Patent ID: 6171272
Filing Date: 2001-01-09
Classification: A61F,A61H

Abstract:
A short leg brace, comprising:a foot mount (10) for supporting a foot sole (S); anda calf splint (20) to be set along a calf (C), the foot mount (10) and the calf splint (20) being pivotably attached to each other by a pivot (40) at an ankle portion (A) so as to allow plantar and dosal flexions;wherein an elastic member assembly is provided between the calf splint (20) and a heel portion (H) of the foot mount (10), elastic member assembly comprising:a first portion having at its one end a pivot part which is pivotably connected to one of the calf splint (20) or a heel portion (H) of the foot mount (10);a second portion having at its one end a pivot part which is pivotably connected to the other one of the calf splint (20) or the heel portion (H) of the foot mount (10); anda compression spring (31) disposed between the first and second portion;the first portion and the second portion being engaged so that they can move toward and away from each other;whereby the elastic member assembly applies such an elastic force to the foot mount (10) as to urge the same in a direction of the dorsal flexion thereof when an ankle joint is on a plater flexion side with respect to a prescribed ankle joint angle while applying substantially no elastic force to the foot mount (10) when the ankle joint is on a dorsal flexion side with respect to the prescribed ankle joint angle during use.