US 12,403,030 B2
Device for protecting the plantar padding
Hugo Laurent, Montélimar (FR); Thierry Fontaine, Marsanne (FR); Maria-Luisa Trepier-Le Beller, Portes les Valence (FR); and Océane Martin, Loriol sur Drome (FR)
Assigned to MILLET INNOVATION, Loriol sur Drome (FR)
Appl. No. 17/628,007
Filed by MILLET INNOVATION, Loriol sur Drome (FR)
PCT Filed Jul. 15, 2020, PCT No. PCT/IB2020/056647
§ 371(c)(1), (2) Date Jan. 18, 2022,
PCT Pub. No. WO2021/009691, PCT Pub. Date Jan. 21, 2021.
Claims priority of application No. 19 08129 (FR), filed on Jul. 18, 2019.
Prior Publication US 2022/0313466 A1, Oct. 6, 2022
Int. Cl. A61F 5/01 (2006.01); A41D 13/06 (2006.01); A43B 7/1405 (2022.01); A43B 7/1425 (2022.01); A43B 7/1435 (2022.01); A43B 7/149 (2022.01); A43B 7/22 (2006.01); A43B 17/02 (2006.01)
CPC A61F 5/0127 (2013.01) [A41D 13/06 (2013.01); A43B 7/1405 (2013.01); A43B 7/1425 (2013.01); A43B 7/1435 (2013.01); A43B 7/149 (2013.01); A43B 7/22 (2013.01); A43B 17/02 (2013.01)] 20 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A method of fabricating a device for protecting a plantar pad of a foot, comprising:
providing a pad including a viscoelastic material, configured to be held on skin of a plantar region, and to cover all metatarsal heads and metatarsophalangeal joints of the foot, the pad comprising a distal edge and lateral edges,
providing an elastic strap comprising a transverse portion and a longitudinal portion, the longitudinal portion of the elastic strap having a distal edge and a lateral edge, the transverse portion of the elastic strap having a distal edge,
attaching the elastic strap to the lateral edges of the pad, and fixing the distal edge of the longitudinal portion of the elastic strap to the distal edge of the pad along a securing line, so that the elastic strap forms a brace configured to pass between a big toe and an adjacent toe of the foot,
the distal edge of the transverse portion of the elastic strap delimiting, with the pad and the lateral edge of the longitudinal portion of the elastic strap, an aperture for passage of second to fifth toes, wherein
the lateral edge of the longitudinal portion of the elastic strap has a length between 40% and 60% of a length of the distal edge of the transverse portion of the elastic strap,
the distal edge of the transverse portion of the elastic strap and the lateral edge of the longitudinal portion of the elastic strap have, in an unstretched flat state, rectilinear portions forming an angle between 75° and 100° with each other, and
the length of the distal edge of the transverse portion of the elastic strap is between 55% and 65% of a length of the transverse portion,
the method further comprising, before fixing the distal edge of the longitudinal portion of the elastic strap to the distal edge of the pad along the securing line, rotating the distal edge of the longitudinal portion of the elastic strap so that the brace is fixed to the pad forming a camber, keeping an opening for the passage of the big toe of the foot open, wherein
size of the camber is determined by an amplitude of rotation of the distal edge of the longitudinal portion of the elastic strap relative to the distal edge of the pad before attaching the distal edge of the longitudinal portion of the elastic strap to the distal edge of the pad along the securing line,
the amplitude of rotation of the distal edge of the longitudinal portion of the elastic strap relative to the distal edge of the pad is between 80° and 100° within a plane of the pad when laid flat at the securing line, and
location of the securing line of the distal edge of the longitudinal portion of the elastic strap to the distal edge of the pad increases angle between the rectilinear portions of the distal edge of the transverse portion of the elastic strap and the lateral edge of the longitudinal portion of the elastic strap such that in an unstretched flat state, after securing the distal edge of the longitudinal portion of the elastic strap to the distal edge of the pad, the rectilinear portions form the angle between 75° and 100° with each other.