THERMOPLASTIC ARTICLE

Abstract

A thermoplastic article for orthopaedic application comprising a substrate, the substrate including in the range 57 to 95 wt % of a thermoplastic polymer and in the range 5 to 30 wt % of a wax; wherein, the article is plastic at a temperature in the range 40° C. to 60° C. Together with a method of a thermoplastic article for orthopaedic application comprising a substrate, the substrate including in the range 57 to 95 wt % of a thermoplastic polymer and in the range 5 to 30 wt % of a wax; wherein, the article is plastic at a temperature in the range 40° C. to 60° C. and a use of the article together with a computer readable medium which when executed on a processor allows the article to be made.

Claims

1. A thermoplastic article for orthopaedic application comprising a substrate, the substrate including in the range 57 to 95 wt % of a thermoplastic polymer and in the range 5 to 30 wt % of a wax; wherein, the article is plastic at a temperature in the range 40° C. to 60° C.

2. An article according to claim 1, wherein the thermoplastic polymer comprises ethylene vinyl acetate; and/or the wax comprises paraffin wax.

3. An article according to claim 1, comprising one or more cells.

4. An article according to claim 1, wherein the substrate comprises first and second surfaces, and a coating on one or both of the first and second surfaces.

5. An article according to claim 4, wherein the coating comprises polyurethane and/or polyethylene.

6. An article according to claim 4, wherein the coating comprises a film laminated onto at least one surface of the substrate.

7. An article according to claim 1, wherein the substrate further comprises an additive selected from fibres, fillers, antimicrobials, flame retardants, heat transfer agents, colourants and combinations thereof.

8. An article according to claim 1, further comprising a flexible heating unit.

9. An article according to claim 8, wherein the heating unit is embedded within the substrate.

10. An article according to claim 8, wherein the heating unit is formed by 3D printing.

11. An article according to claim 8, wherein the heating unit is a circuit comprising connectors for use with an external power supply.

12. An article according to claim 1, further comprising a textile cover.

13. An article according to claim 12, wherein the textile cover includes shape retainers.

14. An article according to claim 1, wherein the article further comprises protectors.

15. An article according to claim 1, further comprising an electronic insert selected from, thermostats, pressure sensors, temperature sensors, blood flow sensors, skin and/or muscle stimulators, output chips, or combinations thereof.

16. An article according to claim 1, wherein the orthopaedic application is selected from orthotics, bone or muscle healing, prosthetics or combinations thereof.

17. Method of making an article according to claim 1, comprising the steps of: dispersing a wax in a thermoplastic polymer to form a substrate; cooling the substrate to mouldable temperatures; and moulding to form an article.

18. A method according to claim 17, further comprising fully or partially coating the article.

19. A method according to claim 17, further comprising adding a textile cover to the article.

20. A method according to claim 17, further comprising adding an additive selected from fibres, fillers, antimicrobials, flame retardants, heat transfer agents, colourants and combinations thereof to the thermoplastic polymer and wax dispersion either during substrate formation, or subsequent to substrate formation, but prior to cooling.

21. A method according to claim 17, wherein the article is made using 3D printing.

22. (canceled)

23. (canceled)

24. A method for bone or muscle treatment of an individual in need thereof comprising the steps of: heating the article of claim 1 to a temperature in the range 40° C. to 60° C.; forming the article around a bone or muscle; and cooling the article to a temperature in the range 15° C. to 39° C., to provide a rigid support for the bone or muscle.

25. The method according to claim 24, further comprising reheating the article to a temperature in the range 40° C. to 60° C., and removing the article from the bone or muscle.

26. the method according to claim 24 or claim 25, wherein heating and/or reheating the article comprises a step selected from the application of electricity to a flexible heating unit, heating in an oven, heating in water, heating with hot air, induction heating or combinations thereof.

27. The method according to claim 24 or 25 further comprising activating one or more electronic inserts in the article.

28. (canceled)

29. A computer readable medium which when executed on a processor causes the computer to perform the steps of: (a) generating a first output indicative of the size and shape of a patient's body or part thereof based on an input containing information regarding the dimensions of a patient's body or part thereof; (b) determining the shape and size of an article according to any of claims 1 to 16 adapted for treating the patient based on the first output; and (c) generating instructions for a 3D printer in order for said printer to construct the article according to step (b).

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0077] FIG. 1 shows a part of a thermoplastic article 5, showing in cross-sectional view a substrate 10 comprising the following components: [0078] 58 wt % EVA [0079] 18 wt % ammonium polyphosphate [0080] 14 wt % paraffin wax [0081] 7 wt % magnesium silicate [0082] 2.3 wt % jute [0083] 0.7 wt % colour

[0084] A polyurethane film 15 is laminated to both surfaces 20 of the substrate, and a printed circuit heating unit 25 embedded within the substrate by lamination of two layers of substrate 10 to either side of the heating unit 25 such that it is sandwiched within. Also embedded within the substrate 10 is a temperature sensor 30. A textile coating 35 surrounds the polyurethane film coated substrate 10.

[0085] The article 5 can be applied directly to a limb to control movement.

EXAMPLE

[0086] The article described with reference to FIG. 1 above is mouldable by hand (plastic) at temperatures from 39-40° C. to 59-60° C., is fully washable and conforms to the UL-94 fire retardancy requirements. It is therefore a suitable alternative to known cast materials.

[0087] It should be appreciated that the article, method and use of the invention are capable of being implemented in a variety of ways, only a few of which have been illustrated and described above.