ANKLE WALKER

• US 20130066247A1
• Filed: 09/13/2011
• Published: 03/14/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 09/13/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Velocity Medical LLC
• Original Assignee: Velocity Express LLC (TFI International, Inc.)
• Inventors: Bird, John R., Bird, Matthew J., Baker, Dennis W., Bollmann, Jeffrey J.
• Granted Patent: US 8,574,181 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 602/13
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 5/0111 for the feet or ankles

Abstract

An ankle walker including an ankle shell, an inner lining, at least one bladder and at least one strap is provided. The ankle shell includes a base, a lower foot portion, a first and second side panel and a back panel. The lower foot portion extends upward from the base. The first side panel and second side panel extend from respective first and second portions of the lower foot portion. The back panel extends from a third portion of the lower foot portion and is positioned between the first and second side panels. The ankle shell has a first slot separating the first side panel from the back panel and a second slot separating the second side panel from the back panel. At least one of the first and second slots has a height that is at least one half the height of the ankle walker.

Claims

1. A walker shell comprising:

a base configured and arranged to support the weight of a patient using the walker shell;

a first side panel connected to the base and terminating in a first side panel top edge;

a second side panel connected to the base and terminating in a second side panel top edge, the second side panel positioned across the base from the first side panel;

a back panel connected to the base and terminating in a back panel top edge, the back panel positioned between the first and second side panels, the first side panel and the back panel having a first slot there between, the second side panel and the back panel having a second slot there between, the walker shell having a height extending between the base and the first and second side panel top edges, the first slot and the second slot extending at least one half the height of the walker shell to allow the back panel to move relative to the first and second side panels to allow for the walker shell to be easily positioned about a patient'"'"'s calf when the patient is putting on the walker shell.

2. The walker shell of claim 1 comprising:

a lower foot portion extending upward from the base proximate a portion of an outer perimeter of the base;

the first side panel extending from a first portion of the lower foot portion;

the second side panel extending from a second portion of the lower foot portion; and

the back panel extending from a third portion of the lower foot portion.

3. The walker shell of claim 1, wherein the first slot and the second slot extend at least two thirds of the height of the walker shell.

4. The walker shell of claim 1, wherein the first slot and the second slot extend at least to a location where a malleolus protrusion of a patient'"'"'s ankle would be positioned when using the walker shell.

5. The walker shell of claim 1, wherein the first and second side panels each have a malleolus concavity positioned to receive a malleolus ankle protrusion of a patient;

and

the first slot and the second slot extending to at least one malleolus concavity.

6. The walker shell of claim 1, wherein at least one of the first and second side panels have an air pump aperture and a release valve aperture.

7. The walker shell of claim 6, wherein the air pump aperture and the release valve aperture are positioned proximate a top edge of the at least one first and second side panels.

8. The walker shell of claim 1, further comprising:

the base including at least one foot support passage configured and arranged to hold a foot support in a static position in relation to the base.

9. The walker shell of claim 1, wherein the base further includes a top surface and a bottom surface, the bottom surface including a holding rail guide configured and arranged to hold a rail of a sole to maintain the sole in a static position in relation to the base.

10. The walker shell of claim 1, wherein the back panel includes at least one strap guide configured and arranged to receive a strap.

11. An ankle walker comprising:

an ankle shell including,

a base configured and arranged to support the weight of a patient using the walker shell,

a lower foot portion extending upward from the base proximate a portion of an outer perimeter of the base,

a first side panel extending from a first portion of the lower foot portion,

a second side panel extending from a second portion of the lower foot portion, the second side panel positioned across the base from the first side panel, and

a back panel extending from a third portion of the lower foot portion, the back portion positioned between the first and second side panels, the ankle shell having a first slot separating the first side panel from the back panel and a second slot separating the second side panel from the back panel, the ankle walker having a height extending between the base and an upper edge of at least one of the first and second side panels of the walker shell, at least one of the first and second slots having a height that is at least one half the height of the ankle walker, further wherein the base, lower foot portion, first and second side panels and back panel form an ankle shell cavity in which a patient'"'"'s lower foot is received;

an inner lining configured and arranged to fit within the ankle shell cavity;

at least one bladder configured and arranged to be selectively inflated, the at least one bladder positioned within the ankle shell cavity; and

at least one strap configured and arranged to secure the ankle shell around a patient'"'"'s lower leg.

12. The ankle walker of claim 11, wherein the at least one of the first slot and the second slot has a height that extends at least two thirds the height of the ankle walker.

13. The ankle walker shell of claim 11, wherein the at least one of the first slot and the second slot has a height that extends at least to a location where a patient'"'"'s malleolus would be positioned when using the ankle walker.

14. The ankle walker of claim 11, further comprising:

a front panel configured and arranged to provide support to a patient'"'"'s front portion of the lower leg, the front panel secured to provide support by the at least one strap.

15. The ankle walker of claim 14, further comprising:

at least one connector configured and arranged to selectively couple the front panel to the inner lining.

16. The ankle walker of claim 11, wherein the inner liner is formed from a single piece of material.

17. The ankle walker of claim 16, wherein the inner liner further comprises:

a bottom portion that includes a foot support portion and a toe wrap portion;

a first foot portion extending from a first portion of the foot support portion of the bottom portion, a first score line separating the first foot portion from the foot support portion;

a second foot portion extending from a second portion of the foot support portion of the bottom portion in an opposed fashion in relation to the first foot portion, a second score line separating the second foot portion from the foot support portion, the first and second foot portions configured and arranged to be selectively coupled around a foot of a patient;

a first leg portion extending from a portion of the first foot portion; and

a second leg portion extending from a portion of the second foot portion, the first and second leg portions configured and arranged to be selectively coupled around a leg of the patient.

18. The ankle walker of claim 17, wherein the toe wrap is configured and arranged to have an open position to allow the toes of the patient to be exposed and a closed position that covers the toes of the patient.

19. An ankle walker comprising:

an ankle shell including,

a base configured and arranged to support the weight of a patient using the walker shell,

a lower foot portion extending upward from the base proximate a portion of an outer perimeter of the base,

a first side panel extending from a first portion of the lower foot portion, the first side panel having a first malleolus concavity positioned to receive a malleolus of a foot of a patient positioned in the ankle walker, the first malleolus concavity located proximate the lower foot portion,

a second side panel extending from a second portion of the lower foot portion, the second side panel positioned across the base from the first side panel, the second side panel having a second malleolus concavity positioned to receive a malleolus of an ankle of a patient positioned in the ankle walker, the second malleolus concavity located proximate the lower foot portion, and

a back panel extending from a third portion of the lower foot portion, the back portion positioned between the first and second side panels, the ankle shell having a first slot separating the first side panel from the back panel and a second slot separating the second side panel from the back panel such that the back panel can move independent of the first and second side panels, the first slot extending from an upper edge of the first side panel to at least the first malleolus concavity, the second slot extending from an upper edge of the second side panel to at least the second malleolus concavity, further wherein the base, lower foot portion, first and second side panels and back panel forming an ankle shell cavity in which a patient'"'"'s lower foot is received;

an inner lining configured and arranged to fit within the ankle shell cavity;

at least one bladder configured and arranged to be selectively inflated, the at least one bladder positioned within the ankle shell cavity; and

at least one strap configured and arranged to secure the ankle shell around a patient'"'"'s lower leg.

20. The ankle walker of claim 19, further comprising:

at least one air inflation pump in fluid communication with the at least one bladder to pump air into the bladder; and

an air release valve in fluid communication with the at least one bladder to selectively release air out of the bladder.

21. The ankle walker of claim 19, further comprising:

a front panel configured and arranged to provided support to a patient'"'"'s front portion of the lower leg, the front panel secured to provide support by the at least one strap; and

at least one connector configured and arranged to selectively couple the front panel to the inner lining.

22. The ankle walker of claim 19, further comprising:

a foot support member coupled on an upper surface of the base that is within the ankle shell cavity; and

a sole coupled to a bottom surface of the base.