Ankle brace

• US 5,891,073 A
• Filed: 07/06/1998
• Issued: 04/06/1999
• Est. Priority Date: 08/02/1996
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Medsearch R & D Pty. Ltd., Medsearch R & D Pty. Ltd. A.C.N.
• Original Assignee: Medsearch R & D Pty. Ltd.
• Inventors: Sherry, Eugene, Deirmendjian, Gary Kara
• Primary Examiner(s): DVORAK, LINDA C
• Application Number:
  US09/110,921
• Time in Patent Office: 274 Days
• Field of Search: 602/5, 602/23, 602/24, 602/27-29, 602/60-62, 602/65, 602/66, 128/882
• US Class Current: 602/27
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 5/0111 for the feet or ankles
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 5/30 Pressure-pads corn-pads, corn-rings A61F13/06; tourniquets A61B17/132

Abstract

An ankle brace comprising ankle anchor strap (7) adapted to attach to the ankle of a user above the ankle joint and a heel support (5) adapted to fit under and support the heel of the user. A first bracing strap (11) extends from a point at or adjacent to a rear portion of the heel support (5) to a point at or adjacent a front portion of the ankle anchor strap (7) when each is fitted to the foot of said user. A second bracing strap (11) extends from a point at or adjacent to a front portion of the heel support (5) to a point at or adjacent a rear portion of the ankle anchor strap (7) when each is fitted to the foot of said user said first and second bracing straps (11) extending around an outer side of the user'"'"'s ankle in use and each adapted, in use, to apply a tensile force to the heel support (5) so as to seek to raise the outer side of the user'"'"'s heel.

Claims

1. An ankle brace adapted for fitting to an ankle comprising:

ankle anchor means adapted to attach to the ankle of a user above the ankle joint;

heel support means adapted to fit under and support the heel of the user;

first bracing means extending from a point at or adjacent to a rearward lateral portion of the heel support means to a point at or adjacent a forward lateral portion of the ankle anchor means when the ankle brace is fitted to the foot of said user;

second bracing means extending from a point at or adjacent to a forward lateral portion of the heel support means to a point at or adjacent a rearward lateral portion of the ankle anchor means when the ankle brace is fitted to the foot of said user;

said first and second bracing means each being resilient and extending around a lateral side of the user'"'"'s ankle in use and each adapted, in use, to apply a tensile force to the heel support means so as to seek to raise the lateral side of the user'"'"'s heel and resist inversion of the ankle.

2. An ankle brace according to claim 1 wherein said first and second bracing means comprise resilient straps.

3. An ankle brace according to claim 2 wherein said straps are adjustable in length to allow for variations in foot size.

4. An ankle brace according to claim 1 wherein said straps are formed of resilient plastics material.

5. An ankle brace according to claim 1 wherein the ankle anchor means is attached to a medial side of heel support means.

6. An ankle brace according to claim 1 wherein the heel support means and the first and second bracing means are integrally formed from a single piece of resilient material.

7. An ankle brace according to claim 6 wherein the resilient material is formed as a laminate of different materials.

8. An ankle brace according to claim 1 wherein the ankle anchor means includes adjustable straps which wrap around the user'"'"'s leg in use to provide said attachment above the ankle joint.

9. An ankle brace according to claim 1 wherein both said first and second bracing means are provided by a single piece of material having a Y-shaped configuration, the base of the Y being attached to the heel support means and the ends of the Y yoke wrapping around the upper ankle to form the ankle anchor means.

10. An ankle brace according to claim 9 wherein the ends of the Y yoke are provided with complementary hook and loop fasteners to provide adjustable attachment to one another.

11. An ankle brace according to claim 1 wherein the heel support means is provided with a generally boomerang shaped cushioning element or pad extending generally across the middle of the heel support means and partly along the lateral side of the heel support means towards the rearward portion of the heel support means.

12. An ankle brace according to claim 11 wherein the pad is integrally formed with the heel support means.

13. An ankle brace according to claim 1 wherein the heel support means is shaped at its rearward portion to form a raised edge into which the rear of the user'"'"'s heel fits during use.

14. A method of bracing an ankle comprising fitting an ankle brace, according to any one of the preceding claims, to the ankle such that a tensile force is applied to the heel support means so as to seek to raise the lateral side of the user'"'"'s heel.

15. A heel pad for use in the brace according to any one of the preceding claims comprising a generally boomerang shaped cushioning element or pad when viewed from front or rear relative to the user'"'"'s foot having an upwardly extending side and rear wall and base support portion upwardly inclined towards an edge remote from said raised side.