Leg aid device and method

Claim 2

A leg aid device comprising elongated means for placement upon a user's leg and holding means for maintaining said elongated means upon the user's leg, wherein: (a) said elongated means consists essentially of elongated flexibly resilient biasing means having a length sufficient for placement in approximate alignment with the user's leg from a level near the ankle area up to at least the level of the mid-thigh area and having a flexibility sufficient for said length to be repeatedly yieldingly bent into at least a semi-circle without taking on a permanent set, said biasing means, when held upon a body-supporting user's leg by the holding means hereinafter recited, functioning to support a portion of the user's body weight during times the user's leg is in flexed condition and functioning to aid the user's leg muscles in causing extension of the user's leg from a flexed condition, and (b) said holding means consists essentially of (i) a lower holder for fastening the lower end of said biasing means at a level near the user's ankle area, (ii) an upper holder for maintaining the upper end of said biasing means at a level at least as high as the user's mid-thigh area, and (iii) an intermediate holder comprising means for applying a forward pulling force transversely upon said biasing means at a mid-portion thereof at the level of the user's knee area, said intermediate holder being separate from said lower and upper holders but functioning in cooperation therewith to cause said biasing means to urge the user's leg toward a straightened condition without significant torsion or twisting of the user's leg and also functioning in cooperation therewith during leg flexure to cause said biasing means to take on an arcurate contour throughout substantially the entire length of said biasing means.

Claim 3

The device of claim 1 wherein said lower holder comprises means for allowing pivot movement of the lower end of said biasing means.

Claim 4

The device of claim 1 wherein said lower holder comprises holding means mounted on or part of the footwear of the user and wherein cooperative means at the lower end of said biasing means is provided for removably fastening said biasing means to said holding means.

Claim 5

The device of claim 1 wherein said upper holder consists essentially of means for solely contacting a rear portion of the user at a location at least as high as the user's mid-thigh area.

Claim 6

The device of claim 1 wherein said upper holder comprises a seat member.

Claim 7

The device of claim 1 wherein said biasing means comprises two elongated biasing members, each of which comprises a bundle of a plurality of elongated flexible elements, and wherein said intermediate holder comprises means for maintaining the mid-portion of said biasing members along opposite lateral portions of the user's knee level area.

Claim 8

The device of claim 6 wherein each said bundle comprises a flexible matrix of material within which said elongated flexible elements are embedded.

Claim 9

The device of claim 6 wherein said elongated flexible elements comprise flexible fibers and wherein each said bundle comprises a flexible matrix of material within which said fibers are embedded.

Claim 10

The device of claim 6 wherein said elongated flexible elements comprise resilient wires.

Claim 11

The device of claim 6 wherein said intermediate holder consists essentially of means for solely contacting a front portion of the user's leg.

Claim 12

The device of claim 6 wherein said intermediate holder comprises strap means for connecting said biasing members and extending solely over the front portion of the user's leg adjacent to the knee area thereof.

Claim 13

The device of claim 6 wherein said lower holder comprises structural means mounted on the footwear of a user and wherein cooperative means is provided at the lower end of said biasing members for removable fastening to said structural means.

Claim 14

A leg aid device for increasing the stamina of a body-supporting user's leg for repeated flexure and extension at the knee, comprising two elongated flexibly resilient biasing members for placement along opposite lateral portions of a user's leg in approximate alignment therewith from a level near the ankle area up to at least the level of the mid-thigh area, each said biasing member comprising a bundle of a plurality of elongated flexibly resilient biasing elements within a flexible sheath outer covering, said biasing members being adapted to bias a user's leg toward a straightened condition without significant torsion or twisting of the user's leg, and holding means for maintaining said biasing members approximately aligned upon a user's leg for bending yieldingly therewith during flexure thereof at the knee, said biasing members, when held by said holding means upon a body-supporting user's leg, functioning to support a portion of the user's body weight during times said biasing members are in bent condition with the user's leg in flexed condition, and functioning to aid the user's leg muscles in causing extension of the user's leg from flexed condition as said biasing members resiliently return toward a straightened condition with the extension of the user's leg.

Claim 15

A leg aid device for increasing the stamina of a body-supporting user's leg for repeated flexure and extension at the knee, comprising two elongated flexibly resilient biasing members for placement along opposite lateral portions of a user's leg in approximate alignment therewith from a level near the ankle area up to at least the level of the mid-thigh area, each said biasing member comprising a bundle of a plurality of elongated flexibly resilient biasing elements within a flexible sheath outer covering, said biasing members being adapted to bias a user's leg toward a straightened condition without significant torsion or twisting of the user's leg, and holding means for maintaining said biasing members approximately aligned upon a user's leg for bending yieldingly therewith during flexure thereof at the knee, said biasing members, when held by said holding means upon a body-supporting user's leg, functioning to support a portion of the user's body weight during times said biasing members are in bent condition with the user's leg in flexed condition, and functioning to aid the user's leg muscles in causing extension of the user's leg from flexed condition as said biasing members resiliently return toward a straightened condition with the extension of the user's leg.

Claim 16

A leg aid device for increasing the stamina of a body-supporting user's leg for repeated flexure and extension at the knee, comprising two elongated flexibly resilient biasing members for placement along opposite lateral portions of a user's leg in approximate alignment therewith from a level near the ankle area up to at least the level of the mid-thigh area, each said biasing member comprising a bundle of a plurality of elongated flexibly resilient biasing elements not embedded in any matrix for at least the major portion of their length and means uniting at least the upper ends of said biasing elements of a said bundle together in a manner obstructing longitudinal shift of one or more of said biasing elements with respect to the others thereof in said bundle, said biasing members being adapted to bias a user's leg toward a straightened condition without significant torsion or twisting of the user's leg, and holding means for maintaining said biasing members approximately aligned upon a user's leg for bending yieldingly therewith during flexure thereof at the knee, said biasing members when held by said holding means upon a body-supporting user's leg, functioning to support a portion of the user's body weight during times said biasing members are in bent condition with the user's leg in flexed condition, and functioning to aid the user's leg muscles in causing extension of the user's leg from flexed condition as said biasing members resiliently return toward a straightened condition with the extension of the user's leg.

Claim 17

A leg aid device for increasing the stamina of a body-supporting user's leg for repeated flexure and extension at the knee, comprising two elongated flexibly resilient biasing members for placement along opposite lateral portions of a user's leg in approximate alignment therewith from a level near the ankle area up to at least the level of the mid-thigh area, each said biasing member comprising a bundle of a plurality of elongated flexibly resilient biasing elements not embedded in any matrix for at least the major portion of their length and means uniting at least the upper ends of said biasing elements of a said bundle together in a manner obstructing longitudinal shift of one or more of said biasing elements with respect to the others thereof in said bundle, said biasing members being adapted to bias a user's leg toward a straightened condition without significant torsion or twisting of the user's leg, and holding means for maintaining said biasing members approximately aligned upon a user's leg for bending yieldingly therewith during flexure thereof at the knee, said biasing members when held by said holding means upon a body-supporting user's leg, functioning to support a portion of the user's body weight during times said biasing members are in bent condition with the user's leg in flexed condition, and functioning to aid the user's leg muscles in causing extension of the user's leg from flexed condition as said biasing members resiliently return toward a straightened condition with the extension of the user's leg.

Claim 18

A leg aid device for increasing the stamina of a body-supporting user's leg for repeated flexure and extension at the knee, comprising two elongated flexibily resilient biasing members for placement along opposite lateral portions of a user's leg in approximate alignment therewith from a level near the ankle area up to at least the level of the mid-thigh area, each said biasing member comprising a bundle of a plurality of elongated flexibly resilient biasing elements and a flexible matrix of material within which said elongated biasing elements are embedded along at least the major portion of their length, said biasing members being adapted to bias a user's leg toward a straightened condition without significant torsion or twisting of the user's leg, and holding means for maintaining said biasing members approximately aligned upon a user's leg for bending yieldingly therewith during flexure thereof at the knee, said biasing members, when held by said holding means upon a body-supporting user's leg, functioning to support a portion of the user's body weight during times said biasing members are in bent condition with the user's leg in flexed condition, and functioning to aid the user's leg muscles in causing extension of the user's leg from flexed condition as said biasing members resiliently return toward a straightened condition with the extension of the user's leg.

Claim 19

A leg aid device for increasing the stamina of a body-supporting user's leg for repeated flexure and extension at the knee, comprising two elongated flexibily resilient biasing members for placement along opposite lateral portions of a user's leg in approximate alignment therewith from a level near the ankle area up to at least the level of the mid-thigh area, each said biasing member comprising a bundle of a plurality of elongated flexibly resilient biasing elements and a flexible matrix of material within which said elongated biasing elements are embedded along at least the major portion of their length, said biasing members being adapted to bias a user's leg toward a straightened condition without significant torsion or twisting of the user's leg, and holding means for maintaining said biasing members approximately aligned upon a user's leg for bending yieldingly therewith during flexure thereof at the knee, said biasing members, when held by said holding means upon a body-supporting user's leg, functioning to support a portion of the user's body weight during times said biasing members are in bent condition with the user's leg in flexed condition, and functioning to aid the user's leg muscles in causing extension of the user's leg from flexed condition as said biasing members resiliently return toward a straightened condition with the extension of the user's leg.

Claim 20

A leg aid device for increasing the stamina of a body-supporting user's leg for repeated flexure and extension at the knee, comprising two elongated flexibly resilient biasing members for placement in approximate alignment with a user's leg from a level near the ankle area up to at least the level of the mid-thigh area, said biasing members being adapted to bias a user's leg toward a straightened condition without significant torsion or twisting of the user's leg, and holding means for maintaining said biasing members approximately aligned upon a user's leg for bending yieldingly therewith during flexure thereof at the knee, said holding means including (a) an upper holder for maintaining the upper portion of said members in spaced relationship at a level of a user's thigh area, said upper holder comprising a contoured seat member and means fastening said biasing members in spaced relationship to said seat member, (b) a lower holder for maintaining the lower end of said members in spaced relationship at a level near a user's ankle area, and (c) an intermediate holder for maintaining a mid-portion of said members along opposite lateral portions of a user's knee area, said biasing members, when held by said holding means upon a body-supporting user's leg, functioning to support a portion of the user's body weight during times said biasing members are in bent condition with the user's leg in flexed condition, and functioning to aid the user's leg muscles in causing extension of the user's leg from flexed condition as said biasing members resiliently return toward a straightened condition with the extension of the user's leg.

Claim 21

A leg aid device for increasing the stamina of a body-supporting user's leg for repeated flexure and extension at the knee, comprising two elongated flexibly resilient biasing members for placement in approximate alignment with a user's leg from a level near the ankle area up to at least the level of the mid-thigh area, said biasing members being adapted to bias a user's leg toward a straightened condition without significant torsion or twisting of the user's leg, and holding means for maintaining said biasing members approximately aligned upon a user's leg for bending yieldingly therewith during flexure thereof at the knee, said holding means including (a) an upper holder for maintaining the upper portion of said members in spaced relationship at a level of a user's thigh area, said upper holder comprising a contoured seat member and means fastening said biasing members in spaced relationship to said seat member, (b) a lower holder for maintaining the lower end of said members in spaced relationship at a level near a user's ankle area, and (c) an intermediate holder for maintaining a mid-portion of said members along opposite lateral portions of a user's knee area, said biasing members, when held by said holding means upon a body-supporting user's leg, functioning to support a portion of the user's body weight during times said biasing members are in bent condition with the user's leg in flexed condition, and functioning to aid the user's leg muscles in causing extension of the user's leg from flexed condition as said biasing members resiliently return toward a straightened condition with the extension of the user's leg.

Claim 22

A leg aid device for increasing the stamina of a body-supporting user's leg for repeated flexure and extension at the knee, comprising two elongated flexibly resilient biasing members for placement in approximate alignment with a user's leg from a level near the ankle area up to at least the level of the mid-thigh area, said biasing members being adapted to bias a user's leg toward a straightened condition without significant torsion or twisting of the user's leg, and holding means for maintaining said biasing members approximately aligned upon a user's leg for bending yieldingly therewith during flexure thereof at the knee, said holding means including (a) an upper holder for maintaining the upper portion of said members in spaced relationship at a level of a user's thigh area, (b) a lower holder for maintaining the lower end of said members in spaced relationship at a level near a user's ankle area, said lower holder comprising footwear having fastening means mounted thereon and cooperative means at the lower end of each said biasing member for removably fastening the same to said fastening means for pivotal movement of said biasing members with respect to said fastening means, and (c) an intermediate holder for maintaining a mid-portion of said members along opposite lateral portions of a user's knee area, said biasing members, when held by said holding means upon a body-supporting user's leg, functioning to support a portion of the user's body weight during times said biasing members are in bent condition with the user's leg in flexed condition, and functioning to aid the user's leg muscles in causing extension of the user's leg from flexed condition as said biasing members resiliently return toward a straightened condition with the extension of the user's leg.

Claim 23

A leg aid device for increasing the stamina of a body-supporting user's leg for repeated flexure and extension at the knee, comprising two elongated flexibly resilient biasing members for placement in approximate alignment with a user's leg from a level near the ankle area up to at least the level of the mid-thigh area, said biasing members being adapted to bias a user's leg toward a straightened condition without significant torsion or twisting of the user's leg, and holding means for maintaining said biasing members approximately aligned upon a user's leg for bending yieldingly therewith during flexure thereof at the knee, said holding means including (a) an upper holder for maintaining the upper portion of said members in spaced relationship at a level of a user's thigh area, (b) a lower holder for maintaining the lower end of said members in spaced relationship at a level near a user's ankle area, said lower holder comprising footwear having fastening means mounted thereon and cooperative means at the lower end of each said biasing member for removably fastening the same to said fastening means for pivotal movement of said biasing members with respect to said fastening means, and (c) an intermediate holder for maintaining a mid-portion of said members along opposite lateral portions of a user's knee area, said biasing members, when held by said holding means upon a body-supporting user's leg, functioning to support a portion of the user's body weight during times said biasing members are in bent condition with the user's leg in flexed condition, and functioning to aid the user's leg muscles in causing extension of the user's leg from flexed condition as said biasing members resiliently return toward a straightened condition with the extension of the user's leg.

Claim 24

A leg aid device for increasing the stamina of a body-supporting user's leg for repeated flexure and extension at the knee, comprising two elongated flexibly resilient biasing members for placement in approximate alignment with a user's leg from a level near the ankle area up to at least the level of the mid-thigh area, said biasing members being adapted to bias a user's leg toward a straightened condition without significant torsion or twisting of the user's leg, and holding means for maintaining said biasing members approximately aligned upon a user's leg for bending yieldingly therewith during flexure thereof at the knee, said holding means including (a) an upper holder for maintaining upper portions of said members in spaced relationship at a level of a user's thigh area, (b) a lower holder for maintaining the lower ends of said members in spaced relationship at a level near a user's ankle area, and (c) an intermediate holder comprising knee cover means for maintaining a mid-portion of said members along opposite lateral portions of a user's knee area, said biasing members, when held by said holding means upon a body-supporting user's leg, functioning to support a portion of the user's body weight during times said biasing members are in bent condition with the user's leg in flexed condition, and functioning to aid the user's leg muscles in causing extension of the user's leg from flexed condition as said biasing members resiliently return toward a straightened condition with the extension of the user's leg.

Claim 25

A leg aid device for increasing the stamina of a body-supporting user's leg for repeated flexure and extension at the knee, comprising two elongated flexibly resilient biasing members for placement in approximate alignment with a user's leg from a level near the ankle area up to at least the level of the mid-thigh area, said biasing members being adapted to bias a user's leg toward a straightened condition without significant torsion or twisting of the user's leg, and holding means for maintaining said biasing members approximately aligned upon a user's leg for bending yieldingly therewith during flexure thereof at the knee, said holding means including (a) an upper holder for maintaining upper portions of said members in spaced relationship at a level of a user's thigh area, (b) a lower holder for maintaining the lower ends of said members in spaced relationship at a level near a user's ankle area, and (c) an intermediate holder comprising knee cover means for maintaining a mid-portion of said members along opposite lateral portions of a user's knee area, said biasing members, when held by said holding means upon a body-supporting user's leg, functioning to support a portion of the user's body weight during times said biasing members are in bent condition with the user's leg in flexed condition, and functioning to aid the user's leg muscles in causing extension of the user's leg from flexed condition as said biasing members resiliently return toward a straightened condition with the extension of the user's leg.

Claim 26

The device of claim 18 wherein said intermediate holder comprises a knee pad for fitting over the knee of a user and strap means for holding said biasing members along lateral portions of a user's knee area.

Claim 27

A leg aid device comprising elongated means for placement upon a user's leg and holding means for maintaining said elongated means upon the user's leg, wherein: (a) said elongated means consists essentially of elongated resilient biasing means comprising a strip member having a length sufficient for placement behind the leg of a user in approximate alignment with the user's leg from a level near the ankle area up to at least the level of the mid-thigh area and having a flexibility sufficient for said length to be repeatedly yieldingly bent into at least a semi-circle without taking on a permanent set, said biasing means, when held upon a body-supporting user's leg by the holding means hereinafter recited, functioning to support a portion of the user's body weight during times the user's leg is in flexed condition and functioning to aid the user's leg muscles in causing extension of the user's leg from a flexed condition, and (b) said holding means consists essentially of (i) a lower holder for fastening the lower end of said biasing means at a level near and behind the user's ankle area, (ii) an upper holder for maintaining the upper end of said biasing means at a level at least as high as and behind the user's mid-thigh area, and (iii) an intermediate holder comprising means for applying a forward pulling force transversely upon said biasing means at a mid-portion thereof at the level of and behind the user's knee area, said intermediate holder being separate from said lower and upper holders but functioning in cooperation therewith to cause said biasing means to urge the user's leg toward a straightened condition without significant torsion or twisting of the user's leg and also functioning in cooperation therewith during leg flexure to cause said biasing means to take on an arcuate contour throughout substantially the entire length of said biasing means.

Claim 28

A leg aid device comprising elongated means for placement upon a user's leg and holding means for maintaining said elongated means upon the user's leg, wherein: (a) said elongated means consists essentially of elongated resilient biasing means comprising a strip member having a length sufficient for placement behind the leg of a user in approximate alignment with the user's leg from a level near the ankle area up to at least the level of the mid-thigh area and having a flexibility sufficient for said length to be repeatedly yieldingly bent into at least a semi-circle without taking on a permanent set, said biasing means, when held upon a body-supporting user's leg by the holding means hereinafter recited, functioning to support a portion of the user's body weight during times the user's leg is in flexed condition and functioning to aid the user's leg muscles in causing extension of the user's leg from a flexed condition, and (b) said holding means consists essentially of (i) a lower holder for fastening the lower end of said biasing means at a level near and behind the user's ankle area, (ii) an upper holder for maintaining the upper end of said biasing means at a level at least as high as and behind the user's mid-thigh area, and (iii) an intermediate holder comprising means for applying a forward pulling force transversely upon said biasing means at a mid-portion thereof at the level of and behind the user's knee area, said intermediate holder being separate from said lower and upper holders but functioning in cooperation therewith to cause said biasing means to urge the user's leg toward a straightened condition without significant torsion or twisting of the user's leg and also functioning in cooperation therewith during leg flexure to cause said biasing means to take on an arcuate contour throughout substantially the entire length of said biasing means.

Claim 29

The device of claim 20 wherein said strip member comprises a plurality of substantially aligned elongated flexible elements.

Claim 30

The device of claim 20 wherein said strip member comprises a flexible matrix and a plurality of substantially aligned flexible elements embedded in said matrix.

Claim 31

The device of claim 20 wherein said upper holder comprises receiving means for allowing longitudinal shift of the upper end of said strip member and fastening means for attaching said receiving means to a user.

Claim 34

The device of claim 1 wherein said upper holder comprises belt means adapted for wrapping about the user's hip area.

Claim 35

The device of claim 16 wherein said upper holder comprises belt means adapted for wrapping about the user's hip area.

Claim 36

The device of claim 20 wherein said upper holder comprises belt means adapted for wrapping about the user's hip area.

Claim 37

The method of claim 24 wherein said step of maintaining the upper end of said biasing means at a level at least as high as the mid-thigh area includes the act of fastening a belt about the hip area.