Method of Forming a Prosthesis
OwnerWendy A. Smithinventor
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A prosthesis, for example a breast or a finger prosthesis, is formed for mating with a first body portion of a user such that the prosthesis is symmetrical with a second body portion of the user. The prosthesis is formed at a manufacturing location using castings of the first and second body portions which the user creates themselves at a user location separate from the manufacturing location using a user casting kit. The user casting kit includes casting material, skin colour samples and any additional tools required for the subsequent manufacture of a custom prosthesis without the user being required to leave the user location. Alternatively, the user can submit their own image data and use a computer based tool to make various selections subsequently used by the manufacturer to produce the prosthesis.
Claims58
A method of forming a prosthesis for mating with a first body portion of a user such that the prosthesis is symmetrical with a second body portion of the user, the method comprising:
- delivering a user kit to the user at a user location in which the user kit comprises a casting material;
- providing a colour selection tool to the user comprising colour sample selections;
- instructing the user to apply the casting material to both the first body portion and the second body portion to form respective casting portions;
- instructing the user to make a colour sample selection using the colour selection tool;
- receiving the casting portions delivered from the user at the user location to a manufacturing location separate from the user location;
- receiving the colour sample selection selected by the user;
- molding a replica of the first body portion and a replica of the second body portion of the user using the casting portions at the manufacturing location;
- forming a body of the prosthesis at the manufacturing location such that the body of the prosthesis is symmetrical with the replica of the second body portion when mated with the replica of the first body portion;
- and
- colouring the prosthesis according to the colour sample selection selected by the user.
A method of forming a prosthesis for mating with a first body portion of a user such that the prosthesis is symmetrical with a second body portion of the user, the method comprising:
- receiving a user kit at a user location in which the user kit comprises a casting material and colour samples;
- applying the casting material to both the first body portion and the second body portion to form respective casting portions;
- selecting a skin colour selection from the colour samples corresponding to skin tones of the user;
- and
- delivering the casting and skin color selection from the user location to a manufacturing location separate from the user location such that a replica of the first body portion and a replica of the second body portion can be molded at the manufacturing location and such that a body of the prosthesis can be shaped at the manufacturing location to mate with the replica of the first body portion and be symmetrical with the replica of the second body portion with colouring applied according to the colour sample selection made by the user.
A method of forming a prosthesis for mating with a first body portion of a user such that the prosthesis is symmetrical with a second body portion of the user, the method comprising:
- providing a computer based tool to the user for use at a user location in which the computer based tool is arranged to receive image data of the first body portion and the second body portion of the user and in which the computer based tool is arranged to display a plurality of colour sample selections on a computer device to the user;
- producing a computer model of the prosthesis using the image data of the first body portion and the second body portion;
- receiving at the manufacturing location the colour sample selection selected by the user;
- forming a body of the prosthesis at the manufacturing location according to the computer model such that the body of the prosthesis is arranged to be symmetrical with the second body portion when mated with the replica of the first body portion;
- colouring the body of the prosthesis according to the colour sample selection selected by the user.
A method of forming a prosthesis of a respective body portion of a user, the method comprising:
- providing a computer based tool to the user which is executable on a computer device for use at a user location in which the computer based tool is arranged to:
- i) display a plurality of size selections to the user on the computer device;
- ii) display a plurality of colour selections to the user on the computer device;
- iii) generate a computer model of the prosthesis according to at least one selection made by the user;
- and
- iv) display the computer model to the to the user on the computer device;
- receiving at the manufacturing location a size selection and a colour selection selected by the user using the computer based tool;
- forming a prosthesis at the manufacturing location according to the size selection and the colour selection.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.