US 11,602,672 B2Granted

Stilt device with strengthening ribs

AssigneeEmmert Second Limited Partnership

InventorRaymond L. Emmert

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Abstract

A leg attachment assembly for a stilt device of the type used to support a user above a base surface. The leg attachment assembly has a curvilinearly extending leg band configured to partially surround an upper leg portion of a user's leg. The leg band is attached to a distal end of a support pole using a pair of spacers and associated fasteners. One or more strengthening ribs extend in a lateral direction between contact locations of the spacers. The strengthening ribs extend beyond the spacers to enhance rigidity of the leg band during use. A securement strap can be used to encircle the user's leg and the leg band to attach the stilt to the leg. The strap can be routed between the spacers and over the top surfaces of the strengthening ribs so that, when the strap is tensioned, the ribs prevent slippage or displacement of the strap.

Claims19

Dependent claims

A leg attachment assembly for a stilt device of the type used to support a user above a base surface, the leg attachment assembly comprising:

a leg band comprising a rigid, curvilinearly extending member configured for placement adjacent a leg portion of the user below a knee of the user, the leg band having opposing upper and lower edge surfaces, opposing left and right side surfaces, a curvilinearly extending inner surface, and a curvilinearly extending outer surface;
a support pole having opposing proximal and distal ends;
and
first and second spacer members configured to attach the proximal end of the support pole to a medial portion of the leg band using associated fasteners, the first spacer member contactingly engaging the curvilinearly extending outer surface of the leg band at a first contact location adjacent the upper edge surface, the second spacer member contactingly engaging the curvilinearly extending outer surface of the leg band at a second contact location adjacent the lower edge surface, the first and second contact locations each having an overall span in a lateral direction parallel to the upper and lower edge surfaces;
the leg band further comprising at least one strengthening rib extending in the lateral direction between the first and second contact locations, each of the first and second contact locations having a first overall length, the at least one strengthening rib having a second overall length greater than the first overall length of each of the first and second contact locations,
the leg attachment assembly further comprising a strap configured to attach the leg band to the upper leg portion of the user, the strap configured to be positioned across a top surface of the at least one strengthening rib and between the first and second spacer members so as to be oriented along the lateral direction.

3 more elements

In a stilt device having a foot plate adapted to support a foot of a user, a floor plate adapted for contacting engagement with an underlying base surface, and at least one strut extending between the foot plate and the floor plate, the improvement comprising an improved leg support assembly, comprising:

a support pole having a proximal end and a distal end, the distal end affixed to the at least one strut between the foot plate and the floor plate;
a leg band affixed to the proximal end of the support pole using an upper first spacer and a lower second spacer, the leg band comprising a curvilinearly extending member configured to partially surround a leg of the user above the foot plate, the leg band further comprising a first strengthening flange extending along an upper edge surface, a second strengthening flange extending along a lower edge surface, a first strengthening rib parallel to and extending in spaced apart relation to the first strengthening flange and a second strengthening rib parallel to and extending in spaced apart relation to the second strengthening flange, the first and second strengthening ribs arranged in a medial location of the leg band between the upper first spacer and the lower second spacer, the first and second strengthening ribs having a common overall length in a lateral direction longer than respective areas of contact with the leg band by the first and second spacers;
a strap formed of elongated flexible material and configured to encircle the leg band and the leg of the user to secure the stilt device thereto, the strap passing between the upper first spacer and the lower second spacer and contactingly engaging respective top surfaces of the first and second strengthening ribs.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.