Multi-functional orthosis for the foot, heel, ankle and lower leg

• US 6,056,712 A
• Filed: 09/11/1997
• Issued: 05/02/2000
• Est. Priority Date: 10/31/1995
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Tracy E. Grim
• Original Assignee: Tracy E. Grim
• Inventors: Grim, Tracy E.
• Primary Examiner(s): Apley, Richard J.
• Assistant Examiner(s): SAYDAH, JAYNE M
• Application Number:
  US08/927,836
• Time in Patent Office: 964 Days
• Field of Search: 602/5-8, 602/9, 602/10, 602/16, 602/23, 602/27-29, 128/882
• US Class Current: 602/27
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 5/0127 for the feet A61F5/0111 takes precedence

Abstract

A multi-function orthosis for immobilizing the lower leg, heel, ankle and foot of a human patient, which also provides adjustable therapeutic pressure on the foot sole, and which allows for ambulation. An upper, leg unit lined with a pneumatic bladder is adapted to receive the lower leg of the patient and is hingedly attached to a lower, foot base unit which is adapted to receive the foot of the patient. Retractable kickstands attached to the foot base unit extend to prevent outward or inward rolling of the patient'"'"'s foot, leg and hip, and to also provide protection from the bedding. An extendable foot slide adjusts to support the foot of the patient and to retract when not in use, and an adjustable and retractable toe flap is attached to the foot slide to protect the toes when the patient is immobilized or ambulatory. A low-profile ambulation sled attachable to the bottom of the foot base unit provides a relatively wide platform to allow safe ambulation of the patient without the removal of the orthosis or the aid of other devices.

Claims

1. An orthotic device for use with a human patient, comprising:

a substantially inflexible leg unit;

a substantially inflexible foot base unit; and

an adjustable, rotary, angular flexion hinge, said hinge rotatably adjustably attaching said leg unit to said foot base unit, said hinge comprising left and right hinges aligned with each other, and at least one of said left and right hinges comprising;

an upper unit gear fixedly attached to said leg unit;

a middle gear coaxial with and securely engageable with said upper unit gear;

a middle gear receiving means for receiving and holding said middle gear in a fixed angular relationship with respect to said foot base unit, said receiving means being fixedly attached to said foot base unit, and

a disengagement means for allowing a user to selectively disengage said middle gear from said upper unit gear and then reengage said middle gear after the user has rotated said gears into the desired angular relationship with respect to each other, wherein said disengagement means includes a readily accessible button and a spring aligned with the axis of said middle gear.

2. An orthotic device for use with a human patient, comprising:

a substantially inflexible leg unit;

a substantially inflexible foot base unit; and

a kickstand pivotally attached to said foot base unit and formed to retract flushly into a recess in said foot base unit such that said kickstand presents no appreciable external profile when not in use.