US2311925A - Orthopedic appliance - Google Patents

Description

Feb. 23, 1943. -w. J. Boos ORTHOPEDIC APPLANCE Filed Aug. 3, 1940 Patented Feb. 23, 1943 ORTHOPEDIO APPLIANCE Wilfred J. Boos, St. Louis, Mo., assignor to Walk- Easy Foot Rest Manufacturing Company, St. Louis, Mo., a corporation of Missouri Application August 3, 1940, Serial No. 350,951

3 Claims.

This invention relates, generally, to orthopedic devices, and particularly to a foot support and corrective device which is constructed and arranged so as to be susceptible of variation in the amount of, and the position of, adjustment which is thereby provided for the foot.

While efforts have been made to provide stock orthopedic devices in such form that they may be varied as to the amount of adjustment, heretofore it has not been practical to vary the position of auxiliary adjustment members thereon.

While the custom built orthopedic appliances are 'manufactured especially for a given foot, and consequently when properly manufactured suit the needs of that foot, it is recognized, of course, that the custom building of such devices is not only an expensive and slow procedure, but such devices do not admit of varying the amount of, or position of the adjustment thereby provided as the foot condition is progressively corrected. i

The object of the present invention, generally stated, is to provide an orthopedic device so constructed and arranged that the adjustment thereby provided for the foot may be varied both as to amount and as to position.

Another object of the present invention is to provide an attachment which may be conveniently and effectively arranged upon the base member of an orthopedic device in accordance with the need of the foot being fitted.

Other objects will become apparent to those skilled in the art when the following description is read in connection with the accompanying drawing, in which:

Figure 1 is a perspective view of an orthopedic appliance provided with attachments for varying the adjustment thereof, in accordance with one embodiment of the present invention.

Figure 2 is a bottom plan view of the device shown in Figure l, with the lift parts of the adjusting attachments removed.

Figure 3 is a detail perspective View showing an adjusting attachment, including a lift and an attaching member constructed in accordance with one embodiment of the present invention.

Figure 4 is a plan view of a lift member shown in Figure 3.

Figure 5 is a sectional view taken along line 5 5 of Figure 4.

Figure 6 is a plan view of another lift member.

Figure 7 is a sectional view, taken along line 'l-'I of Figure 6.

Figure 8 is a sectional View, taken along line 8 8 of Figure 3.

Figure 9 is an end view of an adjusting attachment constructed in accordance with another embodiment of the invention.

In accordance with the present invention, generally stated, a base member which may be an orthopedic appliance itself, or which may be a sock liner or insole of the shoe, is provided so as to receive an ad-justing pad, cushion or lift. The present invention especially contemplates that the adjusting pad, cushion or lift be arrangedin such manner that its position upon the base member may be changed so as to adapt the device to the peculiarities of each foot being fitted, and so as to permit of changes in the position of the `adjustment as correction of the foot progresses.

A particular feature of the present invention resides in the provision of an adjustment assembly arranged to be applied to a suitable base member, such as an orthopedic device, or a sock liner, in a position dictated by the condition of the foot being treated.

Referring now particularly to Figures 1 to 8 inclusive of the drawing, a base member in the form of an orthopedic device is shown, comprising a sponge rubber member l provided with a top cover 2. An attaching plate 3 is secured, as by adhesive, to the bottom of sponge rubber member 2, in a position dictated by the condition of the foot being treated. The attaching plate 3 is preferably made of a material such as light metal or Celluloid, which, though possessed of some flexibility, is suiiciently stiff to distribute centralized pressures applied thereto over a wide area, and thus avoid the possibility that centralized pressures applied on the bott-om of plate 3 will be conveyed as centralized pressures to the foot thereabove. The attaching plate 3 may advantageously be made of phosphor-bronze.

In the embodiment shown, the plate 3 is provided with a series of snap fasteners 4, the maleV members of which are connected in the usual manner to plate 3.

The attaching plate 3 is, in the embodiment shown, arranged upon the base member in a position such as to receive a metatarsal support.

For supporting the longitudinal arch of the foot, a similar construction may be employed; but in the embodiment illustrated, an attaching plate 5, formed of light metal, Celluloid, or

other plastic having some exibility, but sufficient stiffness to distribute centralized forces, is attached by means of adhesive or otherwise at a position shown in Figure 2. The attaching plate 5 is likewise provided with a plurality of snap fasteners 6.

The snap fasteners 4 on attaching plate 3 are arranged to connect with companion fastener parts on a metatarsal support '1, and the snap fasteners 6 on plate 5 are arranged to connect with companion snap fasteners on a longitudinal arch support 8. The lift members 'l and 8 may be of any suitable form and construction, but in the embodiment shown in the "fastener drawing, each consists of a layer of sponge rubber having at least one surface thereof skived, and the opposite surface provided with a suitable covering.

The adjusting 4assembly employed vin vconnection with the orthopedic devices shown in Figures 1 and 2 is, in accordance with the present invention, prepared for marketing as annit 'con-Y sisting of a lift, an attachingplate having aA layer of adhesive on the side'opposite thelift,

and a cover layer for the adhesive. Y. Y

For example, in Figures 3 and 8,V the metatarsal adjustment, consisting of lift v'I, .attaching plate 3, and adhesive cover 9, partly removed is shown. The lift 1 is provided, onV its upper vsurface,vvvithfa' 'plate all) which .may -be z of metal, Celluloid leather; :or :similar'imaterial :suitable :for :receiving and -retaining the female parts ,of snap fasteners I:I,. :The Agplate 4II'I :may :be 'connectecl'io the `ilicidy portion of :the .lit member `by adhesive pr rotherwise, as desired. The surfacernf attachingiplate T4, to ;besecured lto theV surface .of :the :orthopedic appliance, ,is .provi'dediwithia filmy of adhesive *I2Y of aacharV :actersuchas itoxretain its tackiness so long `as Vit iis `concealedY and iprotected* from theY atmosphere. For example, the adhesives describedin ReissueLPatent No..1'9,I28 Aarefadmirably adapted 1for =use in'zthis :connection AAA variety of:- speciiic fadhesivesof this sgene'ral type is available, the most generally employed being fcnmposed @of rubber, resin' 1 and zzinc foxide. When 'attaching plate 3 is formed of metal,";it:fis'preferable to 'apply-some preliminaryitreatment tofthefsurace 'o'f `the metal inorder to better :adapt it'to'ire-` tainjlthe adhesive. For example, the rsurface :of them'etal -plate 3 maybe treated :with :so-called vliquid 'latemwhich .consistsV yof raw rubber and ammonia, VAny suitable ladhesive composition lvi'ihieh-vvill `adhere'to ithessurfa'ceof plate 3 and ywhich will retain its tackinessA l'for Aextended. pe-` fridds Ipf time, if covered, conned, `or .otherwise protected ffrom the action of "the gatmosphere, may 0f l course tbe employed Sin llieu of the compositic'msfj'us'trefeijredito. Y

`In-or`derl-topermitthe ready `removal of cover 9, yWhich"protects the flm of adhesive ifl2', the co'ver 9 may Lbeprovidedvliith a tab 'Il3, sothat it may Ybe 'readily gripped and fpeeled off 'the adhesiveiilm I'2. I l

VAIn fthe construction vofthe adjusting attachmentsof the -present invention, {and particularly whererfsnap iastenershaving male Aand female members are employed for connecting theflift jpart 4to `the attaching plate, -it will be observed that in each instance A'a plurality cf separable "ise'mployed von "both the "lift memfoer and,the"attaching member. The provisi'qng'gf japlurality'lof separable ia-stener parts onea'ch fof the members permits of adjustment longitudinally o'f'the -vorthopedic device, Without p ermittingmtation 'o'f the lift member about fa separable fastener jasan ax-is. A

`AInf'the-lift member shown in VFigures 56 and"7, a'sporjge 'rulber body portion I4 is'providedwith aflxible 'cov'er I5 of "leather 4or `thelike material. `l'tiveted in the conventional manner through leather cover I5, `before its :application tfth sponge rubber' bodyportion I4, is faipair fffemale separable'astener parts ILE, :adapted for yconnectionfwiih male parts 6.

In the embodiment shown in Figure 9, the separable fasteners and attaching plate are dispensed With, and the lift there shown consists "ftainingfitsttackiness so long as it is conned or zic;

Vjcover 'I9 'of .paper or other suitable protective protected from the atmosphere. In order to protect the "tackiness of the adhesive lm I8, a

is provided; and as in the case of the embodiments `'shown-.in'igures 3 and 8, the cover may be v.provided with a gripping tab 20, in order to facilitate its removal. In the employment of the lift shown in Figure :9, the paper :cover I 9 is removedirom the adhesive i-iilm XML: andth'e lift applied 4in theapgprdpriate :positionfguponsa hase member, :being Ssecured theretoy by means ,of theiadhesivelmgl. f A- Due to the nature of '.theA adhesive employed, which .as pointed fout; hereinbeforeis capable of retaining itsgtackiness soxlong Aas:itfis;.prni'lected from the atmosphere, vfit will Vibe freadily. appreciated that, iaszcorrection of fthe footcondition progresses, `the' -lift--I -1' may be removed .from ithe base member .to Whichit is :attached and ireplaced thereon'in an appropriate;position,:.since when implanted upon another orthopedic devicesor-aesock liner as 'a base member, the base member itself :serves .to protect the ,-iilm of radhesive vI8Y -from :losing: its .tackiness. x From the #foregoing description, lit is apparent that the invention accomplishes itssobjectsgand that wthe'operationthereof :will ybe `readilylfapparent to those skilled in the art. j

While the invention: has :been particularlyiescribed with reference tto` f ootiadjustment adapted for employment :atfth'emetatarsal :regionzand the longitudinal arch r"region :of :the .foot,':it to be understoodthatthefinveritionisapplicable also to Vadjustments `applied at :other sections :of the ioot. 'Itis :apparent that imany cmodica tions land 'rearrangements 'o'f #the parts ihereinbefore disclosed willpresent themselves to "those skilled in the artfwithout departing fromz'the spirit oi this invention; and'itiis'atherefoizeito be distinctly Yunderstood :that the vinvention lvis not .limited to the details /of thefore'goingzdisclosure, except as indicated bythe appended claims.

Having thus described the in'vention, fwhat is claimediis:

l. An attachment .for aorthopedic yappliances, comprising, an :attachment v,plate rhavng .a fcoating of'tackyadhesive thereon, a lift, a separable fastener having ione 'partaon said plate, Landes, counterparton Vsaid lift.

2. An attachment` for orthopedic appliances, comprising, A.an attachment ufplate :having :la lcoating iofrtackyiadhesive thereon, gallift, fa separable fastener having tone 'part on :said lplate a counterpart on said lift, and a removable zscever for said adhes'ive.

3. An attachment for orthopedc'fapplianlces, comprising, an attachment plate ,havingy a. fcoating of tacky adhesive thereon, a lift, a. plurality of separable fasteners lhaving :all their corresponding parts on said plate, and fall @their counterparts on said lift.

WILFRED .J BOOS.

Images