Loading patent…
AssigneesClemson University Research Foundation, Ability Prosthetics & Orthotics, Inc.
InventorsJohn DesJardins, Scott Edward Stanley, Breanne Przestrzelski, Timothy C. Pruett, Steve L. Hoeffner, Brian Daryl Kaluf
Estimating the term…
Orthotics and methods for forming orthotics are described. The orthotics can be designed with a patient-specific design and can include variation in hardness across the orthotic so as to satisfy clinical need. An orthotic can be a custom-designed orthotic formed according to an additive manufacturing process such as a 3-D printing methodology. Through utilization of on-site formation methods such as 3-D printing, an orthotic can be designed, formed and fit at the point of care in a much shorter time period than traditional orthotics. The orthotics can include a layer that includes a plurality of cells across the layer. The layer can exhibit variable hardness across the layer through variation in cell void volume and optionally material of formation across the layer.
An orthotic layer that exhibits a variable hardness across the orthotic layer, the orthotic layer comprising an upper surface and a lower surface and a plurality of cells arranged in a predetermined pattern across the orthotic layer, wherein every cell of the plurality of cells extends between the upper surface and the lower surface and every cell of the plurality of cells is open at either the upper surface or the lower surface of the orthotic layer, the plurality of cells including a first portion of cells in a first region of the orthotic layer, each cell of the first portion of cells having a first void volume, the plurality of cells including a second portion of cells in a second region of the orthotic layer, each cell of the second portion of cells having a second void volume, the first region having a first hardness and the second region having a second, different hardness as determined according to ASTM D 2240-05.
An orthotic comprising:
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.