tieing at least one of the two belts so as to give a compact appearance to the bag.
5. The spinal curvature treatment bag according to claim 3, wherein said vertical belt is divided into two parts with a snap fastener being provided at the ends of the two parts, so the two parts are selectively connected to each other by the snap fastener.
6. The spinal curvature treatment bag according to claim 3, wherein said vertical belt is provided with means for adjusting the length of the vertical belt.
7. The spinal curvature treatment bag according to claim 3, wherein said horizontal belt has a buckle and a plurality of holes at both ends, thus being adjustable in the length.
8. The spinal curvature treatment bag according to claim 3, wherein said closing means of the bag body is selected from a flap or a zipper.
Description:
SPINAL CURVATURE TREATMENT BAG AND METHOD OF CURING SPINAL CURVATURE USING SUCH BAG BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION FIELD OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates, in general, to a remedy for spinal curvature and, more particularly, to a spinal curvature treatment bag having a specific design and a method of curing a spinal curvature using such a bag.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PRIOR ART As well known to those skilled in the art, the human spine comprises the cervical vertebras, dorsal vertebras and lumbar vertebras. It is necessary for people to always have a straight and strong spine capable of maintaining one's health. In order to maintain a straight and strong spine, people should repeatedly and earnestly perform spinal exercise and a remedy for any spinal curvature. Such spinal exercise and remedy for spinal curvature allow the spine to be stimulated by the central nerve, thus promoting sanguification and activating the communication of the autonomic and pneumogastric nervous systems and activating the function of the internal organs, and promoting the circulation of blood.

In the human body, the nerves extend to associated organs through the spinal cavity. Therefore, when the spine suffers from spinal curvature or spinal stiffness, the spine fails to

effectively perform sanguification and results in an insufficiency of both the function of the internal organs and the circulation of blood due to an insufficiency of the spinal nerves, such as a reduction in a bony function and a bony porosis.

In order to maintain one's health, it is necessary for people to always have a straight and strong spine. That is, effective exercise for spinal flexibility and spinal muscle strength or a remedy for spinal curvature promotes both an oxygen supply for the organs and sanguification, thus making fresh blood smoothly circulate more freely in the human body and allowing people to maintain one's health.

However, it is necessary for some people, particularly, students or office workers who have to read or write documents or books at a desk while sitting on a chair, to inevitably keep a stooping posture, with one's head being drooped, for a lengthy period of time. In such a case, the cervical vertebras are gradually bend forward, while both the dorsal and lumbar vertebras are bend backward.

Therefore, the posture of such people may be regrettably rigidfied into a stooping and drooping posture. In schools, it is more preferable to provide desks and chairs having various sizes capable of substantially meeting the different physiques of students. However, the desks and chairs for schools have been

typically designed and standardized for meeting the physique of students having a medium build. Therefore, such standardized desks and chairs do not fit students having a fine or slight build, so the students, having a fine or slight build, have to sit on the chairs with twisted, curved, stooped, or drooped postures and this results in a spinal curvature of such students.

Such a bony curvature also may be caused by heavy bags. That is, some people, particularly, students who always wear heavy bags while going to or from schools, suffer from spinal curvature or deformed collarbones leaned to a side due to such heavy bags.

As described above, a twisted, curved, stooped, or drooped posture causes a spinal curvature. When such a spinal curvature is neglected for a lengthy period of time, the curved spine, comprising the cervical, dorsal and lumbar vertebras, is stiffened, so the spine cannot restore its original shape or a straight and strong shape. Such a stiffened spinal curvature spoils the appearance of a patient and causes the patient to suffer from various nerve damage, such as hernia of intervertebral disks or cervical and lumbar disks, a tonic muscle pain syndrome, and an acute or chronic lumbar myalgia.

Therefore, it is necessary for people with spinal curvature to recover a straight and strong spine before such a spinal curvature is completely stiffened and causes various nerve damage.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION Accordingly, the present invention has been made keeping in mind the above problems occurring in the prior art, and an object of the present invention is to provide a spinal curvature treatment bag, having a specific design, and a method of curing a spinal curvature using such a bag.

In order to accomplish the above object, the present invention provides a method of curing a spinal curvature using a bag consisting of a bag body with horizontal and vertical belts, comprising: a first step of wearing the bag on one's body for about 10 to 40 days during awake hours, with the bag body having a gross weight of about 1 kg due to the controlled weight of the contents and being positioned on a part of the body to be cured, the horizontal belt being worn around the waist, and the vertical belt passing over the neck, thus causing a tensile force due to the gross weight of the bag body to be applied to the cervical and dorsal vertebras; a second step of wearing the bag, with the bag body being free from any contents, on the body in the same manner as that described for the first step for about 7 to 10 days during asleep hours, the second step being started within about 1 to 15 days after the first step; a third step of repeating the second step with the contents of about 3 mm in thickness being received in the bag body; a fourth step of repeating the second step with the contents of about 6 mm in

thickness being received in the bag body; and a fifth step of repeating the second step with the contents of at least 9 mm in thickness being received in the bag body.

The present invention also provides a spinal curvature treatment bag, comprising: a bag body provided with means for selectively closing a top opening, the bag body being selectively positioned on a convexly curved part of one's body having a spinal curvature; a horizontal belt attached to a middle portion of a bag body's front wall at its middle part with both ends extending in opposite directions, and adapted for being worn around one's waist; and a vertical belt attached to a top portion of each side wall of the bag body at each end and adapted for passing over one's neck, the vertical belt cooperating with the horizontal belt so as to apply a tensile force due to the gross weight of the bag body to the curved spine.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS The above and other objects, features and other advantages of the present invention will be more clearly understood from the following detailed description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which: Fig. 1 is a front perspective view of a spinal curvature treatment bag in accordance with the primary embodiment of the present invention; Fig. 2 is a rear perspective view of the spinal curvature

treatment bag of Fig. 1, with a horizontal belt being tied by a tieing band in order to allow the bag to be used as a conventional handbag; Fig. 3 is a plan sectional view of the spinal curvature treatment bag of Fig. 1; Fig. 4 is a side sectional view of the spinal curvature treatment bag of Fig. 1; Fig. 5 is a front perspective view of a spinal curvature treatment bag in accordance with the second embodiment of the present invention; Fig. 6 is a view showing the rear construction of the spinal curvature treatment bag of Fig. 5; Fig. 7 is a block diagram showing the method of curing a spinal curvature using the bag of this invention; Figs. 8a and 8b are side views showing the operational effect of the bag according to this invention when a person, suffering from a forward spinal curvature, wears the bag with a bag body being positioned on the small of the back; and Figs. 9a and 9b are front views showing the operational effect of the bag according to this invention when a person, suffering from a leftward spinal curvature, wears the bag with the bag body being positioned on the right-side of the waist.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Figs. 1 to 4 show a spinal curvature treatment bag in

accordance with the primary embodiment of this invention. As shown in the drawings, the bag according to the primary embodiment comprises a bag body 1, two longitudinal belts: horizontal and vertical belts 2 and 3, and one tieing band 4.

Of the two belts, the horizontal belt 2 is horizontally attached to the middle portion of the bag body's front wall at its middle part, so both ends of the belt 2 extend in opposite directions.

Meanwhile, the vertical belt 3 is attached to both side walls of the bag body 1 at its both ends. The tieing band 4 is vertically attached to the back wall of the bag body 1.

The bag body 1 is sized to form enough space for one or two pocket-sized books or other items and is provided, at the top, with a means 11 for selectively closing the top opening of the body 1. In the preferred embodiments of this invention, the closing means 11 comprises a flap 12 or a conventional fastener, such as a zipper. In addition to books, it is also preferable to put slightly weighty materials, such as a portable cassette tape recorder, in the bag, thus making the bag become slightly massive so as to improve the spinal curvature curing effect.

The horizontal belt 2, which is horizontally attached to the middle portion of the bag body's front wall at its middle part, is designed for being worn on one's waist like a convention waist belt with a fastening means. In the primary embodiment, the fastening means comprises a buckle 21, attached to one end of the

horizontal belt 2, and a plurality of holes 22 formed on the other end at regularly spaced points along the length. However, it should be understood that the horizontal belt 2 may comprise a soft cloth strip suitable for being selectively tied.

Alternatively, the fastening means of the horizontal belt 2 may comprise a conventional plastic snap fastener.

The vertical belt 3 is preferably attached to the bag body 1 by sewing each end of the belt 3 on the top portion of each side wall of the bag body 1. The above belt 3 is divided into two parts with a snap fastener 32 being provided at the ends of the two parts. The belt 3 is also provided with a piece 31 for adjusting the length of the belt 3 on one of the two parts. In the above belt 3, both the length adjusting piece 31 and the fastener 32 may be designed in accordance with a conventional manner which has been used in typical knapsacks or bags. In addition, it is preferable to decorate the belt 3 with ornaments, such as ribbon 33.

The tieing band 4, vertically attached to the back wall of the bag body 1, is used for selectively tieing at least one of the two belts 2 and 3 as best shown in Fig. 2, thus giving a compact appearance to the bag when necessary. The above band 4 is sewn on the back wall of the bag body 1 at the top end 41 and is provided with one strip of a velcro fastener 43 at the lower end 42, thus being attached to the other strip of the fastener

43 on the bag body 1 when pressed together.

Figs. 5 and 6 show a spinal curvature treatment bag in accordance with the second embodiment of this invention. As shown in the drawings, the bag according to the second embodiment comprises a longitudinal bag body 1 with a detachable waist belt 20.

In the second embodiment, it is preferable to shape the bag body 1 into a specifically designed configuration, such as a configuration of an animal or symbol which is favorably impressive to children. In the bag according to the second embodiment, the vertical belt 3 is detachably attached to the bag body 1 using a plurality of rings 34, while the waist belt 20 is detachably attached to the back wall of the bag body 1 using a velcro fastener as shown in Fig. 6. Of course, it is preferable to decorate the vertical belt 3 of this embodiment with ornaments, such as ribbon 33, in the same manner as that described for the primary embodiment.

The spinal curvature treatment bag according to the present invention is used as follows.

Prior to using the bag for curing a spinal curvature, it is preferable to put slightly weighty materials in the bag body 1, thus making the bag body 1 become slightly massive so as to improve the spinal curvature curing effect.

For example, pocket-sized books, writing instruments and/or

a portable cassette tape recorder may be preferably put in the bag body 1 so as to make the bag body 1 become slightly massive prior to using the bag.

In order to cure a spinal curvature using the bag, a user wears the bag, with such slightly weighty materials, on a part of one's body, having a curvature to be cured, while he is out and about.

That is, when a user has a forward spinal curvature with the spine being curved to the front as shown in Fig. 8a, the user wears the bag in a way such that the bag body 1 is closely positioned on the small of the back. In such a case, the horizontal belt 2 is worn around the waist prior to being tied at a position around the naval, while the vertical belt 3 passes over the shoulders with the ribbon 33 being positioned around the uvula.

Of course, it is necessary to appropriately adjust the length of the vertical belt 3 using the length adjusting piece 31, thus preventing the belt 3 from pressing too tightly against the naval.

When the user, having such a forward spinal curvature, wears the bag as described above, the vertical belt 3 steadily stretches the upper part of the user's body to the back with a slight tensile force due to the weighty bag body 1 when the user sits or walks. Therefore, the bag effectively cures the forward

spinal curvature by restoring the curved spine to a straighter position as shown in Fig. 8b.

Meanwhile, when a user has a leftward spinal curvature with the spine being curved to the left as shown in Fig. 9a, the user wears the bag in a way such that the bag body 1 is closely positioned on the right-side of the waist. In such a case, the horizontal belt 2 is worn around the waist, while the vertical belt 3 diagonally passes over both the chest and the back with the ribbon 33 being positioned around the left-side of the neck.

It is, of course, necessary to appropriately adjust the length of the vertical belt 3 so as to prevent the belt 3 from pressing too tightly against the neck. When the user, having such a leftward spinal curvature, wears the bag as described above, the vertical belt 3 steadily stretches the upper part of the user's body to the right with a slight tensile force due to the weighty bag body 1. Therefore, the bag effectively cures the leftward spinal curvature by restoring the curved spine to a straighter position as shown in Fig. 9b.

Of course, the bag of this invention also may be effectively used for curing a rightward spinal curvature with the spine being curved to the right. In such a case, the bag body is closely positioned on the left-side of the waist with the vertical belt passing over the chest, the right-side of the neck, and the back.

The spinal curvature treatment bag of this invention also

may be used as a conventional handbag. In such a case, at least one of the two belts 2 and 3 is repeatedly folded into a small size and is positioned inside the tieing band 4 prior to being tied by the band 4 as shown in Fig. 2, thus giving a compact appearance to the bag. The above tieing band 4, with one strip of the velcro fastener 43 at the lower end 42, is easily attached to the other strip of the fastener 43 on the bag body 1 when pressed together.

A remedy for a spinal curvature using the above bag is processed as follows.

Fig. 7 is a block diagram showing the method of curing a spinal curvature using the bag of this invention. In the following description, the bag is used for curing, for example, a forward spinal curvature as shown in Figs. 8a and 8b. The curing method of this invention is stepwisely processed through the following five stages: first to fifth remedy stages.

First remedy stage: this stage is continued for about 10 to 40 days with the bag being steadily used by a user every day during awake hours. In this stage, the gross weight of the bag body 1 is adjusted to about 1 kg by controlling the weight of the contents prior to wearing the bag. The bag is, thereafter, worn on the user's body in a way such that the bag body 1 is closely positioned on the small of the back with both the horizontal belt 2 being worn around the waist and the vertical belt 3 passing

over both shoulders and the front part of the neck, thus causing a tensile force due to the gross weight of the bag body 1 to be applied to the cervical and dorsal vertebras. During this stage, it is preferable for the user to straighten up the upper part of one's body when he wears the bag.

In the above stage, it is preferable for children, whose spinal curvature is relatively quickly cured, to use the bag for about 10 to 20 days. Meanwhile, in the event of adults whose spinal curvature is relatively slowly cured, it is preferable to use the bag for about 20 to 40 days. In addition, it is preferable to use thin, flat materials, such as books, as the contents of the bag body 1.

When the first remedy for the spinal curvature through the above stage is accomplished, most users have some degree of pain on the lower end portion of the spine. This is a subjective symptom showing the necessity of starting the second remedy stage.

Second remedy stage: this stage is started within about 1 to 15 days after the first stage and is continued for about 7 to 10 days with the bag being steadily used by the user every day during asleep hours. In this stage, the bag, without having any contents in the bag body 1, is worn on the user's body in the same manner as that described for the first stage.

Third remedy stage: this stage is started within about 1 to

15 days after the second stage and is continued for about 7 to 10 days with the bag being steadily used by the user every day during asleep hours. In this stage, the bag, with a flat material of about 3 mm in thickness in the bag body 1, is worn on the user's body in the same manner as that described for the first stage.

Fourth remedy stage: this stage is started within about 1 to 15 days after the third stage and is continued for about 7 to 10 days with the bag being steadily used by the user every day during asleep hours. In this stage, the bag, with two flat materials of about 3 mm in thickness in the bag body 1, is worn on the user's body in the same manner as that described for the first stage.

Fifth remedy stage: this stage is processed as a repetition of the fourth stage and is continued for about 7 to 10 days with at least three flat materials of about 3 mm in thickness being put in the bag body 1.

In accordance with the method of this invention, such a forward spinal curvature is steadily stretched to the back through the above-mentioned first to fifth remedy stages, so the curved spine of Fig. 8a is effectively restored to a straighter position of Fig. 8b. However, the first to fifth stages may fail to effectively cure the spinal curvature. In such a case, the fourth and fifth stages are appropriately repeated until the

curvature is completely cured.

Of course, a leftward or rightward spinal curvature may be effectively cured in accordance with the above-mentioned first to fifth remedy stages of this invention. For example, in the event of a leftward spinal curvature, the bag is worn on the user's body as shown in Fig. 9a, so the vertical belt steadily stretches the curved spine to the right, thus effectively restoring the curved spine of Fig. 9a to a straighter position of Fig. 9b. Meanwhile, in the event of a rightward spinal curvature, the wearing position of the bag is reversed from that of the leftward spinal curvature.

As described above, it is possible to effectively stretch the curved spine and completely cure a spine curvature through the above first to fifth remedy stages using the spinal curvature treatment bag. When such a spinal curvature is cured by the bag of this invention, the curved spine is restored to a straight and strong spine. Such a straight and strong spine effectively prevents various neuralgias, muscle pain, obesity, diabetes, cancer, anal fistula, catarrh, asthma, kidney trouble, gastroenteric trouble, heart trouble, apoplexy, constipation, stress and sleeplessness. Such a remedy for spinal curvature also promotes sanguification, thus making fresh blood smoothly circulate more freely in the human body and allowing people to maintain one's health. Particularly, the spinal curvature

treatment bag of this invention is effectively used for curing curved spines or funnel chests of children.

In addition, the bag of this invention comprises a bag body and two longitudinal belts: horizontal and vertical belts attached to the bag body. A user, suffering from a sinal curvature, appropriately wears the bag on one's body in accordance with conditions of a spinal curvature, thus allowing a tensile force due to the slightly weighty bag body to be steadily applied to the curved spine and restoring the curved spine to a straighter position without having any specified treatment for spinal curvature. The spinal curvature treatment bag of this invention may be used as a conventional bag allowing a user to conveniently carry one's things while maintaining an appealing appearance.

Although the preferred embodiments of the present invention have been disclosed for illustrative purposes, those skilled in the art will appreciate that various modifications, additions and substitutions are possible, without departing from the scope and spirit of the invention as disclosed in the accompanying claims.