US20160270944A1 - External ankle brace - Google Patents
External ankle brace Download PDFInfo
- Publication number
- US20160270944A1 US20160270944A1 US15/074,339 US201615074339A US2016270944A1 US 20160270944 A1 US20160270944 A1 US 20160270944A1 US 201615074339 A US201615074339 A US 201615074339A US 2016270944 A1 US2016270944 A1 US 2016270944A1
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- US
- United States
- Prior art keywords
- medial
- lateral
- ankle
- shoe
- sidewall
- Prior art date
- Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
- Abandoned
Links
- 210000003423 ankle Anatomy 0.000 title claims abstract description 55
- 210000000544 articulatio talocruralis Anatomy 0.000 claims abstract description 21
- 239000004033 plastic Substances 0.000 description 5
- 210000002683 foot Anatomy 0.000 description 4
- 239000000463 material Substances 0.000 description 4
- 208000027418 Wounds and injury Diseases 0.000 description 3
- 208000022542 ankle injury Diseases 0.000 description 3
- 230000006378 damage Effects 0.000 description 3
- 239000004744 fabric Substances 0.000 description 3
- 208000014674 injury Diseases 0.000 description 3
- 230000008901 benefit Effects 0.000 description 2
- 239000006260 foam Substances 0.000 description 2
- 239000002759 woven fabric Substances 0.000 description 2
- 206010060820 Joint injury Diseases 0.000 description 1
- 206010024453 Ligament sprain Diseases 0.000 description 1
- 239000004677 Nylon Substances 0.000 description 1
- 230000000386 athletic effect Effects 0.000 description 1
- 230000003993 interaction Effects 0.000 description 1
- 210000003041 ligament Anatomy 0.000 description 1
- 230000004048 modification Effects 0.000 description 1
- 238000012986 modification Methods 0.000 description 1
- 229920001778 nylon Polymers 0.000 description 1
- 238000005096 rolling process Methods 0.000 description 1
Images
Classifications
-
- A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
- A61—MEDICAL OR VETERINARY SCIENCE; HYGIENE
- A61F—FILTERS IMPLANTABLE INTO BLOOD VESSELS; PROSTHESES; DEVICES PROVIDING PATENCY TO, OR PREVENTING COLLAPSING OF, TUBULAR STRUCTURES OF THE BODY, e.g. STENTS; ORTHOPAEDIC, NURSING OR CONTRACEPTIVE DEVICES; FOMENTATION; TREATMENT OR PROTECTION OF EYES OR EARS; BANDAGES, DRESSINGS OR ABSORBENT PADS; FIRST-AID KITS
- A61F5/00—Orthopaedic methods or devices for non-surgical treatment of bones or joints; Nursing devices; Anti-rape devices
- A61F5/01—Orthopaedic devices, e.g. splints, casts or braces
- A61F5/0102—Orthopaedic devices, e.g. splints, casts or braces specially adapted for correcting deformities of the limbs or for supporting them; Ortheses, e.g. with articulations
- A61F5/0127—Orthopaedic devices, e.g. splints, casts or braces specially adapted for correcting deformities of the limbs or for supporting them; Ortheses, e.g. with articulations for the feet
-
- A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
- A61—MEDICAL OR VETERINARY SCIENCE; HYGIENE
- A61F—FILTERS IMPLANTABLE INTO BLOOD VESSELS; PROSTHESES; DEVICES PROVIDING PATENCY TO, OR PREVENTING COLLAPSING OF, TUBULAR STRUCTURES OF THE BODY, e.g. STENTS; ORTHOPAEDIC, NURSING OR CONTRACEPTIVE DEVICES; FOMENTATION; TREATMENT OR PROTECTION OF EYES OR EARS; BANDAGES, DRESSINGS OR ABSORBENT PADS; FIRST-AID KITS
- A61F5/00—Orthopaedic methods or devices for non-surgical treatment of bones or joints; Nursing devices; Anti-rape devices
- A61F5/01—Orthopaedic devices, e.g. splints, casts or braces
- A61F5/0102—Orthopaedic devices, e.g. splints, casts or braces specially adapted for correcting deformities of the limbs or for supporting them; Ortheses, e.g. with articulations
- A61F2005/0132—Additional features of the articulation
- A61F2005/0137—Additional features of the articulation with two parallel pivots
-
- A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
- A61—MEDICAL OR VETERINARY SCIENCE; HYGIENE
- A61F—FILTERS IMPLANTABLE INTO BLOOD VESSELS; PROSTHESES; DEVICES PROVIDING PATENCY TO, OR PREVENTING COLLAPSING OF, TUBULAR STRUCTURES OF THE BODY, e.g. STENTS; ORTHOPAEDIC, NURSING OR CONTRACEPTIVE DEVICES; FOMENTATION; TREATMENT OR PROTECTION OF EYES OR EARS; BANDAGES, DRESSINGS OR ABSORBENT PADS; FIRST-AID KITS
- A61F5/00—Orthopaedic methods or devices for non-surgical treatment of bones or joints; Nursing devices; Anti-rape devices
- A61F5/01—Orthopaedic devices, e.g. splints, casts or braces
- A61F5/0102—Orthopaedic devices, e.g. splints, casts or braces specially adapted for correcting deformities of the limbs or for supporting them; Ortheses, e.g. with articulations
- A61F2005/0132—Additional features of the articulation
- A61F2005/0165—Additional features of the articulation with limits of movement
Definitions
- the disclosure pertains generally to preventative and rehabilitative equipment, and more particularly to an ankle brace.
- ankle injuries are among the most common cause of lost playing time in a sporting career, with a typical ankle injury leaving the athlete out of competition for up to a month.
- Ankle sprains occur when there is a rapid shifting of weight from one direction to another.
- the force generated from the movement causes the foot to roll either inwards, which is known as inversion rotation; or outwards, which is known as eversion rotation.
- inversion rotation inversion rotation
- eversion rotation outwards
- Both the inversion and eversion motion of the ankle cause the ligaments on the outside of the ankle to stretch or tear depending on the force that was generated during the movement.
- braces vary from woven fabric that acts as a glove and wraps around the ankle, to rigid plastic uprights that are strapped around the ankle.
- the woven fabric braces typically are made of a thin fabric that envelope the ankle and are laced together to support the ankle from both inversion and eversion rotation.
- the main drawback with these types of braces is that the material lacks the resistance to prevent the ankle from rolling under intense forces.
- fabric braces also have to be worn within the shoe, which causes the shoe to fit tighter or, in some cases, forces the user to move up a shoe size in order to wear the brace.
- these braces are typically much heavier than the fabric braces and also much larger.
- the present device overcomes the disadvantages in the related art in an ankle foot orthotic.
- the device is an external ankle brace for restricting movement of an ankle in a first direction and permitting movement of the ankle in a second direction, wherein the external ankle brace is disposed on the exterior of a shoe.
- the shoe has a heel portion, a sole, and oppositely disposed sides.
- the external ankle brace generally includes a rigid heel enclosure, a lateral upright extension, a medial upright extension, where the upright extensions are pivotally connected to the rigid heel enclosure, and the device lastly includes two fastening systems to secure both sides of the heel enclosure together and to secure the external ankle brace to the shoe.
- the rigid heel enclosure includes a rear portion and a forward portion. The rear portion is for receiving the heel of the shoe.
- the forward portion further includes a medial sidewall and a lateral sidewall and is for surrounding the sides of the shoe.
- the lateral upright extension and the medial upright extension are perpendicular to the rigid heel enclosure and pivotally attached to each respective sidewall.
- the lower fastening system includes at least one connecting strap for connecting the lateral sidewall to the medial sidewall underneath the sole of the shoe.
- the upper fastening system includes at least one connecting strap for removably connecting the lateral sidewall to the medial sidewall across the top of the shoe.
- the external ankle brace further includes a lateral ankle joint that pivotally connects the lateral upright extension to the lateral sidewall and allows the lateral upright extension to move in the second direction relative to the rigid heel enclosure.
- the lateral ankle joint, the lateral upright extension, and the rigid heel enclosure prevent movement of the ankle in the first direction.
- the external ankle brace further includes a medial ankle joint that pivotally connects the medial upright extension to the medial sidewall and allows the medial upright extension to move in the second direction relative to the rigid heel enclosure.
- the medial ankle joint, the medial upright extension, and the rigid heel enclosure prevent movement in the first direction.
- the rigid heel enclosure includes oppositely disposed upper and lower ends, where the medial ankle joint is positioned closer to the upper end than the position of the lateral ankle joint.
- the external ankle brace further comprises an upright fastening system which includes at least one connecting strap for removably connecting the lateral upright extension to the medial upright extension above the ankle.
- FIG. 1 is a lateral side view showing the external ankle brace with an athletic shoe.
- FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the external ankle brace from the medial side.
- FIG. 3 is a perspective view showing the underside of the external ankle brace.
- FIG. 4 is a perspective view of the external ankle brace from the lateral side.
- FIG. 5 is a top view of the external ankle brace.
- FIG. 6 is a rear view of the external ankle brace.
- spatially relative terms such as “under,” “below,” “lower,” “over,” “upper” and the like, may be used herein for ease of description to describe one element or feature's relationship to another element(s) or feature(s) as illustrated in the figures. It will be understood that the spatially relative terms can encompass different orientations of the apparatus in use or operation in addition to the orientation depicted in the figures. For example, if the apparatus in the figures is inverted, elements described as “under” or “beneath” other elements or features would then be oriented “over” the other elements or features.
- Ankle injuries are among the most common cause of lost playing time in a sporting career and although there are current preventative solutions, those current braces leave the user at risk for further injury because either the brace isn't strong enough to support the ankle or the shoe isn't fitted properly to the foot since “inside the shoe” braces tend to force the user to use a bigger shoe size.
- the present disclosure provides a rigid support and a much faster application time, all without compromising the fit of the shoe.
- the present disclosure relates to an external ankle brace that is adapted to fit around a shoe to prevent and minimize injury to an ankle.
- the shoe having a heel portion, a sole, and oppositely disposed sides.
- the interaction between the external ankle brace and the shoe can be seen in FIG. 1 .
- the external ankle brace of the present disclosure is generally indicated at 50 in FIG. 2 .
- the external ankle brace 50 includes a rigid heel enclosure 10 , a lateral upright extension 20 , a medial upright extension 22 , a lower fastening system 24 , and an upper fastening system 28 .
- the rigid heel enclosure 10 has a rear portion 12 ( FIG. 3 ), for receiving the heel of the shoe, and a forward portion 14 , for surrounding the sides of the shoe.
- the heel enclosure 10 may be made from rigid plastic pieces or any other suitable material.
- the forward portion 14 further includes a medial sidewall 16 and a lateral sidewall 18 .
- the rigid heel enclosure 10 also has an upper end 36 ( FIG. 2 ) for receiving the upright extensions 20 and 22 , and a lower end 38 for surrounding the bottom of the shoe.
- the lateral upright extension 20 is oriented generally perpendicular to the rigid heel enclosure 10 and is pivotally attached to the lateral sidewall 18 at the upper end 36 by a lateral ankle joint 32 ( FIG. 4 ).
- the joint allows the lateral upright extension 20 to rotate during motion giving the external ankle brace a less restrictive feel compared to previous braces.
- the lateral upright extension 20 may be made from plastic or any other suitable material.
- the lateral ankle joint 32 includes a fastener 47 and allows the lateral upright extension 20 to rotate relative to the lateral sidewall 18 .
- the lateral upright extension 20 has a concave shape for increased comfort for the user.
- the lateral upright extension 20 can also include foam padding on the interior side 21 ( FIG. 2 ) of the lateral upright extension 20 to increase comfort and to allow a better fit for the user.
- the medial upright extension 22 is perpendicular to the rigid heel enclosure 10 and is pivotally attached to the medial sidewall 16 at the upper end 36 by a medial ankle joint 34 .
- the medial upright extension 22 may be made of rigid plastic or any other suitable material.
- the medial ankle joint 34 has a fastener 47 and allows the medial upright extension 22 to rotate relative to the medial sidewall 16 . To adjust for anatomical positioning of the ankle, the medial ankle joint 34 is positioned closer to the upper end 36 than the position of the lateral ankle joint 32 .
- the medial upright extension 22 has a concave shape for increased comfort for the user.
- the medial upright extension 22 can also include foam padding on the interior side 23 ( FIG. 4 ) of the medial upright extension to increase comfort and to allow a better fit for the user.
- the lower fastening system 24 has at least one connecting strap 26 and at least one strap fastener 48 for connecting the lateral sidewall 18 to the medial sidewall 16 ( FIG. 2 ) while passing underneath the sole of the shoe.
- the current embodiment uses a rubber strap 26 , one having ordinary skill in the art would appreciate that plastic, nylon, or any other suitable strap type that is commonly known in the art could be used.
- the current embodiment uses rivets 48 to fasten the straps to each of the lateral and medial sidewalls 18 and 16 respectively, any other fastener could be used.
- the upper fastening system 28 has at least one connecting strap 30 and at least one strap fastener 48 ( FIG. 4 ) for removably connecting the lateral sidewall 18 to the medial sidewall 16 while passing over the top of the shoe.
- the upper fastening system further includes a D-ring 31 which is fixed on the lateral sidewall.
- the Velcro strap 30 is fixed to the medial sidewall and is looped through the D-ring 31 and overlaps back onto the strap 30 . This allows for an adjustable fastening system to accommodate various sizes without compromising support.
- the current embodiment uses a Velcro strap 30 to removeably connect the sidewalls 16 and 18 , one having ordinary skill in the art would appreciate that any kind of removable and adjustable strap can be used.
- the current embodiment only uses one connecting strap 30 , any number of straps can be used to removeably connect the sidewalls 16 and 18 over the top of the shoe.
- the external ankle brace 50 restricts movement of the ankle in the first directions indicated by arrows 44 and permits ankle movement in the second directions indicated by arrows 46 .
- Another embodiment could include an upright fastening system 40 ( FIG. 1 ), which would have at least one connecting strap for removably connecting the lateral upright extension 20 to the medial upright extension 22 above the ankle.
- This connecting strap could be Velcro or any other type of strap that would allow for an adjustable and removable connection.
Abstract
Description
- This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Patent Application Ser. No. 62/135,823, which was filed on Mar. 20, 2015, the entirety of which is hereby incorporated by reference for all purposes.
- 1. Field
- The disclosure pertains generally to preventative and rehabilitative equipment, and more particularly to an ankle brace.
- 2. Description of Related Art
- In the world of sports, ankle injuries are among the most common cause of lost playing time in a sporting career, with a typical ankle injury leaving the athlete out of competition for up to a month. Ankle sprains occur when there is a rapid shifting of weight from one direction to another. The force generated from the movement causes the foot to roll either inwards, which is known as inversion rotation; or outwards, which is known as eversion rotation. Both the inversion and eversion motion of the ankle cause the ligaments on the outside of the ankle to stretch or tear depending on the force that was generated during the movement.
- Current braces vary from woven fabric that acts as a glove and wraps around the ankle, to rigid plastic uprights that are strapped around the ankle. The woven fabric braces typically are made of a thin fabric that envelope the ankle and are laced together to support the ankle from both inversion and eversion rotation. The main drawback with these types of braces is that the material lacks the resistance to prevent the ankle from rolling under intense forces. Further, fabric braces also have to be worn within the shoe, which causes the shoe to fit tighter or, in some cases, forces the user to move up a shoe size in order to wear the brace. In terms of the rigid uprights braces, these braces are typically much heavier than the fabric braces and also much larger. Fitting a rigid brace into a tight shoe almost never works, which forces the user to move up to the next shoe size to accommodate for the bulkiness of the brace. When the user moves up a shoe size, the shoe is no longer sized correctly for the foot and thus loses a portion of its intended use and purpose. These braces leave the user at risk for further injury because either the brace isn't strong enough to support the ankle or the shoe isn't fitted properly to the foot.
- The present device overcomes the disadvantages in the related art in an ankle foot orthotic. The device is an external ankle brace for restricting movement of an ankle in a first direction and permitting movement of the ankle in a second direction, wherein the external ankle brace is disposed on the exterior of a shoe. The shoe has a heel portion, a sole, and oppositely disposed sides. The external ankle brace generally includes a rigid heel enclosure, a lateral upright extension, a medial upright extension, where the upright extensions are pivotally connected to the rigid heel enclosure, and the device lastly includes two fastening systems to secure both sides of the heel enclosure together and to secure the external ankle brace to the shoe. The rigid heel enclosure includes a rear portion and a forward portion. The rear portion is for receiving the heel of the shoe. The forward portion further includes a medial sidewall and a lateral sidewall and is for surrounding the sides of the shoe. The lateral upright extension and the medial upright extension are perpendicular to the rigid heel enclosure and pivotally attached to each respective sidewall. The lower fastening system includes at least one connecting strap for connecting the lateral sidewall to the medial sidewall underneath the sole of the shoe. The upper fastening system includes at least one connecting strap for removably connecting the lateral sidewall to the medial sidewall across the top of the shoe.
- The external ankle brace further includes a lateral ankle joint that pivotally connects the lateral upright extension to the lateral sidewall and allows the lateral upright extension to move in the second direction relative to the rigid heel enclosure.
- Together, the lateral ankle joint, the lateral upright extension, and the rigid heel enclosure prevent movement of the ankle in the first direction.
- Additionally, the external ankle brace further includes a medial ankle joint that pivotally connects the medial upright extension to the medial sidewall and allows the medial upright extension to move in the second direction relative to the rigid heel enclosure.
- Together, the medial ankle joint, the medial upright extension, and the rigid heel enclosure prevent movement in the first direction.
- Furthermore, the rigid heel enclosure includes oppositely disposed upper and lower ends, where the medial ankle joint is positioned closer to the upper end than the position of the lateral ankle joint.
- Lastly, the external ankle brace further comprises an upright fastening system which includes at least one connecting strap for removably connecting the lateral upright extension to the medial upright extension above the ankle.
- These and other features, aspects, and advantages of the present disclosure will become better understood when the following detailed description is read with reference to the accompanying drawings in which like numerals are used to indicate like structure throughout the various figures.
-
FIG. 1 is a lateral side view showing the external ankle brace with an athletic shoe. -
FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the external ankle brace from the medial side. -
FIG. 3 is a perspective view showing the underside of the external ankle brace. -
FIG. 4 is a perspective view of the external ankle brace from the lateral side. -
FIG. 5 is a top view of the external ankle brace. -
FIG. 6 is a rear view of the external ankle brace. - Unless defined otherwise, all technical and scientific terms used herein have the same meaning as is commonly understood by one of skill in the art to which the present disclosure pertains.
- In the context of the present disclosure, the singular forms “a,” “an” and “the” can include the plural forms as well, unless the context clearly indicates otherwise. It will be further understood that the terms “comprises” and/or “comprising,” as used herein, can specify the presence of stated features, steps, operations, elements, and/or components, but do not preclude the presence or addition of one or more other features, steps, operations, elements, components, and/or groups thereof.
- As used herein, the term “and/or” can include any and all combinations of one or more of the associated listed items.
- As used herein, the term “and/or” can include any and all combinations of one or more of the associated listed items.
- It will be understood that when an element is referred to as being “on,” “attached” to, “connected” to, “coupled” with, “contacting,” etc., another element, it can be directly on, attached to, connected to, coupled with or contacting the other element or intervening elements may also be present. In contrast, when an element is referred to as being, for example, “directly on,” “directly attached” to, “directly connected” to, “directly coupled” with or “directly contacting” another element, there are no intervening elements present. It will also be appreciated by those of skill in the art that references to a structure or feature that is disposed “adjacent” another feature may have portions that overlap or underlie the adjacent feature.
- Spatially relative terms, such as “under,” “below,” “lower,” “over,” “upper” and the like, may be used herein for ease of description to describe one element or feature's relationship to another element(s) or feature(s) as illustrated in the figures. It will be understood that the spatially relative terms can encompass different orientations of the apparatus in use or operation in addition to the orientation depicted in the figures. For example, if the apparatus in the figures is inverted, elements described as “under” or “beneath” other elements or features would then be oriented “over” the other elements or features.
- It will be understood that, although the terms “first,” “second,” etc. may be used herein to describe various elements, these elements should not be limited by these terms. These terms are only used to distinguish one element from another. Thus, a “first” element discussed below could also be termed a “second” element without departing from the teachings of the present disclosure.
- Ankle injuries are among the most common cause of lost playing time in a sporting career and although there are current preventative solutions, those current braces leave the user at risk for further injury because either the brace isn't strong enough to support the ankle or the shoe isn't fitted properly to the foot since “inside the shoe” braces tend to force the user to use a bigger shoe size. The present disclosure provides a rigid support and a much faster application time, all without compromising the fit of the shoe.
- The present disclosure relates to an external ankle brace that is adapted to fit around a shoe to prevent and minimize injury to an ankle. The shoe having a heel portion, a sole, and oppositely disposed sides. The interaction between the external ankle brace and the shoe can be seen in
FIG. 1 . - The external ankle brace of the present disclosure is generally indicated at 50 in
FIG. 2 . The external ankle brace 50 includes arigid heel enclosure 10, a lateral upright extension 20, a medial upright extension 22, a lower fastening system 24, and an upper fastening system 28. - The
rigid heel enclosure 10 has a rear portion 12 (FIG. 3 ), for receiving the heel of the shoe, and a forward portion 14, for surrounding the sides of the shoe. Theheel enclosure 10 may be made from rigid plastic pieces or any other suitable material. The forward portion 14 further includes a medial sidewall 16 and a lateral sidewall 18. Therigid heel enclosure 10 also has an upper end 36 (FIG. 2 ) for receiving the upright extensions 20 and 22, and alower end 38 for surrounding the bottom of the shoe. - The lateral upright extension 20 is oriented generally perpendicular to the
rigid heel enclosure 10 and is pivotally attached to the lateral sidewall 18 at the upper end 36 by a lateral ankle joint 32 (FIG. 4 ). The joint allows the lateral upright extension 20 to rotate during motion giving the external ankle brace a less restrictive feel compared to previous braces. The lateral upright extension 20 may be made from plastic or any other suitable material. The lateral ankle joint 32 includes a fastener 47 and allows the lateral upright extension 20 to rotate relative to the lateral sidewall 18. Although the current embodiment uses a screw as the fastener 47, one having ordinary skill in the art will appreciate that a pivot hinge, hex nut, revolving joint, or any other suitable member of the type commonly known in the art could be used to allow the joint to pivot. As shown inFIG. 5 , the lateral upright extension 20 has a concave shape for increased comfort for the user. The lateral upright extension 20 can also include foam padding on the interior side 21 (FIG. 2 ) of the lateral upright extension 20 to increase comfort and to allow a better fit for the user. - The medial upright extension 22 is perpendicular to the
rigid heel enclosure 10 and is pivotally attached to the medial sidewall 16 at the upper end 36 by a medial ankle joint 34. The medial upright extension 22 may be made of rigid plastic or any other suitable material. The medial ankle joint 34 has a fastener 47 and allows the medial upright extension 22 to rotate relative to the medial sidewall 16. To adjust for anatomical positioning of the ankle, the medial ankle joint 34 is positioned closer to the upper end 36 than the position of the lateral ankle joint 32. Although the current embodiment uses a screw as the fastener 47, one having ordinary skill in the art will appreciate that a pivot hinge, hex nut, revolving joint, or any other suitable member of the type commonly known in the art could be used to allow the joint to pivot. As shown inFIG. 5 , the medial upright extension 22 has a concave shape for increased comfort for the user. The medial upright extension 22 can also include foam padding on the interior side 23 (FIG. 4 ) of the medial upright extension to increase comfort and to allow a better fit for the user. - The lower fastening system 24 has at least one connecting strap 26 and at least one strap fastener 48 for connecting the lateral sidewall 18 to the medial sidewall 16 (
FIG. 2 ) while passing underneath the sole of the shoe. Although the current embodiment uses a rubber strap 26, one having ordinary skill in the art would appreciate that plastic, nylon, or any other suitable strap type that is commonly known in the art could be used. Similarly, although the current embodiment uses rivets 48 to fasten the straps to each of the lateral and medial sidewalls 18 and 16 respectively, any other fastener could be used. - The upper fastening system 28 has at least one connecting
strap 30 and at least one strap fastener 48 (FIG. 4 ) for removably connecting the lateral sidewall 18 to the medial sidewall 16 while passing over the top of the shoe. The upper fastening system further includes a D-ring 31 which is fixed on the lateral sidewall. TheVelcro strap 30 is fixed to the medial sidewall and is looped through the D-ring 31 and overlaps back onto thestrap 30. This allows for an adjustable fastening system to accommodate various sizes without compromising support. Although the current embodiment uses aVelcro strap 30 to removeably connect the sidewalls 16 and 18, one having ordinary skill in the art would appreciate that any kind of removable and adjustable strap can be used. Similarly, although the current embodiment only uses one connectingstrap 30, any number of straps can be used to removeably connect the sidewalls 16 and 18 over the top of the shoe. - As shown in
FIG. 5 , the external ankle brace 50 restricts movement of the ankle in the first directions indicated by arrows 44 and permits ankle movement in the second directions indicated by arrows 46. - Another embodiment could include an upright fastening system 40 (
FIG. 1 ), which would have at least one connecting strap for removably connecting the lateral upright extension 20 to the medial upright extension 22 above the ankle. This connecting strap could be Velcro or any other type of strap that would allow for an adjustable and removable connection. - The innovation has been described in an illustrative manner. It is to be understood that the terminology, which has been used is intended to be in the nature of words of description rather than of limitation. Many modifications and variations of the invention are possible in light of the above teachings. Therefore, within the scope of the appended claims, the innovation may be practiced other than as specifically described.
Claims (7)
Priority Applications (9)
Application Number | Priority Date | Filing Date | Title |
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US15/074,339 US20160270944A1 (en) | 2015-03-20 | 2016-03-18 | External ankle brace |
US15/642,430 US11413180B2 (en) | 2015-03-20 | 2017-07-06 | External ankle brace |
US16/374,865 US20190224032A1 (en) | 2015-03-20 | 2019-04-04 | External ankle brace |
US17/343,570 US11957611B2 (en) | 2021-06-09 | External ankle brace | |
US17/345,103 US11497644B2 (en) | 2015-03-20 | 2021-06-11 | External ankle brace |
US17/398,599 US20210361458A1 (en) | 2015-03-20 | 2021-08-10 | External ankle brace |
US17/399,562 US20210369482A1 (en) | 2015-03-20 | 2021-08-11 | External ankle brace |
US17/888,428 US20220395389A1 (en) | 2015-03-20 | 2022-08-15 | External ankle brace |
US17/986,290 US20230071044A1 (en) | 2015-03-20 | 2022-11-14 | External ankle brace |
Applications Claiming Priority (2)
Application Number | Priority Date | Filing Date | Title |
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US201562135823P | 2015-03-20 | 2015-03-20 | |
US15/074,339 US20160270944A1 (en) | 2015-03-20 | 2016-03-18 | External ankle brace |
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Application Number | Title | Priority Date | Filing Date |
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US15/642,430 Continuation-In-Part US11413180B2 (en) | 2015-03-20 | 2017-07-06 | External ankle brace |
US16/374,865 Continuation-In-Part US20190224032A1 (en) | 2015-03-20 | 2019-04-04 | External ankle brace |
US17/343,570 Continuation US11957611B2 (en) | 2021-06-09 | External ankle brace | |
US17/398,599 Continuation US20210361458A1 (en) | 2015-03-20 | 2021-08-10 | External ankle brace |
Publications (1)
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US20160270944A1 true US20160270944A1 (en) | 2016-09-22 |
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US15/074,339 Abandoned US20160270944A1 (en) | 2015-03-20 | 2016-03-18 | External ankle brace |
US17/398,599 Pending US20210361458A1 (en) | 2015-03-20 | 2021-08-10 | External ankle brace |
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Application Number | Title | Priority Date | Filing Date |
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US17/398,599 Pending US20210361458A1 (en) | 2015-03-20 | 2021-08-10 | External ankle brace |
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US (2) | US20160270944A1 (en) |
Cited By (4)
Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
---|---|---|---|---|
US20200268541A1 (en) * | 2019-02-22 | 2020-08-27 | The Government Of The United States, As Represented By The Secretary Of The Army | Spring Engagement and Disengagement During Gait Cycle |
US11413180B2 (en) | 2015-03-20 | 2022-08-16 | TayCo Brace, LLC | External ankle brace |
WO2022204557A1 (en) * | 2021-03-25 | 2022-09-29 | TayCo Brace, LLC | External ankle brace |
US11957611B2 (en) | 2021-06-09 | 2024-04-16 | Tayco Brace, Inc. | External ankle brace |
Citations (16)
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US4510927A (en) * | 1983-04-14 | 1985-04-16 | Peters Rick E | Ankle brace |
US4771768A (en) * | 1986-12-16 | 1988-09-20 | United States Manufacturing Company | Controlled motion ankle fracture walker |
US4834078A (en) * | 1986-06-03 | 1989-05-30 | Lutz Biedermann | Ankle-joint orthopaedic prosthesis |
US5031607A (en) * | 1989-09-07 | 1991-07-16 | Active Ankle Systems, Inc. | Ankle brace |
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US5921945A (en) * | 1995-11-13 | 1999-07-13 | Gray; James C. | Splint/therapeutic device |
US6299587B1 (en) * | 2000-06-08 | 2001-10-09 | William W. Birmingham | Ankle-foot orthosis and method |
US6669659B2 (en) * | 2002-02-22 | 2003-12-30 | Andrew M. Dittmer | Portable foldable splint |
US7127836B1 (en) * | 2004-11-15 | 2006-10-31 | Jamison John R | Shoe and boot protecting assembly |
US20090287127A1 (en) * | 2008-05-15 | 2009-11-19 | Irving Hu | Circumferential walker |
US7624519B1 (en) * | 2007-04-02 | 2009-12-01 | Thorne Robert G | Foot and ankle protective apparatus |
US9259343B2 (en) * | 2012-07-06 | 2016-02-16 | Newman Technologies LLC | Device for mitigating plantar fasciitis |
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US6860864B2 (en) * | 2001-12-28 | 2005-03-01 | Grant C. Meyer | D-DAFO (DeRoss-dynamic ankle foot orthosis) |
CA2439998C (en) * | 2003-03-04 | 2011-11-15 | F.L.A. Orthopedics, Inc. | Orthopedic night foot splint |
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- 2016-03-18 US US15/074,339 patent/US20160270944A1/en not_active Abandoned
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US5094232A (en) * | 1987-01-29 | 1992-03-10 | Exoflex , Inc. | Ankle brace with floating pivot hinge |
US5031607A (en) * | 1989-09-07 | 1991-07-16 | Active Ankle Systems, Inc. | Ankle brace |
US5429588A (en) * | 1993-02-17 | 1995-07-04 | Innovative Care Ltd. | Ankle foot orthoses known as lower leg walkers |
US5571078A (en) * | 1993-06-30 | 1996-11-05 | Empi, Inc. | Range-of-motion ankle splint |
US5921945A (en) * | 1995-11-13 | 1999-07-13 | Gray; James C. | Splint/therapeutic device |
US5792087A (en) * | 1996-10-30 | 1998-08-11 | Pringle; Joe | Injury preventing ankle brace |
US6299587B1 (en) * | 2000-06-08 | 2001-10-09 | William W. Birmingham | Ankle-foot orthosis and method |
US6669659B2 (en) * | 2002-02-22 | 2003-12-30 | Andrew M. Dittmer | Portable foldable splint |
US7127836B1 (en) * | 2004-11-15 | 2006-10-31 | Jamison John R | Shoe and boot protecting assembly |
US7624519B1 (en) * | 2007-04-02 | 2009-12-01 | Thorne Robert G | Foot and ankle protective apparatus |
US20090287127A1 (en) * | 2008-05-15 | 2009-11-19 | Irving Hu | Circumferential walker |
US9259343B2 (en) * | 2012-07-06 | 2016-02-16 | Newman Technologies LLC | Device for mitigating plantar fasciitis |
US9844455B2 (en) * | 2013-03-12 | 2017-12-19 | Scott Orthotics, LLC | Ankle-foot orthosis |
Cited By (5)
Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
---|---|---|---|---|
US11413180B2 (en) | 2015-03-20 | 2022-08-16 | TayCo Brace, LLC | External ankle brace |
US11497644B2 (en) | 2015-03-20 | 2022-11-15 | Tayco Brace, Inc. | External ankle brace |
US20200268541A1 (en) * | 2019-02-22 | 2020-08-27 | The Government Of The United States, As Represented By The Secretary Of The Army | Spring Engagement and Disengagement During Gait Cycle |
WO2022204557A1 (en) * | 2021-03-25 | 2022-09-29 | TayCo Brace, LLC | External ankle brace |
US11957611B2 (en) | 2021-06-09 | 2024-04-16 | Tayco Brace, Inc. | External ankle brace |
Also Published As
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US20210361458A1 (en) | 2021-11-25 |
US20210298938A1 (en) | 2021-09-30 |
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