Methods and apparatuses for fitting an object
AssigneeBethcare Inc.
InventorsJason Hill, Elizabeth Tsai, Ramin Abrishamian, Jeremy Jo
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
Linings for fitting an object to a body part, and their use, are provided. The lining may include a flexible sheet having a fluid impenetrable outer portion enclosing an internal volume and the lining may include barriers forming a number of compartments substantially secured in place within the internal volume. The barriers may be permeable to gas and/or liquid, yet may be impermeable to the conformable material and the gas and/or liquid may be supplied to or aspirated from one or more compartments within the internal volume. Aspiration of gas and/or liquid from the internal volume may limit both deformation of the conformable material and shape adjustment of the flexible sheet.
Claims15
A lining for providing custom contoured fitting between a rigid prosthetic/orthotic device and a corresponding residual limb, comprising:
- a flexible sheet including a fluid impermeable outer portion enclosing an internal volume;
- a plurality of barriers forming a plurality of compartments secured in place within the internal volume, at least one of said compartments having a wall formed by one of said barriers, wherein a length of the barrier forming said wall is more than 2 times greater than a distance traversed by said barrier along said compartment, whereby said wall comprising a corrugated barrier structure;
- and
- a conformable material located within at least some of the plurality of compartments, the plurality of barriers being permeable to gas and impermeable to the conformable material,
- whereby said lining is configured to provide custom contoured support of said residual limb in contact with said rigid prosthetic/orthotic device.
A method of installing a lining for fitting a rigid prosthetic/orthotic device to a corresponding residual limb, comprising placing the lining over the residual limb such that an inner surface of the lining conforms to a shape of the residual limb external body part, the lining including a flexible sheet having a fluid impermeable outer portion enclosing an internal volume, a plurality of barriers forming a plurality of compartments within the internal volume, at least one of said compartments having a wall formed by one of said barriers, wherein a length of the barrier forming said wall is more than 2 times greater than a distance traversed by said barrier along said compartment, whereby said wall comprising a corrugated barrier structure, and a conformable material located within at least some of the plurality of compartments;
- and aspirating fluid from the plurality of compartments within the internal volume, wherein the aspiration of fluid limits both deformation of the conformable material and shape adjustment of the flexible sheet.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.