US 4,628,945 AGranted

Inflatable ankle brace with porous compressible filler

OwnerGlenn W. Johnson, Jr.inventor

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Abstract

Improved orthepedic apparatus in the form of a generally U-shaped stirrup member having a base portion and a pair of opposed sidewall portions hinged to the base portion. A pair of air-inflatable liners or airbags are disposed interiorly of the stirrup member in a juxtaposed, substantially coextensive relation to the sidewall portions, respectively. Fastener straps are provided to maintain the sidewall portions of the stirrup snuggly fitted about the lower extremity. A resilient, compressible filler member, porous and permeable to air, is disposed interiorly of each airbag to serve the dual function of pre-inflating the airbag prior to the stirrup member being fitted about the lower extremity, and simultaneously providing a cushioning member between the stirrup member and the lower extremity. Value means are also provided on each airbag to facilitate further inflation of that airbag or reduction of internal air pressure at elevated altitudes.

Claims9

Dependent claims

Orthopedic apparatus comprising:

a base portion,
a pair of spaced apart sidewall portions hingedly attached to opposite sides of said base portion,
a pair of support members disposed coextensively with respect to said sidewall portions on opposite sides of said base portion in a confronting manner with respect to each other, at least one of said support members comprising an inflatable bladder, said inflatable bladder comprising a pair of plies of flexible material joined to one another along their common peripheral extents, and
compressible filler means in the form of a porous pad disposed interiorly within said inflatable bladder, said porous pad and the air entrapped therein serving as the primary means for inflating said inflatable bladder whereby compression of a portion of said bladder and a portion of said pad coextensive therewith in one region thereof causes air entrapped in said pad to displace to at least another region of said bladder remote from said one region to form a pressurized air layer within said bladder coextensive with said at least another region.

1 more element

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.