Walking brace

• US 5,993,404 A
• Filed: 06/16/1998
• Issued: 11/30/1999
• Est. Priority Date: 06/16/1998
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Frank T Mc Niel
• Original Assignee: Frank T Mc Niel
• Inventors: Mc Niel, Frank T.
• Primary Examiner(s): Apley, Richard J.
• Assistant Examiner(s): POTHIER, DENISE M
• Application Number:
  US09/097,960
• Time in Patent Office: 532 Days
• Field of Search: 602/1, 602/5, 602/6, 602/10, 602/11, 602/23, 602/32, 602/36, 602/38, 128/882, 128/846
• US Class Current: 602/23
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 13/045 Walking soles or heels

Abstract

A leg brace is provided including an upper support for engaging an upper portion of a shin of a user. An intermediate frame includes a plurality of generally vertically oriented rods coupled to the upper support and depending therefrom. Coupled to bottom ends of the rods of the intermediate frame is a lower support for supporting a foot of the user.

Claims

1. A leg brace for an injured leg with a cast comprising, in combination:

an upper support including a pad with a U-shaped configuration defined by a pair of generally linear extents and an arcuate extent situated therebetween, the pad having a constant rectangular cross-section and first and second terminal ends, the upper support further including four hollow sleeves having top ends mounted to a bottom surface of the pad adjacent to ends of the generally linear extents and extending downwardly therefrom in parallel relationship, wherein the sleeves that are situated adjacent to the arcuate extent of the pad are spaced closer than those positioned adjacent to the terminal ends of the pad;

an intermediate frame comprising four vertically oriented rods with upper halves which remain in parallel relationship and have a plurality of linearly aligned, diametrically opposed apertures formed therein for coupling with the sleeves of the upper support at selected lengths with bolts and wing nuts, the vertically oriented rods including a pair of front rods and a pair of rear rods, the upper halves of the front rods having bottom ends thereof coupled with a front horizontal bar situated beneath the arcuate extent of the pad of the upper support and the rear rods having bottom ends thereof coupled to the bottom ends of the front rods with a pair of side horizontal bars, each of the vertically oriented rods further including lower halves, the lower halves of the front rods remaining in general alignment with the upper halves thereof and the lower halves of the rear rods bowing rearwardly and outwardly;

a lower support including a generally planar rectangular bottom plate coupled between bottom ends of the lower halves of the vertically oriented rods of the intermediate frame and a pair of arcuate tracks each having a width equal to less than 1/4 that of the bottom plate and having ends coupled beneath front and rear edges of the bottom plate, wherein an apex of each track is situated approximately 3 inches from the rear edge of the bottom plate; and

two pairs of straps including an upper pair of straps and a lower pair of straps, the upper pair of straps each having an inboard end coupled to one of the terminal ends of the pad and having an outboard end with a pile fastener mounted thereon, the lower pair of straps each having an inboard end coupled to the bottom end of the upper half of one of the rear rods of the intermediate frame and an outboard end with a pile fastener mounted thereon.

2. A leg brace for a leg with a cast thereon, the leg brace comprising:

an upper support including a pad with a U-shaped configuration defined by a pair of generally linear extents and an arcuate extent situated therebetween, the pad having first and second terminal ends;

the upper support further including four sleeves having top ends mounted to a bottom surface of the pad adjacent to ends of the generally linear extents and extending downwardly therefrom in parallel relationship;

an intermediate frame comprising four vertically oriented rods with upper halves which remain in parallel relationship and have a plurality of linearly aligned, diametrically opposed apertures formed therein and coupled to the sleeves of the upper support at selected lengths;

the vertically oriented rods including a pair of front rods and a pair of rear rods;

the upper halves of the front rods having bottom ends thereof coupled with a front horizontal bar situated beneath the arcuate extent of the pad of the upper support;

the rear rods having bottom ends thereof coupled to the bottom ends of the front rods with a pair of side horizontal bars, each of the vertically oriented rods further including lower halves, the lower halves of the front rods remaining in general alignment with the upper halves thereof and the lower halves of the rear rods bowing rearwardly and outwardly;

a lower support including a bottom plate coupled between bottom ends of the lower halves of the vertically oriented rods of the intermediate frame and a pair of arcuate tracks having ends coupled beneath front and rear edges of the bottom plate; and

two pairs of straps including an upper pair of straps and a lower pair of straps, the upper pair of straps each having an inboard end coupled to one of the terminal ends of the pad and having an outboard end with a pile fastener mounted thereon, the lower pair of straps each having an inboard end coupled to the bottom end of the upper half of one of the rear rods of the intermediate frame and an outboard end with a pile fastener mounted thereon.