BACKGROUND INFORMATION

[0001] FIELD OF THE INVENTION

[0002] The invention relates to a device that provides a sling-like support for a person's upper extremities. More particularly, the device supports the upper extremities and the shoulder girdle in a tensioned dynamic posture that is required for the activity of running.

[0003] DISCUSSION OF PRIOR ART

[0004] People learn as they take their initial steps that the arms must be held with some degree of tension as a person transitions from a walk to a run and continues running. Over time, people refine the movements of walking and running, yet the basics of these movements are done unconsciously, i.e., they start out and generally remain outside of conscious awareness.

[0005] Running involves many involuntary yet coordinated reflexes. Some of these reflexes are the same as those performed while walking, such as reflexively sensing verticality with respect to the ground beneath one's feet. This reflex is essential if a person is to remain upright and balanced while walking or running. A complex set of internal bodily coordinated actions enables a person to achieve this balancing within Earth's vertical gravitational field. Included in this complex set of reflexes are responses to cues or sensations from the visual and vestibular systems allowing a person to remain upright and balanced when moving from step to step, from the skin's sense of touch and pressure, as well as from the neurologically coordinated pendular swing of the arms and legs and from various other

components that make up a person's kinesthetic sense. [0006] The entirety of the shoulder girdle, which anchors and supports the motions of the upper extremities, i.e., the arms, forearms, wrists, and hands, includes the clavicle, scapula, muscles, and attending soft connective tissues that include superficial and deep investing fascia, ligaments, and tendon attachments. The various elements of the shoulder girdle are all tensioned and moved by the attached muscles and connective tissues; the motions are coordinated by the nervous system and are also supported inferiorly by the rib cage, spine, pelvis, and lower extremities. All together, these, muscle, connective, and nerve tissues provide the structure and power that propel upper extremity and shoulder girdle movements and allows for the back-and-forth swing of the upper extremities while running. The structure and support formed by the shoulder girdle allow for this passive and efficient, free flowing pendular movement of a person's upper extremities while walking.

[0007] When running, however, it is imperative that the upper extremities do not simply swing passively and freely, as this would result in the upper extremities flailing about and would make effective running impossible. Running requires a much more active rather than passive tensioning of the shoulder girdle and upper extremities to channel upper extremity movement into effective movement. The nervous system, in part, provides this active tensioning by rhythmically tensing the involved upper extremity muscles that in turn pull the connective tissues of the shoulder girdle into sling-like support for the upper extremities, while the arms are actively flexed at the elbow and are held at an angle of approximately 90° to further minimize and control movement.

[0008] During running, the shoulder girdle and attending structures have to move in a rhythmical, symmetrical, and limited way that is balanced and coordinated with the movements of the undulating neck and head, thorax, pelvis, and movements of the lower extremities. In contrast to the movement requirements when walking, this coordinated movement of the shoulder girdle and attending structures while running demands significantly greater tensioning of the connective tissues and the muscles that attach to the shoulder girdle. This greater tensioning requires a significantly greater effort and energy input, which the runner must provide. This increased energetic load is then not available to be applied to other demands of running, i.e., is not available to improve stamina, reduce fatigue, increase speed, etc.

[0009] What is needed, therefore, is a device that provides a support to the runner's upper body, thereby freeing up energy for greater running efficiency and ease. What is further needed, is such a device that is easy to use, lightweight, and has some measure of aesthetic appeal.

BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

[0010] The invention is a torso and shoulder girdle mounted, upper extremities sling-like support device that is worn by a person to provide support and tensioning to the shoulder girdle and attending structures and the upper extremities. The intended use of the sling-like support is as an aid to runners and the description hereinafter often refers to the person wearing the support device as a runner. The device, however, may serve other useful purposes and this reference to a runner is merely illustrative and is not intended to be limiting.

[0011] As mentioned above, a runner typically must invest some energy into the effort of maintaining the shoulder girdle and the upper extremities' proper positioning and movement when running, in order to avoid uncontrolled and inefficient flailing about of the upper extremity and to blend the movements of the shoulder girdle and upper extremities with those of the neck and head, lower torso, pelvis, and legs. The sling-like support device according to the invention, when worn by a runner, aids in the act of running by shifting some of this internal structural load required to maintain the proper position and movement of the runner's upper extremities from the runner's upper body to the support device. In other words, the sling-like support effectively reduces the amount of energy the runner must invest to maintain proper running form of the upper torso, shoulder girdle, and upper extremities, thereby freeing up energy that is then available to apply to other aspects of running, thereby improving performance and reducing fatigue.

[0012] The inventive device includes a plurality of support members that form a fabric and/or elastic sling-like support for the upper torso, shoulder girdle and upper extremities. The sling-like support may be provided as a harness-like construction formed by the support members, which the runner pulls over his or her shoulders and arms, but ideally the support members are integrated into a wearable garment, such as shirt or jacket, as this ensures that the support members are properly positioned to achieve their purpose when the runner dons the garment.

[0013] The support members extend from one upper extremity up across the runner's back over the shoulder girdle and down the other upper extremity. The members that extend along the upper extremity are long enough that the ends of the members extend beyond the runner's wrists into the area proximate to the hands, so that the runner is able to grab the ends and pull them taut. When pulled taut, these tensioned support members form the sling-like support that suspends the shoulder girdle and the upper extremities into the desired tensioned positioning, thereby relieving the runner of the need to invest the energy to tension them and maintain the desired positioning. As a result, the runner is able to maintain the upper torso, shoulder girdle and upper extremities in a more relaxed manner. This produces a feeling of lightness and ease with regard to the carriage of the shoulder girdle and upper extremities. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0014] The present invention is described with reference to the accompanying drawings. In the drawings, like reference numbers indicate identical or functionally similar elements. The drawings are not drawn to scale.

[0015] FIG. 1 is a front plane view of a first embodiment of the upper extremities shoulder girdle support device according to the invention.

[0016] FIG. 2 is a rear plane view of the first embodiment.

[0017] FIG. 3 is a magnified front plane view of an upper portion of the first embodiment of the device.

[0018] FIG. 4 is a magnified front view of the end of a sleeve portion of the first embodiment of the device.

[0019] FIG. 5 is a front perspective view of a runner wearing a second

embodiment of the device according to the invention.

[0020] FIG. 6 is a rear plane view of a runner wearing the second embodiment of the device.

[0021] FIG. 7 is a front perspective view of a third embodiment of the device. [0022] FIG. 8 is a side view of the third embodiment. [0023] FIG. 9 is a back plane view of the third embodiment.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0024] The present invention will now be described more fully in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which the preferred embodiments of the invention are shown. This invention should not, however, be construed as limited to the embodiments set forth herein; rather, they are provided so that this disclosure will be complete and will fully convey the scope of the invention to those skilled in the art.

[0025] FIGS. 1 - 4 illustrate a first embodiment of the upper extremities and shoulder girdle support device 100 according to the invention. The support device 100 comprises one or more support members 10 that form a sling for the upper extremities and that pull the upper extremities and the shoulder girdle into a tensioned positioning. In the embodiment shown, the support members 10 are incorporated into, or onto, a garment 30 that a person wears while running or doing other activities that require the upper extremities tensioned in similar positions. The garment 30 may be any suitable type of upper body clothing, for examples, a conventional tee-shirt, a running jacket, or compressional garment. In this embodiment, the garment 30 is a long-sleeve compressional shirt. To facilitate description of the device according to the invention garment 30 is described as having a front side and a back side, as well as a right side and a left side, when worn by the runner. It is also assumed in the description below that, when reference is made to the body of the wearer, the garment is an appropriate size for the person wearing it.

[0026] The support members 10 are incorporated into the garment 30 in a manner that supports the runner's upper extremities with sling-like support, allowing the runner to relax his or her entire upper body and upper extremities while running. A plurality of the support members 10 wrap around the runner's upper torso, over the upper back and around the shoulders, and then down along the arms, around the elbows, and end in free-hanging ends 10A that hang freely in an area that is proximate to where the wearer's hands will be. The runner is able to grip the ends 10A of the support members 10 and pull the running support device taut to create the sling-like effect. The support members 10 may also be encased in channels that are tight enough to maintain the proper tension without hand holding once initially set, i.e. once the runner dons the garment and pulls the straps taught for the first time. The support members 10 may take a number of suitable forms, such as, for example, elastic bands or cables, or sturdy non-elastic straps or cords. More specifically, the support members 10 may be constructed from a sturdy material, such as those typically used as straps for backpacks and duffle bags and other outdoor accessories, but may also have a degree of elasticity, for example, bungee cords or exercise bands, or may also simply be an elastic band.

[0027] The first embodiment illustrates the use of a total of four support members 10, which include a first support member 14, a pair of second support members 11 and 12, and an auxiliary support member 16. Each support member 10 is an elastic band, each encased in a channel 18 that is sewn onto or into the garment 30, so that each support member 10 is held on the garment in the desired functional position.

[0028] The first support member 14 has two free-hanging ends 10A, specifically designated 14A and 14B. This first support member 14 is placed along the back neck edge of the garment 30 and is guided in its channel 18 over the right and left shoulders, onto the front side, then down over an upper area on each sleeve that corresponds to where wearer's triceps will be, around the elbow area on the back side of the sleeve, and then at least several inches past the lower end of the each sleeve to provide the free-hanging ends 14A, 14B. [0029] The pair of second support members 11 and 12 are members that are attached in the underarm areas of the garment, extend crosswise across the chest area and then extend over the shoulders and down the arms. More specifically, an attachment end 11 B of a first one 11 of the second support members is affixed to the garment 30 on the left underarm area on the garment 30 and is guided in its respective channel 18 across the chest and up over the right shoulder and from there down along the back side of the right sleeve to below the elbow, and then around to the front side of the sleeve and down to a lower edge and terminates with its free-hanging end 11 A.

[0030] A second one 12 of the pair of second support members mirrors the first one 11. An attachment end 12B is affixed to the garment 30 in the right underarm area and the support member 12 is guided in its respective channel 18 up over the chest, crossing over the first one 11 of these second support members, up over the left shoulder and from there down along the back side of the left sleeve to below the elbow, where it then curves around to the front side of the sleeve and down to a lower edge and terminates with its free-hanging end 12A.

[0031] The auxiliary support member 16, shown in FIG. 6, serves to both hold the pair of second support members in proper alignment along the sleeves and is attached to the second support members in an area that corresponds to where the shoulder blades of the wearer will be and to provide a belt-like tightening mechanism to support anchoring the upper aspects of the garment to the wearer. As shown, a first end 16A is attached to the support member that extends down along the left sleeve and a second end 16B to the support member that extends along the right sleeve.

[0032] When the person dons the garment 30, two free-hanging ends 10A, specifically 14A or 14B and 11 A or 12A, are dangling near to each of the person's hands. By gripping these free-hanging ends 10A, the wearer is able to pull the entire upper extremities and shoulder girdle support device 100 taut, thereby creating the desired sling-like support structure. It is important that the wearer, for example, a runner, be able to spontaneously let go of the support member ends 10A, so that the wearer's hands are free and may be moved to a protective position in the event of a stumble, fall, or other unforeseen event.

[0033] The size and length of the support members 10 and encasing channels 18 may vary depending on the size of the garment 30 and the size of the runner. The channels 18 are dimensioned to provide a tight fit with the respective support members 10, such that the support members 10 are largely held in place and in the proper orientation within the support channels 18, i.e., are prevented from twisting inside the channels. An elastic band that is approximately 30 millimeters (mm) in width with 100% stretch has the desired elasticity and fictional surface area. An example of such a suitable elastic band is SIC-IB014.

[0034] FIGS. 5 and 6 illustrate a second embodiment of the upper extremities and shoulder girdle support device 200 according to the invention, including one or more support members 210 incorporated into a garment 230 that fits over the wearer's shoulder girdle and down the wearer's upper extremities. As can be seen, the garment 230 does not necessarily have to be a shirt or jacket, but just have sufficient structure to fit over the upper torso and upper arms of the wearer to maintain proper positioning of the support members 210. The support members 210 are incorporated into the garment 230 in any suitable manner, such as, for example, being sewn onto or being incorporated into the garment 230 with additional fabric. As with the first embodiment, the support members 210 may be made of any suitable material, such as, for example, a woven or extruded fabrics, natural or synthetic fibers, elastic or non-elastic materials, or a material made of a combination on elastic and non-elastic fibers. [0035] The garment 230 has sleeves 232 that are elongated, but cut open on the front side shortly below the shoulder, in an upper arm area, and on the back side below the elbow area. As a result, each sleeve 232 forms an elbow pocket 234 and provides two elongated strips of fabric 232A, 232B that are long enough so that the wearer is able to easily grip them when wearing the garment 230. The elbow pockets 234 serve to hold and support the wearer's elbows.

[0036] The support members 210 of this second embodiment include at least a main support member 222 and a chest band 223. The main support member 222 extends across the back of the garment 230 in the upper shoulder area, down around the elbow pockets 234 and then loops back up to cross the front chest area, where it attaches to the chest band 223. The chest band 223 may be a continuous elastic band that is affixed to the garment 230 or, if a degree of adjustability to accommodate different chest sizes is desired, the member 223 may be a band with two ends and a conventional clip 226 used to secure the two ends, to provide a size- adjustable chest band 223. Second support members 224 are used to help secure the main support member 222 in place over the wearer's shoulders. Shown in FIGS. 5 and 6, for example, are second support members 224 that attach to the main support member 222 on the back side, on each side of the neck area, and are attached to the chest band 223 on the front side.

[0037] In use, the runner grips the ends 232A, 232B of the sleeves 232 and pulls the garment 230 taut, which positions the incorporated support members 210

correctly, i.e., taut or tightly. When pulled taut, the device 200 functions as a support to the upper extremities such that a portion of the work that the shoulder girdle and upper extremities naturally perform during jogging and running is transferred to or augmented by the device 200 itself. This transference of support from active muscle tissue to the device 200 provides the desired support for shoulder girdle and upper extremities, but also frees up energy that is then available to the runner to dedicate to enhancing running performance and efficiency.

[0038] As previously mentioned, in this second embodiment, the ends 232A, 232B of the sleeves 232 are loose strips of fabric, such that the runner may grip them and/or wrap them around his/her hands, as shown in FIG. 5. The ends 232A, 232B may also be provided as gloves or mittens that are attached to the sleeves 232 such that, when the wearer pulls on the gloves or mittens, the fit automatically pulls the support members 210 taut. Attachment means, such as clips and rings or hook and loop fasteners, may also be added to the ends of the sleeves 232 to help hold the device 200 taut. Hook and loop fasteners are particularly advantageous during relatively slow jogging when the upper body is moving in a relatively slow manner, whereas open ends that a runner may grip to secure are more

advantageous during faster running that involves a greater range and/or speed of upper extremities movement. Additionally, the ends 232A, 232B may be provided as flexible or rigid handles (not shown), such as those used with jump ropes.

[0039] FIGS. 7 - 9 illustrate a third embodiment of the upper extremities and shoulder girdle support device 300 in which the device is a garment 330 that is constructed to include all of the features provided by the support members 310 and garment 330 shown in the first two embodiments, but as an integrated construction, various portions of the garment also serving as the support members. This harnesslike garment 330 fits over the runner's shoulders and upper chest and upper back. Instead of sleeves, the garment 330 has elbow pockets 334 that receive and support the runner's elbows, and two fabric extensions 338, 336 that are attached to the garment above and below each pocket 334. The first fabric extension 338 is attached near the runner's triceps and extends to the runner's hands. The second fabric extension 336 extends from approximately the underside of the pocket 334 to the runner's hands. The runner is able to grip the ends of the fabric extensions 334, 336 and pull the garment 330 taut to create the desired sling-like effect described in the first embodiment.

[0040] In a fourth embodiment of the upper extremities and shoulder girdle support device 400 (not shown) no garment is provided, rather this upper extremities and shoulder girdle support device 400 according to the invention is harness-like, in that the plurality of support members alone are capable of providing the desired sling-like support function. A chest band encircles the wearer's torso and a primary support member that is attached to the chest band and is dimensioned so that, when pulled into position on the runner, the primary support member extends similarly to the support member 222 in the second embodiment, i.e., across the back near the neck area, down the front of the arms, around the elbows and up to the chest band. Elastic bands or fabric strips attached to the primary support band in the shoulder area and to an area that extends along the lower elbow area are sufficiently long that the wearer is able to grasp the two bands on each arm and pull the bands taut to achieve the sling-like support effect described above. To ensure proper alignment of the primary support member, additional auxiliary support members may be attached as needed. For example, straps may be provided that attach to the primary support member at the back and connect to the chest band in the front.

[0041] It is understood that the embodiments described herein are merely illustrative of the present invention. Variations in the construction of the upper extremities and shoulder girdle support device may be contemplated by one skilled in the art without limiting the intended scope of the invention herein disclosed and as defined by the following claims.