Suspension walker

#1. Field of the Invention

#This invention relates to the field of suspension walkers and more particularly to the field of such walkers that transfer weight normally borne by the patient's foot to his or her calf.

#2. Discussion of the Background

#FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the suspension walker of the present invention.

#FIG. 2 is an exploded view of the suspension walker.

#FIG. 3 is a side elevational view of the hard, outer boot shell and the soft boot received thereon.

#As best seen in FIG. 1, the suspension walker 1 of the present invention includes a hard, outer boot shell 3 with upright brace members 5 respectively extending upwardly to positions adjacent each side of the patient's calf 2. Positioned within the boot shell 3 is a soft boot 7 to receive the patient's foot. The suspension walker 1 further includes a cuff member 9 securable by laces 11 or other means to the patient's calf 2 and securable by pairs of mating hook and loop fasteners 13 and 15 (see also FIG. 2) to the upright brace members 5 of the hard, outer boot shell 3. The pairs of hook and loop fasteners 13 and 15 or other releasable attaching means as illustrated in FIGS. 1 and 2 preferably have one member (e.g., hook fastener 13 in FIG. 2) of each pair extending vertically along the inside surfaces of the brace members 5 and the other member (e.g., loop fastener 15) of each fastener pair mounted on each outer side of the cuff member 9.

#The hard, outer boot shell 3 and soft boot 7 as shown in FIG. 3 are removably attached to each other (e.g., by hook and loop fasteners 17 and 19). The soft boot 7 itself (see FIG. 4) has foldable side flaps 21 and 23 and a foldable tongue 25 with an adjustable heel area of overlapping and releasably securable pieces 27 and 29. The soft boot 7 as further illustrated in FIGS. 5–7 has a main pad 31 (which can be multi-layered as shown with layers 31′ and 31″ or a single layer) and a removable, fitting pad 33 stacked atop the main pad 31 (see FIG. 5). The fitting pad 33 preferably has a finger loop 35 on the toe end thereof and flaps 21, 23 and tongue 25 of the soft boot 7 can be opened as shown in FIGS. 6 and 7.

#In the preferred fitting method of the present invention as shown in FIGS. 8–13, the cuff member 9 is secured by the laces 11 about the patient's socked calf 2 (see FIG. 8). With the flaps 21,23 and tongue 25 of the soft boot 7 opened (see again FIG. 8) and with tubular, plastic cover member 37 preferably over each brace member 5, the patient's foot 4 is received in the soft boot 7 (FIG. 10) atop the removable, fitting pad 33. The tubular cover members 37 (see FIGS. 8 and 9) in this regard are preferably positioned over the brace members 5 at this point to act as barriers to the engagement of the pairs of hook and loop fasteners 13 and 15 respectively on the insides of the brace members 5 and the outer sides of the cuff member 9. Consequently, the cuff member 9 can be readily slid between and past the brace members 5 from the position of FIG. 8 to the position of FIG. 10. The patient can be standing during this but is preferably sitting as in FIG. 10 to comfortably place his or her foot 2 in the soft boot 7 atop the removable, fitting pad 33 preferably with less than his or her full normal weight on the foot 4 and removable, fitting pad 33.