US 12,290,461 B2
External ankle brace
Mike W. Bean, South Bend, IN (US)
Assigned to TayCo Brace, Inc., South Bend, IN (US)
Filed by TayCo Brace, Inc., South Bend, IN (US)
Filed on Aug. 10, 2021, as Appl. No. 17/398,599.
Application 17/398,599 is a continuation of application No. 15/074,339, filed on Mar. 18, 2016, abandoned.
Claims priority of provisional application 62/135,823, filed on Mar. 20, 2015.
Prior Publication US 2021/0361458 A1, Nov. 25, 2021
Int. Cl. A61F 5/01 (2006.01)
CPC A61F 5/0127 (2013.01) 24 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. An apparatus, comprising:
an external gauntlet ankle/foot orthosis configured for application over a shoe configured to provide ankle and foot stability at least one of prophylactically or following trauma, wherein the external gauntlet ankle/foot orthosis includes:
a first structural section including sub-portions configured to respectively coincide with an outer portion of a foot and ankle and an inner portion of the foot and ankle; and
a second structural section including sub-portions configured to respectively coincide with an outer portion of a lower leg and an inner portion of the lower leg, wherein
the second structural section is attached to the first structural section via a plurality of ankle joints,
the sub-portions of the first structural section are connected by a connector sub-portion,
the first structural section and the second structural section are made of thermoplastic,
the apparatus further comprises a strap connecting the sub-portions of the second structural section and encircling the lower leg when the external gauntlet ankle/foot orthosis is worn by the human,
a first sub-portion and a second sub-portion of the sub-portions of the first structural section are each configured to extend from the connector sub-portion in a longitudinal direction beyond a talus of the foot and towards a toe of the foot when the external gauntlet ankle/foot orthosis is worn by a human, each of the first sub-portion and the second sub-portion being at least partially located adjacent to an instep area of a corresponding medial or lateral side of the shoe when the external gauntlet ankle/foot orthosis is worn by the human,
the apparatus further comprises:
a fastening arrangement comprising at least one connecting strap for connecting said first sub-portion to said second sub-portion underneath a sole of the shoe forward of the talus of the foot, the fastening arrangement being the only structure connecting the first sub-portion and the second sub-portion underneath the sole of the shoe such that the sole of the shoe underneath a heel of the foot is exposed to ambient space beneath the shoe when the external gauntlet ankle/foot orthosis is worn by the human, and
the external gauntlet ankle/foot orthosis limits and/or prevents ankle inversion and eversion.