US4633877A — Dynamic foot support and kit therefor

Claim 1

Independent Claim 143 words

An orthotic device comprising a resilient member having a perimetral outline conforming to a predetermined portion of the human foot, said member including a plurality of adjoining segments, each said segment having a perimetral outline conforming to a predetermined different portion of the human foot and, at least a portion of said outline being complementary to at least a portion of the perimetral outline of an adjoining segment, each said segment being constructed from a material having a predetermined range of firmness and having a constant vertical thickness, all of said segments being of the same thickness to form a said member of uniform thickness, the firmness of said segments being selected from one of a group of ranges of durometer 120 BHN or less, about 140 BHN, and 180 BHN and greater, and each said segment being compressible independently of adjoining segments.

Claim 2

Dependent Claim 143 words

An orthotic device comprising a resilient member having a perimetral outline conforming to a predetermined portion of the human foot, said member including a plurality of adjoining segments, each said segment having a perimetral outline conforming to a predetermined different portion of the human foot and, at least a portion of said outline being complementary to at least a portion of the perimetral outline of an adjoining segment, each said segment being constructed from a material having a predetermined range of firmness and having a constant vertical thickness, all of said segments being of the same thickness to form a said member of uniform thickness, the firmness of said segments being selected from one of a group of ranges of durometer 120 BHN or less, about 140 BHN, and 180 BHN and greater, and each said segment being compressible independently of adjoining segments.

Claim 3

Dependent Claim 21 words

The device of claim 1 further including a flexible mask layer fixedly secured to the upwardly disposed surfaces of said segments.

Claim 4

Dependent Claim 20 words

The device of claim 2, further including a flexible, base member fixedly secured to the under surface of said segments.

Claim 5

Dependent Claim 24 words

The device of claim 1, wherein said member is made of a substantially resilient material that acquires a partial set in response to compression.

Claim 6

Dependent Claim 14 words

The device of claim 4, wherein said material is a closed cell, cross-linked polyethylene.

Claim 7

Dependent Claim 11 words

The device of claim 4, wherein said material is polyvinylchloride foam.

Claim 8

Dependent Claim 44 words

The device of claim 1, wherein adjacent ones of said segments are provided with complementary perimetral portions, whereby, individual ones of said segments are joined to adjacent ones of said segments to form a lamina complementary to a predetermined portion of a human foot.

Claim 9

Dependent Claim 35 words

The device of claim 1, wherein there are four said segments, said segments having perimetral configurations proportioned to underlie the netatarsal heads, the medial midfoot, lateral midfoot, and the heel portions of the foot, respectively.

Claim 10

Dependent Claim 44 words

The device of claim 8 wherein the forwardly disposed edges of said metatarsal head segments are disposed along an angled line extending at an angle of about 142 degrees from a point on that one of said metatarsal segments underlying the second metatarsal articulation.

Claim 11

Dependent Claim 28 words

The device of claim 1 wherein there are a plurality of said segments having perimetral configurations and being disposed to underlie predetermined individual ones of the metatarsal heads.

Claim 12

Dependent Claim 17 words

The device of claim 1, wherein said member has a vertical section of 50 millimeters or less.

Claim 13

Dependent Claim 134 words

An orthotic device comprising a resilient, planar member having a plurality of adjoining segments of constant vertical thickness, each said segment having a perimetral outline configured and positioned to underlie a predetermined portion of the plantar surface of the human foot, at least a portion of said outline being complementary to at least a portion of the perimetral outline of an adjoining segment, the firmness of each said segment being selected from one of the ranges of durometer values of 120 BHN and less, greater than 120 BHN and less than 180 BHN, and 180 BHN and greater, to produce individual segments having variable resistance to pressures exerted thereagainst by said predetermined portion of the plantar surface of the foot to thereby control descent of the corresponding portion of the foot when in use.

Claim 14

Dependent Claim 134 words

An orthotic device comprising a resilient, planar member having a plurality of adjoining segments of constant vertical thickness, each said segment having a perimetral outline configured and positioned to underlie a predetermined portion of the plantar surface of the human foot, at least a portion of said outline being complementary to at least a portion of the perimetral outline of an adjoining segment, the firmness of each said segment being selected from one of the ranges of durometer values of 120 BHN and less, greater than 120 BHN and less than 180 BHN, and 180 BHN and greater, to produce individual segments having variable resistance to pressures exerted thereagainst by said predetermined portion of the plantar surface of the foot to thereby control descent of the corresponding portion of the foot when in use.

Claim 15

Dependent Claim 61 words

The device of claim 12, wherein each said segment is initially planar, each said segment acquiring a vertical contour complementary to the corresponding portion of the plantar surface, said contour being the resultant of the combined action of the contour of said portion of the plantar surface and the pressure exerted thereby against said segment and the firmness of said segments.

Claim 16

Dependent Claim 17 words

The device of claim 13, wherein said segments are made from a closed cell, cross-linked polyethylene foam.

Claim 17

Dependent Claim 22 words

The device of claim 14, further including a flexible layer overlying and fixedly secured to the upwardly disposed surface of said member.

Claim 18

Dependent Claim 23 words

The device of claim 15, further including a flexible, compressible base layer underlying and fixedly secured to the under surface of said member.

Claim 19

Dependent Claim 13 words

The device of claim 13, wherein said segments are made of polyvinylchloride foam.

Claim 20

Dependent Claim 137 words

A kit for assembling an orthotic device comprising a flexible, base layer having a perimetral outline conforming to the shape of the plantar surface of a human foot, a plurality of adjoining control segments of uniform vertical thickness having perimetral configurations conforming to predetermined portions of said plantar surface and at least a portion of the outline of each segment being complementary to at least a portion of the perimetral outline of an adjoining segment, said control segments being made of a material of selected durometer from each of the durometer ranges of BHN 120 and less, BHN 140, and BHN 180 and greater, and a flexible mask layer of the same perimetral dimensions as said base layer; said base layer, said control layer, and said cushion layer, when assembled, conforming to a predetermined standard shoe size.

Claim 21

Dependent Claim 137 words

A kit for assembling an orthotic device comprising a flexible, base layer having a perimetral outline conforming to the shape of the plantar surface of a human foot, a plurality of adjoining control segments of uniform vertical thickness having perimetral configurations conforming to predetermined portions of said plantar surface and at least a portion of the outline of each segment being complementary to at least a portion of the perimetral outline of an adjoining segment, said control segments being made of a material of selected durometer from each of the durometer ranges of BHN 120 and less, BHN 140, and BHN 180 and greater, and a flexible mask layer of the same perimetral dimensions as said base layer; said base layer, said control layer, and said cushion layer, when assembled, conforming to a predetermined standard shoe size.

Claim 22

Dependent Claim 16 words

The kit of claim 18, wherein said mask layer further includes a moisture absorbing surface layer.

Claim 23

Dependent Claim 31 words

The kit of claim 19, wherein selected ones of said control segments, when assembled, have a perimetral outline complementary to a predetermined portion of the plantar surface of a human foot.

Claim 24

Dependent Claim 16 words

The kit of claim 18 wherein each of said control segments is of the same thickness.

Claim 25

Dependent Claim 26 words

The kit of claim 21, wherein each said control segment is made from a resilient material that takes a predetermined percentage set in response to pressure.

Annuity Stage	Window Opens	Payment Deadline	Surcharge Period Until	Estimated Fee	Status
3.5 Years (Year 4)	1990-01-05	1990-07-07	1991-01-06	$2000.00	Window Closed / Lapsed
7.5 Years (Year 8)	1994-01-05	1994-07-07	1995-01-06	$3760.00	Window Closed / Lapsed
11.5 Years (Year 12)	1998-01-05	1998-07-07	1999-01-06	$7700.00	Window Closed / Lapsed

Dynamic foot support and kit therefor

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