Surgery: splint – brace – or bandage – Orthopedic bandage – Splint or brace
Reexamination Certificate
1999-05-07
2001-09-04
Pothier, Denise (Department: 3764)
Surgery: splint, brace, or bandage
Orthopedic bandage
Splint or brace
C602S027000, C602S066000, C602S006000, C128S882000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06283932
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an orthopedic device, such as a heel relief device, comprising a shaft capable of at least partially encircling at least a lower part of a leg, a foot part having a front end, a saucer-shaped heel part connecting the foot part to the shaft, and a continuous bearing surface arranged between the front end of the foot part and the heel part, the bearing surface constituting a lower closure of the orthopedic device.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Orthopedic devices of this type are used, for example, after bone fractures in the heel or rear portion of a foot, the main purpose being to relieve the heel bone from pressure while the fracture heals and to position it so that it floats freely without contact. Such an orthopedic device is disclosed, for instance, in German utility model No. 94 20 046.7, which is not a printed publication under U.S. patent law.
These known orthopedic devices permit a dorsal contact of the shaft with the calf and a support of the arch, which on the one hand assures a free-floating positioning of the heel bone and, on the other hand, enables almost normal walking in a manner reminiscent of modern ski boots. The heel part of such an orthopedic device extends rearwardly, and its saucer shape provides a rounded rear edge therefor. In this way, the forces generated when the foot is put down are transmitted during the motion from the heel part to the shaft in contact with the calf. As the foot motion proceeds, the freely floating heel bone is not subjected to any load because the ensuing forces are transmitted to the arch of the foot.
A tight tying and constriction of the lower leg muscles is not necessary because of the dorsal contact of the shaft with the calf and the arch support, which is obtained by arranging an arc at the inside of the foot, which rises substantially perpendicularly from the front edge of the heel and reaches its apex substantially at the level of the upper beginning of the heel part rounding and from which the opposite flank of the arc decends flatter towards the toe end of the foot part. Also unnecessary is an elevation of the shoe sole at the healthy foot because the orthopedic device positions the broken foot only about 1 to 2 cm higher.
Despite the obvious advantages of such known orthopedic devices, the fact remains that they must be built individually for each foot because the arch support is an integral part of the device. The device may be produced by thermoforming, different shaping tools being required for different sizes and for the left and right foot. This makes the manufacture expensive because the shaping tools are costly. In addition, these orthopedic devices require an undesirable store of different sizes and the left and right foot.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
It is the primary object of this invention to provide an orthopedic device of the first-described type, which involves reduced manufacturing costs and less sorting.
In such an orthopedic device, the above and other objects are accomplished according to the invention if the bearing surface side facing the interior of the orthopedic device is flat and symmetrical with respect to a central longitudinal axis, the device comprises an arch support affixable to this bearing surface side, a portion of the arch support running along an outside of a foot capable of being supported by the arch support extending substantially horizontally, and a portion of the arch support running along an inside of the foot having a shape of a rising arc, a flank of the arc near the heel rising substantially perpendicularly from the bearing surface to an apex and extending from the apex to the foot part. The arch support has a top surface extending between the side-wall portion and the other side-wall portion and also extending between a heel and a toe end of the arch support. This top surface rises in height from the sidewall portion to the apex of the other side-wall portion and rises substantially perpendicularly from the continuous bearing surface in height from the heel end of the apex of the other side-wall portion and then descends in height toward the toe end. The top surface is spaced high enough from the continuous bearing surface to maintain the heel of the user freely floating above the continuous bearing surface.
The symmetrical arrangement of the bearing surface and thus of the entire orthopedic device means that it may be used for the right as wall an the left foot. In addition, only two basic sizes (one for children and the other one for adults) are needed, more customized sizing requiring only that a portion of the front of the device must be cut off. Therefore, at most two shaping tools are required for the manufacture of the shell of the orthopedic device. This substantially reduces the manufacturing casts.
To fit the orthopedic device to the injured foot, only a suitable arch support needs to be manufactured, which is then placed on the flat inside of the running surface and affixed thereto. The arch support may be affixed by an adhesive or a frictional connection, such as a Velcro connection. The latter has the advantage that the orthopedic device shell may be reused with another arch support, for example the arch support may be replaced during the healing process.
In one preferred embodiment, the arch support is made of a synthetic resin, such as a synthetic resin foam.
Preferably, the shaft, the heel part and the foot part are an integral synthetic resin part, and the shaft may be placed around the calf of the leg, and detachable closures may hold the shaft in position around the shin bone and the foot part in position at the foot. Advantageously, the detachable closures may also be Velcro devices, which make it possible to fit the device to the lower leg and the foot with some tolerances.
In another preferred embodiment, the orthopedic device further comprises a nonskid sole arranged below the heel part and the foot part to make walking more secure. To protect the toes, too, the foot part may comprise a cap enclosing the toes of the foot and a nonskid sole.
It is also useful to provide ankle bone protective pads arranged between the shaft and the heel part at both sides of the orthopedic device.
For purposes of control and suitable venting of the orthopedic device shell, the heel part may define an opening above the bearing surface.
REFERENCES:
patent: 1417170 (1922-05-01), Hosmer
patent: 1737897 (1929-12-01), Skoglund
patent: 5070867 (1991-12-01), March
patent: 5799659 (1998-09-01), Stano
patent: 5833639 (1998-11-01), Nunes et al.
patent: 5980475 (1999-11-01), Gibbons
patent: 6090059 (2000-07-01), Wasserman
patent: 94 20 046.7 (1995-04-01), None
patent: 539243 (1941-09-01), None
Munch Thomas
Settner Meinald
Collard & Roe P.C.
Pothier Denise
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