Method and apparatus of an integrated gel sealing liner

A cushion liner for enclosing an amputation stump and sealing with an interior of a prosthetic socket, said cushion liner comprising:

• an open tubular-shaped proximal end and a closed tubular-shaped distal end and at least one tubular-shaped intermediate section, each of said open tubular-shaped proximal end, said closed tubular-shaped distal end and said at least one tubular-shaped intermediate section comprised of an elastomeric cushioning gel layer having an inner surface that substantially conforms to the shape of said amputation stump and an outer surface;
• a one-piece knitted elastic tubular-shaped fabric having an inner surface and an outer surface, said inner surface adhered to said outer surface of said elastomeric cushioning gel layer, except for said at least one tubular-shaped intermediate section;
• said one-piece knitted elastic tubular-shaped fabric comprised of first yarns and being gel impermeable, except in said at least one tubular-shaped intermediate section;
• said one-piece knitted elastic tubular-shaped fabric in said at least one tubular-shaped intermediate section comprised of second yarns and being gel permeable;
• said second yarns partially embedded in said elastomeric cushioning gel layer in said at least one tubular-shaped intermediate section, said second yarns being less rigid than said first yarns and being of a loose stitch construction, said second yarns having their outermost surfaces free of gel and their remaining surfaces embedded in said elastomeric cushioning gel layer;
• said outer surface of said one-piece knitted elastic tubular-shaped fabric in said at least one tubular-shaped intermediate section defining an annular seal less constricted to elongation in the transverse and longitudinal directions and deformation in the radial direction than the remaining sections of said cushion liner for sealing with a prosthetic socket, whereby said annular seal will be free to expand and contract without inhibiting blood flow and causing discomfort to an amputee's stump within a prosthetic socket.

A method of making a cushion liner for enclosing an amputation stump and sealing with an interior of a prosthetic socket comprising:

• knitting a one-piece elastic tubular-shaped fabric with a programmable knitting machine;
• said one-piece elastic tubular-shaped fabric having an open proximal end for introduction of said stump and a closed distal end opposite said open proximal end and with said fabric having an outer surface and an inner surface;
• programming said knitting machine to knit said one-piece elastic tubular-shaped fabric to have a distal section followed by a proximal section;
• programming said knitting machine to knit said distal section with first yarns and as a gel impermeable fabric;
• programming said knitting machine to knit said proximal section with second yarns in a loose stitch construction and as a gel permeable fabric, said second yarns being less rigid than said first yarns;
• inverting said knitted one-piece elastic tubular-shaped fabric to have said inner surface facing outward;
• mounting said inverted one-piece elastic tubular-shaped fabric on a male component of a gel molding system;
• inserting molten gel into an annular space between said male component and a female component of said gel molding system such that said gel adheres to the inner surface of said one-piece elastic tubular-shaped fabric that is gel impermeable in said distal section and protrudes through and engulfs the second yarns of said one-piece elastic tubular-shaped fabric that is gel permeable in said proximal section on all surfaces of said second yarns except for the surfaces of said second yarns in direct contact with the male component of the molding machine;
• allowing said cushion liner to cool thereby forming said molten gel into a cushioning gel layer;
• removing said cushion liner from said molding system after said cushion liner has cooled;
• reverting said cushion liner such that said outer surface of said one-piece elastic tubular-shaped fabric faces outwardly thereby having said distal section of said cushion liner covered with said gel impermeable fabric and said proximal section having said gel permeable fabric partially embedded in said cushioning gel layer thereby defining an annular seal less constricted to elongation in the transverse and longitudinal directions and deformation in the radial direction than the distal section of said cushion liner, whereby said annular seal will be free to expand and contract without inhibiting blood flow and causing discomfort to an amputee's stump within a prosthetic socket.

A cushion liner for enclosing an amputation stump and sealing with an interior of a prosthetic socket, said liner comprising:

• an open tubular-shaped proximal section terminating in a proximal end and a closed tubular-shaped distal section terminating in a distal end, each of said open tubular-shaped proximal section and said closed tubular-shaped distal section comprised of an elastomeric cushioning gel layer having an inner surface that substantially conforms to the shape of said amputation stump and an outer surface;
• a one-piece knitted elastic tubular-shaped fabric having an inner surface and an outer surface, said inner surface of said one-piece knitted elastic tubular-shaped fabric adhered to said outer surface of said closed tubular-shaped distal section of said elastomeric cushioning gel layer;
• said one-piece knitted elastic tubular-shaped fabric adhered to said closed tubular-shaped distal section comprised of first yarns and being gel impermeable in said closed tubular-shaped distal section;
• said one-piece knitted elastic tubular-shaped fabric in said open tubular-shaped proximal section comprised of second yarns and being gel permeable in said open tubular-shaped proximal section;
• said second yarns of said one-piece knitted elastic tubular-shaped fabric partially embedded in said elastomeric cushioning gel layer in said open tubular-shaped proximal section, said second yarns being less rigid than said first yarns and being of a loose stitch construction, said second yarns having their outermost surfaces free of gel and their remaining surfaces embedded in said open tubular-shaped proximal section of said elastomeric cushioning gel layer;
• said open tubular-shaped proximal section outer surface defining an annular seal less constricted to elongation in the transverse and longitudinal directions and deformation in the radial direction than the distal section of said cushion liner for sealing with a prosthetic socket, whereby said annular seal will be free to expand and contract without inhibiting blood flow and causing discomfort to an amputee's stump within a prosthetic socket.