WO2020160610A1

WO2020160610A1 - Cam boots and accessories therefor

Info

Publication number: WO2020160610A1
Application number: PCT/AU2020/050085
Authority: WO
Inventors: Erika Dutz
Original assignee: Doots For Boots Pty Ltd
Priority date: 2019-02-06
Filing date: 2020-02-05
Publication date: 2020-08-13
Also published as: AU2020219863A1

Abstract

A shield releasably attachable to a CAM boot to shield a sole of the CAM boot from a floor, the shield comprising a sole portion, the sole portion being formed of resilient material and shaped to follow, and separate from the floor, a bottom of the sole.

Description

CAM boots and accessories therefor FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The invention relates to CAM boots and accessories therefor.

BACKGROUND TO THE INVENTION Figure 1 illustrates an exemplary Controlled Ankle Motion boot (CAM boot). CAM boots are also known as moon boots, CAM walkers and walking boots.

Typical CAM boots comprise a rocker sole, a rigid frame and restraints (such as the illustrated strapping) by which the user's lower leg and foot are restrained to control the motion of the ankle. CAM boots are employed to facilitate healing such as when the user's toe, foot and/or ankle is/are fractured, and/or subsequent to surgery on one of those body parts.

Such healing typically takes at least a few weeks. During this period users should wear the CAM boots substantially continuously at least during waking hours. This presents a variety of problems.

CAM boots are less than attractive. To address this issue, various cosmetic covers are available to overlie the shaft and foot portions of the boot.

CAM boots can track dirt into the house as they should not be left at the door when one enters as many users do with their conventional shoes. To address this problem, some users have each attempted to bag their foot and CAM boot utilising a disposable plastic bag fastened with adhesive tape wrapped about the shaft of the boot. The present inventor has recognised that these arrangements are far from ideal. Firstly, such bags are typically shiny and therefore slippery whereby the user is risking a fall and further injury. The bags can also move about and thereby have the potential to snag and potentially trip the user, thus presenting further potential for further injury. Such bags are typically less than durable whereby any given bag tends to wear out rather rapidly. Finally, taped-on bags are less than attractive and taping on the bags and cutting them off is tiresome.

With the foregoing in mind, the present invention aims to provide improvements, or at least an alternative, for those concerned with CAM boots. It is not admitted that any of the information in this patent specification is common general knowledge, or that the person skilled in the art could be reasonably expected to ascertain or understand it, regard it as relevant or combine it in any way before the priority date.

SUMMARY One aspect of the invention provides a shield releasably attachable to a CAM boot to shield a sole of the CAM boot from a floor, the shield comprising a sole portion; the sole portion being formed of resilient material and shaped to follow, and separate from the floor, a bottom of the sole.

The shield preferably comprises one or more features co-operable with one or more features about a periphery of the sole to fix the sole portion relative to the sole.

Another aspect of the invention provides a shield releasably attachable to a CAM boot to shield a sole of the CAM boot from a floor, the shield comprising a sole portion to separate a bottom of the sole from the floor; and one or more features co-operable one or more features about a periphery of the sole to fix the sole portion relative to the sole.

The one or more features of the shield may be configured to clip on to the CAM boot. Another aspect of the invention provides a cover comprising the shield and an upper configured to together cover substantially all of a foot portion of the CAM boot.

Preferably the shield and the upper are configured to together cover substantially all of the CAM boot. The upper may be capable of opening from top to bottom to receive the CAM boot.

Another aspect of the invention provides a cover, for covering substantially all of a CAM boot, comprising a shield for shielding a sole of a CAM boot from a floor; and an upper capable of opening from top to bottom to receive the CAM boot. The cover may comprise complementary touch-fastening portions for holding the upper in a closed configuration and releasable to enable the upper to open from top to bottom to receive the CAM boot.

Most preferably at least a portion of the upper is separable from a periphery of the shield. Another aspect of the invention provides the shield in combination with the CAM boot.

Another aspect of the invention provides the cover in combination with the CAM boot. Another aspect of the invention provides a CAM boot in combination with a cover for covering substantially all of the CAM boot, the cover comprising a sole portion to separate a bottom of the CAM boot from the floor; and an upper. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Figure 1 is a perspective view of a CAM boot in use;

Figure 2 is a side view of an open cover embracing a CAM boot;

Figure 3 is a front view of the cover of Figure 2;

Figure 4 is another side view of the cover of Figure 2; Figure 5 is a side view of the cover in its closed configuration;

Figure 6 schematically illustrates aspects of the upper of the cover;

Figure 7 is a perspective view schematically illustrating the sole-fastening arrangements;

Figure 8 is a lengthwise cross section view of the boot and cover of Figure 7; Figure 9 is a side view of the foot portion of the boot and cover of Figure 7; and

Figure 10 is a transverse cross section view of the lower portions of the boot and cover of Figure 7.

DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENTS

Figure 1 illustrates a typical CAM boot CB comprising a sole S integrated with a rigid frame F. The CAM boot CB further comprises strapping ST. The CAM boot CB has a relatively long shaft terminating in the vicinity of the top of the user's calf. Shorter CAM boots are also available.

Figure 2 illustrates a cover 1 comprising an upper 3 and a shield portion 5. The upper 3 and shield portion 5 together substantially enclose the entire CAM boot CB to shield the entire CAM boot, including its underside, from soiling, protect the user's toes from the elements and improve the aesthetics of the CAM boot.

Figures 7 to 10 illustrate a preferred variant of the shield 5. The shield 5 may take the form of a single integrally formed membrane of suitable resilient material (such as silicone rubber) to grip both the overlying sole S and an underlying floor to minimise slippage.

For the avoidance of doubt, 'resilient' is used herein in it's ordinary sense to refer to materials that elastically deform to an appreciable extent when exposed to the forces that one might expect it to face in use. The term 'resilient material' is used to embrace various possibilities such as rubber, silicone rubber and rubberised plastics and in contrast to freely pliable materials such as canvas fabric of the upper 3 and the rigid plastic of the frame F.

In this example, the shield 5 comprises a sole portion shaped to follow the underside of the sole S. For this purpose the sole portion 5a might have a free shape corresponding to the contours of the sole S. Alternatively it may be shaped to follow the sole S by resiliently deforming when fitted to the sole S.

Preferably the sole covering portion 5a has a substantially uniform thickness and is not so thick as to adversely impact upon the geometry of the rocker sole. A sole thickness substantially in the range of 1 mm to 10mm, or more preferably 2mm to 5mm, is regarded as an advantageous compromise between resilience and gripping on the one hand and minimising geometry changes on the other.

The sole portion 5a may comprise a sole pattern, such as an arrangement of ridges or grooves. For the avoidance of doubt, a sole comprising grooves small enough not to be felt by the user when the rocker sole rocks on the floor is regarded as of uniform thickness as the words are used herein. The critical points by which the thickness of the sole are characterised are of course the points of contact with the sole S and the underlying floor. Different tread patterns, e.g. to suit different environmental conditions, are possible.

The shield 5 incorporates hooks 5b designed to clip on to the sole S at selected locations about the periphery of the sole S. In this example there are hooks to clip on at the front, back, left side and right side of the sole S. The front hook 5b is designed to hook over the front of the sole S whereas the rear and side hooks are configured to hook over lips in those areas about the sole.

Other fixation features are possible. By way of example the sole might be held in place with suitable regions of touch-fastening material, e.g. with hook and loop material (aka VELCRO™). Magnetic fastening arrangements are also possible, e.g. the shield might magnetically co-operate with the boot sole (at its periphery or elsewhere). Such arrangements may well be more user-friendly and thus better suited for children and less dexterous users.

Fixing the shield 5 to the periphery of the sole S helps to locate the sole portion 5a so that the cover 1 can be utilised without posing any significant slipping and/or tripping hazard, or otherwise detracting from the user's sensation of the rocker sole S rocking along the ground.

Whilst it is preferred that the sole portion 5a is formed of a resilient material, it is not the only option. Peripheral fixation can be usefully applied in other contexts. By way of example a freely pliable sole portion 5a may be stretched and fixed in place via peripheral fixation. Likewise, a rigid sole portion, perhaps carrying resilient gripping pads, might benefit from peripheral fixation.

Moreover, whilst preferably the shield 5 forms part of the cover 1 , for various purposes it may be usefully employed without the upper 3, e.g. in combination with a sole-less cosmetic cover. The upper 3 incorporates a foot portion 7 and a shaft portion 9, both of which are formed of suitable freely pliable web-material such as canvas or leather. An opening 1 1 opens from the top T to the bottom B of the upper 3 to receive the CAM boot CB. In this example the upper 3 is separable from a portion of the periphery of the sole 5 (as best illustrated in Figure 4) for easy receipt of the boot into the cover/fitment of the cover to the CAM boot CB. Preferably the separable portion of the cover is wider than the sole portion 5a (or at least wider than the sole S). In this example the releasable portion of the upper opens along the rear third of the medial portion of the sole's periphery. The cover is re-attachable to the shield 5 with the aid of complementary touch-fastening portions 13. Of course, other fastening arrangements are possible e.g. a zipper, buttons or press-studs may also be useful. In this example, the opening 11 is closable with the aid of overlapping portions of fabric 11 a, 11 b and suitable touch-fastening arrangements. Other touch-fastening arrangements, such as those previously mentioned, may be employed here.

To close the opening 1 1 the front flap 1 1 a is smoothed rearwardly by hand into position about the medial portion of the boot and to engage complementary touch fastening portions 13. The other flap, in this case rearward flap 1 1 b, is then smoothed forwardly by hand to overlie and the flap 1 1 a to form the overlapping region 1 1 a, 1 1 b illustrated in Figure 6 and retain that shape with suitable touch- fasteners (or other fastening arrangement such as one or more of those previously described).

It is also contemplated that the full-length opening may be usefully employed in the context of other covers, and that other covers for covering substantially all of a CAM boot may be useful.

The invention is not limited to the examples described herein. Rather the invention is defined by the claims. The term 'comprises' and its grammatical variants has a meaning that is determined by the context in which it appears. Accordingly, the term should not be interpreted exhaustively unless the context dictates so.

Claims

1. A shield releasably attachable to a CAM boot to shield a sole of the CAM boot from a floor, the shield comprising a sole portion; the sole portion being formed of resilient material and shaped to follow, and separate from the floor, a bottom of the sole.

2. The shield of claim 1 comprising one or more features co-operable with one or more features about a periphery of the sole to fix the sole portion relative to the sole.

3. A shield releasably attachable to a CAM boot to shield a sole of the CAM boot from a floor, the shield comprising a sole portion to separate a bottom of the sole from the floor; and one or more features co-operable one or more features about a periphery of the sole to fix the sole portion relative to the sole.

4. The shield of claim 2 or 3 wherein the one or more features of the shield are configured to clip on to the CAM boot.

5. A cover comprising the shield of any one of claims 1 to 4 and an upper configured to together cover substantially all of a foot portion of the CAM boot.

6. The cover of claim 5 wherein the shield and the upper are configured to together cover substantially all of the CAM boot.

7. The cover of claim 5 or 6 wherein upper is capable of opening from top to bottom to receive the CAM boot.

8. A cover, for covering substantially all of a CAM boot, comprising a shield for shielding a sole of a CAM boot from a floor; and an upper capable of opening from top to bottom to receive the CAM boot.

9. The cover of claim 7 or 8 comprising complementary touch-fastening portions for holding the upper in a closed configuration and releasable to enable the upper to open from top to bottom to receive the CAM boot.

10. The cover of claim 7, 8 or 9 wherein at least a portion of the upper is separable from a periphery of the shield.

1 1. The shield of any one of claims 1 to 4 in combination with the CAM boot.

12. The cover of any one of claims 5 to 10 in combination with the CAM boot.

13. A CAM boot in combination with a cover for covering substantially all of the

CAM boot, the cover comprising a sole portion to separate a bottom of the CAM boot from the floor; and an upper.