Surgery: splint – brace – or bandage – Orthopedic bandage – Splint or brace
Reexamination Certificate
2000-12-04
2001-10-09
Brown, Michael A. (Department: 3764)
Surgery: splint, brace, or bandage
Orthopedic bandage
Splint or brace
C602S023000, C602S026000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06299587
ABSTRACT:
TECHNICAL FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to orthosis devices, and more particularly, to an ankle-foot orthosis (A.F.O.) and method.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Ankle-foot orthosis are used to control the alignment and motions of the joints of the foot and ankle of a patient. In a conventional arrangement, the AFO is constructed of metal and plastic usually consisting of two metal uprights or posts whose proximal ends are connected to a leather-covered metal or plastic calf bands and whose distal ends are the proximal part of the ankle joint mechanism. The shoe or foot attachment completes the mechanical ankle and anchors the orthosis distally. Primarily three types of shoe attachment devices have been used: stirrups, calipers, or shoe inserts.
Stirrups involve usually a solid, steel stirrup that is riveted directly to the sole of the shoe under the anterior section of the heel. The stirrup surrounds the heel and has a member going underneath the heel attached to it with fasteners.
A caliper involves a round tube placed in the heel of the shoe that receives the caliper for attachment. The caliper allows for interchangeability of shoes compared to the stirrups that are riveted. The draw-back of this design is that the pivot of the mechanical joint is typically at the level of the shoe heel.
With a shoe insert, a stirrup-like arrangement is essentially incorporated into the interior of the shoe and is shaped to contour to the patient's foot that fits into the shoe. Considerable time and skill are required to fabricate a proper insert of this type. Further, a larger shoe is typically required to accommodate the insert.
Between the shoe attachments and the metal upright posts is the ankle joint mechanism. These joint mechanisms are frequently single-axis joints that control mediolateral motion by stopping or blocking it and dorsiflexion and plantar flexion by means by stops or assists. The stops limit the movement and may be placed as a plantar-flexion (posterior) stop and/or a dorsiflexion (anterior) stop. The assists are usually springs that aid motion. With a dorsiflexion assist (anterior), the spring is compressed after heel strikes which helps to control plantar flexion.
Concerning the uprights or posts in the calf bands, historically the most frequently used have been the tube post design, but a single bar brace can be used in cases of relatively mild dorsiflexion weakness. Further, with molded plastic designs, a molded calf shell may be desirable that surrounds a substantial portion of the posterior portion of a patient's lower leg.
While developed systems have provided assistance to patients, there are a number of shortcomings. For example, conventional designs of AFOs do not allow for use with a patient's existing shoes and do not allow for easy removal without including bulky attachments.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
Therefore, a need has arisen for an ankle-foot orthosis and method that address shortcomings of previous systems and methods. According to an aspect of the present invention, an ankle-foot orthosis has an upper post for securing to a patient's leg, a shoe with an exterior angled surface on the heel, and a shoe-attachment device that attaches to the shoe and pivotably couples to the upper post member, and wherein the shoe attachment device has a u-shaped member that is angled inward to be substantially co-planar with the exterior angled surface of the shoe to engage it and that has attachment posts that pivotably connect to the upper cost. According to a more specific aspect of the present invention, a strap may be included to help further wedge a portion of the u-shaped member against a lip portion of the shoe.
According to another aspect of the present invention, an ankle-foot orthosis system has an upper post for securing to a patient's leg, a shoe with a heel having a lateral channel through it, and a shoe-attachment device that attaches to the shoe and pivotably couples to the upper post member, and wherein the shoe attachment device is a u-shaped member having channel-and-hook connection on each end that is operable to receive and hold a fastener that extends through the channel in the heel of the shoe and also having attachment posts that are used to pivotably connect to the upper post. The channel-and-hook connection holds the u-shaped member in tension about the heel. According to a more specific aspect of the invention, the shoe may also have a trough portion that mates with a convex portion formed on the u-shaped member of the attachment device.
According to another aspect of the present invention, a method for manufacturing an AFO system includes the steps of providing an upper post for attaching to a patient's calf; attaching a calf connection strap to the upper post member; providing a shoe having an exterior angled heel portion; and providing a shoe attachment device, wherein providing the shoe attachment device involves forming an angled, u-shaped member having an interior surface that is substantially co-planar with an exterior angled surface of the heel of the shoe when the attachment device is placed on the shoe and an edge that engages the shoe, attaching attachment posts to the u-shaped members and pivotably attaching the attachment posts to the upper post.
According to another aspect of the present invention, a method for manufacturing an ankle foot orthosis system includes the steps of providing an upper post member for attaching to a patient's calf; attaching a releasable calf connection strap to the upper post member; pivotably coupling an attachment device to the upper post member; wherein the attachment device includes a u-shaped member having a first channel-and-hook connection and a second channel-and-hook connection, each channel-and-hook connection operable to receive and engage a flanged fastener head, first and second attachment posts coupled to the u-shaped member; and wherein the attachment device is attached to the shoe by placing a fastener (that has flanged heads on each end) laterally through the heel of the shoe with the flanged heads extending on opposite sides of the heel and engaging the first and second channel-and-hook connections.
The present invention provides advantages; a number of examples follow. An advantage of the present invention is that it provides an easily applied AFO that a patient should be able to attach themselves. Another advantage of the present invention is that the AFO may be attached quickly. Yet another advantage is that the AFO system of the present invention is relatively light weight. According to yet another advantage, a patient may use their regular size shoe—i.e., they do not have to obtain a larger size shoe.
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Brown Michael A.
Johnston Robert H.
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