The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Mar. 26, 1996
Filed:
Apr. 11, 1994
James C Morris, Rancho Santa Fe, CA (US);
Joe G Stetman, Rancho Santa Fe, CA (US);
Smith & Nephew DonJoy, Inc., Carlsbad, CA (US);
Abstract
An ankle brace to be fitted about the lower leg and ankle of a wearer for inhibiting inversion and eversion of the ankle while accommodating plantar flexion and dorsiflexion is characterized by a rigidifying and unitizing external shell comprising a unitary member made of a rigid material and including a leg encircling portion at least substantially encircling the lower leg of the wearer and ankle stays extending downwardly from the leg encircling portion over the ankle and down to the heel on both the medial and lateral sides of the leg, the leg encircling portion accommodating flexing of the sides of the shell about a vertical axis intermediate the ankle stays for movement of the sides and the stays horizontally into supporting engagement with the medial and lateral sides of the leg and ankle, the shell preventing undesired movement of the ankle stays relative to one another. The ankle brace also features a metatarsal support extending from the region of the metatarsals over the lateral side and instep of the wearer's foot to the medial side of the shell, where the shell provides a rigid post for anchoring the metatarsal support.