# US 9,433,522 B2 · Ankle-foot orthosis > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 9,433,522 B2 - Document ID: US9433522B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 13/987,740 - Filed: 2013-08-27 - Published: 2015-03-05 - Granted: 2016-09-06 - Earliest claimed: 2013-08-27 - Applicants: Wade Bader - Inventors: Wade Bader - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US9433522B2 ## CPC - A61F 5/0127: {for the feet (A61F5/0111 takes precedence)} - A61F 5/0111: {for the feet or ankles} - A61F: FILTERS IMPLANTABLE INTO BLOOD VESSELS; PROSTHESES; DEVICES PROVIDING PATENCY TO, OR PREVENTING COLLAPSING OF, TUBULAR STRUCTURES OF THE BODY, e.g. STENTS; ORTHOPAEDIC, NURSING OR CONTRACEPTIVE DEVICES; FOMENTATION; TREATMENT OR PROTECTION OF EYES OR EARS; BANDAGES, DRESSINGS OR ABSORBENT PADS; FIRST-AID KITS (dental prosthetics A61C) ## Abstract An ankle-foot orthosis constructed of composite material to assist a person with a foot infirmity in walking comprising an upper arcuate convex shell to engage the anterior of the lower leg and a lower foot support member to engage and support the foot coupled together by an inverted substantially wishbone or Y-shaped intermediate interconnecting member including an upper elongated substantially vertical interconnecting member integrally formed with the upper arcuate convex shell and a lower arcuate convex lateral interconnecting member extending from the lower end portion of the upper elongated substantially vertical interconnecting member to each side of the lower foot support member. ## Claims ### Claim 1 An ankle-foot orthosis constructed of composite material to assist a person with a foot infirmity in walking comprising an upper leg support member including an arcuate convex shell including a lower end portion to engage the anterior of the lower leg and a lower foot support member to engage and support the foot coupled together by an intermediate interconnecting member comprising an upper portion including an upper elongated substantially vertical interconnecting member integrally formed with said upper arcuate convex shell and a lower convex member terminating in an upper side element or member extending downward from each side thereof and a lower portion including a pair of lateral supports extending upwardly from corresponding sides of said tower foot support member and coupled to said upper portion to cooperatively form an Inverted wishbone or Y configuration coupling said upper leg support member and said lower foot support member wherein said upper portion of said intermediate interconnecting member is rotatably or pivotally coupled to said lower portion of said intermediate interconnecting member by a coupling assembly disposed on each side of said ankle-foot orthosis. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The ankle-foot orthosis of claim 1 wherein each said coupling assembly comprises a substantially circular coupling recess formed on said upper portion of each said lateral support to receive and rotatably support a similarly shaped substantially circular coupling member formed on said lower portion of each said downwardly depending upper side element or member to rotatably couple said upper leg support member and said lower foot support member together. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The ankle-foot orthosis of claim 2 further including a fastener having an elongated externally threaded portion and an enlarged outer portion to rotatably fasten said substantially circular coupling member within said corresponding substantially circular coupling recess. ### Claim 4 (depends on 3) The ankle-foot orthosis of claim 3 wherein each said enlarged outer portion is disposed or seated within a recess formed concentrically with said hole or aperture. ### Claim 5 (depends on 3) The ankle-foot orthosis of claim 3 further including a limit or stop extending upwardly to engage said upper leg support member to limit the forward movement of said upper leg support member relative to said lower foot support member when the ankle-foot orthosis is in use. ### Claim 6 (depends on 5) The ankle-foot orthosis of claim 5 wherein said limit or stop comprises a convex shell having substantially the same curvature as said upper leg support member such that the outer surface of the said upper leg support member and said inner surface of the convex shell engage to limit the forward rotation of said upper leg support member relative to said lower foot support member. ### Claim 7 (depends on 6) The ankle-foot orthosis of claim 6 wherein said convex limit shell comprises a substantially truncated triangular shape. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The ankle-foot orthosis of claim 1 wherein said lower edge of the arcuate convex member of the upper portion of the intermediate interconnecting member and the lower edge of the convex limit shell are concave. ### Claim 9 (depends on 8) The ankle-foot orthosis of claim 8 wherein each said lateral support is inclined rearwardly and upwardly from the lower foot support member to the corresponding coupling assembly. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) The ankle-foot orthosis of claim 1 further including a limit or stop extending upwardly to engage said upper leg support member to limit the forward movement of said upper leg support member relative to said lower foot support member when the ankle-foot orthosis is in use. ### Claim 11 (depends on 10) The ankle-foot orthosis of claim 10 wherein said limit or stop comprises a convex shell having substantially the same curvature as said upper leg support member such that the outer surface of the said upper leg support member and said inner surface of the convex shell engage to limit the forward rotation of said upper leg support member relative to said lower foot support member. ### Claim 12 (depends on 11) The ankle-foot orthosis of claim 11 wherein said convex limit shell comprises a substantially truncated triangular shape. ### Claim 13 (depends on 12) The ankle-foot orthosis of claim 12 wherein said lower edge of the arcuate convex member of the upper portion of the Intermediate interconnecting member and the lower edge of the convex limit shell are concave. ### Claim 14 (depends on 13) The ankle-foot orthosis of claim 13 wherein each said lateral support is inclined rearwardly and upwardly from the lower foot support member to the corresponding coupling assembly. ### Claim 15 (depends on 14) The ankle-foot orthosis of claim 14 wherein at least one attachment device selectively secures said ankle-foot orthosis to the lower leg. ### Claim 16 (depends on 15) The ankle-foot orthosis of claim 15 wherein said attachment device comprises a strap affixed to said arcuate convex shell of the upper leg support member by a fastener and a loop affixed to the opposite side of said arcuate convex shell of said upper leg support member by a fastener to receive said strap therethrough. ### Claim 17 (depends on 1) The ankle-foot orthosis of claim 1 wherein at least one attachment device selectively secures said ankle-foot orthosis to the lower leg. ### Claim 18 (depends on 17) The ankle-foot orthosis of claim 17 wherein said attachment device comprises a strap affixed to said arcuate convex shell of the upper leg support member by a fastener and a loop affixed to the opposite side of said arcuate convex shell of said upper leg support member by a fastener to receive said strap therethrough.