US 12,376,981 B2
Universal dynamic athletic ankle brace and add-on interior stirrup support system
Annunziato Amendola, Durham, NC (US); Anthony Perera, Cardiff (GB); Bryan Den Hartog, Urbandale, IA (US); David B. Kay, Akron, OH (US); Nicholas Gomez, San Marcos, CA (US); Ian D. Kovacevich, Carlsbad, CA (US); and Nouphone J. Bansasine, Temecula, CA (US)
Assigned to RUBBER CITY BRACING COMPANY LLC, Akron, OH (US)
Filed by RUBBER CITY BRACING COMPANY LLC, Akron, OH (US)
Filed on May 2, 2024, as Appl. No. 18/653,919.
Application 18/653,919 is a continuation of application No. 17/993,664, filed on Nov. 23, 2022, granted, now 11,974,935.
Application 17/993,664 is a continuation of application No. 17/686,388, filed on Mar. 3, 2022, granted, now 11,607,331, issued on Mar. 21, 2023.
Claims priority of provisional application 63/156,037, filed on Mar. 3, 2021.
Prior Publication US 2024/0277507 A1, Aug. 22, 2024
This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.
Int. Cl. A61F 5/01 (2006.01)
CPC A61F 5/0111 (2013.01) [A61F 2005/0197 (2013.01)] 20 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A rear-entry ankle brace, comprising:
(a) an elastomeric component defining an inside elbow channel configured to span an ankle joint of a wearer, the elastomeric component having
(i) a distal end portion comprising an arched foot portion configured to extend over and cover a top and opposite sides of a mid-foot of the wearer,
(ii) a proximal end portion comprising an arched leg portion configured to extend over and cover a front and sides of a lower portion of a leg of the wearer, and
(iii) an intermediate portion extending between the foot portion and leg portion and comprising an arched ankle portion configured to extend over and cover a front and sides of an ankle joint of the wearer,
(iv) wherein a channel opening extends along a length of the elastomeric component from the distal end portion to the proximal end portion and enables the elastomeric component to be positioned directly onto and cover the front and sides of the mid-foot, lower leg portion, and ankle joint of the wearer without passing the mid-foot through the proximal end portion;
(b) a pair of stirrups, each attached to an inner side of the elastomeric component in opposing relation to each other and each contoured so as to receive a respective malleolus of the wearer;
(c) one or more leg straps for adjustably tensioning first and second rear edges of the channel opening in an area of the leg portion toward one another and securing the leg portion to the lower leg of the wearer; and
(d) a first foot strap secured to and extending from a first bottom edge of the channel opening at a first location in an the area of the foot portion and a second foot strap secured to and extending from a second bottom edge of the channel opening in the area of the foot portion at a second location, the second location being directly opposite the first location on the other side of the channel opening, each of the first and second foot straps configured to span the channel opening in the area of the foot portion, and to removably attach to at least one of the one or more leg straps for tensioning the first and second bottom edges toward one another and securing the foot portion to the mid-foot of the wearer;
(e) wherein the first foot strap extends under the second foot strap along an entire length that spans the channel opening for forming by the first foot strap a plantar surface of the brace, the second foot strap extending over the first foot strap along an entire length of the second foot strap that spans the channel opening; and
(f) wherein the second foot strap extends through a slot along the first bottom edge that is located over the first location at which the first foot strap extends from the first bottom edge.