Abstract:
An ankle brace with a removable plate comprising a stirrup having a bottom portion and an inner and outer upright leg depending upward therefrom. An inner pivot leg is pivotally attached to an upper end of the inner upright leg of the stirrup and an outer pivot leg is pivotally attached to an upper end of the outer upright leg of the stirrup. An exterior plate is removeably attached to an outer side of the outer pivot leg.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
   1. Field of Invention 
   The present invention relates to orthopedic devices and in particular ankle braces. 
   2. Description of the Related Art 
   Ankle injuries are among the most common injuries in sports. In order to protect the ankle, many athletes have wrapped the ankle area with adhesive tape. The application of tape is expensive both because it is time consuming and because of the tape itself. It is also not very effective because the tape loosens quickly after exercise has begun. The use of exercise tape has also been shown to weaken ankles if used over a long period of time because it causes a loss of plantarflexion and dorsiflexion. 
   When an ankle is injured, the traditional method for promoting healing is to apply pressure to the area to reduce swelling and to prevent lateral movement of the ankle. The method of applying pressure to the ankle limits the range of motion over the ankle. When large areas are covered by a compression device, the material in contact with the foot must be fairly flexible or soft, such as an elastic bandage or an air bag, in order to avoid discomfort to the wearer and provide the amount of flexibility and movement required for athletic flexing of the ankle joint. This severely limits the amount of pressure that can be applied to the injury site in order to reduce the swelling caused by the ankle injury. An additional drawback found when air bag type devices are utilized is that the ankle and foot directly contact the bag in order to move, causing irritation of the skin. This irritation may be caused from the friction incurred by such contact which, in turn generates heat which is not desirable to add to a swollen area of the body. 
   Another treatment method is to exercise the joint to promote healing. Exercise brings greater blood flow to the area and prevents the atrophy of the muscles involved. 
   The current trend in medicine is to promote exercise as soon as possible. However, in traditional treatment methods, the ankle could not be properly exercised until after the compression device was removed thereby greatly delaying the exercise therapy. It is therefore desirable to provide an orthopedic device which allows exercise of the injury site while additionally resisting mobility in the direction which would irritate the injury. 
   As indicated, one method to promote healing of the ankle is preventing lateral movement of the ankle thereby allowing forward and backward flexing but preventing inward and outward flexing. The wearing of an ankle brace provides such protection while preventing inflammation of the injured ankle areas. Visually this forward and backward flexing is based upon a brace which is hinged in such a way to pivot backwards and forwards. 
   Most prior art devices that provide for pivoting of the ankle in addition to providing lateral support thereof do not provide a means for adjusting the stiffness of the lateral support, modifying the appearance of the brace, nor the capability of displaying a logo or insignia thereon. 
   SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
   The present invention provides an ankle brace which pivots along the same axis as the ankle and which has an easily removable, interchangeable, non-permanent exterior plate. 
   The ankle brace of the present invention incorporates an ankle brace having an exterior plate. More particularly, the present invention includes an ankle brace to be worn by a wearer to prevent ankle injury or encourage healing of an injured ankle and provide adjustability in lateral support as well as a means for displaying a team color or other insignia. 
   The present invention is to provide axial movement or flexing of the ankle forward and backwards while additionally providing lateral support in order to prevent inversion or eversion of the ankle. The ankle brace has a heel stirrup with a flat base portion which is pivotally connected to an inner and outer pivot leg in combination with an adjustable strap positioning fastener for protecting and exercising an injured ankle. The present invention has a stirrup portion which is pivotally connected to inner and outer pivot legs, the pivot legs have on the interior thereof softening pads for compression directly against the wearer&#39;s leg or ankle. Additionally, a connecting strap is provided for tightening the inner and outer pivot legs in combination with the softening pads directly against the leg. A removable plate attachment means is provided on the exterior surface of the outer pivot leg. A removable plate is attached to the exterior surface of the outer pivot leg providing additional support and/or a means for displaying a logo, team color, or other insignia. The removable plate may be placed under the connecting strap providing additional support or over the connecting strap providing more display area. 
   The hinge connection between the inner and outer legs of the stirrup and the inner and outer pivot legs may be a single piece hinge. The adjustable strap or straps have a retaining means such as a hook and loop fastener at distal ends to firmly attach the pivoting legs of the ankle brace to the wearer. The connecting strap(s) may pass over or under the removable plate on the outer pivot leg. On the interior of the inner and outer pivot leg is attached softening pads which are secured to the pivot legs by a hook and loop fastener such as Velcro™ or other attachment means known by a person of ordinary skill in the art. 

   
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       FIG. 1  is a perspective partial cut-away view of an embodiment of an ankle brace having a removable plate on the outer side of retaining straps; 
       FIG. 2  is a perspective partial cut-away view of an embodiment of an ankle brace having a removable plate on the inner side of retaining straps; 
       FIG. 3  is a perspective view of an embodiment of the outer pivot leg of the ankle brace of  FIG. 1  having a removable plate attached thereto; 
       FIG. 4  is a front view of an embodiment of the outer pivot leg of the ankle brace of  FIG. 1  showing an embodiment of a plate attachment means; and 
       FIG. 5  is a front view of an embodiment of the removable plate shown in  FIG. 1 . 
   

   DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
   An embodiment of an ankle brace  100  of the present invention is shown in  FIG. 1 . In this figure, the stirrup  110  of ankle brace  100  is shown as being comprised of a substantially flat base portion  120 , an inner upright leg  124  and an outer upright leg  122 . Pivotally attached to the inner and outer upright legs  124  and  122  of stirrup  110  are outer pivot leg  104  and inner pivot leg  126 . Such pivotal or rotatable connection to the stirrup  110  allows the inner and outer pivot legs  126  and  104  to move forward and backwards rotating about pivot point  112  while additionally providing lateral support through upright legs  126  and  104 . Attached to the interior of the inner and outer pivot legs  126  and  104  are inner and outer softening pads  128  and  130  which contact directly against the wearer&#39;s leg. Wrapped around the exterior of the inner and outer pivot legs  126  and  104  is connecting strap or straps  132  which enables ankle brace  100  to be securely fastened around the wearer&#39;s leg. The inner and outer pivot legs  126  and  104  may be hingedly detachable from stirrup  110  while at the same time providing lateral support to the ankle through legs  126  and  104 . Exterior plate  102  in the embodiment shown here removeably attaches within raised slots  108  and  106  to outer pivot leg  104  and has strap(s)  132  passing between outer pivot leg  104  and plate  102 . In this configuration or embodiment, a display, logo, team color, or insignia may be displayed on the outer surface of ankle brace  100  with removable plate  102  without having a portion covered by strap(s)  132 . Also shown here is a potential insignia or logo display area  114 . 
   The stirrup  110  of the present invention is in a substantially “U” shape and is comprised of the substantially flat bottom portion  120  and the inner and outer upright legs  124  and  122 . Both inner and outer upright legs  124  and  122  append substantially vertically from base portion  120 . The stirrup  110  may be comprised of a strong thermoplastic material strong enough to prevent lateral shifting of the ankle retained between the inner and outer upright legs  124  and  122 . The upright legs  124  and  122  may also be slightly offset to compensate for the typical slight outward pronation of the wearer&#39;s ankle. 
     FIG. 2  shows an embodiment of the ankle brace of  FIG. 1  having connecting strap or straps  132  passing around the outside surface of exterior plate  102 . Exterior plate  102  removeably connects to raised slots  108  and  106  where it provides a display area and a degree of increased lateral support. Having strap(s)  132  tightened around the outer side of exterior plate  102  and join around the ankle on the outside if inner pivot leg  126  further increases the lateral support offered by ankle brace  100 . 
     FIG. 3  shows outside pivot leg  104  having an embodiment of exterior plate  102  removeably attached thereto. In the embodiment shown, exterior plate  102  is in the form of a “T” having rounded side edges and a top contoured as the top of outside pivot leg  104 . The top of exterior plate  102  is removeably attached to outside pivot leg  104  with tabs extending into raised slots  108 . The bottom of exterior plate  102  is removeably attached to outside pivot leg  104  with a tab extending into raised slot  106 . 
     FIG. 4  shows an embodiment of outside pivot leg  104  having raised slots  108  in a horizontal configuration and raised slot  106  is in a vertical configuration. Such a configuration of raised slots  106  and  108  provides a means to removeably attach the embodiment of exterior plate  102  shown in  FIGS. 1-3  and  5 . However, it is to be understood that raised slots  108  and  106  may have a multitude of configurations which is only limited by the embodiments of exterior plate  102  that are to be attached thereto. For example, raised slots  108  may be in a vertical configuration for holding an embodiment of exterior plate  102  having vertically extending top tabs. Such a configuration would increase the additional lateral support offered by exterior plate  102 . Other attachment means known by persons having ordinary skill in the art may be used to removeably secure exterior plate  102  to outer pivot leg  104 . For instance, snaps, hook and loop fasteners, or other fasteners may be used in any configuration that holds exterior plate  102  to outer pivot leg  104  during exercise and provides any additional support that may be desired, if any. 
     FIG. 5  shows an embodiment of exterior plate  102  in the form of a “T” as shown in  FIGS. 1-3 . Exterior plate  102  has insignia or logo area  114  for displaying a team logo, advertisement, or any desired display. The embodiment of insignia area  114  shown here is a centrally located oval area. It is to be understood that insignia area  114  may be of any size or shape and may even incorporate the whole of the outer surface of exterior plate  102 . For instance, exterior plate  102  may be comprised of a material having a team color. Exterior plate  102  has two top horizontally oriented tabs  402  and one bottom vertically oriented tab  404 . These tabs matingly engage raised slots in a similar configuration on outer pivot leg  104 . It is to be understood that exterior plate  102  may have any configuration such as rectangular, oval, letter(s), or even be in the shape of a team mascot. The shape of exterior plate  102  is guided by the type of display it is to exhibit and the desired amount of increased lateral support it will offer ankle brace  100 . Removable exterior plate  102  has a material, thickness, configuration, and attachment means providing a desired increase in lateral support to ankle support  100 , if any, and a desired display area  114 , if any. 
   The foregoing detailed description is given primarily for clearness of understanding and no unnecessary limitations are to be understood therefore for modifications will become obvious to those skilled in the art upon reading this disclosure and may be made without departing from the spirit of the invention or the scope of the claims.