Stilt device with improved leg attachment assembly

1 . An apparatus, comprising:

a curved plate having a convex outer surface, an opposing concave inner surface, and opposing first and second edges;

first and second retention walls that extend upwardly from the convex outer surface to form an open strap retention channel that extends between the first and second edges;

a first channel body formed from third and fourth retention walls that extend upwardly from the convex outer surface and a transversely extending first web portion that extends between the third and fourth retention walls to form a first closed strap retention channel adjacent the first edge of the curved plate;

a second channel body formed from fifth and sixth retention walls that extend upwardly from the convex outer surface and a transversely extending second web portion that extends between the fifth and sixth retention walls to form a second closed strap retention channel adjacent the second edge of the curved plate, wherein the first and second closed strap retention channels are aligned with the open strap retention channel to facilitate sliding passage of a securement strap of a stilt device along a routing path that includes the first and second closed strap retention channels and the open strap retention channel.

2 . The apparatus of claim 1 , in combination with the securement strap of the stilt device having a buckle at a first end and a tip at the second end, wherein the tip is configured to be passed through the first closed strap retention channel, the open strap retention channel and the second closed strap retention channel to retain the curved plate on the securement strap.

3 . The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the curved plate, the first and second retention walls, the first channel body and the second channel body are formed as an injection molded plastic article.

4 . The apparatus of claim 1 , further comprising a pair of spaced apart foam blocks affixed to the concave inner surface adjacent the respective first and second edges of the curved plate.

5 . The apparatus of claim 1 , further comprising a removeably affixable pad formed of compliant material and configured to be placed adjacent the concave inner surface of the curved plate.

6 . The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the first and second retention walls are aligned with the third and fourth retention walls and with the fifth and sixth retention walls.

7 . The apparatus of claim 1 , characterized as a support plate for the stilt device, and wherein the apparatus further comprises a leg band affixed to a leg support pole, a wherein the securement strap is configured to encircle a leg of a user to secure the leg to the leg band, and wherein the securement strap extends from the leg band, through the respective first and second closed strap retention channels and the open strap retention channel, and back to the leg band, the support plate slidingly moveable along the securement strap relative to the leg band.

8 . The apparatus of claim 7 , wherein the leg band comprises:

a curved leg band plate having a convex leg band outer surface, a concave leg band inner surface, and opposing third and fourth edges;

a leg band channel body extending from a medial portion of the convex leg band outer surface of the curved leg band plate comprising seventh and eighth retention walls which extend upwardly from the convex leg band outer surface and which are adjoined by a transversely extending third web portion to form a leg band closed strap retention channel to accommodate sliding passage of the securement strap; and

a bracket assembly comprising first and second ear brackets which extend upwardly from the third web portion to form a u-shaped clevis linkage arrangement with the leg support pole of the stilt device.

9 . The apparatus of claim 8 , wherein the curved leg band plate has a radius of curvature that matches a radius of curvature of the curved plate of the support plate.

10 . The apparatus of claim 7 , wherein the leg band, the securement strap and the support plate form a leg attachment assembly of the stilt device, and wherein the leg attachment assembly is affixed to the leg of the user by steps comprising:

encircling the leg of the user with the securement strap so that the concave inner surface of the support plate is interposed between the securement strap and the leg of the user;

tightening the securement strap to compressingly engage the support plate against the leg of the user; and

slidingly advancing the support plate along the securement strap relative to the leg band.

11 . An apparatus comprising:

a leg band affixable to a leg support pole of a stilt device;

a securement strap configured to encircle a leg of a user to secure the leg to the leg band; and

a support plate configured to threadingly receive the securement strap, wherein:

the leg band comprises:

a curved leg band plate member having a first convex outer surface, a first concave inner surface, and opposing first and second edges;

at least one cushioning pad affixed to the first concave inner surface;

a leg band channel body extending from a medial portion of the first convex outer surface of the curved leg band plate member comprising first and second retention walls which extend upwardly from the first convex outer surface and which are adjoined by a transversely extending first web portion to form a leg band closed strap retention channel to accommodate sliding passage of the securement strap; and

a bracket assembly comprising first and second ear brackets which extend upwardly from the first web portion to form a u-shaped clevis linkage arrangement with the leg support pole of the stilt device; and

the support plate comprises:

a curved support plate member having a second convex outer surface, a second concave inner surface, and opposing third and fourth edges;

at least one cushioning pad affixed to the second concave inner surface;

third and fourth retention walls that extend upwardly from the second convex outer surface to form a support plate open strap retention channel that extends between the third and fourth edges; and

a support plate channel body formed from fifth and sixth retention walls that extend upwardly from the second convex outer surface and which are adjoined by a transversely extending second web portion to form a support plate closed strap retention channel adjacent a selected one of the third or fourth edges and aligned with the open strap retention channel to facilitate sliding passage of the securement strap along a routing path that includes the support plate closed strap retention channel and the support plate open strap retention channel.

12 . The apparatus of claim 11 , wherein the securement strap extends from the leg band, through the respective support plate closed strap retention channel and the support plate open strap retention channel, and back to the leg band, the support plate slidingly moveable along the securement strap relative to the leg band to different circumferential locations about the leg of the user.

13 . The apparatus of claim 11 , in combination with the leg support pole and a fastener, wherein the fastener engages the first and second ear brackets of the bracket assembly to attach the leg band to the support pole and facilitate rotational movement of the leg band with respect to the leg support pole.

14 . The apparatus of claim 11 , wherein the support plate channel body is a first support plate channel body and the support plate closed strap retention channel is a first support plate closed strap retention channel, and wherein the support plate further comprises:

a second support plate channel body formed from seventh and eighth retention walls that extend upwardly from the second convex outer surface and which are adjoined by a transversely extending third web portion to form a second support plate closed strap retention channel adjacent a remaining one of the third or fourth edges and aligned with the open strap retention channel to facilitate sliding passage of the securement strap.

15 . The apparatus of claim 11 , wherein a void is formed in the first concave inner surface of the curved leg band plate member adjacent the leg band closed strap retention channel.

16 . The apparatus of claim 14 , wherein the curved leg band plate member has a radius of curvature that nominally matches a radius of curvature of the curved support plate member of the support plate.

17 . The apparatus of claim 11 , wherein the leg band, the securement strap and the support plate form a leg attachment assembly of the stilt device, and wherein the leg attachment assembly is affixed to the leg of the user by steps comprising:

encircling the leg of the user with the strap so that the second concave inner surface of the curved support plate member is interposed between the strap and the leg of the user;

tightening the securement strap to compressingly engage the support plate against the leg of the user; and

slidingly advancing the support plate along the securement strap relative to the leg band.

18 . The apparatus of claim 11 , wherein the support plate closed strap retention channel is sized relative to the securement strap to provide friction-based retention of the support plate on the strap when the strap is in an unsecured configuration.

19 . A stilt device of the type having a floor plate, a foot plate supported above the floor plate, a support pole extending upwardly from the foot plate, a leg band affixed to the leg support pole, and a securement strap configured to encircle a leg of a user to secure the leg of the user to the leg band while a foot of the user is supported on the foot plate, the improvement comprising:

a support plate configured to threadingly receive the securement strap to distribute a concentration of force supplied by the securement strap to a side of the leg opposite the leg band, the support plate slidingly positionable along the securement strap relative to the leg band and circumferentially about the leg of the user, the support plate comprising:

a curved support plate member having a convex outer surface;

a first closed strap retention channel extending from the convex outer surface;

a second closed strap retention channel extending from the convex outer surface; and

an open strap retention channel aligned with the first closed strap retention channel and the second closed strap retention channel to define a routing path for the securement strap that passes through the respective first and second closed strap retention channels and the open strap retention channel.

20 . The improvement of claim 19 , wherein the first closed strap retention channel is adjacent a first end of the curved support plate member, and the second closed strap retention channel is adjacent an opposing second end of the curved support plate member.

21 . The improvement of claim 19 , wherein the open strap retention channel is disposed between the first closed strap retention channel and the second closed strap retention channel along the routing path.

22 . The improvement of claim 19 , wherein:

the open strap retention channel is formed from first and second retention walls that extend upwardly from the convex outer surface;

the first closed strap retention channel is defined by a first channel body comprising third and fourth retention walls that extend upwardly from the convex outer surface and a transversely extending first web portion that extends between the third and fourth retention walls; and

the second closed strap retention channel defined by a second channel body comprising fifth and sixth retention walls that extend upwardly from the convex outer surface and a transversely extending second web portion that extends between the fifth and sixth retention walls.