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US 10,092,435 B2Granted
Ankle brace and method of making the same
AssigneeBracemasters International, LLC
InventorsDavin T. Heyd, William D. Falcon, Timothy F. O'Keefe
Life of this patent
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Abstract
An ankle brace having a brace body, first reinforcement strips, second reinforcement strips, and a closure mechanism provides medial-lateral support. The ankle brace may be custom or pre-fabricated.
Claims18
An ankle brace arranged to provide varus and valgus control and medial-lateral inversion or eversion control comprising:
- a brace body comprising
- a medial side portion,
- a lateral side portion,
- a medial front edge of the medial side portion,
- a lateral front edge of the lateral side portion,
- a sole portion in a plane at least partially horizontal to the medial and lateral side portions having an arch portion and heel portion, and
- a back portion extending from the heel portion to a lower calf portion,
- wherein the brace body comprises a polyolefin elastomeric material consisting essentially of a polyolefin selected from the group consisting of an ethylene-butene copolymer and an ethylene-octene copolymer, wherein the polyolefin elastomeric material has a melt index range at 190° C. of less than 0.5 to 30 g/10 min (as measured in accordance with ASTM D 1238), a density of 0.857 to 0.910 g/cm3 (as measured in accordance with ASTM D 792), a melting range of 36° C. to 104° C., a Shore A Hardness of 56 to 96 (as measured in accordance with ASTM D 2240), and a flexural modulus from 3 to 110 MPa (as measured in accordance with ASTM D 790);
- a first medial reinforcement strip extending down and along the medial side portion;
- a first lateral reinforcement strip extending down and along the lateral side portion;
- wherein the first medial reinforcement strip and the first lateral reinforcement strip are one continuous reinforcement strip having a width from 0.5 inches to 1.5 inches and extending below the heel portion of the brace body;
- a second medial reinforcement strip having one end intersecting with the first medial reinforcement strip at an angle from 90° to 120°, wherein the second medial reinforcement strip extends substantially parallel to the medial front edge of the medial side portion;
- a second lateral reinforcement strip having one end intersecting with the first lateral reinforcement strip at an angle from 90° to 120°, wherein the second lateral reinforcement strip extends substantially parallel to the lateral front edge of the lateral side portion,
- wherein the first medial reinforcement strip, the first lateral reinforcement strip, the second medial reinforcement strip, and the second lateral reinforcement strip all contact the brace body;
- and
- at least one closure mechanism having at least a first portion in contact with at least one of the first and second medial reinforcement strips and at least a second portion in contact with at least one of the first and second lateral reinforcement strips, wherein the at least one closure mechanism has an opened position and an engaged position;
- and
- wherein the lateral front edge and the medial front edge overlap when the at least one closure mechanism is in the engaged position.
15 more elements
A method of manufacturing an ankle brace comprising the steps of:
- providing a mold of a lower extremity;
- placing at least three reinforcement strips on the mold for varus and valgus control, wherein the at least three reinforcement strips includes (1) a continuous reinforcement strip having a first medial portion, a first lateral portion, and a portion extending below the heel portion of the brace body, wherein the continuous reinforcement strip has a width from 0.5 inches to 1.5 inches, (2) a medial reinforcement strip having one end intersecting with the first medial portion of the continuous reinforcement strip at an angle from 90° to 120°, and (3) a lateral reinforcement strip having one end intersecting with the first lateral portion of the continuous reinforcement strip at an angle from 90° to 120°;
- forming a polyolefin elastomeric material over the mold, reinforcement strips and base of lace loops to produce a brace body having a medial side portion, a lateral side portion, a medial front edge of the medial side portion, a lateral front edge of the lateral side portion, a sole portion in a plane at least partially horizontal to the medial and lateral side portions having an arch portion and heel portion, and a back portion extending from the heel portion to a lower calf portion, wherein the medial reinforcement strip extends substantially parallel to the medial front edge and the lateral reinforcement strip extends substantially parallel to the lateral front edge;
- wherein the reinforcement strips and base of the lace loops are inset into the polyolefin elastomeric material, wherein the polyolefin elastomeric material consists essentially of a polyolefin selected from the group consisting of an ethylene-butene copolymer and an ethylene-octene copolymer, wherein the polyolefin elastomeric material has a melt index range at 190° C. of less than 0.5 to 30 g/10 min (as measured in accordance with ASTM D 1238), a density of 0.857 to 0.910 g/cm3 (as measured in accordance with ASTM D 792), a melting range of 36° C. to 104° C., a Shore A Hardness of 56 to 96 (as measured in accordance with ASTM D 2240), and a flexural modulus from 3 to 110 MPa (as measured in accordance with ASTM D 790);
- and
- removing the mold to produce the ankle brace.
3 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.