US 6,470,552 B1 · Method for fabricating a cosmetic cover for a prosthetic limb

Abstract

A mandrel, and a method using a mandrel, for fabricating a cosmetic cover for a prosthetic limb having a socket for placement over a wearer's residual limb and having a component positioned outside, and attached to, the socket through aligned holes of the component and the socket. The mandrel has a mandrel plate attached to a mandrel shaft. The mandrel plate has holes aligned with the holes of the socket so the mandrel plate may be attached to the socket and the component thereby supporting the prosthetic limb. The mandrel shaft is placed in a chuck of a milling machine when the supported prosthetic limb, with an attached cosmetic cover blank, is attached to the mandrel plate, and the outside surface of the cosmetic cover blank is milled to match a mirror image of the wearer's sound limb.

Claims17

Dependent claims

A method for fabricating a cosmetic cover for a prosthetic limb, the prosthetic limb having a socket for placement over a wearer's residual limb and having a component disposed exterior of the socket, the component and the distal end of the socket having a plurality of alignable holes for attachment of the component to the socket, wherein the method comprises the steps of:

a) attaching a cosmetic cover blank over the prosthetic limb;
b) obtaining a mandrel having a mandrel shaft and having a mandrel plate attached to one end of the mandrel shaft, wherein the mandrel plate has a plurality of holes matching the holes of the socket;
c) disposing the mandrel plate inside the socket;
d) aligning the holes of the mandrel plate, the socket, and the component;
e) attaching together the mandrel plate, the socket, and the component through the holes of the mandrel plate, the socket, and the component;
f) disposing the mandrel shaft in a chuck of a milling machine;
and
g) milling the outside surface of the cosmetic cover blank.

5 more elements

A method for fabricating a cosmetic cover for a prosthetic limb, the prosthetic limb having a socket for placement over a wearer's residual limb, having a component disposed exterior of the socket, and having a lock disposed interior of the socket, wherein the component and the distal end of the socket have a plurality of aligned holes, wherein the holes of the component are threaded holes, wherein the lock has a plurality of threaded bolts which are rotatable from inside the socket, which extend through the holes of the socket, and which are engaged with the threaded holes of the component, and wherein the method comprises the steps of:

a) attaching a cosmetic cover blank over the prosthetic limb;
b) obtaining a mandrel having a mandrel shaft and having a mandrel plate attached to one end of the shaft, wherein the mandrel plate has a plurality of holes matching the holes of the socket;
c) removing the lock from the component and the socket;
d) replacing the removed lock with the mandrel plate and a plurality of threaded fasteners which pass through the holes of the mandrel plate and the socket and which engage the threaded holes of the component;
e) disposing the mandrel shaft in a chuck of a milling machine;
and
f) milling the outside surface of the cosmetic cover blank.

4 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Method for fabricating a cosmetic cover for a prosthetic limb

Life of this patent

Method for fabricating a cosmetic cover for a prosthetic limb

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims17