US 5,665,060 AGranted

Bunion treatment apparatus and method

AssigneeDr. Fabricant's Foot Health Products, Inc.

InventorB. Robert Fabricant

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Abstract

A bunion treatment apparatus for minimizing forces applied to a bunion on a foot surface of a patient includes a generally planar main portion and at least a first generally planar build-up portion. Both portions are constructed of flexible padding material and have predetermined thicknesses. The build-up portion has a smaller planform area than the main portion. The main portion is provided with a bunion-receiving aperture, which preferably extends therethrough, and the build-up portion is sized and shaped to fit around the bunion-receiving aperture. By providing one or more build-up portions with the main portion, the podiatric patient can custom-adjust the thickness and configuration of the bunion treatment apparatus to fit his own individual bunion. The main portion is also provided with a toe loop, which is formed with strain relief cutouts where its generally opposed edges intersect, to eliminate tearing of the main portion when the toe loop is placed over the toe of a patient.

Claims12

Dependent claims

A bunion treatment apparatus for minimizing forces applied to a bunion on a foot surface of a patient, said bunion treatment apparatus comprising:

a generally planar main portion constructed of flexible padding material and having a predetermined main portion thickness, a main portion planform area with an outer perimeter, and opposed first and second side surfaces, said second side surface being an exterior surface, said main portion having a bunion-receiving aperture formed at least partially therethrough;
and
at least a first generally planar build-up portion separate from said planar main portion and being constructed of flexible padding material and having a predetermined build-up portion thickness, a build-up portion planform area, and opposed first and second side surfaces, said build-up portion planform area being less than said main portion planform area, said build-up portion being sized and shaped to at least partially surround said bunion-receiving aperture, said first side of said main portion adapted to be located against the foot surface of the patient, said bunion-receiving aperture adapted to surround the bunion and said opposed exterior second side surface of said main portion facing away from the foot surface, said first side of said build-up portion being positioned adjacent said opposed exterior second side surface of said main portion with said build-up portion at least partially surrounding said bunion-receiving aperture and said opposed exterior second side surface of said build-up portion facing away from the foot surface, whereby said bunion treatment apparatus minimizes the forces applied to the bunion.

A bunion treatment apparatus kit comprising:

a generally planar main portion constructed of flexible padding material and having a predetermined main portion thickness, a main portion planform area with an outer perimeter, and opposed first and second side surfaces, said second side surface being an exterior surface, said main portion having a bunion-receiving aperture at least partially therethrough, said main portion having a build-up portion receiving area defined on said second side surface and highlighted by visual cues;
at least a first generally planar build-up portion separate from said planar main portion and being constructed of flexible padding material and having a predetermined first build-up portion thickness, a first build-up portion planform area, and opposed first and second side surfaces, said first build-up portion planform area being less than said main portion planform area, said first build-up portion being sized and shaped to at least partially surround said bunion-receiving aperture, said first side surface of said first build-up portion including an adhesive layer;
and
at least a second generally planar build-up portion separate from said planar main portion and being constructed of flexible padding material and having a predetermined second build-up portion thickness, a second build-up portion planform area less than said planform area of said first build-up portion, and opposed first and second side surfaces, said second build-up portion being sized and shaped to at least partially surround said bunion-receiving aperture, said first side surface of said second build-up portion including an adhesive layer.

1 more element

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.