Ankle brace with cuff and strap

• US 6,858,017 B2
• Filed: 02/20/2004
• Issued: 02/22/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 02/18/1999
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Ultra Athlete LLC
• Original Assignee: Ultra Athlete LLC
• Inventors: Peters, Rick E.
• Primary Examiner(s): Lewis, Kim M.
• Application Number:
  US10/783,902
• Publication Number:
  US 20040167453A1
• Time in Patent Office: 368 Days
• Field of Search: 602/5, 602/16, 602/27, 602/23, 2 2/2, 482/79, 36/88, 36/89, 361/15, 361/16, 361/171
• US Class Current: 602/27
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 5/0127 for the feet A61F5/0111 takes precedence

Abstract

An ankle brace includes a heel stirrup including a base and left and right upright portions. Left and right pivot legs are pivotably connected to the left and right uprights, respectively. A cuff joins the left and right pivot legs. In most preferred embodiments, the rear cuff is flexible.

Claims

1. An ankle brace, comprising:

a substantially U-shaped heel stirrup, including a bottom portion adapted to extend under a wearer'"'"'s foot and left and right upright portions adapted to extend upwardly along the left and right sides of a wearer'"'"'s foot;

left and right pivot legs pivotably attached to said left and right upright portions at left and right pivot points, respectively;

left and right arms projecting rearwardly from said left and right pivot legs, respectively, wherein said left and right arms are joined together to form a rear cuff;

a first outwardly-projecting U-shaped post having top and bottom ends secured to said left arm and defining a first slot between said first post and said left arm;

a second outwardly-projecting U-shaped post having top and bottom ends secured to said right arm and defining a second slot between said second post and said right arm, said second post extending generally parallel to said first post;

a first fastener located on the outer surface of one of said arms forward of its respective post; and

,

a closure strap having first and second ends and first and second surfaces, said first end having a second fastener which cooperates with said first fastener to secure said first end of said strap to said one arm, and said strap further including a securing means to secure the second end of said strap to an intermediate portion of said strap, wherein said strap is fed through said first slot and through said second slot, and said second end of said strap folds back over and is secured onto itself at said intermediate portion.

2. An ankle brace as recited in claim 1, wherein said first fastener is the hook side of a hook-and-loop type fastener, said second fastener is the loop side of a hook-and-loop type fastener, and said securing means is the hook side of a hook-and-loop type fastener.

3. An ankle brace as recited in claim 1, wherein said rear cuff is flexible.

4. An ankle brace, comprising:

a U-shaped heel stirrup, including a base and first and second uprights projecting upwardly from the base, wherein the base and uprights are formed as a unitary piece;

first and second pivot legs pivotably attached to said first and second uprights, respectively;

a flexible rear cuff extending rearwardly from and attached to the upper portion of each of said pivot legs;

a first outwardly-projecting U-shaped post secured to said first pivot leg and defining a slot between said first post and said first pivot leg;

a second outwardly-projecting U-shaped post secured to said second pivot leg and defining a slot between said second post and said second pivot leg, said second post lying generally parallel to said first post;

a first fastening means located on the outer surface of said first pivot leg forward of said first post; and

,

a closure strap having first and second ends and first and second surfaces, said first end having a second fastening means which cooperates with said first fastening means to secure said first end of said strap to said first pivot leg, and said second end of said strap having third fastening means to secure said strap to itself, wherein said strap is fed through said first slot and through said second slot, and said second end folds back over onto itself.