Patent Publication Number: US-2022226138-A1

Title: Ankle Foot Orthotic Assembly

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
     Not Applicable 
     STATEMENT REGARDING FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH OR DEVELOPMENT 
     Not Applicable 
     THE NAMES OF THE PARTIES TO A JOINT RESEARCH AGREEMENT 
     Not Applicable 
     INCORPORATION-BY-REFERENCE OF MATERIAL SUBMITTED ON A COMPACT DISC OR AS A TEXT FILE VIA THE OFFICE ELECTRONIC FILING SYSTEM 
     Not Applicable 
     STATEMENT REGARDING PRIOR DISCLOSURES BY THE INVENTOR OR JOINT INVENTOR 
     Not Applicable 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     (1) Field of the Invention 
     The disclosure relates to orthotic devices and more particularly pertains to a new orthotic device for concealing an ankle foot orthotic worn by a user. The orthotic device is integrated into a boot such that the orthotic device is concealed from an observer. Additionally, the orthotic device has an open front side to facilitate easy the orthotic device to be easily worn. 
     (2) Description of Related Art Including Information Disclosed Under 37 CFR 1.97 and 1.98 
     The prior art relates to orthotic devices including a variety of boots that have an ankle foot orthotic integrated therein for treating foot drop syndrome. The prior art also discloses a variety of athletic shoes that has various means of rigid ankle supports integrated therein for enhanced ankle support of a user. The prior art additionally discloses a boot shaped cover for an ankle foot orthotic. In no instance does the prior art disclose a boot, having a flap to open the boot, in combination with an ankle foot orthotic being integrated into the boot. 
     BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     An embodiment of the disclosure meets the needs presented above by generally comprising a boot that can be worn on a user&#39;s foot having the boot extending upwardly on the user&#39;s lower leg. The boot has a flap is integrated therein and the flap is positionable in an open position to enhance the user&#39;s ability to position their foot and lower leg into the boot. An ankle foot orthotic is integrated into the boot to engage the user&#39;s lower leg and the user&#39;s foot thereby facilitating the ankle foot orthotic to aid with foot drop syndrome in the user. Moreover, the ankle foot orthotic is positioned inside the boot thereby facilitating the ankle foot to be concealed from observers thereby enhancing the user&#39;s self confidence. 
     There has thus been outlined, rather broadly, the more important features of the disclosure in order that the detailed description thereof that follows may be better understood, and in order that the present contribution to the art may be better appreciated. There are additional features of the disclosure that will be described hereinafter and which will form the subject matter of the claims appended hereto. 
     The objects of the disclosure, along with the various features of novelty which characterize the disclosure, are pointed out with particularity in the claims annexed to and forming a part of this disclosure. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWING(S) 
       The disclosure will be better understood and objects other than those set forth above will become apparent when consideration is given to the following detailed description thereof. Such description makes reference to the annexed drawings wherein: 
         FIG. 1  is a perspective phantom view of an ankle foot orthotic assembly according to an embodiment of the disclosure. 
         FIG. 2  is a back phantom view of an embodiment of the disclosure. 
         FIG. 3  is a front phantom view of an embodiment of the disclosure. 
         FIG. 4  is a perspective in-use view of an embodiment of the disclosure. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
     With reference now to the drawings, and in particular to  FIGS. 1 through 4  thereof, a new orthotic device embodying the principles and concepts of an embodiment of the disclosure and generally designated by the reference numeral  10  will be described. 
     As best illustrated in  FIGS. 1 through 4 , the ankle foot orthotic assembly  10  generally comprises a boot  12  that can be worn on a user&#39;s foot  14  having the boot  12  extending upwardly on the user&#39;s lower leg  16 . The user may be an individual with a physical disability that involves foot drop syndrome, such as a person that has suffered a stroke, a person that suffers from cerebral palsy or any other type of disability that involves foot drop syndrome. The boot  12  has a flap  18  integrated therein and the flap  18  is positionable in an open position thereby exposing an interior of the boot  12 . In this way the flap  18  enhances the user&#39;s ability to position their foot  14  and lower leg  16  into the boot  12 . Conversely, the flap  18  is positionable in a closed position retain the boot  12  on the user&#39;s foot  14  and lower leg  16 . 
     The boot  12  has a foot portion  20  that surrounds the user&#39;s foot  14  and the boot  12  has a leg portion  22  extending upwardly from the foot portion  20  to surround the user&#39;s lower leg  16 . The leg portion  22  has a top end  24  that is open to define an opening  26  into the leg portion  22  to facilitate the user&#39;s lower leg  16  to extend therethrough. The leg portion  22  has an outward side  28  that is positioned on a lateral aspect  29  of the user&#39;s lower leg  16  when the boot  12  is worn. Additionally, the leg portion  22  has a back quarter  30  and the back quarter  30  is comprised of a rigid material to assist with supporting the user&#39;s lower leg  16  and the user&#39;s foot  14  when the boot  12  is worn. The boot  12  may be comprised of leather or any other type of material that meets the user&#39;s preference for the overall style and appearance of the boot  12 . 
     The foot portion  20  has a sole  32  and a toe  34 , and the foot portion  20  has an inward side  36  that is positioned on a medial side  37  of the user&#39;s foot  14  when the boot  12  is worn. The boot  12  has a cut  38  extending therethrough, and the cut  38  has a first portion  40  extending downwardly from the top end  24  of the leg portion  22  along the outward side  28  of the leg portion  22 . Additionally, the cut  38  has a second portion  42  extending along the foot portion  20  of the boot  12 . The second portion  42  is spaced from the sole  32  and the second portion  42  is oriented to extend along a line that is oriented perpendicular to the first portion  40 . Moreover, the second portion  42  extends around the toe  34  to terminate on the inward side  36  of the foot portion  20 . In this way the first portion  40  and the second portion  42  of the cut  38  defines the flap  18 , and the cut  38  has a first edge  44  and a second edge  46 . 
     A first fastener  48  is coupled to the boot  12  and the first fastener  48  is coextensive with the first edge  44  of the cut  38 . A second fastener  50  is coupled to the flap  18  and the second fastener  50  is matable to the first fastener  48  for retaining the flap  18  in the closed position. The second fastener  50  is un-matable from the first fastener  48  to facilitate the flap  18  to be positioned in the open position, and the second fastener  50  is coextensive with the second edge  46  of the cut  38 . Each of the first fastener  48  and the second fastener  50  may comprise complementary halves of a zipper or other type of mechanically releasable fastening device. 
     A cover  52  is provided and the cover  52  is coupled to the boot  12 . The cover  52  covers a substantial amount of the first fastener  48  and the second fastener  50  when the flap  18  is in the closed position. In this way the cover  52  inhibits an observer from seeing the first fastener  48  and the second fastener  50  thereby enhancing the user&#39;s self confidence the user is wearing the boot  12 . The cover  52  is positioned on the foot portion  20  of the boot  12  and the cover  52  is coextensive with the second portion  42  of the cut  38 . Moreover, the cover  52  extends downwardly over the second portion  42  of the cut  38  when the flap  18  is in the closed position for concealing the first fastener  48  and the second fastener  50  along the foot portion  20  of the boot  12 . The boot  12  may be manufactured to custom specifications as required by orthotic specialists to facilitate a custom fit for any user. 
     An ankle foot orthotic  54  is integrated into the boot  12  and the ankle foot orthotic  54  engages the user&#39;s lower leg  16  and the user&#39;s foot  14  when the user wears the boot  12 . In this way the ankle foot orthotic  54  can aid with foot drop syndrome in the user. 
     The ankle foot orthotic  54  is positioned inside the boot  12  such that the ankle foot orthotic  54  is concealed from observers thereby enhancing the user&#39;s self confidence. 
     The ankle foot orthotic  54  comprises a first strap  56  that has a first end  58 , a second end  60  and a first surface  62  extending therebetween, and the first strap  56  is elongated between the first end  58  and the second end  60 . The first end  58  is coupled to an inside surface  64  of the back quarter  30  of the leg portion  22  of the boot  12  at a point that is located on an opposite side of the leg portion  22  with respect to the cut  38 . Moreover, the first strap  56  is oriented to extend along a horizontal axis thereby facilitating the first strap  56  to be wrapped around the user&#39;s lower leg  16  when the user wears the boot  12 . The first strap  56  is spaced from the top end  24  of the leg portion  22 . 
     The ankle foot orthotic  54  includes a first mating member  66  that is coupled to the first surface  62  of the first strap  56 . The first mating member  66  is positioned adjacent to the second end  60  of the first strap  56 . Additionally, the ankle foot orthotic  54  includes a second mating member  68  that is coupled to the inside surface  64  of the back quarter  30  of the leg portion  22  of the boot  12  at a point is located adjacent to the first edge  44  of the cut  38 . The second mating member  68  is positioned adjacent to the top end  24  of the leg portion  22  and the first mating member  66  is releasably matable to the second mating member  68 . Each of the first mating member  66  and the second mating member  68  may comprise a hook and loop fastener or other type of releasable fastener. 
     The ankle foot orthotic  54  includes a second strap  70  that has a primary end  72 , a secondary end  74  and a primary surface  76  extending therebetween, and the second strap  70  is elongated between the primary end  72  and the secondary end  74 . The primary end  72  is coupled to an inside surface  78  of the foot portion  20  of the boot  12  at a point that is located on the same side of the boot  12  with respect to the first strap  56 . Additionally, the second strap  70  is centrally positioned between the leg portion  22  of the boot  12  and the toe  34  of the foot portion  20  of the boot  12 . In this way the second strap  70  can extend over the  79  instep of the user&#39;s foot  14  when the user wears the boot  12 . 
     The ankle foot orthotic  54  includes a primary mating member  80  that is coupled to the primary surface  76  of the second strap  70 . The primary mating member  80  is positioned adjacent to the secondary end  74  of the second strap  70 . The ankle foot orthotic  54  includes a secondary mating member  82  that is coupled to the inside surface  64  of the foot portion  20  of the boot  12  at a point that is located adjacent to the first edge  44  of the cut  38 . The secondary mating member  82  is centrally positioned between the leg portion  22  of the boot  12  and the toe  34  of the foot portion  20  of the boot  12 . Additionally, the primary mating member  80  is releasably matable to the secondary mating member  82 . Each of the primary mating member  80  and the secondary mating member  82  may comprise a hook and loop fastener or other type of releasable fastener. 
     An instep pad  84  that is positionable beneath the second strap  70  when the ankle foot orthotic  54  is worn to enhance comfort for the user&#39;s foot  14 . The instep pad  84  has a first surface  86  and a perimeter edge  88 , and the first surface  86  of the instep pad  84  is concavely arcuate with respect to the perimeter edge  88 . In this way the first surface  86  can conform to curvature of the instep  79  of the user&#39;s foot  14 . The perimeter edge  88  has a front side  90  and a back side  92 , the back side  92  extends along a straight line and the front side  92  is rounded. Additionally, the instep pad  84  is comprised of a resiliently compressible material. 
     In use, the flap  18  is positioned in the open position to facilitate the user to wear the boot  12 . The first strap  56  is extended across the user&#39;s lower leg  16  to facilitate the first mating member  66  to be mated to the second mating member  68 . The second strap  70  is extended over the user&#39;s foot  14  to facilitate the primary mating member  80  to be mated to the secondary mating member  82 . The flap  18  is positioned in the closed position and the first fastener  48  and second fastener  50  are mated to close the flap  18 . In this way the boot  12  facilitates the ankle foot orthotic  54  to be employed by the user in a stylish manner that is visually appealing and that additionally conceals the ankle foot orthotic  54  from observers. 
     With respect to the above description then, it is to be realized that the optimum dimensional relationships for the parts of an embodiment enabled by the disclosure, to include variations in size, materials, shape, form, function and manner of operation, assembly and use, are deemed readily apparent and obvious to one skilled in the art, and all equivalent relationships to those illustrated in the drawings and described in the specification are intended to be encompassed by an embodiment of the disclosure. 
     Therefore, the foregoing is considered as illustrative only of the principles of the disclosure. Further, since numerous modifications and changes will readily occur to those skilled in the art, it is not desired to limit the disclosure to the exact construction and operation shown and described, and accordingly, all suitable modifications and equivalents may be resorted to, falling within the scope of the disclosure. In this patent document, the word “comprising” is used in its non-limiting sense to mean that items following the word are included, but items not specifically mentioned are not excluded. A reference to an element by the indefinite article “a” does not exclude the possibility that more than one of the element is present, unless the context clearly requires that there be only one of the elements.