Gait orthosis

An apparatus that facilitates standing and or ambulation by a human user, comprising:

• a posterior torso support unit securely positionable around the posterior torso and extending midway down the gluteus maximus of the human user;
• right and left waist joints wherein each said waist joint comprises one of the following:
• a joint capable of being locked and unlocked by the human user;
• or a free motion with 180 decree stop hip joint, said right and left waist joints are coupled to said posterior torso support unit approximately midline on the body of the human user and adjacent to the natural waist of the human user by right and left torso members, proximal to waist joint, rigidly coupled to said posterior torso support unit;
• and
• right and left hip members coupled respectively to said right and left waist joints with posterior tension strap attached to distal portion of posterior torso support unit surrounding one or both sides of said hip members and to right and left leg support assemblies, wherein each said leg support assembly is adapted to couple to the human user's leg or to replace the human users missing leg to stably support the human user in an upright position, said right leg support assembly further comprises a right hip joint, and said left leg support assembly further comprises a left hip joint, said right and left hip members are sized to extend from said right and left waist joints to said right and left hip joints such that said right and left hip joints are located approximately adjacent the natural right and left hip joints of the human user.

A system that facilitates standing and or ambulation by a human user, comprising:

• a posterior torso support unit securely positionable around the posterior torso and extending midway down the gluteus maximus of the human user;
• right and left waist joints wherein each said waist joint comprises one of the following:
• a joint capable of being locked and unlocked by the human user;
• or a free motion with 180 degree stop hip joint, said right and left waist joints are coupled to said posterior torso support unit approximately midline on the body of the human user and adjacent to the natural waist of the human user by right and left torso members, proximal to waist joint, rigidly coupled to said posterior torso support unit;
• and
• right and left hip members coupled respectively to said right and left waist joints with posterior tension strap attached to distal portion of posterior torso support unit surrounding one or both sides of said hip members and to right and left leg support assemblies, wherein each said leg support assembly is adapted to couple to the human users leg or to replace the human user's missing leg to stably support the human user in an upright position, said right leg support assembly further comprises a right hip joint, and said left leg support assembly further comprises a left hip joint, said right and left hip members are sized to extend from said right and left waist joints to said right and left hip joints such that said right and left hip joints are located approximately adjacent the natural right and left hip joints of the human user.

A method of making an apparatus that facilitates standing and or ambulation by a human user, comprising:

• providing a posterior torso support unit securely positionable around the posterior torso and extending midway down the gluteus maximus of the human user;
• providing right and left waist joints wherein each said waist joint comprises one of the following:
• a joint capable of being locked and unlocked by the human user;
• or a free motion with 180 decree stop hip joint, said right and left waist joints are coupled to said posterior torso support unit approximately midline on the body of the human user and adjacent to the natural waist of the human user by right and left torso members, proximal to waist joint, rigidly coupled to said posterior torso support unit;
• and
• coupling right and left hip members to said right and left waist joints with posterior tension strap attached to distal portion of posterior torso support unit surrounding one or both sides of said hip members respectively and to right and left leg support assemblies respectively, wherein each said leg support assembly is adapted to couple to the human user's leg or to replace the human user's missing leg to stably support the human user in an upright position, said right leg support assembly further comprises a right hip joint, and said left leg support assembly further comprises a left hip joint, said right and left hip members are sized to extend from said right and left waist joints to said right and left hip joints such that said right and left hip joints are located approximately adjacent the natural right and left hip joints of the human user.

A method of using an apparatus that facilitates standing and or ambulation by a human user, comprising:

• securely positioning a posterior torso support unit around the posterior torso and extending midway down the gluteus maximus of the human user, said posterior torso support unit further comprises right and left waist joints wherein each said waist joint comprises one of the following:
• a joint capable of being locked and unlocked by the human user;
• or a free motion with 180 degree stop hip joint, said right and left waist joints are coupled to said posterior torso support unit approximately midline on the body of the human user and adjacent to the natural waist of the human user by right and left torso members, proximal to waist joint, rigidly coupled to said posterior torso support unit;
• and coupling right and left leg support assemblies to the human users right and left legs, respectively, or to the human user in such a manner as to replace the human user's missing leg or legs to stably support the human user in an upright position, said right leg support assembly further comprises a right hip joint coupled to said right waist joint by a right hip member, said right hip member is sized to extend from said right waist joint to said right hip joint such that said right hip joint is located approximately adjacent the natural right hip joint of the human user;
• said left leg support assembly further comprises a left hip joint coupled to said left waist joint by a left hip member, said left hip member is sized to extend from said left waist joint to said left hip joint such that said left hip joint is located approximately adjacent the natural left hip joint of the human user.