Pressure/temperature monitoring device for prosthetics
AssigneeOtto Bock Healthcare GmbH
InventorCarl A. Caspers
Life of this patent
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Abstract
An apparatus and method for monitoring aspects of a socket of a prosthetic limb having a residual limb contained therein. The apparatus includes and the method uses sensors for measuring one or more of pressure, force, temperature, moisture, and vacuum and one or more devices for displaying sensor values to the wearer, setting sensor limits, and/or sounding an audible alarm when a sensor limit is exceeded.
Claims32
An apparatus for monitoring one or more aspects relating to a socket of an prosthetic limb having a residual limb contained therein, the apparatus comprising:
- (a) at least one of a pressure sensor and a force sensor;
- (b) a temperature sensor;
- (c) a moisture sensor;
- (d) a display of values sensed by at least one of the pressure sensor, force sensor, temperature sensor, moisture sensor;
- and
- (e) an alarm for indicating when a value sensed by one of the pressure sensor, force sensor, temperature sensor, and moisture sensor is beyond a sensor value limit.
An apparatus for monitoring the environment of the prosthetic socket of an artificial limb having a residual limb contained therein, the apparatus comprising:
- (a) at least one sensor positioned at least partially within a wall of the socket for sensing at least one of pressure, force, temperature, and moisture, wherein the at least one sensor can be configured with value limits;
- and
- (b) an indicator of when a value sensed by the at least one sensor is beyond a value limit;
- and
- a computer for setting sensor value limits.
A method for monitoring aspects relating to a socket of a prosthetic limb and a residual limb contained therein, the method comprising:
- (a) sensing at least one of pressure and force, and at least one of temperature and moisture, with respect to at least one of the socket, the residual limb, and a space there between;
- (b) setting sensor value limits;
- and
- (c) indicating when a sensed value is beyond at least one of the sensor value limits.
An apparatus for monitoring the environment of the prosthetic socket of an artificial limb having a residual limb contained therein, the apparatus comprising:
- a liner mountable over the residual limb and having a wall, the liner receivable within the socket;
- at least one sensor positioned within the wall of the liner for sensing at least one of pressure, force, temperature, and moisture, wherein the at least one sensor can be configured with value limits;
- an indicator of when a value sensed by the at least one sensor is beyond a value limit;
- and
- a computer for setting sensor value limits.
An apparatus for monitoring the environment of the prosthetic socket of an artificial limb having a residual limb contained therein, the apparatus comprising:
- (a) at least one sensor positioned within a wall of the socket for sensing at least one of pressure, force, temperature, and moisture, wherein the at least one sensor can be configured with value limits;
- and
- (b) an indicator of when a value sensed by the at least one sensor is beyond a value limit, wherein the indicator comprises an audible alarm.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.