Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
.`- 117~8(~5
T~IIN, L_GHT-~EIGHT FLEXIBLE ORTHOPEDIC DEVICE
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION '
1. Field of the Invention -~
f A thin, light-weight flexible orthopedic device.
2. Description of the Prior Art ,
Orthopedic devices which are made to order for a parti
cular person are~known in the art. These devices are generally,
hand fitted by a podiatrist or other appropriate professional to
conform to the shape and contour of the person's foot when said
foot is in a corrected or neutral position.
Although prior art orthopedic devices have proven to be
therapeutically useful,`there are several drawbacks to the cur- ,~
rently available devices. '
The majority of prior art orthopedic devices are shaped
and dimensioned to support the entire plantar aspect of the user's
foot, despite the fact that generally it is~only necessary to sup-
port the'medial portion of the plantar aspect of the foot.
Constructing the devices to include an essentially unnecessary
lateral portion has added unneeded weight and height to the
20 devices which makes them less comfortable to wear and more
difficult to use with certain types of shoes, e.g. women's dress
shoes.
Additionally, the afore-described construction of these
devices requires the device to be unnecessarily bulky which
causes the foot to be positioned too high up in the shoe and
hence sometimes slip out of the shoe.
U.S.L.P. No. 2,225,100 discloses an orthopedic device
to be inserted into a shoe, the device being substantially U-
shaped. The orthopedic device of '100 extends lengthwise from a
30 segment for supporting a user's'heel to a-segment for supporting a
user's arch. This device, due to its length cannot be used to
oorrec ny imbalance n a user's forefoot. ~
11~8()5 ` .
S ~RY OF THE INVENTION
1. Objects of the Invention
It is an object of the present invention to provide an
improved orthopedic device.
A further object is to provide an orthopedic device
( which avoids the various drawbacks of prior art orthopedic
devices.
Another object is to provide an orthopedic device
which is thin, light-weight and flexible.
Still a further object is to provide an orthopedic
device which will easily fit into all types of shoes.
Yet another object is to provide an orthopedic device
which will not cause a user's foot to be positioned too high
in a shoe and hence slip therefrom.
Another object is to provide an orthopedic device
which is of a length and width sufficient to correct imbalances
on any portion of a user's foot.
^ An additional object is to provide an orthopedic device
which supports the longitudinal axis of the arch and thereby
reduces arch strain.
Still another object is to provide an orthopedic device
with appropriate posting in the rear foot region to prevent
excessive subtalar pronation.
Another object is to provide an orthopedic device with
appropriate posting in the forefoot region to prevent excessive
midtarsal pronation. -
Yet another object is to provide an orthopedic device
which compensates for excessive varus influence.
Other objects of the present invention in part will be
~ obvious and in part will be pointed out hereinafter.
117~8()S
2. Brie~ Description of the Inventlon
In keeping with these objects and ~thers which will
become apparent hereinafter, one feature of the invention resides,
briefly stated, in a thin, light-weight flexible orthopedic
device which includes a therapeutic por ion and a non-therapeutic
C~ cut-out portion.
The therapeutic portion of the device is custom fi~ted to
a particular person. It is generally so fitted by having a person
place his foot, when said foot is in a corrected or neutral posi-
tion, on a moldable substance. The foot leaves an impression in
the moldable substance which the podiatrist or other professional
can use to make the device. Hence! the phrase "shaped and
contoured to engage a human foot" when used herein refers to
the shape and contour of the impression formed by the foot in
its corrected or neutral position.
The therapeutic portion of the device is of one piece
and consists of three general regions: a distal forefoot-suEportin~
region; a proximal heel supporting region and a medial arch
supporting region. The medial arch supporting region is situated
forefoot--or toe-
between the / supporting region and the heel supporting region.
The medial arch supporting region is bounded on its
innermost side by a generally straight wall means and on its
outermost side by an irregularly shaped wall means, the latter
definins the aforementioned non-therapeutic cut-out portion of
the orthopedic device. This non-therapeutic portion is located
laterally to the therapeutic portion.
The provision of a therapeutic and a non-therapeutic
portion results in a half-orthopedic device or "half-thotic"
which although substantially smaller, lighter and thinner than
~30 prior art full orthopedic devices provides at least as much
thera utical aid as the l~tter.
_ 3 _
~ ~ li'71~805 `````i
Pursuant to the present invention, the orthopedic device
may be inserted into a user's shoe or alternatively may be
attached to a user's sock. Due to the relatively small size
and thin height of ~he device it will fit into most shoes
, including women's dress shoes and sandals.
C The orthopedic device of the present invention provides
appropriate posting in both the forefoot and rear foot areas to
prevent excessive midtarsal and subtalar pronation respectively.
Appropriate posting as used herein means support, said support
being such as to prevent excessive abnormal and destructive
movement of the foot. Additionally, the device supports the
longitudinal arch of the foot and thus reduces strain of the
same. The device also compensates for excessive varus influence
by bringing the medial part of the foot higher than thP lateral
part.
The novel features which are considered as characteristic
of the invention are set forth in particular in the appended
claims. The invention itself, however, both as to its construc-
tion and its method of operation, together with additional objects
and advantages thereof, will be best understood from the follow-
ing description of specific embodiments when read in connection
with the accompanying drawings.
.
117~38()5
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
.. ____ . _
FIG. 1 is a perspective view of an orthopedic device of
the present invention, the device configured to cooperate with
," a human right foot;
.. FIG. 2 is a central longitudinai sectional view of the
orthopedic device of the present invention in a conventional
shoe;
FIG. 3 is a horizontal sectional view of the orthopedic
device of the present invention in a conventional shoe;
FIG. 4 is a sectional view taken substantially along
line 4--4 of FIG. 3;
FIG. 5 is a sectional view taken substantially along
line 5--5 of FIG. 3;
. FIG. 6 is a sectional view taken substantially along
line 6--6 of FIG. 3;
FIG. 7 is a sectional view taken su~bstantially along
line 7--7 of FIG. 3; and
FIG. 8 is a perspective view of the orthopedic dsvice
attached to a conventional sock.
88l)5 `~` 1
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF T~E PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS.
Referring now to the drawings and more particularly to
~IG. 1, the reference numeral 10 denotes the orthopedic device.of
the present invention. Device 10, in a preferred embodiment,ihas
(_ a shape of an inverted questlon mark in plan and is characterized
by the pxovision of a distal forefoot-supporting region 12, a
~roximal heel supporting region 14 and a medial arch supporting
region 16. Heel supporting region l4 comprises the hook segment
of the question mark. Regions 12, 14 and 16 together comprise a
posted therapeutic portion of device 10. Lateral to the thera-
peutic portion is a cut-out, non-posted, non-therapeutic~portion
18 of said device. As heretofore stated, posting as used herein
refers to material in the device used to support a foot and to
prevent excessive abnormal'and destructive movement of same.
Device 10 includes as therapeutic, e~.g. posted areas,
only those areas in which it is necessary to support the foot in
order to prevent said excessive abnormal and destructive movement
when said foot bears weight, e.g. when the user is walking,
running, etc.
Device 10 is of varying low heights and therefore both
light-weight and thin, the non-therapeutic portlons of the device
being portions in which the device has zero height. The device
10 can best be described as a half device or half-thotic.
As best seen in FIGs. 2, 4, 5, and 6, the therapeutic
portion of device 10 is composed of three layers: a top covering
_ --layer/made of material that wears well, preferably leather or
leatherette, a middle thermoplastic layer 22, and a bottom flex-
ible layer 24 whose bottommost face is shaped to correspond to the
shape of a shoe 26. The entire device 10 is both light-weight and
comfortable. Device 10 is less bulky than prior therapeutic
devices in which all regions thereof have a substantial height. '
- 6 -
. 11J~ ()5
- The arch supporting region 16 increases in height along
its horizontal plane fxom an almost zero height at its most
outer portion adjacent the non-therapeutic portion to a varying
but always substantially low height at its most inner portion.'
Additionally, arch supporting region 16 gradually increases in
height from an almost zero height at its most distal portion to
a comparatively high point at its mid crest region 19 and then
gradually decreases in height from said mid crest region to an
almost zero height at its most proximal portion. Crest resion
19 is of a height such as to be disposed a substantial distance
above the insole of shoe 26 within which the device is worn and
in contact with the inner wall of said shoe. Distal forefoot support-
ing region 12 increases in height longitudinally from an almost
zero height at its most distal edge 30 to a varying but still
extremely low height at its most proximal portion. Heel support-
ing region 14 increases in height from an almost zero height at
the edges thereof which are immediately adjacent to the non-
therapeutic portion of the device to different varying heights at
its more lateral, medial and proximal portions. The entire device
10 is configured with the aforementioned different varying heights
to enable the device to concomitantly support regions of the foot ¦
that need supporting while gradually allowing said device to merge
with the insole of the shoe in which it is worn.
As shown in FIGs. 2-7, device 10 may be worn in shoe 26.
Due:to its lacX of bulk, device 10 may be worn in almost any
type of shoe including women's dress shoes and sandals. Alterna-
tively, as shown in FIG. 8, device 10 may be worn attached to a
user`s sock 28. In the latter case, device.10 preferably is
, hand sewn onto the sock.
~30 The device 10 is constructed to be of a length such
that the distal edge 30 of toe receiving~region 12 will be at
about the sulcus of a user's toes. Toe receiving region 12
, ,~ .
li7~8()5 "~``
supports the user's metatarsal-phalangeal ~oint (the ball of the
foot). As best shown in FIG. 7, toe receiving region 12 is
relatively thin and narrow, and i~ is extremely flexible. It
curves in a somewhat upwardly convex manner from both its distal
; edge 30 to its ~,lore proximal part 32 and from its medial edge 34
-~ to its lateral edge 36. It is constructed with appropriate
posting so that in combination with the other portions of de~ice
10, it prevents excessive midtarsal pronation of a user's forefoot
The arch supporting region 16 is constructed to be
sufficiently wide enough to support the horizontal arch of a user'
foot, moreover, it has appropriate posting to fully support the
longitudinal arch of the foot and thereby prevent arch strain.
The posting in arch supporting region 16, in combination with the
rest of device 10 prevents,both excessive midtarsal and subtalar
pronation.
Arch supporting region 16 has an inner area 38 and an
outer area 40 and, as best shown in FIG. 6, the outer area is
thinner and lower than the inner areas. Areas 38 and 40 together
provide arch supporting region with a gently sloped transverse
contour. The longitudinal contour of region 16 also is shaped to
support the plantar aspect of the foot and, as best shown in
FIG. 6, gently slopes upwardly fro~ the heel supporting region 14
toward generally mid-section crest region 19 and from crest
region 19 downwardly toward ~orefoot supporting region 12.
Heel supporting region 14 preferably is generally U-
shaped in plan and as heretofore stated comprises the hook sectio~
of the inverted question mark shaped device. It has an inner U-
leg 44 and an outer U-leg 46 connected to one another by a
posterior rounded curved section 48. Outer U-leg 46 while desir-
able is optlonal and device 10 may be constructed without same.
Intermediate legs 44 and 46 is cut-out portion 50 which is part
of non-therapeutic portion 18. Heel supporting region 14 is of '
- a width approximately equal to the width of the heel of the foot.
11'788(~5
~ Heel supporting r~yion 14 is provided with appropriate
posting, so that in co~bination with the o.ther portions of devi~e
lOj it prevents excessive subtalar pronation. The posting in
device 10 not only prevents excessive midtarsal and subtalar pro-
nation, as heretofore described, but concomitantly compensates ~or
(~ excessive varus influence by holding the medial aspect of the
weight bearing foot upwardly of and higher than the lateral aspect
of same.
As heretofore stated, posterior section 48 is rounded so
that the rounded posterior edge of the human heel can fit therein.
Postexior section 48 when in shoe 26 is positioned adjacent the
inner posterior wall 26a of the shoe. U-legs 44 and 46 are
generally straight and configured to fit adjacent to the posterior
portions of the shoe's medial side wall 26b and lateral side wall
26c respectively.
Lateral U-leg 46 is formed to curve convexly downward
from its outermost edge 51 to its most innermost edge 52 as best
shown in FIG. 4, and,as also shown in FIG. i, inner U-leg 44 is
formed to curve convexly downward from its innermost edge 54 to
its outermost edge 56. Additionally, posterior section 48 is
formed to curve convexly downward from its most proximal edge 48a
to its most distal edge 48b.
As heretofore described,: the toe, heel and arch support-
ing regions are all formed such as to have varying tapered heights
said varying heights tapering to a height of almost zero at those
parts of the therapeutic portion of the device i~ediately
adjacent to the non-therapeutic portion of the device and to a
height of zero at the non-therapeutic portion of the device.
This tapered varying height configuration of the therapeutic
portion of the device, in combination with the aforementioned
curvatuFe of the various portions of the device together allow
, _ g _
11~7~()S ` ``-` :`
the de~ice to be worn comfortably within a shoe and make the gap
between.shoe inner sole and the device impeLceptable to a user
when said device is worn in a shoe or attached to a sock. In -
ot~er words, there is only a very slight height difference between
those portions of the insole of the shoe that are not covered by
the therapeutic portion of the device and the parts of the thera- :
peutic portion of the device immediately adjacent same. In this
manner, the device gradually merges with the shoe insole. As ,
heretofore stated, the non-therapeutic portion of the device .
constitutes a portion of device 10 in which said device has a ,
height of zero. ,
The therapeutic portion of device 10 has a generally ,
straight medial side wall 60 and an irre,gularly contoured lateral .
side wall 62 which together define the width of said therapeutic
portion and the widths of its component parts -- the toe, heel
and arch supporting portions. Irregularly c~ntoured lateral side .
wall 62, which in combination with heel portion 14 provide the
device 10 with an inverted ques,tion mark shape in plan, is
exceedingly low in height.
Said irregularly contoured lateral side wall 62 defines ,
the therapeutic portion of the device such that the therapeutic r
portion gradually increases in width from the most distal edge 30 ,
of the toe supporting ,r~.g.ion. to the longitudinal mid-point of i
the arch supporting region 16 and then gradually decreases in ,
width from said longitudinal mid-point of arch supporting region I
16 to the longitudinal mid-point of heel supporting region'. 14.
Due to the generally U-shaped configuration of heel supporting l
reg.ion 14, said region, as heretofore stated, has a width such .
that it can support a user's heel while concomitantly containing .
cut-out part 50.
Positioned laterally to and defined by lateral wall 62
is non-therapeutic cut-out portion 18 of device 10. Non- t
therapeutic por.-on 18 is a void with a zero height, which in
1~ 10 - l l
~ 11~J~OS
prior art orthopedic devices was filled with comparatively high,
essentially non-therapeutic segments that m~rely added unnecessary
bulk and rigidity to said devices. As heretofore stated, cut-out
portion 50 is a component of non-therapeutic portion 18.
By formins device 10 to be low in height, the device is
( kept thin, light-weight and flexible without any diminution of its
therapeutic benefits. As heretofore mentioned, the therapeutic
benefits of device 10 derive from having posting in those areas
in which it is necessary to support a user's foot, to prevent
excessive abnormal and destructive movement of the foot when said
foot bears weight. This posting support is generally only needed
at the medial plantar aspect of the foot and posting at the lat-
eral plantar aspect ndt only provides no advantage but is disad-
vantageous in that it makes a device unnecessarily bulky.
Posting is needed and provided at the lateral side of the
heel in lateral U-leg 46 because in normal gait motion of the foot
it is the lateral aspect of the heel that make initial rolling
contact with the surface being walked upon. Additionally, lateral
U-leg 46 is retained as an area with greater than zero height
because it is needed to cooperate with medial U-leg 44 and post-
erior section 48 in forming a stabilizing portion extending width-
wise across the shoe to aid in keeping the device in position i
within the shoe.
Device 10 is of one piece construction, arch supporting
region 16 being adjacent to and situated between toe supporting l
region 12 and heel supporting regiDn 14. I
As heretofore stated, covering layer 20 of device 10 is
preferably constituted of leather or leatherette. It is important
to constitute layer 20 of a material that breathes because the i
plantar aspect of the foot is in contact with said layer. Even ,
if a user wears socks, it is more comfortable if this layer is
constituted of a material that breathes.
117~8()5 ` `
If desired, a means for adhesion may be included on the
outer surface of'the bottommost layer of'device 10 for firmly
holding the device in place in a shoe. The device will stay in
place without such adhesion means during ordinary activity, but
if a user in engaging in strenuous activities such as running,
C the adhesion means provides additional assurance that the device
will not slip. Any appropriate conventional adhesive means may
be used to provide the outer surface of the bottommost layer with
sufficient tackiness to adhere to the inner sole of a shoe.
It is intended that the device 10 of this invention will
be individually prescribed and custom-fitted to each individual
. so that the posting included will be of maximal advantage to each
person. However, it is possible that the device 10 may be con-
structed to include posting that will aid a wide range of indivi-
duals and hence mass produced and sold without prescription and
custom-fitting in stores.
It will be understood that each of the elements described
above, or two or more together, may also find a useful application
in other types of constructions differing from the types described
above.
' ~ile the invention has been illustrated and described as
embodied in a thin, light-weight flexible orthopedic device, it is
not intended to be limited to the details shown, since various
modifications'and structural changes may be made without departing
in any way from the spirit of the present invention~
Without further analysis, the foregoing will so fully
reveal the gist of the present invention that others can by apply-
ing current knowledge readily adapt it for various applications
without omitting features that, from the standpoint of prior art,
fairly constitute essential characteristics of the generic or
specilic pects of this inVentiOA and, tberefore, sucb adaptations
11'7~8()5
should and are intended to be comprehended within the meaning and
ranqe of equivalence of the following cla1ms`.
What is claimed as new and desired to be protected by
Letters Patent is set forth in the appended claims.
f'
