Serrated resilient joint orthotic device

Claim 1

A body support device including first and second support means said first support means comprise a pair of upright members including means for attaching said first support means to the lower leg above the foot, said second means comprise a stirrup member including means for mounting said second means in a fixed relationship relative to said foot, and articulation means interconnecting said first and second support means in a predetermined relative position and enabling relative resilient motion therebetween, said articulation means comprising: flexure means consisting essentially of elastomeric material; serrated means interposed between said flexure means and said support means to obstruct relative slippage therebetween, said serrated means being located at interfacing surfaces of said flexure means and said support means; said flexure means comprising a pair of serrated surface portions located upon opposite sides thereof with said first support means comprising a serrated surface portion mating with one of said flexure means serrated surface portions, and with said second support means comprising a serrated surface portion mating with said other flexure means serrated surface portion, said flexure means being mounted between said first and second support means with said mating serrated surfaces in interfacing relationship; and means for securing said first and second support means to each other in said predetermined relative position for enabling said relative resilient motion of said first support means in a plurality of different planes with respect to said second support means; whereby said first and second support means may be displaced from said predetermined relative position by flexure of said elastomeric material thereby conditioning said flexure means to generate a force tending to return said support means to said predetermined relative position.