Method of producing a breast prosthesis

• US 5,352,307 A
• Filed: 11/13/1992
• Issued: 10/04/1994
• Est. Priority Date: 11/14/1991
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Amoena Medizin-Orthopadie-Technik GmbH
• Original Assignee: Amoena Medizin-Orthopadie-Technik GmbH
• Inventors: Wild, Helmut F.
• Primary Examiner(s): Woo, Jay H.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Davis, Robert B.
• Application Number:
  US07/975,920
• Time in Patent Office: 690 Days
• Field of Search: 264/241, 264/259, 264/260, 264/222, 264/DIG. 30, 264/46.6, 264/46.8, 264/261, 264/266, 264/267, 156/61, 156/66, 156/232, 156/245, 156/321, 450/54, 450/55, 623/7
• US Class Current: 156/66
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2/5044 Designing or manufacturing processes
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2/52 Mammary prostheses brassieres A41C3/00
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/5007 having elastic means different from springs, e.g. including an elastomeric insert elastic coating A61F2002/3007; springs A61F2002/5072; plate-like springs for feet A61F2002/6657
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/7806 using adhesive means for connecting prosthetic parts A61F2002/30448
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/7881 using hook and loop-type fasteners for connecting prosthetic parts A61F2002/30467
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 2043/186 hot-melt or heat activated adhesives
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 43/18 incorporating preformed parts or layers, e.g. compression moulding around inserts or for coating articles B29C43/206 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 43/206 by pressing the material between two preformed layers, e.g. deformable layers
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 65/48 using adhesives , i.e. using supplementary joining material; solvent bonding
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 65/4815 Hot melt adhesives, e.g. thermoplastic adhesives
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 65/483 Reactive adhesives, e.g. chemically curing adhesives
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 66/474 said single elements being substantially non-flat
• CPC Class Codes: B29K 2083/00 Use of polymers having silicon, with or without sulfur, nitrogen, oxygen, or carbon only, in the main chain, as moulding material
• CPC Class Codes: B29K 2105/24 crosslinked or vulcanised
• CPC Class Codes: B29L 2031/727 Fastening elements bolts B29L2001/002; nuts B29L2001/005; screws B29L2001/007; slide fasteners B29L2005/00; buttons for haberdashery B29L2019/00
• CPC Class Codes: B29L 2031/7532 Artificial members, protheses

Abstract

The invention relates to a method for producing a breast prosthesis in which a two-component addition cross-linkable soft elastic silicone rubber composition is introduced into a synthetic resin film constituting the inside and the outside of the prosthesis. The synthetic resin film filled with the as yet uncross-linked silicone rubber composition is arranged in a mold and silicone rubber composition is caused to cross-link with the development of heat. In order to improve upon the known method for the production of breast prostheses that the holding members to be attached may simply be arranged on the breast prosthesis and that the finished breast prosthesis has a neat appearance, in accordance with the invention at least one holding element, preferably in the form of an adhesive strip, is applied to the inner side of the breast prosthesis, by the activation of a hot-melt adhesive.

Claims

1. In a method for the production of a breast prosthesis comprising the following steps:

introducing a two-component addition cross-linkable soft elastic silicone rubber composition into a synthetic resin film, which is to constitute the outer and inner side of the breast prosthesis,

introducing the uncross-linked silicone rubber composition into a mold, and

cross-linking said silicone-rubber composition by heating said mold and said silicone rubber composition, the improvement comprising the step of;

applying to the synthetic resin film constituting the inner side of the breast prosthesis at least one holding element, in the form of an adhesive strip, applied by the activation of a hot-melt adhesive, said hot-melt adhesive being cured during the step of cross-linking said silicone-rubber composition.

2. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the step of applying at least one holding element comprises applying one part of a two-part burr fastener tape.

3. The method as claimed in claim 1, further comprising the steps of positioning the holding element by means of a suitable cooperating member on a cover of the mold, closing the mold to move the holding element into a desired position on the inner side of the breast prosthesis, activating the hot-melt adhesive by heat provided during the cross-linking of the silicone rubber, and detaching the holding element from the cooperating member by opening the mold after the completion of the cross-linking.

4. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the synthetic resin film employed and furthermore the hot-melt adhesive include polyurethane.

5. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein said holding element comprises an adhesive layer, said adhesive layer being adapted to be connected to a complementary support film, on which a permanent tacky layer is applied.

6. The method as claimed in claim 1 wherein the step of applying the holding element comprises covering over a large area of the inner side of the breast prosthesis with at least one holding element.

7. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the step of applying the holding element comprises covering over a marginal zone of the breast prosthesis with at least one holding element.

8. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the step of applying the at least one holding element comprises bonding a multiplicity of holding elements to a marginal zone of the inner side of the breast prosthesis.

9. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the step of applying the at least one holding element comprises bonding a multiplicity of holding elements to the entire area of the inner side of the breast prosthesis.