Ankle flexible support system

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11039947-B2
Application number	US-201816016218-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jun 22, 2018
Priority date	Feb 4, 2014
Publication date	Jun 22, 2021
Grant date	Jun 22, 2021

Abstract

A moldable ankle flexible brace is disclosed. The flexible ankle brace may include a heat-moldable, multi-layer leg support portion, a heat-moldable, multi-layer foot support portion, a pair of hinges connecting the leg support portion to the foot support portion, an opening for receiving a user's ankle, and a closure mechanism. The flexible ankle brace may include a middle layer that is substantially stiff at a temperature below about 130° F. and moldable at temperatures above 130° F. Also disclosed is a method of using a flexible ankle brace to treat an ankle. The method may include, for example, heating the brace to above 130° F. placing the heated brace on a patient's ankle and molding the brace to conform to the shape of the patient's ankle.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A flexible stabilizing ankle brace, comprising:
a heat-moldable, multi-layer leg support portion;
a heat-moldable, multi-layer foot support portion;
a pair of hinges connecting the heat-moldable, multilayer leg support portion to the heat-moldable, multi-layer foot support portion, wherein each hinge comprises:
a leg portion coupled to the heat-moldable, multi-layer leg support portion;
a foot portion coupled to the heat-moldable, multi-layer foot support portion; and
a flexible elastomeric portion extending between the leg portion and the foot portion, configured to allow for flexion of the brace; and

a motion-limiting mechanism configured to be removably coupled to at least one of the hinges, wherein the motion-limiting mechanism is configured to limit the range of flexion allowed by the flexible elastomeric portion of the at least one hinge.

2. The flexible stabilizing ankle brace of claim 1 , wherein the flexible elastomeric portion of the at least one hinge is narrower in width than the leg portion and the foot portion of the at least one hinge.

3. The flexible stabilizing ankle brace of claim 2 , wherein the at least one hinge comprises gaps between the leg portion and the foot portion on the anterior side and the posterior side of the flexible elastomeric portion, and wherein the motion-limiting member is configured to fill at least a portion of the space within the gaps.

4. The flexible stabilizing ankle brace of claim 3 , wherein the motion-limiting member comprises a pair of adjustable rods configured to extend through the foot portion or the leg portion of the at least one hinge and wherein each adjustable rod is configured to extend into one of the gaps.

5. The flexible stabilizing ankle brace of claim 4 , wherein the pair of adjustable rods are configured to be securely inserted into the gaps to a variable extent.

6. The flexible stabilizing ankle brace of claim 3 , wherein the motion-limiting member comprises a locking mechanism configured to lock stop members into each of the gaps, the stop members being configured to limit the flexion of the flexible elastomeric portion of the hinge when locked in place.

7. The flexible stabilizing ankle brace of claim 6 , wherein the locking mechanism is configured to be removably coupled to the leg portion of the hinge and to be removably coupled to the foot portion of the hinge.

8. The flexible stabilizing ankle brace of claim 4 , wherein the pair of adjustable rods are configured to be screwed into the portion of the hinge through which the adjustable rods are configured to extend through.

9. The flexible stabilizing ankle brace of claim 1 , further comprising an opening on a posterior of the heat-moldable, multi-layer leg support portion configured for receiving a user's leg into the brace.

10. The flexible stabilizing ankle brace of claim 9 , wherein the heat-moldable leg support portion comprises a tibial cuff and a selectively removable fibular cuff, and wherein removal of the selectively removable fibular cuff forms the opening configured for receiving a user's leg into the brace.

11. The flexible stabilizing ankle brace of claim 10 , wherein the pair of hinges connect the heat-moldable leg support portion to the tibial cuff.

12. The flexible stabilizing ankle brace of claim 9 , further comprising a closure mechanism configured to be positioned over the opening.

13. The flexible stabilizing ankle brace of claim 1 , wherein the motion-limiting member is configured to adjustably limit the range of flexion allowed by the flexible elastomeric portion.

14. The flexible stabilizing ankle brace of claim 1 , wherein the motion-limiting member is configured to prevent the flexion allowed by the flexible elastomeric portion.

15. The flexible stabilizing ankle brace of claim 1 , wherein the leg support portion comprises a heat-moldable, multi-layer material and wherein the foot support portion comprises a heat-moldable, multi-layer material.

16. The flexible stabilizing ankle brace of claim 1 , wherein the heat-moldable, multi-layer leg support portion comprises at least three layers, each layer being configured to be disposed around the entire circumference of a user's leg.

17. The flexible stabilizing ankle brace of claim 1 , wherein the heat-moldable, multi-layer foot support portion comprises at least three layers.

18. The flexible stabilizing ankle brace of claim 1 , wherein the heat-moldable, multi-layer leg support portion comprises a layer which is substantially stiff at a temperature below about 130° F. and moldable at temperatures between about 130° F. and 220° F.

19. A method of stabilizing an ankle, comprising:
providing an ankle a flexible stabilizing ankle brace, comprising:
a heat-moldable, multi-layer a leg support portion,
a heat-moldable, multi-layer foot support portion,
a pair of hinges connecting said leg support portion to said foot support portion, wherein each hinge comprises:
a leg portion coupled to the heat-moldable, multi-layer leg support portion;
a foot portion coupled to the heat-moldable, multi-layer foot support portion; and
a flexible elastomeric portion extending between the leg portion and the foot portion, configured to allow for flexion of the brace; and

a motion-limiting mechanism configured to be removably coupled to at least one of the hinges, wherein the motion-limiting mechanism is configured to limit the range of flexion allowed by the flexible elastomeric portion of the at least one hinge;

heating the flexible stabilizing ankle brace to between about 130° F. to about 220° F.;
applying the heated ankle brace to the ankle of a patient such that a leg of the patient enters the ankle brace through a posterior opening in the ankle brace; and
applying pressure to the heated heat-moldable, multi-layer leg support portion to mold each layer of the heat-moldable, multi-layer leg support portion to conform to a specific shape corresponding to an entire circumference of a leg of the patient.

Assignees

• Djo Llc

Inventors

• Madden David
• Cozad Matthew
• Bowen Brian
• Ledezma Frank

Classifications

• A61F5/0127 Primary

  for the feet (A61F5/0111 takes precedence) · CPC title

• A61F2210/0071

  thermoplastic · CPC title

• A61F2210/0076

  multilayered, e.g. laminated structures · CPC title