Modular distal plate for rapid manufacturing of a prosthetic limb socket

• US 6,669,736 B2
• Filed: 03/11/2002
• Issued: 12/30/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 04/09/1998
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Prosthetic Design Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Prosthetic Design Incorporated
• Inventors: Slemker, Tracy C., Schall, Scott R.
• Primary Examiner(s): Snow, Bruce
• Application Number:
  US10/095,142
• Publication Number:
  US 20020095220A1
• Time in Patent Office: 659 Days
• Field of Search: 623/32, 623/33, 623/34, 623/35, 623/36, 623/38, 264/274, 264/222
• US Class Current: 623/32
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2/5044 Designing or manufacturing processes
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2/80 Sockets, e.g. of suction type
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/30331 made by longitudinally pushing a protrusion into a complementarily-shaped recess, e.g. held by friction fit
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/30354 Cylindrically-shaped protrusion and recess, e.g. cylinder of circular basis
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/30359 Pyramidally- or frustopyramidally-shaped protrusion and recess
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/30387 Dovetail connection
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/30492 using a locking pin
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2002/505 using CAD-CAM techniques or NC-techniques
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2220/0025 Connections or couplings between prosthetic parts, e.g. between modular parts; Connecting elements
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2220/0033 made by longitudinally pushing a protrusion into a complementary-shaped recess, e.g. held by friction fit
• CPC Class Codes: B22F 10/18 by mixing binder with metal in filament form, e.g. fused filament fabrication [FFF]
• CPC Class Codes: B22F 2998/00 Supplementary information concerning processes or compositions relating to powder metallurgy
• CPC Class Codes: B22F 3/115 by spraying molten metal, i.e. spray sintering, spray casting
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 41/20 incorporating preformed parts or layers, e.g. moulding inserts or for coating articles
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 64/106 using only liquids or viscous materials, e.g. depositing a continuous bead of viscous material
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 64/118 using filamentary material being melted, e.g. fused deposition modelling [FDM]
• CPC Class Codes: B29K 2105/20 Inserts
• CPC Class Codes: B33Y 10/00 Processes of additive manufacturing
• CPC Class Codes: B33Y 80/00 Products made by additive manufacturing
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 19/00 Programme-control systems
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/45168 : Bone prosthesis
• CPC Class Codes: Y02P 10/25 : Process efficiency
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 623/901 : Method of manufacturing prosthetic device

Abstract

The present invention facilitates the use of the rapid manufacturing systems in the manufacture of prosthetic limb sockets by providing a substantially flat and strong distal attachment plate or base for the deposition of the fused-deposition-modeling materials thereon. The present invention also provides a method for fabricating a socket of a prosthetic limb which comprises the steps of: (a) providing a substantially flat distal attachment plate, where the attachment plate includes a coupling mechanism carried thereon for coupling a prosthetic upright assembly thereto; and (b) repeatedly depositing layers of solidifying material to the proximal surface of the attachment plate, controlled, at least in part, according to the dimensions of the patient'"'"'s residual limb, so as to form a socket for receiving the patient'"'"'s residual limb. The attachment plate may have a notch machined or formed into its proximal surface, about a periphery thereof, for receiving a first layer of the solidifying material and providing at least two bonding surfaces for the solidifying material.

Claims

1. An interconnection component of a prosthetic limb assembly comprising:

a base having a proximal surface and a distal end;

a notch extending into the proximal surface and extending about the periphery of the base; and

a coupling mechanism carried on the base, adapted to couple a prosthetic limb upright assembly to the distal end of the base;

wherein the notch is a helical notch, starting at a peripheral point at a first depth into the proximal surface and ending at the peripheral point at a second depth into the proximal surface, deeper than the first depth.

2. An interconnection component of a prosthetic limb assembly comprising:

a base having a proximal surface and a distal end;

a notch extending into the proximal surface and extending about the periphery of the base; and

a coupling mechanism carried on the base, adapted to couple a prosthetic limb upright assembly to the distal end of the base;

wherein the base has at least a proximal portion of a plastic material that is readily bonded to the fused deposition modeling material.

3. An interconnection component of a prosthetic limb assembly comprising:

a base having a proximal surface and a distal end;

a notch extending into the proximal surface and extending about the periphery of the base; and

a coupling mechanism carried on the base, adapted to couple a prosthetic limb upright assembly to the distal end of the base;

wherein the coupling mechanism includes at least one bolt-receiving bore extending into the distal end of the base.

4. An interconnection component of a prosthetic limb assembly comprising:

a base having a proximal surface and a distal end;

a notch extending into the proximal surface and extending about the periphery of the base; and

a coupling mechanism carried on the base, adapted to couple a prosthetic limb upright assembly to the distal end of the base;

wherein the coupling mechanism includes a pyramidal boss extending distally therefrom.

5. The interconnection component of claim 4, wherein the pyramidal boss is laterally slidable with respect to the base.

6. An interconnection component of a prosthetic limb assembly comprising:

a base having a proximal surface and a distal end;

a notch extending into the proximal surface and running in a closed path along the proximal surface approximating a periphery of the base; and

a coupling mechanism carried on the base, adapted to couple a prosthetic limb upright assembly to the distal end of the base;

wherein the notch starts at a point along the closed path at a first depth into the proximal surface and ends at a point along the closed path at a second depth deeper than the first depth.

7. The interconnection component of claim 6, wherein the depth of the notch steadily decreases from the start of the notch to the end of the notch.

8. An interconnection component of a prosthetic limb assembly comprising:

a base having a proximal surface and a distal end;

a notch extending into the proximal surface and running in a closed path along the proximal surface approximating a periphery of the base; and

a coupling mechanism carried on the base, adapted to couple a prosthetic limb upright assembly to the distal end of the base;

wherein base has at least a proximal portion of a plastic material that is readily bonded to the fused deposition modeling material.

9. An interconnection component of a prosthetic limb assembly comprising:

a base having a proximal surface and a distal end;

a notch extending into the proximal surface and running in a closed path along the proximal surface approximating a periphery of the base; and

a coupling mechanism carried on the base, adapted to couple a prosthetic limb upright assembly to the distal end of the base;

wherein the coupling mechanism includes at least one bolt-receiving bore extending into the distal end of the base.

10. An interconnection component of a prosthetic limb assembly comprising:

a base having a proximal surface and a distal end;

a notch extending into the proximal surface and running in a closed path along the proximal surface approximating a periphery of the base; and

a coupling mechanism carried on the base, adapted to couple a prosthetic limb upright assembly to the distal end of the base;

wherein the coupling mechanism includes a pyramidal boss extending distally therefrom.

11. The interconnection component of claim 10, wherein the pyramidal boss is laterally slidable with respect to the base.

12. An interconnection component of a prosthetic limb assembly comprising:

a base having a proximal surface and a distal end;

a notch extending into the proximal surface and running in a closed path along the proximal surface approximating a periphery of the base; and

a coupling mechanism carried on the base, adapted to couple a prosthetic limb upright assembly to the distal end of the base;

wherein the coupling mechanism includes a hole extending axially and completely through the base.

13. An interconnection component of a prosthetic limb assembly comprising:

a base having a proximal surface and a distal end;

a notch extending into the proximal surface and running in a closed path along the proximal surface approximating a periphery of the base; and

a coupling mechanism carried on the base, adapted to couple a prosthetic limb upright assembly to the distal end of the base;

wherein the closed path extends along the periphery of the base, thereby providing a peripheral step; and

wherein the notch starts at a point along the closed path at a first depth into the proximal surface and ends at the point along the closed path at a second depth deeper than the first depth.

14. The interconnection component of claim 13, wherein the depth of the notch steadily decreases from the start of the notch to the end of the notch.

15. An interconnection component of a prosthetic limb assembly comprising:

a base having a proximal surface and a distal end;

a notch extending into the proximal surface and running in a closed oath along the proximal surface approximating a periphery of the base; and

a coupling mechanism carried on the base, adapted to couple a prosthetic limb upright assembly to the distal end of the base;

wherein the notch is substantially rectangular in elevational cross-section.

16. An interconnection component of a prosthetic limb assembly comprising:

a base having a proximal surface and a distal end; and

a notch extending into the proximal surface and running in a closed path approximating a periphery of the base, adapted to receive and bond to at least one layer of solidifying material from a fused deposition modeling system therein;

wherein the notch is a helical notch, starting at a beginning of the path at a first depth into the proximal surface and ending at a second depth into the proximal surface, deeper than the first depth.

17. An interconnection component of a prosthetic limb assembly comprising:

a base having a proximal surface and a distal end; and

a notch extending into the proximal surface and running in a closed path approximating a periphery of the base, adapted to receive and bond to at least one layer of solidifying material from a fused deposition modeling system therein;

wherein the base has at least a proximal portion of a plastic material that is readily bonded to the fused deposition modeling material.

18. A base plate adapted to build a prosthetic limb socket therefrom utilizing fused deposition technology comprising:

a base having a proximal surface and a distal end; and

a bonding mechanism of increased surface area provided on a path along the proximal surface, the bonding mechanism providing for increased adhesion between the proximal surface and a solidifying material to be deposited thereon, the solidifying material to be layered such that each successive layer forms a prosthetic socket;

wherein the bonding mechanism is a notch, starting approximate a peripheral point at a first depth into the proximal surface and ending approximate the peripheral point at a second depth into the proximal surface, the second depth being deeper than the first depth.

19. The interconnection component of claim 18, wherein the notch provides at least two surfaces running the length of the path for bonding of the deposited material thereto.

20. The interconnection component of claim 19, wherein the notch has a width which is adapted to approximate the width of the deposited material.

21. An interconnection component of a prosthetic limb assembly comprising:

a base having a proximal surface and a distal end;

a notch extending into the proximal surface and running in a closed path alone the proximal surface approximating a periphery of the base; and

a coupling mechanism carried on the base, adapted to couple a prosthetic limb upright assembly to the distal end of the base;

wherein the coupling mechanism includes a plurality of holes extending axially into the distal end of the base.

22. An interconnection component of a prosthetic limb assembly comprising:

a base having a proximal surface and a distal end;

a notch extending into the proximal surface and running in a substantially annular path along the proximal surface; and

a coupling mechanism carried on the base, adapted to couple a prosthetic limb upright assembly to the distal end of the base;

wherein the notch is substantially U-shaped in elevational cross-section, having a proximal-facing surface bounded by a pair of opposed, substantially vertical surfaces.