Patent ID: 11911306
Assignee: BECKER ORTHOPEDIC APPLIANCE COMPANY
Field: Medical technology (Instruments)
Classification: CPC A | IPC A

Claim 19:
20. A method of supporting an ankle of a human in a range of dorsiflexion and plantarflexion motions, using an ankle foot orthosis comprising an orthotic joint device comprising (1) a first attachment member rotatably attached to the joint device for rotation in a plantarflexion direction and in a dorsiflexion direction opposed to the plantarflexion direction about a joint pivot of the joint device, (2) a resistive element for resisting rotation of the first attachment member in the plantarflexion direction, (3) a first lever for transmitting a plantarflexion direction resistance force from the resistive element to the first attachment member, the first lever having a first pivot that is not concentric with the joint pivot, wherein the resistive element resists the rotation of the first attachment member in the plantarflexion direction when the first attachment member's rotation in the plantarflexion direction exceeds a plantarflexion direction rotation threshold, and (4) a second attachment member attached to the orthotic joint device, the method comprising:
attaching the first attachment member to a lower leg or foot corresponding to said ankle; and
attaching the second attachment member to the other of the foot and the lower leg.