Adjustable pneumatic cell foot orthosis

Abstract

A device that can be inserted into footwear, or used as part of footwear that is designed to correct foot and ankle pathologies through user adjustable, strategically located fluid chamber or chambers.

Description

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION[0001]Prior orthopedic devices have been developed for the purpose of applying supportive or corrective pressure to a foot, or for the purpose of cushioning or making space for (“accommodating”) existing foot deformities. One form of such devices, collectively referred to as foot orthoses (singular, “orthotic device”), consist of molded, laminated, carved, or otherwise laminated materials placed under the foot. These devices use relatively static means of pressure application by applying a constant corrective ground reaction force that may only be adjusted by adding or subtracting material beneath the foot. The user must then adapt to these constant forces.[0002]Numerous pathologies of the foot, ankle, and other parts of the body can be partially or completely alleviated with foot orthotic devices. These diseases and disorders include, but are not limited to: flat feet, fallen arches, painful feet, metatarsalgia, high arches, low arches, tendonitis, corns ...

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

[0017]It is another objective of this invention that the device is both inexpensive and readily available to the user.

[0018]It is yet another objective of this invention to provide the wearer the ability to adjust the position of the chambers in the orthotic to fine-tune the corrective action.

[0019]It is still another objective of this invention to provide the wearer the ability to adjust the pressure in each individual chamber according to the corrective action required.

Problems solved by technology

The way in which this invention inflates the insole would render it difficult to provide the corrective action required to address foot pathologies.

Non-custom devices are pre-fabricated devices that are mass manufactured in limited shapes and sizes.

The ongoing problem with the current state of the art for foot orthoses is as follows: Non-custom, pre-fabricated devices do not allow customization to the shape of a person's foot.

Meanwhile, custom devises are not pre-fabricated and require the entire device to be individually constructed to contour to an individual's foot.

The inflatable chambers of this device span the entire insole, and as such, cannot treat in a corrective manner mechanical deformity and the other conditions described above.

The inflatable chambers of this devise span the entire insole, and as such, cannot treat in a corrective manner mechanical deformity.

Such flow is structurally counter-intuitive for those medical conditions listed above.

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