Ankle-foot orthotic

• US 6,409,695 B1
• Filed: 07/27/1999
• Issued: 06/25/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 07/27/1999
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: John D. Connelly
• Original Assignee: John D. Connelly
• Inventors: Connelly, John D.
• Primary Examiner(s): POTHIER, DENISE M
• Application Number:
  US09/362,274
• Time in Patent Office: 1,064 Days
• Field of Search: 602/5, 602/16, 602/26, 602/23, 602/27-29, 602/21, 403/59, 403/114, 403/115, 403/220, 162/24, 623/27, 623/35, 188/268, 267/150, 267/141.1, 267/141.2, 267/141.4, 744/70, 248/562, 248/564, 248/566-570, 128/882
• US Class Current: 602/27
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2005/0148 Floating pivotal axis
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2005/0169 with damping means
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 5/0127 for the feet A61F5/0111 takes precedence

Abstract

An ankle-foot orthotic which permits plantarflexion and dorsiflexion while restricting inversion and eversion of the ankle. The orthotic includes a lower leg shell attachable to the lower leg of the wearer inside of the wearers trousers, a foot shell held in place inside the wearer'"'"'s shoe, by the shoe itself, and a pair of mechanical joints attaching the lower leg shell to the foot shell. The mechanical joints are pivotally attached to the foot shell allowing rotation on an axis through the ankle joint, but are rigid perpendicular to the axis of the ankle joint thereby restricting sideways bending movement of the ankle. The mechanical joints have internal springs which allow translational movement of the lower leg shell relative to the foot shell providing greater comfort to the wearer by reducing rubbing and chafing of the user'"'"'s leg while creating extra cushioning and shock absorption.

Claims

1. An ankle-foot orthotic for restricting inversion and eversion of the foot while allowing plantarflexion and dorsiflexion of the foot and permitting translational movement of said ankle-foot orthotic comprising:

a foot shell;

a lower leg shell; and

a hinging means pivotally attaching said foot shell to said lower leg shell, said hinging means providing rotational and translational movement to, and restricting sideways bending movement of, said foot shell relative to said lower leg shell, said hinging means comprising a lateral mechanical joint and a medial mechanical joint, said lateral mechanical joint and said medial mechanical joint each comprising;

a housing, said housing including a hollow interior, an open face, a solid face and a partially open end, said partially open end having an opening through said partially open end;

a slider having an upper end and a lower end, said slider being rigid, said slider being positioned freely inside of said hollow interior of said housing, said lower end of said slider projecting through and outside of said opening of said partially open end of said housing, said upper end of said slider being larger than said opening of said open end of said housing but smaller than said hollow interior of said housing allowing translational movement of said slider inside of said hollow interior of said housing while restricting sideways movement of said slider inside of said hollow interior of said housing and preventing removal of said slider through said opening of said partially open end of said housing;

a cover affixed to said open face of said housing;

a spring means placed inside of said hollow interior of said housing, said spring means providing cushioning for said slider while allowing said slider to return to a neutral position inside of said hollow interior of said housing; and

a pivoting means attached to said lower end of said slider.

2. The ankle-foot orthotic as recited in claim 1 wherein said spring means comprises elastic rubber material positioned snugly above and below said upper end of said slider inside of said hollow interior of said housing.

3. The ankle-foot orthotic as recited in claim 1 wherein said foot shell is composed of a plastic material moldable to the shape of a user'"'"'s foot, the plastic material defining an internal surface and an external surface, designed to fit inside of a user'"'"'s shoe and be secured to the user'"'"'s foot by the user'"'"'s shoe, said foot shell comprising:

a lower plate;

an upright lateral sidewall, said upright lateral sidewall being sized and configured to flare away from a user'"'"'s ankle during use, providing clearance for the user'"'"'s ankle and clearance for positioning and attachment of said lower end of said slider of said lateral mechanical joint to said upright lateral sidewall;

an upright medial sidewall, said upright medial sidewall being sized and configured to flare away from the user'"'"'s ankle during use, providing clearance for the user'"'"'s ankle and clearance for positioning and attachment of said lower end of said slider of said medial mechanical joint to said upright medial sidewall; and

a rounded posterior wall.

4. The ankle-foot orthotic as recited in claim 1 wherein said lower leg shell is composed of a plastic material moldable to the shape of a user'"'"'s lower leg, the plastic material defining an inner surface and an outer surface, said lower leg shell comprising:

a vertical lateral sidewall having a lateral top end and a lateral bottom end, said lateral bottom and being sized and configured to splay away from a user'"'"'s ankle during use, providing clearance for the user'"'"'s ankle and clearance for positioning and attachment of said solid face of said housing of said lateral mechanical joint;

a vertical medial sidewall having a medial top end and a medial bottom end, said medial bottom end being sized and configured to splay away from the user'"'"'s ankle during use, providing clearance for the user'"'"'s ankle and clearance for positioning and attachment of said solid face of said housing of said medial mechanical joint;

a vertical rounded posterior wall having a posterior top end and a posterior bottom end;

a means to secure said lower leg shell to the user'"'"'s lower leg; and

a gap defined between said vertical lateral sidewall and said vertical medial sidewall opposite said rounded posterior wall allowing insertion of the user'"'"'s lower leg during use.

5. The ankle-foot orthotic as recited in claim 3 wherein said pivoting means comprises:

a first bolt passing through said lower end of said slider of said lateral mechanical joint and through said upright lateral sidewall of said foot shell;

a second bolt passing through said lower end of said slider of said medial mechanical joint and through said upright medial sidewall of said foot shell; and

a first retaining nut threaded onto said first bolt and a second retaining nut threaded onto said second bolt, thereby pivotally securing said slider, laterally and medially, to said foot shell allowing rotational movement between said foot shell and said lower leg shell.

6. The ankle-foot orthotic as recited in claim 4 wherein said solid face of said housing of said lateral mechanical joint is affixed to said inner surface of said lateral bottom end of said vertical lateral sidewall of said lower leg shell with a plurality of screws;

and said solid face of said housing of said medial mechanical joint is affixed to said inner surface of said medial bottom end of said vertical medial sidewall of said lower leg shell with a second plurality of screws.