Abstract:
An ankle bracing apparatus has a curved support plate shaped to fit on the medial aspect of a user&#39;s lower leg above the ankle, with a first end at the front of the user&#39;s leg and a second end at the back, a strut extending downward having a pivotal fastener near the lowermost end, a first strap wrapped around the user&#39;s leg, a second strap having a width, a first end and a second end, the second strap attached at the first end to the first end of the curved support plate and at the second end to the second end of the curved support plate, and lateral strut having a buckle or opening to accommodate the second strap, and a pivotal fastener enabling fastening of the lateral strut to the shoe or foot plate, such that adjusting the length of the second strap shortens separation of the lateral strut and the curved support plate.

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED DOCUMENTS 
       [0001]    This application claims priority to Provisional Patent Application 61/957,703, filed on Jul. 11, 2013, and the entire disclosure of that application is incorporated herein at least by reference. 
     
    
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0002]    1. Field of the Invention 
         [0003]    The present invention is in the field of sports medicine and pertains particularly to methods and apparatus for preventing occurrence or re-injury of a lateral ankle sprain. 
         [0004]    2. Discussion of the State of the Art 
         [0005]    Ankle sprains caused by sports injuries are one of the more common types of injuries seen. Ankle sprains generally require some type of artificial support to allow for immobilization of the ankle joint in the direction of the sprain and enough time for lateral ligaments of the ankle to heal. Continued inversion and supination of the sprained joint laterally can prevent healing and cause re-injury. 
         [0006]    Aftermarket solutions for persons with an ankle sprain include soft and rigid braces as well as numerous varieties of tapes and ankle wrapping materials. Limitations exist with current ankle support devices for example: casts and braces may be too bulky such that the wearer must go without a shoe on the injured foot at least for a period of time. Many ankle braces may include various hardware components that may become damaged or lost during use. Many available braces cannot be used with sport shoes in active participation, and many braces do not offer sufficient support. 
         [0007]    Therefore, what is clearly needed is an ankle support apparatus that is versatile and can provide lateral support without limiting function or plantar and dorsiflexion. 
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0008]    In an embodiment of the invention an ankle bracing apparatus is provided, comprising a curved support plate shaped to fit on the medial aspect of a user&#39;s lower leg above the ankle, and open to the outside of the leg, with a first end of the curved support plate at the front of the user&#39;s leg and a second end at the back of the user&#39;s leg, a strut extending downward from the support plate, centered on the closed side of the support plate, having a pivotal fastener near the lowermost end enabling fastening of the strut pivotally at the lowermost end to a shoe or a foot plate, a first strap attached to the support plate, having a length enabling the strap to be wrapped around the user&#39;s leg and the curved support plate, and having a fastening mechanism enabling the strap to secure the support plate to the user&#39;s leg, a second strap having a width, a first end and a second end, the second strap attached at the first end to the first end of the curved support plate and at the second end to the second end of the curved support plate, the strap having a length adjusting mechanism and a release mechanism; and a lateral strut having a buckle or opening at an upper end of a width to accommodate the width of the second strap, and a pivotal fastener near a lower end enabling fastening of the lateral strut to the shoe or foot plate in a manner to prevent migration, the pivotal fastener allowing rotation approximately at plantar/dorsiflexion fulcrum of the ankle, the second strap passing through the buckle or opening at the upper end of the lateral strut, such that adjusting the length of the second strap shortens separation of the lateral strut and the curved support plate. 
         [0009]    In one embodiment the ankle-bracing apparatus further comprises a foot plate shaped to cradle a forefoot portion of the user&#39;s foot directly below the ankle, wherein the strut portion of the support plate is pivotally attached approximately at the plantar/dorsiflexion fulcrum of the ankle, to a medial strut of the foot plate on the medial portion of the foot, at the pivotal fastener near the lowermost end of the strut portion of the curved support plate, and the lateral malleola cup is securely attached to an upwardly-extending portion of the foot plate on the outside of the user&#39;s foot. 
         [0010]    Also in one embodiment the ankle-bracing apparatus further comprises a shoe, wherein the strut portion of the support plate is pivotally attached to a portion of the shoe on the medial aspect of the foot, at the pivotal fastener near the lowermost end of the strut portion of the curved support plate, and the lateral strut is securely attached to an outside portion of the shoe on the lateral aspect of the user&#39;s foot. 
         [0011]    In yet another embodiment the inside surface of the curved support plate is lined with a padding material. n in still another embodiment the strut portion is offset to the outside to accommodate lateral distance from the side of the shoe to the edge of the support plate. And in yet another embodiment the foot plate is formed from a plastic material. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0012]      FIG. 1  is a perspective view of a support plate according to an embodiment of the present invention. 
           [0013]      FIG. 2  is a side elevation view of the support plate of  FIG. 1 . 
           [0014]      FIG. 3  is a front elevation view of the support plate of  FIG. 1 . 
           [0015]      FIG. 4  is an overhead view of the support plate of  FIG. 1 . 
           [0016]      FIG. 5  is a lateral elevation view of an ankle bracing apparatus including the support plate of  FIG. 1  secured to a sports shoe  203 . 
           [0017]      FIG. 6  is a medial elevation view of the ankle bracing apparatus of  FIG. 5  including the support plate of  FIG. 1  secured to sports shoe  203 . 
           [0018]      FIG. 7  is a medial elevation view of an ankle bracing apparatus secured to a footplate according to an embodiment of the present invention. 
           [0019]      FIG. 8  is a lateral elevation view of the ankle bracing apparatus of  FIG. 7  secured to the footplate of  FIG. 7 . 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
       [0020]    In various embodiments described in enabling detail herein, the inventor provides an ankle bracing apparatus. The present invention is described using the following examples, which may describe more than one relevant embodiment falling within the scope of the invention. 
         [0021]      FIG. 1  is a perspective view of a curved support plate, which is a part of an ankle bracing assembly according to an embodiment of the present invention. Support plate  100  may be stamped from sheet metal, formed from a relatively rigid polymer material, or may be made from plastic or carbon fiber reinforced material. In one embodiment semi-rigid materials like rubber may be used. Support plate  100  is shaped to provide a collar or U-shaped feature formed or shaped in the material for the function of locating against a lower leg of the wearer above the wearer&#39;s ankle in a correct orientation for use. Support plate  100  in one embodiment includes a strut  102  contiguously formed thereon or rigidly affixed thereto by nut and bolt or other fastening mechanisms or processes. 
         [0022]    Support plate  100  in one embodiment includes two anchor slots  101  for connecting a leg strap (not illustrated here for clarity). The leg strap, described in more detail below, may be attached to the support plate in a variety of different ways. The U-shaped feature encompasses the user&#39;s lower leg not far above the ankle. In proper orientation on the user&#39;s leg, the back wall or surface of the collar faces inward against the user&#39;s medial part of the lower leg. In this configuration strut  102  extends downward and over the medial side of a shoe or other integrated footwear. Strut  102  includes at least one through opening  103 . Through opening  103  may be attached to a Medial strut (not illustrated) when installing the support plate to an article of footwear, which is described in more detail below, or may be attached to a medial strut from a footplate. 
         [0023]      FIG. 2  is a side elevation view of the support plate of  FIG. 1 . Support plate  100  is illustrated in side view with an arrow pointing into the open side of the collar. In this embodiment strut  102  has a shoulder  104  of a radius that is sufficient to clear the edge of the footwear the device with which the ankle bracing apparatus may be integrated. The bottom portion of the strut fits roughly over the inside (arch side) of the user&#39;s footwear in this example (footwear not illustrated here for clarity). Shoulder  104  may be molded into the support plate or formed therein by material bending processes. 
         [0024]    The actual shape of the leg-collar feature may vary widely without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. In one embodiment a semi-annular collar has multiple flat sections aggregating to form the collar. In another embodiment a three-sided or U-shaped profile may be used. In still another embodiment a half circle is used. Support plate  100  prevents the ankle from re-injury by providing an anchor for straps to support against inverting or supinating the ankle in the direction of the outside lateral edge of the foot, as is described in more detail below. 
         [0025]      FIG. 3  is a front elevation view of the support plate of  FIG. 1 . Support plate  100  may be coated on the inside surfaces that interface with the user&#39;s leg. The coating may be a moisture-absorbing soft material or rubber foam or like materials to provide comfort when wearing the device and when walking with the device. Such a coating might be sprayed or glued onto the inside surface of the leg collaring feature. The rest of the inside surface of the support plate may be left bare or equally coated. In one embodiment the user may wear a flexible material collar over the leg and then insert the support plate onto the leg over the material collar. 
         [0026]      FIG. 4  is an overhead view of the ankle support plate of  FIG. 1 . In this overhead view the offset amount of strut  102  from the back surface of ankle support plate  100  is visible. The offset amount simply provides room for the user to wear a shoe like a running shoe and have strut  102  secured to the medial aspect of the shoe. In one embodiment support plate  100  is semi-rigid and malleable to be manually shaped to fit the inside of a wearer&#39;s leg. In one embodiment the support plate is somewhat resilient and can be flexed out ward to fit over and grip the inside of the wearer&#39;s leg. In still another embodiment the leg-collar portion of the ankle support plate is adjustable to increase or decrease the radius of the collar. 
         [0027]      FIG. 5  is a lateral elevation view of an ankle bracing apparatus  200  including the ankle support plate  100  of  FIG. 1  secured to a sports shoe  203 , and including other elements. Support plate  100  may be secured to an article of footwear, in this example, shoe  203 . Shoe  203  has a lateral strut  207  secured to the outside lateral surface of the shoe in line with the lateral malleola. Lateral strut  207  may be stamped or formed from sheet metal in one embodiment. In another embodiment, lateral strut  207  is molded using a rigid polymer, or may be fashioned from a plastic or a carbon-fiber material. 
         [0028]    Lateral strut  207  includes at least one through opening for accepting a fastener  208  to secure lateral strut  207  to shoe  203 . The lateral strut in different embodiments may be built into the shoe, or connected in some fashion proximally to prevent migration. Lateral strut  207  may also be manufactured from a heat weld material that may be heat welded to the rubberized heel of running shoe  203 . Lateral strut  207  may also be glued to the outside surface of running shoe  203  without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention. Lateral strut  207  retains or is connected to a strap buckle  206 . 
         [0029]    In one embodiment, a portion of lateral strut  207  may be threaded through one side of the strap buckle and may be folded or urged over onto itself and fastened using a fastener  208  retaining the strap buckle for use in tensioning the ankle support device. The hinge for the lateral strut and strap loop is approximately at plantar/dorsiflexion fulcrum of the ankle. In this embodiment the rotatably attached fastener is the lower fastener connecting the lateral strut to shoe  203 . The rotatable attachment enables plantar and dorsi flexing of the ankle while walking or running. In another embodiment the upper fastener may be rotatably attached to a strap buckle such as strap buckle  206  allowing for plantar and dorsiflexion of the ankle. 
         [0030]    Fastener  208  may be a rivet, a screw, a snap or another type of fastening mechanism without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention. Fastener  208  may serve as a freely rotatable fastener allowing for plantar and dorsiflexion of the ankle while walking or running as described above. It is noted herein that there are two fasteners  208  on lateral strut  207  in this example, the lower one for fastening the lateral strut to shoe  203  and the upper one for fastening the strut to the strap buckle. It is noted herein that fasteners share the same element number and may be the same type of fasteners. 
         [0031]    Support plate  100  is secured to the medial surface of the shoe via a medial strut to which strut  102  of support plate  100  (not visible in this view) is fastened. Support plate  100  is depicted in correct orientation for integration with running shoe  203 . That is to say the open collar portion of the support plate interfaces with the medial side of the wearer&#39;s leg (wearer&#39;s leg not illustrated in this example for clarity). A tensioning strap  204  is anchored on opposite sides of the collar of support plate  100  and threaded through strap buckle  206 . Tensioning strap  204  may be connected and adjusted for length using a strap connector and length adjustment mechanism  205 . Tension on strap  204  can be adjusted that will change the distance between plate  100  and lateral strut  207 . 
         [0032]    Strap  204  may be fabricated or cut from a heavy fabric. In one embodiment strap  204  is fabricated from a polymer material that is not elastic. Strap  204  is anchored at both ends of the collar portion of support plate  100  using strap anchors  209  (one on each side). Strap  204  is threaded through strap buckle  206 . Support plate  100  is also depicted with a leg strap  201 . Strap  201  may be extended to wrap about the leg of the wearer and be adjusted for fit using a length adjustment mechanism  205 . Strap  201  secures the support plate to the wearer&#39;s leg. Mechanism  205  may also serve to connect strap  204  together from two separate lengths of strap. 
         [0033]    Strut  102  of ankle support plate  100  is connected on the medial side of shoe  203  using a medial strut  301  (see  FIG. 6 ) mounted to the running shoe. Therefore, with the medial aspect of shoe  203  secured to the support plate, the wearer may connect straps  204  to strap buckle  206  and adjust the strap lengths using mechanism  205 , which may also be used to tighten strap  204  increasing tension in the direction opposite the medial side of running shoe  203  to prevent rolling of the ankle. Fastener  208  and a similar fastener for the strut on the other side of shoe  203  may be rotatably attached to the connector plate to allow plantar and dorsiflexion flexing of the ankle while walking. 
         [0034]      FIG. 6  is a medial elevation view of support apparatus  200  of  FIG. 5  including support plate  100  of  FIG. 1  secured to shoe  203 . Strut  102  of support plate  100  is fastened to a medial strut  301  using a fastener  208 . Fastener  208  may be a screw, rivet, or retaining pin. Strut  102  may be rotatably attached to connector plate  301  to enable plantar and dorsiflexion ankle flex while walking. 
         [0035]    Medial strut  301  may be stamped or formed from sheet metal in one embodiment. In another embodiment, medial strut  301  is molded using a rigid polymer or plastic or carbon fiber. Medial strut  301  includes at least one through opening for accepting a fastener  208  to secure medial strut  301  to shoe  203 . Medial strut  301  may also be manufactured from a heat weld material that may be heat welded to the rubberized heel of shoe  203 . Medial strut  301  may also be glued to the outside surface of running shoe  203  without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention. In this view, ankle support plate  100  is facing away from the viewer with respect to the open collar portion of the plate. The support plate seats against the inside of or the medial side of the wearer&#39;s leg. Medial strut  301  in one embodiment is fashioned to bear at the lower end on the sole of shoe  203 . 
         [0036]      FIG. 7  is a medial elevation view of an ankle support apparatus  400  secured to a footplate according to an embodiment of the present invention, viewed in one direction.  FIG. 8  is a lateral elevation view of ankle support apparatus  400  of  FIG. 7  viewed in the opposite direction. Referring now to  FIG. 7 , apparatus  400  functions by the same principle as the apparatus described in  FIGS. 1 through 6 . Apparatus  400  includes an ankle support plate  401  similar to plate  100  accept that it is a straighter strut with little or no shoulder for offsetting the strut of the plate to fit the outside of a running shoe. In this embodiment apparatus  400  may be used while not wearing a shoe or the wearer may put on a shoe over the apparatus. 
         [0037]    Ankle support plate  401  includes a leg-collar portion and strut portion with a through opening for accepting a fastener  404 . Ankle support plate  401  may be formed from or stamped from sheet metal or made from a substantially rigid polymer material, plastic or carbon fiber. In one embodiment semi-rigid materials like rubber may be used. Ankle support plate  401  is shaped to provide a collar or U-shaped feature formed or shaped in the material for the function of locating against the leg of the wearer in a correct orientation for use. 
         [0038]    Support plate  401  includes two anchor slots (not visible) for connecting a leg strap  406 , just as described above for the embodiments of  FIGS. 1-6 . The U-shaped feature encompasses the user&#39;s lower leg not far above the ankle. In proper orientation on a user&#39;s leg, the back wall or surface of the collar faces inward against the user&#39;s medial part of the lower leg. In this configuration, the strut portion extends downward to and is rotatably connected to a footplate  402  using a fastener  404 . In this embodiment, footplate  402  is provided to complete the tensioning circuit, and takes the place of the shoe in the embodiments described above with reference to  FIGS. 1-6 . Footplate  402  may be fabricated from sheet metal, rubber polymer or any other material that is rigid or semi-rigid. 
         [0039]    Footplate  402  has a medial strut extending upward from the arch of the wearer&#39;s foot to provide a connecting location in place of the medial strut off the shoe base as was described previously, hinged approximately at the medial plantar/dorsiflexion fulcrum of the ankle. Referring to  FIG. 8 , footplate  402  includes a strap anchor  504  for anchoring a foot strap  403  to the lateral side of the footplate. Referring back to  FIG. 7 , footplate  401  includes a strap slot on the medial side to enable strapping the front part of the wearer&#39;s foot down to the footplate. Footplate  402  may be shaped to generally conform to the shape of the wearer&#39;s foot and may be inserted into the bottom heel portion of a shoe similar to running shoe  203  or any other similar footwear appropriate for normal walking posture. In this respect, footplate  402  may have a relatively thin wall thickness. 
         [0040]    Support plate  401  includes strap anchor  405  on opposite sides for securing tensioning straps to the support plate. Referring now to  FIG. 8 , tensioning straps  407  are connected to a strap buckle  503  on a strap retaining mechanism  502 . Strap retaining mechanism  502  includes two buckles  503 . Strap retaining mechanism  502  is mounted to a lateral malleola cup  501  to protect the user&#39;s ankle from the discomfort of interface with the buckle hardware. Lateral malleola cup  501  may be manufactured of a semi-rigid or rigid polymer, rubber, or other resilient materials. Lateral malleola cup  501  with strap retaining mechanism  502  has a thin profile to allow for insertion into footwear such as a running shoe without adding discomfort to the wearer. 
         [0041]    Apparatus  400  also includes a connector strap  408  anchored at both ends to the underside of footplate  402  (anchor point not visible). Connector strap is threaded through a lower buckle on strap retaining mechanism  502 . Referring now back to  FIG. 7 , ankle support plate  401  may include strap slots on opposing sides or the collar portion of the support plate for facilitating a leg strap  406  (slots covered by wrap). Leg strap  406  may be cut from a high grade strong but durable fabric. Fasteners  409  may be used to anchor leg strap  406  to the rear wall of ankle support plate  401 . 
         [0042]    Referring back to  FIG. 7 , fastener connection  404  provides a rotatable connection between footplate  402  and ankle support plate  401 . The rotatable connecting point ( 404 ) enables plantar and dorsiflexion flex of the foot while walking. Referring now to  FIG. 8 , a user may apply tension to apparatus  400  by adjusting length of on straps  407 , thus tightening or tensioning the apparatus to provide rigid ankle supports for the wearer. Once assembled on a user&#39;s foot, the user may put on a sock and a shoe. Referring now back to  FIG. 7 , it is noted that the inside of the leg-collar portion of ankle plate  401  may be lined or coated with a material designed to provide comfort and absorb moisture. 
         [0043]    It will be apparent to one with skill in the art that the ankle support system of the invention in various embodiments may be provided using some or all of the mentioned features and components without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. It will also be apparent to the skilled artisan that the embodiments described above are specific examples of a single broader invention that may have greater scope than any of the singular descriptions taught. There may be many alterations made in the descriptions without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention. 
         [0044]    It will also be apparent to the skilled person that the arrangement of elements and functionality for the invention is described in different embodiments in which each is exemplary of an implementation of the invention. These exemplary descriptions do not preclude other implementations and use cases not described in detail. The elements and functions may vary, as there are a variety of ways the hardware may be implemented and in which the software may be provided within the scope of the invention. The invention is limited only by the breadth of the claims below.